SB Nation User Blog: Bleedingredandgold

When it comes right down to it...

Bleedingredandgold — Fri, 01 May 2009 04:44:08 -0000

Let's face it, folks: speculating on which guy will help/hurt our beloved Chiefs is fun, but moot.

The fact of the matter is that too much has changed for /anyone/, even Pioli + Haley to know what will be coming out of the gates come September. As much as I hate to say it, the 'new' Chiefs may not even have continuity with the 'old' Chiefs.

If so, that can be both good and bad. Good, in that we could be watching a high-efficency winner, and bad in that the pluses might be balanced to the point that nothing stands out.

Sure, the Marty days, with the terrifying Ds came to naught, and likewise Dick's high-powered Os - but both of them had an element of fear for the opposition.

Winning is imprimis, sure, but it would be nice to field a team that made the opposition do more than worry a bit about winning, especially in the early stages. Still, it's too early to say much of /anything/ about what our boys will do next season.

Therefore, back to the scrum, but let's keep in mind that no one really knows how the Chiefs will jell up next season. That itself is reason enough for hope.

Jeff Dunham mentioned the Priest-era Chiefs...

Bleedingredandgold — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 06:30:27 -0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kwastDpWpU

Oh, good lord. Fanshots wouldn't let me post without a pic, now this silly thing won't let me post without seventy five words. It's like an flippin' high school assignment. In one hundred words or more describe your summer vacation. All I wanted to do was share a bit of KC ref'ed humor. Hope I typed enough drivel to make it past the filters, though.

Draft Economics

Bleedingredandgold — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:32:38 -0000

I'm not going to discuss money, though. Nevertheless, the laws of supply and demand still apply.

The old mantra of the draft is "you don't draft to fill a need, you draft the best player available". True enough, as far as it goes, but I'll not delve into the flaws of that homily.

One might think that Round One would be the safest round in the draft, despite the large amount of money at stake, since the cream rises to the top, right? Well, anyone who follows the draft knows that it ain't necessarily so.

It is pretty well known that there are factors at work that are difficult to measure. Speed, Size, Strength and Smarts are all needed, but they aren't enough to judge a "next level" player (although said player has to have enough of each, to be sure).

So, what is the missing element? Call it "intangibles". Instinct, dedication, desire, charachter, etc. It's not hard to see it as a difficult question to answer for one guy, let alone for the 32 first-rounders. Think about it: your task is to evaluate 32 people, and determine which ones have that "something special". Not an easy task, is it?

So, as people generally do when faced with a fog of possibilities, teams simplify. They interview a pool of interesting players, look at their stats, and measure the four S'es. But even all that research isn't enough, and everyone knows it.

So, what's left? Perception. Reputation, propaganda, hype, college coaches pumping up their players, college pedigree, and so on. Oh, and "Conventional Wisdom" - which to me smacks of "common sense", which isn't particularly common, nor does it always make sense, if you get my drift. If you blindly follow CW, you are folowing the herd, which means it can lead you right over a cliff.

I think the trick is to take it all with a grain of salt. My point is that QBs, RBs and WRs (or other 'sexy' positions) are all much in demand in Round One, and with reason. You have to have at least two of the three as above-average players on your offense to be a contender. What fans (and teams - this means YOU, Detroit!) have to remember is that just because someone is the 'best' available at their position, doesn't mean that they merit being picked in that round, or even necessarily at that pick. This goes double for "saviors".

NFL team would do well to expand their scouting operations and research potential draftees in much greater detail, especially /before/ they hype machines kick in. We can hope that Pioli will bring some of that to the table, come draft day, and it's time to pony up, say, $80Mill on a guy.