Thursday ThumbTubes: Oldie But Goodie

The crew over at Arrowhead Pride just never stops delivering. Great stuff from them all the time. This clip has drive-on-drive highlights from the famous '94 game at the Old Mile High. Lots of familiar names, and lots of terrible post-game gear for the winning team. But most of all, at the 1:00 mark, some 15-year-old home cookin' that the Chiefs were luckily able to overcome.

It's been a minute since the Chiefs were any good, but I still love this rivalry, if you can still call it that.

For other interesting reads over at AP, check out this brief fan Q&A, this piece on Denver Head Coach Josh McDaniels talking about Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel, and this piece on Cassel talking about McDaniels.
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For Those About To Douche, We Salute You

If I have one rule, it's this: Videos with gentlemens proudly rocking pink polos get posted on this blog. Join us, will you, after the jump...



Hat tip: Sullivan
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Tradition Tuesday: Bye Week Blues

Every NFL team gets a week off during the season. If you're the 1-6 Chiefs this is a welcome respite. If you're their 6-0 division rivals from Denver, you'd rather keep playing while you're hot. As these two clubs take turns depriving their home fans of Sunday football, we check in on the season so far.

In case you're new to the House, or you've forgotten how things work around here, I'm the Broncos fan and Bank is the Chiefs fan. Carry on...

Old No. 7: I haven't watched much of the Chiefs yet this season, but I caught quite a bit of Sunday's San Diego game. The offense looked rough, and Matt Cassel was sloppy and erratic (many dropped passes didn't help). How does the offensive product on the field compare to what Todd Haley advertised in the offseason?

Bankmeister: Honestly, I don't think Todd Haley advertised anything in the off-season. There was nothing but talk of finding the right 53 guys, and installing a system that would eventually produce championship football teams.

Old No. 7: There was no talk, to your knowledge, about what kind of offense Haley was going to install? How he was going to use Larry Johnson, the run/pass mix, the new tight ends? Maybe not, a lot of coaches are secretive.

Bankmeister: None whatsoever. There was talk of clean slates across the board, open, fair competition at every position, and a system that would generate wins. The secretiveness with which Pialey has operated, I would argue, is on a CIA sort of level.

Old No. 7: Is Cassel showing any progress?

Bankmeister: Cassel has shown some progress, but I feel like what he can ultimately deliver still remains an unknown. As you already know, prior to last year, he hadn't really played an significant football since high school. I thought he looked downright atrocious in week two's home-opening loss to Oakland, half the quarterback that Brodie Croyle was the previous week in Baltimore. So, weeks three through six he looked much better, but I can offer zero explanation to his miserly performance yesterday other than the repeated sacks have gotten to him mentally.

Old No. 7: What would the record be if Croyle had started all year?

Bankmeister: Three and four. We easily beat Oakland, and have more points on the board versus Dallas as the fourth quarter wraps up, thus negating overtime. We still lose yesterday, but it's a much, much closer game.

Old No. 7: I still think that's nuts, but again I don't watch this team as much as you do.

Bankmeister: You're not alone. The artist formerly known as the Lone Reader thinks I'm insane, too.

Old No. 7: Why is the line so ineffective--aren't there some high draft picks down there?

Bankmeister: The line is terrible for two reasons: 1) There was next to no noteworthy effort to build it in the Edwards regime. They drafted a couple tackles but Pialey have discarded (at least half) of all of the picks made my Herm and Carl. Some feel that Branden Albert shouldn't be at left tackle as he played guard in college. Brian Waters is usually stellar, but he's in this weird, unprecedented (for him) penalty-acquiring phase. Cutting Casey Wiegmann two years ago was crippling, especially considering where he ended up, and the right side of the line has never recovered from the John Tait trade/Will Shields retirement. It is abysmal, and Haley doesn't appear to believe in giving a line time to gel and play together for consecutive weeks as it's more important to him to cut/sign the weakest 10 roster spots every damn week.

Old No. 7: And now Larry Johnson is calling out his coach on Twitter, a gutless move but indicative of serious trust issues between labor and management. Do you think Haley has lost this team? If so, do you think he's capable of putting this locomotive back on the tracks anytime soon?

Bankmeister: The concept of losing a team is largely over-analyzed in my opinion. People discuss it with such confidence and frequency that it's irritating. I think it's way too early to even speculate on such a notion, and I think most of the personnel would say that Haley knows what he's doing. I recognize the building blocks in place. At least I think I do: team first, establish an aggressive, balanced offensive attack, and stick to the fundamentals. Any guys that're left over are probably still adjusting to the player's-coach approach, which I deem as soft and bereft of responsibilty.

Old No. 7: Do you think that Jim Zorn, Jack Del Rio, Dick Jauron or Tom Cable have lost the respect of the men that play for them? Do you think that the players on their teams give maximum effort and focus every week? I don't--I think those coaches are dead men walking. I think it's pretty obvious in any given NFL game if a team is prepared and motivated to play. I guess my question is if you see that preparation and motivation--signs of good coaching--or if Johnson's blatant insubordination is more widespread.

Bankmeister: I don't either. That is, I agree with you on all accounts except for Del Rio. Something's just not right there, and I hang more of that on the players. Zorn and Cable were probably never cut out for the job. Jauron is one of those guys that was either meant to be a coordinator or the game has passed him by. I think something's awry in Jacksonville beyond coaching, and Del Rio will find work elsewhere. I do see it. I see it every week. Guys are just heading into Sunday not knowing if they're going to be starting or what, which means that the message that you better give 110 percent on every snap in practice and in the game hasn't resonated yet. The actions and words of Larry Johnson go no further than #27. They never have. They never will.

Old No. 7: So what I'm pulling out of this is that you're less than pleased with Haley's personnel decisions (starting/sitting/playing time) but you're OK with the direction he's taking the team in and play-calling? Is that fair?

Bankmeister: I don't know where you're getting the first part of that. I'm mostly fine with everything he's done. I do feel, however, that I've, for a number of years, heard that the five guys up front need to work together to gel as a unit. If that's 100 percent true all the time, then he needs to incorporate that into his gameplan.

Old No. 7: On numerous occasions--both here and earlier in the season--you've pointed out that Haley jerks guys around, benches them, cuts them, and indicated that you thought this made it harder to build team cohesion.

But let's be perfectly clear here. You think Haley has done a good job this far, despite a 1-6 record. You also think Trey Hillman bears zero responsibility for the Royals losing 97 games this year. In both cases you place blame for losing solely on the GMs and the poorly built teams. Is this accurate, or an overstatement?

Bankmeister: The cohesion point applies to the offensive line only. Anywhere else I think a good case can be made for play up to your potential, and in a fashion the coach wants, or be prepared to sit. The only incongruence in the application of the philosophy has come in the form of the quarterback and the running back. I don't think it's time to give up on Cassel, but there have been situation in which I thought Brodie would've performed better. As far as Larry Johnson (who has issued an apology via his agent and been asked by the team to refrain from practicing and participating in team activities) is concerned, it's a tough situation: His numbers show that he's the worst starting back in football, but he plays behind a mostly terrible line. You can't increase your YPC if you're getting hit in the backfield on a significant number of your carries. If we lose to Jacksonville in two weeks, I'll be looking to see a Croyle/Charles combo in week 10.

Yes. Let's be perfectly clear: No one, no how, gets a good-job star on their homework at 1-6. I like the direction he's going, the foundation he appears to be attempting to instill. Say what you will about Haley and Hillman. This isn't the first time we've differed on opinions and it sure as hell won't be the last. Let's just say you chuckle at the notion of trusting the process, while I, at least for now, trust it.

Old No. 7: Are these games selling out? Any threat of a blackout this year? How's the civic football mood compare to last season?

Bankmeister: They are. I don't think the house has been at capacity for any game yet, but the latest report I had was that the sellout streak is likely safe until December. I can't say much about the mood as far as changes. Losing blows. There's little talent on this team, and when you lose, people examine everything -- who you're starting, how you're managing the game, the plays you're calling, the things you own, and especially those you don't. I read the papers, I listen to the TalkRadios, I discuss with my fellow citizens. Last year was miserable and very little has changed save the approach and the faces that are responsible for it.

What about your Broncos? You've mentioned that you were prepared to write about losing and losing only. Heading into the off-season, and then heading into the pre-season, I think most people would've projected for the current records of the Chiefs and the Broncos to be the reverse of what they are.

Old No. 7: Most people projected the Chiefs to be 6-0?

Bankmeister: No. What I meant to say was current directions.

Why has everything worked so well for Joshy-poo? Was there simply more talent to begin with? Were the free-agent acquisitions that huge? I know Mayor McVesco has all three inches of his manhood rock hard for "B-Dawk" as he likes to call him, but what's the deal?

Old No. 7: The cupboard was not empty for Josh McDaniels. This was a team, after all, that was 8-5 following a December win against your Chiefs last year. They had that infamous three-game division lead with three games to play. They were by no means a horrible team.

Neither was the maligned defense completely barren. The Broncos' best defensive player is Champ Bailey, who was injured in 2008. Even if they had not fired Shanahan, even if they had stuck with the same defensive strategy that they've employed for a decade, it was inevitable that the results would improve with a healthy Champ.

The free agent signings have all been home runs, which doesn't hurt. My concern at the time was their collective age--Brian Dawkins is 36, Vonnie Holliday 33, Andre Goodman 31, Renaldo Hill 30, Andra Davis 30, Ron Fields 28, Darrell Reid 27. Outside of a few minor dings, this team has (jinx alert!) yet to absorb a single injury. That remarkable fact is the single biggest reason they've yet to lose a game. Injuries are inevitable, especially with a defense that's heavily reliant on graybeards. I worry that these guys are going to start getting hurt, and that the depth chart won't be able to sustain this level of shutdownery...

I'm particularly pessimistic about Dawkins, an opinion that places me in a minuscule minority of Bronco Nation... It's inconceivable to me that a man my age, who plays such a physically brutal style of football, could make it an entire NFL season without some down time. While he plays, however, he's remarkable. The guy excels in every aspect of the game, and his leadership qualities were not overestimated. Guys love lining up with him.

Bankmeister: You claimed that the appointment of Colonel Xanders was borderline absurd, and of course there's the 46 running backs that collected checks from Pat Bowlen in 2008, the elitest of most now not on the roster all thanks to the play of If You Don't Knowshon.

Old No. 7: What's become clear to me this year is that I don't know a fucking thing about general managers in the NFL. There are some that stand out for being awful (Matt Millen) or self-promoting (A.J. Smith, Carl Peterson, Jerry Jones) or exceptional (Bill Polian). But by and large these guys are like baseball umpires--you should only notice them when they screw up badly. I don't have any idea how much Xanders is pulling the trigger on these decisions versus McDaniels, and I don't really care. Don't tell me about the delivery, just show me the baby.

Knowshon seems like the real deal, and I love how polished he is as a receiver and blocker. I wish he'd hit his holes a little harder, but I've also had my eyes trained by years of zone-blocking schemes to believe that Bronco running lanes are only open for the blink of an eye. This is a different coaching staff, and a bigger line that's capable of sustaining blocks longer. It seems like the old Bronco cut-blocking ways are--Oh Noes!--a thing of the past, Bank. Although I'm sure you'll find ways to fill out your Denver cheating conspiracy theories.

Bankmeister: Nah. My tank's empty, dude. When things were closer in the big-picture department, it was much easier to holler conspiracy. After six wins in 32 games, and a start where my team's 1-6 and yours is 6-0, my mental health has suffered extreme wounds. I'm considering therapy in an effort to distance myself from this game. My guts, my brains, and my emotions are so maimed that poking fun of Denver beyond the in-game texts sends me down the path of becoming a caricature of myself. My caveat, though, is that if we get good again, and I'm not in a round padded room with a white jacket on, I'll be back with my bull horn to scream "home cookin'."

You take McDaniel's alleged quarterback preference in Cassel, and you see his second choice in Orton outperforming the former. Then you take two similar malcontents like B-Marsh and LJ and one's now hugging his coach in post-game pressers and the other's calling out his coach for never having played the game. What's the difference between these two clowns? Is winning the restaurant equivalent to good sales in that it cures all ails?

Old No. 7: There are two major differences between Marshall and LJ. One is that Marshall can still play, he's capable of separating from defenders and impacting games. The other is that Marshall has yet to receive his big payday, so there is incentive for him to get with the program.

