Selection Sunday in Kansas City will be as quiet as a Royals champagne toast. This basketball season will conclude with zero drama when seedings are announced for the NCAA tournament. Jim Wooldridge should keep his neck brace on, because the selection committee will burst K-States Big Dance bubble yet again, keeping Coach Jimmy oh-fer in his NCAA tournament career. In Columbia, the off-season couldnt come quick enough after last weeks, ahem, proceedings. The NCAAs will say no thanks to Missouri and even if the NIT flouts convention and comes knocking for the third March in a row (teams no longer need to be .500 to qualify), Mizzou officials should just turn off the lights in the basketball office and close shop for the summer. No need to keep this dying horse on life support.
Kansas has already locked up a tourney berth, with its month-plus surge and Top-25 ranking. KU will get a top-6 seed, though whether the Baby Jays gain a four, five or six spot wont necessarily keep Hawks fans at the edge of their DA-z-Boys. Nope, the only real drama left in this hoops season (outside of what types of unique and creative ways MU athletic officials can still find to embarrass themselves) resides along the oily film of Brush Creek. Its UMKC and those Fighting Roos. Can they find a way to bounce into their first ever NCAA tournament? The buzz of last season has worn off, but ironically UMKC might have as good a chance as 05 at dancing come March. It it happens, the Roos will finally shed that image of being the citys quirky little brother with imaginary friends.
Its tough to be a Kangaroo in these parts. College basketball is Kansas Citys king during those dark days after the Chiefs miss the playoffs or gracefully exit after a short stay. But when every fan in this city already has a built-in loyalty, theres not a lot of extra love to go around. The basketball pie is already divided in three and when youre conditioned to watch NBA talent battling for national rankings in the Big 12, Mid-Con basketball isnt the most intriguing fallback. On top of it, the Roos cant seem to find a steady pouch. Cozy old Municipal Auditorium downtown serves as the schools -official- arena, but when the annual Wal-Mart convention is in town? Hop along, Roos. UMKC is bumped over to Hale Arena for a month every January and honestly, its hard to feel that school spirit while dodging cattle pies.
If the Roos had their own on-campus facility, holding 4,000 fans and a crazy student section? Well, maybe hoops heads could stomach Chicago State and Centenary as -big- conference games. But even the students themselves seem as disinterested in Coach Z as the live kangaroos in those goofy commercials. Almost every UMKC student Ive asked laughs off the idea of actually going to the games. Guess its just not the same when you could get mugged while camping out for tickets.
With all that being said, though, a winner will always be embraced here in K.C.. Why? Were starved for one. The last local championship was the 88 Jayhawks and even then two-thirds of the population would rather celebrate tax audits every April. Last season the Roos reeled off a month-long winning streak, gained first place in the conference, stirred the city into three of the largest crowds ever to see a Roos game. The DA Show twice took a boatload of fans to watch UMKC battle IUPUI and Oral Roberts and feedback was terrific. The season was such a success, many MU fans decided to adopt the team as their own, not only because of UMKCs affiliation within the state system, but out of disgruntlement with the Tigers mediocrity. Unfortunately, the Roos couldnt capitalize, shocked in the first round of the Mid-Con tourney by 7th-seeded Oakland.
The NIT is a long shot for any Mid-Con team. That committee depends on attendance at home venues in the early rounds to pull a profit and no Mid-Con team is truly a draw. Therefore, the only avenue into postseason play is capturing the leagues automatic bid into the NCAA tourney by winning the Mid-Con bracket in Tulsa in two weeks. Right now, the Roos are in third-place in the conference, trying to stave off Valpo for the three-seed. The Crusaders are coached by local legend Homer Drew, who has led the school to seven NCAA tournament berths, including the Sweet 16 in 98 (when his son Bryce drilled -The Shot- in an Instant Classic upset over Ole Miss). Dangerous Valpo walks into the Muni Thursday in a critical matchup, so we are taking the next DA Show caravan out there, affectionately labled -Kangarooey-Homer Drewey.-
Its been an up and down season for the Roos, a team hovering around .500, with an ugly effort at Mizzou and a gut-wrenching loss to Penn State. But a third-seed in the Mid-Con means a three-six matchup in the first round in Tulsa and an opportunity to get a win under the belt before facing one of the better teams in the conference. Paseo product Quinton Day transferred back home from USC to put UMKC on the map. Cameron, MOs Tim Blackwell did the same after a start at Creighton. Time to pay the tab, boys. Plus, Juco big man Dee Ayuba is a potential 20-10 guy nightly and Coach Rich Zvosec is carried by the mojo of those utterly ridiculous Roo commercials. One thing and one thing only would finally cement UMKCs seat at Kansas Citys adult table: an NCAA tournament. The timing is impeccable as their instate daddy Mizzou would be forced to yak on the bone of both Missouri State AND UMKC dancing while the Tigers watched from home. FYI Kansas City: this Roo bandwagon still has plenty of room. Believe us. Were offering to drive this week.
BEST OF: The Panthers Dancers stop by and don't stop talking for twenty minutes. Wait, you're home schooled? BEST OF: Heat legend Glen Rice in studio on dropping 56 on the Magic, Final Fours and MMA. BEST OF: "The Obama Guy" now has D.A.'s old job! He asked the Prez a question, then he joined the show. BEST OF: Phil and Chris Simms drop by the broadcast to rap about dad's career and son's future. BEST OF: Why so few minority college coaches? DA answers with one word: Boosters. BEST OF: When a Super Bowl MVP and Hall of Famer talks, you listen. The immortal Lynn Swann. BEST OF: TNA Wrestling's Traci Brooks on being blessed with, ahem, great dimensions. DA LOVES THE KIDS: After Marlins summer-camp day, the next gen of Fish Fans might be in trouble. DA LOVES THE KIDS: Part 1 Heat charity camp shows us D-Wright's defense needs a little work.
DA LOVES THE KIDS: Part 2 Not everyone is thrilled with the hiring of Eric Spoelstra. INSTANT CLASSIC: Free-agent Joe Horn blasts his old coaches and asks for Dolphins forgiveness, all live on the show! INSTANT CLASSIC: The man who took down Kimbo Slice: overnight celebrity Seth Petruzelli talks about the fight that stunned the fight world. BEST OF: Author Jeff Pearlman on the controversial Cowboys dynasty. Uh, ew. BEST OF: Heat rookie Mario Chalmers needs help hot-boxing. Cough, cough.. BEST OF: DA is named a Godfather. Can he handle the responsibility or will he sleep with the fishes? BEST OF: DA witnesses the greatest kids game ever. Rock, paper, scissors, space! STAR WARS GEEKS: Part 1 DA goes where no sportstalk host has gone before: Star Wars premier night.
STAR WARS GEEKS: Part 2 Will DA make it out alive or turn into an extra from the Cantina Bar? INSTANT CLASSIC: Legend of the MMA Dan "Hendo" Henderson on the circus attraction to Kimbo and the rise of UFC. BEST OF: New UFC Champ Forrest Griffin on the belt and bouncing out of fighting while the gettin's good. INSTANT CLASSIC: Zo's youth clinic brings us immediate joy: Heat Kids Say the Darndest Things BEST OF: Miami boxer Joey "Twinkle Fingers" Hernandez found himself on the streets. How he got his mojo back. BEST OF: CBS4 Weather Wizard and Miss Florida Lissette Gonzalez on the jet-stream and the wave. BEST OF: Marino delivers a commencement speech and DA's own graduation horrors. INSTANT CLASSIC: Cats winger Nathan Horton is married to a Playmate? Oops. INSTANT CLASSIC: What does JoePa really mean at pressers? Ask Penn State 101. INSTANT