“Nobody wants the job. Nobody wants the job. Nobody wants the job. Why would you want to work here? … It’s an unstable place. I think all of these [OC candidates] see all these other places as a better place to work than Kansas City. I think they’ve asked a bunch of people and a bunch of people have said no.”
Dave Stewart, of Metro Sports, when asked who he thought would be the Chiefs new offensive coordinator, 610 AM
GH: I found Stewart’s comment interesting in that more than one member of the media believes that it was Metro Sports, Stewart’s TV station, that was contacted by the Chiefs and told to not air their interview with Kent Babb. As a guest on Bob Fescoe’s show, Stewart did not pull any punches in hammering away the atmosphere surrounding the Chiefs’ work environment. If the Chiefs have infiltrated Metro Sports’ coverage, Stewart showed no signs of it.

“The easy hire is to just promote Jim Zorn and then you’re done with it – because nobody out there wants the job.”
Dave Stewart, on the Chiefs’ first-year QB coach getting the job, 610 AM

“I’m not going to be very enthused if Jim Zorn is named the offensive coordinator. Zorn could have been named a month ago.”
Danny Clinkscale, 810 AM
GH: Clink’s argument is that the Chiefs would be settling for Zorn because no one the Chiefs wanted was interested. A late name that is surfacing for the position is Al Saunders – the author of Dick Vermeil’s high-flying offenses during the Trent Green and Priest Holmes years.

“Haley feels likes he’ being blackballed in the NFL right now. He can’t get a job.”
Steven St. John, on the former Chiefs head coach’s troubles landing a job, 810 AM
GH: Pioli and the Chiefs may be working the phones to block Haley’s NFL future but Todd the Hobo did plenty himself to make him an unattractive applicant for any NFL team’s sideline. Haley approached his head coaching position like a man who had no interest in the job. Employees like that are not in high demand.

“I don’t care what terrible horrific thing Todd Haley may have done, unless the Chiefs are ready to air that dirty laundry. I don’t care if on the way out the door Todd Haley stripped naked and slapped Scott Pioli in the face. … Unless the Chiefs are going to acknowledge it and shift the narrative, the PR hit is not worth the $3 million [owed to Haley].”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: The question here is has the rest of the NFL begun to view the Chiefs as they have long viewed the Raiders? Are we now the franchise that is taking the short bus to the games? Fans will forgive if the team wins. The rest of the league, not so much.

“I’m not going to hesitate to go out there [to Arrowhead]. The Chiefs don’t tell the Kansas City Star who is allowed to cover the team. As far as I know, I’m still the Chiefs’ beat writer along with Adam Teicher. I certainly wouldn’t hold any grudges and I hope the Chiefs wouldn’t hold any grudges.”
Kent Babb, Royalmanreport.com
GH: Babb’s story is just beginning. Keep a close eye the next 12 months on how he is handled by the Chiefs, The Star and his fellow members of the media.

“I believe these guys are complete and utter liars. I have a hard time believing it’s a joke. The video is horrific but Matt, Andrew and Tanner thank you for coming on.”
Nick Wright, after interviewing the three main MU students who starred in and produced the We Are Mizzou video, 610 AM
GH: Wright told the threesome he did not believe they originally set out to do a parody with their video. The threesome did not agree during a very entertaining interview on Wright’s Tuesday afternoon show. Read on.

“In Columbia, everybody understands it’s a joke. Of course, with the rivalry – everybody in Kansas is trying to take it the other way.”
MU Rapper Matt, Andrew or Tanner, 610 AM
GH: The phone hookup for this four-way interview was confusing to both Wright and the listeners. Nick didn’t know who was speaking most of the time and neither did we. But it hardly mattered. Wright was blunt in how he felt about the video and the MU students were just as proud as Nick was ashamed for them. Read on.

“Frank Haith actually heard the song and said, ‘Man, I can’t wait to see the video.’ He showed it to all of his staff. The players saw it and loved it. You brought us on your radio station. You clearly thought it was awesome. We wouldn’t change a thing…and we’re coming out with more videos than you guys can imagine.”
MU Rapper Matt, Andrew or Tanner, 610 AM

“I think you guys are making the best of an awful, terrible and embarrassing situation.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM

“Certain sports reporters in KC are losing it. I lol at some of their comments. Just totally clueless!”
Jarrett Sutton, MU basketball player, Twitter
GH: I saw Sutton’s comment when it was retweeted by Kim English. It is apparent to me that the MU players love the video. While it might not be art, it definitely has a following. The You Tube video has over 334,000 hits as of Thursday morning.

“Nick, I love ya man, but you gotta quit pretending like you are the coolest white guy out there just because you got a little brown sugar at home.”
Caller to Wright’s show, after listening to his interview with the MU white rappers, 610 AM
GH: Wright took this caller’s comments as he should have, with a chuckle and a shrug. It struck me because the caller’s words were almost identical to the message that Jason Whitlock was attempting to pass on to Wright when he called in last year – and was hung up on by Wright. Maybe little Nicky is growing up.

“Tracy Beckham, who has a master’s degree from the University of Kansas, was just as disappointed in the Jayhawks’ recruiting efforts under former coach Turner Gill, who was fired in November after two disastrous seasons. Kansas twice scheduled visits to see Dorial but canceled both, Tracy Beckham said. ‘They were just a mess,’ Tracy Beckham said.”
FoxSports.com, the adopted mother of Dorial Geeen-Beckham, on KU’s efforts to recruit DGB
GH: For any Nebraska media and fans out there still upset with Kansas for firing that nice-guy Turner Gill, read Tracy Beckham’s comment one more time. She pretty much sums up the entire KU football program under Gill. “They were just a mess.”

“Mack [Brown] is the anti-Bo [Pelini] when it comes to NSD. His 90-minute press conference featured film breakdowns of all 28 signees.”
Max Olson, who formerly covered Nebraska football as a student in Lincoln and is now with HornsNation.com, Twitter
GH: Brown is one of the warmest college coaches I have ever interviewed. He is totally at ease with the media. He appears to see the media as nothing more than a group who has a job to do and he is very willing to help you get what you need. What a great way to attack your work. Pelini on the other hand comes off as someone who hates the media and his job. I would have a difficult time being surrounded by Bo’s stench on a daily basis.

“I get why Brock Berglund didn't attend that meeting. We Are Mizzou video > Charlie Weis press conference.”
Carrington Harrison, Twitter
GH: Nick Wright’s Wednesday show was preempted for the first hour by Charlie Weis giving a detailed look into his first KU football recruiting class. It was painful radio. I can’t imagine even Kansas football fans being focused enough to listen to Weis drone on about nothing. Jayhawk Bob Fescoe though, was the exception. Read on.

“Weis disappointed he couldn't get bbq on visit to see Ty McKinney in Texas. … Now I see why the chiefs never let Weis talk. He is funny witty and cool, he would have never fit in w what they wanted him to say.”
Bob Fescoe, Twitter
GH: Weis uses every cliché joke we have all heard to get a chuckle from the media. It apparently works with Fescoe. I am guessing not so much with those of us with a sense of humor.

“Kevin [Harlan] is one of the most humble guys. It’s never about Kevin. And it will never be about him. He’s a great guy to work with, he really is.”
Boomer Esiason, on working NFL radio broadcasts with Harlan, 810 AM
GH: Harlan just happens to be a Kansas grad who is one of the best radio play-by-play voices in America. I think his NFL work is outstanding. No one fits more description into a play in such a timely manner. He is one of the best.

“If it was me, there is no way I’d be rooting for my brother to do this. … Am I rooting for him to throw a [game-winning] touchdown pass? Not a chance. I would tell people I was rooting for you, but I’m not really rooting for you.”
Mark Carman, on whether or not Peyton Manning will be rooting for his brother Eli to get his second Super Bowl ring, 610 AM
GH: I have nine brothers. Maybe it is different when you have only one or two. But I can’t imagine not wanting my brother to surpass every achievement I have accomplished in sports, business and life. Why would I begrudge my brother from being great? I can’t think of a more selfish act. Maybe I just have better quality brothers.

“If I needed to know I think Fox would tell me – and right now I don’t need to know who the front runner is.”
Ryan Lefebvre, when asked if he knew who would be replacing Frank White as his color analyst on Royals TV broadcasts, 810 AM
GH: This comment from the Beav should tell you all you need to know about the differences between him and Frank White. Beav is the consummate company man – to an annoying degree. White is more his own man. One is still employed, the other not. Everyone has to live within their own comfort zone.

“Was at the Royals' camp in Surprise, AZ on Monday, and it was impressive -- about 60 guys already there, working like crazy. Nice vibe.”
Buster Olney, Twitter
GH: And the baseball fever here in Kansas City begins to rise. Rumor has it that Billy Butler saw his shadow today and it was not nearly as large as the month of February.

“Mitch Maier told a funny story from last few springs: George Brett picked up a bat, without any prep, and mashed three line drives in BP.”
Buster Olney, Twitter
GH: Only the uninitiated are surprised. Brett will be hitting ropes in his 70s.

“I just walked to work, in a t-shirt, in January, in Indiana. Welcome to Super Bowl.”
Peter Dunn, aka @PeteThePlanner, Twitter
GH: Guy comes into my office yesterday on February 1st and says he’s taking the afternoon off to play golf. The greatest winter weather of the century is possibly playing out before us. Get outside and take advantage of it.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“Last Saturday, as at a basketball game where the biggest star was a football player in jeans and a t-shirt, Dorial Green-Beckman looked up at 15,000 standing Missouri fans, cracked a smile and waved to each corner of Mizzou Arena. This much we now know: Green-Beckham was not saying good-bye forever. The nation's top-ranked recruit made the decision official Wednesday morning at Hillcrest High School in Springfield, pulling on a Missouri hat at a nationally televised press conference.”
Dave Matter, on the news that DGB, one of the most highly-recruited football players in the history of Missouri high school football, had signed with Mizzou, ColumbiaTribune.com

“Just having a good relationship with the coaches, the people, the players, the whole atmosphere has been outstanding for me, to be able to fulfill my dreams at the University of Missouri.”
Dorial Green-Beckman, ESPNU
GH: This is a heckuva prize for Gary Pinkel and his staff. It was just in November when Pinkel and MU were dealing with his embarrassing DUI. A bowl win and the nation’s top recruit has sobered things up very nicely for Pinkel in Columbia.

“That was huge.”
TJ Moe, MU wide receiver, on the atmosphere at MU’s basketball game last Saturday where DGB was made to feel very welcome by the Tiger fans, Twitter

“We want to be known as the best receiving corps going into the SEC, really the best in the nation.”
Marcus Lucas, MU side receiver, per Dave Matter on Twitter
GH: Lucas is from Liberty, MO. TJ Moe is from O’Fallon, MO. DGB is from Springfield. I call that an SEC hotbed of talent.

“Count this as Missouri's first victory in the Southeastern Conference. And a big one, at that.”
Jeremy Crabtree, of ESPN, Twitter
GH: Did DGB choose Mizzou because they are now playing football in the SEC or would he have been happy to play for the Tigers as a Big 12 school? I would like to know the answer to that question. I think he would have signed with MU either way.

“I think biggest thing DGB and SEC did was possibly stop the bleeding for in-state kids getting raided. Mizzou now destination School.”
Shake Pepper, MU fan in South Carolina, Twitter
GH: Recruiting is a fickle pickle. Some kids stay to play in their home state, some kids leave. Mizzou would be a pretty sad squad if they had to rely on only Missouri high school recruits. For every kid that a fan curses for leaving their state, there are five who choose to so the same to come to their school.

“Over/under on times ‘Mizzou,’ ‘Gary Pinkel,’ ‘Columbia,’ ‘Tigers’ are said on ESPN today: 1000.5. Huge day for the black and gold.”
Brian McGannon, MU fan, Twitter
GH: DGB is one name of many highly sought recruits today. Sure, he is a huge get for Mizzou but will this really make SportsCenter anchors sit up and rap the We Are Mizzou song? That will come if DGB starts scoring SEC touchdowns in bunches.

“Welcome to the University of Missouri. Mizzou! Great get for Coach Pinkel and MU football headed into the SEC!”
Kim English, MU senior basketball player, Twitter

“DGB didn't know what to do until he saw the We Are Mizzou video. That was the key.”
Mark Carman, of 610 Sports, Twitter
GH: Carman was being sarcastic here – just to be clear.

“[DGB] also considered Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.”
Dave Matter, ColumbiaTribune.com
GH: I like that DGB kept his options geographically close. Great football is played in every part of the country and he could have easily gone west or east. He will be fun to follow the next few years at MU.

“SEC Commish Mike Slive at KC Tiger Club March 27th.”
Doug Bates, Twitter
GH: Slive will be addressing the KC Tiger Club at the Westport Flea Market at noon on March 27th. For $15 you can get a heckuva a burger and hear what a NY drawl sounds like in person. Slive is a Utica, NY native and a Dartmouth grad, with a law degree from Virginia and his LLM from Georgetown. He has been the commissioner of the SEC since 2002.This should be a very interesting Tiger Club gathering.

“DGB signing boosts Mizzou recruiting class to 33 in Rivals rankings”
Gabe DeArmond, of PowerMizzou.com, Twitter
GH: 33rd??? Is that hissing sound I hear some air being let out of the Mizzou football? Read on.

“An updated ESPN class top 10 rankings: Alabama, FSU, Texas, Florida, Georgia, OSU, Clemson, Mich, Notre Dame & Miami.”
Mike Humes, of ESPN, Twitter
GH: Geez, what a surprise. The only name on there that shocks me is Michigan. Big name recruits all seem to go to the warm-weather schools now – and Notre Dame [where we never hear from them again.]. College football is now so south heavy that it threatens the very balance of the game.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“I was praying they didn’t foul me.”
Royce White, a 51-percent free throw shooter, after Kansas State allowed him to dribble the ball out front and work the last 20 seconds of the game clock down until hit drove and hit a short jumper for the game-winning basket with 1.8 seconds in the game, Des Moines Register
GH: As I watched White dribble near the half-court line, I was screaming at my TV for K-State to foul him. Instead, K-State’s defense sagged off of White and didn’t even pressure him to maybe give up the ball. White is very possibly the worst free throw shooter in Division I basketball. He is also one of the most unstoppable one-on-one players in college basketball. Why would Frank martin allow him to go with his strength rather than force him to rely on his weakness?

“Wait...people think KState should've fouled last night? On purpose? In a tie game?”
Sam Mellinger, Twitter
GH: It’s called coaching, Sam. Sitting back and getting beat is called losing. Mellinger wasn’t the only member of the media who disagreed with the idea of fouling Royce White in a tie game. 810’s Nate Bukaty and 610’s Mark Carman also thought the idea dumb. Kevin Kietzman on the other hand tweeted after the game that K-State should have fouled White. Me and KK – we are tight like that.

“That’s why I told them in the huddle to give the ball to (Scott) Christopherson.”Royce White, Des Moines Register
GH: White wanted no part of getting fouled and having to go to the line. Martin’s team not only blew a 14-point second-half lead, he blew a gift opportunity to steal a win in Ames once White got his hands on the ball.

“Coach had confidence in me. He told me to go up there and knock them down if they fouled me.”
Royce White, Des Moines Register
GH: Obviously, Frank Martin also had confidence in White knocking down clutch free throws. This was not even a difficult coaching decision – you HAVE to foul White here. He had three posterizing slam dunks in the game off the dribble. He was 2 of 7 from the line for the game – and some of his misses hit with such force that they scared small children. The rest of the Big 12 will learn from Frank Martin’s mistake. I expect to see Rock A Royce played in most of Iowa State’s remaining games. Why not send a wave of bench players at White on every offensive possession and send him to the line?

“We had that flu bug going around on our team and we had more than one guy affected by it.”
Frank Martin, on why he chose to sit some players at the end of the game, 810 AM
GH: Kansas State looked pretty healthy with that 14-point lead in the second half.

“Kansas State could have won every game they played except the game at Kansas where they were clearly out classed. Every other game they could have won. They could be 20-1.”
Dave Stewart, of Metro Sports and a K-State alum, 610 AM
GH: Stewart sounded a bit frustrated with the Wildcats’ loss in Ames and their 4-5 Big 12 record. He should be. K-State is a good team that is losing games it should be winning. I wonder when/if anyone in the media will ask Martin why.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“Good win most importantly, I'll be ready on Saturday.”
Marcus Denmon, after MU’s win at Texas, Twitter
GH: The Mizzou senior shooting guard suffered another poor shooting night, going 3 of 12 from the floor and 0 for 3 from the tree-point line. He even lobbed up an air-ball lay-up late in the game. Fran Fraschilla had Denmon and Thomas Robinson as his only All-Big 12 players written “in ink” just 10 days ago. Denmon now looks lost on the offensive end and dare I say scared? The mind of an athlete is a weapon that can be used for good or for evil. Right now The Joker is inside Denmon’s head.

“Connor Teahan – you’ve got one job out there. You can’t go one-for-six from the three-point line. Then you’re of no value.”
Rich Zvosec, on the KU senior’s shooting woes, 810 AM
GH: Denmon isn’t the only pure shooter in the Big 12 who is having trouble hitting his shot of late. KU’s Teahan is frustrating Jayhawk fans with his bricks, just as K-State’s sophomore Will Spradling has appeared to lost his confidence.

“The problem is, it’s a delicate thing. The more you talk about it, the more it gets in the young man’s head.”
Rich Zvosec, talking with Bob Fescoe and Josh Klingler, on Denmon’s shooting slump, 610 AM
How do you break a shooting slump? As Rich Zvosec told Fescoe, “If I knew that I would be charging $500 an hour!”

“Texas gets fouled but no call on last play as Mizzou player grabs left arm on baseline shot by UT! Ref swallowed whistle is a cop in MO. The ref who had the call was Gerry Pollard. Pollard is from Missouri. Swallowed his whistle! Kicked call. Rick Barnes was livid at the end of the game when ex Mizzou Cop, Gerry Pollard swallowed his whistle.”
Tom Penders, former Texas head coach, on a no-call in the last few seconds of the MU/UT game, Twitter
GH: Penders has a point here – the play looked like a foul that should have been called on I believe Mizzou’s Matt Pressey. But does Penders really believe the referee “swallowed his whistle” because he lives in Missouri? That kind of emotional and defamatory comment is why coaches are forbidden to make comments about the referees.

“My son has a degree from Texas as well as 2 nieces. I also have a lot of very proud players who excelled there and are family 2 me. People who really know me know that UT will always be my school. I spent 10 yrs there and turned around a bad program. Go Horns!”
Tom Penders, former Texas head coach, Twitter
GH: I am guessing Penders tweeted this out to explain why he trashed the referee. He sounds as dumb as most fans who speak or tweet before they think. Just another example that just because a guy is a coach and wears gaudy clothes, there is no reason to think he is smarter than his ascot.

“Props to ESPN for switching to Mizzou-Texas in my market (KC) before end of Big East.”
Blair Kerkhoff, Twitter
GH: We bash ESPN when they leave us hanging so it is only right to hand them props when they score. I was stunned to see my Time Warner feed switch from the Big East game to the tipoff of the MU/UT game. Stunned and happy as hell!

“That’s kind of part of the game! I remember when I was playing basketball in sixth grade, they always said. ‘Grab the ball and swing your elbows.’ ”
Bob Fescoe, on the flagrant foul called on MU’s Mike Dixon late in the game as he swung his elbow and hit a Texas defender in the face, 610 AM

“Liking Bob Knight tonite...explaining a lot late in this one. Good for the fans...can learn something.”
Bob Fescoe, 610 AM
GH: Knight isn’t nearly as lazy or detached as he was when he first started as a TV analyst but he is far from entertaining or informative. Fescoe seemed to garner a lot of good info from Knight. Maybe Knight is preaching to those with a sixth-grade basketball education.

“Does Bob Knight ever listen to what he says on TV?”
Cody Coil, sports anchor at KCTX in College Station, TX, Twitter

“That was a tremendous basketball play! I don’t care how many dunks Blake Griffin had yesterday. That was a better basketball play right there! That was clutch!”
Mike DeCourcy, on Mike Dixon’s game-winning drive to the hoop and left-handed finish that game Mizzou the lead for good, 810 AM
GH: The play of the night. What Mizzou has that no other team in the conference has is multiple scoring weapons. Denmon and English have a bad night? Flip Pressey and Mike Dixon go off and look like All-Conference players. And that guy Ratliffe – all he does is score every time he shoots. Mizzou has a lot of ways to hurt you. More than most.

“State of Missouri: you may now take a collective gasp! We got it done. All that matters on the road is leaving that facility w/ a W!”
Kim English, Twitter

“When all this hand slapping started at the free-throw line about 15 years ago I never really understood it.”
Danny Clinkscale, 810 AM
GH: Call me an old guy but it makes no sense to me either. It looks like more of a superstitious habit than an actual congratulatory action. And do you have to walk around and touch all four teammates? These are the kind of guys who are always in the foursome in front of me at Swope Park.

“Can't say enough about how good a job Frank Haith is doing with this Missouri team. This is a new Mizzou era. Buy this team in March.”
Andy Katz, of ESPN, following MU’s win in Austin, Twitter
GH: A new Mizzou era? How sweet is that music to Tiger fans? Speaking of tunes; anybody else having trouble getting that “We Are Mizzou” tune out of their head? I was trying to erase it all afternoon on Monday.

“To me, right now he’s the coach of the year in the Big 12.”
Rich Zvosec, discussing with Danny Clinkscale the job Fred Hoiberg has done at Iowa State this season in molding so many transfers and what he said some refer to as “knuckleheads” into a formidable team, 810 AM

“I think Frank Martin’s done more [than Scott Drew] with less talented players.”
Craig Brenner, as the members of Soren Petro’s show ranked the basketball coaches in the Big 12, The Program, 810 AM
GH: Bill Self was no surprise as the consensus number one, First-year Frank Haith came in at sixth in The Program’s staff poll. Here is my quick list if I was an AD looking to rank which coach to hire:
1) Bill Self: Love him. Great with media and fans. He recruits the best and wins every year.
2) Scott Drew: Surprise! Great at building a program, always recruits great talent.
3) Billy Gillespie: He can recruit and he can coach. TT will be a challenge, though.
4) Lon Kruger: A bit worn out, but he is an accomplished face on a program.
5) Fred Hoiberg: Very early but I really like The Mayor. Stoic on sideline but a winner.
6) Rick Barnes: Surprise #2! Gets a bad rap as a bench coach but he sure wins a lot for a dummy.
7) Frank Haith: Like the House of Slytherin; Could be great. Could be Draco Malfoy.
8) Travis Ford: Very underwhelmed with what he’s done with all he has.
9) Billy Kennedy: A&M’s new guy has shown us nothing with a quality group of players
10) Frank Martin: He’s a good coach and the media loves him – but his game-day act is far too embarrassing for him to be the face of my school’s program.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“I thought it was a bad loss when [K-State] lost at Norman. I thought Oklahoma was one of those bottom-tier teams that you can’t lose to. It’s a horrible loss at home for the Wildcats – horrible!”
Dave Armstrong, on the unranked Sooners’ sweep of the Cats, 810 AM
GH: Did I misjudge the job Frank Martin is doing with this season’s Wildcats? I watched KSU play very tough, disciplined basketball over the holidays in Hawaii. They dismantled and embarrassed Missouri earlier this month. So what happened – or is this just what he can expect from an 18-game Big 12 schedule? Home losses, crazy upsets and a conference title that will not be decided until March?

“Frank Martin is 10x the K-Stater that Lon Kruger is! He can like K-State all he wants but it rings hollow with me! I don’t care! He’s the coach at Oklahoma! He crushed that school and then he bad-mouthed them. He told everybody you can’t recruit anybody to Manhattan, KS. That’s where that stereotype started – with Lon Kruger!”
Kevin Kietzman, in a discussion with Stan Weber about the former K-State All-Big 8 player and former coach, 810 AM
GH: Kietzman has no fond words for Kruger. It was a bit shocking to hear him verbally disparage a guy who many Kansas State fans view as one of the best players and coaches in the school’s history. His K-State jersey hangs in Bramlage. I understand he left KSU after four years and went on to coach at Florida, Illinois, the NBA and UNLV – but isn’t that what graduates do – move on? KK is not alone in his spite for Kruger – I saw plenty on Twitter over the weekend. But Weber is not in that camp. Read on.

“I think he is a classy guy and I really like Lon Kruger. Lon Kruger won Big 8 championships with the Wildcats. I don’t know, I’m different [than you]. I’m just different.”
Stan Weber, disagreeing with Kietzman’s remarks about Kruger, 810 AM

“Three halves vs OU's best play of year. Why? KSU should be ashamed they don't despise Kruger. Cats deserve this. This game should be more about pride than a KU game.”
Kevin Kietzman, during the OU/KSU game, Twitter

“I thought Kansas State got away from their fundamentals [against Oklahoma]. They didn’t play as hard as they usually do.”
Dave Armstrong, 810 AM
GH: Playing hard is how Frank Martin’s teams win. I would expect this problem to be corrected quickly.

“A question I am getting from a lot of KU fans is; ‘Is this [Kansas] team wearing down?’ They don’t have any bench. I guarantee if I posed that question to Bill Self he would laugh me out of the room.”
Nate Bukaty, following KU’s first Big 12 loss in Ames, 810 AM
GH: It is my opinion that many Kansas basketball fans are a lot like Nebraska football fans when their team loses – they quickly go into panic mode. KU is not as deep as they have been in the past but I don’t think 20-year-olds should have any problem playing hard twice a week – even for 36 minutes each game

“I think it’s one of the worst things I’ve seen in my life. In my humble opinion. As bad as the song is, the video is worse.”
Steven St. John, on the We Are Mizzou video that has garnered over 50K hits on You Tube as of Monday morning, 810 AM
GH: This video is not in my wheelhouse. I am not a good judge of what “these kids today” enjoy when it comes to a rap video. But I don’t think St. John is either. Where I see white guys wearing their hats askew and dancing badly, college kids see school pride. Read on.

“[Shoutout] to whoever made this [video]. Go the chills watching it.”
Evan Boehm, KC’s Simone Award winner and MU’s prize football recruit out of Lee’s Summit West, on the We Are Mizzou video, Twitter

“Finally saw the ‘We Are Mizzou’ rap video. Better than I thought it would be. Should be played before every Mizzou game.”
Robert Ford, of 610 Sports, Twitter
GH: Ford isn’t a college kid and I don’t think he is being sarcastic. Art is a weird thing to pin down.

“After reading about the Scoreboard T-shirts and love of SEC stuff, I just hope KU/MU get thru this year w/no fights and move their separate ways. In the Internet age, it's best KU and MU will play no more. Internet brings out the worst in both fan bases. It's safer schools don't play.”
Gary Bedore, LJW sportswriter, Twitter
GH: Unlike before the Internet when slavery divided the two states and people took to burning down towns. No matter how uncivilized some want to paint the current MU/KU rivalry, it is tame compared to our forefathers who wrought its origin.

“Whatever you think is the most intense season in the 106-year history of Border War basketball games — for most, it’s 1990 — is about to be lapped by an unrepeatable set of circumstances that will forever help frame Kansas City’s greatest rivalry when KU plays at Mizzou on Saturday.”
Sam Mellinger, Kansas City Star
GH: The first of two and possibly three meeting between KU and MU happens Saturday in Columbia. ESPN’s College GameDay will be on hand. I still have no idea why either school would ever want to end a rivalry this delicious.

“There are whispers within the conference, from people with the kinds of jobs that don’t allow them to say such things publicly, that wanting to keep MU from walking away with a title in any sport is the first thing the remaining Big 12 schools have agreed on in years.”
Sam Mellinger, Kansas City Star
GH: Whispers? Have you read the quotes from the acting Big 12 Commissioner? He calls MU’s move to the SEC “selfish” and “disruptive.” I don’t think anyone in the Big 12 is whispering when it comes to their opinion of Mizzou winning anything on the way out. We all remember Nebraska’s quiet departure, right?

“The theory goes that, sure, we all hear KU posturing tough that the Border War is effectively dead once MU leaves the Big 12 because of pride and emotion. That’s all fine, but it will crash down if Mizzou beats KU twice this season. The theory says that competitiveness will trump principle at that point, because nobody in Lawrence will be able to stand the thought of Missouri pointing to something like a forever scoreboard.”
Sam Mellinger, Kansas City Star

“I would stake on a bet that if Missouri wins in Mizzou Arena, and then Allen Fieldhouse, that Kansas would like to play Missouri again in basketball. I would stake that claim.”
Jon Sundvold, Kansas City Star
GH: I don’t see how winning the “last” game means all that much when it comes to the lasting memories of this rivalry. Three years from now people are going to remember that Kansas dominated the Big 12 like no other. Even an MU conference crown in 2012 isn’t going to change that. MU will enjoy it, but KU is and will remain king of hoops.

“I’m not concerned about [Marcus Denmon] missing a couple of shots here and there. He’s going to be fine.”
Frank Haith, on his senior guard’s shooting slump that has him hitting only 30% over his last seven games, 810 AM
GH: Shooting slumps are lonely and worrisome. No one knows from where they come or why they suddenly dissipate. Denmon has been a remarkably consistent outside shooter for his four years at Mizzou – until now. Just when MU has a real chance at a title and Denmon a crack at All-American honors – his game begins to slip. Let’s hope Haith is right and that Denmon plays his best basketball these final few months of his career. The great ones always do.

“Dorial Green-Beckham will choose Mizzou instead of #Arkansas or Sooners, source says. No. 1 prospect in America.”
John Hoover, Tulsa World writer, on the Hillcrest HS wide-receiver out of Springfield, MO Twitter

“It’s the kind of talent that inspires comparisons to NFL greats like Randy Moss and sputtering from scouts and recruiters; ‘Stunning.’ ‘Scary good.’ Arguably the best athlete in the country.’ CBS Sports prep analyst Tom Lemming says that Dorial is among the greatest high school players he’s ever seen.”
Brian McLaughlin, writer, Parade Magazine
GH: Signing day is Wednesday. DGB would be one sweet present for Gary Pinkel as he enters the SEC.

[Billy] Gillespie should get some votes for coach of the year. I know they are 0-8 but…”
Dave Armstrong, on the first-year Texas Tech coach, 810 AM
GH: Billy will have to do with getting a paycheck.

“Brandon Weeden is 48 days older than Aaron Rodgers.”
Peter King, on the Oklahoma State QB, SI.com

“It took 9 cops to bring down the bloody naked guy that was banging on my door [last week]. Scary start to the day.”
Bob Fescoe, Twitter
GH: Somebody call the Chiefs and have them sign that bloody naked guy to a contract!

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

Chris Kamler [aka @FakeNedYost] and Jeff Herr interviewed The Kansas City Star’s Chiefs’ beat writer, Kent Babb, on their January 25th podcast. The interview covered a number of topics, including Babb’s controversial article on the Iron Curtain-like work conditions at Arrowhead as described by many former and current Chiefs’ employees. Below are some excerpts from the interview, OTC style. You can listen to the entire 79-minute interview at Royalmanreport.com.
___________
“The media in this town is very corrupt. That’s the sports media I should say.”
Kent Babb, Royalmanreport.com
GH: Babb’s above comment was in answer to how some local media outlets ignored or downplayed the Chiefs article due to fear of repercussions from the Chiefs or pointed suggestions from the Chiefs to do so. Read on.

“Honestly, it seemed like it was a bigger story nationally than here in Kansas City. I was interested and sort of amused by what the reaction was by certain people. Certain radio stations that I won’t name. Certain TV stations that I won’t name.”
Kent Babb, Royalmanreport.com

“It’s disappointing on a couple of levels. One of which is it’s a pretty major story in Kansas City. And for some of the people in Kansas City to just ignore it, that’s their prerogative but it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense when you have a big story to talk about and you turn a blind eye.”
Kent Babb, on his reaction to his Chiefs’ story being ignored by some of the local media, Royalmanreport.com

“A lot of us in the media have to decide which master to serve because there are many temptations in this business. You can either serve your readers, listeners, viewers or you can serve the very teams that you are supposed to hold accountable. A lot of the media in this town are more interested in serving the master they should be holding accountable. To me that’s shameful. That’s not the type of journalism I respect.”
Kent Babb, Royalmanreport.com
GH: Babb says a mouthful here. The temptations he speaks of are real. Many people get into sports media because they are fans – huge fans. Rubbing elbows with GMs, NFL athletes, NCAA coaches can make a rational human mad for more. It can give them a worthless self-worth the likes they have never known. Temptations also come in the way of money, profits and material goods. People are mostly weak when it comes to free. Few can say no. The best ones do, though.

“If you can be bought or swayed or whatever, I’ve learned one thing and that is opinions are cheap in a lot of sports towns, not just here but around the country. If you can be talked into having a certain opinion, then your opinion isn’t worth much at all.”
Kent Babb, Royalmanreport.com
GH: Babb runs the risk with this kind of talk of alienating a lot of his friends and enemies in the local media. When you shine a light on the dark side of an industry, the cockroaches in that industry run – but they run to kill the source of the light.

“Maybe I don’t have the friends in the media [that I had prior to the story] but that’s okay. I didn’t get into this business to make friends.”
Kent Babb, Royalmanreport.com
GH: I have preached this mantra for some time. I do not dislike the people in the media whom I write about but neither do I have any social relationships or friendships with them. It is counterproductive. I have cautioned Nick Wright about his fascination with befriending Chiefs’ players and how it undermines his credibility. When I poked him too much about it, he blocked me on Twitter. Everyone has to decide what master to serve.

“I got this from people I trust, that the Chiefs put in calls to several radio stations and asked them to have a certain opinion. If your opinion can be bought that easily, that’s corrupt.”
Kent Babb, Royalmanreport.com
GH: What are the Chiefs thinking? How can this be a good way to run your organization? Attempting to squash the truth is never productive. If the Chiefs are embarrassed by how their employees’ feel they are treated, change the way you’re treating your employees.

“I’d just rather not say [what TV station] it is.”
Kent Babb, after a local TV station contacted Babb to tell him they would not be airing his interview because they heard from the Chiefs, Royalmanreport.com
GH: Babb did not name radio stations or the TV station who bowed to the Chiefs whims. This allows Babb to feel good about not naming names but his silence indicts all local sports media outlets. If you are willing to tell the story, tell the whole story.

“I’m not trying to say that newspaper’s integrity is any higher. It’s just different.”
Kent Babb, Royalmanreport.com
GH: All mainstream news media outlets exist to make a profit. Newspapers, radio, television -- it might not be what they want the consumer to believe but it is a fact. Does The Star bend their integrity at times? I have known it to. The lesson here is for consumers to question the motive of all news reports and opinions – no matter the media source. A newspaper story staining your fingers is no more credible than the report you heard on FM radio on your way into work. That line is now not just blurred, it has been smudged into obsolesce.

“I would be very troubled if my newspaper entered into a corporate agreement with any team that we cover and are supposed to hold accountable.”
Kent Babb, Royalmanreport.com
GH: 610 Sports has corporate agreements with the Royals, Jayhawks and Mizzou. 810 has a much-promoted corporate agreement with the Chiefs. The Star accepts advertising from every sports team in the area. You cannot get around having to take money from the teams you must objectively cover. What you can do is be professional in how you do your job. Contracts do not corrupt unless you allow them to be corruptive.

“I’ve had a good working relationship with the Chiefs for four years now and I’d like to think that will continue. I don’t know what their reaction will be because I haven’t heard from them. … I can’t write stories and The Star can’t write stories just because somebody’s going to like them. That’s what our job is. We feel we need to write truth and sometimes truth is painful.”
Kent Babb, Royalmanreport.com
GH: Babb speaks a lot of truth in this interview – and I can imagine that much of it is painful for some to read.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“He went freakin’ nuts! He turned an eight-point lead into a three-point deficit! All because of Le’Bryan Nash!”
Steven St. John, on the el fuego shooting binge late in the game by OSU’s freshman, Le’Bryan Nash as the Cowboys came from behind to hand MU their second loss of the season, 79-72, 810 AM
GH: I was watching the late stages of the MU/OSU game with one eye while discussing with my wife how difficult it was for us to see our sons as mature, employed and self-sufficient adults. Somewhere between concluding they would live in our basement forever or be destined to a life as hobos, the tenor of Mizzou’s command of the game changed. “What the hell happened?” I exclaimed.

“Two career [points scored] highs from two Oklahoma State players were needed to get that done. So they had to have a pretty ridiculous night to beat Missouri.”
Josh Klingler, 610 AM

“Your inclination is to be disappointed in Missouri because they didn’t give the same kind of effort we saw at Baylor. I think a lot of credit needs to be given to Oklahoma State – especially Le’Bryan Nash. He was the best player on that floor. That kid wouldn’t miss! It was ridiculous! It was almost like watching a video game!”
Steven St. John, as Nash poured in 27 points in his best outing of the season, 810 AM
GH: Nash was almost a Jayhawk, barely choosing OSU over Kansas. He has been a disappointment for most of this season but Wednesday night in Stillwater he was every bit the Tiger killer.

“Everyone is going to look at [Nash’s] 27 points, but his defense was better than his offense. It's not a coincidence that he told me yesterday he was going to be ready today and he had a good practice.”
Travis Ford, OSU head basketball coach, collegehoops.net
GH: Ford may want to send the message to Nash how much he liked his defense but his statement is preposterous. For Nash to play D as well as he played O, he would have had to shut MU out!

“For people who wonder why Missouri fans haven't jumped in with both feet, it's because we've been Missouri fans for a long time...”
Kurtis Seaboldt, following the Tigers’ upset at OSU, Twitter
GH: No school that I am aware of has had their hearts broken more often or with more sudden devastation than Missouri. We all can recite the list and it starts with a guy named Tyus. But as they say in the commercials,” past performance is no guarantee of future results.” The Tiger fans can only hope.

“All negative talk does is bring people down. We always talk positive, always try to lift each other up. I haven’t been consistent scoring the ball, and I’ve needed to be more consistent as far as playing hard. That was one of the hardest games I’ve ever played in my life, because I wanted to win. When I play hard, good things will happen for me and this team.”
Le’Bryan Nash, ESPN.com
GH: Did you hear that Mizzou fans, talk positive! Forget that Baylor beat this same OSU team by 41 last week, right before you beat Baylor at home. Positive, I said!

“Always thought [Mizzou] was top 15. Don't think any different about them today vs yesterday.”
Sam Mellinger, Twitter
GH: Mellinger clarified this tweet later stating that he didn’t mean to say MU should be ranked 15th, but more resembled a top-15 team than a top-10 team. I have the Tigers as a solid top-10 team. OSU played very, very, well down the stretch.

“The dunk by [Markel] Brown may have been the best dunk I’ve seen in years.”
Bob Fescoe, on the OSU forward’s high-flying alley-oop one-hand-jam over Matt Pressey, 610 AM
GH: Brown’s dunk came with the Cowboys trailing Mizzou by five with seven minutes left in the game. It was even more impressive than Thomas Robinson’s alley-oop slam against Baylor. Brown was immediately ejected from the game after woofing in the face of Matt Pressey. That is a tough penalty, especially since Brown will now have to sit out OSU’s next game. I am not a fan of overt trash talking but basketball is a sport that lends itself to some barking. I wish the NCAA was as quick to clean up the corrupt BCS as they are at admonishing a college kid for two-seconds of trash talking after a circus-like dunk.

“Kansas fans, the league isn’t over. Kansas hasn’t won the league now that Missouri is two games back. It’s not over yet. KU still has to go out and take care of business.”
Bob Fescoe, 610 AM
GH: Fescoe is an avid Kansas fan. His words of caution make sense. Kevin Kietzman on the other hand, is not quite the KU fan that he at times purports to be. Read on.

“We didn’t play tonight. Defensively we were really bad. We gambled, we had no resistance and we let them take the ball wherever they wanted to take the ball.”
Frank Haith, in his postgame comments following MU’s 79-72 loss in Stillwater
GH: I think Haith is right and not just bellowing coach-speak. As I watched highlights of Nash’s jump-shot clinic in the final minutes, it looked to me like Missouri’s defense was more to blame than I at first thought. Nash got good looks and little Keiton Page was rarely forced to do anything with the ball he was uncomfortable doing. This is not how MU has been successful or what you would expect from a four-guard lineup that makes its bones pressuring the opposition.

“I'm starting to think the Big 12 regular season title is no contest at all. Would take a KU collapse now. Likely as peace in Middle East.”
Kevin Kietzman, Twitter
GH: KK loves to prop up his emeries in an effort to watch them collapse. If Kansas falters, he enjoys their slide as most K-State fans would. If they roll to another Big 12 crown, he gets to crow, “I told you so.” KK, you are such a shock jock…

“I love Thomas Robinson because he wants to cut your heart out! … There are very few teams that can stop Thomas Robinson right now and I don’t think any of them are in Ames, IA.”
Mike DeCourcy, of The Sporting News, declining to agree that Kansas will struggle against Iowa State on Saturday, 810 AM

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“I think when Laurence Bowers went down [with his injury prior to MU’s basketball season], I think all of Frank Haith’s decisions became simple – because he had no decisions. He had to go small. Losing Laurence Bowers may have been the best thing for Frank Haith in this case.”
Rich Zvosec, former UMKC head coach and current TV analyst, in an interview with Bob Fescoe, 610 AM
GH: I remember when the news hit that Bowers was out for the year. Mizzou’s hope for a great season went with it – or so most of us thought. Did anyone expect the Bowerless Tigers to be 19-1 and ranked number two in the nation? Read on.

“Here’s my question; if Laurence Bowers wouldn’t have gotten hurt, would we have seen this four-guard lineup? I doubt that.”
Rich Zvosec, 610 AM
GH: Here’s my answer; probably on the rare occasion when one of the three Mizzou bigs got in foul trouble. But how different would the buzz be if they started three guards and not four? Would they still be 19-1? Here’s another question; how much better will MU be next season than they would have been with a healthy Bowers and a more seasoned Michael Dixon?

“Missouri has four all-conference-caliber guards.”
Fran Fraschilla, 810 AM
GH: I would say two. The term “all-conference” gets tossed around too loosely. Only five starters make the all-conference team. Marcus Denmon and Phil Pressey have been fantastic and deserve consideration – although both will struggle to make the Big 12’s starting all-conference team. MU is just too deep to allow one player’s stats to dominate in the league rankings. Denmon’s name is on a lot of voter’s lips but I’m not so sure that Flip is more deserving.

“I think the best player in the Big 12 is Thomas Robinson. I think the most important player in the Big 12 is the Big 12 is Phil Pressey – because he directs the traffic. You win with good guard play in college basketball. Right now, Missouri has the best guard play in the country.”
Rich Zvosec, 610 AM

“The amazing thing about Missouri is that they are 19 games into the year and [Frank Haith] hasn’t changed the lineup once!”
Steve Walentik, Columbia Tribune MU beat writer, 610 AM
GH: Bob Boone would be aghast!

“What I saw from the Missouri/Baylor game is that Missouri’s tough! Missouri, when they’re in attack mode, they’re awfully tough to defend and they’re so good at defending the basketball.”
Stephen Bardo, ESPN analyst, in an interview with Nate Bukaty and Steven St. John, 810 AM
GH: Bardo appears to like the word “tough.” Read on.

“That [Kansas] team is feisty and they are physical. They are tough! I think that’s one thing Bill Self’s teams don’t get credit for – how tough they play.”
Stephen Bardo, 810 AM
GH: One of the biggest critics about Kansas’ toughness this year and in past year’s is Bill Self. I do think that Robinson brings a level of physicality that the Jayhawks have longed for. Jeff Withey is also far tougher than he appears. Chenoweth comparisons be damned, Withey gets after people in the paint.

“One thing you can always say about Bill Self’s players – they get better, especially the post guys.”
Rich Zvosec, 610 AM
GH: I don’t know if the Big 12 hands out assistant coach of the year awards but if they do, KU’s Danny Manning should win it every year for his work with KU’s big men. Manning might be a better teacher than he was a player – and the guy was simply one of the best college basketball players to ever don short shorts.

“I would say because of Withey, KU has a little bit of an advantage inside [on Missouri].”
Fran Fraschilla, 810 AM
GH: Withey and Robinson pose a huge advantage in the paint for Kansas over MU. But the game is not only played in the paint. There will be some folks hyperventilating on and off the court when these two top-five-ranked titans meet in Columbia on February 4th. Do we really have to end this rivalry, Bill?

“[Travis] Releford is a guy that if I’m going in an alley, I want him with me.”
Stephen Bardo, 810 AM
GH: I thought Releford was an odd pick as to who you would want at your side in an alley fight. Maybe they waifish-thin Miege grad is tougher than he looks. I would want Tyshawn with me in that alley because crazy and unpredictable is always an asset in an alley fight.

“I think Missouri is tough but what Kansas State did to them I think other teams can duplicate on the road.”
Stephen Bardo, 810 AM

“[Kansas State] will be fine. It’s a work in progress. It’s a bunch of young guys. People forget that Will Spradling is a sophomore and Angel Rodriguez is a freshman. They got two wins last week without playing their best basketball. To me that’s a good sign.”
Rich Zvosec, 610 AM

“[Kansas State] is going to be fine. They are going to win a lot of games. In my mind they are going to finish over .500 in the Big 12 and they are going to the NCAA Tournament. They’re tough, they’re scrappy – they’re really kind of similar to the team Frank has had the last few years.”
Fran Fraschilla, 810 AM
GH: Martin’s teams do all look similar in that they battle relentlessly and are as physical as Colin Klein. I too expect Frank’s crew to be humming along come March.

“Rodney McGruder is playing like an All-Big 12 player over the last 10 games.”
Rich Zvosec, 610 AM
GH: I think McGruder is a lock for the All-Big 12 team. He should receive plenty of votes as the league’s MVP. He is almost as smooth with the basketball as Brandon Rush – but nobody is that smooth.

“Some people resist change to traditional uniforms, but the new Nike Hyper Elite Platinum uniforms are VERY COOL. I was born too early.”
Jay Bilas, Twitter
GH: I too like the new stylized uniforms that Nike is making famous in football and basketball. How I wish the Chiefs and Royals would stretch their stodgy ways and make a leap into this century with their unies. Tradition is fine but how much tradition are the Royals and Chiefs trying to protect? Live a little, guys!

“23 million people were listening on radio in the United States! It is a staggering, staggering number! I was just blown away by that number! This is by and large a less expensive medium to advertise on and the numbers are eye-popping or in this case, ear-popping!”
Kevin Kietzman, on the ratings for the NFL playoffs last Sunday, 810 AM
GH: Kietzman led his Wednesday show with this “staggering, staggering” news. He also managed to mention his director of advertising at WHB by name and his office phone number for interested advertisers to call and reach him. We all understand that radio is free and ads pay the bills. But do not take your listeners for granted by pretending to report some staggering news about people listening to the NFL playoffs when what you are doing is spending the first 17 minutes of your show shilling for advertisers.

“We anticipate that there will be noticeable improvements. But I just really want to point out that we’ve been making these plans since 2008, before we knew the All-Stars was really coming and they’d be concentrating so much in Midtown.”
Jimmi Lossing, project manager for the improvements being made by KC’s Parks Department at Penn Valley Park, KSHB TV41
GH: Lossing sounded defensive in letting the TV camera know that the improvements to the much photographed Penn Valley Park have been in the works for four years. KSHB’s Elizabeth Alex reported these improvements are expected to be completed by this summer’s All-Star game here in Kansas City. Maybe someone will finally blaze a trail to The Scout statue so that we can see it in person rather  than only on a Chiefs broadcast.

“You don’t know what a shock jock is so you are not qualified to call me one. I can play you clips from a shock jock and you will not believe what you hear! I am not one. So I’m not going to take that!”
Kevin Kietzman, to a caller he quickly dismissed after he called him a shock jock, 810 AM
GH: I wonder if it was the word “shock” or the word “jock” that most offended KK.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / Greghall24

“Nice to SEC #1 and #2 in the polls! Just like football!”
Mike Kelly, voice of MU football and Basketball, as Kentucky and Mizzou were ranked first and second in Monday’s NCAA Men’s poll, Twitter
GH: Mizzou isn’t waiting until July to don the SEC garb. Tiger fans chanted “SEC! SEC! SEC!” following their bowl game win. Now Mike Kelly is tweaking The 12 with the Tigers lofty spot in the latest poll. Kansas, that team I left for mostly bleeding and unconscious weeks ago, is ranked fifth. What more could we here in KC ask for than their final hoop dance be a tango rather than the waltz we witnessed in football?

“If you think this is going to fix what was wrong – it is not. Don’t think of this as; ‘We are in the SEC now, everything is going to get better.’ There might not be another time in the next 20 years that Missouri basketball is ranked number-two in the country!”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: I believe one of KK’s greatest fears is that Mizzou experiences success in their new SEC conference. Another fear might be what you could refer to as “spousal.” Read on. 

“It’s like a new girlfriend, guys – don’t expect her to be a better wife than your ex-wife.”
Kevin Kietzman, in a warning to Missouri fans who are excited about marrying the SEC, 810 AM
GH: There but for the Lovely Jessica goes KK’s alimony payment. Do I detect some buyer’s remorse here in KK’s comment about expecting your new girlfriend to be a better wife than your ex?

“As much as Kansas hates Missouri for breaking up the Big 12, that [Big 12 basketball] tournament will take a hit once Missouri leaves. It will take a hit.”
Frank Boal, 810 AM
GH: None of us know how the attendance numbers will change once Missouri is no longer part of the Big 12 tourney here at Sprint Center. Much of it will depend on the future success of Kansas and Kansas State. Those two schools can carry the tourney with their rabid fan bases. But a drop from the top 25 by either will create some echoes inside Sprint for a number of sessions.

“Interim Big 12 Commissioner Chuck Neinas has plans to expand the conference beyond the current 10 members to 14 or as many 16 members. Neinas believes that with selective expansion the Big 12 could give the SEC competition for the best college football conference in the country while securing the future of the league. … ACC football schools such as Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Pitt and Maryland and BC have spoken with the Big 12 over the past few months about switching leagues despite the buyout the ACC added last fall to curtail such moves.”
Honas Sneed, a West Virginia Mountaineers blogger for EERinsider.com
GH: I have no idea what sources Honas Sneed has in regard to this post but it is getting some play nationally. Can you imagine how wickedly good the Big 12 would become if these ACC schools joined our fly-over conference? I don’t know how you would fit them all in or what kind of schedules it would produce but I like the thought even if it’s pure rumor.

“Dude, A&M getting after KU--this is embarrassing-- this is what KU looks like when Tyshawn doesn’t go for 28.”
Doug Gottlieb, during the A&M/KU game when the Aggies were trading leads with Kansas, Twitter
GH: Gottlieb has stated all season he thinks the Jayhawks are no better than a top-15 team. Gottlieb is a stubborn fellow. Despite their fifth-place ranking, he continues to downplay their status. Read on.

“Yes--two guys and a bunch of guys--have played above their level before today.”
Doug Gottlieb, responding to being asked during the A&M game if Kansas is overrated, Twitter
GH: But those “two guys” are POTY candidate Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor. How many do you need to be an elite team this season?

“[Tyshawn] Taylor is so freaking talented--he is as good off the ball as on it, shoots better off the bounce through.”
Doug Gottlieb, Twitter
GH: Gottlieb might not be too impressed with Kansas but he loves TT.

“Nobody has worked with Taylor's shot. Elbow flies out and his footwork is inconsistent. Only a few CBK coaches teach shooting!”
Tom Penders, Twitter
GH: Penders often comes off sounding like the old man bitching about the kid’s ball landing on his side of the fence but he has a point here. Tyshawn’s jumper often looks like he just jumped off a diving board and changed his mind about the dive in mid leap.

“[Jared] Sullinger has been a much better offensive player than T-Rob and nearly his equal on the glass. He also has more help, carries lighter load. So it's very reasonable to say you prefer Robinson, but to say it's clear is, in my opinion, not correct. Unless dunk highlights count.”
Andy Glockner, of SI.com, arguing with CBS’ Goodman about his statement that Thomas Robinson is the clear player of the year in college basketball, Twitter
GH: Dick Vitale all but christened Robinson as the POTY with his stream of accolades during the Baylor game. I think the award is his to lose. Is he the best player in the country? Who knows? But I like him at least as well as Sullinger. Let’s wait another month and see what happens.

“I’m telling you, write it down, Kansas isn’t going to be any worse than 15-3 [in the Big 12].”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: Nothing would make KK happier to be wrong here – except maybe another new girlfriend.

“[Kansas] has not played on the road against any of the next four best teams [in the Big 12]. At home they have only faced two of those four. The question that I think to Jayhawk fans is now that the bar has been raised, what is now a successful season?”
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: What town does petro live in? The bar for Kansas basketball was never lowered. KU fans expect a Big 12 title every year – and why wouldn’t they? Self delivers more consistently than Jimmy Johns.

“I don’t think that’s all that negative if [Kansas] goes up there [to Iowa State] and loses this Saturday.”
Kurtis Seaboldt, 810 AM
GH: Seaboldt made this comment more as a compliment to the Cyclones than a slight to KU. Losing in Ames is not an issue – unless you’re a Kansas fan – especially since Mizzou has won there this season. Saturday’s game in Ames will be fun to watch.

“You guys may know this, but Danny Manning never won in Ames.”
Fran Fraschilla, while talking to The Border Patrol, 810 AM
GH: I like Fraschilla. He is so much better and more prepared than the way-past-his-bedtime Bob Knight. But Fran, don’t treat Kansas fans like you would Texas fans. We know more about our local schools here in Kansas City than any national announcer is ever going to want to know.

“Students at KU don't care about Self: They chanted Home of the Chiefs louder than ever. Too bad.”
Gary Bedore, after Self publicly admonished the KU students for their Arrowhead-like anthem ending, Twitter
“Bill will shake that off but Roy would be livid during his postgame press conference.”
Tom Penders, responding to Bedore tweet above, Twitter
GH: I miss Roy Boy’s postgame pressers. Nobody had an ego like Roy – not Carl Peterson, not Mark Mangino, not Jason Whitlock and not even Big Lew…well, now that I think about it, maybe Lew was pretty close.

“Bill Self goes all Frank Martin, he just does it in practice.”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: Doing it in practice is called coaching. Doing it on the sideline on television is called Pelini.

“I’m comfortable enough with [Jordan Henriquez] that he will be at practice today. After we practice I’ll decide if he’ll travel [to Texas Tech]. Jordan is a phenomenal kid. Jordan is one of my all-time favorites. Jordan had lost sight of some of the things that he had done to make him a great player on our basketball team. Based on his words, I am comfortable that he is ready to be the player we need him to be.”
Frank Martin, after having dismissed Henriquez from the K-State team last week, 610 AM
GH: I almost always root for the players in these situations. I’m glad it looks like Henriquez is getting a second chance. If his coach thinks he deserves it, that’s good enough for me.

“I'd like to see younger pictures of Holly Rowe. It's hard to see her ever being cute.”
Carrington Harrison, Twitter
GH: Harrington is young – as in just out of college [or maybe still should be in college]. He will soon learn that every hot chick eventually succumbs to Holly Rowe status. Some, like Holly, dine before their time and begin to resemble swine.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“The only thing I can compare [the stories about Chiefs employee’s being forced to work under intimidating conditions] to is when I used to work for Jason Whitlock at this radio station. I didn’t have a lot of contact with the real bosses here because Jason was my boss. And he motivated us – myself and [Magnificent] Megan by fear. He would harass us. Send us emails outlining how horrible we were as people and how horrible we were at our jobs. He would tell us how much everyone hated us at work and how everyday they wanted to fire us and he had to fight for our jobs. He had me in so much fear that I would come to work each day thinking, ‘How am I not going to get fired, since everyone hates me here. Oh my God!’ Every day that’s how it would be. Every day I would wonder, ‘What’s he going to yell at me for?’ It was fear! You never felt comfortable in your job. You were told everyone hated you and that you were just a step away from being fired.”
Steven St. John, 810 AM
GH: SSJ has softened his tone a bit since he initially downplayed Kent Babb’s story in Sunday’s KC Star on the intimidating working conditions described by some former and current Chiefs employees. His above comments about the working conditions under Whitlock’s rule got me to start looking back at some old Off The Couch columns. I came up with a few nuggets that reminded me that the culture and the level of political correctness around WHB 810 has at least on the surface, changed dramatically. Read on.

“I've said this before. I'd like to see Megan get in this [swimsuit] competition because I think she could lick the competition. I'd be right behind her the whole way.”
Steven St. John, urging his female cohost to enter a local "fitness" swimsuit contest, WHB 810, OTC September 2001
GH: Magnificent Megan could likely write one heckuva best seller about her days at 810. She was a polarizing addition to Whitlock’s show from the start. Read on.

“If every show was hosted by a white man who lives in Johnson County, nobody would ever have any fun.”
Steven St. John, after a caller criticized WHB's treatment of women, 810, OTC September 2001

“I don't need someone who knows who the owner of the Royals is.”
Jason Whitlock, after his new female cohost (Magnificent Megan) was unable to name the owner of the Royals, OTC March 2001, 810

“It's not about knowing the trivia, it's about the understanding.”
Magnificent Megan, attempting to defend her inability to name the Royals’ owner, 810, OTC March 2001
GH: While we often scoff at the quality level of our current sports talk shows, it is difficult to imagine a cohost now not knowing David and Dan as well as The Clarks.

“Is there a lot of animosity between the ugly ones and the pretty ones?”
Tim Grunhard, asking questions about the professional women's tennis circuit, 810, OTC September 2001
GH: Grunhard was almost as quotable as Whitlock back in the day…then he went legit as a Catholic High School football coach. But before he did, Randy Miller told the story below about the Chiefs’ former center turned broadcaster. Read on.

“We share offices here [at Union Broadcasting] with a sports-talk station. Tim Grunhard, the former center for the Chiefs, is now one of the talk-show hosts on the other station. Tim Grunhard is walking down the hall the other day, and we've got a female sales associate that is coming out of a room. Tim thinks nothing of just farting as loudly as he can. In fact, he was having a conversation with me, and he doesn't even pause for a comma. The sales associate, Jen, is coming out of the room and not only hears it, but the building vibrates. She goes and punches Tim. Tim says, "Just keep walking; you're gonna walk right into it.' “
Randy Miller, KCTE 1510, OTC from October 2002
GH: Okay, so much for our trip down OTC Memory Lane. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I.

“There would be times [Whitlock] would be a great guy and he’d give you the shirt off his back.”
Steven St. John, recalling the working conditions at WHB under Whitlock, 810 AM
GH: There is no truth that one of Pork Chop’s shirts served as SSJ’s first home in the Northland.

