Off the Couch
“Tony Muser has reached the pinnacle of his profession mostly due to one quality: He’s a hard-ass. He dresses up his players in fatigues and writes witty sayings like “Take no prisoners” on the lineup card. And baseball men absolutely love shit like that. Allard Baird is clearly impressed by Muser’s toughness; in fact, he might even be a little intimidated by it.”
— Rob Neyer, ESPN baseball analyst, ESPN.com
“The local media is candy-assed and afraid to really be aggressive and demand that this town live up to its true capabilities and true potential.”
— Jason Whitlock, complaining that the local media don’t expect the Royals to be competitive with the Yankees, WHB 810
“This ball club will win at least 85 games this season. I make that prediction not only on talent but also on work ethic and the hearts of these [Royals] players.”
— Jack Harry, KCTV Channel 5
GH: The Royals have won 85 or more games only once since they won the World Series in 1985. That was in 1989, when they won 92 and didn’t make the postseason. Harry’s prediction is a bold one. Dumb, but bold.
“This is a very good bullpen. I’m excited for the starters that finally they don’t have to look back and wonder what’s going to happen. It’s not going to happen like that here anymore.”
— Roberto Hernandez, Royals closer, Channel 5
“Who’s the new guy they’ve got now [for a quarterback coach]? I don’t even know.”
— Tim Grunhard, 810
GH: Grunhard didn’t do it often, but occasionally he referred to the Chiefs as “they.” Grunhard is tentatively scheduled to start work at 810 in June when he takes over the 9 to 11 a.m. slot. Grunhard will replace the syndicated Tony Kornheiser show.
“I don’t want to say he had a double life, but he had a different life that nobody knew about.”
— sports agent Leigh Steinberg, on his former client Derrick Thomas, Jim Rome Show
“I made four different appointments for him to do a will, and he told them over and over again if he did a will he thought he would die.”
— Steinberg
“Size is wasted on the large.”
— Jim Rose, discussing KU’s Eric Chenowith, KMBZ 980
