Well, it's not nothing. The same Kansas City Royals team that seemed to be a guaranteed 100-game loser before the season started sits at 10-4 and in first place in the AL Central after today's shutout of the Felix Hernandez-led Mariners. Now, plenty of games remain for the Royals to get 96 more losses, but we'll be the first to admit we did not see this hot start coming.
We went to our second game of the season today. Last year, we went to two games all season long, because last year's team was just plain unlikable. This year's team, on the other hand, is one that's easier to get behind. Granted, winning games has a lot to do with likability, but it goes beyond that. Last year's team featured fan-hater and fan-hated Jose Guillen, no-pro shortstop Yuni Betancourt (and how hilarious is it to read Brewer fan tweets enraged with Yuni's current presence on their team?), human remote control Jason Kendall, Sunny Rick Ankiel, and the tactless Zack Greinke. (One of the minor surprises to us so far this season is how little we miss Greinke's presence and coddling by the Royals.)
This year's team seems to have a much different feel to it. Gone are most of the veterans who saw Kansas City as a place to come pick up a paycheck without having to put out much effort. We're seeing Billy Butler and Alex Gordon emerge as the homegrown, "veteran" players while the Royals' future is getting its first exposure with guys like Escobar, Jeffress, Crow, and Collins. And waiting in the wings are Hosmer, Moustakas, and the rest of the best farm system in baseball history.
As fun as it is to see the future unfold, the question for now is whether the Royals' hot start is sustainable. Let's take a look at the components and see whether it would be reasonable for this ballclub to finish the year around .500, which would be a fantastic result.
Starting Pitching
Clearly, this is the biggest weakness for this team. Given their past, it is just not reasonable to expect consistently good results from Davies or O'Sullivan. So far, Hochevar seems to be pitching about par for him, which is at the level of a 4 or 5 starter. Chen seems to be about the same. However, it should be remembered that both those guys were highly-rated prospects at one time, so improvement by one or the other to #2 or #3-type numbers would not be out of the question. Francis is a guy who used to be an ace, but has shown a decrease in velocity. He seems like he could be a solid #3 or #4 starter. In order for the Royals to fight for .500, it will probably be necessary for one of those three to have a ~17-win "breakout" year where they perform like a low-end #1 (not ace) or solid #2 starter, with the other two avoiding collapsing into #5 starter (or worse) territory.
Relief Pitching
The quality of the Royals' bullpen (along with a potent offense) so far has made up for the lackluster starting pitching. The bullpen seems full of young, live arms. Given that Jeffress was part of the return for Greinke and that Crow was a highly-rated prospect, it would not be unreasonable for those two to continue performing well. Collins seems to have excellent stuff. If he can avoid injury, he should be able to maintain success as well. Soria has been a bit shaky so far this year, but does have an excellent track record. With four good relievers, the remainder of the bullpen becomes less relevant, as it can be made up of guys who come in to pitch with big leads or big deficits.
Lineup/Defense
There is no question that the defense this year is vastly improved overall from last year, especially up the middle and in the outfield. Gordon and Francoeur have cannons, and Melky Cabrera has shown very good range in center. Escobar has already made a number of sparkling plays at short (including a fantastic dive to save a run and get an out today) and Getz is solid at 2nd. Kila is better than Butler at 1st, but his bat is going to have to get going here pretty soon. Third has been the only real problem area on defense so far this year.
As far as the lineup goes, there's a pretty solid 1-3-4-5 going right now. Alex Gordon is off to a fantastic start. While his bat has been disappointing prior to this year, and nobody expects him to lead the league in hits throughout the rest of the year, the guy obviously is talented and could very well finally have a breakout year. All Billy Butler does is mash the ball. Getz has done a nice job leading off. SABR folks don't expect much from Francoeur, but the guy does offer some power. Aviles and Kila have both struggled so far, but both seem to have the ability to hit and will hopefully find their stroke sooner rather than later.
With half the lineup hot and half of it cold so far this year, the Royals are first in the league in hits, AVG, and OBP, second in runs and doubles, and fourth in walks. Once the guys who are hot cool down, the guys who are cold will hopefully heat up, and the Royals will be able to maintain a good level of production.
Conclusion
Given the possible breakouts that we have seen so far this season, it's not difficult to see a path to .500 for this ballclub, although definite liabilities remain that could catch up to the Royals before the season's end. A .500 season would be huge for a ballclub with a fully-loaded farm system currently polishing the next wave of talent.
4.16.2011
10.29.2010
THIS WEEKEND IN THE BIG 12
We're about halfway through the Big 12 schedule and we've got a weekend with several interesting games coming up, so let's take a look around.
Mizzou at Nebraska.
The marquee game this weekend, thanks to both schools taking care of business against the Oklahoma schools last weekend. Having seen both teams in person, we'd have to give Mizzou the slight edge as the better team. Their offensive line was especially impressive against the Sooners, and if they play that way against KU and K-State the Tigers should be able to hang 50+ points on both teams. The o-line is big and strong and uses those wide-yard splits that Mike Leach first introduced into the Big 12. Some Mizzou fans have complained about Gabbert's happy feet, but what we saw on Saturday night was that Gabbert gets nervous after he's already had 4-5 seconds in the pocket...but there's still no one within 5 yards of him.
Mizzou's defense played Oklahoma's hurry-up/spread perfectly, keeping the plays in front of them and making the one-on-one tackles, forcing OU to march methodically down the field and then forcing turnovers inside the red zone. Mizzou was just as strong and just as fast as the Sooners, and if Gary Pinkel can keep them at this level, they should be an annual factor in the new Big 12.
However, this weekend they have their work cut out for them. If this game was at Mizzou or a couple of weeks later, we'd take the Tigers. But given the emotion and the effort that we saw last Saturday, there's just no way that Mizzou will be able to get 100% up for this Nebraska game only a week later...and it's in Lincoln, to boot. We're sure that Mizzou coaches have made every effort to get their guys refocused this week, but the Tigers got an enormous monkey off their back last Saturday, and it will be impossible for them to achieve the same focus for this game as they could if it were a couple of weeks later. That being said, we still like the Tigers to keep it within a touchdown.
One final note on the Mizzou-Oklahoma game: it's clear that it will still take some time for Mizzou and its fans to get used to being a big-time football program, if their success continues. Many Mizzou fans were observed behaving in an unfortunate fashion, constantly hurling expletives and the occasional beer cup at anyone wearing a red shirt. A Mizzou player even got into the act after the game, taunting a group of OU fans as he left the locker room. And shortly before 7 p.m., the PA guy got on and told the crowd to get loud, as ABC was about to go live from Faurot Field. First time we've ever seen that considered necessary before a big game. Finally, this week the Mizzou administration got themselves into some PR trouble with the arrests of the Faurot 30 and the delay in deciding to drop the charges.
