SportsBeat KC

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Chasing Steelers, creating plays, Broncos have all their QBs Dec 03, 2020

Show notes

Hey, a Wednesday NFL game and how it impacts the Chiefs to discuss. The AFC playoff race for the top seed between the Steelers and Chiefs was one of several topics covered on SportsBeat Live, now a SportsBeat KC podcast with Sam Mellinger, Vahe Gregorian, Herbie Teope and Sam McDowell along with host Blair Kerkhoff.

The Chiefs pass rush, the play of Frank Clark, how the Chiefs name their plays, and, oh yes, the Denver Broncos are coming to town for Sunday Night Football and they’re bringing all of their quarterbacks. We covered it all plus responds to questions and comments from fans.

Story links:

Breaking down the race for first place between the Chiefs and Steelers

Patrick Mahomes designed one trick play. Andy Reid turned it into a whole collection

Chiefs-Broncos series starting to look like Chiefs’ AFL dominance

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SportsBeat KC: KU’s Jalen Wilson with a splash game, and Royals welcome Michael Taylor Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

A work of art it wasn’t. But Kansas showed grit and resiliency—and perhaps showed off its newest star—in a 65-62 victory over Kentucky on Tuesday in the Champions Classic. The Jayhawks trailed by 13 in the first half and had scored five points in the first 10 minutes. But they cut the margin to six by halftime and redshirt freshman Jalen Wilson took over after the break, when he scored 21 of his 23.

Jesse Newell and Gary Bedore join host Blair Kerkhoff on SportsBeat KC to break down the game and Wilson, who sat out last season after suffering a broken ankle in the second game. He was the player Kentucky couldn’t stop.

After a break, we switch sports and hear from the new Royals outfielder Michael A. Taylor. Beat writer Lynn Worthy was among those getting to know Taylor and the discussions focuses on the role of the former Washington Nationals player.

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New date, same objective for Sporting KC in MLS playoffs Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

Sporting Kansas City’s playoff game against Minnesota United will have to wait an extra day. The game is now set for Thursday. But we couldn’t wait to talk about it on SportsBeat KC with beat writer Shaun Goodwin.

Will the extra time have an impact? What role will Alan Pulido assume in this game? The star missed Sporting’s first playoff victory over San Jose that came down to goalkeeper Tim Melia’s performance in the shootout.

After a break, you’ll hear from Sporting manager Peter Vermes and how he came up with the underdog role for his team.

Story links:

Sporting KC wins in shootout on Melia perfection, advances past Quakes in MLS playoffs

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls/sporting-kc/article247314899.html

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Same old Chiefs, close games, victories. Let’s talk about it Nov 30, 2020

Show notes

The Chiefs did it again. The played a game down to the wire. And they won, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-24 on Sunday.

The quarterback dual between Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady lived up to the expectation, and the Chiefs defense played better than it has in recent games. Those topic and more are covered in the show that started as a SportsBeat Live and now presented as a SportsBeat KC podcast.

Sam Mellinger, Vahe Gregorian, Sam McDowell and Herbie Teope join host Blair Kerkhoff and our audience in discussing the game that improved the Chiefs record to 10-1 and allowed them to keep pace with Pittsburgh Steelers, who have a one-game lead for the best record in the NFL.

Story links:

The smallest decisions that decide Chiefs biggest moments were evident in Sunday’s victory

Beating Brady, Mahomes continues to make case as budding best player in NFL history

What did we learn from Chiefs’ victory at Tampa? That Mahomes-Hill is NFL’s best duo

Tyreek Hill hasn’t forgotten that “return specialist” label. It seems ridiculous now

Chiefs report card: Mahomes, Hill go to the head of the class, and defense was improved

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Warming up leftovers + a SportsBeat KC warning: Chiefs’ defense can cause indigestion Nov 27, 2020

Show notes

Does the Chiefs’ defense have a problem or just a Raiders problem? Who gets the better of the latest Patrick Mahomes-Tom Brady matchup? What was the best thing you ate or drank on Thanksgiving?

The Star’s A-Team of Herbie Teope, Sam McDowell, Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian joined SportsBeat KC host Blair Kerkhoff to answer these questions and more.

It started as a SportsBeat Live, and presto! It’s a SportsBeat KC podcast. Cue it up and get it on.

Story links:

Chiefs prediction: Mahomes get stoke for games against other great quarterbacks, like Tom Brady

Here’s what the Vegas odds say about Chiefs-Buccaneers game on Sunday

Chiefs’ Sammy Watkins among 10 players in injury report to practice fully on Wednesday

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Talkin’ KU-Zags, K-State’s collapse and the Mizzou switcheroo Nov 25, 2020

Show notes

Who ends the season as Kansas’ leading scorer in men’s hoops?

What the heck happened to Kansas State at Iowa State last weekend?

Who is Missouri playing in football on Saturday?

