Sam Mellinger | Crennel out of answers for this hopeless team

[petegz28]

The man who can do no right is trying to explain why everything is going so wrong. He must know this is a fool’s errand.

Romeo Crennel is not crazy. He is not stupid. But when the coach of the sport’s worst team stands in front of reporters and cameras and his boss to explain a 10th loss in 11 games, well, this is not Crennel’s finest moment.

“I thought our guys played a good football game,” he says about a team that is now on track for the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft with a roster many picked to make the playoffs.

“I thought it was better today,” he says of an offense that gained 264 yards, somewhere around the 15th percentile of production for NFL teams this year.

“We were still in the game until the end,” he says of a $1 billion franchise that plays in perhaps the most cutthroat and bottom-line league in American sports.

This is what happens when a thoughtful man becomes the face of a disaster that just lost 17-9 to the Broncos, a game he knows his team could’ve won.


One of the narratives of this rotten garbage season is that the Chiefs have been unlucky. That, you know, if not for a turnover here or there (their season total of 32 is comfortably the worst in football), they’d be much better.

Well, the Chiefs had just one turnover in each of their last three games and lost all of them.

They actually didn’t turn it over until the last play against Denver, and still haven’t led in the fourth quarter of any game. They had seven penalties on Sunday, including four false starts that Crennel tried to blame on the Broncos barking defensive calls at the line of scrimmage — a somewhat shady practice that many NFL teams do.

This season has long gone from losing to lost, leaving Crennel awkwardly close to bragging on non-blowout losses. He singles out his quarterback, running back and offensive line for good efforts after a second consecutive game without a touchdown.

He kicked a field goal on fourth-and-short inside the 5, and if he really wasn’t sure if the Chiefs would need touchdowns to beat Manning instead of field goals — honest to goodness, his postgame excuse — then he was the only one.

He wasted a fourth-quarter timeout to punt at midfield because he wasn’t sure if he should go for it, knowing that part of the job description is to make these decisions beforehand. He is perhaps the most mild-mannered head coach in the NFL, and cameras caught him giving assistant Brian Daboll the verbal business. The cracks are showing.

Last month, Crennel talked of the urgency for better results, saying that every team has a breaking point of hope, where it realizes the tides have risen too high and the effort fractures. That was four losses ago.

This is a man out of answers.

“I was proud of the way they competed,” Crennel says, “and (how) they played against a very good football team and particularly here at home in front of the home fans (where) we haven’t been very good this year. I was proud about that.”

The Chiefs have now lost seven in a row in the place formerly known as the NFL’s loudest stadium. That wasn’t too long ago, actually. Back when Crennel was just the defensive coordinator.

Back when the Chiefs played games that mattered.


For as long as he has his job this season, Crennel will be one of the least envied coaches in sports.

He is now our local version of Steve Spagnuolo or Rod Marinelli, in charge of an inept group of underachievers that — if human nature applies — are now playing for something much harder to define than team glory and a postseason spot.

You don’t have to look too hard to see hope’s breaking point.

“A lot of people expect a lot of things out of life and they don’t go their way,” safety Eric Berry says. “This is a game. If you fight back in life, it’s easy to fight back in a game. Nobody’s dying or anything like that. It’s just a bad season. So we gotta finish this out strong and, I hate to say build for next year, but we need to build that momentum going into next year. It just is what it is.”

This is one of the Chiefs’ most earnest and hard-working players, a bright guy with a refill of football passion after missing virtually all of last season with a knee injury. And with more than a month left, he’s reaching for motivation.

While Berry is speaking, Crennel walks by, through the Chiefs’ locker room and back toward an office. He wakes up Monday morning trying to excavate hope from the hopeless. This is the worst coaching challenge in sports.

This is now Crennel’s life.



To reach Sam Mellinger, call 816-234-4365, send e-mail to smellinger@kcstar.com or follow twitter.com/mellinger. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/25/3934388/sam-mellinger-crennel-out-of-answers.html#storylink=cpy

[007]

replace hopeless with hapless.

[KurtCobain]

I hope everyone is fired, the sooner the better.

[FloridaMan88]

The photo with this column is screaming for a caption:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

[Ace Gunner]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lscv8twPQz1r44kmvo1_400.gif

[Bugeater]

I'm not sure he had any answers to begin with.

[KurtCobain]

I'm not sure he had any answers to begin with.

Whenever he is questioned for lunch, the answer is always a hash bowl.

[Marcellus]

I'm not sure he had any answers to begin with.

Yea, at this point if he said something intelligent I would shit myself. No reason to expect anything but idiocy after this long.

