Chiefs Posnanski: Chiefs’ rebuilding plan collapsed early - Page 2

**Tribal Warfare** · 10-28-2008, 12:16 AM

Chiefs’ rebuilding plan collapsed early
By JOE POSNANSKI
The Kansas City Star

PHILADELPHIA | Here’s a little Chiefs talk after the World Series game was suspended:

One thing people in presidential politics talk about all the time is “narrative.” You need a narrative, a story, a theme for people to believe in. You are for change. You are a steady leader. You are for regular Americans. You have fresh ideas. You believe in making the country a better place for our children.

The Kansas City Chiefs have a narrative problem. The narrative of this season was supposed to be pretty simple, really. This season was about rebuilding. That was clear. The Chiefs, finally, were going to start over. They would unleash a bunch of eager and talented young players. They would play together. They would improve in exciting ways. They would be aggressive. Yes, there would be some mistakes. Sure, there would be some growing pains. True, the Chiefs would lose a lot of games this year.

But as long as the narrative stayed intact, everyone would have something to believe in.

Trouble is, the narrative has fallen apart. It began collapsing in the first game of the season when Brodie Croyle hurt his shoulder, went to the sideline, threw one warm-up pass and shook his head as if to say, “No, no, that hurts way too much.” At that point, it became clear that, even though it wasn’t his fault, Croyle’s body simply could not stand up to the NFL pounding. And the Chiefs did not have a quarterback of the future.

You cannot have a “We are rebuilding” narrative without a quarterback. It’s pointless. The biggest flaw of the Carl Peterson era, without a doubt, has been the Chiefs’ obvious lack of interest in developing a quarterback. For 19 years, the Chiefs were happy to play with other teams’ leftovers. Sometimes, those leftovers played pretty well. Sometimes, they didn’t. But it’s a simple fact that most Super Bowl champions draft and develop their own quarterback. The last five Super Bowl champions have.

The Chiefs decided to try it their own way. It won them some games. It did not get them close to the Super Bowl. Croyle was their effort to change things. He got hurt quickly.

So, the Chiefs had no young quarterback. That threw the rebuilding thing out the window. Then, their most accomplished player, tight end Tony Gonzalez, asked for a trade. You could not blame Gonzalez for wanting out of this mess, and it seemed as if few Chiefs fans did blame him. Gonzalez has played with the Chiefs his whole career. He signed two long-term deals even though there were probably riches and greater fame somewhere else. He represented the city well, he was involved in numerous charities, he played hard every game.

Still, let’s face it, he was asking to be traded in the middle of the season — and that certainly did not fit the “We’re all in this together” part of the narrative. Peterson agreed to try to trade Gonzalez, which was a big mistake. Peterson then failed to trade Gonzalez, which was a much, much bigger mistake. Now, no matter what anyone says, there’s a real rift here, a rift that will only grow as the season goes along. The Chiefs are losing. Gonzalez feels as if he was lied to. Everyone in the locker room watches closely.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ most expensive player, Larry Johnson, is lost. He has been charged with assault, again, fourth incident in five years, and he’s been inactive the last two weeks, he’s staring smack into an NFL suspension (probably a pretty significant one). No matter how you may feel about Johnson’s apology, it’s very clear that the Chiefs made a huge blunder giving him a big contract. A year ago, Larry Johnson was the centerpiece of the Chiefs’ future. Now, he might not even be a part of it.

So, now that part of the narrative has gone bad, too.

What’s left? Well, at least the Chiefs will be aggressive. Right? Not so much. The Chiefs finally saw something good happen on Sunday. Young quarterback Tyler Thigpen, against all expectations (including those of his own teammates), played very well. He threw confidently, he showed off his athletic ability, it was fun to watch. Hey, maybe the guy’s got something after all.

And … I thought Jason’s column on Monday nailed it. The Chiefs led the New York Jets by three points on Sunday with 5 minutes and 20 seconds left, and they promptly ran three running plays. It was unbelievable — I was sitting in the press box before the World Series game, watching the game with jaw dropped.

Sure, coach Herm Edwards has a reputation for being absurdly conservative, and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey isn’t exactly Mr. Vegas himself, but it was impossible to believe that a 1-5 team playing on the road would not try at least one pass in an effort to get a first down. They did not try one, though. Like dead men walking, they ran into the line three times, punted the ball back to Brett Favre and sealed their own doom.

That same day, the Chiefs confirmed that they are close to signing retired quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who hasn’t played well (or much) since 2004. What good is Daunte Culpepper going to bring to the Chiefs? Is this guy part of the future? Can you really claim to be rebuilding when you have Daunte Culpepper at quarterback?

