Double D’s 2011 Arrowhead Tailgate Mix:

1) Sirius – Alan Parsons Project
2) Generator – Foo Fighters
3) Shake Ya Tailfeather – Nelly
4) Communication Breakdown – Led Zeppelin
5) Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold – Steve Earle
6) Crosstown Traffic – Jimi Hendrix
7) Bulls On Parade – Rage Against The Machine
8 ) Eminence Front – The Who
9) Song #2 – Blur
10) Lose Yourself – Eminem
11) Gel – Collective Soul
12) Protect Ya Neck – Wu Tang Clan
13) Kansas City Shuffle – Tech N9ne
14) Fire Water Burn – Bloodhound Gang
15) Can’t Stop Partying – Weezer
16) Helter Skelter – The Beatles
17) National Anthem – Jimi Hendrix

Second verse, some thoughts on Todd Haley’s 2011 job performance expectations, beyond the jump.
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There seems to be a lot of chatter in these here parts about what all is wrong (and right) with the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line and how to make it better. We’ve all heard ‘em, they generally go something like this:

Branden Albert will never win us a Superbowl at LT; he should be moved to . . .

We need a major upgrade at RT, Barry Richardson shoved a coach.

Even at 74 years old, 110 lb Casey Weigmann continues to play phenomenally well. He anchors our OL dammit!

Don’t dare touch Ryan Lilja, he’s from here and more importantly, he went to K-State!

Brian Waters play has slipped, he’s just getting by on reputation.

Okay, perhaps I exagerated a tad on the matters of Casey Weigmann’s diminutive stature and charter membership to AARP, but are all or any of these statements really valid? I’ll do a little review on all this right after the jump.
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Alright, allow me rephrase that – is picking the right Nose still among Scott Pioli’s biggest priorities? For example, Pioli, while with the Patriots, in Vince Wilfork, picked the right Nose. Everyone since then unanimously agrees that Pioli truly picked “his Nose” when he got Wilfork. I also think we can generally agree that Pioli certainly picked a Nose in this draft by taking Jerrell Powe in the 6th round. Nevertheless, I also think it’s fair to say that the jury is still out on whether Pioli has actually picked, again, “his Nose.”

We’ll probe this a little deeper right after the jump.

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Another scenario with special relevance for the Chiefs that I thought it might be interesting to consider is how often teams that were last in their division one year, made it to the playoffs for at least two consecutive years thereafter? The answer, along with a few corollary thoughts right after the jump.
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I’ll explain how that functions in this particular case right after the jump.
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It is painfully clear that Todd Haley very much wants absolute control of the Chiefs offense. It is also quite apparent that no legitimate, self-respecting offensive coordinator is going to be interested in the OC job at KC because of Haley’s heavy hand in that department. Even an aspiring OC is not likely to be especially keen to taking the position because, quite frankly, the experience would do little for their resume.

With Fisher’s availability, figuring out what to do about the offensive coordinator position might just have become a rather easy problem to solve. How so? Bring in Jeff Fisher as the new head coach and make Todd Haley the asst HC and OC. Make no mistake, when I say give Todd Haley the OC job, I mean give him total, unfettered power over the offense as in absolutely zero interference from Fisher on anything offense related. Strange as it may sound, allowing Haley free reign over the offense while simultaneously putting him alongside a top echelon head coach would present an ideal opportunity for Haley to grow as a coach and enhance his own resume, especially if our offense continues to improve.

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Let me begin by saying that I believed at the time of his hire that Scott Pioli was the best choice available. I still believe that but would also add that Scott Pioli was probably the only candidate worth having. A “no-brainer” if you will. At a time when time was truly of the essence, it still troubles me that Clark Hunt took so long to agree to terms with Pioli.  It is because Pioli came so late to KC that I think it is not only tough, but also unfair, to make a definitive call on how well or poorly he has performed. Lest there be any doubts as to my motives here, any negative opinions I express should not be regarded as some sort of indictment against Pioli, but rather simply my critique of major moves he has made and the approach he appears to be taking all in the ultimate hope being that even he can recognize his weaknesses and thus improve upon them.

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So begins a multi-part series examining some of the actions and styles of key stakeholders who are critical to the success or failure of this new chapter in Chiefs history. 

First up,

OWNERSHIP

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Believe it or not, Sunday’s game against the Browns will likely have more of a lasting impact for the Chiefs organization and its fans than any game they have yet played or will play this year. 

Why? Because it marks the end of a remarkable 156 game streak of sold out appearances at Arrowhead.  “Blacked out” now formally re-enters the vernacular of Chiefs fans after a 19 year absence.  After nineteen years, a generation of Chiefs fans, tens of thousands of families mind you, will be forced to plan their Sunday afternoon in some way other than sitting in front of the TV and cheering or jeering their beloved team.  After nineteen years, tens (perhaps hundreds?) of thousands of longtime, loyal Chiefs fans will discover that there are other ways to spend their Sunday afternoons in the fall.  