“This is the best work environment I’ve ever had. The people on my show I love.”
Steven St. John, on his current situation at WHB on The Border Patrol, 810 AM
GH: It appears SSJ came out of the Whitlock School of Torture just fine. We need to hear from Magnificent Megan and how she is fairing nowadays. MM, drop me an email and I’ll update the masses.

“You don’t have to lie just because the mic is on. You’re not happy that I’m here.”
Carrington Harrison, after being introduced by Danny Parkins as his cohost this week, 610 AM
GH: Parkins typically hosts his show solo – but the last two weeks he has been assigned a cohost. Like Carrington, I am not too sure he is pleased with that change. Read on.

“I’m not unhappy that you’re here. All I know is that [Robert] Ford is here and now you’re here. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Danny Parkins, on sharing his show with different cohosts of late, 610 AM
GH: I like the 610 Sports is trying different lineups and experimenting with their shows. No show on their air needs more attention than Nick Wright’s four hours during afternoon drive. Maybe they are waiting to tackle their biggest problems last.

“If you [don’t play your best players] and you don’t win, then you hold yourself up to a lot of criticism. There are a lot of ways to discipline players. Publicly flogging them is one. Maybe that’s the last [resort] thing you want to do because who loses? Everybody.  Sometimes [Frank Martin] makes me laugh out loud. Sometimes I say, ‘That dude’s crazy.’ ”
Tom Penders, when asked about Frank Martin’s decision to bench some of his better players in order to get their attention, 610 AM
GH: Martin has made a splash by benching freshman point guard Angel Rodriguez for the loss at Oklahoma and much of the home win over Texas. It has become an issue, an issue we seem to revisit every season with Frank and one or two of his players. Read on.

“I will tell you this, the decisions I make are made to win games. … I don’t hold grudges. There’s no such thing as a doghouse. You’re in constant educational mode. Never ever will I put the value of a game over the value of life. I refuse to do that.”
Frank Martin, when asked by Soren Petro about not playing Angel in KSU’s loss at Oklahoma, 810 AM
GH: Martin reminds me of a New Jersey politician. He is always right and always says what he thinks in a way meant to strike fear into anyone who would disagree. He is great copy. I’m just not sure he is as much a savior of young men as he portrays himself to be.

 “It’s pretty clear that when Frank has a guy that he thinks is going to be special, especially when he’s a point guard, he is going to be hard on that guy. I think that’s probably the case with Angel. I think Frank was thinking, ‘Hey, I’m going to send this guy a message and if that means we lose a game to Oklahoma, so be it.’ Hopefully, he learned a lesson.”
Austin Meek, who mentioned that Martin similarly sat Jacob Pullen during his freshman year, 810 AM
GH: Martin is a basketball coach. He is a suddenly a millionaire because he coaches college players and wins more than he loses. There are many people helping young men today who are not millionaires and who do not tell us over and over how they are far different in everyone else because they care more than most. I find these lesser known folks more appealing than a guy who makes his living as a bully.

“This looks to me like a part of K-State’s schedule where they ought to be able to rip off four [wins] in a row or six out of seven.”
Todd Leabo, prior to the Cats win over Texas, 810 AM
GH: The Big 12 basketball schedule has a way of keeping our interest throughout the winter months. How about Mizzou at Baylor this Saturday? Tipoff is at 1:00 PM (CT) on ESPN.

“Weis isn’t going to do what Turner Gill did and give them several chances.”
Tom Keegan, of KUSports.com, on the 10 players Weis has dismissed from KU’s football team, 810 AM
GH: Weis puffed his already overly-inflated chest out at this week’s presser and told us how he didn’t care how good a player was or whether they started or not – he would dismiss them if they didn’t fall into line. Easy to say when all 10 are players you did not recruit. Did you hear how he said he “fell in love” with one of his quarterback recruits? Let’s see how quick Charlie’s trigger is when it comes time to lance one of his loved ones.

“I probably know a little bit too much to be surprised by any of them.”
Nate Bukaty, when asked what name surprised him most of the 10 KU football players who were released by Charlie Weis, 810 AM
GH: If Nate knows so much, why don’t we? You have a morning talk show, Nate. It would be nice if you pretended to be Kent Bab from time to time.

“You would have thought that Brock Berglund would have been jumping at that opportunity to be a part of KU football with Charlie Weis here.”
Bob Fescoe, after Berglund missed a mandatory team meeting and was dismissed by Weis, 610 AM
GH: I will almost always favor the recruit over the institution when it comes to a parting of the ways. Fescoe speaks like a fan when he blabbers on about Berglund missing the opportunity to learn under Weis. Berglund watched Weis sign two QB recruits whom with he has had a long relationship. Why would a top prospect like Berglund want to remain at KU and be third string? I hope the kid from Colorado gets his act together and lands somewhere that wants him.

“I wanted to tell you I think your idea of having a nationwide ‘Have A Catch Day’ is fantastic. My dad is not into sports - at all. Never was. He had to grow up ‘too fast’ and never had time to develop an interest in sports. It wasn't until adulthood I heard the term ‘have a catch.’ My brother and I would always say ‘wanna play catch?’ I can remember ‘playing catch’ until the sun went down or until everyone else was too tired to keep playing. Because of that - suffice it to say - our garage door took some abuse. I think we had to replace the garage door a couple of times after I supplied a couple of thousand dents in it by throwing the ball at it over, and over, and over.”
Brad Porter, of Metro Sports, OTC Email
GH: I had nine brothers and five sisters. Our milk was delivered from Roberts Dairy into a wooden milk box that sat on our front porch. A hinged top made this crate a perfect place for my brothers and me to store our baseballs and gloves. We “played catch” [must be an East/West thing] three or four times a day. My brother Tim, a lefty, would stand in front of our South Omaha home on one side of 15th Street and I’d be on the other. My first glove was a Hank Aaron edition. My older brother Bernie and I received the exact same model of glove one summer. Those two identical-twin gloves became more different than American and Japanese cars after we broke them in. Bernie molded his glove into a flat, smooth and rather stiff finish. My mitt was cupped with a deep pocket and a pliable arched back. I have lost contact with that glove and still miss it to this day. I still have my second glove, though – a Rawlings Jim Fregosi model. Sits in my office to remind me of when I could still go get it.

Carlsbad Marathon in San Diego
GH: I am traveling to San Diego to run in Sunday’s Carlsbad Marathon. This is more of a training run for me as I prepare to run Boston again in April. I am taking my oldest son for his first trip to California and view of an ocean. I likely will not be updating my website until the middle of next week. Looking forward to chatting with all of you then.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“I caught the elevator to the top of the stairs. Ding!”
Thomas Robinson, when asked about his vicious high-flying one-handed hammer dunk against Baylor,
GH: In the storied name of Chocolate Thunder, I have christened TRob’s dunk Monday night with the following moniker; The Tyshawn-trailing, gravity-be failing, Baylor Bear pregame video-bailing, Allen Fieldhouse-crowd-frenzy-sent sailing, SportsCenter-Top-10 emailing, Scott Drew railing and POTY-inhaling dunk!

“There is no way to know these things for sure, but it felt like something changed after Robinson’s dunk. Baylor has more talent than KU, and when’s the last time you could say that about a game at Allen Fieldhouse? But this building is different. Strange things happen here. This might be the best homecourt or homefield advantage in all of sports, and it has taken lesser moments than Robinson’s dunk to ignite the Fieldhouse machine in hundreds of victories like this one.”
Sam Mellinger, Kansas City Star
GH: Allen Fieldhouse was getting more love on Twitter last night than the teenage bride Courtney Stodden’s jogging outfit. Read on.

“Thought KU was tremendous tonight but always feel that Allen Field House is a minimum 10 point advantage. Does put KU in ‘elite team’ talk.”
Fran Fraschilla, Twitter

“Honestly, I think atmosphere here at Kansas pre-game trumps everywhere else. Yes, that includes Rupp and Cameron. Love this place.”
Jeff Goodman, of CBS, Twitter
GH: Fraschilla and Goodman weren’t the only national media member tweeting love sonnets to KU’s old barn. It seems everyone who steps into the Phog comes away mesmerized. Even some you would never imagine. Read on.

“I'm gonna say it and hope to not get kicked out of Mizzou Nation,,,,MU woud love to have the KU fans passion - just observation.”
Shake Pepper, avowed lifelong Mizzou fan, Twitter
GH: Shake may need to rattle and roll next the time he crosses the Missouri border from his home in Carolina – but the atmosphere inside AFH during conference play is that special.

“I'm sitting on the baseline underneath the Kansas hoop. T-Rob looks awfully short next to those Baylor guys.”
Seth Davis, ESPN college basketball analyst, early in the Baylor/KU game, Twitter

“Love Jared Sullinger & Doug McDermott, but Thomas Robinson should be National Player of the Year if season ended today (which it doesn't).”
Jeff Goodman, of CBS, Twitter
GH: Dick Vitale also loudly declared Robinson his current pick for POTY. A name you might not know in that list is Doug McDermott. Mike DeCourcy also has the Creighton sophomore on his POTY short list. He is the son of former Iowa State coach and current Creighton coach, Greg McDermott. The 6’7 Doug is averaging 24/game, shooting 55% from the field (44% from three), over 7 rebounds/game and commits less than two fouls a game. I haven’t seen his game in person yet but my Creighton buddies all swoon over him like he was Larry Bird.

“Tyshawn Taylor might, and I repeat might, have turned a little bit of a corner.”
Danny Parkins, after Taylor scored 28 in his second straight game, 610 AM
GH: Tyshawn Taylor is Sherron Collins without the resume. He has the game, he has the swag – what he doesn’t have is the ring. Both point guards could be maddening at times to watch as they over-played their teams to unnecessary losses. But both could also be go-to beacons when all appeared dark for the Jayhawks. Taylor’s tale is still being written. So far? A fascinating read.

“When you commit five turnovers, you’ve got to play like this. I don’t know if he can keep this up.”
Mike DeCourcy, on Tyshawn Taylor, 810 AM
GH: Yes, not everyone is sold on Taylor’s game remaining consistent enough for a Kansas late-season run. Read on.

“[Tyshawn Taylor’s] jump shot is about as ugly and flawed as you can find in the country. His elbow is flying out… He’s throwing curveballs, sliders and knuckleballs up there!”
Tom Penders, former Texas [and elsewhere] basketball coach, in an interview with Bob Fescoe and Josh Klingler, 610 AM
GH: Penders is so sure Taylor’s flawed game will eventually derail Kansas that he told Fescoe and Klingler he’d buy them steak dinners at the Final Four if Kansas makes it. I am expecting Penders Twitter account to get blasted this week by Phognatics.

“ESPN's insistence on showing the final nine seconds of this long-decided Big East game seems like a middle finger to the Midwest.”
Tully Corcoran, FoxSports writer, Twitter
GH: There is a LOT of bitching every time a Big East game’s conclusion creeps into the start of the Big 12 game on Monday nights. It’s frustrating but I don’t adhere to all the flyover-country conspiracy theories. If the game times were reversed, KU fans wouldn’t want to be denied watching the final nine seconds of KU thrashing Baylor…and that blip of a handshake between Scott Drew and Bill Self.

“KU fans go with ‘overrated’ chant. Your team was awesome tonight. Why lessen it by saying your opponent wasn't as good as everyone thought?”
Kurtis Seaboldt, Twitter
GH: One of the dumbest crowd chants in sports. I believe it is perpetuated by incoming freshmen who don’t know any better. Since there are new frosh each season, the dumb chant continues in arenas everywhere.

“This is not a group you can be nice to and pat on the back.”
Bill Self, in his postgame comments following KU’s 92-74 win over Baylor, 610 AM
GH: Maybe all those KU fans who have been riding Tyshawn Taylor on Twitter have been fueling his All-Conference play.

“You guys know Self gave the stat keeper a case of beer if he gave him 10 assists in his last game at OSU? True story, look it up.”
Doug Gottlieb, Twitter
GH: You KNOW that Gottlieb’s tweet is going to be brought up by some KU players at today’s practice. Maybe Chris Piper will ask Self about his final game stats in a postgame interview.

“We’re 64-3 at home in my career. That says a lot about our fans. That says a lot about our facility.”
Kim English, Sirius XM Radio
GH: Mizzou has a bit of a homecourt advantage as well. Their 70-51 win over A&M Monday was their 65th in English’s MU career.

“I would say we’re the best team in the league. I wouldn’t sell my team short.”
Kim English, when asked to name the best team in the Big 12, Sirius XM Radio
GH: Mizzou travels to Waco on Saturday. That would be a good place to prove English’s faith in his Tigers.

“[Syracuse] is not better than everybody else. They don’t have a road game like Kansas. Their conference road schedule is a joke! They don’t have to do what Kansas has to do or what Baylor has to do. It will be interesting to see what they do when they get to the end of this – because they won’t be as tested as any of the other major powers.”
Mike DeCourcy, 810 AM
GH: How great would it be to have Syracuse join the Big 12? Maybe we can borrow them for the rest of the season. It doesn’t appear they have much to do until March.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“Todd Haley walked into the public relations office at Chiefs headquarters on a Thursday in early December. Four days before he was fired as the team’s coach, he wanted to talk about what life was like inside this organization. But he didn’t know who else might be listening. Looking up toward the ceiling, he darted into a back hallway before hesitating. Then he turned around, going back through a door and stopping again. Haley suspected that many rooms at the team facility were bugged so that team administrators could monitor employees’ conversations. Stopping finally in a conference room, Haley said he believed his personal cellphone, a line he used before being hired by the Chiefs in 2009, had been tampered with.”
Kent Babb, Chiefs beat writer, Kansas City Star
GH: This was the lede for Babb’s front-page story in Sunday’s Kansas City Star. When you write a story, an article or a column, one goal should be to capture the reader’s interest immediately with your lede. Babb accomplished his goal and more with these riveting sentences. Read on.

“That also makes you think, what’s the hell’s wrong with Todd Haley? That’s the first thing I think of.”
Steven St. John, 810 AM
GH: Babb’s story created a flood of comments on Twitter from members of the media across the country. Almost every one of them that I read was complimentary to Babb’s work on this article. Some effusively so. St. John and Nate Bukaty though were far from impressed by Babb’s article.

“Interviews with more than two dozen current and former employees suggest that intimidation and secrecy are among the Chiefs’ principal management styles — and that Haley wasn’t the only one with paranoid thoughts.”
Kent Babb, Kansas City Star

“A common notion is that employees are constantly being watched. When they arrive and leave, where they’re going within the building and who they’re talking to. Indeed, the technology exists at the Chiefs’ offices, as it does in many corporate settings, to monitor phone calls and emails. But here, some staffers even hesitated before using their cell phones or speaking inside the building, because, like Haley, they suspected that conversations were monitored.”
Kent Babb, Kansas City Star

“I’ll be honest with you though, this is a time when I have to remind myself that I hear a lot of things that a lot of people who don’t have access to our information. Did any of this really surprise you?”
Steven St. John, 810 AM
GH: I was stunned at SSJ’s cavalier attitude to the allegations laid out by Babb’s sources. But maybe I shouldn’t have been. Scott Pioli had graced The Border Patrol with his presence the week before with an interview. Pioli did the same for Bob Fescoe at 610 Sports. Read on.

“You know what. You’ve got to adapt to your bosses. If Todd Haley was my head coach, I’d probably have his stuff bugged too.”
Bob Fescoe, on the Chiefs employees who complained about the actions of the Pioli regime, 610 AM
GH: I found it very interesting that both The Border Patrol and Fescoe staunchly defended the side of Pioli and the Chiefs while discussing Babb’s article. Maybe it was simply coincidental that Pioli was a guest on their shows only a few days before. Maybe not.

“We’ve had a couple of tweets and a couple of phone calls asking if we’re going to talk about the article that was in The Kansas City Star by Kent Babb.”
Steven St. John, at 8:30 AM Monday, two-and-a-half hours into their show, 810 AM
GH: SSJ and Bukaty did not even address Babb’s story until the 8:30 AM hour. This shows either an incredible lack of understanding of what is the hot local subject of the day or their willingness to allow their biasness to weaken their show content.

“There’s always two sides to every story.”
Steven St. John, 810 AM
GH: SSJ made this comment in a way that made me think Babb’s story ignored any alternative opinions to Haley’s and some fired Chiefs employees’ thoughts that Pioli is bugging phones and offices and an overall pain in the ass for which to work. But Babb did an excellent job in his story of providing balance. Read on.

“Everybody has a style and it’s your job to figure out that style. I didn’t have any problems.”
Mike Davidson, who left the team last year after 22 years as equipment manager, Kansas City Star

“I remember the same feelings and people saying the same things. I was a young kid working in the equipment department, and everybody was talking about how everybody was worried about getting fired. … Any time there’s change, that’s just the feeling that people have.”
Allen Wright, Chiefs equipment manager since 1988, Kansas City Star

“In some instances you could say that [Pioli] is a micromanager to a degree. I think he likes to know what information is and what you’re doing. … Scott wants to know, like as a math teacher, ‘How did you get to your problem; how did you get to the answer of the problem?’ ”
Ray Farmer, Chiefs’ pro personnel director, Kansas City Star

“Donovan denied that conversations are monitored or that the building is bugged. He said that in cases of suspected policy breaches or criminal activity, phone logs have been requested. ‘I’m not going to say that we’ve never done it, but it’s not something we do,’ Donovan said. ‘It’s not how we operate this business.’ ”
Kent Babb, Kansas City Star
GH: Donovan’s above comment needs more explanation. In the very same sentence, he discounts his comment that the Chiefs have not bugged the building and are monitoring their employees. Either you do or you don’t.

“Pioli pored over former president Denny Thum’s call log, a former high-ranking employee said, before Thum was asked to resign in September 2010 after 36 years with the team. Thum declined comment when reached by telephone.”
Kent Babb, Kansas City Star
GH: The firing of long-time Carl Peterson ally Denny Thum alone would likely make a great book. One we will probably never get the chance to read.

“The vast majority of the stuff in this article was, ‘Yeah, we’ve heard that before. I read it and thought, yeah, we’ve heard that, we’ve heard that. We’ve all heard that before. To me, I look at it and I say, football coaches are just paranoid. Now the house is getting cleaned and everybody is saying the guy who fired me is a jerk.”
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM
GH: Bukaty was just as adamant as SSJ that Babb’s story was not news. Are these guys this blind to what makes for good talk radio? If Kevin Kietzman waits until 4:30 PM to address Babb’s article, I will know that the Mayans were right.

“During his first year, Pioli noticed a candy wrapper in a back stairwell and waited to see how long it took to be picked up. About a week passed, and it remained in the stairwell. He placed the wrapper in an envelope, and during a meeting of department heads, Donovan, then the team’s chief operating officer, brandished the wrapper as evidence of the attention to detail that Chiefs employees had grown to ignore.”
Kent Babb, Kansas City Star
GH: This nugget from Babb’s article has legs. If the Chiefs fall on hard times next season, expect to see Arrowhead being dotted with signs that reference Pioli’s fascination with discarded candy wrappers. Bob Fescoe is already referring to the article as Candy Wrapper-gate.

“Since Scott Pioli was hired as general manager in January 2009, life for many inside the Chiefs’ front office has been marked by massive staff turnover, fear and insecurity about how closely they are watched. Numerous current and former staffers paint a picture of constant worry — and, in a few cases, of alleged age discrimination.”
Kent Babb, Kansas City Star

“Pioli, who was not made available by the team for this story, has said in the past that the changes were about ending a period of entitlement and emphasizing accountability.”
Kent Babb, Kansas City Star
GH: This was a big miss by Babb. How could Babb NOT get a quote from Pioli for this story? It sounds like an excuse to say Pioli was “not made available by the team for this story.” Were the Chiefs supposed to serve Pioli up on a platter for Babb? No excuses for not having him quoted in this article – he lives in KC and was on at least two local radio stations last week and TV 41. Camp out in their parking lots if you have to – but get a quote from Pioli for this story.

“It’s not true at all.”
Clark Hunt, on Chiefs employees who felt they were being watched and their communications monitored, Kansas City Star
GH: Hunt allowed himself to be quoted for The Star’s story. So why didn’t Pioli speak? Was he too busy scouring the hallways for candy wrappers?

“I think [Todd Haley] was THE source for this article. Kent Babb had a very good relationship with Todd Haley for a long time.  I think most of us have known that for quite a while. So yeah, I think he was the source.”
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM
GH: A couple of things to remember. While Babb may have a good relationship with Haley, 810 has a business relationship with the Chiefs. SSJ and Bukaty have a good relationship with Pioli – it is evident to me when they talk to the Chiefs’ GM that they are smitten that he knows them by name. Another thing to remember is that Kent Babb and The Kansas City Star writers have a business relationship with 610 Sports – 810’s competitor. You will not hear Babb or Sam Mellinger or Adam Teicher on 810 – only 610. Just a few things to keep in mind.

“We needed a culture that pursued excellence. One that valued honesty and integrity, one where the employees would be held accountable. … I believe that good leaders do bring an attention to detail to their leadership roles.”
Clark Hunt, responding to the above allegations, Kansas City Star
GH: All well and good. But Pioli had to fire his chosen leader before the end of his third season. That shows a tremendous lack of insight by Pioli. He picked a guy so wrong for his first run as a GM that he now appears to be sabotaging the Chiefs’ franchise in print, even after being canned. Pioli’s reign in KC is now riddled with bullet holes. He is now far from the Messiah from the east we once thought him to be.

“It’s not Lamar Hunt’s organization anymore.”
Steve Schneider, the former stadium operations director who spent 14 years with the Chiefs before being fired in 2010, he said, for being disorganized, Kansas City Star
GH: Well, good. Lamar allowed Carl Peterson to drive his once-proud organization into the ditch and leave it there to flounder. The Chiefs should be about winning football games, not catering to their secretaries’ parking needs.

“You may think it’s harmless. Other people may think it’s very harmful to our competitive advantage. It’s about winning.”
Mark Donovan, Chiefs president, when asked about some of the measures, such as lowering window shades, Kansas City Star
GH: Sounds good. Let’s have more winning and less Tyler Palko moves.

“I don’t think all of [Pioli’s changes] are negative. I think it has come a long way since they got here. Their emphasis is on winning football. I totally understand the business side of it. They came here to change the culture.”
Danan Hughes, when asked by Parkins about Babb’s article, 610 AM
GH: While they are changing the culture, they may want to win the weakest division in football.

“I think this is the best place to work. We feel like family [at WHB 810]. You talk to some people who are gone from here, they would tell a much different story. That’s the nature of the world when you break up with somebody. Well, consider the source.”
Steven St. John, 810 AM
GH: So how does that change the truth in Babb’s story? Would SSJ’s story about WHB change if he gets fired this week? Are his words of praise for the work environment at 810 more credible because he is still employed there? Would he immediately become an unreliable source if he was not? I believe his story will become far more interesting once he leaves – not unlike those former Chiefs’ employees.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“I’d give up five first-round picks for [Stanford’s Andrew] Luck. I heard Steven and Nate on The Border Patrol say they’d give up three first-round draft picks for him. Let’s ratchet it up and give Indianapolis five first-round picks. That would at least make them have this conversation.”
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: When I heard Petro make this ridiculous-sounding claim, I immediately dismissed it as sports-talk gibberish. But then Petro listed the Chiefs’ last five first round picks; Eric Berry, Tyson Jackson, Branden Albert, Glenn Dorsey and Dwayne Bowe. Granted, you have a couple of All-Pros in that list with Bowe and Berry – but wouldn’t you trade both immediately to draft Luck? Reports are that the Colts are locked in on drafting Luck to replace Peyton Manning and have him as their QB for the next 15 years. But I think this spring we are going to hear reports of some of the most outrageous trade offers in the history of the draft, as teams try to wrestle the rights to draft Luck from Indy. Five number ones? How do you NOT at least consider that offer?

“The Chiefs desperately need to replace Barry Richardson. Richardson has graded out as the worst starting right tackle in the NFL.”
Drafttek.com
GH: Mock drafts are everywhere on the Internet right now. This website thinks the Chiefs will use their top pick to draft Riley Reiff, a 6’6 300-pound offensive tackle from Iowa. The Chiefs were reportedly close to drafting Iowa’s OL Brian Bulaga back in 2010 and have picked up both Stanzi and Moeaki from the Hawkeyes’ roster. While the Chiefs are desperate to fix the problems in their aging offensive line, do they really need to burn their number-12 overall pick on an OL? Probably. It’s not a sexy pick but keeping Matt Cassel healthy will be a huge priority in 2012.

“It ain’t gonna happen. Scott Pioli probably hates Peyton Manning more than anybody.”
Nate Bukaty, on the Chiefs chances of signing Manning, 810 AM
GH: Who would be on Pioli’s Top 5 Most Hated List? Here are my guesses; 5) Tyson Jackson 4) Tyler Palko 3) Jason Whitlock 2) Todd Haley’s tailor/barber 1) Todd Haley.

“I didn’t want to sit behind Joe Montana – even though it was good for me. If I’m in Andrew Luck’s position, I want to play right away.”
Steve Young, on speculation that the Colts may draft Luck to sit behind Manning for a year or two, ESPN

“I think Peyton has already intimated in his comments that if [the Colts] are going to draft Andrew Luck, I’m going to go play somewhere else. If I were Peyton Manning and they said they were going to draft Andrew Luck, I’d say that’s great but I’m going to go win a Super Bowl somewhere else.”
Steve Young, ESPN
GH: If Manning returns healthy in 2012, it will be very odd to see him wearing anything but a Colts jersey. But I remember Joe Willie playing for the Rams at the end of his career. And a guy named Montana wore Chiefs red for a couple of years as well.

“I don’t think [Peyton] Manning is going to be there [in Indianapolis]. I think they are going to go with Luck. I think they are going to completely tear that thing down.”
Kevin Harlan, 810 AM
GH: How incredibly blessed are Colts fans? They have the opportunity to go from Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck – possibly 30 years of cheering a HOFer as their quarterback. That franchise had another guy who could play as well – a guy named Johnny U.

“I don’t think [Manning] is going to play. I think it’s no better than 50-50. Honest to God. I know the neck is still an issue.”
Kevin Harlan, 810 AM
GH: I agree with Harlan that Manning is a huge question mark to return – ever. I have a good friend who was a great quarterback with a big arm who suffered nerve damage to his neck in the weight room about seven years ago. He never was able to throw again. Nerves just don’t regenerate like torn muscles. I’m hoping Peyton’s injury is less severe but whenever you are talking about nerves and the neck, recovery time is typically charted in years, if ever.

“I like [Robert Griffin III] from the neck up. I think this is a very, very bright kid. Not only book smart…but football smart. Until you’re around it, you don’t really understand what I’m talking about. Football intelligence is one of the most essential things you have to have in how and understand to play the game. I think he does it extremely well.”
Matt Millen, ESPN
GH: Matt Millen is now lecturing NFL fans on “football intelligence?” His presence on ESPN as an expert should remind us all that just because someone is on TV, radio or in print – they often don’t know any more than Seinfeld’s Uncle Leo.

“Unless they franchise him, I think the Chiefs are going to lose Brandon Carr. If you lose Brandon Carr, you have a gaping hole on your team. … Unless they franchise Brandon Carr, I do not believe he will be back.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: This is a bold statement from Wright. I listened intently to his interview with Carr on Thursday but the subject was barely broached. Carr told Wright he preferred to not discuss his contract talks and Wright chose to respect his wishes. Pioli has proved very successful in preventing the big-name Chiefs’ free agents from leaving. Carr’s work against the Broncos alone showed his value. I don’t think it will take a franchise tag to resign Carr but it will take a chunk of The Clarks money.

“We have been working basically nonstop since the season ended on All-Star preparation. A chance to see a fanfest like you’ve never seen before will be this summer [at the All-Star game].
Toby Cook, of the Royals PR staff, on why the Royals chose to not host a preseason fanfest as in years past, 610 AM
GH: I just can’t get too juiced about baseball talk in January and February. I love the sport – I’m still playing shortstop in my over-50 softball league – but I’ve never warmed to the hot-stove league. I will admit though that these young Royals have my interest. Following Eric Hosmer on Twitter and reading about his optimism and attitude is infectious. I even slipped my glove on last week and tossed myself a few pop ups on the driveway.

“Utah and Stanford combined for 6-26 (23%) on FT's [Thursday]. Worst in any D-I game since at least the 03-04 season.”
Ken Pomeroy, Twitter
GH: At the risk of sounding older than Coach Norman Dale, what in the heck is wrong with these kids today? It’s called a FREE throw because it’s FREE! It’s a gift from the basketball gods! Take a breath, square your shoulders, bend your knees and follow through. Doesn’t anyone play 21 anymore?

“This team relies on Tyshawn as much as any one person since I’ve been here. I think fans should respect that.”
Bill Self, on the mounting criticism directed at the KU senior point guard, Hawk Talk
GH: This is an interesting comment from Self. I have to disagree. Sherron Collins was the heart, soul and much of the offense for Kansas during his junior and senior season – good or bad. This year’s edition of the Jayhawks relies on Thomas Robinson as much as any player I can remember who doesn’t handle the ball. But if you ask me who I’d be willing to give up between Robinson and Taylor – I wouldn’t hesitate in benching Taylor. I don’t think Self would either.

