Chiefs New GM Dorsey brings energy, enthusiasm to first training camp with Chiefs - Page 8

**mdchiefsfan** · 07-20-2013, 10:18 AM

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/07/19...nthusiasm.html

July 19
BY VAHE GREGORIAN
The Kansas City Star

The sheer, sincere energy radiates, almost enough to make you flinch or squint, as John Dorsey walks in the room and introduces himself.

As the new Chiefs general manager prepared to embark Friday for an inspection of the operation at Missouri Western, where the team begins training camp with a trickle Monday and in earnest on Friday, it was hard not to get reeled in by his boyish enthusiasm.

He spoke of the franchise being a “crown jewel” once it’s awakened and vowed he “will not rest” until then. He talked of an organization that is “symmetrically aligned” and of the good people he is working with — “You can feel that around here ” — in the aftermath of a reign of error that he isn’t interested in addressing.

“I don’t live in the past; I live in the present and look forward to the future,” Dorsey said. “I’ll learn from the past, but I won’t live in it. I am who I am.”

And who he is couldn’t contain his anticipation of the home opener against Dallas on Sept. 15.

“Here’s what I can’t wait to hear,” he says, before bellowing out a somewhat disturbing, impossible-to-describe roaring sound. “These fans are unbelievable. I mean, I just want to hear them cranked up.”

Toward that end, here’s what he says fans should look for in the first year of the new regime of Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid.

“Everybody should expect a team that will be very competitive, that will represent the brand of the Kansas City Chiefs and what it stands for,” he said. “You’re going to see a bunch of guys that are excited and competitive and are going to compete their (tails) off for the AFC West — and rightfully so.

“That’s what you should be doing. That’s why you’re in the business.

“And you’re going to see a group of guys who are going to come together like a big family,” he adds, meshing the fingers of both hands together, “and the closeness in the locker room can buy you (victories).

“We’re all in this together; everybody’s on the same page.”

If that proves true in the long haul, it will an achievement in itself after the splintering within under predecessor Scott Pioli.

But by way of example, Dorsey points first to Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and president Mark Donovan, speaking of each with admiration and later illustrating the flow chart by finding four Styrofoam plates and arranging them with Hunt represented at the top and Donovan, Reid and himself on the same line.

“The structure that Clark has set up, it works, it really does,” he said, adding that they have worked to create a “belief system” together. “Listen, not one guy has all the answers, but collectively, if you can take everybody together, the fist is much more powerful than (a finger).”

He added, “I know my strengths and weaknesses, but I’ll find the solution. Does that make sense? Just give me a little time and some patience, and I’ll use every resource available and I’ll find the solution.”

While Dorsey stressed the essentials of cooperation and communication throughout the organization, top to bottom, the dynamic that will be most evident and likely most vital to the franchise’s future after years of futility will be the one between Reid and him.

The duo became close during their time together in Green Bay, where Reid was an assistant from 1992-98 before his 14-year run as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles ended with a 4-12 campaign a year ago.

“Andy and I talk three times a day, even on vacation; we’re like two brothers,” he says, pulling out his cell phone to show a picture of his 2-year-old, “Baby Jack,” eating watermelon that he recently texted Reid. “That’s what we share; that’s part of the friendship, and that’s we do.

“We communicate. In the positions were in, and this includes Clark and Mark as well, we’re in constant communication. Constant communication makes effective organizations, and that’s the way it is.”

For a more tangible illustration of how that plays out, Dorsey retraced the steps of how they went about going after quarterback Alex Smith from the 49ers.

“The coaches did their evaluation, overall assessment of the team. We (in personnel) did our overall assessment of the team,” said Dorsey, who had spent most of the last two decades making his mark with the Packers in that capacity. “That way everybody gets a separate, objective opinion. Then Andy and I sat and talked, and it was interesting because we both were spot-on … about our needs.

“So then I assessed all of the quarterback pool there was, in the NFL and in college. I assessed it, then I ranked them, I broke them down. And it wasn’t even close. Alex Smith was the only option.”

