Surprise!! Rufus knocks free agency (again)

shaneo69 · 01-27-2005, 09:02 AM

DAWES: THIS YEAR'S FREE AGENT DU JOUR
Jan 27, 2005, 1:46:52 AM by Media Watch by Rufus Dawes

The tired voices of past criticism are using another off-season to postulate another Chiefs predicament. Oddly, learning nothing from the immediate past, they are beginning again to advance another generation of tired prognostications. Bob Gretz calls this time of year the “Silly Season” and, indeed, it is. As I sit here in my room in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, I’ve been reading the latest remedy for what ails the Chiefs. From what I understand from the folks back home, names are being tossed around by anybody who’s been able to talk himself onto a radio shout-fest or needs to fill a space in the local newspaper.

Gretz goes on to list some of the familiar player names that have been put out there for the Chiefs to pursue. More column inches have been spent on the notion that unrestricted free agency is a ruse than on any that this writer has contributed to this site. You can search the archives and you’ll find a fairly convincing case that building through free agency doesn’t work. Yes, there are exceptions from time to time but to contend that by signing one or more your season can be turned around it pure nonsense.

One local columnist has never met a marquee free agent name that he didn’t like. Jeff George, Hugh Douglas (he, of “give him the money, Lamar” fame) and Troy Vincent are recent names that come to mind. His latest free-agent du jour, Patriots corner Ty Law, is perhaps his silliest. Should the Chiefs seek out Law if there is a mutual interest? Absolutely. But the cost could be prohibitive considering the player’s age and physical condition. (see more in Gretz) It’s more likely that the Patriots won’t even put up much of a fuss. That’s the Patriots way, and the Steelers way and the Eagles way. Everybody is expendable in their eyes and they quickly part company with starters, all-pros, and such and move to backups. It seems to have worked well, don’t you think?

Consider, if you will, the Patriots who on this year’s trip to the Super Bowl started someone named Randall Gay (undrafted rookie free agent) at left corner and someone named Asante Samuel from that NCAA powerhouse Central Florida at right corner. They finished the season as a top-ten defense and held the explosive Indianapolis Colts offense to no touchdowns in their playoff win. The Pats ranked second in the NFL in points surrendered without last year’s starting corners Ty Law and Tyrone Poole.

So, to run around claiming once again to “give (Law) the money” is to have learned nothing, even if you don’t consider that over the past season the rules affecting cornerback play have changed so significantly as to make the idea of a shut-down corner obsolete.

Champ Bailey’s acquisition by the Denver Broncos last offseason did not improve the team’s defense. The Denver defense was better statistically against the pass in 2003 with Kelly Herndon and Lenny Walls as starters than it was with Bailey as its key cover guy. Denver was a wild card team without him and it was a wild card team with him. Maybe Ty Law would improve the Chiefs defense – it wouldn’t take much – but to throw money at him and sit back and think you’ve cured all of the team’s ills is to have learned nothing about a game you’re charged to provide insight on.

Insight is a term that doesn’t get much traction these days, least of all among some columnists, who prefer to fashion themselves more as entertainers. Good journalism is about linking fact with opinion. Good journalism is about fine analysis and making distinctions and about making a case. Because too many columnists believe they can say whatever they want without having to prove it, we are left with a journalism whose narrative and analytical failings have become ever more glairing. When will they learn and when will we?

shaneo69 · 01-27-2005, 09:09 AM

One more nice thing about Carl Peterson leaving after the 2005 season.....we won't have to read Rufus' propaganda crap anymore.

Otter · 01-27-2005, 09:14 AM

Quote:

You can search the archives and you’ll find a fairly convincing case that building through free agency doesn’t work.

If this guy wants to preach "learn from history" he needs to look at what standing pat has done for the Chiefs in the past.

Rufus is an idiot, I can't make it more than 3 paragraphs into his articles anymore.

nmt1 · 01-27-2005, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otter

If this guy wants to preach "learn from history" he needs to look at what standing pat has done for the Chiefs in the past.

Rufus is an idiot, I can't make it more than 3 paragraphs into his articles anymore.

Standing pat by trading for Trent Green and signing Priest Holmes or standing pat by signing Holiday, Barber, and McLeon?

Gaz · 01-27-2005, 09:26 AM

I read the article and missed the part where he “knocks free agency (again).”

