Larry Johnson Wants To "Break Ties" With Chiefs
(After what he did today, L.J. will no longer be seen in a Chiefs jersey in any new post on this site. Period. That’s a promise. – Adam)
Well, gang, Larry Johnson still wants out of Kansas City despite newly hired GM Scott Pioli. Larry Johnson went into depth about how he feels about the city and the Chiefs in a 23-minute interview on KCSP 610 radio on Wednesday.
Johnson says:
“I’d rather just play somewhere else. This is a rebuilding team. I dont’ really think that I belong on this rebuilding team. It’s just the way the league works. I’ve done what I’ve done for Kansas City. I’m not getting no younger, and the team is getting younger. So I’m not sure I fit in the scheme of things. I never felt like I was in the scheme of things anyways. Everyone wants to do it the hard way, or you can do it the easy way.”
In the interview Larry goes on to talk about the fans of Kansas City saying that he gets boo’ed when out at sporting events or in the public.
“That’s Kansas City. The rumor mill builds, and the jealousy, and the envy, starts. You feel trapped. At one point I didn’t even want to leave my house.”
When a question was asked about how he came to feel this way, LJ went on to say:
“People don’t understand, they’ve been trying to trade me ever since I came here. Even when Dick Vermeil was coach, they tried to trade me to Tampa Bay. When I did good, two years after my deal, they’re trying … they want to use me as trade bait. Now, after a year in playing in my deal, they turn around and try to trade me again. They put me on the trade [block] along with Tony Gonzalez. … Like all businesses and personal relationships, there’s a certain type of code of ethics on how to do things. That’s why, ever since I came to Kansas City, they’ve tried to push me out the door. They’ve tried to trade me ever since i got there.”
Larry said that he would be open to stay with the Chiefs if they were not willing to trade him or release him. He also said he would stay if the “situation was right”, but he really wants a clean break from K.C.
“My situation is totally different than everyone else’s situation,” Johnson said. “The way I am is totally different. I can’t blame [the fans] for incidents that went on that I can’t sway their opinion. At the same time, I did what I did, I apologized to everybody, but it feels like it had no effect. So there’s no sense in me trying to fight an uphill battle. You do what you have to do, break ties, and start all over from scratch.”
On if he believes he owes the Chiefs any “loyalty”:
There’s no loyalty in this game,” Johnson said. “That’s one thing I’ve learned. There’s no such thing as loyalty.”
(Source: NFL.com)
I have always liked Larry Johnson. When he wants to, he runs the ball like a mad man and I always liked his aggressive running style. But if he doesn’t want to be here then let him go. I still don’t quite understand why he has to act like someone took a you-know-what in his cereal, especially after getting a huge deal last season. It’s not like he only has a couple years left and wants to go to a contender like TG. What will happen with Larry Johnson? Time will tell. I don’t see his trade stock being very high with all his off the field issues and his poor attitude, but we’ll see.
What do you think we should do with LJ?
I think Vermiel called it right, about the diapers.
February 4th, 2009 at 6:47 pm“I did what I did, I apologized to everybody, but it feels like it had no effect. So there’s no sense in me trying to fight an uphill battle.”
Larry, you apologized the first time and then went out and did the same thing again. So you apologized again. Your actions are speaking louder than your words. We (as fans) keep waiting on you to show your ass another time.
February 4th, 2009 at 6:51 pmI have a signed LJ jersey that I would be willing to trade for two cans of caffine free diet coke. I have lost all respect for LJ. Too bad for the chiefs, they wont get what they paid for him in a trade……hand the ball to Jamal Charles! Seriously…do you want my jersey? I will take an unsigned Tony G jersey for it.
February 4th, 2009 at 6:54 pmVermiel called it, serious maturity issues. He is the TO / Ocho-sinko of RBs.
February 4th, 2009 at 6:59 pmI will give you one can of caffeine free diet coke for that jersey parrottheadluke.
I need it to clean my car wheels.
February 4th, 2009 at 7:09 pmHell, maybe I will keep it. If I wear it to a KC bar I can at LEAST shove down a few girls!
February 4th, 2009 at 7:15 pmAWESOME! Parrot
February 4th, 2009 at 7:20 pmHe’s an assclown. The most absurd thing about the whole LJ drama was that on Nick Wright tonight (I only listened to him during a commercial break on 810 as I was going to get dinner. He is awful) he was making the argument that people don’t like LJ because he is black.
February 4th, 2009 at 7:25 pmHe is my favorite player and the second best player on our team behind TG. I think his trade stock will be low because of his off-field situations, but if the right situation comes up, I think he can become the dominant back that puts up 1750 yds seasons again. I wish the best for him and I hope he gets into the right situation and hopefully it is still with the Chiefs.
February 4th, 2009 at 7:52 pmAre you related to LJ? That is the only way I can imagine someone uttering the line, “he is my favorite player.” If you are his dad or brother, please call him and tell him to stop being a crybaby and quit blaming others for his problems when he was the one that chose to be abusive towards women.
February 4th, 2009 at 7:57 pmNot only did he not take the diapers off but he never even changed the damn things Im sick of his shit. LJ is the biggest disappointment I can remember in years for me regarding KC.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:11 pmFor awhile I was seriously saying the Penn State curse had been broken but it sure hasnt been.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:14 pmAs for Nick Wright, I do think at times there can be culture clashes between players and the fans. For instance, D-Bowe might be a little misunderstood because where he comes from. I mean, this is the heart of the heartland and all. It really doesn’t have anything to do with race, as Derrick Thomas was our COAT, which was basically a Chiefs popularity contest in the end. It’s the same reason why I think he was more popular as aSouthern boy than the half-vegetarian, “commitment ceremony” dude from California, Tony G.
