Bleacher Report - Articles by George Robben

Five Predictions for the Kansas City Royals After the All-Star Break

George Robben — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:05:33 -0400

The Royals are about to hit the All Star break, so I wanted compile a list of predictions for the second part of the season and what we might see from the Royals. This may seem a little crazy at times while you read it, but I'll try to keep this realistic and not get to astronomical. I'm going to be a little gutsy though and give no guarantees.

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Who Is More Reliable: Royals Relievers Or A Pyromaniac Firefighter?

George Robben — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:36:47 -0400

It may be an asinine question, but between the two given options, I would say the pyromaniac firefighter is more reliable. It is all because this season I have found out the most inaccurately title given in baseball, Royals relief pitching.

I'm not sure on the exact definition of the word relief, but I doubt it involves making me feel nervous, scared, and uneasy.

It all started out the first game of the year when Kyle Farnsworth threw out a perfect home run ball to Jim Thome, who proceeded to hit it out of the park with two runners on. This made the Royals lose their first game and gave Farnsworth an ERA of 27 (three times as much as his $9 million dollar contract.)

The Royals two brightest spots in my opinion are their starting pitching and closer Joakim Soria. However these highlights on the team are not able to be utilized because of the lack of respectable relief pitching.

The first problem the relievers create is not taking advantage of the good outings by starting pitchers. The Royals' starters aside from Zack Greinke may not be the greatest in the league, but they do a good job of keeping it close and giving us a lead... just to have a disappointing relief staff cost us the game.

Greinke is a very likely candidate for the Cy Young so far, but if he wants the award he will need to throw more complete games to ensure the people relieving him won't give up a win he earned. Grienke is the crown jewel of the team, but can not do it single alone.

The next problem the relief pitchers create is not being able to use Joakim Soria. I know this year Soria has endured injuries and hasn't appeared to be himself, but, if he's consistent like in the past, he can be one of the most dominate closers. If the relief pitchers can't set up the opportunity for a save, than Soria just sits useless in the dugout.

I know not all the Royals losses can be pinned solely on the relief pitching, but that is a major problem with the team. Until Kansas City relievers start to actually relieve the team and me, there's no chance the Royals can take the very winnable AL Central.

Clint Bowyer Is Making Early Skeptics Question Their Predictions

George Robben — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:28:55 -0400

With four races in the books for 2009 NASCAR season, it seems all the preseason predictions on how Clint Bowyer will do are becoming untrue.

Many of the so-called professional analysts gave hockey players a better chance of being a teeth model than Clint Bowyer making the Chase. To those who actually picked him to go places, I tip my hat to you.

Last year at this period in the season, Bowyer was in way worse shape, and his season looked meek. However, he had a strong rest of the season and collected one win due to a lucky break at Richmond.

With a new pit crew, crew chief, and tons of other changes, I can see why some may be skeptical. I looked into the season though seeing him as a man with great racing skills, still on a great team.

Despite many obstacles, Bowyer has three top 10 finishes in four races. That is a great start to his season, and he is currently second in points—only trailing Jeff Gordan by 43.

I know there are people out there telling me how early in the season it is, and that there is a lot of season left to race. I am just trying to make the point that so far, Bowyer has far exceeded expectations on how he would start the year off.

Two things I have been impressed with are his relationship with his crew chief Shane Wilson, and the efficiency of his pit crew. All of his crew members are working well together, and it seems like a great team thus far.

Last season, I was impressed with Gil Martin as his crew chief, but there was something missing in the relationship. Wilson and Bowyer are connecting and making great decisions out on the track.

As far as the pit crew, I thought the 2007 Jack Daniels crew of last season was lacking a bit. It seemed every time Bowyer had a great position, he would drop a few places in the pits. This years' pit crew has been very quick and vital to his success.

Bowyer has proven himself over the last years with great consistency. He finished third in points in 2007 and fifth in 2008, and looks to keep that pace alive with a spot in the Chase, and a chance at the the championship.

Kansas Speedway is my home track, and there is no one I would like to see succeed more in the Sprint Cup series than Bowyer, of Emporia, Kansas.

Let's hope he keeps racing the way he does and prove the doubters wrong.

In the process, I will keep looking smart when I tell people how good he will do and continue getting laughed at. He may not be the biggest celebrity in NASCAR, but has some of the best racing skills I see on the track.

Keep your eye on the No. 33, and look for him to stay close to the points lead as the season progresses.

Time Again for My Optimistic Kansas City Royals Article

George Robben — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:34:12 -0500

It's that time again, and if you're any person who talks baseball with me during the offseason, you get the same speech each year.

I have cried wolf enough for people not to believe me, but I think the Royals will have a pretty good season this year.

Looking at the acquisitions of Mike Jacobs, Coco Crisp, and just recently Juan Cruz, the Royals have improved. Last year the Royals had an up year for them and may have made the minor tweaks to the roster that will push them to the next level.

Jacobs may not be the biggest name out there, but he's a solid baseball player and should give a dramatic lift to the offense. Crisp is a good all-around player, batting well, stealing bases, and being a decent outfielder. Juan Cruz played decently in the Diamondbacks' bullpen last year and should have similar numbers in Kansas City.

Going past the new players, there's a lot of players from last season who I think will step up. Mike Aviles and Billy Butler are both great hitters, and both did not play the entire season. Both of those two young guys can hit consistently, and they should get quite a bit of RBI.

Pitching wasn't terrible for Kansas City and the rotation is looking good enough to take the team places. Joakim Soria is one of the best closers in the game and can do even better when he isn't asked to pull all the weight.

I had a big problem with the bullpen last year, but the Royals made moves to improve there. We had a lot of early leads and close games where the bullpen cost us, but the new players should help there hopefully.

We have seen teams like the Tampa Bay Rays come out of nowhere, and I'm not saying Kansas City will have that sort of year. I'm just saying that the AL Central is up for grabs and there is no big standout. Why not the Royals? We can be competitive and make a run for the AL Central pennant next season, like any of the other teams in the division.

The biggest word this season, like all times I write about the Royals, is consistency. Our success begins and ends with consistency. The Royals have proved they can be good at times. They would go on a nice streak like 8-2, but then go on a seven-game losing streak.

If they find a way to stay consistent, I got Kansas City winning the division.

Hey Kansas City, Don't Put the Wagon Before the Horse

George Robben — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:47:55 -0500

The Chiefs acquired a young, yet experienced and skilled quarterback and a veteran
linebacker; that's really great news. There are talks of having an AFC West champion and playoff-caliber team all over Kansas City, between the media and fans.

I really hate to be the one to snap Kansas City Chiefs' fans back into reality, after the big Matt Cassel trade, but there are still a lot of issues that the team needs to address.

First of all, the Chiefs' need to address an atrocious defense that only accumulated 10 sacks last season, gave up 54 points to the Bills, and allowed over 400 total yards in offense to the Panthers.

If there are any positives to Kansas City's defense, it would be in their secondary.

They had two rookies, Brandon Carr and Brandon Flowers, who proved themselves after making the difficult move from college to the pros by becoming reliable corner backs.

Both Bernard Pollard and Jarrad Page held their own as well, staying consistent throughout the season.

Moving past the secondary, there's not much more to feel good about.

Glenn Dorsey was not terrible, but you could tell that he was having a hard time adjusting to the NFL. He may have gotten all of the kinks worked out, in order to be successful in the new 3-4 defense.

Last year, the linebacking core lacked the most of any of the team components throughout the season. Adding Vrabel will help improve that somewhat, but it's hard to say, if his on-field performance will match the leadership that he provides to younger players.

Drafting Biletnikoff winner Aaron Curry will be important in improving the linebackers, but it's not guaranteed that the Chiefs will go in that direction.

On the other side of the ball, the most vital position—quarterback—has finally been resolved; it's now known who will fill that position, after going through the rotation last season.

However, I want Cassel to prove that he is really a skilled quarterback and not just a product of his environment.

He will not have the offensive line that he had in New England—Wes Welker and Randy Moss will not coming with him to Kansas City.

The offensive line is pretty shaky, other than Pro Bowler Brian Waters, who is even having a problem with the new management and head coach. We have to make sure Waters is happy.

I'm sure Brandon Albert will become a good lineman in this league, but we will still need more strength in the line, if we want any production from the offense.

I also believe that the Chiefs need another talented wide receiver in the lineup, to free up Dwayne Bowe. I know Haley can't expect to find a wide receiver squad like he had in Arizona, but adding another big-time wide out will do wonders for the entire offense.

Until this happens, don't expect huge numbers out of Tony Gonzalez, Bowe, and Cassel.

Since Larry Johnson began his decline, there has been a big hole at running back—one that Kansas City has not had to worry about for several years.

Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith are not that bad, but we will, in no way, have the performances that we saw out of Priest Holmes and Johnson in the past.

Maybe, one of these running backs may step up and become a great starting back, but I'm not sold on either, so far.

Among personnel problems with the players, there are things that may be difficult for the team adjust to. The Chiefs have a new GM, Scott Pioli who does things a lot different than Carl Peterson has done in the past that may throw players off.

Todd Haley was brought in, and any time that you have a new head coach is rough; let alone a guy with a stern, strict, and aggressive personality like Haley.

The defense is also making the move from a 4-3 to a 3-4, which the addition of Vrabel could help, but players may still have issues getting used to the new system.

I do not know how these issues may be resolved, but they definitely need to be taken care of, before we can even flirt with the idea of the playoffs.

There is still a lot of cap room to work with to get free agents, a draft to acquire some needs, and who knows, maybe Pioli has some more good trades up his sleeves.

As a Chiefs' fan though, I will stay optimistic and hope that this team will be highly successful next season.

There has been a lot of improvement, so far in this offseason. Hopefully, we will not be as bad as we were during the past two seasons, although that's not saying much.

Time will be the true judge with the team, and we should not jump the gun on saying how bad or good the Chiefs will be in 2009.

Five Big 12 Games Crucial to Missouri's National Championship Hopes

George Robben — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:15:11 -0400

Missouri still has national championship hopes, as I have said. There are a few things that have to happen, and a few games have to go their way. This list is assuming Missouri can beat teams they are supposed to, like Colorado, Iowa State, and Baylor. The games will be put in order in which they are being played, not in order of importance.

(1) Missouri at Texas, Oct. 18

This game is Missouri's toughest challenge of the regular season, and if they learned the lessons they should have after last week's loss, it should be a good one. If Missouri can knock off number one, this will raise their ranking in the BCS poll that comes out the week after the game.

(2) Oklahoma State at Texas, Oct. 25

Baring a Baylor upset of OSU, the Cowboys will still be ranked in the top 10 and possibly in front of Missouri. This game especially has implications in the Big 12 South rankings, and the national rankings as well.

(3) Texas at Texas Tech, Nov. 1

There's a good chance Texas Tech will be going into this game undefeated unless they slip up. A Longhorn victory can push Missouri ahead of Texas Tech if they are not already by this point in time.

(4) Oklahoma at Oklahoma State, Nov. 29

It's the Bedlam Game, and this big in-state rivalry will be even bigger this year. If Oklahoma wins, they should be playing for the Big 12 championship, if Texas endures at least one loss to OSU, Texas Tech, or Missouri. If they lose, it is a real toss-up to see who represents the Big 12 South.

This game will be the decider of the opponent Missouri will have if they can win the North Division. If OU is ranked one or two at this point in time and we beat them, we should move up to a good position to play in the National Championship.

(5) Kansas at Missouri, Nov. 29

The last game of Missouri's regular season is against their biggest rivals at Arrowhead Stadium. If Kansas happens to beat all their Big 12 opponents this year, they would be highly ranked and would have the lead in the Big 12 North like last year.

If Missouri can beat the Jayhawks, they would be going to the Big 12 Championship and would be playing for more than their first conference title.

These games are just conference games to watch, and it doesn't count all the SEC teams that need to lose and teams like BYU, Ohio State, USC, and Penn State that need to collapse. It is good, though, to start with a small perspective in conference, and it is going to be a wild one this year.

The Big 12 is very talented, and if Missouri sweeps the rest of the regular season and other conference teams falter, they will be in the running for the National Championship. This is just one aspect of it though, and it will be a long, tough battle to make it to the Big 12 championship, let alone the National Championship.

It's Not Time for Mizzou to Panic, But It Is Time to Play Like Champions

George Robben — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:38:12 -0400

After last Saturday's loss to Oklahoma State, I'm sure most Tigers players and fans are having trouble keeping their head up. Although disappointing, the loss is not the end of the season for Missouri, and the team should still have hopes for a Big 12 title and possibly the national championship.

Missouri has to use the loss against OSU and learn some important lessons. The Tigers played very sloppy at times against the Cowboys and didn't keep a cool head when they needed to. Winning championships is not easy, and you will encounter several challenges if you want to be on top.

The difference between good and great teams is how they play when things are going bad, not when they are going well. I don't want to be too hard on Chase Daniel, but when the game is on the line and you are a potential Heisman-winning quarterback, you need to show better poise and intelligence. This means throwing balls away instead of picks when your tying to make a play out of nothing.

The blame is all not on Daniel, though, and the defense looked pretty awful against Oklahoma State. OSU has a great offense, but there is no excuse for miscues, sloppy tackling, and bad penalties. Let's hope the whole team learned a lesson about composure and uses it next week.

The next game Missouri has is against No. 1 Texas in Austin this Saturday. If Missouri wants to keep its championship dreams alive, it needs a victory. The Tigers are still a top 10 team in my mind, and a win would help them move up in the rankings again after the drop they took.

Most of the teams ranked in front of Missouri play in the Big 12 South or in the SEC, which is good news. Both the Big 12 and SEC are solid, and every week there's a chance one of the teams above Missouri can lose. Even the Big 10 is playing decently and could beat each other out of the top 10.

Missouri needs to stay positive, play one game at a time, and hope other teams falter. Missouri still has Big 12 championship and national championship possibilities, but the loss this past Saturday didn't help. Start with a win at Texas, though, and that loss won't even be visible in the rear-view mirror and the team'll be that much closer to those championships.

Top Ten Most Influential Montreal Canadiens

George Robben — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:24:29 -0400

I wanted to do something special for the Canadiens in honor of their 100th year, so I decided to compile a list of the ten most influential players in Montreal Canadien history. When you think of the Canadiens, these should be the people that come to mind first.

Stats are a good way to claim a player's importance, but I'm not using them to make a list of the most "skilled" players—instead just using them for the purpose of comparison. There are a couple of people on the list that don't have great stats, but are attributed with having a great impact on the Canadiens.

Just remember when reading this is a list of players who, in my opinion, did the most to make the Canadiens the storied franchise we know today.

This may be the most difficult list to compile, though, because I want to leave it to just ten players. I could go on and on about how great these guys are, but I want to keep my explanations short and just list a few statistics and accomplishments while playing with the Canadiens. The statistics won't be to the exact amount of points, games, or wins, but I'm using easier numbers for easier comparisons.

With short explanations, there is room to add other accomplishments, trophies, and stats; so let your mind wander and fill in where you think is needed. This our team and we have a lot of pride in it, and we might as well show it in this article. No other franchise, in any sport can compare with what we have done

With 100 years accumulated, there are thousands of players that have worn "Le Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge." Feel free to claim who you think should be the top ten most influential Montreal Canadiens, but these are mine:

Maurice "Rocket" Richard

Maurice Richard played in over 1100 games for the Canadiens in his 18 seasons in the National Hockey League. During his career he amassed over 1000 points, and a quarter of the Habs 24 Stanley Cups were won while the Rocket was playing.

