ChiefsPlanet - RAND: Peterson knows his business

RAND: Peterson knows his business
Mar 06, 2007, 8:08:21 AM by Jonathan Rand - FAQ

You won’t find new Chiefs’ left tackle Damion McIntosh on the ESPN.com list of the top 30 players who were eligible for the start of free agency Friday. But you will find Carl Peterson, who signed him, on the Forbes.com list of the top 20 general managers in professional sports.

Both rankings are a tad surprising. McIntosh was a solid player in a free-agent market thin at one of the game’s most important positions. And criticism of Peterson in Kansas City probably reached an all-time peak late last season before the Chiefs became a surprise playoff participant.

So what does all this mean? It probably means there are too many lists flying around cyberspace. You’ve no doubt noticed that the popularity of lists – the best this or the worst that – has never been as high as in the Internet age. And sports lists are especially popular.

Forbes, a business magazine, usually wades into the world of sports to rank the most valuable franchises or most expensive tickets, snacks and souvenirs. Its ranking of general managers, though it seems unusual, does feature a key business angle.

Peterson is ranked number 16 among all general managers and sixth in the NFL. The rankings were made by comparing general managers to their predecessors with won-loss records and ability to keep payrolls nearest the league median. To avoid overrating GMs more interested in slashing payroll than winning, Forbes.com gives double weight to winning percentage.

The five highest-ranked NFL general managers are San Diego’s A.J. Smith, fourth; Carolina’s Marty Hurney, seventh; Chicago’s Jerry Angelo, eighth; Indianapolis’ Bill Polian, ninth, and Dallas’ Jerry Jones, 13th. All except Smith have led their franchises to a Super Bowl.

Each has overseen a major turnaround, as has Peterson. He took over a franchise that had just one playoff appearance in 17 years and was coming off consecutive four-win seasons. So his 173-126-1 record, a .578 winning percentage over 18 regular- and post-seasons, towers over the record of the Chiefs’ previous front office.

But then, of course, there’s the what-have-you-done-for-us lately factor. The Chiefs have just two playoff appearances, and no playoff wins, over the last nine seasons.

Peterson’s ultimate ranking among Chiefs’ fans won’t be defined by any list. It will be defined by the Chiefs’ performance over the next few years. At the very least, Peterson has proved himself a very solid and professional general manager who rejuvenated a doormat franchise and turned game day at Arrowhead Stadium into a happening again. His legacy beyond that depends upon how close the Chiefs can get to the Lombardi Trophy.

Peterson can’t afford to rest on his winning percentage or Forbes.com ranking, however, because he’s entering a critical point of his regime. He and coach Herm Edwards need to manage the tricky transition of making their roster younger, yet more talented, without letting the wheels come off for a season or two.

This is where McIntosh comes in. A seven-year veteran who’s about to turn 30, he’ll play an important role in the Chiefs’ transition. You can list him as the Chiefs’ starting left tackle, and that’s the only list he needs to be concerned about right now.