Jonathan Rand: "Chiefs are off to a fine start in free agency..."

[shaneo69]

RAND: Free agency weakens rest of West
Mar 16, 2006, 3:36:49 AM by Jonathan Rand

The Chiefs are off to a fine start in free agency, and, as of this writing, they haven’t even made one significant addition. Call this addition by subtraction. Each of the Chiefs’ AFC West rivals already has lost at least one impact player.

The Broncos, Chargers and Raiders are weaker than they were before the 11th-hour salary cap cuts and start of free agency. The Chiefs are the same old, same old, minus cornerback Eric Warfield and backup quarterback Todd Collins.

No reasonable person would suggest that standing pat is the key to success for the Chiefs. Yet three key rivals have major holes to fill.

The Broncos, defending division champions, dumped Mike Anderson, their top running back, and Trevor Pryce, their top defensive lineman. Both now are Ravens and Pryce’s market value must have skyrocketed after he made the Chiefs’ lives miserable in the Broncos’ 30-10 Monday night victory last September.

The Broncos seem set to go with Ron Dayne as their starting running back. Denver coach Mike Shanahan has an amazing history of replacing one 1,000-yard rusher with another, thanks in part to standout blocking and a well-established scheme. Some of those 1,000-yard rushers were ordinary producers before Shanahan gave them a chance.

Now, Dayne will be asked to step up to a new level while being paired with a quarterback, Jake Plummer, whose mistake-prone reputation was rekindled in the playoffs. The Broncos probably would be favored to repeat as division champs if the season started today, but it’s hard to believe they’re as strong as last season’s 13-3 team.

The Chargers, plagued by tough losses and a brutal season-ending schedule, may have been one of the best nine-win teams in NFL history last year. That wouldn’t have been the case without quarterback Drew Brees, who’s blossomed over the last two seasons.

Now, Brees is a Saint and Marty Schottenheimer will bank on Philip Rivers, the second-rated quarterback in the 2004 draft. But he’s spent two seasons gathering rust and it’s anybody’s guess if he can make anybody in San Diego forget Brees.

At least the Chargers have a viable alternative at quarterback. The Raiders have none since they released Kerry Collins, who failed to duplicate his success in New York, where he led the Giants to the NFC title in 2000. Daunte Culpepper, the out-of-favor Viking who seemed a logical replacement for Collins, instead was traded to the Dolphins.

Maybe the Raiders will seek a starting quarterback in the draft. The Saints, after signing Brees, will be shopping the second overall pick, where USC’s Matt Leinart should be sitting. There’s also the chance that Vince Young could fall to the Raiders, who have the seventh overall pick, thanks to a 4-12 finish.

This speculation started because Young, since leading Texas to a national championship, has been trashed worse than Kemper Arena was during the campaign for a new downtown arena. Even if Young did drop that far, would he be ready to start as a rookie? As an NFL passer, he’s considered a project.

Obviously, it’s premature to rate the free-agency winners and losers. The Chiefs’ division rivals may all make brilliant personnel moves before training camp. The Chiefs may fill their key needs, notably cornerback, defensive tackle and backup quarterback. Bringing in cornerback Will Allen and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard for interviews are steps in the right direction.

Who knows how all this is going to play out? Yet this much is certain – the key players lost by the Broncos, Chargers and Raiders aren’t going back any time soon.

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/03/16/rand_free_agency_weakens_rest_of_west/

[FAX]

Holy Shiney Samples Of Spin! This is an amazing take on our current situation.

Just say WA.

FAX

[Marty Mac Ver 2.0]

Tatum Bell will be the starting RB in Denver. That's a helluva upgrade over Mike Anderson. Damnit Rand!

[BigChiefFan]

Sounds like the front office lined his pockets. Addition by subtraction-LMFAO-It's shitty articles like this that enable the incompetency of our front office to continue to wallow in mediocrity. Kiss my ass, Rand!

[The Bad Guy]

The Chiefs are like insecure 8th graders.

They point out everyone elses problems to try to cover up their insecurities with their own.

