Metro Sports 360 The Wire

Chiefs Need a White Knight (My Cry for Support)

2009-10-05T21:04:18Z

10/5/2009

Sunday's drubbing at the hands of the Giants is just another notch on board for our belittled Chiefs team. I was not at nor saw Sunday's game but really all you need to do is check the box score. 27-16 score, 429-193 in yards, and 2-1 in the turnover column. It is just glaring how bad this team has become with out watching one snap of the game.

After browsing through the box score, and looking back on our other 3 games, it is clear we are missing something every great team now has, a savior, a leader, the white knight who seems to save the day. It seems every good team has one, and not all of them are on one side of the ball. New England has Tom Brady, Baltimore has Ray Lewis, and a team like Pittsburgh has 2 (Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu). These guys are all Hall of Fame players, able to carry their team on their back when needed. The Chiefs have Zero of these players, not even one close to the caliber either.

Through all the big 1st round picks, not one has turned into even a mere Pro-Bowler, or resemble anything of one. Everyone in the media, the fans, and it's starting to sound like the team it's self is pointing fingers at the top. General Manger Scott Pioli is taking the heat for not having any playmakers and everyone seems to be up in arms about his bring in anyone anytime approach but all he’s doing is bringing in other teams scraps.

To that I ask all the fans and the media “who should we get then?” The biggest name this past free agent market that could have filled a major hole would have been DT Albert Hanyesworth, but would you really be much happier with a $100 million dollar defensive e tackle who now is limping around on the disabled list? We complain about the line, but who where we to get once Pioli came on board? Who where we to get? The best option out there we could have gone for was OT Stacy Andrews who many scouts grade out at the same level or less as our own Brandon Albert. Pioli is trying something most of you forget our old GM never did the last 10 years, improve our roster by any means available. Yes we are getting left other teams rejects, but our players aren't any better and in many cases worse.

Many other people are pointing at our Ego-manic head coach in Todd Haley and his bench players who don’t do it the right way philosophy. Media and Fans are out raged that we are not taking shots down field and players like Derrick Johnson are 3^rd on the depth chart. You don’t think this method works? Ok, let’s give you the play book. You call the plays with this in mind, if you run the ball with Larry Johnson your always going to get around 2 to 3 yards per play, and with anyone else it could go for 5 or 6 yards or a loss of 3 or 5 yards. If you pass you have a grand total on average of 2 seconds to throw the football. Now go try and do what you’re complaining about. On defense your front 3 are adjusting to completly new rolls and your linebackers are mostly square pegs in round holes with the exception of Mike Vrabel. Now try to pressure a quarterback or stop the run with players learning to play the position and do it at the highest level against teams who are the best in the league. This isn't going to happen over night people.

When you’re left with a bare cupboard, no game changer on the roster, no white knight, and no foundation, how would you rebuild a team into winner? Over night? Too many fans and media sound like we should be doing this thing now and we should see signs of a winner by now. It’s not going to take one year, nor 2... This is in worse shape then any of us could have imagined. Folks, we were not going to beat the Giants, Ravens, or Eagles this year so quit complaining.

To win, the Chiefs will need to draft and develop there own Ray Lewis, or their own Adrian Peterson. They need a white knight, the player this origination can build around. Maybe they really think they have it in Matt Cassel, but running for his life on every play with no play makers around him makes it hard for us to evaluate this one. One thing I strongly believe in is this regime is going to do what it takes to find that white knight and be able to keep him. No more King Carl, who when he finds one, trades it away (take the Jarrod Allen deal for example). What would this team be like with 69 coming off the edge getting 10+ sacks a year and allowing us to disguise blitz’s and drop more players in coverage? I’m sure 400 yards passing wouldn’t happen on Allen’s watch.

To win we need our Priest Holmes, or our Derrick Thomas, or our Len Dawson to carry our team. It is the only thing I believe holding this rebuilding project up. Until we draft this guy (cause finding them in free agency or by trades are hard to do) we can’t evaluate anything with what Scott Pioli or Todd Haley are doing, we just know from a history stand point their method, vision, and drive is a proven winner. So before you call for their heads, let them find or build around their cornerstone. Let Scott do what he does and that's finding that player. You can bet Bill Belichick didn’t find Matt Cassel or Tom Brady... he doesn’t have the time to scout 6^th or 7^th round pick players. You can also bet that Haley knows how to teach a player the right way of doing things (there was a good reason Arizona with no running game and a 40+ year old QB reached the Super Bowl).

