I'll be honest, when it came time to write this today I really didn't want to. Who really wants to think about this Chiefs season anyways? Not me...and maybe not you. Here's the problem with that line of thinking: It's exactly what Carl wants. It's a lot better for him if we all forget just how painful this last year was. Much better than being as angry as we should be about it.
It's hard to even remember that at one point the Chiefs stood 4-3, in first place in AFC West. What happened? For one, the Brodie Croyle experiment. Honestly, I'm not upset that Croyle was given the chance that he was. I've always wanted the Chiefs to develop a QB and you can't do that without seeing what you have. What's upsetting is that the Chiefs plan on starting Brodie next year as well. I don't think the kid will go winless like he did last year but it does ensure another losing season. When was the last time a reasonable Chiefs fan felt like they had no chance to win? Before Carl got here.
That's what scares me the most - Carl wanting to sell tickets. The worst thing this team can do is try to patch together a wild card team around Brodie Croyle. If we want to start Brodie next year, it needs to be a complete rebuild project. Draft a couple of lineman, a couple of corners, maybe a wide receiver or two. Then start them all year long, take another 3-13 or 4-12 and improve with draft picks again...save all of our free agent money for 2009. If by some chance Brodie improves next year then maybe we can build a playoff team around him but there are very few, if any, teams that could have won with him this year. Adding a couple of free agents to current debacle of a team will not help.
The other bonus of going 3-13 or 4-12 next year? It may give us an opportunity to go a new direction with our GM and head coach. I understand Carl rebuilt this franchise (with help from Marty), but the time has come for him to hand over personnel decisions, if he won't do it then he needs to be fired. My feelings on Herm are well documented, he needs to go.
The other major negative form this year? Larry Johnson is still a Chief. If you read my year in review, you know my thoughts on LJ. If you didn't I'll say it again...he's always been at his best when he has something to prove. At Penn State he felt jilted by not playing as underclassman, with the Chiefs it was first Priest Holmes and then working for a contract. Well, now he has a fat contract and a firm lock on a starting job...all that adds up to him being the most overpaid player in the NFL for as long as he's with the Chiefs in my estimation.
So yeah, that's how bad it is...our best player is a fraud, our quarterback of the future has no future and my plan to save the Chiefs is more losing and lots of it. Seems silly, but if one 4-12 debacle isn't enough for Clark to can Carl and Herm we can only hope that two is. If not, apathy may be the only way for this Chiefs' fan to stay sane.
On a more positive note, my list of the ten players that can help the Chiefs in the future:
1. Jared Allen
2. Dwayne Bowe
3. Tamba Hali
4. Derrick Johnson
5. Benny Sapp
6. Bernard Pollard
7. Jarrad Page
8. Kolby Smith
Okay, so I only go to eight...think I missed someone? Tell me about it in the comments section, just don't tell me I forgot LJ...
Let me try one more time to finish on a high note....Tony Gonzalez. Amidst all of the Chiefs struggles this season, I'm afraid Gonzo's accomplishments went mostly overlooked. 99 catches for 1172 yards and 5 TDs is impressive enough, but that's the least of it. This season he broke the record for all-time touchdowns by a tight end and receptions by a tight end. The one good thing you can say Carl has done is make sure this guy will retire a Chief...maybe the best one ever.
Showing posts with label Larry Johnson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Larry Johnson. Show all posts
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Monday, December 31, 2007
2007
From the second I decided to do this I've struggled with it. I couldn't decide whether to do it on a team-by-team basis, chronologically or just completely random. Random seemed like the best plan since that's pretty much the direction of the Sports Report, but then I tried to write it and it sucked.
*sidebar* I'm sure at least one of you just said to yourself "Wait don't they all suck?" To you I say, "Thanks for reading!" *end of sidebar*
So instead, I decided go with the awards format...now I just need a name for the awards... Herbstreit calls his the Herbie's but I don't think the Cummi's are near as catchy...then it hit me, I'll just individually name each award...Brilliant!
George Brett Award (Best Performance by a Professional Athlete)
Nominees
Gil Meche
Eddie Johnson
Brian Bannister
Jared Allen
...and the #5 goes to....
