Barry's World

713 and holding. That’s the number of home runs Barry Bonds has hit in his career. Now, don’t get me wrong, that’s a lot of home runs. That’s the third most of any player in the history of Major League Baseball. It’s more than Mickey Mantle, more than Willie Mays, more than Mark McGuire. But for Barry Bonds, it’s not going to be enough. Neither is 714 or 715. Neither is 755 or 756 or 800, for that matter. For most people, Barry’s athletic accomplishments are going to be discounted severely. They are going to be asterisked, they are going to be rationalized, they are going to be tainted by a single, one-word accusation – STEROIDS. Frankly, I don’t have a problem with that.

Here’s what I do have a problem with. As ESPN brings us every Barry Bonds at bat until he passes Babe Ruth’s mark of 714 – not the record, by the way. Ruth is number two behind Hank Aaron’s 755 career home runs. However, as we are inundated with seeing Barry stand there every 45 minutes in his full-body armor and either walk or pop weakly to short, there is one question that everyone seems to be ignoring – at least in San Francisco, California and Bristol Connecticut. It’s the proverbial pink elephant that no one seems to want to discuss. Certainly, I can understand the hesitancy in San Francisco. The answer could cast a cloud over all the things that franchise has accomplished in the last seven years – most notably their trip to the World Series a few years ago. But I’m shocked by the Worldwide Leader’s willingness to be a pawn for Barry Bonds by continuing to hype the Ruth mark. They are the current journalistic voice of American sports, no matter what Sports Illustrated or Fox Sports of CBS Sportsline wants you to think. And, yet, ESPN, Baseball Tonight and all the rest are looking the other way why this giant, pink elephant looms in the corner.

I mean, put yourself in Barry’s situation. Let’s say you are a world class mechanic. For the first 30 years of your career, you are known for your ability to do just about anything well when it comes to fixing cars. You can tune the engine, fix the brakes, rotate the tires, replace the filters and even change the oil frequently enough that people say you might be one of the best ever. Certainly good enough to be mentioned with Wal-Mart auto and NTB and Tires & More. You are truly a five-tool mechanic.

Then, all of a sudden, as you should be putting the finishing touches on a career filled with mechanical glory, you see all of the publicity going to these younger guys that can’t do everything you can do, but can change the oil faster than anybody in history. They are re-writing the record books with their oil-changing ability. And you get a bit jealous. So, you decide to change your game. You realize that, based on your career, if you really focused on oil changes, you could challenge the career record holders in the next ten years and knock some of these snot-nosed punks off their pedestal. You could someday surpass the immortals – maybe even exceed Jiffy Lube – a mark most people thought was unreachable. So you do it. You make the changes and they are all natural.

But now, people are getting suspicious. “Why is he suddenly so good at oil changes?” They’re asking. “He barely does any of the other things he used to do. If all I need is my brakes fixed, he still just goes for the oil change. And why does he look so different? His coveralls have ballooned to twice their normal size. He’s just an oil change machine, now. Plus, he’s really surly!” Well, you know the answers. You’ve honed your body to be ideal for oil changes. You’ve changed your tools and perfected your routine. And you’re grumpy because it’s hard focusing on one thing all the time and the rumors are really starting to get to you. “It’s not right for him to be like this. The all-time greats didn’t have these kinds of technologies. I hear he’s using synthetic oil!” Soon, the government is looking into you and the guy who made your ratchet set is sent to jail. People assume you are a cheater because you know these guys. But you know better. “It’s all real,” you say. “I simply started focusing on strengthening my body to change oil!”

Then, the unthinkable happens at the worst possible time. Just as you are about to surpass Firestone to move into second all-time, those jerks at Popular Mechanics write a book. They say it is well researched, but it is based on the testimony – illegally obtained – of the guys that went to jail for their own illegal-ratchet activities. They just want to bring you down, too. They just want to keep their names in the yellow pages. So they accuse you of the using black-market ratchets to gain an advantage, even though it may be damaging your other equipment. They find an old girlfriend and she is more than happy to tell people what a mean guy you are. It’s all coming down around you. You go to change the oil in San Diego and someone throws a bottle of Castro Synthetic into the grease pit.

So, what do you do? Do you really just sit back and take it? If you know the book is a lie, don’t you sue the authors for liable and defamation of character? Don’t you let them have it with both guns, turning over sales receipts and journals to show that you didn’t cheat? Do you really go into Milwaukee and struggle to change the oil while someone stands behind the yellow chain holding a sign that says, “Jiffy Lube’s record will stand forever!” Or do you go to Popular Mechanics to tell your side. And answer every question asked and make yourself available to any other mechanics rag to make sure they know you are clean. Do you really try and put on a “reality” show on the Speed Channel - the only media outlet that seems to ignore the rumors - that only makes you look like a self-absorbed baby? Or do you challenge all comers by putting your history – medical, professional, emotional – out there for all to see. At the bare minimum, don’t you fight? Don’t you hold the press conference and deny all the charges? Don’t you address the issue head on instead of accusing the press of hating you and trying to hurt your family, then making them sign a waiver to appear on your reality show?

