The Case For Larry

[Hammock Parties]

http://kan.scout.com/2/850023.html

As a child growing up in the 1980’s, my favorite television program was “The Lone Ranger.” It aired via reruns three times a week on the BBC, and with each show, Clayton Moore would gallop out of the dust, dodge bullets, win the day and ride away on his trusty steed, Silver. I was fairly enthralled with “The Lone Ranger,” and never missed an episode.

I moved to America, got older, and forgot about “The Lone Ranger.” Then one day, watching a football game, someone else galloped out of the dust, dodged linebackers, won the game and disappeared, only to return a week later. His name was Larry Johnson. I was fairly enthralled, and never missed an episode.

For three years, the Chiefs pretty much won games because of Larry Johnson. In 2004, Johnson had three 100-yard games. The Chiefs won all three. The next season, Johnson racked up 10 100-yard efforts. The Chiefs won seven of those games. In 2006, the Chiefs won nine games, and eight featured 100 yards from Johnson.

So for three years, Dick Vermeil and Herm Edwards saddled Johnson up, and it was “Hi-Ho, Larry! Away!” And the Chiefs won the day. Just like “The Lone Ranger.”

I suppose that is why I like Larry Johnson so much. He makes me feel like a kid again. I would sit in front of my tiny, 14-inch TV set all those years ago, and every week, I couldn’t wait to watch Clayton Moore in black and white. Today I sit in front of a 52-inch TV set, and every week during football season I can’t wait to watch Larry Johnson in red and white.

But the last two years, something terrible has happened. Johnson’s torrent of 100-yard games has almost completely dried up, and, not surprisingly, the Chiefs have stopped winning games. “The Lone Ranger” has been getting pounded by the bad guys every week, and Tonto has been running around on the sideline, looking fairly clueless.

Even worse, Johnson’s off-the-field behavior has raised question marks about his future. It’s as if people stopped watching “The Lone Ranger,” and instead of defending truth and justice in the old west, Clayton Moore decided to walk into the nearest saloon and start angrily dousing people with Sarsaparilla.

And now Larry Johnson wants to ride off into the sunset forever. He’s determined to walk off the set at Arrowhead Stadium, perhaps to return someday as the villain. According to remarks stated and re-stated by Johnson this offseason, he wants out. It appears he’s convinced himself that he doesn’t much care for Kansas City, and Kansas City doesn’t much care for him.

Larry, don’t hang up your six-guns just yet.

Maybe you’re Kansas City’s Lone Ranger, but you’re not alone. Chiefs fans still care about you, still want to see you scoring touchdowns, and are terrified at the thought of losing you.

Maybe you don’t believe it. Maybe you only encounter, angry, bitter fans who are irritated at your lack of production and sizable contract. But there are still plenty of fans who can see beyond that, have been Larry Johnson fans from the beginning and remain fans to this day.

Larry heads for the end zone, and Williams. AP

The first time you ran for 100 yards at Arrowhead Stadium you were practically face to face with one of them. You darted into the secondary, put a move on John Lynch and rambled in for the touchdown. Shane Williams, an Independence, Missouri season-ticket holder since 1991, was sitting in section 110, four rows back.

Williams was wearing your Penn State jersey, holding up a sign that read, quite simply, “LJ.” You pointed right at him as you strolled through the end zone. Williams knows what kind of player you are. He knows you were happy to hang out with fans at “The Boomer Grigsby Show,” (which may have been the highlight of the show’s one-season run) and to sign autographs until your fingers are ready to fall off. He calls you “first class.”

Williams is not alone. Larry Johnson fans come from as far away as Billings, Montana, where Dan was sold on you the moment you broke the 2,000-yard rushing barrier at Penn State.

“Even if he wasn’t on the Chiefs, I'd still like him,” says Dan. “He's special because he's the kind of back that wants to win, and when the offense is meshing well he'll find a way to put the cherry on top.”

And that cherry, Larry, is undoubtedly your running style. Chiefs fans love it. Andrew, from New Jersey, calls it a “run-into-defenders-first, ask-questions-later mentality.” There are even some fans that see you as a throwback to the old days of Marty Schottenheimer.

