Narratives That Need to Die

[DaFace]

[DJay23]

Fallacy: Chiefs fans are now arrogant assholes
The Truth: Only some of us! We've just grown tired of hearing these same old pointless narratives over and over and over. It's not that the Chiefs are invincible, it's just that these tired, idiotic narratives won't help your case or your team's chances.

Great job with the whole thing. These fallacies are one of the many reasons that I don't get involved in debate online about just about everything. Too frustrating. But I want to highlight this one specifically.

I am becoming arrogant. We all should be. It is conditioning. Those of us who have truly been Chiefs fans our whole lives, who have suffered the misery (and when I say misery of course the lifers don't need it explained) were conditioned to believe that something bad would always happen. Because in most of our experiences (I am 43) it always did.

Now we are being conditioned that something good will happen. Because it is. So where an opposing fan might call us arrogant, is it really arrogance, or is it that we are realists who are seeing that the probabilities now line up in our favor? It's confidence.

Thanksgiving at my girlfriend's family we go around the table and say what we are thankful for. Everyone says something sincere and heartfelt and then maybe something jokey. This year I was thankful for Patrick Mahomes and for the fact that I am becoming what Patriots fans were. I should mention, her family is split between Bills and Steelers fans. There were a lot of eyes rolling and noises of disgust.

I'm happy to be an arrogant Chiefs fan. It means my team is envied.

[OrtonsPiercedTaint]

Mark Sanchez went to two AFC title games

[Megatron96]

"Chiefs can't stop the run."

"The Chiefs defense is trash." Actually that might just be the three or four reeruns that regularly show up on the GDTs and have to vomit that nonsense during the first drive.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

"Chiefs can't stop the run."

"The Chiefs defense is trash." Actually that might just be the three or four reeruns that regularly show up on the GDTs and have to vomit that nonsense during the first drive.

I was trying to stick to universal truths and those are more or less season-to-season... they're outdated, for sure.

Similar to the media calling the Rams "the greatest show on turf" 4 years after it was true, it is ****ing annoying when things like that stick around so long.

[digger]

The CHIEFS are re-writing the books...

[Buehler445]

Great posts

[TwistedChief]

Hugs, BC. Nicely done.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by TwistedChief

Hugs, BC. Nicely done.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. I appreciate the sentiment, but six feet, buddy. Six feet away until the vaccines.

[frozenchief]

1. This is a great post. Good use of facts rather than just mindlessly repeating the same old cliches like some kind of damn puppet.

2. There’s a Narrative to which I have subscribed that will be tested this weekend: how important is the O line? Granted, it can’t be garbage but I have argued here (and elsewhere) that with a QB like Mahomes, KC should invest the money in enough of the O line to be among the best O lines in the league. I think Remmers is pretty good but he’s not as good as Fisher or Schwartz. Our O line has been ravaged by injuries this year and yet they’ve done well enough to protect Mahomes and allow our offense to function. They’ve done well enough that while I would like to see improvement, I at least question the Narrative.

this upcoming Super Bowl will certainly test the Narrative. I’ve admitted when I’ve been wrong before. I’ll do it again. If our patchwork O-line can provide enough protection to allow our offense to function well, it will be persuasive evidence against my argument. And if our O-line falters, that Narrative might survive to another day.

Hell, what am I talking about? Of course the Narrative will survive. Some people believe what they want to believe irrespective of all evidence. But if our O line does a respectable job, I will at least re-consider my embrace of that Narrative. (But we should still get an upgrade at center this off season, whether by trade free-agency or draft.)

Anyway, great post. Thanks for putting thought into this and posting something intelligent.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by frozenchief

1. This is a great post. Good use of facts rather than just mindlessly repeating the same old cliches like some kind of damn puppet.

2. There’s a Narrative to which I have subscribed that will be tested this weekend: how important is the O line? Granted, it can’t be garbage but I have argued here (and elsewhere) that with a QB like Mahomes, KC should invest the money in enough of the O line to be among the best O lines in the league. I think Remmers is pretty good but he’s not as good as Fisher or Schwartz. Our O line has been ravaged by injuries this year and yet they’ve done well enough to protect Mahomes and allow our offense to function. They’ve done well enough that while I would like to see improvement, I at least question the Narrative.

this upcoming Super Bowl will certainly test the Narrative. I’ve admitted when I’ve been wrong before. I’ll do it again. If our patchwork O-line can provide enough protection to allow our offense to function well, it will be persuasive evidence against my argument. And if our O-line falters, that Narrative might survive to another day.

Hell, what am I talking about? Of course the Narrative will survive. Some people believe what they want to believe irrespective of all evidence. But if our O line does a respectable job, I will at least re-consider my embrace of that Narrative. (But we should still get an upgrade at center this off season, whether by trade free-agency or draft.)

Anyway, great post. Thanks for putting thought into this and posting something intelligent.

I have an unhealthy bias against that narrative because of all the years of "it's the offensive line!!".... and then I'd watch a QB like Rodgers, with a worse line, be able to deal with it instead of falling into the fetal position at the slightest pressure.

For Mahomes though, I think there would be diminishing returns at some point.... if he can make it to the SB with this many injuries/opt-outs/etc. to this line and win it all with last year's line........ what does say the 15th best line in the league get him? 10th best? 5th best? The best?

Eventually, it just wouldn't matter, as I don't see his production increasing at the same rate as the line gets better and better... it's not like he'll be throwing for 600 yards/game, because the chance of completing a longer pass or whatever will never be all that close to 100%.

The other part of that, of course, is protecting him.

[Halfcan]

Narrative:

Buffalo won the Mahomes trade.

Nope.

[htismaqe]

Absolutely excellent post. Some of your best work ever and that's saying something.

[stevieray]

Now fans of other teams get to engage in false bravados/excuses for choking against superiority.

The End.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Possible Narrative: Mahomes is a product of his insane weapons. Pat simply throws to wide-open Kelce or Hill on every play.

The Truth: This is horseshit. Mahomes is most likely THE best ever.

Example: The Chiefs pre-Mahomes as a starter? Maybe a playoff win. The Chiefs post-Mahomes as a starter? AFC Championship game at a minimum. More likely, the Chiefs are Super Bowl Champs/Favorites.