Guy Lafleur

Guy Lafleur has the most points in the Montreal Canadien's history in his 14-year campaign with the team. He was the leader of a Canadiens squad that earned five Stanley Cups for the franchise.

Henri Richard

Henri Richard played an outstanding 20 seasons for the Canadiens, and has 1,400 games with the team. Although overshadowed by his brother Maurice in many regards, Henri Richard won eleven Stanley Cups while playing—more than any player in history

Georges Vezina

Georges Vezina is a player who may not have the outstanding stats, but he helped the Canadiens win their first two Stanley Cups while he was playing goalie. He played for fifteen years with the team, the first part being when the Canadiens were still in the National Hockey Association. One of the first key players in franchise history, his career was cut short due to illness.

Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion

Bernie Geoffrion, the innovator of the slap shot, played 14 seasons with Montreal. During the time with the Canadiens, he racked up nearly 900 points and helped the team win six Stanley Cups.

John Beliveau

Jean Beliveau was one of the most beloved Montreal Canadiens of all time, and played almost 1,300 games with the team. He had more than 1,300 points and won ten Stanley Cups during his long career with Montreal.

Jacques Plante

Jacques Plante was one of the greatest goalies in NHL history. He played ten years for the Canadiens. During those years he won nearly 400 games, and was pivotal in six Stanley Cup wins by the Canadiens.

Larry Robinson

Larry Robinson played 17 seasons with the Canadiens, and was one of the finest defensemen in team history. Although a blue-liner, he has over 1,000 points for the team. Robinson won six Stanley Cups while playing for the Canadiens.

Howie Morenz

Howie Morenz was one of the greatest Canadiens players, but one that most probably have not heard of. He played in the pre-World War II National Hockey League and was one of the greatest stars of that time period.

When things seemed bad for the Canadiens, he was the glue that kept the team together. Injuries plagued Morenz, though, and not only his career, but his life was cut short due to complications from a leg injury.

Serge Savard

Serge Savard was the one of the greatest pure defenders in Canadiens history, and had a big impact on the team during his 17 seasons. While with the team he suffered injuries, but endured and remained a team leader on eight Stanley Cup teams.

Alexei Kovalev Should Be Shopped

George Robben — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:57:51 -0400

The 2008-2009 season is already fired up this year, and I'm intensely waiting for the Canadiens to have their first game of the year this weekend. One of my favorite players is Alexei Kovalev, but I think it might be the time to trade him while his value is high.

People may think I'm kind of crazy in saying this, but I think the Canadiens could be a big winner with the new youth that's in the NHL. Kovalev is coming off an 84-point season and his best statistical season since his 2000-2001 year with the Penguins in which he had 95 points.

He is a great veteran with plenty of experience and wisdom to share with the younger players on the team, so you may ask why get rid of him?

For the same reason I think he may be an advantage, I also think he may be a problem. He's currently 35 years old, and will be 36 before the season is over. He may seem young to most, but in hockey terms he is becoming an old man. He has over 1000 NHL games under his belt, and that has to wear on anyone—I don't care who you are.

I look around the NHL and see plenty of great, young players who would give us stability now and talent down the road. Eastern Conference rivals the Penguins and the Capitals each have built from youth and now have cup capable teams. I'm not saying we will land an Ovechkin or Crosby, but there's plenty of young great players out there to get.

It's nice to look at this season and see how Kovalev could benefit the Canadiens now, but I like looking into the future. A team wanting a big surge this year may give a lot for Kovalev to capture the cup.

What about Saku Koivu? He is getting a little older too, but he has played his whole NHL career with the Canadiens and I think that means something. He is also a great Captain for the Canadiens and a leader for younger players on the team, so we need to keep a hold on him. In addition, I believe the trading value of Koivu wouldn't be quite as high.

Agree or disagree, I think it would be in the best interests of the Habs to trade Alexei Kovalev this season. We can get talent comparable to Kovalev, but at a younger age so that they may not only help us now, but in the future.

One Stanley Cup would be great, but several more seem better.

