My Chiefs Birthday Wish List
Today is my birthday.
I am content and have few needs, but if the Chiefs are reading this, I do have a wish list.
It is as follows:
Accountability – The franchise got a fresh whiff of this with the axing of Head Coach Romeo Crennel and GM Scott Pioli, but I would like to make sure the new regime enshrines this principle as a guiding force for the future.
Only two players remain from the 2009 draft class – DE Tyson Jackson and K Ryan Succop – and only one is currently working under a contract that is equitable with his on-the-field contributions. Very few of the Pioli-era free agents remain on the roster. The previous regime very often leaned on the expectation that drafted players who had shown little would develop and underachieving free agents would produce, occupying team resources long after their expiry date.
The first time a player is cut from the 2013 draft class will not be a defeat for the GM John Dorsey and Head Coach Andy Reid administration. It will be the sign of a ship being righted. All draft picks are gambles but accountability in the workplace has to be maintained, otherwise the organization loses its efficiency and its edge.
A #2 Wide Receiver – Be it Jonathan Baldwin, Dexter McCluster, Junior Hemingway or some guy whose name we don’t even know. This is something that team has not had since Trent Green laced up in red.
Leadership – Was sorely lacking on the field last year, and it was the most infuriating aspect of the lost 2012 season. The Chiefs’ talented defense crumbled when the tide appeared to be turning against the team. The mistake-prone offense seemed to pity itself by the second quarter. This is unacceptable, and must be rooted out.
Hard Knocks – I know it’s probably bad for the team and the Chiefs have had it before, but man is it a great show and a joy for all of us obsessive fans. Word is that Cincinnati has nailed it down again, but a boy can dream.
A Quarterback Drafted in the First Round – I’m not even sure if I care if he is a good player at this point. Drafting a quarterback high displays an aggressive approach towards the future and builds hope. Recent history also shows that it is the way a franchise wins championships. I wasn’t alive the last time the Chiefs drafted a QB in the first round and the last time a QB drafted by the team won a game for them, it was the strike year and I had just been born.
More Rob Riggle – The comedian and Kansas City native has done a great job getting the team in the national spotlight and is hilarious to boot. I want more. Invite Paul Rudd and Jason Sudeikis too.
A Post-Season Win – Showing up to the dance is no longer a suitable outcome in and of its self. This year will mark the 20th anniversary of the Chiefs’ last playoff victory. Let’s make sure that record never reaches drinking age.