“[Travis Releford] is kind of a cross between Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed. He’s really going to be a major component to this team.”
Rich Zvosec, 610 AM
GH: We might just be witnessing the coming out party of Travis Releford. This fourth-year junior now has some confidence – and confidence is a great asset when it combines with talent. If Releford continues to score in double figures, KU will be very tough to crack.

“There’s nothing on this show that we’ll talk about that you can’t live without. Nothing.”
Soren Petro, reminding listeners that it is okay to miss a moment or two of his show when nature or life calls, 810 AM
GH: I have never heard it put this way by a radio talk show host. Well said, Soren.

“All 397 national parks offering FREE admission this weekend, Jan 14-16th in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr birthday.”
Kelly Jones, news anchor at KCTV5, Twitter

“If you have a 41-game or 81-game season ticket, you’re in.”
Toby Cook, on how to secure a ticket to the All-Star Game at Kauffman Stadium this July 10th, 610 AM
GH: How crazy is Kansas City going to be this summer come All-Star week? Take the Big 12 tourney week and times it by 100. Kansas City is rarely the focal point of an event where the national media is focused. That all changes the week of July 10th.

“Hey, dad? You wanna have a catch?”
Ray Kinsella, Kevin Costner’s character from the movie Field Of Dreams
GH: For years I have wanted to begin a nationwide tradition for baseball fans each Opening Day. My idea is to have baseball fans of all ages in every city in the world “have a catch” with their sons, daughters, moms, dads, friends and relatives. The MLB season opens this spring on Wednesday, April 4th, with the Cardinals at the Marlins’ new ball park. But MLB considers Thursday, April 5th, as their official Opening Day. How cool would it be if on April 5, 2012, between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM all across the globe, fans from all walks of life broke out their leather mitts and had a catch on the sidewalk in front of their house, in their office parking lot or the passenger loading areas at LaGuardia, LAX and Heathrow? I think we can make this happen. I’m sending this idea to Toby Cook and the Royals and see if we can get some Kansas City wind behind starting this throw-back tradition this April 5th.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“I’ll be shocked if [the Chiefs] don’t explore that. I don’t think the Chiefs have just completely shut the door on that. I’m not saying that’s what they’re going to do, but I think they are looking at any and all scenarios right now.”
Mitch Holthus, when asked by Kevin Kietzman if he thought the Chiefs would contact Indianapolis to discuss acquiring either Peyton Manning or their number-one draft pick, 810 AM
GH: I was shocked at Holthus’ answer to KK’s query. Was it simply a corporate-safe response to quell the rising unhappiness amongst Chiefs fans? Or are the Chiefs really contemplating a bold move to upgrade their quarterback position for next season? I have to confess, I was smitten by the mere discussion.

“Assuming Manning is healthy, why not come to KC? … Kansas City is in, what I consider to be, an enviable position right now… the Chiefs are a QB and some offensive and defensive linemen from being a serious contender for the AFC title in 2012. The club has every opportunity to address the QB situation with Cassel, Orton and a high draft pick. If the team ends up being screwed on the QB position in 2012, there will only be one person to blame – Scott Pioli.”
Martin Manley, writer, KCStar.com
GH: Here is another reason Holthus may have flicked Chiefs fans’ taints with his Peyton-friendly talk – Pioli knows the natives are more than restless. We are dying. A fan base can only be sustained on a 42-year-old trophy for well, 40-some years. If the Chiefs 2012 season is a Matt Cassel disaster, Pioli will get the King Carl treatment from Wichita to Des Moines.

“I think [Romeo Crennel] is more of a leader/CEO type than Todd.”
Mitch Holthus, 810 AM
GH: There was very little criticism of Haley and his “aggressive” coaching style from inside the Chiefs Kingdom [as Holthus calls it] while Haley was employed. But there has been a deluge since his firing – not all of it blatant but as with Holthus’ above comment, very evident. Read on.

“You don’t have to rant and rave and be a lunatic to get your point across just because you’re coaching football.”
Ryan Lilja, Chiefs offensive guard, in a Thursday interview with The Border Patrol, as he explained Romeo Crennel’s less-caustic coaching style, 810 AM
GH: Lilja spent 20 minutes on Thursday’s BP with Nate Bukaty and Steven St. John. It was one of the more enjoyable player interviews I have heard on radio in some time. I also enjoyed their Shaun Smith interview earlier this week, but I can only understand about half of what Smith gargles out. Lilja speaks perfect Johnson County English. Read on.

“The way we played [in New York against the Jets] made me want to gag.”
Ryan Lilja, Chiefs offensive guard, on the Chiefs effort in NY that ultimately got Todd Haley fired, 810 AM

“I’ve never been on a team where the team was chanting the coach’s name after a game – let alone a game after we were eliminated. The point is that there is that much enthusiasm on a team for a coach, so I think it’s a great thing for everybody.”
Ryan Lilja, on the Chiefs players chanting, “RAC, RAC, RAC…” following their season-ending win in Denver, 810 AM
GH: Lilja said he was sure some defensive players were “doing backflips” after the Chiefs announced Crennel was named as the Chiefs new head coach. There is little question as to who the Chiefs players wanted to be their head coach.

“[Crennel] yells and gets fired up more than anybody else on the staff! That’s 100% honest. He will get in your face and he will hold guys accountable. I think that’s a misconception [that Crennel is a teddy-bear type of player’s coach]. The guys respect that.”
Ryan Lilja, 810 AM
GH: Shaun Smith told pretty much the same story about Crennel, that he could get just as mad as any of the coaches, despite Smith calling him “Teddy Ruxpin.”

“When I was a kid, George Brett lived in our neighborhood. My mom tells me we used to walk down the street and stand out in front of George Brett’s house and stare at it.”
Ryan Lilja, 810 AM
GH: If you have lived in the KC area for the past 15 years, you know Lilja’s story and how he became a controversial figure when he was booted from his high school football team as a senior at Shawnee Mission Northwest when he was found to have attended a party where alcohol was being consumed. We have all followed him through those tough times, to having to go the junior college route after SMNW, to playing two years for Bill Snyder at K-State, to signing as a free agent with the Chiefs but being nabbed by the Colts where he won a Super Bowl ring. The guy’s story would make a great book.

“You guys remember after Todd Haley was fired I told you three things; Romeo Crennel would be the head coach, Matt Cassel would be the quarterback and it was highly likely that Josh McDaniels would be the offensive coordinator.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: I am having a difficult time remaining a Nick Wright listener. He is a one-trick pony, with Chiefs talk as his dominant vehicle during his four-hour show. This might be an excellent strategy to draw hardcore NFL fans from Kietzman’s more balanced format. But can Nick please change up his topics from time to time? He has hammered listeners with these three points above, his hatred of all things Pioli and whatever minutia happens to be taking place in the lives of his coworkers. If this is what their teaching at Syracuse, somebody’s parents deserve a refund.

“How many golf rounds are you going to play this year?”
Kevin Kietzman, in his opening question to Jack Harry, 810 AM
GH: Just when I start to think about straying from Nick Wright’s show, KK drops a button-pusher question like this one to send me right back down the dial to 610 Sports.

“I don’t think Missouri can overcome their lack of size and depth to win the conference.”
Steven St. John, 810 AM
GH: SSJ sees the Big 12’s top five power rankings right now in this order;  Baylor, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas State and Iowa State. SSJ also listed the bottom five teams in the Big 12 but does it really matter? The back half of the Big 12 looks weak. We are somewhat used to this but I thought the conference would be a lot tougher without Colorado and Nebraska to kick around twice a season. This season Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State look like they did when the Big 12 first formed – football-only schools. Here is how some other 810 personalities currently rank the Big 12’s top five:

Jack Harry:            Baylor, Missouri, Kansas, Texas and K-State
Clinkscale:             Baylor, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas State, Iowa State
Leabo:                    Kansas, Baylor, Missouri, K-State, Iowa State
Kietzman:              Kansas, Baylor, Missouri, K-State, Iowa State

“OK, order restored. Kentucky will win. Wins in Hilton Coliseum may be hard to come by this season. Good bounce back for Mizzou.”
Andy Katz, Twitter

“Kansas City dudes gotta be some of the most hatin jealous cats I ever encountered in my life. I just don't understand it.”
Michael Dixon, MU senior guard, after the Tigers win in Ames, Twitter
GH: I’m not sure which Kansas City dudes Dixon was directing his tweet. Anyone know?

“I’ve defended Tyshawn Taylor on this show. I know what it’s like to have people you’ve never met tell you you suck at your job on Twitter. It’s not a fun experience. I get him wanting to lash out.”
Nick Wright, on the KU senior’s penchant for calling out his critics via Twitter, 610 AM
GH: I do not understand a person who has chosen to be in the public eye because of his talent or profession, wanting to publicly “lash out” at their critics. Sure, you might get upset but why make yourself look immature and thin-skinned? Learning how to cope with criticism should be taught at every J-School and to every college-level athlete. Unlike Wright, TT doesn’t get a free pass from me just because he’s young, black and talented. And Wright doesn’t get a free pass just because he’s young, talented and wants to be black.

“Texas Tech has volunteered to play as the Washington Generals in the next matchup with the Globetrotters.”
Josh Klingler, after KU walloped the Red Raiders 81-46 in Lubbock Wednesday night, Twitter
GH: Texas Tech might be Nebraska bad but anytime a team can go on the road in conference play and win by 35, that is a head turner. I had a reader remind me yesterday that Bill Self uses the Christmas break to prepare his team for conference play. It looks like Kansas is not going to go away as quietly as I may have thought.

“Got off the air in Lawrence after the game at 11:30 ... home at 12:30 and alarm went off at 3:45.”
Josh Klingler, describing his Wednesday evening and early Thursday morning, Twitter
GH: The job of a sports talk radio guy might look glamorous and easy from the speaker side of the radio. It is not. Except for the very few, almost all of these guys have to augment their incomes with second and sometimes third jobs. Nate Bukaty seems to work 365 days and nights a year with his roles at WHB, with Kansas football and women’s basketball, the Royals and probably three more gigs of which I am not aware. None of this is an excuse to not be excellent at their many jobs. But it is a side of the profession that often goes unappreciated.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“This might be the [Kansas State] team that Frank Martin becomes a little bit of a national sensation behind. This is a guy that will have a tremendous national profile. He’s becoming one of the darlings of the national media.”
Danny Parkins, citing ESPN SportsCenter opening their Tuesday night broadcast with a Martin sound bite, 610 AM
GH: Parkins is dead on here. Martin’s on-court interviews with Stan Weber are an Internet sensation this morning. People can’t get enough of the Soprano-tough guy Martin and his mob-boss attitude. I find Martin’s deportment immature and humorous – which is what I believe makes him so popular. Read on.

“How about playing a little defense. You ever heard of that one, Stan?”
Frank Martin, in an on-court postgame interview with Stan Weber following K-State’s 75-73 loss to Baylor, Foxsports
GH: Martin is getting celebrity love on Twitter and by a number of the media for his hard-guy stare and tough-guy words during these interviews with Stan Weber. In this particular interview, he rarely looked at Weber and ended the interview by turning and walking away, leaving Weber to verbally fawn over the basketball coach in his absence. “Coach, I appreciate you spending the time…,” is what Weber said to Frank’s back as he was already gone.

“Can’t turn the ball over, man. Your point guard has three turnovers with a four-point lead – it’s hard to win.”
Frank Martin, in a postgame interview with Weber, Foxsports
GH: Martin named Angel Rodriguez by name in his sit-down postgame presser. He also took a verbal jab at the freshman point guard for losing the ball as he drove toward the basket late in the game. Read on.

“I don’t throw players under the bus. That’s not what I do.”
Frank Martin, in his postgame presser after the Baylor loss, 810 AM
GH: Frank throws his players under the bus with regularity. He made the above comment just after complaining that Angel Rodriguez, his freshman guard, blew a chance at a late-game wide-open lay up when he had the ball poked away by a Baylor defender. Frank gets away with saying one thing but doing another because the media loves him and his bile-spitting sound bites.

“Just extremely disappointed. Our guys battled, they worked. I respect the hell out of our players. But to close this game out and lose because of a comedy of plays, it’s embarrassing. The guys wearing our uniforms threw the ball to the guys wearing their uniforms so they could go down and dunk.”
Frank Martin, during his postgame comments after the loss to Baylor, Wichita Eagle
GH: I have no problem with Martin critiquing his players’ effort and play. Rather, I enjoy it and his frankness. But Martin needs to stop telling us he’s bone dry while he’s neck-deep in the lake.

“[My players] knew going into the [Kansas] game how I felt. I told my wife the night before the game, ‘Don’t come to the game because ten minutes into the game the game’s over. I don’t want you to drive all the way over [to Lawrence] for that.’ I turned to her after the first media timeout and I said, ‘I told you. I told you not to come.’ It was just one of those unfortunate days.”
Frank Martin, in an interview with Kevin Kietzman on Tuesday, 810 AM
GH: If Martin’s players knew how he felt, how could that NOT affect their attitude going into AFH? Read on.

“Is there a game that I’ve ever coached that I don’t think we can win? Absolutely not.”
Frank Martin, in the same interview with Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: Frank continues to make conflicting statements with regularity. These two came less than ten minutes apart – about the same amount of time he gave his team to lose the game in Lawrence.

“It’s not a show what I do. I understand that some people don’t like it and that’s fine. I don’t spend my life trying to change other people and getting them to live their life the way I think life should be lived. I’m not a phony.”
Frank Martin, 810 AM
GH: Martin isn’t some guy pushing paper at Sprint. He is the face of Kansas State basketball. With that job and his millionaire-dollar salary comes responsibility. Martin apparently doesn’t think he should be told how to act – probably because his bosses at K-State haven’t pointed out to him that he might be a tad embarrassing. But this is nothing new to college basketball. Bob Knight made a HOF career out of being an ass and parlayed it into a cushy TV gig – where all signs are he continues to be an ass. What Martin does better than Knight is he turns on the charm when he is away from the court. Knight was consistently a disrespectful jerk.

“I’ve enjoyed coaching this team as much as any team I’ve coached.”
Frank Martin, 810 AM
GH: How about acting like it then, Coach?

“Baylor is clearly the best team in this league right now.”
Jack Harry, following Baylor’s win in Manhattan, KSHB 41
GH: Harry has been trying to rile up the KU fan base of late with shots at their beloved basketball team. This salvo was a more passive blast at the Jayhawks. I’ve picked KU to finish fourth in the Big 12 but I don’t feel good about that choice after the first few Big 12 games. Kansas State looks to be as good as any team in the conference, except Kansas. KU crushed KSU. The more I see how athletic, deep and tough the Wildcats are this season, the more I’m impressed with KU’s blowout win over the Cats.

“As a K-State fan, I don’t think you look at what has transpired [in conference play] and be disappointed at all! I don’t think there is anybody who would look at last night and think they lost to a better team.”
Mike DeCourcy, of The Sporting News, 810 AM
GH: I saw Kevin Kietzman tweeting after the loss that he thought Baylor was a superior team to K-State. I am with DeCourcy on this one – and I like Baylor a lot!

“Of course it’s overstated. Look, is he Rick Pitino? No. Those are the kind of things that people create…and because someone says it’s true, then people grab onto it. I don’t think I’m insulting him by saying he’s not the best coach in the game. He’s a very good basketball coach.”
Mike DeCourcy, when asked if the criticism of Baylor’s Scott Drew’s coaching ability is overstated, 810 AM
GH: Drew gets hammered by the KC media as a doofus. All Drew has done since taking over a basketball program that had a player shot to death by a teammate and the head coach attempt to cover up the murder by painting the victim as a drug dealer [yeah, Google that story if you don’t know it], is win 21, 24, 28, 18 games since 2007. This season his Bears are undefeated and ranked fourth in the country. The guy can coach – even if he doesn’t like KU’s pregame video.

“Wow, great win for Baylor--Might be best road win of the year in college hoops—seriously.”
Doug Gottlieb, after Baylor escaped Manhattan with a win, Twitter

“Bears height makes the court look the size of a ping pong table.”
Brad Porter, of Metro Sports, Twitter
GH: Porter referred to Baylor’s extreme length as “freakish” as he witnessed the athletic Bears in person in Manhattan.

“Right now I kinda like Iowa State a little bit [over Mizzou]. I’m not sure you can take what Missouri does on the road and be great.”
Mike DeCourcy, on the Tigers trip to Ames tonight, 810 AM
GH: What Mizzou does best is shoot the basketball from the perimeter. When the ball doesn’t go in, they look very average. When it does, they have crushed opponents.

“Illinois just beat Ohio State. Notre Dame and Cal are both 3-1 in The Big East and PAC-12 respectively. READ THAT AS YOU WISH.”
Michael Dixon, MU guard, Twitter
GH: It appears Missouri is getting tired of hearing about their soft schedule and ugly RPI. The best way for Dixon and his Tigers to quiet the crowd is to not get torched like they did by K-State and to take care of an improving Iowa State team tonight. Lose in Ames and it won’t matter what Illinois, Cal and ND are doing.

“It’s a game [Kansas] would absolutely have no business losing – especially if they want to win the league. [Texas Tech] is going to finish ninth or tenth in the league so you have to win on the road against them.”
Mike DeCourcy, on Kansas being a prohibitive favorite tonight against Texas Tech in Lubbock, 810 AM
GH: The MU/ISU game tonight is at 7:00 PM on 38 The Spot and the KU/TT game tips at 8:00 PM on ESPNU. Hopefully, you have fresh batteries for your remote on hand if necessary.

“If Baylor wins at Kansas on Monday night, should we just give them the conference trophy? I mean they’d have wins at Kansas State and at Kansas.”
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM
GH: Bukaty did not sound like he was joking. I do not think most Big 12 basketball fans understand how different the conference race will be this season with the round-robin format. No one is winning this conference in January.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“How about that! Finally! A touchdown between these two!”
Brent Musburger, after Alabama scored a fourth-quarter TD after eight quarters of play between the two SEC teams, ESPN

“Right now, LSU’s offense is awful!”
Mike Tirico, while calling the play-by-play of the BCS title game on ESPN
GH: Alabama overwhelmed a toothless Tiger attack in the BCS title game with the oddest 21-0 win in the history of the BCS – five field goals, one touchdown and a missed extra point. The potpourri of scoring was appropriate for this empty bowl season – a.k.a. a new cause of narcolepsy.

“So I guess ‘Big Boy Football’ means: never scoring any touchdowns & missing half of your field goals. Someone should tell the NFL about that.”
T.J. Moe, Missouri wide receiver, during the Alabama/LSU BCS title game on Monday night, Twitter
GH: Moe and Mizzou will get their chance to step into those “big boy” cleats next September when Georgia comes calling.

“I will say this. I bet you there’ll be a lot of people wish they’d given us a shot to see a different kind of game. We’d have thrown it 50 times. You like to think Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon could have put together some touchdowns. Get the ball thrown down the field and open some things up. Try to make it exciting, and see what happens.”
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State head coach, USA Today
GH: I would have much preferred to see OSU play either LSU or Alabama – but in the current BCS system they didn’t deserve the shot.

“Dear SEC,no one is saying your teams aren’t better, we just like watching the Big 12 and Pac 12 signed—everyone.”
Doug Gottlieb, Twitter

“It kind of hurts to watch it. I just think we could score. We’d use all 52 yards across (the width of) the field. Get people on the edges. Use the vertical game.”
Mike Gundy, USA Today
GH: Here is one reason the Big 12 schools should be rooting for Mizzou’s success next season as they take on an SEC conference schedule. MU represents the kind of offensive-oriented football that the Big 12 plays. The Tigers’ success next season would reflect well on the Big 12 brand of football.

“Last night’s [BCS game] will leave a lot of people feeling unsatisfied.”
Mike Greenburg, ESPN Radio
GH: A meal at Panda Express leaves me “unsatisfied.” I just turn the channel when I’m watching boring football. The more people begin to do that, the sooner the BCS gets fixed. Wasn’t Barrack going to get this done?

“College football is the only sport where the regular season is way better than the postseason. All the other sports are watering down their regular season. They better not [change the postseason] in a way to change that! If they go to an eight-game playoff, I think they’re making a huge mistake.”
Mike Greenburg, ESPN Radio
GH: It is difficult to believe any college football fan thinks this way. I think the CFB postseason needs a 24-team playoff. It is a sham that CFB’s regular season is far superior to their bowl-heavy postseason. What sports wants a mid-season game to mean more than a team’s final game? Insane.

“The national championship game drew a lower rating than the regular season meeting
between the two teams.”
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: That should scare the BCS out of everyone who thinks the present system is fine.

“Maybe it’s best if we just keep [the college football postseason] like this, because no
matter what you do people are going to be ticked off and upset at the end of
the day. If they go to a plus-one and make it a four-team playoff, that’s enough for me.”
Bob Fescoe, 610 AM
GH: I thought that getting people “ticked off and upset” was the whole purpose of the BCS. They have long said that all the arguing about the BCS and a playoff was good for the sport. Anyone who thinks waiting six weeks to play a title game between teams from the same SEC West division is good for the sport simply doesn’t understand the CFB fan base.

“You know Romeo’s done a lot of winning for a long time in this league.”
Scott Pioli, 810 AM
GH: Well, not since he was in New England. Come to think of it, the same could be said of Pioli.

“I don’t have that much [belief] that he’s the man and he knows what he’s talking about. Romeo is too cooperative. He knows Scott. He knows what the deal is. So in the end, if the
Chiefs are a great success, Scott Pioli gets the credit.”
Danny Clinkscale, 810 AM
GH: I would like to see Clink be less “cooperative” with his boss, Kietzman. What’s good for the Chiefs should be good for Between The Lines.

“I am not going to pan the move. I am skeptical of this.”
Kevin Kietzman, on the Chiefs hiring Crennel as their head coach, 810 AM
GH: This is the perfect sentence to describe Kevin Kietzman as an aging sports talk host. When it comes to evaluating major moves by the Chiefs and Royals, he plops his golf-happy butt firmly on the fence and plays both sides of an issue – and often does it within the same breath. Be bold in your old age, Kietz!

“I’m not saying it’s a bad hire but this is what the Chiefs are; a billion-dollar organization with a focus in marketing and a minor in football. They want to get to the playoffs
and keep up the impression of being competitive.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: This sounds a lot like KK’s fence-perched comment. I don’t like the hire. It’s lazy. Romeo was here so we have Romeo. No other NFL team was/is looking to hire Romeo as their head coach. Once again the Chiefs went with what was easy…and cheap.

“Here’s something that won’t make my column on the Chiefs and Romeo: he has a huge head. Enormous. Twice the size of Clark’s, easily.”
Sam Mellinger, Twitter
GH: These are the kinds of notes I look forward to from those who are onsite at a presser. Who has the biggest noggin of the KC sports media? I’m going to cast my vote for Doug Tucker’s melon. Bill Mass, too. Maybe Kornacki — under all those layers.

“We told you three weeks ago that Romeo Crennel was going to be the Chiefs next head coach.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: I heard Nick mention this point at least three times in his show’s first hour on Monday. We get it, Nick – you are the host with the most. I just wish your show was more listenable. I’m not a fan of the behind-the-glass soap-opera talk radio that Wright shovels out daily. I’m an old guy but does Nick’s audience really care about Nick’s obsession with Carter’s and his wife’s relationship? Do they think Nick making fun of his poorly-paid staff is good radio? It just sounds like junior-high fluff to kill time in Nick’s four-hour show that too often only contains an hour of entertaining and informative content.

“Jeff Fisher was only interested in going to [an NFL team] where there was a clear commitment to winning from the ownership.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: Here is another Nick Wright commandment that he repeats five times each show. Nick is beginning to repeatedly beat his talking points into the ground more than Jim Rome – and that is A LOT!

“Never lose sight that ultimately it comes down to one thing – the skillset of your players.”
Marty Schottenheimer, when asked about winning in the NFL, 610 AM
GH: Bitch about the head coach, complain about the owner but what it comes down to is players. The teams that have the best and healthiest usually win.

“Carl and I trusted each other. We didn’t always agree. Carl made concessions, I made concessions. Ultimately, it came down to answering one question; What in our view was in the best interest of the Kansas City Chiefs?”
Marty Schottenheimer, 610 AM
GH: Man, that sounds like a dream Marty had – not what it was really like at One Arrowhead Drive in the ‘90s. Marty and King Carl were like Soren Petro and Nick Wright at Arrowhead.

“No, I haven’t had any conversations with [Clark Hunt] at all [about the Chiefs head coaching search].”
Marty Schottenheimer, 610 AM
GH: This is disturbing. I think Marty is past his prime when it comes to taking on another head coaching job in the NFL but you would think he’d make a great consultant for The Clarks. Just another sign that the Chiefs took the path of least resistance.

“Oshkosh Police Chief Scott Greuel will hold 10:30 a.m. news conference about the body found Monday in Fox River. The body is said to be that of Green Bay Packers
offensive coordinator Joe Phibin’s son Michael, who went missing Sunday.”
Green Bay Press-Gazette
GH: Philbin interviewed for the Chiefs’ head coaching job just last week. Tragic.

“@MJThrill: Is it true u knocked a coke can off Mark Tuinei’s helmet from 30 yards out on a bet? Gatorade bottle. ”
Troy Aikman, Twitter GH: How long do you think it would take Tyler Palko to hit that bottle of Gatorade?

“We are very excited to name Romeo [Crennel] the new head coach of the Chiefs. In 30 years as a coach in the National Football League, Romeo has established an outstanding track record of success, and we believe his experience and proven ability make him the best person to help us reach our goal of consistently competing for championships.”
Clark Hunt, Chiefs Chairman and CEO, in official statement
GH: Two things that Todd Haley lacked when he was given the title of Chiefs head coach are “experience and proven ability.” One could argue that Romeo is a little short on proven ability himself when it comes to notching wins as a head coach. Is Romeo the safe and convenient hire or is he really the difference maker the Chiefs have been hunting since Marty Schottenheimer left? He looks safe, somewhat boring and non-threatening to me [and likely most of the other NFL teams].

“Philbin (no way Pioli would hire another 1st-time HC) & Del Rio (never had serious success as HC) were pawns. The king, Romeo, stayed the king.”
Kent Babb, Twitter
GH: In an interesting twist, the white candidates played pawns to the black candidate in this coaching search.

“You know Romeo has been a head coach, and I think he has the experience and has got the guys. I think that you know it is only right that if you get an opportunity, you get the job because that is what it is about.”
Neil Smith, when asked about Romeo Crennel possibly being named as the Chiefs head coach, KCTV5
GH: When Neil speaks, I listen – or at least try. When it comes to translating Neilbonics, you are on your own. Read on.

“If you can get the guys to play for you and have an opportunity to play for them on his level, then I think he would be a great fit.”
Neil Smith, when asked about Romeo Crennel possibly being named as the Chiefs head coach, KCTV5
GH: My head hurt after rereading this comment a dozen times. I’m not sure if Neil is wanting the players to play for Romeo or if he is saying Romeo needs to play right tackle. What I do know is that Neil Smith is a great fit when it comes to sports broadcasting on the same TV station that employs Michael Coleman.

“Marty Schottenheimer is on Bucs' radar but not at top; he is hungry to coach. Note that Marv Levy went to his 4th Super Bowl at age 68.”
Chris Mortensen, Twitter
GH: It is no secret that Marty is hungry to coach – hell, he just spent last fall coaching the Virginia Destroyers in something called the UFL. Why? What makes these old guys so dependent on the rush of competition? Marty has been a millionaire for 20 years. He couldn’t spend all of his money. No, it’s not the money. It is the game.

“I think Scott Pioli’s statement at his opening press conference that he planned to win [multiple] championships, is a check that I think right now he doesn’t know how to cash.”
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: Pioli’s star is fading fast. All that Patriots’ shine has rusted away with Todd Haley and Tyler Palko. Being a bully doesn’t work when you consistently lose. I hope we see a new Pioli from here on out.

“I’m a big Scott Pioli fan. I think he’s done a fine job.”
Bob Fescoe, 980 AM
GH: Fescoe appears to be in the minority when it comes to members of the KC media who are praising the job Pioli has done with the Chiefs. Pioli’s biggest critics include Nick Wright, Kevin Kietzman, Soren Petro and our old friend, Jason Whitlock – who dubbed the Chiefs GM, Egoli.

“[The Chiefs] have a chance next year to do something really quickly and really special.”
Caller to The Border Patrol, 810 AM
GH: This is a common thought from many of the voices on sports talk radio and Chiefs fans. It is easy to see why when you consider the injured players who will hopefully return healthy next season. Watching the Broncos win a playoff game is also fuel to that optimistic fire.

“I just shit myself!”
Bill Maas, moments after Tebow’s 80-yard overtime TD pass to Damarious Thomas against Pittsburgh, Twitter
GH: There are plays in our sports-watching lifetime that we remember everything about. Tebow’s OT TD pass is one of these. It was Doug Flutie-esque in how it immediately seared itself into our collective sports memories. The Tim Tebow fable continues – and what a fairytale it is. I for one am rooting for the guy. Not all Chiefs fans are.

“I hate Tebow because I think he’s not good. I think he gets way too much credit.”
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM
GH: I don’t know how Tebow could get too much credit. The Broncos were broken, dead and all-but buried when he took over the 1-4 last-place AFC West team in October. Sure, the Denver defense deserve much of the credit too. But in a league where we are constantly reminded that the starting quarterback is EVERYTHING when it comes to winning, Tebow deserves all the genuflecting he receives.

