I have taken it upon my own person to cross the divide and ruthlessly invade AP from my comfy confines at ArrowheadAddict.com this evening for one precious purpose: to bring Joel Thorman to justice.

I have fought the good fight before.  I am not shy about standing up for what's right in the face of unmitigated evil.  And I will not stand idly by and let this man -- nay, creature -- sully this franchise even indirectly with his crazed antics, like what he pulled on innocent everyman Andy Brown.

For too long have we allowed this man to sit atop the Chiefs blogosphere, where he reigns like an indifferent emperor over the lives of many, his every whim sending Chiefs Kingdom into turmoil.  His ill-fitted crown weighs heavy on his sullen forehead until the day that we, The Good People Who Never Do Mean Things, smack it off his unassuming cranium, sending it smashing to the ground to explode in a thousand pieces.  If there ever was a "The Man" who was keeping us all down, let me assure you: Joel Thorman is that The Man.

What kind of human behavior is this, after all?  Generating misery in others, in some vain attempt to increase his own self esteem?  Has he been re-educated Clockwork Orange-style at one of those blogging conventions?  What would Mitch Holthus say?  Who does he think he is?  Matt Conner?

I know the fear that sits in you, average little people who are reading this post.  I can feel the quivers in your Ladies Gameday Hero II Chiefs Sweatshirt, now available off the mothership for the low low price of $59.00 plus whatever Joel thinks you have to pay in shipping.  For ages, the Thorman tribe has remain unchallenged.  Long have they strutted as the biggest rooster of the Chiefs blogosphere's henhouse.  What have they done to deserve such deference, I ask you?  Other than being really, really good at what they do -- which in my opinion is just a cop-out. 

We all deserve better.  I am choosing to stand up for all the little people Joel Thorman crushes under the heel of his boot, covering us in his anti-democratic fascism. 

Not that I'm saying he's un-American.  I'll leave that up to God and Ricky Stanzi.  I'm just saying he exhibits a disdain for our way of life, and that I have never seen his birth certificate.  And trust me, I've emailed him every day for three years asking for it.  (I will never relent!)

You want to fight, Joel Thorman?  Is that what this is all about?  Because I will rain so much (virtual) punishment on you (from a remote distance at an undisclosed location).  So much, that your keyboard will spontaneously combust underneathe your crooked fingertips.  Did you ever go through the spanking machine in college?  Or was that just me...  Because this is going to be a lot like that.  Only with clothes on.

I'll bring my AA posse with me, too, and we do NOT screw around.  Have you seen Randy in action? It's like unleashing a Kraken.  Our guy Merlin is not actually a wizard, but he's got a lot of spare time in his mother's basement to think of something.  Big Matt has an authentic headdress, so that counts.  And Patrick Allen is a sexual predator, which has its uses in battle.  He's what you call our ace in the hole, pun intended. 

We also have some guy named Lyle Graverson.

So, you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight, Joel Thorman?  Or are you starting to feel some of that Pride dribbling down your pantleg? 

HAVE AT YOU

Hey, Chiefs fan here.

I participate every year in the ChiefsPlanet Mock Draft, which is one of the most serious events we have annually at the board.

I wanted to know how you thought about my performance, 6 rounds in (the seventh should start by this weekend), as the Texans' GM:

1. NT Nick Fairley, Auburn
2. OLB Brooks Reed, Arizona
3. CB Brandon Burton, Utah
4. NT Kendrick Ellis, Hampton
5. SS Joe Lefeged, Rutgers
6. TE Virgil Green, Nevada

What do you think?

I was thinking of going punter with my 7th rounder. Thoughts? :)

I'm just going to take people's temperature on this, and see if you guys want to do this. If not, I'll drop it. Entirely up to you:

If you're one of those Chiefs fans that scours the blogosphere, including AP several times a day, because Chiefs news doesn't come fast enough for you (as I raise my hand myself), let's put our constant, nervous energy to good use and temporarily entertain ourselves with a mock draft. I love doing these things because it's fun to see who wants which players and where.

The start date will be at noon this Sunday. This is "just for fun." If you take too long with your pick, it will be made for you (by me, I guess) and we'll move on. As for now, let's just plan to do two rounds. (I will expand it to a third round if the first two are smooth -- I'm guessing they won't be, but you never know.)

I know AP typically does an official one of these every year, and it's fantastic, so THIS IS NOT THE OFFICIAL ONE. There won't be any need for the thoughtful, gargantuan write-ups. Your selection won't get its own post on AP's front page. We're just going to have one thread and that will be it. You're welcome to post whatever you want to explain your selection, but it's not going to be posted on the main page like it would be for AP's official mock.

Including myself, there will only be 16 owners, so each owner gets two teams. If you're interested, it's first come first serve, but please make sure you're dedicated. Bold the teams you want.

I am incredibly tempted to take the Chiefs, since this is my idea. But I will give that honor to someone else. I still want the Rams and the Raiders, though. I'm taking the Raiders since they only have one second round pick, so nobody else has to be saddled with them.

