Author Archives: admin
Today: Lest There Be Any Mystery, I Present To You Brandon Leftridge
You asked for it…
You wanted an even humbler sports scribe. Someone to walk the walk and talk the talk, hotties be damned. A writer with whom English is not a second language – sex with strangers an avocation. A sportswriter cut from the actual cloth (not Fredericks of Hollywood). With ears not mired in the hopelessness of Don Fortune and the inability to look past hip-hop into the full metal straightjacket that is Kansas City.
To borrow a trite expression from fallen Star Jason Whitlock – you wanted "the real deal."
So here it is…
Glazer: Humble Scribe Apologizes to Chiefs Fans, Prescribes Fresh Air Cure
Yes I know, I know your Humble Scribe is a near genius NFL/College football guy…
Nobody in the KC sports media has had the two weeks I have. I have one game left on the Pros and if that wins, I’ll have gone 100% on pro picks and gotten all but that late night ASU game that I missed by half a point. Yes, I know you all want my cell number for next week. I did have two Vegas guys (people I met there not casino employees) call for my pic’s. Nice.
OK our Clown Act (the Chiefs) Quit.
They quit on their coach, their city, their profession. This team would like to forfeit the season. They would, I’m not kidding. Almost none of them want to play anymore. In fact, at season’s end this team will be mentioned with the ALL TIME WORST NFL CLUBS.
Leftridge: Curtains for Great Kansas Hope Ortiz, Mayweather Still Sidestepping Pacquiao
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A headbutt.
A hug and a kiss.
A cheap (legal) shot.
And that was all she wrote.
Floyd Mayweather (42-0), undefeated, undisputed champion of everything not MMA, knocked out local(ish) boy Victor Ortiz (29-3-2) in the fourth round of Saturday’s battle in Las Vegas. The hook he threw that connected solidly with Ortiz’s chin was about as hard a punch as Mayweather throws—but it didn’t come without controversy.
Leftridge: Weekend That Was; Chiefs Implode, Royals Tantalize, KU Curb-Stomped
The ship done sank before it left the dock…
Everything that you need to know happened in the first drive. Back to back 15-yard penalties against the Chiefs. A fumbled interception by Jon ‘Yee-haw’ McGraw. Our newly minted $50 million dollar man getting blasted for a touchdown.
The summation of the game reads like some sort of Kafkaesque nightmare crafted specifically to cost a head coach his job. Six turnovers. An anemic offense. A porous defense. Eight penalties for 70 yards to their 4/35. You’re never going to win this game on the road. EVER. You’re rarely going to pull this kind of thing off at home.
And perhaps the biggest blow of all was the injury to Jamaal Charles. Look, almost nobody in their right mind thought that the Chiefs would be winning the division this year, but strident optimists thought that maybe they’d be able to crap out 8 or 9 wins. If Charles is out for any extended period of time, however, all bets are off. It will mean that they’ve firmly planted themselves in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes, though.
Elsewhere:
Starbeams: Kauffman Center Boasts of ‘Plaza Lights” Crowd, Chiefs Lose to Infomercial & No Cheese!
An estimated 50,000 people took the first public tour of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Sunday. Sounds like they hired the same folks who used to put out the Plaza lights crowd count. I was there with the family but discovered the line to get in was 4 blocks long.
Most of the people I met thought they were in the unemployment line.
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Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles had a season-ending injury yesterday as the team fell apart losing 48-3 to Detroit. Even worse, the TV ratings are out and the Chiefs game came in behind an infomercial aired by Channel 9.
Hearne: Halloween City Blows Away Christmas at Borders, 91st & Metcalf
I’ve seen the future of Halloween and it is now….
That spanking new Halloween City at 91st and Metcalf in the former home of Borders Books is eye popping beyond belief. I kid you not. This store has anything and everything that you can or cannot imagine where Halloween is concerned. And you can take that to the bank.
Entire sections of spiders, swords, Jack O Lanterns, vampire capes, witch’s brooms and hats, plastic swords, caveman clubs, shields, fog and sound effects machines, massive displays of everything immaginable, devil paraphernelia, "spooky frames," life-sized, suspendible fiends of every type and an incredibly wide variety of costumes for every age.
Plus a whole heckuva lot more.
Remember how vast Kansas City’s first Borders was? Halloween City has jammed stuff into every square inch!
It’s Disney in Orlando-like, and then some. It’s completely over-the-top. It puts Christmas to shame.
And here’s where it starts to get interesting…
Starbeams: New Federal Reserve Board Queen & Top 10 Reasons Bikers Won’t Miss Sedalia
For the first time in its 97 year history, a woman will lead the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Esther George is from Faucett, Missouri, just north of the metro. With a woman’s in charge of such a powerful bank, there’s bound to be a SUBSTANTIAL PENALTY FOR EARLY WITHDRAWAL. I tried going through theReserve bank drive-thru to get a sucker recently, but all I got was a black helicopter and and a lot of questions from the FBI.