The division of labor, Dorsey said, also should benefit Reid.

“I think it’s huge. His plate was full when he was in Philly, now; I mean, really full,” he said. “And the way that Clark has structured it, my job is to bring the chess pieces to the game and say, ‘There you go, big boy, let’s go play.’ ”

With a smile, he added that Reid is a “pretty good offensive schemer” — who will have more time for that again — among his other attributes.

“He is a gentleman; he is a leader. Andy’s really good at molding young men,” he said. “You know why? Because he is honest, he’s truthful. Guys believe in him. He’s going to tell it like it is, good or bad.”

His own upbeat aura notwithstanding, Dorsey has that in him, too.

He knows he’s in a honeymoon phase, of course, and he might prefer to undersell and overdeliver.

“I just wish the fans would taper down,” he said, smiling but maybe not quite joking. “I know they’re excited, but this is a marathon, not a sprint. It can’t happen overnight.”

That may most aptly be summed up by the fact that 53 of the 90 names on the Chiefs’ training camp roster are new.

“I’m just throwing this number out there flippantly, but the average shifting is probably 20,” Dorsey said. “But when you’re 2-14, you better do something.”

But even if he does consider himself a realist, even if he acknowledges “you never know what you have” until you see it, Dorsey is thrilled to be in the thick of the transition on the eve of his first Chiefs camp.

“It’s a new season,” he said. “I want to see this team (and) who they really are.”

And no matter who it is and how far it has to go, he adds, “When we wake up in the morning, that’s why we’re here, to not only make ourselves better but make our community better. Let’s do something special today.”

**DaneMcCloud** · 07-21-2013, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

C'mon, man.

If you really want to tie it the the QB position, then it's an acronym for those who refuse to admit that you don't win anything of importance without an elite or near-elite franchise QB.

I'm not sure how much you were here from January to the end of April, but anyone, including myself, that didn't think the Chiefs should select anyone but Geno Smith at 1.1, was called a "True Fan".

True story.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

You have to have an elite defense and running game to even have a slim chance when you're QB is limited.

To be honest, I don't know how "QB limited" is defined around here anymore. I don't think Flacco is Elite, yet he just won a Super Bowl. I don't think Matt Ryan is Elite (especially given his plethora of offensive weapons), yet people here think he's a sure-fire Hall of Famer. Andy Dalton is considered a "Game Manager" by most in this forum, yet his stats his first two seasons are better than Matt Ryan's and he has the same number of playoff appearances and wins as Ryan's first and second season.

I believe there are about five guys in the league that should be considered "Elite", meaning they have the ability to put their team on their back when necessary, and pull out a win. The rest are just a product of the system and pieces in place around them.

O.city · 07-21-2013, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I'm not sure how much you were here from January to the end of April, but anyone, including myself, that didn't think the Chiefs should select anyone but Geno Smith at 1.1, was called a "True Fan".

True story.

To be honest, I don't know how "QB limited" is defined around here anymore. I don't think Flacco is Elite, yet he just won a Super Bowl. I don't think Matt Ryan is Elite (especially given his plethora of offensive weapons), yet people here think he's a sure-fire Hall of Famer. Any Dalton is considered a "Game Manager" by many, yet his stats his first two seasons are better than Matt Ryan's and he has the same number of playoff appearances and wins as Ryan's first and second season.

I believe there are about five guys in the league that should be considered "Elite", meaning they have the ability to put their team on their back when necessary, and pull out a win. The rest are just a product of the system and pieces in place around them.

Agree.

And you're still an idiot for not wanting Geno Smith. What a dumbass you are.

Eleazar · 07-21-2013, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

"True Fan" has now become an acronym for anyone that didn't want to draft a QB at 1.1, despite the fact that no QB was worthy of 1.1.

More so, using that acronym shows the level of football intelligence of the member using it, i.e., dumbass.

Well, maybe we should have just drafted Geno Smith at 1.1... then we'd have a QBOTF instead of a retread...

**DaneMcCloud** · 07-21-2013, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

To be honest, I don't know how "QB limited" is defined around here anymore. I don't think Flacco is Elite, yet he just won a Super Bowl.