Missouri's Trophy-Type Talent Means Trouble for OSU's Shaky Secondary

George Robben — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:00:00 -0400

Missouri faces its toughest opponent of the year up to date in Oklahoma State this weekend, and one of the key matchups to look for is Oklahoma State's secondary against Missouri's explosive offense, especially its receivers and tight ends.

First, I want to start with a breakdown of Oklahoma State's secondary, which has been anything but stout. The Cowboys don't have any real standouts in their secondary and have four interceptions from four different players in five games.

The secondary had a good showing against Washington State, but Washington States quarterbacks this season have thrown more interceptions than touchdowns, and are going through a quarterback controversy, so it's hard to use that as a determiner of good secondary play.

The next game against Houston, the OSU defense gave up four touchdowns and nearly 400 yards passing, so if they had trouble with that talented passing offense, you can make the comparison to Missouri's passing game, but Missouri's quarterback and weapons are much more of a threat.

The Tigers boast Chase Daniel, a Heisman-caliber passer throwing the ball to a Bilitnekoff-like receiver in Jeremy Maclin and a Mackey-talented tight end in Chase Coffman. Maclin has nearly 500 yards receiving this season and five touchdowns, and with his speed is able to bust a little play loose for six points each time he catches a ball. Coffman is as solid a tight end as you'll find in college football and has over 400 yards and three touchdowns this season.

Just that alone should have the OSU secondary shaking in its boots, without considering that there are four other Missouri players with two receiving touchdowns this season.

Two team stats we have to look for is points per game and penalties. Missouri is averaging over 53 points per game, and this gives no room for error, especially in penalties. Oklahoma State is the 12th-ranked team in penalty yards against, giving up more than 400 this season.

The high-scoring probability of Missouri combined with an undisciplined team could result in a very long day for the Cowboys defense.

Other factors that trickle down to the matchup against Missouri's passing versus Oklahoma State's secondary is the fact all the questions about Missouri's running game have been answered. With Derrick Washington playing solid, the defense of Oklahoma State has to give respect to a good rushing game and, in doing so, free up Missouri's receiving core that much more.

It seems fitting that the Cowboys would be in favor of a shootout against Missouri, but the Tigers have the ability to score each time they get the ball, and it might be hard to keep up. Either way, this should be a high-scoring game with two of the top offenses in the nation, but the factor that might tip the scales is Oklahoma State's secondary, which could beat up severely.

Unless there is a surprising letdown from Missouri on offense, this should be one day to forget for the 'Pokes defense.

Celebrating Mediocrity With The Kansas City Royals

George Robben — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:40:38 -0400

The Kansas City Royals ended another year without playoffs, but they should celebrate.

Kansas City in my opinion has moved from being a horrible last place club in 2004 to a bad club as of last year, to now a mediocre club! Not much of an accomplishment to a New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox team, but the Royal's promotion is instilled optimism into a team that hasn't had much to be optimistic about.

The pitching this year has proved it has potential to be good, if the caliber of the batting improves. Mike Avlies and Billy Butler are to of Kansas City's top power hitters and run producers, but they didn't come close to playing all season.

The one word that will sum up whether the Royals will keep improving or even get worse is consistency! We may be talking about the batting or the pitching, either way both are pretty good, but both are very inconstant.

The royals were streaky, full of both winning streaks and losing streaks. They would go on five or six game winning streaks, but than the next week would have a 10 game losing streak.

This year had a lot of positives with younger players like Mike Aviles stepping up, the pitching was decent with both Zack Greinke and Gil Meche getting at least 13 wins, and closer Joakim Soria was one of the finest closers in the League gaining 42 saves.

We have improved over the past few seasons getting a few more wins each year, and next year I see more improvement. With a more consistent team, a manager who has some experience, and possible Free Agent signing, the Royals could even be in contention for an AL central title. All together a very average year, but one we can celebrate our mediocrity, because that's a step up from awful, horrendous, and terrible.

Luckily for Kansas City Chiefs, This Season Can't Be Much Worse

George Robben — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:34:25 -0400

Last season as a Chiefs’ fan was devastating.

