Utter sadness in Kansas City

[KcMizzou]

By Bill Williamson | ESPN.com

This has been on my mind all day.

Still, after traveling 1,000 miles, I have yet to reach any comprehension. I have nothing profound to say about the horrible tragedy this morning in Kansas City that has galvanized the NFL world, other to say I have the same feeling you probably have -- utter sadness.

I awoke this morning to a text saying that a Kansas City Chiefs player murdered his girlfriend and then shot himself at the team’s facility. The text said the player involved was linebacker Jovan Belcher.

Like so many at ESPN, I immediately worked the phones in search of more details of this mind-numbing event. As I traveled to Denver, I thought about what I was going to write in this piece.

What could I say about this event that no one else is feeling or saying?

[+] Enlarge
Chiefs fansJohn Rieger/US PresswireChiefs fans place a sign outside the team's practice facility, site of Jovan Belcher's suicide.
Thus, I want to join the masses and express my thoughts and grief for the family of Belcher’s victim, Kasandra M. Perkins, who died at 22, and the couple's infant daughter. Lives were ended; others were ruined. So terrible.

I also feel for bad for Scott Pioli and Romeo Crennel. The Chiefs' general manager and the head coach were talking to Belcher, according to police, just before the player walked away and shot himself.

What a terrible and emotional event to witness. This day will be with these men for the rest of their lives; they will never be able to shake it. Pioli and Crennel went to work Saturday morning to put the finishing touches on another game week in a miserable season. Then they were thrust into the middle of a crisis involving a young man they had grown to care for.

I know Pioli and Crennel are not popular figures in Kansas City these days because of the team’s 1-10 season. There is a strong chance Chiefs ownership makes wholesale changes in a month.

What happens professionally will take its course.

I expect Kansas City fans to loudly support their hurting team Sunday when the Chiefs host Carolina at Arrowhead Stadium. It should go without saying that I hope there are no airplane flyovers imploring for people to be fired, no fan “blackouts” at the game. The voice of the understandably angry Chiefs fan has been heard and it has been noted.

Sunday will be about beginning the healing process and honoring those left behind from this senseless crime. Be a Chiefs fan Sunday. At the core, that’s what you are.

I know some people don’t understand why or how the game can be played. But the Chiefs’ coaches and team captains reportedly played a major role in the decision to go ahead with it. If the Chiefs want to play, I think we can all support that choice.

I’ve been asked a lot Saturday about what Belcher was like. I didn’t know him. I never met him or interviewed him. I knew he was an overachieving player who ended up starting 44 career games after going undrafted.

I know his agent, Joe Linta, very well. He has a well-deserved reputation for representing solid-citizen types. He had always spoken highly of Belcher to me. Linta expressed disbelief Saturday.

Disbelief. That’s all you can feel when something so unspeakable happens.

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcwest/post...in-kansas-city

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by SNR

Problem?

not surprised....

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by SNR

He absolutely is talking down to us.

This Belcher tragedy hit this community right in the nuts. I don't know about all of you, but I felt absolutely numb this morning when I heard the news. And I don't even live in Kansas City. For those that do and were planning on going to tomorrow's game, OF COURSE they weren't going to wear black or carry scathing signs. It's common sense. There is no person on planet earth who would deem tomorrow the right time to continue with the anti-Pioli activities.

What does this fat ****er say?

"I expect Kansas City fans to loudly support their hurting team Sunday when the Chiefs host Carolina at Arrowhead Stadium. It should go without saying that I hope there are no airplane flyovers imploring for people to be fired, no fan “blackouts” at the game. The voice of the understandably angry Chiefs fan has been heard and it has been noted. Sunday will be about beginning the healing process and honoring those left behind from this senseless crime. Be a Chiefs fan Sunday. At the core, that’s what you are."

He sounds just like a parent who watched a severe punishment issued on a child and said, "Now, I hope this doesn't happen again, okay?"

**** Williamson.

Heh, I don't see it that way, but whatever.

[RealSNR]

If he were a Chiefs fan it would be different.

He's not. He's a reporter. An observer of our team. And he's telling us what is the right course of action.

Of course it's the right course of action, but he's acting like we actually might do the classless thing and continue to fly the banners tomorrow.

What the ****? Does he think all people from Kansas City are petulant toddlers?

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

Heh, I don't see it that way, but whatever.

How the hell can you not see it that way?

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by stevieray

not surprised....

Oh no! Stevie thinks I'm an asshole!

[wazu]

I felt like he was talking down from the standpoint of not assuming that Chiefs fans have enough class to do the right thing on our own. Still, he's been a supporter of the SOC thing, and I think it's better to let it go.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by SNR

Oh no! Stevie thinks I'm an asshole!

You will burn in hell for this you know?

[memyselfI]

Originally Posted by SNR

Problem?

Yeah, I would wish that Jovan was still alive so his daughter would have a father. His mother would still have her son. His teammates would have their teammate.

Not because I want him to kill a journalist. Sheesh.