Back to Flacco, I realize that winning a Super Bowl often implies that a QB is "Elite" and it could be argued, even by me, that Flacco is an elite QB.

But that said, for some reason, I vacillate between elite and nearly elite with him. I have no dislike of the man and I'm familiar with his success, it's just for me, one day I think he's elite, the next day I don't.

He's a tough call for me.

**DaneMcCloud** · 07-21-2013, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cochise

Well, maybe we should have just drafted Geno Smith at 1.1... then we'd have a QBOTF instead of a retread...

Yeah, that would be awesome! Draft a guy at 1.1 that has trouble with the snap count and huddle presence (i.e., can't get a play called in time) that can't beat out Mark Sanchez.

What a bunch of nitwits.

**Mav** · 07-21-2013, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Back to Flacco, I realize that winning a Super Bowl often implies that a QB is "Elite" and it could be argued, even by me, that Flacco is an elite QB.

But that said, for some reason, I vacillate between elite and nearly elite with him. I have no dislike of the man and I'm familiar with his success, it's just for me, one day I think he's elite, the next day I don't.

He's a tough call for me.

Im like that with Flacco as well. I think he played at an ELITE LEVEL in the playoffs. But, I don't think on a consistent basis that he is Elite.

Not to the level of Peyton, Tom, Aaron, and Drew.

Eleazar · 07-21-2013, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

If Smith sucks bad enough to where they draft a guy early next season, they'll be drafting pretty high. It's going to take a pretty bad season for them to move on after a year.

Therefor, if they draft a guy say in the top or early in the first round next year, he's the starter.

If Smith is terrible the team will probably be 5-11, 6-10, etc... I don't think we lose in that situation.

Most years you could get a QB in the middle of the first that would be clearly superior to anyone in the draft last year.

On the other hand, if we'd have reached for a QB this year we'd owe that middling prospect 2 or 3 years to try to figure football out.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 07-21-2013, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I'm not sure how much you were here from January to the end of April, but anyone, including myself, that didn't think the Chiefs should select anyone but Geno Smith at 1.1, was called a "True Fan".

True story.

To be honest, I don't know how "QB limited" is defined around here anymore. I don't think Flacco is Elite, yet he just won a Super Bowl. I don't think Matt Ryan is Elite (especially given his plethora of offensive weapons), yet people here think he's a sure-fire Hall of Famer. Andy Dalton is considered a "Game Manager" by most in this forum, yet his stats his first two seasons are better than Matt Ryan's and he has the same number of playoff appearances and wins as Ryan's first and second season.

I believe there are about five guys in the league that should be considered "Elite", meaning they have the ability to put their team on their back when necessary, and pull out a win. The rest are just a product of the system and pieces in place around them.

Ryan, Flacco and Dalton are certainly not limited - and I sure as hell don't view them as game managers.

Those are the type of guys that the membership nitpicks to death, yet if they were the QB in KC, they'd be treated as royalty.

Game Manager: An NFL QB who plays the game not to lose, instead of to win. Would rather dump the ball off than take a chance with a big play - because they either lack the skill and/or the confidence to do so. A QB who requires the OC to go full Houdini to mask their deficiencies. A QB you will not win a championship with unless he has a Top 5 running game, a 2000 Ravens defense, and a horseshoe implanted firmly in his ass.

**Mav** · 07-21-2013, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cochise

Well, maybe we should have just drafted Geno Smith at 1.1... then we'd have a QBOTF instead of a retread...

But but, if he sucked that bad, they could always draft the NEXT QBOTF NEXT YEAR!!!!

Real Fans logic.........

O.city · 07-21-2013, 02:28 PM

Rodgers, Brady, Manning, Brees are the elites, who have the ability and consistency to play at an elite level all the time.

Guys like Flacco, Eli, Big Ben, etc have the elite ability and can play at an elite level, but don't hold that level that long and when they don't, they have to have guys around them make plays.

