"UGLY" DOESN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE 41-7 ARROWHEAD BEATDOWN
The moving tribute before the Bills-Chiefs game dedicated to those who lost their lives ten-years ago & to those who survived after losing someone was the only positive thing that happened within Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. Unless you're a fan of the Buffalo Bills. They had something to be proud of, they looked like an actual professional football team, coached by a smart, imaginative man who isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. Think Chan Gailey didn't get a special thrill coming into Arrowhead & thoroughly out-coaching the guy who fired him a week before the 2009 season began?
Anybody see this coming? Anyone? Honestly, I think a lot of people had an inkling, the embarrassing turnouts for two highly promoted events, the "Back to Football Bash" at Arrowhead & the preseason pep rally held on August 29th at the Power & Light District. Both times the crowds were underwhelming. Chiefs fans are becoming more hardened to the "Blue Sky" optimism that spews out of One Arrowhead Drive. I think they're finally growing tired of a team that either promises the moon or stonewalls the public with arrogance, fan apathy has come home to roost. They're sick of hearing about Haley's "process." They're tired of pumping their hard-earned dollars into tickets & licensed apparel when the team hovers at or near the bottom of the league's salary cap spending. Even the most casual Chiefs fan had complained about the offensive & defensive lines, but are told "we don't believe you have to expend premium draft picks for offensive tackles" or "Tyson Jackson can still have a productive NFL career." Anyone buying that? The time has come to call Tyson Jackson what he is, yet another wasted draft pick, a high one at that, for an underachieving defensive lineman. The guy's a bust, end of discussion.
If you can't see the "frugal" spending ways of Scott Pioli, you need look no farther than their signing of Chris Manno during training camp. The guy caught 39 passes in 4-years at Northwestern & was buried in football purgatory, the Arena League II. The freakin' minor leagues of professional indoor football. The training camp roster was littered with "talent" comparable to Chris Manno, but hey, it's cheap......uh, I mean cost-conscience.
I shudder to think what the late Lamar Hunt would have felt seeing his newly renovated stadium empty out like someone tripped a fire alarm. By the 4th quarter, there weren't 10,000 people left in the stands. When the booing starts less than 10-minutes into the new season, your fans aren't happy. This isn't Philadelphia, Chiefs fans don't go out to Arrowhead looking for something to boo. They go out there for a fun Sunday of tailgating & cheering for their team. Yes, it's very expensive, but when it works, there's nothing quite like gameday at Arrowhead. Fans wonder of we're really better off now than say when Dick Vermeil was coach. At least they were entertaining, frustrating yes, but even when they lost, it was nothing like yesterday.
Todd Haley & his abstract coaching techniques have been the source of question around the National Football League. Why does he want to do it differently than anyone else? Does Andy Reid, Mike McCarthy or Sean Peyton have it wrong? What about Mike Tomlin or Bill Belichick, do they do it right? How about Todd Haley? Is his "outside the box" scheme for training camp & opening day preparation the new wave in coaching? Really, 213-yards of total offense? What exactly happened to the NFL's best rushing team from 2010? Where was the improved defense? Folks, I'd give Tamba Hali a passing grade yesterday & that would be it. Did you see anyone else in a red uniform that had a decent game? Did you witness any fire or excitement out of Haley's troops? More importantly, did you notice the body language on K.C.'s bench, especially in the second half? This was a team that was beat & they knew it. I saw better effort out of Bill Kinney-led Chiefs teams of the eighties. Todd Haley said after the game he took full responsibility, we could point a finger at him. I'd like to point a finger at him & it wouldn't be my index finger. Because that's essentially what we've been given by the Chiefs, the finger. "Give us the money & don't ask questions, we know what we're doing."
Todd Haley is in the third year of his 4-year deal. If this season is disappointing & yesterday might give us that impression, how far is Scott Pioli & Clark Hunt prepared to go with their "outside the box head coach?" Can you think of a time when a Chiefs team looked this unprepared & unmotivated? When was the last time the home fans saw a winning outcome? Lost the season finale to Oakland, got smoked in the playoffs by Baltimore, lost the first preseason game to Tampa, which was the start of something much worse than what we saw at the end of the 2010 season. I saw complete indifference from Haley, he made a joke about fans having to pay full pop to watch what was essentially a practice to him. Losing to St. Louis three weeks ago set up the debacle in Green Bay when he played his starters into the 4th quarter. With the notable exception of Tony Moeaki & Matt Cassel, who were injured in the 2nd period. Then there was yesterday's lackluster effort. That's five straight home games without a winner. Arrowhead used to be a fortress, a home field advantage that was feared all over the league. No longer, any old 4-12 team can come in & push the Chiefs around & no one in the organization seems to show any outrage. I guess they're too busy with their "process" & "no questions, just give us $40 for parking & move along."
