Gretz On Cassel: Surviving The Process

[AirForceChief]

Well written, even handed article from Bob Gretz:

There’s one thing that Matt Cassel knows, and if he doesn’t then somebody should give him the information.

Len Dawson was booed by Chiefs fans. Terry Bradshaw was booed by Steelers fans. John Elway was booed by Broncos fans. Insert name of Hall of Fame quarterback and he was booed by fans of the insert name team he played for during his career.

There were some Chiefs fans back in the day that believed Dawson didn’t take enough chances with his passes, that he threw short dinks and dunks and that he did not go down the field as much as he could have, especially since he was calling the plays. His career completion percentage of 57.1 percent, his career average of 7.7 yards per attempt and his 237 TD passes to 178 interceptions look like pretty good numbers now.

But in the day, some Chiefs followers were unhappy and they let Dawson know it, firing verbal assaults from the stands at both Municipal and Arrowhead Stadiums.

That’s a simple fact of life for an NFL starting quarterback. The scene gets played out over and over around the league. Guys like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have escaped it so far, but their careers are not over yet. They still have plenty of opportunities to throw interceptions or badly timed incompletions that will raise the vocal hackles of their fan base.

Cassel reiterated the other day that he does not read papers, watch TV sports or listen to sports talk radio. I’m sure he doesn’t spend any time on Internet sites or web forums.

“I just try to block it out,” Cassel said this week. “That is something that goes along with this job. You are always going to be tested and there is always going to be scrutiny and there is always going to be somebody saying, ‘hey, he is not good enough. He can’t do this, he can’t do that.’

“I have a job to do and right now my job is to be the quarterback of this team. I am going to go out and work hard and do everything I need to do to be productive on the field.”

If one were to take the denunciations of Cassel that have poured forth through all those media portals that he does not pay attention to, then one could make the assumption Cassel and his position as the team’s starting quarterback engenders no confidence in the Chiefs and the team’s future.

But caution should prevail in making that leap. Some unimpressed media types and a few callers to sports talk radio or posters to Internet sites do not constitute a majority of Chiefs fans. Not everyone has written him off after 15 starts for the team. While it might be more accurate to say he has not been embraced by the Chiefs Nation as a whole, it’s a stretch to paint him as the latest failure among franchise quarterbacks.

Chiefs fans for decades now have screamed and complained about the team not drafting and developing their own quarterback. Based on some of the reaction to Cassel, it’s obvious those who bled red and gold would have no more patience with a young guy than an inexperienced quarterback who came from another team. They would chew him up and spit him out in a matter of years.

And that’s the pisser in this whole thing. No position on the field requires more patience in developing a contributing player than quarterback. In fact all the other positions combined may not require the patience needed to find that franchise quarterback. Yet, it’s the position where the media, fans and even the teams struggle to deal with growth and development. It takes time to become a good quarterback, but impatience generally stops the clock dead in its tracks.

The other day Todd Haley said that as far as he’s concerned no spot on the roster is ranks ahead of another. “The inside backer in the base defense is no more important than a gunner on the punt team,” Haley said. “The more our guys think that way, the better for us.”

It’s all well and good if that kind of thinking can be created within a locker room. But everybody in that room knows, as does the head coach and his staff, the GM and his staff and the ownership family, that there is one player that IS more important, and that’s the starting quarterback.

Whether he’s a so-called franchise QB, a care-taker, a game-manager, a rookie thrown to the wolves or a grizzled veteran playing out his final NFL days, the starting quarterback is the most important player on any pro football team. No other player has a greater effect on winning or losing than the guy taking the snaps.

Consider this for a moment – Todd Haley was willing to jettison his offensive coordinator last year just 10 days before the start of the regular season because he knew the situation wasn’t going to work with Chan Gailey. Do you think if Haley thought for a minute that Cassel wasn’t up to the task, that the only quarterback the Chiefs added in the off-season would have been Tyler Palko?

Asked for areas where he’s seen improvement from his starting quarterback and Haley gets pretty vague. But Friday he identified an area that while simple, is one of the most important elements for the success of a starting quarterback.

“When he comes off the field, what he says he saw generally ends up being what it was,” Haley said. “I think that’s a real good quality to have. Even subtle things within a game, you’ll say to him why did you do this, and he’ll say this linebacker did this, the receiver stumbled, or that receiver was short, the safety did this.

