Flanagan: Chiefs need to draft better before starting over

tk13 · 10-19-2004, 01:06 AM

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...ts/9954040.htm

Chiefs need to draft better before they can start over

JEFFREY FLANAGAN

With the Chiefs at 1-4, some Chiefs fans already may be looking ahead, as in starting over, as in rebuilding the team through the draft.

That thinking makes some sense, especially when you look at an aging offensive line, aging wide receivers, a 34-year-old quarterback, etc.

But ironically, the Chiefs' inability to draft well is perhaps one of the reasons they haven't won a playoff game in more than 10 years. It's also one of the reasons the Chiefs simply can't, like the Royals, shift to playing a lot of young prospects the rest of the season. There really aren't any.

Since the Chiefs last won a playoff game, they have had 10 drafts. Name the truly impact players they have selected in those drafts.

You can probably come up with three: Tony Gonzalez, Dante Hall and Jerome Woods. They've all made the Pro Bowl (actually, so did Gary Stills last year as a special teams player). But that's not exactly a lot of big-time production from the draft.

There have also been some amazing whiffs with high-round picks: Trezelle Jenkins, Greg Hill, Mike Cloud (2) , Sylvester Morris, Eddie Freeman (2) and Larry Johnson, to name a few.

The Chiefs will argue that they have drafted near the bottom of the first round for many of those years, putting them at a great disadvantage. But also picking near the bottom of the first round have been the Broncos, who lead the division at 5-1 and have won two Super Bowls during the last 10 years.

The Broncos have plucked many stars out of the draft, such as Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis, Al Wilson, Trevor Pryce, and Tom Nalen. They've selected other difference-makers such as Deltha O'Neal and Mike Anderson and Olandis Gary and John Mobley and Ben Hamilton and Ashey Lelie. Their scouting department also discovered undrafted stars such as Rod Smith.

The point being this: If the Chiefs hope to catch up with the Broncos some day they better hope their 2004 draft (Junior Siavii, Kris Wilson, Keyaron Fox, Samie Parker, Jared Allen) pans out and marks the beginning of a new and more effective youth movement.

***

A couple of observations from the weekend of sports:

• Can someone explain why Bill Snyder elected to punt with his team trailing 31-21 and just less than a minute remaining on Saturday? What was the point of that? Granted, it would have taken a small miracle for K-State to rally — a freak touchdown pass, an onside kick, etc.

But isn't the point of the game to keep trying until the very end?

It's not as if Oklahoma would have run up the score (the Sooners simply went to a knee after the punt). If Snyder was throwing up the white flag, he may just as well have told his team to head to the locker room at that point.

• ESPN needs a strategy adjustment on its “Sunday Night Football” package as well. Sideline reporter Suzy Kolber used to provide some fairly useful information, but this season she has been reduced to doing these silly in-game recaps that come at us every five minutes or so.

These recaps are tiresomely redundant (and obviously the product of some ridiculous market-research study). Kolber also forces so much enthusiasm into them that she virtually hyperventilates. Suggestion: Ease it down, ESPN. Let the game breathe a little.

***

From columnist Mike Freeman of The Florida Times-Union: “We know what the Chiefs are. They are patsies. They are the equivalent of Middle Tennessee State, de-evolving in just a few (months) from a great high-wire act into a last-place team. No wonder Dick Vermeil cries so much. If you had to coach that every week, you'd weep, too.”

***

Good news perhaps for Royals fans: White Sox star outfielder Magglio Ordonez has switched agents and has picked up Scott Boras, which has White Sox fans (not to mention White Sox officials) worried that Ordonez will wind up in either New York or Los Angeles or Boston.

The White Sox, like the Royals, have pretty much tried to avoid Boras clients over the last five years, knowing full well that Boras isn't likely to take any budget-conscious team seriously in negotiations.

Ordonez is a free agent, by the way.

10-19-2004, 02:24 AM

r u a fuckin donkey fan u bundle of sticks

tk13 · 10-19-2004, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiefsfolife

r u a fuckin donkey fan u bundle of sticks

Are you talking to me?

Pants · 10-19-2004, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiefsfolife

r u a fuckin donkey fan u bundle of sticks

Says the dumbass with 38 posts.

teedubya · 10-19-2004, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metrolike

Says the dumbass with 38 posts.

Says the dumbass with 537 posts.

Pants · 10-19-2004, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ali Chi3fs

Says the dumbass with 537 posts.

Yo, dat ain coo, aigh? Wof wit all da dissin? Big up, coz I ain playin.

**Lzen** · 10-19-2004, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ali Chi3fs

Says the dumbass with 537 posts.

Says the dumbass with 3600 points.

teedubya · 10-19-2004, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lzen

Says the dumbass with 3600 points.

Says the Dumbass with 8,012 posts.

Thig Lyfe · 10-19-2004, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiefsfolife

r u a fuckin donkey fan u bundle of sticks

no... he's a realistic Chiefs fan.

Otter · 10-19-2004, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Chiefs need to draft better before they can start over

A revelation indeed.

teedubya · 10-19-2004, 03:59 AM

**BigRedChief** · 10-19-2004, 06:35 AM

My point exactly as to why King Carl must go. And why the Chiefs have 2 playoff wins in 16 years during thew King Carl era.

TEX · 10-19-2004, 06:50 AM

And in the D.V. era, the drafting has been especially poor. But the "profile" is much better...

