K.C. Chiefs have unfinished business

Frame of Mind

All of the players who are returning in 2016 will have a specific context for playing in tough games as well as in playoff games now. That’s important simply because those games are played at a much different speed.

Andy Reid was interviewed by Soren Petro on WHB 810 Radio and he expounded on visiting with each player this week,

"“That’s a good learning tool for us (playing in the playoffs). I mean, you want to get that bye (week in the playoffs). You want to have it at Arrowhead. That’s what you want. I had a chance to go to the back of the plane after the game and, to a man, they said, ‘I wish I had been able to go, and give it my best shot.’ Whether it was the injured guys or the guys who weren’t injured… but again, that’s a great learning tool and now that they’ve had a taste of it… and so, you build on that.”"

So, there will be familiarity. It’s like the first day on a new job… once you’ve gotten past that, when you begin another new job, even years later, you know a lot more about what to expect. Familiarity provides context.

Also, as the 2016 season unfolds, the returning players will come in with something called, “deeper schema.” Schema is is like background knowledge and can dramatically change your point of view. Schema is the model. It’s like an outline of your experiences for how to write a story. In this case, the story of how to win in the playoffs, to reach the Super Bowl.

I’ve had real life experiences with schema. After reading a book about zoo animals to a group of children… finding out that half the class had never been to a zoo changed everything about the way those kids could process what a trip to the zoo could possibly be like.

The sweet ‘16 Chiefs will be planning to attend the prom next year… in other words… they will not only come in with a sense of unfinished business… but they’ll have a good idea of what it’s going to take to finish as King of Prom.

As Andy Reid said this week, “It’s a good learning tool… and now that they’ve had a taste of it…  you build on that.”

Perhaps as much as any year in Chief history since their 1966 loss in Super Bowl I, these Chiefs will view next season as an extension of this season. It may have taken the 1966 Kansas City Chiefs players four years to realize their dream, but if things go right this offseason, next year could be “the year.” At the very least I see that next season the Kansas City Chiefs will solidify their place among the elite teams in the AFC who will be perennial contenders.

As a fan, that’s all I really want for my favorite team: the ability to say they are so consistently good from year to year that they are a threat to go all the way, year in and year out.

In Andy Reid’s interview this weeks he also said,

"“You’ve kind of established a bit of a foundation there, and even though every year is different, it gives those players who will be returning here, that feel… (it’s as if they are saying) listen, I’ve got to take it up another notch.”"

Another notch? Right now, it sounds like that’s what this team “knows” it can do… so they can take care of unfinished business.

What do you say Addict fans? Have any unfinished business of your own you’d like to share?