So to the Whitlock's and the TV and Radio know it all's, don't complain and scream to the Chiefs to do something better when you yourself have no idea yourself of how to fix it, and yes I don't either, but I have faith in people who do. Scott Pioli knows the players it takes, he's wearing rings to prove it, and Todd Haley hasn't forgot how to teach and motivate players. None of us have rings or even been to the big game. so lets trust they know what they are doing is right and in 3 years and we don't see a playoff team, we can cry for change Rome wasn't built in a day, and nor will the Chiefs, but to build an empire you need to lay a foundation, and drafting the right players and playing the players who do it the right way is how you build it, brick by brick. And hey, one thing about Kansas City, if you build the right team, your white knight might be the 80,000 fans in the Sea of Red. When Arrowhead was full, no matter what team we put on the field, the Chiefs we're as hard to beat has anyone.

Chiefs Trade Thigpen to Miami

2009-09-29T21:34:21Z

9/29/2009

The Kansas City Chiefs have traded backup Quarterback Tyler Thigpen to the Miami Dolphins for undisclosed draft pick.

Miami who recently lost starting quarterback Chad Pennington to injury where left with Chad Henne to replace Pennington. Thigpen moves into on Offense that uses the Wildcat formation a lot and this offensive favors the mobile Thigpen.

THE FANS TAKE: As many fans love Thigpen in Kansas City, this was a great move for Kansas City that may cover up the error for trading a draft pick for both offensive linemen busts Andy Alleman and Ikechuku Ndukwe from the Miami Dolphins for an undisclosed selection in the 2010 NFL Draft. This may be take place for the undisclosed pick for Allenman and Ndukwe.

OTHER NOTES: G/T Ryan O'Callaghan who was aquired off waivers from New England back on the 9th has replaced Ndukwe as the starting right tackle. This marks the 4th new player to try to take over the RT spot since training camp started (Damion McIntosh, Barry Richardson, and Ndukwe).

Cassel Watch (9/19)

2009-09-18T17:28:28Z

9/19/2009

It's Red Friday across Kansas City today as the Chiefs prepare for their home opener this Sunday against the Oakland Raiders in the New Arrowhead, but many local eyes are still looking at Matt Cassel’s braced left knee.

Cassel has worked all week and took more reps and has done more work than he did last week and it appears that he will be in uniform no matter what. Chiefs head coach Todd Haley has said that he may use Cassel at times Sunday if that’s only all he can do. Question is, is a part-time Cassel better than a full-time Brodie Croyle?

Cassel Watch (9/17)

2009-09-17T21:09:45Z

9/17/2009

Our Matt Cassel watch gets ready to head into the weekend and it is still unsure if Cassel will play this Sunday against Oakland.

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley has said this week that Cassel is moving around and doing more than he has last week and the decision could be made before Sunday's game on if Cassel will play. It is rumored that Haley may make his choice tomorrow (Friday the 18th).

OUR PICK: With everything we are hearing around this situation is that Cassel will play this week if the doctors allow him to play. Sources are saying he is moving around well and his passing looks like it is not hindered by the brace he is wearing. Odds of him playing we think is 80/20 in favor of him playing.

Sources: Royals Close to Signing Crow

2009-09-17T20:23:11Z

9/17/2009

According to Buster Olney Baseball Insider for ESPN.com, the Kansas City Royals are close to signing their 2009 first round draft pick pitcher Aaron Crow.

The former Missouri Tiger was selected 12th overall by the Royals and had spent all of last year in the Independent League after he failed to sign with the Washington National in 2008. Sources indicate that the Royals will pay Crow somewhere between $3 million to $4.5 million.

The quicker Crow gets into the system (speculation as soon as he signs will report straight to instructional league) the faster he may have a chance to contribute to the Royals sometime next season.

Chiefs cut DE/OLB Turk McBride

2009-09-15T20:43:55Z

9/15/2009

The Kansas City Chiefs have cut DE/OLB Turk McBride to make room for newly signed WR Bobby Wade.

Learn more at http://www.kcchiefs.com

Cassel Watch (9/15)

2009-09-15T19:16:49Z

9/15

Our Matt Cassel watch continues for another week as it is still unknown if Cassel will be ready now for the Chiefs home opener against the Oakland Raiders.

Cassel was scratched from the line up this past Sunday in Baltimore after practicing all week with the team. Back up Brodie Croyle filled in and went 16 of 24 passing for 177 yards and 2 touchdowns in the loss to the Ravens.

