Good morning. Another dose of Kansas City Chiefs news from across the internet. Enjoy!
Down in Surprise, Arizona on Thursday, the Kansas City Royals had 38 pitchers and catchers working on Day No. 1. It was the kick off to another season where little is expected from the boys in blue. It’s been going on seven years since the Royals finished a season with a winning season and going on 25 years since they’ve made baseball’s post-season. In the just completed decade, the Royals were 672-948, with a .415 winning percentage.
The Chiefs are a long way from starting their 2010 season, but little is expected of the boys in red this fall. They are 10-38 in their last three seasons and have made the playoffs just twice in the last 12 years. They have not won a post-season game in the last 16 years.
To say that sports fans in Kansas City and its environs have been disappointed by their NFL and major league baseball teams is maybe the biggest understatement of the year. Over the last three years, the Royals have a .430 winning percentage (209-277) and the Chiefs have a .208 winning percentage (10-38).
The Land Of Losing … Weekend Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz
Willie Lanier and Buck Buchanan, whose play with the Chiefs earned them entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will be honored Saturday night in Atlanta. The hall will honor players, coaches and contributors from historically black college and universities.
“Buck and Willie broke barriers,” Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli said in a statement. “The Chiefs were fortunate to draft both of these Hall of Fame performers, who became respected leaders on some of the greatest teams in franchise history.”
Lanier, Buchanan will be inducted into Black College Football Hall of Fame from KC Star
Over 106 million people watched this year’s epic Super Bowl (that makes three high-quality games in a row for those scoring at home). Nothing wrong with the product the NFL’s is putting on the field with numbers like that, right? It would be like telling James Cameron how to direct a movie or Brooklyn Decker how to be perfect.
But believe it or not, there are actually plenty of ways to make a great league even better. Joe Concha explores 10 not-so-atomic alterations.Top 10 ways to make the NFL even better from Fox Sports
OK, some of you have asked for it and we’ve promised it, so let’s open he floodgates for another session of ASK BOB. This time the subject is the website, bobgretz.com.For all those who have questions about the site, suggestions, complaints, kudos and the like, we’d appreciate your comments. If you want to vent, rant or praise, we’ll take those too. If there are other things you want to see, or things we provide that you don’t want to see, this your opporunity. If it’s about bobgretz.com or just Bob Gretz, we’ll read all and we will comment.
ASK BOB – ABOUT THE SITE from Bob Gretz
Perhaps the biggest mistake the Patriots made last offseason was their decision to include linebacker Mike Vrabel in the trade that sent quarterback Matt Cassel to the Kansas City Chiefs. Soon, they could have the opportunity to make amends.
Vrabel, 34, spent eight seasons in New England after coming over from the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2001. His best effort came in 2007, when Vrabel notched 12 1/2 sacks and forced five fumbles on defense, and also caught two touchdown passes out of the goal-line formation on offense.
The hallmarks of Vrabel’s tenure with the Patriots, though, were his consistency and leadership. The former Ohio State Buckeye missed just three total games due to injury (in 2003), enabling the rest of the defense to rely upon him for stability, both on the field and off. Along with safety Rodney Harrison and fellow linebacker Tedy Bruschi, Vrabel set the tone for his younger teammates in rushing the passer, stopping the run and providing leadership in the locker room.
Reunion with Mike Vrabel Could Make Sense for Patriots from NESN.com
Buffalo Bills starting right tackle Brad Butler announced his retirement on Thursday.
The news comes as a surprise to the Bills after the 26-year-old Butler just completed only his fourth NFL season.
Butler majored in government studies at Virginia, and spent the 2008 offseason interning at Kemp Partners in Washington DC with former and late Bills quarterback and congressman Jack Kemp.
Starting right tackle Brad Butler stuns Bills, announces retirement at age 26 from Taranga.com
Mark Funkhouser has wanted to pull the plug on city funding that helps maintain the Truman Sports Complex for years. And for years he’s been unpersuasive in convincing others that’s the right move to make.
As auditor, he issued a report in March 1993 that strongly recommended eliminating city support for the complex. His City Council bosses rejected the idea, but Funkhouser returned to that theme — always unsuccessfully — for many years after that.
And last week he again proposed axing the funds, up to $2 million worth, from the next city budget.
But Funkhouser is no longer the auditor, City Hall’s chief second-guesser.
He’s now the mayor — has been for almost three agonizingly long years — and is responsible for more than just spraying ideas about how to use city funds.
Another inept Funkhouser move on stadium subsidy from Midwest Voices
The administration of Scott Pioli and Todd Haley has already cleared out many unwanted defensive players. Most of the remaining defensive players Pioli and Haley inherited -- I'm talking about Tamba Hali, Glenn Dorsey, Ron Edwards, Demorrio Williams, Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr and probably Derrick Johnson -- are unlikely to be going anywhere.
That leaves Jarrad Page and DaJuan Morgan. The Chiefs didn't seem enthusiastic about Page last season, though that could change now that Romeo Crennel is running their defense. In either case, the Chiefs control Page's status since he will be a restricted free agent.
Which players does Cunningham want? from The Red Zone
Player Tweets
almighty31 a zebra walkin downtown atlanta on the interstate. SMH. ATL is somethin else. Devastating and wreckless
almighty31 bout to hit applebees
almighty31 no more applebees. where should i eat
almighty31 im hittin up Qudos 2nite
MrKolbySmith KC!! What it do?
MrKolbySmith Is it chicken and waffles or waFfles and chicken. No waffle house in Boston. Terrible!!! @CRolle90 @DenyceLawton (cont) http://tl.gd/a4ecg
JarradPage44 At Lucky Strike in Hollywood. Where r @lamontbrown99 and @ElliottButler when u need em. DAMN DAMN DAAAAAAMN!! lol
Media and Fans
Adam_Schefter Whoa: Former NFL DB Troy Vincent has been named NFL vice president of player development for active players, the NFL announced today
Adam_Schefter Vincent was up for the NFLPA Exec. Director job that went to De Smith instead. So now Vincent has joined the NFL. Very interesting.
JoshLooney Congrats to our "Tag Arrowhead" winners on the facebook page - Beau Connelly & Michael Buckley Jr - facebook.com/kansascitychiefs
WhitlockJason Washington Post/ABC poll asked 2,000 women would they have sex with Tiger Woods. 82 percent responded "not again."
Adam_Schefter This is fair, valid and true, too. RT @UcantCLA: if it was my job to report news and remain objective, a boycott seems very unprofessional.
Adam_Schefter Tiger Woods press conference will be aired live on ESPN @ 11 am ET RT @Bobby_BigWheel: And 8 pm on NBC.
hansensouthbend Talked to former #NotreDame coach Charlie Weis the other day. He's enjoying his new job as OC of the KC Chiefs and still a big Irish fan.
kb_kcstar Chiefs fans, say hi to The Star's newest columnist, my friend Sam @Mellinger. A great writer who'll help us cover the dog outta the Chiefs.
Tuggboat: @MoveTheSticks was Branden Albert a bad pick by the Chiefs or do you still see 1st round value out of him?
BarrysKOOLAID: I PREACH KANSAS CITY CHIEFS MUTHER F*&^%R!!!!