Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 10/30

Picture courtesy of cmatthews

A somewhat shorter version today. I am out of town, and having issues with the hotel internet.

"Everybody has to be together on whatever we’re doing."

As the Chiefs scattered on Thursday afternoon to enjoy a long weekend away from football, the words of OLB Mike Vrabel should never leave their thoughts.

Everybody has to be together on whatever we’re doing … Vrabel was speaking specifically of the Chiefs defense, but his words are compatible with every player on this team.

Whether they are headed to the bright lights of Vegas, or back to their alma mater, or home to a weekend of Mom’s cooking, the Chiefs need to ponder their season, the calendar and their commitment.

Essentially, it’s put up or shut up time.

Bye Weekend Thoughts … Friday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

The Chiefs and running back Larry Johnson are working on a settlement that could affect his future, Johnson’s agent told The Star on Thursday.

Peter Schaffer, who has represented Johnson for about a year, said in an e-mail that he was working on an appeal of Johnson’s two-week suspension at the same time as he and the Chiefs are discussing a settlement.

"Full bore on both," Schaffer wrote.

Asked whether that settlement could involve Johnson’s separation from the team, Schaffer wrote: "Not necessarily."

Chiefs, LJ working on a settlement from KC Star

Athletes have heard the ugly words on practice fields for most of their lives. They hear them in the streets and at neighborhood hangouts.

But when Chiefs running back Larry Johnson used an antigay slur on his Twitter account and in the locker room this week, he struck a nerve that makes professional sports leagues wince.

The NFL, like other pro sports leagues, is perceived as homophobic. Of the more than 20,000 athletes who have played in the NFL, less than a handful have identified themselves as gay — David Kopay was the first in 1975, followed by Roy Simmons and Esera Tuaolo — and only after their careers had ended.

Gay athletes don’t fit in what is perceived as a homophobic NFL from KC Star

Of the eight teams that sit in last place in their divisions, five are led by rookie head coaches and two are led by head coaches in their second seasons on the job. Rookie head coaches Raheem Morris of Tampa (0-7), Todd Haley of Kansas City (1-6) and Steve Spagnuolo of St. Louis (0-7) are a combined 1-20 so far.

Eleven of the league’s head coaches weren’t in their positions on the opening weekend of the 2008 season, and competitive balance has been affected by that sideline turnover.

New head coaches generally have the latitude to take a step or two backward to rebuild for the future.

What parity? from The Globe and Mail

"Don’t shed a tear, ‘cause mama I ain’t happy here."

The infamous words from late rap artist Tupac Shakur’s "I Ain’t Mad At ‘Cha" single could just as easy be used to describe the dilemma that Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson finds himself in here in Kansas City.
The loathing, brooding, eccentric, egotistical, mercurial and now in exile running back is East-Coast born and bred, East-Coast affiliated and East-Coast biased.

L.J.’s big city schtick here in the middle of the map has never played well. The hipster has caused Chiefs fans to rip up season tickets, hack out unsavory blogs and post comments unheard of in the new-age era of modern-day media.

L.J.'s Hip-Hop Act Doesn't Play in KC from The Examiner