A lot of Chiefs love out there this morning. Balance that with a lot of ridicule for Smith. Today's Kansas City Chiefs news includes two excellent articles. Be sure to check out the USA Today story on Haley, and the NFL.com article on how the Chiefs are making the "Patriot Way" their own. Happy Thursday.
"Last year was a very important part of any success we have going forward," Haley said. "I keep saying that, because I believe it.
"Any of us that survived last year, for one reason or another, will be better coaches, players, team. Last year was a fact that wasn’t going to change. It might have been two wins, it might have been six wins; it could have been eight wins. But I don’t really think the overall result was going to be affected much. We had too much work to do."
Chiefs' ugly 2009 season set the stage for surprise start this year from KC Star
"Last year was about one thing — Let the alarm clock ring, major wake-up call and a lot of pain and suffering," Haley says of laying last season's 4-12 foundation. "But that's the only way it could be. I took a lot of flak for that. My image takes a hit because everybody thinks I'm a crazy dude, the public perception of me. "This year I've really worked hard at the team-building aspect of things, showing movies, and just different motivational things to try to get us closer." Gentler Todd Haley part of the recipe for Chiefs' winning ways from USA Today
Rookie second-round pick Arenas spent his practice time conditioning, but the reserve cornerback and return specialist insisted there is nothing to be worried about.
"Everything is fine," Arenas said. "I just have a sore ankle. It’s a bye week, so why go out there and risk making it worse? But I’m going to be fine for Indy."
Chiefs Notebook | Jackson goes through drills; Arenas has sore ankle; Hali earns AFC honor; Weis recovering from KC Star
No, this couldn’t be the same Chiefs. This is one of those Twilight Zone shows where the Kansas City football team is replaced by a good spirited alien race from the planet NewEnglandanzia that has taken an intergalactic interest in America’s favorite game.
Alright, minus a Scooby Doo de-masking of the fourth kind, we can probably rule out the alien takeover. But how can you explain this drastic turnaround?A Sobering Reminder from WPI
"I think everybody in the world of the NFL is surprised that the Chiefs are 3-0, but what I'm not surprised about is how they're playing defensively," said former Patriots linebacker and current ESPN studio analyst Tedy Bruschi. "I don't even want to say they're playing outstanding defensively, but they look fundamentally sound, like they know what they're doing. And that's what Romeo brings to the table."
Chiefs' version of the Patriot Way no longer just an imitation from NFL.com
Illegal Fluffing, Holding...& Tugging, Sack (Oh, that's already taken), Illegal hands to the Base, Illegal Shafting, Offguys, Encrotchment, Too Many Men on the Feel. Those should be good for starters.
Football is famous for defining plays and events with names like "The Catch", "The Immaculate Reception", "The Mud Bowl", "The Drive", etc. and it would seem that these incidents themselves are worthy of names as too. The Shaun Smith offense on Alex Mack will forever be known as the "Mack Attack." The one against Anthony Davis will be referenced as the "San Francisco Treat".
NFL Rage: Encrotchment, Field Goals & Slavery from Xtra Point Football
Moeaki, who wore No. 81 at Iowa, wears No. 81 for the Chiefs. In his first game, Moeaki's first NFL reception resulted in his first career touchdown in a Monday Night Football win over the San Diego Chargers. He recorded three receptions for 21 yards to lead the Chiefs in receiving. In the Chiefs second game, a win over the Cleveland Browns, he led the team again in receiving, tallying five catches for 58 yards. Moeaki, a teammate of former Hawkeye Casey Wiegmann, led the Chiefs with four receptions in the team's win over the San Francisco 49ers in week three.
Moeaki Turning Heads in NFL from HawkeyeSports.com
Package abuse is a crime against humanity. Against the natural order. Against all that is good and right, noble and just. It hurts to suffer; it hurts to watch. (Except tee-ball-to-dad's-groin home videos. Those are always funny). It ought to be prosecuted in The Hague, or at least be subject to a Simon Cowell tongue-lashing.
Instead, we treat it lightly. A fine here, a suspension there. Kid gloves. The result? A silent social epidemic. The kids call it "Roshambo." They've even made a game out of it. A game! Where did it all go wrong? No matter. It's time to take our country back. And Page 2 is here to help.
Page 2 hits abusers where it hurts from ESPN
Berry donated money to the Fairburn football program to purchase 70 new Adidas uniforms, along with coaching gear for the staff.
"It’s funny because when he first signed, Eric said ‘Coach, I want to do something for you all,’" Creekside coach Johnny White said. "I said, ‘Eric you don’t have to do that. I know you’ve got your hands full.’
Kansas City Chiefs DB Eric Berry gives $$$$$ to his alma mater from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After the bye week, they face a reality check in Indianapolis against the Colts. The Chiefs are likely to go 1-3 against that division (AFC South), but if they can go 4-2 in the AFC West, their nondivisional schedule is easy enough to allow them to pull off five more wins. With a break, they may get to 10, making them a contender by virtue of the schedule.
Contender or pretender? from ESPN
In this post, we’re going to look at two teams leading the West divisions – the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs and the 2-1 Seattle Seahawks. The thing these teams have in common, besides first-place standings, is massive home-field advantages. But can these home-field advantages lead these teams to division titles? Let’s look at the facts and then try to predict the future for these teams this season – even if that prediction ends up being outlandish.
OP: Can the Wests be won at home? from MVN
Whatever his methods, the journeyman Smith has been a major upgrade over Tyson Jackson, who was the No. 3 overall draft choice in 2009. Last year, Jackson made 38 tackles all season. He injured his knee in this season’s opener, and in his place, Smith already has 15 tackles. He has become an unlikely standout for the 3-0 Chiefs.
Since he’s now a star, his move needs a name.
My suggestion? The Shaun Smith Package Deal.
TAKE TWO: An alternative look at the day in sports from The Columbia Daily Tribune
A FORMER NFL star is finding new fame on the gridiron and is off to a promising start early in a new chapter of his football career.
Devard Darling gave early indications that his move to the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League (UFL) would be a productive one as he helped propel his team to a thrilling 27-26 win last weekend over the Hartford Colonials.
Darling off to promising start in the United Football League from The Bahamas Tribune
The Gophers will retire the jersey No. 78 to honor Bobby Bell, the Pro and College Football Hall of Famer who wore it, at their homecoming game Oct. 2 against Northwestern.
As a Gopher, Bell helped head coach Murray Warmath’s team rebound from a 2-7 season in 1959-60 to an 8-1 record, a national title and a Rose Bowl berth in 1960-61.
Gophers retiring Bobby Bell's jersey Saturday from The Minnesota Daily
Tony Moeaki: Just one week after Randy Moss makes his right hand look like a magnet for the ball with a one-handed touchdown catch, Kansas City Chiefs tight end tops it with his own, better version. Late in the third quarter, Matt Cassel threw an 18-yard pass to Moeaki in the back of the end zone and the rookie leaped into the air, snagged it with one hand and landed in bounds for the touchdown. Are you kidding me? This could be the play of the year and it's only Week 3.
NFL Winners and Losers - Week 3 from Xtra Point Football
The following week pits the Colts against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, maybe the surprise team of this early NFL season. With a defense that has only allowed 38 points this year, they may give Peyton Manning some trouble if they continue playing as well as they have.
Can the Indianapolis Colts Finish 15-1? from Opposing Views