“I don’t remember Christian Okoye much, and I never really knew what it was like to have an every-down running back for a long chunk of my fan life,” says Robert from Blue Springs, Missouri. “Then came the Vermeil years, and with that came Priest Holmes, who we all fell in love with. Then, all of a sudden, here comes Larry. He's bigger, faster, and stronger than anyone I've seen put on a Chiefs jersey. How could you not fall in love with somebody who has those physical skills and put up the kind of results LJ did?”

Brian, from Vina, Alabama, became “enamored” with your running style as soon as you replaced Holmes.

“I like physical football,” he says. “And the way that Johnson would actually seek out defenders to punish them and look to actually hit the defenders, well, I found that very appealing. I believe that Johnson is one of the top running backs in the NFL and is immensely talented, but I feel that the refusal to supply him with even a decent line has wasted some of his prime years.”

And there’s a key issue on everyone’s minds. Johnson turns 30 this November, the supposed age of decline for every NFL running back. So the question begs – what does Larry Johnson have left? Can he hand out punishment as he did in 2005 and 2006?

His fans see no reason to doubt.

“I believe Johnson has three to four good years ahead of him, and possibly even five,” says Brian. “The reason is that Johnson does not have the normal mileage, or wear and tear, of a standard running back his age. People often forget that he wasn't in the featured role in college until his senior year. Then when he came into the NFL, he was on the bench behind Priest Holmes for the first couple of years and did not get a starting role until midway through his third year.”

“He is also a durable player, with the only injury of his career coming from a freak accident tackle from A.J. Hawk of the Packers, in which he came down on top of Johnson's foot. So, provided that that injury doesn't come back to haunt him, I believe that Johnson has several productive years left.”

And despite the fact that Johnson failed to rush for 1,000 yards last year, some fans see 2008 as proof that he’s not close to being finished.

Will Larry ride again? Getty

“His 198-yard game last year is proof that with the right play calling he is effective for the running game, even when there was little confidence in the offensive line,” says Dan. “He can still be a reliant third-down back. He can participate in decoy plays because when he's in, the defense will almost always focus on him and it’s a perfect chance for a pass.”

So just how upset will these fans be if Larry Johnson is not a Chief next season? So upset they’re brainstorming scenarios in which he can stay. Andrew, from New Jersey thinks Johnson could be effective in the two-back system, a recent popular development in the NFL. Another fan compares Johnson’s current situation to what Ricky Williams went through in Miami.

“When Parcells came in at some point I'm sure he met with Ricky, asked him where his head was at, and told him he planned to run him," says Andrew from Overland Park, Kansas. "If Scott Pioli believes LJ is talented, then he will run him, and that's what he should do. All he would have to do to get back in good graces with the fanbase is work hard, and score touchdowns. People have short term memories, especially when it comes to superstar athletes.”

And Andrew may have a point. Because it wasn’t that long ago that the Chiefs had no feature back to count on, and every offseason in Kansas City was filled with speculation over star running backs from other teams. Count Dan among those who are not ready for a return to those days.

“A lot of fans don't like him but I think if he left people wouldn’t realize what they had until he was gone,” says Dan. “He has his problems, but that’s his business and everyone has their own problems that they're not proud of. Some fans don't agree with his attitude, but I think he, like the rest of the fans, were not happy the way things were being run under Edwards.”

Could that be the real problem? Is the contract dispute, all the off-the-field issues and the lack of production just a smokescreen for a larger problem? Maybe in the end, Johnson just wants to win. Brian certainly feels that way.

“I think Larry Johnson is just a guy who really wants to win badly, and he is frustrated because we haven't been winning,” says Brian. “I think he is frustrated because the offensive line issues have not been addressed in a long time. I feel that if these issues are addressed this offseason, due to the change in coaching staff and management, Johnson will perhaps have a change of heart, and may decide that he wants to finish his career as a Chief.”

Can that really happen? Against all odds? Will Larry Johnson have a change of heart, and decide to stay in Kansas City? To take advantage of a rebuilt offensive line? To run over more defenders, score more touchdowns and win more games?

Clark Hunt's recent words in the Kansas City Star would certainly seem to indicate that Johnson might now be more inclined to stay. But as fans, we want to hear it from Larry's mouth.

Perhaps we won’t find out for months. All we know for the present is that yes, Larry Johnson, you do have fans. And they’re trying to reach out to you.

“The man respects the game, and the players that came before him,” says Michael, in Seattle. “He truly wants to be the best running back that ever played the game.”

“He can run through anyone,” says Jeremy, in Waterloo, Iowa.

