May was better than April for the Royals, but not good enough to get the team out of last place in the AL Central. The Royals head into June with a 17-39 record, one of two in baseball to not reach the 20-victory plateau. What were the highlights and low points for the month? On today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, beat writer Jaylon Thompson and editor Scott Chasen break it down and look ahead to June. One thought: As good as Salvador Perez and Zack Greinke were in May, the R...
Jun 01, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast With DeAndre Hopkins on the market, how set are the Chiefs at wide receiver with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Justin Watson, Rashee Rice and other candidates? The Chiefs would need to clear cap space to sign the three-time All-Pro, but should they? On today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, the columnists share their thoughts on the Chiefs and all things sports in Kansas City. Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell discuss White House visits for KC teams, Sporti...
May 31, 2023•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast DeAndre Hopkins has been among the top NFL wide receivers in his career, and he’s available after his release by the Arizona Cardinals last week. What are the chances Hopkins joins the Chiefs? According to beat writer Jesse Newell, the case against landing in Kansas City has more checks than the case for Hopkins joining Patrick Mahomes and company. Newell lays out his reason on today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast. Also discussed: Why the Chiefs are planning to enter the 2023 s...
May 30, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does Patrick Mahomes think about the NFL’s quarterback market, and his place in it? What has Nick Bolton been up to since his Super Bowl scoop-and-score? What does Andy Reid think about his new cast of wide receivers and tackles? The Chiefs spoke to reporters Wednesday and you’ll hear what they had to say on today’s episode of The Star’s SportsBeat KC podcast. Mahomes kicks off off the show. After jet-setting this offseason to the Kentucky Derby and a Formula 1 race in Miami (among other tr...
May 24, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Before losing their fourth straight game, the Royals bid farewell to a player who had been in the organization for 10 years. Hunter Dozier was designated for assignment, and the Royals will eat the remainder of his contract. Dozier signed a four-year extension in 2021 and is owed about $15 million if another team doesn’t claim him. Signing a lucrative long-term extension is risk to the club and potentially the player, and as the Royals consider deals to lock up younger talent like Vinnie Pasquan...
May 23, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Not a good weekend for Kansas City’s soccer teams. Sporting KC got trounced in its first game against expansion team Saint Louis City, and the KC Current dropped its fourth straight, and second this week, to Racing Louisville. Both teams have been fighting uphill battles throughout the season, and they’ve shown signs of solid play. Before Sporting’s loss it had going 2-0-1 and the Current posted a three-game winning streak earlier this season. On today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports po...
May 22, 2023•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Three years before the games come to Kansas City, the FIFA World Cup 2026 has new logos, a board of directors and some money earmarked from state and city governments. This was part of a press conference at GEHA Field at Arrowhead that included Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. Perhaps the biggest reveal of the event came from Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas, who said the city will issue request for proposals on improving transportation from downtown to the airport and the T...
May 18, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Did Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman sign a coach-for-life contract? Eight years, $44 million is about as long-term as it can get, and with the Wildcats becoming off a Big 12 championship season it seems like a bargain for the Wildcats. On today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, beat writer Kellis Robinett breaks down the deal and discusses not only the contract terms but where it ranks among Big 12 coaches and the statement Kansas State and Klieman made with the agreeme...
May 16, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast How does the new Chiefs offensive line stack up to last year’s? It might be tough to top a group that didn’t allow a sack in the Super Bowl victory. But the additions at both tackle spots were well received. That one topic covered by Chiefs beat writer Jesse Newell on today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast. The other: The Chiefs schedule. At face value it’s difficult. That’s always the case for first-place teams. We discuss the potential potholes and reveal what Las Vegas oddsmak...
May 15, 2023•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Royals head into their longest road trip of the year coming off their best home stand. Their victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday meant they won a series for only the second time this year and first time at home. They went 5-5 on the home stand and that’s their record in May, a nice turnaround from a dreadrful April. So, let’s talk baseball. First up, meet The Star’s new Royals beat writer Jaylon Thompson. He previously worked at USA Today and grew up in Atlanta following the Brave...
