Glazer: Funny Guy Jim Jefferies Brings Down the House While Buying a House

Posted on March 11, 2012 by admin

Jim Jefferies bought his dream home in the Hollywood Hills yesterday…

From right here in Kansas City he closed on that puppy over the phone for a cool $1.25 million. And he’s moving in with his TV star girlfriend – a really hot one.

On top of that, Jim’s been hired by FX to do his first TV series. It’s R-rated, of course. He also told me he’s changing his name officially to Jim Jefferies from his Australian-born, real name Geoffrey Nugent.

Now the big bucks are rolling in for him and Jim works mostly theaters for $15 to $20 grand a weekend or night. Yep, he’s gone Hollywood, but he’s earned it.

Jim’s been working the U.S. for just three years and he’s the fastest rising star in comedy today.

He’s had to go back to England every six months because he only has a green card, but he’s planning now to become a US citizen.

We first had Jim for like $3,000 a week back in late 2008.

He followed that with pay raises every visit until this weekend’s gig. Normally, he wouldn’t be back to a club like Stanford’s again due to the larger paydays at places like the Midland and Uptown. But he’s such a great guy that he’s already said, "O.K. Craig, shut up – one more time, just for your ass." 

If not, we’ll produce Jim’s theater show in KC like we did for Larry The Cable Guy at the Uptown.

Jim has a sense of loyalty that’s rare in this biz today. 

I can’t say that about too many others we’ve helped launch like Lisa Lampanelli. Short memories. Hey, that’s the way it is folks.

Jim sold out all his shows here this past week. He was a little tired the first day, but he picked it up Friday and Saturday. With all new stuff too. Even David Naster came out see and meet the it guy in comedy.

"So how about it, Whitney Houston is dead," Jeffries told the crowd. "Sad, right? I mean she had so much more to give. I mean, her best songs were yet to come. And I feel badly for Bobby Brown…he did as many drugs as Whitney but he didn’t die. So why blame him for her habit? She’s just a lightweight. Only babies and Whitney Houston drown in a bathtubs."

"They say a sneeze is like one-eighth of an orgasm, right," he continued. "So now I keep a bowl of pepper near my bed when I have sex. The other day I shot all over this girl, then dumped the bowl of pepper in her face. Hey, she deserved something." 

Not exactly G rated.

But this guy is so much fun, our boy Jim!

Posted in Craig_Glazer | Tagged | 4 Comments

Donnelly: Sapong Stunner Earns Sporting 3 Points in Season Debut

Posted on March 11, 2012 by admin

 

In a moment reminiscent of Sporting KC’s first game of 2011, sturdy striker CJ Sapong again notched a crucial goal.

If you recall, in Sapong’s MLS debut last year he buried a goal just two minutes into the game, helping KC to a 3-2 win at Chivas USA.

This time, Sapong took a little more time to capitalize after he came on as a sub in the last fifteen minutes. But the result was the same – a road win to open the season at DC United.  And this time, Sapong waited until the 93rd minute to do so…

With the score deadlocked at 0-0, Sporting earned a corner in injury time after a Graham Zusi free kick attempt deflected off a DC defender.  Zusi trotted to the corner flag and unleashed a bending, swerving in-swinger that Sapong rose to meet at the top of the six-yard box.  His glancing header froze DC keeper Bill Hamid in his tracks as the ball met the side netting. 

Moments later the ref blew his whistle, setting off a celebration among the Sporting players who felt they had dominated the game and deserved the win.  Adding to the excitement was the large contingent of Sapong’s friends and family, who made the short trip to RFK from his hometown in nearby Prince William County, Virginia.

"That guy, you know, Rookie of the Year last year," said KC boss Peter Vermes after the game.  "That’s the perfect way to start the new season, in front of friends and family. I just saw the ball in the back of the net, and what’s the best time to get a goal? I’m sure it was electric back in Kansas City."

It certainly was. 

The Supporter’s Club at LIVESTRONG was at max capacity for a watch party, and the place exploded when Sporting finally tallied.  But the excitement was certainly coupled with a bit of relief after Sporting was turned away again and again by the athletic Hamid. 

Sporting dominated possession and held a large edge in shots on target, 8-1.  Despite their dominance, though, it looked like KC would have to settle for just the one point on the road, not necessarily a bad thing.  But Sapong’s late goal put a cherry on top of it all.  

"It’s a great feeling," said Sporting winger Kei Kamara of the result.  "I forgot how good this feels, just the winning aspect of it, but I think we definitely deserved it. It’s a great way to start the season."

Other than a stretch in the middle of the game that saw some sloppy play, including a few give-aways at the back, the team looked cohesive and tough.  Newcomer Bobby Convey looked comfortable out wide, combining nicely on one play in particular that allowed Zusi to get off a bender from inside DC’s box that missed wide. 

Indeed, even the gruff, old school Vermes had little negative to say after the road win. 

"I have to say, I don’t think there’s a guy I could speak poorly about," said Vermes.  "I think all the guys were very good in their roles and responsibilities within the game plan. Roger [Espinoza] was a monster for sure. His recovery to win the ball back, his anticipation, all that stuff was very good. I’ve got to tell you, from Jimmy [Nielsen] on out, it was excellent tonight.”

Next up is the home opener against New England Saturday at LIVESTRONG.  No doubt, the place will be juiced beyond anything we’ve seen there yet. 

And with the added confidence gained by this big road victory, I expect Sporting to come out firing right out of the gate.  I’m looking for a three goal effort from the home side, and another victory to build upon.

Posted in Sporting_Kansas_City | Tagged | 2 Comments

Donnelly: Ashes to Immortality@The Barnyard, March 8, 2012

Posted on March 11, 2012 by admin

I took a sip of Barnyard Beer’s Bonfire Porter and looked around the room.  Hay bales bordered the stage at one end, concealing a recording setup that local country station 92.9 The Bull brought out to document the whole affair.  The Bull was on hand to tape the bands’ sets, edit them down a bit, and then air them on what will become a weekly bluegrass/Americana program called LIVE!stock at Barnyad Beer. 

On stage was Lawrence’s Menage of Twang picking through some original bluegrass/country tunes with a standard setup of guitar, banjo, upright bass, fiddle, and washboard.

The room sounded good, aided by the 100 plus bodies filling the wide open space that is the Barnyard.  Towards the end of their opening set they launched into Take the Night Train to Memphis, which featured a nice down-home fiddle run that highlighted their set. 

More and more people filtered into the bar as the headliners, Ashes to Immortality set up their equipment.  The start times were a little earlier than normal, which many in the crowd seemed to appreciate.  But it did result in some people missing out on a nice set from the Twang gang.

Ashes to Immortality are a relatively new Lawrence band, but they’ve already experienced a measure of success as exemplified by their inclusion in Split Lip Rayfield’s New Year’s show. Split Lip being Kansas’ gold standard bluegrass act.

