Chiefs Sign Free Agents

New Chiefs general manager John Dorsey has hit the ground running in his new role, signing two free agents recently. Kansas City has acquired defensive tackle Daniel Muir and offensive tackle Steven Baker.

Muir began his career with the Green Bay Packers – where Dorsey spent the last 21 seasons – as an undrafted free agent. He is best known for his time in Indianapolis, where he played for four seasons with the Colts and started for them in Super Bowl XLIV. Muir spent last season with the New York Jets, where he failed to gain any significant playing time. In his six year career, Muir has appeared in 46 games while making 26 starts.

Kansas City also signed offensive tackle Steven Baker, who was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent last season but was released just before the regular season began. Baker played his college ball at East Carolina, and spent last season on Arizona’s practice squad.

The signing of both players, especially Muir, seems like an attempt to add some depth and competition. It is unlikely that either player will become a significant contributor for Kanas City next season. New Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton was a defensive assistant for the Jets last season, so it is possible that he saw something in Muir that made him worth pursuing. At the very least, Sutton will have an experienced player who knows his scheme and can help bring the other defensive lineman up to speed.

Many expect the Chiefs to begin addressing several other positions of need via free agency, including wide receiver, cornerback and possibly quarterback. The players the team signs in free agency may also provide Chiefs fans with a more clear picture in regards to who the Chiefs will target in the 2013 NFL draft.

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Ben McLemore Returns To Practice, Will Play Saturday For Kansas

Kansas fans can breathe a huge sigh of relief, as freshman guard Ben McLemore has fully returned to practice and expects to be close to 100% when the No. 4 Jayhawks travel to Austin to face the Texas Longhorns on Saturday. McLemore had rolled his ankle late in KU’s blowout win over Baylor on Monday night, suffering a mild ankle sprain that initially looked very serious.

McLemore has been one of the best players in the country this season, averaging 16.4 points per game while shooting 50% overall and 44% from three. The redshirt freshman is expected to be one of the top players selected in the 2013 NBA draft, and has been one of the biggest reasons why Kansas is a heavy favorite to win its ninth straight Big 12 title and make a second-consecutive Final Four.

McLemore’s return is also critical due to KU’s upcoming schedule. After traveling to Austin on Saturday, the Jayhawks will travel to Manhattan to play No. 16 Kansas State before hosting Oklahoma next Saturday. Like Kansas, K-State and Oklahoma are both undefeated in Big 12 play so far. If Kansas can win those games, it may have an insurmountable lead in the Big 12 race.

Around the Big 12, there are several other interesting matchups this weekend. K-State and Oklahoma will face off in Manhattan, as both teams will look to remain undefeated in conference play. The Sooners beat the Wildcats twice last season, and could make a serious push for an NCAA tournament berth with a big upset over KSU on the road. Oklahoma State, the team many thought would finish second to Kansas in the Big 12 standings, will try to rebound from two early conference losses as they host struggling Texas Tech. Also, watch out for Iowa State – after losing to Kansas in overtime to start Big 12 play, the Cyclones have looked impressive in two straight league wins. ISU will visit league-worst TCU tomorrow.

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NFL Draft Analysts Predict Chiefs Will Trade Down Or Select Texas A&M Tackle Luke Joekel

With the end of the NFL season only a few weeks away, draft talk is starting to heat up. Holding the top selection in the draft, the Chiefs have been the center of a lot of speculation regarding who they may pick. While many fans think the team should draft its quarterback of the future with the top pick, several draft experts are now predicting that Kansas City will trade down or select Texas A&M left tackle Luke Joekel.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper believes only four players are worthy of the top overall selection: Georgia OLB Jarvis Jones, Texas A&M OLB Damontre Moore, Utah DT Star Lotulelei and Joekel. Kansas City already Tamba Hali and Justin Houston as pass rushers in the team’s 3-4 defense, and has drafted a defensive lineman in the first round three of the past five years.

It is also unknown at this time if the team plans on resigning left tackle Branden Albert. If the Chiefs draft Joekel, they could release Albert or resign him and move him to right tackle or guard.

