SportsBeat KC

Latest Episodes:

Hoop madness has already started for Big 12 champion Kansas Mar 09, 2020

Show notes

Let’s see, over the past five days, Kansas announced its 307-page response to the NCAA Notice of Allegations, won at Texas Tech to capture the outright Big 12 championship, and had players honored by the conference, including center Udoka Azubuike as player of the year. Quite a stretch for the Jayhawks, and Kansas City Star columnists Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian break down what it all means on SportsBeat KC. Next stop for KU and the rest of the conference: the Big 12 Tournament at Sprint Center.

Story links:

Jayhawks pick up two top individual honors from Big 12 coaches

Kansas Jayhawks hold off Texas Tech and win Big 12 championship outright

Here are five notable sections from KU’s response to its NCAA notice of allegations

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Making sense of KU’s response to NCAA, and Roos women make history Mar 06, 2020

Show notes

Kansas issued its response to the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations issued in September and it was forceful. No spirit of cooperation here. KU will fight each of the five Level I allegations against the men’s basketball program, including head coach Bill Self and assistant Kurtis Townsend. KU beat writer Jesse Newell helps us make sense of the Kansas response on SportsBeat KC.

Also, the KC Roos women’s basketball program made history on Thursday. The team headed by third-year coach Jacie Hoyt won on Thursday night to clinch the outright Western Athletic Conference championship. It’s first league title for either basketball program since joining a conference in 1994. We hear from Hoyt and players Awal Ajak and Ericka Mattingly.

Story links:

KU, Self respond to NCAA allegations: “Misguided, unprecedented, and meritless”

Sam Mellinger: KU basketball vs. the NCAA: a bloody war with no winners

Kansas City Roos women’s basketball team envisioned a conference championship, then won it

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OK-Doke, Kansas big man Azubuike leads Jayhawks to Big 12 title Mar 05, 2020

Show notes

Udoka Azubuike was a beast. The Kansas senior center finished with 31 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots in his final game at Allen Fieldhouse as the Jayhawks defeated TCU to capture no worse than a share of the Big 12 championship. Kansas had trouble pulling away from the hot-shooting Horned Frogs and needed all of Azubuike’s production. Does KU have what it takes to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament? Sam Mellinger and Jesse Newell join Blair Kerkhoff on SportsBeat KC to discuss Kansas and the Big 12.

Story links:

Why the Big 12 title meant so much to KU’s point guard, on verge of Bill Self-era history

Kansas Jayhawks win Big 12 title. Their greatest challenge starts now

KU’s Moss, Azubuike speak to fans after win over TCU: “Let’s go to Atlanta”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nobody wins like Bearcats, and everyone want to be like Honey Badger Mar 04, 2020

Show notes

On SportsBeat KC, college basketball leads off with a conversation with the winningest men’s coach over the previous four years. Ben McCollum speaks to what has made his Northwest Missouri State program, the NCAA Division II champion in two of the past three years and the current top-ranked team, so successful.

What makes NFL prospects successful? To those who play safety or linebacker it’s emulating the Chiefs’ Tyrann Mathieu. We heard a lot about that at the NFL Combine last week, and Mathieu was asked about his game as a model.

Story links:

College basketball’s most successful program? Check out Northwest Missouri State

Power of putting others first made Tyrann Mathieu crucial to Chiefs’ Super Both berth

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New math could help Chris Jones get his long term deal Mar 03, 2020

Show notes

The Chiefs could be forced to make some difficult decisions regarding free agents for 2020 because of the salary cap. But what if the NFL cap spikes the following year? Could that change the Chiefs approach with such players as defensive lineman Chris Jones? Star columnist Sam Mellinger speaks to this and other Chiefs issues on SportsBeat KC. Also, Sam weighs in on Kansas, the nation’s unanimously top-ranked basketball team entering the final week of the regular season.