As for QBs, I think we're seeing yet again how vital good coaching is at that position. Cassel was terrific under McDaniels last year, not so much under Haley (is Dick Curl still in the mix?).

Bankmeister: Well there you go. No. Father Time, thank God, was sent packing. The bad side of that is that the QB coach is one of the three -- that, HCIC, OC -- hats that Haley is wearing.

Old No. 7: Jay Cutler played better under Shanahan than the complete hacks who now tutor him, Ron Turner and Lovie Smith. Kyle Orton, having escaped the Turner-Lovie hellhole, is flourishing under McDaniels. Time will tell if Doogie is a great or even good NFL coach. A lot of guys win right out of the gates and then fade. This team is jacked up and playing very hard as a team, hopefully they can sustain that level of intensity. But what's not in question is McDaniels' ability to coach up a signal-caller.

Bankmeister: Let's assume this club runs away with the division. What happens in the post-season? Do they take sweet revenge on Peyton and company? If this success carries into next year and Mike Shanahan gets a job in the AFC (or elsewhere), what're your feelings regarding a potential Shanny return to InVesCo? Do you wish him and his team the best in every game except that one?

Old No. 7: The 2009 Denver Broncos have the classic look of a team that wins 11, 12 or 13 regular season games and then flames out in their first playoff game to a more experienced squad. I do not think they can exorcise their postseason Colts demons this year. But hey, this bunch has surprised me all season long, maybe they have something special in reserve for January (assuming they get there, you jinx-encouraging son of a bitch). All those old-timers on defense turn from a liability to a strength come playoff time.

I think Mike Shanahan is a great coach who had a great run here, and I'll always love him for getting the Broncos over the top. But if he takes another job, he's just another coach. I wouldn't feel any differently about him than I do about Tomlin or Belichick or Coughlin. I would certainly not cheer for his team--I didn't cheer for the Ravens when Shannon Sharpe went to Baltimore or the Jets when Steve Atwater ended up in Jersey.

Bankmeister: Yeah. But you still love Shannon and I know you and Cecil both still rub out your morning wood to Atwater. Well, maybe Cec' feeds the Kleenex to his Randy Gradishar FatBoy, but whatever. The point is that Shanny, more than anyone else on any of those teams, is the one that got you your two rings. I think that I'd have a soft spot for him, especially if he wound up in say Buffalo. If Jerry Jones hires him, he can get lost.

Talk about The Suit. What sort of respect, if any, did you have for him prior to the hiring? This defense was pretty darn bad for several consecutive seasons, which implies that there was a mix of bad coordinating and personnel. What level of accolades are you giving him for this top-ranked squad?

Old No. 7: Mike Nolan is awesome, I want to kiss him on the mouth with tongue and an ass-grope. Again, it's still early and things could always fall apart, but thus far the schemes he's instilling are working. I'm always leery about blitzing all the time, because of course it leaves you vulnerable to big plays. The Broncos have yielded numerous long strikes to talented QBs like Tom Brady and Phil Rivers, but they've also deposited both of those gentlemen on their asses and rattled them. I'm beyond stoked to see what they can do to Peyton on Dec. 13, and I have never been excited to play Indy since he arrived there.

Nolan will get a lot of buzz as a head coaching candidate in the offseason, but to me he seems like Dick LeBeau, Buddy Ryan or Norv Turner--infinitely better as a coordinator than the top dog. He failed in San Francisco, and that head coaching failure constituted the bulk of my impression of Nolan entering the year. Selfishly, I hope he stays at DC in Denver. I'd even be willing to let him get to third base to make it happen.

Bankmeister: You're a sick fuck. Would you let him fondle your "top dog" while Buddy Ryan Tom Cabled you in the back of your noggin? I know a guy who can run video if you're looking to be a star.

Finally, the schedule. The consensus is that things get really rough for you guys coming out of the bye week, especially starting off with Baltimore on the road. You feeling pretty confident about continued success?

Old No. 7: I can't see how the schedule is now getting any tougher than it's been the last three weeks. Sure, the next five games are at Baltimore, Pittsburgh, at Washington, San Diego and the Giants. None of those clubs are pushovers save for the Skins. But all of those teams have shown weaknesses that can be exploited.

I'm not confident that this team is going to win every game from here on out, but I am confident that this is a good team with the pieces necessary to be competitive each week. What I like about the schedule is that with a 6-0 start, they only need to win four more games to be virtually assured of a playoff spot--and they have four eminently winnable games left with Washington, Oakland and Kansas City twice. If they can take three or four of those, they need only win a couple games against these better clubs to get into the 11-12 win range necessary to secure a bye (I'm conceding the No. 1 seed and home field to Indianapolis right now).

Bankmeister: That's too bad. I still think we sweep you this year. You know, 'cause we "dominated" Washington in our lone win.

Old No. 7: I'll make sure that prediction is saved for later this season.

Bankmeister: You do that. Save it. Copy and paste it. Put it in a non-Wiki'd Excel spreadsheet. I, as the saying goes, don't give a fuck!
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My Sports Life is a Rock Hip Hop Song: "Bionix"

Yo. How it be? I can't remember the last time we pulled out one of these features. I'm not even sure our archives are set up to go that far back. Like most of our series at one time or another, though, we're way overdue, and so we hope you enjoy this attempt to meld sports and music. Chances are you'll think it's super-dope lame, so if that's the case I'll apologize in advance. Truth be told, in case you were wondering, this song popped on the other day from the ol' iPod, and I'd just been wondering how long it's gonna take for De La to put out A.O.I. III. I mean, Christ -- ain't like we been waitin' eight years already. So, yeah. It was that and the fact that I couldn't bear to look at Cedric Benson's face anymore.

So this post goes out to the possibility of the new regime getting win number two this weekend when Norv and Marm' come to town. Rock it.

"Welcome to the second installment..
Y'all know my name so we ain't gotta get into alla that
Y'all know the deal
This is KC Chiefs part two, and we call this one Pialey
And as y'all always know, we gon' hit y'all with that KC shit
Yeah.. yeah..



Uh (better) yea (better, stronger)
Yea (better, stronger, faster)
Yea..

[Scott]



Ladies and gentlemen, we in the trench again
Makin' it a new team for you, and y'all deserve one, too
I'm introducin it, throw a little juice in it
Got rid of all that bullshit,



hope you weren't too used to it.