This my friends will likely be a mind-opening and life-changing event for Chiefs fans and until the day the Chiefs once again find a way to regain their full attention, the expectation of full attendance at Arrowhead as a given will remain elusive. If absentee owner Clark Hunt did not grasp what the full impact of a black out would mean to his franchise, he will soon find out.  His father earned our love, respect, loyalty, and trust.  Those are things he can not simply inherit. This Sunday officially marks the day where if he desires those things from us, he must now start earning them through his own passion, through his own vision and effort, and upon his own merits.

Why on earth would I say that? I mean, the Chiefs weren’t even playing, right? 

Frankly, I can think of two pretty big reasons.

One, it directly challenges our assumptions about that Chiefs’ victory over the Stillers.  Yeah, it felt pretty good at the time. But now, in an even bigger way, I believe last night’s result totally torpedoed how positively we can assess this season. The “USS Evaluation” may not be sunk (not yet anyway), but it just sustained major damage. 

Two,  Cleveland’s defeat of Pittsburgh ought to challenge whatever assumptions we held about how easy it will be for us to take down the Browns  one week from Sunday.  Cleveland just demonstrated what it means to not quit no matter how bad things get.  I don’t know about you, but I know I’m a bit less certain about that gimme on the schedule today than I was yesterday.

What are your thoughts about last night’s game, Addicts? Are you equally stunned? Are you a little (or maybe a lot?) more worried about the Chiefs’ level of progress than before?

You win. 

Over the course of this season, I guess I may have been guilty of coming off a little too negative about this new regime or otherwise unable to acknowledge some of the progress being made.

Today I am making a conscious effort to turn over a new leaf  by dedicating the remainder of this post to saying only positive things about this season’s Chiefs.

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So, what does any of this have to do with our beloved Chiefs you ask? I am afraid you may find the answer to that question a bit unsettling.

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Hat tip to Arrowhead Pride for covering this.

Here are my thoughts. First off I am convinced this is true because of the fact that Herm had to step in and do damage control on Pollard’s behalf. No other explanation makes sense. Secondly, the fact that apparently no one of stature within the Chiefs’ new regime came to Pollard’s defense speaks volumes. Thirdly, because Pioli calls all the shots in such matters, I believe he is the one who needs to be held accountable for this.

The punishment should fit the crime. First, Pioli needs to be fired immediately for this. Next, Roger Goodell needs to ban Pioli from ever holding another job in the NFL. It’s the right message.

Do you think I am over-reacting?

Forget about what I think the NFL should do and just consider how much damage this has done to Chiefs reputation as a quality organization? Suppose you were a FA considering a change of scenery?

Would relocating to KC appeal to you after hearing this story?

Here is the situation folks. Todd Haley’s team heads into the bye week sitting at 1-6, reeling from an exposing loss to a division rival at home. At a time when all the attention and questioning ought to be focused like a laser beam on things like personnel decisions and horrible playcalling, the jester deftly slides to the front and provides us with a diversion.

Were it not for LJ giving us a reason to talk about his firing, might we be arguing over whether Todd Haley should keep his job instead?

What do you think? Are we truly talking about what’s most important right now?

That’s right. The guy that so many Chiefs’ fans were convinced was not good enough for the NFL after Todd Haley cut him has found a new home with the Houston Texans.

Good luck to you in your new home, Mr. Bonecrusher!

Last year, the Raiders came into Arrowhead following a 41-14 drubbing, at home, against AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos. This year, the Raiders come into Arrowhead on the heels of what some are calling an “impressive” showing against yet another AFC West rival, the San Diego Chargers. Much like last year’s Patriots, this season’s Chargers are widely considered to be “in the hunt” for an AFC title.

That’s pretty much where the similarities end.

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I also find it interesting to see Jackie Battle (a guy who I felt showed potential last year) listed at #2 behind L.J.  I have a theory about why Battle is being slotted at #2 but I think I’ll keep my opinion to myself about that for the moment.

What about it, Addicts? Anything catch your attention?  Anything to worry about here?  Sound off!

Today I ponder the notion of whether where a team owner happens to live has anything to do whether or not that team is successful.  So everybody is clear on this, I do not know the answer to that question and I do not have anything more than anecdotal evidence to contribute to the discussion. More importantly, I am not coming at this with any axe to grind against the Chiefs current ownership.

Consider the following:

The Patriots are owned by Bob Kraft, native of Brookline, Mass.

For generations, the Steelers have been owned by Pittsburg denizens, the Rooneys.

The Packers are owned by their fans.

Since Jerry Jones acquired the Cowboys, I think it’s fair to say that he has pretty much made his life and his team all about Dallas.

Steinbrenner, the Yankees.

The Royals, during their heyday, were owned by Ewing Kaufmann.

These are just a handful of examples of successful home-owned professional franchises that I can name off the top of my head.  With a little research, I’m sure I could name several more similar examples with storied histories of success.

The Chiefs, as everyone knows, are owned by out-of-towners, the Hunts.  The Chiefs, as everyone knows, have not won an AFC Championship, much less the Super Bowl, since the upstart AFL merged into the NFL.

Now for the questions.

