Friday Morning Cup O’Chiefs
Sometime today, the Chiefs players will gather and cast their votes for the Pro Bowl.
This comes after the close of the public voting for the NFL’s all-star game. Unfortunately or fortunately – however you may view the situation – they players vote counts the same as the fan vote, one-third of the total. The other third belongs to the league’s coaches.
When the players select today, they are not allowed to vote for players on their own team, they vote only for AFC players, with offensive guys voting for defense and vice versa. Everyone votes for special teamers. They list first and second choices in the two columns at each position.
There is no perfect way to decide on an all-star team. One would think that the players would have a better understanding of who has had a worthy season than anybody. But I’ve heard too many stories over the years of teams not voting for players at positions where they have a teammate who has an all-star chance. Or one of the team’s leaders will take over the voting meeting and tell his teammates to pick player B, who happens to be his good friend.
Politics plays out in the locker room as well.
At least, they don’t make a farce out of the process which is something that Washington Redskins fans did with the help of the team. They flooded the ballot box to the point that Redskins players were either No. 1 or No. 2 in the voting at just about every position. Of the 19 spots on the ballot there were nine Redskins in first place, seven in second and four in third.
Not bad for a team that’s in last place in its division with a 7-6 record.
Right now, it’s pretty obvious the Chiefs will have just one player in the Pro Bowl: tight end Tony Gonzalez. He was the AFC’s leading vote getter at the position (400,938) and third overall among tight ends after Dallas’ Jason Witten (626,602) and Chris Cooley of, you guessed it, the Redskins (550,906). He was 19th in votes among all players in both conferences.
There were no other Chiefs among the top five at any of the 19 positions in the league. It’s doubtful with a 2-11 record that many Chiefs will pile up votes from the players and coaches.
The last time the Chiefs had just one player make the trip to Hawaii was in 1998, when Will Shields made the team. That was the only time in the last 22 years that the Chiefs had just one Pro Bowler.
For Gonzalez, it will be his 10th spot in the all-star game.
Nearly 85 million votes were cast for the Pro Bowl. The leading vote getter was New Orleans QB Drew Brees with 951,246. New York Jets QB Brett Favre was second with 880,833.
The Pro Bowl teams will be announced this coming Tuesday during a live show on the NFL Network. That makes the whole thing rather ridiculous: let the fans have a vote for the all-star team and then they can’t see the show where the teams are named because more than half the country doesn’t get the network.
Like I said, there’s no perfect way to pick an all-star team.
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL THAT NOBODY SAW
Chicago’s Robbie Gould nailed a 35-yard FG in overtime to beat the New Orleans Saints 27-24 at Soldier Field. The Bears are now 8-6, while the Saints are 7-7. More details right here.
FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY
On December 12, 1971, the Chiefs beat the Oakland Raiders 16-14 in front of 51,215 fans at Municipal Stadium. On a cold, crisp Kansas City afternoon, K Jan Stenerud kicked a 10-yard FG with 1 minute, 34 seconds to play to give the Chiefs the victory. The Raiders led 14-13 after RB Marv Hubbard’s one-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter and K George Blanda’s PAT. The Chiefs had a first quarter TD pass from QB Len Dawson to WR Otis Taylor of 29 yards and Stenerud had FGs of 14 and 33 yards. Taylor finished the day with eight catches for 113 yards. CB Jim Marsalis and S Jim Kearney both had interceptions of Blanda, who replaced Daryle Lamonica.
On December 12, 1976, the Chiefs beat the Cleveland Browns 39-14 at Arrowhead Stadium. With a crowd of 34,340 watching, RB Ed Podolak had quite a day. He ran 29 times for 137 yards and three TD runs. Podolak added four catches for 71 yards. QB Mike Livingston started for the Chiefs, but went out of the game early in the second quarter after he was sacked by the Browns defense. Tony Adams replaced him and had a good afternoon, hitting 15 of 29 passes for 201 yards and a 10-yard TD pass to TE Walter White. The Chiefs honored G Ed Budde afterwards with the game ball, as he played his final game with the Chiefs.
SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO …
A handful of former Chiefs, led by G Dave Szott, who was born on December 12, 1967 in Passaic, New Jersey. He played 12 seasons for the Chiefs, before closing out his career with two years in New York with the Jets. He and his family still live in New Jersey and Dave serves as the team chaplain for the Jets.
Also born on this day in 1952 was QB David Jaynes. Coming out of the University of Kansas, Jaynes played one game with the Chiefs in 1974.
