Thursday, June 28, 2012

Who Will Represent The Royals In The 2012 MLB All Star Game?

The 2012 MLB All Star Game is approaching, and online voting for MLB fans ends tonight at midnight. Royals fans will have to wait several days to find out which Kansas City player will be representing the team in the All Star Game, although there are two strong possibilities as to who will get the Royals’ All Star selection.

Billy Butler has made a strong case to be selected as Kansas City’s All Star. The 26-year-old slugger has hit for a .296 average this season, with 15 homers and 46 RBI. Not only has Butler been Kansas City’s most consistent offensive player, he has several clutch home runs that have helped the Royals win some close games. Without Butler’s performance at the plate, it is safe to say that Kansas City would not be sitting at 34-39 on the season and only a couple of games out of first. Despite another solid year, Butler may get passed over in favor of designated hitters like David Ortiz, and his position is loaded with players with similar, if not better, numbers.

Another possibility is Jonathan Broxton, who has slowly turned into one of the better closers in the American League this season. Broxton boasts a 1.52 ERA and 19 saves this season, and is another reason why the Royals are still in contention midway through the season. Due to the number of pitchers selected, Broxton has to be the favorite to grab Kansas City’s All Star spot.

Fresh off an impressive sweep of the Rays, the Royals will begin a series in Minnesota tomorrow against the Twins. Minnesota is one of the worst teams in baseball, and the Royals have a great opportunity to bring their record closer to .500 on the season.

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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

College Football Playoff System Approved

College football will finally have a playoff. A four-team playoff has been formally approved by a presidential oversight committee, which will begin in 2014 and continue through the 2025 season.

The four teams who will participate in the playoff will be chosen by a committee. The semifinals will be held at current bowl sites, while the national championship game will be awarded to the highest bidder. The national championship will be managed by the conferences and will not be branded as a bowl game. There will be three contract bowls as well - the Champions Bowl (a partnership between the Big 12 and SEC), the Rose Bowl (a partnership between the Big Ten and Pac 12) and a bowl to be determined for the ACC, which will likely continue its partnership with the Orange Bowl. Three other bowls will be called “access bowls” and have yet to be determined. This will force the Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl to become bidders.

This new system may force the Big East out of the postseason, as its champion no longer has a guaranteed spot in a major bowl. The Big East has traditionally been the weakest of the automatic qualifying conferences, and now that they have lost their best program to the Big 12, this decision makes sense. The Mountain West Conference will also likely not be a factor in the major bowls due to these agreements.

One major issue with this new playoff format is how the teams will be selected. College basketball uses a committee to select its entrants into the NCAA tournament, but this has often lead to controversy and criticism. The new playoff system is a step in the right direction, but there will certainly still be teams that feel like they have unjustifiably been left out. It will be interesting to see if any criteria are announced in regards to how the committee will select the four playoff teams.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Scott Pioli Helps Out Kansas City Repertory Theatre - Kansas City News

Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli is helping out our local Kansas City Repertory Theatre by offering a challenge to all who wish to donate to the Theatre's cause. Pioli and his wife Dallas have offered to match every donation that anyone makes, dollar for dollar, up to $10,000 between now and June 30th, 2012.

From Scott Pioli; "Like many of you, Dallas and I are huge fans of the excellent work the Kansas City Repertory Theatre creates in Kansas City. I have been inspired by new plays, reimagined classics and especially by the work the Kansas City Repertory Theatre does at Student Matinees with children who otherwise receive no exposure to the arts. Today we hope to draft you to join a team of individuals who understand the importance of investing in theatre of the highest caliber right here in our own community. Together, we could raise $20,000 for one of the MVP's of Kansas City's cultural scene and help kick-off another exciting season at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Sincerely, Scott Pioli, Kansas City Board of Directors and GM of The Kansas City Chiefs - P.S. Don't forget to send your gift by this Saturday, June 30th so Dallas and I can match your gift."

More on the Kansas City Repertory Theatre:
Your support of Kansas City Repertory Theatre benefits essential programs in our community. Kansas City Repertory Theatre, the professional theatre in residence at UMKC, produces innovative work on stage that garners local, regional and national acclaim. The Rep's artistic, educational and community programs serve approximately 100,000 area residents annually. Each year, over 10,000 students attend Rep student matinees and participate in workshops and classes taught by the Rep's Teaching Artists in classrooms throughout the metro area. These education programs help teachers meet state education standards and keep learning fun for kids. The Kansas City Repertory Theatre also offers lifelong learning opportunities for adults through our Conversation Series, this reaches out to the community with after school programs for at-risk children and more. The Rep's commitment to civic engagement is also seen through patrons, staff and artists who contribute to numerous social service agencies in Kansas City, including the AIDS Service Foundation and ArtsKC Fund.

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Larry Moore Recognizes Adam Blue Productions, KC All Stars for Kansas City Charity Event Contributions

KMBC-TV's Larry Moore recognized Adam Blue Productions and also The KC All Stars recently for their contributions to multiple Kansas City charity organizations in the past several years. In Moore's testimonial he tells Kansas City viewers that these charity organizations "could not have raised the amount donations that they did in recent years without the help of Adam Blue Productions and The KC All Stars".


Adam Blue Productions is the largest band booking agency in Kansas City, and they have recently branched out to include Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson, Arizona, Vero Beach, Tampa Bay, and South Beach Florida, and they have also incorporated Nationally and will expand to include 473 US cities by August of 2012 via their new National band booking website "Bands for Hire Live!". Adam Blue Productions donates their efforts to several major Kansas City charity organizations including The American Red Cross, The Dream Factory, The Make a Wish Foundation, The Whole Person, The American Heart Association, Children's Mercy Hospital, Wayside Waifs, The Kansas City Zoo, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and several other Kansas City charity organizations.

The KC All Stars, voted "Best Band in Kansas City" 3 years in a row, were also mentioned by Larry Moore as being a strong contributor to the Kansas City charity community as well.


Both Adam Blue Productions and The KC All Stars have contributed countless hours and donations to local Kansas City charity organizations and will continue to do so according to CEO Adam Blue; "Absolutely, we plan to build on our past contributions to the wonderful charity organizations in Kansas City by doing our best to assist them with the success of their operations with a special focus on Kansas City charity events." Larry Moore deserves a lot of credit as well as he MC's and hosts several large charity events in Kansas City each year. Together as a team, Larry Moore, Adam Blue Productions and The KC All Stars are making a positive difference in the Kansas City community.

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MLB Releases Rosters For 2012 All-Star Futures Game

The 14th annual Sirius XM All-Star Futures game has released its rosters, compromising of the top minor league players in Major League Baseball. The game will be a part of the Taco Bell All-Star Sunday lineup, and is scheduled to take place at 4:00 p.m. ESPN2 and MLB.TV will carry the broadcast of the game.

The futures game is a great opportunity for baseball fans to see the next wave of the league’s stars, and to also catch a glimpse of the top minor league prospects in their organization. Current Royals stars such as Eric Hosmer participated in the event before being called up the major leagues, and some of the league’s top young talent, including players such as Bryce Harper, have participated in the past. The Royals have three players participating in the game – more than any other MLB team. Will Myers, Jake Odorizzi and Yordano Ventura will be representing Kansas City in the exhibition.

There are 31 players on MLB’s top 100 prospects list on the two rosters. The 3-8 prospects on the list - Manny Machado, Jurickson Profar, Jameson Taillon, Trevor Bauer, Dylan Bundy and Gerrit Cole - will be participating, and nearly half of the Top 50 are on the roster.

The World Team features players from 11 different countries and territories outside the United States. The Dominican Republic has eight players, followed by Venezuela with six, Cuba with two and Puerto Rico with two. There are also players representing Aruba, Canada, Curacao, England, Panama, Taiwan and South Korea.

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Monday, June 25, 2012

Royals Swept By Cardinals

Just when the Royals had crawled back into contention and found themselves only a few games out of first place, disaster struck. Kansas City’s starting pitching was dreadful all weekend, and the Royals were swept by the St. Louis Cardinals.

The sweep highlights why Kansas City will once again have a sub .500 season – the Royals simply do not have capable starting pitching. Against St. Louis, the Royals gave up 41 hits and 30 runs over three games. The poor pitching performances wasted a great offensive output from the Royals on Sunday, when Mike Moustakas hit two home runs and both Jeff Francoeur and Billy Butler went yard as well.

Injuries have completely decimated the rotation, forcing the team to start players that really have no business pitching in the major leagues. At the moment, Bruce Chen is the team’s best pitcher who is not on the disabled list, and he is sporting a 4.81 ERA for the season. Chen is who he is, a decent option for a fourth of fifth starter, but he shouldn’t be the Royals best option at this point. Luke Hochevar has made it official that he is never coming close to living up to his first overall draft status as well, meaning that Kansas City is going to have to score a lot of runs night in and night out to have a shot. That is simply too much pressure on the offense, and it appears that it will likely be downhill from here for the rest of the season.

The Royals will try to get back on track tonight, when they start a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays. Hochevar (4-7) will start for the Royals, while Alex Cobb (3-3) will take the mound for the Rays. Game one is tonight at 7:10 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium.

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Friday, June 22, 2012

MLB Releases Crown Statues For All-Star Game, Royals Make Roster Moves

Major League Baseball has unveiled their All-Star Crown Statues to celebrate the 2012 MLB All-Star game and activities held in Kansas City. MLB teamed up with licensee Forever Collectibles to design a series of All-Star crown statues to celebrate baseball in Kansas City. A total of five statues, each weighing more than 1,000 pounds, will be positioned around the Kansas City area. MLB will announce the specific locations at a later date.

The statues will be uniquely decorated to celebrate the 2012 All-Star Game, the Royals, and each of MLB’s 30 clubs. Artist Charles Fazzio designed and painted one of the statues.

Collectible versions of the statues are now available as well at the MLB.com shop. The statues are 6.5 inches tall, and should be available through team shops and local retailers sometime next week. Each statue is currently $24.99 through the MLB.com shop.

In Royals news, Kansas City has announced that Catcher Salvy Perez will return for this weekend’s I-70 series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Perez missed the season’s first 67 games, but has been playing extremely well in Class AAA ball in Omaha. However, the Royals will be losing the best pitcher on their staff, as Felipe Paulino’s injury will require him to have season-ending Tommy John surgery. The injury is similar to the one that Danny Duffy suffered several weeks ago, and Paulino will be the fourth Royal pitcher to be forced to undergo Tommy John surgery this season.

The Royals will face the Cardinals tonight at 7:10 p.m at Kauffman Stadium. Vin Mazzaro (3-1) will start for Kansas City, while Joe Kelly (0-0) will take the mound for St. Louis.

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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Ward Parkway Mall, The Rise and Fall of an Empire

Ward Parkway Mall - Kansas City News
The Rise and Fall of an Empire, the Tale of The Ward Parkway Mall - Kansas City News

If you had spent your Saturday afternoon eating a delicious "loose-meat" greasy hamburger with curly fries at Nu-Way, then headed over to Aladdin's Castle arcade to play a few games of Sinistar or Punch-Out, then topped it all off with a giant cinnamon roll from TJ Cinnamons, odds are that the year was 1985 and you were at the Ward Parkway Mall.

Malls in the 1980's


You see kids, in the generation before mass communication wireless devices and social networking digital wastelands of useless information that will surely burn everyone's eyes out by the time they turn 50, there were the days of the shopping mall. The shopping mall was an actual physical realm where kids hung out, eating greasy mall food, going to movies and playing video games at these things we called "arcades". Whether you scraped up some quarters from mom and dad's change bowl, or maybe you got up early and mowed the neighbor's lawn, about $10 would set you up for an entire day of goofing off at the mall. In those days kids would spend their entire childhood at the mall, gradually hanging out more and more as you grew older and then eventually, when you turned 15 years old, a lot of them also went to work at the mall. The girls who worked at Russel Stover would get in trouble for spending too much time talking to boys who would stroll past the store, and if you were really lucky one of your friends was a coin operator at the arcade and they could open up the machines and give you free credits.

Typical Scene in a 1980's Mall - Kansas City News
The mall was a very intricate social scene you see, and I guess you could say it was our generation's Facebook. The similarities are uncanny; some of your friends were in there, some of them were not (or offline), there were many products being marketed to you from all sides, you could watch movie clips and for the most part you were just wandering around aimlessly killing time. Remarkable similarity.

For many of us who grew up in Kansas City, the most popular mall was The Ward Parkway Mall, named for the boulevard's namesake, Mr. Hugh Ward. The Ward Parkway Mall is now a clump of stores at 8600 Ward Parkway that include a movie theater that no one goes to, a Trader Joe's that EVERYONE goes to, a 24 hour fitness that some of us should go to more often, a Petsmart, a Target, and some knock off woman's clothing stores that are hideous. The story of the Ward Parkway Mall is laden with carnival rides and bank fraud, a story of a place built to it's summit by two brothers who would eventually end up in prison.

The Ward Parkway Mall is Born


The Ward Parkway Mall was built nearn a piece of land that was formerly an amusement park called "Kiddie-Land" and later purchased by Frank Wizarde alias "Whizzo the Clown" and called Whizzoland for it's final years. As amusement parks are extremely expensive to maintain, especially in cities such as Kansas City that have a winter season, the amusement park had to go. In 1959, the Ward Parkway Mall was erected with a handful of department stores and a grocery store.

Mall Climax, The Kroh Brothers, and Prison


The Ward Parkway Mall was purchased by the John Kroh, Sr., a successful real estate developer.  John Kroh, Sr. would soon retire and turn his company over to his two sons, John Kroh, Jr. and George Kroh. The Kroh brothers would bask in the light that was the flourishing Kansas City social circle of the 1980's. The 1980's in Kansas City were by far the best years this town has ever seen, when it seemed that everything was lined with gold. The Royals won the World Series, the economy was booming along with George Brett's bat, and the Ward Parkway Mall rose to it's pinnacle of success. An upper middle class shopping mall complete with a Woolf Brothers Fine Clothing store, a J.M. Importers, and the St. Louis based 2-level department store, Stix, Baer and Fuller. With the Kroh brothers at the helm, the mall would expand to open a 2 story movie theater, the largest in Kansas City, and a food court (one of the first food courts) complete with the aforementioned Nu-Way Burger. Throw in Aladdin's Castle Arcade, and you've got the hottest spot in the city to hang out.

Then it happened...after balancing over 100 commercial properties in 13 states, The Kroh Brothers were going bankrupt. At one point the brothers were an estimated $261 million dollars in the hole. They began to perform the illegal maneuver of "kiting" checks. A process by which you have two bank accounts with no money in either, then you write a check to a creditor from bank A, then deposit a check into account A from your (empty) account B. There will be a couple of days before bank A realizes that your deposit from bank B is no good and if the scam works, bank A will cover the 1st check that you wrote to the creditor. In the case of the Kroh Brothers, they did this to the tune of about $7 million dollars at a local UMB bank (back then it was called United Missouri Bank). When the smoke cleared, charges were brought, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy was filed, and some prison time was dealt out.

In the end the Ward Parkway Mall was purchased for .24 cents on the dollar, after most of it's tenants vacated. The last days of the Ward Parkway Mall signified the end of the best 10 years that Kansas City had ever seen, or has seen since.

The Ward Parkway Mall Shooting

The Ward Parkway Mall made National news on April 29th, 2007 when CNN broke the story of the Ward Parkway Mall Shooting that left 4 people dead.  David Logsdon of Kansas City, Missouri was a former employee of the Ward Parkway Target in 2006 and according to them he "left on his own accord". He then applied and was turned down for a job as a security guard. Trouble arose when Logsdon's elderly neighbor was found dead in her home and Logsdon was spotted at a gas station driving her car. An officer approached him and he shot the officer in the arm. The officer fired back and blew out a window in his car. Logsdon then drove to the Ward Parkway Mall, parked his car, shot from his car at both cars parked along side him and killed two people. He then went inside the mall and continued to shoot people at random. Police shut the mall down and swarmed inside, chasing Logsdon outside into the parking lot where police shot him to death.

David Logsdon - The Ward Parkway Mall Shooter
David Logsdon was later found to have been partially living in the home of his next door neighbor with her dead body still inside. He had not paid his bills and his water and electricity were shut off. He was using a large plastic container of kitty litter as a toilet police later found in the center of his bathroom. He also used his neighbor's credit card to purchase ammunition for the assault rifle that was used in the shootings. Logsdon's sister told police that her brother was mentally ill and also an alcoholic. Police never officially connected Logsdon with the death of his neighbor although he was a prime suspect.

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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

2012 MLB Charity 5K And Fun Run Schedule Set

The All-Star Game Charity 5K and Fun Run has officially released its schedule of events. The 5K race will start at 7:30, while the one mile fun run will start thirty minutes later. Registration now includes an early price of $25 (adult) and $20 (under-13) for the 5K and $20 (adult) and $15 (under-13) for the Fun Run. Space is limited so participants are encouraged to sign up early. Registration and event information can be found here.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Stand Up To Cancer and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Participants will run and walk on an All-Star themed course which will feature appearances by MLB legends, mascots and celebrity guests.

Award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth has confirmed that she will be attending the 2012 MLB All-Star Game Fun Run, joining former Royals All-Stars George Brett and Mike Sweeney. Chenoweth, who was won both a Tony and Emmy award in her career, is currently the star of ABC’s GCB and serves as a Stand Up to Cancer ambassador.

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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Ned Yost Named To AL Coaching Staff in 2012 MLB All Star Game

Royals Manager Ned Yost and Head Athletic Trainer Nick Kennedy have been named members of the AL coaching staff for the upcoming 2012 MLB All Star game, July 10 at Kauffman Stadium. The two will join AL manager Ron Washington’s staff, who will be coaching his second consecutive All Star game. Oakland Manager Bob Melvin will join Yost and Washington. Washington has told the media that he picked Yost due to the impressive job he has done with a young Kansas City team this season.

The National League will be managed by Tony La Russa, who lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a world series championship last year. La Russa’s staff also includes Ron Roenicke of the Milwaukee Brewers and Terry Collins of the New York Mets.

This will be Yost’s fifth All Star game appearance; he also was included on the staffs in the 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2005 games. This will be the first All Star appearance for Kennedy, who is now in his third season as the Royals’ head trainer. Kennedy will be joined by Lonnie Soloff of the Cleveland Indians.

Yost is the 10th Royals manager to serve on the AL staff. Dick Howser was manager in 1986 after the Royals won the 1985 World Series, and was a coach in 1982 and 1985. Other Royals coaches who participated include Bob Lemon, Jack McKeon, Whitey Herzog, Hal McRae, Bob Boone, Tony Muser, Tony Pena and Trey Hillman. Kennedy is the fourth Royals trainer to be included on an All Star game staff, joining Jim Dudley, Mickey Cobb and Nick Swartz.

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Monday, June 18, 2012

Royals Win 15 Inning Marathon Against Cardinals

Yuniesky Betancourt blasted a two-run home run in the 15th, giving the Royals a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. The win improved Kansas City’s record to 29-35 on the season, and the Royals have now won five of their last six games and trail the Chicago White Sox by only five games in the AL Central standings.

Betancourt wound up the hero, despite not even starting the game. He was forced into action when Chris Getz suffered a leg injury in the first inning. Betancourt nearly ended the game in the fourteenth inning, when his RBI double gave Kansas City a 3-2 lead. However, Jonathan Broxton blew the save and the game continued.

Before Betancourt’s heroics, Billy Butler had the game’s biggest hit. Butler hit a pinch-hit home run to tie the game in the ninth inning, his 12th blast of the season. Kansas City also got a bizarre contribution from Alex Gordon, who drew a franchise record five walks in the game. Gordon has now drawn five walks in a game twice, the only Royal in club history to achieve this feat.

While Betancourt and Butler stole the headlines with their homers, Kansas City would not have been in the game if it wasn’t for some strong pitching. Luis Mendoza pitched six strong innings, only allowing two runs while striking out five and only allowing one walk. The Royals’ bullpen also pitched well, as the Cardinals did not record a run between the sixth and fourteenth inning.

The Royals continue their interleague schedule tonight, when they will travel to Houston to begin a series with the Astros. Jonathan Sanchez (1-2) will start for Kansas City, while J.A. Happ (4-7) will start for Houston. The Royals have won seven of their last ten games against the Astros.

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Sunday, June 17, 2012

2012 MLB All Star Fan Fest Schedule Set


The 2012 All-Star game in Kansas City will feature many fun events and attractions; however none may be bigger or more interactive than the FanFest. Entering its 22nd year, the MLB FanFest is an interactive baseball theme park that features activities for baseball fans of all ages. With the All-Star game coming to Kansas City, this year’s FanFest will feature free autograph sessions with legendary Royals players, as well as rare Royals memorabilia.

The FanFest activities last for five days, starting on Friday, July 6 and ending on Tuesday, July 10. The events start at 9:00 a.m. each day and last until 8:00 p.m. on every day except Tuesday, in which the event ends at 6:00 p.m. A full list of the events and their times and date can be found here.

Tickets are currently on sale, and an adult ticket is only $30. All existing Royals Season Ticket Holders will have the opportunity to purchase a strip ticket for all MLB All-Star events held at Kauffman Stadium. Each strip includes one ticket to each All-Star Week event at the ballpark and two MLB All-Star FanFest tickets.

With the 2012 MLB All-Star game at Kauffman Stadium, people in the Kansas City area have a great opportunity to learn more about the game and dive deeper into Royals history. The 2012 FanFest has a lot to offer, and is one of the nice perks a city gets to enjoy when hosting baseball’s midsummer classic.

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Friday, June 15, 2012

Zac Brown Band Scheduled To Play At 2012 Home Run Derby

Major League Baseball has announced that the Zac Brown Band is scheduled to play at the 2012 MLB Home Run Derby, held on July 9. The two-time Grammy Award-winning band will hold an on-field performance to start the event.

The performance is scheduled to begin at 6:55 p.m., when the band will perform “America The Beautiful,” “Chicken Friend” and the band’s latest single, “The Wind.” MLB Network will carry the coverage of the performances before the Home Run Derby coverage is picked up by ESPN at 7:00 p.m.

The 2012 Home Run Derby will be captained by the American League’s Robinson Cano (last year’s winner) and the National League’s Matt Kemp. Cano and Kemp will choose three other players from their leagues to participate in the in the derby. State Farm and Major League Baseball will donate $150,000 to the winning captain’s charity, $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of America and $25,000 to the losing captain’s charity.

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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Chiefs Start Minicamp Without Dwayne Bowe

Kansas City started its mandatory three-day minicamp yesterday with one glaring absence: All-Pro wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. The Chiefs’ wide out has yet to sign his franchise tender, which means he is currently not under contract and is not required to participate in these drills.

Bowe is coming off his second consecutive productive season, catching 81 passes last year for 1,159 yards and five touchdowns. Bowe was able to produce despite injuries and inconsistency in the Chiefs’ QB rotation, and he is obviously a huge part of Kansas City’s offense.

There are several troubling factors to Bowe’s current holdout. First, there is no guarantee of when the WR will join his teammates. Bowe could be on the practice field when training camp starts in a little over a month or the day before the Chiefs first game – there is no current time table. Also, Kansas City is installing a new offense under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, which many Chiefs players have deemed as being somewhat complex. Hopefully Bowe will be able to join the team soon and have enough time to pick up the new offense. Kansas City cannot afford a repeat of last year, when the Chiefs had an absolutely dreadful start to the regular season, and needs all its players on the same page.

One silver lining of Bowe’s absence is that second year Jonathan Baldwin has been able to receive more reps. Baldwin, last year’s first round draft pick, missed last offseason due to the NFL lock out, and has reportedly made some big strides in training camp.

Several other Kansas City players also missed the minicamp due to injuries. Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles and Tony Moeaki all sat out due while they recover from injuries sustained last season, while rookie WR Devon Wylie missed practice due to an injured hamstring.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

MLB Announces Themes For 2012 All Star FanFest

MLB has announced that it will be hosting theme days as part of the 2012 MLB FanFest, which will take place July 6-10 at the Kansas City Convention Center in Bartle Hall. Attendees will also be eligible for several prizes, as FanFest ticket holders will be given special giveaways that correspond with that day’s theme. The themes are listed below.

Friday, July 6 – Military Appreciation Day

Saturday, July 7 – Kids’ Day

Sunday, July 8 – Kansas City Tribute Day

Monday, July 9 – Legacy Day

Tuesday, July 10 – All Star Legends Day

Entering its 22nd year, the MLB FanFest is an interactive baseball theme park that features activities for baseball fans of all ages. With the All-Star game coming to Kansas City, this year’s FanFest will feature free autograph sessions with legendary Royals players, as well as rare Royals memorabilia.
The FanFest activities last for five days, starting on Friday, July 6 and ending on Tuesday, July 10. The events start at 9:00 a.m. each day and last until 8:00 p.m. on every day except Tuesday, in which the event ends at 6:00 p.m. A full list of the events and their times and date can be found here.

Tickets are currently on sale, and an adult ticket is only $30. All existing Royals Season Ticket Holders will have the opportunity to purchase a strip ticket for all MLB All-Star events held at Kauffman Stadium. Each strip includes one ticket to each All-Star Week event at the ballpark and two MLB All-Star FanFest tickets.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Monday, June 11, 2012

2012 MLB All Star Game Billed Most Social Event In Baseball History

The 2012 MLB All Star game is being billed as the “most social event in baseball history.” The league has recently announced that several new social media platforms will be introduced to the game, making it more social than ever before. One key introduction will be the usage of computer stations at each clubhouse, which will allow teams to interact on social media when they are not in the game.

This year, MLB will use this platform in both the Home Run Derby and the actual All Star game, and if past stats are any indication, this truly could be the most social event in baseball history, if not sports history.

This new development is similar to what the MLB did last year during the 2011 Home Run Derby. Several computers were set up, which allowed players to go online and use social media platforms while the Derby was taking place. There was some incentive for players to tweet during the Home Run Derby as well: players who tweeted during the competition saw their follower list increase by 17% in the hours following the event, and the home run derby generated what was at the time the 7th-highest tweet per second mark in Twitter history.

The TV networks are in on the social aspect as well, as ESPN and FOX will both heavily incorporate social media into their television broadcasts of the events, creating a fully integrated social TV experience for fans. With several celebrities on hand, this could also be a way to entice non-baseball fans as well.

The 2012 Home Run Derby takes place on Monday, July 9 at 7:00 p.m., while the 2012 MLB All Star game will take place on Tuesday, July 10 at 6:30 p.m.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Royals Place Felipe Paulino On Disabled List

The Royals' pitching staff has already been hit hard by injuries this season, and it appears as if things are getting even worse. Kansas City has now placed Felipe Paulino on the 15 day disabled list.

Paulino has pitched incredibly well for the Royals in his brief stint in the rotation this year, compiling a 3-1 record and an impressive 1.67 ERA. Paulino has a strained groin, and joins a long list of Kansas City pitchers who have gotten hurt this season.

Kansas City has called up Nate Adcock from Triple A Omaha, who already has seen significant major league experience this season. The Royals will also move Luis Mendoza back into the rotation after his recent stint in the bullpen.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Chiefs Alex Tanney Trick QB, Complete 90 Man Roster

The Chiefs’ 90 man roster is complete, as Kansas City signed former Monmouth College quarterback Alex Tanney. The 6’4, 220 lb. Tanney is the final player the Chiefs signed, after he impressed the coaching staff during Kansas City’s organized team activity workouts.

Tanney is best known for his foray of trick throws and arm strength, which he displayed in a YouTube video that became extremely popular before the 2012 NFL draft. Despite his talent, Tanney was not highly regarded by most pro teams, and appears to be a long shot to ever see the field.

The rookie did put up big numbers in college, setting NCAA Division III records in career passing yards and touchdowns. While it remains to be seen if Tanney has what it takes to make an NFL roster, Kansas City fans can at least try to coax some more highlight-worthy throws out of the YouTube sensation.

Chiefs Alex Tanney Trick QB Youtube Video



Chiefs Alex Tanney Trick QB Youtube Video Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Bruce Chen Continues To Pitch Well As Royals Blank Twins

Bruce Chen gave up only four hits and kept Minnesota off the scoreboard, allowing a lone run scored in the second inning to be good enough for the Royals to earn a 1-0 victory over the Twins. The win moved Kansas City’s record to 24-30 on the season, and the team is currently only 6.5 games out of first place.

The big story from last night is Chen, who has rebounded from an awful start to the season to win for the fifth time in his last six starts. With injuries depleting the Royals’ pitching staff, it was imperative that Chen step up and pitch like an All-Star if the Royals were going to have any shot at respectability this season. The veteran has done that and more, and Chen will be a big factor in how far the Royals go this season.

Kansas City’s lone run came off a Bryan Pena RBI single, as Chen’s performance wasted a fantastic effort by Minnesota’s Francisco Liriano. The Royals also got a nice boost from its bullpen, as Greg Holland and Jonathan Broxton both pitched well to preserve the shut out. Broxton now has 14 saves this season.

The Royals will face the Twins again tonight at 7:10 p.m. in Kansas City. Felipe Paulino (3-1), who is in the midst of a phenomenal pitching stretch himself, will take the mound for Kansas City. He will face Minnesota’s Nick Blackburn (1-4), who has really struggled this season and currently holds an 8.37 ERA.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

KC All Stars Reviews, References

Voted "Best Band in Kansas City" in 2011, 2010 and 2009 by KMBC-TV, The KC All Stars have moved into the number 1 spot when it comes to live bands in KC. Rather than ramble on about the band ourselves, we thought that we would let the public speak, so we are posting some recent KC All Stars reviews by clients who have hired the band for their events:

KC All Stars, thank you guys for a great performance! You made our wedding reception into a great party!! In fact, I think we needed a bigger dance floor :) Everyone had a fantastic time. We will look forward to seeing you guys play at RAGBRAI or perhaps in KC again. You guys rock! - Kate and Bob


Dear KC All Stars, we just wanted to let you know how pleased we all were by the band's performance. I agree with your philosophy of the band "making or breaking" a wedding - the KC All Stars did not disappoint. I cannot tell you the amount of people who came up to us and asked "where did you find that band? They are fantastic!" I am so grateful we were in attendance at a wedding KC where the KC All Stars were playing, if not, we never would have thought to go outside of Omaha to find a band for our daughter's wedding. Please share or extend this note to the band. If possible, I think we all "could have danced all night". Sincerely, Harriet Epstein


Thank you KC All Stars and crew for making our event a memorable one and donating your time to a wonderful cause. The Niles Home for Children would like to thank you and we wish you much success in the future. - Valerie Nicholson-Watson, President and CEO, Niles Home for Children


KC All Stars, great job! Thanks for everything! You came to my rescue several times and I really appreciated your tactfulness. Thanks again, Jane Pierce


KC All Stars - Thank you very much for performing at our wedding. You rocked the Nelson [Art Gallery] and we received raving reviews! Mike and I really enjoyed working with you. It was very nice of you to help us with the rehearsal dinner as well. You were really responsive and on top of things, it made my life as a bride so much easier. I would recommend you to anyone and really appreciated the awesome show! - Jenny and Mike Sharp


KC All Stars ~ I cannot thank you enough for making our wedding reception fabulous! Everyone commented on how "awesome" the band was and how "amazing" the vocalist was. You all did a great job and made the reception so much fun. Pretty sure Vince didn't get off the dance floor the last two hours of the reception. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed "Poker Face" especially. :) Thank you again! - Lara and Vince Bennett


Thank you so much for making our day special. The KC All Stars were amazing! They did a fantastic job of organizing the introductions, the bouquet toss, and everything else. As we made our way around the room to say our thank yous, it was great to look at the dance floor and see it crowded. We had so many people compliment us on the selection of the band, but even more than that, people were telling us how much fun the band was. Indeed, The KC All Stars were incredibly entertaining and they impressed everyone. If you ever need a recommendation, please let us know because we will let anyone know about the singing, dancing, and smiles that the KC All Stars brought to our party. Thank you for making our reception so memorable! Love, Brooke and Greg


The Kansas City Chiefs would like to thank The KC All Stars for once again putting on an incredible show at our home opener! We look forward to many more performances from your outstanding group at future games. It's been great working with you this again this season. Thanks for all that you do! - From the Entire Marketing Staff @ The Kansas City Chiefs

KC All Stars reviews and references by Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Chiefs Sign Safety Abram Elam

In an effort to add some much-needed depth to its defensive backfield, the Chiefs have signed veteran safety Abram Elam. Elam is entering his seventh season in the league, and spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys after stints with the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns. For his career, Elam has started 64 of 92 games, with 365 tackles, five sacks and three interceptions.

The move is not surprising given the current state of Kansas City’s safety corps. Eric Berry is recovering from a gruesome knee injury and has been held out of practice, while Kendrick Lewis is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

It appears that this move was simply an effort to add a veteran body to the defensive backfield, but don’t count Elam out. He has seen a lot of playing time in his career, and if injuries once again hit the Chiefs’ secondary, he could see the field early and often in 2012. Elam will have to battle Travis Daniels, Kyle McCarthy, Donald Washington, and rookies De’Quan Menzie and Terrance Parks for a roster spot.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Chiefs National Anthem Contest Kansas City News


The Kansas City Chiefs will hold a National Anthem contest to determine who will be on the field at Arrowhead Stadium on August 24th, 2012 for a preseason game vs. the Seattle Seahawks singing the National Anthem. This sounded exciting until we realized that it is just a preseason game, and we know that there is no game more boring than a Chiefs preseason game. Just the same, it's a chance to get up in front of several hundred drunken Chiefs fans and sing our National Anthem. I suppose it doesn't have to be sung at all, you could play it on electric guitar like Ace Frehley did in 2009 which was EPIC! But more than likely the winner will be a little teenie bopper tween high school theater type or something like that. Actually, skill will likely have little to do with the final winner as it eventually comes down to an online vote between the top 5 finalists. So basically, a popularity contest - thus our prediction that it will be a younger kid, because the power of the United Soccer Moms of Overland Park are overwhelming and they all know how to vote online with their iPads. Hey, we could always hope for a another William Hung! - Kansas City News

So let the American Idol of The Kansas City Chiefs begin, as there will be semifinals in front of "judges", who are members of the Chiefs staff and probably know nothing about music (or football), giving it that American Idol feel, before the final 5 contestants are put to the test via online voting.  Perhaps the 300 fans in attendance that night will even get a treat of epic failure like when the Eli Young Band royally screwed the Anthem up and messed up the Air Force fly over. At least their hair looked nice and spiky, and for some reason all four members of the band stood out on the field while only one of them sang. What a bunch of talentless California dweebs. Maybe they will pick some really old white lady who looks like Betty White, that would be funny. We know Chiefs fans, they are brutal and self righteous, and if they take a few minutes to log off of the blogs at Arrowhead Pride (not likely) then they might just vote someone very unexpected as the winner as a joke. Too bad we won't be able to watch the beginning audition videos as those are always the best part of American Idol, the first round where all of the scrubs who actually think that they can sing come in, now THAT part is worth watching. - Kansas City News

Now that "Idol" mania is sweeping the country (and I do mean the COUNTRY, as in hillbillies), there are about 38 shows that are carbon copies of American Idol out there now, all of them sucking more than the last, it's certain that this contest will bring all of the wannabe's out of the closet. But in the end it will be a contest of who has the most aunts, uncles, friends and cousins voting online that will determine the winner.

More on the National Anthem Contest From the desk of the Kansas City Chiefs:

Chiefs “Voice of the Kingdom” National Anthem Contest Overview

This social media based anthem performance contest is intended to increase interactivity with fans through multiple touch points while building excitement for the 2012 game day experience at Arrowhead Stadium. The competition will include both online and in-person contests culminating in an online fan vote for the 2012 “Voice of the Kingdom.” This winner will perform the National Anthem in front of 77,000 fans at the August 24th Chiefs vs. Seahawks game. - Note from Kansas City News (there will NOT be 77,000 fans at this game)

Chiefs National Anthem Contest Schedule
Round 1
Entry submission period will be from Monday June 4th, to Sunday July 1st.  Video and audio performance submissions will be accepted. Performances for the Chiefs National Anthem Contest should be 1 minute and 30 seconds in length. Submissions will be given to a panel of 4 preliminary judges (Chiefs staff) and they will group all entries for the Chiefs National Anthem Contest into a top 20 list of semifinalists.

Round 2: Semifinals
On July 6th, the 20 semifinalists will be announced.
On July 14th, live auditions of the 20 semifinalists will take place at Arrowhead Stadium. Semifinalists will performa an a-capella version of The National Anthem in front of a panel of celebrity judges. These performances will be taped by 65TPT for potential finalist posting.

Round 3: Finals
5 finalists will be chosen on July 16th and their taped performances will be placed online at kcchiefs50.com and the winner of the Chiefs National Anthem Contest will be decided by online voters who are allowed to vote once per day for their favorite contestant. Online voting will be cut off on July 23rd at Noon. On July 25th, the grand prize winner and the runner up will be announced.

Chiefs National Anthem Contest brought to you by Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

2012 MLB All Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game’s Lineup Announced

The 2012 MLB All Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game’s lineup has been announced, and Royals’ fans will have an opportunity to see many past Kansas City greats take the field. Former players such as George Brett, Bo Jackson and Mike Sweeney will be among the many stars that will be on hand for the game. The game will take place on July 8th, and will be televised on July 9th following the Home Run Derby.

This year’s game is also scheduled to include Ernie Banks, George Brett, Joe Carter, Andre Dawson, Rollie Fingers, Rickey Henderson, Bo Jackson, Mike Piazza, Ozzie Smith, Mike Sweeney and Dave Winfield. For the first time, the game will feature six innings.

Tickets for Taco Bell All-Star Sunday can be purchased via 1-888-FanFest, online at www.allstargame.com, the websites of all 30 MLB Clubs, and at the Kauffman Stadium box office.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Jazzoo 2012 Charity Event Kansas City News

Tonight thousands of supporters will invade the Kansas City Zoo wearing custom tuxedos, sampling exquisite cuisine from over 65 local Kansas City restaurants, enjoying designer cocktails and donating to a wonderful cause, the animals at The Kansas City Zoo.  Kansas City's largest charity event, Jazzoo 2012, actually ranks among the top ten charity events in the entire United States.  Last year, in 2011, this Kansas City charity event raised over $800,000.  Tickets are $175.00 each, and can be purchased online at the Kansas City Zoo's website.

Jazzoo 2012 Kansas City fundraiser will feature live music by Ida McBeth, Dr. Zhivegas, Dolewite and several other Kansas City bands provided by Adam Blue Productions.  Jazzoo 2012 will begin at 6:30pm with a patrons only "happy hour" and then the main gates will open at 7:30pm.  Jazzoo 2012 will be open until 12am. There will be 10 specialty bars set up throughout the Kansas City Zoo at different locations.

The dress code for Jazzoo 2012 is what makes this Kansas City charity event so special.  The dress code is known as "creative black tie". No jeans are allowed, but you can get pretty creative with your tuxedo or evening gown. See the picture above for an example, Jazzoo is a very unique experience as the guests will be donning very entertaining costumes.

All of the benefits of Jazzoo 2012 go towards the animals of the Kansas City Zoo, and this year, in particular, the "extreme makeover" of the Tiger display area. Several different ticket package options are also available including single tickets at $175.00 each and several corporate packages are also available if you would like to bring your entire company out to Jazzoo 2012.  In the past few years the weather has ranged from extremely hot to rainy, but this year it looks like the weather will be ideal as we are experiencing a cool weather patch in Kansas City. So come out tonight and spend the evening wandering around the Kansas City Zoo, eating great food, drinking a cool beverage or two, listening to some great live music and supporting the animals at Jazzoo 2012.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on Jazzoo 2012, The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

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