See, to me, this is the problem. Where’s the indignation? Where’s the righteous anger? Where’s the public challenge for proof? And that leads me to that Giant elephant standing in the corner. If Barry really didn’t use steroids, why isn’t he declaring his innocence? Why didn’t he go after the Game of Shadows authors? Why isn’t he screaming from the rooftops, “I didn’t do steroids. I’m clean! Here are my medical records. They prove it. I will take a test weekly. I’ll allow MLB to release any of my samples from the last five years (assuming there are any). Take me for who I am. I deserve to be mentioned with Ruth and I’m going to challenge Aaron!” Instead, we get this ridiculous charade of a reality series and the obnoxious nightly Bonds Tracker.

So, let’s look at this from the other point of view. Assume that Barry Bonds took steroids between 1998 and 2004. There’s no MLB steroid policy, so getting caught isn’t a big concern. Besides, Bonds has the money to buy designer steroids that can beat the tests. So, he’s on the juice. Maybe I’m too quick to denigrate the villain Barry Bonds, but this just seems intuitive. Just looking at him, you can tell something is wrong. He’s different now than he was in the mid 90s. He’s got all the characteristics of the typical steroid abuser. He’s never tried to refute the claims in Game of Shadows. In fact, Bonds and his legal team only did one thing. They filed an injunction to try and have the publication of the book held up by saying the information used by the authors was obtained illegally. The judge that heard the case told the Bonds legal team that they were welcome to proceed, but that he felt the case had no chance. The suit was dropped and the Bonds camp has remained mute. Isn’t this somewhat of an admission by omission?

Now look at the 2004 and 2005 seasons and assume that Bonds had to stop taking steroids. If the government is really interested in catching Bonds in a lie based on his grand jury testimony in the BALCO case, then he probably knows that he can’t get the steroids right now. He’s being watched. So, he comes off the roids. 2005 is a wash because he is hurt. His body can’t recover like it could when he was getting help. 2006 starts and he’s cold from the beginning. He starts to warm up, but he’s still way off the pace he had in 2001-2003. He’s not the home run machine he used to be. He only has the freakish physique. Isn’t it rationale that the reason for the sudden increase – steroids helping his body – is the opposite for the sudden injury and decline – no more steroids? I know I’m not a medical expert, but I do believe the simplest explanation is usually the right explanation – and that seems as simple as it comes.

And, so, each night we endure the Bonds report. He went 0-2 with two walks in a Giant loss. We get updates on which games he might or might not be in for the next series – usually two of the three games in any series unless it’s going to be cold or wet or Wednesday. The inevitable is certainly near. He’s going to catch and pass Ruth. No pitcher wants to give up home runs, but having your name tied to Barry Bonds right now is a new level of shame. Frankly, I’ve never seen such excitement over someone going for number two since we were potty training our twins. We need to remember that Ruth, as great as his career was, does not hold the record. And that, if his health continues to decline, Bonds will never approach Aaron. Certainly that’s what Major League Baseball is hoping for. Only San Francisco and ESPN will celebrate the Ruth homers. The rest of us will have to wait and see. In five years, will Bonds be the new career home run record holder or will he be in year two of a seven year suspended sentence for lying to the grand jury? I’m sure Barry is hoping for the former, but I’m guessing he knows the latter is a possibility. But, for now, we just count. 713. . .713. . .713.

The race for 63! The Royals got all of our hopes up early this week by coming home and sweeping the Cleveland Indians. For some reason, they really have the Indians number right now with a 5-1 record against them. But they are now 5-24 against the rest of their schedule after getting swept by the Orioles in Baltimore. The same old Royals showed up on Sunday night. Carrying a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth, Burgos walked the bases loaded. Baltimore scored four in the ninth to steal the win. The beat goes on for KC – but they do get to go to Cleveland next! Current record: 10-25. Projected record: 47-115.

The Wiz In Me

I hope you can forgive me. I hope you can let it slide. I hope you can see past my mistakes and understand that I may have been blinded by homegrown biases and mainstream media attention. You see, I’ve been lying to you. I’ve been telling you for some time about the shambles that is Kansas City professional sports. I’ve been using this space as a platform to get the powers that be to change their ways, open their wallets, use their heads and bring us a winner. My focus all this time has been on two major teams and their performance in two major sports – football and baseball. And I’ve been so focused on my love for and frustration with these two teams, that I failed to notice that we do indeed have a team right here in KC that competes at the highest level in their sport. That’s right, it’s time for me to get behind the Kansas City Wizards.

“Who’s that?” you say? “The Kansas City Wizards?” No, the Wiz are not a new NBA or NHL franchise that you have never heard of. Neither are they champions at Dungeons and Dragons, though with a name like the Wizards, you might expect to see them in the next Harry Potter novel. The Kansas City Wizards play football. Or, more accurately, the Kansas City Wizards play futbol, and apparently, very well. Yes, the Kansas City Wizards, or the Wiz as they are called by the locals, are one of the stronger members of MLS – Major League Soccer.

