In part one, I visited on the Chiefs defense and what improvements they made. Obviously a complete makeover in the linebacker positions, with the additions of Mike Vrabel and Zach Thomas, and the switch of Tamba Hali from DE to OLB. All of these moves, I believe will do wonders for the Chiefs defense, mainly Derrick Johnson.
Now, on to the offense. The biggest story in the past few weeks was Matt Cassel signing a 6 year deal. But there is another story that most people have failed to pay attention to: Larry Johnson.
Let's face it, LJ has been awful the past two seasons. Sure you can give him the benefit of the doubt, as he isn't running behind the likes of Willie Roaf and Will Shields anymore. But Larry seemed to have lost his edge. He wasn't "running angry", he bought a $300,000 car and didn't show up to games when he was placed on the injured reserve.
But guess what folks? LJ is now playing for essentially the league minimum. He lost over $3 million on his contract, due to behavioral and criminal issues in the offseason. He isn't a self proclaimed superstar anymore. He's got something to prove finally. I would pick LJ as a sleeper for comeback player of the year. Plus, with Haley and Gailey's pass heavy offensive plan, the pressure will be off of LJ's shoulders. But he might be looking over his shoulder pads at Jamaal Charles at some point in the season.
The receivers aren't that great. Yeah, Dwayne Bowe had an off year last year, but you could attribute that to Tyler Thigpen only having eyes for Tony Gonzalez in the second half of the season. Bobby Engram has lost a step, but he's a guy who will go over the middle and fight for those precious yards after catches (the most underrated stat in the game of football). Mark Bradley should be a nice fit in the 3rd receiver role, but I wouldn't expect much from him. Brad Cottam will make us miss Tony G...Antonio Gates would make us miss Tony G.
As far as QB goes, what can I say about Matt Cassel that already hasn't been said? Can he be as good with the Chiefs as he was when he was throwing to Randy Moss and Wes Welker? Maybe. Or is he the guy who took an 18-1 team and turned them into an 11-5 team? Doubtful. Remember how awful the AFC East was in 2007? The Dolphins won one game. The Jets were 4-12 and the Bills were 7-9. The Pats went undefeated in their division that year. Turn the clock ahead to 2008, the Dolphins are completely remodeled, the Jets have Brett Favre, and the Bills stayed idle at 7-9. What I'm saying is that the Patriots were a morally depleted team in 2008. Their captain, Tom Brady was hurt. The division was better, Matt Cassel performed magnificently for a guy who had been riding the bench since high school.
The point is, Chiefs fans, that Matt Cassel will be a good, maybe great quarterback. Plus, with the weak defense in this division, I would go as far to say that Matt Cassel could throw for over 3500 yards this year. I expect good things from him this year, and great things in 2010 and beyond.
So, what do I think the Chiefs record will be? My head says 6-10, but my heart says 9-7. Look at what the Dolphins did last year. They completely stripped down everything, added All-Pro veterans on defense, and boom boom pow, they won their division. What did the Chiefs do this offseason? Got rid of the crap they had at linebacker, and added Pro Bowl talent to the linebacking corps and secondary. I think the Chiefs go 4-2 in the division and FINALLY win their first game at new Mile High Stadium, with yours, truly in attendance, freezing my buns off on January 3rd watching the Chiefs break the Donks for the AFC West title!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Top 10 Moments of FAIL This season for the Roilets: No. 9
Ranygate
Only at Kauffman Stadium, right? After numerous questionable injuries to stars like Alex Gordon, Coco Crisp and Joakim Soria, renowned blogger Rany Jazayerli calls for head trainer Nick Swartz to be fired. The Roilets go on a tyrannous rage and ban Rany from the Royals clubhouse (even though he lives in Chicago). They also go as far to say that media outlet that speaks to Rany shalt be banished from speaking to any Royals players indefinitely.
The incredible part is that the fans revolted against the Royals. You know things are bad when the fans stick up for a blogger rather than an organization. Soon after the organization realized they made a boo-boo, they accepted Rany's apology and went their seperate ways.
One fan even staged a William Wallace-esque battle cry after being on Crownvision during an in between innings gameshow, bellowing: "Rany rules!"
Only at Kauffman Stadium, right? After numerous questionable injuries to stars like Alex Gordon, Coco Crisp and Joakim Soria, renowned blogger Rany Jazayerli calls for head trainer Nick Swartz to be fired. The Roilets go on a tyrannous rage and ban Rany from the Royals clubhouse (even though he lives in Chicago). They also go as far to say that media outlet that speaks to Rany shalt be banished from speaking to any Royals players indefinitely.
The incredible part is that the fans revolted against the Royals. You know things are bad when the fans stick up for a blogger rather than an organization. Soon after the organization realized they made a boo-boo, they accepted Rany's apology and went their seperate ways.
One fan even staged a William Wallace-esque battle cry after being on Crownvision during an in between innings gameshow, bellowing: "Rany rules!"
Sunday, July 26, 2009
AFC West/Chiefs Season Preview
You could make an argument that the Chiefs had the biggest offseason of any team in the AFC. Acquiring Matt Cassel from the Patriots for a 2nd round pick.
Other than Cassel, the Chiefs have more holes on offense than most teams in the NFL. But as we head in to Training Camp, we can allow ourselves to dream (hell, it worked with the Royals in March). In my mind, the AFC West can be won with a 9-7 record this year. A .500 team won it last year...
The Chargers are definitely better than 8-8, I could see them going 9-7, but with the West playing the NFC East this year, I doubt it. LT is likely to continue breaking down. If he has a repeat performance of his 2007 season, then he is officially a freak of nature.
The Broncos are without a quarterback. Yes, Kyle Orton is a decent QB, but I doubt he can help the Broncos defense, which is almost as bad as the Chiefs.
The Raiders. Ha, oh the Raiders. Al Davis continues his "commitment to excellence" by drafting Darius Heyward-Bey, a guy who was predicted to go in the 2nd round, but drafted because he ran a 4.3 40 yd dash. Jamarcus Russel has one season to prove that he isn't a bust, but I think we already know the answer to that question. Tom Cable as head coach? Yikes. Just when you think things have gotten as bad as they can be, just remember, at least we're not the Raiders.
On to the Chiefs. If Matt Cassel can lead this offense like Tyler Thigpen did in some games last year, then I think the Chiefs have a shot.......at winning 5 games. If this team is going to win more than 5 games this year, the defense has to have a complete turnaround. Heres the good news, we only have to worry about three down-linemen instead of four this year! The combo of Jackson, Dorsey, Boone doesn't sound scary, but lets not forget that Dorsey and Jackson wreaked havoc on the SEC two years ago. Maybe Jackson's prescence is what could bring out the beast in Glenn Dorsey. Tamba Hali's move to outside linebacker is a smart move. I think the move to the 3-4 also takes pressure off of Derrick Johnson. Look folks, just because his first name is Derrick, does not mean this guy will ever be like Derrick Thomas. Mike Vrabel and Zach Thomas give this linebacking corps an All-Pro look rather than a journeyman look.
On to the secondary. The cornerbacks were ok last year, Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr are future stars in this league, no doubt, but the problem lies in our safeties. Bernard Pollard and Jarrad Page looked lost last year and more concerned with de-cleating people than breaking up passes and disrupting routes. The addition of Mike Brown is a perfect move. I know a few Chicago Bears fans, and when I asked them about Mike Brown, they ranted and raved about this guy. In fact, they went as far to say as Brown was the anchor of that Super Bowl defense, not Brian Urlacher. I see Brown as the 3rd safety and a special teamer. But if Page or Pollard continues playing like last year, we could see him switch roles with one of those two. Of course, this is all contingent on Mike Brown staying healthy.
The offensive side of the football raises just as many questions as the denfense. I'll get to that tomorrow along with my prediction of the Chiefs' record and whether or not this is FINALLY the year that we win at Mile High.
Other than Cassel, the Chiefs have more holes on offense than most teams in the NFL. But as we head in to Training Camp, we can allow ourselves to dream (hell, it worked with the Royals in March). In my mind, the AFC West can be won with a 9-7 record this year. A .500 team won it last year...