[007]

The photo with this column is screaming for a caption:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

Romeo, you are going the wrong way

[Chief Roundup]

He didn't have any answers in the begining why would he suddenly have them now?
"I don't know"

[KurtCobain]

Romeo, you are going the wrong way

But, with his head held higher than Willie Nelson.

[lewdog]

I am shocked that Romeo doesn't wear Shape-ups! I totally pegged him as a Shape-ups wearer.

[1ChiefsDan]

Well, the Chiefs had just one turnover in each of their last three games and lost all of them.

This is the most amazing thing from the article. They LOST turnovers? :D

[Rasputin]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lscv8twPQz1r44kmvo1_400.gif

It's a zit



LMAO

[007]

This is the most amazing thing from the article. They LOST turnovers? :D

apple or cherry?

[1ChiefsDan]

apple or cherry?

Now we all know that RAC would never lose an apple or cherry turnover.

[007]

Now we all know that RAC would never lose an apple or cherry turnover.

only in his belly

[TEX]

1-10 Year 4 of Pioli...LMAO

[GloryDayz]

The photo with this column is screaming for a caption:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

Situps and eating right are overrated!

[Lonewolf Ed]

So many captions would fit.

"There's something I'm forgetting, I can just feel it..."
"Chin up, it will all be over on Dec. 30th. Retirement sounds nice."
"I sure wish I understood this game."
"Field goals are my favorite part of this game! That ball sails so pretty!"

[the Talking Can]

The photo with this column is screaming for a caption:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

you know when you're walking and suddenly you have to shit, so you tense every muscle in your body?

that's crennel's dont-shit-your-pants walk

[threebag]

Could you imagine sitting infront of the media and have to take the heat for A situation Pioli never should have put this franchise in and still be politically correct for your employer.

[BossChief]

hahahahaha

they should change the electronic banner to read "THIS USED TO BE THE LOUDEST STADIUM IN THE NFL UNTIL LAMAR PASSED AWAY. RIP ARROWHEAD"

[whoman69]

In other news...
Iowa is cold in the winter
The Twilight series sucked
Water is wet

[Hammock Parties]

FIELD GOALS BABY HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY WON'T BE ENOUGH

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Vk4skCIu0KY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[lcarus]

This has to be the most inept team I've ever seen when it comes to scoring fucking touchdowns. It's incredible.

[BossChief]

He should have just came out and said "shit, man. I wasn't sure if we would ever get back down there again"

[BigMeatballDave]

FIELD GOALS BABY HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY WON'T BE ENOUGH

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Vk4skCIu0KY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

LMAO

Even Herm would LOL at that shit.

[Demonpenz]

Romeo was the first coach to be on those Coors light commercials and come back to be a head coach. I would get training camp out of st joseph, hire new announcers, fire everyone. The shit on this franchise is so thick the chiefs should hire those hazmat teams that come in after a suicide to clean up the decay smell. **** Mitch Holthus. That dude has Zero credibility. I don't give a **** if he works for the god damn team. Worst ****ing salesman of all time. If Mitch Holthus sold Kirby Vacuums he would probably be like "This is the Donnie Edwards of Vacuums, it is fast and good" then you turned it on and Kirby Vacuum would shoot loads of shit all over the wall like if you took a dump in the middle of the Finnish Fling. Brian Dabol doesn't have much to work with but god damn, can you atleast get your pussy ass up into the booth. Sometimes I look down at that cock suckers dockers just to see alittle bit of a buldge..something to tell me that he may have balls. All I see is that crease telling me that he has a fat upper pussy area and that he is going to run another chicken shit draw. Peyton Hillis you are a ****ing disgrace dude. I would rather have a screen saver of Robert Eberts Jaw than watch your game. Tony Moaki...sucks...Eric Berry...You obviously have a fear of horses and tackling ball carriers For someone who's resume is so long, your game is really short. Oh and put on some gloves, you look like a kid who's mom was too busy working at Denny's to buy him football gloves. Kendrick Lewis...I mailed you an application for Price Chopper...plastic please. Matt Cassel...you should be sent to an island for people that just look dumb... enjoy your money asshole. John Baldwin. Sweet squabbles dude...you wouldn't make it through happy hour at Americas Pub.

[WhiteWhale]

He's out of answers?

I mean... the only way you could say Crennel ever HAD answers would require you to believe 'I don't know' is a meaningful and satisfying answer.

[Nightfyre]

The photo with this column is screaming for a caption:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

"I am the Walrus! Koo koo katchoo!"

[jd1020]

Is that his "game plan" showing or is he just happy to have been "competitive" in his 10th loss?

[Wornoutfan]

"I am the Walrus! Koo koo katchoo!"

If I shove this play sheet far enough down my pants maybe my camel toe won't show.

