The recent back and forth discussions of our quarterback's relative merits appear to have pretty much run their course.  Not much more can be said about what Matt Cassel did or didn't do--or what he can or can't do.  Is it a coaching deficit?  Can the problems (and blame) be laid at the feet of his receivers?  Is it a problem deeper in his psyche and in need of a more unconventional solution?

To me, Matt Cassel  brings two popular movie characters to mind--Forrest Gump and Nuke LaLoosh (from Bull Durham).  Both these characters are earnest and clueless. 

Gump stumbles his way through history, helped along by his athletic talent.  That talent gets him into college, helps him survive Vietnam, and become famous as a runner.  At the height of his fame (when he is running across the country again and again) people begin to ascribe undeserved wisdom and inteliigence to him--after all, someone capable of such a great undertaking must have a great mind, right?  Notice the parallel here?  A talented athlete is elevated past his level of competence and, not knowing what else to do, woodenly continues to do what he has always done.  Eventually, he fades back into anonymity and is never heard from again.

LaLoosh is also a talented but clueless athlete who is lost when left to his own devices.  He, however, is rescued when he is mentored by Annie (a smart but wacky baseball groupie who introduces him to things like "chakras" and "third eyes") and Crash (a veteran catcher not quite good enough for the Majors, but very savvy in the ways of baseball).  Between them, Annie and Crash help Nuke LaLoosh ignore distractions and focus on what he needs to do to be a great pitcher.

I'm not advocating that Cassel should become more of a running quarterback, or wear a garter belt for his next game (though it probably couldn't hurt).  However, I do think it is past time that he be given a no-nonsense mentor that will be in his ear and at his side during practices and games if we are to continue to feature him as the Chiefs' QB.  Jim Zorn, or someone like him, could possibly get Cassel over that growing hump and on track for a better future.  Haley has his hands full and Weiss is not (currently, at least) up to the job.  It's time to get some much needed help to Cassel.  And then if he doesn't get better there will be no platform for the apologists.