Carolina -- citadelchief
Denver -- nmchief
Bills -- nmchief
Bengals -- jterry
Cardinals
Browns
49ers -- HIT34MAN
Titans -- IamtheGreatest
Cowboys -- scottchief
Redskins
Texans -- Royals Time
Vikings -- jterry
Lions -- HIT34MAN
Rams
Dolphins
Jaguars
Raiders -- Direckshun
Chargers -- citadelchief
Giants
Buccaneers -- Royals Time
Chiefs -- Direckshun
Colts
Eagles
Saints
Seahawks
Ravens -- Raiderhater1
Falcons
Patriots -- scottchief
Bears -- Raiderhater1
Jets
Steelers -- IamtheGreatest
Packers

Pick two teams, make yourself free on Sunday afternoon, and let's see where this heads.

A previous topic I started was criticized by a few posters as being "unrealistic," as I ignored what was most likely to happen for the Kansas City Chiefs with their 21st overall pick, and selected the player I would consider most ideal (Justin Houston).  I think it's a fair criticism to make, so this post is intended to be 100% realistic: players that fit the Pioli mold the best.

What is the Pioli mold? It is severalfold: great citizens get priority over good citizens, and bad citizens aren't even considered; players with "high floors" (low "bust" potential) but with limited ceilings (low "boom" potential) are favored over boom-and-bust projects; players from the SEC are favored above all others, players from small schools are rarely considered; and areas of extreme need are rarely given much priority over areas of less need — Pioli does not prioritize his picks based on how extreme our needs are.

So I am going to list 10 players that I think Pioli would be interested in, IN ORDER, from the player I would be most interested in (#1) to the player I would be least interested in (#10).

Players highly expected to go before the 21st pick, and therefore not mentioned here:

Continue reading this post »

Barring any bombshells, we pretty much know what we have in most of these prospects. There will be countless clues as to who and what the teams and GMs like in the prospect field over the next two months, but ultimately, the players have spoken.

Some Pro Days are going to fiddle with the rankings, but by and large we aren’t going to be terribly surprised by anybody.

My selection for the Chiefs at #21 is based on the prospect’s talent, the nature of his position, our team, and this draft. My great enthusiasm for this player is matched by my certainty that this player will not be selected by the Chiefs.

Continue reading this post »

My apologies if this belongs in the designated AP Draft thread... I assumed from a perusal of that thread that it's largely a mock draft thread.

I'm not attempting to mock here. It is exactly two months from our first selection in the 2011 NFL Draft.

We've seen the season, the Senior Bowl, the Combine (except for secondary players... but I'll eat my hat if the Chiefs draft a player in the secondary #21 overall). At this stage, I have two guesses as to whom the Chiefs want to select above all other players that would be available at #21. And I feel intense certainty (even though I shouldn't, by any means).

My guess is a 50/50 on NT Phil Taylor, the trailor from Baylor or Torrey Smith, Maryland.

My reasoning is as follows:

Continue reading this post »

Hey guys!

I'm a big Kansas City Chiefs fan. Our new general manager, Scott Pioli, has placed such a HUGE emphasis on drafting that I'm doing what I can to get as familiar with young college players as possible.

In particular -- I want to know who Auburn's captains are. I haven't been able to get anything from googling.

Pioli drafted six team captains last year. So that's why I'm fascinated with team captains.

So who are Auburn's captains this year? Are any of them NFL bound? Care to just send them to Kansas City? :)

Thanks in advance.

Hey guys!

I'm a big Kansas City Chiefs fan, and under our new general manager, Scott Pioli, we're starting to draft a TON of captains, now. We were wondering if anybody here knew LSU's captains this year -- I couldn't find it through google.

We are loving Glenn Dorsey, by the way. And Tyson Jackson is coming along. You guys got any more of those kinds of talents? Would you mind just shipping them directly over to Kansas City? :)

Anyway, yeah, simple question: who are LSU's captains this year? Thanks in advance, folks!

I follow the Kansas City Chiefs, but I'm a big draft guy. And our GM, Scott Pioli, is fascinated by team captains. Six of our seven players were captains of their teams in 2009.

Who are Tennessee's captains this year? Who should I be watching out for? Eric Berry has been phenomenal for us -- are you folks producing any more talents like that? And can you just send them to Kansas City, please? :)

Thanks, guys! Go Vols. :)

At this point, after tinkering with a bunch of mocks, here is my October 2009 ideal mock right now.

First, a discussion of my goals:

• I largely throw out best player available because I honestly have no earthly clue who will be the best player available anywhere. The Draft turns into a mad scramble halfway into the second round. So I projected players to a likely round and made my selection.
• This draft is intended to be a meat-and-potatoes draft, designed to make our trenches that much better. Pioli has eight picks -- five of them go to the trenches, both in offensive line (2) and in pass rushers (2).
• All defensive players were selected primarily by their ability to get into the backfield. I believe you can teach defensive players to play the run -- pass-rushing is much harder to learn.
• Even though the biggest holes on this team may be WR and CB following this draft, I know Pioli will be in the FA market for both.
• This draft is pretty solid in the midrounds with passrushers, so I used that to my advantage.
• This draft also has about three players that are insanely fast but incredibly little. They all are prime targets as kick returners, and will likely be available in the 5th.
• As long as this draft is not a massive bust, I will spend the next two drafts focusing on primo WRs and pass rushers.
• I want four immediate starters, at least one additional eventual starter, and a couple consistent contributors. Of these starters, at least a couple have All Pro potential.