Ashes took the stage with two female vocals, a fiddlle, mando, guitar, upright bass, banjo, and drums.  They reminded me a bit of the east coast jamgrass act, The Recipe, though at times I thought the inclusion of the drums overwhelmed the subtleties that come with the natural percussion of pickin’ on the strings. 

The band started strong with an emphasis on harmonies between the two female members, with main singer Bayley Kate Hartman’s vocals leading the way.  The first few songs tended more toward rock than bluegrass, as the band mixed in originals with covers of Van Morrison’s Moondance and John Hartford’s Can’t Get No Better. 

The back half of the set was more successful as Ashes shifted into more of their string-y material, emphasizing speedy pickin’ and pluckin’ on the mando and banjo.

My favorite of the night was probably a cover of Little Maggie, along with a quick little smoky mountain instrumental vamp that I could’ve listened to for probably 20 minutes straight before realizing I was in some weird sort of a trance. 

It was just about 11:00 p.m. when Bayley Kate thanked the crowd and said goodnight.  I was hoping for another set, but it was not to be on this night.  Lots of beer fans stuck around, though, to continue analyzing Banyard’s wares, which on this night included a porter, a red, and a golden ale. 

As I mentioned before, the Porter is where it’s at. 

Trust me on this one. 

Afterwards, I spoke with Barnyard bosses Mike Hummell and Heath Hoadley about their newgrass revival, and their hopes for what the venue might become.  

"We’re trying to create a place where the musicians are easily creative," Hummell says.  "Ashes is a band that — these guys are pros, and I can really see them doing something beyond Lawrence, Kansas."

Brewmaster Hoadley agreed, before getting back to his other passion, great beer.  "I just want to make quality beer and hope that other people enjoy it, too." 

"The Irish Red’s great, it’s sweet and I’ve drank a lot of it," said Sam, a music fan who came out to see what the Barnyard was all about.  "I thought the sound could’ve been a tad better, but the energy was great.  And the women were pretty hot."

I’d say so far so good.

Posted in Entertainment | Tagged | 4 Comments

Hearne: An Invitation to Come Swim with the Sharks @ KC Confidential

Posted on March 11, 2012 by admin

 

Remember that Rip Van Winkle dude?

In a manner of speaking that’s been me the past week. I had a bit of surgery Wednesday and have been an absentee ballot ever since. Lame, huh?

Well, I’m back.

And mercifully, the ever-thoughtful souls in the comments section rose to the occasion and pounded poor Craig like there was no tomorrow.  Which was entertaining, right?

Anyway, let’s get this show back on the road with a call for writers and other cutting edge marketing or advertising types to come hook up with KC Confidential. You know, now.

You guys know who you are, what you have to bring to the table, so bring it.

Come and be a part of one of KC’s fastest growing, non-corporate-owned disher-outers of infotainment & opinion

Because as usual, KC Confidential is looking for a few good folks to hook up and help out when it comes to covering the Kansas City and Lawrence scene. That’s the premise, anyway.

It wouldn’t hurt if you could actually write, as long as we’re on the subject.

KC Confidential passed a milestone of sorts a couple weeks back. It was three years ago at the end of February we embarked on this mixed-up, crazy journey.

And a lot of folks have come and gone during that time. You know, writers.

Some of our early combatants were long on schmooze but short on writing chops…and time. Others wilted under the broiling hot scrutiny of the barbarians who inhabit our comments section.

Laying it down for somne of the sharks in anonymous crowd to ridicule is kind of a ridiculous game. One in whcih not even the strong often survive.

Because frankly, it’s one thing to be ass-kickingly good at what one does, quite another to lay it down in the written word.

We’ve had our share of hits these three years – busting Star editor Mike Fannin for his assault conviction and twin-unreported DUIs, for example. And the now-former manager of AMC’s Mainstreet downtown for serving illegal, booze all night long when it first opened.

Keeping it real, we’ve had our misses too.

The search for the truth on the suicide of Fox 4 weather wonk Don Harman was certainly a bumpy ride at times.

But at the end of the day, opening up the investigation of Harman’s demise to readers as it unfolded, provided a window into how news and rumor often evolve. And as some of the flimsier early rumors gave way, updates and corrections were posted.

Some of you felt running down and sharing some of those early leads was inappropriate. And that’s fair.

But if you think about it, that’s exactly how sensational, breaking news often unfolds and evolves, even on CNN and other credible news sites. The early reporting changes and evolves as more details become available or are confirmed.

The bottom line; there was no sleight of hand here at KCC.

One thing’s for sure, through all the many comings and goings and changing of guards here at KC Confidential; we’ve continued to grow and our readership is currently at its highest levels ever.

And for that, I thank you – we thank you.

Myself, Matt, Craig, Brandon, Jack, Kelly, Whinery and Jolly.

It’s not like we’re in this game to get rich quick. Not that we’d mind, mind you. Our common bond – for all our shortcomings real and imagined – is we aim to please.

We want to do better; we want raise the bar, and we fully intend to.

Hopefully with your help.

And yes, we could use your help. Advertising, sales, writing, marketing, promotions, design, information technology – the possibilities are limitless.

I invite you to contact me at hearne@kcconfidential.com and let’s talk.

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | 10 Comments

Whinery: Pat Robertson Comes to His Senses, Says Legalize Pot

Posted on March 10, 2012 by admin

In one of the stranger developments in the battle to legalize marijuana, comes a new ally from an unexpected source…

Right-wing televangelist Pat Robertson has called for the “drug” to be legalized and regulated like alcohol.

In a New York Times interview last week, Mr. Robertson correctly points out how being tough on pot has led to massive overcrowding in prisons, excessive penalties for possession and billions of dollars being wasted on law enforcement.

The statistics back him up.

In 2010, According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, there were over 850,000 arrests for marijuana with 88% of those for simple possession. In fact, there are more people arrested for marijuana related offenses than all violent crimes combined.

That make anybody feel safer?

Total drug arrests are a whopping 1.6 million a year-which works out to three Americans beingg arrested a minute for drug violations. Though Mr. Robertson’s remarks are only directed at legalizing pot, the entire drug war is a massive drain on state resources, not to mention a colossal failure.

Mr. Robertson’s voice for legalization is an important one.

His television show, the 700 Club, has millions of viewers who respect what he has to say. He’s the kind of advocate for marijuana legalization that can penetrate the right-wing supporters of the drug war and who can change hearts and minds.

The time has come to legalize and tax marijuana like alcohol and tobacco.

With Federal, State and Municipal budgets hemorrhaging red ink, we can no longer afford to keep pot illegal and continue to waste dwindling public resources on the arrest, prosecution and incarceration of pot smokers. Not when governments desperately need the new revenue streams that legalizing marijuana could provide.

Pat Robertson, being the Evangelist he is, is preaching the Word of G-d by advocating the legalization of marijuana.

As it’s written in the Bible, Genesis 1, Verse 29:  “See, I give you every seed bearing plant that is upon the Earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours.” 

Christians, Jews and Muslims who support keeping marijuana illegal need to check the scriptures and re-evaluate your positions.

Posted in News_and_Views | Tagged | 10 Comments

Glazer: Vegas Bound Scribe Says Things Are Looking Up for This Year’s Royals

Posted on March 9, 2012 by admin

It happened…

Vegas moved the over/under on season wins for the Kansas City Royals up from 78 1/2 to 80 1/2 games. Wow, they’re buying in too! Undoubtedly because guys like me are all taking the over on the Royals…for once.

In other words, I’m betting the Royals are going to win more than 80 1/2 out of 162 games this season.

We have a talented young team that I expect to compete for the division title this season.

Regrettably the Royals have been in rebuilding mode since 1990. However now THEY’RE BUILT.

Less a couple decent starting pitchers, but that’s the case with most teams.

The Royals likely will be near the top in offense and defense and their relief pitching is solid. We have just okay starters, but if two of them get hot….look out baby!

What a power line-up. Did I say power?

Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas can all bang 30 plus homers this season. Billy Butler is a proven .300 hitter and Frenchy (Jeff Francoeur) is rock solid with the bat. In fact, I like Eric Hosmer to challenge not only for an All-Star bearth but for MVP.

This kid is Albert Pujols Jr.

Who knows? Maybe he breaks the 40 homer mark this season. He’d be first KC baseball player ever to do that.

Does that tell you how bad our power hitting’s been for 70 years?

Nobody will argue this is the best batting line-up here since the 1978 Royals.

That team had Big John Mayberry, Easy Al Cowens and George Brett.

And even those guys were not as powerful compared to this very young, monster hitting attack.

Detroit is the team to beat in our division and they should be.

It’s likely Kansas City will come in second with 85  to 90 wins. Man, I can’t believe I’m writing this.

I’m not pissing on the Royals. I will go to my first games in forever just to see this young hot ball-club.

Hey, with the talented young Chiefs this may be quite a season for Kansas City.

Now if the Jayhawks or Tigers can get to the Final Four…wow. That would be something to all smile about, huh?

I’ll fly to Las Vegas and put my money on the Royals at OVER 80 1/2. The Chiefs have no magic number yet.

Posted in Craig_Glazer | Tagged | 14 Comments

Jack Goes Confidential: ‘Friends with Kids’ Plays as Bridesmaids-Lite

Posted on March 8, 2012 by admin

Remember the sitcom FRIENDS on NBC?

Assuming you do, and you liked it, consider you’re a candidate for FRIENDS WITH KIDS.

Think of it as, FRIENDS: THE NEXT DAY.  Or maybe, FRIENDS: MARRIED WITH CHILDREN.

Either way, what you’ve got is an ensemble comedy about a group of friends with the last two singles in the pack deciding to have a kid together sans the potential trap of a tragic marriage like the ones they find their best buds in.

It’s a nice concept and good cast, including Jennifer Westfeldt, Adam Scott, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O’Dowd, Megan Fox and Edward Burns.

Our single friends couple is played by Westfeldt and Scott, who just want to jump under the sheets, do the deed and have a baby. Then carry on separate relationships while practicing dual parenting rights.

Good luck with that!

Needless to say, their platonic, co-parenting plan can and does lead to awkward cicumstances.

You can see where this is going, right?

A nice premise and a good first act in the film rapidly goes downhill during the final 45 minutes of its 110 minute running time—which in itself is about 20 minutes too long.

Complete with predictable jealousies and conclusions, this NYC-set romantic comedy tries hard to come across as hip but ends up playing very much like a TV sitcom. A sitcom with language that gives it its R-rating.

All that, plus four BRIDESMAIDS alumnae raises 2-1/2 out of 5 predictable fingers for FRIENDS WITH KIDS.

JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday mornings at 6:40 a.m. on NewsRadio KMBZ Am & Fm and anytime on Time-Warner Cable’s K.C. ON DEMAND, Channel 411.

Posted in Jack_Poessiger | Tagged | 2 Comments

Jolly: In the Pink at Prairie Village’s BRGR Burger Boutique

Posted on March 8, 2012 by admin

Burgers and beers have been a staple in KC since the dawn of time…

Or something like that. And in recent years as burger-meisters have become emboldened the competition has errupted into citywide, full scale Burger Wars. One serious contender in this ongoing struggle is BRGR.

Area diners have been chowing down at fast, casual restaurants like Smash Burger or Five Guys, dining at Nick and Jake’s for a great burger, or merely buying the ground chuck and making their own.

Enter BRGR at Corinth Square in Prairie Village.

The new badass boasts 41 different beers…in CANS. That’s right cans, as well as many on tap. 

There’s even a gluten free beer on the menu for those who get a little freaky about their wheat allergies, real or imagined. The way things are going, we’ll probably have a gluten free restaurant right next to a free clinic for hypochondriacs.

BRGR also has a nice, affordable wine list that’s broken down not by red or white but by price.

Bottle prices range from $22.00 to $38.00 with glasses between $6.00 and $10.00, which makes ordering wine practically dummy proof. Unless you’re still a white zin drinking dummy.

BRGR is literally an amusement park for adults and their appetites.

The dining area is warm and cozy and the bar looks a tad small but gives the restaurant a gastro pub feel.

We were seated and quickly greeted by our waitress on a busy Sunday night. She seemed bored and unenthusiastic about waiting on us but maybe it was just me. I get that kind of reaction from a lot of women.

But she brought us our sodas and answered all our questions – that’s right, sodas.

I had a monster hangover and was hoping a great burger would rectify that.

My friend suggested the Combo as an appetizer which consists of three side items of your choosing. There are tons of choices but we decided to go healthy and selected the sweet potato fries, onion rings, and truffle tater tots.

The sweet potato fries were some of the best I’ve had and the onion rings were pretty good, but the tots barely had a hint of truffle. I think they maybe just waved the truffle oil bottle over the tots and called it a day.

BRGR make its own ketchup and mustard in house and the ketchup is quite good and a little different. You know, compared to Heinz.

Next we ordered our burgers which are all served a’ la carte and weigh in at half a pound.

Unfortunately, since we’d ordered the sides as an appetizer, we didn’t get to enjoy them with the burgers. So don’t make that mistake.

The sides, by the way, are large enough to share, but I wouldn’t recommend that with with the sweet potato fries. They’re too darn good.

I ordered the burger that’s actually named “BRGR”

It comes with had caramelized onions, American cheese, pickles, and mustard on a onion bun and was cooked perfectly with just the right amount of pink. You know, pink enough inside to taste the full flavor of the meat but not so much that you worry about dropping by the ER afterwards.

It was outstanding!

I was going to take a co-worker’s recommendation and order the Jucy Lucy which is stuffed with cheese but I wasn’t sure how that might try to fight it’s way out of my body so I passed and played it safe. 