Does local ownership contribute anything to the success of a professional sports franchise? Can that be demonstrated in any meaningful way? Does it even matter? If it does, would it make any sense or serve any good for us Chiefs fans to pressure the Hunts, through non-attendance (the most direct weapon we have) and/or other means, into selling the team to local ownership?  And if that were to happen, then who might be some viable locals with the means and interest to make it happen?

I open the floor to debate…

Got to be talking about T.O., right?

Nope. I’m talking about ex-Raider UFA Ronald Curry. That other Curry.

Yes, Curry has had some injury issues along the way. Yes, his production has been a bit off lately. On this latter point though, I have to attribute much of that to the fact he was relegated to second fiddle behind Javon Walker and even more to the fact that the Raiders are rarely in the redzone — i.e., where Curry creates the most havoc. His speed would also allow us to stretch the field better than our current cadre of receivers do. The fact that he, much like Randy Moss did, has languished within the Raiders organization should not be viewed as any kind of knock on this talent either.

The price? Negligible. No draft picks need to be expended on him and dollar-wise, probably somewhere this side of 1.5 mill per year.

One of the things that hurt us last year was our inability to score once we were inside the 20. Wouldn’t it be nice to have another TD weapon to add to our arsenal? I think so. Those Tarheel basketball hops come in handy down there.

What do you think Addicts, — how good would Ron Curry look in Red and Gold?

The whole media-chasing-its-tail thing we’ve witnessed over the past few weeks which featured the likes of Jack Harry, Chris Mortenson, Adam Schefter, Nick Athan, Mike Florio, Jason Whitlock, and on and on got me to thinking. Is it possible that Pioli, et al was simply introducing the media to the new regime’s version of The Art of War? There seems to be some evidence for thinking so.

Exhibit A: Jack Harry’s blathering “scoop” on Shanahan’s imminent arrival which was subsequently regurgitated by Chris Mortensen and a few others. The first thing I have to ask is  specifically who at One Arrowhead took on the role of Deep Throat for old Jackie boy? Seriously, Harry was 1000% convinced this was going down and that he had the exclusive on it – hook, line, and sinker.

Other than the void exposed in JH’s journalistic talents and his usual buffoonery, there may be something further to be gleaned from this episode and ensuing events.  In light of that news catastrophy, one has to wonder how and why he was bestowed with the privilege of landing a much touted (though totally non-substantive) 12-minute “exclusive” with Clark Hunt shortly thereafter?

Something tells me these two episodes were not mere coincidence. If I were to guess, I would say that the quid pro quo for Harry’s “exclusive” with Hunt (and perhaps his hope for any future interviews?) came at the expense of Harry having to deliver his source(s) on the Shanahan story. Seriously, what other explanation can there be? And to go completely Grassy Knoll on y’all, my nose tells me that this Shanny story was plain ol’ dis-information deliberately leaked to find out who could be trusted within the organization — and to make an example of the rat. Attaboy Jack.

As I am sure we all know, Pioli comes from an organization where loyalty and secrecy are considered paramount and where the media gets involved pretty much only when the information being presented in some way furthers the Patriots’ organizational interests. Think about it; the wrong information can compromise important things like player negotiations, ticket sales, game day strategy, and sometimes even first-round draft picks (see spygate). Conversely, being selective about what information you release to the media and choosing when you let them be your megaphone can be a very cost-effective form of marketing.

Not exactly “embedded media” but maybe you get the picture.

What’s your take on this Addicts? Do you consider “Hannibal” Pioli’s Silence For The Fans approach an effective strategy?

I don’t consider Shanahan to be all that terrific of a coach personally. I tend to believe that whatever greatness Shanny may possess is more a product of his good fortune in being associated with one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game than anything he’s ever done on the sideline.

Nevertheless, if this does go down as rumored, I am curious to know how everybody would feel about it.

Where do you come down on this fellow Addicts, is he the Shanaman or a Shanasham?

Without further ado, sans flashy graphics (Zach?), Double D’s 2009 Pre-Free Agency Mock Draft, Rounds 1 & 2 (v1):

* denotes junior

** denotes sophomore

Round 1

Round 2

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I mean, come on. Say what you will about Carl Peterson, there is no denying that his tenure provided this city and the fans of this team everywhere with some pretty exciting football and that he, more than anyone, was responsible for creating the “Arrowhead Experience.” For that and a host of other reasons, on behalf of appreciative Chiefs fans everywhere, I salute and thank you Mr. Peterson for your many contributions and years of dedicated service to this fantastic organization. I am sure similar success will continue to follow you in Detroit or wherever you happen to land and I wish you only the best on that account.

On that note, I feel I must now move on to the accompanying mob frenzy calling for the head of Herm Edwards and presumably any and all other decision makers. Pretty much everyone I know, have read or listened to fundamentally agreed on what needed to be done with this team after last season. Blow it up and rebuild. Herm and the organization, for the most part, did what we asked of him on that account and there was negligible dissent about the fact that he and the Chiefs, in acing the draft, mastered the essential first step.