Now, forgive me if I don’t know all the facts surrounding this team. In fact, forgive me if all I know about the Wizards is as follows: They play at Arrowhead Stadium; they once had former U.S. National Team goalie Tony Meola guarding their net; they are owned by the same family – the Hunt’s – that own the Chiefs; and they may have one a league championship in the last five years. I think I remember hearing that. I don’t know the names of the players. I don’t know how often they play. I don’t have any idea how long the season lasts or how much a ticket costs. But, here’s what I do know: they are competitive – pretty good, even – at the sport most loved by the vast majority of the world.

I don’t want to get into the whole soccer versus football debate. Though I admire the ability and stamina of soccer players, as a spectator, I prefer American rules football. I just do and that will most likely never change. I grew up before the massive boom in youth soccer leagues in the United States. Not much before, but early enough that when I played soccer in 2nd and 3rd grade, I still wore those double layer mesh jerseys – blue on one side and red on the other. No numbers. No sponsors. No piping or matching shorts. Every team had at least one kid that wore jeans to the games. Husky kids were defenders, fast kids were attackers. That’s about all I remember, except how boring it was to be the goalie against a team that you were creaming. Man, I could kick at dandelions with the best of them, waiting for the action to come my way. But, suffice it to say, in my two or three years of soccer at Holcolm Park, I never really picked up all the rules and definitely never fell in love with soccer.

But, all that’s about to change. I’m ready to join the billions of soccer fans around the world. I’m not necessarily giving up my standard sports, but I think I have room to add another team to my stable – especially if that team is actually capable of winning. And, why not? The Wiz are from Kansas City and I live in the Kansas City area. The Wiz play a professional sport and I love to watch professional sports. The Wiz ownership seem interested in more than just fleecing Kansas City and stuffing their pockets, and I’m tired of being fleeced and seeing my money go to people that already have enough money to buy small countries. Plus, their name is the Wiz! How can you beat that? I know it’s a play on the Wizard of Oz and all that, but the funny punch lines and slogans with a name like the Wiz are absolutely boundless – especially when another team in the league is the Fire and one of the major sponsors of MLS is Budweiser. You just can’t make that stuff up!

So, I’m jumping on the bandwagon – and it’s the perfect time to do it. The Wiz just had three players named to the 23-man U.S. World Cup team. That’s pretty impressive. I hear that they employ one of the best five or six players in the league – Eddie Johnson. Soccer is about to hit one of it’s peaks with World Cup play about to begin. And, best of all, the Wiz have “Kansas City” on the front of their jerseys. They are my hometown team and they actually have a shot at playing for a title. Not a Royals kind of shot where management tells you they are planning to be competitive in the next five years. Not an NFL kind of shot where every team has potential, but every fan can see the obvious flaws. The Kansas City Wizards could win the MLS title this year and no one inside the soccer community would be all that shocked. They are good! That’s something that has been missing from my professional sports watching life! "But wait," you say, "the Wiz is owned by the Hunts and you blast the Hunts for their dealings with the Chiefs!" Am I a hypocrite? Nope. The key here is that Clark Hunt, who runs the Wizards, is actually interested in Major League Soccer. He wants to be instrumental in the development of that league the same way his father was instrumental in the rise of the NFL. Simply put, ownership cares about the Wiz.

So, the Wiz can count me in. What can I do to help? Do I need to buy my own shin guards? Do you need someone that can shout “GOAAAAAAAAAAL!” at the top of his lungs? How about one of those crazy streakers running up and down the field with some internet gambling web-address tattooed on his back? I know I can contribute. Here are some slogans I’ve already come up with.

This Wiz is brought to you buy [fill in the blank of beverage sponsor]! (Okay, I may have stolen this one.)

Kansas City Wizards soccer. You’ve never had a Wiz like this.

Coming soon the Truman Sports Complex – an actual, real-life, not made up championship trophy!

See? I’m ready to roll!

The Race for 63! The Glass family is mad. Really mad. They expect results. They want to see some wins. They are going to make some changes. Great. After another long losing streak and coming within a game of the worst road start ever by a Major League Baseball team, there is an excellent chance that current G.M. Allard Baird will be fired this week. And I support that move. Baird’s original three-year plan is in year six. He’s not proven that he can evaluate talent and the Royals need to score big with the number one pick in the draft this year (and probably next year, too!). So, I agree that Baird’s time is up in Kansas City, no matter how much the local sports radio guys like him. But, if the Glass family really believes that this move is going to change the direction of the team, they’ve been up too late slashing prices at Wal-Mart. Until the mindset of the ownership group changes – or the ownership group itself changes – and we have an owner that isn’t trying to turn a profit, this team will continue to flounder. Running a Major League Baseball team is not about making money. It’s a community service. Spend some of that Wal-Mart cash to put a winner on the field and gate receipts, television deals and apparel sales will all increase. If you don’t understand that, sell the team. Current record: 7-22. Projected record: 40-122.