And born on December 12, 1983 was DT T.J. Jackson, who spent time this year with the Chiefs before moving to the practice squad and then the injured reserve list with a knee injury.
OPPONENT NEXT/SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
The Chargers defense has been a disappointment, and the biggest individual disappointment may be defensive lineman Luis Castillo.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
The players who were suspended for testing positive for a banned diuretic have seen a federal judge in Minneapolis push their cases back into January, allowing them to continue to play.
Here’s proof positive that rich people have problems too, especially when you happen to be an NFL player with deferred bonus money coming and a tax problem.
AROUND THE REST OF THE AFC WEST
His name is Cory Boyd and he’s now the feature back for the Denver Broncos.
Al Davis spent most of the week in a Bay Area hospital with a knee problem suffered last week in San Diego.
Problems in the red zone are killing the Raiders offense.
TG is the only person who deserves a probowl.
Even the punter has slipped this year.
Seems like the NFL could implement a system where you have to have a usable e-mail address to vote on line. Then you only get one vote per e-mail.
Would have been interesting to hear how many votes were cast in total.
Tony G. He deserves it since he was unable to trade to a contending team.
Last night I watched 38 the Spot and the evening news with an interview with Herm.
Questioned was asked if he was embrassed.
I could have scripted what he said word for word. “No, I am not embrassed, I have too much in me.”
Okay Herm too much what?
I read an article a few days ago that a little child wrote wanting to know why Jesus did not write a book in the Bible and the response was-if he had, would anyone believed him about all the great things he had done and will do. Wouldn’t he had come off arrogant?
But others wrote the books with their testimonies of his greatness.
Herm, You are telling everyone how great you are, but what will the other that write your testimony have to say?
Alot of things to talk about:
1. Chiefs are trying to extort $25 million from taxpayers. In return, they will have training camp in Missouri (instead of river falls) and give $10 million to the school they will use for camp to upgrade facilities. http://fatchatter.com/forum/index.php?topic=679.0
Team aldready has over $20 million in cap savings from going cheap this yr, and they are trying to take even more in these tough economic times?
2. http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2008/12/11/qa_with_herm_edwards__1211/
Q: When you go out in public and hear from fans are they frustrated or encouraged or…?
EDWARDS: “Most of them I talk to ““ and I don’t see a whole lot because my hours aren’t fan friendly right now as I’m here early in the morning and leave late at night ““ but they’re encouraged. They like the direction we’re headed in. They like what they see as far as our youth and what we’re trying to build.
Q: Would you make it a point to go out in public more if you were 11-2 instead of 2-11?
EDWARDS: “No, I’d be on my same schedule I’m always on. You know, I don’t have anything to be embarrassed about. I really don’t. I work as hard as anybody; I don’t have anything to be embarrassed about and I’m not embarrassed about this football team or the way they play. I don’t like our record. I’m disappointed in our record. But I don’t have anything to be embarrassed about in how I coach or what I believe in.
————————
who is Herm talking to that is encouraged by this season? Let me guess, CP, and rufus dufus.
Also havent you all picked up on the trend of when Herm repeats something so many times, he is generally lying. How can herm not be embarassed being at the helm of the worst season in chiefs franchise history, and breaking NFL records for crapiness?
Another point, There are alot of people who ‘work really hard’ but are horrible at what they do. Gunther is example #1.
Keep up the great work Coach Edwards. ALL of KC is behind you and we know that you will lead us back to glory very soon now.
AND NOW, Clark Hunt has RE-affirmed Herm’s The Man!
You forgot to mention the most important person in KC football. clark hunt. I believe he supports herm and probably carl. I can see where there will be no changes at the end of the year. This young man was given a football team and he certainly does not have a fans love of the team. That is the way it is and the why behind herm and his comments.
When the remodeled stadium is complete clark will have to deal with the losing of games but not until then. 30+ mil under this year and maybe more next will help pay for the chiefs contribution to the remodel. There is no point investing cash into a failing operation.
Just maybe a few coaches will be let go at the end of the season. But forget herm and probably carl, hunts do not waste money.
Lastly why would anyone be surprised by herm’s comments. He is doing exactly what he is supposed to for his owner/employer.
Maybe Clark, Carl and Herm should ask Congress for a bailout since the 3 big Car Companies have, maybe they can throw billions of tax payers money to them.
C&C&H are the biggest bafoons known to anyone that wore “Red” at 1 time.
