Posnanski - Let's restore LJ's fire - Page 5

Hammock Parties · 10-17-2006, 10:51 AM

Let’s restore LJ’s fire
JOE POSNANSKI
The Kansas City Star

Sometimes, you just have to take matters into your own hands. That’s why we here at The Second Guess have decided to dedicate ourselves to making Larry Johnson mad.

Hey, we have to do something. As brilliant Second Guess reader Chris Carey points out, Kansas City is standing all alone in loserdom these days. With the Detroit Tigers reaching the World Series, that means every team in the American League Central has been in the World Series since 1991 — except the Kansas City Royals. They’ve all made the playoffs this decade — except the Kansas City Royals. Every team in the AFC West has reached the Super Bowl since 1994 — except the Kansas City Chiefs.

The time has come to make a sacrifice.

And if it means Larry Johnson is angry at us, so be it.

Yes, we are determined to really anger Larry Johnson. Remember how well he ran the ball when he was an angry young man? He blasted into holes like a man chasing a pickpocket. He hit defenders as if they had insulted his family. People were talking about 2,000 yards rushing. He was the first pick in just about every fantasy football draft. He was so close to Jim Brown that you expected to see him in “The Dirty Dozen” remake.

Jim Brown stayed angry. Jim Brown is still angry. Meanwhile, Larry Johnson seems to have gone Olivia Newton-John mellow on us. What happened? True, the Chiefs’ offensive line is not dynamiting those canyons for him to run through. True, Willie Roaf and Tony Richardson are gone.

But the last two weeks, Johnson has run the ball 31 times for 62 yards, and that’s pitiful. That’s more than just a struggling offensive line. Walter Payton had lousy offensive lines. So did Barry Sanders. Priest Holmes led the league in rushing when Marcus Spears was the Chiefs’ right tackle.

This offensive line didn’t suddenly become that bad. Johnson is running tentatively now. He looks unsure. He refuses to cut into the heart of a defense. He’s frustrated. And he is just not running the same.

So maybe reading this will make him angry. We’ll be happy to take his ire if he will run again with the aggression and fierceness he showed last year. And if this doesn’t work, well, we won’t stop our quest to bring back Larry’s rage. Maybe we’ll drive really slowly in front of him in the left lane on the highway. That always gets us angry.

Rising Sun · 10-17-2006, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Exactly as many as Vermiel.

What? Last I checked Vermiel won a super bowl.

**Dartgod** · 10-17-2006, 05:04 PM

Not in the last five years.

Rising Sun · 10-17-2006, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Not in the last five years.

At least he has been there.

**Easy 6** · 10-17-2006, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rising Sun

Smart guy, herm was a total loser before we hired him, thats why he got run out of NY. What would please me is to have a coach that knows how to adapt and isnt so damn stubborn to keep doing the same shit that isnt working.

No, I think your the genious. What EXACTLY would you have done to offset the sudden departure of Roaf, Richardson etc. Ya dont think Herm would have liked to keep them??? He had no say, it was on the money man, and in Willies case Willie. You seem to think shit is put together overnight, its not that easy in the NFL. Has he made mistakes??? Of course, he made them with the NYJ's before he took them to the playoffs. Hes gotta get in sync with a new O coordinator, its not a "just add water" situation. But you are the guru so just go ahead and argue with proven results.

BigChiefFan · 10-17-2006, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Not in the last five years.

Neither has Vince Lombardi.

**Baby Lee** · 10-17-2006, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rising Sun

Smart guy, herm was a total loser before we hired him, thats why he got run out of NY. What would please me is to have a coach that knows how to adapt and isnt so damn stubborn to keep doing the same shit that isnt working.

Could we get a rule where you can't spout off about play-calling until you've actually seen the game?
One game, one, was played conservatively on O. Huard's first start, on the road, against the Broncos. And it very nearly panned out, closer to panning out than EVER BEFORE in Investco Stadium.
Yesterday, I saw plenty of 12-17 yard pass plays. I saw two straight pass attempts on first and second and goal, from the 10.