Cassel is expected back this week but if he can't go, Croyle's performance in Baltimore gives Chiefs some hope they can win at home against the Oakland Raiders.

Chiefs Sign 2008 Vikings leading receiver Bobby Wade

2009-09-15T19:03:10Z

9/15
The Kansas City Chiefs have reportly have signed 2008 Vikings leading receiver Bobby Wade. Terms are unknown.

Wade, 28, comes in to add yet another piece to an offense in much need of help. Wade caught 53 passes and two TDs last season for Minnesota. The move apparently comes off the heals of Head Coach Todd Haley’s disappointment this past weekend with current starting wide receiver Mark Bradley who on 2 occacions came up less than a yard short on two third down plays.

It is unknown yet as well if Wade will be active this week for the Raiders game Sunday.

Cassel Watch (9/8/2009, 1:00PM CST)

2009-09-08T18:03:59Z

9/8/2009

Our Cassel watch maybe coming to a close soon. Monday, Chiefs QB Matt Cassel was at Chiefs practice with a brace on his knee but taking part in drills. It is still not known if Cassel will play Sunday for the season opener but for the Chiefs sake, they sure hope he is good to go.

Analyst: Depending on whom you talk to, if Cassel is not 100% there are many fans with conflicting views on if Cassel should play Sunday. On one hand many fans are saying sending a wounded franchise QB to the wolves (or the Ravens D) behind this offensive line would be suicide. Others believe a 70% Cassel is better than a 100% ready Croyle or Thigpen. If you think Cassel is ready to go and the Chiefs could win on the road against the Ravens then play him, if not let him heal and be ready for the home opener against Oakland.

Chiefs Set 53 Man Roster, Including Releaseing Pollard, Thomas, and Lelie

2009-09-06T19:27:48Z

9/6/2009

The Kansas City Chiefs set their 53 man roster by releasing the final 13 players. Amoung the players cut were Safety Bernard Pollard, WR Ashley Lelie, and LB Zach Thomas. All three were projected starters this season for the Chiefs.

Thomas lost his spot on this team due to injury's that kept him out of the entire preseason, Lelie was a victum of improved play by rookie WR Quinten Lawrence. Pollard was the bigger surpise as he started every preseason game for the Chiefs. It is projected that Mike Brown will now start, and young safety DaJuan Morgan. What is even more telling is that Safety Jarrod Page (a former starter as well) has been demoted to second string for former Kansas State Safety Jon McGraw.

The Chiefs placed guard Colin Brown on injured reserve and cut DE Dion Gales, CB Jackie Bates, TE Tom Crabtree, DE Bobby Greenwood, G Darryl Harris, WR Taurus Johnson, DT Derek Lokey, S Ricky Price, RB Javarris Williams and WR Rodney Wright to reach the 53 man roster.

You Can't Blame Moore for Royals Troubles

2009-09-03T21:18:08Z

9/3/2009
Article by: James Kemplay

The Kansas City Royals we're preseason picks by many to win the AL Central this year, instead they are headed once again towards 100 losses. As the Royals head down the final stretch the fingers of many media outlets, sports writers, and many many fans are pointing straight at Royals general manager Dayton Moore.

Moore who is in his 4^th full season (technically his 3^rd full season as he came aboard the Royals mid season in 2006) just received a new contract extension that will keep him the man in charge of this rocky ship until 2012 and is taking the blunt of the blame for the Royals woeful ways. People point to several of his moves (Jose Guillen, Tony Pena Jr., and Mike Jacobs to name a few) about why the Royals continue to lose games. They complain about the Manager not using his pitching staff correctly and Moore’s lack of brining in any big name players that can help the Royals now. But what all the media (well most, I know there are quite a few media people who support Moore) and many fans fail to see was how truly bad the Royals used to be, from top to bottom.

During the Alaird Baird days the Royals drafted cheap low risk, lowest reward players and littered the Minor league system with them. Baird spent little or nothing on international players and development of the ones he did have on board. The Royals traded away players that held value to get others with little to none; they were treated as a Minor League club for other franchises trying to make a pennant race. Under Moore the philosophy has completely changed.

Under Moores watch the Royals have developed over sea’s academies to help develop and farm foreign and Latin American talent. The Royals have invested millions of dollars into player development, drafting, and signing of home grown talent (example resigning of proven good players like David DeJesus and Star pitcher Zack Greinke long term).