Jared Allen. This was by far the easiest choice of all the awards. Gil Meche and Brian Bannister had nice years for the Royals. Eddie Johnson was MLS comeback player of the year for the Wizards. But no one can compare to the kind of year Jared Allen had on an atrociously bad Chiefs team. Like everyone else I was not very enamored with Allen coming into the season. I can never understand how rich professional athletes continue to get DUIs but that's another article. Besides, articles like this one from Joe Posnanski have been around all year talking about how Allen has cleaned up his act. That coupled with an amazing season (Leading the league with 15.5 sacks in only 14 games) and an even more amazing mullet gives him the award.
Danny Manning Award (Best Performance by a College Athlete)
Nominees
Chase Daniel
Todd Reesing
Michael Beasley
Jeremy Maclin
I know I'll probably catch a lot of crap for someone I missed, and for putting Beasley in there...but he's been pretty amazing so far averaging 25 and 13 as a freshman. Maclin, also a freshman was the most electric of the players but I think it has to come down to the quarterbacks. If this were an MVP award I think it goes to Reesing, in fact I think he'd be the MVP nationally, but there is no MVP award in college football and this won't be the first. You can't argue with Chase Daniel here, he was a Heisman finalist as a QB at Mizzou. He's made people almost completely forget what an amazing athlete Brad Smith was, and he led the Tigers to the Big 12 Championship game. For that he wins the award.
Dick Howser Award (Coach of the Year)
Nominees
Mark Mangino
Gary Pinkel
Kevin Ross
Curt Onalfo
Everyone knows what the top two on this list did, but let's not forget Onalfo and Ross. Onalfo led a sub .500 Wizards team to the brink of an MLS title (more on this later). Ross led the Brigade to a 7 game turnaround and their first playoff appearance. He was also named Coach of the Year in the AFL. But we all know this award comes down to Pinkel and The Fat Man. Like everyone else, I have to go with Mangino here simply because he did it with less talent. Pinkel gets his props later in the article, but Mangino gets the award.
Team of the Year
Nominees
Kansas City Wizards
Kansas Jayhawks Football
Missouri Tigers Football
Kansas Jayhawks Basketball
It may seem odd to have a team that went 11-12-7 in this argument, but the Wizards came just one game shy of a Championship, closer than any other KC team. Not even that is enough to upstage the season had by Gary Pinkel and his Tigers. There was no bigger story this year (maybe this decade) than MU/KU at Arrowhead and the Tigers won that game with relative ease. Honorable mention to the Kansas basketball team who has gone 35-3 in the calendar year with a Big 12 regular season and tournament title. A win vs. UCLA in the elite 8 probably wins them this award.
The rest of these are really pretty easy, so we'll skip the big introduction.
The OJ Simpson Biggest Story of the Year Award goes to KU/MU at Arrowhead for the Big 12 North. I'm amazed we didn't jinx this one with all of the hype...Game Day at Arrowhead for KU/MU football? This story may never be matched. The Isiah Thomas Worst Job in an Executive Role goes to King Carl hands down...which is nice in a way. Remember when Carl was the good executive in town? The Britney Spears Trainwreck Award goes to the entire Kansas City Chiefs organization, and I don't even think I need to elaborate. The Milli Vanilli Worst Impersonation Award goes to Brodie Croyle for his impersonation of an NFL quarterback. The Foot-in-Mouth Disease Award goes to Gil Meche for shutting up the national media and pitching like a pitcher that gets paid $11 Million a year. Don't let the win loss record fool you, Meche is worth it.
And finally, the Ice Cube Biggest Letdown in a Starring Role Award goes to Larry Johnson. Johnson laid such a turd this year that I wrote a rap song for him...since he bombed at that as well...
LJ LJ gotta get paid
But now LJ don't wanna play
Hangin out at the clubs with Jay-Z
You know big pimpin ain't easy
I ain't half as good as LT
Didn't stop Carl from payin me
Now I can make clothes with Jay-Z
Don't care if you call me lazy
Yeah, that may be awful...which makes it the perfect ode to piece crap year put together by LJ.
*sidebar* I'm sure at least one of you just said to yourself "Wait don't they all suck?" To you I say, "Thanks for reading!" *end of sidebar*
So instead, I decided go with the awards format...now I just need a name for the awards... Herbstreit calls his the Herbie's but I don't think the Cummi's are near as catchy...then it hit me, I'll just individually name each award...Brilliant!