My friend ordered the Big Hoss which I got to try. It comes with a fried egg up top, maple bacon, Wisconsin cheddar, steak sauce, and onion straws on a corn bun. And on the side a tiny bottle of Tabasco as if it needed yet another ingredient. You know, if it’s not broke why fix it?

The Big Hoss was great just the way it was.

Here’s the deal at BRGR, the food is way more colorful and fun than the service. Not that the service is that bad.

Needless to say, we had zero room for dessert but the next time I’m going to try an adult shake. Anyone ever get a DUI from too much dessert? This shake consists of milk, Guinness, ice cream, whipped cream and sounds ridiculously fun.   

As for the burger wars, restaurants like Houlihan’s, Smash Burger, and Blanc better watch their butts cuz this new guy in town is seriously good.

Posted in Food_and_Fashion | Tagged | 11 Comments

Jolly: It’s Not Delivery…it’s Spin; Michael Smith Concept Rocks

Posted on March 7, 2012 by admin

Face it, none of the really excellent food in Kansas City is delivered…

So if you want great pizza you’ll need to put down the phone, get off your ass, grab some friends and head to Spin Neapolitan Pizza. Tucked away in the ominous corporate shadow of Overland Park’s Cheesecake Factory lies the small in size but huge in flavor pizza cafe.

Spin’s the partial creation of James Beard Award-Winning Chef Michael Smith. Yes, that Michael Smith of American Restaurant and 40 Sardines fame.

Little known fact: Smith is a minority owner is the fast casual concept here in Kansas City.

So you know you’re going to get a genuine, rustic pizza with the very best fresh ingredients. And this Neapolitan pizza cafe is the perfect, casual gathering place to dine with friends and have a bottle of wine… or three. Or to bring your family for a great dining experience and a superb value.

Just don’t seat your kids near my table, as my friends and I often fall victim to wine induced volume mishaps.

And now that the weather’s getting warmer, Spin’s quaint gated patio is perfect for a romantic date or just hanging with fellow wine snobs on a budget.

Five of us met at Spin recently on a Friday night.

The thing is, you should wait for your entire party to show before going to the counter to order because Spin doesn’t really have servers. That way you can discuss pizza and wine pairings.

No sense getting into a goat cheese disagreement.

So we waited for our stragglers and made our way to the counter past the small but affordable, tasteful wine selection. Spin has reds and whites all of which sell for $18.00 a bottle.

Weekdays you may bring a bottle from your collection and they’ll open it for a $1.00 corkage fee.

As opposed to the $30.00 charge at some Leawood venues.

Three of us decided on two bottles of Conosur Pinot Noir from Spain. A female friend ordered a bottle of Kung-Fu Riesling and my buddy Nick (who has the palate of a homeless person) ordered beer. Spin also has a vast beer selection to go with its wine list from Cellar Rat Merchants.

We were told our drinks would be delivered soon after we seated ourselves, so we isolated ourselves from the family types and our wine was opened table side and poured by more of a food runner/ pizza chef than server.

However we did get great VIP service.

After about 15 minutes our three pies arrived and were placed on our table with care. And they looked more like art than food. Amazing!

All other local pizzas are not fit for my dog to eat now.

We got a Tre Carni which had a crushed tomato red sauce topped with huge meatballs, pepperoni, and Italian sausage. I picked that one because it sounded like a MAN Pizza.

The girls picked the other two; the Tour De BBQ that had BBQ sauce, chicken sausage, sweet red onion, fontina, and roasted corn. This is how BBQ pizza is supposed to be, fresh, rustic and a little sweet.

The last was my favorite of the three, the Pollo Arrosto Chevre. I had no idea what that meant other than possibly, eat this your problems will fade away. They did. I later learned it also means roast chicken & goat cheese and it had a heavenly, roasted garlic, olive oil glaze and was topped with caramalized onions and crimini mushrooms.

Speaking of which, goat cheese is suddenly my new favorite cheese.

I wanted to put it on everything after having that pizza. Unfortunately it’s better on pizza than most of the things I experimented with, which may explain why I dine out so frequently.

Spin also has a gluten free crust for those of you who have never tried pizza in your entire life.

Now you can.

Finally we tried the gelato. Believe it or not, I’d actually never had it before and the selection in the cold case by the kitchen was calling my name. We were still seated when I asked the server for a gelato menu and he said he’d be right back.

When he returned he handed me a hand written list of Spin’s gelato selections.

Because apparently there is no such menu. But rather than simply telling me to take two steps and look in the case, he went the extra mile. Nice.

I ordered the peanut butter banana and it was so creamy and glorious it made the ice cream I’m used to eating taste like kitty litter.

So thank you, Spin. You’ve set the bar high for great service – a bar that’s been slowly dropping for many years – in a self service setting, no less.

Consider me a new regular.

The three area Spins are located Overland Park, Olathe and 49th and Main on the Country Club Plaza

Posted in Food_and_Fashion | Tagged | 7 Comments

Starbeams: KCTV Big 12 Blackout, Big 12 Women @ Municipal & New Delay @ West Edge

Posted on March 7, 2012 by admin

A giant burst of solar energy from the sun is headed this way and could interrupt radio transmissions as early as this weekend.  If you’re trying to watch the Big 12 Tournament, KCTV 5 says, "Don’t look at us!"

*******

The Big 12’s men’s tournament is sold out.  It will be similar to watching an NBA game at Sprint Center, only with people in the seats.

*******

Tickets for the Big 12 women’s tournament at Municipal are $20 for lower level and $15 for upper level. And there’s a $50 fine for anyone who utters the phrase "ball handler" during the games.

*******

I don’t want to ruffle any feathers, but I’m pretty sure I saw an Indian burial mound under the rubble of the West Edge project…

Kelly Urich is the morning show host on The Point 99.7 FM

Posted in Starbeams | Tagged | Leave a comment

Leftridge: COUNTERPOINT: Why Signing Manning Would be a Silly Move for KC

Posted on March 7, 2012 by admin

We have become a soft nation built on easy solutions. We demand convenience, rapidity and satisfaction, yesterday. Our sense of patience—threadbare to begin with– has been raped by social media, where, in a matter of moments, I can learn that my aunt just ate some really delicious chicken, Bea Arthur has gone on an inexplicable shooting rampage at a bustling cafeteria and Terry “likes” Amanda’s video of the dog smoking a cigarette.

Sports are no different.

In fact, watching a team fail year after year to field a competitive product tends to exacerbate the need for this immediacy. We live and die with each heartbreak, our tired corpses glistening with team-colored body-paint, our novelty foam fingers pointed tragically at the ground. We want our team to win NOW and OFTEN and AT ANY COST.

So in our quest to microwave the proverbial burrito of success to jarring temperatures, faster than anyone ever imagined was humanly possible, people across the city are now crying, “Peyton Manning, one of the greatest quarterbacks EVER, a true winner in every since of the word, is available! Let us throw BAJILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT HIM SO HE CAN MAKE SWEET LOVE TO THE FANS OF KANSAS CITY WITH HIS TALENTED ARM AND SOUR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.”