<!-- / message --><!-- edit note -->

Continue reading this post »

We have a notorious bias on ArrowheadPride, but let's give it a shot anyway.

Positives

Negatives

In short:

We Chiefs fans are so used to Tyler Thigpen's play that we give him his own category.  How many times have you heard "Thigpen looks like Thigpen" from a Chiefs fan over the relatively small time we've known him?  He's exciting, radically different, radically inconsistent, brilliant sometimes and idiotic other times, but very well liked by his teammates.

I say he's a career backup in this league for the teams that are willing to try to harness his unique set of skills.  There shouldn't be that many teams that are.

I say he's a 5th rounder.

Bringing in two players from the Dolphins, it is more than likely that both of these players will have a spot on the nine-man OL roster come opening day against the Ravens.  As much as Haley argues that the best players will be on the team (and I have every reason to believe that Alleman and Ndukwe are among the best 9 OL we have right now), draft picks are currency.  We just spent some of that currency by trading for Andy Alleman and Ikechuku Ndukwe, and there's no chance we release these guys as we whittle down to the 53. They will be on the roster when we face the Ravens.

But where?  And who does this push out?

Well as I drew up a depth chart not too long ago on this site that attempted to place what I thought would be the starting OL on this team (forgive the fact that I put ten players down instead of nine):

LT: Albert, Taylor
LG: Waters, Smith
C: Niswanger, Ghiaciuc
RG: Goff, Brown
RT: McIntosh, Richardson

So something is going to get shaken up here. We have gone from what was a fairly uncontroversial slotting of players into what is going to now be a very competitive fight. There will be at least one player released that may be controversial.

Joel did his damnedest to figure out what the right side of the line may look like, but I think the center position is now in flux as well, and the left side may also be affected by this trade.  I am not fooled by the mothership's official depth chart.

I try to tackle the implications of this trade after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

1800 comments?  In one preseason game, by a team most project will end the season under .500 and have no prayer of a playoff birth?  Yes, in the second preseason game, in which the starters played less than a half, Arrowhead Pride racked up 1800 comments over the course of the entire game.  You guys are animals for Chiefs talk, and I don't see a passion like that hardly anywhere on SB Nation's other NFL sites.  Certainly nothing like 1800 comments stacked up over four open threads for a meaningless preseason game.  No other Chiefs site on the internet can match that tenacity.

So in addition to being animals, you guys are also being treated to the most exciting rebuilding effort this town has seen in my young lifetime.  I was nine years old when Schottenheimer drafted Derrick Thomas and changed this town.  His rebuilding job was by far the most intriguing of the bunch up to this point; his defense not-so-slowly ascended to heights the franchise had only dreamed of for the Dark Ages that preceded.  But the Schottenheimer rebuilding period depended on past-their-prime veterans at QB.  I was about 20 years old when Vermeil came to town and declared it takes three years to build Super Bowl teams.  But instead of rebuilding, Vermeil just brought in a slew of veteran talent on offense and never produced squat on defense.  I was 25 years old when Herm Edwards was traded here.  His rebuilding effort, a complete destruction of the previous regime so that the complete construction of his regime of youth could begin, was clouded by the fact that Herm was very poor at his job.  The reliance on stopgap QBs of Schottenheimer, the impatient veteran importation of Vermeil, the incompetence of Edwards... these rebuilding efforts were exciting in their own ways, but incomplete.

Well I'm 28 years old now, and Haley is presenting us with the most exciting rebuilding process we've seen, in that he leans on the Draft but does utilize veteran acquisitions.  He does lock down QBOTFs, but loves to hedge his bets.  This is the most complete rebuilding effort this town has ever seen, and games like today underscore that.  There are negative things to be said about today, as there will be for virtually every preseason game imaginable, but the biggest positive is that across the entire team, you can see a vision forming.  Whether it's going to be realized is another question altogether, but there's no denying that it's there and it's the most satisfying one we've seen since Marty, if not since the days of Stram (which is what I'd argue).

My top threes are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

via www.uwrf.edu

Simple exercise: guess the depth chart on opening day. 53 players.

Your thoughts, welcome.

All I can say is that the leap from Herm to Haley, in terms of talent on the roster, has been quantum. I know I'm not alone when I say I've caught the fever again.

Continue reading this post »

Photo via David Eulitt of the Kansas City Star

Yet another failed preseason game down for the Kansas City Chiefs, but unlike the previous two seasons, not all hope is lost. This was as energizing a preseason loss as we've experienced in a few years, and it's mainly because the team that Pioli/Haley is trying to build is coming on strong.  The formations all looked very distrinct on offense, the defense's three- and sometimes four-man push up front was occasionally successful, and the calls were all of a different shade than we're used to.