It's been a minute now, only a minute now
A little re-evaluatin', hope you feel me now.
I'm on some new me, focused on the new tree



Tryin to shake the money off the limbs for all them salary.

[Carl]



I blame the fans for it, I heard demands for it
Left for USA Football, they holdin' out they hands for it
Went to the youth, these kids are tryin' ta' dance for it
Ask for it after Todd brings you out of the break

[Todd]

Before we go any further, we wanna send a special thanks...

...to all those folks out there that been supportin KC since '89...

...Now that's a long time...

...Overseas, city to city, state to state...

...Yeah, we gon' keep bringin it live to you...

[Matt]



Unlike these underground MC's who rock for heads



We include the throat chest arms and legs.
No need throw a massive party to show you I'm here for a Lombardi.
I cultivate moves larger than that
And I don't ball too much, ya' dig
I gotta ball and chain at my crib who want my ass home
My heart beat USC metronome,
But I can adapt to where I'm at.
And even though I'll toss it sick to beat the blue,



I'm not a crip
So unlike Donkey fans I won't salute to look hip



But if I had to join a gang I'd join the Nation
Me, you, 48 of 50 states makes a huge creation
That drive cross style-country style, drivin' the short-bus mile



Hot and mild and I don't like my Sake tame
Drink a dozen cans of Life no weight I gain
We them champ type dishin' The 53 to make you love

...yeah kids...

Just a little taste how we gon' get things started in a minute
Sit back, get your gear on straight
Whether you're ridin' in a Escalade or a Pinto son, turn that shit up
Oh remember championship II comin soon, on some LJ shit
Yeah -- we about to get this shit poppin'..."
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Wednesday WhatYouWill: Start Making Sense

I think most Chiefs fans would agree on two things so far: 1) It's great that week one in Baltimore was not a complete route, and 2) It was great to see the team dominate the Oakland Raiders, and atrocious, albeit not that surprising, to watch them lose that game at home. Beyond that, there isn't a whole lot that folks can file under the tab of agreeance. As I mentioned Monday, Bill Maas has stirred up quite the flavorful broth, and I, for one, love it. It isn't a matter of who Maas' source is, or whether or not his slant is correct. What it suggests, on the other hand, is that Todd Haley might be committed to the notion of every position on this roster being a must-earn job. Even the quarterback slot. It's not atypical of a coach to say this when honing his 53-man roster, but it is uncommon for a coach to mean it when it comes to the quarterback position; most head honchos will tab their guy, and make every effort to dispel the notion (among fans and media) of a quarterback controversy. Why this scenario could be unique in Kansas City, after the jump.

1) Pioli-Haley Relationship

Scott Pioli was hired by Clark Hunt on January 13 after a largely quiet, yet allegedly thorough search for the right candidate that was nothing less than a shrewd evaluator of football talent, a person skilled enough to bring championship-caliber competition to the organization. While the playoffs (playoffs?) continued, and Pioli still did not have his head coach tabbed, it began to appear that Arizona Cardinals Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley was Pioli's top choice. Five days (Feb. 6) after the Super Bowl, Haley was in fact hired. Photos of Hunt, Pioli, and Haley were taken. Press conferences were held. Articles were written, and bold statements under the umbrella of championship football, were made. The key phrase -- one that has been repeated over and over again -- centered around the notion of "not the best 53 guys, but the right 53 guys" will make this team. And so it went.

2) Cassel Signing

Ironically, the number 22 now comes into play for a couple of reasons. Chiefs left guard Brian Waters wanted to meet with his new bosses. Apparently he was disrespected. Some speculated that Waters might've been treated as expendable by the new brain trust. Several printed that Haley told Waters, "I could take 22 guys off the streets and win two games," which is of course a reference to the illustrious 2-14 2008 Chiefs team record, and to some, confirmation of the rumor that Todd Haley is a complete jerk. Twenty-two is also significant because that is exactly how many days after Pioli hired Haley, that Pioli sent a second-round draft pick to New England in exchange for Mike Vrabel and Matt Cassel. Much like the speculations of Haley being Pioli's guy, it was widely rumored that Pioli was interested in pulling the trigger for Cassel before the move was actually made.

I got no beef with Cassel. Other than a horrible first half against the Raiders last week, he hasn't played nearly enough for me to form an opinion on him, but more on that in a minute. For the record, though, I'm not terribly concerned with Cassel's first-half-ending pass selection that conceivably prevented the Chiefs from attempting a field goal. What bothered me more were the two picks he threw, and what bothered me most were the multiple, ultimately drive-stalling throws at receivers feet. He can hopefully learn from making poor choices (the one pass and the INTs), but making awful throws to wide-open guys was nothing shy of frightening.

3) Elapsed Time of a Contract-less Cassel As a Chief

In my mind, one of the most peculiar things about the Cassel signing was how long it took for the Chiefs to sign him to a deal. Hours before the NFL draft started in April -- exactly two months after the Chiefs acquired Cassel -- it was widely reported that the Chiefs had signed Cassel to a huge deal, one comparable in numbers to those of Matt Ryan and Matt Stafford. Those reports turned out to be inaccurate. Nearly three months later, the deal was signed for real, a six-year, $63 million agreement. Many local media members felt that this deal was ridiculously unnecessary. The point, though, is that it took the franchise most of five months to make it happen. People wondered all the while why it took so long. When it was done, they wondered why the terms were what they were.

4) Cassel Contract

I've never been shy of proclaiming my love for Brodie Croyle as the Chiefs quarterback. I saw a moderate amount of film of him, purely by circumstance, before the 2006 draft happened, before he became a Kansas City Chief. The pick was immediately slammed by several local media members, specifically Cory "Cowboy" Anderson of KCSP 610 AM. His belief was in synch with numerous others that felt the guy's college numbers at Alabama were overrated, that his body of work in both Tuscaloosa and in high school was incomplete due to injuries. The latter part, of course, is true. I simply wanted the kid, along with his unmistakeably tangible arm and mind talents as a quarterback, to be given a shot on a good football team with a good offensive line, a good receiving corps, and a good running game. Since 2006, he has had neither.

