At one point this offseason the Chiefs had $177 of salary cap space. That may be the only time in the history of sports where my checking account had a larger value than that of a professional sports franchise. A little wiggle from Sammy Watkins and Frank Clark allowed us to clear a couple of million before the draft to sign our rookies, and then all of a sudden in a 10 day stretch in July the Chiefs managed to sign Patrick “Money” Mahomes to a 10 years $477 million extension and then a week later give Chris Jones a 4 year $85 million deal. To recap the Chiefs had $177, not even enough to cover 2 MINUTES of PM15s new deal, and somehow signed the two most important pieces on their roster to long term deals. Either Brett Veach is a freaking genius or the salary cap is fictional. The Chiefs are playing with Monopoly money while the rest of NFL is trying to figure out how to get in on the game.

Before the two blockbuster signings the front office brass had quietly put together a solid offseason by mostly retaining what already in place, team friendly and affordable deals to keep Mike Pennel, Brashaud Breeland, Chad Henne, and DeMarcus Robinson. They also found depth from F.A. signing Mike Remmers, Antonio Hamilton, Ricky Seals-Jones, Taco Charleton and PM15 old teammate DeAndre Washington. In the last week they have also added former Pro Bowler Kelchi Osemele and safety Tedric Thompson. None of those names may make you jump for excitement but the proposition that those names are there for depth should make you smile for the fact that the Chiefs may have the best 53 man roster in all the NFL.

To go along with those name the Chiefs put together, in this writers opinion, an exceptional draft. They were able to draft the biggest all purpose threat in Clyde Edwards-Helair and they best coverage linebacker with Willie Gay Jr. in the 2020 draft both pieces come from the heart of the SEC so they are as ready as any rookies to step on the field week one contribute in our title defense. More offensive line depth and versatility in 3rd rounder Lucas Niang. Added secondary help with L’Jarious Sneed and BoPete Keyes in the 4th and 7th rounds. To round out this years draft was Michigan DE Mike Danna, it’s quite obvious in today’s NFL you can not have too many pass rushers. The top 3 picks I can see immediately stepping in and being impactful if any of the other 3 can contribute in rotations or on special teams this could be a special draft class that is super beneficial in the next 3 or 4 years.

At one point the Chiefs would be returning 20 of the 22 starters on offense and defense that number has since dropped to 18 with Damien William and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif opting out for differing reasons, Williams to be with his mother while she battles stage 4 cancer and the Canadian doctor choosing to stay and fight the Covid-19 battle north of border in a long term care facility. Our hats our off with both of these young men and our prayers are with them as well.

The motto for this offseason has been #RunItBack and the Chiefs have made it clear that the 2019 season and it’s Super Bowl our behind them. It’s time to go out and get a second one in 2020 and they have put the pieces to get that done. This roster is built to be fun and exciting on offense and gritty and very workmanlike on the defensive side. I think it has the capabilities to be top 5 on both sides of the ball but as we always know that things can change in the blink of an eye. So fingers are crossed and prayers sent up that this ball club can stay healthy. If so this team has everything needed to go back to back!

** After writing this article Lucas Niang has opted out of the 2020 NFL season.

I’m excited to review today’s selected roaster, Splitlog Coffee Company, they come from just across the state line in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood of KCK. My employer Slap’s BBQ and Splitlog are neighbors and have been key in the revitalization of this historic neighborhood. Splitlog has been operating as a coffee shop for a few years now but just this past spring started roasting their own beans and it’s my true pleasure to review single origin Nicaraguan.

Right as I open the bag I can grasp the toasted notes of this medium roast beauty. I slight corn like sweetness fills the nostrils followed by some earthy morning dew hints with a surprising anise finish let me in on the complexity that I’m about to indulge in. A caramel like silkiness envelopes the mouth with bold sweetness agave nectar and Tahitian vanilla. Though I try to avoid bag descriptors I can agree with the fact this mellow. With as much as I got from the nose I was pleasantly surprised how mellow the under notes of this brew truly are. This is one of those curl up all day and read a book coffees. Subtly complex but not pretentious. You know you’re drinking something of value when you take a sip. This is definitely one I will go across the street and request again and also keep on hand to share with family and friends. Strong showing from Splitlog. I can’t wait to try more of their offerings.

