By John Mesh
Sports writers have been making lists since the first chariot races.
This is my list to end all lists — until I get bored again and need to write something.
Favorite sport to watch (tie): National Football League and Major League Baseball.
Least favorite sport to watch: The NBA because it’s all about dunking and 3-point shooting. I believe the reason Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shea Gilgeous-Alexander is the MVP in 2024-2025 is because he owns the mid-range between the goal and 3-point arc and gets to the free throw line often.
Favorite athletes: Jackie Stiles (retired, got to cover her in high school and college), George Brett (retired), Alex Gordon (retired), Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez (current), Patrick Mahomes (current).
Favorite teams: I’m a Kansas City Chiefs/Kansas City Royals fan through the thick and a lot of thin. I’m a lifer — I’ve watched both teams for 56 years. When Kansas schools like Hutchinson Community College, Wichita State, Kansas, Kansas State etc. succeed, it’s one of the best things about the state.
Chiefs or Royals in Kansas: I like Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium. It doesn’t matter to me whether one or both teams stay in Missouri or move to Kansas. Both teams will follow the money.
Favorite movie: I like old movies. I like sci-fi fantasy stuff. I like history stuff. I even like Westerns and some war films. I like music films. My favorite films are The Beatles “A Hard Days Night,” “Lincoln,” “The Magnificent Seven” (all six of them including the Denzel Washington version — and yes I’ve seen “The Seven Samurai”) and “The Great Escape.”
Favorite sports movie: John Sayles’ “Eight Men Out.” This film now has taken on more relevance with Major League Baseball’s recent decision to lift the lifetime bans on “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and Pete Rose.
Favorite TV shows: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” “Firefly,” “M*A*S*H*” and “Star Trek (the original).”
Favorite food: Spaghetti.
Least favorite food: Jello.
Phobias: Needles, heights, driving in the dark.
Favorite beverage: Water and coffee. About 20 years ago, I might have said beer but I don’t drink alcohol very much any more.
Favorite band: The Beatles. My sisters got me hooked on The Beatles about 60 years ago. Like with the Chiefs and Royals, I’m a lifer.
Favorite album: It’s a tie between The Beatles’ “Revolver” and “Rubber Soul.” “Sgt. Pepper” would be third, followed by Led Zeppelin “IV” and Kansas’ “Leftoverture.”
First album I bought with my own money: The Beatles “White Album.”
First album I “owned”: “Steely Dan’s “Can’t Buy A Thrill.” I borrowed the album from my sister for a junior high school music class record day and never gave it back.
Favorite songs: The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “I am the Walrus.” Kansas’ “Portrait (He Knew). I like a lot of songs.
Favorite singer(s): John, Paul, George and Ringo.
Other favorite musicians: Guitarist-singer-songwriter Kristyn Chapman (my niece).
Favorite concerts: Paul McCartney (5 times), Ringo Starr (once), Fleetwood Mac (5 times), Kansas (5 times),
Band I wish I had seen live: The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, Rush.
Musician I’d like to see while they are touring: Neil Young, Heart, Micky Dolenz.
Favorite book: “Strange But True Baseball Stories” by Furman Bisher. I bought the book for $1 and I still have it.
Favorite subject: History, politics.
Favorite quotes: “If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” — Gen. George S. Patton.
“Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we’re being run by maniacs for maniacal ends.” — John Lennon.
“Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” — Attributed to Mr. Dooley aka author Finley Peter Dunne, when referring to the press.