A Precautionary Tale (or two)

by Special K on Jan 11, 2012 11:30 PM CST

I’m going to examine two slightly related historical events. Both concern a pair of NFL QB’s. Hopefully, there is something to be learned from each episode.

The Chiefs currently have two veteran QBs on their roster, Matt Cassel and Kyle Orton. The Chiefs are going to need to make a decision on which QB is best suited to be the starting QB. Hopefully, Mr. Pioli will have studied his NFL and Chiefs’ history, and learned something about such decisions. I assume he has already pumped Jim Zorn and the other coaches as to the strengths and weaknesses of our two guys.

The first story I want to relate involves a QB, one Drew Brees. He was originally drafted by the Chargers. His rookie season was ’01. By ’04 he was well established; in fact, he played in the Pro Bowl in ’04. In the meantime, The Chargers drafted Phillip Rivers. Brees was disgruntled, and played out his option , and signed with the Saints after the ’05 season.

The second story involves a QB named Rich Gannon. Gannon began his career with the Vikes, and then spent a season with the Redskins, before signing with the Chiefs in ’95. In ’97, Chiefs’ GM Peterson traded with the 49’ers for QB Elvis Grbac. Gannon and Grbac jockeyed for the starting QB position for a couple of seasons, before Gannon became disenchanted with the situation in Kansas City (Grbac was seemingly the front office’s “Golden Boy), and moved west to the Raiders.

One might ask what value these two long-past episodes have for the Chiefs and us loyal fans? I wrote this cautionary tale for the benefit of both us loyal fans, and Mr. Pioli and the Chiefs’ Braintrust. Do you suppose the Chargers’ fans might wish the Chargers had been led to the Super Bowl by Drew Brees? How about us Chiefs’ fans? Wouldn’t it have been significantly more enjoyable to have watched Gannon win a Super Bowl wearing Red, and Hey! Wouldn’t it have been enjoyable to have watched Grbac go to the Raiders, struggle for three years, and then be gone from the game?

The Chiefs’ braintrust has to be very careful in how they handle our QB situation. I would hate to see Orton go to Miami, or Chicago, or wherever, and win a Super Bowl, while we kept Cassel & rejoiced in our mediocrity. Now, I could be wrong. Perhaps Cassel will be the one to win a Super Bowl. Maybe Orton will only last a couple of seasons. My point is, we should make every effort to sign Orton. Cassel is untradeable until camp starts. Let Cassel & Orton fight it out in camp. Keep the best QB. If you can, trade whoever is #2. Please, Romeo, please Mr. Pioli; get it right this time!

(Note: if the formatting doesn't take this time, I will discuss the issue with my friend Jose, & may never post here again)

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.

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K-Dude ... your stories would be a lot more effective if they were actually truthful and pertinent

the Chargers has a choice to make: Rivers or Brees, who was coming off surgery … as there was no guarantee that Brees would be “as good as new” the Chargers made the choice to go with Rivers and allowed Brees to poofers off to N’awlins

and with Grbac and Gannon, a similar tale … Gannon was hurt, Grbac filled in and was named the starter for the playoff game (riding the hot hand, what do you do?) but Grbac had a pretty decent season til that point as a fill in

Twisted Lord of AP Color Commentary (H/T - Loco)
Winner: 2009 Nostradamus of Arrowhead Pride Award
"I shall conquer untruth by truth" - Mahatma Gandhi
"It's always easier to sell 'em some shit than it is to give 'em the truth" - Shel Silverstein, The Perfect High
hi, Mo! 5 minutes!!!

by upamtn on Jan 12, 2012 6:41 AM CST reply actions

I remember it differently.

Maybe it’s age and brain cell destruction, but I remember Grbac as the injured starter, Gannon the savior backup and Grbac coming back to blow it.

"The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his way" Josh Billings
Kansas City Chiefs - 2020 Team of the Decade

by skunk420 on Jan 12, 2012 8:45 AM CST up reply actions

There you GO

I, too, believe this is the way it went down.Grbac was one of the bigger disappoints in the long term of my Chiefs fandom. Besides, he was a total jerk. He’d walk by everyone at training camp and ignore them, that included kids.

by cowboyChief on Jan 12, 2012 9:01 AM CST up reply actions

ups may have recorded his first and only error ever in recollection of facts regarding the Chiefs up to now.