Check out Splitlog Coffee Company

https://www.splitlogcoffee.com

Sunday I’ll be on The Full Monte Sports Show https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=YUfra2mnB30

Well I would first like to apologize for not recapping the Super Bowl in February. I’m not exactly sure where my mind was at the time but I’m going to blame it on pure exhilaration before the whole world went bonkers and is now shut down due to the Coronavirus.

What a Super Bowl it was! The Chiefs playing good football for three quarters against a really good 49ers football club and then just finding that other gear that makes them a great team and dropping 21 points over the last 9:55 to bring Kansas City its first championship in 50 years. I was not there to celebrate on the parade route. Those in KC still need their BBQ fix and I was there to provide that. Mel and baby Jude, in utero, were bundled up and celebrating for the Meyer’s. Fingers crossed for another one here shortly that I can attend.

Like it or love it has been my mantra with the Chiefs offseason. You had to franchise tag Chris Jones to buy some time to sign him long term, which looks to be GMBV number one priority at the moment. You found some depth pieces with Mike Remmers and Antonio Hamilton. You found some contributors in Deandre Washington and Ricky Seals Jones and you brought back some cogs in DeMarcus Robinson, Mike Pennell and Brashud Breeland. Plus throw in the restructuring of Sammy Watkins deal. I love the moves this team has made it makes the draft a real pleasure to watch because there are no glaring needs.

Which makes this part of the post difficult. I really wanted to do draft post but really I don’t have a clue where the Chiefs will go. I really think they can still add some depth to the interior of both the offensive and defensive lines. I really like Cesar Ruiz from Michigan and Ross Blacklock out of TCU for those positions. Every year I find myself with the rest of Chiefs kingdom screaming about a CB early on, at 32 I don’t feel there will be one still available worth taking in the second I love Bryce Hall out of Virginia he was a college teammate of Juan Thornhill, he’s long and athletic and plays physical. Inside Linebacker in the middle rounds you can find some quality players like Anfernee Jennings or Troy Dye both players that could excel in Spags systems. We could go all out on playmakers and draft D’Andre Swift and just roll. I really don’t know and that’s the fun of the draft, especially when the glaring needs don’t exist.

So when you buy 19 bags of coffee in a 4.5 month span you don’t have to buy more for a little while and I was stocked up until this past Sunday. So this offseason I’m going to spend my money locally and try some new and different rosters here in KC. I started this journey off with Headrush Roasters in the Northland. First off great customer service and knowledge even in the middle of a pandemic. Roasted after we ordered and delivered to the car in 15 minutes it was great. I decided on a light roasted India Monsoon variety. First on the nose is notes of toffee and dry roasted peanuts with some bigger depths of caramel and stale chocolate. Ground up we found some earthy tones of cedar, and fresh dug dirt. Hints of tobacco finish off the notes of this light roast. Boldness on the tongue right out of the gate aren’t surprising from aromas picked up. Dark chocolate is the overwhelming tone with citrus notes of Meyer lemon and key lime that linger through the finish. Upon letting it sit you get some dried fruit sweetness that really balance out the heaviness of the initial sip. This one takes some time to gather all nuances but all in all a good selection for the metro. Check them out at either of their metro locations at Briarcliff or in Gladstone or check the website http://www.headrushroasters.com/

Back in week 10 right before we lost to the Titans I predicted the Chiefs would not lose again until 2020. Well the Chiefs found a way to lose that game in extraordinary fashion but since that fateful Sunday they have only experienced victory. I fully expect that to carry into the offseason. I’m not a man who believes in “destiny’s” but this just seems like a story being written by something greater than all of us. I’m not saying God is a Chiefs fan, even though a Chiefs fan existence feels similar to the life of Job at times, but I have seen some favor going our way. From the Miami win over New England in week 17 to the Titans laying out home field advantage in the AFC Championship game things have just fell into place.

