Sportsbeat Kc

The Chiefs’ 2024 draft class addressed needs, specifically at wide receiver and offensive tackle, and the team took some fliers on others. Did the Chiefs meet all their goals, and do more positions require more attention? On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, beat writer Jesse Newell offers thoughts on all seven selections and looks ahead to how the group will blend with the the two-time defending Super Bowl champion. Who among the newcomers will be counted on immediately, and how will special teams factor in for some? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Annual Player Selection Meeting, or informally known as the NFL Draft, kicks off its three-day run on Thursday in Detroit. As Super Bowl champion, the Chiefs own picks No. 32 and 64 in the first two rounds, but there should be good depth at the positions of team needs, like wide receiver and offensive tackle. Will the Chiefs go there? On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, beat writer Jesse Newell and columnist Sam McDowell provide insights into possibilities for the Chiefs. It might make sense to work a deal to trade up or move back. If the Chiefs stand pat, we provide names of possible draft targets, players we have identified in the Star’s mock drafts. The draft, and the undrafted free agent signings afterwards are this important: The backbone of last year’s team was homegrown, with 66 percent (35 of 53) of the roster comprised of Chiefs’ draft picks or undrafted free agents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quite the soccer scene in Kansas City last weekend. Sporting Kansas City took on Lionel Messi and Inter Miami before more than 72,000 last weekend at Arrowhead Stadium. The game, and Messi’s performance lived up the hype in Miami’s 3-2 victory. On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian look back at the event and what it means for a stadium and region that will host World Cup games in two years. Also, you’ll from Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes, who opened his postmatch press conference by remarking on the historic game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The baseball season is about two weeks old, and the Royals are still in it entering a three-game home series against the Houston Astros. The team is off to its best start in three years and it’s a refreshing change from recent seasons. The starting pitching has been outstanding and players like M.J Melendez, Salvador Perez, Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr., are off to fast starts. On SportsBeat KC, beat writer Jaylon Thompson discusses the team’s solid start and what it will take for the Royals to keep up the pace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jackson County votes have spoken, and they said “no” to a new stadium for the Royals and upgrades at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs. On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian, who covered the stadium tax campaign from the beginning, share their thoughts on why it failed and what’s next for the teams. The teams didn’t put together a winning game plan. Now the future of the teams in Jackson County comes into question. Story links: Sam McDowell: The Royals and Chiefs should blame themselves, not voters, for stadium tax failures Vahe Gregorian: After stadium tax whiff, Royals, Chiefs should heed message and work to earn trust Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 2, Jackson County residents will decide whether to approve a 3/8-cent sales tax that would fund a new stadium for the Royals and provide upgrades at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs. The tax expected to generate about $2 billion over 40 years. A “Yes,” vote means the Royals will move out of Kauffman Stadium and build a new stadium in the Crossroads District. The Chiefs will stay put and improve the fan experience at Arrowhead. A “No,” vote means... No one is certain, but columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian join host Blair Kerkhoff on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, to break down this generational decision. We discuss what the vote means for Kansas City and offer predictions on the outcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first wave of free agency has passed and the Chiefs were active. It actually started before the period opened when the two-time Super Bowl champion gave Chris Jones a record-setting contract. In free agency, the Chiefs came away with wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown as their big splash, while signing several defensive players in hopes of recreating the magic of the 2023 unit. The Chiefs aren’t finish. Running back and offense tackle remain positions of need. And what becomes of cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, who carries the franchise tag? Will the Chiefs seek a trade? Beat writer Jesse Newell breaks down the free agency work and looks ahead at what might happen next on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Kansas Jayhawks won their most recent battle. How will they fare in the postseason wars? On SportsBeat KC, The Star's sports podcast, beat writers Gary Bedore and Shreyas Laddha break down KU's victory over Kansas State and look ahead to postseason prospects. The Jayhawks, who entered the season as the nation's top-ranked team but has fallen to No. 14 in the latest poll, do many things well, as it showed in the in the victory over Kansas State earlier this week., But it's also a team with fatal flaws. They've been good enough to defeat the nation's top teams, while losing to bottom teams in the Big 12 this season. KU hasn't missed a tournament since 1989. The program lives for March, but two years after winning the program's fourth NCAA title, can they made a deep run? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In two weeks, the Kansas City Current of the NWSL will open its season and new stadium. The following month, Sporting will play host to Miami and Lionel Messi at Arrowhead Stadium. And the FIFA 2026 World Cup games are never far from mind. But on this SportsBeat KC podcast, we discuss Sporting Kansas City. Columnist Vahe Gregorian and beat writer Daniel Sperry are joined by special guest Nate Bukaty, a co-host on SportsRadio 810 WHB and now a member of the MLS national soccer broadcast team for Apple TV and Fox. We discuss Sporting’s season prospects, plus what it will mean to have Messi come to Kansas City. After a break, you’ll hear from Sporting manager Peter Vermes and captain Johnny Russell, who shares among other things, what he enjoys most about being a Chiefs season ticket holder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One final official act of the Kansas City Chiefs LVIII championship remains: Wednesday’s parade. After that, it’s on to 2024. On SportsBeat KC, The KC Star’s sports podcast recorded about 24 hours after the Chiefs’ 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers, beat writer Jesse Newell discusses the game and some of its unsung heroes and the decision by the 49ers to take the ball first in overtime. We