May 12, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast A victory in its last MLS game stopped the spiral for Sporting KC, the final team to win a game this season. It occurred in the 11th league game. The awful start continued a trend from last year when only one team in the Western Conference finished with fewer points. What are the reasons for the slow start and how much responsibility falls on the shoulders of manager and sporting director Peter Vermes? Vermes is the constant with the franchise, which has been among the most success in league his...
May 11, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Jayhawks have largely turned over their men’s basketball roster for next season and the biggest addition is Hunter Dickinson, the 7-1 standout from Michigan who is transferring to Bill Self’s program. On today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, beat writers Gary Bedore and Shreyas Laddha discuss how KU could use Dickinson, a two-time All-Big Ten selection and a second-team All-America last year. Dickinson averaged 18.5 points and nine rebounds last season and could be the most...
May 10, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Reporters spoke with Chiefs draft selections in the euphoric moments after they were taken. A week or so later, the same players in a less hectic moment got the interview treatment again at Chiefs rookie mini-camp. You’ll hear from some of those players on today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast. First-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah, the defensive end from Kansas State and Lee’s Summit High, recalled his experiences at the Super Bowl parade after the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV victor...
May 09, 2023•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Royals celebrated the Kansas City career of Lorenzo Cain over the weekend with a contract-signing ceremony that allowed him to retire as Royal. On today’s episode of SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, you’ll hear from Cain about his KC career, with an emphasis on the 2014 and 2015 postseasons. The occasion got us wondering about who else might receive such a ceremony with the Royals, and/or eventually join the team’s hall of fame. Manager Ned Yost will be the first from the group to e...
May 08, 2023•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is there a Patrick Mahomes effect when it comes to evaluating college prospect quarterbaccks? Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz says he sees more “off schedule” plays from high school and college quarterbacks, similar to the highlight moments from the Chiefs quarterback. Drinkwitz, Mizzou basketball coach Dennis Gates and wrestling coach Brian Smith spoke to fans and reporters on a recent visit to Kansas City, and you’ll hear them all on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast. Gates ...
May 04, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, we’ve heard from Chiefs owner and CEO Clark Hunt, general manager Brett Veach, and Kansas City Sports Commission president Kathy Nelson about the NFL Draft in Kansas City. Now, let’s hear from The Star’s Chiefs coverage crew. Columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian along with beat writer Jesse Newell share their thoughts on the Chiefs’ strategy and suggest how the rookie class might fare this season. It has a big task ahead if it’s to top...
May 03, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Chiefs looked to trade up in the first round of NFL Draft but with no takers found they held on to pick No. 31 and selected Kansas State edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who grew up in Lee’s Summit. Then the trading started. The next three players taken by the Chiefs were taken in move-up fashion with SMU wide recevier Rashee Rice in the second round, Oklahoma offensive tackle Wanya Morris in the third and Virginia Tech safety Chammari Conner in the fourth. On today’s SportsBeat KC, The Sta...
May 02, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast The NFL Draft in Kansas City has passed and evaluations begin. The early returns are positive for the Chiefs, who added seven newcomers to the roster, and for Kansas City. The area entertained an estimated 300,000 fans at Union Station and the National WWI Museum and Memorial. The Chiefs and the NFL Draft are the topics on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast. First, you’ll hear from Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt. He met with reporters on Friday, before the second and third rounds...
May 01, 2023•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast The NFL Draft opened before tens of thousands at Union Station, and ended with the Chiefs selecting Kansas State product Felix Anudike-Uzomah in the first round. In all, an amazing day in Kansas City. On today’s SportsBeat KC, we’ll hear from Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid. We’ll hear about Anudike-Uzomah’s Chiefs fandom growing up in Lee’s Summit, and how Veach and Reid came to identify the K-State defensive lineman as their choice. Also, Veach and Reid e...
Apr 28, 2023•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Four years after the announcement of the NFL Draft to Kansas City, the day has arrived. Tens of thousands are expected to watch the event at Union Station from the National WWI Museum and Memorial law and millions more on the broadcast. The first team scheduled to make a selection is the Carolina Panthers. On today’s SportsBeat KC, Charlotte Observer columnist Scott Fowler joins Star columnist Sam McDowell in discussing the Panthers’ position and how Carolina got the top pick without finishing w...
