As I recall, there is something going on tonight. Something Chiefs related... Oh well. Here's your Kansas City hiefs news from across the internet. Back from travelling. The bad news is I got in so late last night that I was unable to head into NYC to get draft tickets. I'll be watching from home tonight with the rest of you. Boo.
Will it be a big, burly offensive tackle like Russell Okung or Bryan Bulaga? Is a defensive player like Eric Berry or Rolando McClain about to become the newest member of the Chiefs? Is there a name coming out of the blue, matching what happened last year when Tyson Jackson was Kansas City’s first-round choice.
The question of who will be the Chiefs first-round selection should be answered Thursday evening with the start of the 2010 NFL Draft. Maybe the biggest question is whether Scott Pioli and Todd Haley stay at the fifth choice of the first round, or will they take the bait offered by another team and move down in the order?
When a football team has won just 10 games in the last three NFL seasons there are always a lot of question that must be answered. This three-day selection meeting is hugely important to Pioli/Haley in their attempt to reverse the fortunes of the Chiefs. With eight selections in the first 144 players, they must use those choices to infuse the roster with badly needed talent.
It’s Decision Day … Thursday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz
If there’s a lesson to be learned about Scott Pioli from last year’s draft, his first as general manager of the Chiefs, it’s that he’s not going to gamble with Clark Hunt’s money.
Top five draft picks will command in excess of $20 million in guarantees on their initial contracts and Pioli isn’t about to throw that kind of cash at someone with a reasonable chance of going bust.
No, Pioli is determined to get something for that chunk of Hunt’s change. He may get someone who will never play in a Pro Bowl, like perhaps Tyson Jackson, but it’s going to be someone with a low probability of complete failure.
Pioli would rather be safe than sorry with first pick from KC Star
Scott Pioli is in his 16th month leading the Chiefs. He has fired and hired coaches, traded a future Hall of Famer, and given a quarterback a $63 million contract.
What he hasn’t done — yet — is run a draft that provides the Chiefs any obvious improvement.
Starting today, for a handful of reasons, this NFL draft gives the Chiefs as good a chance to improve as they may ever have with Pioli as general manager. The consequences for not taking advantage are real and deep.
“If it’s not better, then forget about it just being a long season,” says Chris Landry, a longtime scout and now a consultant for about a third of the league. “It’s going to be long, about a three-year run. They need to hit it and they need to hit it strong.”
Pioli must have a strong draft from KC Star
and your Whitlock alert...
I want Dez Bryant.
He’s the apple of my draft eye, the big-time playmaker capable of making life easier for Matt Cassel, Charlie Weis and Todd Haley and Sundays a lot more exciting inside Arrowhead Stadium.
Dez Bryant, the Oklahoma State receiver, is the second-most-talented player in this draft, behind only Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh.
Bryant, according to all of the expert-generated mock drafts, isn’t worthy of the No. 5 pick. He’s slated to go as high as No. 7 to the Cleveland Browns (ESPN’s Mel Kiper) and as low as No. 22 to the New England Patriots (NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan).
The Chiefs pick at No. 5 tonight in the NFL draft.
I want Dez Bryant. And I don’t care how the Chiefs get him.
Please draft Dez Bryant from KC Star
The jury is very much still out on Pioli's first draft in Kansas City. First-round choice Tyson Jackson, a defensive end out of LSU, became an instant starter but seemed to disappear in many games. So far, the only 2009 draftee who has made much of a mark is Mr. Irrelevant, the last player selected. Kicker Ryan Succop was 25 for 29 for an 86.2 percent accuracy that was fifth best in team history.
"I still feel very good about the draft last year," said Pioli. "We're expecting improvement from all those players. We saw improvement during the season."
In fairness to Pioli, he did not have his own staff on board last year. Now he does. Only a couple of scouts were retained and Phil Emery was hired as director of college scouting. In addition, this year's evaluation process will include new coordinators Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel, who bring a wealth of experience to the job as well as a history of working with Pioli and coach Todd Haley elsewhere.
Chiefs have many draft needs from The Topeka Capital-Journal
THE RIGHT 53? – If a team is looking for a mature player, they won’t find one that fits the mold better than Pitta. He worked hard to elevate himself as a walk-on, and then had to work hard again after two years away from the team to reach the level where he became a major offensive threat. He’s married, is a student of the game and he’s got good bloodlines: his father was a starting MLB for the University of California in the late 1960s.