All in all, after watching this game, I think one post that addresses just one aspect of anything that happened in this game (which the Star will undoubtedly do) is unfair, because sooooo much happened in this game. I'm going to try to single out particular performers that deserve some recognition for their work and their foibles, and even then I can't fit everything in that I'd like to say about a whirlwind of a game.

Mental mistakes lost this game, as did the bizarre playcalling by Chan Gailey at crucial moments throughout the game.  The defense bent, but rarely broke -- which is a vast improvement over a defense that broke constantly last year. The first offense faltered with mental mistakes, the second offense brought life back to the game but faltered with mental mistakes, and Thigpen was Thigpen -- at times dazzling, at times hauntingly dumb, but always never quite looking like a traditional quarterback. He brought us to within a chance, and lost it, much like he did throughout his 2008 campaign.

With that in mind, the lists follow after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Hey folks. Just trying to keep my end of the bargain. Enthused about this idea.

OLB has been unfairly described on draft boards across the interwebs as one position, when in fact it is two distinct positions that are just as different from one another as right tackle and left tackle. Guys who play well on the weakside may not fair well on the strong side and vice versa. Weakside linebackers ("Wills") are the fastest linebackers on your team. They are adept at zone coverage, but mostly they cover a ton of ground, and should be particularly adept at zipping to the QB. Strongside linebackers ("Sams") do not need to be as fast, but they definitely need to be the stronger of the two, as any path to the backfield must fight through the heavy side of the OL, including the TE, and they must be particularly adept at man coverage, as they are often responsible for TEs.

Our strongside linebacker situation isn't too bad, with our best defensive player, Derrick Johnson, as the incumbent there. Rocky Boiman has been a pleasant surprise as a young, undrafted nobody who, turns out, has a good nose for the ball. I believe Boiman has earned the opportunity to compete to be DJ's backup.

The weakside situation is dire. Donnie Edwards will likely retire this offseason, and that leaves us only with DeMorrio Williams. Williams is easily our fastest linebacker, but his play has underwhelmed this season. He is our current incumbent, but this team definitely needs more talent there. At the very most, we could use a stud to start with D-Will backing up. At the very least, we must have some depth there.

So my list will include my favorite 7 Wills, and favorite 3 Sams.

Wills:

1. Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri -- Call me a homer if you must. Lord knows I've bene susceptible to it before. But Weatherspoon is arguably the best Will this upcoming Draft, and it's very likely he'll be available for our second round pick. He has a great nose for the ball, and his speed is a great fit for the Cover 2.

2. Gerald McRath, Southern Miss -- McRath is a bit raw and will need some work, but his ability to get to the QB is what sells him as a solid 2nd round pick. This team needs a pass rush like oxygen this Draft, and McRath may be a future playmaker.

3. Anthony Heygood, Purdue -- Heygood is, in my mind, the fastest linebacker in the 2009 Draft. His athleticism is ridiculous and Purdue LBs have a good track record in the NFL, but he's very, very raw. He will need good coaching to realize his full potential.

4. Tyrone McKenzie, South Florida -- McKenzie is the opposite of Heygood in terms of attracting teams like the Chiefs: he doesn't have Heygood's ridiculous speed and he's a bit big for the weakside. But unlike Heygood, he has an impeccable track record, averaging over 120 tackles a year for two schools during his college career. Great 3rd round prospect.

5. Zach Follett, California -- Yet another Will who's displayed a good amount of speed and an ability to get to the QB in a hurry. Follett also has the advantage of playing in the Pac 10, which I always like because they face the toughest offenses.

6. Brian Toal, Boston College -- In terms of sheer talent, there are other Wills who are more talented than Toal, but few have his speed. Toal's stock has fallen recently because of a serious shoulder injury, but I love the smarts of Boston College players, and Toal's natural abilities could make an impact at the Combine.

7. Maurice Crum Jr., Notre Dame -- Crum plays well in coverage, and he's a fiery leader that this defense could always use in the linebacker corps. He's a well rounded player but he may be lacking the speed this defense needs on the weak side. Might be worth a shot in the 4th. Might.

Sams:

1. Brian Cushing, USC -- Cushing is probably the best OLB talent coming out this Draft. Cushing has shifted from position to position in his time at USC, and has excelled everywhere. He is smart, versatile, incredibly athletic and like all USC defenders, suited to the Cover 2. He is a 1st round pick, but not where the Chiefs will be picking.

2. Aaron Curry, Wake Forest -- Curry is a good fit for the Chiefs, should he fall into their laps late in the 2nd (if they trade down) or even into the 3rd. His strength is man coverage, which is exactly what he'll be asked to do in the NFL.

3. Cody Brown, UConn -- Brown will need to improve in his coverage, but there's no denying that this guy makes constant noise in the backfield. This is a Draft more than ever where the Chiefs need to be thinking pass rush, and Brown may fit the bill in the 3rd or 4th.

Second-year nobody Tyler Thigpen licked his palms at the ten-yard line and extended his forearms into the warm San Diego air, preparing his hardcount in shotgun formation. Gonzalez was in motion yet again, Bradley staggerred back a yard or two off the line of scrimmage, and Bowe stood wide, motionless as he eyed Thigpen's cadence.