No. You can’t. The Chiefs went into this season, and everyone was willing to deal with some pain for some improvement. Instead, the new narrative is that the Chiefs are trying to get better with a 19-year general manager who has a losing record over the last 11, a coach who plays not to lose the game, an inactive running back, an unhappy tight end, a defense that can’t stop the run, possibly a quarterback who retired at the beginning of the year and an owner who thinks everything’s going well.

You have to wonder who approved that message.

whoman69 · 10-28-2008, 08:58 AM

If the Chiefs were rebuilding, which I don't believe, you cannot be successful by doing it with players that you do not believe that will be there when the team crosses the hump. IMO we brought in untested players dropped by failing teams simply because the money was better. To rebuild you try to get experience for the players you think will be able to take you over the top. Where you can't find that player for the future, you have to get someone that can play now. We have too many players that are trying to fill a hole they will never be able to fill. They are still holes and always will be.

el borracho · 10-28-2008, 09:04 AM

How can we ever have a QBOTF when our head coach has a history of getting QBs killed? We have 9 games left; does anyone here think that Thigpen will survive all 9?

**gblowfish** · 10-28-2008, 10:10 AM

Jo Poz is the best the Star has to offer.
Great writer, and very measured and balanced.

He's a keeper.

Fatlock, on the other hand, is a Wilbon wanna be. He wants to be a playa, but he's such a hack nobody else would have him.

**Dave Lane** · 10-28-2008, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Jo Poz is the best the Star has to offer.
Great writer, and very measured and balanced.

He's a keeper.

Fatlock, on the other hand, is a Wilbon wanna be. He wants to be a playa, but he's such a hack nobody else would have him.

I like Jason. He was sounding the alarm long before Jo Poz was. He turned out to be right its just before anyone was ready to hear it in many cases.

Dave

jidar · 10-28-2008, 10:42 AM

Haha.
Why does every JoPo article turns into a discussion about whether or not he's good at what he does?

Here's a hint folks: Whether or not you think JoPo is a good sports writer says more about you than it does him. He's no only the best sports writer in town, he's one of the best in country, and he's been recognized for that by his peers on multiple occasions. I realize that opinions are subjective, but this one comes as close to being fact as an opinion can be. The guy is just damned good at sports writing.

I have no idea how anyone can think otherwise.

**Rausch** · 10-28-2008, 10:51 AM

This season reminds me of an operation you need take your foot to save your leg.

Then you wake up and find out they cut off the wrong one...

**Dylan** · 10-28-2008, 11:18 AM

I thought it would be a good idea to post Posnanski & Whitlock's email address:

Chiefs’ rebuilding plan collapsed early
By JOE POSNANSKI
The Kansas City Star

[email protected]

Put the blame for Chiefs’ last-minute blunder on Edwards
By JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star

[email protected]

crazycoffey · 10-28-2008, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rausch

This season reminds me of an operation you need take your foot to save your leg.

Then you wake up and find out they cut off the wrong one...

I thought the quip was "It's like having an operation to cut off your leg, just to save your foot."

StcChief · 10-28-2008, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyCoffey

I thought the quip was "It's like having an operation to cut off your leg, just to save your foot."

it is.... then a clerk at the hospital marks the wrong leg.

Zouk · 10-28-2008, 12:38 PM

Doesn't the Titans disprove his theory? They rebuilt without a QB.

And he's flat wrong about the series in the 4th quarter.

crazycoffey · 10-28-2008, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StcChief

it is.... then a clerk at the hospital marks the wrong leg.

why the F is a clerk messing with my leg, I didn't go into the lobby store, tell that bitch to leave me alone and let the nurses and doctors mess me up, they have much better malpractice insurance....

ChiefsCountry · 10-28-2008, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoman69

If the Chiefs were rebuilding, which I don't believe, you cannot be successful by doing it with players that you do not believe that will be there when the team crosses the hump. IMO we brought in untested players dropped by failing teams simply because the money was better. To rebuild you try to get experience for the players you think will be able to take you over the top. Where you can't find that player for the future, you have to get someone that can play now. We have too many players that are trying to fill a hole they will never be able to fill. They are still holes and always will be.

RedThat · 10-28-2008, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zouk

Doesn't the Titans disprove his theory? They rebuilt without a QB.

And he's flat wrong about the series in the 4th quarter.

