Bob Lutz 18th annual reader survey results

My 18th annual reader survey is revealing.

Thanks to the close to 900 people who participated. I hope some of these questions made you think, because who among us doesn’t need to think more?

Check back next year for the 19th reader survey and the year after that for No. 20. Then we’ll probably re-evaluate.

Now for your answers to these 20 questions.

1. The Kansas City Chiefs made it to the playoffs last season, but struggled during the second half of the season. How far will Kansas City go in 2014?

No playoffs this time 751 83.9%

Playoffs again 139 15.5%

Super Bowl 3 0.03%

An AFC championship 2 0.02%

Bob says: Seems pretty simple now, doesn’t it? When I asked two weeks ago, there was more of a chance for the postseason. But the Chiefs haven’t looked like a team that will play in January yet.

2. Who is your favorite Wichita State Shocker basketball player?

Ron Baker 452 50.5%

Fred VanVleet 259 28.9%

Tekele Cotton 141 15.6%

Other 34 3.8%

Darius Carter 9 1.0%

Bob says: I’ll guard my pick with my life. Let’s just say all of these guys have great qualities.

3. Who is the Kansas City Royals’ most valuable player?

Alex Gordon 441 51.3%

Salvador Perez 196 22.8%

James Shields 109 12.7%

Greg Holland 72 8.4%

Wade Davis 41 4.8%

Bob says: I’ll go with Gordon, but I think you Royals fans are underselling Davis and Holland. Without those guys in the eighth and ninth innings, this team isn’t on the verge of the postseason.

4. How many major golf championships will Tiger Woods win during the rest of his career?

He’ll stay stuck on 14 338 38.0%

He’ll win one more 246 27.6%

He’ll win two more 183 20.6%

He’ll win three more 63 7.1%

He’ll catch Jack Nicklaus with 18 majors 32 3.2%

He’ll surpass Jack’s record 28 3.1%

Bob says: I hate to pick against Tiger because I love him so. But the way he’s playing, it’s hard to see him winning another major. Injuries seem to have caught up with the once-great Woods.

5. Which sport would you rather play?

Golf 353 39.5%

Pick-up basketball 242 27.1%

Softball 132 14.8%

Flag or touch football 111 12.4%

Tennis 55 6.2%

Bob says: There was a day when I had the energy to play all of these sports. Now getting out of bed is a chore. But give me golf here. Give me lots of golf.

6. Of the following, which is your favorite NFL play-by-play and analyst tandem?

Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth 402 45.7%

Joe Buck/Troy Aikman 189 21.5%

Mike Tirico/Jon Gruden 178 20.3%

Jim Nantz/Phil Simms 110 12.5%

Bob says: I go way back with the Buck family and I think Joe is outstanding. But I agree with the masses here; it’s hard to beat Michaels and Collinsworth. Thanks for not picking Nantz.

7. Todd Butler recently completed his first season as Wichita State’s baseball coach. What were your general impressions?

It’ll be uphill climb for this program, but I’m optimistic 454 51.5%

He did well considering the talent level 185 21.0%

He’s definitely the right guy to lead Shocker baseball back to the College World Series 123 13.9%

Butler is the wrong guy for the job 120 13.6%

Bob says: Tough to make a definitive statement on Butler after just one so-so season. But I think he’ll eventually get the Shockers back on solid footing. And it won’t take that long.

8. Which Kansas college player – current or recent – will have the best NBA career?

Andrew Wiggins, Kansas 336 37.9%

Cleanthony Early, Wichita State 198 22.3%

Joel Embiid, Kansas 153 17.3%

Perry Ellis, Kansas 94 10.6%

Ron Baker, Wichita State 49 5.5%

Marcus Foster, Kansas State 32 3.6%

Fred VanVleet, Wichita State 27 3.0%

Bob says: Early is an intriguing choice. He seems like a perfect fit with the Knicks, doesn’t he? Wiggins in Minnesota? Not so much. But it’s hard to go against Wiggins, the most gifted player on this list.

9. Which is your favorite public golf course in Wichita?

I don’t play golf 399 45.2%

Auburn Hills 154 17.5%

MacDonald 126 14.3%

Sim 99 11.2%

Consolver 55 6.2%

Clapp 49 5.6%

Bob says: There are a lot of times when I wish I had never played golf. My favorite is Auburn Hills.

10. How do you feel about Wichita State’s conference affiliation?

It’s time for a change 557 62.1%

The Missouri Valley Conference is where the Shockers belong 340 37.9%

Bob says: The Valley is starting to feel pretty stale, no doubt about it. But are there other feasible, logical choices for WSU? If there are, somebody please step to the forefront. Stop hiding out there. I wouldn’t be against the right kind of change, but I’m not sure it’s out there.

