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Legendary stadium groundskeeper George Toma explains slippery Super Bowl LVII subject | Kansas City Star
Don’t cross “The Sodfather.”
George Toma, the long-time groundskeeper who has overseen or suggested the sphere preparation for all 57 Super Bowls, recognized explanation why the turf for final month’s recreation at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, was slippery.
Players from each groups — the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 — complained in regards to the turf after the sport. Several Eagles gamers switched cleats in the course of the recreation to get a greater grip.
Toma advised ESPN that the sphere was mismanaged by Ed Mangan, the NFL’s subject director. The subject was watered and rolled into the stadium 4 days earlier than the sport.
“So what he does, he waters the hell out of and puts it right into the stadium and that’s it,” Toma stated. “Never sees sunlight against. He can’t do that.”
What ought to occur, Toma stated, is the sphere ought to have been watered the morning of the sport and saved outdoors to dry earlier than being rolled again in.
Also, a tarp lined the sphere throughout rehearsals for the pregame, halftime and postgame reveals, creating an odor. “It smelled bad,” Toma stated.
Could Marcus Mariota be the Chiefs’ subsequent nice backup QB? | Chiefs Wire
To low cost the necessity for a reliable backup within the Mahomes period of Chiefs soccer is to disclaim the crew’s historical past, regardless of the apparent safety they’ve of their starter. Henne determined to retire after Kansas City’s Super Bowl win in February, leaving a void that 2022 third-stringer Shane Buechele appears poised to fill in 2023.
If the worst got here to cross, although, and Mahomes had been to be sidelined with harm for an prolonged interval, Buechele’s inexperience might doom the Chiefs’ season. Even if the MVP starter had been slated to return late within the season, any prolonged dropping might trigger issues for a crew with perennial Super Bowl aspirations. With this in thoughts, it could make sense for Kansas City to discover the choice of including a seasoned veteran to no less than compete with the 25-year-old Buechele for the backup function, even when solely to make the third-year sign caller show that he has what it takes to guide the crew in a pinch.
Enter Marcus Mariota, the Heisman-winning former Tennessee Titan and Atlanta Falcon who dealt the Chiefs some of the inconceivable playoff losses in franchise historical past in a recreation the place he accomplished a landing cross to himself again in 2018. Freshly jettisoned from Atlanta’s roster after beginning for the Falcons all season, Mariota might match the invoice for what Kansas City is searching for in a backup quarterback, even when solely briefly whereas the crew feels out Buechele’s viability within the second-string function.
Chiefs’ Travis Kelce is internet hosting ‘SNL.’ Here’s how KC’s Heidi Gardner made it occur | Kansas City Star
Seeing how “loud and fearless and funny Travis was at the parade in 2020, I was just kind of like, ‘OK, he’s good,’” Gardner advised The Star this week.
She met him just about a couple of months after his insurgent “party” yell. She did a skit for the ESPY Awards, by way of Zoom due to the pandemic, with Kelce, Mahomes, and three humorous guys with Kansas City ties — Big Slick fundraiser co-hosts Rob Riggle, Eric Stonestreet and David Koechner. (Gardner is a newly minted Big Slick host.)
And as soon as once more, she was struck by how humorous and fast Kelce was; Mahomes, too.
So when the brand new season of “SNL” began that fall, the long-time Chiefs fan went again to work with an thought.
Hey, I do know each couple of years we have now an athlete host, I simply need to say Travis Kelce could be nice.
“And I think they were like, of course you’d say that, you’re a huge Kansas City fan,” she stated. “I don’t know severely they had been taking me on the time.
“But then I additionally really feel like Travis has had a lot of appearances since then on a lot of issues, identical with Patrick within the State Farm commercials.
“These guys are obviously, they’re athletes for one, but they have charming, hilarious personalities, too. So I think their work just started speaking for itself.”
Super Bowl champion Willie Gay Jr. returned to Mississippi on Wednesday | Mississippi Clarion Ledger
Gay stopped by West Oktibbeha County Elementary School on Wednesday. In the varsity’s gymnasium, he sat in bleachers with college students as they listened to a studying of Dr. Seuss’ well-known work.
“It’s always a special time whenever I can come back home and give back to the kids,” Gay stated.
He was initially slated to be a particular visitor for Tuesday’s Black History Month program, however flight delays compelled a postponement.
