Hammock Parties
08-23-2008, 11:57 PM
AND HE'S NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!
http://www.andrewbostom.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/mad-as-hell.jpg
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/763801.html
Chiefs linebacker Johnson wants team to get losing out of its system
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. | Derrick Johnson is digging in his travel bag, looking for something to feel good about.
“We lost so much last year,” the Chiefs linebacker says, “we don’t want none of that. We don’t want nothing to do with last year.”
Saturday night looked a lot like last year. The Chiefs went 4-12 in 2007, ending with nine consecutive losses. Johnson has no trouble remembering that.
Johnson stops rummaging through his bag and leans back in his locker stall. He starts rolling off his uniform socks and throwing them on the ground, hard enough the balled-up socks bounce. The Chiefs are 1-2 in the preseason, and Saturday’s 24-0 loss to Miami made reality start setting in.
“It’s definitely not going to be like last year,” Johnson says. “We’re not going down that road at all. Could it be a losing season? Yeah. We don’t want that. I shouldn’t even say that. We shouldn’t even — that shouldn’t even come out of our mouths.”
But it did. Johnson said what this team has been trying to keep silent, trying to ignore for months: that the 2008 Chiefs are young, inexperienced — and maybe just not a good team yet.
Johnson says each player has to do his job, a group of individuals that make a team. And this is the preseason. That’s when young players and veterans learn how to do that.
These games are practice, he keeps reminding himself. The losses hurt all the same because that reminds players of last year, the worst Chiefs team in 30 years. This year’s group doesn’t want to be a part of that. Johnson sure doesn’t.
So now he’s getting his frustration out of his system, throwing socks and digging through his bag.
“We’re definitely going to throw this out,” he says, “correct what we can correct.”
Like when the Dolphins had first-and-goal at the Kansas City 2. It appeared to be a sure touchdown, and all the Chiefs had to do was move out of the way. Johnson reminds you that they didn’t, and the Chiefs held Miami to a field goal.
“That’s big,” Johnson says, starting to smile.
Johnson is still sitting in his locker stall, but he leans forward. The socks are off, the bag is packed, and Johnson is talking about progress now. It’s good to talk about these kinds of things.
“We’re looking forward to the season. Put it like that,” he says. “It’s going to be a good year. Football is a mind game. You lose and you get down from it — you’ve got to snap out of that. You’ve got to have a strong mind. That’s what I’ve learned.”
http://www.andrewbostom.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/mad-as-hell.jpg
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/763801.html
Chiefs linebacker Johnson wants team to get losing out of its system
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. | Derrick Johnson is digging in his travel bag, looking for something to feel good about.
“We lost so much last year,” the Chiefs linebacker says, “we don’t want none of that. We don’t want nothing to do with last year.”
Saturday night looked a lot like last year. The Chiefs went 4-12 in 2007, ending with nine consecutive losses. Johnson has no trouble remembering that.
Johnson stops rummaging through his bag and leans back in his locker stall. He starts rolling off his uniform socks and throwing them on the ground, hard enough the balled-up socks bounce. The Chiefs are 1-2 in the preseason, and Saturday’s 24-0 loss to Miami made reality start setting in.
“It’s definitely not going to be like last year,” Johnson says. “We’re not going down that road at all. Could it be a losing season? Yeah. We don’t want that. I shouldn’t even say that. We shouldn’t even — that shouldn’t even come out of our mouths.”
But it did. Johnson said what this team has been trying to keep silent, trying to ignore for months: that the 2008 Chiefs are young, inexperienced — and maybe just not a good team yet.
Johnson says each player has to do his job, a group of individuals that make a team. And this is the preseason. That’s when young players and veterans learn how to do that.
These games are practice, he keeps reminding himself. The losses hurt all the same because that reminds players of last year, the worst Chiefs team in 30 years. This year’s group doesn’t want to be a part of that. Johnson sure doesn’t.
So now he’s getting his frustration out of his system, throwing socks and digging through his bag.
“We’re definitely going to throw this out,” he says, “correct what we can correct.”
Like when the Dolphins had first-and-goal at the Kansas City 2. It appeared to be a sure touchdown, and all the Chiefs had to do was move out of the way. Johnson reminds you that they didn’t, and the Chiefs held Miami to a field goal.
“That’s big,” Johnson says, starting to smile.
Johnson is still sitting in his locker stall, but he leans forward. The socks are off, the bag is packed, and Johnson is talking about progress now. It’s good to talk about these kinds of things.
“We’re looking forward to the season. Put it like that,” he says. “It’s going to be a good year. Football is a mind game. You lose and you get down from it — you’ve got to snap out of that. You’ve got to have a strong mind. That’s what I’ve learned.”