He has a fragile body. That remains undisputed. What burns me though, is the repeated mentioning of his record as an NFL starter. When we assess quarterbacks, we seldom talk about wins right up front. We might mention that a guy led his team to this many wins, but ultimately, we're concerned with passing accuracy, TDs vs. INTs, pocket poise, leadership, and the specifics tied to the position. Wins is a category better left to starting pitchers in baseball. After Croyle's significant 2008 injuries, I figured he'd be gone from the team, perhaps the league, because frankly, very few are going to give such a guy another shot. But back to the contract.

The length and price tag associated with Cassel's contract were somewhat jaw-dropping. You throw a large pile of money like that at a mostly unproven kid, you'd better know what the heck you're doing. Anderson's slant on the thing was this: You didn't have to do that; you could've waited. He's right for one reason: the Chiefs could've waited. This wasn't a situation where the team had to draw up a long-term deal, and it certainly didn't have to be for all of those ($28 million) guranteed dollars. Even though it was peculiar that it took five months to get any kind of deal done, they were by no means obligated to pay him that type of cheddar. The flip side to the argument, however, boils down to confidence. You lock the dude up. You pay him like he's a top-tier young quarterback, and you clear his mind of worries of that nature; he can simply go out and play football to the best of his ability. Given that a) I don't like my Chiefs players distracted with off-the-field sorts of things, and b) the Chiefs were extremely below the salary cap for (roughly) the last 18 months, it made sense on most fronts to get it done. To most fans, it seems largely expensive, but what in the NFL isn't? Beer, parking, tickets, jerseys, the list goes on.

5) OTAs, Camp, and Pre-Season

Here's where things get interesting. Let's say that from basically spring through August, most media members, and occasionally even the head coach, whispered and sometimes spoke bluntly about the relatively consistent play of Brodie Croyle, and how it often-times appeared that he was out-performing Cassel. I didn't go to River Falls. I never attended a practice of any sort. I did attend one pre-season game, and watched most of the rest of them on TV. What I did see in the games mostly mirrored the typically faint suggestions that Cassel (at least in specific moments) didn't necessarily look like the best quarterback on this team. In fact, I would go so far as to say that Cassel and Croyle were, for the most part, equal, while fourth-stringer Matt Gutierrez looked second-best, and third-stringer Tyler Thigpen was last. That was the depth chart in my mind. Add to the mix the Thigpen trade rumors, and that depth chart makes even more sense.

So, when camp was broken, and it was time for the regular season to get underway, the general consensus was (and in many parts still is) this: Brodie Croyle is not a better quarterback than Matt Cassel. Matt Cassel will be the starter for this team. Nobody in their right mind benches a guy that is earning that kind of money. Throw in the sprained MCL that Cassel suffered in the Seattle pre-season game, though, and everything's up in the air again.

Brodie Croyle was taken off of the injured-reserve list on February 9 after tearing his MCL against the Tennessee Titans on October 19 of last year. The point of mentioning that is merely a time-frame reminder that Cassel joined the team 20 days after Croyle was deemed healthy enough to participate again at a professional level. Basically, both guys have had the exact same amount of time to prepare and compete for the starting job under the new Pioli/Haley regime. As the pre-season wound down, varying factors led to each of them starting in one of the team's first two regular-season games.

6) The Basis of Coaching = Competition at All Positions

I've said many, many times that Herman Edwards was a great man and a good coach, but very far from a great coach. In certain areas, he was a damn idiot. Game management is one. Establishing competition at all positions is another. See: Medlock, Justin. You have to do this at all positions. Edwards paid lip service to this notion, but seldom followed through. Every one knew, as sure as the sun rises, who Edwards' quarterback was going to be in almost every situation in which he was forced to consider it. What Todd Haley appears to be doing, is doing it the right way: forcing guys to compete for the starting job at every position, and even benching "should-be starters" when they under-perform. He's done it with Dwayne Bowe, Mark Bradley, Jamaal Charles, and it's speculated that he would like to do the same with Cassel. Again, I got no beef with Cassel, but if Haley thinks that right now, Croyle gives the Chiefs the better chance of winning a ball game, than let Brodie Bang.

7) Week One

Croyle's numbers: 16 of 24 for 177 yards, completion percentage of 66.7, 7.4 yards per attempt, 2:0 TD:INT, a rating of 116.1 against the eighth-best defense in the conference.

Sure. It's only one game.

8) Week Two

Cassel's numbers: 24 of 39 for 241 yards, completion percentage of 61.5, 6.2 yards per attempt, 1:2 TD:INT, a rating of 66.3 against the 11th-best defense in the conference.

Again: only one game.

9) Cassel vs. Croyle Pre-2009

It's true that Brodie Croyle has not won an NFL game as a starter. Neither have the other 48 guys that dressed with him on those nine-some occasions. It's true that he has been hurt, hurried, pressured, sacked, and razzled behind arguably some of the worst offensive lines in the league. It's also true that, in 16 games last year, Matt Cassel led the Patriots to an 11-5 record. He did so while leading the league in sacks behind arguably one of the best offensive lines in the league and with arguably the best receiving corps in the NFL. If you look at pre-pro numbers however, you'll see that, in two high school seasons, Croyle threw for 6,625 yards and 82 touchdowns. In 2003, his first year as a starter at Alabama, he started all 11 games, threw for 2300 yards and 16 touchdowns, and did so while twice separating the same shoulder and cracking two ribs. Two seasons later, he went 202 of 339 for 2500 yards, 14 touchdowns, and a new low school-record 1.18 interception percentage.

Matt Cassel, on the other hand, played football and baseball in high school. As a senior, he was ranked the number eight quarterback in the nation. He was also his team's punter. At USC, he backed up Carson Palmer. When Palmer won the Heisman in 2002 and moved on, Cassel lost the starting-job competition to Matt Leinart, forcing Cassel to play a little tight end, a little wide receive, and even some halfback. His career USC passing totals are 19 of 33 for 192 yards, no touchdowns and one INT. Leinart, who hasn't been able to knock of the 38-year-old Kurt Warner for the starting job in Arizona, has a worse career TD:INT ratio and a worse completion percentage in the NFL than Brodie Croyle.