Following Wednesday’s studying, Gay fielded questions from college students. He was requested about his favorites topics at school, whether or not he’d performed for groups moreover the Chiefs and performed some other sports activities rising up.
Though he attended elementary faculty in Starkville, stopping by West Oktibbeha County Elementary was particular to Gay as his mother works there. He famous that rising up featured punishments, however he reminded college students that respecting lecturers and oldsters went a good distance.
Gay, who recorded eight tackles within the Super Bowl, is a part of a powerful group from the Magnolia State at present within the NFL – together with 12 gamers who had been on rosters or practices squads for the Eagles and Chiefs.
“Mississippi does have a lot of talented people,” Gay stated. “Some make it and some don’t, unfortunately. But that’s why we come back and try to talk to kids and try to be that positive impact on their lives so when they see us they know that it is possible. … Whatever you set your mind to, you can do it. That’s the message we want to send.”
Super Bowl LVII is perhaps Rice DE Ikenna Enechukwu’s final time rooting for the Chiefs | Chiefs Wire
“I love it, man,” stated Enechukwu. “Ever since I started playing football, I was just always a big Chiefs fan, like I was like waiting to see them win. Like I was so excited the first time they won (the Super Bowl). The second time they won, I’m still excited. And there’s always gonna be, like, anybody that grows up in Kansas City, likes the Chiefs. There’s always gonna be something different because there were times (when) they weren’t doing good. And now they brought a lot of attention to the city, but a lot of good publicity.”
Watching the Super Bowl LVII victory over the Eagles, Enechukwu had a startling revelation about his future as a fan of the Chiefs.
“I might not even play for the Chiefs,” stated Enechukwu. “And I was watching the game, I was like, ‘Man, this might be my last time rooting for the Chiefs. I’m the one that might have to chase down Patrick Mahomes, and then I might not be a big fan of him anymore.’”
As a fifth-year senior at Rice, Enechukwu completed with 19 tackles, eight assists, and 17 stops. When dashing the passer, he had 29 whole pressures, which included three sacks on the season.
Enechukwu confirmed that he did have a gathering with Kansas City’s decision-makers on the mix, so there’s a probability the hometown product will solely have to chase Patrick Mahomes in follow after the NFL Draft in April.
Around the NFL
Jalen Carter, high NFL draft prospect, charged with racing in deadly crash | ESPN
Former Georgia star Jalen Carter, one of many high prospects in subsequent month’s NFL draft, has been charged with reckless driving and racing in reference to a crash that killed a teammate and a recruiting workers member.
The Athens-Clarke County (Georgia) Police Department issued an arrest warrant, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, that alleges Carter was racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk in opposition to the 2021 Ford Expedition pushed by the recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy, which led to the Jan. 15 wreck.
The announcement got here hours after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Carter was current on the scene of the crash and later offered shifting accounts of the wreck to police.
Devin Willock, who was an offensive lineman for the Bulldogs, and LeCroy had been killed in what police initially reported as a single-vehicle accident.
Carter was booked for reckless driving and racing on highways/streets at 11:33 p.m. ET Wednesday evening and launched at 11:49 p.m. after posting a $4,000 bond, based on on-line information.
Reckless driving and racing are each misdemeanors in Georgia.
Carter had been slated to talk to reporters on Wednesday on the NFL scouting mix in Indianapolis as a part of a beforehand scheduled media availability, however a league spokesperson later advised reporters that Carter wouldn’t be talking as a result of he and 5 different gamers had been nonetheless conducting physicals.
In an announcement posted to social media on Wednesday afternoon, Carter stated he meant to return to Athens to “answer the misdemeanor charges against me and to make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented.”
Carter additionally stated in his assertion that he expects to be “fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.”
Colts GM Chris Ballard on doubtlessly buying and selling for No. 1 decide: ‘There’s obtained to be a man worthy of it’ | NFL.com
On Wednesday, Ballard tried his greatest to pour some chilly water on the trade-up risk.
“I know everybody … has just automatically stamped that you’ve got to move up to No. 1 to get it right,” Ballard stated on the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. “I don’t know if I agree with that. I don’t. But that’s gonna be the narrative.”
It’s the narrative as a result of the Colts want a quarterback, they usually’re virtually as well-positioned as any QB-needy crew to land one in Round 1 this April. Indianapolis selects fourth total, and it has been a preferred mock-draft maneuver to venture a commerce from that spot to No. 1 total, which is held by the Chicago Bears.
