Whitlock: Chiefs Need Change - Page 3

**DeezNutz** · 12-10-2006, 08:45 PM

J shows restraint b/c of Lamar's health, which suggests that his condition might be particularly grave now. But Gonzo's statement is a little surprising, as is JW's slap at Law (only b/c of his previous man crush). Proceed with the following: First good column in a long time...Hate to say I agree with (insert fat joke)...blah, blah, blah.

Ravens show why Chiefs need to make some changes
By Jason Whitlock

McClatchy Newspapers

(MCT)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - When it was over, after Kansas City football fans had been treated to three hours of undeniable proof of the Chiefs' playoff unworthiness, Brian Waters sat at his locker stall and preached that the season isn't over.

Waters is a warrior and a terrific leader, so his pronouncements didn't ring hollow.

But words cannot erase what we witnessed on Sunday. A real playoff team, the Baltimore Ravens, invaded Arrowhead Stadium, undressed the Chiefs and ended a decade-long December streak.

The Ravens abused KC's offensive line and Trent Green, torched the Chiefs' zone pass defense and ended Kansas City's December home winning streak with relative ease.

Ravens 20, Chiefs 10.

The Chiefs hadn't lost inside Arrowhead Stadium in December since 1996. Significant? Absolutely. The loss signifies that it's time for the Chiefs to go a different direction in terms of player personnel and, quite possibly, the people acquiring the personnel.

The Chiefs, the franchise that owned this city in the 1990s, have grown terribly stale.

We've seen this same act for 10 straight years. The Chiefs, 7-6, are always just good enough to make us believe that they might be able to sneak into the playoffs. Eight times out of 10 - and I mean this literally - the Chiefs aren't good enough to back into the playoffs, and they're certainly no threat to win a Super Bowl.

You're tired of it. I'm tired of it. And, when the players are being bone honest, they're tired, too.

"I wouldn't be bitter if they let me go," perennial Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez told me when the locker room cleared out.

Gonzalez is headed for a contract showdown with the Chiefs. He's analyzed the roster, considered KC's inability to take the next step, looked at all the young ascending players who need to get paid - Larry Johnson, Kawika Mitchell, Jared Allen - and reached the conclusion that this could be a volatile offseason in Kansas City.

Gonzalez stressed that he'd like to remain in KC.

"But right now, to me, winning is more important (than staying in KC)," Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez sounded the way Marty Schottenheimer sounded at the end of his 10-year run in Kansas City. For a decade, Gonzalez has given the Chiefs everything, and he's been rewarded with two one-and-done playoff seasons and eight years of false hope.

He sounded like a confident professional open to the idea of trying it somewhere else before his skills decline. Gonzalez's good friend, Shannon Sharpe, left Denver after 10 years and won another Super Bowl in Baltimore.

You can't blame Gonzalez for pondering the thought of playing in New Orleans, Seattle or Denver.

The Chiefs have a lot of holes to fill, and it's going to take plenty of cap space to fill those holes. The Chiefs need two defensive tackles, a young corner to replace Ty FLaw (and Ty, I still think you're a Hall of Famer; you just let me down this year), another linebacker, a No. 1 receiver, a right tackle, a fullback and, maybe, a new starting quarterback.

Hey, that's no shot at Trent Green, who had an awful game on Sunday. It's a statement about Green's age and where the Chiefs are headed. Herm Edwards believes Brodie Croyle is Kansas City's quarterback of the future (2008).

If that's the case, you can get a one-year, veteran quarterback cheaper than Green. Or maybe some other team - Carolina, Washington - would give up something of value for Green in a trade.

My point is the Chiefs should be open to every possibility this offseason. They don't need one or two pieces to contend. They need an injection of new blood and energy.

Today I'm not going to call for Carl Peterson to step down. Given Lamar Hunt's health situation and what the Hunt family is dealing with at this time, it's an inappropriate time to make those sorts of demands.

And maybe Carl just needs to surrender his general-manager duties. Maybe he still has value as a president and CEO. Also, I'd like to hear from Carl about why this organization has grown stale since Schottenheimer bolted.

Not even Peterson can deny that it's time for major changes in Kansas City.

stevieray · 12-10-2006, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodDaySir!

Tony will look great in orange and blue.

and you look good in red and gold.

**007** · 12-10-2006, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevieray

and you look good in red and gold.

I never did get to see your ride today. Any pics available of it?

BigRock · 12-10-2006, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leviw

Wow, there are some awful comparisons in there, BigRock.

Really? I think they're pretty good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by leviw

First, you are comparing football to baseball.