I believe it was Grbac who was the seasons starter with the “Brain Trust’s” faith and support spelled out with a hefty contractual obligation. It was Gannon that filled in late in season and sparked the team into the playoffs. He was rewarded with the “Brain Trust’s” using the axiom “a starter should not lose his position due to injury”. The “Brain Fart” …as the story played out… resulted in a “Cautionary Tale” who’s lesson was taken to heart years later when Brady’s prowess in subbing for an injured Drew Bledsoe was rewarded with recognizing his talent and letting Bledsoe go.

I think the initial point is valid. In any Tragedy the weakness of the hero is his arrogance and his misplaced belief in the correctness of his values, ideas, thoughts or actions. I think ups is right about the Rivers/Brees deal. It was a toss up. Brees had a history of success but the new guy was the prototype of “The QB of the Future”. The Grbac/Gannon deal was just a Brain Fart by the Brain Trust. They were just unable to recognize that Gannon was better than “Their Boy”. A lesson learned when the clear thinkers in New England went with the “New Guy” and and avoided the old axiom about “not losing a job due to injury”. But ups is right in that this decision was easy because Brady had time to become the “annointed one”, He was their guy too. They were smart enough to draft him. Winner , Winner Chicken Dinner. No Tragic ending here.

"You talkin' to me? You TALKIN' to me ?" - Travis Bickle

by CatChief on Jan 12, 2012 9:41 AM CST up reply actions

for the record ...

my dear, dear twin brother did indeed make an egregious error this morning due to a near-fatal lack of appropriate levels of caffeine at the time the comment was made

on his behalf I offer my most sincere apologies for the mistake, and assure everyone of you, my friends, that such a mistake is unlikely to happen again anytime soon (or at least today)

Mom always liked you best!

by upamolehill on Jan 12, 2012 11:28 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is a Brother, we're doomed.

………………………….sure blame the “alter-ego”…lol Classic!

"I didn't asktt .........who gave the ordertttttt......... because it had nothingtttt.......... to do ........with business!"

by Masons on Jan 12, 2012 12:55 PM CST up reply actions

Twin brother

needs more confusing sig lines.

Hi Curley! Seven minutes!

by Ozarks on Jan 12, 2012 2:16 PM CST up reply actions

Question. Which is the family cast out?

"You talkin' to me? You TALKIN' to me ?" - Travis Bickle

by CatChief on Jan 13, 2012 11:27 AM CST up reply actions

sometimers disease.

"The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his way" Josh Billings
Kansas City Chiefs - 2020 Team of the Decade

by skunk420 on Jan 13, 2012 6:07 AM CST up reply actions

Up

I’ll spell out my point in 25 words or less:first, occasionally, very good QBs go on the market. second, the KC braintrust has already erred once in selecting a QB; let’s hope this time they get it right.

by Special K on Jan 12, 2012 10:22 AM CST up reply actions

and you needed a fanpost to say THIS? (huge grin)

the KC braintrust has already erred once in selecting a QB

Mom always liked you best!

by upamolehill on Jan 12, 2012 11:30 AM CST up reply actions

Obviously an intentional understatement for comedic effect.

"You talkin' to me? You TALKIN' to me ?" - Travis Bickle

by CatChief on Jan 13, 2012 11:34 AM CST up reply actions

We can want Orton all we want...

but he’s a free agent, meaning that he’ll go wherever the hell he wants to go. The only thing we can do to show we’re serious is to overpay. I’m not wanting to do that.

by Ozarks on Jan 12, 2012 2:14 PM CST reply actions

Gannon has more in common with Cassel.

Granted, Gannon was a fan favorite and Grbac was never respected here. But Gannon’s game was certainly more like Cassel’s, dinks and dunks, and yes, more mobile than Cassel. But Grbac was more like Orton, who everyone wants now – a pocket passer with limited mobility.

In 2000 Elvis threw for 4169 yards with 28TD’s and 14 INTs. (With Marty)
In 2000 Gannon threw for 3430 with 26 Tds and 10 INTs. (With Chucky)
Gannon’s best year was 2002 of course, with 4689 yds. 28TDs and 11 INTs.(Bill Callahan)

I don’t know that this is really such a cautionary tale.

If it wasn’t for the accursed paycheck, would I really imprison myself in this dungeon of the human soul?

by electriclight on Jan 12, 2012 4:35 PM CST reply actions