Let the speculation begin as The Star’s college beat writers drop by SportsBeat KC, our daily podcast, to discuss with host Blair Kerkhoff. Ok, we know the Tigers are playing Vanderbilt this weekend now. That wasn’t their opponent at the beginning of the week, but COVID-19 does funny things to schedules.

We stand at the intersection of the college football and basketball seasons, and the Jayhawks start with a marquee game against Gonzaga Thursday. Hear what Jesse Newell and Gary Bedore have to say about that game, followed by Kellis Robinett on K-State and Souichi Terada on Mizzou.

Story links:

First impressions of three KU basketball newcomers and what they could bring to Jayhawks

How a special meeting could help K-State’s offense get back on track vs. Baylor

Bruce Weber said he expects this freshman to surprise immediately in K-State’s frontcourt

Missouri Tigers football vs. Vanderbilt: Preview, TV, line, kickoff

Mizzou hoops faces these five questions as Cuonzo Martin and his Tigers approach season opener

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KC Roos basketball teams enjoyed thrill of victory, agony of pandemic Nov 24, 2020

Show notes

When we left college basketball, the KC Roos were pretty stoked about their conference tournament chances. The women’s team under coach Jacie Hoyt had just clinched first place and was cutting down nets to celebrate the program’s first league title; the men’s team had won four straight to finish the season and clinch a winning record under first-year coach Billy Donlon.

Then COVID-19 hit and the basketball seasons were over. No conference tournaments for most, no NCAA Tournament for anyone. All teams had to deal with disappointment, but it might have been felt deeper on the Kansas City campus because of the successful seasons the Roos had enjoyed.

Donlon and Hoyt spoke with SportsBeat KC host Blair Kerkhoff and discussed the unusual offseason and looked forward to beginning play for 2020-21.

Story links:

Basketball situation: Tough roadies, no fans at home for KC Roos’ early season games

Those who stayed with KC Roos built a winning record in Billy Donlon’s first season

KC Roos’ women’s envisioned a league championship, then won it

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Chiefs made it tough on themselves but pulled out victory over Raiders Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

The Chiefs took possession with 1:43 remaining and trailing by three points. That’s not always an enviable position. But only one team has Patrick Mahomes. With 28 seconds to spare, Mahomes zipped the Chiefs downfield and fired a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce that provided the winning points in a 35-31 triumph.

There was plenty to discuss after the game, from Mahomes’ heroics, to the Chiefs’ poor pass rush, and The Star’s A-Team of Sam McDowell, Herbie Teope, Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian joined host Blair Kerkhoff to cover it all on SportsBeat Live, now a SportsBeat KC podcast.

Story links:

“We’re going to score.” How Patrick Mahomes took over the game-winning drive

This rivalry has resumed in earnest...but Chiefs prevail with Mahomes magic

What we learned from the Chiefs’ victory Sunday night in Las Vegas

A win’s a win, but Chiefs need to show improvement on defense to repeat as champs

Chiefs create some AFC breathing room...and Raiders feel like a rival again

Camera catches Travis Kelce giving Andy Reid a message on sideline

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Mizzou is playing! And resilient Sporting KC is prepped for the playoffs Nov 20, 2020

Show notes

The Missouri Tigers boarded their chartered flight to South Carolina, and that’s an accomplishment these days given the team’s recent COVID-19 scares. Mizzou is set to play for the first time in three weeks Saturday, and beat writer Souichi Terada breaks down the game with host Blair Kerkhoff on this episode of SportsBeat KC.

After a break, we switch sports and set up Sporting Kansas City’s MLS Cup playoffs opener Sunday against the San Jose Earthquakes. It’s been a tremendous turnaround this season for Sporting, and the club enters the playoffs as the top seed in the Western Conference. Writer Shaun Goodwin tells the story of this team and one of the league’s top goalkeepers, Tim Melia.

Story links:

Mizzou’s Drinkwitz says Tigers “right at 53” players, hitting SEC threshold

As Mizzou’s Roundtree runs to history, stats show he’s key to TIgers’ success

Three days is all it took to show why TIm Melia became Sporting KC’s star goalkeeper

How Peter Vermes and Sporting KC engineered MLS’s greatest one-season turnaround

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A preview of the AFC West showdown. Can Chiefs avenge Raiders loss? Nov 19, 2020

Show notes

Just when it started to look like the Chiefs would sleepwalk their way to another AFC West title, the Raiders came to Arrowhead Stadium in Week 5 and punched the home team in the mouth. Then they took a victory lap around the stadium on their bus to celebrate. Just like that, the rivalry, which had grown one-sided during the Andy Reid era, regained its edge.

The rematch is Sunday in a new city, Las Vegas, but it’s still the Raiders, and the A-Team is here to talk about the game. Herbie Teope, Sam McDowell, Vahe Gregorian and Sam Mellinger join host Blair Kerkhoff on SportsBeat Live at 9:30 a.m. to preview the game.

There will be plenty to discuss. The teams are both in the playoffs if the season ends today, making the game on Sunday Night Football one of the most attractive of the weekend. Join us with your comments and questions.

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