KC Star - Law won't break

Hammock Parties · 12-22-2006, 02:19 AM

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/16295180.htm

Law won’t break
Chiefs cornerback defends himself against the critics and says he still loves the game.
By ELIZABETH MERRILL
The Kansas City Star

The lights glared on his white tank top and rippling Popeye guns, the team Web site crashed, and Ty Law, internally, rolled his eyes. He never liked the term savior. But he mugged for the cameras in July, flashed his $30 million smile and brought late-summer hope to a town awash with playoff — make that Super Bowl — hopes.

“Sometimes,” Law said, “your reputation precedes you.”

Nearly the entire team had filed out of the Chiefs’ locker room Thursday afternoon for a trip to Oakland, but Law wanted to stay and talk. He knows Kansas City had such high hopes when he signed with the team in July. He knows by Sunday night, the Chiefs could be officially eliminated from the playoff race.

Fingers have pointed, and many of them have been aimed at the guy who was supposed to be the missing piece of the puzzle, the five-time Pro Bowl cornerback, the free agent Kansas City fans salivated over for two years.

Now they’re spitting mad. They call Law the “fall-down corner.” They wonder whether his 32-year-old legs have lost it. Law has no doubt it’s still there, because ultimately, he says, he doesn’t need this. He has all the money he wants. He has three Super Bowl rings.

But he loves football and yearns to hoist a trophy in another place besides New England. That’s what keeps him going, he says, through the cracks and the boos.

“I’ve been hired, I’ve been fired, I’ve been cursed at, I’ve been talked about,” Law said. “Hey, that’s all part of having a career. But to believe in yourself and to still have your peers’ respect … to have guys you play against tell you on the field, ‘Damn, you can still play, you can still run, you can still hit’ … That means more to me than anything.

“Because a lot of people who don’t put on a uniform don’t understand what’s going on between those lines or understand what my job might be at this particular time.”

Law had 10 interceptions with the Jets last season, and he did it with a bad foot. But in Kansas City, he’s defined by several slips. The most recent one happened two weeks ago against Baltimore, when Mark Clayton was as wide open as the Kansas countryside on an 87-yard touchdown catch.

Clayton got behind Law and safety Greg Wesley, and coach Herm Edwards later said the play resulted from miscommunication. Law admits there are a handful of plays from the 2006 season that he wishes he could have back, mostly missed tackles.

But he also insists he’d never leave a man that open and has never done it in his career.

Edwards wonders sometimes whether Law is pressing to make plays. This is Law’s third team in three years, three systems and different sets of expectations.

“It’s not the season he probably anticipated he’d have,” Edwards said. “But he’s done some things that you don’t see. Sometimes a guy’s playing really good because they’re not throwing balls his way and he’s doing a really good job.

“What happens with corners is your name is out there when you intercept passes. And he hasn’t had a lot of interceptions this year. He’s made some tackles, but then if anything bad happens. … You could play a whole game and be playing pretty good, but if you miss a tackle or get beat on a touchdown, that’s what people remember.”

Law has three interceptions — that’s what they remember — and the Chiefs have seen major defensive collapses at Cleveland and Pittsburgh. One tackle here, Law says, and maybe things would be different.

He blames some of the defensive struggles on the newness of playing together. Rookie Tamba Hali is new, and so are safeties Jarrad Page, Bernard Pollard and interior linemen Ron Edwards and James Reed.

Law calls it a journey and compares this team to some of the greener groups he played with in New England before the Super Bowls. He hopes he’ll be part of the ride. The fans were so giddy about acquiring him last summer that the Chiefs’ Web site had more than 50,000 hits at once and crashed the day the deal was struck.

That’s what a reputation can do.

“I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be here,” he said. “I didn’t play to where I messed up the season or something like that. I don’t think it’s even a question, but in this game, this business, you never know what’s going to happen.

“I had an opportunity to go back to New England before I signed here. People don’t know that. I chose to come here for a reason. If it didn’t work out, hypothetically, I’ve had a good time here. To play in front of these fans here is incredible, even when they’re booing. It’s a crazy place to play in, man, and I like it.”

Mecca · 12-22-2006, 02:30 AM

This post belongs here......

....I don't question his "heart", I question that he probably runs about a 4.65. When you have old corners this happens.....he's obviously declining that's on the Chiefs not him.

GROB · 12-22-2006, 02:34 AM

He is the most overrated CB in the league. He was good before he left Pats but has lost alot of speed as mecca said. He spends more time on the ground than a cow turd.

tk13 · 12-22-2006, 02:37 AM

Well, a big part of his game was being physical. He was probably as big of a reason as anyone behind the Colts complaining about the contact rules and getting them enforced like they are now. We probably don't let him get up and hit WR's at the line enough. He'd get burned sometimes but I'm not sure he was ever as good as guys like Surtain or Bailey at covering people.

Mecca · 12-22-2006, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

Well, a big part of his game was being physical. He was probably as big of a reason as anyone behind the Colts complaining about the contact rules and getting them enforced like they are now.

We obviously take advantage of that lining him up 10 yards off of recievers...

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-22-2006, 02:40 AM

As an old CB that's "played in this league", Herm should have known better. He should have known better than to sign a 32 year old CB to a high dollar contract, expecting him to the be Pro Bowl CB of old.

Hell, I knew it. I've posted in the past my feelings on guys like Hugh Douglas and Ty Law. Why doesn't a "Professional" like Herm Edwards know it? Or for fucks sake, King Carl (Dead Man Walking) Peterson know it?

Old Boys Network...CP hires only those who he *trusts* (i.e., control). Fans wait and watch. Buy tickets. CP wins again.

Carl Peterson is a latter day P.T. Barnum. And all the people living in Kansas City are the *Suckers*.

tk13 · 12-22-2006, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

We obviously take advantage of that lining him up 10 yards off of recievers...

Yeah, I added that in there... that's probably true. I mean he'd probably get burned sometimes but I guess he's doing that now anyway. When they used to play the Colts there were times he'd just take Harrison out at the line of scrimmage. Surtain was a lot better at running up and down the field with people, Law was better at hitting people and using his head to be in the right spot.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 12-22-2006, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

Well, a big part of his game was being physical. He was probably as big of a reason as anyone behind the Colts complaining about the contact rules and getting them enforced like they are now. We probably don't let him get up and hit WR's at the line enough. He'd get burned sometimes but I'm not sure he was ever as good as guys like Surtain or Bailey at covering people.

He was *the* reason behind the rules change. He fucked Marvin Harrison up in the 2003 AFC Champ...the skinny bastard couldn't breathe. With that being said, it's on the coaches to use his strengths, namely jamming the hell out of receivers on the line. If we do that with him, he can still be very, very effective.

|Zach| · 12-22-2006, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Carl Peterson is a latter day P.T. Barnum. And all the people living in Kansas City are the *Suckers*.

Only if people allow themselves to be.

The victim mentality around here.

Wow.

Mecca · 12-22-2006, 02:43 AM

Our coaching staff.......is just incompetent. Especially on the defensive side for years we've never taken advantage of the strengths of players and have asked them to do things they aren't good at.

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-22-2006, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

Our coaching staff.......is just incompetent. Especially on the defensive side for years we've never taken advantage of the strengths of players and have asked them to do things they aren't good at.

Give me a fuckin' break. Who, outside of Jared Allen, *possibly* Mitchell and the newly acquired Hali could be considered *talented*? This team has been lacking in TALENT for years. Bad drafts, giving up draft choices for coaches, players, etc. has depleted this team beyond belief. Peterson has tried to "fill in the blanks" for years, leading to 7-9, 6-10, 8-8 type records. Just good enough not to lose, but not good enough to win.