also look at the three-peat quest and legacy of Patrick Mahomes, and what lies ahead for the Chiefs roster. Some big decisions await for the team and some of the players, like Chris Jones and L’Jarius Sneed. On what we call the final show for the 2023 season, we break it all down in the afterglow of a third championship in five year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chiefs bid for their third Super Bowl championship in five years, while the San Francisco 49s look to avenge their loss to Kansas City in the big game four years ago. Both teams make strong cases to feel confident about victory. On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, beat writer Jesse Newell and columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell break down the game and make the case for both teams The 49ers are a slight favorite. But the Chiefs have been the more impressive team in the postseason. Patrick Mahomes is the game’s top quarterback. San Francisco’s Brock Purdy has been sensational in his second year. We discuss it all on this episode from Las Vegas, the site of Super Bowl LVIII. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chiefs have had a more impressive path to the Super Bowl than the San Francisco 49ers, with Kansas City winning twice on the road. Their most recent common opponent is the Baltimore Ravens. The Chiefs beat them for the AFC championship last week, the 49ers lost them at home late in the regular season. So why are the Chiefs underdogs in Super Bowl LVIII. Beat writer Jesse Newell and columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell explain on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast. We also discuss some of the Chiefs heroes of the postseason, some you’d expect, and some surprises. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The last season the Chiefs didn’t play in the AFC Championship Game (2017), a solar eclipse passed over Kansas City. It’s been nothing but football sunshine since then. Sunday, the Chiefs travel to the Baltimore Ravens with the winner advancing to the Super Bowl. The Chiefs got here by winning at the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, beat writer Jesse Newell along with columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian break down this week’s showdown, discuss last weekend’s dramatic triumph, and argue about the penalty for fumbling the ball out of bounds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chiefs season lives. They’ve reached the Divisional Round of the AFC playoffs and will visit the Buffalo Bills on Sunday after defeating the Miami Dolphins in the wild card round last weekend. We break down the matchup on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, with beat writer Jesse Newell and columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell. A defense that shut down Tyreek Hill and the Miami offense will have its hands full taking on Josh Allen and the Bills, who defeated the Chiefs during the regular season. But recent postseason history favors Kansas City. The Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes have won two playoff games against the Bills in the previous three seasons. Those games were at Arrowhead. This one will be in Buffalo and will be Mahomes’ first true road playoff game in six seasons. Are he and the Chiefs up to the task? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a No. 3 seed, the Chiefs have their worst playoff starting position since Patrick Mahomes became the quarterback in 2018. That likely means they’ll have their most difficult path, beginning with Saturday’s home game against the Miami Dolphins. On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, beat writer Jesse Newell and columnists Vahe Gregorian break down the Chiefs chances and discuss the matchup that includes a return to Kansas City for Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Which Chiefs team shows up in what’s supposed to be frigid conditions? The one that seemed to find its offensive rhythm two weeks ago against the Cincinnati Bengals and have played rugged defense all season, or the one that can’t avoid the giveaways? No better time than the playoffs for the Chiefs to find the best version of themselves. Story link: How the Chiefs playoff path to the Super Bowl just got a lot tougher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The eighth straight AFC West is clinched, and a ninth consecutive playoff appearance assured. But one game remains in the regular season. How do Andy Reid and the Chiefs play it? Look for the Chiefs to rest starters against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Why would that be important? Columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian along with beat writer Jesse Newell and repoter Pete Grathoff explain. Also, we dive into the important of righting the ship in Sunday’s victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Chiefs fell behind by double digits before rallying for the victory. Championship hats and t-shirts were presented after the game, but the Chiefs will seek bigger rewards when the playoffs begin. Story link: Why the Chiefs, locked into the No. 3 seed, are in a perfect spot ahead of Week 18 https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mcdowell/article283722298.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Mistakes doomed the Chiefs in their loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, but one -- a penalty against wide receiver Kadarius Toney -- got more attention than the others. Offensive offside was the flag against Toney, and it wiped out a touchdown that started as a pass from Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce and finished with Toney racing to the end zone after taking a lateral from Kelce. But the go-ahead touchdown with about 90 seconds remaining didn’t count, and the Chiefs couldn’t recover. Beat writer Jesse Newell, and columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian discuss all aspects of the play, the call and reaction on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast. Story link: We’re debating the wrong question on the flag against Chiefs’ Kadarius Toney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In some ways, the Chiefs’ loss at the Green Bay Packers was their most troubling of the season. The offense couldn’t finish drives with touchdowns in the red zone early. The defense, so good throughout the year, allowed the Packers to score on five of seven possessions. More problems in the passing game, and a bad play on a momentum-turning interception by Patrick Mahomes. We discuss all of it and more, including the importance of Sunday’s home game against the Buffalo Bills with The Star crew that regularly covers the Chiefs, beat writer Jesse Newell and columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian. The home stretch of the regular season has arrived. Can the Chiefs return to the form a team that’s played in the last five AFC Championship Games and won two Super Bowls? Story link: Why Skyy Moore slowed down his route on late interception Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices