Random Royal of the Week

As the football season winds down The Trifecta will slowly start to turn its attention towards the upcoming 2009 Royals season. In preparation for the Royals season, The Trifecta has decided to introduce a game to see exactly how big of a Royals fan you are. Each week The Trifecta will post a picture of a Random Kansas City Royal. If you are the first person to name that Royal (by posting in the comments section), you will win one icey cold Boulevard Beer courtesy of your friends at the Trifecta. You should also add something interesting you remember about that Royal for bonus points.

Credit goes to Kurt Outrageous for inspiring the creation of this game with his text message battle to see who could come up with the most random Royals players of the last two decades. Thanks Kurt.

We'll start this week's Random Royal of the Week contest with the fella pictured above. Go.

Chiefs Win!!!

Thanks in large part to the Raiders' coaching staff proving that they are more boneheaded than the Chiefs'coaching staff, KC was able to pull off its first win since September and its first road win in over a year. The first-half Raider fake-field goal which turned into a KC touchdown was an early Christmas present from the Raiders.

Tony Gonzalez was terrific as per usual. Tyler Thigpen made a few bad decisions, but showed what an asset his running ability can be, and played a solid game overall. Contrary to what Jason Whitlock of the KC Star thinks, I think this team is showing continuing improvement each week and gives us good reason to be excited for the future.

Time to Move on

It is time to look ahead to Oklahoma and put yesterday's game behind us. Don't get me wrong; Mizzou's loss to Kansas Saturday afternoon was nothing short of tragic. Losing to Kansas may be the most miserable thing that can happen to a devoted Missouri Tiger. The sickening feeling deep inside your gut is indescribable. But having said that, it is important to keep this loss in perspective. We may have lost that battle, but we won the war in the Big 12 North. After each taunting comment I received from a chickenhawk fan, I politely congratulated them and wished them luck next week in the Big 12 Championship game. After processing the fact that Kansas would not be playing for the Big 12 Championship, the chickenhawks were silenced.

When the season started we all had a national title for these Missouri Tigers in our hearts and on our mind. But we always knew that a Big 12 Championship would be a necessary step along the way. We know now that this year won't bring a national championship, but the Big 12 Championship is still in reach. And is still very important. If Missouri wants to establish itself as a perenial power, winning the conference championship of the best conference in college football is a good start. Missouri will be a heavy underdog next Saturday at Arrowhead against the Sooners, in the range of two touchdowns I'd guess. Most of the critics are dismissive of any chance for a Missouri victory. I like that. These Tigers have always played better as the underdog---with a chip on their shoulder.

These Tigers are frustrated. Frustrated about not playing for the national title. Frustrated about giving away a home game to Oklahoma State. Frustrated about getting blown out in Austin. Frustrated about losing to their archrival. Frustrated about being written off in the Big 12 championship game. The Tigers will need to take all of that frustration and channel it into playing their best game of the season against the Sooners. If the Tigers show up and play lacksadeisical football, they won't stand a chance. The game will be over by halftime. But if they show ready play their best game of the year---against what may be the best team in the country---I think we'll all be in for an exciting show next Saturday night. Every college football fan in the country will be watching Saturday night. This is a great opportunity for the Missouri football program to show the nation what this season was supposed to look like for the Tigers.

If the Tigers are still in need of motivation, it might be worth adding that revenge is in order for OU. Last year Mizzou came into the Big 12 Championship game one win away from playing for the national title. OU pulled away from a 14-14 halftime tie to spoil the Tigers national title hopes. The roles are reversed this year, and it is Mizzou's turn to spoil it all for the Sooners.

Mizzou's loss to Kansas wasn't our only loss this weekend. The KC Star is reporting that offensive coordinator Dave Christensen has accepted the job as the head football coach at Wyoming. It looks like the Tigers may also lose Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus as well. These things happen to good football teams. Their coordinators are viewed as hot commodities. It will be important for Coach Pinkel to find high quality replacements so that Missouri can establish itself as a legitimate top tier football program. http://www.kansascity.com/385/story/915534.html

Mangina is already pissing his pants because the Tigers are ready to "burn" the chicken-hawks. The Tigers will let out all of their BCS frustration on Mangina's jayhawks this weekend and Tiger fans will let out all their frustration towards the fake stupid birds right here.....GO!

Mizzou v. Who?

If things go as expected next weekend and OU beats Oklahoma St., Mizzou will be playing OU in the Big 12 Championship game. That would create a great opportunity for Mizzou to do to OU what OU did to Mizzou last season---spoil its national championship hope. Better yet, I think UT would probably sneak into the national championship game if Mizzou beat OU, so we'd still have a representative of the Big 12 in the game.

I think Mizzou actually matches up better against Texas Tech, however. And, I don't think Tech fans will travel to KC for the game the way Sooner fans will. Consequently, I'll be pulling hard for Oklahoma State to pull off the upset in Stillwater next weekend.

The Dawn of a NEW ERA

Ladies and Gentlemen-
Okay I will admit it might be a bit bold to assume women are reading the writings of dude’s like myself, but even they women if they are reading should be excited about the recent MIZZOU Tigers basketball win. The tigers finished off USC with a 11 point victory, 83-72. I will admit that I can not remember the last time the black & gold beat a ranked basketball team that was not in the Big 12 conference. Although USC barely cracks the top 20, squeaking in at 19, and suffered it first loss to an unranked Seton Hall this past Thursday, they are still a ranked basketball team. I know is it a bit premature to purchase tickets to the Final Four but we must celebrate this victory, for it has been too long of a drought.

***Okay I am back.. just got off the phone with ticket master -- had to book my final four ticket**

I know the past 3 years we have been tied to the excitement of Tiger football so watching the basketball team lose became part of the week’s routine as we waited for football weekend. I will be the first to tell you that I have no idea who is on the starting five, or who will be the go to man on the court, and I can only hope that my boy Mat Lawrence is still shooting bombs from downtown, but I am now motivated to find out. I am almost positive that this is the first year Mike Anderson is without the baggage of the FAILED (cocaine) years of Quinn Synder and the fourth game of the season is a win over a top 25 team. BAM—Hello Mike Anderson!!!

The Great Debate!

Who do you want to win the OU-Tech game? If Tech wins they will be the Big 12 South Champs and face Mizzou. If OU wins then either UT or OU will be playing Mizzou in the Big 12 Championship game. There is still a slight hope Mizzou can make the BCS Championship game if OU wins, then loses to Ok State.....long shot. However I think if Tech wins; we have a better shot at beating Tech and being the Big 12 Champs. Thoughts?

Pinkel Locked Down

He is getting a well-deserved raise and staying at Mizzou.

http://www.kansascity.com/385/story/902433.html

Crisp/Ramon trade breakdown

Louie: What with this royals trade

Joshua: Guess we've given up on Teahan.

Joshua: Well, I think I'm okay with the coco crisp acquisition. We really needed some speed at the top of the lineup and a true leadoff hitter. What did you think?

Louie: I think you are right about speed, but the best part about Royals last year was the pitching in the 7,8.and 9th

Joshua: Yeah. I'm always afraid of giving up good pitching. I don't really buy the argument that relief pitchers are fungible.

Louie: Ramon was a clutch relief pitcher. I am not sure i like the 2 years crisp might give us- 3-4 if we are lucky in exchange for a solid 8th. Also crisp's 2007 numbers were painfully bad, and while he looked good in the playoffs he had lost his job midway through the season

Joshua: I'd be a lot more comfortable with this trade if we still had Leo Nunez.

Louie: that is what i am saying

Joshua: I still don't understand the Jacobs deal.

Louie: we have dealt two good relievers. That deal makes sense if we Gload (Chode) is done and we think the Hawaiian dude needs another year in the minors. Also butler is permanent DH, his fielding blows

Joshua: Shealy deserves a shot no? After last September?

Louie: he will get it but will get hurt real fast, Shealy and Jacobs will battle it out. I can see us keeping them both, dumping gload (chode), and playing butler at DH

Joshua: Only if we unload Ross Chode.

Louie: we must, he is terrible hitter for a corner spot

Joshua: Agreed.

Louie: and we must now deal teahen, which i am fine with. I love his energy and clubhouse presence, but 12-15 hrs for a corner outfielder is not going to cut it

Joshua: Yeah, me too. Hopefully we can get some pitching for Teahan.

Louie: pitching or a SS/2b

Joshua: Yeah. Looks like the Cubs might have a SS/2B that they'd be willing to deal.

Louie: could be. This convo should be posted to the Trifecta blog- it is awesome

Joshua: done

Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs!

It is that time of year again when it becomes obvious that college football is in dire need of a playoff system. Here is my proposal for an eight team playoff.

1.) Every BCS Conference champion that finishes ranked in the top twelve of the BCS ranking is an automatic qualifier.

2.) The highest ranked non-BCS team is an automatic qualifier if they finish ranked in the top 12.

3.) The remaining spots are at-large and filled by the highest ranked BCS teams to not automatically qualify.

Here is what that would mean this year:

1.) Mizzou gets into the playoff if/when they win the Big 12 Championship game.
2.) Most likely no ACC team or Big East team makes the playoff.
3.) A non-BCS team (most likely Utah or Boise St.) makes the playoff
4.) Oregan St. probably misses the playoff b/c they won't break the top 12 even if they win the Pac-10

Assuming Mizzou wins the Big 12 (let's say over OU) and Florida wins the SEC, I think my proposal would result in the following eight team playoff:

1.) Florida (SEC champ - BCS rank #1)
2.) Texas (at-large - BCS rank #2)
3.) USC (at-large - BCS rank #3)
4.) Alabama (at-large - BCS rank #4)
5.) Texas Tech (at-large - BCS rank # 5)
6.) Penn St. (Big 10 champ - BCS rank #6)
7.) Utah (nonBCS automatic qualifer - BCS rank #7)
8.) Missouri (Big 12 champ - BCS #8)

That sets up some interesting first round matchups:

Florida v. Missouri
Alabama v. Texas Tech
USC v. Penn St.
Texas v. Utah

Even more interesting second round matchups

Missouri v. Texas Tech
USC v. Texas

And an all Big-12 (they way it should be) National Championship Game with Mizzou avenging its regular season loss

MIZZOU 42
TEXAS 35
....

Which Chase do you draft?

You are Carl Peterson. It is the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft and you are ready to take a QB out of Missouri. Do you draft Chase Daniel or Chase Patton? Patton projects as the better NFL QB, but Daniel could be the next Doug Flutie. ESPN the magazine has an interesting take on this:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3632340

Chiefs acquire Count Chocula

Refusing to be outdone by the Royals, the Chiefs have announced their acquisition of Count Chocula. Shortly after the Royals announced their acquisition of Coco "Puffs" Crisp, the Chiefs made their announcement. "The Count will give us some much needed help at the Linebacker position with his quickness and size," said coach Herm Edwards.

Coo coo for Coco "Puffs" Crisp

The Royals acquired Coco "Puffs" Crisp today from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Ramon Ramirez. Crisp's addition in CF will push DeJesus to LF. Does this mean the Royals have given up on Mark Teahan? As you'll remember, Teahan was the biggest prospect (along with John Buck and Mark Wood) the Royals received when they dealt Beltran a few years ago.

While it is always a gamble to give up good pitching, I like the move. This gives the Royals a proven leadoff hitter which we haven't had since Brian McCrae. My only concern is Crisp's age. He is almost 30 and may not have more than 2 or 3 more good seasons in him. But for now I'll be optimistic. The Royals have improved themselves with this trade and I'll be content with that . . . for now. Here is to hoping this guy can hit his way out of a cereal box.

Painful Millenium

Those who know me well realize that I am an eternal optimist. Well I'm going to go against my nature and re-walk the sorrowful, tear-filled path that has been this Millenium.


January 2000--I hear a crash. Jumping out of bed I realize someone is in my bedroom. Before I can move a baseball bat hits me squarely in the jaw. Unfortunately, it doesn't knock me out, but rather ensures that I feel each and every blow to my legs, back and head. Blood is everywhere. I can't breathe. I am being dragged. It's all over. The Chiefs lost. If they win they're in and they lost. They were up 24 to nothing and they lost. They never lose at home and they lost. Seattle blew it meaning all we have to do is win and we lost. A pathetic drunken kicker for the Raiders caused us to lose. The Chiefs won more games in the 90s than any other team, but the 2000s were going to be different....for the worse. The only way the Chiefs loss could be worse is if the St. Louis Rams won the Super Bowl.....and they did.



October 2006--The Royals no longer have 1985. A very pathetic St. Louis Cardinals team had every team in its path roll over and die....forcing poor Kansas City kids in CoMO to deal with even more STL arrogance.

December 2007--I am slamming my head against a wall after seeing a less-deserving kansas football team is invited to the Orange Bowl, while the team that beat them is left out.

April 2008--Memphis chokes giving up a huge lead with under 2 minutes left.....to hand the kU jayhawks a championship....and making all Kansas City Missourians want to crawl under a rock for the entire year as Missourians are reminded every waking (more like nightmarish) second that kansas won it all.

This post was going to be much more in-depth, but I gave up on it as suicidal thoughts kept growing stronger.......looks like all eggs are in the Missouri Tiger Football basket!

Tyler "Pigpen" Thigpen

Whitlock is already starting to doubt Pigpen. Personally, I think he has played well enough so far that he deserves a shot at the starting job next year---assuming of course that his level of play remains consistent for the remainder of the season.

Mizzou National Championship

Bradford Doolittle claims that it is still possible and I agree. Note that I said it is possible not probable. See http://uponfurtherreview.kansascity.com/?q=node/132.

The problem that Mizzou will have even if they win the Big 12 Championship is that there will still be at least one team from the South that didn't make it to the Championship game that has only one loss. That team, a once-defeated USC, and a once-defeated Penn St. all probably get in over a twice-defeated Mizzou team.

Oh, to have the game against Ok. St. back...

Welcome

What is The Trifecta you ask? You might be a member of The Trifecta and not even realize it. The Trifecta is a group of sports fans, largely from the Kansas City, Missouri area that support the University of Missouri Tigers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Kansas City Royals. If you don't support all three, then you are not a member of The Trifecta. If you do, then you are a member.

Why is there even such a group? Members of The Trifecta are constantly forced to engage in strategic alliances with some of their archrivals. For example, while supporting the Missouri Tigers, members of the Trifecta are often forced to align themselves with St. Louis Cardinals fans. Such alignment often causes extreme discomfort (and sometimes vomiting) for members of The Trifecta because, by definition, members of the Trifecta are Kansas City Royals fans. Similarly, during baseball season, members of The Trifecta are forced to ally themselves with kU fans. The severe mental anguish and cognitive dissonance this causes members of The Trifecta---Mizzou fans--- is simply indescribable.

So there you have it. This is a place for sports fans that love Mizzou, the Royals, and the Chiefs to come together. I will be posting a variety of topics and I encourage you to express your thoughts in the comments to each post.

Hank