Um... yeah. So? They're both teams in Kansas City. Neither of them has won anything in forever. One has finally made some changes on top and, maybe, possibly, perhaps, are embarking on the right path. The other, as Whitlock's column covered, is stuck in the same rut they've been in for years upon years now.

There's more of a sense of optimism for the future around the Royals right now than there is around the Chiefs. The fact that they're different sports has no relevance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by leviw

Secondly, Gonzalez has already signed one extension in KC and has produced every year. Sweeney has signed one and hasn't done shit since.

Tony's numbers are going to start going down eventually. It's just a fact of life. If he stays with KC out of loyalty, and the team keeps on going nowhere while Tony has a big cap number and declining production, he'll be the next whipping boy for the fans until the Chiefs win the Super Bowl or he retires, whichever comes first.

stevieray · 12-10-2006, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcchiefsguru

I never did get to see your ride today. Any pics available of it?

i'll get some up this week...nice meeting you today.

**007** · 12-10-2006, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevieray

i'll get some up this week...nice meeting you today.

Great meeting you also. Had always seen pics and video of ya at games. Now I can tell everyone I know, you really are nuts.

stevieray · 12-10-2006, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcchiefsguru

Great meeting you also. Had always seen pics and video of ya at games. Now I can tell everyone I know, you really are nuts.

damn straight.

dj56dt58 · 12-10-2006, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

he just copied my post...

anyways, I now hope we let Gonzo go...he deserves to win, and we need to rebuild....I hope CP can get over his ego make hard decisions - gonzo gone, Green gone - but I doubt it....

we'll cling to Green, keep Gunther, and probably over pay for Tony...and spend another year going no where...

Problem is Kc never rebuilds. Rebuilding would mean losing seasons which means less ticket/merchandise sells, which eans less money. something Carl won't have

**the Talking Can** · 12-10-2006, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj56dt58

Problem is Kc never rebuilds. Rebuilding would mean losing seasons which means less ticket/merchandise sells, which eans less money. something Carl won't have

uh, that's exactly what I said in the last line of my post

chiefsfan1963 · 12-10-2006, 10:12 PM

Sad but true. 7-9 will be a good thing for this franchise.

dj56dt58 · 12-10-2006, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

uh, that's exactly what I said in the last line of my post

was I supposed to read it or something?

KChiefs1 · 12-10-2006, 10:16 PM

time to clean house

Deberg_1990 · 12-10-2006, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott free

1) Getting rid of Trent, he's got another good year before the wheels fall off. I'm in NO hurry to see Croyle.

I agree, Trent can still play, but honestly its not working. There is no point in keeping him here while we rebuild.

Its time for him to move on.....

Thig Lyfe · 12-10-2006, 10:20 PM

Pretty good column.

In all truthfulness, only LJ, Jared, Tamba, DJ, Waters, and Colquitt absolutely need to be kept. Everybody else --and I mean everybody-- is expendable.

Even though I love Trent and Tony, and think Kawika is becoming a very good player, there's no sense in overpaying for them or taking up cap space that could be used to build from the ground up.

**DeezNutz** · 12-10-2006, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I agree, Trent can still play, but honestly its not working. There is no point in keeping him here while we rebuild.

Its time for him to move on.....

I just posted this in another thread, but I'll toss it here too to get more responses--if one can lower himself to speak to a noob, that is.

Trent's looked like hell since his return, even in the 4 td game last week. The stat line, was very misleading in this case. I'm beginning to think that, much like Dante, Trent is greatly missing the tears and hugs he routinely received from Grandpa. Don't get me wrong, Trent's a solid player and a better person, and he's certainly not a punk that will cry to the media, but I think he's out of his element and it shows.

**Easy 6** · 12-10-2006, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I agree, Trent can still play, but honestly its not working. There is no point in keeping him here while we rebuild.

Its time for him to move on.....

I guess i'm just not ready for the R word yet. I feel like we can junk a lot of dead weight, have a great draft & pickup a meaningful FA or 2 & go with it in '07.

The thought of a full-on rebuild really sucks to me.