The Chargers are definitely better than 8-8, I could see them going 9-7, but with the West playing the NFC East this year, I doubt it. LT is likely to continue breaking down. If he has a repeat performance of his 2007 season, then he is officially a freak of nature.
The Broncos are without a quarterback. Yes, Kyle Orton is a decent QB, but I doubt he can help the Broncos defense, which is almost as bad as the Chiefs.
The Raiders. Ha, oh the Raiders. Al Davis continues his "commitment to excellence" by drafting Darius Heyward-Bey, a guy who was predicted to go in the 2nd round, but drafted because he ran a 4.3 40 yd dash. Jamarcus Russel has one season to prove that he isn't a bust, but I think we already know the answer to that question. Tom Cable as head coach? Yikes. Just when you think things have gotten as bad as they can be, just remember, at least we're not the Raiders.
On to the Chiefs. If Matt Cassel can lead this offense like Tyler Thigpen did in some games last year, then I think the Chiefs have a shot.......at winning 5 games. If this team is going to win more than 5 games this year, the defense has to have a complete turnaround. Heres the good news, we only have to worry about three down-linemen instead of four this year! The combo of Jackson, Dorsey, Boone doesn't sound scary, but lets not forget that Dorsey and Jackson wreaked havoc on the SEC two years ago. Maybe Jackson's prescence is what could bring out the beast in Glenn Dorsey. Tamba Hali's move to outside linebacker is a smart move. I think the move to the 3-4 also takes pressure off of Derrick Johnson. Look folks, just because his first name is Derrick, does not mean this guy will ever be like Derrick Thomas. Mike Vrabel and Zach Thomas give this linebacking corps an All-Pro look rather than a journeyman look.
On to the secondary. The cornerbacks were ok last year, Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr are future stars in this league, no doubt, but the problem lies in our safeties. Bernard Pollard and Jarrad Page looked lost last year and more concerned with de-cleating people than breaking up passes and disrupting routes. The addition of Mike Brown is a perfect move. I know a few Chicago Bears fans, and when I asked them about Mike Brown, they ranted and raved about this guy. In fact, they went as far to say as Brown was the anchor of that Super Bowl defense, not Brian Urlacher. I see Brown as the 3rd safety and a special teamer. But if Page or Pollard continues playing like last year, we could see him switch roles with one of those two. Of course, this is all contingent on Mike Brown staying healthy.
The offensive side of the football raises just as many questions as the denfense. I'll get to that tomorrow along with my prediction of the Chiefs' record and whether or not this is FINALLY the year that we win at Mile High.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Top 10 Moments of FAIL This Year for The "Roilets"
10. After long time organist, and KC favorite, Sam "The Man" Beckett unexpectedly quits after the 2008 season, the Roilets decide to not hire a replacement/not pay Sam Beckett a reasonable salary. So after a whole offseason of acquiring marginal talent, the Roilets decide not to provide crowds with live organ music at the New K, and instead subject them to awful mp3s of synthesized organ music. Not to mention, a horrendously awful version of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" that sounds like it was downloaded off LimeWire.
It's almost August and the Roilets still havent even found anyone to play the organ. They say they're looking, but I won't be holding my breath.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Mr. Perfect: Mark Buehrle
Wow. Just wow. This guy has got to be one of the most underrated pitchers not just this decade but EVER. Today, with a teeny bit of help from Dewayne Wise, Mark Buehrle vaulted himself into legendary status. He's dominated the AL Central for the past decade and belongs in a White Sox uniform.
I'll be honest, the White Sox are not one of my favorite teams, but watching Buehrle work his magic today had me mesmerized. No one can take anything away from Mr. Perfect today. Yeah, sure Wise robbed that HR, but that is just what happens when things are going your way. The ball finds its way into gloves, foul territory, the catchers mitt, etc. And the amazing thing, is that the ball goes nowhere else during a perfect game. That is what makes it "perfect". Baseball is the most imperfect sport in the world. We put guys in the Hall of Fame who fail 7 out of 10 times at the plate. That is what makes the perfect game so special. A bit of perfection in a non-perfect game.
If I had a vote, Mark Buehrle would be a first ballot Hall of Famer in my mind. He's got a chance to win 300 games. But even if he doesn't do that, I still think a guy with two no-hitters/one perfect game on his resume absolutely deserves to be among the game's elite.