People really have a psycosis where they envision every stuffed run in the history of the chiefs and think that is the only thing that ever happens, unless Grampa Boo-Hoo is at the helm.

Redcoats58 · 10-17-2006, 05:23 PM

I think someone should look at the win-loss record of coaches in the last 15 years in their first year with a new team.

I know you guys expect alot because we have a veteran team but you also have to realize that we lost our starting QB which if you told me that Trent would be out for games in any of the games the last five years I would tell you the Chiefs were done for.

We also lost our starting pro bowl left tackle and one of the best run blocking fullbacks in the league, all of which aren't Herm Edwards fault. I don't know what you guys expected in Herms first year, I expected to be a losing football team in Herm's first year, it is usually how it goes in a coaches first year with a team.

Now I don't like Herm Edwards and I didn't want him as our head coach but I also have realistic expectations in Herms first year here.

**Skip Towne** · 10-17-2006, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott free

No, I think your the genious. What EXACTLY would you have done to offset the sudden departure of Roaf, Richardson etc. Ya dont think Herm would have liked to keep them??? He had no say, it was on the money man, and in Willies case Willie. You seem to think shit is put together overnight, its not that easy in the NFL. Has he made mistakes??? Of course, he made them with the NYJ's before he took them to the playoffs. Hes gotta get in sync with a new O coordinator, its not a "just add water" situation. But you are the guru so just go ahead and argue with proven results.

N00B FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Baby Lee** · 10-17-2006, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redcoats58

We also lost our starting pro bowl left tackle and one of the best run blocking fullbacks in the league, all of which aren't Herm Edwards fault. I don't know what you guys expected in Herms first year, I expected to be a losing football team in Herm's first year, it is usually how it goes in a coaches first year with a team.

No, 1963 tells us DV would have figured this all out and got us Orlando Pace to replace Roaf and kicked Roaf to the curb while he was working out and talking Shields into coming back for a triumphal season. Then he would have made Richardson the highest paid FB in the league and devised a plan to have him share touches with Larry and a miraculously healed Priest and have no dropoff in production from any of them. Then he would have shared a bottle of wine with TO and brought him in the league minimum. Then he would have devined that Trent was on the precipice of a major concussion, shared a few tears with his 'son' then kicked HIM to the curb for Peytie Pie. Then he would have pointed out all the flaws in Guinta's techniques and transformed him into a premier trainer/coach to lead our boys on D to unprecedented excellence.

But then, . . . CP would've undone it all, and we'd still be fooked, but it definitely wouldn't have been saint Boo-Hoo's fault.

**Baby Lee** · 10-17-2006, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigChiefFan

Neither has Vince Lombardi.

Yeah, because in 2006, all we need is a seal here, and a seal here. And we run the ball …through the alley.

Redcoats58 · 10-17-2006, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

No, 1963 tells us DV would have figured this all out and got us Orlando Pace to replace Roaf and kicked Roaf to the curb while he was working out and talking Shields into coming back for a triumphal season. Then he would have made Richardson the highest paid FB in the league and devised a plan to have him share touches with Larry and a miraculously healed Priest and have no dropoff in production from any of them. Then he would have shared a bottle of wine with TO and brought him in the league minimum. Then he would have devined that Trent was on the precipice of a major concussion, shared a few tears with his 'son' then kicked HIM to the curb for Peytie Pie. Then he would have pointed out all the flaws in Guinta's techniques and transformed him into a premier trainer/coach to lead our boys on D to unprecedented excellence.

But then, . . . CP would've undone it all, and we'd still be fooked, but it definitely wouldn't have been saint Boo-Hoo's fault.

