JoPo: Carl has us all fooled - Page 7

siberian khatru · 12-19-2006, 07:54 AM

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/16270526.htm

Let’s face it — Chiefs aren’t that good

JOE POSNANSKI
The Kansas City Star

Picture, if you will, a football team. This is not any ordinary football team. This is a team that has made the playoffs one time in the last nine years. Once. In nine years. This obviously is not a particularly good football team.

In those nine years, this team has been led by four different head coaches (three defensive guys, one offensive guy), guided by four quarterbacks (all backups from other teams) and has finished, on average, 22nd in the league in total defense.

You have pictured a team in total disarray, yes? Let us divulge that team also has been miserable away from home — a 25-46 road record over those nine years. No toughness. This team has had just one of its drafted defensive players make the Pro Bowl over that nine-year drought (and that was a fluke, he was on the bench the very next year). This team has not been to a Super Bowl in Lance Armstrong’s lifetime.

This team embarrassed itself with a Monday night meltdown on national television. This team’s defensive slapstick inspired the commissioner to joke about them during his annual state of the NFL speech. This team had one coach quit suddenly and go into broadcasting, one coach resign to spend time with his grandkids and a third coach dismissed rather coldly and then brought back to be defensive coordinator.

Close your eyes. You are picturing one of the NFL dregs, right? The Detroit Lions? The Arizona Cardinals? The Houston Texans?

Of course, you know by now — you’ve known all along — that we are talking about the Kansas City Chiefs. And yet, somehow the Chiefs have avoided being considered one of those NFL dregs. Every home game sells out. People all over town wear red to work every Friday. Every July, no matter how many years since the team has tasted playoff success, Chiefs fans hope again.

How is this possible? You have entered the Chiefs zone.

•••

It’s strange. We all lived through every one of those Chiefs failures the last nine years. I was there for every one of them. And yet, until they were all piled up one after another like dominoes, I did not quite realize exactly how bad it has been. One playoff in nine years? Four coaches? Four backup quarterbacks? That bad a road record?

If the idea of the NFL is to make the playoffs — and I suspect most of us would say that’s the idea — the Chiefs are right there with the Lions, Cardinals and Browns.

But it doesn’t feel that way, does it? I suspect this has a lot to do with Chiefs president/CEO/general manager Carl Peterson. I know many people believe that he is somehow content with losing (as long as the stadium is filled), but I have never bought that. I think he wants very much to win. He has done everything he knows to win.

The truth of course is that under Peterson, the Chiefs haven’t won. In the early years, they couldn’t quite win playoff games. And over the last nine years, they haven’t even won enough to make the playoffs. Why not? I think the answer is more complicated than “he isn’t trying” or “he doesn’t care.” My quick explanation is that the hardest thing to do in football is a build a team with the right balance between offense and defense, and Peterson has never found that balance. Good teams can beat you more than one way. The Chiefs, under Peterson, have not had that variety.

But what Peterson has done — I think better than anyone in sports — is convince everyone that his mediocre teams are actually good and promising. How? He has kept the Chiefs from having one of those comical 3-13 seasons. He has always found players with star quality — Derrick Thomas to Joe Montana to Marcus Allen to Tony Gonzalez to Priest Holmes to Larry Johnson. And the Chiefs have just missed the playoffs enough times to keep everybody coming back for more.

I’ll bet if you asked big NFL fans to name the four teams that have made the playoffs just once since 1998, everybody would get Detroit. Most would pick Arizona. Most would pick Cincinnati (though the Bengals look on pace to make the playoffs this year and get out of this league of losers).

And I suspect very few would name Kansas City. They seem better than that.

This year’s team is a perfect example. These Chiefs were once 7-4 and two touchdowns ahead of Cleveland. They looked to be a playoff team for sure. They looked to be a team on the rise. Everybody in town was excited. Truth was, they were playing over their heads. They have lost three straight, and really they were not too competitive the last two.

Monday, someone asked me this simple question: If you had a choice to build for the future, would you take this year’s Chiefs team or the 4-11-1 team from 1988 that Marty Schottenheimer inherited?

The obvious answer is that you would take this year’s team. That was my thought.

But look again: That 1988 team had three defensive Pro Bowlers — Dino Hackett, Albert Lewis and Deron Cherry. Defensive end Neil Smith was about to emerge, cornerback Kevin Ross had Pro Bowl years ahead, and the Chiefs had a high draft pick (which Peterson used to take Derrick Thomas). That team also had a powerful running back (Christian Okoye), a solid offensive line, two productive wide receivers and a veteran quarterback (Steve DeBerg). There were some pieces there. And the Chiefs won.