[el borracho]

Losing Warfield is a big deal. Certainly a bigger deal than the broncs losing Anderson.

[Taco John]

This guy is a loon...

Losing Trevor Pryce is not a big deal to most Broncos fans, given he was an overpaid role player when he left. He wasn't nearly as ineffective as Warfield when he left, but pretty damned close. And losing Mike Anderson couldn't be any more trivial for us. Most people have been calling for either Dayne or Tatum Bell for awhile now. I liked Anderson for his grit, but nobody in Denver is losing any sleep over him.

I can't say that I think Denver is better off yet, but I certainly don't think were any worse off. Now, if we had lost Warren, this guy would have a great article.

[Rooster]

Sounds like the front office lined his pockets. Addition by subtraction-LMFAO-It's shitty articles like this that enable the incompetency of our front office to continue to wallow in mediocrity. Kiss my ass, Rand!

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[el borracho]

nearly = pretty damned close

[Taco John]

nearly = pretty damned close



I'd put Trevors 4 Sacks over Warfields 1 INT, making Trev barely more effective than Warfield. He wasn't nearly as ineffective as Warfield, but pretty damned close...

[ct]

This might be the most pathetic ass-kissin :BS: article I have every read.

[jspchief]

Sadly, it's not about what any other team does. At least not to me.

It's about what our team is doing to get better than we were last year. Bernard is the only guy that I really feel we've "missed" on so far. The rest of the players being snatched up I could care less about. It would be nice to feel like there are some tangible reasons to believe we'll be better

[kaplin42]

This article was propaganda at its finest. We didnt lose anyone important? Well lets see, as it stands right now our CB situation is Surtain, Sapp, Washington and Battle. Thats a world of hurt waiting to happen to us this next season if not rememdied.

I dont think that we will be big players at all this offseason, sacrificing and saving money now so that we will have more next offseason for the restructure of the team next year. The only thing I see us going after would be a CB, and if we dont do that, then I would bet money thats what we will take in the draft at pick 20.

[Logical]

Sadly, it's not about what any other team does. At least not to me.

It's about what our team is doing to get better than we were last year. Bernard is the only guy that I really feel we've "missed" on so far. The rest of the players being snatched up I could care less about. It would be nice to feel like there are some tangible reasons to believe we'll be better

Trust me there are no reasons to feel we will be better. However, I lowered my already low expectations for the Chiefs and I have been moving through this offseason with a blissful indifference to the incompetence that is to be expected from our KC Chiefs front office.

[Chiefnj]

Hasn't KC also lost a starting DT in Dalton?

[Cormac]

Sadly, it's not about what any other team does. At least not to me.

It's about what our team is doing to get better than we were last year. Bernard is the only guy that I really feel we've "missed" on so far. The rest of the players being snatched up I could care less about. It would be nice to feel like there are some tangible reasons to believe we'll be better

exactly

rep

[jlscorpio]

YES!!! The Lamar Hunt Trophy is FINALLY coming home!!! Thanx Rand!!!

[htismaqe]

Trust me there are no reasons to feel we will be better. However, I lowered my already low expectations for the Chiefs and I have been moving through this offseason with a blissful indifference to the incompetence that is to be expected from our KC Chiefs front office.

ROFL

[vailpass]

What a load of BS.

[Mr. Laz]

The Broncos, Chargers and Raiders are weaker than they were before the 11th-hour salary cap cuts and start of free agency.

The Chiefs are the same old, same old, minus cornerback Eric Warfield and backup quarterback Todd Collins.first off ... is our only goal to be better than the donks,dolts and faiders??


this the same guy that was pimping Eric warfield as good and disrespected by the unfair fans.

i guess the ol' ... "a player is good until he leaves the chiefs" applies for this columnist.

[Chan93lx50]

This guy must have wrote this with Carl's dick in his ass! :hump:

[Skyy God]

This is the print equivelent of a Leni Riefenstahl film.

[RedThat]

The Chiefs are like insecure 8th graders.

They point out everyone elses problems to try to cover up their insecurities with their own.


