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jmlamerson
08-05-2009, 02:37 PM
The trendy pick: The Chiefs are on their way back

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Perhaps the greatest thing going for new Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (above) is that he's not Rex Grossman.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Image
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Why this pick makes sense:
Scott Pioli certainly knows the formula for success -- he helped draw it up alongside names like Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick. Already, Pioli has turned over the Chiefs' roster in quick order, making several daring moves along the way. No one is expecting a Super Bowl appearance, but there are lots of good vibes in Kansas City and a sense that the turnaround isn't too far down the road.
Pioli is easily among the best personnel in the business. If he says quarterback Matt Cassel (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/7406) is worth a six-year, $63 million contract, then he probably is. It is a huge risk putting so much faith in a mostly unproven backup quarterback. But Pioli and first-year coach Todd Haley, who has Super Bowl experience with the Arizona Cardinals (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/teams/cardinals), are establishing an entirely new football culture within the organization and trusting themselves with Cassel.
Gone are the country club days of not holding all players to the same standards of professionalism. The perfect example: It took 2008 first-round pick Glenn Dorsey five days to pass the conditioning test that allowed him to begin practice. While his teammates practiced, the $22 million out-of-shape Dorsey had to go through humiliating conditioning drills on the sideline. The message was clear. No matter who you are or how much money you make, if you slack, you sit.
Also gone are the days of hiring re-tread coaches. And the Carl Peterson front-office that got passed by a younger, hungrier, more eager NFL generation is gone, too.
Let's not forget the importance of 44-year-old Clark Hunt, either. The son of Chiefs patriarch Lamar Hunt, Clark inherited the title of Chairman of the Board of the organization when his father died in 2006. He definitely has the ambition and energy to put his own stamp on the franchise.
Why it may not fly:
This is a bad team. I mean, really, really bad. Winning just six times in its last 32 games tells the biggest part of the story. But the problems run deeper.
There has been a lot of attitude and complacency on this team, a product of the previous regime. That doesn't get better overnight. Veteran players are griping, Larry Johnson (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/6363) is hinting at wanting a trade and the talent holes are gaping.
The offensive line is mediocre: Gone is Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/3950), the secondary is pitiful and the linebacking corps has been fortified with Mike Vrabel (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/3982) and Zach Thomas (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/3569) -- proven players and leaders who are on their last NFL legs.
Pioli also added 14-year veteran Amani Toomer (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/3516), 14-year wide receiver Bobby Engram, 12th-year guard Mike Goff (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/4485) and 10th-year safety Mike Brown (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/5068).
The club's sponsor should be Band-Aid.
And did we mention that the $63 million franchise quarterback never has started a playoff game or been a regular NFL starter?
So, will it happen?
Nope. It's just asking too much. The Chiefs have cleared some cap space, but they are at least four or five years away.



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/john_lopez/08/05/trends/2.html

I think 4 or 5 years may be pushing it, but I appreicate that sportswriters are no longer protecting the Herm era.

Bike
08-05-2009, 04:14 PM
4 or 5 years away? Isn't every NFL team 4-5 years away? Quite the bold statement by Lopez. BTW, we are 1-3 years away...

hermhater
08-05-2009, 04:45 PM
Good read.

IlovetheChiefs
08-05-2009, 04:46 PM
"This is a bad team. I mean, really, really bad."

Ouch!

"The Chiefs have cleared some cap space, but they are at least four or five years away."

Ouch!

Yeah, he could have at least said 2 or 3 years away. So much can radically change in one year as we've seen with teams. Seems silly to say at least 4 or 5 years away. Like 3 years from now in 2012 who can say four sure whether ANY team will be more like last year's Steelers or Lions?

DT14PRIEST
08-05-2009, 05:40 PM
Like the article. In spite of its harshness it does hold true in some aspects and over blown in others. ( I dont think our secondary is pitiful. Its not amazing but it has shown definite promise)

I say 2 to 3 years personally (moreso 2 because I'm the eternal homer when it comes to the Chiefs). But for 09 I'm just looking for wins and an enjoyable season that displays clear progress rather then a regression.

twhite85
08-05-2009, 07:56 PM
The secondary is "pitiful"? I hate it when sports writers feel the need to overexaggerate to prove their point. 4-5 years away? Wow.

All in all though, a good read.

Vanilla Garilla
08-05-2009, 08:27 PM
Any given team in the NFL right now could be less than 4-5 years away from a superbowl. Lets go back to the year 2001 shall we? How many people actually thought the Patriots were going to do anything???