Can someone help me out?

xoxo~
Gaz
Not as sharp as he used to be.

Taco John · 01-27-2005, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaz

I read the article and missed the part where he “knocks free agency (again).”

Can someone help me out?

xoxo~
Gaz
Not as sharp as he used to be.

No kidding? You missed it huh?

Damn. I turned 30 today. How long do I have to go before I start missing such obvious things.

Otter · 01-27-2005, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nmt1

Standing pat by trading for Trent Green and signing Priest Holmes or standing pat by signing Holiday, Barber, and McLeon?

Standing Pat last season last season and 1997 to "retain our own players" is what I had in mind.

nmt1 · 01-27-2005, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otter

Standing Pat last season last season and 1997 to "retain our own players" is what I had in mind.

Technically, we didn't stand pat last season. The players we retained were free agents. Our front office, whether it be a good or bad decision, decided they wanted to stay with what they knew and stuck to that strategy. Also, we hired a new defensive coordinator, signed an interior defensive lineman who played halfway decent this season, and tried to address the defense through the draft with Siavii, Allen and others.
I don't agree at all the we stood pat or didn't try to improve. Whether the strategy worked is the debatable point.

Clint in Wichita · 01-27-2005, 11:47 AM

The only great players acquired by the chiefs during the current 8 year skid (last year being an abberation) were had through free agency, and were all on offense.

The Chiefs' window of opportunity on offense is very small, if not closed already.

Tell me again Dawes, you fu_khead, why Chiefs fans should be more interested in the Senior Bowl (rookies) than defensive free agents?

The Chiefs need to grow some balls and go for it. If it doesn't work out, nobody dies...but at least they can say they did everything possible to win the SB.

**Dave Lane** · 01-27-2005, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nmt1

Standing pat by trading for Trent Green and signing Priest Holmes or standing pat by signing Holiday, Barber, and McLeon?

Last year.

Dave

Eleazar · 01-27-2005, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otter

If this guy wants to preach "learn from history" he needs to look at what standing pat has done for the Chiefs in the past.

Rufus is an idiot, I can't make it more than 3 paragraphs into his articles anymore.

No kidding. If we had drafted anyone who panned out on defense then we might be able to follow the Patriots' model. But I guess they aren't interested in competing now, just waiting who knows how long until they figure out how to choose talent in the draft.

**Manila-Chief** · 01-27-2005, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaneo69

One more nice thing about Carl Peterson leaving after the 2005 season.....we won't have to read Rufus' propaganda crap anymore.

You got dat correct!!!!

I can't stand blind homerism! No S.B. in how many years! And, not even a play-off win in .....

One of you said something about evaluating talent.... the Chiefs F.O. doesn't have the talent for doing that????

With these guys writing this non-sense I'm beginning to think that Kingless, D.V., the scouting department can't leave soon enough. But, I've afraid we will have to hit rock bottom and the stands are empty before the Hunt family will tell him to hit the road.... doens't look good.

jspchief · 01-27-2005, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaneo69

DAWES: THIS YEAR'S FREE AGENT DU JOUR
Jan 27, 2005, 1:46:52 AM by Media Watch by Rufus Dawes

It’s more likely that the Patriots won’t even put up much of a fuss. That’s the Patriots way, and the Steelers way and the Eagles way. Everybody is expendable in their eyes and they quickly part company with starters, all-pros, and such and move to backups. It seems to have worked well, don’t you think?

Until we start evaluating talent like those teams, it does us no good to follow their formula. The key ingredient in doing it the way "those guys" do is drafting Willie Mcginests instead of Ryan Sims. The Chiefs payrolled excuse-makers seem to be oblivious to that.

Besides, the Eagles spent money on two of the biggest FAs to come out last year.

HC_Chief · 01-27-2005, 09:16 AM

fuck Rufus.

Calcountry · 01-27-2005, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HC_Chief

fuck Rufus.

Yeah, f8ck Rufus.

