Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 6/20

Minicamp Day Three Recap from The Mothership

Q: What's the difference going into this training camp versus last year?

REID: "Yeah, we're ahead of that, just the natural progression. That's a good feeling. We were able to add some more to our packages. The guys weren't shocked by it. Last year every day was a new day and it was a heavy work load plus the mental art of that and the new scheme. They are quite a bit ahead of that."

Q: How do you spend the next few weeks before training camp?

REID: "I'm going to try and relax a little bit. I've got a place out west I go to. You can visit. We'll make a splash, you and I - a real big splash."

Player Profile: Demetrius Harris from The Mothership

The last time Harris played in a football game was high school in Jacksonville, Ark. His primary focus has been on basketball, that is, until April of 2013 when he received a call from the Chiefs.

"I thought it was an April Fool's joke at first, I didn't believe it," Harris said. "I prepared for the next four days and then tried out at Pro Day. I guess I impressed the coaches and ended up getting calls from a lot of other teams too in the following weeks. It was a long journey to get here, but it's crazy how it all worked out."

Chiefs Training Camp Schedule And Dates from The Mothership

Training camp will officially kick off on Thursday, July 24 with a 3:30 p.m. practice and conclude with the club's final practice on Aug. 14 at 8:15 a.m. All practices beginning on July 24 will be open to the public. Practices conducted indoors due to inclement weather at Missouri Western will not be open to the public. Groups of players will sign autographs following each practice session.

Unless otherwise noted, all outdoor training camp practices will be free of charge. Missouri Western will charge a $5 parking fee per vehicle per day.

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Mini Camp Day Three Gallery

KCChiefs.com Video: Minicamp: Andy Reid

Chiefs Put Minicamp In The Books from Chiefs Spin

Quarterback Alex Smith found wide receiver Dwayne Bowe along on the right corner of the end zone during goal line work. Looked like a miscommunication between the defensive backs.

Kickers Ryan Succop and Cairo Santos took turns booming kicks from beyond 40 yards, moving back in 5-yard increments. A lot of kicks, especially from Santos, hit the wall, which is roughly an additional 10 yards from the back of the end zone.

Chiefs Wrap Up Final Minicamp With Questions from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

The Chiefs carried a whole bunch of unknowns into training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., last year, when Reid was brought on to turn around the fortunes of a two-win team. He managed to do it, too, leading the once-proud franchise to an 11-win season and the playoffs.

But hamstrung by the salary cap, the Chiefs were forced to let several starters depart in free agency, and then waived Flowers last week to free up additional space. As a result, there were just 16 players on the roster -- which stood at 88 on Thursday -- who were also on the team two years ago, when Reid and general manager John Dorsey first moved to town.

Again, Reid sees no cause for alarm. He believes the Chiefs are well ahead of where they were a year ago, when Alex Smith was a newcomer and veterans such as Jamaal Charles were learning the system.

Chiefs Release Training Camp Schedule from Chiefs Spin

The Chiefs on Thursday announced the complete training camp schedule at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Mo...

...The complete schedule, including what days carries an admission fee, breaks down as follows:

Chiefs Need To Put Thomas' Speed To Use from ESPN

Rookie De'Anthony Thomas hasn't been a constant at Kansas City Chiefs' offseason practice, which concludes Thursday. He had to skip 10 of their 16 practices because of NFL rules prohibiting players from participating while their college was still in session, as Oregon was until last week.

But Thomas has been around enough to flash his speed, which is world class.

CBs Marcus Cooper, Ron Parker Preparing For Challenge from Chiefs Spin

The Chiefs' defensive secondary compared to last summer has a different look heading into training camp in late July. Gone from the 2013 defense are cornerback Brandon Flowers, and safeties Kendrick Lewis and Quintin Demps.

While the free safety position is covered with Husain Abdullah and Sanders Commings, questions loom at cornerback in light of Flowers' release on June 13.

But the roster changes haven't affected how cornerbacks Marcus Cooper and Ron Parker focus on daily preparations.

Kickoff To Success from The Messenger

Kickoff to Success Football Camp will show Fort Dodge kids that it is possible to be a success.

Brandon Meriweather of the Washington Redskins and Dezman Moses of the Kansas City Chiefs are participating in the one-day youth football camp.

Vahe Gregorian:  Comedian And Royals Fan Rob Riggle Says Pain Has A Payoff from KC Star via The Modesto Bee

Do you dare believe?

"When a city gets beaten down long enough, and they go a long time without getting to a championship, they start to believe they're snake-bitten. Or they start to believe, 'Oh, here we go again. Oh, boy,'" said Riggle, who as a Kansas graduate has had a lifeline via KU basketball. "I think it's time we shake off that cloak and start expecting to win again."

In the next breath, he acknowledged the Chiefs' "meltdown" in the playoffs against Indianapolis, squandering a 28-point lead in a 45-44 defeat, their eighth straight playoff loss dating to 1993.

But, really, that only helped him make his point better.

"Look," he said, laughing, "here's the deal: The Chiefs' fate and the Royals' fate, that's my fate."

For Sports Teams, There Is Life After Dropping Offensive Mascots from KC Star

A horse no longer gallops around the stadium mounted by a guy dressed in Indian regalia. He's been replaced by a cheerleader, sans indigenous garb. A major advertiser quit promoting a chant that was accompanied by chopping "tomahawk" motion and war whoops. The band stopping playing the music behind the chant; the cheerleaders stopped participating. A department store quit selling the foam tomahawks for fans to brandish. Our new mascot, K.C. Wolf, is inoffensively hokey.

See? It can be done.

But it wasn't exactly done willingly. The Chiefs changed only reluctantly after protests by native people started convincing others. The organization apparently decided its business was football, not historical pantomime, and ditched the offending imagery. Then, as now, howls were heard bemoaning political correctness run amok.