Now, look at this year’s team. They will likely have no defensive Pro Bowlers this season. It’s way too early to predict that any of the young defenders will emerge the way Smith, Ross and others did. The Chiefs will have a mediocre draft pick, so they probably will not get a franchise player like Thomas. They do have the great running back, but the offensive line — especially at tackle — struggles. Hall of Famer Will Shields may retire. Trent Green doesn’t look the same after his injury, and he will be 37 before next season. The Chiefs do have the fabulous Tony Gonzalez, assuming they re-sign him. Otherwise, their receiving corps is shaky and aging fast.

The point is, this Chiefs team really isn’t very good. But, like always, they had people around town (at least for a while) believing they were good. Heck, I believed it, too. This is what the Chiefs do well. They get everyone to believe. Trouble is, they’re going to miss the playoffs again. And they do that well too. Too well.

Halfcan · 12-19-2006, 02:50 PM

JoPo has been reading the Planet.

Redrum_69 · 12-19-2006, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

It needs to get "ugly." This team needs retooled with a longer term vision, and not trying to win next year.

In that case we need to score 3 points and have a blowout loss to the Raiders...if you want to get a rebuild/attention out of this season.

Or we could just win out and still have a chance for playoffs if everyone thats tied loses...and we win the next two.....

Mecca · 12-19-2006, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FringeNC

I really like Trent Green as a quarterback, but I think it may be time to just gut the offense. Do we really want to lock up Gonzalez to a huge long-term deal? Shields is about to retire. We have no tackles.

Trent is signed for next year, but I think there's a big escalation in his contract. Maybe we need to start over and suggest to Trent it'd be better for him to finish his career in Washington. They need a QB, and have a lot more weapons than we do on offense.

There's not going to be any re-loading on offense, because we have no one left that is competent of pulling it off.

Carl rebuild.....now that's a far fetched idea.

Simplex3 · 12-19-2006, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redrum_69

Or we could just win out and still have a chance for playoffs if everyone thats tied loses...and we win the next two.....

The Chiefs getting in the playoffs is just like the eunuch guarding the harem. Sure you got in but you still weren't going to get any.

Chiefs Pantalones · 12-19-2006, 03:20 PM

Like tk13 said, people are throwing Trent under a bus rather quickly.

I'm kind of up for the idea of starting Croyle though these last two games, just to get him some time. Because just like Shanahan mentioned, it's not about the playoffs, it's about Super Bowl victories. We should get a sneak peak and see what we got in Croyle.

bogie · 12-19-2006, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

The problem is that the Mighty Clark has been filthy rich his entire life. When you have his kind of money $1,000 here and $100,000 there is like pocket change.

I can't think of a single thing the fans can do that would hit him DEEP ENOUGH in the pocketbook to actually make him want to change things.

Which means we're basically at his mercy.

vurp

Chief Henry · 12-19-2006, 04:02 PM

[QUOTE=TrickyNicky]Wow. Hit all the points that have been made on the Planet the last few weeks. QUOTE]

Actually all those points have been made the last several years by many people. Jo Po is just now getting up from his keyboard and smelling the
coffee thats been stale in the Chiefs coffee pot for years.

L.A. Chieffan · 12-19-2006, 05:13 PM

Tell us something we don't know Jo Po.

CHIEF4EVER · 12-19-2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redrum_69

In that case we need to score 3 points and have a blowout loss to the Raiders...if you want to get a rebuild/attention out of this season.

Or we could just win out and still have a chance for playoffs if everyone thats tied loses...and we win the next two.....

Then again...we could all just draw straws to see who get to tap your mom's booty first.

milkman · 12-19-2006, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redrum_69

In that case we need to score 3 points and have a blowout loss to the Raiders...if you want to get a rebuild/attention out of this season.

Or we could just win out and still have a chance for playoffs if everyone thats tied loses...and we win the next two.....

This playoff fantasy is like your mother.

Everyone has had her, and been disappointed, yet people come back for more.

Halfcan · 12-19-2006, 08:35 PM

Reerun_KC · 12-19-2006, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vanilla Thunder

Because just like Shanahan mentioned, it's not about the playoffs, it's about Super Bowl victories. We should get a sneak peak and see what we got in Croyle.

