Sam Mellinger

The Kansas City Star

A lot of you disagreed with my thought that Frank Martin has peaked as K-State’s basketball coach.

And that’s fine, didn’t expect anything different, except I think some of you missed the point^. This isn’t a call for the man’s job, or even a slam on Frank. Just a statement that I believe his most successful days at K-State are in the past.

^ If so, that’s my fault. I’m the writer. I should be clear.

So, I used Twitter to solicit a good-natured K-State fan to make a bet. @Chief_Wildcat was the first one in, and accepted the terms:

If Frank Martin outdoes 2010 — for our purposes here, we’re defining that as a league title, Final Four, or final ranking higher than seventh — I lose the bet and give $100 to Harvesters of Kansas City. If Frank doesn’t achieve any of those, I win the bet and $100 goes to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City.

So either way’s a win, though I will point out I’m undefeated in bets for charity^.

^ Nick Wright’s gullible self thought Chad Ochocinco was gonna make the Sporting KC roster last year.

Anyway, let’s get to it:

@TheNumber65 #KUbball, #Mizzou, #Omaha: How much do you love (or hate) your job right now?

You might know me well enough to know I’m going to answer that I love my job, especially right now. This is the best sports month of the year, and while it’d be nice to have a more manageable schedule, I’m not digging ditches over here.

I like Omaha, it’s got a nice downtown with some good eating/drinking spots. My dad’s coming up with me, too, so I’m looking forward to spending some time with him.

@ClintT13 As 2s, both MU/kU should lose in Elite 8 according to seed, yet it’ll be seen as a choke if either falls short of Final 4. Fair?

Well, I know I won’t look at it like that. You’re saying if MU loses to Michigan State, or if KU loses to North Carolina, people will think they’ve choked?

Reasonable people?

I don’t think that, at all. Maybe I’m not hardcore enough about these things. It’s strange to me, sometimes, how we all celebrate the NCAA Tournament for all the upsets and drama but then get so dismissive of the teams that actually lose. If MU or KU lose Friday, that’s a choke. Lose Sunday, choke. Lose in the second weekend, barring crazy circumstances, and that’s fine.

Disappointment? Sure.

@MrT_Ott what’s your biggest superstition about filling out your bracket for March Madness? #twittertuesday

I don’t know if you’d call it a superstition, but what I usually do is ingest as much information as I can — USA Today always puts out pretty good information, and I love nerdy analysts like Ken Pomeroy and Nate Silver — and then on Wednesday^ I fill it out in less than three minutes.

^ Always on Wednesday.

I think this is the best way to be informed, but avoid that annoying overthought about the 8-9 game.

Also, it’s worth pointing out here that I’ve won exactly one bracket in my life.

@brianhodgekc were you a little jealous you could not take part in the party atmoshere at Power & Light during the Big 12 tournament? or did u?

The fine people at McFadden’s and Johnny’s have credit card receipts that say I took part here and there.

My experience is different than yours, of course, and while I love my job I don’t think you’d want to trade last week if you’re going to every game and have the kind of life you can sleep in the next day.

The highlight probably came Wednesday, when a bunch of my best friends came up for the play-in games and I met them afterward. It really is Kansas City’s best hour. Plus, I saw Nate Bukaty rap, on stage, in front of people.

And I hope my track record is strong enough that you’ll believe this…he was pretty good.

@matthiasbostick #twittertuesday was this the sprint center’s greatest four day stretch with the big twelve tourney then radiohead on sunday?

Your heart’s in the right place, and I’m not a country music fan, but Garth Brooks wants you to Google him.

Remind me to tell you a good Garth Brooks story sometime.

@PowercatRyan What’re the chances of a “Big 12” chant in Pitt on Saturday if #WVU and #KSU both advance to 2nd rd and play in same session?

Damn near 100 percent, and I give this my biggest endorsement.

@bdengland what’s the chance of KC imploding if it’s a KU/MU national championship?

Well, damn near 100 percent…

The Chiefs could sign Peyton Manning and this would still be the biggest thing in Kansas City sports since at least 1985. Honest.

@clung99 if there was a KU v. MU NCAA final, how much would a ticket to that go for (lower level) #twittertuesday

Thing is, you’d luck out in that there wouldn’t be a huge national push for these tickets, and New Orleans is far enough away that you wouldn’t have a ton of local fans in to needlessly drive up prices.

Then again, the people who would come would be hellbent on buying those tickets, so I’m probably spouting nonsense.

Answer (without being clear on the Superdome’s seating): I’d be surprised if you could get lower level tickets for less than $500 each.

@SteveMac5000 How can CFB take us seriously about a playoff, when people bitch about the #69 & 70 CBB teams who didn’t make it?

It’s a hell of a point. I laugh a little when I hear people — usually coaches — say there are a lot of really great teams that didn’t make the field.

No. No, there aren’t.

Especially not this year.

@txtigerfan1 do you think denmon gets his jersey retired at mizzou? Great article about him btw!

Thanks. And I do, yes. Absolutely. He was named second-team All-America by the US Basketball Writers Association the other day, and there figures to be more honors like that coming.

The kid is a two-time all-league selection and will graduate as the fourth or fifth leading scorer in school history. So yeah, I think he should.

@moneyonion Where is the best and worst restroom you have experienced while doing your job? #twittertuesday

I’m just not sure what this means.

