He who hesitates is lost.

Did the owner of Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals franchise, John Sherman, overplay his hand in the stadium game? Sherman looked to be in an ideal position pitting Missouri against Kansas in a battle to win his heart by granting him public money and more than likely public land for his dream stadium. But a funny thing happened on the road to getting money and land from either state. Right now, Sherman has lost the Kansas offer. That expired on December 31^st, 2025. Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins said that the December 31^st deadline for the Royals to pursue state-backed STAR bonds has passed. “They had their lobbyists reach out and ask if there was any wiggle room, and I reemphasized December 31^st was the date and you didn’t make it, so we’re moving on,” Hawkins said. “The Royals and the Chiefs both had plenty of time. They had 18 months to come up with a good plan. The Chiefs did that. The Royals did not.” National Football League Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt took the Kansas money offer and is planning to build a stadium-village in the state although not all the eyes are dotted and the tees have been crossed.

Of course, no never means never in the stadium game. Kansas could crawl back into the game. Sherman also lost another option, North Kansas City. Clay County Commissioner Jason Withington said negotiations with  Sherman are over. “Like Kansas, I’m done negotiating with the Kansas City Royals,” he said. “Last year, we were told the team wanted to be on the November 2025 ballot. We worked in good faith all summer to make that happen. As the August deadline approached, we were then told they wanted to move to the April 2026 ballot at the earliest.” It is back to talking to Kansas City and Missouri politicians for Sherman.

Evan Weiner’s books are available at iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/author/evan-weiner/id595575191

Evan can be reached at evan_weiner@hotmail.com

Round 3 of the Sony Open is underway from Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii. There is currently a 5-way tie for first place at -9, after two days of play. The cut line yesterday claimed some big names, such as guys like Collin Morikawa, Keegan Bradley, and Tony Finau, who failed to make it. However, the cut line did deliver some stories, with Vijay Singh at 62 becoming the oldest player to make a cut on Tour since Fred Couples in the 2023 Masters. William Mouw made the cut on the number with an eagle on 18 yesterday. Sahith Theegala was +6 at one point yesterday and came back to make the cut as well.

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Here is the top-10 as of 9:15 Hawaiian time, all tee times are in Hawaiian time as well

T1: Davis Riley, -9, tees off at 1:15

T1: S.H. Kim, -9, tees off at 1:15

T1: Adrien Dumont de Chassart, -9, tees off at 1:05

T1: Nick Taylor, -9, tees off at 1:05

T1: Kevin Roy, -9, tees off at 12:55

T6: Maverick McNealy, -8, tees off at 12:55

T6: Chris Gotterup, -8, tees off at 12:45

T6: John Parry, -8, tees off at 12:45

T6: Takumi Kanaya, -8, tees off at 12:35

T10: Vince Whaley, -7, tees off at 12:35

Live Updates following Sahith Theegala and Aaron Rai’s back nine- Day 3 Sony Open

The Houston Texans reached this round with a 12 and 5 record after a dominant wild card win over Pittsburgh. They crushed the Steelers 30 to 6 at Acrisure Stadium.

Houston’s defense controlled the game from start to finish. A relentless pass rush and opportunistic secondary turned a close contest into a second half blowout.

Their season featured steady growth under C J Stroud and a defense that finished among the league’s best in points allowed.

The New England Patriots advanced with an 11 and 7 record after a tense wild card victory over Los Angeles. They protected a narrow fourth quarter lead with two critical defensive stops.

New England relied on a balanced offense and a young quarterback who gained confidence throughout the season. Their defense remained the team’s identity with disciplined coverage and timely pressure.

Both teams enter this matchup with momentum and belief. The game features two rising franchises with dynamic playmakers on both sides of the ball.

Key players who will shape this game

C J Stroud leads Houston with precise decision making and downfield accuracy. His command of the offense remains the foundation of the Texans passing attack.

Dameon Pierce adds physicality with his inside running and reliable production in short yardage situations. His success keeps Houston on schedule and opens play action opportunities.

Nico Collins stretches defenses with size and speed on the perimeter. Tank Dell adds explosive separation and quick strike potential from the slot and motion looks.

Houston’s defense features Will Anderson as a constant edge threat. Derek Stingley anchors the secondary with tight coverage and strong ball skills in man situations.

New England counters with Drake Maye who brings mobility and arm strength. His ability to extend plays outside structure stresses any pass rush.

Rhamondre Stevenson powers the Patriots ground game with tackle breaking runs and dependable pass protection. His presence helps control tempo and clock.

DeMario Douglas provides quickness and yards after catch ability in the short passing game.

The Patriots defense leans on Matthew Judon as its premier pass rusher. Christian Gonzalez stabilizes the secondary with smooth coverage and closing speed.

Both teams rely on young quarterbacks and aggressive defenses. One explosive play or takeaway could swing the entire night.

What awaits the winner

The winner advances to the AFC Championship Game. Their opponent will be either the Denver Broncos or the Buffalo Bills depending on the other divisional result.

A Texans win would continue their rapid rise under DeMeco Ryans and validate their defensive dominance. A Patriots win would mark a major step forward in their post Belichick era.