I'll be honest, the White Sox are not one of my favorite teams, but watching Buehrle work his magic today had me mesmerized. No one can take anything away from Mr. Perfect today. Yeah, sure Wise robbed that HR, but that is just what happens when things are going your way. The ball finds its way into gloves, foul territory, the catchers mitt, etc. And the amazing thing, is that the ball goes nowhere else during a perfect game. That is what makes it "perfect". Baseball is the most imperfect sport in the world. We put guys in the Hall of Fame who fail 7 out of 10 times at the plate. That is what makes the perfect game so special. A bit of perfection in a non-perfect game.
If I had a vote, Mark Buehrle would be a first ballot Hall of Famer in my mind. He's got a chance to win 300 games. But even if he doesn't do that, I still think a guy with two no-hitters/one perfect game on his resume absolutely deserves to be among the game's elite.
Friday, July 17, 2009
"Tribute" to Tony Pena Jr.
Well, an era in Royals baseball is finished. Tony Pena Jr. has officially been designated for assignment* by the Royals.
*This means that Pena will be put through waivers. If none of the other 29 teams in the MLB want to claim the rights to Pena's contract, then he will decide whether to accept his assignment to either AA NW Arkansas or AAA Omaha or become a free agent.
TJ's career with the Royals started out incredibly promising, as he hit two triples in his Royals debut against the Red Sox on Opening Day in 2007. He finished the year batting .267 and was gaining comparisons to great shortstops like Ozzie Smith on the defensive side of his game. Dayton Moore looked like a genius with the move, acquiring him from the Atlanta Braves (go figure).
2008 began the notorious rise of Pena in a Royals uniform. He started as the Royals Opening Day shortstop, and provided the go ahead single against Detroit in extra innings on Opening Day. But after that, much didnt go right for TJ.
Finally, the Royals decided enough was enough with TPJ and called up Mike Aviles to replace him. Aviles hit .325 that year and the rest as they say, is history.
Later on in '08, the Royals staged probably their most infamous giveaway: a Tony Pena Jr. bobblehead doll. Sellout crowds usually attend these games and lineup hours before the gates open to ensure that they get the collectible. A crowd of less than 16,000 was announced and there were stories of people actually declining to take the doll.
Tony made a brief relief appearance for the Royals in July of 2008. In the late innings of a July 21st game against Detroit, in which the Royals were being blown out by the Tigers, Tony Pena came into the game and got 2 quick outs. He completed the perfect inning by baffling future Hall of Famer, Ivan Rodriguez.
After that, there really isn't much to talk about. Tony Pena Jr. has gone down as the worst offensive player in Royals history and will live on far past these horrendous years of Royals baseball (if they ever come to an end).
That being said, here is what I think the Royals should do. If Tony Jr. is not claimed off waivers (rumor has it that 21 teams have filed paperwork to claim him. SUCKERS!), the Royals should place him in AA and have him start working on pitching mechanics. It may have been a small sample size, but TJ looked very impressive in that small sample size. He has a 90+ mph fastball with cut on it, and a pretty wicked breaking ball in the mid 70s. Try it. If it fails, then what have we lost?
*This means that Pena will be put through waivers. If none of the other 29 teams in the MLB want to claim the rights to Pena's contract, then he will decide whether to accept his assignment to either AA NW Arkansas or AAA Omaha or become a free agent.
TJ's career with the Royals started out incredibly promising, as he hit two triples in his Royals debut against the Red Sox on Opening Day in 2007. He finished the year batting .267 and was gaining comparisons to great shortstops like Ozzie Smith on the defensive side of his game. Dayton Moore looked like a genius with the move, acquiring him from the Atlanta Braves (go figure).
2008 began the notorious rise of Pena in a Royals uniform. He started as the Royals Opening Day shortstop, and provided the go ahead single against Detroit in extra innings on Opening Day. But after that, much didnt go right for TJ.
Finally, the Royals decided enough was enough with TPJ and called up Mike Aviles to replace him. Aviles hit .325 that year and the rest as they say, is history.