01-27-2005, 09:02 AM	Topic Starter
shaneo69 Smug Weasel Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bleachers at Busch Casino cash: $10004900	Surprise!! Rufus knocks free agency (again) DAWES: THIS YEAR'S FREE AGENT DU JOUR Jan 27, 2005, 1:46:52 AM by Media Watch by Rufus Dawes The tired voices of past criticism are using another off-season to postulate another Chiefs predicament. Oddly, learning nothing from the immediate past, they are beginning again to advance another generation of tired prognostications. Bob Gretz calls this time of year the “Silly Season” and, indeed, it is. As I sit here in my room in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, I’ve been reading the latest remedy for what ails the Chiefs. From what I understand from the folks back home, names are being tossed around by anybody who’s been able to talk himself onto a radio shout-fest or needs to fill a space in the local newspaper. Gretz goes on to list some of the familiar player names that have been put out there for the Chiefs to pursue. More column inches have been spent on the notion that unrestricted free agency is a ruse than on any that this writer has contributed to this site. You can search the archives and you’ll find a fairly convincing case that building through free agency doesn’t work. Yes, there are exceptions from time to time but to contend that by signing one or more your season can be turned around it pure nonsense. One local columnist has never met a marquee free agent name that he didn’t like. Jeff George, Hugh Douglas (he, of “give him the money, Lamar” fame) and Troy Vincent are recent names that come to mind. His latest free-agent du jour, Patriots corner Ty Law, is perhaps his silliest. Should the Chiefs seek out Law if there is a mutual interest? Absolutely. But the cost could be prohibitive considering the player’s age and physical condition. (see more in Gretz) It’s more likely that the Patriots won’t even put up much of a fuss. That’s the Patriots way, and the Steelers way and the Eagles way. Everybody is expendable in their eyes and they quickly part company with starters, all-pros, and such and move to backups. It seems to have worked well, don’t you think? Consider, if you will, the Patriots who on this year’s trip to the Super Bowl started someone named Randall Gay (undrafted rookie free agent) at left corner and someone named Asante Samuel from that NCAA powerhouse Central Florida at right corner. They finished the season as a top-ten defense and held the explosive Indianapolis Colts offense to no touchdowns in their playoff win. The Pats ranked second in the NFL in points surrendered without last year’s starting corners Ty Law and Tyrone Poole. So, to run around claiming once again to “give (Law) the money” is to have learned nothing, even if you don’t consider that over the past season the rules affecting cornerback play have changed so significantly as to make the idea of a shut-down corner obsolete. Champ Bailey’s acquisition by the Denver Broncos last offseason did not improve the team’s defense. The Denver defense was better statistically against the pass in 2003 with Kelly Herndon and Lenny Walls as starters than it was with Bailey as its key cover guy. Denver was a wild card team without him and it was a wild card team with him. Maybe Ty Law would improve the Chiefs defense – it wouldn’t take much – but to throw money at him and sit back and think you’ve cured all of the team’s ills is to have learned nothing about a game you’re charged to provide insight on. Insight is a term that doesn’t get much traction these days, least of all among some columnists, who prefer to fashion themselves more as entertainers. Good journalism is about linking fact with opinion. Good journalism is about fine analysis and making distinctions and about making a case. Because too many columnists believe they can say whatever they want without having to prove it, we are left with a journalism whose narrative and analytical failings have become ever more glairing. When will they learn and when will we?
Posts: 4,910

01-27-2005, 09:09 AM	#2
shaneo69 Smug Weasel Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bleachers at Busch Casino cash: $10004900	One more nice thing about Carl Peterson leaving after the 2005 season.....we won't have to read Rufus' propaganda crap anymore.
Posts: 4,910

01-27-2005, 09:26 AM	#5
Gaz Defense Homer Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Rancho Gaz Casino cash: $10010793	Knee-jerk anti-Rufus (again)... I read the article and missed the part where he “knocks free agency (again).” Can someone help me out? xoxo~ Gaz Not as sharp as he used to be.
Posts: 5,911

01-27-2005, 11:47 AM	#9
Clint in Wichita Veteran Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10004900	The only great players acquired by the chiefs during the current 8 year skid (last year being an abberation) were had through free agency, and were all on offense. The Chiefs' window of opportunity on offense is very small, if not closed already. Tell me again Dawes, you fu_khead, why Chiefs fans should be more interested in the Senior Bowl (rookies) than defensive free agents? The Chiefs need to grow some balls and go for it. If it doesn't work out, nobody dies...but at least they can say they did everything possible to win the SB.
Posts: 4,458

01-27-2005, 09:16 AM	#14
HC_Chief That's just f***in' stupid Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: suburbia Casino cash: $3687107	fuck Rufus. __________________ "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room!"
Posts: 12,355