Dear Mr. Glass

Dear Mr. Glass,

Look, we need to talk. I’ve been thinking about this for a while and it’s time for us to face facts and make some big decisions. It’s time for us to be truthful about how things have been going for the last few years. It’s time for us to take a serious look in the mirror and choose what we want for the future. You see, I think I’ve been pretty patient. I think I’ve looked the other way about a lot of things. I think I’ve listened to your words and I’ve really tried to believe them. But, after a lot of thought, plenty of frustration and more than a few sleepless nights, I’ve come to the conclusion that you are just not ever going to change.

Here are the facts, as I see them. You are the owner of a Major League Baseball team – the Kansas City Royals. I am a fan of that team. For the here and now, that means we are connected. In three of the last four years, that team has set franchise records for losses – all three in triple digits. With your team’s 4-13 start this year, you are well on your way to setting yet another record for futility. Based on this start, you are projected to go 41-121 this year. Yet, even though your team finished with the worst record in all of baseball last year and earned the number one pick in this year’s draft, you are one of only a few owners that actually made money in 2005. In fact, one publication indicates your operating income was more than $20,000,000 last year. To put that in perspective, that same publication indicates the New York Yankees lost $50,000,000 last year. However, the only reason you made money in 2005 is because you received $55,000,000 from the MLB central fund and from the revenue sharing plan currently in place. With a current combined salary of less than $45,000,000, you don’t have to pay a dime of your own money to put a team on the field. And despite these astounding figures, the citizens of Jackson County still saw fit to give you $275,000,000 for stadium renovations just to keep you at the Truman Sports Complex.

And that takes us to the product you are willing to put in front of the fans 162 times a year. You have yet to hire a coach with a winning record while with the Royals. The 2006 edition of the Royals has been swept in four of the six series they’ve played. Not just lost the series – SWEPT! Your general manager has tried to sell the same tired, old Three Year Plan song and dance since he got here six years ago. The product you put on the field is barely able to fill the stands and the franchise seems to be a permanent fixture in the bottom third of the league attendance marks. Let me know if I have missed anything!

Those are the facts, but what about the emotion. You see, Mr. Glass, you’ve sucked the joy out of Kansas City baseball. Since the Royals came to town in the late 60s, Kansas City has been supportive. The Kaufman family is revered here because of their love of the area and their efforts to put a winner on the field. They weren’t afraid to spend because, for Ewing Kaufman, owning a baseball team wasn’t about putting money back in his pocket. He had other business ventures to do that. Owning the Royals was about pride in the area and love of the game itself. And that was obvious in how he treated the team and the fans. There’s a reason his statue stands outside the stadium that bears his name – and why yours will most likely never join him.

I grew up watching the Royals battle the Yankees in the late 70s and early 80s. There were fights on my little league team over who would wear George Brett’s number 5 on their uniform. We watched in frustration as the Phillies beat us in 1980 for the World Series crown, than jumped up and down five years later as we knocked off the Cardinals for a World Series of our own. We cheered Brett, Frank White, John Wathan, Amos Otis, Willie Wilson, Bret Saberhagen, Kevin Seitzer, Mike MacFarland and so many others. We hurt for Willie as he battled drug problems. We laughed when Brett came charging out of the dugout in the Pine Tar Game. We cried when Dick Howser lost his battle with cancer. In the early 90s, we watched the unbelievable power and skill of Bo Jackson. I remember in high school going out to games during the week and grabbing G.A. seats in left field, then hanging over the wall during pitching changes because Bo would come over and talk with us. Going to the ballpark was one of the great places to hangout as friends or family. It was a place to be, then brag to your friends that you were at the game where Balboni hit that monster home run, where Quiz came on for another save, where Damon and Dye used speed and power to terrorize the other team.

What do we look forward to now? I think a co-worker of mine said it best the other day, “As long as they don’t lose every series. . .” That’s what we’ve come to? Hoping they can pull out a series win here or there? That makes me feel sick, sad and angry all at once. 200 miles down I-70, St. Louis has billed itself as Baseball Town, USA. They claim to have the greatest fans in the world and play in an amazing new ballpark. And every time I hear an announcer gush over the fun of watching baseball in St. Louis, there’s a part of me that believes they stole that title from us. But, we got duped. We got a new owner that ran one of the richest corporations in the world. He was loaded! Money would not be a problem. We’d be competitive. We’d bring another title to Kansas City. That owner vowed to move to Kansas City and run the team from here, instead of jetting back and forth in the company jet. But, it was all a lie. You had no intention of moving and money was always the object.

You are a business man and an excellent one, at that. I respect that. I work in the corporate world and Wal-Mart is the model to follow for maximizing income and cutting costs. And you’ve approached the Royals in the same way. For the last six years, Royals’ baseball hasn’t been focused on wins and losses. The focus from you and your family has always been the bottom line. You’ve cut payroll, raised prices and collected the handouts from Major League Baseball. You trade high salary for low salary, veterans for youth, excitement for stability. As a business model, your plan should be commended. But, in your haste to make sure the Kansas City Royals can turn a profit no matter what, you’ve overlooked one simple factor: By simply putting a competitive product on the field, you’d fill the stadium. Weekends would be sold out. People would be paying for parking, buying concessions, snatching up merchandise. The money would be rolling in.

