After coming back from a long weekend away in Chicago, I obviously love to come home to find everything back in its right place. It's comforting to see certain things again, even just for the sake of security and comfort. And, after checking e-mail, postal mail and unpacking, it becomes time to catch up on all things sports. And it's here that I'm glad that I don't see certain things: Kansas City Chiefs headlines.
This is the time of year you don't want to be seen or heard. There's nothing to say in late May or the first of June. In fact, there's nothing to say all spring or summer. That's bad news for the likes of us who thrive on some level of media output from the Powers-That-Be, but it's great for the makings of a football team.
Case in point: Apparently Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini forced(?) all of his rookies to make the long 10-hour bus ride to Hartford, Connecticut to support his charity for at-risk children there. Good cause? I'm sure it is. Drama? Yes. Mangini has a penchant for this - riling up his players and making the wrong move. He talks when he shouldn't talk. He moves where he shouldn't move. He operates in ways the most successful don't operate. And the Browns have looked like a clown car since they hired him.
In short, you have players all mad at a coach. You have a team spinning PR yarns for the guy they must back-up. You have reporters putting their credibility on the lines for their source. And it's wonderful for guys like Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser who now have some drama to discuss.
It's the same thing in Minnesota, where QB carousels always generate a line wanting to ride it. Is Brett Favre in or not? What about trading for Sage Rosenfels? And what about all the speaking of Tarvaris Jackson? Well, apparently defensive tackle Pat Williams questioned his conditioning (gotta love a 300+ pound man yelling at you about conditioning) and uses the media for the outlet. Same drama ensues and Vikes fans have something to discuss this morning.
We've watched it unfold in Denver for much of the off-season as well and we've had a good time of it. Of course, Oakland is the carousel that never stops, so everyone just gets sick from being dizzy all the time.
So what about Kansas City? It's late May and there's no headlines. Practices come and go and we have to dig for the story. We have to read between the lines and stir the pot ourselves if we want to even generate any controversy. But the team? Not talking. And it didn't take long. One leak, credible or not, about Brian Waters and then... end of discussion. Possible rows with Todd Haley and the players? Apparently not as everyone involved, coach included, just has their head down at this stage of the season.
So while it makes for boring conversation this time of year, that's exactly what you want to happen for your team this time of year. This time of year is prime time for the likes of the Browns, Bengals and Raiders because, eight months from now, we'll be talking about the Steelers, Patriots, Titans... and hopefully the Chiefs.
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