Vindication for Carl?

[Hammock Parties]

Well written piece, IMO. He has a point.

http://kan.scout.com/2/791361.html

As everyone reading this already knows, the Kansas City Chiefs are currently mired in an eleven-game losing streak. The latest loss was particularly hard to swallow, coming at home against the hated Raiders. The same Oakland team, it should be noted, who came out in their season opener looking more like an NCAA Division II cupcake than a team capable of winning games in the NFL.

With those things in mind, you aren’t likely to find too many people looking for ways to compliment Kansas City Chiefs President and General Manager Carl Peterson these days. Brace yourselves, though, because in a roundabout way that’s exactly what I’m about to do.

You see, if the Chiefs’ recent decent into also-ran status has shown us anything, it’s that Peterson may be a lot smarter than anyone’s been giving him credit for.

What do I mean by that? For the answer, let’s jump back a few months. Shortly after the NFL Draft, WPI’s own Nick Athan conducted an interview with Chiefs’ owner Clark Hunt.

Here’s an excerpt from that piece:

Ultimately, Hunt knows that he’s serving the fans. Can they endure another losing season while this year’s draft class matures? Hunt thinks so.

"I do realize that in the short run, going with young players could have some shortcomings in terms of our performance on the field," he said. "But that’s OK. I think those guys will learn and our fans will enjoy watching those players develop."

"What I’ve come to learn is that the fans are actually really studied. They’re really smart. It must be because there’s 24-hour news on the National Football League. It’s Warpaint Illustrated and all the cable channels that cover the NFL and the constant media attention and the internet. Fans have become very smart in terms of how championship teams are built, and I sense they understand what we’re doing and will support it."

That certainly sounded good back in April. I imagine that a lot of the people who read those comments probably nodded in agreement and patted themselves on the back for being the smart, studied fans Clark said they were.

But now, just two games into the regular season, many of those same fans – no doubt spurred on by the pot-stirring of those like KC Star Columnist Jason Whitlock – are demanding that Hunt take action.

They want Peterson fired, they want Herm Edwards fired -- heck, they want both of them fired. Some even want Hunt to sell the team. They want whatever it takes in order to feel that change is on the horizon.

Unfortunately, it seems safe to say that after two more losses Hunt’s comments about the patience of the fanbase was a bit optimistic. Everyone knew the Chiefs would be a bad team this year. Sure, there were a few cockeyed optimists who were predicting K.C. to shock the world and finish 9-7, but most understood that considerable growing pains were to be expected. And, echoing Hunt’s remarks, most fans said all the right things about rebuilding during OTAs and training camp.

But as soon as the Chiefs began playing games again, something changed. It was even evident during the preseason. Perhaps some expected rebuilding to be a painless process that wouldn’t involve any sacrifice. Maybe they understood the Chiefs would lose some games, but figured every loss would be a moral victory in some way, and that rookies like Dorsey, Albert, and Flowers would all look like future Hall of Famers in the process.

Or maybe a lot of fans just never had the stomach for it to begin with.

“Not so”, they’ll undoubtedly say. “We were prepared for losing. But not like this. We weren’t prepared to lose because of the endless mistakes by Carl and the poor coaching from Herm. Get rid of ‘em!”

That sounds good and all – but I don’t buy it. Why not? Because this isn’t the first time I’ve heard that excuse.

Two years ago, the exact same cries were rising up from fans of the Green Bay Packers. The Pack went 4-12 in 2005, the team’s worst season in fourteen years. That offseason they brought in the unheralded Mike McCarthy as their new head coach and began rebuilding the team.

The Packers traded away one of their top players (Javon Walker) and ended up with twelve draft picks, several of whom saw significant action as rookies. With the league’s youngest roster, Green Bay began the next season 1-4, starting things off with an embarrassing 26-0 loss in their home opener against a hated rival.

Is this sounding familiar? It should. Don’t get me wrong, the Packers aren’t a perfect analogy to the Chiefs’ current situation – Green Bay, after all, already had a franchise QB in place with Brett Favre, and that alone makes a considerable difference.

But as you can see, there are enough similarities to make it an interesting comparison.

The Packers lost their first three home games that season, and their lone early victory came against the similarly winless Detroit Lions. Although they rebounded from their poor start and nearly got back to .500, they ultimately lost eight of their first twelve games and were sitting at 4-8 in early December.

When the team was slow out of the gate, outraged Packers fans wasted little time in demanding that McCarthy and G.M. Ted Thompson be fired. The same cries for change referenced in that column continued throughout the season as the Packers struggled, suffering lopsided defeats at the hands of the Eagles, Patriots, Bills, and Jets.