Yet, in spite of such universal acclaim and optimism, the dominant consensus about what should be reasonable in terms of a win-loss record for this season remained reservedly low. I believe 4-12 was the most favored prediction. At this point, I would guess the Chiefs stand about a 50-50 chance of going 4-12. But then, so what if they don’t?

Still, if we indeed hit or come close to that mark, I have to admit I will be particularly eager to see how people respond. Why? Because I can hardly wait to see how many people will continue to carry on in shrill fashion, making like this season ended up being some catastrophic disappointment for them. Based on what I see people writing and hear most people saying I totally see that happening. Results meeting expectations be damned apparently, the fevered mob will not be satisfied until it sees the head of Herm Edwards and his entourage roll.

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Damn.

It should go without saying that the number one job for the Chiefs organization during the offseason is to address the pass rush, or should I say lack thereof, (as in frikkin’ worst frikkin’ ever in frikkin’ NFL frikkin’ history!). What we lack, above all, is the right person/nel for the task. That is not to say that we lack talent on defense, because we do have talent, but rather we are missing one, perhaps two, game-changers who bring along with them that je ne sais quoi ability to raise all boats.  I’m talking the difference between a San Diego defense with Shawn Merriman and one without him.

Beyond that, it seems to me that our next tier of priority would be to explore how best to upgrade talent and depth at OL, LB, QB, and WR. As we all know, free agency hits first and if we go another season without making a major move on that front I swear I might just become a Rams fan (or something even worse as if that were even possible) as a show of protest and utter disgust.

What follows is a preliminary list, in no particular order of importance or preference, of available UFA talent that I want, no wait . . . make that expect, Bill Kuharich and company to take a long, hard look at:

QB J.P. Losman
QB Kurt Warner
QB Matt Cassell
QB Kyle Orton
QB Rex Grossman
QB Kyle Boller
QB Charlie Batch
QB Pat Ramsey

WR Ashley Lelie
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh
WR Devery Henderson

OL Jordan Gross
OL Mark Tauscher

DE Julius Peppers
DE Terrell Suggs
DE Bertrand Berry
DE Kevin Carter

LB Karlos Dansby
LB Ray Lewis
LB Mike Peterson
LB Monty Biesel
LB Angelo Crowell
LB Channing Crowder
LB Willie McGinest

One of the many beauties of this class of UFA’s is that there several of these guys who I think could be had essentially through a first round trade swap. Given that scenario, I think there would still be several guys still available in the mid to late first round with the potential to also add immediate value to this team but without all the risk and pricy-ness that all too often is associated with high picks.

For example, if we were to address our need for an elite pass-rusher through free agency via a 1^st round swap, we could, say, more comfortably pursue the tantalizing possibility of sliding Bernard Pollard into the Sam slot and then go draft William Moore to replace him at SS. Just one of many possibilities . . .

Clark Hunt, you want to see this team ascend to the next level? Then listen to what I’m saying and get that the hour is nigh for you to figure out how much you will need to pony up to get this done.

What about it Addictdom? Which UFA acquisition(s) do you feel would make the most dramatic impact to this team? Is there anybody you would like to see added to or removed from this list?  Think big! Be creative!

We added to our winning steak against the Raiders in the Black Hole. Celebrate that!

We ended our seven game losing streak. Celebrate that!

Conner Barth. Celebrate that!

Of the four games we’ve played against division rivals, we so far have won two and come within one point of winning a third (on the road no less). We have a great opportunity to improve on that yet again this Sunday. In spite of things not otherwise going well, we are showing we can at least hold our own against, if not flat-out beat, our division rivals this season. I call it a sign of better things to come. Celebrate that!

Tyler Thigpen showed us he has what it takes to make critical plays and finish the job. His growth this season says to me he stands a very good chance of becoming the QB we’ve been missing and wanting. Celebrate that!

Tony Gonzalez is having one helluva, if not the best, season of his career. Celebrate that!

We have stud playmakers on offense. Celebrate that!

For perhaps the first time this season, the Chiefs showed us they could maintain their lead in a close game. Celebrate that!

Our rookie corners are playing about as well as any pair of veteran corners in the league. Celebrate that!

Our offensive line is improving, especially with the addition of Wade Smith. They are providing our offense with more opportunities to move the ball and score points. Celebrate that!

When turned loose, we see that DJ is the wild man, game-changer we all believed he could be. Celebrate that!

In spite of our record, I am becoming increasingly convinced that we may only be two or three players away from greatness. I propose those positions to be DE, LB, and OL. Between the draft, free agency, and a fat cap, we can get there a lot quicker than the Negafans would have us believe. Celebrate that!

How about it Addicts, any other fellow-traveling, voices in the wilderness out there?

The plays being called are getting smarter each week and each week the players are getting better at executing them. Tyler Thigpen improves each time he steps onto the field and is now playing about as well as any QB in the league. The offensive line is starting to stand its ground, especially with pass blocking. The defensive line, though battered, is containing the run, getting penetration, pressuring the opposing QB, and making key stops late in the game. Our beleaguered backers and secondary are sniffing out the play and stopping it.  Marquee Mark Bradley proves himself over and over in the clutch as a true #2, if not #1 WR. Guys who nobody even heard of a week ago are coming in and showing up big time against big-time teams.