This, my friends, is no solution.

This is Joe Montana, Part Two (Peterson’s Revenge?). And before we break out our Zubaz and pump “Whoomp! (There It Is),” or some other equally embarrassing “Jock Jam,” let’s think about this rationally.

First, what is the BEST case scenario of the Chiefs picking up Manning? Easy. Manning is completely healthy—it’s like his neck has turned into some delightful redwood of made of flesh, a larynx and other neck-parts—and he heroically leads the Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory.

Now I’m not an odds-man—I don’t understand gambling and would never pretend to—but I don’t think that Manning alone would propel the Chiefs into being next year’s favorites to win it all. Would it put them in the top 10? Eh, I suppose it could.

Best case is really simple—football has an inarguable outcome with a distinct, finite target. Peyton gets us a trophy, people line up along (*gulp*) Grand and confetti rains upon the assembled drunkards and unwashed homeless-folk alike. Additionally, we rename Claycomo “Peytonmanningville,” commission at least three bronze busts of his funny-face to sprinkle around the Plaza and change the name of the team to the Kansas City Peytons.

Everyone is happy.

So if that’s the best case scenario—creepy statues, etc.—then what’s the worst? Although it’s a little hard to pin down, it goes something like this: Manning and the Chiefs go 10-6, make it to the playoffs, beat the Jets in the Wildcard round and lose to—I don’t know, shit—the Ravens in the next.

Then Peyton either A) retires in order to spend more time wrapping $100 bills around his shaft as he masturbates, B) signs with someone else, or C) comes back for another year in which the Chiefs go 9-7 and miss the playoffs (and THEN he retires).

The Chiefs, meanwhile, who fell victim to the sexy, immediate “win-now” mode, are left with a disenfranchised Matt Cassel and an utterly hapless Ricky Stanzi. They’ve done nothing to build for the future, and it’s 15 more years of futility until an aging, decrepit Clark Hunt and a brash, unlikeable Scott Pioli Jr., sign Robert Griffin III. The once explosive Cleveland Brown legend is banged up and bruised, but ready to “give it one last go, coach.” We’ll call this one, Joe Montana Part Three: Manning-Face’s Lament.

And so on.

And so on.

And so on.

Oh, and BOTH scenarios are dependent upon whether or not Peyton is healthy. And how quickly he can shake the rust off. And how quickly he can ingratiate himself into the Chiefs’ system. And how his supporting cast responds. And whether or not they can keep him from getting pancaked on each and every snap. And whether or not Pioli can shrink his ego enough to coexist with one of the greatest NFL players ever (I mean, you’d think it’d be a cinch, but come on– we’re talking SCOTT. PIOLI).

Personally, I wouldn’t bet the farm on ANY of these circumstances coming to fruition (and most assuredly, not all of them at once).

I know that every sports fan CLAIMS that they’d trade decades’ worth of futility for one championship, but those sports fans are off of their fucking rockers. They would not. They’re liars. Give me a team who has a realistic shot year in and year out, someone worth watching in January (or June, or October), and I’ll show you a team you can support.

Selling your soul to the devil for short-term glory is only fun if you’re Faust. Doing it in the hopes that an aging quarterback coming off of a serious neck injury will save your city is simply bewildering. 

Have fun in the capital, Mr. Manning. Your services aren’t wanted here.
 

Posted in Sports | Tagged | 45 Comments

Sounds Good: Ashes to Immortality@Barnyard, Ava Luna@Jackpot, Radiohead@Sprint

Posted on March 7, 2012 by admin

 

A little something for everyone this week…

I’ll break it down for you:

If you’re a beer fan, you’ve ever skinny dipped in only cowboy boots, and you would certainly try a homemade possum recipe, then The Barnyard‘s the place for you Thursday night.

If you’re the adventurous type looking for something new, something that might put you a bit out of your element, and you enjoy thick rimmed glasses and semi-choreographed stage dancing by three girls from NYC, check out the Jackpot Friday.

And if you’re a lucky SOB and you already have tickets for Sprint Center Sunday – Yep, it’s Radiohead week.

On to the picks…

 

 

 

Thursday, March 8th
 

Ashes to Immortality and Menage of Twang at the Barnyard in Lawrence

As I mentioned last week, there’s a new Americana/bluegrass venue in Larryville that’s drawing the beard and washboard crowd out from the hills.  The place is called the Barnyard, and they also happen to be a microbrew (I suggest the porter).  This Thursday represents a bit of a jumping off point for the masterminds behind this scruffy new venture located just behind the Merc (look for the barn doors).  They’ve been ramping up their beer production and are hosting a couple of the best up and coming bluegrass-ish bands in the area.

The headliners are Ashes to Immortality, a folk-roots act that’s helped to spur on the somewhat recent Lawrence bluegrass revival alongside bands like Dumptruck Butterlips and Deadman Flats.  Lead singer Bayley Kate Hartman’s simple and silky style first caught my ear about a year ago, when her band was just getting started playing opening slots at the Jackpot.  Since then they’ve gone on to play with the likes of Split Lip at its New Year’s Eve show at the Bottleneck, and are slated to hit up several festivals this summer.

Also featured are the twangy pickin’ stylings of Menage of Twang, a band not short on songs about drinkin’ and cussin’ and drinkin’. 

As if that weren’t enough, 92.9 The Bull will be on hand to record the whole hootenany.  The tape, edited down to the best 50 minutes per band, will become the pilot episode of LIVE!stock at Barnyad Beer, which will eventually become a weekly radio show featuring up and coming bands as they swing by the Barnyard.  Kind of like Daytrotter, but without the cartoony illustrations.  And with better beer. 

Plus, if you go to Barnyard Beer’s Facebook page you can get a free ticket.  Otherwise it’s $10 at the door.

 

Friday, March 9th

Ava Luna & Night Moves at the Jackpot in Lawrence

You know Jacki Becker right?  She’s the brains behind Lawrence’s Eleven Productions, the outfit that brings the cool bands into town before you even know that they’re the cool bands.  Well, here’s one show Jacki circled in red on her calendar so you should probably check it.  Plus, then later you can tell all your friends that you saw Ava Luna at the Jackpot in ’12.  Seriously, if I have to hear one more hipster’s story about seeing Arcade Fire at the Jackpot five years ago, I might strangle that hipster. 

Because I’m jealous. 

Ava Luna are… ummm… kinda weird.  They combine elements of post punk, soul, rock, hip hop kind of… Let’s just say they are very interesting and feature a trio of female vocalists alongside a falsetto wailing synth player with Buddy Holly glasses.  Did I sell it for you?  If you still don’t believe me, check this out:  http://www.infinitebestrecordings.com/2011/09/services-3rd-avenue-island/

They’re cruising through town on their way to SXSW where they’re playing an impressive seven shows in four days.  Along for the ride are Minneapolis psych-rockers Night Moves, who recently signed onto London-based Domino Records to put out their debut sometime later this year.      