Hopefully, Mizzou fans can now focus more positive energy as their team enters uncharted territory. If they continue to win, every passing week will bring anew the biggest game in Mizzou football history. Enjoy the ride while it lasts, Tigers.
Baylor at Texas.
Coming off their shootout against K-State, the Bears head to Austin to try to knock off Mack Brown's struggling Longhorns. Baylor was strangled by TCU earlier this season, and Texas has the athletes to do the same thing. You'd think the Horns would have the motivation to come out strong against the Bears following the embarrassing loss to Iowa State. The Longhorns should be able to right the ship this week against a Baylor team that's just happy to be bowl eligible.
Oklahoma State at K-State.
The suspension of Justin Blackmon makes this a closer matchup than it initially appeared. K-State's bend-a-little-and-then-break defense looks like it's about ready to give up for the year, especially with OSU and Mizzou still on the schedule. The glimmer of hope for K-State is that Brandon Weeden is not a running QB, which have been particularly devastating to the K-State defense. K-State's defense doesn't have the speed or strength to play with most Big 12 teams, much less one of the nation's top offenses, but with OSU's own defensive woes, maybe the Cats can find a couple of turnovers and score enough points to win a shootout at home this week. Our prediction? OSU 45, K-State 31. Bill Snyder notoriously doesn't fire assistants, so our guess is that "defensive coordinator" Chris Cosh's new position with the Cats next year will be equipment manager.
Colorado at OU.
The Sooners should get to catch their breath this week against the Buffaloes, as Dan Hawkins' farewell-tour-within-a-farewell-tour continues. Those Hawkins' family dinners may be a bit icy next year. Hope Cody appreciates that his dad threw away his job so he could play quarterback.
Kansas at Iowa State.
Mercifully, Iowa State lobbied for this game to stay off TV so it could increase attendance for homecoming. Oof. Most of the players on this KU team look and sound like they can't wait for this season to be over. If Iowa State comes in focused, they should be able to continue the Jayhawks' woes with another pounding. The Cyclones are trying to keep themselves in the Big 12 North race...they still get to play Nebraska and Mizzou, and that big win at Texas certainly provided a jolt.
Texas Tech at Texas A&M.
This should be a good game for the wrong reasons, as Tommy Tuberville's transitional Red Raiders head into College Station to take on Mike Sherman's perennially underachieving Aggies. That is to say, both team's limitations should keep this one close. But with the other games on the slate this week, who really cares about the battle for last place in the Big 12 South?
Mizzou at Nebraska.
The marquee game this weekend, thanks to both schools taking care of business against the Oklahoma schools last weekend. Having seen both teams in person, we'd have to give Mizzou the slight edge as the better team. Their offensive line was especially impressive against the Sooners, and if they play that way against KU and K-State the Tigers should be able to hang 50+ points on both teams. The o-line is big and strong and uses those wide-yard splits that Mike Leach first introduced into the Big 12. Some Mizzou fans have complained about Gabbert's happy feet, but what we saw on Saturday night was that Gabbert gets nervous after he's already had 4-5 seconds in the pocket...but there's still no one within 5 yards of him.
Mizzou's defense played Oklahoma's hurry-up/spread perfectly, keeping the plays in front of them and making the one-on-one tackles, forcing OU to march methodically down the field and then forcing turnovers inside the red zone. Mizzou was just as strong and just as fast as the Sooners, and if Gary Pinkel can keep them at this level, they should be an annual factor in the new Big 12.
However, this weekend they have their work cut out for them. If this game was at Mizzou or a couple of weeks later, we'd take the Tigers. But given the emotion and the effort that we saw last Saturday, there's just no way that Mizzou will be able to get 100% up for this Nebraska game only a week later...and it's in Lincoln, to boot. We're sure that Mizzou coaches have made every effort to get their guys refocused this week, but the Tigers got an enormous monkey off their back last Saturday, and it will be impossible for them to achieve the same focus for this game as they could if it were a couple of weeks later. That being said, we still like the Tigers to keep it within a touchdown.
One final note on the Mizzou-Oklahoma game: it's clear that it will still take some time for Mizzou and its fans to get used to being a big-time football program, if their success continues. Many Mizzou fans were observed behaving in an unfortunate fashion, constantly hurling expletives and the occasional beer cup at anyone wearing a red shirt. A Mizzou player even got into the act after the game, taunting a group of OU fans as he left the locker room. And shortly before 7 p.m., the PA guy got on and told the crowd to get loud, as ABC was about to go live from Faurot Field. First time we've ever seen that considered necessary before a big game. Finally, this week the Mizzou administration got themselves into some PR trouble with the arrests of the Faurot 30 and the delay in deciding to drop the charges.
Hopefully, Mizzou fans can now focus more positive energy as their team enters uncharted territory. If they continue to win, every passing week will bring anew the biggest game in Mizzou football history. Enjoy the ride while it lasts, Tigers.
Baylor at Texas.
Coming off their shootout against K-State, the Bears head to Austin to try to knock off Mack Brown's struggling Longhorns. Baylor was strangled by TCU earlier this season, and Texas has the athletes to do the same thing. You'd think the Horns would have the motivation to come out strong against the Bears following the embarrassing loss to Iowa State. The Longhorns should be able to right the ship this week against a Baylor team that's just happy to be bowl eligible.
Oklahoma State at K-State.
The suspension of Justin Blackmon makes this a closer matchup than it initially appeared. K-State's bend-a-little-and-then-break defense looks like it's about ready to give up for the year, especially with OSU and Mizzou still on the schedule. The glimmer of hope for K-State is that Brandon Weeden is not a running QB, which have been particularly devastating to the K-State defense. K-State's defense doesn't have the speed or strength to play with most Big 12 teams, much less one of the nation's top offenses, but with OSU's own defensive woes, maybe the Cats can find a couple of turnovers and score enough points to win a shootout at home this week. Our prediction? OSU 45, K-State 31. Bill Snyder notoriously doesn't fire assistants, so our guess is that "defensive coordinator" Chris Cosh's new position with the Cats next year will be equipment manager.
Colorado at OU.
The Sooners should get to catch their breath this week against the Buffaloes, as Dan Hawkins' farewell-tour-within-a-farewell-tour continues. Those Hawkins' family dinners may be a bit icy next year. Hope Cody appreciates that his dad threw away his job so he could play quarterback.
Kansas at Iowa State.
Mercifully, Iowa State lobbied for this game to stay off TV so it could increase attendance for homecoming. Oof. Most of the players on this KU team look and sound like they can't wait for this season to be over. If Iowa State comes in focused, they should be able to continue the Jayhawks' woes with another pounding. The Cyclones are trying to keep themselves in the Big 12 North race...they still get to play Nebraska and Mizzou, and that big win at Texas certainly provided a jolt.
Texas Tech at Texas A&M.
