Sam Mellinger

The Kansas City Star

Going on vacation is great, but what’s better is having a life you enjoy getting back to after vacation. No messing around this week, let’s just get to it.

This week’s reading recommendation is Richard Ben Cramer’s The Hero’s Life — I know it came out more than a decade ago, but truly, one of the best books I’ve ever read. Eating recommendation is the buffalo chicken wrap at Johnny’s.

As always, thanks for your help.

@BobbyCave You do realize that we are getting Snowpocalypse, AGAIN, simply because you missed the last one, right? #yourfault

What’s worse is that I actually like this. I think it’s beautiful, don’t mind at all being stuck inside, fire going, coffee for now and beer for later. I’m taking my little brother sledding tomorrow. What sucks is if you HAVE to go somewhere, if you’re traveling, or if you had a doctor’s appointment or something that gets cancelled because people lose their minds and cancel everything when snow comes.

But really, I kind of like it.

@dumbassrambling What was the deal with your car being towed at KCI and you being happy about it? #TT #YourConfusingTweet

So, we got back Saturday night. If you’ve ever had a car parked at the airport when snow hits, you know they always plow the snow to clear the aisles but the snow just gets pushed up against the back bumpers of parked cars. I’d be much more annoyed about this if I could think of a better way, and if KCI wasn’t so good about helping you out.

But this is the first time I ever couldn’t get my car out myself. I tried to dig out with my stupid little ice scrapper, but all that accomplished was backing my car out far enough to block the aisle. So I just called the number, and within a few minutes a really nice gentleman named Fred showed up, hooked my car up, and basically yanked it over the snow and ice.

There are some airports that are just as good as KCI, but none better.

@SKCDrunkDude can we outlaw all uses of snowpocalypse, snowmageddon and snowcation and just allow snowpacabra?

Done.

@JFergKUBYU the storm may do all it can, but it can’t keep a good QB out of KC forever #Chiefs #TT

Nope, that’s been management’s job.

@JST3WK_C curious to hear what you personally think #Chiefs should do with the first pick?

They should trade out of it, but that’s easier said by a sports writer sitting at home in sweatpants than done by Chiefs GM John Dorsey. The history of the NFL draft shows teams how rare it is to trade the first overall pick. Some of the math is different now because the rookie pay scale is so depressed, but obstacles remain.

If the Chiefs can’t get value out of it, I’d look at Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner or West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith.

It’s a fascinating situation the Chiefs are in, and we’ll obviously get more into it as the draft approaches, but there are so many spots where philosophy conflicts with reality. Like, Dorsey says he wants to take the best player. But the consensus best player seems to be A&M left tackle Luke Joeckel, and the Chiefs have Branden Albert there. If you take Joeckel, that probably means you’re letting Albert walk in free agency, which means I’m not sure how much you’ve really improved your football team.

It must be a frustrating thing for Dorsey and Andy Reid, because quarterback is clearly their biggest need and this is just about the worst offseason in recent memory to be looking for one…

@ronmknoxDC Excited for the Steve Bono OH NO WAIT Alex Smith era to begin in KC? #TT

…On the other hand, it’s just about the best offseason in recent memory to have a starting-quality quarterback you probably have to trade. So good for the 49ers. They could use a break, you know, because having a loaded and young roster with a star head coach who seems to nail every decision isn’t enough.

@kent_swanson Alex Smith’s best season is 17 TDs and 10 turnovers. No reason to be excited.

Even in 2011, when he was 17 touchdowns and five interceptions and two special teams screw-ups from his own Super Bowl, Smith took more sacks than anybody else in the NFL. And it goes against what you might think, but statistical studies have shown that sack rates are much more on the quarterback than offensive line.

The two things that worry me the most about Smith:

1. His only two seasons where he didn’t blow were the only two seasons he had Jim Harbaugh. Far as I know, Harbaugh would not be included in a trade.