What he said – “I’m coming into the league a little older than other guys. Maybe my career over the long run may be shortened. But I think I’m coming in with a little more maturity, a little more life experience, if that helps, and there were some important lessons I was able to learn on my mission I’ll be able to apply at the next level: hard work and discipline.”
Draft Profile: Dennis Pitta from Bob Gretz
THE RIGHT 53? – An athletic big man, Joseph underwent back surgery between the 2007 and 2008 seasons, but did not miss a game. There are however, questions about his conditioning and that leads to questions about his work ethic.
What he said – “I’m going to work hard and I’m going to never give up. I’m going to give it all I have.”
Draft Profile: Linval Joseph from Bob Gretz
THE RIGHT 53? – If you want to add a winner, add Wilson. At Piscataway High School in New Jersey, his team was 33-3 over his three seasons of play, with three state titles and Wilson won MVP honors in title games played in ‘02 and ‘04. At Boise State over the four seasons that he was part of the active roster, the Broncos went 49-4 with two unbeaten seasons. So in the last seven years of his playing, Wilson has an 82-7 record. If an NFL team is interested in a winner they couldn’t find anyone more qualified than Kyle Wilson.
What he said – “I think I’m the best at what I do. I strive to be the best. I pay attention to all of the small details and I go out there and compete. I love to compete and I don’t like to lose.”
Draft Profile: Kyle Wilson from Bob Gretz
Yes, it easy to feel as though September is light years away, but this weeks NFL draft that coincides with the release of the 2010 schedule Tuesday evening, we can now get the much-needed jolt of football serum for any die-hard Chiefs fan. It is the first time we will get an evaluation of what we can expect from this newly tooled regime.
It has been a little over ten years since Scott Pioli, Todd Haley, Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel have created a team from scratch. Now this fleet assembles again, trying to resurrect a once proud franchise. Before the addition of Weis and Crennel, PioliKansas City Chiefs: The Next Generation from Scout.com
There it sits all alone, a game unlike the others. Join me in welcoming the Kansas City Chiefs to Reliant Stadium on Oct. 17.
Say hello to your guaranteed victory. This is the one and only game on the 2010 schedule that looks like a dead-solid, no-questions-asked victory for our Texans.
How's that for a cold slap in the kisser? Of course, you'll immediately focus on the other 15 games. Always worrying about what you don't have instead of what you do.
Real fans would take that guaranteed victory and savor it. That's one more than the Lions and Chiefs have, so there. Why look for trouble?
Justice: Texans need to finish deal in 2010 from The Houston Chronicle
So for the first time in five years, the Chiefs will open the season in primetime, playing the San Diego Chargers at the revamped Arrowhead Stadium on September 13. The Chiefs play in the second half of a doubleheader. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:15 p.m.
Tickets are on sale now. Arrowhead Pride points out one problem with the Chiefs' Monday night game: The Kansas City Royals are scheduled to play the Oakland A's that same night at the K.'Monday Night Football' game highlights Kansas City Chiefs' 2010 schedule from The Pitch
Tickets are available for the Kansas City Chiefs annual Draft Day Party on Thursday at the Chiefs indoor training facility at the Truman Sports Complex.
Doors will open at 4 p.m. with "Voice of the Chiefs" Mitch Holthus providing commentary along with Chiefs players and personalities throughout the evening. The NFL draft begins at 6:30 p.m. live from New York with the Chiefs scheduled to pick fifth overall. The event is scheduled to end one hour after Kansas City make its first-round selection.
Chiefs to host draft event from The Topeka Capital-Journal
Dan Meers - better known as the Kansas City Chiefs mascot, KC Wolf - was the guest speaker for Wednesday's 39th annual Honor Athletes Awards luncheon sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.
Meers, a University of Missouri grad, spoke to the student athletes from the Sioux Falls area about the importance of personal relationships and being a role model and how his joy comes from areas off the field such as his faith.
Area athletes receive awards at Honor luncheon from ArgusLeader.com
The Green Bay Packers have hired Tim Connolly of the Jacksonville Jaguars to be vice president of sales and marketing.