This should be a good game for the wrong reasons, as Tommy Tuberville's transitional Red Raiders head into College Station to take on Mike Sherman's perennially underachieving Aggies. That is to say, both team's limitations should keep this one close. But with the other games on the slate this week, who really cares about the battle for last place in the Big 12 South?
10.06.2010
THERE IS NO HATE LIKE NEBRASKA
[Ed. note: The following is obviously written from a biased, K-State fan perspective. It's intended to evoke some of the emotions from the K-State side on the eve of the final game between K-State and Nebraska, and in no way is intended to be objective.]
These are memories of a rivalry. A rivalry that was long desired by one school, long denied by the other, and finally emerged, de facto, for a short, intense period of time. In a way, this rivalry's brief but eventful existence was a representation of the conference in which it existed--a conference whose formation helped create the rivalry and whose reformulation will end it.
Lincoln, Nebraska, lies almost due north of Manhattan, Kansas. Many people don't realize that Kansas State University is the University of Nebraska's closest conference adversary, but a 2.5 hour bus ride down US 77 is all it will take for the Cornhusker football team to arrive at K-State for Thursday's game. The state line lies almost exactly at the halfway point between the two schools, and a church located by the line offers up lunch for game travelers each year.
This proximity and symmetry would dictate a natural rivalry. Only problem was, Nebraska was one of the elite football programs in the country, while K-State was one of the worst. As a result, K-State was historically just a tune-up for a Husker team preparing to take on Oklahoma, or perhaps Colorado, for conference supremacy.
In 1988, Bill Snyder arrived in Manhattan and began the building process. At that point, overtaking the Cornhuskers was a laughable pipedream. Overtaking teams like Kansas was a more immediate, and achievable, goal.
Year by year, the Wildcats improved, but Doctor Tom and his merry band of criminals continued to torment them . . . including one year in Tokyo, which gave rise to the infamous story of Snyder's requirement that his players be seated on the shady side of the plane. Nebraska eventually became the target in Snyder's sights, and you could see him attempting to move from the pass-heavy offense he'd been forced to utilize in his early days at K-State to a more option run-oriented attack, no doubt influenced by the overpowering triple option attack perfected by Tom Osborne in Lincoln. Snyder had his own ideas as to how best to use the option and quarterback run game, however: lots of shotgun and speed option, utilizing a more wide-spread formation and giving rise to many of the principles we now see in the Wildcat formation. Nevertheless, the Huskers remained an elusive target...there was still a distinct size and speed disadvantage for the Wildcats, although this discrepancy decreased a bit each season.
In 1997, Snyder finally found the perfect QB for his offense, juco transfer Michael Bishop. Bishop's ability wasn't enough to overcome Nebraska in Lincoln, however, as the Cats dropped their 29th straight to the Huskers. As it turned out, this would be Bishop's only regular season loss as a college quarterback.
November 14, 1998, started early for me. Someone thought it would be fun to pull the fire alarm in my dorm, so there I stood, shivering at 6 a.m. as I waited for the "all clear," watching the first early-risers walk by on the sidewalk on their way to ESPN's College Gameday at KSU Stadium. I joined them a couple of hours later.
The rest of that day is a blur. The roar of the Gameday crowd as Lee Corso donned Willie's head...the anticipation building throughout the afternoon...the senior day introductions for Bishop and the other graduating Wildcats...then finally the game.
Those watching on TV at home heard Keith Jackson intone: "For 29 painful years, the big brawny lads from Lincoln have pummeled the boys from Manhattan; the plea for redemption rides on the wind. The Wildcats of 98 have stepped up, stating clearly they believe this time they will prevail. So from Osawatomie to Ottawa, from Leawood to Liberty, this may be a day Kansas State faithful will never forget."
Heading into the game, K-State was ranked #1 in the country and undefeated and Nebraska #11. Thus, not only was the possibility of the first win over Nebraska in 30 years on the table, but the continuing shot at playing for the national title, as well. The stakes literally could not have been higher for the Wildcats. Nebraska fans downplayed the Wildcats' chances, claiming "Nebraska is still Nebraska and K-State is still K-State."
It was a back-and-forth, dramatic game. In the final minutes, Bishop connected with Darnell McDonald in the end zone for the go-ahead score. Then, as the Huskers attempted to answer, this happened:
Oops. Well, no flag, no foul. To hear Husker fans talk since then, this play cost them the game. Sure, a penalty might have helped, but don't forget that the game closed out with an Eric Crouch fumble returned for a TD by K-State linebacker Jeff Kelly. Nevertheless, the Huskers' indignation at the play...and the Cats win...gave some indication that a rivalry was brewing.
I helped tear down and carry the "indestructible" goalposts down to Rusty's Last Chance after the game, where Willie got up on the roof and led the delirious crowd in the K-S-U cheer. The sign at Pat's Blue Rib'n BBQ read: "Nebraska is still Nebraska and K-State is still #1."
In November 1999, K-State had to head back up to Lincoln, where the Huskers dominated undefeated K-State 41-15 in a game that decided the Big 12 North champion and representative to the Big 12 Championship game. Nebraska would finish the year with one loss, at Texas (where K-State had won), and ranked #2/#3 in the country. K-State also finished with one loss and was ranked #6/#7.
I don't remember much from the 2000 Nebraska game other than the snow. The game was close, and once again would decide the Big 12 North's representative to the Big 12 Championship. Jonathan Beasley made a TD completion eerily similar to Bishop's in 1998 to win the game. In the latter stages of the game, the November Kansas skies opened and snow fell, turning the green turf white. After the game, K-State players celebrated by making snow angels, and Willie stood atop the press box, as snow drifted down about him, leading the K-S-U cheer. It was surreal.
2001 was a down year for K-State, although they stayed within 10 points of Nebraska in Lincoln. Due to the Huskers' crushing loss at Colorado, the Buffs represented the North in the Big 12 Championship, although Nebraska sneaked into the BCS championship game to be crushed by Miami.
Colorado won the North again in 2002, while K-State finished second and crushed Nebraska 49-13 in Manhattan. Nebraska finished 3-5 in conference play, behind even Iowa State.
Nebraska rebounded somewhat in 2003, and as K-State headed into Lincoln in mid-November the game once again represented the battle for the Big 12 North title. K-State was riding a big wave of momentum with 4 straight conference wins after 2 conference losses to start the season due to QB Ell Roberson's injury, but playing in Lincoln was still not an easy task.
Husker QB Jamaal Lord tried to stir things up before the game, but he should have saved his energy for the game itself. The Huskers scored one touchdown on a play that replays revealed should have been dead when Lord's knee hit the turf on a sack, and K-State rolled 38-9.
