I'm going to make a lot of you ill with this thread

[Mr. Flopnuts]

I wanted Geno Smith as much as anyone here. But I'm an it is what it is guy. So I started last night trying to find some kind of bright side to this whole fiasco. I've written the following piece, and am looking forward to being skewered for it.

The Alex Smith Experiment

Let it be known, I was in mourning all day yesterday. I had hitched my wagons so tightly to Geno Smith or some other young, QB stud coming out of this year's draft class that I never could bring myself to believe that the brilliant Andy Reid, and John Dorsey would actually trade for Alex Smith. Then they did. And I was crushed. I whined, complained, and proclaimed I could no longer care about this team. But I was born and raised inside the walls of this Kingdom. I could never pack my bags and walk away.

So I started thinking about what all of this meant. The first thing that came to mind was that it was obvious our new leadership didn't see what I saw in this year's crop of field generals. They agreed with the majority of people out there saying there was very, very little to be excited about out of the QB's entering the NFL this year. It also occurred to me that they must have thought very highly of Alex Smith considering the compensation that is being rumored to be given up for him. And I wondered if all the work we put in with Save Our Chiefs last year was in vein.

I mean, we've seen this movie. Over, and over, and over again. This is the 5th 49er retread this franchise has brought in for us over the last 25 years. And the great Joe Montana was the only one that has provided us with a playoff win. So naturally my thought process was “Here we go again! New Chiefs, same as the old Chiefs!”

Then I started doing my homework and watching the last couple of years of Alex Smith. This is a what have you done for me lately league, so I wasn't really worried about his first few years in the league. Coaching changes year after year, and no real continuity was what greeted him to the league. Jim Harbaugh came in and 2011 Alex Smith made some instant strides. I saw some things out of him that have now convinced me that this time the sequel could be better than the original. Here are some reasons I believe Alex Smith can help lead us to the promised land.

1. Leadership. Probably the most important thing a QB has to have, and something that has lacked in KC for the last couple of years. 2012 was a huge indicator of that. The Chiefs didn't believe in their QB and their play reflected it. On both sides of the ball. Alex Smith didn't have a contract with the 49ers the year of the lockout. Yet it was widely reported he still got his hands on Jim Harbaugh's new playbook and organized practices with his teammates. They rallied around him, and the proof is in the pudding. A muffed punt away from the Super Bowl.

2. Clutch. He has it. Tons of it. The biggest indicator was in his first playoff game. Back and forth, and they fell behind with around a minute left in the game. Alex marched them down the field and on a 3rd and 3 with his team in field goal position, he made his best pass of the entire game to score the game winning TD. On the biggest stage of his life. His coach could've easily played it safe and went for over time, but he believed in Alex. And that belief paid off with a win.

3. Field awareness. I watched a lot of tape. When Alex got loose of the pocket and had to scramble, he knew where the first down marker was. I watched him twist, and turn. Take hits, and deliver hits to get to that first down marker. No fetal position from Alex Smith. He went for it. Consistantly.

4. Progressions. I watched him go through progressions when he needed too. I haven't seen a lot of Alex locking onto a guy and just winging it in there regardless of coverage. That said, I've also seen him wing that ball in between two defenders where only his guy can catch the ball. And there's enough strength in his throws that the ball is there before the defender can respond too it.

5. Coaching. It took an elite coach to get the very best out of Alex Smith. And when he received that, he excelled instantaneously. What better coach, or situation could Alex Smith go to right now and replicate that success? There isn't one. This is it. Coach Reid, and our squad has the talent to put around Alex, and the ability to give him further insight, and tutilege to enhance, and grow his game.

6. Intangibles. This guy has a fire burning inside of him right now. He finally, finally got a head coach who was able to work with him, and he learned the system. He took his team to the brink of the Super Bowl and didn't get there due to no fault of his own. The very moment he was hurt, he was yanked, replaced, and watched his team go to the same spot that he himself probably could've led them too. He's the hungriest man in professional football right now, maybe in all of professional sports. He has something to prove, and he has a chip on his shoulder. And the way he conducted himself throughout that entire process as it unfolded last year was the mark of a leader.

7. History. Time and time again we've seen the stats that 1st round QB's win Super Bowls. We have not only a 1st round QB in Alex, but the very first pick in the draft. This is what we all wanted. Not how we envisioned it, but history is now on our side.

So there you have it. I've gone through mourning, and I've done my homework. I believe in our coach, and our new general manager, and I do not believe this in any way, shape, or form is remniscent of Scott *****, and the moves he made when he came to Kansas City. And I think that is truly our biggest fear. Because this move looks SO closely like the one Scooter made when he came to town, that we are all going to be relegated to that kind of failure over the next half decade.

I just don't think so. I think we have a former number 1 overall pick, that was the consensus number 1 at the time. This isn't a guy who backed up Matt Leinart in college. He played, and he played well. And again, this is a what have you done for me lately league. Alex has grown immensely in the last 2-3 years and has shown he has the ability to make the plays, make the throws, use his legs, and win when the game is on the line.

This is the new face of the franchise. Join me in optimism. Let this Kingdom stand tall, and proud, and root our warriors onto victory. We have our field general. And he's proven recently that he has the ability to lead our troops to victory.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by BourbonMan

100% agree...Also, lets say this trade never happened and we drafted Geno with the first pick...Geno turns out to be a bust( which I think he will be)...Now who do we have? We needed this..I'm not happy we gave up our 2nd rd pick for him..But we needed a Veteran QB.