 
Sunday, March 11th

Radiohead at the Sprint Center in KC

Do I really need to say anything about these guys? 

Well, first things first: the show is sold out and has been since about 20 minutes after tickets were released several months ago.  What else?  Well, they’ve put out some of the best albums of the past two decades, like OK Computer, The Bends, Kid A, and Amnesiac. 

And yes, they’ve raked in loads of awards, from just about every music magazine on earth as well as multiple Grammys. 

But perhaps the most interesting thing about Radiohead is their ability to literally dictate what is cool.  I’ll give you a hint: whatever Radiohead does, that’s what is cool.  When they wanted to shift away from the alt-rock thing and embark on a more personal art rock journey with OK Computer, they did it.  In doing so they redefined the genre and gave birth to countless imitators.  When the band wanted to try a more electronic sound, they put out Kid A, and of course, it was a revelation.

That’s just what Radiohead does. 

Posted in Entertainment | Tagged | 2 Comments

Glazer: Sign Peyton Manning Now & Bring Back the Joe Montana Era

Posted on March 7, 2012 by admin

It happened once before…

In 1993 head Chiefs thug Carl Peterson brought Joe Montana to Kansas City. The first game against the Denver Broncos that one night was simply ELECTRIC. I was there. Even though it was 1993, scalped tickets went for 500 bucks.

It was the Chiefs best PR move both nationally and locally of all time – at least since the Dawson Era

For the first time the Kansas City Chiefs were on the national map and elite.

Joe helped bring us great talent like Marcus Allen. Everyone wants to play with a hall of famer still able to get it done. In fact Montana was so important that a team that has won no playoff games since he left in 1994, was still considered elite for many more years, until 2003. Since that time our team has been a doormat and off the radar – not even an afterthought.

Today’s Chiefs are a total no show.

So I say, YES TO PEYTON MANNING.

Why should the Chiefs go after for Manning? For one, we can afford him now. Two, he’s looked great in practice with months left to get even better. Three, with Peyton the Chiefs would be one of the three favorites to WIN THE AFC – that’s right win it -Super Bowl, baby.

Without him we likely still wiill win the West with the AFC’s top defense (if it’s as good or better than last year’s squad).

And No. 4, other than our offensive line, which we can fix, the Chiefs offer Manning the best shot to win it all right now. Three top notch, young, TALL, receivers, especially Bowe and Baldwin. Plus a solid running game if Jamaal  Charles can play (this also needs fixing) and we can buy or find a tight end (we DO NOT HAVE ONE),

So yes, if Clark Hunt wants to make THAT statement NOW’S THE TIME.

A healthy Manning – and baby it’s for sure – SUPER BOWL TALK, you bet. First time since 2003.

The Chiefs should buy Peyton now, and move up to draft Trent Richardson. Then boys, you got something. The best quarterback out there today who will solve the, "We can’t pick up one or two yards on third or fourth down" problem.

In the Red Zone we stunk even with a healthy Charles – he’s a scat back and can’t pick up short yards when it counts. So we get Richardson, a couple offensive lineman – buy a top stud D lineman and draft one – another linebacker, Peyton Manning….then look out!

Reasons not to buy Manning: He’s 36, but looks great. Health problems, yeah, thats a tough one.

And well, that’s it.

The reason he won’t come to KC: It’ not a glamour town or media center (but he can make his own media and is a family guy, so that shouldn’t matter). Hey, he’s been stuck in Indianapolis all these years Ever been to Indy?

Our Front Office is probably the biggest issue, Scott and Clark are not looking so great these days.

But Peyton will run the team, they won’t, so that’s OK too. At least we have the offense and a better team to win it all with.  Miami isn’t a team going anywhere, even with Peyton. The Vikes have way too many issues and a lack of talent. I know they have the running back and big man Jared. Allen at defensive end, but none of that has meant much lately.

The Chiefs are younger and better and have much better receivers. 

So unless San Francisco steps up – and they might – KC is Manning’s best choice. And for God’s sake he can save our asses.

Matt THE FRANCHISE can sit or be traded. He’s is our biggest problem, a below average quarterback on a good team.

SIGN PEYTON MANNING NOW!

Posted in Craig_Glazer | Tagged | 20 Comments

Donnelly: Can Sporting Repeat Last Season’s Success with Essentially the Same Roster?

Posted on March 6, 2012 by admin

Though expectations are sky-high for Sporting KC heading into the 2012 season, they’re basically the exact same squad as last year, maybe even a tad weaker.

Most MLS pundits rank Sporting as one of the favorites in the league heading into their first game March 10th at DC United. And it kinda makes sense on paper considering they won the East last year and return every starter from the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Houston Dynamo.

Plus the club has added a few veteran players – like Bobby Convey to replace Omar Bravo – and Paulo Nagamura to fill the middle where Davy Arnaud once roamed.

But is that enough?

While Convey will almost certainly be a starter, he’s scored only three league goals over the last three seasons, as compared with Bravo’s 9 in his one year here.  And Nagamura, who probably won’t be a starter anyway, has been riding a wave of injury problems for several seasons after he was named an all-star in 2009.

So is it realistic to expect this KC team to replicate the surprisingly successful 2011 season that saw the squad go from worst to first after enduring a three month road trip before their stadium opened last June?  Once LIVESTRONG did open its doors, Sporting enjoyed a long stretch of home games that allowed the team to find its rhythm and round into form at the right time.

I know it sounds crazy, but the back-loaded home schedule actually may have been an advantage for Sporting last season, since it was coupled with the unprecedented enthusiasm and support surrounding the new brand and the opening of the stadium.  

Don’t get me wrong. I love the young nucleus of this team: Graham Zusi as the string-puller and cultured set piece foot; Teal Bunbury and CJ Sapong as the athletic, physical strikers; Kei Kamara as the crafty winger; Chance Myers as the quick, attacking back; and Matt Besler and Aurelien Collin as the anchors to it all. 

Plus coach Peter Vermes has proven over the last few seasons that he is a master talent evaluator, at least when it comes to the draft. So any criticism must be reserved on first rounder Dom Dwyer and second round pick Cyprian Hedrick.

But while other teams have gone out and signed designated players, Sporting has done fairly little besides tread water. 

Where is this mystery Spanish attacking midfielder DP that we’ve been hearing about for so long via Robb Heinemann’s Twitter account?

Unless a couple of unproven players who are already on the roster have breakout seasons ala Zusi and Besler, or a mid-season acquisition comes in and can actually make an impact in a small window of time (remember Jeferson?), Sporting could be a few puzzle pieces short of their stated goal – an MLS Championship.

That said, the players showed up to camp ready to work and in the best shape they’ve ever been. And as confident as they’ve ever been. 

"We’re further along and we’ve already we’ve already established ourselves with our style of play," said Besler when asked about the differences between last year and this year.  "We already know what we want to do and how our team can succeed so we already have that base and we’re just building off that."