:clap: :clap:

That's part of the reason as to why they're mediocre.

[RedThat]

This guy must have wrote this with Carl's dick in his ass! :hump:

You know this whole thing makes me sick. I hate these guys. I really do. The fans are pissed off because we see teams improving by the minute, and we just sit on our asses and do nothing. Then this frick'n organization has to hire their own reporters to convince us that the Chiefs are doing fine in FA. Always always trying to find ways to convince us that their smart. Whatever. They blow from Lamar Hunt on down.

[Skyy God]

convince us that their smart.

Irony alert.

[Mr. Laz]

You know this whole thing makes me sick. I hate these guys. I really do. The fans are pissed off because we see teams improving by the minute, and we just sit on our asses and do nothing. Then this frick'n organization has to hire their own reporters to convince us that the Chiefs are doing fine in FA. Always always trying to find ways to convince us that their smart. Whatever. They blow from Lamar Hunt on down.

you know ... if the chiefs weren't such lying,manipulative pieces of crap i wouldn't get nearly as pissed about stuff.

seriously i know that good things happen and bad things happen ... just take responsibility for either and move on.

i just don't want to hear all the lame excuses ... they are extremely insulting.

[FAX]

You know this whole thing makes me sick. I hate these guys. I really do. The fans are pissed off because we see teams improving by the minute, and we just sit on our asses and do nothing. Then this frick'n organization has to hire their own reporters to convince us that the Chiefs are doing fine in FA. Always always trying to find ways to convince us that their smart. Whatever. They blow from Lamar Hunt on down.

You make an excellent point or two, Mr. RedBull. I agree with you.

The part I don't like is that this is an insult to anyone with a brainpan and a half-quark of football knowledge. Who is this written for? Who do they think is buying this propaganda? They are making the argument that "suck" is a relative term.

FAX

[Hammock Parties]

I'd put Trevors 4 Sacks over Warfields 1 INT, making Trev barely more effective than Warfield. He wasn't nearly as ineffective as Warfield, but pretty damned close...

Warfield scored a TD. :shrug:

[RedThat]

you know ... if the chiefs weren't such lying,manipulative pieces of crap i wouldn't get nearly as pissed about stuff.

seriously i know that good things happen and bad things happen ... just take responsibility for either and move on.

i just don't want to hear all the lame excuses ... they are extremely insulting.

They are insulting. It's terrible.

I'd like to know why they can't be honest, and just say "no" we didn't make either of them an offer.

[Mr. Laz]

You make an excellent point or two, Mr. RedBull. I agree with you.

The part I don't like is that this is an insult to anyone with a brainpan and a half-quark of football knowledge. Who is this written for? Who do they think is buying this propaganda? They are making the argument that "suck" is a relative term.

FAX
nice post...

that's why i get so pissed about it ... it's not just my passion for the chiefs to get better. It's that they insist on insulting the fans at virtually every step while doing it. :mad:

[RedThat]

nice post...

that's why i get so pissed about it ... it's not just my passion for the chiefs to get better. It's that they insist on insulting the fans at virtually every step while doing it. :mad:

Well, I thought of something positive, at least we don't have to pay to read their crap.
:shrug:

[Dr. Van Halen]

Why are you acting surprised? This was posted on kcchiefs.com.

Do you go to Fox News or The Daily Show for fair and balanced coverage of politics? Do you go to the IBM website for a fair review of a computer product?

No. We know that Rand has been paid to say what he is saying because his piece is appearing on the official Chiefs website. DelMonte isn't going to hire a writer to write an online review saying that their fruit is crap anymore than the Chiefs are going to hire a writer to bash the front office.

Why is Rand acting like a mouthpiece for the front office? Because he is being paid to be a mouthpiece for the front office. You shouldn't expect anything else.

So save the outrage for something outrageous. Rand is doing his (crappy) job.

[dtebbe]

Do you go to Fox News or The Daily Show for fair and balanced coverage of politics?

Let me guess, I can find that at CNN or PBS right? ROFL

DT

[FAX]

Why is Rand acting like a mouthpiece for the front office? Because he is being paid to be a mouthpiece for the front office. You shouldn't expect anything else.