I was in my correct stance, too: jack-knifed over the television set, squeezing my fists so tight my knuckles exploded. The classic Sunday afternoon of a Chiefs fan. The intensity rarely relented over four thrilling quarters in Qualcomm Stadium.

It was in these final moments of the game, however, that presented the most dramatic departure of the past two seasons for Chiefs fans everywhere: Tyler Thigpen's emergence as a potential force in the NFL. Statistically, he has torched two decent-to-good defenses and one downright superior one. Competitively, he has kept all three of his most recent starts winnable.

But his immense field presense was the most dramatic change of pace for a squad that's endured, for three seasons, low-key, frail quarterbacks (Brodie Croyle), elderly, frail quarterbacks (Trent Green, Damon Huard), quarterbacks who aren't actually quarterbacks (Ingle Martin), and pure, downright incompetent quarterbacks (Tyler Thigpen against the Falcons). But above all, the Chiefs endured quarterbacks who have struggled to provide the feeling that Thigpen exuded against the Chargers this afternoon: that come hell or high water, he was the leader under center (kind of) who can will this team to succeed.

Now, to be clear, we didn't succeed. Not today. But Thigpen left no doubt that it was possible. He played today like he owned the place.

But hopes were only high amongst the most blindly patriotic that Croyle could ascend to QBotF status after six sorry losses in 2007. Few believed that Huard could make chicken salad out of YouKnowWhat when he took the reigns. Heck, few believed Green had a final run in him when he returned to lead this team in 2006.

Really, the last time a Chiefs fan felt this good about his starting quarterback... may be beyond my ability to remember. Huard inspired in his short run in 2006, but he was accepted as a stopgap. The last time Green was his splendid self was in the 2005 season, the last of his heyday, and that doesn't compare to the QBotF feelings Chiefs fans are starting to generate towards Thigpen. No, the best I can do is 2000, when it was clear we had wisely traded for Green, and that we'd reap the benefits for years.

Thigpen's performance of potential yesterday, boosted by the sure hands of Bradley, Bowe, and Gonzalez, was the potential stuff that potential dreams are potentially made of. His decision-making was uniformly superb. He made brilliant decisions with ball placement, pocket manuvering, and trusting his receivers to make a play. His arm is impressive. His unflappability was remarkable. His passion is obvious.

It's possible that defenses start to figure him out, that his hot streak fades, that he's not cut out for the under-center style of football that prevails in December.

But like this entire team, he's starting to get it and it shows. He is a one man distillation of what this team is growing capable of. And he's already commanding a completely new enthusiasm for Chiefs fans for Sundays to come.

It's the easiest proposition to make about a football team in the NFL, and the hardest one to be proved accurate: that a particular team, thanks to a particular game, has discovered its true identity.

Heck, we've written that about this particular Kansas City Chiefs squad at least three times this season: after the Raiders home loss we thought this team would be young and incompetent, after the swoon of the Broncos victory we thought this team would be fun and dynamic, and after the dregs of the Titans trainwreck we wrote that this team would be boring and disasterous. That doesn't even include the preseason. It's just impossible in this league for single games to have the monumental message delivery that we writers constantly invent for them.

Having tasted my own proverbial foot shoved down my throat heel-deep a time or two this season, I nonetheless can't help saying it's for real this time. Having watched this game, the Chiefs looked about as comfortable in their own skin today as they have all season.

We've mislabeled this team by simplifying them as a team on the verge of competing in a couple years. That rang true at one point while LJ was running hard at River Falls, Croyle was leading drives in preseason, and the defense looked somewhat competent.  All Herm talked about was the future. The team was thinking about the future. We were thinking about the future.

But with Croyle out, LJ suspended and getting his act together, and our defense giving up historically awful performances against the run, the future has begun to look farther and farther away. It's become near-impossible to watch these games and feel good about the future of this team. I can only imagine what it's like to be playing the games.

It took second-year nobody Tyler Thigpen and all-time great Tony Gonzalez to reframe our perspectives onto the present rather than the future. Gonzalez's proud leadership on the field and in the locker room, combined with a downright sprightly performance by Thigpen, truly led a team to understand the excitement of being a spoiler. On the other side of the ball, the defense followed suit. Tamba Hali got his groove back on the left side and rookie Brandon Flowers made a name for himself.

Thrilled, more than anything, with the prospect of upending a good team that dared look past them. With Flowers' pick-six in the fourth quarter, you could feel it.

The Chiefs aren't racking up wins by the handful this year. They aren't world-beaters. But they can make their names as the league's traveling hornet's nest. They are young. They are unafraid. And they've really got nothing to lose.

The future will be here soon enough. So will the endless great discussions across the Chiefs blogosphere about who factors into this team's longterm plans. But this game promises us, for the rest of a season now worth watching, that all the newfound enthusiasm that comes with youth needs to be appreciated for what it is, and not wasted by simply focusing on the future.

Youth is to be appreciated while we get to enjoy it. It's a classic lesson of life. You spoil the fun by simply waiting for this team to grow up.