Which *big name* Chiefs player in the past 6 years has left the organization to go on to do anything?? Anything? Not even Pro Bowl (and that hasn't happened either) but ANYTHING?

tk13 · 12-22-2006, 02:52 AM

Well, good question... I guess Fujita and Tait. They're both starters on teams that have a legitimate chance to go to the Super Bowl. Partly because the NFC sucks, but hey, it's the Super Bowl.

tk13 · 12-22-2006, 02:53 AM

Oh yeah, Morten Andersen is kicking for the Falcons!

Mecca · 12-22-2006, 02:57 AM

The Chiefs have taken Surtain and Law and turned them into nothing more than blah corners....they ask them to do things they aren't good at.

When several players are signed for big money and they end up sucking that's an organizational problem.

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-22-2006, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

Well, good question... I guess Fujita and Tait. They're both starters on teams that have a legitimate chance to go to the Super Bowl. Partly because the NFC sucks, but hey, it's the Super Bowl.

Not exactly household names. My point was that this organization/front office - whatever you want to refer this clusterfuck as, has never *consistently* provided the coaching staff (or fans) of high caliber players. Jeff Fisher takes a crap team from 0-5 to 7-7 because of coaching and front office acquistions. Same with Billick/Newsome. Parcells/Jones and the ever popular Pioli/Belichick. Somehow, CP missed the memo on player acquisition, scouting and coaching hires.

In 18 years. Go figure.

12-22-2006, 02:19 AM
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $800478	KC Star - Law won't break http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/16295180.htm Law won’t break Chiefs cornerback defends himself against the critics and says he still loves the game. By ELIZABETH MERRILL The Kansas City Star The lights glared on his white tank top and rippling Popeye guns, the team Web site crashed, and Ty Law, internally, rolled his eyes. He never liked the term savior. But he mugged for the cameras in July, flashed his $30 million smile and brought late-summer hope to a town awash with playoff — make that Super Bowl — hopes. “Sometimes,” Law said, “your reputation precedes you.” Nearly the entire team had filed out of the Chiefs’ locker room Thursday afternoon for a trip to Oakland, but Law wanted to stay and talk. He knows Kansas City had such high hopes when he signed with the team in July. He knows by Sunday night, the Chiefs could be officially eliminated from the playoff race. Fingers have pointed, and many of them have been aimed at the guy who was supposed to be the missing piece of the puzzle, the five-time Pro Bowl cornerback, the free agent Kansas City fans salivated over for two years. Now they’re spitting mad. They call Law the “fall-down corner.” They wonder whether his 32-year-old legs have lost it. Law has no doubt it’s still there, because ultimately, he says, he doesn’t need this. He has all the money he wants. He has three Super Bowl rings. But he loves football and yearns to hoist a trophy in another place besides New England. That’s what keeps him going, he says, through the cracks and the boos. “I’ve been hired, I’ve been fired, I’ve been cursed at, I’ve been talked about,” Law said. “Hey, that’s all part of having a career. But to believe in yourself and to still have your peers’ respect … to have guys you play against tell you on the field, ‘Damn, you can still play, you can still run, you can still hit’ … That means more to me than anything. “Because a lot of people who don’t put on a uniform don’t understand what’s going on between those lines or understand what my job might be at this particular time.” Law had 10 interceptions with the Jets last season, and he did it with a bad foot. But in Kansas City, he’s defined by several slips. The most recent one happened two weeks ago against Baltimore, when Mark Clayton was as wide open as the Kansas countryside on an 87-yard touchdown catch. Clayton got behind Law and safety Greg Wesley, and coach Herm Edwards later said the play resulted from miscommunication. Law admits there are a handful of plays from the 2006 season that he wishes he could have back, mostly missed tackles. But he also insists he’d never leave a man that open and has never done it in his career. Edwards wonders sometimes whether Law is pressing to make plays. This is Law’s third team in three years, three systems and different sets of expectations. “It’s not the season he probably anticipated he’d have,” Edwards said. “But he’s done some things that you don’t see. Sometimes a guy’s playing really good because they’re not throwing balls his way and he’s doing a really good job. “What happens with corners is your name is out there when you intercept passes. And he hasn’t had a lot of interceptions this year. He’s made some tackles, but then if anything bad happens. … You could play a whole game and be playing pretty good, but if you miss a tackle or get beat on a touchdown, that’s what people remember.” Law has three interceptions — that’s what they remember — and the Chiefs have seen major defensive collapses at Cleveland and Pittsburgh. One tackle here, Law says, and maybe things would be different. He blames some of the defensive struggles on the newness of playing together. Rookie Tamba Hali is new, and so are safeties Jarrad Page, Bernard Pollard and interior linemen Ron Edwards and James Reed. Law calls it a journey and compares this team to some of the greener groups he played with in New England before the Super Bowls. He hopes he’ll be part of the ride. The fans were so giddy about acquiring him last summer that the Chiefs’ Web site had more than 50,000 hits at once and crashed the day the deal was struck. That’s what a reputation can do. “I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be here,” he said. “I didn’t play to where I messed up the season or something like that. I don’t think it’s even a question, but in this game, this business, you never know what’s going to happen. “I had an opportunity to go back to New England before I signed here. People don’t know that. I chose to come here for a reason. If it didn’t work out, hypothetically, I’ve had a good time here. To play in front of these fans here is incredible, even when they’re booing. It’s a crazy place to play in, man, and I like it.”
Posts: 297,444

