Carl Vs. L.j. Is Next Battle Royale

[Chiefster]

I have to admit had me laughing on this one.

CARL VS. L.J. IS NEXT BATTLE ROYALE
With Jared Allen eating sushi and promising to lead a wil’-out-free social life, and Trent Green packing his footballs and heading to a South Florida home, there’s only one compelling story line left in the latest episode of “The Last King of Mediocrity.”

Carl Peterson vs. Larry Johnson.

Yes, the main event: King Carl vs. L.J. for all the money in Clark Hunt’s piggybank. This should be far better than De la Hoya-Mayweather, and if the executives running HBO were smart, they’d do a 24/7 documentary on this historic battle rather than taping Kansas City’s training camp.

This is a showdown that has been brewing ever since King Carl hoodwinked Johnson and his agent into signing that ridiculous, Master P-approved rookie contract. This thing should get UFC bloody and ugly.

Before the end of training camp, I fully expect Peterson’s pit bull/mouthpiece Bob Gretz and Johnson’s pit bull/mouthpiece Rhonda Moss to square off in a dogfight that will have Michael “Ron Cujo” Vick flush with envy.

Seriously, I’m so glad Trent Green is finally gone. Bickering over the value and treatment of a filthy-rich, 37-year-old quarterback was a bit boring for my taste, especially when you know Peterson could just as easily botch a fourth-round pick as a sixth.

The Green-Peterson scrap sounded like a Leawood father and son arguing over whether the kid deserves the fully loaded SUV or the sport package. Peterson-Johnson has the promise of getting as rowdy as me and my brother coming to blows over the last pork chop at a Labor Day barbecue.

Right now, my money is on The Last King of Mediocrity.

He’s been in the gym training for this bout ever since Priest Holmes bamboozled the Chiefs out of a final payday and quickly retired to a life of nachos, yearly, inconclusive MRI scans on his spine and baby’s mama drama.

King Carl vowed never again. Only Tony Gonzalez and Tom Condon are allowed to fleece the Hunt’s bank account under Peterson’s watch. Peterson would rather name Ethan Locke head coach and put Jack Harry in charge of ticket prices than reward Larry Johnson with LaDainian Tomlinson-type money.

And, in many respects, Peterson is holding all of the leverage. Peterson gleefully watched as his new head coach, Herm Edwards, overworked Johnson all last season, giving him an NFL record number of carries. Edwards used Johnson in a way that indicated the Chiefs don’t have long-term plans for Johnson.

Peterson could refuse to offer Johnson a fair contract extension, run L.J. into the ground again this season, slap the franchise tag on him for the 2008 season and discard Johnson in 2009.

That would be the cold-blooded business move. Based on the way Johnson has conducted himself in his years as a Chief, I’m not sure many fans would be sympathetic toward Johnson. He has never pretended to be much of a team guy, so few people will care if the Chiefs treat Johnson in a selfish manner.

Johnson’s leverage is a 2007 holdout. He’s on the books to earn about $1.7 million this year. If he sits out and sacrifices the money, the Chiefs could be the 2006 Oakland Raiders. Those Raiders, despite a very good defense, finished 2-14 and scored just 168 points. They were darn near impossible to watch.

The Chiefs could be that bad. Without Johnson, I honestly don’t know how the Chiefs score a point. By midseason, Arrowhead Stadium would be half empty on game day. By the end of the season, you’d swear the Royals were playing football.

And L.J.’s absence would certainly hamper the development of Brodie Croyle.

The problem for Johnson is that The Last King of Mediocrity could survive a 2-14 season. With Green in Miami and the Chiefs breaking in a new quarterback, Peterson could use 2-14 as a true rebuilding year, and Chiefs fans would be excited about having the No. 1 pick (although the enthusiasm would be tempered by the knowledge that Peterson would draft Todd Blackledge).

Again, Peterson is bunkered in and ready for a losing season. Johnson is not prepared to sacrifice $1.7 million. That’s money he’ll never get back. Plus, he’ll be a year older and still looking for a new contract.

Peterson is a heavy favorite in this fight, but we’ve seen him blow 13-3 regular seasons and home-field advantage, so anything is a possibility.

[DrunkHillbilly]

The fact that they were able to throw the ball, that well, is because their offensive line knows how to pass-block. You just can't throw deep, from your back. Period.

You guys have been tellin me that the O line is the most important thing for the offense and QB. What gives???

The Cardinals O line sucked period!!! Pass, run, crawl, everything!!! Worst at all of it in the league!

Trust me, I watched every game!

[chief31]

You guys have been tellin me that the O line is the most important thing for the offense and QB. What gives???

The Cardinals O line sucked period!!! Pass, run, crawl, everything!!! Worst at all of it in the league!

Trust me, I watched every game!