CLASSIC: St. Patty's Day means celebrating Irish sports legends: DA Show style. INSTANT CLASSIC: Canes Big Man Dwayne Collins has his Aladdin DVD stolen. The Horror! INSTANT CLASSIC: Dontrelle says peace to South Florida with DA. Here's his Top-3 movies of all-time. SUPER BOWL XLII: NYG's Lawrence Tynes stops by after the ticker tape parade. INSTANT CLASSIC: Is Shaq becoming M.C. Hammer Jr? Say it ain't so. INSTANT CLASSIC: DA melts down as his alma mater brings brings back the dimwitted Greg Robinson for more SU pain. INSTANT CLASSIC: This placed DA squarely on the Chiefs blacklist forever. DA and King Carl in THE Battle Royale. BEST OF: Where it all started: Herm
and Carl agree... Damon is a nice name. SUPER BOWL XL: D.A. does his best investigative work ever. It's the field turf press conference from Detroit. INSTANT CLASSIC: The Mark Mangino Montage tastes better than ever! INSTANT CLASSIC: The 2007 Herm-Gasm. 'Nuff said. INSTANT CLASSIC: The Chiefs Dept. of Misinformation is at it once again. Are the Chiefs wearing white or not? Don't ask them. INSTANT CLASSIC: Chicago's legendary Mike North joins DA to preview Chiefs- Bears. Da Bears! INSTANT CLASSIC : The annual DA Show NBA Mock Draft is here... with a return from Stormbot. FEATURED AUDIO: Royals legend Denny Matthews has bought his first cell phone. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as 6-4-3. FEATURED AUDIO: A fond DA Show farewell to Buddy Bell. He really was "Our Buddy." FEATURED AUDIO
: Lauren Nichole has made quite an impression with her traffic reports. Great or gross? You decide. The
one, the only, Zach Greinke from Royals Spring Training. The
2007 One NIT NIT Moment.
The 2006 Caller Hall of Fame Track One: Christopher Walken's legendary roast
of the new class
First the staff. Then listeners. Now LJ has the Herm-gasm? Crazy
Ray sings the Growing Pains theme song. The
Royals 70's jingle that puts a smile on your face during another horrid season
in KC. The
local TV anchors slip up on the broadcast and luckily the D.A. Show was rolling
tape. 6-6-06:
The Crypt Keeper's Holiday Crazy
Ray displays his talent for singing. Could he make a run at the next American
Idol? Oklahoma
takes it on the chin with this famous call from R.B. Missed
any of the NIT NIT action? Check out the recaps of the games and a special
edition of The One NIT NIT Moment. We
couldn't leave Alex the Intern out of the mix, check out the drunk dial message
Alex left for D.A. The
D.A. Show tribute to Alan Thicke.
Is
Crazy Ray really crazy? Take a listen to find out.
A
D.A. Show Investigation reveals color commentators handing out the pink slip
to local college coaches.
Quinner's
feeling a bit down. We ask, what's wrong with Quinn Snyder? Herm Edwards gave us quotable material right from jump street. He gets a montage based on his introduction presser. A
staple of any good office party. It's the Dick Vermeil montage XP: final edition.
Duh, ok.
DA's Hometown Hottie contest created controversy throughout KC. Radio superstar Johnny Dare stuck his nose in the middle of it. The
callers finally had their own chance to put their stamp on the Vermeil montage Why
do the sista's hate the show? It all started here: Yvette's call of the day The original D.A. Show parody of Jim Rome's smack-off (circa '04). The '05 D.A. Show parody of Jim Rome's smack-off, complete with a certain national columnist. The '06 smack-smack, which brought all the D.A. Show legends together for one fab event. You asked for it. We delivered. DA Show icon Alan Thicke's first appearance.
Selection Sunday in Kansas City will be as quiet as a Royals champagne toast. This basketball season will conclude with zero drama when seedings are announced for the NCAA tournament. Jim Wooldridge should keep his neck brace on, because the selection committee will burst K-States Big Dance bubble yet again, keeping Coach Jimmy oh-fer in his NCAA tournament career. In Columbia, the off-season couldnt come quick enough after last weeks, ahem, proceedings. The NCAAs will say no thanks to Missouri and even if the NIT flouts convention and comes knocking for the third March in a row (teams no longer need to be .500 to qualify), Mizzou officials should just turn off the lights in the basketball office and close shop for the summer. No need to keep this dying horse on life support. 