Later on in '08, the Royals staged probably their most infamous giveaway: a Tony Pena Jr. bobblehead doll. Sellout crowds usually attend these games and lineup hours before the gates open to ensure that they get the collectible. A crowd of less than 16,000 was announced and there were stories of people actually declining to take the doll.
Tony made a brief relief appearance for the Royals in July of 2008. In the late innings of a July 21st game against Detroit, in which the Royals were being blown out by the Tigers, Tony Pena came into the game and got 2 quick outs. He completed the perfect inning by baffling future Hall of Famer, Ivan Rodriguez.
After that, there really isn't much to talk about. Tony Pena Jr. has gone down as the worst offensive player in Royals history and will live on far past these horrendous years of Royals baseball (if they ever come to an end).
That being said, here is what I think the Royals should do. If Tony Jr. is not claimed off waivers (rumor has it that 21 teams have filed paperwork to claim him. SUCKERS!), the Royals should place him in AA and have him start working on pitching mechanics. It may have been a small sample size, but TJ looked very impressive in that small sample size. He has a 90+ mph fastball with cut on it, and a pretty wicked breaking ball in the mid 70s. Try it. If it fails, then what have we lost?
Monday, July 13, 2009
NHL in KC (Part 2/Anti-NBA)
Like I explained in my previous NHL post, KC has the right combination of corporate and community support to justify an NHL team being placed in our fine city.
Now, for those of you who counter with a Pro-NBA argument, I will shoot back in the least biased way that I can.
I'll be honest, I really cannot stand the NBA. I think it is more spectacle than it is sport. It is popular because Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are considered more celebrity than they are athlete. I don't like the league, I think it has become a circus, more like a hip hop concert than a sporting event, with music going on during the games and huge pyrotechnic displays before games.
I used to be a pretty big Chicago Bulls fan in the 90s (who wasnt?) and still follow the team on a casual basis, but other than that I hardly pay attention to the NBA.
Those of you out there may argue that I am just not a fan of basketball. Untrue. I am a HUGE college basketball fan. When the Big 8/12 tournament was held in KC, I went every year. I go to Mizzou and have attended at least 10 games a year since my freshman year, and that was during the Quin Snyder/Melvin Watkins era. I love college basketball that much.
I've been to NBA games too. I went to see LeBron James play the Memphis Grizzlies a few years ago. I went in expecting a packed house, full of excited fans ready to see the next Jordan. I paid $25 to sit in the very last row of FedEx Forum. That was the first thing that set me off. The atmosphere in the arena was awful. On a Saturday night, with the game's biggest star in town, and the Grizzlies in 5th place in the Western Conference, a crowd of 13,000 was announced. LeBron vs. Pau Gasol drew 13,000 people in a basketball hotbed.
That being said, I think the NBA just cannot draw in smaller markets where college basketball is king. I don't think anyone will argue that college basketball could make a case for biggest sport in KC, even over the Chiefs and Royals.
Lets say that the NBA relocates to KC*. The team is awful, but the arena is mostly full on most nights. But what happens when Kansas, Missouri, K-State, Wichita State, Creighton, Missouri State, UMKC, Nebraska, and Iowa State play on nights that the NBA team plays? Those fans are going to make the trek to that University to watch their team play. Good luck getting even a half full building if the Border War or Sunflower Showdown fall on the same date that the Milwaukee Bucks are in town.
*By the way, I think it would be awesome if the Kings relocated here. That is the only way I would support the team.
Basically, what I'm saying is that people in this town prefer college basketball to the pro game. Look across the country at the 3 biggest collegiate areas in the country that have NBA franchises. North Carolina/Charlotte, Indiana and Memphis all finished in the bottom 5 of attendance last year. Sure, you could argue that the teams are awful and no one wants to go see them, but did anyone see how awful the Hoosiers were this year? Each game looked sold out to me though. Whenever the Grizzlies play home games, FedEx Forum turns into a mauseleum, but when the Memphis Tigers play ANYONE, you would think that FedEx Forum is Cameron Indoor or Allen Fieldhouse. And Charlotte already had a team in the Hornets, but they moved on to greener pastures and guess what? The NHL's Carolina Hurricanes have vastly outdrawn the Bobcats since they were expanded.