“He is a great talent,” says Brian, in Alabama.

And so, Larry, the fans have spoken. We’re waiting to see what Scott Pioli and Todd Haley build in Kansas City. Join us, because there’s no reason “The Lone Ranger” can’t ride at Arrowhead Stadium again.

[Molitoth]

If they utilize LJ in a screen, and in the flat... he could be of some great use.
Luckily we do not have Herm here to run it up the lineman ass all day anymore. I'm willing to give LJ another shot with this new front office.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Not if they don't do something about that Offensive Line.
Though I tend to agree.

I still wouldn't rule out Goff coming here. Another year of experience for Albert, Taylor, Richardson, and Niswanger also. We might even add a starter and/or some more depth in the draft also. I think we upgraded at the Oline coaching position also. I'm not saying we will have a top line, but I think it could end up middle of the pack this year.

[EyePod]

Originally Posted by Crush

Larry has definitely lost his burst.

You are a ****ing idiot. He ran amazingly for us when he was in last year.

[TRR]

"Maybe in the end, Johnson just wants to win..."


In the end, Johnson just needs to stop abusing woman, and become a decent citizen. Until he does that, he is better off on another team as far as I am concerned.

KC needs good quality football players, and above all, good quality people. Larry Johnson's career has had flashes of brilliance. I wish I could say the same for his off the field personality.

[RealSNR]

Larry used to be awesome. If I could have 2005 Larry Johnson, I'd gladly have that.

I'm sick of this pussy 07 and 08 Larry Johnson though. The back that goes down after any type of contact, has slowed down, and doesn't shut up. I don't care what kind of offensive line is in front of him. The 2005 Larry wouldn't get clogged up in the backfield like this one does.

So no, if he's not going to return to form, don't want him. I doubt he will, so let's ship his ass off for any kind of compensation we can get.

[RealSNR]

Do they keep track of broken tackles? $10 says Dwayne Bowe has more broken tackles in the past two years than Larry Johnson.

[bdeg]

Originally Posted by SNR

Do they keep track of broken tackles? $10 says Dwayne Bowe has more broken tackles in the past two years than Larry Johnson.

D. Bowe is the shit.

Can't wait to see Haley utilize him. I'm guessing a lot of quick stuff to him.

[soundmind]

Larry needs only to develop a habitual drug problem to round out his bullsh*t existence.

He use to be a potentially phenomenal back. Then he decided that it wasn't his completely lack-luster effort, dogsh*t personality, RIDICULOUS contract, and overall sense of entitlement that had him in the wrong direction....but the people of Kansas City.

F*** you Larry - here's to hoping you ginger and dance your way into a busted ACL....for a different club.

[penchief]

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

lj is a quitter

he's never cared about winning...or blocking...or showing up on time....or not beating women...

LJ has some character flaws, no doubt. But I wouldn't go so far as to say all that.

I will be very interested to see what the new staff can do with LJ and his talent. He has never been in a situation where the coaching staff had the ability or the desire to make the most of his talent.

I think LJ is a competitor and does want to be great but has a hard time controlling himself when he gets frustrated. And I believe he was frustrated under both Vermeil and Edwards both because he felt like he was not being used effectively and because he felt disrespected at times. If Carthon and Haley can motivate LJ with the right mix of discipline and respect I believe that LJ can respond in a positive way.

From listening to Haley I get feeling he would like to get a shot at getting the most out of LJ.

[DeezNutz]

LJ is all about LJ, all the time. And this is why his bitch ass refuses to block.

If it were a meaningful statistic in his eyes, or if he believed it would help him get more play on SportsCenter, I'm sure he'd turn into a hellashish blocker. Being about "the team" isn't LJ's M.O., though.

He's a bitch.

[Nightfyre]

I still cant believe people get paid to write this shit.

[wild1]

dear LJ,

you are a bitch.

GTFO.

Thanks,

everyone

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

LJ is all about LJ, all the time. And this is why his bitch ass refuses to block.

[Pioli Zombie]

God that was Gay
Posted via Mobile Device

[lazepoo]

Larry's got talent, it's whether or not he's got his head on straight that bothers me. He's not worth keeping around if he's going to complain all season and be a distraction, and he won't be worth shit in a trade if he rides the bench all year. Maybe Larry realizes that we're his best chance to succeed, though. Honestly, where else will he get paid like he is here and be on top of the depth chart?