SportsBeat KC

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After a winless weekend, challenges grow for K-State, Mizzou, KU Sep 30, 2021

Show notes

Kansas State, Missouri and Kansas went on the road last weekend seeking football victories. Each came away empty-handed. The Wildcats and Tigers return home Saturday, but the challenges only increase.

The Wildcats take on sixth-ranked Oklahoma in search of a third straight victory over the Sooners. K-State’s chances may rest on who starts at quarterback. Could Fort Osage product Skylar Thompson make his return? Kellis Robinett breaks down the matchup.

Kansas, which visits Iowa State, has been solid in the first half of games but unable to close them out. Jesse Newell explains why, and Gary Bedore talks some KU hoops — including Late Night at the Phog, which takes place Friday.

Lila Bromberg discusses what Missouri needs to do get back on the winning track against Tennessee. The Tigers dropped a heartbreaker in overtime at Boston College, and the defense remained leaky.

Story links:

Why Kansas State has played its best football under Chris Klieman against Oklahoma

Former Mizzou quarterback Shawn Robinson is making an impact at safety

KU football has an encouraging sign that’s also led to a glaring weakness

Is Bill Self ready for start of KU season? “I don’t know it all fits yet”

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Here’s what Andy Reid said about his illness, and acquiring Josh Gordon Sep 29, 2021

Show notes

It was good to see Andy Reid back at the podium at a Chiefs news conference Wednesday. The Chiefs’ head coach spent Sunday night in the hospital for an illness that he didn’t get into specifics about.

Reid spoke briefly about the scare but spent most of his time Wednesday addressing questions about the team’s acquisition of wide receiver Josh Gordon and some of the problems that have pestered the team during its two-game losing streak.

Also, quarterback Patrick Mahomes shared his thoughts about Gordon and the team’s latest turnover woes. We present highlights here via SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast.

Story links:

Chiefs coach Andy Reid on his health: “I guess I’ll start with my injury report.”

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes excited about addition of Josh Gordon

KC Chiefs’ Willie Gay ‘making progress’; cornerback Fenton in concussion protocol

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Who is Royals’ pitcher of the year, and can Salvy become a league leader? Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

A week remains in the Royals season, so Salvador Perez has that much time to become the American League leader in home runs and RBIs. What else can the Royals’ accomplish?

On today’s SportsBeat KC, beat writer Lynn Worthy and columnist Vahe Gregorian discuss the season’s final week, break down the candidates for the team’s pitcher of the year, and discuss how a successful year in the organization’s minor leagues translates into big league achievement.

Story links:

Salvador Perez enters last homestand in search of more history

Perez says fan who got his record-breaking home run wanted $10,000

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Are there easy fixes for Chiefs’ woes or is it time to hit panic button? Sep 27, 2021

Show notes

Rare is the Chiefs losing streak. It hasn’t happen since the first half of the 2019, but now the Chiefs have lost consecutive games with Sunday’s 30-24 defeat against the Los Angeles Chargers.

That followed the heartbreaker at Baltimore the previous weekend.

The breakdown of this one starts with turnovers. The Chiefs gave it away four times, twice on Patrick Mahomes interceptions. Still, they had the lead in the fourth quarter. But they couldn’t find a way to protect home field.

After the game, Star columnists Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian and beat writers Herbie Teope and Sam McDowell discussed the team’s problems and wondered if it’s time to hit the panic button. Here’s the discussion as today’s installment of The Star’s daily SportsBeat KC podcast.

Story links:

Rare miscommunication between Mahomes and Kelce illuminates Chiefs’ broader issue

The Chiefs have encountered an early crisis: “This is unusual for us,”

Chiefs have played with fire for a while now. It’s catching up to them

The Chiefs lost this game as much as the Chargers won it. What we learned Sunday

Poor grades for Chiefs vs. Chargers. Now Chiefs are in last place in AFC West

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Some Chiefs issues more fixable than others, and maybe we need a chill pill Sep 24, 2021

Show notes

A last-minute loss, on the road, against a playoff team with an MVP quarterback doesn’t mean the Chiefs are headed in the wrong direction. But they should be paying closer attention to the road.

On today’s SportsBeat KC, beat writer Herbie Teope and columnists Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian discuss the Chiefs as they prepare for Sunday’s home game against the Chargers. The bigger issues are on the defensive side, and most of the conversation is spent there.

But toward the end of a program that started as a SportsBeat Live, a member of the audience, Joy, reminds us that it’s only the second game, and plenty of season is ahead. She’s so right.

Story links:

Chiefs keys to Sunday’s game against the Chargers

Why Steve Spagnuolo figures to be right man to turn around his defense

Chiefs-Chargers prediction: Who walks off field with a losing streak?