2. Smith played well enough to get the 49ers within a whisker of the Super Bowl, and by all appearances the team couldn’t wait to drop him. When he got the concussion in week 8, Harbaugh put Kaepernick in and wouldn’t look back. Now, obviously, that proved to be the right decision. But at the time, Harbaugh was benching Smith — the league leader in passer rating at the time — for “Colin Kaepernick, Future Of Quarterbacking.” Harbaugh benched Smith for a second-year player who had potential, but nobody knew what the hell. So now THAT’S the guy you want to build a franchise around? That’s a big concern.

@rebmoti Name player other than Francoeur w as big discrepancy bet how those around feel about him (love) & how fans feel (loathing). #tt

Matt Cassel is the one who comes to mind, though there are subtle differences. Cassel has never been as comfortable in his own skin as Francoeur, which may or may not be a fair thing to say considering the organizations Cassel’s played in. Another difference is that Francoeur had a great season in Kansas City in 2011, so his teammates have seen it, where with Cassel I’m not sure you ever got the feeling his teammates were ever completely sold on his ability to play quarterback.

But Cassel is another guy who does all the right things except when the ball’s in his hands.

@Grant4MU should a professional athlete get credit for dedicating self to getting in top shape when they are, you know, a prof athlete?

No. But spring training is about a month too long this year, so even more than usual, the I’m-in-the-best-shape-of-my-life story will be a staple of coverage.

I tend to read these things a bit differently, though. Not all coverage is glorification, or giving credit. With Francoeur — and I’m reading your question as a reference to Frenchy, which may or may not be accurate — the story is that he’s trying to lose a bit of weight because he was slow last year. This is in the context of him being, probably, baseball’s worst everyday player in 2012 so I’m not reading it as a Frenchy puff piece.

But, anyway, to your bigger point … you’re right. Professional athletes are paid to be in good enough shape to perform. It’s like staying out of jail. You don’t get credit for that. It’s what you’re supposed to do.

@awestfall81 If Hoch makes the rotation isn’t that a sign that the royals, despite there off season moves, still aren’t ready to compete? #TT

Not necessarily. I’ve been as hard on Hoch as anyone, but there is still a chance he can be a good big league pitcher. The ability is all there, and he shows it in flashes. So if he’s the fifth starter because he’s outperformed the others, sure, fine, he’ll get a short leash.

There’s an enormous difference between Hoch having to compete for the last starting job — remember, teams often don’t use a fifth starter the first few weeks of the season — and being the opening day guy.

The Royals’ season does not rely on Hoch. Eric Hosmer’s swing and Jeff Francoeur’s overall play and Sal Perez’s knees and Mike Moustakas’ production and James Shields’ workload and Ervin Santana’s bounceback are just some of the things more important to the Royals’ chances.

And keep in mind, Jake Arrieta was Baltimore’s opening day starter last year. He finished with a 6.20 ERA in 24 games, including 18 starts. The Orioles won 93 games. Tyson Ross began last season as Oakland’s fifth starter. He was 2-11 with a 6.50 ERA. The A’s won 94 games and the AL West. The Giants won the World Series and they gave 33 starts to a guy with a Hochevarian 5.18 ERA.

OK, that last guy was Tim Lincecum. But you get the point.

@mitchopkins What would be more “impressive”, your 40 time, or your pitching mph?

They’d be equally as crappy, I’m pretty sure. I actually ran the 40 a few years ago, when my boss made me try out for the Arena Football League. I think my time was 5.3 seconds, which I remember being impressive for a toddler. Also, I ripped my hamstring doing it, which is embarrassing on at least two levels — three, if you count the fact that the next day I got on a plane to cover the baseball playoffs so I had a week or so of explaining to people why I was limping around like an a-hole.

@gavinesq #TT I’m a huge KU homer and I know KU got lucky last night. But it’s worth remembering, that’s not KU’s fault, is it?

Of course, though I’m not sure who’s saying it’s KU’s fault. Iowa State shot more free throws than KU, and was called for fewer fouls. As a whole, I don’t think the refs called the game in KU’s favor. They were crappy both ways. But missing Withey’s fifth foul (even if his fourth was weak), and the no-call on Johnson’s charge at the end of regulation … those aren’t going to silent the folks who (wrongly) whine that KU gets every call.

