Chiefs Mellinger:Amnesia alone won’t help Chiefs - Page 3

**Tribal Warfare** · 07-27-2013, 06:55 PM

Amnesia alone won’t help Chiefs
By SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star
Eric Berry is a thoughtful man, conscientious about both football and life, but at the moment he might as well be closing his eyes and covering his ears and yelling NA-NA-NA-I’M-NOT-LISTENING-NA-NA-NA!!!

Go ahead, try the Chiefs’ star safety. A reporter did this the other day at training camp. Asked a question which included the words “last year” and, well, those are the last words of the question.

“We ain’t talking about last year,” Berry interrupts.

The reporter tries to clarify.

“Yeah, I’m not talking about last year,” Berry interrupts again. “We’re excited about this year, where we’re going and the direction we’re headed, so I don’t want to compare the two.”

A second reporter jumps in for the save. Tells Berry the question is about his surgically repaired knee a year ago, and whether it feels stronger now — not about what turned out to be his embarrassingly bad team a year ago.

“Oh,” Berry says. “It’s a total difference.”

There are as many ways of moving on as there are things we want to move on from. And as far as things worth moving on from, the 2012 Chiefs are toward the top of the list, even above skinny jeans, the word “swag” and Justin Bieber.

For Kansas City, last year’s Chiefs are like that gas station sushi you tried a few years back. You regretted it immediately and wanted desperately to forget about it, except that it made you intensely sick.

So we can all understand what the Chiefs are doing here — can all see the motivation in what is obviously an organization directive to pretend that last year never happened. Who wants to talk about their worst moment? How often does your friend from college bring up the night he slept in the yard?

“For me, as well as everyone else, last year is last year,” Dexter McCluster says. “It’s in the past. Don’t want to think about it.”

This is, very clearly, a talking point for the 2013 Chiefs. As far as they’re concerned, there was a break in the time continuum, basically. The 2-14 record, the league’s worst offense, the angry letters to Clark Hunt, the banners flying over Arrowhead Stadium on game days, Jovan Belcher’s unthinkable murder-suicide. None of it ever happened, if you believe the company talking points.

Berry and McCluster won’t ever forget the misery, no matter what they say, but for a lot of their teammates last year actually didn’t happen.

The Chiefs have a new head coach, a new quarterback, a new general manager, new coordinators, new cornerbacks, new linemen, new receivers, new perspective. Fifty-five of the 90 players in camp weren’t part of the 2012 disaster. That’s one of the highest turnover rates in the league.

This is a good thing, for purposes of both football and otherwise. The team clearly stunk, and the stink was bad enough to require evacuation for many and fumigation for the rest.

The Chiefs have good players. Too good to go 2-14, anyway. They all understand this, and have apparently decided that not talking about last year is part of the best plan to make sure last year doesn’t happen again.

That’s fine. Their choice. These are just words.

But aside from quarterback Alex Smith, an overwhelming majority of the Chiefs’ most important players have vivid, personal memories of last year’s misery — the one that anyone who would answer calls the worst year of their professional lives.

The difference between the 2012 Chiefs and this year’s version isn’t limited to the names on the back of the jerseys.

Besides the new players and coaches there is also a new pace. Quicker. Constant. No sitting. We are still in the embryonic stage of training camp, and the Chiefs have already installed completely new playbooks and schemes on both offense and defense.

In that way, what coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey are attempting isn’t just a rehab — it’s more like a complete tear-down and buildup, all in the time it takes for the Men In Black guys to use those awesome memory erasers.

There is no way to know whether this will work until the games start, of course. Today marks the first day of pads, and there aren’t many things football men put less stock into than what players look like in shorts.

What we can do, for now, is judge how the Chiefs made it from the end of last year’s shame to the beginning of this year’s hope. Chairman Clark Hunt made it clear that the failure of 2012 was unacceptable, and moved quickly.