Apr 27, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Playing host to the NFL Draft is a process that started several years ago, and now we’re one day away from the start of the big show. On today’s episode of SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell and reporter Pete Grathoff weigh on the event and what it means for Kansas City. It’s also a big weekend for the Chiefs. The Super Bowl champs used last year’s draft to fortify a roster that won the Super Bowl. We discuss their possible first-round dire...
Apr 26, 2023•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Some of the greatest players in Chiefs history were not first-round draft selections, and you’ll hear from a few of them on today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast. Each has an interesting draft experience story, and Bobby Bell, Will Shields and Trey Smith share theirs. Even though they’re from different eras, one thing they have in common: Based on performance they were woefully under-drafted with Bell taken in the seventh round, Shields in the third and Smith in the sixth. Bell ...
Apr 25, 2023•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast The NFL will bring 17 draft prospects like Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud to Kansas City for the Draft, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be other draft prospects in Kansas City for the event. A handful of college football standouts from Kansas City-area high schools could find their way to Union Station and Liberty Memorial to take in the sights and sounds of the NFL Draft. Ikenna Enechukwu, a defensive lineman from Rice University and Ruskin High said he...
Apr 24, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast The business of the NFL Draft, when it comes to Kansas City and Union Station next week, won’t be focused nationally on the hometown Chiefs. As Super Bowl champions, they own the final selection of the first round, No. 31 overall. By then, it’s the drama of when the top quarterbacks will be taken and who will be the top defensive player selected will be resolved. But has any team mastered the draft over the past few seasons better than the Chiefs? Beyond the most obvious big payoff maneuver, mov...
Apr 21, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast The price for success in college sports can be expressed through coaches contracts. Kansas State is happily in the process of paying that price. After a football season led by Chris Klieman that included the first Big 12 championship in a decade, and a men’s basketball season that had the Wildcats, picked last in the conference, that extended to the Elite Eight under first-year coach Jerome Tang, it’s time for K-State to show its gratitude. Klieman and Tang are in line for extensions and raises ...
Apr 19, 2023•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast His second Super Bowl championship and MVP season behind him, it was time for Patrick Mahomes to begin thinking about the next quest. Turns out, he’s as motivated to keep pushing forward as ever. Mahomes shared his thoughts about life after the ultimate achievement and starting the 2023 off-season team activities in a 15-minute interview with reporters that you’ll hear on today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast. He talks about his ankle injury, working with receivers in Texas for ...
Apr 18, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast The NFL off-season comes in phases, and teams are preparing for the first of those. For the Chiefs, that means plenty of pitching and catching with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and wide receivers, tight ends and running backs. That’s happening in Texas, as it did last year. It means meetings and conditioning for the defense, and it’s also an opportunity to hear from Andy Reid and players for the first time in several weeks, Reid met with reporters on Monday to preview the beginning of these activ...
Apr 17, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast If the Royals could ignore the opening homestand, they’d look pretty good in the AL Central. On their first road trip of the year, they went 3-3, winning their first two in San Francisco and their final game in Texas. The get away game was their most complete of the season, a 10-1 triumph. But fold in the 1-6 start and the record isn’t pretty after two weeks. On today’s show, Star reporters Pete Grathoff and Scott Chasen discuss the Royals with an emphasis on the past week. The starting pitching...
Apr 14, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast With 10 draft picks the possibilities seemingly are endless for the Chiefs. But there are some positions that need to be addressed, and on today’s SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, beat writer Jesse Newell shares his thoughts on what the Chiefs might do when the draft arrives in two weeks. Edge rusher? Wide receiver? RIght tackle? The Chiefs likely will look for answers at those slots, the way they addressed the defensive backfield last season. How did that work out? Three rookies starte...
Apr 13, 2023•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast The MLS and NWSL seasons have started, and can we get a reset in Kansas City? Sporting Kansas City is seven games in without a victory. The KC Current are 0-2. Why the slow starts? On today’s SportsBeat KC podcast, Star soccer writer Daniel Sperry breaks it down. One common element to the teams: lack of offense. The Current has one goal. Sporting has two. For the most part defense and goal-tending has been solid. But goals have been difficult to come by. As Sporting’s Peter Vermes said after the...
Apr 10, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
