OTC: Chiefs’ Panic Premature / Youth Movement In KC Sports Media Scene
“Everything is so damn doom and gloom about these Kansas City Chiefs! So everybody, myself included, can just calm down a little. …Matt Cassel is the starter and the team is world’s better than it was a year ago.”
Nick Wright, 810 AM
“The quarterback on this team is Matt Cassel. There is no quarterback controversy. None! Zip! It’s over! For the media to be working up this frenzy…”
Jack Harry, 810 AM
GH: While there is a lot of discussion about the quality of play of the Chiefs’ quarterbacks, I don’t think the majority of fans or the media are seriously concerned. Why? I don’t think we expect much this season. I have never – NEVER – experienced a Chiefs’ preseason where the expectations for the team have been this low.
“Everybody says they are going to have a lot of patience and everything but just wait until that first (Chiefs’) loss.”
Danny Clinkscale, 810 AM
“I expect Cassel to have a bad season this year. I hope they don’t overreact in this town or in that front office. I thought the whole point of (Cassel’s) contract was so that he wouldn’t be under pressure – that this was his job.”
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM
GH: New GM, new head coach, new offense, new QB, same offensive line and much of the same defense. That’s not a recipe for a playoff team. Chiefs’ fans aren’t expecting 10 wins. What do they expect in 2009? A tough, competitive team that makes playing in Arrowhead very scary for opponents again – and five or six wins at home.
“Time’s a wasting. Friday’s a big game for that guy.”
Kent Babb, on the Chiefs’ starting QB, Matt Cassel’s shaky play so far in camp, 810 AM
GH: Okay, so not everybody is sold that Cassel is home free.
“I think (Haley) is too honest. That’s my own personal feeling. You go back and look how Vermeil and Marty handled the media. They were smooth and diplomatic. They had ways of getting around (questions) and not really giving you what you wanted.”
Jack Harry, 810 AM
GH: Why is speaking your mind a fault and dancing around the truth “smooth and diplomatic?” This I hope to never understand. I love that Haley is now feeling comfortable enough in his role to be blunt and frank with the media.
“I think they’ll get up closer to six or seven wins.”
Cris Collinsworth, on his expected improvement from the Chiefs, 810 AM
“I think we way over value these other (NFL) teams. Nobody’s saying the Chiefs are going to be a playoff team. But the question is; are they better than last year? I think based on the back-end schedule they ought to win six games.”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
“At this time, I won’t pick the Chiefs to win any road games.”
Danny Clinkscale, 810 AM
“Am I the only person embarrassed for Chris Mortensen? This guy used to be the most respected guy in football. Now he’s just this goof rolling around in a bus.”
Soren Petro, after Mort was credited with reporting Brett Favre was headed to Minnesota to sign with the Vikings, 810 AM
GH: Word out of John Madden’s camp is that the role of “goof riding around in a bus” pays very, very well.
“He’s still got a long way to go.”
Adam Teicher, on Tyson Jackson, the Chiefs’ first-round pick at defensive end, 610 AM
“(Tyson Jackson) has got a long way to come. There’s no doubt that he is struggling with the techniques they want him to use. I think he may be a slow starter, but I think by the bye week I would expect him to be really progressing.”
Chris Hamblin, 610 AM
GH: The Chiefs’ bye week is November 1st. Wouldn’t it be kind of nice if one year, just once, the Chiefs’ first-round pick came out of the blocks smoking? Our draft picks always seem to come wrapped in that combination of plastic and titanium that electronics stores use to house video and audio accessories.
“I think anybody who doesn’t have a job in the middle of August has some question marks.”
Adam Teicher, on the Chiefs’ newest wide receiver, Ashley Lelie, 610 AM
“I think the reason (Dwayne Bowe) got cycled down there (to third team) is because Haley likes him so much and thinks he has so much potential. Just about every day, Haley has said something positive about Dwayne Bowe.”
Kent Babb, Star beat writer, who does not think the Chiefs are interested in trading Bowe, 810 AM
“I think Benedict Babb asked an interesting question.”
Chris Hamblin, referring to Kent Babb, a friend of C&C who is a paid Chiefs’ insider for 810, C&C’s competitor, 610 AM
GH: If you haven’t noticed, the core group of people covering the local sports scene is undergoing a seismic shift to a much younger voice. Len Dawson, Frank Boal and Don Fortune ruled this town’s microphones for decades. They have all moved on. Meanwhile, the one-time young guys like Kietzman, Whitlock, JoPo, Petro and St. John are no longer 20-something single guys hustling to make their mark. Slowly but most certainly a new, younger swarm is digging in and staking claim to their share of the KC sports pie. Some of these include the talented Babb and Sam Mellinger at The Star. Lance Veeser at KSHB 41 and Nick Griffith at KMBC 9. C&C and Nick Wright at 610. Jason Anderson, Craig Brenner and Curtis Kitchen at 810. I have probably missed a few names but you get the idea. Will any of them rise up to become the next KK or Dawson? It is an interesting time to be following those who deliver us our local sports news and commentary.