One of the main reasons the Royals are struggling now is lack of depth in the minor leagues. When the Royals need a player to fill a hole on their major league squad they have to reach for talent in the free agent market. They have to over pay for the only players that are willing to come play only for the paycheck, the Jose Guillen’s and the Coco Crisps of the world, and when they are injured there is no depth behind them to replace them with.

Under Moore the Royals now have one of the best low A ball minor leaguers in baseball. Willing to draft great players and pay them what it takes to get them in the system and not draft sign-ability picks has filled low A ball and A ball with budding star talent. If the system and foundation Moore is laying works out, then when a player like pitcher Gil Meche goes down with an injury the Royals have a budding super star in the minors waiting to come up (say an Aaron Crow) to replace him. Once Meche is healthy and playing good again the Royals can trade Meche and his 55 million dollar contract to a team for 2 or 3 good minor leaguers to replenish the system.

People, this is how small markets work, and when it all comes together you get the Oakland A’s, the Minnesota Twins, the Tampa Bay Rays. Moore is trying to build that here in Kansas City and with what was left over before Moore arrived it is going to take time. When the system from Triple A down to A ball are filled with talent then we won’t have to trade for the Mike Jacobs to hit home runs, we will have our own grown Mike Moustakas, or when we need a good starter we won’t need to sign a 55 million dollar pitcher to be able to pitch effective for 6 to 7 innings (when the Royals signed Meche to that contract I truly believe they did it as he was a good innings eater not that he could have been anything like he has been) when we have say an Aaron Crow is already ready.

So let’s try not to point the fingers at Moore for the woeful Royals, give him some time to build our system up. Just think if the talks, reports, and rumors about the players he’s currently recently drafted come up and contribute, wouldn’t it be better to have Eric Hosmer and Moustakas (much much higher thought of prospects) hitting the ball around then Coco Crisp and Mike Jacobs? I’ll let you ponder that for a while and you can get back with me in 2012 when the fruits of all this labor should be in full bloom.

Cassel Watch (9/2/2009, 3:15PM CST)

2009-09-02T20:15:15Z

9/2/2009

It reported through Yahoo Sports that Cassel has a sprained the MCL (medial collateral ligament) in his left knee and could miss two to four weeks. Rumors are swirling around 1 Arrowhead drive that Cassel maybe ready to by the season opener September 13th in Baltimore.

If Cassel isn't ready by the 13th, Brodie Croyle will get the start in Baltimore. Croyle who is making his own way back from an knee injury when he tore his ACL last year in the home opener, will make the start Thursday night (9/3) in St. Louis for the Chiefs final preseason game.

Chiefs Make Roster Moves, Cut Toomer, Promote Croyle

2009-09-02T20:02:13Z

9/2/2009

The Kansas City Chiefs have made several moves the last couple days as they prepare for their final preseason game in St. Louis tomorrow night. The most notable move was the release of WR Amani Toomer who was recently signed to help provide leadership with the wide receivers.

Other notable moves include the promotion of QB Brodie Croyle to starting quarterback as Matt Cassel rehabs his sprained knee. The Chiefs also have released rookie tackle Cameron Goldberg and placed running back Kolby Smith on the PUP (Physically unable to perform) list and WR Devard Darling on injured reserve for the year.

Croyle is scheduled to start this Thursday night against the Rams and if Cassel is unable to go will be the slated starter come week 1. Croyle who a week ago was 3rd on the depth chart behind Tyler Thigpen has moved up to 2nd string without even playing in the game last week.

Chiefs Begin Triming Roster by Releasing Former Starter

2009-09-01T16:41:31Z

9/1/2009

The Kansas City Chiefs began their move to cut their roster size down from 80 to 75 players today by releasing former starting left end Alfonso Boone.

Boone who was replaced last week in the starting line up by first round pick Tyson Jackson. The Chiefs had no room on the roster for the veteran defensive lineman after the Chiefs drafted both Jackson and rookie Alex Magee.

Stay tunned to Metro Sports 360 for all the roster moves for the Chiefs as they continue to trim down to 53.

Haley Speaks to the Public and Addresses Taking Over Offense.

2009-08-31T19:35:57Z

8/31/2009

Chiefs head Coach speaks to the public and addresses the public about the firing of OC Chan Gailey. Haley makes it offical that he will take over calling the plays and coaching the quarterbacks for the Chiefs.

Gailey will remain with the Chiefs on a personnel level. Rumors reported by KSHB TV in Kansas City that Maurice Carthon may become the Chiefs next cordinator. We strongly believe though that based on what Haley talked about when he took over the job in Kansas City and what is going on now, that Haley will remain the OC through out this season.