Boomer's 2nd-to-last diary entry for 2005 season...

[shaneo69]

BOOMER GRIGSBY - Rookie Diary
Jan 20, 2006, 5:11:03 PM


PART I

First, let me apologize for the extreme tardiness of this finale entry to the diary. I know I’ve been a slacker, but I’ve got some decent excuses. Late in the season when games changed from Sundays to Saturdays kind of messed up my schedule. Then I had to spend more time rehabbing and getting treatment on my abdomen injury. I had family and friends in town for the holidays. Then I had surgery in Philadelphia after the season (much more on that later). You see what I mean?

All right, they’re not that good of excuses, but stay with me. To make it up, I’ve typed up a small novel for you all to digest. I heard people were emailing the website needing closure. Again I’m sorry, but hopefully this will work.

I would also like to amend something from my last entry to say that my Dad’s team is actually the 8th grade girls basketball team that won the Class AA State Championship. Sorry Mollie, thanks for keeping me on my toes. Good job girls.

SEASON FINALE
Let’s start by going back to our final game of the season, the 37-3 throttling of the Bengals. I think with that game we did our best to prove that we belonged in the playoffs. People can say that Cincinnati pulled some of their guys, and they did take out QB Carson Palmer. But by the time they did that, much of the damage had already been done.

It was fun watching some of the guys that I’ve watched on TV so often. You always see receiver Chad Johnson on TV with all of his ridiculous dances and how he never stops running his mouth. Standing on the sidelines and watching, from the moment he lines up in a stance he’s already talking to the corner across from him. As much as people think that’s garbage, you almost have to respect that in the same way that Terrell Owens makes his opponents so angry that they bring out their best, he still succeeds enough to go to the Pro Bowl.

We were out to prove something that last game. We still had a chance as long as we handled our business by winning and then hope for some help. We did our part, but obviously Detroit didn’t come through for us at all. And now look, Pittsburgh is rolling in the playoffs so we think we might have been able to do the same thing.

This whole postseason, I haven’t really been sure who I’m rooting for. I think I’ve been cheering for the teams that we’ve beaten this year. That way I can feel better about them winning and say that we beat them.

Everyone is always asking me to predict the Super Bowl and the NFL is so unpredictable because on any given Sunday any team can beat anyone else. Although I’m not a gambling man, I really could give no help to predicting anything. The only way you can be helpful is knowing when certain key players are out with injuries. But even then, the league is full of so many great athletes, that when someone great goes down there is often another stud ready to step into his shoes. Just look at Larry Johnson for us. Oh my gosh, he was incredible. In the shadow of Priest Holmes – Kansas City’s pride and joy – LJ started the last nine games and shattered just about every record we had. The guy is a freight train and I’ve never really seen anything like that.

COACH VERMEIL
The emotions were mixed on that final Sunday since it was Dick Vermeil’s last game. Coach Vermeil was an outstanding player’s coach and I think one of the best to ever coach the game. I may not have been around or know enough to even make that comment, but in my opinion it was an extreme honor to be drafted by him and to play the one year I had underneath him. I’ll forever remember part of my career as, “I played for Dick Vermeil.”

He may never have won a championship in Kansas City, but in his defense he shouldn’t take all the blame for that. He’s the head coach and the symbol of the organization, they always have to take the blame when things don’t work out right because that’s there job. But at the same time I don’t consider that entirely his fault. We ended the season 10-6 and didn’t make the playoffs. That hasn’t happened in forever, a 10-6 team missing the playoffs. We clearly had a great team. We let a game or two slip away that we shouldn’t have, but people act like that doesn’t happen. Even the great teams that have won Super Bowls have let games get away from them at some point during the year.

The other thing is, Coach Vermeil is leaving the cupboard full for the next coach. After a solid 2005, he set it up for Coach Edwards now. I’ll get back to him in Part II of this entry.

One thing that can’t be stressed enough about Coach Vermeil is his dedication to family. Everything he does is family-oriented. We had a rookie night the week of the Chargers game (I think Dec. 22). He and Carol invited all of the rookies over to his house and they barbequed for us. He’s got one of those huge stainless steel grills out on his patio and he’s a big BBQ fan. We all just hung for a few hours, eating and talking.

Coach is a huge wine connoisseur, so I think a lot of the guys were feeling pressure to drink wine. I myself felt no pressure and went right to the refrigerator in the back and tried to find every beer he had in there. I thought, if Coach Vermeil is going to have an open bar, I want to make a good accounting of myself.

Obviously, knowing I might have a cocktail or two, I had a designated driver. I am responsible and I understand that NFL players are role models for a lot of people, so I encourage all of you to always be responsible, especially if you’re going to have a drink or two. All in all, it was a great experience. I took a ton of pictures and I plan on blowing some of them up. I’ll cherish those memories at Coach Vermeil’s house for a long time.