You see, Mr. Glass, we want to support baseball in Kansas City. A couple of years ago, when Tony Pena’s Royals were mildly competitive into the later part of summer, the fans came out to the ballpark in droves. We wanted to see a team with a chance. We wanted to yell and cheer for Beltran, Randa and Sweeney and the others. It was fun. But, even then, you didn’t get it. Payroll got slashed and we started a new rebuilding phase the following year. And the losses started to grow.

Now, here we sit. We are the laughing stock of Major League Baseball. The Marlins might have more youth and a lower payroll, but they also have two World Series titles in the last ten years. No, people look at this once proud franchise and shake there heads in pity. Poor Royals fans. Another year of poor coaching, of weak talent, of no chance of winning. Talk radio began the season full of anger. But the anger is gone. It’s been replaced by disgust and resentment and that feeling you get when you know you don’t have a chance. My kids are young enough to root for the Royals because I do. I want them to fall in love with the Royals like I did. But, at the rate things are going right now, my kids are going to seek a winner. I’m afraid I’m raising Red Sox fans, Cardinal fans or, and it pains me to say this, Yankee fans.

Mr. Glass, you can change that. I don’t pretend to be the voice of the people. Not everyone may share my views. But, I think we can all support this one initiative. Mr. Glass, please step aside. Sell the Royals. Think of the time and the public relations headaches you would save? No more awkward visits to Kansas City when you’d rather be anywhere else. You’ve got plenty of money. You don’t need the Yankees and MLB to keep filling your pockets. Take up a hobby. See if you can win a BBQ contest in your true hometown – Bentonville, Arkansas. Go see a show in Branson. Spend some time at the Lake of the Ozarks. Play some golf on one of the many gorgeous courses down there. But, before you do any of that, please leave us alone. Consider this your unconditional release. We won’t be upset. Just walk away! Don’t keep tormenting us. Don’t keep claiming love for something we truly cherish. You’ve taken your shot and more than doubled your investment. It’s time to get out.

There are plenty of local investors that would love to own the Royals. Go to George Brett and ask him to lead a group that is ready to buy. Talk to Bud Selig about the importance of keeping the team in Kansas City. He’ll listen to you. Let him know that it is vital that the Kansas City Royals stay with an owner that is focused on winning. Let Major League Baseball put us to the test to see if we will support a competitive team. If we don’t, then we don’t deserve to have Major League Baseball here. But until there is a competitive product on the field, it won’t be a fair test.

Remember that silly old saying, “If you love something, set it free”? This is your chance to prove you love the Royals. Our relationship is irreparable. But you can do the honorable thing and leave us alone. You have all the leverage here. All I want is my baseball team back.

Sincerely,

Matt Karpowitz

The race for 63! The Royals finished off their road trip in extremely meek style, scoring only one run in a three game sweep to the White Sox. After dropping their eleventh straight to the Indians to start the home stand, they finally showed some backbone and some offense in taking the last two from Cleveland to finish the week 2-4. Current Record: 4-13.

Huggy Bear

There’s an old saying that goes something like, “When you lay down with dogs, you may get fleas.” I know, that might not be exactly right, but it’s close. This saying should not be confused with other, commonly known mantras like, “Don’t mess with the bull, you’ll get the horns” or “Don’t buy anything from the trunk of a man named Moose.” Each of these offers good, common-sense advice and the overall meaning is true for all – there are some situations, places and people that should probably be avoided. And, if you choose not to avoid them, you need to accept the potential consequences. So, in a matter of speaking, you could say that when the Kansas State athletic department hired Bob Huggins to coach their men’s basketball team, they effectively bunked down in the doghouse, climbed into the bull’s paddock, opened up Moose’s trunk.

Now, I make no apologies in this space regarding my allegiance to Kansas Jayhawk basketball. From Clyde Lovellette and Wilt Chamberlain to Danny Manning and Paul Pierce, I am definitely a Jayhawk, through and through. But, truth be told, I want Kansas St. and the rest of the Big 12 to improve for one simple reason. If the Big 12 is better, than Kansas will have to be better to win. And, if Kansas is better, they will most likely have more post-season success. I just want to clear this up before I get accused of being a homer and just not liking Kansas State basketball or being jealous of their sudden – and somewhat uncomfortable – success. I’m not Wildcat hunting for fun. I believe the folks in Manhattan, Kansas, made a decision that has been made in athletic departments all around the country – and quite possibly to some degree in my beloved Lawrence, Kansas.

