KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Perhaps the infamous "Our Time" slogan for the Royals in 2012 was simply ahead of its time.
And perhaps the slogan now more aptly defines the Royals and the Chiefs.
One of the most fascinating off-seasons in Kansas City in recent history continues to unfold, an off-season filled with headline-grabbing firings, hirings, trades, and signings that have the Kansas City faithful dreaming of the highest possibilities.
And it all seems to have been triggered by two owners apparently ready to both go all in.
First, Royals owner David Glass, often maligned for not spending enough to make the Royals competitive, stepped up to the plate last fall. He gave the OK for general manager Dayton Moore to acquire Angels right-hander Ervin Santana, a $12 million investment.
Then Glass approved the re-signing of right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, a three-year deal worth $25 million.
Then, of course, came the whopper: Glass gave the thumbs up for Moore to acquire right-handers James Shields and Wade Davis from Tampa Bay, a December trade that gave the Royals potentially their best rotation in 20 years. And it didn't come cheap. Shields' contract calls for him to make $10.5 million this season, and, with a club option, $12 million in 2014. Davis is due to make $2.8 million this year.
Moore also had the financial freedom to pick up reserve catcher George Kottaras for another $1 million and backup infielder Miguel Tejada for another $1.1 million – pocket change by today's baseball economic standards, but moves that again defied the perception that the Glass family is unwilling to spend the smallest amounts to make the team competitive.
All told, the Royals will have a franchise-record $79.5 million payroll in 2013.
Indeed, instead of the Royals' tradition of dumping salary, the team used this off-season to dramatically inflate their payroll and, at least on paper, significantly improve their chances of competing for the playoffs.
Even Moore made it clear after the Shields-Davis trade that it may not be "Our Time" in Kansas City, but the time is definitely now to make a move toward competing for the playoffs.
"You can't just keep waiting and just keep stocking your farm system for tomorrow," Moore said. "You have to suddenly decide that the time is right to start winning now. We owe that to our players and to our fans.
"We have several players, from Billy Butler to Alex Gordon to Salvy Perez to Alcides Escobar, who have committed long-term to our organization and our city. And we have to return that commitment. Ownership has given us that flexibility to compete right now."
The early results are encouraging. The Royals have started spring training in a sizzling fashion, winning 10 straight after an opening-game tie.
Across the parking lot from Kauffman Stadium, the win-now attitude also is prevalent.
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt took over as the Chiefs' chairman of the board in 2005, but for several seasons remained a hands-off owner who let his general manager make the football decisions.
All that changed after the Chiefs' dreadful 2-14 season in 2012.
First, Hunt fired coach Romeo Crennel. Then Hunt took complete control of the hiring process to find a new coach. He flew back and forth to Philadelphia, with soon-to-be lame-duck GM Scott Pioli in tow, and reeled in one of the biggest names on the NFL coaching front in Andy Reid.
Shortly thereafter, Hunt announced he was restructuring the chain of command at One Arrowhead Drive. He made it clear that from now on, the Chiefs' coach would report directly to him, not the GM.
Then Hunt fired Pioli, a move that almost certainly cost millions in terms of a settlement, whether or not you believe Pioli was given a rumored two-year contract extension last October.
With a big-named coach in the fold, Hunt sought an up-and-coming GM prospect who could work well with Reid and who shared similar visions on how to rescue the Chiefs' from the NFL depths. Hunt found John Dorsey, who tutored under Ron Wolf and Ted Thompson in Green Bay, one of the most successful franchises in the league the past 20 years.
Chiefs fans perhaps were only mildly inspired, which was understandable considering Pioli's credentials were equally impressive when Hunt hired him in 2009.
But within the last two weeks, Hunt has made it even more clear that money will not be an obstacle to the Chiefs' chances of winning.
Hunt approved the Alex Smith trade – a move that will cost the Chiefs an additional $8.5 million in 2013 (the Chiefs, though, likely will save a good portion of that when they release Matt Cassel).
And on Monday, Hunt opened his checkbook and went on a spending spree designed to keep the Chiefs' top talent in Kansas City.
In an era when it is common for NFL teams to let their own free-agents walk, Hunt did just the opposite. He gave the thumbs-up for Dorsey to lock in wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, left tackle Branden Albert and punter Dustin Colquitt.
Bowe was given a five-year deal for $56 million, according to USA Today, that has $26 million guaranteed.
The Bowe deal allowed Dorsey to then put the franchise tag on Albert, who is signed for next season at just under $10 million.
Hunt also approved the signing of Colquitt, who will become the highest-paid punter in football at $18.75 million, with $8.9 million guaranteed.
And the Bowe-Albert deals allow the Chiefs to get better through the draft as well. The Chiefs now do not have to take a left tackle with the first overall pick, and could, in theory, plug yet another hole on the team with a ready-now No. 1 pick.
The Chiefs, like the Royals, are not acting like they're in rebuilding mode.
"Andy and John both believe we have the talent to win now," Hunt said recently. "It's our job to provide the resources to continue to make that possible. We're excited about the future, about next season."