“I’m glad to hear Jim Colbert is okay. I was listening yesterday and I thought he had a heart attack!”
Caller to Kevin Kietzman’s show on Wednesday, 810 AM
GH: I did not hear Colbert’s alarming emergency signoff Tuesday on Kietzman’s show but KK mentioned on Wednesday that the former PGA golfer was physically compromised by being at 11,000 feet while on vacation in the mountains during his cell-phone interview. Kietzman assured listeners today that Colbert was fine and is continuing his vacation. If I find myself at 11,000 feet, I hope to be inside an airplane.
“Hey dude. I smelled the top of my hand two days ago and I thought I stuck it in a toilet. I’m dead serious. Just make sure you’re taking care of yourself. …I’m just saying, a little bit musty.”
Carson Palmer, Bengals QB, to his center, Kyle Cook, who he accused of having a foul-smelly backside, HBO’s Hard Knocks
GH: At first I thought Palmer was kidding his center but Cook’s reaction was not that of a guy being played. He was mortified that the center thought there was some seepage from his anal area during center snaps. Cook assured his QB that he had washed everything. “Yeah, but you’re not sweaty yet,” replied Palmer. Cook was adamant that it was not him and attempted to convince Palmer the foul smell may have come from the camp food. Where else do you get this insight? It’s not TV. It’s H-BO.
My favorite exchange from the latest episode of Hard Knocks involves former Mizzou tight end Chase Coffman and his position coach former Chief, Jonathan Hayes.
Head Coach Marvin Lewis: “Poor Chase (Coffman). Man, he gets knocked around.”
Coach Jonathan Hayes: “He’s got a new nickname.”
Head Coach Marvin Lewis: “What’s that?”
Coach Jonathan Hayes: “Crash Dummy.”
Greghall24@yahoo.com and www.Twitter.com @ greghall24
August 19th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Craig Brenner? Are you serious? You had me until you dropped that name in there.
I’d love to know what Lance Veeser brings to the table. Has he ever broken a story? Said anything insightful? Appeared on television without the perma-smirk?
Just because there’s been an influx of younger voices and faces on the KC sports media scene doesn’t mean there’s been an influx of talent. Babb & Mellinger are solid, Nick Wright gets better all the time, but after that the cupboard is bare. C&C are college radio bad. Griffith is a young male Kornacki.
Croyle is still the best QB on the Chiefs.
August 19th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Croyle….lol.
Camp must be really slow this year…
August 20th, 2009 at 3:44 am
I just wonder how much a groundswell there will be, when the Chiefs go into the bye week 1-6, for firing ScottTodd and shipping Cassell to Siberia. Patience hasn’t been the greatest virtue of Chiefs Nation.
Cassell will need the long-term contract. Not only is he in a completely new setting, after spending three years as a back-up in NE before Brady’s injury last season, but he’s working with a group of cast-off receivers (Engram, Darling, Lelie, Toomer) and a Dwayne Bowe who remains completely clueless. The offensive line isn’t in any better shape; Albert looks like a keeper, but Waters and Goff are on the back end of their careers. Cassell may be struggling himself, but there isn’t much talent there to help him.
The good news is that there may be a promising group of QBs in the 2010 draft, so if Cassell isn’t the real deal the Chiefs may have options.
August 20th, 2009 at 6:42 am
I agree that it’s nice to hear a coach speak honestly. I think that’s why Bill Self is so well liked, even by other team’s fans. If you ask him a question, you’re going to get an answer.
But speaking of old guys, you failed to question why Roger Twibell has a show. Does anybody listen to that crap?
August 20th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Why do you think Twibell’s name is rarely mentioned in this column? He NEVER says anything worth repeating. He is without a doubt the most boring media personality I have ever encountered. Wake up, 610!
August 20th, 2009 at 7:36 am
my expectations for the cheifs are high.
I can’t wait for the season to start.
I can’t wait for every freaking old washedup
boring sports analyst to see what we have and
proven wrong.
These guys like hall/kk/jack “i’m here because
hte guy before me had a heart attack” harry/
and the rest of the idiots on the tv/radio
are all wrong.
KK said the week before last years playoffs..
