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View Full Version : Chiefs I hope this guy ir prominently on the Chiefs radar.


Frankie
04-16-2008, 08:51 AM
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/575943.html.


Family matters force USC lineman Rachal into the NFL draft
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star
As many as 12 players from the University of Southern California could be selected in next weekend’s NFL draft.

Chilo Rachal did not want to be among them.

But Rachal, a junior right guard, had little choice. His mother, Veronica Pickett, has a sizable tumor in her abdomen and no medical insurance. His father, Charles Rachal, is 64, works in construction, has had two hernias and tendinitis in his knees and has no insurance.

The family needs a breadwinner, so Rachal decided to make himself eligible for the NFL draft and is expected to be a second- or third-round pick.

“I had an opportunity, and I had to go,” Rachal, a fourth-year junior, said at the NFL scouting combine. “I would have loved to have played another year under coach (Pete) Carroll. At the same time, I had to do what’s best for my family.”

Rachal estimated the size of his mother’s tumor was that of a six-month-old child but was unsure whether it was malignant or benign. He said his mother was receiving publicly funded treatment at her Compton, Calif., home, “but without the good insurance, you can’t get the treatment you really need.

“Knowing the status of my dad, I don’t like him working like that with the injuries he’s dealing with. But at the same time, he’s the one making money to take care of my mother.”

Pickett, 39, did not tell her son the extent of her condition until after the final regular-season game against UCLA.

“My mother didn’t want to tell me during the season because she thought it would take me off my game,” Rachal said. “Once I knew, I had to make the decision that was best for her.

“I love my mother, and I’m going to do the best thing I can to put her in a better situation. She’s my motivation every day I wake up.”

Rachal, an All-Pacific-10 guard last season, did not consult Carroll before making his decision. Rachal was afraid that Carroll, who has a pretty good record of keeping players through their senior seasons, would try to dissuade him.

“If a coach has a good player that wants to leave, of course, the coach is going to try to convince him to come back,” said Rachal, who is one semester short of a degree in sociology. “At the same time, my situation is bad, so I had to do what’s best for my family.

“It took me a while to think about what I wanted to do because there was a lot I wanted to do at USC. I wanted to get my degree. I wanted to become an All-American.”

Rachal’s teammates understood his decision.

“Family comes first,” said offensive tackle Drew Radovich, one of 11 USC seniors invited to the NFL combine. “I support him 100 percent in his decision. It surprised me at first, but I wish him the best of luck with his career.”

Rachal’s family problems began before his parents took ill. He said two of his older brothers were killed in street violence. But his mother’s steady hand kept him from a similar life.

“My mom raised me differently from them,” Rachel said. “My mom and my dad did a good job of sheltering me from that stuff. Me knowing the path that they took, and how they ended up, definitely motivated me.”

At USC, Rachal started 12 games at right guard as a redshirt sophomore in 2006, and 10 games last season before a knee injury cost him three games. Last season, Rachal, a 6-foot-5, 315-pounder, was credited with 77 knockdown blocks, including nine touchdown-resulting blocks and did not allow any quarterback pressures or sacks.

“No doubt that Chilo has a chance to be a great football player,” Carroll said. “He has all the necessary attributes to become a dominating one — the right attitude, the right work habits, the right physical skills.

“He’ll be one of those players who just keeps getting better and better. He knows what he wants, and he’s going to reach that goal.”

DaKCMan AP
04-16-2008, 08:53 AM
He'd be good in the mid-late 2nd round if we can trade up/down.

PhillyChiefFan
04-16-2008, 10:37 AM
Its guys like him that I wish would go first in the draft instead of the guys who just want to live the life. Good for him, I hope we pick him. :clap:

Frankie
04-16-2008, 10:56 AM
Its guys like him that I wish would go first in the draft instead of the guys who just want to live the life. Good for him, I hope we pick him. :clap:

We certainly have a need at his position. Maybe he will be our 3rd rounder. Hope he lasts that long.

StcChief
04-16-2008, 11:12 AM
he's the type the NFL needs more of, family man doing the right thing. Just don't fall in the Bengals crowd.

PhillyChiefFan
04-16-2008, 11:43 AM
he's the type the NFL needs more of, family man doing the right thing. Just don't fall in the Bengals crowd.

absolutly, I'm so tired of hearing about players that were arrested and caught with a gun or weed. It gets old, and it shows kids that immaturity and defiance to the law can reap rewards in the millions if you can catch a football.

Frankie
04-16-2008, 02:11 PM
absolutly, I'm so tired of hearing about players that were arrested and caught with a gun or weed.

Which is exactly why I cringe when I keep hearing of the Chiefs possible interest in CB Flowers in the 2nd round, after someone posted the picture he had in Facebook (or was it Myspace?). I wonder if the Chiefs actually check these things or know of them.

Instead of Flowers at 36 I'd rather traded our 2nd pick down to the 50-51 position and maybe and got someone's 3rd or next year's 2nd in the process. Then we could probably justify getting Rachal.

PhillyChiefFan
04-16-2008, 04:59 PM
Which is exactly why I cringe when I keep hearing of the Chiefs possible interest in CB Flowers in the 2nd round, after someone posted the picture he had in Facebook (or was it Myspace?). I wonder if the Chiefs actually check these things or know of them.

Instead of Flowers at 36 I'd rather traded our 2nd pick down to the 50-51 position and maybe and got someone's 3rd or next year's 2nd in the process. Then we could probably justify getting Rachal.