I thought the whole no first downs until the second half of a playoff game against the Colts the year before was bad, but it had nothing on what was to come.

The Chiefs started out 4-4 and I, as an optimist, was swelled with hope since we were tied for the division. After that there was a much similar explosion, comparable only to the Hindenburg.

After the 4-4 start, the Chiefs lost their remaining eight games, finishing last in the division. With a dreadful offensive line and injuries all around, the offense was pretty pathetic.

Disappointment in cornerback Ty Law didn't help an already unimpressive defense. Its only bright spot was Jared Allen, but he’s gone. With the recent draft picks of the Chiefs, I regained my optimistic attitude for the next season.

They upped the offensive and defensive lines, which were in dire straights last season. In addition, they got a few possible offensive weapons in Jamaal Charles and William Franklin, both from the Big 12.

Getting a few tight ends to back up Tony Gonzalez with Jason Dunn leaving, and I think we need to consider Gonzalez's age. Helping the defense are the drafts in the secondary, including Brandon Flowers of Virginia Tech.

After this draft, I'm pretty sure we can see an improved team, which isn't saying much after a 4-12 season. The team is in rebuilding years, and I know Chiefs and Royals fans cringe after hearing that.

Have hope though, Chiefs’ fans, and stay positive because we really shouldn't do any worse than last year.

Why No Love for Kansas City and Their NHL Push?

George Robben — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:28:52 -0400

I like (sarcastically) how much respect Kansas City is getting for being a legitimate city to have an NHL team. There are insults going from the people of Canada, upset with the thoughts of another American NHL team, before Canada gets one.

I'm not making this a border war with Canada, I just want to clarify the realization of Kansas City's opportunity to have a great NHL organization.

I know its not so much a popularity contest, but a population presence is there.

Winnipeg's population is about 700,000,while Halifax has one of roughly 270,000—the Kansas City metro is 2 million.

You are telling me we can't fill up 18,500 seats & bring enough popularity and money to support a team?

We have the Sprint Center which is newly built, and will be hosting an NHL exhibition game next preseason. I know Winnipeg has a fairly new arena as well, but the Sprint Center is a state-of-the-art facility and right in the middle of the newly remodeled and increasingly popular downtown Kansas City.

Kansas City isn't near any of the current NHL franchises, and hockey fans in the area should finally have a team. I know the area, and thousands of people for years have wanted an NHL team.

However, the doubters may bring up the Kansas City Scouts of the 70's and make a comparison to the Scouts.

They may say, "If they didn't make it back than, how are they going to make it now?"

But what about the Colorado Avalanche?

The Scouts moved to Colorado and became the original Colorado Rockies in the late seventies and had a very short tenure before moving to New Jersey to become the Devils we know today.

Yet, ever since moving from Quebec City to Colorado, the Avalanche have been one of the most popular and successful franchises in the NHL.

People stress the importance of, "Location, Location, Location," and what better location than Kansas City?

We are far enough away from other franchises to have our own strong fan base in the area, but close enough to make traveling for friends, enemies, and casual fans for hundreds of miles worthwhile, especially for those who wouldn't have gotten to see an NHL game before a new franchise in Kansas City.

What about developing rich, entrhalling rivalries? Not a problem, especially with the closest franchise being the St. Louis Blues, who have to share the state.

The cities already have bad blood in many other sports, and the sparks have already started to fly, even before the i's are dotted and the t's crossed.

Winnipeg and Halifax are in the middle of nowhere and we talk about "spreading the market". But with those two cities being so far away, why would the NHL want to go that far, especially when teams are forced to play back-to-back games on consecutive nights?

I have never claimed Halifax and Winnipeg don't deserve teams, but I am just saying when compared to Kansas City, Kansas City is certainly worthy of a team and definitely not deserving of the criticism is being dumped upon it.

Most the teams are in America, and adding another won't make the world spin off of it's axis or anything.

Please take a better look at the NHL and Kansas City before you jump to conclusions on our inferiority.