“I don’t want the chiefs to be like the ariona
cardinals…9-7 and lose their first playoff
game badly..thats not the chiefs team i want”
Well screw you kk…and the girl who blew you
in that car in mission hills..you were wrong
then…you’re wrong now…
Hall…you wake up in a b ad mood. Maybe you
need to stop watching chiefs pre season
game replays and get some p*ssy. It works
wonders on your outlook and attitude.
610…noone want to aedvertise there…its
a hell hole…soon to probably change formats
to classic country again.
I can’t wait for all the pos announcers to
be wrong.
Hey jack harry…take the buyout…you are
becoming more senile every day and becoming
incoherent.
August 20th, 2009 at 7:42 am
I can’t think of a more negative group of
people than the sports people in kc.
What a rotten life they lead. They are negative..
all the time.
They are wrong 90% of the time.
How do their families handle all this negative
attitide…they all must wake up with a bad
attitude from the first moment.
What a horrible way to live your life.
August 20th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Jojo –
Was that not you yesterday that said the Royals would be bad for another 5 to 8 years? How does your family handle this negative attitude?
August 20th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Crash dummy!
August 20th, 2009 at 8:23 am
u think Jojo has a family? We are his family that’s why he writes so much. His family left him in the trailer court several years ago with his Derrick Thomas shirt, remote control in one hand, and him yelling into a tape recorder in the other hand so he could send audition tapes to 810.
August 20th, 2009 at 8:31 am
I concur about Roger Twibell…terrible.
August 20th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Jared Allen was on 810 today……
810 scoops 610 once again!
August 20th, 2009 at 8:52 am
“If I find myself at 11,000 feet, I hope to be inside an airplane.”
If you were at 11,000 feet in an airplane in the mountains you’d be in the side of a mountian. Boom!
August 20th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Speaking of Derrick Thomas…I know I’m way late on this but I finally got around to reading the post about his induction.
I disagree with Greg I don’t think he’ll be known primarily for 7 kids with so many different baby momma’s. Though I do think that will be part of his legacy.
I also recall watching on TV his 7 sack game.
Bob Moore is a troll so I dismiss anything he says.
Though I understand the logic, having Derrick’s kid talk at the Hall Of Fame ceremony was just to big of a moment for the kid. He was out of his element.
Why don’t the professionals give some advice to the lay people? Those that were in charge of the pre tape during Derrick’s induction should of told his mom to get rid of the ruby red lipstick and Wendy’s hamburgers wig. She looked ghastly. Where if you saw her in the audience she looked GREAT. Make up and clothing people should of worked with her so she came off better. I also felt something was missing in Carl’s speech. It also was disappointing the lack of crowd size.
August 20th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Carson Palmer was definitely messing with his center. They followed that exchange with his gatorade talk. What was funnier Laverneous Coles and his sleeping chamber, or Chad Ochoocinco not knowing how banks use people’s money. The look on his face was priceless.
August 20th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
hey assholes…I never attack any other posters
unless they have the continuous negative
attitude that the media in this town have.
After one game they have gone nuts..and its
a preseason game.
As far as family…I have an incredible and
succesful family. And I do wear a derrick Thomas
shirt occasionally.
As far as saying the royals wouold be bad
for 5-8 years…read the post asshole.
It said something needed to be done. It wasnt
negative. It had some out of the box ideas
that probably would work but that moore and
glass would never do.
I conatinue to attend royals games…i pay
money to see them (unlike the restof you
who critisize from the sidelines)…and as
a true supporter believe that changes do need
to be made. But…my attitude is that we
need more than just cosmetic changes.
Now losers…get back to your $10 an hour
job you bottom feeding dogs.
August 20th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
JimmieD: havent you got anything better to do
than watch tv…you’re as biga loser as
hall…
Oh …and greg…if you can pull yourself away
from watching video replays of chiefs pre season
games at night…maybe get some p*ssy …it works
wonders for the brain…it might actually make
you feel postive and refreshed and not so
negative and burned out.
August 20th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Well Jojo based on how often you misspell words we know how little you are getting. Whats your excuse for not being positive and being so negative. I LOVE this line “Hey as*holes I never attack any other posters” Ahhh…I think you did, you do, and you do so repeatedly. But hey brother we love you just the way you are. You are one of a kind. Kind of like your crazy uncle Bob who you love seeing at family holidays because you know he is going to do or say something weird.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
I think that’s why Bill Self is so well liked, even by other team’s fans. If you ask him a question, you’re going to get an answer.
But speaking of old guys, you failed to question why Roger Twibell has a show. Does anybody listen to that crap?