Riddle me this – are the patchwork Chiefs playing better because of the way they are being coached or in spite of it?

Yeah, we’re 1-8. With one or two exceptions, we have faced some the toughest teams this league has to offer. So yeah, that has made it a pretty tough row to hoe for a beat up, sometimes distracted, youthful team. And yet still, four of those eight losses were decided at the very end of the game or in overtime. Beaten perhaps, but standing to the end.

From here on out, I say woe is the team that looks forward to having an easy day of it with the Chiefs.

Soon it will arrive. It is just about here. It will stand. It will not look back.

I know it. You know it.

GO CHIEFS!!!

I next calculated the collective record of the teams we have yet to face, excluding divisional opponents, to be 14-19 (30-39 all opponents). In other words, the “average” non-divisional opponent (or combined if you like), for our remaining 8 games could be characterized as non-contending. Denver, struggling atop the division at 4-4, by contrast faces non-divisional opponents with a collective record of 24-16 (30-34 all opponents) with all but one those non-divisional games being played on the road. San Diego, a shocking 3-5, faces non-divisional opponents with a collective record of 20-12 (28-36 all opponents) which involves away games with Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay and home games against Indy and Atlanta.

In case anybody was wondering or even cares, I purposely choose to ignore that “other” team because they and their disgusting fans are such a repulsive blight upon our division.

Anyway, to move on, I have seen signs of improvement and consistency over the last couple of games thanks in no small part to the surprisingly effective play and leadership of none other than one previously much-derided, former 3^rd string QB Tyler Thigpen. Further, despite two consecutive, disappointing losses, there have nonetheless been signs of progress on both offense and defense. Among other things, we’re moving the ball better, blocking better, involving more playmakers on offensive, introducing more aggressive/creative play calling, improving against the run, creating more turnovers, and making field goals.

On the flipside, our coverage teams continue to significantly undermine the progress being made in other areas by keeping opponents’ hopes alive via generous field position opportunities and points allowed. The ongoing inability to apply pressure to opposing quarterbacks, injuries and off-the-field distractions at RB, injuries and the resulting drop-off in talent in the secondary, injuries along with continued weak play at LB, and injury to our pro-bowl caliber punter all stand as significant impediments to whatever hopes we might have for continued improvement.

To sum this all up . . .

The Chiefs have the easiest remaining schedule of teams that matter in our division. Our struggling divisional rivals now face the toughest part of their schedules. Amazingly enough, even at 1-7, the Chiefs have reason and hope to continue the fight and they appear to be making steady progress at a time when it can still benefit them. Injuries and other factors will require that the entire squad play above their abilities. If they can manage a couple of non-divisional wins (entirely doable), and take care of business within the division (as doable as ever), the Chiefs still have a pretty decent shot at making this one of the most entertaining, if not wildest, seasons we Chiefs fans have ever witnessed.

Crazy, I know. Next stop, San Diego.  Si, se puede.  Cheers!

Titans. Blow out.

Jets. “Moral victory.”

The Brodie Croyle Experiment – over and done.

Plan B – over and done.

7 games, 22 sacks surrendered.

7 games, 4 sacks made.

LJ goes from Iron Man to . . . Man in Irons?

Gonzo throws a tantrum.

No running game.

No defense against the run.

Pat Thomas.

“We’re just trying to get a first down.”

3^rd and ______.

No wins.

Culpepper to the rescue? What?

Thigpen.

Barth.

Weatherford.

Chiefs record over the last 16 games? 1-15.

The team coming closest to the Chiefs in losses over the last 16 games? The Lions.

The last team the Lions beat? The Chiefs.

Next 4 games? Tampa Bay (5-3), @ San Diego (3-5), New Orleans (4-4), Buffalo (5-2).

’09 Draft.

Two months into the season, I am starting to get a bit concerned that the Chiefs might not be very good this year. Anyone care to disagree?

One question that perhaps begs asking is whether some major change has occurred in the sense that  some core problem now injects and permeates a culture of haplessness into this organization and if so, what might that be? Herm Edwards? The quarterback carousel? The veterans? The rookies? Carl Peterson? Clark Hunt? Or some dysfunctional combination of some or all these elements?

Well, for me, one thing is apparent above all. There is total breakdown of leadership throughout. Herm Edwards, regarded by many as one of the best motivators in NFL, can’t seem to find any way to coach up his team. The only time I’ve seen Carl Peterson make an appearance this season was after the Denver game. The Brodie Croyle experiment and every Plan B associated with that have decapitated the offense. Veteran playmakers, rather than providing an example to their younger teammates, are found looking for any way out or for trouble at 2:00 AM Saturday morning. Rookies do not seem to be improving in any measurable way. What Clark Hunt is doing to fix any of these problems is anybody’s guess

Would hiring a new head coach turn things around any quicker? I highly doubt it; more likely it would only set us back a couple more years, at a minimum. Would replacing Carl Peterson offer immediate improvement? Perhaps, but only if that new GM was onboard with keeping Edwards around for at least a couple more years in order to give this young team time to gain the skills and experience they’ll need to one day be competitive. Perhaps too a new GM might inject a fresh way of doing business into a place where the management approach has worn itself out on the players, agents and fans with whom it has done business for the past twenty years.