@DannyParkins After those wildly successful online videos are you considering a career in TV? If so, are you going to get a grown up haircut?

Thanks for noticing. The only thing about going into TV is I don’t want my stunning good looks to distract from my excellent thoughts. Also, I like that I’m hearing about growing up from a guy who gets carded at R-rated movies.

@chadabad Dear Sam, I think your hair cut is buffed, beautiful and bitchin’. Signed, Vera De Milo tinyurl.com/yhokruq

Eat it, Parkins!

@mjones99 Why is there such reluctance to cover Sporting KC by local media? They performed better last year than Chiefs/Royals.

Note: Matt wrote to say he wasn’t talking about me specifically or even the Star generally, but other outlets in town. I can’t answer for other places, of course, except to say I think they’re missing out if they ignore a team with a significant and passionate following.

I guess it would help if we both understand our biases here, but I disagree with the premise. There’s not a reluctance. We cover every home game with a staff writer, write regularly on offdays, and pay professionals to cover every road game.

I wrote some Sporting KC last year and the year before, and will again this year. Randy Covitz — last I heard, anyway — will cover the opener on Saturday.

I’d be there, too, if not for the college basketball in Omaha. Last year, there were some Sporting games down the stretch I wanted to be at that coincided with Chiefs games.

Look, I love what that franchise is doing. It’s the best ownership in town, the in-stadium experience is a blast, all good things. I’m folding another Sporting question into this one by saying I expect that team to at least make the conference finals. They’ll get coverage, because they deserve it.

But you also have to understand there’s plenty else going on.

@kelwill9 you look like Ducky from Pretty in Pink

That man is Casanova.

@kent_swanson Went to the original Peanut two weekends ago. It was everything you said it was. 2nd best wings in KC are…?

Glad you liked ‘em. It’s a long fall from there, but you might try Mac’s in Overland Park. Very good wings there, and terrific TV setup.

@thillsman Who’s your favorite favorite son? Rudd, Riggle, Stonestreet, or Sudeikis?

Sudeikis. By a pretty good margin, too. Saturday Night Live has a really good cast right now, plus I’m catching up on Eastbound and Down, and he’s killing it there too.

@thisisBarta Since it looks as if Manning is out of the question, where will Hunt spend his money in FA so he doesn’t look like a liar?

If right tackles were as important or glamorous as quarterbacks, I’d be writing a column demanding the Chiefs sign Eric Winston. Makes loads and loads and loads of sense, on a lot of levels^.

^ He’s even a Right 53 kind of guy!

@mmMOUF what will be more disappointing? When the Chiefs don’t get Peyton, or when the Royals under preform this season? #TT

Well, I feel like by now, nobody around here really expects the Chiefs to sign Peyton. So I’ll say the Royals, although depending on your expectations, I think it’s entirely unlikely they underperform massively.

I’m using a range of 75-85 wins in saying that, with my personal over-under now shifting slightly from 83 to 81.

@zachwelch2 #TwitterTuesday: Do you see Wil Myers, Mike Montgomery or Christian Colon getting a big-league call up at any time in 2012?

Not Myers (he just turned 21 and had an underwhelming/injury spoiled 2011) or Colon (this will only be his second full pro season), but Montgomery will be given every chance to make his debut this year.

That 5.32 ERA last year is wretched, but a closer look by scouts says he’s not as far off. That was at Class AAA, where he was young for the league, and his stuff is still terrific — he just wasn’t locating it.

When I was in Surprise a few weeks ago, George Brett “wow’d” a few Montgomery pitches during an intrasquad game, and while I’ll emphasize here that it was an intrasquad game in February, it’s at least something.

@TbobSmith The Royals haven’t been to the playoffs since I’ve been alive (89’). Realistically, could this be the year?

Could be, sure. The playoff hopes are realistic, but I certainly wouldn’t bet on it. Still a longshot to make the playoffs, but very much trending in the right direction.

@FrankSchloegel what’s better, blvd chocolate ale with the lady or the new 8% natty daddy with the guys you got drunk with in highschool?

The only correct answer to this is “yes.” But I’m in a bit of a different situation, actually, because the Lady was my high school girlfriend and knows all the guys I’d go drink 8% Natty with.

In other words, my answer would be that they’re all at the table, especially if you’ll let me substitute a little Makers for what sounds like an awful beer — no offense to the fine brewers at Natty.

Comments

1. 

   Brian Grant

   1 year, 2 months ago

   I can answer mjones99’s question: Because of people like me. When the radio guys start talking about Sporting, I change the station. Sporting articles in the paper? Check the score and move on. I think the same is probably true for most sports fans in Kansas City. It’s not that we don’t like Sporting. What they’ve done out there is impressive. We may even take in a few games, and revel in the passion and atmosphere. But at the end of the day…it’s still soccer. And even if watching soccer can be enjoyable, we don’t have much desire to talk or read about it.

   Sam suggested that the media would be “missing out” if they ignored a team with a “significant and passionate following”. Well, the sports media is in the business of making money. And if this following were really significant enough (I’d never doubt their passion) to help with the medias bottom line, they’d follow it more. Pure and simple. The fact that they don’t, suggests that their ratings take a hit when they focus too much on Sporting. The media is really at the mercy of their customers, and we want to talk football, college basketball, and baseball….and not much else.

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