The 49ers are a good football team, they do things well offensively that will probably give the Chiefs fits at times in this ball game. On the defensive side their front 4 has looked dominate at times and they stunt and move around to disguise scheme as well as any team in the league. They deserve to be in this game but at the end of the day there is nothing about them that says they can’t get beat. The Chiefs use their speed to cover every inch of the field and Andy Reid’s record coming off of a bye week is superb. Also we have this guy named Patrick Mahomes who is his out there changing the quarterback position before our own eyes. This may be the first time he is here but if I were a betting man I’d put a large sum of money that it’s not the last. I think the Chiefs will win in a very good game. I think Pat Mahomes leads the Chiefs down the field in the 4th quarter for a career defining win with the final being Kansas City 31 San Francisco 23. There will be a new banner waving in Arrowhead come next pre season and I’m excited to share in this journey with all of you. So for the next 3 days where all your red. High five anyone on the street, do the tomahawk chop anywhere you go, do your beat Mitch Holthus impression, have fun Kansas City. You truly deserve it.

Unknowingly I chose a super bold Guatemalan for this Super Bowl Coffee! I purely chose this roaster because of the name Andytown Coffee Roasters fitting because our boy Andy Reid plans on owning San Fran late Sunday night! I chose the Gutemalan because our boys are undefeated when I showcase Guatemalans this season, at Oakland and at Denver. Needless to say the description did not mention this was meant to an espresso roast and neither did the initial view and inspection give clue to that. The beans out of the bag had a rich caramel scent to them, slightly of burnt sugar and some grain maltiness with some peanut butter. Once ground deeper notes of cocoa, fresh raspberries, and Werthers Original, there is something in the spice world I can’t put my nose quite on that’s in there. Then I took my first sip and it was like a punch in the mouth, similar to the first quarter of the Texans game, I was surprised thick and acidic with a hoppy bitterness and extremely dark chocolate. As is settles on the tongue there is sweetness like honey then a slight tartness like a persimmon and some lemon like acidity finishes but in a balanced way. Just like that Texans game you have to give it a chance and continue on with it to find the true brilliance of this roast. The beans are undoubtedly perfectly roasted if you take this to a dark roast it would just be bitter if you do this as a light roast it would be overly acidic and you wouldn’t find half the flavor profiles that this bean actually has. This may very well be the most complex coffee I have tasted or maybe my palate is becoming more rounded but this was a delight. I think this is the perfect cup going into Sunday like the Chiefs this is not a one note brew, it’s a intricately complex mixture that at first wasn’t all I wanted it to be but by the last sip I was extraordinarily satisfied and glad I stuck with it. So order a bag of this if you want to if not please sit down Sunday evening with those you love and enjoy the spectacle of the Super Bowl and cheer on our Super Bowl 54 Champions. Go Chiefs!

https://www.andytownsf.com/purchase/guatemala-finca-perez

So something happened last Sunday afternoon that I had yet to experience in my 32 years here on earth. The Kansas City Chiefs are the AFC Champions by virtue of defeating the Tennessee Titans 35-24 in front of a sold out and loud Arrowhead Stadium. PM15 passed for 3 tds and ran for another score that latter putting the Chiefs ahead for good 11 seconds before halftime. Twice in the first half the Chiefs found themselves down 10 points before scoring 28 of the final 35 points of the game. This one will be remembered by the kingdom for years to come.