Fired Romeo Crennel, hired Reid. Fired Scott Pioli, hired Dorsey. Together, they fired Matt Cassel and traded for Smith. There is too much talent on defense for last year’s 13 takeaways to be acceptable, so Reid brought in former Jets assistant Bob Sutton to attack. If the company line in training camp is for guys to pretend last year didn’t happen, it comes after an offseason with the men in charge changing everything but the uniforms.

The recent history of teams coming off 2-14 seasons is short on major success stories. Last year’s Colts are the only ones in the last decade to make the playoffs or have a winning record. All together, the 10 teams averaged 5.7 wins.

The Chiefs have enough talent, and have made enough changes to believe this will be a much better season. Competitive, at least. Their first preseason game is in less than two weeks. Their first real game is four weeks after that. So the Chiefs can keep on pretending last year didn’t happen.

Soon enough, we’ll know whether this is just PR spin. Because what’s important isn’t if they can fool themselves into believing last year happened.

It’s whether doing so helps many who were key players in that awfulness avoid a sequel.

DTLB58 · 07-27-2013, 07:37 PM

I think if the core players on this team now ever see success as in a playoff win they are going to be so ecstatic...We have sucked for so long...Damn I'm ready for some more good. I can't believe it's been 20 years since I was rolling around screaming with my son on the living room floor as we beat Houston in our last playoff win!

R8RFAN · 07-27-2013, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTLB58

I think if the core players on this team now ever see success as in a playoff win they are going to be so ecstatic...We have sucked for so long...Damn I'm ready for some more good. I can't believe it's been 20 years since I was rolling around screaming with my son on the living room floor as we beat Houston in our last playoff win!

Maybe the next time it can be Raiders vs Chiefs for a shot to go to the SB

AussieChiefsFan · 07-27-2013, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R8ers

Maybe the next time it can be Raiders vs Chiefs for a shot to go to the SB

Oh man that would be crazy.

**Easy 6** · 07-27-2013, 07:47 PM

I liked this insofar that both he and Teicher are going back to conservative realism, instead of puffing up every single decent sign they see or are told to see.

You gotta admit, the homerism quotient from the Star has seen a dramatic decrease lately.

Mr. Laz · 07-27-2013, 07:47 PM

i bet Mellinger sucks his own cock.

Sweet Daddy Hate · 07-27-2013, 08:49 PM

Mellinger has lost his edge, and is now pure ****ing garbage. Horrible read.

**The Bad Guy** · 07-27-2013, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R8ers

No big deal but I bet the Raiders do beat out the Chiefs this year for 3rd with a record of 6-10

I just went through the Raiders and Chiefs rosters and there's not one position I'd rather have a Raiders player except for the center.

The Raiders are the worst team in the NFL. Bar none. Hands down.

AussieChiefsFan · 07-27-2013, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

I just went through the Raiders and Chiefs rosters and there's not one position I'd rather have a Raiders player except for the center.

The Raiders are the worst team in the NFL. Bar none. Hands down.

mhmm

MMXcalibur · 07-27-2013, 10:47 PM

Every Chiefs fan in existence tried to forget the 2012 season DURING the 2012 season through as much alcohol consumption as possible.

Going forward with the talent we do have though, the best course of action is to probably just pretend last year's abortion never occurred.

What a train wreck.

BlackHelicopters · 07-28-2013, 06:23 AM

It's the Chiefs fans who need memory loss.

**mdchiefsfan** · 07-28-2013, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R8ers

No big deal but I bet the Raiders do beat out the Chiefs this year for 3rd with a record of 6-10

**Rausch** · 07-28-2013, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R8ers

No big deal but I bet the Raiders do beat out the Chiefs this year for 3rd with a record of 6-10

The Raiders are easily the least talented team in the NFL.

By far...

**notorious** · 07-28-2013, 06:56 AM

R8ers, save the good smack-talk for the season.

Of course, I see you have several bites already........