How far is Hunt prepared to go with a general manager who has drafted such gems as Tyson Jackson, Alex Magee, injury-prone Tony Moeaki & traded for the $10 million-a-year-man, Matt Cassel. I like Cassel, I think he could be a fine backup almost anywhere in the league, but is he a true NFL starting quarterback? If you draft a player with an extensive injury history, wouldn't a reliable pass-catching backup be in order? The manner in which this team was built has been my biggest gripe for years. I fall for the "character" ploy by Pioli & then he drafts Jonathan Baldwin. When asked about this player or that player instead of someone he selected, the company line is "he just doesn't fit what we're trying to build here." Really???? How could we possibly use a squeaky-clean wide receiver/return man like Randall Cobb when we can grab an immature, underachieving malcontent like Baldwin? Apparently he fits what we're trying to build here, a series of disappointing football teams, with an occasional playoff appearance every few years to keep the fans coming back.
I said in yesterday's run-up to this game, it was a must-win. Now what do you think? Is going to Detroit & San Diego the recipe for digging this team out of the doldrums? If for some reason, you don't believe we're looking at another 4-12 or 5-11 season, you weren't paying attention yesterday. Will Todd Haley get this team back? Will they play with wreckless abandon or just go thru the motions? Even worse, are we destined to watch another crappy season followed by another coaching change next year & then we start all over......... again.
I've taken a lot heat from some of you for my questioning of the Tony Moeaki & Eric Berry selection. For my criticism of Todd Haley I get scolded. I'm criticized weekly for being skeptical of each new administration, like there's some loyalty oath required to be a Chiefs fan. I love this team, always have, that's why I speak out when I see things I don't believe will help us see another Super Bowl win. Folks, I've been here for all 47-years of the Kansas City Chiefs version of this franchise. For over 40-years, it's been a revolving door for coaches & still only 2 playoff wins since Super Bowl IV. That's the part I don't get, what the hell do these people have to be arrogant about? What have they accomplished that would make us ooooo & ahhhh? The current regime had better understand Chiefs' fans can see thru their smokescreen. Todd Haley's taking full responsibility? Fine, let's see how Haley turns what we saw yesterday into what we saw last season.
Anybody see this coming? Anyone? Honestly, I think a lot of people had an inkling, the embarrassing turnouts for two highly promoted events, the "Back to Football Bash" at Arrowhead & the preseason pep rally held on August 29th at the Power & Light District. Both times the crowds were underwhelming. Chiefs fans are becoming more hardened to the "Blue Sky" optimism that spews out of One Arrowhead Drive. I think they're finally growing tired of a team that either promises the moon or stonewalls the public with arrogance, fan apathy has come home to roost. They're sick of hearing about Haley's "process." They're tired of pumping their hard-earned dollars into tickets & licensed apparel when the team hovers at or near the bottom of the league's salary cap spending. Even the most casual Chiefs fan had complained about the offensive & defensive lines, but are told "we don't believe you have to expend premium draft picks for offensive tackles" or "Tyson Jackson can still have a productive NFL career." Anyone buying that? The time has come to call Tyson Jackson what he is, yet another wasted draft pick, a high one at that, for an underachieving defensive lineman. The guy's a bust, end of discussion.
If you can't see the "frugal" spending ways of Scott Pioli, you need look no farther than their signing of Chris Manno during training camp. The guy caught 39 passes in 4-years at Northwestern & was buried in football purgatory, the Arena League II. The freakin' minor leagues of professional indoor football. The training camp roster was littered with "talent" comparable to Chris Manno, but hey, it's cheap......uh, I mean cost-conscience.
I shudder to think what the late Lamar Hunt would have felt seeing his newly renovated stadium empty out like someone tripped a fire alarm. By the 4th quarter, there weren't 10,000 people left in the stands. When the booing starts less than 10-minutes into the new season, your fans aren't happy. This isn't Philadelphia, Chiefs fans don't go out to Arrowhead looking for something to boo. They go out there for a fun Sunday of tailgating & cheering for their team. Yes, it's very expensive, but when it works, there's nothing quite like gameday at Arrowhead. Fans wonder of we're really better off now than say when Dick Vermeil was coach. At least they were entertaining, frustrating yes, but even when they lost, it was nothing like yesterday.