Former Missouri Tigers will be opposite sides of the field for Chiefs-Chargers game

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K-State, Mizzou, KU hit the road looking to make statements on Saturday Sep 23, 2021

Show notes

Major college football teams from around the area hit the road this weekend with statement opportunities on the line, and we have the beat-writer breakdowns for Kansas State, Missouri and Kansas in this episode of SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily podcast.

K-State visits Oklahoma State in a battle of teams currently ranked in the coaches’ poll. Missouri travels to Boston College and looks for its first victory over a Power Five program this season. Kansas is at Duke in a clash between schools better known as basketball bluebloods.

Kellis Robinett, Lila Bromberg and Jesse Newell provide the insight for this weekend’s action.

Story links:

How Chirs Klieman is preparing K-State for loud road games after quiet COVID season

“A tremendous challenge:” Missouri Tigers’ run defense will be put to test at BC

Why Lance Leipold left “highly disappointed” after loss to Baylor

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Final thoughts on Chiefs’ Ravens loss and looking ahead to Chargers game Sep 22, 2021

Show notes

The sky has stopped falling in Kansas City after the Chiefs’ loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. But the conversation about the direction of this season continues.

In this episode of SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, QB Patrick Mahomes, coach Andy Reid and defensive lineman Jarran Reed look in the rear-view mirror and discuss what happened in that gut-wrenching defeat. They also look ahead to Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium.

Mahomes speaks about a passing offense that found more targets against the Ravens than it did in the Chiefs’ season-opening win over the Cleveland Browns. Reed vows the defense will improve and Reid says he expects a better defensive performance this weekend.

Story links:

Warts and all, here’s a kindly reminder the Chiefs have earned benefit of the doubt

Kansas City Chiefs’ Willie Gay Jr. progressing well on injured reserve, Andy Reid says

Chiefs snap counts at Baltimore: Lots for Hardman, not many for Thornhill

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Talking baseball’s history through greatest players, with Joe Posnanski Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

The Baseball 100, Joe Posnanski’s new book, tells the sport’s history through its greatest players.

Posnanski, a former longtime KC Star sports columnist, joined Royals beat writer Lynn Worthy and columnists Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian Tuesday to discuss his book, a sort of dress rehearsal for his appearance with baseball author and historian Bill James on Sept. 29 at Unity Temple on the Plaza.

Posnanski talked about the book’s inspiration and how he reached some of his conclusions, including not listing Babe Ruth as the game’s greatest player ever.

We also talked about the Royals and catcher Salvador Perez, whose season grows more amazing with every home run.

Story links:

The Baseball 100 by Joe Posnanski

Rainy Day Books presents Joe Posnanski

Royals star Salvador Perez passes Johnny Bench with 46th home run this season

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Trying to explain the Kansas City Chiefs’ epic fail at Baltimore Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs don’t lose games the way they lost on Sunday. Heck, they haven’t lost many games at all — an NFL low 10 in the regular season over the past three years. So but to fritter away an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, that’s head-shaking stuff.

We talked about what happened in the 36-35 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football with columnists Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian and beat writer Herbie Teope. Some issues were as obvious as Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s fumble while the Chiefs were driving late, and some less so.

SportsBeat Live gave fans a chance to vent after the game, and we were right there with them. The conversation is now presented as a SportsBeat KC podcast.

Story links:

Breaking down the good, bad and ugly in Chiefs loss to Baltimore

“This is a game we should have won:” The Chiefs are right and have plenty to clean up

Chiefs poor defense takes them from being Ravens’ “kryptonite” to own worst enemy

Travis Kelce on loss to Ravens: “We have to man up and fix the issues.”

Chiefs report card: Meltdown

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Summer of Salloi continues and KC NWSL gets new training facility Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

Sporting Kansas City headed into a break in the schedule with a resounding 4-0 victory over Minnesota United with goals from four different players. One of them came from Daniel Salloi, who heard “MVP” chants break out from the crowd at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting finds itself atop the MLS Western Conference heading into the weekend.

The news has been better for KC NWSL lately. The team is coming off a 0-0 decision against North Carolina and is 2-2-1 in its previous five games. Also, KC NWSL made news Friday with the announcement of a new training facility that should be ready in 2022.

Star soccer reporter Shaun Goodwin covers these topics and more, including the early returns from the USMNT as it attempts to qualify for the 2022 World Cup on today’s SportsBeat KC.

Story links:

How soundly did Sporting KC defeat Minnesota? Start with four goal by four different players

Salloi faced the world’s best: Sporting KC star analyzes his international soccer debut

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