12-10-2006, 08:45 PM
DeezNutz PermaBanned Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Jouissance Casino cash: $10011570	Whitlock: Chiefs Need Change J shows restraint b/c of Lamar's health, which suggests that his condition might be particularly grave now. But Gonzo's statement is a little surprising, as is JW's slap at Law (only b/c of his previous man crush). Proceed with the following: First good column in a long time...Hate to say I agree with (insert fat joke)...blah, blah, blah. Ravens show why Chiefs need to make some changes By Jason Whitlock McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) KANSAS CITY, Mo. - When it was over, after Kansas City football fans had been treated to three hours of undeniable proof of the Chiefs' playoff unworthiness, Brian Waters sat at his locker stall and preached that the season isn't over. Waters is a warrior and a terrific leader, so his pronouncements didn't ring hollow. But words cannot erase what we witnessed on Sunday. A real playoff team, the Baltimore Ravens, invaded Arrowhead Stadium, undressed the Chiefs and ended a decade-long December streak. The Ravens abused KC's offensive line and Trent Green, torched the Chiefs' zone pass defense and ended Kansas City's December home winning streak with relative ease. Ravens 20, Chiefs 10. The Chiefs hadn't lost inside Arrowhead Stadium in December since 1996. Significant? Absolutely. The loss signifies that it's time for the Chiefs to go a different direction in terms of player personnel and, quite possibly, the people acquiring the personnel. The Chiefs, the franchise that owned this city in the 1990s, have grown terribly stale. We've seen this same act for 10 straight years. The Chiefs, 7-6, are always just good enough to make us believe that they might be able to sneak into the playoffs. Eight times out of 10 - and I mean this literally - the Chiefs aren't good enough to back into the playoffs, and they're certainly no threat to win a Super Bowl. You're tired of it. I'm tired of it. And, when the players are being bone honest, they're tired, too. "I wouldn't be bitter if they let me go," perennial Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez told me when the locker room cleared out. Gonzalez is headed for a contract showdown with the Chiefs. He's analyzed the roster, considered KC's inability to take the next step, looked at all the young ascending players who need to get paid - Larry Johnson, Kawika Mitchell, Jared Allen - and reached the conclusion that this could be a volatile offseason in Kansas City. Gonzalez stressed that he'd like to remain in KC. "But right now, to me, winning is more important (than staying in KC)," Gonzalez said. Gonzalez sounded the way Marty Schottenheimer sounded at the end of his 10-year run in Kansas City. For a decade, Gonzalez has given the Chiefs everything, and he's been rewarded with two one-and-done playoff seasons and eight years of false hope. He sounded like a confident professional open to the idea of trying it somewhere else before his skills decline. Gonzalez's good friend, Shannon Sharpe, left Denver after 10 years and won another Super Bowl in Baltimore. You can't blame Gonzalez for pondering the thought of playing in New Orleans, Seattle or Denver. The Chiefs have a lot of holes to fill, and it's going to take plenty of cap space to fill those holes. The Chiefs need two defensive tackles, a young corner to replace Ty FLaw (and Ty, I still think you're a Hall of Famer; you just let me down this year), another linebacker, a No. 1 receiver, a right tackle, a fullback and, maybe, a new starting quarterback. Hey, that's no shot at Trent Green, who had an awful game on Sunday. It's a statement about Green's age and where the Chiefs are headed. Herm Edwards believes Brodie Croyle is Kansas City's quarterback of the future (2008). If that's the case, you can get a one-year, veteran quarterback cheaper than Green. Or maybe some other team - Carolina, Washington - would give up something of value for Green in a trade. My point is the Chiefs should be open to every possibility this offseason. They don't need one or two pieces to contend. They need an injection of new blood and energy. Today I'm not going to call for Carl Peterson to step down. Given Lamar Hunt's health situation and what the Hunt family is dealing with at this time, it's an inappropriate time to make those sorts of demands. And maybe Carl just needs to surrender his general-manager duties. Maybe he still has value as a president and CEO. Also, I'd like to hear from Carl about why this organization has grown stale since Schottenheimer bolted. Not even Peterson can deny that it's time for major changes in Kansas City.
Posts: 47,521

12-10-2006, 10:12 PM	#39
chiefsfan1963 Veteran Join Date: Oct 2001 Casino cash: $10005060	Sad but true. 7-9 will be a good thing for this franchise.
Posts: 1,948

12-10-2006, 10:16 PM	#41
KChiefs1 I’m a Mahomo! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mid-Missouri Casino cash: $6771021	time to clean house __________________
Posts: 54,038

12-10-2006, 10:20 PM	#43
Thig Lyfe Banned Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Thigpen's America Casino cash: $10004900	Pretty good column. In all truthfulness, only LJ, Jared, Tamba, DJ, Waters, and Colquitt absolutely need to be kept. Everybody else --and I mean everybody-- is expendable. Even though I love Trent and Tony, and think Kawika is becoming a very good player, there's no sense in overpaying for them or taking up cap space that could be used to build from the ground up.
Posts: 25,680