12-22-2006, 02:30 AM	#2
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $-712950	This post belongs here...... ....I don't question his "heart", I question that he probably runs about a 4.65. When you have old corners this happens.....he's obviously declining that's on the Chiefs not him.
Posts: 115,380

12-22-2006, 02:34 AM	#3
GROB Banned Join Date: Sep 2004 Casino cash: $9854900	He is the most overrated CB in the league. He was good before he left Pats but has lost alot of speed as mecca said. He spends more time on the ground than a cow turd.
Posts: 422

12-22-2006, 02:37 AM	#4
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $-1897500	Well, a big part of his game was being physical. He was probably as big of a reason as anyone behind the Colts complaining about the contact rules and getting them enforced like they are now. We probably don't let him get up and hit WR's at the line enough. He'd get burned sometimes but I'm not sure he was ever as good as guys like Surtain or Bailey at covering people.
Posts: 56,718

12-22-2006, 02:40 AM	#6
DaneMcCloud Supporter Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Hollywood, CA Casino cash: $10053648	As an old CB that's "played in this league", Herm should have known better. He should have known better than to sign a 32 year old CB to a high dollar contract, expecting him to the be Pro Bowl CB of old. Hell, I knew it. I've posted in the past my feelings on guys like Hugh Douglas and Ty Law. Why doesn't a "Professional" like Herm Edwards know it? Or for fucks sake, King Carl (Dead Man Walking) Peterson know it? Old Boys Network...CP hires only those who he trusts (i.e., control). Fans wait and watch. Buy tickets. CP wins again. Carl Peterson is a latter day P.T. Barnum. And all the people living in Kansas City are the Suckers.
Posts: 88,960

12-22-2006, 02:43 AM	#10
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $-712950	Our coaching staff.......is just incompetent. Especially on the defensive side for years we've never taken advantage of the strengths of players and have asked them to do things they aren't good at.
Posts: 115,380

12-22-2006, 02:52 AM	#12
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $-1897500	Well, good question... I guess Fujita and Tait. They're both starters on teams that have a legitimate chance to go to the Super Bowl. Partly because the NFC sucks, but hey, it's the Super Bowl.
Posts: 56,718

12-22-2006, 02:53 AM	#13
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $-1897500	Oh yeah, Morten Andersen is kicking for the Falcons!
Posts: 56,718

12-22-2006, 02:57 AM	#14
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $-712950	The Chiefs have taken Surtain and Law and turned them into nothing more than blah corners....they ask them to do things they aren't good at. When several players are signed for big money and they end up sucking that's an organizational problem.
Posts: 115,380

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