**Mav** · 07-21-2013, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cochise

If Smith is terrible the team will probably be 5-11, 6-10, etc... I don't think we lose in that situation.

Most years you could get a QB in the middle of the first that would be clearly superior to anyone in the draft last year.

On the other hand, if we'd have reached for a QB this year we'd owe that middling prospect 2 or 3 years to try to figure football out.

And, you would have that second rounder next year as well, that if need be, can be moved so you can move up to grab a qb if its that bad.

It wont be though. The 49ers will get your next years second rounder. The chiefs are winning more than 8 games.

**Mav** · 07-21-2013, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

Rodgers, Brady, Manning, Brees are the elites, who have the ability and consistency to play at an elite level all the time.

Guys like Flacco, Eli, Big Ben, etc have the elite ability and can play at an elite level, but don't hold that level that long and when they don't, they have to have guys around them make plays.

Glad at least we can agree on something.

**BigMeatballDave** · 07-21-2013, 02:30 PM

Elite QBs

Rodgers
Brees
Peyton Manning
Roethlisburger
Brady

O.city · 07-21-2013, 02:31 PM

I dont' really see alot of middle ground this year though. I think we'll either be bad or pretty good. I don't think we'll be mediocre.

Alex Smith in Andy Reid's offense, however or whatever wrinkles he adds, will either excel at throwing the football or will be lost, because in the end, he's going to be asked to throw the football in a pass happy offense.

O.city · 07-21-2013, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueFanDave

Elite QBs

Rodgers
Brees
Peyton Manning
Roethlisburger
Brady

One of these things is not like the others.

