Gretz: You guys have been busy (mailbag)

[NewChief]

Not sure if this is a repost or not, but it's pretty funny.
http://kcchiefs.com/news/2005/03/16/...ave_been_busy/

So it’s time to head to the mailbag, e-mail and voice-mail.



From Oscar: “Gretz, I can’t believe the Chiefs let Ty Law get out of town without signing him to a contract. Is Carl nuts? How can we not see that he’s the answer to all of our problems? Please explain this to me.”

Oscar, the going signing bonus for top-notch free agent cornerbacks is north of $10 million. Does it make sense to simply hand Law this type of money when he couldn’t run across the room right now because of the surgery on his foot? You may not like Carl Peterson’s method of doing business, or even his personnel decisions. But to throw big money at Law right now would be irresponsible.

There’s a body of opinion, and some inside Arrowhead Stadium share this, that now is the perfect time for the Chiefs to sign Law. The idea is get him signed before he heals and before the draft. After that, the market for his services may increase and so would the number he wants.

There’s only one problem with that thinking: if you were Ty Law, why would you sign on with somebody now, when there was the chance to make more money by waiting?

Like all free agents, Law supposedly wants to come to the Chiefs, or so says his agent. But the decision will be made based on one thing: money. It always comes down to the green.


Here’s several messages on the same theme; this one from homerjaygrohl@moron.com: “Gretz, I would just like to tell you that you are a complete tool. But you already know that, don’t you? Grow a pair and tell Carl he’s an arrogant *&#%. No one is buying this worthless propaganda you keep shoveling out on this site. It would do you some good to realize that, because you’re only making the entire Chiefs organization look moronic, immature and stubborn. It’s time to face facts: you guys SUCK at drafting. Carl, any fantasy football idiot could do a better job than you. You owe it to the community to hire someone who knows what he or she is doing.”

Plus this one from Gordon: “Gretz, I listen to sports talk radio all day and I have to agree with those guys: you suck. All you do is blather whatever Carl Peterson tells you to say or write. Why can’t you tell it like it is?”

Boys, boys … me thinks you might be spending too much time with your radio on. Try a CD, a tape, possibly an mp3. This steady sports talk diet is eating away at the thinking portion of your brains.

I do tell it like it is, in my opinion. Whether you choose to believe they are my opinions or not, that’s for you to decide and it really doesn’t matter to me. I’m quite secure in my thoughts and statements when it comes to professional football. I’ve been covering this game on a day-to-day basis for more than 25 years and I understand the mechanics and machinations of the sport and the business.

But homerjay and Gordon, let me ask you and the tin throats of sports talk radio one thing: why, if someone disagrees with so-called popular opinion – the agenda being pushed by the yakkers – are they considered a houseman, a homer, a lackey? Why has the level of discourse fallen to the point where we can’t agree to disagree?

I ask a question for which I already have an answer: these guys have little or no understanding of what they are talking about. They are so insecure in their knowledge of free agency and how the salary cap works and the ramifications of every step of this NFL game, that when their position is challenged, they cannot answer with fact or examples. They can only answer with name calling. In the world of sports talk radio these days, you are considered relevant only if you make the most noise, call the most names and pass yourself off as an expert.

But I’ll let you in on a little trade secret with these guys: the ones that make the most noise, the ones that call the most names, those are the most insecure yakkers, those are the guys that know they don’t know and they are scared to death that they are going to be exposed.

Enough of that, here’s one final note, this one from Christopher: “Gretz, just giving this fan’s take on the off-season. I was glad to see Vonnie come and my worries came true and so I’m glad to see him go. This is a business and the Chiefs have Vermeil one more year so let’s go for it. Not saying don’t be smart about it. Please don’t bring in Ty Law; nothing against him but he wants too much and he’s not doing the team thing; if he was he would have stayed with the champs. We obviously need a good corner, some good linebackers and some good pass rushers. I’d like to see Peterson do some work this off-season and then come up with a good draft; Carlos Rogers would be a missing link. “Go Chiefs.”

Christopher there’s no question that this off-season, with free agency and then the draft, is one of the most important around Arrowhead Stadium in many years. The Chiefs roster, organization and franchise are at a crossroads here in these seasons of 2005 and 2006. What happens over the next 18 to 24 months will drive the direction of the Chiefs for many years to come.

Vonnie Holliday was obviously a free agency disappointment; after that first game when he had three sacks he was barely a factor in the Chiefs defense. Ty Law is a good addition, but only at the right equation for his health-price. There’s no doubt the Chiefs need help on the corner; everyone including Carl Peterson understands that.

But forgotten sometimes is the improvement that comes from within. Coming up on Friday, we will take a closer look at the Chiefs returning roster and put the spotlight on a few guys that must step forward for the defense to improve.

The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.