You see, the world of Division I men’s college basketball is more than its glossy, One Shining Moment exterior that CBS puts forth every March. There’s a definite underbelly out there and when you turn it over for a peek, you see it’s filled with AAU coaches acting as player agents, unauthorized visits and illegal benefits, shady tutoring and jobs for parents. These are the components of the dark and dreary world of the year round recruiting wars. Despite countless checks from the NCAA, these things have gone on for most of my lifetime. About 25 years ago, Kansas coach Larry Brown hired Ed Manning as an assistant on his staff. Ed’s 17 year old son, Danny, was a highly recruited power forward. Danny eventually committed to KU and led the Jayhawks to the 1988 NCAA title. Two years ago, Bill Self used the same technique with Mario Chalmers and his father. Illegal? Nope. Feels a bit unscrupulous? Absolutely.

I believe KU’s cross-state rivals in Manhattan got tired of being lumped in with the NCAA have-nots. So, when they fired underachieving, but perennial good-guy Jim Wooldrige last month, they had a decision to make: stay with the K-State norm of hiring a somewhat unproven up-and-comer with a spotless record or hire a proven winner and ignore the baggage. There were five or six potential candidates in the first category, but only one that really mattered in the second – former Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins.

I have never met Bob Huggins. The only exposure I have to him involve sideline tantrums, press conferences explaining player arrests, disturbing charges and video regarding his drinking and driving, and the standard early flameouts from the NCAA tournament. However, for some reason, Huggins has an incredible rapport with young, often troubled, high school basketball stars that see themselves playing in the NBA. For whatever reason, these guys love Bob Huggins and want to play in his offense. The man is a recruiting machine and as his name surfaced for several jobs this spring, the underlying feeling was the same: if you hire Bob Huggins, you are going to rocket up the recruiting standings almost immediately. Maybe it was too much to pass up for the Wildcats. After years of being overshadowed by the Jayhawks, they had a chance to make a splash and get really good really quick. So, they hired Bob Huggins.

Already, the team is changing. The best unsigned player in America – a 7’3” center from Florida, signed with the Wildcats on Wednesday. Manhattan could soon be the home of another seven foot center or the best point guard coming out of the JUCO ranks. What’s more, if the collection of kids claiming allegiance to Huggins all commit to K-State in next year’s recruiting class, the 2007-08 Wildcats should be a pre-season top 10 basketball team. I’m not saying that will happen for sure, because I do believe, for a 17 year-old boy, there is a big difference between being recruited to Cincinnati – a relatively large city – and recruiting to Manhattan, Kansas – in the middle of the farm belt. It may be a tough sell, but if there’s any salesman who can do it, it’s Bob Huggins.

So, what is the tradeoff for Kansas State University, it’s athletic department and its fans? Potentially, there are no tradeoffs. Potentially, Huggins has overcome his demons and will not have any problems. The standard line from K-Staters on talk radio these past few weeks has been unabashed excitement at being lumped with the college basketball blue-bloods combined with this head-in-the-sand qualifier – “He hasn’t done anything wrong here, yet!” And it’s true. There is no evidence that Huggins has done anything improper in the recruitment of the kid from Florida or with any other of the five star recruits that seem to want to call him their coach. His contact with them stopped when he was hired except for that which is allowed within the confines of the NCAA rules.

But, there are two sides to potential and the Wildcats must acknowledge that as good as things might go, there is potential for them to turn out equally as bad. Manhattan, Kansas is a long way from some of the big city playgrounds and gyms these kids are playing at today. Where will they go to have the fun they are used to? Aggieville, Salina, Topeka? Nope. Those kids will be looking for parties as far away as Kansas City. What if one or two of these guys have the off-the-court troubles exemplified by some of Huggins’ players at Cincinnati – the worst of which resulted in kidnapping, weapons and drug charges? What if Huggins – who never showed any remorse over his DUI conviction – encounters the same issues on the streets of Manhattan? Are the Wildcat faithful going to be able to justify it by saying, “Yeah, but our team is favored to win the Big 12 this year!” Will that be enough? Is Huggins serious about Manhattan or is he looking for a stepping stone to revive his reputation so he can go somewhere with a bigger budget and an easier recruiting sell? And, the biggest question of all – can Huggins actually deliver at crunch time? No matter his abilities in recruiting, he’s not proven himself as a great tournament coach. Will simply making the field be enough at K-State or will the desire for more continue to grow? I speak from recent experience – early exits are painful.

My point is this: if we are going to extol the virtues of this decision and the opportunity for serious college basketball success that non-traditional Division I powerhouses seek, let’s not ignore the trade off that comes with the same decision. My soap box today is as the moral conscience for the Wildcats and they definitely need to ask themselves, “Is this really the path we want to take?” Stop pretending that Huggins past is lilly-white or that his future is without serious questions! It shouldn’t all be roses in Manhattan, nor at just about any other high-profile athletic department.

They call NCAA football and basketball the money sports for a reason. As much as they are about athletic accomplishments, they are about the revenue generated as a business. Gone are the days of playing for the hometown team and love of the game. That Bob Huggins could get a job just a year after the things that happened at the University of Cincinnati is all the proof we need to know that we’ve entered an era of college sports hedonism – if it feels good, do it, no matter what the consequences. But, like life as a whole, that “live on the edge” attitude does have potential costs, and the fleas that may be hiding under the surface will definitely bite.