How was the quarterback throwing, if the "worst O-line, in the league" was failing to pass-block. Shouldn't the quarterback be laying down, immediately?

[Coach]

Agreed. But, if Damien Macintosh doesn't wind-up being alot better than Jordan Black was, (which is my greatest concern, about the Chiefs, this season) then no reciever is gonna get open downfield, because the quarterback will be running, or laying down, before then.

You have expressed this concern consistently the last few months. I hope for the Chiefs sake that he pleasantly surprises us all. I have a hard time believing that he won't be better than I-65.

I agree that it has been a position that could have used some improvement in past years but attention definitely needed to be directed elsewhere such as the defence...and now the o-line.

I can't disagree with this. A perfect assessment from the drunk canuck IMO.:RockOn - not mine:

I don't want to rehash this again but that's not true. As someone pointed out, look at the Az. Cardinals. 2, 1000+ yd receivers and the worst offensive line in football!

So it can be done but if there is nobody to throw the ball to AND your O line sucks, that's where you get into trouble.

The Cardinals had 2-thousand yard receivers because they are superior talents and the Cards were always trailing in games. The offensive line was non-existent by just about any analyst's account. Edgerrin was a non-factor in that offense because of this.

You guys have been tellin me that the O line is the most important thing for the offense and QB. What gives???

The Cardinals O line sucked period!!! Pass, run, crawl, everything!!! Worst at all of it in the league!

Trust me, I watched every game!

Again, a lot of the passing yeards for the Cards were against prevent defenses. They do not accurately reflect the pass protection the offensive line provided IMO.

[DrunkHillbilly]

How was the quarterback throwing, if the "worst O-line, in the league" was failing to pass-block. Shouldn't the quarterback be laying down, immediately?

Please tell me your not doubting the fact that they had the worst line?

[DrunkHillbilly]

You have expressed this concern consistently the last few months. I hope for the Chiefs sake that he pleasantly surprises us all. I have a hard time believing that he won't be better than I-65.


I can't disagree with this. A perfect assessment from the drunk canuck IMO.:RockOn - not mine:



The Cardinals had 2-thousand yard receivers because they are superior talents and the Cards were always trailing in games. The offensive line was non-existent by just about any analyst's account. Edgerrin was a non-factor in that offense because of this.



Again, a lot of the passing yeards for the Cards were against prevent defenses. They do not accurately reflect the pass protection the offensive line provided IMO.

Were the Cardinals trailing to the Chiefs?
How bout the bears?

The D and lack of red zone TD's is what killed the Cards.



What does accuratley reflect the pass protection? Wait, please don't say the yardage gained by the receivers.

[Coach]

Were the Cardinals trailing to the Chiefs?
How bout the bears?

That is two games. The Cards lost 7 games by 10 points or more.

http://football.about.com/od/schedul...6sched_ARZ.htm

You watched the games. Do you really need me to point this out. Many of these games were blowouts and resulted in inflated passing attempts/yards.

[DrunkHillbilly]

That is two games. The Cards lost 7 games by 10 points or more.

http://football.about.com/od/schedul...6sched_ARZ.htm

You watched the games. Do you really need me to point this out. Many of these games were blowouts and resulted in inflated passing attempts/yards.

You call 10 points a blowout? A few within 7 and 2 or 3 points as well.
As far as being behind, do a search on that and see if there were more than two games where they were actually ahead.

[DrunkHillbilly]

That is two games. The Cards lost 7 games by 10 points or more.

http://football.about.com/od/schedul...6sched_ARZ.htm

You watched the games. Do you really need me to point this out. Many of these games were blowouts and resulted in inflated passing attempts/yards.

Both of the Cards receivers only had 1 catch over 50 yds.

One averaged about 11 yds a catch and the other about 15 yds a catch. Wouldn't ya think that if they were sooo far behind in games as you have eluded to, the would have to throw deep a few times?

Whether you think it's true or not, they had the worst O line in football and had success at the passing game. Edge still had 1000+ yds and that seems to be the measure of an avg. season these days.

The reason they lost games last year was because they couldn't score in the red zone. Period! No TE and couldn't run inside the 20.

[Coach]

Both of the Cards receivers only had 1 catch over 50 yds.

One averaged about 11 yds a catch and the other about 15 yds a catch. Wouldn't ya think that if they were sooo far behind in games as you have eluded to, the would have to throw deep a few times?

That is the definition of the prevent defense isn't it. Give up the underneath stuff, but don't give up the big play.

:anim-magicman:

[DrunkHillbilly]

That is the definition of the prevent defense isn't it. Give up the underneath stuff, but don't give up the big play.

:anim-magicman:

So your telling me that every game that they lost, the other team went into prevent??? Even the games they only lost by 1,2,3 or 7 points???

Come on man, your smarter than that!

You have to know that most teams don't go into prevent unless they are up by atleast 2 TD's!