[RealSNR]

I've failed to live up to the decency standards of memyselfi and stevieray.

Oh woe!

[Goldmember]

Originally Posted by SNR

He absolutely is talking down to us.

This Belcher tragedy hit this community right in the nuts. I don't know about all of you, but I felt absolutely numb this morning when I heard the news. And I don't even live in Kansas City. For those that do and were planning on going to tomorrow's game, OF COURSE they weren't going to wear black or carry scathing signs. It's common sense. There is no person on planet earth who would deem tomorrow the right time to continue with the anti-Pioli activities.

What does this fat ****er say?

"I expect Kansas City fans to loudly support their hurting team Sunday when the Chiefs host Carolina at Arrowhead Stadium. It should go without saying that I hope there are no airplane flyovers imploring for people to be fired, no fan “blackouts” at the game. The voice of the understandably angry Chiefs fan has been heard and it has been noted. Sunday will be about beginning the healing process and honoring those left behind from this senseless crime. Be a Chiefs fan Sunday. At the core, that’s what you are."

He sounds just like a parent who watched a severe punishment issued on a child and said, "Now, I hope this doesn't happen again, okay?"

**** Williamson.

Most people have common sense not to stage a protest tomorrow, but there's always is the 10% idiot factor. I think he was trying to reach out to them. However, they won't listen to anyone anyway and will do as they please.

[DaneMcCloud]

**** Belcher and **** Bill Williamson.

What a ****ing attention whoring ass clown.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by SNR

I've failed to live up to the decency standards of memyselfi and stevieray.

Oh woe!

stop crying. your little temper tantrum parenting BW was cute, but to wish a guy who murdered someone was still alive so he could kill someone else isn't about standards of decency, it's about you being a selfish, heartless prick.

[New World Order]

SNR is right. I for one will be cheering against the Chiefs tomorrow and hope the banners fly, I am still as anti fat scott as ever.

We all know what fat scott is going to do this season, he already made a plea to the press that the Chiefs are going to "play for the fans." He is going to try to capitalize on all of this.

[Ace Gunner]

"This has been on my mind all day.

Still, after traveling 1,000 miles, I have yet to reach any comprehension. I have nothing profound to say about the horrible tragedy this morning in Kansas City that has galvanized the NFL world, other to say I have the same feeling you probably have -- utter sadness.

I awoke this morning to a text saying that a Kansas City Chiefs player murdered his girlfriend and then shot himself at the team’s facility. The text said the player involved was linebacker Jovan Belcher.

Like so many at ESPN, I immediately worked the phones in search of more details of this mind-numbing event. As I traveled to Denver, I thought about what I was going to write in this piece.

What could I say about this event that no one else is feeling or saying?

[+] Enlarge
Chiefs fansJohn Rieger/US PresswireChiefs fans place a sign outside the team's practice facility, site of Jovan Belcher's suicide.
Thus, I want to join the masses and express my thoughts and grief for the family of Belcher’s victim, Kasandra M. Perkins, who died at 22, and the couple's infant daughter. Lives were ended; others were ruined. So terrible.

I also feel for bad for Scott Pioli and Romeo Crennel. The Chiefs' general manager and the head coach were talking to Belcher, according to police, just before the player walked away and shot himself.

What a terrible and emotional event to witness. This day will be with these men for the rest of their lives; they will never be able to shake it. Pioli and Crennel went to work Saturday morning to put the finishing touches on another game week in a miserable season. Then they were thrust into the middle of a crisis involving a young man they had grown to care for.

I know Pioli and Crennel are not popular figures in Kansas City these days because of the team’s 1-10 season. There is a strong chance Chiefs ownership makes wholesale changes in a month.

What happens professionally will take its course.

I expect Kansas City fans to loudly support their hurting team Sunday when the Chiefs host Carolina at Arrowhead Stadium. It should go without saying that I hope there are no airplane flyovers imploring for people to be fired, no fan “blackouts” at the game. The voice of the understandably angry Chiefs fan has been heard and it has been noted.

Sunday will be about beginning the healing process and honoring those left behind from this senseless crime. Be a Chiefs fan Sunday. At the core, that’s what you are.

I know some people don’t understand why or how the game can be played. But the Chiefs’ coaches and team captains reportedly played a major role in the decision to go ahead with it. If the Chiefs want to play, I think we can all support that choice.

I’ve been asked a lot Saturday about what Belcher was like. I didn’t know him. I never met him or interviewed him. I knew he was an overachieving player who ended up starting 44 career games after going undrafted.

I know his agent, Joe Linta, very well. He has a well-deserved reputation for representing solid-citizen types. He had always spoken highly of Belcher to me. Linta expressed disbelief Saturday.

Disbelief. That’s all you can feel when something so unspeakable happens."

hope he's right.

[Unsmooth-Moment]

Originally Posted by SNR

I wish Belcher were still alive so he could go kill you.

**** Bill Williamson.

I hate Bill Williamson as much as the next guy, but FFS.