Namaste Chiefs

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1 Feature From The Bleachers /

Not so random Memorial Day weekend thoughts:

The way Kansas City Chiefs players deal with the offseason is more inspiring than one would think, unless you’re paying close attention. Images of Tamba Hali hand sparring at a dojo comes to mind. Over the span of my lifetime, what it means to be a professional football player has changed rather dramatically. That may be a Dontari Poe sized understatement because when my father was a lad, football was played with leather helmets not that dissimilar from the headgear pilots wore when he served in the Air Corp during WWII. We had quite a time playing with that thing when we were kids. By the time I was born, that was replaced with a hard shell helmet. However, many players still wore no face bar at all. /

Yes, times have changed… and so has the way players work out. If you follow the Chiefs closely, you should be encouraged by the progress they have been making when they’re not “in-season.” In the “good old” days many players had offseason jobs to help support their families but today, players spend time using the latest and greatest means to maintaining their health and fitness… and that includes the use of some unorthodox methods which have come to include: chiropractic, yoga and water aerobics (actually the list is much longer).

It looks like some Kansas City Chiefs players are taking a less traditional, somewhat more mental, or shall we say, ethereal, approach to training during the offseason. Such approaches look to be fulfilled with one “I” or another: the Inspirational, the spirit of Imagination, ways that improve Intrinsic motivation and positive Interdependence.

In a press conference following a day of practice during OTAs this week, the Kansas City Chiefs huge nose tackle Dontari Poe said he used chiropractic, stretching and yoga to regain the full use of his back strength. Poe admitted he didn’t work out in any other ways for five weeks following the season but also said, yoga is very difficult. I’ve attended yoga sessions a dozen times myself and can attest, yoga can bust your ball-peen hammer.

Remember Poe had back surgery last July, less than two months before the season began. Did Poe take a season off? No. Dontari Poe said he feels like he’s all the way back and ready to dominate this year. He also reminded reporters that he’s very competitive and wants to win every snap. /

Namaste Dontari.

While I recall the days of Buck Buchanan, it’s hard to even imagine him stretching out on a yoga mat and doing downward dog. Maybe it happened but I doubt it. If you don’t know about Buck Buchanan, he stood 6-foot-7 and towered over other players, and usually beat the livin’ daylights out of whoever had the unfortunate opportunity to line up across the line of scrum. /

My favorite player growing up was Jim Brown who used to run right over players… just as much as he ran around them with his speed. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Jim Brown didn’t work out in the offseason either. But, it’s also hard to imagine him ever… lighting a candle, holding up the prayer hands, bowing ever so softly saying, “Namaste.”

One way you can tell the Chiefs are making their mark on the league is through their offseason routines. You can tell the organization as a whole is making it’s mark on the league by the recognition they’re getting. I’m specifically referring to the NFL Top 100. Perhaps you haven’t heard but, it has already been revealed, Kansas City has more players in the top 100 than any other team in the league. It’s hard to argue with the respect that your peers bestow upon you (the “NFL Top 100” is voted on by the players in the NFL).

One of those players gaining respect of his peers is the Chiefs second-year corner Marcus Peters. Peters was asked his opinion about how to play corner by the new corners KeiVarae Russell, Eric Murray and D.J. White. He told them to just be yourself and enjoy playing the game.

However, Peters has been seen swimming as part of his routine. When he was asked about Dontari Poe’s workout that included yoga he said, “Oh, yeah. I Namaste too.”

The newest corners can learn a lot from Marcus Peters just by watching him.

Namaste Marcus.

The Kansas City Chiefs teams has plenty of good examples to look up to.

Next: An I for an I means success?

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