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Glazer: Kansas City Takes It Up The You-know-What Courtesy of KU
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While Jayhawk Nation is jumping up and down over the Final Four, I can assure you not everybody else in Kansas City feels that way…
And I’m not just talking about MU and K-State fans.
Before I lay down a few facts regarding the Kansas City economy, understand I’m proud of our University of Kansas basketball program. The Kansas basketball team is our only elite sports team in the area. And it has been for a generation or three since either the Chiefs or Royals have meant anything.
Most Kansas Citians who follow our sports teams today have never even seen Len Dawson play.
Len, who?
Glazer: No Wonder K-State Coach Frank Martin Bailed, He Got Screwed
Don’t look now but The wheels are starting to come off…
ESPN reported K-State’s No. 1 recruit, seven foot tall, Robert Upshaw, has backed out of his agreement to play for the basketball team. He signed a letter of intent with K-State and that commitment is now gone.
As 610 Sports Nick Wright pointed out earlier this week, K-State coach Frank Martin and athletic director John Currie not only didn’t get along, they disliked each other. The straw that broke the back was the decision by Currie and maybe others, to hold out star player Jamar Samuels from the second game of the NCAA tournament game which K-State went on to lose.
I like what Wright had to say about the story Currie fed the media regarding the "money wire found on the floor, or in the waste basket at a grocery." Remember, they pulled Samuels because a couple days before the big game a money wire receipt was turned into the compliance office at K-State.
Whinery: WHY OBAMACARE AND MITT ROMNEY ARE FINISHED
After two years of wrangling since the passage of “Obamacare,” the Supreme Court of the United States has spent the last three days hearing oral arguments about the “Constitutionality’ of the new law. And being an Esquire, I’ve been absorbed by the proceedings. Using my “superior legal reasoning” bestowed upon me by the faculty at Washburn Law School, here are the two simple reasons this health care law is going down in flames.
Number 1: The law mandates that everyone must buy insurance and if you don’t, you pay a penalty which is collected by the I.R.S. Insurance is contractual in nature and a citizen cannot be forced to sign a contract under duress. If threatening a person who does not buy insurance with the I.R.S. is not duress, I don’t know what is…
Number 2: The Severability Doctrine: this is a legislative concept which allows for one part of a law to be found Unconstitutional but leaves the rest of the law intact. The Democratic Leadership of the Senate- in all their “brilliance” forgot to put a severability clause into the final bill signed by Obama. And without this clause, the Supreme Court can throw out Obamacare, in toto, if just one part is found to violate the Constitution.
Starbeams: P&L for Sale, Sprint’s Hesse vs Fox’s Colmes & Earth Day Abortion File Recycling
The historic Power & Light building downtown is for sale for $17.5 million dollars. However not many people are interested in buying it because it’s not in the Blue Valley School District.
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Sprint shares dropped 45 percent in 2011, yet CEO Dan Hesse‘s salary increased 31 percent to $11.9 million. Hesse says most of his compensation comes from being a stunt-double for Fox News host Alan Colmes.
Jack Goes Confidential: ‘SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN’ Makes for Strange Catch
What a goofy title…
But if you’re seeking truth in advertising that’s what SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN is really about.
This British offering is an unusual entry from the director of CHOCOLAT and THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, Lasse Hallstrom and Oscar-winning SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and FULL MONTY writer Simon Beaufoy.
The film is based on the popular book by Paul Torday.
But if you think that this is your typical fishing story—a weekend in the Ozarks perhaps—think again.
Leftridge: Horrible Bosses Part Two: Frank Martin Says Goodbye
When a person is unreasonable, their natural inclination when dealing with disappointment is frequently irrational. Often times, no one is more unreasonable (or irrational) than your garden-variety sports fan.
When Carlos Beltran left the Royals in 2004 for greener pastures (and nothing says greener than “Houston, TX”), fans were understandably miffed. Here go the Royals, once again, the sorrowful fans bemoaned, crying softly into their Kaufmann Stadium nachos.
A once in a lifetime player, and for what?
Blake Wood, who was out of baseball after a 2010 stint with the Rockford Riverhawks, whoever they are.
John Buck, who is still catching with the Miami Marlins, despite having the dubious honor of having the lowest percentage of runners caught stealing in all of baseball in 2011.
Mark Teahen, the lynchpin of the deal, who was released by the Blue Jays in January and is currently on a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals.
The trade, by nearly any tangible measurement, was a bust. And yet strangely, after all of these years, the casual fan would point this blame solely at Beltran. He was a spoiled dick, a diva, and a gargantuan greed-monger who did that shit where the cartoon wolf’s eyes cha-ching and turn into giant, old-timey cash register dollar signs.