10) Haley's Presser Yesterday

The significance of Todd Haley's press conference yesterday is that he did not do the expected. He did not toss out the typical ringing endorsement of his starting quarterback, who everyone -- myself included -- agrees for the moment, is Matt Cassel. There, as I've mentioned, is speculation that Haley believes that Croyle gives the Chiefs the better chance to win, that he wants to start Croyle. Said speculation also says that Pioli is vetoing such a desire. Haley was put on the spot three times yesterday, given three opportunities to sweep away quarterback-controversy germinations, and he jumped at neither. Instead, he spoke of three different cities -- New York with Glenn Foley and Vinny Testaverde; Dallas with Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo; and Arizona with Leinart and Warner -- in which he was part of the coaching staff, and the coaching staff opted to go with either the less-expected or the lesser-paid quarterback. In each situation, it didn't appear to the public to be the best choice. In each situation, it turned out to be the right choice.

My stance then is this: I'd love for Croyle to get the shot to be the starter again, but only if he deserves it. I'd love to know that my head coach has the ability to make that decision without interference from his boss. I'd love to know that his mantra of top performers start at each position really means each position. I think that's a great foundation on which to build a team. A winning team at that.
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Sunday Sermon: Starter Snippet

Even though they continue to employ the biggest bozo in Kansas City sports-talk radio, KCSP 610 AM is reporting that Matt Cassel gets the start today in the Chiefs home opener against the Oakland Raiders.

This is a stupid decision because a) why rush back from injury, 2) Brodie Croyle played well against a tough defense, and c) it'd be nice to see the kid get a win. Also, he doesn't rock White Sox hats. I'd much rather see me some Brodie Bangs today.
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Tradition Tuesday: The Boys Were Back in Town

As you may or may not know, the rough focus of this blog is the rivalry between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos. We stray, as cats are prone to do, from time to time, from said focus, but whenst we return to the almighty bin of nuts and bolts, it's about our two football clubs from the occasionally fantastic American Football Conference, Division West. Cecil and Old No. 7 toot the Denver horn, while I raise the Chief roof, and we both do so in hopes of Lombardi trophies and destroying one another's teams en route. Though our fandom has much deeper roots, we started what we call The Tradition, some nine years ago, wherein we visit one another's stadiums, root for our own teams, and crush our livers with many cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon "Welcome to Life" Light. With many variable affecting these occasions, there are always two certainties: The visiting team is all but guranteed to lose, and we, the HoG Iron Triangle, will definitely underestimate the amount of PBR Light we need, and have to switch to the original recipe, which grossly offends all within a 50-mile radius. The Tradition is a grand old time nonetheless, and we plan to keep it going strong, offspring or no. We therefore bring you, fantastic reader(s) Tradition Tuesday, our weekly state-of-the-rivalry address.

In the words of Carl Peterson, "to be quite frank with you" we haven't exactly been that consistent with anything this feature, and today we're going to keep that theme alive by talking very little Chiefs and even less Broncos. See, The Iron Triangle celebrated a festivity this past weekend, a rare occasion in which we gather not for a football game or a wedding. It was, brash as we may often sound, an event for a good cause, one that took place in our original place of meeting, Durango, CO. The event was a fundraiser for Durango's Women's Resource Center, and there are but a few tidbits of interest: 1) We treated the event much like a Tradition-al Tailgate, arriving many hours earlier than permitted and swilling grain alcohol for breakfast; 2) there may have been one or two nearby participants that found us obnoxiously stentorian (Editor's Note: That's as nice as it's gonna get, and I can promise you: It won't get that nice again.); and 3) we swept the competition with our savory meats, which we did in fact braise and marinate with various rubs and oils.

But enough about that. You came here to read about sports, and so sports is what I'll give you. What follows, is a top ten-ish list of things discussed/learned over the course of the previous seven days. You may find one or all of them to be a bore, but give us a break -- we haven't posted anything in a week, so you're lucky you're getting this.

10) Earvin "Magic" Johnson was more clutch, and better loaded with a caliber of awesomeness than Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James will ever be (Note: This sentence comes with both an invite to discuss in the comments as well as a disclaimer of non-accuracy.). You may, if you feel so inclined, visit the conveniently linked Pro Reference pages attached to each fella's name.

9) The Kansas City Chiefs, since starting new Head Coach Todd Haley's off-season conditioning program, have lost a collective 340 pounds, which is roughly equivalent to three and-a-half orders of The Cure, from the Durango Diner menu.

8) The Pink Polo likes to draw. (Note: If you're in Durango, and interested in purchasing some brewpub paraphernelia, you can't do it here, because that portion of the Web site is down, so you'll have to do it in person, which is a total clusterfuck of a drag. My recommendation? Get cash. Break in after hours. Break into the display case. Find your items. Leave cash.)

7) Andre "Brock Middlebrook" Rison thinks that he is the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game.

6) Yesterday's sports-page poll in USA Today: "How will the Denver Broncos fare in Josh McDaniels' first season as coach?"

Fifteen percent said "better than 8-8," 21 percent said "another 8-8 season," and 64 percent said "a losing record."

Elsewhere in Today news, Mike Ditka and Tony Dungy are skeptical of Jay Cutler's potential in Chicago, while Chad Johnson says that he and Carson Palmer are "like 'Brokeback Mountain.'"

5) Former Boston Red Sox outfielder Mike Greenwell, has hit two inside-the-park grand slams against the same pitcher, Greg Cadaret. The first occasion was on July 9, 1989 against the New York Yankees. The second came 14 months later. Both were balls hit to right field at Fenway Park.

4) I'm pretty sure the name Jake Plummer came up at some point this weekend. I don't recall the circumstances, but whatever. The boys over at BroncoTalk have put together a post in honor of Plummer, a post that has a look at some interesting profile shots on the current Denver Broncos roster. Have a look.

3) I tapped into the logic of Cecil during a quick visit to the carport, and we chatted about the Roger Goodell strategy in suspending Michael Vick before court proceedings for his actions, but not suspending Brandon Marshall. Vick's crimes are largely infamous by now. Allegations against Marshall still fly a touch under the radar in comparison. Let's refresh:

Orlando, Florida, 10/31/04

1) assault on a law enforcement officer,
2) refusal to obey,
3) disorderly conduct
4) resisting an officer

Denver, Colorado, 01/01/07

5) present at a nightclub with then teammates Javon Walker and Darrent Williams, wherein an altercation involving Marshall's cousin and other club patrons allegedly ensued; the alleged retaliation of which resulted in the shooting/death of Williams.