**Easy 6** · 10-17-2006, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott free

No, I think your the genious. What EXACTLY would you have done to offset the sudden departure of Roaf, Richardson etc. Ya dont think Herm would have liked to keep them??? He had no say, it was on the money man, and in Willies case Willie. You seem to think shit is put together overnight, its not that easy in the NFL. Has he made mistakes??? Of course, he made them with the NYJ's before he took them to the playoffs. Hes gotta get in sync with a new O coordinator, its not a "just add water" situation. But you are the guru so just go ahead and argue with proven results.

Another point i was unable to make, due to an ongoing squabble in the house, was...which BACKUP PRO BOWLER would he have replaced Trent with??? There are no easy answers this year, cept from our new resident play-caller.

10-17-2006, 10:51 AM
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $4800478	Posnanski - Let's restore LJ's fire Let’s restore LJ’s fire JOE POSNANSKI The Kansas City Star Sometimes, you just have to take matters into your own hands. That’s why we here at The Second Guess have decided to dedicate ourselves to making Larry Johnson mad. Hey, we have to do something. As brilliant Second Guess reader Chris Carey points out, Kansas City is standing all alone in loserdom these days. With the Detroit Tigers reaching the World Series, that means every team in the American League Central has been in the World Series since 1991 — except the Kansas City Royals. They’ve all made the playoffs this decade — except the Kansas City Royals. Every team in the AFC West has reached the Super Bowl since 1994 — except the Kansas City Chiefs. The time has come to make a sacrifice. And if it means Larry Johnson is angry at us, so be it. Yes, we are determined to really anger Larry Johnson. Remember how well he ran the ball when he was an angry young man? He blasted into holes like a man chasing a pickpocket. He hit defenders as if they had insulted his family. People were talking about 2,000 yards rushing. He was the first pick in just about every fantasy football draft. He was so close to Jim Brown that you expected to see him in “The Dirty Dozen” remake. Jim Brown stayed angry. Jim Brown is still angry. Meanwhile, Larry Johnson seems to have gone Olivia Newton-John mellow on us. What happened? True, the Chiefs’ offensive line is not dynamiting those canyons for him to run through. True, Willie Roaf and Tony Richardson are gone. But the last two weeks, Johnson has run the ball 31 times for 62 yards, and that’s pitiful. That’s more than just a struggling offensive line. Walter Payton had lousy offensive lines. So did Barry Sanders. Priest Holmes led the league in rushing when Marcus Spears was the Chiefs’ right tackle. This offensive line didn’t suddenly become that bad. Johnson is running tentatively now. He looks unsure. He refuses to cut into the heart of a defense. He’s frustrated. And he is just not running the same. So maybe reading this will make him angry. We’ll be happy to take his ire if he will run again with the aggression and fierceness he showed last year. And if this doesn’t work, well, we won’t stop our quest to bring back Larry’s rage. Maybe we’ll drive really slowly in front of him in the left lane on the highway. That always gets us angry.
Posts: 277,509

10-17-2006, 05:04 PM	#62
Dartgod Wasted away again... Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: in Margaritaville Casino cash: $7480000	Not in the last five years. __________________ If you shed a tear for me, please make it a tear of joy. -Joe Tracy (Nzoner) . .
Posts: 51,113

10-17-2006, 05:23 PM	#67
Redcoats58 MVP Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Mo. Casino cash: $10005055	I think someone should look at the win-loss record of coaches in the last 15 years in their first year with a new team. I know you guys expect alot because we have a veteran team but you also have to realize that we lost our starting QB which if you told me that Trent would be out for games in any of the games the last five years I would tell you the Chiefs were done for. We also lost our starting pro bowl left tackle and one of the best run blocking fullbacks in the league, all of which aren't Herm Edwards fault. I don't know what you guys expected in Herms first year, I expected to be a losing football team in Herm's first year, it is usually how it goes in a coaches first year with a team. Now I don't like Herm Edwards and I didn't want him as our head coach but I also have realistic expectations in Herms first year here.
Posts: 5,234