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Yesterday we learned AMC Theatres is moving its headquarters from downtown KC to South Leawood. Also, the 28th annual BIKE MS Ride is moving from Missouri to Kansas. We used to ride from Ray-Pec to Sedalia. Saturday, we ride from Garmin in Olathe to Lawrence.
To wit…
The TOP 10 THINGS WE WON’T MISS ABOUT RIDING TO SEDALIA:
Hearne: Don’t Look Now but KC Confidential has a New Sports Columnist
It’s like this…
Things are about to get a lot more sporty at KC Confidential. You asked for it and now you’re about to get it receive. Starting this Monday – and every Monday, Wednesday and Friday – KCC will sally forth with a blazingly hot, new sports columnist. One who even knows how to spell and has a rudimentary command of the King’s English.
A dude who’s passionate about sports and will bring both a knife and an edge to the gunfight otherwise known as the "comments section." Some of you may remember him from the Pitch. And no, it’s not C.J. I’m talking a different kinda dude.
And not Charles Ferruzza either.
I won’t bore you with the details until I can unleash a full bio but, suffice it to say sports is back.
Glazer: Humble $cribe Rolls Out College & Pro Picks for Weekend
You want me to give you my weekend picks? OK…
These are based on is the current Vegas line, which can change. College first.
1) OKLAHOMA -3 over Florida State. ******
2) Teaser Bet: STANFORD -9 over Arizona AND Nebraska -17 over Washington.
By betting these two games as a teaser you get to knock 6 points off the spread on bioth games. So Stanford becomes minus 3 and Nebraska minus 11. But to get paid, you must win both games because it’s one bet.
3) Oklahoma State -13 1/2 over Tulsa
4) Bonus Bet: ASU 2 over Illinois. I love ASU’s quarterback Brock Osweiler. Who could just be the Chief’s lst round draft pick. NOTICE THIS IS MY ONLY UPSET PICK.
******* Craig’s top pick
Caitlin: Ralph Lauren Spring/Summer 2012 Collection for the Modern Gatsby Woman
On Thursday Ralph Lauren revealed his Spring 2012 Collection. Lauren has been a distinguished fashion designer for over 40 years—a fashion designer with a consistent style, reinterpreted season after season to be fresh and modern.
Lauren’s designs feel distinctly American, casual and formal pieces meant for the weekends at the Hamptons, Hollywood restaurants, and the Red Carpet. And his Spring 2012 Collection is no exception. The designer’s versatile collection included everything from short suits and day dresses to glamorous silk trousers and shimmering evening gowns.
Sounds Good: Foo Fighters@Sprint, Kauffman Center Open House, Okkervil River@Granada
What is it going to take for you to start doing everything I say?
Last week, I told you to go to the Bon Iver show at the Uptown, but you didn’t listen. And now look at you. All pasty white and disgusting.
When will you learn?
This weekend I’m not recommending anything as strongly as I did that show, but maybe it’s better if you start off with something a little easier, more accessible.
Baby steps, you know? Start with something easily digestible yet still legit, like, say, Foo Fighters. Then, slowly work your way into a little indie band like Okkervil River maybe.
See, it’s easy. Before you know it you’ll be listening to Neon Indian and Richmond Fontaine, craving PBR, and smoking Parliament Lights.
I know, I know, gross. But it’s worth it, trust me…
New Jack City: Channel 41’s JiaoJiao Shen Honored With Ron Burgundy Mention
Every so often I like to tip my hat to a local TV anchor with an honorable ‘Ron Burgundy: Anchorman‘ mention for uttering a completely senseless statement…
Happened today during KSHB-TV, Channel 41’s midday newscast.
JiaoJiao Shen was delivering a story of the pending AMC Theatres corporate offices move from downtown K.C. to Leawood.
The big story, of course, is that AMC is staying in the metroplex–not moving to L.A. or New York — as some had predicted. Channel 41’s story did a nice job reporting the basics, complete with a B-roll of AMC shots, weighted remarks by K.C. Mayor Sly James and a less inspiring soundbite from Leawood Mayor Peggy Dunn.
All in all a good package.
Today: Justice Was Served; The Sad Sum Up in the Death of Brian Euston
Kudos to Star reporter Mark Morris for his reporting on the Brian Euston trial…
From the get-go coverage of this case was canted towards the deserved sympathy for Euston’s grieving family. It wasn’t their fault their son had been recklessly drunk and obnoxious at the exact wrong time in the exact wrong place. Having consumed nearly five times the legal limit of booze to drive, Euston had managed to navigate himself into harm’s way where he got in Stanford Griswold and his girlfriend’s faces resulting in him getting a punch to the mouth.