Frank Martin is the Carlos Beltran of Kansas State University… Sort of.
Sounds Good: Yonder Mountain@Liberty Hall (for real), Tyler Gregory@Barnyard, Adam Corolla@Uptown, Late Night Callers@Bottleneck
Do I have to do everything around here?… 
I mean, we’re in the midst of a magical ride in Larryville– and nothing? We’re surfing atop a wave of momentum that had thousands of crimson and blue crazies filling Mass Street last weekend.
Conversations of Jayhawk Nation are filling up message boards, Facebook posts, Twitter, and dominating water cooler talk. Just a few short months ago, could anyone have imagined it?
No, I’m not talking about KU’s Final Four run per se. I’m talking about #KUBoobs.
Where are you when we need you Lefty?…
New Jack City: Boulevard Drive In Debuts Stunning New Sight & Sounds, Free Double Feature
Everything’s up to date in Kansas City—especially when it comes to Drive-In movies…
The Boulevard Drive In made its debut in 1950 and remains as the oldest, continously operating movie theater in the greater Kansas City area.
In 1999 the outdoor venue’s owner and operator Wes Neal installed DTS Digital Sound, a first for Drive In’s anywhere.
And for the 2012 season, Neal and grandson Brian Neal are really stepping it up with another FIRST.
Hearne: The Jazz Train Wreck Known as Jardine’s Erupts into Bidding War
Who doesn’t love a good, old-fashioned train wreck?
And for the past four months, the wreck that won’t go away involves Kansas City’s leading jazz club Jardine’s. But hold it a minute before we go any further.
I hereby promise not to bog down in the endless stream of details – the few ups and many downs of this pathetically sad, ridiculously lame tale of musical chairs.
Suffice it to say, there are plenty of losers and villains in this jazz soap and precious few good guys and gals. But after making contact with Jardine’s owner Beena Raja and most of the key players yesterday, I can now report that…
It’s still a nightmare of monumental proportions.
Hearne: New KMBZ Biz Channel Faceplants After Mike Shanin Refuses to go on Air
Radio can get messy at times…
It’s pretty much a bloodsport anymore with kickass air talent having to work for pennies on the dollar with precious little support.
And if you think the nearly 1,500 people that have bought the farm at the Kansas City Star in recent years is an anomaly, think again.
Stroll through the ghost town headquarters of local radio stations here and count the empty desks.
But let’s move on, shall we?
Glazer: Going Up? Local Funny Guy AJ Finney’s Career Achieving Liftoff
As much as any KC comic in recent years, A.J. Finney has moved into the "making it" group…
AJ was just signed by Parallel Management in Los Angeles. It’s a top notch management team that reps Larry The Cable Guy, Jeff Foxworthy and Lisa Lampanelli. It’s a tough agency to get into and they only have a few clients, most of whom are stars in the industry. Lisa for example was at the Uptown last weekend.
And all of the above names have been Stanford’s regulars over the years.
AJ started with Stanford’s doing open mic work in the early 2000’s. He moved up the food chain quickly. He was also the comedy morning guy with Max, Tanna and Moffitt on KY for a couple years before they were taken off the air.
Donnelly: Sporting Stays Perfect in Come From Behind Win Over Dallas
Despite beating FC Dallas by but a single one goal, Sporting Kansas City was dominant on Sunday…
“They are much further ahead than any other team in the league and they have a lot of weapons,” said losing coach Schellas Hyndman after the match. “They play a style of soccer that is very disruptive, both going forward and defending. I don’t think there is another team in the league playing at the level they’re playing at.”
That’s high praise considering the game was knotted at 1-1 going into the 88th minute. If not for several top notch saves by former KC keeper Kevin Hartman, Sporting could have easily scored 4 or 5 goals.
Sound familiar?
Edelman: KC REP WHIPS UP CIVIL WAR DRAMA
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Some first class acting in the service of an intriguing if not fully mature script makes THE WHIPPING MAN (now through April 8 at KC Rep on the UMKC campus) a thought-provoking two hours of theater.
Though by no means fearless or adventurous (when is the Rep gonna give up on those superlatives?), Matthew Lopez‘s new play– competently staged by Rep Artistic Director Eric Rosen— takes us back in time to what must have been one of the strangest moments in our country’s history.
It’s April, 1865. One day, you’re a slave; the next, you’re free. One day, you’re a master– the next, just a guy with control issues.
Hearne: The Myth that Roy Williams Has Been Forgiven
As Jayhawk fan extraordinaire Brett Mosiman so eloquently stated last week, many, if not most, KU basketball fans have moved beyond their bitter hatred since being cruely jilted by North Carolina coach Roy Williams nine years back…
I’ve got a slightly different outlook on the subject.
