Adam Teicher calls out Sippio Nation

[BigRock]

REGULATORS, MOUNT UP

http://chiefsblog.kansascity.com/?q=node/119

The myth of Bobby Sippio

One of the many negative aspects of last summer's visit to Chiefs camp of NFL Films and the Hard Knocks crew was that the show glorified a wide receiver of rather average talents by the name of Bobby Sippio.

I still receive regular e-mails from fans wondering why the Chiefs don't play Sippio more and why I don't write about him more. I get more questions about Sippio than about any other Chiefs player, a fact that is simply amazing considering that Dwayne Bowe, Larry Johnson, Brodie Croyle and dozens of other more interesting subjects play for this team.

So it was predictable that the hate mail would roll in today after I had the nerve to write a story in this morning's Kansas City Star detailing the contributions of some of the Chiefs' young receivers in the exhibition opener in Chicago. I wrote mainly about Maurice Price, Will Franklin and Jeff Webb.

Not a mention of Sippio. I even received a call yesterday afternoon from one of my editors wondering whether I had simply forgotten about Sippio and that he caught the winning TD. I'll pass along what I told him.

Price, Franklin and Webb did their work against Chicago starters or backups who will be with the Bears when the regular season begins. These three receivers also look like they will be playing for the Chiefs when the season starts.

Sippio did his work in the fourth quarter of a preseason game. That's the domain of guys who will be looking for jobs in another few weeks. It's a sign, Sippio fans, that your hero is going to have a tough time making the team. And he caught his three passes against players who will soon be ex-Bears.

That may not mean much to you, but I guarantee that it does to the Chiefs.

I talk regularly with Herm Edwards, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey and wide receivers coach Eric Price. None has been critical of Sippio, even off the record. But clearly they are more excited about Franklin and Price, mainly because of their speed.

Sippio isn't fast. It's why he was playing in the Arena League when he joined the Chiefs. It's why he doesn't get more playing opportunities.

I can't tell you today whether or not Sippio will make the team. My guess is that he won't. But one thing is becoming clear: the wide receivers who will play for the Chiefs when the season begins will come from this group: Bowe, Devard Darling, Franklin, Price and Webb. Not Bobby Sippio.

And that's something the billions of Bobby Sippio fans out there will just have to deal with.

News From The Future: Kansas City Star writer Adam Teicher was killed today when his brakes failed, causing his car to careen off a 50-foot cliff. Teicher actually survived the crash and exited the car, only to be hit by a meteor that had fallen from outer space. "It was almost as if he had tempted fate somehow," remarked an officer at the scene.