George Brett Award (Best Performance by a Professional Athlete)
Nominees
Gil Meche
Eddie Johnson
Brian Bannister
Jared Allen
...and the #5 goes to....
Jared Allen. This was by far the easiest choice of all the awards. Gil Meche and Brian Bannister had nice years for the Royals. Eddie Johnson was MLS comeback player of the year for the Wizards. But no one can compare to the kind of year Jared Allen had on an atrociously bad Chiefs team. Like everyone else I was not very enamored with Allen coming into the season. I can never understand how rich professional athletes continue to get DUIs but that's another article. Besides, articles like this one from Joe Posnanski have been around all year talking about how Allen has cleaned up his act. That coupled with an amazing season (Leading the league with 15.5 sacks in only 14 games) and an even more amazing mullet gives him the award.
Danny Manning Award (Best Performance by a College Athlete)
Nominees
Chase Daniel
Todd Reesing
Michael Beasley
Jeremy Maclin
I know I'll probably catch a lot of crap for someone I missed, and for putting Beasley in there...but he's been pretty amazing so far averaging 25 and 13 as a freshman. Maclin, also a freshman was the most electric of the players but I think it has to come down to the quarterbacks. If this were an MVP award I think it goes to Reesing, in fact I think he'd be the MVP nationally, but there is no MVP award in college football and this won't be the first. You can't argue with Chase Daniel here, he was a Heisman finalist as a QB at Mizzou. He's made people almost completely forget what an amazing athlete Brad Smith was, and he led the Tigers to the Big 12 Championship game. For that he wins the award.
Dick Howser Award (Coach of the Year)
Nominees
Mark Mangino
Gary Pinkel
Kevin Ross
Curt Onalfo
Everyone knows what the top two on this list did, but let's not forget Onalfo and Ross. Onalfo led a sub .500 Wizards team to the brink of an MLS title (more on this later). Ross led the Brigade to a 7 game turnaround and their first playoff appearance. He was also named Coach of the Year in the AFL. But we all know this award comes down to Pinkel and The Fat Man. Like everyone else, I have to go with Mangino here simply because he did it with less talent. Pinkel gets his props later in the article, but Mangino gets the award.
Team of the Year
Nominees
Kansas City Wizards
Kansas Jayhawks Football
Missouri Tigers Football
Kansas Jayhawks Basketball
It may seem odd to have a team that went 11-12-7 in this argument, but the Wizards came just one game shy of a Championship, closer than any other KC team. Not even that is enough to upstage the season had by Gary Pinkel and his Tigers. There was no bigger story this year (maybe this decade) than MU/KU at Arrowhead and the Tigers won that game with relative ease. Honorable mention to the Kansas basketball team who has gone 35-3 in the calendar year with a Big 12 regular season and tournament title. A win vs. UCLA in the elite 8 probably wins them this award.
The rest of these are really pretty easy, so we'll skip the big introduction.
The OJ Simpson Biggest Story of the Year Award goes to KU/MU at Arrowhead for the Big 12 North. I'm amazed we didn't jinx this one with all of the hype...Game Day at Arrowhead for KU/MU football? This story may never be matched. The Isiah Thomas Worst Job in an Executive Role goes to King Carl hands down...which is nice in a way. Remember when Carl was the good executive in town? The Britney Spears Trainwreck Award goes to the entire Kansas City Chiefs organization, and I don't even think I need to elaborate. The Milli Vanilli Worst Impersonation Award goes to Brodie Croyle for his impersonation of an NFL quarterback. The Foot-in-Mouth Disease Award goes to Gil Meche for shutting up the national media and pitching like a pitcher that gets paid $11 Million a year. Don't let the win loss record fool you, Meche is worth it.
And finally, the Ice Cube Biggest Letdown in a Starring Role Award goes to Larry Johnson. Johnson laid such a turd this year that I wrote a rap song for him...since he bombed at that as well...
LJ LJ gotta get paid
But now LJ don't wanna play
Hangin out at the clubs with Jay-Z
You know big pimpin ain't easy
I ain't half as good as LT
Didn't stop Carl from payin me
Now I can make clothes with Jay-Z
Don't care if you call me lazy
Yeah, that may be awful...which makes it the perfect ode to piece crap year put together by LJ.
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