Monday Night Raw may have just been in Kansas City, but the WWE's biggest weekly television show is returning to the Sprint Center on October 14 for another live go-round on the USA Network. Tickets went on sale for the return date as Monday's show played out. (After the jump, find out how to buy them.)
The Rhodes wrestling family has spilled a lot of blood in rings around the world, including Kansas City. Patriarch "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes was a champion in the 1960s, '70s and '80s (holding the NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship in '68, and dropping the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Ric Flair in September 1981 at Memorial Hall).
Cody Rhodes was destined to follow his father and his half-brother, Dustin "Goldust" Rhodes, into the business. As a teenager, he refereed matches for his dad's now-defunct independent promotion and sneaked into mini matches when he thought his dad wasn't looking. "I never imagined doing anything else," Rhodes says.
The second-generation star is keeping his family tradition alive in the world's biggest wrestling company. On May 20, Rhodes is one of the featured grapplers on Monday Night Raw, broadcasting live from the Sprint Center on the USA Network. After a lengthy tour of the United Kingdom, Rhodes called The Pitch from his home in Johns Creek, Georgia, to talk about his memories of Kansas City, his mustache and his challenge to Morgan Freeman.
Most Royals fans who are up on their team history know that Missouri native son Rush Limbaugh worked for the team in the early 1980s. That, of course, was before he became the nation's leading right-wing radio blowhard. Today on his show, Rush chatted about how he spent this weekend in Kansas City, visiting with pal George Brett for the latter's birthday.
Rush told his millions of listeners that he hadn't visited the Royals clubhouse (which he calls the locker room) in decades. And, boy, was he impressed at how good today's ballplayers have it! "There is a full-fledged restaurant in the locker room! If the starting pitcher wants a burger and fries or a cheese omelet 10 minutes before the first pitch, he can get it," he gushed, according to the show's transcript.
If you work in an office with Sporting Kansas City fans, you can fully expect them to be in foul moods this morning. Last night, playing the second of three games in a seven-day span, Sporting suffered a humiliating last-minute goal to the Seattle Sounders. The Sounders are the worst team in the Western Conference.
The game was mostly uneventful and tied 0-0 going into stoppage time. Then, in the 94th minute, Seattle defender Djimi Traore scored when a corner kick found him just a couple of feet in front of SKC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen. Sporting manager Peter Vermes rightly described the play after the game: "It was a monumental mistake on our part. There's nothing else to say." It was also a bit of sweet revenge for the Sounders.
Mizzou first baseman Gavin Stark is not having a very good season. The Lee's Summit native has started just four games (down from 17 the previous year), and he's hitting just .091. And now he has been suspended from the team and is facing felony charges after allegedly going a little nuts Monday night.
A witness told the MU Police Department that the witness was sitting near Reynolds Alumni Center on campus when Stark approached him. The ballplayer allegedly threw the witness's laptop on the ground and began trying to punch him. The MUPD says that after the punches failed to land, the infielder picked up a rock and threatened the witness, who ran from Stark. Then Stark allegedly got weirder.
For the second summer in a row, Kansas City is hosting an all-star game. Sporting Park, home of Sporting Kansas City, will the be site of the Major League All-Star game July 31. Major League Soccer hasn't announced who the league's best players will take on in the game (last year the all-stars beat British club Chelsea), but they released the logo for the game over the weekend.
The league described the logo this way: "The 2013 AT&T MLS All-Star Game logo, designed by Major League Soccer, features the colors of Sporting Kansas City - Sporting Blue and Dark Indigo - in celebration of the club's avid fan base and the vibrant soccer movement happening in greater Kansas City. Detail of the iconic canopy roof structure at Sporting Park highlights the world-class venue that will serve as the perfect setting for the League's 18th-annual summer showcase."
The Royals thumped the Rays 8-2 at home Tuesday night. It was just the win that fans needed to get the bad taste of the two games - 9-0 and 10-3 losses - out of their mouths. But it wasn't an entirely painless night. Royals outfielder Jeff Francoeur clubbed a triple in the seventh inning, and flicked third-base coach Eddie Rodriguez right in the nards. (GIF after the jump.)
The Portland Timbers beat Sporting Kansas City 3-2 on Saturday night. Sunday morning, one of the Timbers players was questioned by police about an alleged sexual assault in the team hotel after the game. A woman filed a police report saying she met the player at the hotel bar. She told police that she left her friend at last call and went to the man's room.
Portland's KATU-TV reports that the woman said she was kissing the player, but told him twice that she wasn't going to have sex with him. But, the police report says, he jumped on top of her and raped her. The player's roommate was sleeping in the room, she told police. She then took a cab home.
The annual MU-KU Border Showdown at Arrowhead is, sadly, a thing of the past. But today, there's good news for Kansas City college-football fans. The Chiefs and city officials announced the creation of a new Kansas City annual football game called the Missouri Classic during a press conference Monday at Arrowhead.
The first edition of the game will feature the Grambling State University Tigers taking on the Lincoln University Blue Tigers on September 14. Speaking at the announcement, which was attended by almost a dozen Lincoln alumni (the school is in Jefferson City), Mayor Sly James said Classic further cements the city's reputation as a sports town and "a city with an open heart."
The bad news is, they're playing the Charlotte Bobcats, one of the worst franchises in the league. Although, Kemba Walker is a player. With any luck, the We Beelieve and Bring Back the Buzz swarm will get their way, and Charlotte will reclaim its Hornets moniker. And there's always a chance that Michael Jordan could show up to watch his team play.
A ticket presale started today and runs through April 28 at 10 p.m. (The code word is SUPERSTARS.)
Voltaire - the saloon, not the philosopher - opens tonight
Big Rip Brewing Co. expands the Northland's beer universe
WWE's Monday Night Raw returns to Kansas City October 14
Marilyn Manson and Alice Cooper are headed to Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
A consultant tells KC that big retail could save Citadel Plaza
Courtney Cole, Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus executive director, answers The Pitch's questionnaire
Shawn Ratigan and Bishop Robert Finn face two new civil lawsuits
Yo La Tengo is at Grinders tonight