This weeks selection comes from Orlando home of the Pro Bowl. We have Kenya Kamagogo from Lineage Roasting Company. This light roast is extremely pungent right out of the bag, deep sweetness raw sugar and dried fruit but an earthy scent or morel mushroom gives this beauty something unique once ground you find some aromatics like Chineses five spice and nutmeg. Where this gets interesting is how all these big and bold aromatics disappear between the nose and tongue and your left with this very simply sweet cup of coffee that has a straightforward agave nectar sweetness with hints of apricot and strawberry jams. This is a perfect cup for a beginner trying to get into trying great coffees, two thumbs up from this guy and I strongly suggest this for all of you. We’re one week from Super Bowl 54 and I hope all of you are ready for it. Have a great week and drink coffee responsibly. Go Chiefs.

https://www.lineageroasting.com/products/kenya-kamagogo

Well if you have been a Chiefs fan for more than a season or two the 20 minutes of that game last Sunday afternoon had you reminiscing of past playoff failure. Though the last 40 minutes of game time should give you a glimpse of the current state of Chiefs fandom… It’s pretty freaking great! That was the Chiefs offense I had been expecting to see all season. PM15 is out there doing things at a whole other level to the opposition that has to feel unfair and the defense is pretty darn good. When they play like that I honestly think they are unbeatable. This season was frustrating at times and the start of the postseason was certainly that way as well but I think the close of this season will be something truly magical and memorable.

Well the Tennessee Titans are on a roll they did us a favor a week ago in beating the Patriots to save us from having to face Tom Brady again in the playoffs and they allowed us to host our second AFC Championship game at Arrowhead in as many seasons with their victory over Baltimore last Saturday. Derek Henry is playing as good of football as any running back has since Walter Peyton in the mid 80s. There defense is playing well stopping good offenses. You don’t just fluke your way to the final 4 of the NFL season but in all honesty I don’t think they can beat the Chiefs this Sunday. Kansas City gift wrapped them a 3 point win in Nashville in week 10. This team won’t do that again. Derek Henry will get his carries and his yards but he alone won’t beat us and Tannehill does not scare me in any way shape or form. This team learned from last years heartbreaker and I feel proves to themselves all of the NFL they are the elite team in all of football and lay an old fashioned butt whopping to the tune of 35-14 and lift for the first time the Lamar Hunt AFC Championship trophy in front of the 78,000 screaming Chiefs fans. I can’t wait!

Two flavor descriptors and a taste adjective is what Stay Golden Coffee Co. gave me on this weeks selection. The fact it was from Tanzania is wholly the reason I picked this one, I did think the roster name of Stay Golden was somewhat fitting for the AFC Championship game as well. But I got strawberry and plum, bright as profiles. They’re right. On the most very bright and fruity whole beans offer fresh strawberries and Granny Smith apples after ground I get a little more acidity and some depths of a merlot and dried apricots. In the mouth so light and delicate the truth of a great light roast. You get coffee first, I know weird but when your mind is stuck on fruit on so many levels and your tongue gets something different it’s like WTF. The second wave of flavors is off the charts in dry cinnamon toast crunch cereal and strawberry jelly. It’s delightful, it’s wonderful, it’s a great coffee one I hope to enjoy in celebration of the first AFC Championship oh my life. Check out these beans and many more at the link below and as always drink responsibly and Go Chiefs!

https://stay-golden.com/collections/coffee/products/canzikiro

Well I apologize to anyone who took my predictions and made wagers last week as I went a perfect 0-4 in that realm. So I guess that career move is probably out of the question. Our Chiefs have a week of rest and it seems like star players on both sides of the ball are getting injured which is not ideal. I’m not one to say there is some gamesmanship going on here but it makes sense this time of the year. To be quite honest I was really hoping on having a chance to revenge our AFC championship loss a season ago but the champs went down in the Wild Card round so now we have the privilege of welcoming the AFC South Champion Houston Texans into Arrowhead. Here lies an opportunity to avenge a week 6 loss for a very much injured and hampered Chiefs. There will be no excuses this go around. PM15 is healthy, Tyreek and Sammy are healthy, Frank Clark is healthy, we now T Sizzle this is the playoffs and this team is ready. Deshaun Watson is a good quarterback and has a chance to be great, this will probably be a playoff matchup for years to come but I think the Chiefs just have too much firepower if the Chiefs can come anywhere close to evening out the time of possession from their earlier matchup I think they will easily. I think they put it another gear a cruise to 38-20 victory before heading off to Baltimore next Sunday.