With the Bears seemingly backing QB Justin Fields as their starter, Chicago is perhaps open for enterprise. The Colts is perhaps itching to land their subsequent franchise QB — they haven’t had one since Andrew Luck — however Ballard prompt that there may not be the caliber of passer on this draft class wanted to execute a pricey commerce.
“To move up,” Ballard stated, “there’s got to be a guy worthy of it.”
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta on Lamar Jackson negotiations: Both sides perceive urgency of scenario | NFL.com
“Lamar and I are talking,” Ravens common supervisor Eric DeCosta stated on Wednesday from the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. “We met lately. It’s an ongoing dialogue. Both (sides) perceive the urgency of the scenario.
“It’s been a good dialogue, a good discussion. I’m optimistic as I’ve continued to be optimistic, and we’ll see where it goes.”
In January, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh advised reporters there was a “200 percent” probability Jackson stays in Baltimore, and on Wednesday, he reiterated his perception {that a} deal might be reached.
“He’s my quarterback, he’s my guy,” Harbaugh stated of Jackson. “I love him and as a coach, I’m looking forward to seeing it get done. But it’s not easy, you know? It’s never easy, it’s the business part of it, but I’m really hopeful and excited, fervently hopeful and can’t wait for it to get done.”
The Ravens haven’t but determined whether or not to put the franchise tag — unique or nonexclusive — on Jackson, DeCosta stated. But time is operating out on that call with the March 7 deadline to make use of the tag (nonexclusive for QBs priced at $32.416 million) looming in lower than per week. The deadline to achieve a long-term take care of franchise-tagged gamers is July 17.
Joe Montana’s ‘The Drive’ jersey sells for report $1.212 million | ESPN
The jersey worn by Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana in not one, however two Super Bowl victories by the San Francisco 49ers has offered for $1.212 million with purchaser’s premium, obliterating the report paid for a soccer jersey at public sale.
The jersey was brokered via collectibles market Goldin. The earlier report was the $480,000 paid for a 2021 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tom Brady jersey in January 2022 — additionally brokered by Goldin.
Montana first wore the now record-breaking jersey in Super Bowl XIX, wherein the Niners defeated the Miami Dolphins 38-16, after which 4 years later in Super Bowl XXIII, wherein Montana engineered a game-winning 92-yard drive — famously generally known as “The Drive” — to guide the Niners previous the Cincinnati Bengals 20-16.
The morning of the latter Super Bowl, Montana’s spouse, Jennifer, pulled the jersey from a scrapbook and packed it in Joe’s stadium bag with a be aware: “Maybe you want to wear it again.” So he did.
Montana’s jersey from Super Bowl XXIV — nonetheless the widest margin of victory in Super Bowl historical past at 55-10 in favor of the 49ers over the Denver Broncos — additionally offered for $720,000 simply after midnight into Thursday.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Brett Veach evaluations his offseason technique — and why it really works so nicely
“We’re looking for good football players and we’re also looking for a room fit, a cultural fit, and how they fit with our coaching staff,” Veach responded when requested what the crew considers earlier than drafting a participant. “There are so many issues that we think about. Every yr, when you will have these drafts and also you see whether or not or not it’s a mock draft or guys listed on the board, I feel individuals are likely to overlook that there’s a number of dialogue. It’s not like, ‘Chiefs like smaller receivers.’
“We like good football players, but do they pass the medicals? Do they pass the interviews with our coaches, with our offensive coordinator, with our receiver coach, with our head coach? Is the chemistry there? Do they feel like it’ll be a good blend in our locker room with our current receiving group? So, there are a lot of things that factor into it.”
When it involves free company, the Chiefs may have a number of robust roster choices to make as they try to get underneath the wage cap. Fortunately, for Kansas City, Veach is assured that the crew might be positive because of the continuity they’ve as a company. This means everybody from administration right down to the teaching workers is on the identical web page relating to what the crew wants and which gamers can match these wants as they navigate via a difficult free company course of.
“You have to just have a plan, stick to it and knock it out of the park,” Veach defined. “And if the plan doesn’t work, you must transfer on shortly. And I simply suppose the extent of communication that we have now with our teaching workers — since you do clearly should hit on the draft and when you will have the rapport that we have now with my workers and our teaching workers, I feel it simply helps in that course of.
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