If that was the case it the Chiefs would of never hired Herm Edwards. It is about the playoffs. Carl is only worried about doing just as much as he needs to, to get the Chiefs to the playoffs. One and done? He dont care. As long as he can raise parking, concessions and tickets the following year, he is happy and the Chiefs succeed.

Herm was a safe hire, not risky and will keep the team at or barely above .500 and a shot at the playoffs.

No team in their right mind would ever hire the fraud of a coach that Herm is if they were serious about a superbowl Period!

Chiefs Pantalones · 12-19-2006, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

If that was the case it the Chiefs would of never hired Herm Edwards. It is about the playoffs. Carl is only worried about doing just as much as he needs to, to get the Chiefs to the playoffs. One and done? He dont care. As long as he can raise parking, concessions and tickets the following year, he is happy and the Chiefs succeed.

Herm was a safe hire, not risky and will keep the team at or barely above .500 and a shot at the playoffs.

No team in their right mind would ever hire the fraud of a coach that Herm is if they were serious about a superbowl Period!

Excellent points. I can't argue with that.

boogblaster · 12-19-2006, 10:23 PM

So fricking true it makes me sick..but come July Ill be ready for the season to start..Dumb-fricking hommer.....

htismaqe · 12-20-2006, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

If that was the case it the Chiefs would of never hired Herm Edwards. It is about the playoffs. Carl is only worried about doing just as much as he needs to, to get the Chiefs to the playoffs. One and done? He dont care. As long as he can raise parking, concessions and tickets the following year, he is happy and the Chiefs succeed.

Herm was a safe hire, not risky and will keep the team at or barely above .500 and a shot at the playoffs.

No team in their right mind would ever hire the fraud of a coach that Herm is if they were serious about a superbowl Period!

While I see what you're saying, Carl's not WRONG.

When your team hasn't won a playoff game in over a decade, it's NOT ABOUT SUPERBOWLS. It's about making the playoffs.