“Generally it’s pretty spot on what he sees. He sees the whole field. That was something that Kurt (Warner) was phenomenal at. A quarterback has to have great vision. Matt sees what’s happening.”

Today’s game is built around the quarterbacks, and the teams that have great ones do everything they can to keep them and provide them with weapons. Those that don’t have the top-line quarterbacks are constantly searching for a player who can play the position well enough that he’s not an impediment to winning.

These are all facts of football life. Head coaches and the quarterbacks themselves know it better than anybody, but they seldom will address or recognize that point in public. The pressure is tough enough without adding more fuel to the fire with your own hose.

That’s why if you’ve listened to any of Cassel’s press conferences over the last two seasons you know that they were filled with clichés, pat and rehearsed answers, and few moments of real insight of him, the position or the team. That’s all done on purpose. Cassel can’t do anything about his name being in the headlines, but he can make sure it’s not there because of something that came out of his mouth.

Still, every so often a bit of the real Cassel leaks out. The competitor in him sneaks out of the cage and makes an appearance before he’s coaxed back into the shadows. It happened this week when Cassel was asked if he likes to prove critics wrong.

“It is always nice to have that happen but at the same time, I don’t play this game for the people that are against me and think that I can’t do it,” said Cassel. “I play the game for the people that have always believed in me. I play that game for my family, for my wife, for my mother so it really comes down to that. There are going to be people, no matter where you go or what you do, there are going to be people who look at you and say, ‘you can’t do it’.”

The tone of his voice, the jut of his jaw and the fire in his eyes as he answered the question gave away the fact that while it’s not the No. 1 motivating factor for him, the chance to show everyone he can be a successful NFL quarterback – including the naysayers – is part of what drives him.

At this point in time, we don’t know where Matt Cassel’s future will take him or the Chiefs. There have been flashes of talent and skill that indicate he has some of the necessary qualities. There have also been moments when his failures have indicated he’s not nearly consistent enough right now to lead a team to a winning season.

That’s what makes the Monday night game against San Diego so important. It’s a benchmark for the team, but especially for Cassel. Last year, the Chargers rolled into Arrowhead Stadium in October and embarrassed the Chiefs and made Cassel look very bad. San Diego won by 30 points and Cassel completed just 10 of 25 passes (40 percent) for 97 yards (3.88 yards per attempt), one TD and three interceptions. It produced a passer rating of 25.3, one of his lowest ratings of the season and his 30 games as an NFL starting quarterback.

Cassel did not get much in the way of help in that first meeting with the Chargers. He was sacked five times, the offense generated just 203 total yards and Bobby Wade was the leading receiver, catching four passes for 66 yards.

The second time the teams met last season was not much better, as the Chargers won by 29 points in San Diego. Cassel was marginally better, hitting 19 of 31 passes (61.3 percent) for 178 yards (5.74 yards per attempt), one TD and one interception.

“Once you start winning ball games and you start playing well and the team starts playing well that takes care of itself,” Cassel said.

Monday night is but one leg of a 16-segment marathon for the Chiefs and Cassel. As he was quick to say the other day, “It is week one of 16 games. I don’t think this is our Super Bowl,” Cassel said.

But it’s a huge night for Matt Cassel, because it’s a huge season for him. He must establish that he has the consistency and the ability to lead the Chiefs to winning performances. The time is now.

[Rasputin]

[QUOTE=AirForceChief;6992972]Well written, even handed article from Bob Gretz:

There’s one thing that Matt Cassel knows, and if he doesn’t then somebody should give him the information.

Len Dawson was booed by Chiefs fans. Terry Bradshaw was booed by Steelers fans. John Elway was booed by Broncos fans. Insert name of Hall of Fame quarterback and he was booed by fans of the insert name team he played for during his career.


BOOO Matt Cassel you SUCK!!

Now is he going to play better like the greats did? If the greats were booed, then this right here should justify us booing him. Now history shows, if you boo your QB when he sucks on the field, he will become a HOFer. What a novel idea, thanks Gretz for this insite on how we fans can help Matt Cassel. The more we boo Matt the better he will become. LOL ok then.


BOOO MATT YOU SUCK!!!


has it helped yet?