A screen shot from the Wikipedia entry on the 2008 NFL Draft:

Bumped this up a few hours. Morning update will come around 8 AM. -Chris

It's never too early, is it? Nah.

I am, nonetheless, an addicted draftnik, to the point where I literally have a tackboard that I keep all my favorite draftees targeted at particular points in the Draft.

But the point of this entry is not necessarily to judge which players we might be more intrigued by (rest assured, there will be plenty of those in the months that come from yours truly). Here, I'm more convinced in our needs. What needs are the most and least pressing for the Chiefs in the 2009 NFL Draft?

A complete and obsessive breakdown follows, after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Dear Carl.

What's left to be said. The Chiefs are stuck in the lowest grade of rebuilding that's even possible. And you decided to hold onto a player who, for all his eminent talents and place in history, will ultimately not do this franchise any good.

So let me ask you, general manager Carl Peterson, if you are by any chance reading this. Would you rather have a decent Draft pick(s) that could materialize into cogs of our future championship runs, or would you forfeit taking any of that to hold on to a player that doesn't want to be here, and won't do our future championship runs any good?

I had mentioned in an earlier entry, breaking down Gonzalez's worth, that he was worth about a 3rd at best, or a 4th and an additional low-rounder. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but there are multiple reports out there that that's exactly what you were offered. And you decided that instead of allowing Kuharich and Herm -- the masterminds behind a pretty strong 2008 draft for this team -- a chance at some good talent in the 3rd or to mine for talent in the mid-rounds and low-rounds, that you were going to sit on your hands and let Gonzalez wallow.

For what?

Leadership? What good does that do you when you're a Bottom 5 team? Groom young leaders, don't depend on your old leaders 'til death do you part.

For what? The emotional punch of Tony finishing his career with an arrowhead on his helmet? Why don't we create new legacies instead of depending on beloved, old ones?

To sell tickets? I don't know where you got the idea that Gonzalez was the only Chiefs player that fans love seeing.

The reliable target in the middle of the field? Sure, Tony's presence on the field cannot be replaced, but this team doesn't need to replace him this season. We're not going anywhere this season, Carl.

Your fanbase has accepted that. You can't, and I don't know why.

And you know where we're at because of this stalling pattern? We have a disgruntled star displeased with our youth movement who is blabbing all over any media outlet who will listen to leverage popular opinion against Carl Peterson and the rest of the Chiefs' front office. We're holding him hostage in a high-profile staredown with several other regimes across the NFL, decreasing the chance that anybody anywhere will blink.

If that sounds familiar to us, it's because that was the Trent Green hostage situation from a year and a half ago. You miraculously succeeded there, but that's largely because you were dealing with a completely incompetent administration.

No sir, in this situation, asking for a 2nd for a 32-year-old who can't help us makes you the incompetent administration. And you are becoming increasingly exposed.

In the grand scheme of things, this isn't a monumental mistake, but it is significant because it illustrates your consistent modus operandi that has punished this franchise far more frequently than not.

Your time with this team, and the NFL, is running out.

As we all sit around, with the upcoming trade deadline upcoming, I would just like to congratulate the Chiefs for coming to their senses. This team, in what seems like the most hopeless stages of rebuild mode, cannot survive on seven draft picks a year.

I want to take just a real brief moment and set all of our expectations up properly with a breakdown of the value of each of these players that are supposedly on our trading block. Let's also breakdown exactly how likely it is that any of these players are on our roster by sundown Tuesday.

TE Tony Gonzalez

What he is: A flashback to old school, to the days where tight ends were actually put on the field to block and receive. There is no weakness in Tony G's game, as he is capable of blocking better than most tight ends in this league, is coming off a 99-catch season from one of the worst offenses in the league, and owns perhaps the most phenomenal tight end reception of the year against Denver. He is also a great leader, a perfect citizen, and Hall of Fame bound.

Where he is: The twilight of his career. However, Tony's numbers have hardly fallen off. Many speculate that as fit as he stays (Gonzalez's workouts leading up to games with other star TEs are legendary), he could still play competitively in this league for a few more years. His Pro Bowl days are sharply numbered, however, just on the basis of age.

What he can do: He can block, he is your security blanket across the middle, and he can lead. But perhaps most importantly, he can adjust to virtually any offense, having seen at least three radically different incarnations of the Chiefs offense during his tenure as a Chief. He will be a factor for your team by the end of the year if you pick him up now.

Worth: All things considered, it's either a 3rd alone or a 4th + 6th package. Before you get your blood boiling, loyal Chiefs fans, consider that Jason Taylor, about the same age, just got traded for a 2nd. DE is valued far more in the NFL than TE by a long shot, and Taylor was traded in the more relaxed atmosphere of the offseason, rather than up against the trade deadline, when teams are hesitant to pull the trigger on any deal. Most all of the teams in the market for Tony do not need him, so their offers won't be the 2nd or 3rd that Gonzalez would normally warrant. However, rumors suggest half a dozen teams are interested, which could play an equalizing factor here.