What about the veterans on this team? It simply cannot be argued that they are giving much of themselves in the way of game-time leadership. Not to single him out, but Brian Waters has perhaps had the most to offer (to the press anyway) on that subject and while he seems to be talking the talk, is he really walking the walk? The quality of play demonstrated so far by the offensive line that he leads is reason enough to believe otherwise. The same holds true for veterans on our defense.

Well, what about Clark Hunt?  Well, what about him? Isn’t he supposed to be the buck’s final destination? If lack of leadership is the core problem with the Chiefs, as I believe it is, then responsibility for that should rest squarely on the shoulders of ownership.  But that begs yet an even bigger question – does Clark Hunt have it in him to do what it takes to assume control of this franchise and set it on a proper course?

I believe the answer to that question is that it’s too early to say. Lamar Hunt had a tremendous passion and vision for the game that I doubt will ever be matched by his son. This generational “passion gap” may unfortunately be something that plagues Clark Hunt for the rest of his tenure. Hopefully not; time will tell.

My real suspicion however is that the Cold Dead Hand of Lamar Hunt still holds this organization firmly in its grip and until Clark Hunt fulfills all the tasks and promises assigned to him as executor of his father’s business estate, he will be handcuffed to his father’s ways and wishes for a time yet and thus unable to fully move forward with his own vision and personnel for this franchise. Until that day arrives, don’t be too surprised if leadership seems to be in chronic short supply.

Yes, something major did happen to this organization. It happened the day our founding Chief took his place with The Great Spirit. His hour of mourning remains with us now and for a time yet still.

Going into this season, Tony Gonzalez was very vocal about how much he believed in the rebuild and how he very much wanted to be a part of it. That appears to have been no more than lip service. Maybe he wanted to believe what he was saying at the time but it is quite evident now that he did not truly believe a bit of it. Where I come from, that’s called a lack of integrity.

Tony did not become unhappy overnight. He did not suddenly become unhappy in the Denver game. He did not suddenly become unhappy after the Atlanta game. He has been unhappy ever since it stopped being fun for him to play for the Chiefs.

And just what is Tony’s definition of fun? It’s being able to play for a team that he considers to be a contender because that’s pretty much all he’s ever known until the last year or so. Don’t believe me? Look back at the Chiefs’ teams he played for over the years and show me one team that he was a part of that either lacked or were close to having the personnel and potential to win a championship? It has become clear to me that belief and/or patience in rebuilding are impossible things for Tony Gonzalez because he’s never had to go through this before and now that he is, quite apparently he is struggling with how to deal with it and in truth, appears to be on the losing side of that struggle.

One thing he is capable of right now though is looking at his fellow teammates and thinking “you guys are losers, that’s not where I’m from, if only I could get out of here . . .” And if were not bad enough, he’s made matters even worse now by very selfishly going public with that sentiment. Can you imagine what the mood of his teammates will be for the rest of this season with them now knowing how he really perceives them? How about TOXIC?

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There is not a single team in the NFL that can beat the Chiefs this Sunday.  Herm Edwards has been quick to embrace this as a sign of progress and used it to yet again underscore his philosophy that a team’s best chance for not losing comes whenever it doesn’t give up any points.

Ten days and counting until our franchise quarterback returns to the field of play.  Meanwhile, Uncle Rico’s agent confirms that he and Bill Kuharich have had several “productive” conversations in recent days.  As per standard policy, the Chiefs front office neither confirms nor denies that such talks are occurring.  Even so, Carl Peterson has hinted on numerous occasions that if the numbers looked right, he could see Rico as a “legit” option for any NFL team in need of a ”wily, veteran quarterback.”

Brian Waters has taken to blaming the backfield for not protecting the quarterback carousel behind him. Tony Gonzalez grumbles about not being allowed to break the receiving record at home.  Larry Johnson questions whether he is good fit for the Chiefs future plans. Damion MacIntosh would be more comfortable playing left tackle. All stand as pretty good examples of the kind of inspired veteran leadership and chemistry-building that gets me all tingly thinking about the rest of this season and how well the development of the younger players must be going.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are finding themselves in a world of hurt both literally and figuratively. Rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall is out for the season. Pro Bowl RB Willie Parker’s knee injury makes him dicey as well. RB Carey Davis went out Monday night with an ankle injury. What this all means is that, unless another option presents itself quickly, Pittsburgh will likely be looking at starting their fourth string RB, Mewelde Moore, against a very tough Jacksonville team on the road this Sunday. To make matters worse, Moore will be running behind an offensive line that will be without starting RG Kendall Simmons, who, like Mendenhall, is done for the season.

