KC Replay: Chiefs are rolling, Sporting KC’s a 3-seed + Royals awards and Buck O’Neil
You win some, you lose some.
That simple sports maxim has sure held true for Kansas City’s pro sports teams over the past week or so.
Here’s your weekly rundown of the sports headlines in and around KC — our every-Sunday KC Replay — win an eye toward the Chiefs, Royals, Sporting KC and area college programs Mizzou, KU and Kansas State.
Chiefs might be on a roll
Are the Chiefs finally trending in the right direction? They’ve now beaten the Giants and a Packers team missing star QB Aaron Rodgers on successive weekends.
The Chiefs didn’t put up many points, but they managed to get past the Jordan Love-led Pack 13-7. Even with Rodgers sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19, their two-game win streak hasn’t come easily. They didn’t secure the bag last weekend until Patrick Mahomes found Tyreek Hill for a clutch first down that enabled them to run out the clock.
Still, wins are wins, right? And the Chiefs are 5-4 now.
They also ended the week in the hunt for another splashy free-agent signing. Talent receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was released from his contract with the Browns, and the Chiefs were reportedly on a shortlist of teams for which he’d like to play for next (the Packers and his hometown Saints are the others).
OBJ’s next stop will be storyline to watch this coming week.
Sporting skids into playoffs
We try not to groan too much about blown calls, but the one late in Sporting KC’s 1-0 home loss to Real Salt Lake was especially egregious. The governing organization for Major League Soccer’s officials agreed, copping to the error not long afterward. (For those unaware, an RSL player clearly touched the ball with his hand, a major no-no in soccer, but no penalty was assessed.)
That’s all in the past now. Sporting KC plays host to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Nov. 20 in their MLS playoff opener. The winner advances to the Western Conference semifinals.
While we’re talking soccer, a quick nod of KC respect to hometown hero, Sporting KC legend and USMNT veteran Matt Besler, the Blue Valley Northwest product who announced his retirement at age 34. He spent this year playing for Austin FC.
Victories on the hardwood
Kansas, Missouri and K-State all won their men’s basketball openers.
The Jayhawks got their ‘W’ in New York City, beating Michigan State 87-74 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. KC’s own Ochai Agbaji led the way with 29 points.
Mizzou took care of business at home the same evening against Central Michigan, winning 78-68. Javon Pickett had 18 points and a late steal that helped the Tigers seal the deal.
The Wildcats’ win came Wednesday night at Bramlage against Florida A&M. K-State beat FAMU 67-57 behind 18 points from Nigel Pack.
Sunflowers and Bulldogs
The Sunflower Showdown remained a lopsided football series last weekend with K-State beating Kansas 35-10 in Lawrence to claim the Governor’s Cup trophy.
Is there a more profound difference between football and basketball for two schools locked in a cross-state rivalry? Not around here, there’s not. The Wildcats have now beaten the Jayhawks 13 straight times since KU’s 52-21 victory in 2008.
As they say in Lawrence, just wait until basketball season.
Royals, awards + Buck’s back (on the ballot)
The Royals have two Gold Glovers this year, in left fielder Andrew Benintendi and center fielder Michael A. Taylor. The Rawlings awards for the league’s best-fielding position players were doled out early this past week.
Catcher Salvador Perez did not win a Gold Glove, nor was he selected as a finalist for American League MVP. Perhaps we’re being myopic, but that seemed like a glaring oversight for a player who led baseball in RBIs (121) and tied for the MLB lead in homers (48) in 2021.
Salvy did claim his fourth career Silver Slugger Award Thursday night, surpassing George Brett for most all-time by a Royals player.
One more baseball item of major local interest: The late, great Buck O’Neil, a treasured Kansas City icon, made it onto the ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He’s on the Early Baseball Era and voting will take place on Dec. 5. Here’s hoping this true Negro Leagues legend — scratch that, true baseball legend — finds his way to Cooperstown at long last.