[WhiteWhale]

FIELD GOALS BABY HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY WON'T BE ENOUGH

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Vk4skCIu0KY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

You know, I actually think he's 'kind of' right, but let me explain. I think, under normal circumstances, you kick a FG that early in the game. Under normal circumstances

Two things made this abnormal.

1. We are 1-10 with the worst offense in the NFL.

2. The opposing offense was led but a sure-fire HOF QB and arguably (though not by me) the best QB in history.

Those two things make it a no brainer to go for it.

[Psyko Tek]

The photo with this column is screaming for a caption:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

LIKE A BOSS!!!
not the boss just like one

[Tribal Warfare]

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

"Haters gonna hate"

[kcxiv]

NO idea wtf they are thinking kicking all them field goals and not going for it. There is NOTHING absolutely NOTHING to save this season. Go for broke

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Isn't it required that a person at one time had an answer for that person to later be out of answers?

[FAX]

The photo with this column is screaming for a caption:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

And so, ladies and gentlemen, begins the 2012 African American Marshmallow Man Parade.

FAX

[Hammock Parties]

Who called the timeout on 4th and 1?

Was it Crennel or Daboll?

If it was Crennel, why was he bitching at Daboll?

I'd love to know what happened there. We got the 1st down after the timeout due to Denver's penalty but...Romeo bitching at Daboll was odd.

[Iowanian]

I assumed Rac's game plan came from his ass, and here he's showing that to be incorrect. The game plans are conceived in his "front butt"




He'd be a great PeeWee or Junior High School coach....he appears to be a nice, honest man who cares about his players and supports their "try"....but this is the NFL and these children are grown men making Tens-Hundreds of Thousands of dollars to, almost be competitive.

[Bugeater]

Isn't required that a person at one time had an answer for that person to later be out of answers?
See post #6

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

See post #6

I said it better.


:D

[banyon]

The photo with this column is screaming for a caption:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

I think this playcalling chart can double as placemat. Not like we are using it anyway. I'll just tuck it in here for safekeeping til later.

[chiefzilla1501]

People keep freaking out about the talent on the team. I continue to contend that the majority of the reason we lost today was horrendous coaching and poor QB play. If we had solid coaching and a good QB, we would have won convincingly.

Instead, our QB kept missing open receivers, our offensive scheme was stupid as usual, and our team reflected bad coaching by making a shitload of unbelievably costly penalties.

[Hammock Parties]

Don't forget the secondary getting assraped.

A better offense would probably just make a team like Denver be more aggressive and force them to score more.

[chiefzilla1501]

Don't forget the secondary getting assraped.

The secondary didn't bother me. Considering we ran heavy defensive back formations against Peyton Manning, they did okay. Arenas and Berry played one of their better games. Lewis, Elam, and Jalil Brown played like dog shit. We know our d-back depth is suspect, and that we could use some upgrade at safety. I don't think either will be that hard to do.

[Barret]

The photo with this column is screaming for a caption:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

If someone could photoshop a broke wall behind him, He looks like the Kool Aid man busting through the wall yelling "Oh Yeaaaaaaa". Now we just need Stewie on the field with a baseball bat

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rIIj2Ut6Pvo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[ping2000]

The photo with this column is screaming for a caption:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/25/16/00/m8T7W.St.81.jpeg

"Was that guy to the left of me wearing a Yankees pullover? WTF? Must be another SOC thing like the blackout."

[ZepSinger]

Fixed your photo.
http://www.lewerke.com/sad.jpg

[the Talking Can]

nice

[FAX]

ROFL

FAX

[Romeo's Pants]

Fixed your photo.
http://www.lewerke.com/sad.jpg

Speaking as the man's pants, I can confirm this.

[Baby Lee]

1-10 Year 4 of Pioli...LMAO

Somehow, some way, we have to put his '22 guys off the street can win 2 games' remarks from the start of his tenure in his face all day every day.

[Baby Lee]

And so, ladies and gentlemen, begins the 2012 African American Marshmallow Man Parade.

FAX

mmmm S'mores.

[WhiteWhale]

I assumed Rac's game plan came from his ass, and here he's showing that to be incorrect. The game plans are conceived in his "front butt"




He'd be a great PeeWee or Junior High School coach....he appears to be a nice, honest man who cares about his players and supports their "try"....but this is the NFL and these children are grown men making Tens-Hundreds of Thousands of dollars to, almost be competitive.

Crennel knows football, but he's too passive and nice to be a real leader of a team as HC.

NFL players are a bunch of alpha male dick waving bullies. People like that love kindness, because they walk all over it.

[Fire Me Boy!]

