Projections from Batman himself.

by Direckshun on Aug 13, 2008 8:03 PM CDT Comment 6 comments

Adam Best (a.k.a. Batman) of Arrowhead Addict posts a great projection of the Chiefs' 2008 season on Yardbarker. It includes who he thinks will bust out, who he thinks will flounder, etc. etc.

Basically, if you follow Adam's work on AA at all, this is vintage stuff: reasonable while retaining a belligerent homerism, decent football analysis but in totally killer style.

It's a must-read for the smack talk on our rivals, if for nothing else:

[The Chargers] bitch and bitch and bitch about Marty Schottenheimer, then go out and sign...Norv Turner? That's like bitching about Cuba Gooding Jr.'s acting only to replace him with L.L. Cool J.

Total gold. You keep doin' what you do, Batman.

I'll let you read his analysis yourself, but I do have a couple comments with his projections.

1. Fantasy rankings. Batman pegs Bowe as our "fantasy stud," even though he projects Bowe to put up a 1,000-yard season with 8 touchdowns easy. I normally wouldn't have a problem with that, but he also projected LJ to break out a 1,400-yard season with upwards of 12 TDs. Correct me if I'm wrong, but in virtually any fantasy league, that would make LJ the team's fantasy stud.

2. Turk breaking out. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the entire projection was the claim that Turk would emerge as the team's breakout player this year. He is getting the best opportunity of his career now to play strong-side DE (for which his frame suggests he's perfect), but I've long-suspected after Turk's tumultuous rookie season that he's going to be fighting for a roster spot next year. Turk had a sturdy opening month in 2007, where he was hungry and active. But he trailed off to virtual invisibility as the season wore on. He didn't put up many stats his rookie season, but he started out with tons of promise. His preseason performance against Chicago was forgettable at best.

I hope for the best with Turk, one of my favorite players on this team, but I haven't seen enough from him to suggest that he's anything more than a rotational reserve. Maybe he takes the field when we're in a nickel package. Maybe.

3. Rivalries reborn? One serious problem we'll have with this season is that with so much turnover and new youth, there's virtually no rivalry holdover from last season. Adam sees the Chiefs "fired up" to avenge their 2007 sweep at the hands of the Broncos, but I honestly don't expect many of the new faces to feel much anti-Denver passion just yet. I believe this is the season that rivalries will be born, not carried over.

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What great post!

But I have to disagree with topic #3. There is a mystic in and around Arrowhead stadium that every Chiefs fan should be able to detect and take part in. When I was younger and visiting my relatives in KC, two of my Aunts worked at the stadium and I pretty much had the run of the place when I was there. Getting to go up into the office areas, the locker room and onto the field it always struck me that this was a field and a stadium that legends had played on, were playing on and would play on in the future.
I emphatically believe that every Chiefs player fortunate to play for the franchise completely understands what transpired in the days when Buck Buchannan would throw George Blanda to the turf and Len Dawson was purposely spiked by Ben Davidson.
I believe they can feel the heart and soul of Derrick Thomas as he exibited his passion for the rivalry with the Broncos and Shannon Sharp.
Yes, Arrowhead is a players stadium and a place that the fans can enjoy the most memorable experience of their life each and every time they attend a game there.
The other teams know they are intimidated each time they take the field and cannot wait to get out of Arrowhead.
Kansas City Chiefs football past , present and future is for real and memorable for a much longer time to come than now. I think the rookies “get the feeling” of the rivalries just being a part of this magical life experience.

by Lanier63 on Aug 13, 2008 9:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

As usual, I can’t fault you for passion, Lanier.

by Direckshun on Aug 13, 2008 10:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Direckshun

First of all, thank you for the link and the kind words. Much appreciated. But what made me really pitch a tent in my boxers was being called Batman. You can ask the other half of the Best Bros. about my obsession with the Caped Crusader—it’s downright scary. I don’t think it was an accident my name was one letter away from being Batman. Just go here to see how kooky I am about the Bat…http://fansided.com/2008/07/17/the-best-view-batmans-rogues-gallery-done-nfl-style/

As for Turk, yes, I am going out on a limb. But a break-out player has to be someone most wouldn’t expect. Playing it safe is for wimps. And as for fantasy, I just think for where you can get each guy that D-Bowe is the better value.

Thanks again!

by arrowheadaddict on Aug 14, 2008 4:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs