I’ve written about Jason Whitlock‘s replacement at the Kansas City Star more than once…
Now I really want to tell you it’s my belief that Sam “The Man” Mellinger is the real deal.
When Nick Wright was on the scene at 610 Sports, it was my pleasure to be on his show several times and as listeners know Sam was a weekly regular on the show.We never met to my knowledge, unless it was a brief hello in the hallway.
But Mellinger’s last several pieces on the Kansas City Chiefs have been excellent. Today he capped it off by doing a story about a lifelong Chiefs fan, a 66 year-old man, who wrote a somewhat mean spirited letter to Chiefs owner Clark Hunt asking for a meeting.
The man was surprised when he got the 2 hour session with the Chiefs owner. Having said how interesting all that was, Sam then used the rare occasion of Hunt’s fan interest, to remind his readers of just how far the franchise has fallen in the eyes of Chiefs Fans.
Today’s Chiefs fans have ponied up money to fly a banner over Arrowhead asking for the firing of Scott Pioli, they want black bands worn at Arrowhead in a few weeks mourning the death of their once beloved Chiefs.
The fans see no fixing this in the near future and neither do I.
I once asked Sam to grow a pair and he’s done just that and much more.
So a salute to Sam Mellinger is now warranted.
Mellinger is a much-needed breath of sweet smelling air for the Kansas City Star.
Speaking of the Chiefs, someone down at The Star has been given a tip about a die-hard fan who has missed only two regular season games since the franchise moved to Kansas City in 1963. If the writer who got the tip doesn’t want to follow through with a story, then perhaps he’ll pass the information on to Mellinger so he can feature the guy in a column. Heck, anyone who has sat through all of the team’s home games in recent years ought to receive the football equivalent of the Purple Heart. No, Mellinger will be fine as long as he sticks to sports for the most part and isn’t out to pick a fight with anyone and everyone like Whitlock was inclined to do. I don’t want a columnist who’s constantly trying to stir up trouble but rather someone who can add a much-needed sense of perspective to the world of sports against the backdrop of all the other major problems the world is dealing with at this time.
Your superlatives of “The Man” and “The Franchise” are juvenile and annoying. While I enjoy Mr. Mellinger’s writing style he is only jumping on the bandwagon and not leading it. There is still too much courtesy extended between the local sports media and sports teams. Some may be throwing rocks, finally, but the weapon of necessity at this point needs to be the Molotov cocktail.
Or you could take the high road and just ignore and not throw money at this bloated, sinking franchise. Junior has officially beat the injured, limping horse that is the Chefs to death.
I’ve been trying since your first post not that long ago to ignore the fact that your name backwards is (tasteless). You seem to be an intelligent poster who makes good points, but that name is as offensive as they come and to legitimize that by giving you any respect at all would be something of an endorsement. That said, the erosion of this site over the past several months into an oozing bastion of maniacal negativity makes that moniker probably more acceptable than it would be elsewhere. So be it.
HC: Here’s my take; I think he’s the commenter-formerly-known-as-smartman using that sophomoric pen name, if you will, in protest for my decree about cleaning up the comments section.
Mr. Reggin’s comments, while interesting and to the point, in no way resemble smarty’s style.
imo
Same Sam “The Man” that claimed people were “missing out” if they didn’t jump on the SKC bandwagon? Yeah……OK. He’s the man.
Come on kids play nice..Smartman you’re back? Super Dave is thrilled.
I am NOT back. But check my comment yesterday at Greg Hall’s site. I absolutely CRUSHED it.
That he did
Cool, we miss you, even Super Dave cried when you left…Harley didn’t he still thinks you live next door to him, Chuck is too worried about Harley to miss you…Paul is a closet democrate and Hearne is too busy decorating his basement for the Super Bowl party…2015…
And as always which I am sure you knew Smartman, Glazer is clueless.
Harley, is our “Broadside of the barn”, we couldn’t do without him.
I was a gunner in the service in 69, and we “Bracketed” in our three salvos if the Fire Control Techs didn’t have the trigger.
Every time Harley posts, I get a Pavlovian, parasympathetic itch in my trigger finger.
🙂
Yes he did.
As always, fantastic journalism …
“I think I might have seen him in a hallway once …”
Pathetic. Truly pathetic.
Thank you