[Jack]

Seems there are a lot of folks here that find fault with what Gretz wrote based mainly on personal dissatisfaction of just one player.
This article is a fairly accurate depiction. Reading this several times, I tend to accept this rational best stated by this:

“At this point in time, we don’t know where Matt Cassel’s future will take him or the Chiefs. There have been flashes of talent and skill that indicate he has some of the necessary qualities. There have also been moments when his failures have indicated he’s not nearly consistent enough right now to lead a team to a winning season.”

When I read some postings previously about Cassel being told to stay away from the CP, I had to chuckle. They are some sage members here on the Planet, but to think that the CP is the voice of all Chiefdom is a stretch.

I am not that pleased with his performance of last year or even of what I saw in preseason. But we have yet to see what he can do when not being chased all over the field with lack of an even average offensive line. Putting him behind Willie and the boys and predicting how he would compare with Green is pure folly and just a make weight argument.

Some where I read “when all goes wrong, be first to fix the blame”. It is a problem of exasperation where there is loss of focus; of always wanting to win and not knowing how to accept losing; of not being able to move on the next day when today doesn’t hold enjoyment. Then there are those who love to mire in misery and actively promote it.

Sometimes the CP can be a challenge when one has to wade through the sophomoric drivel of dog vapor.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Cool han Luke

Now is he going to play better like the greats did? If the greats were booed, then this right here should justify us booing him. Now history shows, if you boo your QB when he sucks on the field, he will become a HOFer. What a novel idea, thanks Gretz for this insite on how we fans can help Matt Cassel. The more we boo Matt the better he will become. LOL ok then.


BOOO MATT YOU SUCK!!!


has it helped yet?

So the deal is when yer' drunk you post under KCNUT and when you're sober....er....you post under Laz?

[the Talking Can]

Originally Posted by Jack

Sometimes the CP can be a challenge when one has to wade through the sophomoric drivel of dog vapor.

you should pm Zach...

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Jack

When I read some postings previously about Cassel being told to stay away from the CP, I had to chuckle. They are some sage members here on the Planet, but to think that the CP is the voice of all Chiefdom is a stretch.

Hell no.

Only the mostly angry and impatient (read: I've been paying money for this $#it) part.

However, in some ways I do feel that Chiefsplanet voices all of Chiefdom. It does not claim to represent any 1 section or "take" on the team yet values/respects the input of all (as long as you're not a ****ing n00b.)

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Jack

I am not that pleased with his performance of last year or even of what I saw in preseason. But we have yet to see what he can do when not being chased all over the field with lack of an even average offensive line

Talk about drivel.

We've seen him actually get worse even as the protection improved and a running game appeared to support him.

[MadMax]

Originally Posted by milkman

Talk about drivel.

We've seen him actually get worse even as the protection improved and a running game appeared to support him.

THIS!!!! times a thousand.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by doomy3

Well, we couldn't disagree more about this. And I sure hope you're wrong.

To be fair, I was 90% against us drafting Sanchez at the time. That is the way I see it though.

I saw what I expected from Sanchez in the regular season, a guy that shouldnt have been on the field that early. BUT when the playoffs started we saw a kid develop into a guy that helped his team make plays consistently and was pretty good in the clutch.

With the additional weapons they provided him with this year, he should take another step in his career. A lot hinges on how that line plays after the management jettisoning Alan Faneca (which I think was very foolish)

My hope (however unrealistic it may be) on the Clausen front is that Matt Moore locks down the starters role in Carolina and that we make a trade for Clausen next year (as their coaching staff has links to ours) or that we finally take a shot on one of the kids entering the next draft or two. I still prefer Clausen over most of them.

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The guy was definitely a starting QB in the league which is why he was traded for the #12 pick overall.

Actually, IIRC (which isn't always the case) we traded the first rounder for the rights to Dick Vermiel because the Rams still owned his rights after he retired and then we threw them another pick in that draft (I think it was a third rounder) for Trent because he was a guy that had ran the system Dicky V was installing (air coryell) and had a lot of experience in it.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Actually, IIRC (which isn't always the case) we traded the first rounder for the rights to Dick Vermiel because the Rams still owned his rights after he retired and then we threw them another pick in that draft (I think it was a third rounder) for Trent because he was a guy that had ran the system Dicky V was installing (air coryell) and had a lot of experience in it.

Nope, you're remembering incorrectly.

The Chiefs traded the #12 overall to St. Louis for Trent Green.