However instead of a fat lip and a hangover – as Griswold’s lawyer said in the trial – because of Euston’s being "massively intoxicated" (as Morris describes him), he fell backward, hit his head on the curb and later died.
Very sad, but let’s get back to Griswold…
There’s little doubt that because of TV news coverage, sympathy for the family and that Griswold was black and Euston white, the court of public opinion was stacked against Griswold. It didn’t help that he had an assault conviction, but heck, so does Star editor Mike Fannin.
Now let’s cut to the chase…
Glazer: Oh say can you see…the light at the end of KC’s dark, gloomy sports tunnel?
What a difference a year makes…
The Kansas City Chiefs were talking just two more seasons and they’d be a Super Bowl contender. That after last year’s division title. The Royals – who everyone, including me, pissed on – came in last. And while recordwise they’re still a poor team (bottom five) THEY’RE STARTING TO WIN.
I actually believe with Eric Hosmer, this team will contend for the division next year…finally.
If – and only if – David Glass goes out and buys at least two or three pitchers. One big time starter, a solid starter and a good reliever. If so, the Royals will battle to win the title for the first time in nearly 30 years. A great player raises all ships and Hosmer is a great player.
On the other hand, the Chiefs have to start over.
Starbeams: AMC Leaves KC & Top 5 Things You Didn’t Know About New Kauffman PAC
AMC Theatres is moving its headquarters from downtown Kansas City to 119th street in Leawood. That means another 400 jobs will be leaving Missouri for Kansas. Which proves my theory that suits who drive fancy cars HATE having to have license plates on the front.
*******
The U.S. poverty rate is at 15% for the first time since 1993. Meaning that one in five Americans are struggling to pay for the two cell phones they carry in their pocket.
Jack Goes Confidential: Brooding Ryan Gosling Shifts Gears In ‘DRIVE!’
When Carey Mulligan asks Ryan Gosling: "What do you do?" he answers "I drive."
What we’ve got here is a side of Gosling we haven’t seen before. He’s brooding, aloof, calculating and low on dialogue. He’s the anti-hero.
In DRIVE Gosling plays a movie stunt driver who, during his nights off, hires out as a heist getaway driver. And he’s good at it. Damn good.
Enter next door neighbor Mulligan and her young son whose lives seem to intersect with Gosling’s on an almost daily basis. Problem is her ‘Ex’ is being released from prison and now squarely drags Gosling into his underworld.
But be aware this isn’t your typical run of the mill heist thriller.
Hearne: Watson’s Girl Pigs Out, Takes Web Walk on Slutty Side
Things have gotten a little trampy where the Watson’s Girl is concerned…
You remember, KC’s beloved and lusted for sexy, swimsuit hottie in the hot tub abd above ground swimming pool ads that flooded local television for 15 years. Spots that ended with her purring provocatively, "That’s Watson’s!"
Make no mistake, Jennifer Eichler was a huge local TV icon from the mid ’90s until a few short years ago.
So what happened?
In a nutshell, Jennifer – who lives in Indiana – finished growing up, got married, had a couple kids and the company changed its name to Family Leisure.
I remember asking her shortly before her wedding what would become of her sexy, on-screen persona after she was off the market and had kids. Whereupon she taught me a word that at the time I was totally unfamiliar with.
She would become a MILF.
Starbeams: Big 12 to Big 5, Zeppelin Madness & IBM’s ‘Watson’ Claims More Jobs
The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce‘s "Big 5" campaign was unveiled this week as a map for Kansas City in the future. Unfortunately, the "Big 5" is also being touted as the map for the future of what’s left of the "Big 12."
*******
Farmers Insurance has flown in the world’s largest Zeppelin balloon. So now we have another way for some psychotic Kansas City resident to screw things up at an airport.
Caitlin: Rebecca Taylor delivers multi-faceted collection for Spring 2012
It’s Fashion Week in New York City!
As a guest of Andrew Weir, the New York based casting and consulting company, I was lucky to attend a few shows and report on the scene.
I recently saw Rebecca Taylor’s Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear show, a successful collection debuted before a standing-room-only crowd. As the lights were dimmed, a poppy, hip-hop beat set the mood. Even the women around me – all in their 50s – were bopping their feet. One by one, models metronomically walked down the runway, showcasing Taylor’s 41 spring looks.
Glazer: How Black America Has Fared Under Barack Obama
America elected Barack Obama as its first black president three years ago…
And for those of us not married to a political party, you have to say he’s done a nice job, Barack. Sure, he’s made mistakes, but overall he’s helped keep us out of a depression, the wars are ending, the stock market has been mostly stable. Sounds good.
So have blacks in America changed?
Not much. They were excited about Obama until he won. As a comedy club owner I can tell you I heard a boat load of jokes from black comics during and just after the election.
"What will be our excuse to not work? White man won’t hire us; we’re black and nobody will give us a chance."
Then Obama became president and there were no more excuses, right? Wrong.