The quarterback situation in Kansas City is familiar to us all. First string QB Brodie Croyle will miss about a third of the season due to injury. Due to his chronic unavailability, Brodie’s future as the Chiefs‘ franchise QB is on the verge of extinction. Current starter Damon Huard, though a smart and serviceable backup, is clearly not the future for this organization. Starting Tyler Thigpen is unthinkable.

Where I am going with all this, in case you were wondering, is that Pittsburgh and Kansas City could not be in better positions to assist each other with their respective predicaments. With four good RBs on the active roster and yet another on the practice squad, the Chiefs are blessed with both talent and depth at that position. And, as luck would have it, Pittsburgh possesses comparable depth and talent at QB with Big Ben, Leftwich, and Dixon. Batch, on IR, is yet another backburner option for them going forward next season. Enter the most important trade of the season; namely, Kolby Smith for Dennis Dixon – like yesterday man. And yes I would double over in hysterics if I ever heard the Voice of the Kingdom say “Dixon to Johnson with Mike Cox leading the way!”

Many Happy Returns

The Chiefs pretty much stole my thunder on this topic yesterday by ridding us of BJ Sams. Savage and Charles are clearly the way to go. If K-Throb performs decently after coming off PUP, we may be set for years in the return game.

Linebacker/Gunther Update

Considering how thin we are with our backers, what an impressive showing by DJ and Williams last Sunday. I’m off my Gunther watch – this week anyway.

Smarty for GM

Full on. That the Smith – Dixon trade will likely not even be considered only adds fuel to the fire. Donations to the “Got Schott?” campaign are now being accepted.

Feeling a Draft?

Are you kidding me? Sorry, the Chase is not on. I have yet to see any QB draft prospect I consider worthy of a second round pick much less a first rounder. Chase Daniel looks to me like fifth rounder at best. Newsflash, the NFL will never, let me repeat that, NEVER, adopt the spread offense. Our focus for the first and second rounds next year should be MLB, OL, and/or OLB. WR (Murphy) and/or DE (Selvie?) might be plausible options as well.

Rebuilding Experiment Progress Report

How about that defense? Is it just me or does Bernard Pollard look like he’s assuming the mantel of leadership for that unit? He looks to me like a guy who’s ready to start controlling games and do we ever need that. And DJ, what a turn around game he just had! Things are looking up folks and call me crazy but I’ve got to say I honestly like how our guys match up against Delhomme and the Panthers offense.

As for the offensive side of the ball, even though we were mostly running the ball, I thought the pass protection against Denver was about the best I’ve seen it this year. Then again, it was the Denver defense. As far as our running game goes, it’s been on a roll since the second half of the Atlanta game. Let’s hope both elements continue to improve – considering the defense we’ll be facing this Sunday, we’ll need to bring everything we can muster to come away with a W.

On special teams, Savage and Charles finally showed us something we’ve been lacking since Dante Hall. Buh bye BJ. Our coverage, while not perfect, looked a smidgen better, didn’t you think? Novak’s kick offs were near spectacular compared to his prior outings. Field goal accuracy/consistency remains a big concern mostly because of Herm’s keep-it-close approach to winning.

What Beating Denver Ultimately Means

We are tied with the team that Al owns, one game behind the team that is next on Norv’s list of teams to ruin and head-to-head winner against a division leader that can only wish it had a defense as good as ours. Twelve games to go. Smoke on that.

Last but Not Least

Tony Gonzalez needs to recognize that his sour grapes comments about not getting to break the receiving record served no purpose other than to bring toxic rain on what should have been a pretty nice parade. Gonz has always been a class act and I understand where he is coming from on this. I am also pretty sure that all of Chiefs Nation would have loved to see him bask in the glory of record Valhalla, at home, against the Broncos. All of that is beside the point because his “what about me” turned into a huge, unnecessary distraction. Because Tony is such a class act, I have every confidence that he will eventually reflect on the wisdom of sharing his postgame sentiments and realize the unintended damage of his words. What should have been a great celebration for a great franchise was diminished a bit by none other than one of its all-time greatest players.

Sad to say, one thing it turns out I was correct about, with one possible exception, was the linebacker situation. In the face of prevailing opinion that our linebacker corps would be the strength of our defense, I said no, that it would be our biggest weakness on defense. Told you so. The aforementioned exception comes as a result my assumption that this would be the year that Derrick Johnson amounted to something.

Brodie, son, I am giving up on you this year and probably forever. There, I said it. I feel much better. Point is, if you’re going to be out until at least October 19^th, number one, YOU ARE NOT DURABLE and number two, if you are not durable, your evaluation is over because YOU ARE NOT AVAILABLE. Even though I might someday have you as my #3, understand that you and I have broken up.

The remainder of this post has been paid for by the Campaign For Hope and Change and I approve this message.