RB Larry Johnson

What he is: The perfect antihero, the guy whose morals in no way line up with yours but no man worth his salt would ever turn down being on his side in the heat of battle. However, he is an albatross when unhappy, which happens any time he does not get the ball early and often in games. Because he is such a lousy blocker, he is of no use on third down, which demands run plays on first and second down; nobody likes to admit it in Kansas City, but LJ is a big reason why our offense is so predictable. That said, however, with good blocking he is a Top 5 RB in this league. With elite blocking, no RB in the league can touch him.

Where he is: He is still capable of giving a new team a handful of solid years. LJ's spirit may sag during weak years such as this one, but his dedication to staying fit never does. I've been surprised every year at how physically fit he looks at training camp. It's unlikely that he can carry an offense by himself anymore, but he can still produce in an even-handed offense.

What he can do: He can run, and get the hard yards. Not a terribly impressive blocker and while he gets along for the most part with teammates, he has never been any kind of emotional leader. Given the hole, LJ can make the most of it between the tackles -- matter of fact, he may be best inheriting a Jerome Bettis-type role on a talented offense.

Worth: At this point, he's worth a 4th. There's no way any team in the NFL will want to pay the price that Carl Peterson is asking at the latest trading stage in the season. There aren't a lot of teams that are willing to cough up a first-day pick for a guy who doesn't block at a position that most teams value little. It's possible that the Chiefs could land a good deal this coming offseason for LJ, when teams are more relaxed and everybody's thinking ambitiously. But at this point, it's near impossible the Chiefs get anything better than a 4th for LJ. If anybody offered a 3rd (which nobody will), Peterson should leap on it--but I'm probably guessing he won't.

QB Damon Huard

What he is: An unflappable veteran in most circumstances that include more than 1.2 seconds of pass protection. He can make most of the safe passes, and all of the smart passes, but is occasionally stifled by tricky coverages and will make a braindead mistake. He is a savvy veteran who can bide time and take a hit, and he can provide the minimal leadership abilities needed to keep an offense afloat long enough.

Where he is: At the end. In his mid-thirties and clearly losing a step, any team picking him up now understands that he is on his last legs and will likely not suit up in 2009 unless lured by a stupid contract.

What he can do: He can man your ship just long enough for whomever you really want quarterbacking to return. He's done it his entire career, and he plays consistently every single week -- you know precisely what you're getting out of him whenever you suit him up: 150-200 yards passing, maybe a TD or two, maybe an INT.

Worth: If somebody truly wants to pry him away from the Chiefs, a conditional 5th that could conflate to a 4th if he gets them to the playoffs. If the Chiefs just want to unload him, they might just take a 6th. The rumor is that the Patriots are in the search for a reliable game-manager to fill the gap between now and Tom Brady's return on a golden cloud as angels sound their bugles. The Patriots are loaded with talent everywhere, feature great pass protection, but need a sure, unflappable hand to at least not screw things up. Huard may be what the doctor ordered, but he won't be commanding much.

CB Patrick Surtain

What he is: Washed up.

Where he is: At the very end of his career.

What he can do: Provide an opponent's wide receivers 10 yards of cushion.

Worth: If the Chiefs managed to gain any sort of compensation for Surtain, at all, at any point, I'd be surprised. Take the conditional 7th and thank the team for taking his cap hit.

We're encouraged to be independent thinkers on sports blogs, but sometimes there's a guy out there shaking the branches so hard you just have to follow his lead. We've had some interesting discussions over the past week regarding our special teams status. And the whole Feely incident was enough to end Batman's patience over at Arrowhead Addict, who is now calling for Priefer's head.

It's hard to blame him. He lists the specific failures of Priefer's judgment, and it's a damning list.

I prefer to take a broader review of the situation, and it's not much better. It might even be worse. More after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Carl stops dead in his tracks as he sees Herm Edwards sitting in his chair.

Herm: Hey Carl.

Carl: Uh... hey Herm.

Herm: I'm having a GREAT time. I can see why you've been doing this for so long.

Carl: Why are you sitting at my desk?

Herm: Just wanted to see what it's like.

Carl: Uh huh.

Herm: Can't judge a man 'til you walk a mile in his--

Carl: --Get out of my chair, Herm.

Herm: K.

Herm gets up.

Carl sits down.

Herm teeters nervously over Carl's desk.

Carl: Can I help you?

Herm: You play to win the game?

Carl: Whatever. You totally rearranged my desk icons on my computer. You know this isn't your stuff. Where's the personnel file? It's not in the "Recycle Bin" like I prefer it to be.

Herm: Right there.

Carl: Jesus. JESUS. DID YOU SIGN SOMEBODY?

Herm: He's a kicker.

Carl: WHAT ARE YOU DOING SIGNING PEOPLE? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS.

Herm: Well you see I've been scrolling this Chiefs board, and he's apparently a pretty big name.

Carl: You KNOW I have to cut this guy now, right? We specifically talked about not signing him.

...

Carl: Herm?

...

Herm: You play to win--

Carl: GET OUT. OUT OUT OUT.

Herm: (running out of the room) whoooooop whoop whoop whoop whoop!

Ho boy, that was rough. Slaughter at the hands of a team coming off a 1-15 season.

That. Was. Rough.