Of particular relevance to this week's game is the fact that the Husker's defensive coordinator at the time was Bo Pelini. Bo took exception to the number of points scored by the Wildcats and raced across the field after the game to call Snyder an "a**hole." After the game, Pelini had these comments for the media:
Just for the record, here is video of one of K-State's scoring plays:
If Bo Pelini had taught his players to tackle a bit better, the score wouldn't have been so bad. Furthermore, here are some random scores from previous games in the K-State/Nebraska series:
1978: Nebraska 48, K-State 14.
1980: Nebraska 55, K-State 8.
1988: Nebraska 48, K-State 3.
1996: Nebraska 39, K-State 3.
1999: Nebraska 41, K-State 15.
The University of Nebraska pretty much perfected the art of running up the score. So it's the pinnacle of hypocrisy for a Nebraska coach to whine about losing a game 38-9. But the Pelinis are whiners, so such is to be expected.
More hypocrisy? Cornhusker fans love to brag about how they give the visiting team a standing ovation after the game, win or lose. Well, the 2003 K-State Wildcats are still awaiting their standing ovation. Although, to be fair, there were probably only about 30 Husker "faithful" left in the stands by the end of the game, so it was a pretty small sample size. It's pretty easy to be the "best fans in college football" when you're winning 11 games a year, but Nebraska fans showed that, under average conditions, they too can be an average fan base.
Heading back down US 77 in the dark after the game, you could see a string of headlights miles long following the K-State team bus. It looked like the final scene out of Field of Dreams. As the caravan crossed the state line into Kansas and passed through each small town, Wildcat faithful came out of their houses to stand by the side of the road and cheer the victors as they drove by.
This result probably led to Frank Solich's firing and the hiring of Bill Callahan by Nebraska. K-State went on to win the 2003 Big 12 Championship over Oklahoma...the last Big 12 Championship won by either school and, in fact, by any North team.
The rivalry lost a lot of its meaning over the next few years, as Bill Snyder left the Wildcats after the 2006 2005 season and neither team was good enough to play for anything meaningful until Nebraska won the North in 2006. In 2007, Nebraska managed to demolish Ron Prince's K-State team 73-31 for one of its two conference wins. Prince was fired following K-State's disastrous 2008 season, which marked Bo Pelini's first year as the Cornhuskers' head coach.
One incident that did occur during this period was when future Tampa Bay Bucs QB Josh Freeman switched his commitment from the Huskers to K-State. A lot of Husker fans went berserk, foremost among them Husker broadcaster Jim Rose, who viciously attacked Freeman and his family on air.
With Bill Snyder's return in 2009, the rivalry instantly regained much of its meaning. Somehow, Snyder and K-State cobbled together enough conference wins so that the regular season finale (for the Cats) in Lincoln once again represented the battle to be the Big 12 North's representative in the championship game. Unfortunately for the Cats, the spectacular Nebraska defense strangled their already-anemic offense and took the Big 12 North title.
And that brings us to last summer, when Nebraska adopted their "if you can't beat 'em, leave 'em strategy." Recognizing that they were going to have trouble overcoming Texas and Oklahoma in their quest to regain regular national college football relevance, the Huskers decided to high-tail it to the Big 10, home of boring, second-rate football (despite Denard Robinson's best efforts). Nebraska, having been perpetual whiners since the formation of the Big 12, took the opportunity to dump on the Big 12 Conference during their press conference announcing the move. Of particular amusement (and once again, hypocrisy) were the statements by Doctor Tom and his cronies about the Big 10 being a better academic fit. This from the same Doctor Tom who was peeved that the Big 12 wouldn't approve as many Prop 48 recruits as he wanted at the formation of the conference, due to Texas' influence. Thus, Nebraska explained its reasons for leaving the Big 12 as academic, even though it opposed stricter academic standards at the formation of the Big 12.
I had long told my friends from the Big 12 South that Nebraska's administration and fans are no more special than those found at many universities...it's easy to be "classy" when you win 11 games a year and teams like K-State or KU stay in their proper place and accept their rightful beatings. But bloody Nebraska's nose a little bit...like K-State did in the late 90's and early 00's, and you'll find there's really not much special there.
My friends didn't believe me, saying that their experiences with Nebraska had always involved mutual respect. "That's because they view you as worthy peers," I said. "You're supposed to give them good games. But do something that pisses them off, that upsets the natural order, and you'll see another side."
They saw that other side with the conference realignment. "You were right," they admitted. "Nebraska got up in front of the press and acted like a-holes."
So this Thursday brings what is likely to be the final (barring a bowl game matchup) meeting between K-State and Nebraska. It's possible that the game will have implications for the Big 12 North title, although it's harder to determine in early October than it was in mid-November. There's no doubt that K-State fans would like to end the series with a win. Bill Snyder will be coaching his undefeated team against the Huskers in the stadium that bears his name, and he will certainly pull out all the stops in pursuit of a victory. The Huskers still have an outside run at the national championship game in their sights, so they will be bringing their best game as well. Nevertheless, this game still doesn't seem to hold as much meaning as those matchups at the turn of the last decade. Like the Big 12 Conference, this rivalry has seen its best days, and starting next year will be confined to memories and record books.
These are memories of a rivalry. A rivalry that was long desired by one school, long denied by the other, and finally emerged, de facto, for a short, intense period of time. In a way, this rivalry's brief but eventful existence was a representation of the conference in which it existed--a conference whose formation helped create the rivalry and whose reformulation will end it.
ri * val n. One who tries to surpass or equal another or who pursues the same object as another.
Lincoln, Nebraska, lies almost due north of Manhattan, Kansas. Many people don't realize that Kansas State University is the University of Nebraska's closest conference adversary, but a 2.5 hour bus ride down US 77 is all it will take for the Cornhusker football team to arrive at K-State for Thursday's game. The state line lies almost exactly at the halfway point between the two schools, and a church located by the line offers up lunch for game travelers each year.
This proximity and symmetry would dictate a natural rivalry. Only problem was, Nebraska was one of the elite football programs in the country, while K-State was one of the worst. As a result, K-State was historically just a tune-up for a Husker team preparing to take on Oklahoma, or perhaps Colorado, for conference supremacy.
In 1988, Bill Snyder arrived in Manhattan and began the building process. At that point, overtaking the Cornhuskers was a laughable pipedream. Overtaking teams like Kansas was a more immediate, and achievable, goal.
Year by year, the Wildcats improved, but Doctor Tom and his merry band of criminals continued to torment them . . . including one year in Tokyo, which gave rise to the infamous story of Snyder's requirement that his players be seated on the shady side of the plane. Nebraska eventually became the target in Snyder's sights, and you could see him attempting to move from the pass-heavy offense he'd been forced to utilize in his early days at K-State to a more option run-oriented attack, no doubt influenced by the overpowering triple option attack perfected by Tom Osborne in Lincoln. Snyder had his own ideas as to how best to use the option and quarterback run game, however: lots of shotgun and speed option, utilizing a more wide-spread formation and giving rise to many of the principles we now see in the Wildcat formation. Nevertheless, the Huskers remained an elusive target...there was still a distinct size and speed disadvantage for the Wildcats, although this discrepancy decreased a bit each season.
In 1997, Snyder finally found the perfect QB for his offense, juco transfer Michael Bishop. Bishop's ability wasn't enough to overcome Nebraska in Lincoln, however, as the Cats dropped their 29th straight to the Huskers. As it turned out, this would be Bishop's only regular season loss as a college quarterback.
November 14, 1998, started early for me. Someone thought it would be fun to pull the fire alarm in my dorm, so there I stood, shivering at 6 a.m. as I waited for the "all clear," watching the first early-risers walk by on the sidewalk on their way to ESPN's College Gameday at KSU Stadium. I joined them a couple of hours later.
The rest of that day is a blur. The roar of the Gameday crowd as Lee Corso donned Willie's head...the anticipation building throughout the afternoon...the senior day introductions for Bishop and the other graduating Wildcats...then finally the game.
Those watching on TV at home heard Keith Jackson intone: "For 29 painful years, the big brawny lads from Lincoln have pummeled the boys from Manhattan; the plea for redemption rides on the wind. The Wildcats of 98 have stepped up, stating clearly they believe this time they will prevail. So from Osawatomie to Ottawa, from Leawood to Liberty, this may be a day Kansas State faithful will never forget."
Heading into the game, K-State was ranked #1 in the country and undefeated and Nebraska #11. Thus, not only was the possibility of the first win over Nebraska in 30 years on the table, but the continuing shot at playing for the national title, as well. The stakes literally could not have been higher for the Wildcats. Nebraska fans downplayed the Wildcats' chances, claiming "Nebraska is still Nebraska and K-State is still K-State."
It was a back-and-forth, dramatic game. In the final minutes, Bishop connected with Darnell McDonald in the end zone for the go-ahead score. Then, as the Huskers attempted to answer, this happened:
Oops. Well, no flag, no foul. To hear Husker fans talk since then, this play cost them the game. Sure, a penalty might have helped, but don't forget that the game closed out with an Eric Crouch fumble returned for a TD by K-State linebacker Jeff Kelly. Nevertheless, the Huskers' indignation at the play...and the Cats win...gave some indication that a rivalry was brewing.
I helped tear down and carry the "indestructible" goalposts down to Rusty's Last Chance after the game, where Willie got up on the roof and led the delirious crowd in the K-S-U cheer. The sign at Pat's Blue Rib'n BBQ read: "Nebraska is still Nebraska and K-State is still #1."
* * *
In November 1999, K-State had to head back up to Lincoln, where the Huskers dominated undefeated K-State 41-15 in a game that decided the Big 12 North champion and representative to the Big 12 Championship game. Nebraska would finish the year with one loss, at Texas (where K-State had won), and ranked #2/#3 in the country. K-State also finished with one loss and was ranked #6/#7.
* * *
I don't remember much from the 2000 Nebraska game other than the snow. The game was close, and once again would decide the Big 12 North's representative to the Big 12 Championship. Jonathan Beasley made a TD completion eerily similar to Bishop's in 1998 to win the game. In the latter stages of the game, the November Kansas skies opened and snow fell, turning the green turf white. After the game, K-State players celebrated by making snow angels, and Willie stood atop the press box, as snow drifted down about him, leading the K-S-U cheer. It was surreal.
2001 was a down year for K-State, although they stayed within 10 points of Nebraska in Lincoln. Due to the Huskers' crushing loss at Colorado, the Buffs represented the North in the Big 12 Championship, although Nebraska sneaked into the BCS championship game to be crushed by Miami.
Colorado won the North again in 2002, while K-State finished second and crushed Nebraska 49-13 in Manhattan. Nebraska finished 3-5 in conference play, behind even Iowa State.
* * *
Nebraska rebounded somewhat in 2003, and as K-State headed into Lincoln in mid-November the game once again represented the battle for the Big 12 North title. K-State was riding a big wave of momentum with 4 straight conference wins after 2 conference losses to start the season due to QB Ell Roberson's injury, but playing in Lincoln was still not an easy task.
Husker QB Jamaal Lord tried to stir things up before the game, but he should have saved his energy for the game itself. The Huskers scored one touchdown on a play that replays revealed should have been dead when Lord's knee hit the turf on a sack, and K-State rolled 38-9.
Of particular relevance to this week's game is the fact that the Husker's defensive coordinator at the time was Bo Pelini. Bo took exception to the number of points scored by the Wildcats and raced across the field after the game to call Snyder an "a**hole." After the game, Pelini had these comments for the media:
Just for the record, here is video of one of K-State's scoring plays:
If Bo Pelini had taught his players to tackle a bit better, the score wouldn't have been so bad. Furthermore, here are some random scores from previous games in the K-State/Nebraska series:
1978: Nebraska 48, K-State 14.
1980: Nebraska 55, K-State 8.
1988: Nebraska 48, K-State 3.
1996: Nebraska 39, K-State 3.
1999: Nebraska 41, K-State 15.
The University of Nebraska pretty much perfected the art of running up the score. So it's the pinnacle of hypocrisy for a Nebraska coach to whine about losing a game 38-9. But the Pelinis are whiners, so such is to be expected.
More hypocrisy? Cornhusker fans love to brag about how they give the visiting team a standing ovation after the game, win or lose. Well, the 2003 K-State Wildcats are still awaiting their standing ovation. Although, to be fair, there were probably only about 30 Husker "faithful" left in the stands by the end of the game, so it was a pretty small sample size. It's pretty easy to be the "best fans in college football" when you're winning 11 games a year, but Nebraska fans showed that, under average conditions, they too can be an average fan base.
Heading back down US 77 in the dark after the game, you could see a string of headlights miles long following the K-State team bus. It looked like the final scene out of Field of Dreams. As the caravan crossed the state line into Kansas and passed through each small town, Wildcat faithful came out of their houses to stand by the side of the road and cheer the victors as they drove by.
This result probably led to Frank Solich's firing and the hiring of Bill Callahan by Nebraska. K-State went on to win the 2003 Big 12 Championship over Oklahoma...the last Big 12 Championship won by either school and, in fact, by any North team.
* * *
The rivalry lost a lot of its meaning over the next few years, as Bill Snyder left the Wildcats after the 2006 2005 season and neither team was good enough to play for anything meaningful until Nebraska won the North in 2006. In 2007, Nebraska managed to demolish Ron Prince's K-State team 73-31 for one of its two conference wins. Prince was fired following K-State's disastrous 2008 season, which marked Bo Pelini's first year as the Cornhuskers' head coach.
One incident that did occur during this period was when future Tampa Bay Bucs QB Josh Freeman switched his commitment from the Huskers to K-State. A lot of Husker fans went berserk, foremost among them Husker broadcaster Jim Rose, who viciously attacked Freeman and his family on air.
* * *
With Bill Snyder's return in 2009, the rivalry instantly regained much of its meaning. Somehow, Snyder and K-State cobbled together enough conference wins so that the regular season finale (for the Cats) in Lincoln once again represented the battle to be the Big 12 North's representative in the championship game. Unfortunately for the Cats, the spectacular Nebraska defense strangled their already-anemic offense and took the Big 12 North title.
And that brings us to last summer, when Nebraska adopted their "if you can't beat 'em, leave 'em strategy." Recognizing that they were going to have trouble overcoming Texas and Oklahoma in their quest to regain regular national college football relevance, the Huskers decided to high-tail it to the Big 10, home of boring, second-rate football (despite Denard Robinson's best efforts). Nebraska, having been perpetual whiners since the formation of the Big 12, took the opportunity to dump on the Big 12 Conference during their press conference announcing the move. Of particular amusement (and once again, hypocrisy) were the statements by Doctor Tom and his cronies about the Big 10 being a better academic fit. This from the same Doctor Tom who was peeved that the Big 12 wouldn't approve as many Prop 48 recruits as he wanted at the formation of the conference, due to Texas' influence. Thus, Nebraska explained its reasons for leaving the Big 12 as academic, even though it opposed stricter academic standards at the formation of the Big 12.
I had long told my friends from the Big 12 South that Nebraska's administration and fans are no more special than those found at many universities...it's easy to be "classy" when you win 11 games a year and teams like K-State or KU stay in their proper place and accept their rightful beatings. But bloody Nebraska's nose a little bit...like K-State did in the late 90's and early 00's, and you'll find there's really not much special there.
My friends didn't believe me, saying that their experiences with Nebraska had always involved mutual respect. "That's because they view you as worthy peers," I said. "You're supposed to give them good games. But do something that pisses them off, that upsets the natural order, and you'll see another side."
They saw that other side with the conference realignment. "You were right," they admitted. "Nebraska got up in front of the press and acted like a-holes."
So this Thursday brings what is likely to be the final (barring a bowl game matchup) meeting between K-State and Nebraska. It's possible that the game will have implications for the Big 12 North title, although it's harder to determine in early October than it was in mid-November. There's no doubt that K-State fans would like to end the series with a win. Bill Snyder will be coaching his undefeated team against the Huskers in the stadium that bears his name, and he will certainly pull out all the stops in pursuit of a victory. The Huskers still have an outside run at the national championship game in their sights, so they will be bringing their best game as well. Nevertheless, this game still doesn't seem to hold as much meaning as those matchups at the turn of the last decade. Like the Big 12 Conference, this rivalry has seen its best days, and starting next year will be confined to memories and record books.
9.28.2010
CARNAC THE MAGNIFICENT?
As K-State heads into the bulk of the conference schedule, its record stands at 4-0 for the first time since its championship season of 2003. While Daniel Thomas has received most of the acclaim during the Wildcats' perfect start, he hasn't done it alone. The offensive line has shown excellent run blocking in 3 of the first 4 games, and the defense, while not flashy, has played effectively. The receivers have been blocking downfield beautifully and have shown better catching ability than perhaps was expected.
Perhaps the signature of this team so far has been that it has made big plays when it's needed to, allowing it to win 3 of the first 4 games in the fourth quarter. An important component in this has been the play of quarterback Carson Coffman. We criticized Coffman on Twitter during last Saturday's game following his interception. While he needs to avoid bad interceptions like last Saturday's and the pick-6 he threw the previous week versus Iowa State, we thought we owed Coffman a more complete and fair assessment of his job as the Cats' quarterback so far.
The Good
* Physical tools. Coffman's showing better arm strength this year than last. He's also shown that he has enough speed and strength to run the option effectively with Thomas, which could be critical to the success of K-State's running game as the season progresses...especially inside the red zone, where K-State has had its issues over the last couple of seasons. He's not going to break the 40 yard run like a Bishop or Roberson, but, like Jonathan Beasley, Coffman runs the ball well enough to pick up a first down--or game winning touchdown--when it's needed.
* 4th quarter play. Thus far, Coffman's played his best when the game's been on the line. The last two weeks, he's led critical drives in crunch time. Nice quality to have in a QB.
* Running the offense. Pre-snap, Coffman's shown an ability to check to the right plays based on what the defense is showing him. This ability really helps Snyder's offense to function properly.
The Bad
* 1st-3rd quarters. For whatever reason, Coffman doesn't look as fluid and confident until the chips are down. He needs to speed up his progression and improve his post-snap reads in the first 3/4 of the game. Just slightly improved play here would make late-game heroics less necessary. At times, especially early in game, it's appeared that BCS-level football moves too quickly for his decision-making ability. Hopefully this will improve as he gains experience and confidence.
* Interceptions. He only has two, but as a game-management quarterback, Coffman needs to avoid the type of INT's he's thrown so far: those that can be returned for touchdowns or at least good field position. Without these miscues, the Wildcats might have had a more comfortable lead earlier in each of the last two games. As the Wildcats head into Big 12 play, such miscues could cost them games and wind up in the UGLY category.
The Ugly
* Missing the open home run. Although he's showing improved arm strength, Coffman is still struggling to find the touch needed for some of the throws critical to Snyder's system: namely, the home-run throws down the field that are set up by K-State's running game. Coffman has missed open receivers down the field badly so far this year, and has not even missed in a spot where his receiver can come back and make a play on the ball. These throws are a staple of Snyder's offense when it's clicking along, and Coffman needs to start hitting them.
The Bottom Line
Coffman's playing better than we thought he would. He actually has the potential to lead a very potent Wildcat attack if he can bring up those aspects of his game that are lagging behind so far this season. If he's able to get those areas up to speed quickly enough, the Wildcats should be able to make a strong run at the North title.
[Addendum: One thing we forgot to discuss was the role of the o-line's shaky pass blocking so far this year. Part of Coffman's troubles in making post-snap reads is no doubt due to the shaky pass blocking by an o-line that has been above-average at run blocking. If Coffman regularly has more time to get through his progression, his reads and completion percentage should improve.]
Perhaps the signature of this team so far has been that it has made big plays when it's needed to, allowing it to win 3 of the first 4 games in the fourth quarter. An important component in this has been the play of quarterback Carson Coffman. We criticized Coffman on Twitter during last Saturday's game following his interception. While he needs to avoid bad interceptions like last Saturday's and the pick-6 he threw the previous week versus Iowa State, we thought we owed Coffman a more complete and fair assessment of his job as the Cats' quarterback so far.
The Good
* Physical tools. Coffman's showing better arm strength this year than last. He's also shown that he has enough speed and strength to run the option effectively with Thomas, which could be critical to the success of K-State's running game as the season progresses...especially inside the red zone, where K-State has had its issues over the last couple of seasons. He's not going to break the 40 yard run like a Bishop or Roberson, but, like Jonathan Beasley, Coffman runs the ball well enough to pick up a first down--or game winning touchdown--when it's needed.
* 4th quarter play. Thus far, Coffman's played his best when the game's been on the line. The last two weeks, he's led critical drives in crunch time. Nice quality to have in a QB.
* Running the offense. Pre-snap, Coffman's shown an ability to check to the right plays based on what the defense is showing him. This ability really helps Snyder's offense to function properly.
The Bad
* 1st-3rd quarters. For whatever reason, Coffman doesn't look as fluid and confident until the chips are down. He needs to speed up his progression and improve his post-snap reads in the first 3/4 of the game. Just slightly improved play here would make late-game heroics less necessary. At times, especially early in game, it's appeared that BCS-level football moves too quickly for his decision-making ability. Hopefully this will improve as he gains experience and confidence.
* Interceptions. He only has two, but as a game-management quarterback, Coffman needs to avoid the type of INT's he's thrown so far: those that can be returned for touchdowns or at least good field position. Without these miscues, the Wildcats might have had a more comfortable lead earlier in each of the last two games. As the Wildcats head into Big 12 play, such miscues could cost them games and wind up in the UGLY category.
The Ugly
* Missing the open home run. Although he's showing improved arm strength, Coffman is still struggling to find the touch needed for some of the throws critical to Snyder's system: namely, the home-run throws down the field that are set up by K-State's running game. Coffman has missed open receivers down the field badly so far this year, and has not even missed in a spot where his receiver can come back and make a play on the ball. These throws are a staple of Snyder's offense when it's clicking along, and Coffman needs to start hitting them.
The Bottom Line
Coffman's playing better than we thought he would. He actually has the potential to lead a very potent Wildcat attack if he can bring up those aspects of his game that are lagging behind so far this season. If he's able to get those areas up to speed quickly enough, the Wildcats should be able to make a strong run at the North title.
[Addendum: One thing we forgot to discuss was the role of the o-line's shaky pass blocking so far this year. Part of Coffman's troubles in making post-snap reads is no doubt due to the shaky pass blocking by an o-line that has been above-average at run blocking. If Coffman regularly has more time to get through his progression, his reads and completion percentage should improve.]
9.10.2010
BIG 12 THOUGHTS HEADED INTO WEEK 2
- Poor, poor KU. All that work done in the Mark Mangino era down the drain. With one 6-3 loss to NDSU, the Jayhawks are back to being a college football laughingstock. The Hawks need a solid performance against Georgia Tech tomorrow to try to get back on track. But K-Staters can feel the Jayhawks' pain: in Ron Prince's first game, the Cats almost lost to Illinois State. And last year, in Bill Snyder's first year back, the Cats went down and lost to the University of Louisiana (formerly Lafayette). Transitions can be tough in the new, parity-driven era of college football.
- Because transitions can be tough, we were impressed by Texas Tech's win over SMU. It was only by a touchdown, but this was a game we had circled as a possible loss, as defense-minded Tommy Tuberville took over the Red Raiders' air attack and June Jones brought in what promises to be a high-scoring SMU program. If Tuberville can tighten up the Tech defense while not hindering the offense, Tech could bring itself into the conversation with OU and Texas, who both looked a bit shaky last weekend.
- Why did everyone think OSU was going to be at the bottom of the Big 12 South this year? Granted, their demolition of Washington State looked better on paper, given the weakness of the WSU squad, but all Mike Gundy's done while at OSU is bring in athlete after athlete. OSU should have a dangerous running attack again this year, and enough athletes around the rest of the field to keep them in most games.
- Baylor is another team that seems to be getting less respect than they deserve. After seeing Baylor in person last year, we believe they finally have the size and athleticism to play with other Big 12 teams--and with Robert Griffin at QB, they have a weapon that may lead them to a couple of big wins this year.
- Daniel Thomas picked up right where he left off last year, torching the UCLA defense for almost 250 yards on the ground. It is amazing that he can change directions as quickly as he can, given his size and power. It's a rare combination, and one that makes him a pleasure to watch and a threat to school and conference records. The Cats also showed that his backup, William Powell, can be an effective weapon behind their veteran offensive line.
- Games we're most looking forward to seeing this weekend: we'll probably be at the OSU-Troy game in person, but we're most interested in seeing how KU bounces back against Georgia Tech and how OU performs against FSU. Colorado also has an opportunity to make a statement as they head to Berkeley to take on Cal...hopefully we'll be able to see the field amidst the wafting clouds of reefer smoke.
8.29.2010
THE SOLID VERBAL'S BIG 12 PREVIEW
Only a few days left until college football kicks off. This is a good time for us to recommend The Solid Verbal, a college football podcast we discovered last year. These guys cover everything...sometimes too much. With a couple of episodes a week, we find it tough to keep up with every show. But if you're a college football junkie, it should help satisfy your cravings.
This past week, they had Chip Brown (of Orangebloods and conference realignment Armageddon fame) on to preview the Big 12 season. It's a quality breakdown of the year to come.
This past week, they had Chip Brown (of Orangebloods and conference realignment Armageddon fame) on to preview the Big 12 season. It's a quality breakdown of the year to come.
8.28.2010
ROYALS WRAP; OR, HOW I LEARNED TO STOP CARING AND IGNORE THE SUCK.
Well, our last post, burying the Royals on the first day of the season, certainly was popular with the Chinese spammers. Those guys gotta work on improving their algorithm so it will target posts that people actually read.
It's been a nice summer break. But college football is around the corner, meaning that relevant sporting events are about to return to the Kansas City area, and therefore our vacation is about to end. Time for some end-of-summer cleaning so that we can focus our attention on the area teams that actually give a damn.
We've attended two Royals games this year. We didn't buy the tickets for either one. Yes, while the Royals ultimately fulfilled all three conditions of our mandate from earlier this year, it was yet another case of too little, too late. The Royals haven't cared about winning baseball games for the better part of two decades, and therefore we finally--finally--stopped caring about going out to the Greater Raytown Amusement Park-cum-Stadium.
While it's the essence of anecdotal, this still isn't an especially good sign for the Royals. We're the third generation of our family to have had Royals season tickets at some point. If they can succeed in driving us away from the ballpark, then they must be doing something special. Honestly, though, they probably made the right decision in adding a playground to the outfield, since there's not much out at that park for a serious baseball fan to enjoy.
There are a variety of factors that contributed to our absence. The first, as already noted, is the putrid product on the field. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 15 times, shame on me. As usual, there's been precious little about this team throughout the year that makes you want to spend money to watch it. Yuniesky Betancourt looks like he's going to lead the team in home runs, for pete's sake. The other day, the Royals ran a lineup out there that had a total of ~21 home runs combined. There were about 14 players in baseball who had more homeruns than the entire Royals lineup had that day. There aren't enough expletives in the English language to properly express the absurdity of that.
And why pay to watch the games when you can see most of them on TV, anyway? The oft-expressed fear that fans would stay at home to watch on TV instead of coming out to support the team finally came true in this household, this year. This option is even more attractive when you consider baseball's inane rules against showing replays of any close plays in the stadium.
Perhaps the biggest reason for our absence from the ballpark was the constant reminder, during the two games we did attend, of how the Royals and Jackson County royally dropped the ball when it came to the opportunity to build a downtown ballpark. Now that the initial shininess of the new stainless and concrete bunkers in the outfield has worn off, we're left with the continued reality that the stadium remains in Raytown, far removed from any entertainment, nightlife, viable public transportation, or the center of discretionary spending in the metropolitan area.
Simply put, why should we spend 30 minutes to watch crappy baseball on a weeknight in a crappy part of Kansas City, when we could have been driving 10 minutes to watch (probably still crappy) baseball in KC's revitalized downtown? We easily would have attended at least 20 games this year in a downtown ballpark.
Sprint Center has only served to reinforce the sense of an opportunity lost. Even without an anchor tenant, the excitement and atmosphere Sprint Center is able to generate downtown for various concerts as well as events like the Big 12 tourney is incredible. Our friends who have left Kansas City for other opportunities but who have returned in the last couple of years to visit all say the same thing: being down around the Sprint Center and the P&L District doesn't feel like being in Kansas City. Probably because we're used to KC screwing things up however it can, like voting to keep its baseball stadium in the Zubaz Capital of the World.
Imagine that atmosphere an additional 81 night a year.
(Let's take a moment here to congratulate Kansas City, Kansas, on continuing to develop a nice sports and entertainment district out at the Legends. With the construction on the Wizards' new stadium progressing rapidly, we may soon see a summer sporting facility that outclasses the "New K" in terms of atmosphere and fan enthusiasm.)
But back to baseball. The fitting end to this Royals season, like so many others recently, is to let it slip irrelevantly into the night while football takes the stage.
A word of advice to David Glass and Royals management: congratulations on receiving the 2012 All Star Game, but don't miss your opportunity. You'll want to open up those tight purse strings and put a legitimate team on the field that year. Otherwise, the national media will be writing stories not only about your half-hearted stadium renovation, but also about the consistently crappy product you placed on the field that, as usual, is 15 games out by the All Star Break. If you're ever interested in gaining some measure of respectability, 2012 is the year to make your move. Also, since we assume you're going to tie season tickets to All Star Game tickets, putting a legitimate product on the field is the only way you'll be able to avoid the embarrassing prospect of setting a new franchise record for lowest actual attendance.
And that should about wrap it up for the Royals. On to football!
It's been a nice summer break. But college football is around the corner, meaning that relevant sporting events are about to return to the Kansas City area, and therefore our vacation is about to end. Time for some end-of-summer cleaning so that we can focus our attention on the area teams that actually give a damn.
We've attended two Royals games this year. We didn't buy the tickets for either one. Yes, while the Royals ultimately fulfilled all three conditions of our mandate from earlier this year, it was yet another case of too little, too late. The Royals haven't cared about winning baseball games for the better part of two decades, and therefore we finally--finally--stopped caring about going out to the Greater Raytown Amusement Park-cum-Stadium.
While it's the essence of anecdotal, this still isn't an especially good sign for the Royals. We're the third generation of our family to have had Royals season tickets at some point. If they can succeed in driving us away from the ballpark, then they must be doing something special. Honestly, though, they probably made the right decision in adding a playground to the outfield, since there's not much out at that park for a serious baseball fan to enjoy.
There are a variety of factors that contributed to our absence. The first, as already noted, is the putrid product on the field. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 15 times, shame on me. As usual, there's been precious little about this team throughout the year that makes you want to spend money to watch it. Yuniesky Betancourt looks like he's going to lead the team in home runs, for pete's sake. The other day, the Royals ran a lineup out there that had a total of ~21 home runs combined. There were about 14 players in baseball who had more homeruns than the entire Royals lineup had that day. There aren't enough expletives in the English language to properly express the absurdity of that.
And why pay to watch the games when you can see most of them on TV, anyway? The oft-expressed fear that fans would stay at home to watch on TV instead of coming out to support the team finally came true in this household, this year. This option is even more attractive when you consider baseball's inane rules against showing replays of any close plays in the stadium.
Perhaps the biggest reason for our absence from the ballpark was the constant reminder, during the two games we did attend, of how the Royals and Jackson County royally dropped the ball when it came to the opportunity to build a downtown ballpark. Now that the initial shininess of the new stainless and concrete bunkers in the outfield has worn off, we're left with the continued reality that the stadium remains in Raytown, far removed from any entertainment, nightlife, viable public transportation, or the center of discretionary spending in the metropolitan area.
Simply put, why should we spend 30 minutes to watch crappy baseball on a weeknight in a crappy part of Kansas City, when we could have been driving 10 minutes to watch (probably still crappy) baseball in KC's revitalized downtown? We easily would have attended at least 20 games this year in a downtown ballpark.
Sprint Center has only served to reinforce the sense of an opportunity lost. Even without an anchor tenant, the excitement and atmosphere Sprint Center is able to generate downtown for various concerts as well as events like the Big 12 tourney is incredible. Our friends who have left Kansas City for other opportunities but who have returned in the last couple of years to visit all say the same thing: being down around the Sprint Center and the P&L District doesn't feel like being in Kansas City. Probably because we're used to KC screwing things up however it can, like voting to keep its baseball stadium in the Zubaz Capital of the World.
Imagine that atmosphere an additional 81 night a year.
(Let's take a moment here to congratulate Kansas City, Kansas, on continuing to develop a nice sports and entertainment district out at the Legends. With the construction on the Wizards' new stadium progressing rapidly, we may soon see a summer sporting facility that outclasses the "New K" in terms of atmosphere and fan enthusiasm.)
But back to baseball. The fitting end to this Royals season, like so many others recently, is to let it slip irrelevantly into the night while football takes the stage.
A word of advice to David Glass and Royals management: congratulations on receiving the 2012 All Star Game, but don't miss your opportunity. You'll want to open up those tight purse strings and put a legitimate team on the field that year. Otherwise, the national media will be writing stories not only about your half-hearted stadium renovation, but also about the consistently crappy product you placed on the field that, as usual, is 15 games out by the All Star Break. If you're ever interested in gaining some measure of respectability, 2012 is the year to make your move. Also, since we assume you're going to tie season tickets to All Star Game tickets, putting a legitimate product on the field is the only way you'll be able to avoid the embarrassing prospect of setting a new franchise record for lowest actual attendance.
And that should about wrap it up for the Royals. On to football!
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