11. Let’s take your pulse on Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel. Will Manziel:

Struggle to produce and be gone from the league within a couple of years 418 46.8%

Become the starter for the Browns but struggle to get his career going 417 46.7%

Become a Pro Bowler who eventually leads the Browns to the playoffs multiple times 58 6.5%

Bob says: Wow, talk about a dead heat. I think Manziel will struggle to get going. But when he does, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him become a big-time quarterback. I think those who believe he’ll be out of the league soon are just Manziel haters. Don’t be a hater.

12. LeBron James has come full circle and is back with the Cleveland Cavaliers. How do you feel about LeBron?

I’ve back with LeBron but didn’t like how he left Cleveland in the first place 418 47.4%

I’ve never liked the guy 280 31.8%

I’m a big fan and always have been 183 20.8%

Bob says: I like LeBron. I’ve always liked him, except for that crazy thing he did to announce he was going to Miami. I’m willing to give him a pass on that now, though. And I’m a Cavs fan now.

13. We can all agree that George Brett is the greatest player in Kansas City Royals history. Who is No. 2?

Frank White 456 52.0%

Bret Saberhagen 202 23.0%

Mike Sweeney 53 6.0%

Willie Wilson 40 4.6%

Paul Splittorff 33 3.8%

Alex Gordon 29 3.3%

Carlos Beltran 28 3.2%

Amos Otis 26 3.0%

Dennis Leonard 10 1.1%

Bob says: As several of you reminded me, I should have put Hal McRae on this list. And perhaps Mark Gubicza. White is the obvious choice and a good choice. But I’m surprised he’s this much of an overall winner and I would suggest that people go back and look at what Willie Wilson did in Kansas City. He deserves more than 40 votes.

14. Who is the best coach in Wichita State athletics history?

Gene Stephenson, baseball 449 50.3%

Gregg Marshall, men’s basketball 326 36.5%

Ralph Miller, men’s basketball 81 9.1%

Gene Smithson, men’s basketball 24 2.7%

Steve Rainbolt, men’s and women’s track and field 7 0.8%

Chris Lamb, volleyball 5 0.5%

Bob says: Wow, Miller gets less than 10 percent of the vote? The times, they are a changin’. Certainly, Marshall is rising through the ranks with a bullet. But Stephenson is the correct answer here. He was successful for a long time and he was the architect of WSU’s baseball program.

15. Who is the best quarterback to play at either Kansas or Kansas State?

Michael Bishop, Kansas State 276 31.6%

Lynn Dickey, Kansas State 189 21.6%

Steve Grogan, Kansas State 137 15.7%

Collin Klein, Kansas State 135 15.4%

Todd Reesing, Kansas 84 9.6%

Josh Freeman, Kansas State 44 5.0%

David Jaynes, Kansas 9 1.0%

Bob says: Bishop is the best I’ve seen. And former KU quarterback John Hadl should have been on this list.

16. Which would you rather see in Wichita?

Affiliated minor-league baseball 540 60.5%

An NBA Developmental league team 194 21.7%

An Arena Football League team 78 8.7%

A higher level of minor-league hockey 46 5.2%

WNBA franchise 34 3.8%

Bob says: Wichita needs an affiliated minor-league baseball team with local ownership and a strong marketing team. Oh, and a major renovation to Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. This is the drum I’ve been beating the loudest for a few years now.

17. When you go to a sporting event, which is your biggest concern?

Ticket prices 589 66.1%

Parking 124 13.9%

Comfort and amenities 117 13.1%

Concession prices 61 6.8%

Bob says: I’ve always thought of myself as a common man, except that when I’m working I get into games with my press pass. And I get to park fairly close to the stadium or arena and sit in a comfortable chair. So this is the question in this survey that I cannot relate to. But when I retire and have to start paying, I’ll get back to you.

18. If you had to pick just one team to follow, would it be:

Wichita State basketball 379 42.2%

Kansas basketball 164 18.2%

Kansas State football 160 17.8%

Kansas City Royals baseball 75 8.3%

Kansas City Chiefs football 49 5.5%

Other 35 3.9%

Kansas State basketball 33 3.7%

Kansas football 4 0.4%

Bob says: I guess I would be an “other” here since my team of choice is the St. Louis Cardinals. But I don’t like feeling like an outcast.

19. Which City League school are you most interested in?

Carroll 187 22.6%

Northwest 87 18.3%

Heights 120 14.5%

Kapaun 108 13.0%

East 87 10.5%

West 66 8.0%

North 65 7.8%

Southeast 60 7.2%

South 49 5.9%

Bob says: My son went to North. I’ve lived in the North district for most of my adult life. I guess it’s North, but I’m a big fan of all the City League schools.

20. There has long been controversy about the nickname “Redskins.” Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has not succumbed to pressure to change the team’s nickname. Do you think the Redskins nickname should be changed?

No 613 68.8%

Yes 278 31.2%

Bob says: I’ve written on both sides of this issue. It’s a difficult one and there are good points to be made by both sides. Most recently, I wrote that the Redskins nickname should be changed. I’m sticking with that.

This story was originally published September 21, 2014 at 8:43 AM with the headline "Bob Lutz 18th annual reader survey results."