Jimmy Nielsen in Eastern Conference SemifinalAnd in a recent conversation with Sporting media guru Kurt Austin, goalkeeper and newly minted team captain Jimmy Nielsen didn’t mince his words.  "It’s a great team and we should have the ambition to go for the MLS Cup," said Nielsen.  "I believe that if we keep doing things like we are now, we’ll be one of the teams that is fighting for the MLS Cup and that should be the goal for us. We went to the conference final last year and I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be reaching for the final this year."

Unfortunatelly, absent a big breakout or a blockbuster signing, I do see a reason why Sporting may struggle to match its 2011 dream season. 

Posted in Sporting_Kansas_City | Tagged | 4 Comments

Hearne: KC Sports & Fitness Stagggers Across Finish Line for 15th Birthday

Posted on March 6, 2012 by admin

It doesn’t get much tougher than the print publishing biz these days…

For years Tom Leathers boasted about the dozens of publications that came and went while his Squire lived on. These days, who even remembers all of the entertainment, womens, seniors, parents, sports and gosh-know-what mags that have bought the farm in recent years?

Which brings us to Kansas City Sports & Fitness 15th anniversay issue this month.

Who better to weigh in on the momentous occasion than founding publisher Big Jim MacDonald?

"Well, 15 years is a good long run," MacDonald says. "But it’s sad that they only (are printing) one-fourth of the paper that we once had…When I had it we did as many as 80 pages and we grossed $49,000 in advertising a month…When I last saw it about a year ago it was pretty flimsy."

Speaking of which…

The anniversary issue of Kansas City Sports & Fitness weighs in at a trim 20 pages with what appears fewer than 10 pages of ads.

"If they’ve only got 20 pages they’re lucky they’re alive," MacDonald says. "I would say that it’s crippled; they’re probably subsidizing it just to keep it running."

That said, MacDonald wishes KC Sports & Fitness the best, but winces at the state of print publishing today.

The highlight of MacDonald’s running KC Sports?

"The Miss Kansas City Sports & Fitness pageant at Ameristar," he says. "Where KY deejay Larry Moffitt was the emcee. We had 5,000 people or something and all these beautiful bodies. And the other one was where I gave George Brett the world’s largest birthday card at the stadium on the field with 30,000 people cheering."

MacDonald’s low point?

 

"When 9/11 happened," he says. "The very next issue our revenues were cut in half. I lost a lot of money then. That’s when I decided to sell the paper. But here’s the worst thing; remember Bill Maas? He plagiarized Woody Paige of the Denver Post…and we ran it and I fired him."

Running a free paper – even in better times – requires serious belt tightening, MacDonald says.

Starting with the payroll.

When MacDonald sold the paper in 2003 (when it was profitable), editor Alan Eskew was making only $25 to $50 per story, MacDonald says.

"He used to write two sometimes three," MacDonald says. "He was the editor in name only, I actually edited it. I spent many a sleepless night editing that paper and we never had any typos."

"Contributing photographers" Scott Thomas and Ed Graunke, "basically got to get a photo pass to go to sporting events," MacDonald says. "And then I paid them $25 for each photo that we used."

And although local blogger John Landsberg reported the current publisher has owned the paper the longest at six years, "I owned it for seven," MacDonald says. "So that’s a lie right off."

Landsberg also wrote that KC Sports "circulation is around 70,000 each month."

Doubtful, MacDonald says.

"I can’t say there’s no way, but between you and me that’s impossible – that would be unbelievable…" MacDonald says. "I would doubt they’re even still putting out 20,000 (like I was) because of the economics. It just doesn’t add up. If they’ve only got 20 pages, they’re lucky they’re alive."

In fact, an ad in the current issue of KC Sports promotes its readership – not circulation – as being 70,000.

There’s a difference.

The 20,000 copies MacDonald was printing, for example, at a "pass along" rate of 2.7 readers per issue gives you a readership of 54,000.  Using that same scale, KC Sports would have to print around 26,000 copies to reach an estimated 70,000 readers.

Were it to print 70,000 issues – as Landsberg claims – it would reach nearly 190,000 people

Compare that to the far more established Pitch – which has struggled – that says it prints 45,000 copies to Ink‘s 55,000.

Like I said, times are tough in the print racket where these days survival is the name of the game

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | Leave a comment

Glazer: The Chiefs Had to Tag Dwayne Bowe as Franchise Player

Posted on March 6, 2012 by admin

Dwayne Bowe is the offense for the Kansas City Chiefs…

It’s that simple. Bowe’s on again and off again on the field, but by far this team’s MVP. Forget Derrick Johnson, without Bowe we can’t score anything. Our offense is that bad.

With Jamaal Charles back this season – if his ACL’s better – he could help. But the Chiefs had to sign Bowe and let cornerback Brandon Carr go. They replaced Carr with Oakland’s Stanford Routt. Not bad.

Don’t worry about Bowe, he’ll get nearly $10 million this year as the franchise player. The guy probably wanted a five year $60-$70 million dollar deal and he may yet get it.

Another team can still grab him away if they pay more, and we don’t match it.

However they would have to give up two first round picks, so  that’s unlikely.

P.S. New Orleans tagged Drew Brees and he’s majorly pissed. He wanted a long term deal as well. And you know what? He’s earned that more than any player in the game today. Brees brought that team back from the dead, so it’s kinda shocking that they won’t give him his just reward.

Bowe’s the best wideout the Chiefs have had in 40 years.

The best since Otis Taylor in the early 70’s. It’s been the Chiefs’ weak point since Taylor left, right up there with that we can’t find a star quarterback.

The Chiefs would have won about three more Super Bowls if they had.

Tony G was not enough. In 1995, 1997 and 2003 the team also had no big time wideouts. All of those teams were 13-3.

Joe Montana bitched about it daily during the 1993 and 1994 campaigns. His only real receiver was Marcus Allen.

So yeah, we needed to keep Bowe.

Posted in Craig_Glazer | Tagged | 9 Comments

Starbeams: Sleep Awareness Month Descends on Plaza & March Madness Paralyzes KC

Posted on March 6, 2012 by admin

This month is National Sleep Awareness Month.  Or as Plaza Security calls it – March.

*******

The Big 12 Tournament will close traffic downtown this week.  So if you want to experience March Madness, try getting from the courthouse to Broadway on 4 wheels. Heaven forbid, somebody should walk that distance.

*******

There’s talk of bringing credit card machines to the parking booths at Truman Sports Complex.  It’s one of the few sports venues in the nation where people still have to pay $27 in cash to park their car.  And for an extra $973 you can have your favorite linebacker take out the opposing quarterback.

*******

A new survey shows half of women under 25 would rather have bigger boobs than a high IQ.  Which is exactly why I prefer women under 25.

 

Kelly Urich is the morning show host on The Point 99.7 FM

Posted in Starbeams | Tagged | Leave a comment

New Jack City: The Michigan Goober Wars

Posted on March 6, 2012 by admin

When it comes to ridiculous lawsuits I thought I’d seen everything…

That is until this week when a Michigan man filed a class action lawsuit against his local AMC theater, alleging the cinema grossly overcharges for concession items.