The Chiefs traded their 2001 second round pick AND their third round pick to St. Louis for Vermeil.

The Chiefs received a 2001 third round pick for compensation for Schottenheimer to Washington (The Chiefs owned his rights when hired by Snyder).

[Rausch]

What I really want to hear when I think of my franchise QB is the word "SURVIVING."

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Nope, you're remembering incorrectly.

The Chiefs traded the #12 overall to St. Louis for Trent Green.

The Chiefs traded their 2001 second round pick AND their third round pick to St. Louis for Vermeil.

The Chiefs received a 2001 third round pick for compensation for Schottenheimer to Washington (The Chiefs owned his rights when hired by Snyder).

Thinking about it, I'm pretty sure that's right.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by BossChief

To be fair, I was 90% against us drafting Sanchez at the time. That is the way I see it though.

I saw what I expected from Sanchez in the regular season, a guy that shouldnt have been on the field that early. BUT when the playoffs started we saw a kid develop into a guy that helped his team make plays consistently and was pretty good in the clutch.

With the additional weapons they provided him with this year, he should take another step in his career. A lot hinges on how that line plays after the management jettisoning Alan Faneca (which I think was very foolish)

My hope (however unrealistic it may be) on the Clausen front is that Matt Moore locks down the starters role in Carolina and that we make a trade for Clausen next year (as their coaching staff has links to ours) or that we finally take a shot on one of the kids entering the next draft or two. I still prefer Clausen over most of them.

I believe that Sanchez is going to be one of the top QBs in the NFL in time.

However, and I've said this before, Sanchez should have been sat on the bench for a couple of seasons, and anyone who thinks that Sanchez is going to show any real progress this year is in for a shock.

He just wasn't ready last year, and still isn't this year.

Next year is when we should start to see the light go on for him.

[RealSNR]

I'm watching Detroit/Chicago right now.

Stafford makes poor reads from time to time, but MAN does he have an arm. When he knows where he wants to go, he goes there and it's a solid ****ing throw.

When Matt Cassel threads a 30 yard laser like that between two defenders even ONCE this year, I will shit my pants. Not only will I shit my pants, but I'll definitely praise him in front of you all.

I have never seen him make that throw. And it's one reason why it's far more attractive to be a Lions fan right now than a Chiefs fan. And that's ****ing sad, considering the plethora of high draft picks we've had in the past two years and the fact that the Chiefs never went 0 and ****ing 16

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by milkman

I believe that Sanchez is going to be one of the top QBs in the NFL in time.

However, and I've said this before, Sanchez should have been sat on the bench for a couple of seasons, and anyone who thinks that Sanchez is going to show any real progress this year is in for a shock.

He just wasn't ready last year, and still isn't this year.

Next year is when we should start to see the light go on for him.

Yeah, we were in agreement in that point before the draft. That was the 10% I was ok with drafting him.Sign Jeff Garcia and sit Sanchez till he is ready. In that scenario, I would have went into the year with

Garcia
Thigpen
Sanchez

I think adding Santonio Holmes and Tomlinson (as a protector and good dump off target) are gonna be moves that help the kid.

I think he will start off slow this year and by years end will be a lot more comfortable and will be playing the way he did in the playoffs.

Our evaluations differ by about 9 games at this point.

Originally Posted by SNR

I'm watching Detroit/Chicago right now.

Stafford makes poor reads from time to time, but MAN does he have an arm. When he knows where he wants to go, he goes there and it's a solid ****ing throw.

When Matt Cassel threads a 30 yard laser like that between two defenders even ONCE this year, I will shit my pants. Not only will I shit my pants, but I'll definitely praise him in front of you all.

I have never seen him make that throw. And it's one reason why it's far more attractive to be a Lions fan right now than a Chiefs fan. And that's ****ing sad, considering the plethora of high draft picks we've had in the past two years and the fact that the Chiefs never went 0 and ****ing 16

To be fair to Cassel, the pass to Bowe to end regulation in the Dallas game was pretty damn good.

[1ChiefsDan]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I'm not ****ing 50 years old, you ****ing jerkoff.

But clearly, you were right and Mike Martz, Dick Vermeil and Norv Turner were wrong.



Go fist yourself, Dumbass.

by your logic haley, pioli and belicheat are wrong as well.

Who is the dumbass?