“Just to go on record, I don't care about Tony Gonzalez winning a playoff game.”
Bob Fescoe, after Gonzo’s Falcons were again eliminated in their first playoff game, 610 AM
GH: Fescoe is a NY Giants fan. I don’t think Giants fans care about anything.

“Mike Gundy told me Andrew Luck was even better in person than he appeared on tape.”
Jim Rome, after Oklahoma State edged Luck’s Stanford team in the Fiesta Bowl, Twitter
GH: Luck looks a lot like Tebow to me except he can throw like Aaron Rodgers and think like Peyton Manning. Other than that, he’s Tebow. I’m drafting him in my FF league next year.

“If half that talk about ball could actually ball … I’d appreciate y’all comments and criticism more but y’all can’t do, stuck to being a fan.”
Tyshawn Taylor, responding to some critical tweets from his followers Friday night, Twitter
GH: We’re all “stuck” being fans? Taylor does a nice impersonation of Dwayne Bowe when it comes to public communication. Read on.

“Once again I repeat … If you can’t go out there and lace ’em up.. I’ll accept the constructive criticism..but since y’all can’t well..yeah.”
Tyshawn Taylor, Twitter
GH: I understand that college-age athletes don’t always know how to react to criticism. Many adults in the public eye struggle with it as well. But most cope. Taylor, a senior, obviously never has learned.

“This is an every time thing on my Twitter. A lot of people just don’t like me as a player. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, and so am I. So, my response to the million people that hated me was, ‘I don’t respond to criticism that comes from somebody who is not in my position.’”
Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas City Star
GH: A million people hate Taylor? Come on, TT. Grow up. You are more loved in the state of Kansas than probably all but a handful of people. As KU’s starting point guard, you are a celebrity of the highest order. So, a few people rip you on Twitter. Who cares? I can tell you that far more KU fans love you than hate you. I heard from most of them on Friday night.

“I [told Tyshawn], ‘You have to let your play do your talking. The more you talk the more you act like you’re a little spoiled brat. He can’t be thin-skinned. You can’t be thin-skinned and be the quarterback at Notre Dame or the point guard at Kansas.”
Bill Self, Kansas City Star
GH: Self’s words are exactly what I would expect and want from my coach – even if I was TT’s father. I hope Taylor was listening.

“I didn’t think we were going to go 41- or 42-0. It was going to happen sometime.”
Frank Haith, on his Missouri Tigers

“Frank Haith’s [MU] squad got exposed a bit in Saturday’s 75-59 loss at Kansas State. The undersized Tigers shot a season-low 32 percent from the field and were outscored 42-16 in the paint. Missouri’s lack of size could also be a factor in games against Big 12 title contenders Baylor and Kansas. Winning at Iowa State Wednesday won’t be easy.”
Jason King, ESPN.com
GH: King lists the Tigers fourth in his Big 12 power rankings this week, behind 1) Baylor, 2) Kansas and 3) K-State. Conference basketball is always revealing…and perceptions change wildly in only a matter of days. K-State gets rolled in AFH and their stock plummets while KU’s soars. Mizzou rocks OU by 40 and they look like they might deserve a top-5 ranking. A few days later Mizzou gets punked in Manhattan and drops to the fourth best team in the Big 12. Parity is what makes the NFL so interesting week to week and it is what draws us to watch the Big 12 race…but only if Kansas plays along. KU has ruled this conference for seven years and they will be a tough champ to unseat. Let’s get it on!

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“Around 11 a.m. Thursday morning, [Michael] Dixon posted a phone number that had called him persistently throughout the day on his Twitter account. .. Dixon went on to tweet seven [phone] numbers of Kansas State fans who had been pestering him. According to a phone directory on the Kansas State university website, two of those numbers appeared to belong to the recruiting chair and vice president of the Delta Upsilon fraternity at Kansas State.”
Laura Oberle, writer, Missourian
GH: Dixon reportedly had received “hundreds of prank calls and messages” from K-State fans as Mizzou and KSU prepare for their basketball game Saturday in Manhattan. In the old days students would send pizzas to the opposing players’ hotel rooms at 2:00 AM or play loud music in the hotel hallway to bother the team’s sleep. Technology has opened up player harassment to new venues. It has also allowed the targeted players to fight back. Read on.

“After tweeting the first two numbers, Dixon tweeted the Antlers, an MU student fan group, telling them to, ‘get it done.’ ”
Laura Oberle, writer, Missourian
GH: The Antlers are probably guiltier of shenanigans like this than all the other Big 12 schools combined. Dixon knew who to go to for expert assistance.

“He (Dixon) knows he can come to us and say, 'This guy's an idiot. Take care of it.' They were trying to distract him from his main goal, trying to get him off his game. We wanted to let him know we would do everything to make sure that didn't happen.”
Mason Bartlett, a sophomore at MU and a member of the Antlers, Missourian
GH: Who better to be able recognize an idiot than one of the head idiots? Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

“The tweets went viral. Antlers and other fans alike responded by calling and texting the seven numbers Dixon tweeted to his 6,260 followers.”
Laura Oberle, writer, Missourian
GH: I would suggest that the next time the recruiting chair and vice president of the Delta Upsilon fraternity at Kansas State devises a plan to text the opposition, he entrust the services of a few on-campus IT nerds. Go see any Mission Impossible movie and you’ll immediately know that you don’t send a direct communication without bouncing it off an alternate server or three.

“When we do it, we get our facts. Before each game we get stat sheets on every player. We do our research.”
Mason Bartlett, who argued that the K-State fans did a poor job of researching Dixon’s importance to the Tiger team, Missourian
GH: Well, as long as your prank calls are well researched – have at it young man!

“I don't know that we can ever prevent this stuff from happening. It's what makes college athletics so interesting, these rivalries. We're never going to be able to completely control what happens on Twitter. It's a tool of promotion that we use all the time, so we can't tell our guys they can't be on Twitter.”
Shawn Davis, member of MU’s athletics media, Missourian
GH: Twitter has been credited with toppling government regimes. It is not your father’s pay phone. 

“How many Mizzou players would start for KU? Three; Denmon, English, and Ratliff--Flip would battle Tyshawn. Tyshawn has more game, Flip turns it over less.”
Doug Gottlieb, of ESPN, responding to a question on Twitter
GH: When was the last time any ESPN analyst thought three players from MU would start for KU? The 1993-94 season? A few of those Tigers on that roster included Melvin Booker, Jevon Crudup, Derek Grimm, Julian Winfield, Kelly Thames, Jason Sutherland, Paul O’Liney, Chris Heller, Jed Frost and Marlo Finner.

“Height is so overrated. [Rebounding] is much more about desire and position.”
Gabe DeArmond, on Mizzou’s four-guard lineup competing against taller teams, 810 AM
GH: I still like height when it comes to hoops. Gabe made the point that Mizzou’s smaller players only give up a couple of inches in most cases. While a couple of inches might not seem like a lot when you’re reading a program, it means quite a bit on the court. Mizzou will likely struggle against a tall, long team like Baylor. It will be interesting to see if MU’s quickness is enough to counter the Bear’s length.

“Kansas has executed some really nice half court sets [against K-State], and Jayhawk defense solid. Not a vintage Self team, but could still win the Big 12.”
Jay Bilas, Twitter

“Love how Self's team loses in Elite 8 and suddenly he can’t coach -- 7 league titles in a row -- that is insane.”
Doug Gottlieb, Twitter
GH: Is anyone saying/writing that Self can’t coach? When you make close to $4-milion a year to coach college basketball, you need to expect a little heat. If KU loses nine or ten games this season that is exactly what Coach Self will feel.

“The Kansas Jayhawks better not go into Norman Oklahoma drunk on the success they had against Kansas State. They’re more talented than OU but not so talented that they can just roll the ball out on the floor.”
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: The MU/K-State game is at 12:30 Saturday and the KU/OU game is at 1:00. Not the best scheduling for us Kansas City-based fans – and we don’t even have Dan Beebe to blame for it!

“Funny thing about class not in session. Student section is full at KU, Place is on fire.”
Blair Kerkhoff, on the KU crowd at Allen Fieldhouse Tuesday night, Twitter
GH: 20,000 Kansas State fans are expected in Dallas tonight for the Cotton Bowl. At least some of those fans would typically be at Bramlage for the MU game on Saturday. It will be interesting to see if the Lair of the Glare can live up to its reputation, despite the migration to Dallas. I’m betting it will be as loud and packed as ever.

“Some of you actually missed me in my absence.”
Kevin Kietzman, mentioning he heard from some listeners during his year-end vacation, 810 AM

“I ain’t going anywhere! I just signed a new contract.”
Jack Harry, in how he responds to those viewers/listeners who tell him to go away and retire, 810 AM
GH: The OTC just released a long sigh of relief.

“I always love it when people call up and asked me, ‘Do you want to take this back?’ No! I don’t want to take anything back! I want to live my life! We’re going to have a lot of this over the years. Missouri fans, you’ve got to get over it. … I’m not taking back what I said!”
Kevin Kietzman, after a caller upset him when he reminded Kietzman that he criticized Gary Pinkel for voting Stanford over Oklahoma State in his post-season poll, 810 AM
GH: These are the kind of immature comments I missed while Leabo and Clinkscale filled in for KK. The OTC is glad you’re back, Kietz.

“Holly Rowe WILL beat the hell out of anybody who tries to steal her interview.”
Jake Gutierrez, 810 AM
GH: Here is the video of Rowe hip-checking and applying a forearm flipper to a much smaller blonde reporter in pursuit of Michigan’s head coach, Brady Hoke following the Sugar Bowl. Somebody give Charlie Weis Holly phone number. KU could use that kind of aggressiveness in their defensive line.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“This KU basketball season will go exactly as [Tyshawn] Taylor does.”
Sam Mellinger, columnist, Kansas City Star
GH: There has not been a more frustrating player to start for the Jayhawks in the Bill Self era. Reports from Allen Fieldhouse last night said that the home crowd was audibly getting on Taylor as he gave up eight turnovers. But is he the glue to KU’s success or failure?

“I don’t think KU can win a championship because I don’t think Tyshawn Taylor can play you six must-win games in a row. I don’t think it’s possible.”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM
GH: I beg to differ. KU has far more issues than just TT’s penchant for tossing the rock into the third row. The spotlight is on Taylor because he is a highly-regarded senior point guard. But Kansas needs to shoot the ball a lot better if they want to win the Big 12 and go deep into March. Taylor is far from the reason this team might not reach its goals.

“The most perplexing player in recent Kansas basketball memory is a four-year starter who makes freshman mistakes and often tweets about the haters. He is thrilling and aggravating and cheered and cussed and, above all else, absolutely critical to KU’s chances at an absurd eighth consecutive Big 12 championship. Tyshawn Taylor, playing at home in his 121st college game, got picked at halfcourt. Twice.”
Sam Mellinger, columnist, Kansas City Star
GH: Taylor is one of the main reasons KU is being considered as a favorite to win their eighth Big 12 title. The media needs to spread the blame around a tad bit more when it comes to KU’s plight. Yes, he turns it over way too often, but has anyone been able to guard the guy when he wants to drive to the hole?

“Tyshawn had it in the paint, basically, every time he wanted it in the paint.”
Frank Martin, Kansas City Star
GH: I’ll bet Frank would trade for TT right now, TOs and all.

“I’ll bounce back Saturday.”
Tyshawn Taylor, after his eight-turnover performance against K-State, 610 AM
GH: I have no doubt he will. I keep hearing from KU fans who have thrown up their hands and describe Taylor as, “He is who he is. He is not going to change.” Seniors can have epiphanies. Please see a guy over in Columbia named Kim English.

“Let’s be real. Some of these [current Kansas players] couldn’t get on the court for a Kansas team that was a number-one seed. That doesn’t mean you’re not good, it just means you’re not as good.”
Danny Clinkscale, 810 AM
GH: I think Clink’s assessment of this season’s KU team is spot on. They have some players in their eight-man rotation who would have been rock-chalk-time players during Self’s better era. Connor Teahan hit two big second-half threes Wednesday night but he is defensive liability of the highest order. Elijah Johnson shoots like a number one but plays the number two. Jeff Withey is a fun project but the Morris twins would eat him alive.

“This is something that Coach Self preaches over and over again; that Thomas [Robinson] needs to be the anchor for our team this year.”
Danny Manning, 810 AM
GH: Robinson is a can’t-take-your-eyes-off-him kind of player. I swear he can elevate himself to another altitude even after he is airborne and jumping toward the hoop. He needs to stay healthy and foul-free for KU to compete in the Big 12. Hard to believe this soon-to-be All-American didn’t start for KU until his this his junior year. THAT is how good Kansas has been the past few years.

“[Travis] Releford doesn’t have a loud game, but it can look ugly when he’s shooting, his right elbow flying, his release a little slow, or dribbling into trouble, or telegraphing a pass. But Releford knows how to make life miserable for the man he’s guarding, and he did that and more in the first half of KU’s most-impressive 67-49 victory against the Wildcats. … A blue-collar basketball player who earns his playing time by frustrating smooth basketball artists into ugly performances, Releford keeps his approach simple
Tom Keegan, columnist, KUSports.com
GH: I really expected more from Releford after watching him play in high school at Miege. I saw him as a scorer – maybe a lite version of Brandon Rush. Maybe he is just now getting warned up.

“We did a good job of pursuing the basketball on the backboard. We were very happy with the effort we put forth on the glass.”
Danny Manning, on KU’s 50 to 26 advantage in rebounds over KSU, 810 AM
GH: Frank Martin’s teams don’t get beat on the glass like this often – if ever. Wow.

“It’s a heckuva lesson for every player who ever plays in this building.”
Frank Martin, on the intimidation factor of the crowd at Allen Fieldhouse after his team’s 18-point loss to KU, 610 AM
GH: Martin shows too much deference toward the environment at Allen Fieldhouse for an opponent. Sure, you want your team to respect the tradition at KU but it appears to me that Frank almost fears it. He body-hugged almost every KU player following the game while whispering in their ear. Screw that! Shake the opponent’s hands and get the hell off the court. It is no wonder his teams play so poorly in Lawrence when their coach acts like AFH is a cathedral.

“If KU hadn’t turn the ball over like they did [against K-State], this would have been an even wider margin that it was [Wednesday] night.”
Dave Armstrong, who had the TV play-by-play for the game broadcast on 38 The Spot, 810 AM
GH: Armstrong made this less-than- insightful comment the morning following the game on 810’s The Border Patrol. I have been subjected to Armstrong as a play-by-play broadcaster for at least the past 20 years. He is one of those guys who makes his living in front of the camera or microphone that I have long wondered how he has achieved financial success in this field. He has a broadcast-quality voice and never says anything that could even remotely be considered questionable. THAT is one of broadcastings greatest flaws – the guys who now last in the business are the guys who are the most forgettable.

“What about the college game is better than the professional sport; other than the fan experience, because I can’t think of any? At the end of the day, I’m still a sports fan. I look at [college sports] and I see kind of a crappy quality of play in these games. That’s why I’m more of a pro-sports guy rather than a college-sports guy.”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM
GH: Parkins referenced the poor quality of play at the KSU/KU game that he attended and the recent high-scoring college bowl games as evidence of the lack of quality play at the college level. Parkins is Chicago-raised and Syracuse educated. Pro sports are god where he’s from. They treat the college game like we do the T-Bones. Read on.

“I look at these [college] games and they are nowhere close in terms of quality of play as to when I go home and turn on the NBA to watch these games. Nowhere close! I watched KU play K-State in a poorly-played, sloppy game. Is anyone else craving some professional-quality sports here other than me?”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM
GH: Soren Petro and Nick Wright, who are also Syracuse grads, suffer from the same pro-sports bias that affects Parkins – they just do a better job of hiding it. They are not wrong, just misguided in my mind. They see the college game as a lesser product, therefore inferior to their more refined tastes. I am content in the fact I am just a bumpkin from the plain states who can still enjoy a high school- or college-level contest.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“I don’t know that we could play any better than we did tonight. We played almost perfect. We couldn’t have played any better on both ends of the court.”
Frank Haith, Mizzou head coach, following MU’s 87-49 win over Oklahoma, 980 AM
GH: The question that persists with Haith’s senior-laden Tigers is how good are these Tigers really? Are they worthy of comparison to Norm Stewart’s best teams? There are reasons to question Mizzou’s top-10 ranking but none were in evidence Tuesday night at Mizzou Arena…accept maybe the opposition. Read on.

“You have to wonder just how good the University of Missouri is because they played the 250th ranked schedule. … Missouri’s really good but Oklahoma is terrible too. They are a really bad basketball team. You don’t paste somebody in your own league without getting a little bit of help from the other side.”
Bob Fescoe, 610 AM
GH: I wonder if any Mizzou fans sent Mike Anderson a Christmas present for his scheduling work for this season’s non-con. Coach Anderson has his own worries. His Arkansas Razorbacks lost to this same team of Sooners…by 15!

“Oklahoma’s one of the worst teams in the conference but that doesn’t take away from what Missouri did.”
Josh Klingler, 610 AM
GH: Is Oklahoma that bad or does Mizzou just do that to a lot of teams? Remember how the Tigers made Notre Dame and Cal look like NAIA schools back at Sprint Center in November?

“It appears their confidence is really high and we didn’t damage that tonight.”
Lon Kruger, Oklahoma’s head coach, after his Sooners fell 87-49 at Mizzou, McClatchy Newspapers

“I don’t think Mizzou could possibly be getting enough credit. I don’t care about the quality of their opponents. When you play a four-guard lineup, if you are leading the country in field goal percentage, I don’t think you understand how difficult that is to do.”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM
GH: Think about that fact. MU is leading the nation in field goal percentage while playing four guards who fire a lot of threes. Unprecedented is not a strong enough word. Ridiculous fits better.

“Coach Haith says we should never have to take a contested shot because we have so many weapons and so many veteran guys and such a good unselfish lead guard.”
Kim English, Metro Sports
GH: When the defense is forced to guard four shooters on the perimeter, it gets pretty difficult to stop open threes from every half-court set. English’s play this year has been like a present left under the tree from two Christmases ago.

“I’m going to say it is Kimmie’s finest performance as a Tiger.”
Jon Sundvold, on Kim English’s 23-point, 9-rebound effort against OU, Metro Sports
GH: English stands out because his play is so unexpected this season. Marcus Denmon had an almost identical game against OU with 20 points and 7 boards. Yes, these Tigers have some serious weapons.

“It’s a heckuva way to start the conference, isn’t it? I was looking at the Big 12 schedule and I saw Kansas State at Kansas and I thought it was a misprint. I don’t want to be the team that is playing its toughest game on the road the first game of the season. I think that’s a hard thing for K-State to do. You’d much rather have a nice little lay-up drill like Missouri had last night to get your feet wet.
Mike DeCourcy, on the Cats visit to Lawrence tonight for a 7 PM tip, 810 AM
GH: How does a game this good not rate a better broadcast station than 38 The Spot? Texas/ISU is on ESPNU – why? I thought Dan Beebe had been fired.

“Kansas State plays very physical and a lot of their games turn into foul-fests. Kansas cannot afford to get into foul trouble.”
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM

“The whistle doesn’t blow as often as before conference play.”
Jon Sundvold, citing the more physical play in Big 12 games, Metro Sports
GH: College hoops needs to adopt the NBA rule of six fouls per player. I’d like to see HS basketball do the same. Who wants to watch the best players sit on the bench due to foul trouble?

“This is one of my favorite KU teams to watch because you never know what you’re going to get. You never know who is going to step up each and every night.”
Bob Fescoe, 610 AM
GH: This is one of my least favorite KU basketball teams. Thomas Robinson is spectacular but the rest of his team is at times an undisciplined mess. They are far too inconsistent for me.

“Thomas Robinson is playing at a Kevin Durant, [Michael] Beasley, Blake Griffin level.”
Frank Martin, 610 AM
GH: Yeah, it might be coach-speak from the opposition but it is damn impressive coach-speak.

“I almost feel like this is as close to a must-win as a first game can be, because you’ve got to win your home games, right?”
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM
GH: This is crazy, stupid, love talk from a Kansas fan. There are 18 conference games this season. 18! There are no must-win games in January or February.

“The way we practiced [Tuesday], that probably told them we have no chance to win. If we’re as bad as we practiced today, we’ll get ready to take a whuppin’ like no K-State team’s ever taken. If we play like we practiced today, the game will be over 10 minutes into the game.”
Frank Martin, who was visibly upset with his team in a Tuesday press conference, KSHB TV41
GH: This is definitely coach-speak. Very entertaining coach-speak but about as meaningless as a win over Howard.

“[K-State] plays the best three teams in the league right off the block! That’s really hard! If they could get one out of three, that would not be a bad result. If they could get two out of three, that would be spectacular.”
Mike DeCourcy, on KSU facing KU, MU and BU in a six-day span, 810 AM

“Listen to what Frank Haith has to say – there is nothing more important in basketball or in life than ball security.”
Steven St. John, 810 AM

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“[Todd Haley] basically crippled this franchise single handedly.”
Bob Fescoe, citing Haley’s insistence on playing Tyler Palko in front of Kyle Orton, 610 AM

“Haley cost this team the division this year. Once he started Palko over Orton, that act was just indefensible. If Todd Haley would have been fired in week four…the Chiefs probably win the division. That’s what he cost you with his stubbornness and not playing the best player.”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM
GH: Haley is a comfortable fall guy for the Chiefs narrowly missing a chance at another AFC West title and a home playoff game this weekend. He deserves all the ire being directed at his scruffy self. Why did he act so oddly in just his third year at a job he should have been grateful to have been lucky enough to gain? 610 is in a unique position to score a riveting post-apocalypse interview with Haley. 810 has a contractual agreement with the Chiefs so they aren’t going to look to upset Pioli. Niche Wright is one of Haley’s homies. He could offer Haley the perfect venue to discuss why he chose to coach in such a destructive manner. Haley’s reputation as a coach is all but destroyed both here in KC and nationally. He needs to repair what is left of his future in the NFL. I would block off three hours and let the man talk. Look what an appearance on Wright’s show did for Whitlock’s career. [Pork Chop’s gonna love that line.]

“Nothing against our old coach, but Romeo’s a little older, experienced, he knows what he’s doing. … Some guys buy in, some guys don’t. It seems like a lot of guys have bought into Romeo. His philosophy and everything he wants to get done, we’ve bought into it.”
Tamba Hali, Kansas City Star
GH: Haley has to read comments like this from Hali and just shudder. It is not just the fans in the stands who are questioning Haley’s NFL acumen. All the more reason for Haley to come on Wright’s show and fill us in on what, why and oh yeah, Tyler Palko.

“The Chiefs are ready to win. I think they win the [AFC] West next year. They were a blocked field goal away from winning it this year! The Chiefs win the West next year.”
Steven St. John, 810 AM
GH: I hear this kind of optimism not only from Chiefs fans but also the Raiders and Chargers. Every team in the AFC West thinks they deserved to win the division this year. The truth is, none of them were. Denver backed into the AFC West title with a 7-3 home loss to the Chiefs. This is the best the division has to offer the playoffs -- pitiful.

“[The Broncos] are going to get absolutely destroyed. I don’t see any Mile-High Magic. I see an ass kicking coming. I think Denver is going to take an absolute beating in that game.”
Soren Petro, on the Broncos playoff game against Pittsburgh this weekend, 810 AM

“If you add a quarterback the Chiefs will win the division next year by three games, uh, two games. They win going away, no problem. But I think the chances of them doing it are slim. Because Scott Pioli doesn’t want to trade up in the draft and give up the opportunity to acquire players later in the draft.”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM
GH: Here is another battle cry I am hearing constantly from Chiefs fans that another ten NFL teams are screaming – trade up to get a premier quarterback! Nick Wright is willing to go Mike Ditka/Ricky Williams to get Andrew Luck. [After watching Luck in the Fiesta Bowl, I might be too!] The problem is that Indianapolis has the rarest of opportunities available to them. They can move from the Peyton Manning era to the Andrew Luck era. Some teams have all the Luck. Some teams are the Chiefs.

“They had the second most losses by 27 points or more than any other team in NFL history. They are just a team – right there in the middle of the pack.”
Soren Petro, on the Chiefs 2011 season, 810 AM
GH: Petro has a far more realistic outlook about the Chiefs. It is not as sexy but neither is Romeo Crennel.

“Those Chiefs players will almost certainly get their wish, and very soon, as general manager Scott Pioli is expected to make interim coach Romeo Crennel the permanent leader of a roster already dedicated to him. Crennel deserves it. He’s earned it, removing the most reasonable doubts by beating the Broncos 7-3 here on Sunday. That’s wins over two playoff teams in three games for a man who embodies most of the characteristics the organization wants to project.”
Sam Mellinger, Kansas City Star

“I don’t know how you could possibly sell a nameless, faceless assistant coach [as the Chiefs next head coach]. I think you need to hit a home run. I think Crennel is going to be the choice.”
Soren Petro, on the Chiefs search for a head coach, 810 AM
GH: Does anyone outside the Chiefs locker room think Romeo is a home run? Players like coaches who are lax on discipline or too tired to fight the battles a true leader must fight. His enthusiastic endorsement from the Chiefs players should be a signal to Pioli to keep looking. Romeo might be the guy, but Chiefs fans deserve to see who else might be interested in the job.

“I would think that Kansas City would be a far better situation than St. Louis [for Jeff Fisher]. That dome is like playing in a Mausoleum – it’s horrendous! Personally it looks like a no-brainer that Kansas City would be better.”
Kevin Harlan, on reports that Fisher is close to taking the Rams job, 810 AM
GH: Harlan also pointed out that the Rams job would likely come with more GM power for the head coach – a situation that is not possible with Pioli in Kansas City.

“My favorite uniforms are the classics – the ones that never change.”
Nate Bukaty, who was not a fan of Oregon’s chrome-dome helmets in the Rose Bowl, 810 AM
GH: I like many traditional uniforms but I love it when teams update their uniforms to instill some excitement and interest in their schools and franchises. Oregon swings and misses more often than not with their potpourri of unies but I enjoy the heck out of their efforts. So what if they are off-putting to some stodgy fans. I liked what Chip Kelly had to say when asked what he would think of the Ducks’ chrome helmets if he was the opposing head coach. “I’d think they were cool,” he smiled in reply.

“TRob is better. Take down my #23 from the [Allen Fieldhouse] rafters and make room for #0! @Trobinson0 proud of u bro, stay after it!”
Wayne Simien, Twitter

“Those are really lofty numbers! I don’t care who the opposition is!”
Bob Davis, on Thomas Robinson’s 30 points and 20 rebounds against North Dakota, Hawk Talk on 610 AM
GH: I think TRob is the Big 12’s best player – by even more than the length of a Marcus Denmon three point dagger. But getting these numbers while playing until four minutes remained against North Dakota isn’t all that impressive to me. But I think Robinson might be good enough to inflict the same kind of damage on a number of Big 12 opponents this winter.

“[Missouri and Baylor] are off to great starts. But to be honest with you, I think two of the last three years we were undefeated going into January. It means absolutely nothing when it comes to winning the league. Everybody’s got the same opportunity and the same chances right now.”
Bill Self, Hawk Talk on 610 AM
GH: But didn’t Kansas win the Big 12 those same years? I do think Baylor and MU are the class of the league this season but Kansas State and Kansas are right there with them. Here is how I see the Big 12 going into league play…

1. Baylor: Incredible athleticism and length. Can they erase the Scott Drew curse?
2. Mizzou: Short but quick with a deadly aim. Condom-like defense.
3. Kansas State: Could be best team in Big 12 by late March – if they live that long.
4. Kansas: TRob is the best player but he can’t pass himself the ball.
5. Oklahoma: Who knew the Sooners could turn it around so quickly?
6. Iowa State: Have shown little so far but I think The Mayor gets them gelling in January.
7. Texas: J’Covan Brown is great but then a lot of ordinary brown after that.
8. Texas A&M: What a disappointment! Did Turgeon mean that much to the Aggies?
9. Oklahoma State: Yikes! Did T. Boone’s basketball checks bounce?
10. Texas Tech: This is the real reason the Pac 12 balked at merger plans.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“I would say our guys have a great deal of pride.”
Todd Haley, in his postgame comments following the Chiefs’ loss to the Jets, 610 AM
GH: Haley pounded this point all season. The Chiefs get a chance to prove it when they travel to Denver on Sunday to take on the Broncos in what is a meaningless game for them. But is it meaningless? Not for Romeo Crennel. Not for Kyle Orton. Not for the Chiefs chances to draft as high as 8th in the 2012 NFL draft.

“The Orton Bowl”
ESPN promo for the Chiefs/Broncos game
GH: Kyle Orton returns to Denver to show the Broncos, uh, er…what? What don’t the Broncos know about Orton? Does Orton really care about showing up his former team? I doubt it. He is more likely focused on playing well enough to attract some free-agent interest from teams that need a starter in 2012.

“Merry Christmas and happy holidays to such a merry band of followers. Thx for coming along for another year. Except @Mellinger. LOL!!!”
Kent Babb, Twitter
GH: Knowing the pettiness and jealousy that sometimes permeated the Kansas City Star sports desk back when I frequented that area, I find it refreshing that Babb, Mellinger, Covitz, Teicher and that group appear to get along like college frat brothers. If you are not following Babb and Mellinger on Twitter, you are missing some of their best work. Is that a compliment?