Denver, Colorado, 03/26/07

6) arrested on charges of suspicion of domestic violence

Denver, Colorado, 10/22/07

7) arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol

Atlanta, Georgia, 03/06/08

8) Marshall is booked, then released for a March 3rd incident in which misdemeanor battery charges were later filed against the Bronco in September.

Denver, Colorado, 06/12/08

9) ticketed for an illegal lane change, no proof of insurance or driver license in possession

Atlanta, Georgia, 03/01/09

10) arrested for disorderly conduct

I've heard rumors of 16 charges, etc. against him. Cecil himself claimed 13. The debate, though, remains, why do Vick and Adam Jones get suspended, but not Marshall?

Couple clips for shits and giggles:






2) Naturally, the Iron Triangle had a staggering 30-second conversation about hockey and the NHL. Actually, it was a one-part Q&A between Seven and myself regarding the Stanley Cup Finals schedule. I mentioned what I'd heard, along with the rumors that Conan O'Brien's debut as the host of "The Tonight Show" couldn't be ruined by stupid hockey. And then my wife made fun of me for my pronunciation of Conan, and we got back to talking about old-time baseball. To commemorate, here's a clip with both:



1) Finally, the issue of The Big Lead was briefly addressed. Cecil spoke for all three of us -- and by all three of us, I speak for Seven in typing that -- when he mentioned that Deadspin isn't what it used to be. There were reasons for that, but I'm not going to get into them because the more important issue is that The Big Lead is arguably the best sports blog out there. But, there are two questions that we pose to them, knowing full well that they will never see either: First, why do you publish like five posts on your home page when you have room for about 30 and you're producing roughly a dozen posts a day? For stats? Clicks? Second, who's meatbag do we have to polish to get a link on your page? Christ almighty.

Anyway, that's if for my efforts this week. Tune in tomorrow when Seven promises to deliver two weeks worth of hot chicks, all bundled into one post.
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Tradition Tuesday: The Pink Polo Picks

Gather 'round, kids. Amidst all of this baseball jibber-jabber, it's time for everyone's favorite House of Georges stronghold: Tradition Tuesday.

If this is your first time inside the House, allow me: The rough focus of this blog is the rivalry between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos. Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, The Tradition -- wherein Cecil and Seven matriculate out to the Truman Sports Complex to cheer for the Broncos, and I, in my woolen cap, get beer thrown on me at Mile High Stadium while I cheer for the Chiefs -- was born. It's a grand old time twice a year. And 60 percent of the time, the home team wins all the time. We smoke pork, tobacco, and the occasional bowl of drugs. We drink Pabst. We sometimes invite the wives, and when we don't, we promptly visit the local nudie bar set up a volunteer booth at an urban intersection in a neighborhood of need and provide warm meals and counseling.

The games our one of our few remaining outlets of diversion, and in an effort to keep the thread alive around the calendar, we bring you Tradition Tuesday, our weekly state-of-the-rivlary address.

Today is Tuesday, April 7. There's a point to my mentioning it, and you'll see it in due time. Like right now: Bob Gretz has a piece over at the Chiefs Web site, and it has some interesting news. That news pertains to the jersey digit(s) selection of the Chiefs new quarterback. Now, before we get into it, let's take a second and remember that Chiefs Head Coach Todd Haley has said that Matt Cassel has not been automatically awarded the starting job; he'll have to earn it.

If and when you go to Gretz's story, though, it's interesting to think about players' preferences, and ultimately, their options when it comes to picking shirt numerals. Like Joe Montana when he came to town, Old No. 16 is forever unavailable to Kansas City signal-callers. Montana, as you may know, went with 19. Now, keep in mind that I've done zero research on this. What? That's protocal around here. But there were, post-Montana, a few boneheads that came in and threw the ball around.

Steve Bono, chucklehead that he was, wore number 13, which, for the superstious, is kind of like saying "Hey, set up a ladder behind me so that every time I take a snap, I back up through it." Or, "Make sure a black cat runs across the field after each huddle break." Or, you break a mirror in the locker room. Maybe you knock over the salt at the Saturday-night team dinner table. You get the point.

Elvis Grbac. I'm not sure what he was thinking. As a San Francisco 49er, he wore 18. When he got to Kansas City, it must've been spoken for, because he went with 11. But then he switched to 18. For his brief, final stint as a Baltimore Raven, he was again, 18. Perhaps his favorite player as a kid wore 18. I dunno. In comes Trent Green, who wore 10. Ten's a nice, round number, one that he has worn his entire career. Or at least I think he has. His successor, Brodie Croyle, wore 11 in college, 12 in the pros, which is kind of like saying that he was taking it to the next level after Alabama, and well, we all know how that worked out for him.

Next was Tyler Thigpen. Did he pick four because of Brett Favre? Perhaps he did, and if that's accurate, it would subscribe to the theory once voiced by our very own Old No. 7, which was something along the lines of "All these young, up-and-coming quarterbacks these days are wearing seven because of their favorite quarterback growing up: John Elway." I of course, called hogwash on the theory, and asked for some non-Wikipedia, HTML-formatted, researched-and-substantiated evidence, to which he replied: "Well, there's J.P. Losman, Mike Vick..." And that was kind of the end of that conversation.

But now, several years later, the not-yet-admitted-by-the-suits, quote/unquote quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs has selected his number, and yes -- you guessed it, it's seven. No, no. I kid you not. You can actually buy one already, here. Cassel, as Gretz reports, will be the 11th guy to don that digit, and "Combined they played in 47 games, or less than one game for each of the 49 seasons of games in franchise history." Gretz also reminds us that "The last guy to wear No. 7 was kicker Justin Medlock, who survived the opening game of the 2007 season and was released, one of the biggest kicking failures in Chiefs history."