You are, of course, quite right in this respect, Mr. Dr. Van Halen.

You may be missing something, though. I recognize that kcchiefs.com is a portal purportedly for the purpose of parceling pointless propagana. However, the argument Rand makes is extremely stupid.

It would be like me saying that Van Halen is ok because the Bangles lost their lead singer too.

FAX

[Logical]

ROFLYou laugh, but life is less stressful now that I expect pretty much nothing but the worst from them. We will see if I can maintain it through the draft. (probably not).

[Amnorix]

Not that anyone here cares, but the loss of Willie McGinest and David Givens, the apparently total lack of activity on the Patriots part, and the fact that Adam Vinatieri going to Green Bay, has some in despair on Pats boards as well.

In reaction, someone posted this instant classic on Patriots Planet:


http://www.patriotsplanet.com/BB/attachment.php?s=&postid=232354

[htismaqe]

You laugh, but life is less stressful now that I expect pretty much nothing but the worst from them. We will see if I can maintain it through the draft. (probably not).

I could really care less what this team does. I hit my low point after Philly last year, and I just can't bring myself to get worked up anymore.

I didn't want Herm, but now that he's hired, I'm happy about it. Same goes for all this free agency and stuff. I just don't care anymore. If they sign someone, I'll clap. If they don't, I'll watch TV or something and think about the Chiefs tomorrow.

[htismaqe]

you know ... if the chiefs weren't such lying,manipulative pieces of crap i wouldn't get nearly as pissed about stuff.

seriously i know that good things happen and bad things happen ... just take responsibility for either and move on.

i just don't want to hear all the lame excuses ... they are extremely insulting.

They're only insulting if you listen to them.

Seriously, it's been 18 years. They've won nothing. They're not going to win anything of consequence while he's here.

I've found that following this team is much easier if I don't care so much.

[FAX]

They're only insulting if you listen to them.

Seriously, it's been 18 years. They've won nothing. They're not going to win anything of consequence while he's here.

I've found that following this team is much easier if I don't care so much.

I know exactly how you feel, Mr. htismaqe. My love for the Chiefs does not abate. Yet, my enthusiasm does when I see us failing to capitalize on obvious opportunities to improve the team.

I have found that cutting the hands off the little Carl Peterson doll I have in my desk helps some.

FAX

[Logical]

I could really care less what this team does. I hit my low point after Philly last year, and I just can't bring myself to get worked up anymore.

I didn't want Herm, but now that he's hired, I'm happy about it. Same goes for all this free agency and stuff. I just don't care anymore. If they sign someone, I'll clap. If they don't, I'll watch TV or something and think about the Chiefs tomorrow.I do mourn the loss of passion that is a result though.

[Logical]

...

I have found that cutting the hands off the little Carl Peterson doll I have in my desk helps some.

FAXROFLROFLROFL

Where the heck can I get one of those, I have a huge supply of thumbtacks that are just waiting for a good use.

[Mr. Laz]

They're only insulting if you listen to them.

Seriously, it's been 18 years. They've won nothing. They're not going to win anything of consequence while he's here.

I've found that following this team is much easier if I don't care so much.
tis sad really ...

[htismaqe]

tis sad really ...

It used to be...I'm way beyond sad.

I'm actually enjoying the offseason for the first time in forever.

[Halfcan]

Sounds like the front office lined his pockets. Addition by subtraction-LMFAO-It's shitty articles like this that enable the incompetency of our front office to continue to wallow in mediocrity. Kiss my ass, Rand!
That is what I was going to say.

[Simplex3]

Tatum Bell will be the starting RB in Denver. That's a helluva upgrade over Mike Anderson. Damnit Rand!
Yeah, until week 4 when he breaks again.

[milkman]

Like some, I've reached the point that I have no expectations, so I don't get upset about nothing happening.

I guess I could be characterized as passionately ambivalent.

[keg in kc]

Passionately apathetic. Which would itself be ambivalence.