So, what did we learn in the past week? That the KC Chiefs’ backups are better than the Green Bay Packers’ backups. Unless those backups meet in the Super Bowl there are a lot of unanswered questions for the Chiefs. Defensive line is a problem. The ground game, without Jamaal Charles will be a problem. The passing game under Alex Smith and some new receivers is better.
We learned that the Great Bend Black Panthers’ skill position players are as good as advertised as they steamrolled Coffeyville. Surprisingly, Hays High, following their win over Scott City, might be a tougher than expected test.
We learned that Hoisington’s Cardinals are on a mission to prove that last year’s 11-1 was not a fluke. A win this week over glamour school Wichita Collegiate would cement that.
We learned that Colin Kaepernick, the Star Spangled Banner sit-down guy is not quite as guided by a just moral cause as he first stated. That he is in the midst of converting to the Muslim religion, that his girl friend is a political activist in Black Lives Matter, among others, and the fact that he has not been a financial contributor to the solving of any of the country’s ills that he lists, show that he has other motivating factors. Of course he has a right to protest but then so do the millions that are offended by his actions. “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander” goes the old story.
We learned that Kansas can beat somebody in football! Rhode Island is a nice place to vacation but not necessarily a football power. Still.......when you are that hungry for a football win, Jayhawk fans will enjoy.
We learned that Kansas State looked like.....well,......Kansas State! Good defense, methodical offense and a lull-you-to-sleep style of play selection. By the time the Cats got serious in the fourth quarter, Stanford had secured the victory. Bill Snyder has a week off to fix errors and his teams usually benefit greatly from bye weeks.
We learned that the Royals nearly played themselves out of a wild card spot last week by losing four of six games. Don’t anybody sneeze! The Royals are hanging onto the edge of disaster by their fingernails!
We learned that the SEC isn’t the football powerhouse league that the smarties tell us they are! LSU, Mississipi, Mississipi State, Tennessee, Arkansas and others were less than impressive in losses or close games. Only Alabama held court. Of course the big media folks were disappointed as their darlings, Notre Dame, lost to a rebuilding Texas team. The Longhorns replaced a little of the Big 12’s luster that was brushed out the door by Oklahoma’s mediocre performance at Big 12 Wannabe Houston.
CHALK TALK
Kansas tangles with a good Ohio U. team Saturday. A chance for the Jayhawks to show they’ve improved. KU 29, Ohio 24....Great Bend has too many playmakers for Hays High. Black Panthers 44, Hays 14..... KC Chiefs get off on the right foot as they handle the Chargers 33-20...... Larned made too many mistakes against Pratt and it cost them the game. Coach A.B. Stokes will get those mistakes fixed this week as the Indians look to take advantage of their strong running game. Larned 35, Hillsboro 17...... Otis-Bison is at Ellinwood in a battle of unbeatens. Ellinwood in an upset 30-28...... A big game in 3A football is Wichita Collegiate at Hoisington. Cardinals look for a big crowd to carry them as they hope to make a statement for western Kansas football. Should be a dandy with lots of fireworks. I like the Cardinals 33-27! Alabama crushed Southern Californa 52-6 this past week establishing that the Crimson Tide might, indeed, be the number-one team. The huge loss reminds me of another big loss once by the Trojans when USC lost to Notre Dame 51-0. In his postgame message to his team, USC coach John McKay said, “All those who need showers, take them.”

Charles Tabler is a contributing writer from Larned. He can be reached at budtabler@gmail.com.