This writer is obviously not too knowledgeable about football. I do agree with some things he is saying, but the majority of it is filler.

Big Daddy Tek
08-05-2009, 08:46 PM
Wow, pretty bad article. Our secondary is pitiful? Thats funny because most say that our secondary is the strongest part of the team and thats why there was the least turnover in the offseason at those positions. This guy clearly doesnt know what he;s talking about. He probably had to write one of these on every team and didnt know who alot of our players were. What a joke.

AkChief49
08-05-2009, 08:58 PM
Looks like he was up against a deadline with his head up his b***. just my opinion

Three7s
08-05-2009, 09:43 PM
He's just another guy who's going with what happened last year. He thinks that the people we signed are too old to make a difference and that Cassel will stink.

I can't blame him, since there's too much uncertainty, but Pioli hasn't screwed up on anything yet in his career, so I'll trust him.

Chiefster
08-05-2009, 10:00 PM
Veteran players are griping, Larry Johnson (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/6363) is hinting at wanting a trade...I thought Larry was all happy now.

Big Daddy Tek
08-05-2009, 10:03 PM
I thought Larry was all happy now.

Yeah, this guy is way behind the 8 ball.

Chiefster
08-05-2009, 10:30 PM
Yeah, this guy is way behind the 8 ball.

I used to have an eight ball; it always said: "Yes".

Hayvern
08-05-2009, 11:14 PM
Bah, these guys don't have time to follow each team at SI, they have to write about every NFL team, NBA, MLB, and X Games right now. This guy probably knows no more than he was able to glean from about an hour spent researching the Chiefs. Nothing he wrote in this article was really up to date at all. The newest piece of news was Dorsey's conditioning problems.

There were some good points though, the biggest being the joke that was management for the last three years. I still cannot believe that Herman Edwards lasted as coach as long as he did.

Our secondary? Guys, I have every confidence that our secondary this year is going to be one of the best in the league, we were not terrible last season.

jmlamerson
08-05-2009, 11:24 PM
We finished 28th against the pass last season. Our DBs were terrible. But I think they were young and will get better.

AkChief49
08-05-2009, 11:27 PM
We finished 28th against the pass last season. Our DBs were terrible. But I think they were young and will get better.
we had virtually no pass rush to help them either.

Hayvern
08-05-2009, 11:44 PM
We finished 28th against the pass last season. Our DBs were terrible. But I think they were young and will get better.

And I believe that is more a problem with a weak linebacker core than it was a secondary. I would be interested to know how many passes over 10 yards we allowed last season and how we rank on that stat. I will see if I can find it. I know there was some.

Without linebackers we were also 30th against the rush. So that is why I say the linebacker core was a larger problem. Maybe that is also why I think the secondary was so good, when you consider we had no one else on the field.

jmlamerson
08-05-2009, 11:59 PM
we had virtually no pass rush to help them either.

You're not hearing me disagree. But people talking as if our DBs are awesome. They aren't. They're young guys with potential. One person posted he'd rather have our DBs than Tennessee's! That takes some serious beer goggles.

Vanilla Garilla
08-06-2009, 12:37 PM
:funnypost::lol:Thats friggin funny!!!!


Chris please change that sig now!!! I do not want to see D Bowe giving LJ a BJ!!!

Chiefster
08-06-2009, 12:40 PM
Chris please change that sig now!!! I do not want to see D Bowe giving LJ a BJ!!!

You said what I thought.

Vanilla Garilla
08-06-2009, 01:07 PM
You said what I thought.

LOL, worse placement of Players EVER!!! Sorry Chris!

Chiefster
08-06-2009, 01:10 PM
LOL, worse placement of Players EVER!!! Sorry Chris!

Yeah, I've seen a comparable "worse placement" regarding Roaf and Holmes.

KristofLaw
08-08-2009, 01:02 PM
The club's sponsor should be Band-Aid. LOL

Sorry but I found that funny. Good read although as pointed out sorta mediocre journalism. :)

LargoChief
08-09-2009, 03:33 PM
This guy is just rehashing news from months ago. LJ is happy and talking about being successful and working hard. Unless you're posturing, I would say he is excited to be here. I also don't think he would get 4.5 anywhere else. We shouldn't care what these guys think, they are just trying to stir the pot with some people. The Chiefs are a new team, last year was last year!! Go Chiefs!!