The Race for 63! The Royals had a chance to get this nine game road trip off to a great start on Tuesday. But, after a ridiculous decision by manager Buddy Bell to pull a hot pitcher in the 8th, the club promptly gave up five runs, the lead and the game. They ended up getting swept by the Yankees, then heading to Tampa Bay and getting the same treatment from the Devil Rays. That’s right, not a single “W” this week. Current record: 2-9.

Stadium Paranoia

If there’s one thing I know about sports, it’s that there is one issue that every fan dreads more than an any other – even more than a season so bad that entire blooper DVDs can be devoted to their play in the field – it’s the all-powerful stadium issue. No professional franchise is immune. This single issue can drive a wedge between fans and ownership faster than Lindsey Lohan can change boyfriends. The words “new stadium” or “upgraded facilities” or “additional luxury accommodations” can make the heart of any fan freeze in their chest when spoken by a local owner. And for good reason! In this 21st Century world of nomadic Fortune 500 sports owners, we all know that loyalty and community are only words spoken at end of the year banquets and in United Way commercials. When it come to stadiums, most owners seem to be looking for the biggest potential revenue stream, the lowest potential hit to their wallet and the greatest number of tax breaks and luxury boxes. And, with the possible exception of the publicly owned Green Bay Packers, no team is immune. That’s right, no team.

The issue of stadium generated revenue seems to play the loudest in small market Major League Baseball towns. But, you probably already figured that out since I am taking the time to write about it in this space and since Royals’ baseball (new slogan, “It’s mediocre!”) is here again and since nothing seems to get me riled up like Kansas City ownership asking for more tax-payer paid perks while fielding a team that would have trouble winning the California Penal League, never mind the A.L. Central. And, yet for the last six weeks, Kansas City sports pages and radio talk shows have been debating the merits of a nine-figure stadium renovation project that would benefit both Kaufman and Arrowhead Stadiums, as well as a pie-in-the-sky rolling roof proposal that might land a Super Bowl for the city.

First, a brief and somewhat accurate history for all of you who have never been to a game at either Kaufman or Arrowhead. The two stadiums are located side-by-side in the middle of a wide expanse of land now known as the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex. The Sports Complex is an asphalt prairie nestled in the armpit of Interstates 435 and 70. The best thing the complex has going for it is space, the vast majority of which is filled with parking areas. One thing is for sure, unless, by some fluke, both the Chiefs and the Royals were playing on the same day, you are almost guaranteed a parking space that is within a half-mile of your seat.

The address of the Sports Complex is in Kansas City, Missouri. However, when at the Sports Complex, you could be in Sioux City and it wouldn’t make any difference. There’s nothing else around except a loan Taco Bell about a mile’s walk away. Kansas City, Missouri is in Jackson County and the Truman Sports Complex was built by and is owned by the government of Jackson County. The stadiums opened in the early 70s, Arrowhead in 72, Kaufman – then Royals Stadium – in 1973. So, the Complex is my age, which will soon become relevant. Jackson County leases the stadiums to the two sports franchises and the leases guarantee the teams will stay in Kansas City as long as Jackson County holds up their end of the lease – one stipulation of which is that the County will keep the stadiums modern and up-to-date – an ambiguous idea with no real detail behind it, at best. This, too, will soon become relevant.

Now, I have several friends and co-workers that live in Jackson County, and, despite the incredibly poor treatment of my Mormon ancestors in the 1840s, I don’t really have anything against Jackson County. I like to go there for their cheap gas. I drive through it to get to St. Louis. There are several historically significant religious sites that are enjoyable to visit – with more to come in the future. However, I do have serious reservations about the Jackson County Sports Authority – the government arm that operates the Sports Complex. You see, the one essential role of the Sports Authority is to make sure the county is compliant with the leases so that the teams cannot bail out if the county fails to do its part. Over the last 30 years, hundreds of millions of dollars have been given to the Sports Authority to make sure that this doesn’t happen.

So, what happened? With nine years remaining on their current leases, the unthinkable has happened. The stadiums have gotten old. They are having plumbing issues, the beating they take after any event is clearly visible, and they are far from state of the art. In a word, they are me. You see, I, too, am getting old. My plumbing is not what it once was. An evening of basketball means several days of muscle aches. I enjoy 80s hair bands far to much to ever again be considered state of the art. The biggest difference between me and the Truman Sports Complex? I haven’t had millions of dollars worth of tax payer money handed out for my upkeep and improvement. I guarantee you, if I had, I’d be as modern and up to date as (fill in the name of some really cool band. Maybe try Google for hints.)