Connolly has 16 years of sales and
marketing experience with three National Football League teams, including the Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Packers hire sales vice president from Green Bay Press-Gazette
Should Tennessee safety Eric Berry get picked by the Kansas City Chiefs with the fifth overall selection -- or before that -- he would become the first defensive back tabbed in the top five since the late Sean Taylor went fifth to Washington in 2004. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper believes players of Berry's ability are becoming increasingly valuable.
"Back in the day you could say it was a different game," Kiper said, "but now with the way everyone is throwing the football, you see how important Ed Reed is to the Baltimore Ravens and (Troy) Polamalu is to Pittsburgh and (Brian) Dawkins when he was in Philadelphia and now in Denver. You see all these safeties around the league who are so critical to the success of their defense.
Tennessee's Eric Berry may be rarity in top 5 from Go Vols Xtra
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger found out on Wednesday how much it cost him to be drunk and stupid:
$1,894,117.64.
That’s how much Roethlisberger will lose in pay if he serves the minimum four-game suspension that was handed to him by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The league disciplinary action is for six games, but can be dropped to four if Roethlisberger completes mandated counseling that must begin now.
If he Steelers quarterback continues his stupid behavior and doesn’t take the chance being given to him, he would not only miss six games, but would also be suspended during Pittsburgh’s bye week. That would cost him $3,314,705.87.
NFL Suspends Big Ben from Bob Gretz
If that ring comes, it will be this weekend. The NFL Draft begins with the first round at 6:30 p.m. today. Rounds two and three will start at 5 p.m. Friday and rounds four through seven will start at 9 a.m. Saturday. All seven rounds will be aired on ESPN and take place in Radio City Music Hall in New York.
The nearly 700 lb. duo, who have been friends since playing Pop Warner football together in eighth grade, are both expected to at least sign as an undrafted free agent after the draft, as former Eastern defensive end Pierre Walters, now with the Kansas City Chiefs, did a year ago.
But the buzz surrounding the pair leads both to believe they have a chance to become the first Eastern football players to be drafted since 1999.Campbell, Hudson ready for NFL showcase from dennews.com
Back then, few people at OHS knew Baldridge was about to embark on a journey that now has him on the cusp of a career in professional football.
Baldridge is hoping that start comes with being drafted in this weekend's NFL Draft. If not, then a free agent contract...
...He's also communicating with the Kansas City Chiefs.
According to NFLDraftscout.com, Baldridge is rated 58 out of 130 offensive tackles. He is projected as a late-round draft pick by draft analysts.
Baldridge's journey from Daily World
Stringer prepared for the draft by training at 68's Inside Sports, the Kansas City training facility operated by former Chiefs guard Will Shields.
"I've been working on offensive line stuff with him," Stringer said. "He's just showing me little things that he's picked up over the years. He's a 12-time Pro Bowler. He's a great teacher and a good coach. He's really helped me a lot."
Stringer is one of several Wildcats who will be watching the phone during Saturday's later rounds. Mastrud, receiver Brandon Banks, defensive end Jeffry Fitzgerald and corner Josh Moore all are projected as late-round picks or free agents.
Stringer hopes for chance from The Topeka Capital-Journal
Player Tweets
BCarr39 Just smashed some Smokehouse BBQ! #stuffed
BCarr39 Time to recharge the battery for tomorrow's grind session. Gnite world!
BCarr39 Oh yea I almost forgot. Come kick it with me and some of my other teammates at the Chiefs complex tomorrow for the Draft party @5pm!
GlennDorsey72 Boyz n da hood is on...
Media and Fans
ArrowheadPride Barely made it for my plane to NY. They had to call my name over the loudspeaker!
kentbabb OK, I'll go out there tomorrow, but if I see @mitch_holthus, I'm gonna put him in a Russian leg sweep and then an elbow drop for the 1-2-3.
mortreport RT @EricStangel: Reason to look forward to the NFL Draft #2 My sources tell me w/ 8th pick Raiders will again draft Darrius Heyward-Bey
Adam_Schefter Put me down for at least three QBs to go in the first round and quite possibly four - Bradford, Clausen, McCoy and Tebow.