This weeks selection is Panama Finca Hartman Don Chico a honey processed from Java Pura in Houston. I don’t know if my nose is plugged up or what but I couldn’t pick up anything super strong right out of the bag, small notes of lemon, pine, and oak. Things became more pronounced after being ran through the grinder starting with toasted notes of pecans and walnuts. Deeper depths of molasses and caramel with little hints of milk chocolate. That’s where the flavor starts on the tongue almost a creamy mouth feel with strong flavors of peanut butter and milk chocolate with back notes of lemon lime soda and agave syrup. This one is all over the board in a good way. You don’t know if your eyes, nose, or mouth are lying to you but something doesn’t add up. This is my first Panamanian offering and it’s super intriguing it’s not a cup that you feel is super complex because the flavors are abrupt and forth coming but it’s not pairings that you’d normally see together. I didn’t necessarily get the same tasting notes as the Roasters but I can see how they came up with their profile. I do strongly suggest these beans I’ll put the link below. Those of you in KC stay safe today and the rest of you enjoy your Divisional Round Weekend as always Go Chiefs!

https://javapura.com/collections/single-origin-1/products/panama-finca-hartmann-honey-don-chicho

Well going into last Sunday I was more than reserved with the 3 seed. Andy Reid rode the momentum and pressed the pedal for another 12 win season then some magic happened in the Northeast as Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Dolphins with their 4 wins went into Foxboro as multi TD dogs and whipped up on the Pats allowing the Kingdom to leapfrog the defending champs and giving them a bye in the AFC playoffs. The rest will be much welcomed and the road to the SB a little easier to navigate this way.

Prediction time for the Wild Card round starting in the NFC I like Saints over the Vikings 31-20 and I think the Eagles have been in playoff mode the last 3 weeks and carry that into their matchup with Seattle and work out a hard fought 16-14 victory. AFC I like the Bills over the Texans 20-12 and I think the Pats pull out a tough fought 24-23 over the Titans in Foxboro.

In honor of the belated Christmas gift from the Dolphins I chose to order some coffee beans from Miami this week because the bye we received is thanks to them. Our selection is from Great Circle coffee I thought it was a fitting name for the regular season ending. I chose an Indonesian from the Sumatra region which are typically darker roasted and more earthy than I tend to buy, this is no exception the bag description of caramel, cocoa, and spice are right on money. Out of the bag a nose of semi sweet chocolate and clove hit immediately once ground you get the burnt sugar notes of caramel maybe molasses and some deeper notes of brewers yeast and some rich maltiness. On the tongue that chocolate resonates in depths of cocoa powder it’s thick almost syrupy. This is dark roast lovers dream not for everyone but there is a good market for it. If this sounds like your brew check them out and their many other single origin selections at the link below. And always enjoy a cup this weekend and watch some football without worries because the Chiefs are already through to the next round.

https://www.greatcirclecoffee.com/products/indonesia-kerinci-wet-hulled

As I wrote earlier today I would not be back home in time to give a review on this weeks selection. We got back just in time to miss Mecole Hardmans 104 yard kickoff return TD. I want dive into all the good that went into today’s win I’ll save that for next week recap with a new brew from Miami.

Before getting anything inside and just after getting the tv turned on to the game I broke in my package from Los Angeles? Nope, Portland apparently Stumptown Coffee Roasters has shops in LA but their beans are roasted in Portland and that is not a bad thing. I went all out on choosing these beans, they were beautifully presented, gorgeously roasted, and super fragrant. Fruit forward with notes of ripe strawberries and raspberry flavored candies. Subtle floral notes of fresh cut roses. Once ground deeper depths of manliness with hints of oak and pipe tobacco. Citrus acidity hits the lips upon first sip, deep depths of pure coffee flavor ride throughout the entire mouth, this is a perfectly roasted batch of beans, you get undertones of strawberry candies and Madagascar vanilla and a back kick of bourbon. This is that dream prom date that is not only beautiful but has a rich daddy that springs for the limo and $200 steak dinner. This coffee lives up to the reputation, price, and moniker. If you’d like to try for yourself please head over to their website

https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/producers/marysabel-caballero-moises-herrera

The beans we have tried this season have come from 14 different countries traveled over 96,000 miles to land on my doorstep in Independence, MO from Honduras to Zambia and everywhere in between. It has been super fun and educational and I hope you all have enjoyed so far and that the Chiefs have a deep playoff run so the journey will continue. God Bless!