My argument is that just because KC is college basketball Mecca, doesn't mean that the NBA is a viable option. In fact, I think it would fail miserably, unless the Sacramento Kings relocated here, but Kansas City is nowhere on the NBA's radar for relocation.
KC is at the front of the line for the NHL. The arena is ready, people have already bought tickets for a team that doesnt exist, and there is an organization dedicated to growing the game (NHL21). The fact of the matter is that basketball fans in this town don't care about the NBA in comparison to college basketball. The Jayhawks, Tigers, Wildcats, Shockers, Huskers and Cyclones are royalty here, and the NBA would have a tough time competing with that.
Now, for those of you who counter with a Pro-NBA argument, I will shoot back in the least biased way that I can.
I'll be honest, I really cannot stand the NBA. I think it is more spectacle than it is sport. It is popular because Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are considered more celebrity than they are athlete. I don't like the league, I think it has become a circus, more like a hip hop concert than a sporting event, with music going on during the games and huge pyrotechnic displays before games.
I used to be a pretty big Chicago Bulls fan in the 90s (who wasnt?) and still follow the team on a casual basis, but other than that I hardly pay attention to the NBA.
Those of you out there may argue that I am just not a fan of basketball. Untrue. I am a HUGE college basketball fan. When the Big 8/12 tournament was held in KC, I went every year. I go to Mizzou and have attended at least 10 games a year since my freshman year, and that was during the Quin Snyder/Melvin Watkins era. I love college basketball that much.
I've been to NBA games too. I went to see LeBron James play the Memphis Grizzlies a few years ago. I went in expecting a packed house, full of excited fans ready to see the next Jordan. I paid $25 to sit in the very last row of FedEx Forum. That was the first thing that set me off. The atmosphere in the arena was awful. On a Saturday night, with the game's biggest star in town, and the Grizzlies in 5th place in the Western Conference, a crowd of 13,000 was announced. LeBron vs. Pau Gasol drew 13,000 people in a basketball hotbed.
That being said, I think the NBA just cannot draw in smaller markets where college basketball is king. I don't think anyone will argue that college basketball could make a case for biggest sport in KC, even over the Chiefs and Royals.
Lets say that the NBA relocates to KC*. The team is awful, but the arena is mostly full on most nights. But what happens when Kansas, Missouri, K-State, Wichita State, Creighton, Missouri State, UMKC, Nebraska, and Iowa State play on nights that the NBA team plays? Those fans are going to make the trek to that University to watch their team play. Good luck getting even a half full building if the Border War or Sunflower Showdown fall on the same date that the Milwaukee Bucks are in town.
*By the way, I think it would be awesome if the Kings relocated here. That is the only way I would support the team.
Basically, what I'm saying is that people in this town prefer college basketball to the pro game. Look across the country at the 3 biggest collegiate areas in the country that have NBA franchises. North Carolina/Charlotte, Indiana and Memphis all finished in the bottom 5 of attendance last year. Sure, you could argue that the teams are awful and no one wants to go see them, but did anyone see how awful the Hoosiers were this year? Each game looked sold out to me though. Whenever the Grizzlies play home games, FedEx Forum turns into a mauseleum, but when the Memphis Tigers play ANYONE, you would think that FedEx Forum is Cameron Indoor or Allen Fieldhouse. And Charlotte already had a team in the Hornets, but they moved on to greener pastures and guess what? The NHL's Carolina Hurricanes have vastly outdrawn the Bobcats since they were expanded.
My argument is that just because KC is college basketball Mecca, doesn't mean that the NBA is a viable option. In fact, I think it would fail miserably, unless the Sacramento Kings relocated here, but Kansas City is nowhere on the NBA's radar for relocation.
KC is at the front of the line for the NHL. The arena is ready, people have already bought tickets for a team that doesnt exist, and there is an organization dedicated to growing the game (NHL21). The fact of the matter is that basketball fans in this town don't care about the NBA in comparison to college basketball. The Jayhawks, Tigers, Wildcats, Shockers, Huskers and Cyclones are royalty here, and the NBA would have a tough time competing with that.
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