I assumed Rac's game plan came from his ass, and here he's showing that to be incorrect. The game plans are conceived in his "front butt"


http://images.wikia.com/scrubs/images/6/61/2x3_Front_Butt.png

[Omaha]

You know, I actually think he's 'kind of' right, but let me explain. I think, under normal circumstances, you kick a FG that early in the game. Under normal circumstances

Two things made this abnormal.

1. We are 1-10 with the worst offense in the NFL.

2. The opposing offense was led but a sure-fire HOF QB and arguably (though not by me) the best QB in history.

Those two things make it a no brainer to go for it.

Nah. There's nothing wrong with the answer he gave. A lot of coaches would have done the same thing. Take the points & go up 6-0. That's FAR from the worst decision he's made.

[Baby Lee]

Nah. There's nothing wrong with the answer he gave. A lot of coaches would have done the same thing. Take the points & go up 6-0. That's FAR from the worst decision he's made.

The instant he decided to go FG, I started mentally tabulating all the games where I saw a 6-0 lead result in a loss. There were tons.

[Baby Lee]

Nah. There's nothing wrong with the answer he gave. A lot of coaches would have done the same thing. Take the points & go up 6-0. That's FAR from the worst decision he's made.

The instant he decided to go FG, I started mentally tabulating all the games where I saw a 6-0 lead result in a loss. There were tons.

The nice memories were from the 90s when we were dishing those out instead of taking them.

[Easy 6]

Romeo was the first coach to be on those Coors light commercials and come back to be a head coach. I would get training camp out of st joseph, hire new announcers, fire everyone. The shit on this franchise is so thick the chiefs should hire those hazmat teams that come in after a suicide to clean up the decay smell. **** Mitch Holthus. That dude has Zero credibility. I don't give a **** if he works for the god damn team. Worst ****ing salesman of all time. If Mitch Holthus sold Kirby Vacuums he would probably be like "This is the Donnie Edwards of Vacuums, it is fast and good" then you turned it on and Kirby Vacuum would shoot loads of shit all over the wall like if you took a dump in the middle of the Finnish Fling. Brian Dabol doesn't have much to work with but god damn, can you atleast get your pussy ass up into the booth. Sometimes I look down at that cock suckers dockers just to see alittle bit of a buldge..something to tell me that he may have balls. All I see is that crease telling me that he has a fat upper pussy area and that he is going to run another chicken shit draw. Peyton Hillis you are a ****ing disgrace dude. I would rather have a screen saver of Robert Eberts Jaw than watch your game. Tony Moaki...sucks...Eric Berry...You obviously have a fear of horses and tackling ball carriers For someone who's resume is so long, your game is really short. Oh and put on some gloves, you look like a kid who's mom was too busy working at Denny's to buy him football gloves. Kendrick Lewis...I mailed you an application for Price Chopper...plastic please. Matt Cassel...you should be sent to an island for people that just look dumb... enjoy your money asshole. John Baldwin. Sweet squabbles dude...you wouldn't make it through happy hour at Americas Pub.

:LOL:

The penz, with another classic.

[DrunkBassGuitar]

Romeo was the first coach to be on those Coors light commercials and come back to be a head coach. I would get training camp out of st joseph, hire new announcers, fire everyone. The shit on this franchise is so thick the chiefs should hire those hazmat teams that come in after a suicide to clean up the decay smell. **** Mitch Holthus. That dude has Zero credibility. I don't give a **** if he works for the god damn team. Worst ****ing salesman of all time. If Mitch Holthus sold Kirby Vacuums he would probably be like "This is the Donnie Edwards of Vacuums, it is fast and good" then you turned it on and Kirby Vacuum would shoot loads of shit all over the wall like if you took a dump in the middle of the Finnish Fling. Brian Dabol doesn't have much to work with but god damn, can you atleast get your pussy ass up into the booth. Sometimes I look down at that cock suckers dockers just to see alittle bit of a buldge..something to tell me that he may have balls. All I see is that crease telling me that he has a fat upper pussy area and that he is going to run another chicken shit draw. Peyton Hillis you are a ****ing disgrace dude. I would rather have a screen saver of Robert Eberts Jaw than watch your game. Tony Moaki...sucks...Eric Berry...You obviously have a fear of horses and tackling ball carriers For someone who's resume is so long, your game is really short. Oh and put on some gloves, you look like a kid who's mom was too busy working at Denny's to buy him football gloves. Kendrick Lewis...I mailed you an application for Price Chopper...plastic please. Matt Cassel...you should be sent to an island for people that just look dumb... enjoy your money asshole. John Baldwin. Sweet squabbles dude...you wouldn't make it through happy hour at Americas Pub.

This is my favorite chiefs rant of all time.

LMAO