As Gretz's column suggests, seven is a lucky number in some cultures, religions. Whether or not it will be for Cassel is of course, yet to be seen. I'm interested to know what Chiefs fans think, so as you're all so prone to do, flood the comments with your opining.
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Teh Internets Strike Back

Just thought I'd share this lil' spasm of joy, courtesy of a die-hard Chefs fan (via ESPN.com's messageboards and poster martinbonewitz, whoever that genius bastard is).

well start from i love the chiefs to death but i think matt cassel is doom becuase he's not goin to do anything with are front line so shtty and we did nothing to fix it this offseason and the only good olineman we hav left he wants out so i can see why LG AND TG AND BW wants out we bring in old player's why not bring in harrison not bobby and torry holt is out there ah haley get a real WR harrison or holt and man get some olineman man we are goin to take a good QB and make him look shty i hate to say it but my team is starting to look like the browns the browns do the same thing bring in old player's think their goin to help never do i just dont get it but to tell the truth am not looking forward to this year maybe we will be good in 2010 but haley draft curry he will be gd next to DJ WE NEED HIM BAD..

Oh, so Cassel is doom. But...what about Tony Gonzalez?

well i dont see TG playing for us next year it would be great dont get me wrong i would hate to see him in a other uniform but he gave us all he hade and hunt u owe him big he could of left a long time ago and i want to see TG win a champion ship i dont know about all the chief fans but he deserves to have a ring and hes not getting it in kansas city only way he will if he play's another 5yrs maybe well be up their to win one but man let TG go so he can sign wit the pats arizona colts or sht the steelers i hate to see the BEST TIGHT END TO EVER PLAY THE GAME NOT HAV A RING WHEN HE FINALLY LEAVE'S THE GAME

That is all.
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The Denver Post Alone Can Not Handle This

News is breaking fast, so fast it's hard to stay caught up. New Top Chef Scott Pioli cashes in on an old secret favor from Coach Belicheat, netting a young QB at far below market value. Even Jay Mariotti thinks this is fishy, and that guy just learned about text messaging.

Brandon Marshall got arrested, but then he got unarrested. So that never happened.

The biggest news, of course, is the giant hubbub concerning Jay Cutler. Was he dangled? Is Coach Doogie in over his head and torching the credibility of a once-proud franchise? Would all this have been avoided by the hiring of a real general manager instead of Colonel Xanders? Most important, what will be the impact on the fragile psyche of our beloved quarterback?

With all of this speculation flying about, it's almost as if the city of Denver needs two daily newspapers to sort through the scuttlebutt...

All of this crap is still in the he said, she said phase, and we here at the House don't comment on idle rumors. We start them, we don't comment on them. I'll just speak in some hypotheticals here, for the purpose of driving the collective conversation squarely in the ditch (also, our bosses have instituted a mandatory three-posts a week rule here to keep one's job).

If Broncos brass did in fact try to deal Cutler away either Matt Cassel or a high pick in April's draft, I think that's a shitty trade. As a Broncos fan I would be livid over such a deal, and I can understand why Jay Cutler would be livid as well. What I can't understand is why Jay Cutler would exhibit that lividity, if lividity is even in fact a word, around anyone whose career is listed as journalismist.

This ain't the first time Young No. 6 has hollered about his discontent with management. Jay thought that the firing of Mike Shanahan was bullshit. He was similarly upset when QB coach left for USC after Coach Doogie took Shanny's seat. Again, I've no issue with his disappointment over losing his professional mentors--my beef is that Cutler bitches in the press before considering what the ramifications of that bitching may be.

You, sir, are a professional football player of untold wealth. In two years or less you'll sign yet another multimillion-dollar contract, and after that no one related to you will ever need to work again. People wear your work uniform as casual attire. In many ways, you have the greatest job in the world.

There are, of course, pitfalls, one of them being that if you complain about that job it's front-page news and fat bloggers like me psychoanalyze you. I can see how that would suck. I like complaining about my job, and saying that my bosses are tools, and threatening to take my bad-ass skills elsewhere if they don't show me the respect I demand. Luckily, no one listens to me and I just mumble away.

You, Jay Cutler, have an audience. People care what you say, for their football fortunes are in large measure tied to your success or failure. Get a fucking grip, dude. Coaches get fired, especially when their teams tank in December and they blow certain playoff appearances. Heads fucking roll. And while we're talking about blame for historic collapses, Mr. Cutler, where exactly were you from December 14 through December 28, two thousand eight? During that period, a team that you took snaps for, a team you've assumed the responsibility for leading, absolutely and completely choked. If you're feeling a little underappreciated, a little disrespected, well, you might have wanted to win one of those games.

On top of that, Cutler, while we're discussing reasons why the unthinkable (trading the face of the franchise) suddenly became utterly thinkable over the weekend, you're kind of a drama queen. There's always something with you, beyond just throwing a fit of hysteria in the press when your cheese gets moved. You've got diabetes. You look incredibly high, and you're one of the only world-class athletes with six chins. You cause a stink by comparing your arm to Elway's. You do the same when you criticize the extracurricular criminal justice adventures of Marshall, your top receiver. Then there's the bizarre spectacle of Phil Rivers berating and mocking you on national TV.

Now I don't think you were in the wrong on any of these--you do possess a gun of Elwayish strength, Marshall is a certified and felonious bonehead, and Phil Rivers can eat a bucket of cock. Does it all have to be so sloppy, though, Cutler? Is it too much to ask that you simply give boring answers to reporters, act like you enjoy your position a little bit and otherwise shut yer hole?

I'm not saying any of this merits trading away an excellent and still-improving your QB. I love Jay Cutler, in fact I'm rather gay for him. My biggest issue with the firing of Shanahan was that I was worried it would retard Cutler's development, and my biggest relief at the addition of McDaniels is the possibility of what he could achieve via Cutler. I dream about Jay Cutler, I write songs about him, and in fact I once broke out some oil paints and a bucket of Photoshop and created this:

So let's all act like adults here. Cutler, swap out for a fresh Tampax and be a man. Coach Doogie, Colonel Xanders, think just a bit before letting weird bullshit like this hit the fan. Bronco fans, chill out. While you were hyperventilating over the impending worthlessness of your No. 6 jersey your defense just got a whole lot better over the weekend. More on that to come--I still have two more posts due this week or I have to go work at Predominantly Orange.

Update: I completely forgot to include this, but Cecil reminded me in his comment on the Marshall story. Peter King reports that Cutler demanded a trade following Jeremy Bates' matriculation to the USC job. If this is true, and call that fat fuck what you will but his reporting is generally accurate, then any boo-hooing over Cutler's feelings is crap. If he asked for a trade, and the team sought a trade, then he can't be upset. End of story.
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