07-20-2013, 10:18 AM
mdchiefsfan Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Casino cash: $683904	New GM Dorsey brings energy, enthusiasm to first training camp with Chiefs http://www.kansascity.com/2013/07/19...nthusiasm.html July 19 BY VAHE GREGORIAN The Kansas City Star The sheer, sincere energy radiates, almost enough to make you flinch or squint, as John Dorsey walks in the room and introduces himself. As the new Chiefs general manager prepared to embark Friday for an inspection of the operation at Missouri Western, where the team begins training camp with a trickle Monday and in earnest on Friday, it was hard not to get reeled in by his boyish enthusiasm. He spoke of the franchise being a “crown jewel” once it’s awakened and vowed he “will not rest” until then. He talked of an organization that is “symmetrically aligned” and of the good people he is working with — “You can feel that around here ” — in the aftermath of a reign of error that he isn’t interested in addressing. “I don’t live in the past; I live in the present and look forward to the future,” Dorsey said. “I’ll learn from the past, but I won’t live in it. I am who I am.” And who he is couldn’t contain his anticipation of the home opener against Dallas on Sept. 15. “Here’s what I can’t wait to hear,” he says, before bellowing out a somewhat disturbing, impossible-to-describe roaring sound. “These fans are unbelievable. I mean, I just want to hear them cranked up.” Toward that end, here’s what he says fans should look for in the first year of the new regime of Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid. “Everybody should expect a team that will be very competitive, that will represent the brand of the Kansas City Chiefs and what it stands for,” he said. “You’re going to see a bunch of guys that are excited and competitive and are going to compete their (tails) off for the AFC West — and rightfully so. “That’s what you should be doing. That’s why you’re in the business. “And you’re going to see a group of guys who are going to come together like a big family,” he adds, meshing the fingers of both hands together, “and the closeness in the locker room can buy you (victories). “We’re all in this together; everybody’s on the same page.” If that proves true in the long haul, it will an achievement in itself after the splintering within under predecessor Scott Pioli. But by way of example, Dorsey points first to Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and president Mark Donovan, speaking of each with admiration and later illustrating the flow chart by finding four Styrofoam plates and arranging them with Hunt represented at the top and Donovan, Reid and himself on the same line. “The structure that Clark has set up, it works, it really does,” he said, adding that they have worked to create a “belief system” together. “Listen, not one guy has all the answers, but collectively, if you can take everybody together, the fist is much more powerful than (a finger).” He added, “I know my strengths and weaknesses, but I’ll find the solution. Does that make sense? Just give me a little time and some patience, and I’ll use every resource available and I’ll find the solution.” While Dorsey stressed the essentials of cooperation and communication throughout the organization, top to bottom, the dynamic that will be most evident and likely most vital to the franchise’s future after years of futility will be the one between Reid and him. The duo became close during their time together in Green Bay, where Reid was an assistant from 1992-98 before his 14-year run as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles ended with a 4-12 campaign a year ago. “Andy and I talk three times a day, even on vacation; we’re like two brothers,” he says, pulling out his cell phone to show a picture of his 2-year-old, “Baby Jack,” eating watermelon that he recently texted Reid. “That’s what we share; that’s part of the friendship, and that’s we do. “We communicate. In the positions were in, and this includes Clark and Mark as well, we’re in constant communication. Constant communication makes effective organizations, and that’s the way it is.” For a more tangible illustration of how that plays out, Dorsey retraced the steps of how they went about going after quarterback Alex Smith from the 49ers. “The coaches did their evaluation, overall assessment of the team. We (in personnel) did our overall assessment of the team,” said Dorsey, who had spent most of the last two decades making his mark with the Packers in that capacity. “That way everybody gets a separate, objective opinion. Then Andy and I sat and talked, and it was interesting because we both were spot-on … about our needs. “So then I assessed all of the quarterback pool there was, in the NFL and in college. I assessed it, then I ranked them, I broke them down. And it wasn’t even close. Alex Smith was the only option.” The division of labor, Dorsey said, also should benefit Reid. “I think it’s huge. His plate was full when he was in Philly, now; I mean, really full,” he said. “And the way that Clark has structured it, my job is to bring the chess pieces to the game and say, ‘There you go, big boy, let’s go play.’ ” With a smile, he added that Reid is a “pretty good offensive schemer” — who will have more time for that again — among his other attributes. “He is a gentleman; he is a leader. Andy’s really good at molding young men,” he said. “You know why? Because he is honest, he’s truthful. Guys believe in him. He’s going to tell it like it is, good or bad.” His own upbeat aura notwithstanding, Dorsey has that in him, too. He knows he’s in a honeymoon phase, of course, and he might prefer to undersell and overdeliver. “I just wish the fans would taper down,” he said, smiling but maybe not quite joking. “I know they’re excited, but this is a marathon, not a sprint. It can’t happen overnight.” That may most aptly be summed up by the fact that 53 of the 90 names on the Chiefs’ training camp roster are new. “I’m just throwing this number out there flippantly, but the average shifting is probably 20,” Dorsey said. “But when you’re 2-14, you better do something.” But even if he does consider himself a realist, even if he acknowledges “you never know what you have” until you see it, Dorsey is thrilled to be in the thick of the transition on the eve of his first Chiefs camp. “It’s a new season,” he said. “I want to see this team (and) who they really are.” And no matter who it is and how far it has to go, he adds, “When we wake up in the morning, that’s why we’re here, to not only make ourselves better but make our community better. Let’s do something special today.”
Posts: 10,794

07-21-2013, 02:28 PM	#115
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $-645936	Rodgers, Brady, Manning, Brees are the elites, who have the ability and consistency to play at an elite level all the time. Guys like Flacco, Eli, Big Ben, etc have the elite ability and can play at an elite level, but don't hold that level that long and when they don't, they have to have guys around them make plays.
Posts: 84,203

07-21-2013, 02:30 PM	#118
BigMeatballDave GBM 8-12-15 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Dayton, Oh. Casino cash: $10052154	Elite QBs Rodgers Brees Peyton Manning Roethlisburger Brady
Posts: 59,997

07-21-2013, 02:31 PM	#119
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $-645936	I dont' really see alot of middle ground this year though. I think we'll either be bad or pretty good. I don't think we'll be mediocre. Alex Smith in Andy Reid's offense, however or whatever wrinkles he adds, will either excel at throwing the football or will be lost, because in the end, he's going to be asked to throw the football in a pass happy offense.
Posts: 84,203