@AlanSwansonmed8 Snowed in a cabin, who would you rather be stuck with: Bill Self, Bill Synder, Peter Vermes, Andy Reid, Ned Yost, Frank Haith?

I actually think Snyder would be awesome. Depends how long we were snowed in, I guess, but if it was long enough for him to feel like he had to start talking, the stories in that guy would be so great. I like Vermes a lot, and think we have some things in common. Reid is really interesting, and much funnier than he’ll probably show in his press conferences and most interviews. Ned, I think, would make me feel like a sissy for not going out in the snow with him in shorts to wrestle our dinner into submission. I have a strange feeling Haith and I would end up making fun of each other, which would be hilarious in the beginning but probably get old pretty quick.

In the end, I think I’d go with Self. He’s the funniest in the group, I think, and funny always wins with me. He also has some great stories about Oral Roberts and a million other things that are only sort of basketball related.

@Droa26 Phil Pressey is Mizzou’s best and worst player.

Yep. And Mizzou needs the good Phil far too much to walk away from the bad Phil.

@the_gingefactor Royals hype is at an all time high, in a year where we have our toughest season schedule ever, so I bought Chiefs season tickets

That’s this week’s most Kansas City entry. Congratulations.

@Justin_Ranes Does it make me a bad person that I am a little happy when I read that Getz made an error today? 2 HR in 1309 career PA #freeGia#twittertuesday

Whoops. Forget what I said earlier. THIS is this week’s most Kansas City entry.

@mmMOUF can we assume that the Alex Smith trade will happen and it will be Matt Cassell 2.0 because this is the Chiefs? #twittertuesday

Well, damn. THIS is the week’s most Kansas City entry.

@burban77 one year ago today was the final KU vs MU game at Allen Fieldhouse. Any event you’ve been to top it as far as noise/environment?

Brandon sent this yesterday, the one-year anniversary. I actually missed that game. I was at the one in Columbia, but the jerkwad Big 12 scheduled the game in Lawrence during my honeymoon. Watched on TV, and couldn’t believe it. Absolutely incredible game.

But the coolest and most electric sporting environment I’ve ever been in was the 100 meters in London. With the field they had, and the way it played out, I’m not sure when I’ll be able to top it. I’m looking forward to finding out.

@stewadam84 What does KSU need to do the rest of the year for Weber to be B12 coach of the year? Where is he nationally? Top 10, maybe?

If they win out, certainly if they win the league outright, I’m not sure how you’d argue against him. Even if they end up in a tie with KU … you could argue for Self in saying KU swept K-State, so what the hell, but to me these coach of the year awards are largely about exceeding expectations or winning the league and if K-State won its first league title since 1977 — not sure about you, but I wasn’t even born yet — then I don’t know how you go anywhere else.

Nationally, I’m not sure how to gauge all that. Tom Crean will have an argument if they win the Big 10. Indiana’s the best team in the country. Tom Izzo’s done a good job. Mark Few has a great case. Billy Donovan, perhaps. I know I’m missing some folks.

@bsimpson What are some of your favorite words? Sportswriter most likely to dazzle with vocabulary? Who is the LeBron of the sports page?

I write sports in Kansas City, which means I’ve become especially fond of words describing futility: stinkitude, molly-whop, curb-stomp. Jeff Passan usually sends me to the dictionary once every two columns or so, which means I have to flick his big ears when I see him. And Dan Wetzel is the best sports writer in the country, at least in my opinion.

@canglem How do I sign up for a job where you get 4 months off & get a month and a half long “training” where results don’t matter?

Get better at baseball. You can even use this shortcut: pitch left handed.

@PhilGarver Which writer at the Star has the most “irrational confidence guy” moments?

We retired that title after Babb left.

@KyleDuxbury How much beer on reserve should you have for a snowstorm?

Anything less than a case and you’re taking unnecessary risks.

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