University of Missouri

Jabari Brown has found a home at Missouri

There’s a tattoo on Missouri junior Jabari Brown’s upper right arm. It reads “B4” — short for the Brown four — encircled by his name along with the names of his parents, David and Fannie, and younger brother, Jamil. Underneath the names, it reads, “Family is a haven in a heartless world.” So it’s an incredibly cruel irony that in the midst of a breakout season — one that has seen Brown play as well as any shooting guard in the nation and as well as any Tiger in the last two decades — Brown learned his father has Stage IV cancer.

BLAIR KERKHOFF

Which Big 12 team will cut the nets in KC? Eight are capable

This is the 18th Big 12 Tournament, and after the NCAA selection committee does its thing on Sunday, the guess is we will not have seen anything like it. Baylor coach Scott Drew marveled at the field. “Toughest I can remember,” Drew said. “Not even close. More teams can win it this year. Normally, going in there are two or three teams that are the favorites.”

Editor's Picks

Business

Crossroads Academy expansion decision is delayed

Consideration of a plan by the Crossroads Academy, a downtown charter school, to double its size so it can accommodate middle school students was delayed Wednesday by a city development agency. The Kansas City Tax Increment Financing Commission postponed consideration of the school’s request for $5.5 million in TIF assistance until March 24. The delay was required because a late amendment filed in an effort to satisfy objections to the proposal.

News

Sex trade in eight cities, including Kansas City, is worth nearly $1 billion

A study released Wednesday about the world’s oldest profession concludes that the lucrative underground commercial sex economy in eight large U.S. metropolitan areas, including Kansas City, brings in a combined estimated annual cash value of $975.3 million. The unprecedented study by the Urban Institute finds that the reach of the Internet has facilitated the flesh trade and made it harder to combat.

Chiefs

Chiefs lose five players in first 90 minutes of free agency, re-sign Husain Abdullah

Over the past two months, Chiefs general manager John Dorsey and coach Andy Reid have taken turns repeating the mantra build through the draft. So when free-agency officially began at 3 p.m. Tuesday, and five Chiefs starters were snapped up by other teams within the first 90 minutes, it hardly qualified as a shock. Also Tuesday, the Chiefs re-signed backup safety Husain Abdullah to a two-year deal, a source told The Star.

Don't Kill The Mellinger

The Chiefs are leaking talent and the Broncos are sucking it up, so ... uh-oh?

We interrupt Kansas City’s best sports week of the year with Pat Bowlen and John Elway turning NFL free agency into their own personal rap video. Aqib Talib gets six years and $57 million, including $26 million guaranteed (the biggest guarantee ever for a cornerback, which the Broncos will soon regret). The Broncos are also, reportedly, in on former Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Ware, which is ridiculous.

Sports

Down the hill from KU, Haskell carries out a different basketball mission

On the same night KU plays Texas in front of a sold-out crowd, another college basketball celebration has begun in Lawrence. Three players from Haskell Indian Nations University are lined up at midcourt to be recognized for before their final home game. Their time at Haskell has been rewarding, the players say. But the real news here is three of the players have made it to this point.

Blogs and columns

Crime Scene KC

Stargazing

Cityscape

Red Zone

Campus Corner

The Buzz