Would You, Could You, Chiefs Fans?
By Laddie Morse
It’s time to play… Would You? Could You, Chiefs fans?
Like any other fan on the Addict, I dream dreams for the Chiefs of pick-sixes, Hail Marys that have a chance and better than eight-win seasons (I’m being more realistic now instead of mentioning, you know, the Super Bowl) … among other dreams that I don’t want to get into here.
Yes, I have spent a lot of time in the land of “what if?” Like, I used to think about… what if the Chiefs were respected around the league… and in their own home town.
Now, my what-iffing is all about the Chiefs’ future. So, let’s play…
Would You? Could You?
Would you, could you… sign Peyton Hillis to another one-year contract if… he performs against the Broncos the way he performed against the Colts? From a rushing standpoint, the Colts game was what I had envisioned the whole Chiefs season to be like. However, the Colts rank 30th against the run while the Chiefs are fifth in rushing. If the Hillis can pull that off again against the Broncos’ third ranked rushing defense… I’d consider bringing him back — on a short leash.
Would you, could you… be fine if the Chiefs drafted two QBs in 2013? We all know they need one very good franchise QB but the reality is that the Chiefs really need two. If Mike Shanahan can take two QBs in the same draft… why wouldn’t the Chiefs consider doing the same? I’ll bet the Redskins, and Redskins fans, are pretty excited about that move now. I know the Chiefs have other needs and other important positions but, they will still be one injury away from being right back where they ever were.
Would you, could you… cheer for the Chiefs to lose in their last game just so they can get the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft? Or are you the kind of fan who… believes that that’s some kind of loyalty heresy? Or are you the kind of fan who… starts out cheering for the Chiefs but if they happen to do bad on a play, well, that’s okay, too. Or are you the kind of fan who… outright cheers for the Chiefs to tank from the outset. Or are you the kind of fan who… is cheering for the Chiefs most of the way but, inside you feel conflicted and you don’t know why. Furthermore, if you admit to any of these feelings, will all your Chiefs fans/friends/family never speak to you again and shun you like you’re the love (hate) child of Al Davis and Erik Estrada?
Would you, could you… sit most of your regulars during the season finale with the Denver Broncos? Recently, the NBA commissioner David Stern fined Greg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs for sitting four of their top players. What if… the Broncos are sitting their top players, presumably to rest them for the playoffs, and the Chiefs are sitting their top players, presumably to win the lottery (the top pick in the draft)… do you think NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would fine either or both teams? Or would we just call that preseason game number 5, which just happens to come at the end of the season instead of the beginning? At least then — we MIGHT get a little “Stanzi Time.”
Would you, could you… SAY… that besides the GM issue and the coach issue and the who to draft el numero uno issue, the biggest issue the Chiefs face this offseason is → how to deal with Dwayne Bowe? With Branden Albert waiting on the Chiefs to decide what they’ll do with Dwayne Bowe — sign him, franchise him or let him go (like they did with CB Brandon Carr) — then the Chiefs are up a creek with Albert until that decision is made. If the Chiefs sign Bowe, there will be jubilation for Chiefs nation. If the Chiefs franchise Bowe (for the last time), this is where things get tricky. With Bowe filling the franchise tag slot, it means they can’t tag Albert. That’s why I’d say that, besides the GM issue and the coach issue and the who to draft first issue, the biggest issue the Chiefs face this offseason is dealing with Mr. Bowe. Also, it doesn’t seems likely that whoever fills the GM role will let Bowe walk away. Only real thoughtlessness does something like that.
Would you, could you… sign Tim Tebow this offseason? Let me first make my position completely clear on this: never, no way, not in a million ka-jillion years. Now, I’ve read about some fans wanting to give Tebow a try on a one-year contract. Please… you fans… move to Oakland.
Would you, could you… trade the first pick in the draft and move down to, say, pick #6 so that the Chiefs can pick up an extra second-round pick in 2013 and a first-round pick in 2014 and another first-round pick in 2015, even though it might mean the Chiefs don’t get to sign top-rated QB Geno Smith? I’d do that trade in a flash but I don’t think that trade will be offered because G-Smith is not considered anywhere near the player that RGIII was considered to be. So, the question is would you, could you, do that trade if the trade didn’t include a second-round pick nor an extra pick in 2015? I’d still do that trade but I’d really want to get an extra second-rounder in 2013.
Would you, could you… fire current Chiefs GM Scott Pioli before the last game of the season in Denver so that you can get a head start on hiring Giants personnel man Marc Ross? It’s rumored that others are interested in Ross, like the Carolina Panthers. If you are Clark Hunt, and if you are eventually going to fire Pioli after this season ends, then I don’t see the downside. Furthermore, I’m not sure what else Hunt needs to use to fully evaluate his GM of the past four years… before he’s ready to make the decision to part ways. By any standards, Pioli should be working back in New England, or down in Atlanta, next season. The only problem I have with Ross as a candidate is his history of evaluating 4-3 defensive players. The Chiefs have been drafting 3-4 scheme specific players for four years now and to throw all those players away would not be prudent. It’s a catch-22: if Ross is the choice he must either change to evaluating 3-4 players or convert the current roster back to a 4-3. Now, good evaluators are usually good evaluators so, I don’t except that to be a great problem but I’d hate to see him come in and then wait a year to install his own people like Pioli did in his second year and then turn around and fire his first choice as head coach… like Pioli did in his third year. Stabilizing the staff and the process has got to be a primary goal for the next regime.
Let’s pray that the next regime begins as soon as possible. Go Chiefs!