I truly hope the Chiefs win more than 4 games this year (but don’t ask me how!) to avoid the shackles of the Top 5. If the remainder of this season can devoted to some purpose other than developing talent, it would be to work for the opportunity to trade down our #1 pick so that we can acquire even more talent via extra draft picks. That is all but impossible if you’re stuck in the top 5. I will consider this season a huge success if we somehow manage to land somewhere between pick 6 and pick 10 of the ’09 Draft/

Is there anything that can be done to improve this team right now? Yes. First off, I would try to work a trade involving Kolby Smith for Dennis Dixon. You see, the concern about Dixon going into last year’s draft was not about his level of talent, but rather, whether and how soon he could recover from his injury. Long story short, he recovered and in case you haven’t noticed, the Ducks are a mere shadow of their former selves without him. Dixon is a proven difference maker and contrary to the popular expectations, he healed ahead of schedule and indeed is now the recipient of an NFL paycheck. Pittsburgh has him buried at #3. Dennis Dixon (Note the great initials he bears. Coincidence??? I think not!) is far and away better than any QB currently on our roster. Pull the trigger. Please.

I strongly suspect the Chiefs are in the midst of an organization-wide leadership crisis that starts at the front office and permeates all the way down to the playing field. Carl Peterson knows his contract will not be renewed and that he is little more than a caretaker for the stadium renovation process. In short, he is a lame duck and at this point probably does not really care to set any kind of meaningful expectations for Herm, the staff, or the team.

In response to this leadership vacuum, my campaign for Marty Schottenheimer as the Chiefs next GM begins today.

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I was there. It felt like an all-time low. My list of grievances is long.

A home opener which hosted a storied rivalry began with far too many empty seats.

Eleventh consecutive regular season loss.

Sixth consecutive loss at home.

Second consecutive home loss to an otherwise lackluster and dysfunctional division rival.

Another Herm Edwards‘ 0-2 start.

Surrendering 300 yards on the ground, nearly all of which came in the second half.

No points in the first half.

No leadership on either side of the ball.

No rushing attack.

Incomprehensible playcalling.

Incompetent quarterback play.

Hundreds of Raiders fans partying it up – IN MY HOUSE!

A scoreboard banner displaying to a near empty stadium that season tickets were still available.

A disgruntled LJ hinting he might find more respect elsewhere.

Peasants with torches and pitchforks.

And on and on.

It was sad. It was disgusting. It was humiliating. It was absurd. How could it have come to this? Did it all just end with a whimper? The once mighty Chiefs utterly vanquished? A once loud, proud stadium out-roared by the opening flyover?

Come now. Are things really as bad as they seem? Ever? Did Week 1 mark the end of the Raiders’ season? Did Week 2 signal the end of Chiefs’ season? Should Chiefs’ players not even bother suiting up from here on out? Should we fans display our displeasure by raking leaves on Sunday or by rooting for our second favorite team? Should we withhold our support until the day the Chiefs are once again exciting to watch, approaching greatness, and give us a good reason to be proud fans?

Maybe? Maybe not? That’s a personal decision I suppose. Over the decades, I have seen the best and I have seen the worst in my Chiefs and one thing I can tell you is that when you’re only two games in, there is a whole lot of season left to play and a lot can happen along the way. When you have a young team, debacles like the one we witnessed on Sunday are to be expected every once and a while. Disappointing? Yes. Surprising? Not really.

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Prediction of the week: Shawn Merriman‘s departure signals the first of at least 2 key injuries certain to sink the Bolts playoff hopes this year. Couldn’t happen to nicer bunch.

• Now that the regular season is under way, I find that I am having mixed emotions about the fact that both of the Chiefs‘ starting DEs are putting up better stats than Jared Allen.  I’d call those emotions amusement, gratification, and optimism.  Hey there Jared buddy, considering the rough start you’re having, how ’bout you let me get the next round? heh heh

• His 1st competition . . .

• (Team name here) Keys to this Sunday’s game:

1. Stop the run

2. Stop the QB

We’re not talking rocket science here folks.

• Does somebody need a hug? http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080909/SPORTS01/80909129/1027

Sean: “It’s not your fault.”

Will: “Don’t [censored] with me Sean! Not you!”

Sean: “It’s not your fault.”- Good Will Hunting

Seriously, where’s Robin Williams when you need him?

• Donks update: The one division rival that many thought (including myself) would go nowhere fast this season is in fact the quickest of all coming out of the blocks.  Jay Cutler is a force; Eddie Royal (a guy I was hoping the Chiefs would draft) is an instant phenom. Uh oh.

• Who do I most want to see show up for their first regular season game this Sunday? I’d be happy to have any or all of Damion MacIntosh, Chan Gailey, Dwayne Bowe, Brad Cottam, Will Franklin, or Pat Thomas make their season debut.

• Who do I least want to see show up on Sunday?  I won’t name names but they play for the Raiders and their initials are JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden.

• Speaking of Run DMC and the dysfunctional mess that signs his checks, how long will it be until we start referring to him as Darren McFaiden? Come to think of it, do we really need an excuse?

• Not to dwell on it, but was that really Bill Bellichek preaching to the league about the importance of coaching clean and following the rules? Hmm, I think he positioned himself as the frontrunner for NFL Goat of the Week Award. Way to go Bill!