Tennessee had the intention of rebuilding their team with a QB. That's why they drafted Vince Young. Kerry Collins was an accident because he just happened to play simple and did not lose games for them. That, and all what was going on with Vince explains why Kerry is playing. He is not winning games for them? He's just not losing games. They're winning because of good defense and their ability to run the ball. However, I don't think these kind of teams win SBs.

I think JoPo is trying to say that in order to rebuild, you need the QB to go along with it. so that one day if this teams main goal is to go to the SB and win it, the QB is already developed to help lead your team along the way.

And a lot of teams that won SBs drafted and developed their own quarterback along the way. Even when they were bad. Examples of that, would be Dallas in the 90's, the 49ers did it in the 80's with Montana, and many others. But these teams weren't like Tennessee? They were more powerhouse like teams.

Tennessee is a good team don't get me wrong. But I really don't think they're a complete team. They have a good defense, and a solid running game and thats fine. That does get you far, but is it good enough to win it all? Very seldomly do teams like that win SB's. Most SB's winner are usually multi-dimensional teams and they do have the most important ingredient and that is the "quarterback." Mind you, Im going by what I see from past history. It is very rare that teams win a SB without a real stud at QB.

*Kerry Collins isn't really the kinda of guy that strikes fear in the opposition. What happens one day if a team shuts down Tennesee's running game and tries to force Kerry Collins to beat them? is he the kind of QB that is going to beat teams and win a SB for Tennesee? I highly doubt it.

Sure-Oz · 10-28-2008, 01:55 PM

Carl said he hasn't spoken to LJ in over a week...and won't comment on lj's future here...

Zouk · 10-28-2008, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedBull

Tennessee had the intention of rebuilding their team with a QB. That's why they drafted Vince Young.

I agree. And that has likely failed. Just like our attempt to build with Croyle failed. But that doesn't mean the Titans rebuild was pointless, nor does it mean ours is pointless.

I'd add the Dungy Bucs with Shaun King, the Lovie Smith Bears with Grossman, the Del Rio Jaguars with Leftwich, etc. etc. Quarterbacks often on't work out - but if you build a good team around them you can still have success. I still think we are building a good team but it's a process that takes time as it did with the Titans.