So, even though Jackson County told all of us that they would make sure the stadiums were in good shape when they put their signature on the lease, they haven’t kept up their end of the bargain. They don’t have enough money left from the last lease agreement and tax increase to make the needed updates. So, the Royals and Chiefs could conceivably void the remainder of the leases and start shopping for a new home. Now, let me be clear, neither team has made any overt threat to leave. Their new home shopping could be in Las Vegas, Portland or Los Angeles, but it could just as easily, and perhaps even more likely, be right here in the Kansas City area. Maybe not Jackson County, but the city has developed on the Kansas side to the west and to the south and there are several areas locally that would like to make a run for one if not both of the teams. Not to mention, the fact that Kansas City, Missouri and Jackson County could keep one or both teams by building stadiums downtown – a proposal that could revitalize downtown businesses and capitalize on the Missouri river that cuts through Kansas City and is such a distinctive part of the character of the city itself.

But, Jackson County didn’t want to do that. They didn’t want to lose “their teams” – a rather boorish and short-sighted idea that the teams are more theirs than ours – those of us that grew up on the Chiefs and the Royals and have supported them our entire lives, but happen to live in Johnson County or Cass County or Wyandotte County. So, a new proposal was presented a few months ago that would renovate the stadiums, extend the teams’ commitment to the Sports Complex another 25 years and only cost $425 million of tax-payer money to do so. With an additional $25 million from the Glass family – who own the Royals – and $75 million from Chiefs’ owner Lamar Hunt, the proposal would repair the wiring and plumbing in the stadiums, add restrooms, widen concourses, add a Hall of Fame for each team, build a house for the Royals’ mascot – Slugger – and add restaurants in a “Taste of Kansas City” type open area. A second proposal was placed on the ballot to put a rolling roof over the two stadiums that could cover Kaufman, roll to a pavilion area between the stadiums, or roll a little farther and cover Arrowhead. The roof price-tag was $200 million. And it came with a guarantee from the NFL that if passed and built, would bring the 2013 Super Bowl to Kansas City.

So, last Tuesday, Jackson County voters went to the polls and ignored the last 30 years of mismanagement by the Jackson County Sports Authority. Question one passed and the taxes will be collected, the renovations made, Slugger will be given a new home. The space-age rolling roof did not pass, but the Sports Authority immediately went on delay mode and will attempt to get it back on the ballot in December. And, after much debate, the Chiefs and Royals will remain at the Sports Complex until 2031 or until Jackson County defaults on the new lease. And, despite my obvious skepticism, I will continue to support them. I will pay the use tax when I buy tickets and pay for parking. I will go to games, walk through the Hall of Fame, even take my kids to Slugger’s new digs.

However, and maybe you could tell, I’m not all that happy with the outcome. You see, all the voters of Jackson County have done is delayed the inevitable. In 25 years, the teams are not going to be willing to stay at the Sports Complex. In 2031, the stadiums and I will be nearly 60 years old. Now, I will most likely be struggling with bad joints and gray hair and wrinkles. Sports teams, like the athletes that play for them, are perpetually in their mid-20s to 30s. They always want the best and the most luxurious. So, they’ll look at their aging partnership with Arrowhead and Kaufman stadiums, they’ll see the wrinkles and the sagging and the age beneath the makeup and they’ll be ready to move on. They’re not going to stay with something 60 years old. Let’s just hope my wife doesn’t feel the same way!

You see, in the long run, if we really want to keep the Royals and the Chiefs in Kansas City, we’re going to have to build new stadiums. The Truman Sports Complex was innovative and unique when it was built. But professional sports found a new business model and it isn’t a sea of concrete with parking spaces and a stadium or two sitting in the middle. That might work for the Chiefs, where tailgaiting before and after a game will keep fans coming. And, maybe Arrowhead will stay where it is if they bulldoze Kaufman and build a new Arrowhead there. But, maybe the Chiefs look for greener pastures in Kansas City, Kansas out by the Kansas Motor Speedway. Would that really be such a bad thing? I’ve spent all my life driving 30 to 45 miles to go to the Sports Complex. Will Jackson County residents no longer support the Chiefs if they move across the river? I can’t believe that would happen.

As for the Royals, the answer will someday be a downtown stadium. Major League Baseball teams play 81 home games a year. Baseball is played at a more leisurely pace than any other professional sport besides golf. Fans want something else to do on their way to and from the ballpark. They need restaurants and clubs, night spots and music. They need something more than a “Taste of Kansas City” and a Taco Bell across the parking lot. It’s time for all of us, no matter what county we’re from, to come to grips with the fact that if the Royals are going to stay in Kansas City, it will eventually need to be in a brand new stadium down by the river. No promises of All-Star Games and Super Bowls under a rolling roof will ever change that. For now, Jackson County has closed its eyes to its past of poor management and fiscal irresponsibility. Now it’s avoiding the gaze of the future like a seventh grade boy sitting firmly against the wall at a junior high dance. You had the chance to get up, cross the room and sweep the girl off her feet, Jackson Countians. You’d just better hope she’s still interested in you in 25 years!

The Race for 63! In their quest to avoid being the second team in history to lose 100 or more games in three consecutive seasons, the Royals got off to a rocky start by blowing two games against the Tigers while the aforementioned stadium vote was underway. But, the team got some respect back over the weekend by taking two of three from the World Champion White Sox. Current record: 2-3.