FOREVER LINKED
Another thing that I was fortunate enough to have happen to me was to have a prominent appearance in the NFL Films footage of Coach Vermeil’s last game. The NFL Films cameras were allowed into the locker room after the game and shoot his last speech after a game. So my Mom was watching NFL Network the week after the Bengals game and saw the footage. And right there in the middle of the shot in the background on the Dick Vermeil tribute/highlight/Beyond the Glory or whatever, there’s ol’ Boomer. So I’ve got a spot in history because the camera just happened to be right across from me as I looked at coach. I swear it was unintentional, but it was definitely excellent positioning. Hopefully that’s not the only way I’ll be remembered, but it’s cool to be linked to him that way.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
In the NFL we have what is referred to as the last day of school. It’s just like back in high school or junior high when you clean out your lockers, sign yearbooks and promise to stay in touch. Except without the cheesy “Have a great summer” and “Friends Forever” notes. Anyway, we had ours on Monday, the day after the Bengals game. We have a final team meeting and everybody has to get exit physicals. But I took advantage of the last day I’d like to say.

All of the veterans got their red and white jerseys that they wore all season. The rookies don’t because you have to wait until the following year to make sure they have at least four uniforms for all of us. So Gary Stills, who was sitting next to me, offered to give one of them to me. He autographed it to me which was cool. I think most people would want the Pro Bowlers and future Hall of Famers, and I would too, but I went for the guys that had an influence and meaning to me personally. So I got signed jerseys of Stills, John Welbourn, Jared Allen and Eric Hicks. I’m going to frame them up and hang them in my basement right next to a sign my aunt got for me in River Falls, Wisconsin. There is a bar where we have training camp called Boomer’s Bar and so she got this huge sign (40x60, I had it framed) from there that says, “Boomer’s Bar. Welcome Chiefs fans to the number one Chiefs party in the country.” So I have that downstairs in my basement. I’ll put the jerseys next to that on the wall.

Then, I saw some guys carrying balls around for autographs. So I went and bought six white-paneled balls from the equipment guys and walked around the locker room, getting them signed by Larry Johnson, Trent Green, Tony Gonzalez, Will Shields, Brian Waters and Dante Hall. So if you can picture me in the locker room walking around getting autographs, I was just like a little kid trying to get his favorite players.

I’ll put those in the bar, too. They’ll be great along with the neon signs I got from a friend who owns an establishment in Lawrence, Kansas. He gave me a nice little Tony Soprano Bada Bing light. I’ve got a sweet Pabst Blue Ribbon one, too. My grandfather used to love PBR. I also stole a Miller Lite sign with a Chiefs arrowhead around it from Jared Allen. So I’ll be decked out once I get them all hung in my basement.

Thanks,
Boomer



NOTE: Be sure to check back MONDAY for the thrilling conclusion to this diary entry. I’ve got thoughts on Coach Herm Edwards, stories from my surgery and going back to school to finish my degree. Talk to you soon!

How can you not like that guy?

[recxjake]

i sure hope hes on the team next year

[Dunit35]

So do I, if not for his special teams skills atleast for his sweet ass comments he makes.

[StcChief]

Boomer is just a good guy. He'll be back

[Hammock Parties]

I wonder if Boomer could be a darkhorse candidate for ROLB?

[siberian khatru]

He may never have won a championship in Kansas City, but in his defense he shouldn’t take all the blame for that.

Silly rabbit, everyone knows DV had no defense.

[Skip Towne]

Boomer's OK

[Otter]

Let’s start by going back to our final game of the season, the 37-3 throttling of the Bengals. I think with that game we did our best to prove that we belonged in the playoffs. People can say that Cincinnati pulled some of their guys, and they did take out QB Carson Palmer. But by the time they did that, much of the damage had already been done.

Like the damage had already been done to the Eagles?

[VonneMarie]

Good article...

[Hydrae]

I thought it was interesting that one of the jersey's he got was from Welbourne. Not one I would have expected him to desire.

Maybe Welbourne told him about the cream and the clear.

[Rausch]

Coach is a huge wine connoisseur, so I think a lot of the guys were feeling pressure to drink wine. I myself felt no pressure and went right to the refrigerator in the back and tried to find every beer he had in there. I thought, if Coach Vermeil is going to have an open bar, I want to make a good accounting of myself.

Dibbs on my adopted player for next season...

[el borracho]

Originally Posted by Hydrae

I thought it was interesting that one of the jersey's he got was from Welbourne. Not one I would have expected him to desire.

Heh. Hicks' was the one that made me think, "Now who would want that?"

[OmahaChief]

Obviously, knowing I might have a cocktail or two, I had a designated driver. I am responsible and I understand that NFL players are role models for a lot of people, so I encourage all of you to always be responsible, especially if you’re going to have a drink or two.

Smart young man. Sounder advice has never been spoken by an NFL player. Kudos Boomer!