10-28-2008, 12:16 AM
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-2977187	Posnanski: Chiefs’ rebuilding plan collapsed early Chiefs’ rebuilding plan collapsed early By JOE POSNANSKI The Kansas City Star PHILADELPHIA \| Here’s a little Chiefs talk after the World Series game was suspended: One thing people in presidential politics talk about all the time is “narrative.” You need a narrative, a story, a theme for people to believe in. You are for change. You are a steady leader. You are for regular Americans. You have fresh ideas. You believe in making the country a better place for our children. The Kansas City Chiefs have a narrative problem. The narrative of this season was supposed to be pretty simple, really. This season was about rebuilding. That was clear. The Chiefs, finally, were going to start over. They would unleash a bunch of eager and talented young players. They would play together. They would improve in exciting ways. They would be aggressive. Yes, there would be some mistakes. Sure, there would be some growing pains. True, the Chiefs would lose a lot of games this year. But as long as the narrative stayed intact, everyone would have something to believe in. Trouble is, the narrative has fallen apart. It began collapsing in the first game of the season when Brodie Croyle hurt his shoulder, went to the sideline, threw one warm-up pass and shook his head as if to say, “No, no, that hurts way too much.” At that point, it became clear that, even though it wasn’t his fault, Croyle’s body simply could not stand up to the NFL pounding. And the Chiefs did not have a quarterback of the future. You cannot have a “We are rebuilding” narrative without a quarterback. It’s pointless. The biggest flaw of the Carl Peterson era, without a doubt, has been the Chiefs’ obvious lack of interest in developing a quarterback. For 19 years, the Chiefs were happy to play with other teams’ leftovers. Sometimes, those leftovers played pretty well. Sometimes, they didn’t. But it’s a simple fact that most Super Bowl champions draft and develop their own quarterback. The last five Super Bowl champions have. The Chiefs decided to try it their own way. It won them some games. It did not get them close to the Super Bowl. Croyle was their effort to change things. He got hurt quickly. So, the Chiefs had no young quarterback. That threw the rebuilding thing out the window. Then, their most accomplished player, tight end Tony Gonzalez, asked for a trade. You could not blame Gonzalez for wanting out of this mess, and it seemed as if few Chiefs fans did blame him. Gonzalez has played with the Chiefs his whole career. He signed two long-term deals even though there were probably riches and greater fame somewhere else. He represented the city well, he was involved in numerous charities, he played hard every game. Still, let’s face it, he was asking to be traded in the middle of the season — and that certainly did not fit the “We’re all in this together” part of the narrative. Peterson agreed to try to trade Gonzalez, which was a big mistake. Peterson then failed to trade Gonzalez, which was a much, much bigger mistake. Now, no matter what anyone says, there’s a real rift here, a rift that will only grow as the season goes along. The Chiefs are losing. Gonzalez feels as if he was lied to. Everyone in the locker room watches closely. Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ most expensive player, Larry Johnson, is lost. He has been charged with assault, again, fourth incident in five years, and he’s been inactive the last two weeks, he’s staring smack into an NFL suspension (probably a pretty significant one). No matter how you may feel about Johnson’s apology, it’s very clear that the Chiefs made a huge blunder giving him a big contract. A year ago, Larry Johnson was the centerpiece of the Chiefs’ future. Now, he might not even be a part of it. So, now that part of the narrative has gone bad, too. What’s left? Well, at least the Chiefs will be aggressive. Right? Not so much. The Chiefs finally saw something good happen on Sunday. Young quarterback Tyler Thigpen, against all expectations (including those of his own teammates), played very well. He threw confidently, he showed off his athletic ability, it was fun to watch. Hey, maybe the guy’s got something after all. And … I thought Jason’s column on Monday nailed it. The Chiefs led the New York Jets by three points on Sunday with 5 minutes and 20 seconds left, and they promptly ran three running plays. It was unbelievable — I was sitting in the press box before the World Series game, watching the game with jaw dropped. Sure, coach Herm Edwards has a reputation for being absurdly conservative, and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey isn’t exactly Mr. Vegas himself, but it was impossible to believe that a 1-5 team playing on the road would not try at least one pass in an effort to get a first down. They did not try one, though. Like dead men walking, they ran into the line three times, punted the ball back to Brett Favre and sealed their own doom. That same day, the Chiefs confirmed that they are close to signing retired quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who hasn’t played well (or much) since 2004. What good is Daunte Culpepper going to bring to the Chiefs? Is this guy part of the future? Can you really claim to be rebuilding when you have Daunte Culpepper at quarterback? No. You can’t. The Chiefs went into this season, and everyone was willing to deal with some pain for some improvement. Instead, the new narrative is that the Chiefs are trying to get better with a 19-year general manager who has a losing record over the last 11, a coach who plays not to lose the game, an inactive running back, an unhappy tight end, a defense that can’t stop the run, possibly a quarterback who retired at the beginning of the year and an owner who thinks everything’s going well. You have to wonder who approved that message.
Posts: 43,452

10-28-2008, 09:04 AM	#17
el borracho In Pat We Trust Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Albuquerque, NM Casino cash: $2529148	How can we ever have a QBOTF when our head coach has a history of getting QBs killed? We have 9 games left; does anyone here think that Thigpen will survive all 9?
Posts: 12,274

10-28-2008, 10:10 AM	#18
gblowfish Be Kind To Your Pets Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Glorious Independence, MO Casino cash: $16886178 VARSITY	Jo Poz is the best the Star has to offer. Great writer, and very measured and balanced. He's a keeper. Fatlock, on the other hand, is a Wilbon wanna be. He wants to be a playa, but he's such a hack nobody else would have him.
Posts: 41,016

10-28-2008, 10:42 AM	#20
jidar MVP Join Date: May 2005 Location: a Casino cash: $10004900	Haha. Why does every JoPo article turns into a discussion about whether or not he's good at what he does? Here's a hint folks: Whether or not you think JoPo is a good sports writer says more about you than it does him. He's no only the best sports writer in town, he's one of the best in country, and he's been recognized for that by his peers on multiple occasions. I realize that opinions are subjective, but this one comes as close to being fact as an opinion can be. The guy is just damned good at sports writing. I have no idea how anyone can think otherwise.
Posts: 5,502

10-28-2008, 11:18 AM	#22
Dylan The Lede Join Date: Aug 2007 Casino cash: $10016591	I thought it would be a good idea to post Posnanski & Whitlock's email address: Chiefs’ rebuilding plan collapsed early By JOE POSNANSKI The Kansas City Star [email protected] Put the blame for Chiefs’ last-minute blunder on Edwards By JASON WHITLOCK The Kansas City Star [email protected]
Posts: 33,643

10-28-2008, 12:38 PM	#25
Zouk Veteran Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: DC Casino cash: $10004900	Doesn't the Titans disprove his theory? They rebuilt without a QB. And he's flat wrong about the series in the 4th quarter.
Posts: 1,454

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