We have a brand new updated website! Click here to check it out!

Author: Dave Riggert

Tony Gonzalez to be inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame

Posted on

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt announced on Friday that former tight end and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez will be the organization’s 2018 inductee into the Chiefs Hall of Fame. Gonzalez is the 48th individual and 44th player to earn this coveted honor, which will be celebrated at the 48th annual 101 Awards banquet in downtown Kansas City on February 24. The official enshrinement ceremony into the Chiefs Hall of Fame will be held during Chiefs Alumni Weekend at Arrowhead Stadium this fall.

“Tony Gonzalez is the greatest tight end in the history of the National Football League and one of the greatest Chiefs of all time,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “In his 12 seasons in Kansas City, he revolutionized his position, and his record-breaking performances and commitment to the Kansas City community made him one of the most beloved players in the Chiefs Kingdom. As a family and as an organization, we are excited to have the chance to celebrate Tony and his incredible career in the coming season, and we look forward to adding his name to its rightful place in the Ring of Honor at Arrowhead this fall.”

“I’m so proud to have been a part of the Chiefs for 12 seasons and will always feel like a part of their family,” Gonzalez said. “Kansas City is dear to me and I am honored to be inducted into their Hall of Fame.”

Over 17 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs (1997-08) and Atlanta Falcons (2009-13) Gonzalez appeared in 270 regular season games with 254 starts, earning 14 Pro Bowl appearances (1999-08, 2010-13) and 10 first- or second-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press.

He finished his career with numerous NFL records for tight ends, including most career receptions (1,325), most receiving yards (15,127), most 100-yard receiving games (31) and second-most touchdown receptions (111) behind TE Antonio Gates (114). While first among tight ends, his 1,325 career receptions are second to only Pro Football Hall of Fame WR Jerry Rice (1,549) in NFL history.

Gonzalez recorded at least one reception in 211 consecutive games to finish his career, 61 games more than the previous NFL record by a tight end. He became the first tight end in league history to produce 16 consecutive seasons with 50 or more receptions and ended his career with 14 70-catch seasons and 15 consecutive 60-catch campaigns to go with his 16 consecutive 50-catch seasons.

The Huntington Beach, Calif., native, saw duty in 190 regular season games for Kansas City, ranking as the fifth-most appearances by any player in team history. Only G Will Shields (224), K Nick Lowery (212), P Dustin Colquitt (206) and P Jerrel Wilson (203) played in more games. Gonzalez started 174 contests for the Chiefs, ranking second in franchise history for most starts behind only Shields (223).

During his 12 seasons with the Chiefs he set franchise records for receptions (916), receiving yards (10,940), receiving touchdowns (76) and 100-yard games (26). He had four 1,000-yard receiving seasons in Kansas City, becoming the first tight end in NFL history to record four such seasons. He owns the top four spots in team history for receptions in a single season, including a franchise record 102 catches that led the league during the 2004 season. He caught at least one pass in a club-record 131 consecutive games en route to 10 Pro Bowls and five first-team All-Pro selections from the Associated Press while in a Chiefs uniform.

He concluded his career in Kansas City with a franchise-record 10,954 yards from scrimmage and ranks second in team annals with 76 total touchdowns behind RB Priest Holmes (83). His 462 career points with the club are the second most by any non-kicker, trailing only Holmes (500). Gonzalez was named the recipient of both Chiefs annual team honors, earning the Derrick Thomas Award as the Chiefs MVP in 2008 and the Mack Lee Hill Award as the club’s top rookie or first-year player in 1997.

A two-sport athlete at the University of California, Gonzalez arrived in Kansas City as the club’s first-round draft choice (13th overall) in 1997. Gonzalez was traded to the Atlanta Falcons on April 23, 2009.

Gonzalez officially announced his retirement from the game of football on December 30, 2013. Following his playing career he began a broadcasting career with CBS Sports in 2014 and joined FOX Sports prior to the start of the 2017 NFL season.

— Chiefs Communications —

Mizzou fires softball coach Ehren Earleywine

Posted on

COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Head Softball Coach Ehren Earleywine has been relieved of his coaching duties, Mizzou Director of Athletics Jim Sterk announced Friday.

“I met with Coach Earleywine this morning and informed him of our decision to make a change in leadership within the softball program effective immediately,” Sterk said. “We do not take action of this magnitude without careful thought and consideration, however, we have lost confidence in Coach Earleywine’s leadership to foster the type of healthy environment we expect for our student-athletes, and as a result, believe it is in the program’s best interest to make a change at this time.

“Since my arrival at Mizzou, I have had a chance to consider concerns within the softball program that arose before my time and observe Coach Earleywine’s leadership of our program,” he added. “This decision was based upon a culmination of leadership concerns, not just one incident, which caused me to reevaluate his position within our softball program at this time.”

In 11 seasons as the Tigers head coach from 2007-17, Earleywine compiled a record of 482-182 (.726), while guiding the program to 11-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with eight NCAA Super Regionals and three Women’s College World Series trips.

“While we are appreciative of the many successes Coach Earleywine’s teams have enjoyed on the field during his Mizzou tenure, we had serious concerns about the culture within the softball program and the experience our student-athletes were being provided as a result,” Sterk said. “I recognize that the timing is less than ideal, but I did not believe I could hold off in making a decision to ensure that our student-athletes experience a constructive environment that is consistent with the department’s expectations and values.”

Earleywine will be paid based upon the terms of his contract, which expires June 30, 2018, and an interim successor for the 2018 season is expected to be appointed early next week.

Missouri opens the 2018 season at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz., against San Jose State, Feb. 8.

— MU Athletics —

No. 11 Missouri women lose road game at No. 21 Georgia

Posted on

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Caliya Robinson recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds and No. 21 Georgia celebrated its return to the Top 25 by beating No. 11 Missouri 62-50 on Thursday night.

Que Morrison had 17 points and Haley Clark had 14 in the Lady Bulldogs’ sixth straight win.

Georgia (18-2, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) broke a second-place tie in the league with Mizzou (17-3, 5-2). Sophie Cunningham led the Tigers with 20 points.

With 1:21 remaining, Robinson missed two free throws. Morrison rebounded the second miss and passed back to Robinson, who made a layup for a 56-48 lead.

Georgia entered the Top 25 this week for the first time since Feb. 9, 2015.

Georgia made only one of its last 11 shots from the field in the third quarter. Missouri’s Amber Smith sank a 3-pointer late in the period to cut the Lady Bulldogs’ lead to 40-39.

The Lady Bulldogs opened the final period with a 10-3 run that included back-to-back baskets by Mackenzie Engram.

— Associated Press —

Former Royal Lorenzo Cain signs with Milwaukee

Posted on
Phil Long/Associated Press

Free-agent outfielder Lorenzo Cain has reached agreement on a five-year, $80 million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, a baseball source told ESPN on Thursday.

Cain has passed his physical, the source said, and the Brewers likely will formally introduce him on Friday.

The deal comes on the heels of the Brewers acquiring outfielder Christian Yelich from the Miami Marlins in a trade for four prospects earlier Thursday.

Cain’s new contract is for the longest term and biggest payout of any MLB free-agent deal this offseason. It surpasses Carlos Santana’s three-year, guaranteed $60 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in December.

The deal includes no-trade protection and award bonuses of $300,000 for each All-Star team Cain makes and $500,000 for an MVP Award, the source said.

Cain, 31, returns to the organization where he began his professional career. He was a 17th-round pick by the Brewers out of Madison County High School in Florida in 2004 and broke into the majors with Milwaukee in 2010.

The following year, the Brewers sent Cain, Alcides Escobar, Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress to Kansas City in a trade for pitcher Zack Greinke. Cain made the 2015 All-Star team, finished third in American League MVP balloting and was a pivotal member of Kansas City’s ’15 World Championship team.

Cain is a career .290 hitter who is known as an exceptional defender. He was an AL Gold Glove finalist in center field last season along with Toronto’s Kevin Pillar and Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, who won the award.

The Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays were among the other clubs that had expressed interest in Cain before he reached agreement with Milwaukee.

— ESPN.com —

Mizzou gets blown out by No. 19 Auburn 91-73

Posted on

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jared Harper scored 21 points, Bryce Brown and Desean Murray each added 16, and No. 19 Auburn pulled away from Missouri in a 91-73 victory Wednesday night.

Five players scored in double figures for Auburn, including Mustapha Heron — who had 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

After the teams went back and forth for the first 25 minutes, Auburn (18-2, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) used a 20-2 run to put away Missouri. The stretch featured spot-up shooting and a fast-break offense that keys the SEC’s highest-scoring team.

Kassius Robertson led Missouri (13-7, 3-4) with 21 points, but his team hurt itself with 21 turnovers to 10 for Auburn. Jordan Barnett broke out of a scoring slump with 19 points.

Despite outrebounding Auburn 40-31, Missouri had nine shots blocked. Anfernee McLemore had six blocks for Auburn, adding to his conference-leading total of 61.

Missouri relied heavily on 3-pointers, which accounted for 11 of the team’s 21 field goals. Barnett went 5 of 8 and Robertson was 3 for 10 from long range.

BIG PICTURE

Auburn: The Tigers have rebounded nicely from their second loss of the season.

Missouri: Sloppy offense cost Missouri, and in the end, these Tigers simply couldn’t keep up with Auburn. Missouri continues to pride itself on defense, but it hasn’t always been able to make up for its offensive deficiencies.

UP NEXT

Auburn returns home to play LSU on Saturday.

Missouri visits Mississippi State on Saturday, the first stop on a two-game road trip.

— Associated Press —

Copeland scores 23 as Nebraska wins at Rutgers

Posted on

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — For all the scoring that Isaac Copeland did against Rutgers, it was one of the little things that gave Nebraska a much-needed road win.

Copeland scored 23 points and came up with a clutch rebound in the final minute to lead Nebraska to 60-54 victory Wednesday night.

Copeland’s rebound of a missed 3-pointer by James Palmer Jr. with 54 seconds to play and the Cornhuskers ahead by two points allowed Nebraska to take time off the clock and led to a layup by Glynn Watson Jr. with 29 seconds that all but sealed the game.

“That was big for us,” said Copeland, who hit 9 of 15 shots from the field, including 3 of 5 from long range. “They had the momentum. Palmer got a good shot and he missed it and I got the rebound. Put a fresh 30 on the clock, so it was big for us.

In a game where Rutgers came up a possession or two short, coach Steve Pikiell felt the rebound was a difference maker.

“Huge,” Pikiell said. “Huge. We did a good job. We wanted him taking 3s and not driving it. A long rebound on the 3 and we can’t secure it. There were a couple of guys around the ball, too. Every possession is huge in a one-possession game.”

Palmer added 18 points and Watson Jr. made two clutch layups in the final 2:30 as the Cornhuskers (15-8, 6-4 Big Ten) won their second road game of the season.

Corey Sanders had 14 points to lead Rutgers (12-10, 2-7) but he also was called for an offensive foul on a drive with the Scarlet Knights down by four with 14 seconds to play. Geo Baker and Deshawn Freeman added 10 apiece. Freeland also had a game-high 10 rebounds.

The 23-point performance was Copeland’s second-best game since transferring from Georgetown.

“Isaac is building confidence in his entire game,” Nebraska coach Tom Miles said. “It’s a completely different system in what he is accustomed to. He likes certainty. There is some much uncertainty in the motions and reads and all that stuff. But I think he is doing better and better and better and is more comfortable fitting in and that grows confidence.”

Palmer hit a 3-pointer and Copeland made a three and slammed home a rebound in an 8-0 run early in the second half that gave the Cornhuskers a 41-32 lead with 13:23 to play. They would score three baskets the rest of the way but hung on because Rutgers struggled just as much, finishing the game 22 of 65 from the field, or roughly 34 percent.

Nebraska wasn’t much better, converting roughly 40 percent.

“Neither of us, the two teams, are juggernauts offensively. We’re not going to pretend we’re the Warriors,” Miles quipped.

Isaiah Roby added eight points for Nebraska, including five free throws in the final 8:01.

BIG PICTURE

Nebraska: The Cornhuskers were picked to finish 13th in the league. Their 15-8 record is tied for the best in the program since the 2010-11 squad had the same mark after 23 games. Keep it up and they might get back the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2014.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights have struggled shooting all season and it hurt them again. Sanders, Baker and Freeman are the Big 3 and they were a combined 13 of 38 from the field. Starter Issa Thiam was 1 of 10, 0 for 7 from long range. That’s 14 of 48 shooting from four of the five starters. Mamadou Doucoure was 2 of 3 from the field.

UP NEXT

Nebraska: hosts Iowa Saturday.

Rutgers: at Penn State Saturday.

— Associated Press —

K-State women edged at home by No. 24 TCU

Posted on

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Amy Okonkwo scored 22 points, including the clinching layup with eight seconds left, and No. 24 TCU celebrated its first appearance in the Top 25 in seven years with a 68-63 win over Kansas State on Wednesday night.

Kianna Ray had a chance to put the Horned Frogs (14-5, 5-3 Big 12) up by two possessions with 11 seconds left but only made the first of two free throws. She atoned for the miss with a steal and then Okonkwo secured their fifth straight win by getting inside on the inbounds play.

Okonkwo had eight points in the third quarter as TCU broke away from a 34-34 halftime tie to lead 58-47 entering the fourth quarter. The Horned Frogs led by 13 with just under nine minutes to play but Ray’s 3-pointer with four minutes to go was their only basket in a 14-3 K-State run. TCU went 1 for 5 with five turnovers before the clinching plays by Ray and Okonkwo.

Kayla Goth had 17 points and 11 assists for the Wildcats (11-9, 3-6).

— Associated Press —

Kansas women lose big at Oklahoma 97-64

Posted on

NORMAN, Okla. – Kansas women’s basketball couldn’t stop Oklahoma’s hot-shooting night as the Jayhawks fell to the Sooners, 97-64, on Wednesday night inside Lloyd Noble Center.

Although Kansas (11-9, 2-7 Big 12) put together a strong offensive effort in the third period, Oklahoma’s (10-10, 5-4 Big 12) lead from the first half was too great for the Jayhawks to overcome in the final 20 minutes of the ballgame.

For the seventh time in the last nine games, junior guard Brianna Osorio notched a double-digit effort. The Las Vegas, Nevada led KU with 17 points and four rebounds. Junior forward Austin Richardson added 13 points to join Osorio in double figures.

All five of the Sooners’ starters notched double-digit scoring efforts on Wednesday night. Freshman guard Ana Llanusa led the way for OU with 18 points, while freshman guard Shaina Pellington and senior guard Gabbi Ortiz followed closely behind with 17 points apiece. Senior center Vionise Pierre-Louis added 13 points and five rebounds, while senior guard Maddie Manning rounded out the starting five with 11 points. Senior guard LaNesia Williams added 10 points off the bench for OU.

The Jayhawks matched the first two shots the Sooners put up to even the score at four early on in the first quarter. Oklahoma then went on a 12-0 sparked by five-straight points from Llanusa to give OU a 16-4 lead. Redshirt sophomore center Tyler Johnson split up OU’s two runs with a layup, but Manning knocked in five of Oklahoma’s next six points to keep the Sooners on top by 16.

Richardson and junior guard Kylee Kopatich each netted a 3-pointer in hopes of diminishing OU’s lead, but the Sooners finished the period on a 7-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from redshirt junior guard Gileysa Penzo at the buzzer, as OU took a 31-12 lead after the first quarter.

The Sooners opened the second quarter with seven-straight points, including back-to-back buckets from Penzo to extend their lead to 26 with just under eight minutes to go in the second period. Kansas continued to battle back, outscoring the Sooners 11-7 in a three-and-a-half-minute span, but the Jayhawks couldn’t dip out of the 20-point deficit and went into the locker room trailing, 52-26, at the half.

After a slow start to the second half, the Jayhawks settled into a groove midway through the third quarter, going on a 13-1 run completed by a Kopatich layup. KU’s run cut the Oklahoma lead by 10, however, the Sooners held on to a 74-48 lead going into the final period.

The Jayhawks couldn’t slow the Sooners’ offensive pace in the final 10 minutes and fell in the first meeting of the season against Oklahoma, 97-64.

UP NEXT
The Jayhawks return home to face in-state rival Kansas State in the Lawrence edition of the Sunflower Showdown on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m., inside Allen Fieldhouse.

— KU Athletics —

Kansas State names Coleman Offensive Coordinator, Dickey and Klein Co-Coordinators

Posted on

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head football coach Bill Snyder announced Wednesday that wide receivers coach Andre Coleman has been promoted to Offensive Coordinator, while offensive line coach Charlie Dickey and quarterbacks coach Collin Klein have been named co-coordinators. Dickey will coordinate the running game, while Klein will coordinate the passing game.

Coleman, a former K-State wide receiver, has tutored the Wildcat wideouts since 2013 and was elevated to Pass Game Coordinator prior to the 2016 season. Dickey was an original staff member of Snyder’s second tenure in 2009, coaching the offensive line, and he was promoted to Run Game Coordinator prior to the 2016 campaign. Klein will begin his second season tutoring the quarterbacks in 2018.

“We are fortunate to have three coaches who have had so much experience in our offense – a total of about 30 years – both past and present,” Snyder said. “We’ve been blessed to have so many loyal, caring and effective coaches over the years, and these three exemplify those values. I have been pleased with how well these three have worked together.”

A four-year letterwinner at wide receiver under Snyder from 1990-93, Coleman coached a position group that recorded the most receptions and yards ever by a Snyder-led team in 2013 before shattering both those marks in 2014 with 230 receptions for 3,097 yards. That group was headlined by Tyler Lockett, an All-American in 2014 who left K-State as the all-time leader in career receptions (249), yards (3,710) and touchdowns (29), just three of the 17 school records he set in his four-year career thanks in part to Coleman’s teachings.

More recently, Byron Pringle finished his two-year career in 2017 under Coleman after becoming the 30th Wildcat and the seventh former community-college player to top 1,000 career receiving yards. The Tampa, Florida, native set the school record for single-season yards per catch (24.13) in 2017 – a mark that ranked third nationally – while his career mark of 19.64 yards per catch ranks second in K-State history.

Dickey, a 30-year coaching veteran, is regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in the country having tutored K-State offensive linemen to 22 All-Big 12 honors since his arrival. He has also coached a pair of All-Americans in B.J. Finney, who earned second-team honors in 2014, and Dalton Risner, a first-team honoree this past year.

Under the direction of Dickey, the 2016 line helped K-State set the school record for rushing yards per carry (5.27), rank third in K-State history in total rushing yards (3,013) and rushing yards per game (231.8), and seventh in rushing touchdowns (39). They followed that up in 2017 by tying for third in school history in rushing yards per carry (4.98) and finishing seventh with 2,584 total rushing yards.

A 2012 runner up for the Heisman Trophy after quarterbacking the Wildcats to a Big 12 Championship, Klein just completed his first season as an assistant coach at K-State. Klein joined the staff in 2014 as a quality control coach and assistant director of recruiting before becoming an offensive graduate assistant in 2015. He spent the 2016 season as the quarterbacks coach at Northern Iowa.

Upon his return to K-State in 2017, Klein helped the Wildcats earn their eighth-straight bowl berth despite being forced the start three different quarterbacks due to injury. K-State finished the year ranked 13th in the nation in passing yards per completion (14.48), while the Wildcats’ 141.7 passing efficiency mark ranked eighth in school history.

Under Klein’s tutelage, Jesse Ertz put together the fifth-best pass efficiency mark in a season (150.22) while his 129.5 mark ranked ninth in a career. He also set the school record for lowest interception percentage (1.92) and became the 21st passer in school history to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark in a career. Klein also helped develop redshirt freshman Skylar Thompson, who started the final four games of the season and passed for 689 yards, the fourth most by a freshman in school history. Thompson’s season was highlighted by a Wildcat victory at 10th-ranked Oklahoma State in which he threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 10-of-13 aim, good for a 274.89 pass efficiency rating to rank fifth in school history.

Additionally, Alex Delton helped lead the Wildcats to victories against Kansas and Texas Tech, while he came off the bench against UCLA in the Cactus Bowl to rush for 158 yards and three touchdowns to earn Offensive MVP honors.

K-State’s offensive staff, led by Coleman and co-coordinators Dickey and Klein, also includes recently-announced former Wildcats that joined the staff in Zach Hanson (tight ends) and Eric Hickson (running backs).

— K-State Athletics —

Copyright Eagle Radio | FCC Public Files | EEO Public File