“I think Charlie Weis just took the hardest job of his life.”
Kevin Kietzman, on Weis accepting the head football position at Kansas, 810 AM
GH: What are the expectations for Weis at Kansas? Win six games and beat Kansas State every other year in Lawrence. Is that really worth $2.5 million a year? Yep.

“This one is not sarcastic because it’s in print.”
Kevin Kietzman, on a comment by Charlie Weis regarding the disparaging difference between KU football and KSU football in 2011, 810 AM
GH: I found this comment from KK to be odd. Did he mean that no comment in print can be determined to be made as sarcastic? Weis made a big deal at his inaugural presser about the difference between KU and KSU being that KU is, “The University of…” I heard from a number of Wildcat fans who found this offensive. Why? What could KU’s football program possibly have to say about KSU that would even register on the Purple People? Bill Snyder has OWNED the Jayhawks to the point of making the Sunflower Showdown a nonevent.

“Why not give real reason for not playing Mizzou? KU needs to schedule a sure non-con win.”
Mike DeArmond, on KU’s refusal to schedule Missouri once they are a member of the SEC, Twitter
GH: I think it is far deeper than just a non-con football win for Kansas. Kansas is reacting like Missouri served them divorce papers. The two were never married. They just both happened to belong to the same health club. Mizzou chose to move across town to the more elite club when they got the invite. Now KU is refusing to play racquetball with them anymore because of MU’s new address. What guy gets pissed over something like that? Sounds like a chick thing to me.

“Clearly that guy was drunk.”
Steven St. John, after hanging up on a caller who wanted to comment on the possibility of Bill Cowher as the Chiefs next head coach, 810 AM
GH: SSJ allowed the caller to mention Bill Cowher as the Chiefs head coach but he dumped him when the caller made St. John uncomfortable by mentioning that The Border Patrol was losing the ratings war because they refused to entertain opinions like his. Radio ratings fluctuate each month, so it is not a good idea to focus on one book or one quarter. Somehow, Bob Bulldog Fescoe has made a dent into The Border Patrol’s ratings. Last year at this time it looked as if Fescoe would be canned. 2012 should be interesting. Will 810 remain status quo or look to improve their product? Will 610 continue to promote themselves as KC’s most-listened-to sports talk radio station.

“The Alabama/LSU game was one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever watched in my life. Watching a game where every single play could be the play that changes the game to me is exhilarating. I thought LSU/Alabama was exceptional.”
Nick Wright, on LSU’s 9-6 win earlier this season, 610 AM
GH: My favorite game of the college football season was just about every game Kansas State played. I don’t know how you could even write a script for a football season that would be as thrilling as what Wildcat fans experienced in 2011. Being picked to finish 8th out of 10, barely beating Eastern Kentucky in the home opener, winning on a four-play goal-line stand at The U, beating Heisman RG3 in a comeback at home, sending Mizzou to the SEC with a loss, 41-34 win at TTech, pounding Kansas again in Lawrence, losing 52-45 to OSU on the final play, a WILD 53-50 OT win over A&M and winning at Texas [again]. Snyder has had some great seasons in Manhattan. NONE topped what happened there in 2011.

“I thought we definitely needed a playmaker, and we were able, at a late date, to fall into Kevin, and we couldn’t be happier. He’s 6-8, thin and can play multiple positions. He reminds me a lot of Julian Wright — very bouncy, very athletic. He will most definitely be an impact player for us (this) season.”
Bill Self, Lawrence Journal World
GH: I like Kevin Young’s game. He just might be what the Jayhawks need to defend their seven-straight conference crowns.

“He’s not bulky at all. He weighs about half what I way and he’s a foot taller.”
Tom Keegan, in an interview with Bob Fescoe, on KU’s Kevin Young, a 6’8, 215 lb. small forward who transferred from Loyola Marymount, 610 AM

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

Here is Mike DeArmond’s post on the KCStar.com Campus Corner detailing MU’s 2012 SEC football schedule...

The SEC schedule released Wednesday morning, with possible open dates, some of which will be filled with non-conference games, and the all-time series against that opponent, was:

Sept. 1 TBD (Non-conf.)
Sept. 8 Georgia (Georgia leads 1-0)
Sept. 22 – at South Carolina (MU leads 2-0)
Sept. 29 - TBD (Non-conf.)
Oct. 6 - Vanderbilt (MU leads 2-1-1)
Oct. 13 - Alabama (MU leads 2-1)
Oct. 20 - BYE
Oct. 27 - Kentucky (Kentucky leads 2-1)
Nov. 3 – at Florida (MU leads 1-0)
Nov. 10 – at Tennessee (never played)
Nov. 17 - TBD (Non-conf.)
Nov. 24 – at Texas A&M (Texas A&M leads 7-5)

The Oct. 27 game against Kentucky has been designated as Mizzou's Homecoming game.

GH: A few thoughts of my own;

• No November SEC home games for the Tigers. Looks like MU is getting a similar welcome to the SEC as Nebraska did to the Big 10 – baptism by fire, Cajun fire in Mizzou’s case – but what a great way to break into your new league. MU’s November schedule reads like a BCS Bowl every week.

• Georgia comes to Columbia on September 8th? Hot damn! No more sleepy September non-cons for Pinkel’s Tigers. The Home of Herschel comes calling the second week of the season. I can already hear those dogs barking in front of Shakespeare’s.

• I keep seeing where MU’s series record against these SEC opponents is listed as DeArmond has done in his above post. Why? Most of these meetings took place in the Dan Devine and Bear Bryant days of college football. You know, back when cheating was a respected part of the game.

• The three best quarterbacks coming back in the SEC will arguably be playing at Vandy, Georgia and Tennessee. Mizzou fans get to size up their own QB stud, James Franklin, against these three in head-to-head match ups. Hot damn, I can’t wait!

• Mizzou travels to one of the greatest college football environments on the planet when they head to College Station’s Kyle Field the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This will be MU’s third consecutive trip to play the Aggies at their home. The Tigers could become the only college football team ever to knock off an opponent three years in a row at their place.

• No school gets more giddy over homecoming than MU. Kentucky is a typical homecoming opponent – especially by SEC standards. But how great would it have been to name Alabama as the Tigers’ homecoming foe?

• Here is my early, early call on MU’s first SEC run: Beats Georgia in a wild SEC opener, gets stuffed by Spurrier in South Carolina, whips Vandy, upsets Alabama in the game of the year, knocks off Kentucky, then loses at Florida, at Tennessee and at A&M to stumble into another crummy December bowl. I could be wrong. Cannot wait to find out.

Greghall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“The Chiefs’ season has come to an end.”
Mark Carman, during 610 Sports’ Chiefs postgame show following their loss to the Raiders, 610 AM
GH: Not quite, but I understand what Carman is saying. With the Chiefs’ overtime loss to the Raiders, gone is any hope of the AFC West title and a home playoff game. Kind of ridiculous that a probable 6-10 team was still in the hunt – but that is the genius of the NFL.

“That was an expensive loss for the Chiefs.”
Soren Petro, on the Chiefs home loss to Oakland, 810 AM
GH: Petro cited that the Oakland loss meant the Chiefs blew a chance this week to be mailing out playoff ticket forms to their season ticket holders. That Club Level at Arrowhead still looks as deserted as a December basketball game at Mizzou Arena. The Chiefs aren’t the only city seeing their attendance figures continue to melt. The NFL is more popular than ever – accept at the turnstile.

“In 2010, the average cost for a family of four to attend an NFL game was $426.84. And if you are the type of person that would like a few adult beverages while watching the game, that will set you back more than $7 for each beer. Of the four major North American sports leagues, the NFL is probably the one in which television enhances the experience the most. In fact, the NFL has probably made the broadcasts too good. And with more people owning huge, wide screen, HD televisions, the at-home experience is better than ever.”
BusinessInsider.com, reporting that the NFL’s attendance has dropped for four consecutive years
GH: How many times have you heard/seen the Chiefs radio and TV ads extolling the “experience” of being at Arrowhead for a Chiefs game? “The sights, the smells…” Is it the economy that has us staying at home? Is it the aging of the affluent but more sedate Baby Boomer generation? It will be fascinating to see what the new stadia of the future look like and how many fans they seat. Jerry Jones may have built himself a dinosaur in Dallas.

“If Denver can’t beat Kyle Orton and the Chiefs, then they don’t belong in the playoffs. That would be pathetic!”
Skip Bayless, ESPN
GH: The entire AFC West looks rather pathetic after last weekend’s games…and the first 16 weeks of the season as well.

“What’s gonna happen if Kyle Orton comes back [to Denver] and has a lights-out game to knock [the Broncos] out of the playoffs?”
Eric Mangini, on Denver’s decision to choose Tim Tebow over Orton, ESPN
GH: Does anybody really think Tebow or Orton are going to be the difference for any team to make a Super Bowl run? I didn’t think so.

“I see some really exciting things for this Chiefs team in the future. If you improve that offensive line, those quarterbacks immediately get better.”
Bill Maas, 610 AM
GH: The defense looks playoff good. If all the injured players return to their previous playing form, the Chiefs have some great weapons. But what about the quarterback?

“Projected [2012 NFL] draft order as of today: 1. Colts; 2. Rams; 3. Vikes; 4. Browns; 5. Jags; 6. Bucs; 7. Redskins; 8. Dolphins; 9. Panthers; 10.Bills…”
Adam Schefter, of ESPN, Twitter
GH: Despite a probable 6-10 season, the Chiefs likely do not crack the top 10 for a shot at a franchise quarterback in 2012. Damn.

“It my birthday I'm 25 just like my jersey number... I so happy to be alive to see another day so thanking GOD right now.”
Jamaal Charles, on December 27th, Twitter
GH: It is sometimes easy to forget just how young these helmeted heroes are.

“Most athletic MU [basketball] team I've ever seen. Maybe I should say most focused athleticism -- same guys as last year, but know what they're doing.”
Pat Forde, of YahooSports.com, following Mizzou’s win over Illinois, Twitter
GH: Frank Haith’s 8th-ranked Mizzou Tigers are turning some heads in the national media. Read on.

“I think Missouri is the best team I’ve seen play and I think they play the best of all the teams I’ve seen play. They can shoot the ball. They have that great quickness on offense. Those four kids are really, really good on the perimeter. And because they can shoot the ball, they don’t have to get all the way to the bucket.”
Bob Knight, during Mizzou’s first-half run against Illinois, ESPN

“These [Missouri] Tigers are quite the thrill ride – crazy athleticism coupled with an almost shocking confidence. No play seems too daring for them, no shot too quick, no moment too big, no need to apply the brakes. It’s an admirable attitude for a group that really hasn’t won enough to earn such assuredness – at least, it’s admirable up to the point where it crosses the line to foolhardiness. They will bring fans out of their chairs on nearly every play – sometimes to cheer a breathtaking fast break, sometimes to scream ‘Noooo!’ when they jack up a wildly premature shot. There were a slew of those from Missouri’s guards in the second half, as the Tigers slowly relinquished command to an Illini team that was not going to back down. That was an unwelcome backslide to the Mike Anderson offense of recent seasons.”
Pat Forde, of YahooSports.com, following Mizzou’s win over Illinois, Twitter

“There’s a fine line with a team that’s athletic and really good in transition. You have to understand when to go and when not to go. We don’t want to play at warp speed all the time.”
Frank Haith, YahooSports.com

“College coaches get 4 mill, Schools changing leagues for 30 mil, athletes get paid $880 a month. Can't knock the hustle. #NCAA #GetMoney. Ungrateful? Prob not. Solid at math. Yes. MY jersey goes for $60 a pop. I get 0 cents from it. Tuition is a horribly awful excuse
Kim English, MU senior guard, Twitter
GH: Mizzou’s rise in the polls hasn’t quieted the opinionated Kim English. Rather, it has rather given his words more of a platform.

“I buy all gifts and I can count on a camel’s foot how many people get me gifts, I don’t like Christmas.”
Marcus Denmon, Mizzou guard, Twitter
GH: Get used to it, Marcus. If you end up cashing NBA checks, your gift list of hanger-ons will only grow.

“How deep can the Jayhawks go in March? They won't be playing second weekend.”
Seth Davis, Twitter
GH: KU’s basketball stock has rarely been this low in the Bill Self era. They still have the best player in the Big 12 in Thomas Robinson and the most intimidating home-court advantage. [Yes, Bramlage and Hilton are a close second]. Counting Kansas out before Big 12 begins would be a mistake.

“Analyze Kansas State any way you want. They are a tough team to play against. Frank Martin has improved each year as coach. Seen it up close.”
Fran Fraschilla, Twitter
GH: K-State is rivaling Mizzou for the title of hottest-team in the Big 12. The Cats are young and improving. Mizzou has veterans and have played like a top-five team. We will know very soon just how good K-State is this season. Read on.

“Who is the best team no one is talking about? Kansas State. Chatter will start very soon.”
Seth Davis, following the Cats three wins in Hawaii, Twitter
GH: KSU opens their Big 12 schedule January 4th at Kansas. The Cats follow their trip to Lawrence with home games against Mizzou on January 7th and Baylor on January 10th. Oh yeah, throw another log on the new year’s fire. College hoops is about to get fun.

“You should see us in practice in practice, we do it a lot better than that. When we get to that point, it’s going to be crazy. Sometimes we move the ball so fast in practice that the coaches get excited and they all get amped up and it shows what kind of team we have.”
Jamar Samuels, K-State forward, Kansas City Star

“We were No. 3 in the preseason last year, and in January everybody said we stunk. So, as long as at the end of the year we’re where we want to be…”
Frank Martin, Kansas City Star
GH: K-State did stink last January. Many are saying Kansas stinks this January. It will be fun getting a nose-full of both on the same court come January 4th. Remember, this season all Big 12 teams play an 18-game home-and-away schedule. Somebody alert Brent Musburger.

“Your Top 5 Conf. in terms of overall strength are in order...Big 10, SEC, Big 12, Big East, ACC.”
Seth Davis, Twitter
GH: Remember when the ACC was a basketball conference? The Big East was The Beast? Who knew Nebraska’s move to the Big 10 would cause this kind of upheaval in college hoops?

“I found out [there was no Santa Claus] when I was 10, but damn that sucks. My 4th-grade teacher told my entire class two weeks before Christmas. Mrs. Quinn. She was evil. I'll never forgive her. Parents were furious. Some parents almost pulled their kids out of the school. She was about 60 at the time. Worst teacher I ever had, even before that point. Ultra conservative. She hated that Christmas wasn't more about Jesus and decided to ruin what was left of twenty 10-year-olds innocence.”
Brian McGannon, Twitter
GH: I am so old I don’t remember NOT knowing.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

Merry Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, and any other holiday you and yours hold dear. Seems silly that we sometimes allow ourselves to be bothered by the way others wish us good cheer during this time of giving. It makes more sense to smile, nod and enjoy whatever greeting we get.

An aging, overweight woman sat alone in a Northland McDonald’s booth this morning as my two sons and I stopped in for breakfast. Upon her head was a Santa cap. Upon her face was a frown. Her cap was not the typical red lid with a white fluffy rim and ball at the tip. Rather, it was black. The phrase “Bah Humbug!” was stitched into the front edging above her creased brow. At first I thought she was having some good-natured fun. After our 20-minute stay – and her never cracking even a hint of a smile – I was convinced her Scrooge performance was no act.

Life is short. Far shorter than any of us alive realize. Why go through life pissed at it? I do not know a thing about this woman’s troubles. But here is what I do know. She is alive and healthy enough to be sitting at a McDonald’s. Not one person bothered her, made fun of her or asked her to leave. On a morning when the temp was in the low 20s, she had a warm meal and a comfortable seat in front of two flat-screen TVs and a clean, indoor bathroom at her ready disposal. In other words, she was probably living better than at least 75% of the world’s population.

Instead of enjoying her lucky lot in life, she chose to attempt to bring others down into the dumps with her. The holidays are a bit like soccer – they’re not for everyone. But most of the world thinks they are rather grand. I count myself in that majority – the holiday majority, not the soccer one.

Enjoy your lot in life this holiday season. Do not be afraid to express your passion for the goofiness that is Christmas. It is the goofy and the schmaltz that makes life all the more fun to live.

PS: A holiday thanks to all those readers who bother to read my Off The Couch columns, stories and tweets. Some of you have been with me for almost a couple of decades. A writer doesn’t exist without an audience. Thank you for being mine.

GregHall24@yahoo.com Twitter / greghall24

“My sources at the stadium say that Jeff Fisher is all but signed and sealed. [My source] is in the stadium. I can’t say where without getting him in trouble.”
Caller Harry, to Nick Wright’s show, 610 AM
GH: Wright broke into his Wednesday afternoon opening monologue to take this call. Wright also added that other 610 personnel including Danan Hughes are hearing that Fisher is the Chiefs choice to replace Todd Haley. Wright thinks they are all wrong. Read on.

“I think the people who are saying that Jeff Fisher is a done deal are getting bad information.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM

“I’ve always liked Romeo. I don’t think he’s the most charismatic guy but it doesn’t matter. The reaction to the team was somewhat surprising in that they were so openly emotional about him.”
Kevin Harlan, 810 AM

“I don’t care what happens the last two weeks [of the Chiefs’ season]. I am still going to be a Jeff Fisher guy. My head tells me that Jeff Fisher is a better coach than Romeo Crennel. This never works. The Chiefs have promoted two [coaches who the players backed in Frank Ganz and Gunther Cunningham] and they were both disasters.”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM

“I trust my Chiefs sources over basically everybody else’s. Sorry, just an honest moment here. What I’ve been told directly is that while the Chiefs would like Jeff Fisher, they don’t think they can make the money work.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM

“Get Jeff Fisher and draft a quarterback in the first round. That’s what I want for Christmas.”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: With all the attractive NFL head jobs that could be coming available, I don’t know why Jeff Fisher would jump at coming to Kansas City. We have no oceans, no mountains and no quarterback. I have a feeling Pioli is writing a love letter to Romeo in Juliet’s handwriting right now.

“Not many teams have the Chiefs combination of excellent corners and aggressive pass rushers.”
Ross Tucker, 810 AM
GH: The Chiefs defense does have the look of one that can compete for the next few years. But do they have a quarterback?

“I think Cassel is a terrific leader but my fear is he is as good as he is going to get.”
Kevin Harlan, 810 AM
GH: How important is the starting quarterback to the Super Bowl hopes of an NFL franchise? That is the question that Scott Pioli and The Clarks will face this off season. Can the Chiefs feel confident with Cassel and Kyle Orton or do they need to make a bold move in the April draft to secure a quarterback from what looks to be one of the better crops of college QBs in quite some time.

“There are going to be plenty of [NFL] teams drafting in the top-10 [picks] that do not want a quarterback.”
Nick Wright, on his desire for the Chiefs to trade up to draft one of the top college QBs in the 2012 draft, 610 AM
GH: Wright almost has me believing this is so…almost. How deep is this quarterback draft? Will five QBs go in the top-12 picks? I think five may go in the top 10. The Chiefs will need to trade up to the top five and maybe the top three to get who they want. There will be a number of teams considering the very same move.

“I don’t think you can give up multiple draft picks just to move up and get a young quarterback.”
Jayice Pearson, 610 AM
GH: Pearson is old school. He values quantity over quality. It appears to me that Pioli comes from the same old school as Jayice.

“Buffalo’s run defense is just horrible – and they’re playing the wrong team [in the Broncos] at the wrong time.”
Ross Tucker, on the Chiefs needing a Buffalo win over Denver to keep their playoff hopes alive, 810 AM

“For some reason, people [in Denver] want to throw a parade when he completes 50% of his passes. That is absurd.”
Les Shapiro, Denver sports talk host, on the Tim Tebow mania that has gripped Denver, 610 AM
GH: The Chiefs need Tebow to have a very non-Florida outing this Saturday in Buffalo. Denver can be cold but Buffalo is at times related to Siberia. Unfortunately, Saturday’s forecast in Buffalo is for cloudy skies and a high of 34.

“W.T.F. Can't. Stop. Laughing. The quintessential Dayton Moore signing: unexpected, inexplicable, laughable, but it actually kinda sorta makes sense in a perverse manner.”
Rany Jazayerli, on the Royals reacquiring Yuniesky Betancourt as a utility infielder, Twitter
GH: I don’t get too jacked up about MLB talk in December…or January and February for that matter. But the signing of Yuni has sent the Royals-following seamheads into a Middle-earth-like online nerdfest pandemic. All this handwringing for a guy who is going to sit on the bench? Put your capes away, boys, and relax.

“You’re a Gamecock and [your wife] Page is too, but she grew up in Clemson. Did she ever ‘rub the rock?’ ”
Mitch Holthus, in an on-air interview with the Chiefs’ punter, Dustin Colquitt, 810 AM
GH: If Colquitt caught the sexual innuendo of Holthus’ question, he was professional enough not to show it. Maybe that’s because his wife was there with him. I am guessing a few of his teammates might not let him forget it, though.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“Baseball Hall of Fame columnist Bill Conlin retired from the Philadelphia Daily News after three women and one man accused the 77-year-old writer of molesting them when they were children in the 1970s.”
Adam Clark Estes, writer The Atlantic Wire
GH: The Northeast is being hit with a tsunami of child sexual abuse scandals involving respected old white males. If you were a fan of ESPN’s Sunday morning Sports Reporters show in the 90s, you remember Conlin as the swollen, arrogant baseball writer who at times had trouble articulating his thoughts through his blubbery jowls. His accusers’ stories are sad and sickening. Read on.

“This is a tragedy. People have kept his secret. It's not just the victims, it's the victims' families. There were so many people who knew about this and did nothing.”
Kelley Blanchet, a niece of Conlin's who said he molested her when she was a child, Philly.com
GH: Conlin was allegedly allowed to prey on the children in his extended family and their friends because America was a closed-mouth society back in the 1970s. Proper God-fearing families didn’t talk about the creepy uncle who sat too close to little Annie or little Bobby. People just ignored it and hoped silence would be enough to make it go away. We are all discovering along with Joe Paterno that is not possible.

“I can't even begin to express the shock, sadness, and outrage I feel by what Bill Conlin is alleged to have done. This is what we do. We hold people accountable, and we've done that with everyone from mayors to Jerry Sandusky. Now we just may have to do it with one of our own.”
Larry Platt, editor of Philadelphia Daily News, after Conlin “retired” on Tuesday
GH: Allowing Conlin to “retire” is holding his fat-ass accountable? Sorry Larry, that is bullshit. If you have enough evidence to force Conlin to retire, you have enough evidence to fire him as publicly and ugly as possible. He needs to be embarrassed for his crimes, not allowed to sneak away into the dark. This “retirement” charade is just an extension of the 1970’s mentality of keeping an everything-is-fine façade to cover up the monstrous crimes against the defenseless.

“Mr. Conlin is obviously floored by these accusations, which supposedly happened 40 years ago. He has engaged me to do everything possible to bring the facts forward to vindicate his name.”
George Bochetto, Conlin’s lawyer, NYmag.com
GH: What an absolute coward. Not only has Conlin been allowed to get away with these crimes for 40 years, he now wants to call his victims liars. Hey Conlin, be a man for once in your life and admit to your crimes. Better yet, go off yourself so we can be done with your pathetic ass.

“Everybody says he will do the right thing, get involved. But the moment itself has a cruel way of suspending our fearless intentions.”
Bill Conlin, writing on the Jerry Sandusky/Penn State children abuse scandal last month, Philadelphia Inquirer
GH: Conlin knew this better than most.

“I must admit that for the time being I do not read comments beneath these stories. But someone emailed me to say that there was one in terrible taste that needed to be deleted. I popped on to delete it and accidentally deleted a whole bunch instead, including (I think) the offending one. For obvious reasons, I do not have the time to monitor the comments at the moment and certainly don't have the inclination to delete offensive ones. It took all of 20 seconds for the person to repost the comment, and so for the time being I am going to close down the comments section.”
Joe Posnanski, JoePosnanski.blogspot.com
GH: JoPo has been “underground” since he lashed out and attacked the media for their “unfair” coverage of the Penn State scandal and Joe Paterno’s part in it. Allowing anonymous posting on a website where you post your thoughts is not for everyone. Obviously, Joe is one of those who [for whatever reasons] is unwilling to cope with the negative and sometimes personal written attacks. It's his call. I really think that shutting down his Comments sections is a drastic overreaction to a few negative comments. But I have never thought of JoPo as much of a guy who can handle adversity – his or others. He writes in a way to attract love not anger. It is not a surprise that he is ill equipped to cope when hate comes his way. Life isn’t always lived in a Happy Valley, Joe.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“The scene has become all too familiar in recent years: A team from a mid-major conference celebrating a victory over the Kansas Jayhawks, who leave a neutral floor confused by what just happened.”
J. Brady McCollough, after KU was upset by Davidson 80-74 at Sprint Center, Kansas City Star
GH: The scene may be familiar but this KU upset loss looked different. The neutral court was not neutral at all, with 99.8% of the crowd cheering for Kansas. But most alarming was that this KU team looks poorly coached. Yeah, I said it. Bill Self needs to step up his game.

“Other games where you are more talented and somebody beats you, you could consider it an upset. That wasn’t an upset tonight.”
Bill Self, KUSports.com
GH: No coach, this was very much an upset. Davidson was coming off an 84-61 loss at Charlotte and a home loss to a shaky Vanderbilt team. Davidson will struggle to make the NCAA tournament out of the Southern Conference. Kansas was coming off a win over second-ranked Ohio State. Self wants to paint his team as one that is lacking talent and depth. He is grasping at excuses for his inability to get his team to play well consistently. Kansas has talent. They just don’t play like they have talent. That’s called poor coaching, coach.

“I don’t want to be Chicken Little here but there are deeper problems with this KU [basketball] team than we’ve seen with a Bill Self team in a long time.”
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM

“Davidson proves KU ‘not that good.’ ”
Headline @ KUSports.com
GH: I beg to differ. The headline would have read more accurately if the wording was, “Davidson proves KU not that well coached this season.”

“I don’t know if you can take as much from this game as maybe other games. This team is not that good.”
Bill Self, when asked about some of KU’s losses to mid-majors in the past, KUSports.com
GH: One of Self’s faults this season is that he is constantly bringing up his previous KU teams. It is almost like he is looking for a sympathy card from his fans.

“Great W for [Davidson] Wildcats. Good lesson for inexp KU team.”
Blair Kerkhoff, Twitter
GH: Can KU really be considered inexperienced? Robinson, Taylor and Johnson have all played significant minutes on KU teams that have won the Big 12 every year and advanced in postseason play in both the conference and NCAA tournaments. Conner Teahan is a fifth-year senior. Travis Releford played in 30 games as a sophomore and is in his fourth year. Jeff With is in his third season as a college player. This is far from an “inexperienced” Kansas team.

“NICE!!! On Sports Center... Van Pelt ‘Kansas losing tonight in the state of Kansas.’  NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”
Soren Petro, Twitter
GH: For some reason, the KC locals get all bent when a member of the national media or an athlete or coach mistakenly places Sprint in the state of Kansas. I do not understand this sensitivity. The rest of the country doesn’t care. Many have no idea that there are two Kansas Cities or that the big one resides in Missouri. How many of us know or care what city and state the Jets, Giants, Mets and Yankees play in?

“This team is not mature enough to understand we have to play really well to beat the teams that maybe they (KU players) don’t think are our equals, which is total crap. This (Davidson) team was our equal. We knew it coming in, and they played like it tonight.”
Bill Self, KUSports.com
GH: Sorry coach, but that is total crap. Davidson is not KU’s equal in any way. The Southern Conference includes Elon, Samford, Wofford, Furman, The Citadel and a bunch of other #15 seeds. It is far more academically challenging to qualify an athlete to play in this conference than the Big 12. For Self to say Davidson is KU’s equal is ridiculous. Does he want to swap paychecks with Bob McKillop, who had been at Davidson for 19 seasons? McKillop called the Kansas win their best in three years. That’s not an equal talking. Coaches like Self spout this crap and think we should just digest it because it came from their mouths. If KU and Davidson are equals on the court, Self is getting paid way too much money this season.

“Is Jeff Withey going to be a liability or an asset in a game like [Missouri]? How many blow-byes did he give up in the first half [against Davidson]?”
Dave Armstrong, 810 AM
GH: Withey just needs to play more. Davidson had no matchup to counter him and Robinson on the court at the same time. But he only gets 16 minutes of PT? Mizzou would love to have Withey spend 24 minutes on the KU bench when the Tigers and Hawks play.

“I’m not putting the blame on really anybody. But the reality of it is, depth is such a great thing. But depth isn’t great because of injuries, and depth isn’t great because of foul problems. Depth is great because when guys don’t play the way you want them to, they don’t have to play. That’s why depth is great. Everybody who says other things, no, that’s it. We just don’t have guys who can come in yet and us not skip a beat.”
Bill Self, KUSports.com
GH: I am putting the blame somewhere, coach. On you. Self played Tyshawn Taylor 33 minutes only eight days after he had knee surgery. How can that be good for Tyshawn and his future? How can that be good for KU? Self looks to me to be a guy in panic mode – did you catch his F-bomb tirade directed at Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey during KU’s first timeout? It is difficult to expect poise and composure from your players when the coach is struggling with the same needs.