Spoiler alert, there will be no coffee review in this post due to the writer being on vacation and coffee not being delivered until the morning after we left. I will have review sometime in the next few days because I do have a Honduran that I’m dying to try back in KC. Currently Mrs. Meyer and I are in Springfield on our way back home but there is a cheese stop in there so I doubt we will be back before kickoff.

What a beat down. The Chiefs dominated the entire way on offense, defense, and special teams. This team is on a mission and it’s a pure joy to watch. PM15 looks as healthy as he has been all season. The offensive line is playing well we are using a plethora of backs to establish an average run game and our playmakers are making plays. Defensively our front 4 is dominating opponents Chris Jones and Frank Clark are forces of nature between the trenches and it’s allowing the back 7 to play with some swagger. The unfortunate truth is the Chiefs will probably end the season with an identical 12-4 record as last season and still be playing in the Wild Card round but with the way this team is playing I can’t honestly say taking a week off would be beneficial.

The San Diego/Los Angeles/Mexico City Chargers come to town in what may be Phillip Rivers last go around in a Bolts uniform. Without doing the research it feels like Rivers has thrown about 100 interceptions against the Chiefs but always seems to have his team within a score. This is one of those tough ones to predict. Neither team has a whole lot to play for, though all I have read Andy Reid will not be holding anything back so with that I will predict a 31-21 Chiefs victory with only 2 Phillip Rivers INTs.

Since I have no current review here are a couple of pictures of Mrs. Meyer and I’s anniversary vacation to Branson. Also if you’re driving though downtown Springfield check out Eurasia Coffee and Tea.

The Chiefs Kingdom was not very welcome to the youngster from Lee’s Summit, coupled with the snowy weather and the entire Chiefs defense making a statement, the good guys prevailed 23-3 at Arrowhead last Sunday. PM15 round Tyreek Hill for 2 TDS and 3 Harrison Butker field goals accounted for the scoring but it was the defense making stops all day that was the true story of the day. This entire team is starting to gel and it’s a thing of beauty to watch. That makes 9 in a row against our nemesis from Denver and that’s super refreshing.

This week we travel to Chicago for a Sunday night showdown with Da Bears. This one at the beginning of the year I definitely had marked down as a toss up game that I could see the Chiefs losing but looking at it today the Chiefs are the much better team and should win easily, the question is the motivation going into these last two weeks. With the Patriots win last night they all but a victory over the Dolphins locked up a first round bye, Kansas City has to decide to do we play hard and hope for a Miami victory in Foxboro or do we rest up for Buffalo, Tennessee, or Pittsburgh. I think while their is hope Andy and the boys will play all out and continue the process of maturation on this playoff run. With that I think a lot comes together in 27-13 Chiefs victory tonight.

Our brew this week comes from Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters in Chicago. I chose this roaster because of their super in depth description and stories of where there beans come from, please check it out in the link below, also I chose a Peruvian because I honestly believed I hadn’t yet on this journey but not true I did only a couple weeks ago from Oakland. I said all of that to say this, this coffee is downright amazing! Ultra fruity nose from the beans, I get ripe berries and dried banana tiny hints of citrus. Ground up you get more in depth notes of roasted nuts and malted barley almost a smokiness to it. The first sip is heavenly complex a cereal fruitiness with an effervescent like mouth feel the citrus comes out on the tongue and then out of nowhere I get RC cola. I know the description says cola but never have I truly got that out of a coffee but here it was. This powerhouse is in contention for coffee of the year in my book. Please buy a bag if you get a chance a Go Chiefs.

https://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/cruz-del-sur-organic-peru