He’s seeking a refund for AMC’s customers.

Joshua Thompson filed the suit because, "He got tired of being taken advantage of," his lawyer Kerry Morgan told the Detroit Free Press. "It’s hard to justify prices that are three or four times higher than anywhere else."

Mr. Thompson used to sneak his own goodies into the theater until AMC apparently banned the practice.

Thompson claimed to have paid $8.00 for a soda and a pack of Goobers when he saw a movie at the theater the day after Christmas. And that he paid much less for those same products at a drugstore nearby.

Thompson’s suit accuses AMC of, "Contravening the Michigan Consumer Protection Act by overcharging for concessions."

The suit seeks a penalty against the Kansas City-based circuit and other relief from the court.

My take?

It’s the most outlandish, ridiculous lawsuit I’ve heard of in a long time.

Why would any legitimate attorney even consider taking it on? If the Michigan judge doesn’t throw it out and slap the lawyer’s hands there’s something wrong with the legal system.

The movie ticket is still the best priced "away from home" entertainment value going. But don’t forget, a large portion of every dollar collected at the boxoffice goes to the movie studio releasing the film.

There’s no way in hell a theater operator can keep the doors open by relying only on ticket sales.

Sure you pay a higher price for concession items than you do at a grocery store, but that profit margin is the life support of the theater operation.

Light, heat, power, payroll, construction, real estate, technical conversions to digital cinema—the list goes on. And unlike other entertainment venues, movie theaters provide you with free parking or validate your parking ticket. You can’t say the same for football, baseball – even concert venues, live plays and other name brand events.

And some of those parking costs are sky high!

Now compare the concession prices at football, baseball, soccer, concerts, plays and other event’s to that of movie theaters. ‘Nuff said?

Best of all, no one forces you to buy anything at the movie theater snack bar.

I attend screenings several times a week at theaters. Do I buy snacks every visit? Of course not.  But when I do buy an item I don’t bitch about it.

Speaking of Goobers—I think I’ve made my point.

Posted in Jack_Poessiger | Tagged | 3 Comments

Whinery: RUSH TO JUDGMENT, Sex, Lies & Cable TV

Posted on March 6, 2012 by admin

The political and media world erupted in a war of words the last few days over Rush Limbaugh’s comments about a Georgetown Law Student- a “Miss” Sandra Fluke…

Starting with her testimony before Congress on the high price of contraception, a premise in and of itself debatable.

Rush’s now infamous comments aside, who is Miss Fluke and what did she say?

Here’s the part of her testimony Rush focused on:

“Without insurance coverage, contraception can cost a woman over $3,000.00 during law school. For a lot of students who, like me, are on public interest scholarships, that’s practically an entire summer’s salary.”

A Grand a Year?

I don’t know where Miss Flake shops but Planned Parenthood practically gives “The Pill” away and charges on a sliding scale based on an ability to pay for a wide variety of feminine health and reproductive services. So I doubt any “poor and destitute” law students- particularly ones that go to a law school costing 45K a year- are starving in order to pay for birth control.

The liberal media is portraying her as some helpless and naïve young lady being attacked by the big and bad bully talk show host.

Hey, I went to law school and there’s NOTHING naïve or helpless about the women that go through that program. And Miss Fluke is neither helpless nor naïve. In actuality, she’s the 30 year-old, former president of Georgetown Law Students for Reproductive Justice.

She’s well aware of the agenda she’s advancing.

And Rush, What were you thinking?

I was listening to his radio show last week, as I have for over 20 years, when he called Miss Flake a slut and inferred that if the taxpayers are paying for her birth control- she ought to post her sex tapes on YouTube!

Those kind of remarks are tasteless and inappropriate coming from the man behind into the “Golden EIB Microphone.”

Really Rush, don’t you know you are not Bill Maher, who gets a pass for calling Sarah Palin a “c**t“on his HBO show.? And how about MSNBC’s Ed Schultz calling Laura Ingraham a "right wing slut"? I don’t recall any calls to boycott theirshows or to intimidate his advertisers.

MSNBC id suspended. Schultz for a week and apologized to Miss Ingraham.

Once again, there’s a double standard in the “mainstream media”, where conservatives saying nasty things about liberal women are condemned while liberal men saying awful things about conservative women are applauded or more-or-less given a pass.

Rush knows this and should have criticized Fluke in a more dignified manner and not engaged in conduct unbecoming a gentlemen.

For the record, I don’t care what people do or who they do as long as its all done between consenting adults.

I think all this talk about contraception, abortion, gay marriage, and other social issues are just distracting from the REAL problems facing this Great Country.

And I bet during President Obama’s phone call to console Miss Fluke – he secretly wanted to thank her for such a grand distraction.

Posted in News_and_Views | Tagged | 8 Comments

Glazer: Big 12 Looks Petty for Stiffing MU Basketball Coach Frank Haith

Posted on March 6, 2012 by admin

The Big 12 Coaches named KU’s Bill Self and Iowa State’s Fred Hoiberg co-coaches of the year…

Yet here Missouri’s Frank Haith has his Tigers No. 5 in the nation with a team picked to finish fourth in the league. Not only that, they have a legit shot at a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance, as does Kansas. And he loses to Hoiberg?

How cool would that be if both KU and MU had one seeds?

That’s never happened because MU rarely has strong basketball unit. This is BY FAR their best team ever. I know they had a one seed in 1907 and got jacked, but this is still their best effort ever.

And the Big 12 gives their coach the bum’s rush. Why?

Oh, because MU’s leaving the Big 12. Like that’s Frank’s fault. Today even the Star named Haith Coach Of The Year.

Look, Self is always a great pick.

Many feel this was his best coaching year at Kansas. This was to be a rebuilding year and now they’re No. 3 in the nation and a lock for a one seed if they don’t lose in the tournament or lose their final game. Even then, they’ll still probably be a one seed.

KU has proved over the last 10 years they’re the most consistent "elite" team in America.

Eight straight Big 12 titles, a number one seed more than half the decade and one national title in 2008. MU has none of that. They have been a much better team the last couple seasons, yes. But at this point, that’s about it.

Yet for bringing MU some real national attention, a shot at the Final Four, a No. 5 ranking and maybe more Frank comes in fourth in the conference. Really?

He’s a favorite to win "National Coach of the Year," but in his own league he comes in third. How can that be?

Self is also in the running, and yes, as we have heard since football season Thomas Robinson is the favorite to win "Player Of The Year"

That’s great year for both programs.

First time KU and MU have really been this close in talent and it’s nice to see our local teams on top.

Because at this point, that’s about all we have to brag about.

Our other teams are all no shows, the Royals, Chiefs and K-State – well they did have a nice football season.

So now we’ll see if the Chiefs and Royals can step up.

Posted in Craig_Glazer | Tagged | 6 Comments