Just admit that you're ****ing scared to draft a rookie QB.

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by BourbonMan

100% agree...Also, lets say this trade never happened and we drafted Geno with the first pick...Geno turns out to be a bust( which I think he will be)...Now who do we have? We needed this..I'm not happy we gave up our 2nd rd pick for him..But we needed a Veteran QB.

Then draft another QB in the first round. ****ing cowards.

[Chiefnj2]

The reason why KC keeps ending up getting the dung of the scrap heat is in large part because the fans and KC media accept it.

What do you think the NY reaction would be if the Jets announced they are parting ways with Sanchez to bring in Leinart? Exactly. All hell would reign down.

In KC, every move is met with general fan acceptance after 48 hours. From Grbac to Bono to Cassel, to Jax to Baldwin to Smith.

I don't know how to say it any clearer - KC's formula for bringing in average vets is broken. It doesn't work. Do you know why Seattle was in the playoffs? They took a chance with Wilson. The Ravens? They drafted and developed a first round QB. The Skins? They gave up tons to draft and develop a QB. The Colts? Drafted a first round QB. If you want to turn your team around into someone that can contend every year - you draft and develop a QB. End of story.

The potential solution couldn't be clearer, yet KC willingly remains oblivious to how things work in the modern day NFL.

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Just admit that you're ****ing scared to draft a rookie QB.

He doesn't have to. Hes a Real Fan.

[The Franchise]

If you average out Alex Smith's stats over the course of 2012.

3318 yards
24 TDs
10 INTs
69% completion

Over 2011 and 2012 (his so called best years)

3231 yards
65% completion
20.5 TDs
7.5 INTs

Over the those two years.....he averaged only 26 attempts per game.

Definition of ****ing average.

[oldandslow]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Just admit that you're ****ing scared to draft a rookie QB.

No I would not be opposed to drafting a rookie QB...if there was one there that you believed in. Obviously there is not.

If Stafford, or Luck or RG3 or even Bradford were in this year's draft, none of this would have happened.

Mark Sanchez is this draft.

It is what it is.

[buddha]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

I think smith will be a very good qb. Iirc, he had a very good game just before he got hurt. I'm not, though, happy with the pick we gave up to get him.

This is what I believe as well.

However, if Smith comes in and performs well, nobody will worry about the 34th pick.

[tooge]

I can't flame you for this article. I'm with you. I'm an it is what it is guy, and what it is that we have is Alex Smith. I'm gonna hope that all the things you wrote stay true for his time in KC and the FO can put a cast of players around him that can help to duplicate his last two years. Meanwhile, I hope we get EJ Manuel or Tyler Bray in the third.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by oldandslow

No I would not be opposed to drafting a rookie QB...if there was one there that you believed in. Obviously there is not.

If Stafford, or Luck or RG3 or even Bradford were in this year's draft, none of this would have happened.

Mark Sanchez is this draft.

It is what it is.

You're ****ing scared.

Lions fans were scared about Stafford.

Rams fans were scared about Bradford.

Luck and RGIII will NEVER happen again.

Just like I said.....KC fans deserve this shit.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

The reason why KC keeps ending up getting the dung of the scrap heat is in large part because the fans and KC media accept it.

What do you think the NY reaction would be if the Jets announced they are parting ways with Sanchez to bring in Leinart? Exactly. All hell would reign down.

In KC, every move is met with general fan acceptance after 48 hours. From Grbac to Bono to Cassel, to Jax to Baldwin to Smith.

I don't know how to say it any clearer - KC's formula for bringing in average vets is broken. It doesn't work. Do you know why Seattle was in the playoffs? They took a chance with Wilson. The Ravens? They drafted and developed a first round QB. The Skins? They gave up tons to draft and develop a QB. The Colts? Drafted a first round QB. If you want to turn your team around into someone that can contend every year - you draft and develop a QB. End of story.

The potential solution couldn't be clearer, yet KC willingly remains oblivious to how things work in the modern day NFL.

There is a shit-ton of truth to that. I am amazed that, somehow, we went from Carl Peterson to Scott ***** to John Dorsey, and apparently, they were all the same brand of guy. I don't want to demonize Dorsey too soon, but two 2nds for Alex Smith is a massive WTF sort of deja vu. The only constant in that GM equation - Clark Hunt

[Chiefnj2]

If Alex Smith went to Buffalo would anybody have run to Vegas to put money down on the Bills making the playoffs or Super Bowl? How about Arizona?

I bet not, because he isn't anything special at all. You would have said, "Smith isn't good enough to get the Bills over the hump, I can't believe that sad sack organization gave up an early 2nd and an additional 2/3. When will they learn?"

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by tooge

I can't flame you for this article. I'm with you. I'm an it is what it is guy, and what it is that we have is Alex Smith. I'm gonna hope that all the things you wrote stay true for his time in KC and the FO can put a cast of players around him that can help to duplicate his last two years. Meanwhile, I hope we get EJ Manuel or Tyler Bray in the third.

That's what I am kinda hoping for is we pick up Bray

[Direckshun]

I hate you so much, Flop.

[In58men]

Just say no to Barkley.

[kcfanXIII]

Originally Posted by royr17

I might get hell for this but oh well, as much as I hated seeing us trading for Alex Smith we as Chiefs fans need to trust Andy Reid and John Dorsey, at least give it a chance, who know it may workout, it may not, you just never know.

no, i know. you'd have to be a ****ing moron to not know you've seen this movie before.