Story links:

Mellinger Minutes: New Chiefs are Chief’n, what matters with Royals and college hoops

Fansided: NFL salary cap to spike to $240 million in 2021

KU’s Azubuike sheds boot, will do everything he can to heal in time for TCU game

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chiefs’ Combine week, and why Lamar Jackson hates facing Mahomes Mar 02, 2020

Show notes

The NFL Combine is over and it’s on to the next NFL off-season thing, free agency. Star beat writers Herbie Teope and Sam McDowell spent last week in Indianapolis talking to prospects, team personnel and agents and share their thoughts on SportsBeat KC. Also, Kansas City hosted the annual Committee of 101 Awards on Saturday. It’s the city’s salute to pro football and brought such stars as Lamar Jackson, Stephon Gilmore and Michael Thomas to town. The 50th annual event also saluted the Super Bowl champion Chiefs, and hear what Jackson and Ravens Coach John Harbaugh had to say about their AFC rival.

Story links:

If Chiefs seek an every down linebacker in draft, NFL combine has mid-round options

An Olathe North grad is on the verge of becoming a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft

A night to celebrate pro football in Kansas City, Chiefs and Mahomes drew bulk of the praise

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With KU, K-State, will rivalry pick up where it left off? Feb 28, 2020

Show notes

The nation’s top-ranked team returns to action on Saturday when Kansas visits Kansas State in the 293rd Sunflower Showdown. Although KU is tied for first in the Big 12 and the Wildcats are buried in last place, emotions run high for this game, evidenced by the brawl that punctuated their meeting last month in Lawrence. KU beat writers Jesse Newel and Gary Bedore talk about the contest and other topics with host Blair Kerkhoff on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast.

Story links:

Kansas Coach Bill Self expects K-State crowd to be “turned up” for Saturday’s rematch

If KU basketball gets an overall No. 1 seed, Bill Self would have a choice to make

K-State basketball on the verge of making history for all the wrong reasons

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talking futures of Bruce Weber, Salvador Perez and Isaiah Simmons Feb 27, 2020

Show notes

It’s a busy SportsBeat KC episode. Star columnist Sam Mellinger joins host Blair Kerkhoff to look ahead of Saturday’s Sunflower Showdown from a Kansas State perspective. The WIldcats are in last place a year after winning the Big 12. What does that mean for K-State Coach Bruce Weber.

Mellinger is fresh off a trip to spring training, where he scored an exclusive interview with Royals catcher Salvador Perez. The perennial Gold Glover had some surprising things to say about his future in Kansas City.

Also, you’ll hear from Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons. His stock is soaring as an NFL prospect and he played his high school football at Olathe North. SImmons was lightly recruited by area schools. How did that happen? Star reporter Sam McDowell was part of the interview group looking for answers.

Story links:

Royals catcher Salvador Perez is back, and different: “Having seen him this focused.”

K-State basketball on the verge of making history for all the wrong reasons

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Veach talks Chiefs contracts, and blast from past gets Royals shot Feb 26, 2020

Show notes

The NFL Combine is underway and that means Chiefs are stepping to the podium. General manager Brett Veach addressed the contract decisions involving Chris Jones, Sammy Watkins and others. Also, with a handful of spring training games in the books, the Royals have gotten looks from former star reliever Greg Holland and outfield prospect Khalil Lee. How did they perform? Beat writer Lynn Worthy checks in from Surprise, Arizona, on SportsBeat KC.

Story links:

Here’s what Chiefs’ Brett Veach said about Chris Jones’ contract, other matters

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will not need knee surgery, Andy Reid says

Greg Holland has solid first outing in return to Royals as KC faces Hosmer’s Padres

Thanks to our sponsor: Big O Tires

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mizzou hoops has shown recent promise. Can it be sustained? Feb 25, 2020

Show notes

Missouri has steadied the ship in basketball. The Tigers are 3-2 in their past five games, a run that includes their first successive SEC triumphs. Is it enough for Mizzou to begin thinking about a postseason appearance? Beat writer Souichi Terada and columnists Vahe Gregorian discuss coach Cuonzo Martin’s group and take an early look ahead to spring football, which begins in less than two weeks, on SportsBeat KC.

Story links:

What must Mizzou do to win on the road? Tigers need to get over the hump

Despite loss, Missouri’s Kobe Brown turns in career day at Arkansas

Missouri basketball buried by three-pointers in streak-snapping loss to Arkansas

Thanks to our sponsor: Big O Tires

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices