Chiefs Survive Scare From Buffalo

This one was supposed to be easy. With the red-hot Chiefs facing lowly Buffalo, everyone predicted an easy Kansas City victory. In the end, the Chiefs were lucky to escape with a win, as Ryan Succop nailed a field goal as overtime expired to give Kansas City a 13-10 victory.

Many thought the Chiefs would coast to an easy win given their favorable matchup in the run game. Kansas City entered the game leading the game in rushing, while the Bills boasted the worst rush defense in the NFL. The Chiefs took advantage of the matchup, rushing for over 270 yards including a 177 yard effort from Jamaal Charles. Matt Cassel delivered a steady performance, and the Chiefs defense looked good all night.

Despite the positives, something was missing all game for the Chiefs, and the Bills were able to keep it close. Facing a fourth and four late in the game, the Bills scored to force a wild overtime that was much more exciting than regulation. The Bills had a chance to win it, and Rian Lindell did just that. Only Todd Haley called timeout before the kick, and Lindell's next attempt hit the upright, giving the Chiefs the ball. Only Kansas City, after an impressive offensive drive, missed a FG of its own. However the Chiefs' defense held, and Succop finally delivered and helped the Chiefs avoid a rare overtime tie.

It was an ugly game, but even good teams have poor showings against bad teams. Kansas City won, and took a giant step towards a post-season birth by improving its record to 5-2.

KU Shows Signs of Life Against Iowa State

For the first time in weeks, KU football actually looked competitive. Yes, the Jayhawks lost again, 28-17 against Iowa State, yet KU was actually in the game (starting its third string quarterback). The moral victory could be a sign that KU may actually turn things around after all. That is a big maybe.

After blowout losses to Baylor, Kansas State and Texas A&M (not exactly the three power houses of the conference), KU wasn't expected to compete with an Iowa State team fresh off a road upset of Texas. However, KU, led by its third string quarterback and starting a bevy of freshmen and sophomores as usual, led at halftime and looked competitive all game long. It was a sign of life from a program that desperately needed anything positive.

After Mark Mangino won an Orange Bowl and took the program to never-before seen success, few thought the transition to Turner Gill would be smooth. Few also thought KU would be this bad in Gill's first season and not only lose, but lose the way it has. While moral victories don't build programs, it is nice to see that Gill is starting to slightly get it together, and KU was able to go on the road and be competitive. After this season ends and KU wins the Big 12 in basketball like it does every year, it will be interesting to see what Gill does in year two. At least its starting to look not as bleak.

Nebraska Mizzou Game Score 31-17 - College Sports are for Dorks

Today, Nebraska bested Mizzou by a score of 31-17.  It appears that Mizzou didn't show up on either defense or offense in this game.

The good news is, is this is COLLEGE football - who the hell cares?  It's like watching a band rehearse, these are not professionals and you must really have a LOT of spare time on your hands if you actually have time to pay attention to college sports in general - especially college basketball, now there's where you find the REAL geeks.  Thank GOD they don't make much of a big deal out of college baseball or we'd have a whole new gathering of college sports dorks.

College football is completely unorganized and it is based on some made-up ratings system that no one actually even understands - or really cares about anyway.  There is no playoffs, there is no sense of closure like the Superbowl, the players are nameless, faceless joe's who are subbed in and out thoughout the game without notice.  I understand that it's cool to watch some of the college players who are surely going to the pros so you can say to your other college sports-watching dork buddies "I remember watching him play at Gonzaga" - or one of those retarded college team names.  Please get off of my TV screen so I can watch the professional highlights.

I definitely wanted Mizzou to win today but look at the bright side:

The stupid Cornholers of Nebraska are ALL THEY HAVE in that redneck town - they don't have a pro team (because no one would want to play there or live there, it would be like trying to get Lebron James to stay in frickin' Cleveland - HA!).  Nebraska has to cling on to the only piteous thing that they have and that is their cornhole COLLEGE football team - and that's pathetic enough for me.  Enjoy your win today Nebraska, then go back to living in the middle of nowhere with bunch of ugly metal factory buildings, miles of corn and several hundred 24 hour smut porn shops along the highway for the truckers - not to mention Nebraska women are all 6'3", 200 pound volleyball / basketball playing sweaty-cooch amazon girls.

As for Kansas City, we get to watch a REAL pro team play tomorrow.

Mizzou, Nebraska Showdown is Last in Series

When Missouri faces the Cornhuskers of Nebraska today in Lincoln, it will be the end of a rivalry that has become quite good in the last few years. Yes, this will be the last battle for the Victory Bell. The MU-NU Rivalry, and yes it is a rivalry - probably the biggest for Missouri given the current state of the Kansas Program - is the second oldest in the Conference (behind MU-KU), and the third oldest west if the Mississippi.

It has been played 103 times, not counting today's contest. For most of its years, it has actually been a pretty good rivalry. It is hard for people alive today to realize this, but the 80's and 90's are the only decades that Nebraska dominated (winning 24 straight between 1979 and 2002), and Missouri has won 4 of the last 7, including the last meeting in Lincoln by a dominating score of 52-17.

Nebraska was also the opponent for one of Missouri's infamous losses. The "Flea Kicker" game as it became known, crushed Missouri's hopes of ending Nebraska's then 18 game winning streak in 1997 (I remember EXACTLY where I was when that play happened). The game was sent to overtime in the final seconds on a bizarre play in which a Nebraska player kicked (intentionally? can you say 15 yard penalty?) the ball up in the air and was caught on a diving reception in the endzone.

Today's game not only has significance as the final in a long rivalry, but is also important because of it's implications on the Big 12 North Standings. If Missouri wins, they have essentially won the North, if Nebraska wins, they are put in the driver's seat in the North. This game also has National Title implications. Missouri is the final unbeaten team, and presumably the final Big 12 team that would have Championship aspirations for this season. Really, the Tigers have never played in a bigger game.

Missouri must once again run the ball effectively, and force Nebraska to throw. If they have some success in both of these areas, or a lot of success in one of them, they will win. I think the Tigers pull out a close one 24-23.

Spring Hill High School Football Player Dead

Spring Hill High School Football Player Nathan Stiles died early this morning after falling unconscious on the sideline at last night's football game against Osawatomie. Stiles was a Senior at Spring Hill, and Homecoming King. Obviously a popular kid, and from all accounts a good kid. What a horrible tragedy. All of us here at Kansas City News wish to express our sincere condolences to Nathan's Family and all who knew him.


There are no answers currently about what caused his death. There seemingly was no one, big hit that injured Nathan. He came to the sideline and told an assistant coach that his head was hurting and then he collapsed. He died around 4AM at University of Kansas Medical Center. I'm sure it will be some time before we have a cause of death. Another reminder to enjoy life while you can, we just don't know what the future holds.