12-19-2006, 07:54 AM
siberian khatru 21st Century Schizoid Fan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Gates of Delirium Casino cash: $-1435050	JoPo: Carl has us all fooled http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/16270526.htm Let’s face it — Chiefs aren’t that good JOE POSNANSKI The Kansas City Star Picture, if you will, a football team. This is not any ordinary football team. This is a team that has made the playoffs one time in the last nine years. Once. In nine years. This obviously is not a particularly good football team. In those nine years, this team has been led by four different head coaches (three defensive guys, one offensive guy), guided by four quarterbacks (all backups from other teams) and has finished, on average, 22nd in the league in total defense. You have pictured a team in total disarray, yes? Let us divulge that team also has been miserable away from home — a 25-46 road record over those nine years. No toughness. This team has had just one of its drafted defensive players make the Pro Bowl over that nine-year drought (and that was a fluke, he was on the bench the very next year). This team has not been to a Super Bowl in Lance Armstrong’s lifetime. This team embarrassed itself with a Monday night meltdown on national television. This team’s defensive slapstick inspired the commissioner to joke about them during his annual state of the NFL speech. This team had one coach quit suddenly and go into broadcasting, one coach resign to spend time with his grandkids and a third coach dismissed rather coldly and then brought back to be defensive coordinator. Close your eyes. You are picturing one of the NFL dregs, right? The Detroit Lions? The Arizona Cardinals? The Houston Texans? Of course, you know by now — you’ve known all along — that we are talking about the Kansas City Chiefs. And yet, somehow the Chiefs have avoided being considered one of those NFL dregs. Every home game sells out. People all over town wear red to work every Friday. Every July, no matter how many years since the team has tasted playoff success, Chiefs fans hope again. How is this possible? You have entered the Chiefs zone. ••• It’s strange. We all lived through every one of those Chiefs failures the last nine years. I was there for every one of them. And yet, until they were all piled up one after another like dominoes, I did not quite realize exactly how bad it has been. One playoff in nine years? Four coaches? Four backup quarterbacks? That bad a road record? If the idea of the NFL is to make the playoffs — and I suspect most of us would say that’s the idea — the Chiefs are right there with the Lions, Cardinals and Browns. But it doesn’t feel that way, does it? I suspect this has a lot to do with Chiefs president/CEO/general manager Carl Peterson. I know many people believe that he is somehow content with losing (as long as the stadium is filled), but I have never bought that. I think he wants very much to win. He has done everything he knows to win. The truth of course is that under Peterson, the Chiefs haven’t won. In the early years, they couldn’t quite win playoff games. And over the last nine years, they haven’t even won enough to make the playoffs. Why not? I think the answer is more complicated than “he isn’t trying” or “he doesn’t care.” My quick explanation is that the hardest thing to do in football is a build a team with the right balance between offense and defense, and Peterson has never found that balance. Good teams can beat you more than one way. The Chiefs, under Peterson, have not had that variety. But what Peterson has done — I think better than anyone in sports — is convince everyone that his mediocre teams are actually good and promising. How? He has kept the Chiefs from having one of those comical 3-13 seasons. He has always found players with star quality — Derrick Thomas to Joe Montana to Marcus Allen to Tony Gonzalez to Priest Holmes to Larry Johnson. And the Chiefs have just missed the playoffs enough times to keep everybody coming back for more. I’ll bet if you asked big NFL fans to name the four teams that have made the playoffs just once since 1998, everybody would get Detroit. Most would pick Arizona. Most would pick Cincinnati (though the Bengals look on pace to make the playoffs this year and get out of this league of losers). And I suspect very few would name Kansas City. They seem better than that. This year’s team is a perfect example. These Chiefs were once 7-4 and two touchdowns ahead of Cleveland. They looked to be a playoff team for sure. They looked to be a team on the rise. Everybody in town was excited. Truth was, they were playing over their heads. They have lost three straight, and really they were not too competitive the last two. Monday, someone asked me this simple question: If you had a choice to build for the future, would you take this year’s Chiefs team or the 4-11-1 team from 1988 that Marty Schottenheimer inherited? The obvious answer is that you would take this year’s team. That was my thought. But look again: That 1988 team had three defensive Pro Bowlers — Dino Hackett, Albert Lewis and Deron Cherry. Defensive end Neil Smith was about to emerge, cornerback Kevin Ross had Pro Bowl years ahead, and the Chiefs had a high draft pick (which Peterson used to take Derrick Thomas). That team also had a powerful running back (Christian Okoye), a solid offensive line, two productive wide receivers and a veteran quarterback (Steve DeBerg). There were some pieces there. And the Chiefs won. Now, look at this year’s team. They will likely have no defensive Pro Bowlers this season. It’s way too early to predict that any of the young defenders will emerge the way Smith, Ross and others did. The Chiefs will have a mediocre draft pick, so they probably will not get a franchise player like Thomas. They do have the great running back, but the offensive line — especially at tackle — struggles. Hall of Famer Will Shields may retire. Trent Green doesn’t look the same after his injury, and he will be 37 before next season. The Chiefs do have the fabulous Tony Gonzalez, assuming they re-sign him. Otherwise, their receiving corps is shaky and aging fast. The point is, this Chiefs team really isn’t very good. But, like always, they had people around town (at least for a while) believing they were good. Heck, I believed it, too. This is what the Chiefs do well. They get everyone to believe. Trouble is, they’re going to miss the playoffs again. And they do that well too. Too well.
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12-19-2006, 02:50 PM	#91
Halfcan In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2005 Casino cash: $7327995	JoPo has been reading the Planet.
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12-19-2006, 03:20 PM	#95
Chiefs Pantalones GO CHIEFS!!!!!! Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $6868717	Like tk13 said, people are throwing Trent under a bus rather quickly. I'm kind of up for the idea of starting Croyle though these last two games, just to get him some time. Because just like Shanahan mentioned, it's not about the playoffs, it's about Super Bowl victories. We should get a sneak peak and see what we got in Croyle. __________________ Don't be fooled by my username, I'm white.
Posts: 26,653

12-19-2006, 04:02 PM	#97
Chief Henry MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: IOWA Casino cash: $10005088	[QUOTE=TrickyNicky]Wow. Hit all the points that have been made on the Planet the last few weeks. QUOTE] Actually all those points have been made the last several years by many people. Jo Po is just now getting up from his keyboard and smelling the coffee thats been stale in the Chiefs coffee pot for years. __________________ Patrick Mahomes...The only QB to ever play in the NFL with at least 5,000 passing yards in a single season and 5,000 passing yards in a single college season.
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12-19-2006, 05:13 PM	#98
L.A. Chieffan PLAY GOOD FOOTBALL Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: American Gardens Building Casino cash: $2688654	Tell us something we don't know Jo Po.
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12-19-2006, 08:35 PM	#101
Halfcan In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2005 Casino cash: $7327995	zing
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12-19-2006, 10:23 PM	#104
boogblaster MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Verdigris Valley Campsite Casino cash: $10004900	So fricking true it makes me sick..but come July Ill be ready for the season to start..Dumb-fricking hommer..... __________________ WR or S please
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