When someone lies to, pledges eternal devotion and then summarily dumps their significant other it can get ugly. Starting with the five stages of grief, which I unfortunately experienced first hand the hard way three years ago courtesy of my ex.
You know, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
Hearne: Never Ending Saga of Jardine’s Takes Another Confusing Turn
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The following is a rhetorical question and requires no response from the inhabitors of the Comments Section…
Like they give a darn what I think, but here goes.
In what amounts to another confusing turn of events, it appears that American Century has green-lighted its leasing agents to open the bidding for the closed-since-last fall jazz club known as Jardine’s.
Giving the appearance that the dudes who leapt into the media spotlight last fall – Messrs. Robert McCain and Joseph FulgenzI – have failed to do what they told the Pitch and Fox 4 three months back; that they’d reached a deal and were the new owners of the fabled Plaza area jazz club.
The latest?
New Jack City: HUNGER GAMES Takes Giant Bite Out Of The Boxoffice
There’s an old saying in the movie biz that proved itself again this past weekend…
"There’s nothing wrong with the industry that a good movie won’t cure."
THE HUNGER GAMES did just that. This first of three films in the new franchise has instantly become the third biggest movie debut of ALL TIME!
And biggest of all film outside of the summer movie season.
THE HUNGER GAMES has sold an estimated $155 Million worth of tickets. Approximately $20 Million of that amount came from the film’s Friday morning 12:01 a.m. midnight showings in North America alone.
Worldwide The Hunger Games generated approximately $214 Million in ticket sales this weekend.
How does that stack up against the other two blockbusters
Hearne: The Truth & Nothing But The Truth (Wink) About KU, MU & Roy Williams
With a pair of Kansas teams in the Sweet Sixteen and Missouri on the ropes, it’s time to check in with Brett Mosiman, one of KU’s staunchest supporters and local promoter of Crossroads and Wakarusa fame…
First a little handicapping.
The surprising KU women’s basketball team – its ranks depleted by crippling injuries to frontline stars – faces perennial powerhouse Tennessee Saturday.
"They lose by 30 to Tennessee," Mosiman predicts.
And KU’s mens team tonight against North Carolina State?
"The mens team skates into the Elite Eight against North Carolina."
The $64 million question: Do KU tried and true still hate Carolina coach Roy Williams for leaving them for NC?
Whinery: The Afghan Massacre versus Harry’s War
Was this tragedy predictible?
The shocking Afghan Massacre that reminds me of a certain war movie you may have seen.
“Charging a Man with murder in this place was like handing out speeding tickets at the Indianapolis 500.” Captain Willard, Apocalypse Now.
On March 11, 2012, Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, 38, “allegedly” killed 16 Afghan Civilians during his fourth tour of duty to a warzone. And today, Mr. Bales is to be officially charged with 17 counts of murder, 6 counts of attempted murder and 6 counts of aggravated assault.
So why does something like this happen?
Tales From the Tweet: Timsanity Strikes NY, NFL Strikes Saints & Soria Strikes Out
There are literally 1,313,045 things happening in the world of sports right now that are raping my Twitter feed. So while I usually like to spend my opening paragraph waxing poetic about the modern era of “sports and social media; what they mean to you,” I figure we should treat this like Whitney in the bathtub and dive right in.
First up, Denver, Colorado, best known for their… shit, I don’t know… cheeseburgers? (Seriously—is Denver known for anything other than mountains and John Elway? Help me out here) Anyway, Denver, best known for their stuff, made waves like… Whitney slipping quietly into the bathtub? by signing Jesus H. Manning and then trading Jesus H. Tebow (or did they?! dun-dun-DUN) to the Jets.
Local radio personality/aspiring Mensa member Bob Fescoe watched the press conference and had this to say:
@bobfescoe (610 am)
“Peyton has a huge forehead”
“John Elway looks like the team mascot”
Brilliant, Bob, just… brilliant.
Glazer: NFL Makes New Orleans Bounty Program Scapegoat
Seems like only yesterday New Orleans head coach Sean Payton was an American Hero...
Quarterback Drew Brees, and Payton’s Saints had just won the Super Bowl upsetting Peyton Manning and the Colts. More importantly the nearly destroyed city of New Orleans got a much needed shot of hope and pride. Even the President saluted their incredible efforts.
It was the feel good story of the year, but what a difference a year makes.
Today Payton has been destroyed.
He didn’t stop the BOUNTY PATROLS – players who pool money before games to promote INJURING a player on the other team. Money paid to lay out guys and cart them off on stretchers. Yes, the head coach knew about it and didn’t stop it and it went on for years. Other teams participated, but thus far only the Saints have been hit and hit HARD.
Now Payton is OUT FOR THE YEAR with fines up to $7 million just for him.
