Whitlock: Edwards deserves better as camp turns into a circus
Good griefis at it again.
RIVER FALLS, Wis. | Saturday, I felt sorry for Herm Edwards. The man truly does have a vision of what he’d like to accomplish this season, and he has a chance to do it.
But this training camp is going to be a circus, and his voice might just get drowned out by all the confusion.
Saturday morning, Priest Holmes allegedly was on his way to River Falls. For what purpose? No one is really sure. He might want a role in HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” He might be after a paycheck. He could be a pawn in Carl Peterson’s contract negotiations with Larry Johnson. Or, there’s even the remote possibility that Holmes just wants to play football again.
There were no real clues Saturday.
“The only thing I’m 100 percent sure of is what I do,” Edwards responded when asked of his certainty that Holmes would report to camp. “I don’t control what everybody else does, and I don’t try to control it. If he shows up, that’s great.”
Coaches surrender control grudgingly. This camp is going to test Edwards’ ability to go with the flow.
The HBO cameras could very well have everyone in the organization acting out and hamming it up. How else to explain Carl Peterson’s curious decision to tell the Associated Press that Larry Johnson is not as good as LaDainian Tomlinson?
Although true, the statement in no way improves Kansas City’s negotiating position with Johnson. The comment only ensures that the chip on LJ’s shoulder grows bigger and that HBO will have to focus most of its attention on King Carl and his tough-guy negotiating tactics.
Seriously, “Hard Knocks” is Peterson’s last piece of sunshine. He’s not going down in NFL history. He’s not Bill Polian or George Young. They don’t do football documentaries on front office penny-pinchers and cost-cutters.
This is Peterson’s opportunity to define his NFL legacy. I’m sure HBO producers shot down Peterson’s idea about a one-on-one interview discussing the art of raising parking and ticket prices without postseason success. So Peterson is going with plan B — an extensive look at the bullying techniques that made him the most despised GM in sports.
I fully expect Peterson to go “Ethan Locke” on Johnson and his agent before training camp is over.
There’s no real reason to mention that Kansas City’s first-round pick, Dwayne Bowe, isn’t in training camp. Contract disputes with draft picks are a Chiefs tradition, right along with first-round playoff losses and tailgating.
Week one of “Hard Knocks” should be called “Carl’s Chaos” and focus solely on the contract squabbles Peterson has with Johnson, Jared Allen and Bowe.
Hey, I know it gets old reading me second-guess and bash Peterson. But the simple reality is his personality and leadership style aren’t conducive to winning. Peterson is too much of a fighter. He’d make a better newspaper columnist/journalist than football general manager. Peterson can’t turn down a fight or a chance to pat himself on the back.
He took his little pit bull, Bob Gretz, off his leash and let him bark about how everyone is wrong about Priest Holmes and Peterson’s role in Holmes’ return.
The point — of Gretz’s whining — seemed to be that Peterson has absolutely zero control over Holmes. I guess, we’re supposed to believe this is a good thing. Not if you’re Herm Edwards and you’re trying to build chemistry.
The gossip around River Falls was that Holmes was running late because he’s planning to hit camp in an RV. He doesn’t want to stay in a dorm room. Holmes wants to be treated like Roger Clemens.
Edwards is as flexible as any NFL coach I’ve ever met. But at the end of the day, Herm needs to retain a little control. He needs Larry Johnson, Jared Allen and Dwayne Bowe somewhat happy, somewhat cooperative and on the field.
Herm could do without a 33-year-old running back with an obviou$ agenda and an ego-driven, loud-mouthed GM.
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/col...ry/209720.html
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Originally Posted by stlchief71
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