Eleazar · 07-28-2013, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

Depends on what you're into I guess. The entire article basically says "The Chiefs don't want to think about a shitty season, but that's not good enough to win games."

How enlightening.

I agree with what you're saying though. I don't think the star reporters have any special football insight to offer. They just have access, so the quotes are what their stories are about.

**notorious** · 07-28-2013, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R8ers

I think the Chiefs will DOUBLE their win total from last year

Have you seen our QB?!

The sky is the limit, so I think he will triple the wins.

07-27-2013, 06:55 PM
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-2797187	Mellinger:Amnesia alone won’t help Chiefs Amnesia alone won’t help Chiefs By SAM MELLINGER The Kansas City Star Eric Berry is a thoughtful man, conscientious about both football and life, but at the moment he might as well be closing his eyes and covering his ears and yelling NA-NA-NA-I’M-NOT-LISTENING-NA-NA-NA!!! Go ahead, try the Chiefs’ star safety. A reporter did this the other day at training camp. Asked a question which included the words “last year” and, well, those are the last words of the question. “We ain’t talking about last year,” Berry interrupts. The reporter tries to clarify. “Yeah, I’m not talking about last year,” Berry interrupts again. “We’re excited about this year, where we’re going and the direction we’re headed, so I don’t want to compare the two.” A second reporter jumps in for the save. Tells Berry the question is about his surgically repaired knee a year ago, and whether it feels stronger now — not about what turned out to be his embarrassingly bad team a year ago. “Oh,” Berry says. “It’s a total difference.” There are as many ways of moving on as there are things we want to move on from. And as far as things worth moving on from, the 2012 Chiefs are toward the top of the list, even above skinny jeans, the word “swag” and Justin Bieber. For Kansas City, last year’s Chiefs are like that gas station sushi you tried a few years back. You regretted it immediately and wanted desperately to forget about it, except that it made you intensely sick. So we can all understand what the Chiefs are doing here — can all see the motivation in what is obviously an organization directive to pretend that last year never happened. Who wants to talk about their worst moment? How often does your friend from college bring up the night he slept in the yard? “For me, as well as everyone else, last year is last year,” Dexter McCluster says. “It’s in the past. Don’t want to think about it.” This is, very clearly, a talking point for the 2013 Chiefs. As far as they’re concerned, there was a break in the time continuum, basically. The 2-14 record, the league’s worst offense, the angry letters to Clark Hunt, the banners flying over Arrowhead Stadium on game days, Jovan Belcher’s unthinkable murder-suicide. None of it ever happened, if you believe the company talking points. Berry and McCluster won’t ever forget the misery, no matter what they say, but for a lot of their teammates last year actually didn’t happen. The Chiefs have a new head coach, a new quarterback, a new general manager, new coordinators, new cornerbacks, new linemen, new receivers, new perspective. Fifty-five of the 90 players in camp weren’t part of the 2012 disaster. That’s one of the highest turnover rates in the league. This is a good thing, for purposes of both football and otherwise. The team clearly stunk, and the stink was bad enough to require evacuation for many and fumigation for the rest. The Chiefs have good players. Too good to go 2-14, anyway. They all understand this, and have apparently decided that not talking about last year is part of the best plan to make sure last year doesn’t happen again. That’s fine. Their choice. These are just words. But aside from quarterback Alex Smith, an overwhelming majority of the Chiefs’ most important players have vivid, personal memories of last year’s misery — the one that anyone who would answer calls the worst year of their professional lives. The difference between the 2012 Chiefs and this year’s version isn’t limited to the names on the back of the jerseys. Besides the new players and coaches there is also a new pace. Quicker. Constant. No sitting. We are still in the embryonic stage of training camp, and the Chiefs have already installed completely new playbooks and schemes on both offense and defense. In that way, what coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey are attempting isn’t just a rehab — it’s more like a complete tear-down and buildup, all in the time it takes for the Men In Black guys to use those awesome memory erasers. There is no way to know whether this will work until the games start, of course. Today marks the first day of pads, and there aren’t many things football men put less stock into than what players look like in shorts. What we can do, for now, is judge how the Chiefs made it from the end of last year’s shame to the beginning of this year’s hope. Chairman Clark Hunt made it clear that the failure of 2012 was unacceptable, and moved quickly. Fired Romeo Crennel, hired Reid. Fired Scott Pioli, hired Dorsey. Together, they fired Matt Cassel and traded for Smith. There is too much talent on defense for last year’s 13 takeaways to be acceptable, so Reid brought in former Jets assistant Bob Sutton to attack. If the company line in training camp is for guys to pretend last year didn’t happen, it comes after an offseason with the men in charge changing everything but the uniforms. The recent history of teams coming off 2-14 seasons is short on major success stories. Last year’s Colts are the only ones in the last decade to make the playoffs or have a winning record. All together, the 10 teams averaged 5.7 wins. The Chiefs have enough talent, and have made enough changes to believe this will be a much better season. Competitive, at least. Their first preseason game is in less than two weeks. Their first real game is four weeks after that. So the Chiefs can keep on pretending last year didn’t happen. Soon enough, we’ll know whether this is just PR spin. Because what’s important isn’t if they can fool themselves into believing last year happened. It’s whether doing so helps many who were key players in that awfulness avoid a sequel.
Posts: 43,424