“If u ain't riding with us threw the ups & downs then don't ride wit us at all !!! still love my team ! FOE we be back! That's for anybody!”
Thomas Robinson, following KU’s loss to Davidson, Twitter
GH: The Kansas fan base isn’t going anywhere. They just expect more from their team. Robinson should as well.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“It’s what they are calling the biggest upset in the history of the Kansas City Chiefs.”
E. J. Becker, on the Chiefs 19-14 upset win over the defending Super Bowl Champion and previously undefeated Green Bay Packers, 980 AM
GH: I cannot think of another Chiefs upset that comes even close. The Chiefs had just fired their head coach in season, switched to a QB who had taken only one injury-inducing snap as a Chiefs and they were taking on a team that hadn’t lost a game in 364 days. Biggest Chiefs upset ever? Oh, yeah.

“[Green Bay] had not been down by more than seven points in over two years!”
Mitch Holthus, 810 AM

“The Chiefs stunned the football world by beating the previously undefeated Packers 19-14 on Sunday, the most shocking outcome in the NFL this season and in Kansas City for longer than that, one that we all might look back on in a few years as the day the franchise’s direction changed.”
Sam Mellinger, Kansas City Star
GH: I went old-school Monday and looked for Mellinger’s column in my pulp edition of the sports section. Nothing. How could The Star not have a column on the Chiefs biggest upset ever? I emailed Sam, asking if he was on furlough. “Try reading the front page of the paper,” he wrote back – in far nicer wording.

“The issue for the Kansas City Chiefs has been one thing – it’s been lack of talent.”
Bill Maas, last week, following the Chiefs’ blowout loss to the Jets, 610 AM
GH: I have long thought talent can overcome bad coaching. That said, if the Chiefs lack talent, how do you explain their win over the best team in the NFL? And it wasn’t a fluke win. The Chiefs were the better team at Arrowhead on Sunday.

“Nothing is ridiculous. Nothing is insane. Everything is possible.”
Steven St. John, on the Chiefs’ post-season hopes following their upset win over the Packers, 810 AM
GH: That sentence alone would have appeared to be ridiculous, insane and impossible only a day or so ago. But the NFL is the master of keeping their fans’ faint hopes alive through even as disastrous a season as the Chiefs have experienced. What Chiefs fan can’t wait for Saturday’s game against the Raiders?

“It’s kind of like Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind. It’s 91-62-2. Which is Tomba Hali’s number, Ryan Succop’s number and how many consecutive field goals he’s got. I’m just kidding...”
Mitch Holthus, when asked to explain the scenario for the Chiefs playoff chances, 810 AM
GH: The Chiefs need to beat the Raiders and Denver has to lose Saturday in Buffalo. Nothing in the future matters unless these two things occur. BTW, both games are on Saturday and kickoff at noon [ET]. You can expect Santa will be scoreboard watching for these two.

“Scratch Romeo off candidate list. FG?”
Kevin Kietzman, after the Chiefs chose to kick a FG inside the two-yard line on their opening drive, Twitter
GH: KK is pushing hard for Jeff Fisher as the Chiefs next head coach. KK has seen firsthand how Bill Snyder had transformed Kansas State football from ridiculous to nationally ranked. KK favors coaching over talent. Not everyone does. Read on.

“If you’ve got players who make plays, it doesn’t really matter who’s at the helm. You just have to guide them and direct them.”
Bill Maas, on the lack of importance when it comes to who the head coach is on an NFL team, 610 AM
GH: Maas is a former player who doesn’t share the same respect for coaching as KK. The answer is probably somewhere in the middle.

“I feel like getting points on the board would be important for our team because of the way we had been going. And there’s no guarantee that you’re going to get touchdowns. If you go for the touchdown and you don’t get it, that gives your opponent momentum on the road. One of the things when you go on the road is if your defense can generate negative plays from the home team, that keeps your momentum up. And I didn’t want to give them momentum out of the gate.”
Romeo Crennel, when asked why he chose to kick the field goal on the Chiefs’ first series, 810 AM
GH: Whether you agree with Crennel or not, isn’t it invigorating to hear the Chiefs head coach explain his reasoning so effortlessly? 

“It is very refreshing to talk to him. He is so likable.”
Nate Bukaty, following Crennel’s live interview on Monday’s TBP, 810 AM

“I thought Bill Muir did a particularly good job of calling the offense. … No I did not call any offensive plays. Like I told you last night, all I did was stand on the sidelines. Things were going good so I didn’t need to mess it up!”
Romeo Crennel, during his Monday press conference, 810 AM

“There was surge that went through the entire team that starts with Romeo’s leadership.”
Mitch Holthus, 810 AM
GH: Mitch loves everybody and anybody who is employed by the Chiefs. For the last three years he has been telling us what a great coach Todd Haley is/was. If Uncle Mitch ever decided to talk in his real voice and tell us what he really thinks about what he has seen over the years at One Arrowhead Drive, oh what a Christmas it would be.

“[Romeo Crennel] is gonna be the next head coach – that’s what I think. Who else you gonna hire?”
Herm Edwards, who has some insight to the Chiefs franchise when it comes to hiring head coaches, 810 AM
GH: Herm’s “Who you gonna hire” comment made it sound like the Chiefs’ job is not an attractive one. That may be true but there are still only 32 of these around. It’s not like at ESPN where they appear to have an unlimited number of jobs for analysts.

“Really? [Long pause] People want everybody! People want Bill Cowher. They want Jon Gruden! People want all these guys. I get it. I get who you want. Who you gonna get?”
Herm Edwards, when told by Nate Bukaty that some people want Jeff Fisher as the Chiefs’ next head coach, 810 AM
GH: This was an entertaining discussion between a somewhat obstinate Hem and Bukaty and St. John. Herm just talked right over SSJ as he attempted to ask about the Chiefs playoff chances. I liked this Herm so much better than Whispering Herm.

“The head coach and the GM have to work together. Just remember that.”
Herm Edwards, on why he favors Crennel taking the Chiefs job over a big-name coach, 810 AM

“What a great guy. He always stays positive. He’s a guy we all want to play hard for. I’d love for him to be the head coach here [in Kansas City]”
Brandon Flowers, 810 AM

“[The Chiefs players] don’t have a say so, to be honest with you. It still comes down to Clark and Pioli.”
Jayice Pearson, on hearing the Chiefs players want Crennel as their next head coach, 610 AM

“I don’t want to make a coaching hire after just one game. I just think [Jeff] Fisher is so much more proven than Crennel that if it came down to those two it would be a no-brainer.”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM
GH: Last week Parkins said Crennel should immediately be hired as the Chiefs head coach if KC beat Green Bay. That was a bold statement – and one he probably could have gained some mileage with if he stuck to it. But Parkins went Chevy Van instead of Chevy Volt on Crennel.

“Hire Romeo, cut Cassel, sign Orton, draft an O-lineman. Problems fixed. KC to Super Bowl! … Guys, I'm kidding. Only saying what callers will say [Monday].”
Kevin Kietzman, Twitter

“I will jump off the new Kit Bond bridge if Josh McDaniels is the new head coach [of the Chiefs].”
Bob Fescoe, 610 AM
GH: The McDaniels’ bandwagon just gained a few Kansas City sports talk radio fans.

“Kyle Orton is a streaky quarterback. He can get on a streak like he did [against Green Bay] yesterday. Then there’s that other Kyle Orton. He can work down there at IHOP and serve ‘em up! So, as good as he played [Sunday], don’t let him drive you to the IHOP! Because if he does, he’s gonna serve it to the other team! That’s what he does!”
Herm Edwards, 810 AM
GH: Edwards was not typical “Whispering Herm” self on Monday’s TBP. Maybe the wife and kids were out of the house or Herm was in a hotel room on the road. Whatever it was, Herman was yelling, screaming and arguing with Nate and Steven about the Chiefs’ win over GB and whether or not Romeo was the guy for the Chiefs. If Herm responded like this each week, he would be a fun guest.

“I think there needs to be a quarterback controversy going into next season.”
Josh Klingler, on whether or not Kyle Orton or Matt Cassel should be the Chiefs starter in 2012, 610 AM

“Let’s get one thing straight – I never gave up on the Chiefs! I sold my tickets [to the Packers game] but I had so much fun watching it on TV. I haven’t had that much fun watching a Chiefs game in a long time.”
Gary Lezak, after Steven St. John accused KSHB’s meteorologist of giving up on the Chiefs because he sold his Green Bay tickets, 810 AM
GH: I was on mother-in-law duty Sunday with a trip to Maryville. I listened to the first half via the Packers’ announcers on Sirius. I caught the second half on a television set that has fond memories of Lawrence Welk and the Lennon Sisters. As did Lezak, we cheered on the Chiefs like it was 1969 all over again.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“I’m curious as to what this [Packers/Chief] game is going to look like. This might be like when the Northern Army marched into Atlanta and burned everything. This might be like a total massacre.”
Jeff Chadiha, on the mismatch that is brewing between the Packers and Chiefs at Arrowhead, 810 AM
GH: When someone is using the march on Atlanta to discuss a football game, it is not a good sign that your team is being compared to the smoldering Atlanta. Chiefs fans this week understand the odds are not in their favor against the undefeated Super Bowl champs. Many of them are simply staying home. Read on.

“I remember we were playing there in 2007 and it was later in the season. It did look a little bit like Christmas.”
Aaron Rodgers, on the large number of green-clad Packer fans amongst the red-dressed Chiefs fans that are expected to populate Arrowhead on Sunday, 810 AM

“Now you’ve got a bunch of [Kansas City] people who are Green Bay fans? Seriously? Would you stop? Come on! Are there that many Green Bay fans traveling to Kansas City? That makes me sick!”
Steven St. John, 810 AM
GH: How many of your neighbors will be donning green and gold this Sunday for their drive to Arrowhead? Is it wrong for a Kansas City native to root for the Packers against the Chiefs? I can understand why a KC fan would favor the Packers over the Chiefs. The NFL brings almost every game to every television set with the Sunday Ticket. Cable, The Dish Network and the Internet make all teams almost as close as the home team. Some fans naturally like to watch the best athletes and teams. That leads to youngsters growing up in Kansas City rooting for the Yankees, Cowboys, Packers and Lakers. Why should your favorite team be determined by geography? Root for whoever you want and screw anybody who has a problem with it.

“No. At some point your brain has to come into play. I don’t think it’s smart to think a new coach taking over a team in disarray can [beat the Packers.”
Danan Hughes, when asked if the Chiefs can beat Green Bay, 610 AM

“If [Romeo Crennel] does beat the Packers, I think Romeo Crennel is going to be the next head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM
GH: Is this a winner-take-all job interview for Romeo? Does he get the gig with a win over the Pack? No. Hunt and Pioli have a three-game window to evaluate Romeo and they will take their time.

“Green Bay, no question. It’s going to be hard for them to lose all year. They are just that good of a ball club.”
Jayice Pearson, when asked who he likes to win at Arrowhead on Sunday, 610 AM
GH: The Packers are good but are they legendary good? Winning the Super Bowl last season with so many starters injured was unprecedented. If they go ’72 Dolphins in the playoffs, Mike McCarthy can start posing for that bronze statue outside Lambeau. All those Chiefs fans considering selling their Packers tickets might not want to give up their chance to witness this generation’s team of perfection.

“When you get to this point in the season there’s a lot of pride involved.”
Aaron Rodgers, on how competitive the Chiefs player will be against the Packers, 810 AM
GH: Let’s hope so. The Chiefs are going to need some pride to get through this one without Green Bay burning down Raytown.

“Don’t overblow the Jets performance last week. They weren’t exactly going against the Montana/Rice…”
Todd Haley, as an NFL analyst, critiquing the Chiefs performance only days after being fired, ESPN
GH: Haley sounded playful on the ESPN set but he did get in this dig at his former team. He also struggle with what pronoun to use when referring to the Chiefs. Is it “we” or “them?” He decided to go with them.

“I wish somebody would have given me a vote of confidence, real or not.”
Todd Haley, using a humorous tone on ESPN’s Audibles
GH: I would prefer Haley’s severance check to a vote of confidence.

“If you’re going to donate your time, don’t let the cameras come find you!”
Kevin Kietzman, on Todd Haley and his wife being shown doing charity home repairs on TV 9 in a report by Karen Kornacki, 810 AM
GH: KK is dead on here. Charity work is a lot more meaningful if you’re not trying to use it as a photo op. Every time I see the Chiefs players delivering turkeys and groceries on the local news, I am not nearly as impressed as I am supposed to be.

“Did you not watch Entertainment Tonight this week? They did a whole deal on who’s cuter; Tebow or Brady. It was compelling television.”
Mark Carman, 610 AM
GH: Brady wins this faceoff by a hair – actually a lot of hairs.

“I used to be cool.”
Bumper Sticker, in the back window of a new Dodge Caravan

GregHall24@Yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“We are making a change at quarterback. Tyler [Palko] will not be the starter this week. … If [Kyle] Orton cannot do it, then [Ricky] Stanzi will be the quarterback.”
Romeo Crennel, as he addressed the media on Wednesday, 810 AM
GH: With these words, Romeo harkened Shakespearean sonnets of love to Chiefs fans. "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." The rose-sweet name from Crennel’s lips was any name but Palko. Never has a parting been so sweet.

“Green Bay? They don’t care who the quarterback is. When they look at the quarterbacks on our roster, they don’t care who plays. … I don’t think they’re shaking in their boots about those choices.”
Romeo Crennel, 810 AM
GH: Crennel’s comments to the media were downright jaw-dropping when compared to the tight-lipped drip we have become accustomed to from the Scott Todd regime. It will be interesting to monitor how blunt and candid Crennel is the next three weeks. Will Scott Pioli put an end to his frankness or will Crennel be allowed to be himself? We also might want to watch to see if Romeo grows a beard.

“Listening to [Crennel’s initial] press conference, you think to yourself, this guy was an NFL head coach?”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: KK wasn’t impressed with Crennel’s speech pattern and hesitations. He intimated that the former Browns’ coach sounded dumb. This is the same guy who interviews Herm Edwards each week as an NFL expert.

“I think it’s laughable to talk about Jeff Fisher [as the Chiefs next head coach] or anybody outside that New England family. Scott Pioli has too big an ego to work with anybody who doesn’t want to do things the way he wants things done.”
Jeff Chadiha, NFL writer, 810 AM
GH: If true, we can expect a much shorter Crennel press conference the next time he talks.

“It’s the exact opposite of Todd Haley. I don’t want to pile on the guy but he got fired. And he deserved to get fired.”
Steven St. John, contrasting Haley’s and Crennel’s willingness to offer meaningful information to the media, 810 AM

“If you were a big-time Todd Haley supporter, you just have to feel foolish right now. Hey, I supported Quin Snyder and I felt foolish afterward! You want to believe, you want to buy in. We’ve all gone through it! Where in hindsight we were fools! Fools! And if you supported and believed in Todd Haley, this is making you feel like a fool!”
Steven St. John, 810 AM
GH: Todd Haley’s most vocal [and possibly only] supporter in the media was 610’s Nick Wright. I don’t know if SSJ’s comment was directed at the competition’s afternoon drive’s host but I don’t recall many listeners who were calling up to defend The Hobo.

“All year long this team wasn’t ready to go. It was an embarrassment! It was a joke! Todd Haley put his own grudges and what he wanted ahead of what was better for the football team and the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s why he deserved to be fired.”
Steven St. John, 810 AM

“Former Chiefs head coach Todd Haley, fired on Monday after the team’s 37-10 loss to the New York Jets, will be a guest analyst today on the ESPN show “Audibles,” which will air from 6-7 p.m. He’ll appear alongside regular analysts Keyshawn Johnson, Trent Dilfer and Jerry Rice.”
Kansas City Star
GH: Will Haley ditch the hobo look and appear on camera bathed? Will he sound like he has slept this week? Will he flip off Pioli on camera? Tune in tonight for these answers and more!
“I think this [Chiefs] job is a very good job.”
Bob Fescoe, 810 AM

“There is the mistaken idea out there that this [Chiefs head coaching position] is a good job. I think if you’re a coach who needs to find a job, you’re going to come here. If you have to change how you are as a coach to be [in Kansas City], then you probably don’t want to be here.”
Jeff Chadiha, NFL writer, 810 AM
GH: Chadiha specifically pointed to Pioli’s stringent control of how the head coach performs his job as the reason he believes the Chiefs job is not attractive to most candidates. Pioli sounded humbled and spoke as if he is willing to change when he announced Haley’s firing. Maybe Crennel’s candid talk is a sign he has learned from his mistakes. Maybe. Clark Hunt appears willing to give him one more hire.

“Josh McDaniels. I’ll put my money on Josh McDaniels.”
Jeff Chadiha, NFL when asked to name who he thinks will be the Chiefs next head coach, 810 AM
GH: Wow. I cannot think of a less popular choice here in Kansas City. Al Davis’ corpse might get more votes than Boy Blunder.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“According to the New York Post, 23-year-old teacher James Mohr was jumped by ‘up to seven goons’ as he walked through Parking Lot J [at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ following the Chiefs/Jets game on Sunday]. He reportedly suffered a fractured jaw, cheekbone and eye socket, and also has bleeding on the brain. One of the assailants -- a woman -- was screaming ‘F--k New York’ and ‘You all deserved what happened on 9/11!’ the victim’s family told The Post. Mohr took offense to the disgusting insults, said something to the group, and that's when the fight allegedly broke out.”
John Beattie, writer, NESN.com
GH: This story appeared exclusively in the NY Post but it will quickly become a national story as the injured Mohr’s recovery is updated. The Post story stated that at least one of the “goons” was wearing a Chiefs jersey.

“The lifelong Jet fan [Mohr] suffered a fractured jaw, cheekbone and eye socket, and also has bleeding on the brain.”
FoxSports.com
GH: What makes this parking lot attack unusual is that it occurred on the home turf of the Jets. The one arrest that was made was reportedly a 35-year-old male from New Jersey. No mention was made that any of the “goons” live in the Kansas City area but that information will likely be forthcoming.

“Our other brother is a fireman, and my father is retired FDNY, so you can understand why a 9/11 comment would especially irk him. He was shocked anyone would actually say something like that.”
Anna Mohr, the sister of the injured James Mohr, NY Post
GH: Mohr reportedly threw the first punch after he was verbally assaulted by the female in the group of “goons.” He was then beaten by seven strangers. Words shouted by idiots mean nothing. This is the same mentality that instigated the Cincinnati/Xavier on-court brawl. The Xavier players felt disrespected and felt that was a sufficient reason to throw down and “zip ‘em up.” Walk away folks. You are never going to be able to reason with goons. Just walk away.

“I was embarrassed for college basketball and embarrassed for them.”
Frank Martin, a former Cincinnati assistant, commenting on the on-court brawl between Cincinnati and Xavier, 810 AM
GH: I wish Martin would take a look at video of his on-court behavior and seriously consider remodeling his violent verbal assaults at his players and his crazy-man sideline act during games. He too is embarrassing the game of college basketball.

“On Twitter, people think I’m Scott [Pioli’s] mouthpiece. I think it’s hilarious. I haven’t talked to Scott in eight months. I don’t want to have my opinions tainted. I get my information the way I get information. It’s so far from the truth I think it’s hilarious. I just let it continue to go. … Back in Cleveland, Pioli and Mangini worked for me!”
Michael Lombardi, 810 AM
GH: Lombardi said he was referring to comments on the BigLead.com website but locally, 610’s Nick Wright has also accused Lombardi of reporting negative stories about Todd Haley that were leaked to him by Pioli. I don’t know who is telling the truth, but I do know that it makes sense to question everything you read, see and hear from the media and the Chiefs. 

“Opposing asst. [coach] on Chiefs' chances w/Palko at controls vs. Packers: ‘I don't think they can beat the Packers if you spot them 30 points.’ ”
Bob McGinn, Twitter
GH: Could there be a worse scenario for a game at Arrowhead? The undefeated defending Super Bowl champs come to town to meet the Chiefs who just fired their head coach and look to be starting either a rookie quarterback who has never taken an NFL snap or a quarterback who is likely the worst quarterback starter in Chiefs history. How are those ticket sales going, Clark?

“I’m not going. I sold them.”
Gary Lezak, TV 41 meteorologist, when asked about his tickets for the Packers/Chiefs game, 810 AM
GH: How many times will this sentence be repeated by Chiefs season ticket holders the next three weeks?

The flak jacket for Tyler Palko was Todd Haley and that got taken off.”
Soren Petro, speculating that Romeo Crennel will likely start Ricky Stanzi against the Packers at Arrowhead on Sunday, 810 AM

“There are all kinds of signs that Charlie Weis is not going to coach five years at Kansas. He just doesn’t sound like he’s all in.”
Kevin Kietzman, speculating on the Jayhawks new football coach,  810 AM
GH: Kietzman did not elaborate on why he has formed this opinion but he made it sound like he garnered this thought from Weis’ first press conference. The most telling reason for thinking Weis will not be in Lawrence long is his recent resume of four jobs in four seasons. But I didn’t get the feeling Weis was just here for a short time. He is only 55 and this is a head coaching job. I think he would like to succeed and be here beyond his five-year contract.

“Kansas Athletics Inc. has collected nearly $500,000 toward defraying at least $2 million in losses from a scheme in which employees stole football and basketball tickets for redistribution through brokers and others.”
Mark Fagan, writer, Lawrence Journal World

“My memory is that $2 million in losses stems only from the 5 years (from 2005 forward) that KU ‘investigated’ and then covered only tickets that could be traced through KU's internal system as complementary tickets. It doesn't address KU Big 12 tickets, NCAA tournament tickets, or staff tickets sold or given to brokers to sell to the Pump Brothers, and it doesn't address the first 5 years of the scheme as detailed by the initial Yahoo report via Rodney Jones, David Freeman and Roger Morningstar. The details provided by these three add up to numbers in excess of $5 million. Is anyone in the KC or national media ever going to ask the obvious questions or do you think this story is now effectively dead, buried deep under the floorboards of the KU AD?”
Mark, OTC Reader Email
GH: I have done no research into the KU ticket scandal other than what I have read or heard in the media. Does anyone have any insight to answer some of Mark’s questions?

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“Josh McDaniels is clearly a candidate for the Kansas City job.”
John Clayton, ESPN Radio

“The rumor in the [MNF] press box last night was Josh McDaniels [as the Chiefs next head coach], which would be a horrible way to go.”
Kevin Harlan, 810 AM
GH: Todd Haley’s firing has created a deluge of names for the Chiefs to hire as his replacement. The 35-year-old boy wonder from New England/Denver/St. Louis is quickly becoming the name most repeated as Scott Pioli’s top pick. Read on for what some are saying about McDaniels.

“There’s a lot more reasons in Denver that he failed than his inability to be a head coach.”
Michael Lombardi, on McDaniels, 810 AM
GH: Lombardi is a big supporter of McDaniels. He is not in the majority. Read on.

“He’s not a good people person. He caused a lot of devastation here for the Broncos.”
Les Shapiro, sports talk radio host at Denver’s 102.3 The Ticket, 610 AM

“I can’t imagine that any other team in the National Football League thinks that Josh McDaniels is ready to take on another head coaching job. Josh became a runaway train [in Denver]. He made demands left and right. He didn’t treat people well. He was overwhelmed by the duties and responsibilities of being a head coach in the NFL.”
Les Shapiro, sports talk radio host at Denver’s, 610 AM

“I think [McDaniels] has some characteristics that will help him become a very successful coach some day in the NFL.”
Michael Lombardi, 810 AM

“Everybody you talked to for whatever reason was really turned off by the guy.”
Kevin Harlan, on McDaniels, 810 AM
GH: I think I read in the Comments section where smartman made this same comment last week about Kevin Kietzman.

“[McDaniels] was extremely arrogant for a gentleman of his age and stature. I would be skeptical of hiring him in any position of any authority. I think Josh McDaniels just needs some years to grow and to grow up.”
Les Shapiro, sports talk radio host at Denver’s 102.3 The Ticket, 610 AM
GH: Sounds a lot like the guy hosting the afternoon drive sports talk show in KC on 610 AM.

“I do believe my track record today may be stronger than it’s ever been.”
Nick Wright, as he verbally patted himself on the back for his ability to break news on the Chiefs, 610 AM

“I don’t think a McDaniels hire would be as bad as a lot of people are thinking it would be.”
Ross Tucker, 810 AM
GH: The opinions on McDaniels as a viable candidate for the Chiefs job differ wildly – but most I heard do not believe he is the answer for what ails Clark Hunt’s team. If this guy is as big an ass as Harlan and Shapiro believe, do we really need that here in Kansas City? My OTC column wouldn’t mind but how would Karen Kornacki handle him?

“Brutal! Brutal! An unacceptable question of the highest order. The guy has another year on his contract, making millions of dollars. … A joke! That was absolutely laughable! ”
Danny Parkins, after replaying TV 9’s Karen Kornacki’s question to Scott Pioli and Clark Hunt, asking them why they felt the need to fire Haley so close to Christmas, knowing he has five children, 610 AM
GH: Here is a thought, TV 9 needs to consider firing Kornacki this close to Christmas. I didn’t hear Kornacki’s question live but I would hope she was booed loudly and kicked in the ass by at least a couple of her peers. . Kansas City has two of the more clueless sports reporters in television in Kornacki and TV 5’s Michael Coleman. It’s a pick ‘em as to which one is worse.

“First off, if you’re going to have an existing general manager, [Bill Cowher] is not coming. Second, is there a quarterback?”
John Clayton, on NFL jobs that might interest Cowher, ESPN Radio
GH: Clayton was sizing up Cowher for the Dolphins job. I didn’t even hear him consider the former Steelers’ head coach for KC. Cowher can go anywhere he wants, which pretty much eliminates the floundering Chiefs organization that has two negatives; 1) Pioli 2) winter.

“One of the reasons I was a fan of Todd Haley was because I don’t respect the way Scott Pioli does business. You almost feel like if someone is being done dirty, somebody should have your back.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: Just once I’d like some organization to pay me millions for an opportunity that only 32 men at a time get the chance to do – in a role I have never held. Bathe me in soot and ash and call me Pigpen.

“With the way [Haley] dressed… He was unlike any other coach I have ever interviewed in any other professional sport.”
Kevin Harlan, 810 AM
GH: Haley conducted himself at times like he dared his employer to fire him. He made the comment earlier this year to Mitch Holthus about his beard not being in regard to the team’s winning streak but rather it was personal. Guess what happens when an employee gets in a personal grudge match with the guy who hires and fires? Bye-bye employee.

“Todd Haley changed quite a bit in his short time with the Chiefs. He didn’t always look like he rolled down a hill and jumped out of a gutter and onto the sideline to coach.”
Steven St. John, after viewing a montage of photos of Haley in his three seasons with the Chiefs, 810 AM

“We don’t need slogans. We don’t need everybody telling us how great everything is. We don’t need all the BS! Stop the sales pitches and just work! Just keep working and strive.”
Bill Maas, 610 AM
GH: Maas sounded almost hurt on Monday as he discussed the dire state of his former team. I hope The Clarks were listening.

“We were all together in Cleveland. I couldn’t think of a nicer human being and a great coach.”
Michael Lombardi, on Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz as a possible candidate for the Chiefs head coaching job, 810 AM
GH: Sounds like Ferentz and McDaniels could not be two more different personalities.

“I think this is a hire they are going to make before January 1st. They must have a pretty good idea right now.”
Kevin Harlan, 810 AM

“For all we know, Ricky Stanzi is the next Tom Brady.”
Trent Green, former Chiefs QB, 810 AM
GH: I expect Stanzi to start against the Packers this week. Why the hell not?

“It was a brawl. There are no sucker punches in a brawl.”
Todd Leabo, on the on-court fight between Cincinnati and Xavier Saturday where a Cincinnati player opened a bloody gash with a sucker punch to the face of a Xavier player, 810 AM
GH: This wasn’t a brawl. This was a college basketball game! I don’t know how many brawls or sucker punches Leabo has been involved with, but a sucker punch is a sucker punch – and that was a sucker punch!

“If somebody put their hands in your face or try to do something to you, where we’re from, you’re going to do something back. We’re not going to sit there and get our face beat in by somebody like Yancy Gates. … We won't let that happen.”
Mark Lyons, Xavier guard who got a two-game suspension, in his postgame remarks, ESPN

“That’s what you’re going to see from Xavier and Cincinnati. We got disrespected a little bit before the game – guys calling us out. We’re a tougher team. We’re grown men over here. We got a whole bunch of gangstas in the locker room, not thugs but tough guys on the court. And we went out there and zipped them up at the end of the game. That’s our motto: Zip ‘em up. And that’s what we just did to them.”
Tu Holloway, Xavier senior who was given a one-game suspension, ESPN
GH: These postgame comments are why the murder rate in American neighborhoods where young black males frequent are at a ridiculous high rate. Holloway promotes being a gangsta and thinks that is what being a grown man is all about. I cringe to think impressionable young men of all races heard his words and cheered in their living rooms.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“They just keep getting blown out. They obviously weren’t responding to Todd Haley.”
Adam Teicher, on the Chiefs decision to fire Todd Haley the day after the Chiefs were embarrassed by the Jets 37-10, 610 AM
GH: Todd Haley’s Chiefs’ teams got steamrolled on an all-to-regular basis. The offense gained a total of four yards in the first half Sunday against the Jets. That is the kind of team record you do not want to have attached to your regime. Hobo Haley’s Chiefs had far too many of these clown-clubbings for him to be as arrogant and disrespectful as he was to his job, his franchise and the NFL. He simply had to go. One might question why he was ever hired.