You sit through many of these conversations on this blog and other fansites, about a team in rebuild mode. Clearly this is a team bereft of much veteran presence, having done next to nothing in the Draft pre-Herm Edwards. Clearly this is a team that is completely in development. Clearly the Dolphins were in need of a statement game and the Kansas City Chiefs came in with what seemed like 250 injuries to promising youngins and assured veterans alike.

But it's hard to figure out where to place Saturday night. The 24-0 beatdown by the Dolphins was as hard a game as I've ever watched. It was literally a game without highlights. When you gather with other fans after the game, and one of the most impressive plays of the night was how rookie RB Dantrell Savage tackled a guy after an interception, you're basically gasping for air as a supporter of this team.

The We're Rebuilding! Card is easy to play right here. Well let's face it, it's going to be easy to play all year. But I don't think it adequately explains what happened. Saturday's game was a failure, and not just in the rhetoric sense that we racked up an L instead of a W. It was a failure because our quarterbacks couldn't play, our line couldn't protect, our running backs couldn't run, our kickers couldn't kick, our linebackers couldn't tackle, our passrush couldn't rush, our safeties couldn't cover, and our cornerbacks got burned. Our gameplan, offensively and defensively, was nonexistant, perhaps deliberately so, but nonetheless worrying as the Dolphins, recovering from a historically sorry season, likely prepared for this game the same.

Rebuilding projects are never supposed to have games like that. It was a failure on every level.  The silver lining of that loss is so devastatingly small, it's unfair to call it "lining." Lining would mean that it exists. You should more appropriately call any hope that arose out of the Dolphins game the "silver concept."

You may not be able to tell from that game, but this is a team that boasts a lot of talent. We have promising young talent at most of these positions. We have former Pro Bowlers at other positions. We even have a Hall of Famer. So how on earth can this happen?

Yes, all the right pieces are being honed. But this is more than an "unfinished project." This is a team who's pieces are miles apart from one another, and it's really hard to see how we can reverse that with any reasonable speed. If the Dolphins game was any reasonable indication, this phase of birth pangs will take quite a few years, not merely one or two.

But for the short term, perhaps we should take the message: a team coming off one of the worst seasons in NFL history might have just hinted that we are destined for the same fate in 2008.

via www.beltbuckleshop.com

Does this qualify as smack talking? Then so be it. I would normally feel bad after TheSportsGuru just posted an elegant set of rules about engaging with the enemy here on SBN, but it's game day, and this atrocity can't stand.

Let's just review for the masses, shall we? It's a dolphin, wearing a helmet, while grimacing. I honestly don't know what's the dumbest thing here.

The fact that Flipper up there is angry and grimacing is sad and sorrowful. I'm sorry guys, but you've made the decision to have the friendliest-appearing waterdwelling mammal your mascot. You can't "scary-up" a dolphin any more than I can Snuggles the Bear. Giving him the browline of a neanderthal and a smirky frown makes him more of a plush toy than a football mascot.

How in the name of anything sacred is he wearing a helmet? That's a human's helmet. It doesn't even fit the animal's elongated skull. If we're going to pretend there's a football-playing porpoise, can we not also pretend there's adequate gear so he doesn't get obliterated on his first punt return? Good god, the guy doesn't even have arms and you're sending him out on the gridiron with a helmet that doesn't fit. It's like you want him endangered. His(?) entire forehead is exposed for contact.

The helmet itself is an atrocity. It's an orange "M"? Whose team features a big orange "M" on the helmet? NOBODY'S. Why not give him the helmet that the Dolphins actually wear. It could even create a Russian Dolls effect where the dolphin in the dolphin's helmet has a dolphin in his helmet which has a dolphin in his helmet. This is a masterpiece waiting to be constructed and your laziness is stupefying.

Listen, the team can do however they want. So they've got an undefeated team. They had one of the best QBs the game's ever seen. Yet all you get is a reel of grainy highlights that features your beloved Dolphins sashaying all over the field in one of history's sorriest mistakes, a piece of equipment lacking in even one sensible artistic detail, a symbol that compares your fierce heroes on the gridiron to frowning fish.

I'm surprised Goddell hasn't been on top of this. The Dolphins should resign from the league and start over with a new franchise in 5 years with a new mascot. I know you have to keep things Miami-themed, but virtually anything would be better. Knowing you guys you'd be the Miami Super Suns and have the cartoon sun from Raisin Bran on your helmet, wearing shades.

You make me sick, Dolphins. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

via www.emich.edu

As a Chiefs fan, there are particular aspects of football that I have no choice but to love. I love to tailgate and the smell of BBQ-tinged air. I love a sea of red. Piercing crowd noise. The first tackle a defense makes, while the home crowd is screaming for blood and all the players leap into the air pumping their arms. A run up the gut for a hard first down. A tough quarterback. A smart linebacker. The blitz on a 3rd and long.

But of course, I also love players who refuse to ever get down. All attitude. All confidence. They know they're the best and they can't wait for you to eat your crow when they prove it.

I say this because I've just become an unsuspecting fan of a player few people know from a conference few people respect. And I honestly had no choice in the matter.

Continue reading this post »