Chan93lx50 · 10-19-2004, 08:16 AM

Yep, our draft classes have been nothing but complete utter BS!

Makes me want to barf! just thinking about it!

BigChiefFan · 10-19-2004, 08:27 AM

It's good to know some of the reporters are recognizing this. It may be 16 years later, but at least it's a start.

10-19-2004, 01:06 AM	Topic Starter
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $-1867500	Flanagan: Chiefs need to draft better before starting over http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...ts/9954040.htm Chiefs need to draft better before they can start over JEFFREY FLANAGAN With the Chiefs at 1-4, some Chiefs fans already may be looking ahead, as in starting over, as in rebuilding the team through the draft. That thinking makes some sense, especially when you look at an aging offensive line, aging wide receivers, a 34-year-old quarterback, etc. But ironically, the Chiefs' inability to draft well is perhaps one of the reasons they haven't won a playoff game in more than 10 years. It's also one of the reasons the Chiefs simply can't, like the Royals, shift to playing a lot of young prospects the rest of the season. There really aren't any. Since the Chiefs last won a playoff game, they have had 10 drafts. Name the truly impact players they have selected in those drafts. You can probably come up with three: Tony Gonzalez, Dante Hall and Jerome Woods. They've all made the Pro Bowl (actually, so did Gary Stills last year as a special teams player). But that's not exactly a lot of big-time production from the draft. There have also been some amazing whiffs with high-round picks: Trezelle Jenkins, Greg Hill, Mike Cloud (2) , Sylvester Morris, Eddie Freeman (2) and Larry Johnson, to name a few. The Chiefs will argue that they have drafted near the bottom of the first round for many of those years, putting them at a great disadvantage. But also picking near the bottom of the first round have been the Broncos, who lead the division at 5-1 and have won two Super Bowls during the last 10 years. The Broncos have plucked many stars out of the draft, such as Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis, Al Wilson, Trevor Pryce, and Tom Nalen. They've selected other difference-makers such as Deltha O'Neal and Mike Anderson and Olandis Gary and John Mobley and Ben Hamilton and Ashey Lelie. Their scouting department also discovered undrafted stars such as Rod Smith. The point being this: If the Chiefs hope to catch up with the Broncos some day they better hope their 2004 draft (Junior Siavii, Kris Wilson, Keyaron Fox, Samie Parker, Jared Allen) pans out and marks the beginning of a new and more effective youth movement. * A couple of observations from the weekend of sports: • Can someone explain why Bill Snyder elected to punt with his team trailing 31-21 and just less than a minute remaining on Saturday? What was the point of that? Granted, it would have taken a small miracle for K-State to rally — a freak touchdown pass, an onside kick, etc. But isn't the point of the game to keep trying until the very end? It's not as if Oklahoma would have run up the score (the Sooners simply went to a knee after the punt). If Snyder was throwing up the white flag, he may just as well have told his team to head to the locker room at that point. • ESPN needs a strategy adjustment on its “Sunday Night Football” package as well. Sideline reporter Suzy Kolber used to provide some fairly useful information, but this season she has been reduced to doing these silly in-game recaps that come at us every five minutes or so. These recaps are tiresomely redundant (and obviously the product of some ridiculous market-research study). Kolber also forces so much enthusiasm into them that she virtually hyperventilates. Suggestion: Ease it down, ESPN. Let the game breathe a little. * From columnist Mike Freeman of The Florida Times-Union: “We know what the Chiefs are. They are patsies. They are the equivalent of Middle Tennessee State, de-evolving in just a few (months) from a great high-wire act into a last-place team. No wonder Dick Vermeil cries so much. If you had to coach that every week, you'd weep, too.” *** Good news perhaps for Royals fans: White Sox star outfielder Magglio Ordonez has switched agents and has picked up Scott Boras, which has White Sox fans (not to mention White Sox officials) worried that Ordonez will wind up in either New York or Los Angeles or Boston. The White Sox, like the Royals, have pretty much tried to avoid Boras clients over the last five years, knowing full well that Boras isn't likely to take any budget-conscious team seriously in negotiations. Ordonez is a free agent, by the way.
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10-19-2004, 02:24 AM	#2
chiefsfolife Guest Casino cash: $	r u a fuckin donkey fan u bundle of sticks
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10-19-2004, 03:59 AM	#11
teedubya Most Valuable Poster Join Date: Oct 2003 Casino cash: $8993042
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10-19-2004, 06:35 AM	#12
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $-761038 VARSITY	My point exactly as to why King Carl must go. And why the Chiefs have 2 playoff wins in 16 years during thew King Carl era. __________________ Mahomes is not a game manager. Release the Kraken.
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10-19-2004, 06:50 AM	#13
TEX Out Gunning CP's Fandom Police Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Galveston, TX Casino cash: $-1416873	And in the D.V. era, the drafting has been especially poor. But the "profile" is much better... __________________ "Do we have time to run WASP?"
Posts: 37,098

10-19-2004, 08:16 AM	#14
Chan93lx50 Veteran Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Cedar Rapids, IA Casino cash: $10004900	Yep, our draft classes have been nothing but complete utter BS! Makes me want to barf! just thinking about it! __________________
Posts: 1,847

10-19-2004, 08:27 AM	#15
BigChiefFan MVP Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: In the Top 10 Casino cash: $9924205	It's good to know some of the reporters are recognizing this. It may be 16 years later, but at least it's a start. __________________ A 35 year drought can make you thirsty.
Posts: 15,777