The biggest question new Chiefs GM John Dorsey and coach Andy Reid will have to make is whether the top two quarterbacks available – Matt Barkley and Geno Smith – are worth the top overall pick. Most draft analysts think the two quarterbacks are top ten material, but not worth the top pick in the draft. This presents the Chiefs with an interesting option - the team could potentially trade down a few spots in the first round and still get either Barkley or Smith. While they wouldn’t get a ransom mirroring what Washington gave up to move up and select Robert Griffin III, the team could end up with its quarterback of the future and an extra draft pick or two. The Chiefs would have to find another team desperate for a pass rusher or left tackle to make a deal.

There will also be several veteran quarterbacks looking for a starting opportunity this offseason and the Chiefs may opt to go with one for the next couple of years and wait to see if it can find a quarterback in a future draft.

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Sporting Kansas City Ends Relationship With Livestrong

In the wake of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal, and Armstrong’s admittance that he used steroids during his run of a record seven consecutive Tour de France championships, Livestrong and Sporting KC have terminated their deal for the naming rights of the club’s stadium.

Sporting KC announced yesterday that they would sever all ties with Livestrong, the cancer awareness organization Armstrong founded. For the time being, the stadium will be known as “Sporting Park.”

Livestrong has claimed that Sporting KC had only paid $250,000 of its $1 million pledge for 2012. The original agreement called for Sporting to contribute $7.5 million over six years to Livestrong by donating portions of ticket, concession and souvenir sales. Sporting KC President and CEO Robb Heineman has strongly disputed this claim, and has stated that the $250,000 was all that the club contractually owed Livestrong. Heineman also criticized the Livestrong organization for using the media as a platform to criticize Sporting KC.

Armstrong recently admitted to doping throughout his record-breaking and inspirational career in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. This interview is scheduled to be aired tomorrow.

The writing was on the wall for Sporting KC when the United States Anti-Doping Agency accused Armstrong of doping and trafficking drugs, and later when Armstrong was stripped of his titles and banned from competitive cycling for life. 24-Hour Fitness, Anheuser-Busch and Nike have all ended their sponsorship with Armstrong as well, and while Sporting KC initially stood by Livestrong, Armstrong’s confession and the accusations made by the Livestrong Foundation made the decision to end the relationship easy for Heineman.

It is unknown at this time if any potential sponsors have contacted Sporting KC about the naming rights to Sporting Park. The stadium recently was named as the host for the 2013 MLS All-Star game, and has also hosted several United States Men’s and Women’s soccer games.

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Autopsy Reveals That Former Chiefs Linebacker Jovan Belcher Was Legally Drunk

The autopsy of former Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher performed by the Jackson County medical examiner has revealed that Belcher was legally drunk when he shot and killed his girlfriend, Kassandra Perkins, before fatally shooting himself in the parking lot outside of the Chiefs practice facility.

Belcher’s blood-alcohol level was .17 just before 8:00 a.m., around the time that he committed suicide in the Chiefs’ parking lot. This level is more than double the legal driving limit in the state of Missouri. Perkins had little to no alcohol in her system when Belcher shot her nine times following a heated argument in the home the couple shared.

What is most disturbing about Belcher’s high blood-alcohol level is that he encountered Kansas City police only a few hours before his murder-suicide. Belcher had been out partying with another woman he had a relationship with, Brittney Glass, before being found in his vehicle outside of Glass’ apartment building by police around 3:00 a.m. Belcher was asleep in his running car when he was awoken by police, who allowed Belcher to go into Glass’ apartment and did not arrest him. The officers claimed they could not smell any alcohol on Belcher.

Belcher would leave Glass’ apartment only a few hours later, returning home legally drunk before the fatal argument started between he and Perkins. Kansas City police were called by Belcher’s mother, Cheryl Shepherd, at 7:52 a.m.

The autopsy on Belcher helps explain what is quite possibly the most disturbing episode ever involving a Kansas City sports team. With a blood-alcohol level of .17 at the time of his death, it is clear that Belcher was heavily intoxicated when he encountered police the night before, although the officers simply allowed him to sleep it off at an apartment belonging to his girlfriend, and couldn’t have known Belcher would wake up a few hours later and drunkenly drive home and confront Perkins.

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