Todd Haley & his abstract coaching techniques have been the source of question around the National Football League. Why does he want to do it differently than anyone else? Does Andy Reid, Mike McCarthy or Sean Peyton have it wrong? What about Mike Tomlin or Bill Belichick, do they do it right? How about Todd Haley? Is his "outside the box" scheme for training camp & opening day preparation the new wave in coaching? Really, 213-yards of total offense? What exactly happened to the NFL's best rushing team from 2010? Where was the improved defense? Folks, I'd give Tamba Hali a passing grade yesterday & that would be it. Did you see anyone else in a red uniform that had a decent game? Did you witness any fire or excitement out of Haley's troops? More importantly, did you notice the body language on K.C.'s bench, especially in the second half? This was a team that was beat & they knew it. I saw better effort out of Bill Kinney-led Chiefs teams of the eighties. Todd Haley said after the game he took full responsibility, we could point a finger at him. I'd like to point a finger at him & it wouldn't be my index finger. Because that's essentially what we've been given by the Chiefs, the finger. "Give us the money & don't ask questions, we know what we're doing."
Todd Haley is in the third year of his 4-year deal. If this season is disappointing & yesterday might give us that impression, how far is Scott Pioli & Clark Hunt prepared to go with their "outside the box head coach?" Can you think of a time when a Chiefs team looked this unprepared & unmotivated? When was the last time the home fans saw a winning outcome? Lost the season finale to Oakland, got smoked in the playoffs by Baltimore, lost the first preseason game to Tampa, which was the start of something much worse than what we saw at the end of the 2010 season. I saw complete indifference from Haley, he made a joke about fans having to pay full pop to watch what was essentially a practice to him. Losing to St. Louis three weeks ago set up the debacle in Green Bay when he played his starters into the 4th quarter. With the notable exception of Tony Moeaki & Matt Cassel, who were injured in the 2nd period. Then there was yesterday's lackluster effort. That's five straight home games without a winner. Arrowhead used to be a fortress, a home field advantage that was feared all over the league. No longer, any old 4-12 team can come in & push the Chiefs around & no one in the organization seems to show any outrage. I guess they're too busy with their "process" & "no questions, just give us $40 for parking & move along."
How far is Hunt prepared to go with a general manager who has drafted such gems as Tyson Jackson, Alex Magee, injury-prone Tony Moeaki & traded for the $10 million-a-year-man, Matt Cassel. I like Cassel, I think he could be a fine backup almost anywhere in the league, but is he a true NFL starting quarterback? If you draft a player with an extensive injury history, wouldn't a reliable pass-catching backup be in order? The manner in which this team was built has been my biggest gripe for years. I fall for the "character" ploy by Pioli & then he drafts Jonathan Baldwin. When asked about this player or that player instead of someone he selected, the company line is "he just doesn't fit what we're trying to build here." Really???? How could we possibly use a squeaky-clean wide receiver/return man like Randall Cobb when we can grab an immature, underachieving malcontent like Baldwin? Apparently he fits what we're trying to build here, a series of disappointing football teams, with an occasional playoff appearance every few years to keep the fans coming back.
I said in yesterday's run-up to this game, it was a must-win. Now what do you think? Is going to Detroit & San Diego the recipe for digging this team out of the doldrums? If for some reason, you don't believe we're looking at another 4-12 or 5-11 season, you weren't paying attention yesterday. Will Todd Haley get this team back? Will they play with wreckless abandon or just go thru the motions? Even worse, are we destined to watch another crappy season followed by another coaching change next year & then we start all over......... again.
I've taken a lot heat from some of you for my questioning of the Tony Moeaki & Eric Berry selection. For my criticism of Todd Haley I get scolded. I'm criticized weekly for being skeptical of each new administration, like there's some loyalty oath required to be a Chiefs fan. I love this team, always have, that's why I speak out when I see things I don't believe will help us see another Super Bowl win. Folks, I've been here for all 47-years of the Kansas City Chiefs version of this franchise. For over 40-years, it's been a revolving door for coaches & still only 2 playoff wins since Super Bowl IV. That's the part I don't get, what the hell do these people have to be arrogant about? What have they accomplished that would make us ooooo & ahhhh? The current regime had better understand Chiefs' fans can see thru their smokescreen. Todd Haley's taking full responsibility? Fine, let's see how Haley turns what we saw yesterday into what we saw last season.
I have to hand it to you when your right. You called just about everything that's gone wrong and even though I am hard on you, your right. That stadium did clear out in a hurry just after half. They didn't even stop to tailgate, they just got the hell out of there. I'm very afraid we're back to the Herm years.
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Worst day at the stadium since Herm was here. We left in the 3rd quarter. Brutal! They really need to fix this team instead of promising to fix it.
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The "Herm" theme was repeated here & in five emails, yes they have serious problems.
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