Regrettably, in times of labor strife, the Chiefs have not done well.

Reviewing the times of strike or walkout in the history of the NFL, we see that strikes took place in 1974, 1982, and 1987 before this year. 

In 1973, the Chiefs were 7-5-2 and in contention for the playoffs until the end of the season (really the Raider game in Oakland). The following year, the strike year of 1974, they went 5-9 and Hank Stram was fired.

In 1981, the Chiefs under Marv Levy went 9-7 and things seemed to be looking up. Comes the strike year of 1982, the Chiefs go 3-6, play to around 10,000 at Arrowhead in the last game of the year, and Levy gets fired.

In 1986, the Chiefs have a miracle year, get to 10-6 and make the playoffs, only to get waxed by the New York Jets in what was then the Chiefs' second worst playoff loss ever.  Perhaps the Chiefs decided to get the firing out of the way early, as the player revolt leads to John Makovic's firing just after the playoff year ended, and the hiring of Frank Ganz, who led the Chiefs to a 4-11 record.

Now its probably unreasonable to suggest that labor strife caused each of those lousy seasons. You can argue that 74 happened because Stram failed to find younger talent to take the place of the Super Bowl era players. And you can make the argument that the Chiefs got into the playoffs in 86 by smoke, mirrors and special teams play and that Ganz had no business being a head coach, to explain the 87 collapse. 

But there's nothing to explain 82 like that. And it does seem to be a recurrent theme.

I think not.  To be perfectly honest, it could be a good thing for a lot of reasons.

Focusing on a sellout streak is pretty ridiculous.  Has very little to do with what goes on down on the field, which is what ultimately matters.  And you really can't say that the team benefits from a stadium 2/3 empty even when its a "sellout".

Finally we have to be concerned about actually watching a team as bad as the Chiefs.  I speak particularly of young football players, who need to be protected from watching these weekly piles of excrement.  The ripple effect from a decade's worth of bad football is eventually going to drag football across the board down to an unspeakable level.

I therefore call on all Chiefs fans to do the right thing this week.  Turn off the damn TV.  Do something constructive with your family the week before Christmas.  And let the Chiefs bury themselves on Sunday against Cleveland

http://chiefsblog.kansascity.com/?q=node/748

If I was Adrian Jones I would be VERY nervous about now. 

Or maybe even Brian Waters.

Even though he's got some mileage, I have the feeling he's still serviceable

This would also seem to indicate that early draft picks will not focus on the offensive line.  Unless someone like Alex Mack has the floor drop out from under him.

I would not be surprised to see the draft focus on LBs and WR in the first half.

who won the Battle of Arrowhead against the Missouri Tigers, 1-0 after the Tigers gagged their way through yet another KU football game.

Congratulations Tigers, after watching the seniors mail it in after the Nebraska game, you've truly pissed away any chance for a decent bowl, much less the BCS (like that is going to happen now) and national attention.  Chase Daniel proves himself the ultimate front runner, once again unable to direct a come from behind win...and the defense belongs in an outhouse

and I dispair.  I really don't see any way this team is even competent in before 2011. 

We "knew" Dorsey was going to struggle?  Really?   Most people would like production out of the number 5 pick, and pretty quickly at that.

Just because you blitz, doesn't mean you won't get blocked?  Well, if we are blitzing that is certainly the case.  When we get blitzed, it isn't.

And of course, the real encouragement...THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO BE TOGETHER FOR 4 OR 5 YEARS

yee hah

and call Derrick Johnson a bust?  How much longer are we supposed to wait for him to be a consistent game changer?  He can't get off blocks, so he's not a run stuffer.  He's ok in space, but not that good a one on one tackler, and he doesn't have the explosion a linebacker needs for a blitz.  Yes, he showed up for the Denver game, but has he really been there (when healthy) at any other time?

Can we chalk this one up as another epic draft day failure?