But the Packers pulled together in the final month and won four straight games to finish 8-8. A year later, still sticking to youth, Green Bay made their conference title game.

Will Kansas City finish 8-8 this season? Will they be a Super Bowl contender next year? Probably not.

As mentioned, the Chiefs don’t have a QB, and they also don’t have the benefit of playing in the weaker NFC. But the point of the comparison, as Packers’ fans learned, is that it’s foolish to judge so quickly.

Chiefs’ fans can say they’re not being impatient with losses, that it’s the coaching and management they’re upset with. It just rings hollow. Any Packers fan who signed a petition to fire McCarthy and Thompson during the 2006 season would probably admit today that they overreacted. They recognize that their young team started to improve as they got more experience and developed chemistry with one another.

No matter how the angry masses in Kansas City might want to justify their reactions, the simple truth is this: anyone who’s demanding sweeping changes in the Chiefs’ organization because a bad team played a bad game on Sunday wasn’t prepared for what was coming this season.

For that matter, anyone who wanted to see 35-year old Damon Huard trot back onto the field Sunday, rather than see 24-year old Tyler Thigpen get his opportunity, wasn’t prepared for what was coming this season. And most of all, anyone who’s not willing to wait more than two games before declaring the rebuilding effort a failure wasn’t prepared for what was coming this season.

So, no, I’m not buying that the reactions are all about Herm and Carl. And you know who else isn’t buying it? Carl Peterson.

After all, judging by the reactions we’re seeing, Peterson had everyone pegged a long time ago. He’s been criticized by millions, myself included, for the strategy he’s executed all these years. Stock up on free agents every few seasons, never bother to develop a young quarterback when you can always acquire a veteran with experience, and do everything else possible to shoot for a season of eight or nine wins. And if you can make the playoffs, hey, anything can happen once you’re in the tournament.

That’s been the Carl Peterson way, and the results speak for themselves. Sure, the Chiefs haven’t won a playoff game since Joe Montana was under center, but Arrowhead has still been filled to capacity year after year. Every December, no matter how mediocre the Chiefs were, the seats were always full and the stadium was always loud as long as there was some outside chance at a playoff berth.

Contrast that to this year, when even after a highly-praised draft and one of those “moral victories” against the New England juggernaut, the openly rebuilding Chiefs – finally trying to build a championship team the right way – struggled to sell out their home opener against their biggest rival.

While Hunt had reason for his view of how the fans would react to a rebuilding season, maybe Peterson’s view was a little more in line with reality. Perhaps he’s been more tuned-in to the fans than anyone ever thought he was. Maybe he knew that Chiefs fans just aren’t cut out for this rebuilding stuff.

I just hope he’s not the sort of guy to say “I told you so."

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

It's been a rebuild for three years. Herm came in and immediately made changes to the defense and special teams. He brought his own special teams coach. He implemented the cover 2 and brought over a host of NY Jets to try to get it done and focussed on defense in his drafts. The rebuild didn't begin this year. .

And so far it's been bad because his first draft, the 2006 draft which can be judged now looks like a whiff.

[StcChief]

it's a work in progress. long 2008, hoping for development as players, a good draft in 2009....
by 2011 we might contend if or draft picks gell as a team

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by Mecca

And so far it's been bad because his first draft, the 2006 draft which can be judged now looks like a whiff.

You think it is a whiff? I don't.

1 20 20 Tamba Hali DE Penn State
** A good LDE. He's being played out of position this year. Bad coaching/GM move with Allen and forcing Hali to play the right side.

2 2 22 54 Bernard Pollard DB Purdue
** Not a great safety, but I think he's good and he is still improving.

3 3 21 85 Brodie Croyle QB Alabama
** at this point a bust because of injury problems.

4 5 22 154 Marcus Maxey DB Miami (FL)
** bust

5 6 17 186 Tre' Stallings G Mississippi
** bust

6 6 21 190 Jeff Webb WR San Diego State
** underperforming this year.

7 7 20 228 Jarrad Page DB UCLA
** excellent pick for a 7th rounder.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

You think it is a whiff? I don't.

1 20 20 Tamba Hali DE Penn State
** A good LDE. He's being played out of position this year. Bad coaching/GM move with Allen and forcing Hali to play the right side.

2 2 22 54 Bernard Pollard DB Purdue
** Not a great safety, but I think he's good and he is still improving.

3 3 21 85 Brodie Croyle QB Alabama
** at this point a bust because of injury problems.

4 5 22 154 Marcus Maxey DB Miami (FL)
** bust

5 6 17 186 Tre' Stallings G Mississippi
** bust

6 6 21 190 Jeff Webb WR San Diego State
** underperforming this year.

7 7 20 228 Jarrad Page DB UCLA
** excellent pick for a 7th rounder.