07-27-2013, 07:37 PM	#31
DTLB58 DT CARD COLLECTOR Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: ManCave Casino cash: $10005837	I think if the core players on this team now ever see success as in a playoff win they are going to be so ecstatic...We have sucked for so long...Damn I'm ready for some more good. I can't believe it's been 20 years since I was rolling around screaming with my son on the living room floor as we beat Houston in our last playoff win! __________________ 667 Different DT cards and counting
Posts: 7,574

07-27-2013, 07:47 PM	#34
Easy 6 pie is never free Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: the drivers seat Casino cash: $17775	I liked this insofar that both he and Teicher are going back to conservative realism, instead of puffing up every single decent sign they see or are told to see. You gotta admit, the homerism quotient from the Star has seen a dramatic decrease lately.
Posts: 98,275

07-27-2013, 07:47 PM	#35
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $11047037	i bet Mellinger sucks his own cock. __________________
Posts: 95,626

07-27-2013, 08:49 PM	#36
Sweet Daddy Hate Unsparing Join Date: Aug 2008 Casino cash: $10004900	Mellinger has lost his edge, and is now pure **ing garbage. Horrible read. __________________ 1. Merciless, severe. 2. Given freely and generously. 100% refusal to overrate 20 year Head Coaches with ZERO ing rings as a Head Coach. CP's Official Professor of 'Dem Blues for 2019/2020!**
Posts: 77,135

07-27-2013, 10:47 PM	#39
MMXcalibur Pessimistically optimistic. Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Denver, CO Casino cash: $-144914	Every Chiefs fan in existence tried to forget the 2012 season DURING the 2012 season through as much alcohol consumption as possible. Going forward with the talent we do have though, the best course of action is to probably just pretend last year's abortion never occurred. What a train wreck.
Posts: 16,747

07-28-2013, 06:23 AM	#40
BlackHelicopters Spiraling down the Drain Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dante's Ninth Circle Casino cash: $-709412	It's the Chiefs fans who need memory loss. __________________ "We're both part of the same hypocrisy, Senator, but never think it applies to my family." "Fredo. You are my brother, and I love you. But never take sides against the Family again. Ever." 2019 Adopt a Chief - Travis Kelce #87
Posts: 33,288

07-28-2013, 06:56 AM	#43
notorious Supporter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Who knows? Casino cash: $-774116	R8ers, save the good smack-talk for the season. Of course, I see you have several bites already........
Posts: 88,504