“I think the second half could have gone one of two ways and it went the way that encourages me.”
Todd Haley, in his postgame comments following the Jets loss, 610 AM

“The second half wasn’t much better [for the Chiefs], marked mostly by penalties. In the most brutal stretch, the Chiefs were penalized five times for 81 yards during the Jets’ final touchdown drive. One of those was an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Haley. Kansas City finished with 11 penalties.”
Dennis Waszak Jr, writer, AP

“If he really truly means it, then he has no idea about football players and his football team.”
Bill Maas, on Haley’s comments that he was encouraged by his team’s play in the second half, 610 AM
GH: It appears that Scott Pioli shared the same sentiments as Maas.

“Nick [Wright] had the report cold that [Todd Haley] would have been out after the Indianapolis game had he lost that game.”
Mark Carman, 610 AM
GH: Wright and many of his 610 cohorts are beating their chests and claiming they foretold Haley’s firing. I also expect them to predict the Chiefs will miss the playoffs.

“Some people laughed at us when we talked about the relationship between the coach and the general manager. They called us conspiracy theorists. Well, now you know.”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM
GH: Here is what 610 Sports’ hosts Parkins, Wright and Carman don’t get – Haley deserved to be fired on his job performance alone. Head coaches and GMs work through rocky relationships all the time. None of these 610 Sports guys are old enough to have any insight into the King Carl/Marty Schottenheimer years, but there were times when those two hated each other inside Arrowhead. Haley got fired because his teams got beat by embarrassing scores. Pioli didn’t have to invent negative stories about Haley to undermine him. The former Chiefs head coach/golfer did a remarkably good job of undermining himself.

“There is still the potential for a Josh McDaniels hire to work. It’s not a homerun hire. It’s not going to sell a lot of tickets.”
Soren Petro, on Pioli looking to hire the former Broncos’ head coach, 810 AM

“For all of you Chiefs conspiracy theorists, I could envision McDaniels as OC in KC if the
staff gets fired in STL, but not as HC.”
Pete Morris, Chiefs former media relations rep, Twitter

“If the next coach is anyone currently on the Chiefs staff, it will be an incredibly
unpopular choice.”
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: The NFL is about one thing and one thing only – making money. Fans are duped into thinking franchises are as motivated as they by wins and championships. It is not the case. Sure, the Chiefs want to win but they want to make money first, foremost and always. Haley wasn’t going to help sell tickets. A new coach will. They will choose someone who they believe will move the most tickets and beer. Please see Sheahon Zenger’s firing of Turner Gill and hiring of Charlie Weis. It is always about the money.

“Kirk Ferentz’s name will come up for Chiefs job. Ricky Stanzi, I suspect, would support that candidacy.”
Blair Kerkhoff, Twitter
GH: Here are two names that have no future with the Chiefs – Iowa’s head coach and the Hawkeye’s former QB. Iowa isn’t even all that excited about Ferenz. Talk about a hire that would create a dive in ticket sales.

“Would like to see what Stanzi can do. Nothing to lose really.”
KC Mayor Sly James, Twitter
GH: You want to know how bad Stanzi is? With his job on the line the last month, Haley refused to play the rookie signal caller in front of Tyler Palko. It had nothing to do with him wanting to flip off Pioli for picking the Iowa QB. It had to do with Stanzi being even worse than Palko. It is almost impossible to believe that the Chiefs have two quarterbacks on their roster that are that inept. Believe it.

“The best part about Todd Haley’s firing is that there is now one fewer scapegoat between Scott Pioli and the unemployment line.”
Rany Jazayerli, of RanyontheRoyals.com, Twitter
GH: The much-decorated former Patriots’ GM is now front and center when it comes to the future success/failure of the Chiefs. Part of Haley’s crazy-man, hobo act gave Pioli a pass in that he placed so much focus on his eccentric behavior. I am guessing the next head coach will be clean shaven, know how to dress on the sideline and not sound like he is asleep during a press conference. That will make it more difficult for Pioli to hide.

“Also feel for QB Matt Cassel, a guy who would benefit from coaching stability around him & who may have a 5th different OC in as many years.”
Pete Morris, Chiefs former media relations rep, Twitter
GH: I always have a hard time working up sympathy for a guy who has a $63-million contract.

“Right now [the Chiefs] are not even in the top ten for a draft pick. This cannot be a one-player draft for the Chiefs. They are going to need to get several players out of this draft.”
Adam Teicher, on the chances of the Chiefs drafting a quarterback with their first pick, 610 AM

“You need an offensive line and we don’t have one.”
Bill Maas, saying he favors the Chiefs using their first draft pick on an offensive lineman, 610 AM

“Right now it’s CYOA, if you know what I mean about that. Each player playing for his own [future]. They know there is no shot at going to the playoff. They know there is probably going to be a new coaching staff.”
Todd Haley, in his postgame comments, 610 AM
GH: That effort against the Jets had the CYOA Chiefs look like they were playing naked.

“Chiefs fire Haley. Weis cleans out office at KU. Son transfers to Maple Woods.”
Mick Shaffer, of Metro Sports, Twitter

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“I like to practice my touchdown calls in the mirror before the game, but I don’t think I’m even going to do that this week. I’m just going to go au natural.”
Ian Eagle, on his CBS assignment this week to call the offensively challenged Chiefs and Jets game in New York, 810 AM

“As wacky as it seems guys, if [the Chiefs] win this game against the Jets and go 6-7, strange things have happened in the AFC West. They’re two games behind two teams that have a lot of faults.”
Ian Eagle, 810 AM
GH: Are the Chiefs still in the hunt for a playoff berth? Cue the Jim Mora, “Playoffs??!!” sound bite. Sure, the Chiefs are still mathematically in the race and a win in New York will keep them there. But does anybody think the AFC West has a chance of advancing past maybe an upset first-round win? I’m not even Tim Tebow’s God has that much faith.

“From on now those [Hail Mary touchdown passes] will be called ‘Palkos.’ How do you describe that play? It was a Palko! ‘Palko’ can be a noun, it can be a verb, it can be adverb…”
Mitch Holthus, on Tyler Palko’s Hail Mary TD pass at the end of the first half in Chicago, 810 AM
GH: Just what Mitch needed, another dumb nickname for a Chiefs reference. I hope this one has the same shelf life as The Centaur.

“That’s a game I can’t get out of my system. Those types of games are steering wheel pounders!”
Mitch Holthus, on the Chiefs home loss to Denver earlier this season, 810 AM
GH: I am having a difficult time getting worked up about any of the Chiefs losses or wins. This team is hard to watch and even harder to care about. How did we get to this place three years into the Scott Todd regime?

“You’re trying to report things. If I wanted reality TV shows, I’d be watching Snookie and all them. If I hang out at 610 Sports, someone might say some little thing like, ‘I don’t like when Nick does this,’ or ‘I don’t like it when Fescoe says this.’ That doesn’t mean they don’t like Fescoe. I think you can twist anything. ”
Caller to Danny Parkins, regarding him breaking a story about Todd Haley canceling a team meeting in Chicago, 610 AM
GH: For two days I listened to Parkins give details to this “story” about how he received a wrong-number phone call from a member of the Chiefs organization who “leaked” to him that Haley had canceled a team meeting to have drinks and dinner with friends in Chicago. Haley quickly refuted the tale by saying no meeting was scheduled and he had dinner with his wife and kids. This didn’t stop Parkins and many of the other 610 Sports staff from beating this wrong-number phone call into the reason why the Haley/Pioli relationship is doomed.

“Calling up a local media member and saying damning things about the head coach is a big story. You and I are just going to disagree on that. It’s such a nonstory but they put it out there as a story – that’s the point!”
Danny Parkins, responding to the above caller’s criticism, 610 AM
GH: Here is my point – do entertaining and informative radio. This simply was neither. Parkins’ caller attempted to alert him to this but Danny was having none of his constructive criticism.

“When you’re a head coach in the NFL, injuries are just an excuse.”
Ian Eagle, on the bevy of injuries that have befallen many of the Chiefs key players, 810 AM
GH: I know that every team has injuries but loosing Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles and Tony Moeaki sucked the life out of this season for me. When Matt Cassel went down, well, I started looking at the 2012 NFL draft. I know you have to play through injuries, but losing those studs would be a tough way to conclude your contract-extension season as a coach.

“It seems to me, watching him every day, there is another personality simmering underneath there somewhere.”
Danny Clinkscale, on covering Todd Haley, 810 AM
GH: I do not understand Haley even a little bit. He has to know his job is on the line this season but he continues to conduct himself in a way that would make even a friendly GM want to can him. If Haley gets booted in January, he will have no one to blame but himself – despite Nick Wright’s desperate pleas to blame Pioli. Haley doesn’t even give the appearance of wanting to remain the Chiefs head coach. I am guessing that is simply a sign of his immaturity. One he will regret at a later unemployed date.

“I don’t think [Charlie Weis] is going to have any more success [at Kansas] than he did at Notre Dame.”
Jeff Chadiha, 810 AM
GH: Charlie had enough success at the start of his Notre Dame career that they tore up his contract and gave him a 10-year deal, $40-million contract after only seven games. Read on.

"We're excited that Charlie wanted to extend his commitment to Notre Dame, combined with the University's interest in furthering its relationship with him. All of us are enthusiastic about what the future holds for Notre Dame football with Charlie Weis as our head coach. We're confident that we've got the best coach in America ensconced at his alma mater for the remainder of his career."
Kevin White, Notre Dame Athletic Director, in an October 2005 press release
GH: It didn’t quite work out that way. Read on.

“We have great expectations for our football program, and we have not been able to meet those expectations.”
Jack Swarbrick, Notre Dame Athletic Director, after Weis was fired at ND, in a November 2009 statement
GH: Weis received an initial termination payment from ND in the amount of $6.6 million. That number should sound familiar to Sheahon Zenger. Here is something else that KU is accustomed with – Weis is still getting checks from ND and will through 2015. I think it is safe to say that Charlie has screw-you money.

“There’s no question, Kevin. It’s a buzz. We get kids and coaches calling us. They say, ‘Man, you guys are playing great! We love the way you play!’”
Frank Haith, when asked by Kevin Kietzman if recruits are starting to notice Missouri basketball, 810 AM
GH: Let’s hope the Tiger fans fill those Mizzou Arena seats so Haith’s recruits don’t get frightened off by the echoes.

“I know Terez [Paylor] is excited about covering Mizzou. He’s going to eventually move to Columbia. But beyond that, when we talked about the Mizzou assignment on Thursday, and about his plan to be on hand for the Mizzou vs Navy basketball game on Saturday, Terez showed me something extra. Telling him I planned on picking up some pre-bowl stories by covering Saturday morning football practice, Terez said ‘What time should I be there?’ Kind of liked that.”
Mike DeArmond, announcing that Paylor, who has covered HS sports, Sporting KC and the Royals for The Star, will be taking over the Mizzou beat when DeArmond retires in mid-February, KCStar.com
GH: DeArmond is scheduled for his unpaid furlough through Mizzou’s Independence Bowl trip, so expect to see Paylor’s byline later this month.

“Kansas should be excited [to play Ohio State]. It’s an opportunity. I give KU a puncher’s chance. They’re not as good a basketball team [as Ohio State], but they’re certainly good enough playing at home.”
Mike DeCourcy, 810 AM
GH: Kansas is expected to be a 1 or 2 point dog to the Buckeyes in Allen Fieldhouse. OSU’s injured big man, Jared Sullinger, is questionable. If he is not at full health – or MIA – Thomas Robinson could tilt this one back toward the Jayhawks favor. Either way it should be must-see TV. It tips at 2:15 PM Saturday on ESPN.

“I’m not going to predict a Kansas win [over Ohio State] but I’m not going to predict a Kansas loss.”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: Bold, baby! Bold!

“Kansas State lost a double-overtime thriller to West Virginia, and Wildcats coach Frank Martin wasn't too happy about falling to to the squad of mentor Bob Huggins. He unleashed fury in the final seconds with the target being Angel Rodriguez—though we can't quite see Rodriguez doing anything wrong on the play. In any case, it deserved the Deadspin Video treatment.”
Deadspin.com
GH: Frank got stupid again in Wichita when he dropped multiple F-bombs from the KSU sideline. His verbal assault of the freshman Rodriguez was almost criminal. Why does Frank get a pass from the media, his athletic director and the KSU fans for this kind of ridiculous behavior? One reader explained it is because he is so good with the media. Another said it is because he wins. Whatever the reason, I would like to see Frank act like a college basketball coach both on and off the court, instead of the second coming Gunther Cunningham.

“If Dayton More would have told me I was collateral damage, I would have already contacted a lawyer.”
Kevin Kietzman, after his interview with the recently fired Royals television producer Kevin Shank, 810 AM
GH: If you missed Kietzman’s interview with Shank, I can’t say that I blame you. Nick Wright scored big when he interviewed Frank White the day after the Royals fired him. Kietzman countered days later with Shank. I’m sure Shank is a good guy but what listener knows Shank or cares that he was canned? Kietzman attempted to work up some real controversy over this firing but it fell flat. Read on.

“Listening to KK's interview with Kevin Shank right now. Shank is saying, repeatedly, that he believes the decision to fire Shank [and presumably Frank White] was not Dayton Moore's. Kietzman is doing everything he can to get Shank to blame Dayton Moore, and Shank is continually resisting. Frankly, Kietzman is embarrassing himself in his pursuit of an agenda, and his failure to gain any ground.”
Scott, in OTC Comments
GH: Shank wanted to be playful during the interview, even ending with, “Kevin, you’re the only one who respects my body.” KK had a similar argument over Shank’s firing with Jack Harry. Harry refused to take KK’s side that this firing was Moore’s doing. Kietzman’s show is far more entertaining when his guests refused to be bullied.

“I rarely wear [professional athlete’s] jerseys and it drives my wife crazy that I buy jerseys that just hang in our closet. But I love possessing jerseys.”
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: I possess no jerseys. But I still drive my wife crazy.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“[The Angels] shocked the world! What an incredible morning they’ve had! A quarter of a bill! My man [Angels’ owner] Artie Moreno has a big brass set. Artie Moreno is not playing! Needless to say, this is the biggest day in the history of that franchise.”
Jim Rome, on reports that the Angels signed Albert Pujols to a 10-year $250-million no-trade contract, 610 AM
GH: I guess you could say that the Fort Osage High grad has done quite well for himself. Read on.

“Pujols Turns His Back On St. Louis”
Headline on St. Louis Post Dispatch website
GH: Pujols gave the Cardinals 11 seasons, two World Series titles and never had a bad season. You could argue he put together 11 of the greatest consecutive seasons in the history of baseball. But fans will be fans. Many Cardinal fans will burn their Pujols jerseys and curse his name. I find that reaction more ridiculous than what the Angels just spent on a descending player – and what the Angels just paid their 32-year-old first baseman is insane.

“Bridesmaids in so many of their recent winter pursuits, the Angels made the biggest free-agent splash in their team history Thursday morning when they reached an agreement with slugger Albert Pujols on a 10-year deal for at least $250 million.”
Mike DiGiovanna, writer, LA Times
GH: When the biggest splash in your team history is a free-agent signing, that ain’t much of a team history.

“The Cardinals? They blew their chance to keep Pujols by allowing him to reach free agency. They could have signed him to a contract extension long before he hit the market, and probably for far fewer dollars than he ultimately received. But they never completed such a deal.”
Ken Rosenthal, FoxSports.com
GH: When Pujols and the Cards couldn’t come to an agreement prior to the 2011 season, the handwriting was on the dugout wall. If I’m a Cardinal fan, this just gives me an AL team I can follow. It would have made little sense for the Cardinals to tie up $250 million in an aging slugger who is putting on weight and has limited mobility.

“St. Louis fans, I have two words for you... JUMBO WINE.”
FakeNedYost, Twitter

“Ten years, $250 million. That will go down as one of the worst contracts ever. Ten years for Pujols. That’s insane.”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM

“Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Times reported that the Angels had only $15 million to $20 million to spend, saying that owner Arte Moreno wanted to cap the team’s 2012 payroll at $140 million. Hilarious.”
Ken Rosenthal, FoxSports.com
GH: How cool would it be for David Glass to shock the Royals fans base one day with a signing that was so outrageously expensive it would be difficult to justify? Sometimes it’s fun to have an owner who is not obsessed with losin’.

“If the Cardinals are offering Pujols a 10-year contract worth more than $200 million, it's a big risk. A foolish risk, even. Even if the St. Louis proposal is nine years, with an option to kick it to 10 years, the Cardinals are suspending caution.”
Bernie Miklasz, columnist, prior to the Angels signing Pujols for $250 million over 10 years, St. Louis Post Dispatch
GH: You could say the Angels not only suspended caution but common sense. Bet it feels good to be a crazy Angels fan today.

“Three years from now I would not be stunned if Hosmer is not a better player than Pujols.”
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM
GH: This is about as bold a comment as I have heard Bukaty utter. Hosmer is coming off his rookie season and Pujols is coming off 11 of the greatest seasons in the history of MLB. It would sure be special if Bukaty is right.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24

“The Big 12 absolutely must play hardball [with Kansas City] and included in that [contract extension for the men’s Big 12 basketball tournament] is we want to waive all state sales taxes on all of our ticket sales. We want to pay no taxes.”
Kevin Kietzman, on the Big 12’s announcement they will continue to hold the Big 12 men’s tourney at Sprint Center through 2014, 810 AM
GH: I don’t understand Kietzman’s hatred for all things Kansas City. Why is a sports talk show host in Kansas City constantly looking to penalize KC because the University of Missouri chose to change conferences? KK loves to belch that WHB is a Kansas City-based business. What he conveniently forgets to add is that his ownership group moved their offices from Independence to Overland Park a decade ago. If KK considers himself pro-KC, it is no wonder our two states have so much trouble working together to improve the KC metro area.

“Wait till Louisville gets in [the Big 12]! They’re going to sell more tickets than Missouri ever could! Oh, they’re going to get in!”
Kevin Kietzman, on Louisville’s fans warming to the Big 12 basketball tournament at Sprint Center, 810 AM
GH: KK is continuing his all-out assault on everything Missouri with this comment but I like his thinking. Louisville bringing 5,000 fans to Kansas City every March would be fantastic for our hometown coffers. Think of all the sales tax, Kietz!

“With the commitment of Brandon Shepherd to Okie State, it's official: Mizzou is getting slaughtered in-state [football] recruiting in 2012.”
Peter Fleischer, writer for Columbia Tribune, Twitter
GH: Sheperd is a wide receiver out of the St. Louis area. Lee’s Summit West’s Evan Boehm, an offensive tackle who was named the 2011 Simone Award winner this week, has decommitted from Mizzou and is looking elsewhere. Springfield’s Dorial Green-Beckham, considered the top wide receiver in the country, is expected to head to Oklahoma. While all this looks bad for Mizzou, the good news is that the state is producing the kind of Grade-A talent that will make the Tigers more than competitive in the SEC. Now Pinkel just needs to snare his share.

“When Urban Meyer decided to take the Ohio State job less than a year after retiring from Florida, many Gator fans were upset with their former coach. But few more so than Jen Wiley, who named her son after Urban because of her and her husband's allegiance to Florida. Wiley's son, now 4 years old, is actually named Spurrier Urban Wiley, after Florida's two national championship winning coaches — Steve Spurrier and Meyer - but after Meyer's move to the Big Ten, Wiley wants to change her son's middle name.”
Graham Watson, writer, YahooSports.com
GH: The boy’s mom wants to change his middle name to Tim, after Tim Tebow. I’m pretty sure with this kind of parenting; little Spurrier Urban/Tim Tebow Wiley Coyote is pretty much screwed anyway.

“We are the worst passing team I have ever seen. It’s ridiculous to watch. You can look up and down the lineup, and there’s nobody that values the ball at all.”
Bill Self, with some scathing comments for his team following their 88-80 win over Long Beach State, KUSports.com

“That was about as miserable performance the last two minutes that I’ve ever seen.”
Bill Self, following KU’s 88-80 win over Long Beach State, 810 AM

“If we handle the ball like that, [Ohio State] can pick the score. Let’s just call it like it is. They will pick the score in our own building if we handle the ball like that. It will be a jailbreak if we turn the ball over against Ohio State. They won’t just be running out and scoring two points. They will be making plays that are ESPN Top-10 plays. We have to handle and pass it and maybe think the game a little better Saturday.”
Bill Self, KUSports.com
GH: KU may be catching Ohio State at the wrong time. I don’t think Kansas is as bad as Self states, but they will need far better play from their guards to compete with the Buckeyes. But how about the unexpected early-season play of Jeff Withey and Connor Teahan? Neither of these Jayhawks were considered cornerstones to this season’s success but both are proving to be far steadier than some of their more decorated teammates. Kansas is going to be fine. It just might not be in time for the visit from the Buckeyes.

“He’s got eyes not only on the back of his head but on the side and everywhere else. As soon as he drives, I just get my hands ready.”
Ricardo Ratliffe, said of Phil Pressey’s ability to distribute the ball, Columbia Tribune
GH: I didn’t know what to make of Phil Pressey last season when he and his older brother arrived as Mike Anderson’s family friends. Was he a scorer? Was he a point guard? Was he a defensive liability? What we are finding out is that the MU sophomore is the glue to this talented Tiger team. How about the breakaway dunk the 5’7 kid laid on Nova? I loved Jay Bilas’ reaction; “I didn’t know he could do that!”

“I don’t think they have much room for improvement. They don’t need it. Every spot is really solid and experienced.”
Jay Wright, Villanova’s head coach, on Mizzou, Columbia Tribune
GH: Mizzou isn’t as good as Wright paints them but they are good – and a lot of fun to watch. It will be interesting to see if their fans begin to fill Mizzou Arena’s all-too-often empty seats.

“If K-State has any ambition at all of making the NCAA [tournament], that’s the kind of game they really ought to win. I think [K-State] is coming along nicely. I think we’re going to have to see them step up in class and get them exposed to see who they are.”
Mike DeCourcy, of The Sporting News, on KSU’s game in Wichita Thursday night against West Virginia, 810 AM
GH: What a great week of local college basketball. Mizzou against Nova at Madison Square Garden, KU taking on a talented LBS team at the Fieldhouse and now we get the reunion of Huggy Bear and The Glare in Wichita on Thursday night. The cold weather might bite but with it comes some great college hoops.

“What I believe is going on right now is I believe the negotiations have started with whoever the guy is.”
Jon Kirby, of JayHawkSlant.com, on KU’s search for their next football coach, 810 AM
GH: Rumors persist that KU would like to present their new football coach to their fans at the Ohio State basketball game this Saturday.

“These general managers and people think they can just get a big guy [to play offensive line] and all he has to do is get in the way anyway. I think you’re finding out that these guys are just as much a playmaker as your running backs and wide receivers.”
Tim Grunhard, 810 AM
GH: Grunny is a former center and he is always going to overvalue big butted football players. Yes, offensive linemen are important to your team’s success but you win in the NFL with playmakers, not earth movers.

“It’s like throwing spaghetti up against a wall. We don’t have that base of what we are as a football team. I think a lot of it goes back to Todd [Haley] and that draw-it-up-in-a-room thing. When you do nothing but change, that’s what the outlook’s going to look like.”
Bill Maas, on the Chiefs lack of an offensive identity, 610 AM
GH: Maas is one of Haley’s biggest proponents. He has supported the weird, the wacky and the wild strategies, ideas and comments from the Chiefs second-year head coach. But even some of Haley’s most ardent fans are starting to wonder about him. That is not a good sign when your hot seat is permanently in the on position.

GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / gregahll24

“They guard, they pass, they pat each other on the back when they get subbed out of the game and they shoot the eyes out of the basketball. It’s impossible to not be impressed by what they are doing.”
Doug Gottlieb, on the 7-0 start of the Missouri basketball team, 810 AM
GH: How good is Missouri? Are the Tigers anywhere near as good as they have looked in dominating their early-season opposition? Even some Mizzou fans are a bit pessimistic about buying into the top-10 ranking of their Tigers. Not because they don’t believe Frank Haith’s orphans aren’t good – it’s just difficult for anyone to think Mizzou’s as good as they’ve looked – because they have looked Final Four good.

“I think Missouri’s got a real chance to win the Big 12 and if they get hot and somebody gets beat [in the NCAA tournament], they’ve got a real chance to play in New Orleans.”
Jay Bilas, 810 AM

“I think Missouri’s got a legitimate chance. The Big 12 is wide open. Kansas is good but not as good as they’ve been. I think the [Big 12] is there for the taking. I still think the championship is going to go through Lawrence, but this is the year to do it. Missouri is more than capable.”
Jay Bilas, 810 AM

“[Coach Self] challenged us. [He said] that we’re not playing up to the expectations we should be, that we can be a really good team. It’s all up to us. We have to play harder and smarter. It was a good talk. It was a motivating talk — one that kind of called us out.”
Jeff Withey, on Bill Self’s message to his KU team, Lawrence Journal World
GH: Kansas has too often looked about as bad as any Bill Self team has looked during their noncom schedule. I passed on a chance to go Allen Fieldhouse tonight to watch the Long Beach State game – due more to the 8 PM start and being married than the opponent. LBS is good and could give KU a tough time even at home tonight. Jay Bilas called LBS’s early-season schedule one that would even be rough on the Lakers. Mizzou plays Villanova in NY at the Madison Square Garden at 6 PM [ESPN] and KU’s game comes on at 8 PM [ESPNU, KCSP]. Get home early and claim that LCD flat screen for yourself tonight. Wife Warning – A Michael Buble Christmas comes on at 7 PM!

“The truth is that the middle of these power conferences are as soft as tissue paper. These teams are not very good.”
Jay Bilas, on his disappointment with the overall team talent in NCAA basketball so far this season, 810 AM

“Just watched Gladiator. Wow!!!! It gets me every time. Maximus stood for honor, honesty and loyalty. That's what it’s all about.”
Frank Martin, KSU head basketball coach, Twitter
GH: Martin is a fun follow on Twitter. He is not much different than following a fan – which makes him all the more entertaining.

"Did you just check the game on your phone? I guess I'm just a little oversensitive."
Female Date in AT&T TV ad
GH: This commercial reminds me of our second son’s birth – which happened to coincide with 21-year-old Tiger Woods’ back nine at the Byron Nelson – just shortly after he had won his first Masters by 12 strokes over Tom Kite. The TV in my wife’s hospital room was tuned to the golf tourney and my wife kept accusing me of sneaking peaks at the tube while she and the doctor were busy extracting son number two. Of course I denied it. Of course she was right.

“This is as wide open of a year as I can remember [for the Heisman]. Andrew Luck should not win.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: Does the Heisman really matter anymore? There was a time the college football world held its collective breath for this hallowed award’s announced winner. Now? Meh. Blame it on the BCS – it has pretty much ruined everything that has to do with the college football ‘bowels” postseason.

“Our boss just took over 980, at least temporarily. They excel at incredibly boring radio.”
Nick Wright, after rejecting a news update from Jared Carter regarding Missouri’s Brady Deaton stating that one of the reasons MU chose to depart the Big 12 for the SEC was a continued decrease in state funding, 610 AM
GH: Wright hammers away at his fellow Entercom sister news station with regularity. We now know that he is far more cautious when criticizing the Royals. Maybe Nick can arrange for Darla Jaye to get sent down to Omaha.

“It’s about the five nimrods that voted Oklahoma State fourth! … It’s just so petty and stupid. I just can’t believe Gary Pinkel voted Oklahoma State fourth! I can’t believe it. It’s almost unfathomable. I’m really disappointed in Gary Pinkel.”
Kevin Kietzman, on the BCS bowl pairings and OSU not jumping over Alabama in the latest poll, 810 AM
GH: I am guessing that Kietzman’s weekly interviews with Pinkel ended with the regular season. It sure sounded that way on Monday when KK was verbally blasting the MU coach. How bad did it get? Read on.

“What [Gary Pinkel] did with his vote is every bit as fraudulent as his DWI. This is just a joke. There cannot be one Missouri fan anywhere that backs Gary Pinkel. Come on Missouri, could you show a little class going out the door? Boy, I feel bad for [Pinkel]. That’s a sad deal. I’m embarrassed for Gary Pinkel and Missouri. I really am.”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: I agree that Pinkel’s vote appears to be a final middle finger to the Big 12. Is it comparable to his DWI? No. I have no idea where Kietzman is coming from with that comparison but I have a feeling he just wanted to mention it.

“I’ve been telling people all weekend that if I would have had a vote I might have bumped Alabama down to sixth or seventh just out of revolt. I can justify them at seven or eight. Absolutely!”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: This comment from KK almost made me tweak my spine from the double take. How can he rip Pinkel for his vote when he states he would have committed an even more outrageous injustice—out of “revolt?” Nothing like a dose of KK in the afternoon to make you feel good about yourself as a human.

“Gary Pinkel tried to say last week that teams haven’t left the SEC. That’s not true! That has happened. It’s been awhile.”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: I believe Kietzman was less than one year old the last time a team left the SEC.  Three schools have departed the SEC; The University of the South [Sewanee] in 1940, Georgia Institute of Technology  in 1964 and Tulane in 1966. Let’s just go ahead and call Pinkel a goddamn liar to boot.

“Those people in SEC country all hate each other and they all cheat each other!”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: Mizzou should be well educated in the arts of both as a former Big 12 member.

“I waited 25 minutes for the [Green Bay Packers] server to respond once they went live [selling $250 ‘shares’ to the public]. I plan to send in my suggested st