I think it's a whiff in terms of building a top level team through the draft, if you are comparing it to say Vermiel drafts then it's not.

All of the players that can contribute from that draft are role players and nothing more guys that frankly shouldn't be every down players.

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by phillip

That's the boat I'm in. I want to have fun watching the Chiefs. That's why I don't like Herm. He makes the game so F-ing boring to watch. Even if we're winning the way he does things (which we won't because those days are long gone) it will be like watching the Ravens super bowl run some years back. Snooze.

Are you kidding me?

I'd give my left nut for the Chiefs to be as good as those Ravens. Your and idiot.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Might want to edit the online version -

"You see, if the Chiefs’ recent decent into also-ran status has shown us anything, it’s that Peterson may be a lot smarter than anyone’s been giving him credit for."

I'm pretty sure he meant "recent descent".

Yeah suffice it to say there was a HURRICANE and I couldn't edit anything the last few days.

You want to see some spelling errors on our front page just click on over.

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I think it's a whiff in terms of building a top level team through the draft, if you are comparing it to say Vermiel drafts then it's not.

All of the players that can contribute from that draft are role players and nothing more guys that frankly shouldn't be every down players.

We basically got shit from that draft. A wash as much as I hate to say it. Hali gets run right over in the run game, left side right side doesn't matter. Pollard will lose his job to morgan, and Page can't tackle a 3rd string RB in the open field. I would like to see Morgan take Page's Job. The guy just can't tackle.

[triple]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

You think it is a whiff? I don't.

1 20 20 Tamba Hali DE Penn State
** A good LDE. He's being played out of position this year. Bad coaching/GM move with Allen and forcing Hali to play the right side.

2 2 22 54 Bernard Pollard DB Purdue
** Not a great safety, but I think he's good and he is still improving.

3 3 21 85 Brodie Croyle QB Alabama
** at this point a bust because of injury problems.

4 5 22 154 Marcus Maxey DB Miami (FL)
** bust

5 6 17 186 Tre' Stallings G Mississippi
** bust

6 6 21 190 Jeff Webb WR San Diego State
** underperforming this year.

7 7 20 228 Jarrad Page DB UCLA
** excellent pick for a 7th rounder.

Hali is just a guy.

Pollard is only a special teams player.

Croyle is not an NFL quarterback.

Maxey didn't even make the team his first year.

Stallings, Webb, Page - nothing


So in that entire draft we got Hali, who is invisible most of the time. None of these guys will be key contributors when (if?) we return to respectability.

[Time's Yours]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

49-41..... it's a Celebration of the game!

Oh come on, I'm not saying it needs to be a Vermeil era or Eagles-Cowbows MNF style game.

I'm saying run, run, swingpass, punt is no fun to watch, even if you win 3-0 or 6-3.

[Time's Yours]

Originally Posted by beach tribe

Are you kidding me?

I'd give my left nut for the Chiefs to be as good as those Ravens. Your and idiot.

Yeah, I'm an idiot because I'm tired of Herm's boring-ass r2p2 gameplan.

Good call. Guess my law school should take back that full-tuition scholarship they gave me.

Next time I post, I guess I'll have to conform to the majority opinion here so I don't get called names, online, by grown men.

[triple]

Originally Posted by phillip

Good call. Guess my law school should take back that full-tuition scholarship they gave me.

to use in situations like this, and the other day when someone was bragging in another thread about their supposed connections in the chiefs organization, there should be a smiley called :bigtime:, maybe with an image of carl peterson

[COchief]

Originally Posted by phillip

Good call. Guess my law school should take back that full-tuition scholarship they gave me.

A group of douchebag slimy laywers looking at you and deciding: "We have to have this kid, he will make an excellent attorney" is not something I would brag about.

Congratulations, you've won the "most likely to grow up to be an asshole award", the funny thing is that you think this is an accomplishment.

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by phillip

Yeah, I'm an idiot because I'm tired of Herm's boring-ass r2p2 gameplan.

Good call. Guess my law school should take back that full-tuition scholarship they gave me.

Next time I post, I guess I'll have to conform to the majority opinion here so I don't get called names, online, by grown men.

When did I say anything about Herm's teams? we're talking about a SB winning Raven's team with one of the best defenses ever, your highness.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I think it's a whiff in terms of building a top level team through the draft, if you are comparing it to say Vermiel drafts then it's not.

All of the players that can contribute from that draft are role players and nothing more guys that frankly shouldn't be every down players.

And you dont need those on a championship type team?

[the Talking Can]

Originally Posted by SBK

We're missing 3 key things for a proper rebuild.

GM
Coach
QB

Other than that we're on our way.