Less than 10,000 fans showed up for last night’s exhibition hockey game between the New York Islanders and LA Kings at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, but it is time for Missouri to get another hockey team.
First, the game wasn’t the best of matchups. The ownership group that runs the Sprint Center also runs the Kings, so that’s why we had LA in KC last night. With the Islanders, a team that has struggled and may not even call Long Island their home if an upgrade to the Nassau County Coliseum is not approved, the other team last night, you couldn’t have had two teams further away geographically in the U.S. playing last night, so there wasn’t much of a local interest.
The Blues played at the Sprint Center last year. Bring in Minnesota or Chicago, even Dallas, any team with a regional presence than the coast teams and you would have a bigger crowd. Plus, it didn’t help that Zack Greinke was pitching last night, the only reason these days to watch baseball in Kansas City these days.
Kansas City needs another pro franchise. The city, the state needs something to rally around. Our pro football teams stink, we know about the Royals and we have no NBA franchise. Outside of the Cardinals, there is nothing in this state for fans to rally around from a professional standpoint.
So, there in downtown KC, this big state of the art arena sits empty most of the year. We had a close call with the Nashville Predators until they got their ownership issues worked out. Now, the other team coming up for discussions as a possible move is the New York Islanders. That’s why they were scheduled for this game. To give their players and ownership an idea of what Kansas City fans could provide.
If not the Islanders, what about the Phoenix Coyotes who are also going through ownership issues? Wouldn’t it be great if someone would buy that team and move them to Kansas City where we would have Wayne Gretzky as their first coach?
The game last night was pretty interesting. The Kings won 4-2 and there were five fights and while the crowd may have been light, they were certainly enthusiastic. Kansas City starves for hockey and I think the city would support a pro team.
KC needs a hockey team
Letter ends long-running Blunt Administration dispute
A letter written by Attorney General Chris Koster ends a long-running dispute between the administration of former Governor Matt Blunt and one of his top attorneys. Koster has signed a letter clearing former Blunt Administration attorney Scott Eckersley of any wrongdoing. Eckersley’s defamation of character suit against Blunt and some of his former staff members was dismissed in May. Eckersley received a $500,000 settlement from the state.
Eckersley filed suit against the administration in 2008, claiming the administration wrongly fired him and maligned his character after he warned it that the governor’s e-mail policy violated the state Sunshine Law.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Koster withheld the letter from Eckersley until Eckersley promised to pay $200,000 to his attorneys, part of the Strong, Garner and Bauer law firm of Springfield. The law firm is closely tied to the Democratic Party. Koster is a Democrat. Koster’s office, though, denies his actions had anything to do with political considerations. The office says Koster merely wanted to make sure that the state wasn’t on the hook for any more legal fees.
Greinke shuts down the Sox
Alberto Callaspo went 3 for 3 and Alex Gordon drove in two of the Royals five first inning runs and that was more than enough for Zack Greinke as the Royals beat the Red Sox for the second game in a row, 5-1 Tuesday night at Kauffman.
Greinke grabs his 15 th win, going six scoreless innings allowing just two hits, three walks, while striking out five. After looking at all of his numbers, there is no other American League pitcher who compares to what he has done. He has to be the AL Cy Young winner. His ERA for the season is 2.08, top by far. Greinke is in the top five with wins, second in strikeouts, fourth in innings pitched, second in complete games and first in shutouts. There is no other American League pitcher who has been more consistent.
The Royals are also scoring some runs for him of late. There was a stretch in the middle of the season where Greinke was losing 2-1, 1-0, etc. Last night, the Royals wasted no time on Paul Byrd. The first five batters reached base. David DeJesus and Mitch Maier each singled, Billy Butler and Mike Jacobs walked and Alberto Callaspo singled. They would all score. KCRoyals.com had an interesting tidbit. Having the first five batters reach base and score hasn’t happened at the start of a game for Kansas City since Aug. 29, 2007, against Detroit. That game too was started by Greinke, he pitched only the first four innings. At the time, Greinke was just coming back as a starter after spending most of the season in the bullpen. So he was pulled after 71 pitches and didn’t get the decision.
Magic number down to two
The magic number is two. The Cardinals win again big over Houston, 11-2 the final Tuesday night. There were plenty of offensive heroes as Colby Rasmus went deep and Mark DeRosa drove in two more runs.
Rasmus hit his 16 th homer and went 3 for 3, even Yadi went deep late in the eighth inning. Rick Ankiel, Albert Pujols, Molina and Mark DeRosa each had two hits while Molina and DeRosa drove in two runs apiece as the Cardinals pounded out another 15 hits.
Yorman Bazardo was making just his sixth major league start and once the Cardinals figured him out (which didn’t take long) they piled on the runs. The Cards scored three in the third and three more in the fourth to chase Bazardo. What was more impressive is that the Cardinals scored five of those six runs while recording just one out. The Cards rallied with two outs in the third and then started the fourth with three straight singles.
Joel Pineiro picked up his 15 th win going seven innings allowing just one run on five hits.
The Cardinals could clinch the Central Division tonight with a win against Houston and a Cubs loss at Milwaukee.
It’s not American Idol, but…
The University of Missouri Athletics Department will be hosting open tryouts for individuals interested in singing the Star Spangled Banner at a home men’s & women’s basketball games, as well as other events throughout the year.
The tryouts will be held on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m. on the main floor of Mizzou Arena. Individuals interested in auditioning need to enter Mizzou Arena through the North Entrance (ticket office side). Parking is available in Lot I (North of the Arena) and Lot O (East of the Arena).
For more information or for questions, please contact Keith Soder at (573) 884-7238 with the Mizzou Athletics Marketing Office. For complete schedules for men’s and women’s basketball, log on to www.mutigers.com .
