Morning Update (Mentally Unstable Edition)

by Chris Thorman on Apr 8, 2008 7:06 AM CDT in KC Chiefs News

New Chiefs blog - Big Matt's Chiefs Chat.
Love this line from Michael Ash at WPI about reaching for draft picks -- "In a way, reaching on a draft pick is just another part of the "win now" philosophy. If a team reaches, they’re sacrificing better players in order to add a lesser talent at a position of need."
Former Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt worked out for the Chiefs yesterday. Thoughts on the former Pro Bowler?
Jon Kitna, prankster.
Chad Johnson should retire?

Still fighting off this terrible case of allergies. My head is swimming right now. So, enjoy this highlight reel of Jared Allen by the incomparable C.E. Wendler of WPI and I'll be back later with our next mock draft pick.

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"win now" philosophy

I disagree with that guy.

If the Chiefs were in a legitimate position to "win now" but were just a couple of players away (ex: 1993-1997) then they better damn well get those couple of key players they need even if it means sacrificing a BPA v. need. You don't get very many chances to win in this league so when your time comes you have to seize, even at the expense of future years.

I could see exactly what we were doing in the Vermeil years. Ignoring the draft and adding veterans on defense to keep us afloat. I was fine with that. We ran the table on the 1st half of 2003 and were legitimate contenders to win it all.

Yes we're paying for that now, but was it worth it to put all your marbles in one basket and make a run? YES!

by Joel Thorman on Apr 8, 2008 8:18 AM CDT reply actions

I'm with you.

Not to mention, I find that to not be true at all. Why don't we draft mcfadden at 5? Hes the best talent going into the draft (the fact that hes a rb might influence that...) Should we draft him? Of course not. It would be the biggest waste of a pick I can think of. Look here! We have a top 3 (personally, I think hes the best in the game, but hard to argue for him when our line sucks and he gets injured) so why don't we ignore every other need and draft another runningback!! But Ben, we could run all kinds of sets with DMC!

I don't care what kind of set you run if your o line is as bad as ours is (and believe me, it is). Sometimes drafting the BPA is the right way to go, and a good example of this is the ravens. They have a phenomenal draft team and it has showed (besides Kyle power-baller), and even then, he was being talked about as one of the best talents in the draft (threw a football through the uprights from mid field on his knees).

Bottom line: There is nothing wrong, or even stupid, in drafting positional needs. Look at it this way: what are randy moss, steve smith, and chad johnson going to do if they have jeff george throwing to them? Nothing. Well, randy might catch a few because he is huge, but other than that, they won't be worth a dime because some manager saw a "game changing" runningback that he couldn't pass on.

Sorry, bit of a rant, but I can't stand hearing talk like that. What is the main priority of everyone on a football team? Make money*. Winning is just the means of doing so. So, if you can win now, why don't you? If winning leads to a larger dollar figure at the end of the year, then doesn't that make sense?

*Please don't grill me about players and personnel who like to win. Of course they do. But why do they like to win? The biggest reason is because for a lot of players, if they don't win, they will be out of a job. Anybody can lose everygame of the season for the right price.

by Ben S on Apr 8, 2008 7:47 PM CDT up reply actions

Absolute Proof

that with a heart as big as a mountain and a passion for the game that is unmistakable, you don't have to be the most physically gifted athlete to be the best at your position. Thanks Jared!

by Lanier63 on Apr 8, 2008 11:51 AM CDT reply actions

Allen

I am not tooting my own horn here, but I totally called Allen as a superstar during his rookie season. He was my favorite player to watch, I can't explain it completely, but there was just something about him. My wife new he was my favorite player, and that Christmas, ordered me a jersey, which of course at the time, was a custom order. (They generally don't stock jerseys of 4th round pick long-snappers :)) The highlight video had only one clip of the Redskins game his 2nd year...that's a shame, because I was there, and he single-handedly won us the game - I believe 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles, one of which happened right in front of us (sitting by the tunnel) and was returned by Sammy Knight for almost 90 yards and a TD. After that game, I waited around in the pavilion and lo and behold, Allen came out. He was that I was wearing his jersey, and I ran down to the fenced in players lot and he signed it. One of the coolest sports moment's I have ever had . To make the story even better, he was wearing a purple satin shirt with something that looked like an ivory leisure suit and he left in his vintage, powder blue, Cadillac convertible with the longhorn's horns mounted on the front. I can't wait to see him crush JaMarcus Russell.

by PVChiefsfan on Apr 8, 2008 11:59 AM CDT reply actions

oops

knew, not new...my bad

by PVChiefsfan on Apr 8, 2008 11:59 AM CDT up reply actions

re: Allen

Actually, as the author of the video, I find it my duty to inform that I included several clips from the Redskins game! For posterity's sake:

Clip 1: Jared running around with the ball pointing to the crowd after forcing a fumble

Clip 2: Jared pointing to the crowd after his third and final sack of the game (didn't include the sack because it was a lousy angle)

Clip 3: Jared sacks Brunell in the first quarter, forcing a fumble.

Clip 4: Jared sacks Brunell later in the game (this is the very last clip in the video before the final whipcrack).

Anyway, definitely one of his better games! I had a few more sacks that I would have liked to have included, but there just wasn't room. :(

by GoChiefs81 on Apr 8, 2008 1:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Thank you

for the hard work and entertaining video. By the way, what is his little roll up thing he does and then extends his arms?

by Lanier63 on Apr 8, 2008 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions

re: move

That's his "hog-tie" move, i.e. he just hog-tied that squealin' QB.

Jared has rodeo roots so it makes sense.

by GoChiefs81 on Apr 8, 2008 7:19 PM CDT up reply actions

I didn't look closely enough

sorry...it was a great video. And I am sure glad he chose the rodeo move instead of that weird awkward dance thing he did at one point in the video.

by PVChiefsfan on Apr 9, 2008 7:36 AM CDT up reply actions

Awesome

video! It brightened my day.

by ilamuku on Apr 8, 2008 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Guess where a former scout thinks the Chiefs

will finish this year? He thinks we will be drafting second in April 2009.

http://profootballexperts.scout.com/2/743015.html

by Lanier63 on Apr 8, 2008 12:00 PM CDT reply actions

Huh?

4. Oakland - Beanie Wells, Ohio State, RB
After a two-year absence, Denny Green returns to the bay area as the first major change in new managing general partner Carl Peterson era.

CP to the Raiders? this guy is an ass-hat...

by PVChiefsfan on Apr 8, 2008 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions

With few elite LTs in the league

Michael Oher will probably be in, at least, the top 3. He figures to be the best LT coming out at this point and scouts aren't wrong about highly ranked LTs very often. Look at this year...you could configure the draft in just about any order you want and there is going to be a team that is going to take Jake Long in the top 5. Elite linemen are hard to come by.

by Joel Thorman on Apr 8, 2008 2:09 PM CDT up reply actions