But fans hating Larry now has nothing to do with him being black whatsoever. He insulted Kansas City, and more importantly, us fans — that’s what it’s about.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:15 pmthenewdynasty27. Since your the biggest LJ fan, will give me a diet coke for his signed jersey?
February 4th, 2009 at 8:21 pmWhat upsets me the most about this is there was a time when I would say that LJ was my favorite player. I have a jersey with his original number on it before he changed it I was an LJ fan from day one. So disappointing.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:29 pmTo think that a running back with the heart and goodness and potential that Joe Delaney had never even had the chance that LJ just pissed away is so very sad.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:32 pm“So there’s no sense in me trying to fight an uphill battle. ”
This is a statement of a quitter. Good Riddance LJ! LJ you should start looking for a job with an NFL team to be the pre-game DJ.
February 4th, 2009 at 9:41 pmLJ needs a babysitter. They should not trade him now. We wouldn’t get reasonable value. I had hoped they wouldn’t re-sign him, I thought GB might give us two first round picks for him then.
February 4th, 2009 at 10:28 pmWhat arrowhead should do is tell him that if he can improve his trade value over the next year, they will trade him then. If not, he can sit untill we need cap space.
Would we trade him to New England for a 4th? The organization cannot afford to let players get rewarded for poor behavior. That would make them no brighter than Al Davis ala Moss.
parrot i would give you anything for an LJ signed jersey
February 4th, 2009 at 10:53 pmSend him and a conditional (2nd max in 2010)to Cleveland for their second this year. The pick would get worse the better he plays for them. Seems like a good deal with low risk for them.
February 4th, 2009 at 10:55 pmThere’s no loyalty in this game,” Johnson said. “That’s one thing I’ve learned. There’s no such thing as loyalty.”
Hopefully you learned to stop hitting women, we all know you didn’t learn how to pick up a blitzing LB.
February 4th, 2009 at 11:10 pmJust wait until you all see what we have for Larry tomorrow. And by tomorrow, I mean soon…
February 4th, 2009 at 11:46 pmWhat AA has for Larry or the Chiefs? Could the Chiefs send him to Detriot
February 5th, 2009 at 12:05 amhey anybody! what is the construction world like in the Kansas City area? Or in the surrounding areas? Thinking about moving back to the K.C area. somebody let me know please.
February 5th, 2009 at 12:14 amVery interested to see how our new GM handles this. LJ is clearly frustrated because things didn’t work out the way he foresaw a few years ago. That said, I sure hate to see his talent (indisputably present with effort) swirl down the drain caused by focusing on things outside of his control instead of the things he can control. Still not sure what happened in that bar (were the allegations possibly overhyped?), but that is not the real issue now.
February 5th, 2009 at 12:39 amvbchief: I know for sure there is a butt-ton of construction going on in the Olathe, KS area…other than that, not sure…
My opinion on this LJ stuff is that he thinks he is a celebrity and doesn’t realize he gets paid to do a job. He doesn’t get paid to appear on the field on Sunday’s he gets paid to bust his ass and work and run like a madman. He is not going to be treated like a loved celebrity in person if he performs like crap.
Sense of entitlement. He thinks he deserves to be treated like the star, the king, the freakin president.
He will never be happy anywhere because he plays like crap…
February 5th, 2009 at 12:58 amWhat AA has for Larry
Coming right up…
February 5th, 2009 at 1:29 amShip his ass to Detroit and show him what a real shit franchise is like.
As for Nick Wright, I worked with him briefly and that sounds like something he would say shall we say “Whitlock-esque” to stir up controversy. Nick is a young 20 something year old kid from NY state that tries to talk about the Royals and Chiefs like he’s been here for 20 years.
February 5th, 2009 at 3:22 amIs it possible LJ’s a paranoid schizaphrenic? I mean, it sounds to me like that might be the reason he thinks we don’t understand him, why he doesn’t go outside, why he’s think everybody has been against him ever since he got here, etc. I’m thinking a little couch time might be in order.
Crane – yeah, I don’t dig his schtick so much either. Like a lot of “sports talk” guys, he seems far more interested in hearing himself gossip about sports figures than actually covering what they do on the field.
February 5th, 2009 at 9:29 amthenewdynasty27 if you are serious about my jersey. Here is my email. What do you have to trade? I will send you pics.
londonjesse1@yahoo.com
February 5th, 2009 at 5:41 pmEric Crane- Nick grew up here homie; google is a useful tool, you should check it out. He went to Syracuse; excuse a kid for going to a very good private school instead of our “fine” local ones. You would think if you worked with him you would know him a bit better. Im not trying to call you out, but dont lie about people so it fits whatever you are bashing the person for better. Petro and Wright are the only two people I find at all interesting on our local stations, though the two mourning shows on the drive to work are entertaining. What would I know though right? Im just a young 20 something….
February 5th, 2009 at 7:14 pmin addition, as Chiefs fans how can you not enjoy the Nick Wright interviews with the Chiefs players like Tank and Turk?
February 5th, 2009 at 7:18 pm