Yea, honestly how stupid can you be. If you smoke, fine, but keep it to yourself if you are a top flight athlete who's very future could rest on one dumb mistake...see Pacman Jones and Ricky Williams...oh and how could we forget Chris Henry...role models.

LiL stumppy
04-16-2008, 05:06 PM
He has a good heart, wont have to worry about a Pac Man Jones, and watching a few USC games this year I remember there linemen blowing the DL up, I would not mind the pic. at all.

Hydrae
04-16-2008, 05:28 PM
So this is what we use that 2nd round pick from the Pats for, eh? :hmmm:

Hoover
04-16-2008, 05:45 PM
Sorry guys, but I've been told by some of the experts on this BB that we shouldn't listen to what a HC says about their players even if he has NFL experience. All players that are talk up by their coaches are Ryan Sims clones. Unless that player is someone the Gods of the Chiefs Planet have a woody for.

In Mecca we trust

Big Chief Homer
04-16-2008, 05:54 PM
He has a good heart and there is alot to admire about a guy like that,i wouldnt be upset if they took him,but drafting him makes me a little nervous.

I'm not sure Id want someone forced into the draft.I know why hes looking for a payday(i would be too if i was in his position),but hes stated he didnt want to go pro this year and id have to wonder how much heart he has to play football right now

I wouldnt blame him one bit.family comes first,but the chiefs cant afford to miss on a second round pick again.

DaKCMan AP
04-16-2008, 05:56 PM
Sorry guys, but I've been told by some of the experts on this BB that we shouldn't listen to what a HC says about their players even if he has NFL experience. All players that are talk up by their coaches are Ryan Sims clones. Unless that player is someone the Gods of the Chiefs Planet have a woody for.

In Mecca we trust

Do you honestly believe a coach is going to say negative things about one of his players entering the draft?

beach tribe
04-16-2008, 05:57 PM
So this is what we use that 2nd round pick from the Pats for, eh? :hmmm:

Good call.

milkman
04-16-2008, 06:01 PM
Sorry guys, but I've been told by some of the experts on this BB that we shouldn't listen to what a HC says about their players even if he has NFL experience. All players that are talk up by their coaches are Ryan Sims clones. Unless that player is someone the Gods of the Chiefs Planet have a woody for.

In Mecca we trust

DAP

Frankie
04-16-2008, 09:36 PM
He has a good heart, wont have to worry about a Pac Man Jones, and watching a few USC games this year I remember there linemen blowing the DL up, I would not mind the pic. at all.

The pic was posted by Flowers. Not Rachal.

Frankie
04-16-2008, 09:41 PM
I'm not sure Id want someone forced into the draft.I know why hes looking for a payday(i would be too if i was in his position),but hes stated he didnt want to go pro this year and id have to wonder how much heart he has to play football right now

His statement indicates maturity. Why wouldn't you want a mature young man on our roster?

milkman
04-16-2008, 09:43 PM
The pic was posted by Flowers. Not Rachal.

Uh.....yeah......

I think he mean't pick.

Big Chief Homer
04-16-2008, 10:25 PM
His statement indicates maturity. Why wouldn't you want a mature young man on our roster?

Its not the maturity(sp?) factor. You can tell that by him at his age having his prioritys in order and by that i mean wanting to help his family and not worring about making it rain (see pacman jones).


what im worried about is if his heart is really into footbal at this stage.When he played in college he wasnt really aware of how bad his moms condition was. I dont know the man so i really dont know what his mindset will be after he has the money he needs to help his family.Will he be thankful and try and earn it or will he be more worried about his familys well being.

I wouldnt blame him if his mind was else where.I know mine would be.

Im not opposed to drafting him.just afraid of them blowing another pick especially a high second rounder.when we need every pick to contribute.

Im routing for the kid,but the words forced to enter draft just didnt sit right with me.

stlchiefs
04-16-2008, 11:46 PM
I see the same thing as Homer. The kid's mind could go 2 ways:
1) He gets his signing bonus and payday to take care of his families immediate needs and is content w/ that and focuses on his family (can't blame him there).
2) He gets an opportunity to provide for his family and is so grateful and desires to provide for his family that he works his butt off to do the best he can for them.

Frankie
04-17-2008, 08:31 AM
Uh.....yeah......

I think he mean't pick.

Ooops. Sorry stumpy. I feel like Emily Littela now.

Frankie
04-17-2008, 08:38 AM
Its not the maturity(sp?) factor. You can tell that by him at his age having his prioritys in order and by that i mean wanting to help his family and not worring about making it rain (see pacman jones).


what im worried about is if his heart is really into footbal at this stage.When he played in college he wasnt really aware of how bad his moms condition was. I dont know the man so i really dont know what his mindset will be after he has the money he needs to help his family.Will he be thankful and try and earn it or will he be more worried about his familys well being.

I wouldnt blame him if his mind was else where.I know mine would be.

Im not opposed to drafting him.just afraid of them blowing another pick especially a high second rounder.when we need every pick to contribute.

Im routing for the kid,but the words forced to enter draft just didnt sit right with me.

Well if he's got his priorities in order he is a mature young man. If he can get rich enough to help his mom out that's another sense of achievement mature people thrive on. I think it would actually be the opposite effect of what you are concerned with. My point is, if he has enough talent to be a 2nd rounder, then we should perhaps take him. If this story is true, then he can be a future locker room leader. And he plays a position of our need.