Should all the fans (which Herm wouldn’t noitce since he has no fan friendly time) go on a strike and not show up for anymore games until the “Three Stooges” are gone!?
Way to make excuses – it’s the voting system not the team? please…. who deserves it then?
I’m fully behind Herm.
I think he’s doing in the range of a good job. Whether he is doing an excellent job or a mediocre job is too early to tell. If we lose the rest of the games this year, he will lose much of my support.
However, this year is already over. To lose all of my support, we will have to be clearly out of the playoff chase at mid-season next year.
If we make the playoffs, he’s done a good job built on the basis of what he’s doing this year. If we win the AFC West, he’s done a great job built on the basis of what he’s doing this year. If we win 2 playoff games, he’s done an excellent job built on the basis of what he’s doing this year.
You guys are complaining about the ending of a movie that you haven’t seen yet.
This offseason will tell us a lot about Clark Hunt. Whether or not he keeps the current regime intact is a mystery still, but my personal prediction is that he keeps everyone with the possibility of Gunther, who will probably be used as a scapegoat for the year, along with Croyle. Look for Rod Marinelli to come in here and be the defensive coordinator or at the very least, the D line coach.
Will the Chiefs be better in 2009 because of what they’ve attempted to do this year? Quite possibly. It’s the NFL. Stranger things have happened. I for one have zero faith in Carl or Herm at this stage of their careers. However, even with that said I still think that the Chiefs are the second best run franchise in the AFC West to Denver. Oakland is an absolute joke of course and Norv Turner and AJ Smith are being exposed as over rated frauds in San Diego.
Just wondering what herm has done for your support? He get props for convincing clark to gut the team and start a rebuild. He get props for better drafts because we have missed on many players for the previous 6 years. He get the blame for:
1 Winning two games so say in 2008.
2 Throwing a cover 2 on defense without players who fit the scheme.
3 Tried to rebuild with only rookie team, no real chance to win.
4 Apparently not noticing the fans were no satisfied with 2 wins.
5 Annointing Brodie with no reason to do so.
6 Drafting loads and load of DL who do not play the game well enough to be a factor.
7 Tell the fans to get over it.
8 Only head coach I ever heard of who never takes the blame for anything and regularily throws others under the bus.
9 Declined to use veteran FA to help fill spots the rookies could not cover.
10 Set all time chief records in losing this season, and then says he is full of himself to feel bad about it.
I guess he has earned your support for all he has done to the KC chiefs.
TM-I’m not going to sway you. I’m not going to say something to the effect that this should have been done 10years ago. You have been around long enough to know it should have been done. And with a rebuild what use is it to keep doing the same crap that they have done for the last 10. mediocre fa that tend to be absolutely worthless in the end. I dont see a super bowl the last 10 do you? And he had every right to anoint brodie he’s the coach. Brodie done some good things when he played he just couldnt stay healthy. I was irritated when i sat down to my computer and your crap just made me worse. If they are bad next year then your ire will be due and I will go right along with you.
I like Herm because he’s our coach.
Period.
About the worst I can say about someone who is a Chief is that I don’t like them very much, and that is reserved for the non-contributors who have been given every chance (like Darling).
When they are gone, and only when they are gone, will I fully evaluate what they’ve done. Until then, they are a work in progress.
Exception: I have felt free to point out when someone is on a decline and needs to be sent to the bench. But I’ve never asked for any non-thug to get kicked off the team. And I’m withholding judgment on LJ until he is convicted of something, because accusations at a club are easy to make, especially from a woman against a man.
So I look at what Herm has done:
The 3rd-worst coaching situation in the NFL (worst: Oakland; 2nd-worst: Detroit), he has the all-time best record for reaching the post-season and winning there: 3 appearances in 5 years.
Then he took an aging KC team that was falling apart and lost its pro-bowl starting QB and brought them to the playoffs with Damon Huard starting half the season.
Then when the wheels fell off, he was instrumental (although not solely responsible) for repairing our secondary, and has made a darn good start on fixing WR, O-line, RB, QB, and TE for years into the future.
Just one year after the wheels fell off, we are down to just 3 holes: 2 OLB and a DE.
He coaches disciplined teams that don’t commit fouls, don’t turn the ball over, and don’t give up on him, no matter how bad the season is going.
Then when we lose our starting and 2nd string QB (and lots of D-line players, and LBers, and CBs for short stretches), he retools the team mid-season, and keeps us competitive 4 straight weeks against playoff teams.
And I see the light at the end of the tunnel. It takes time for a defense to come together, and we should be able to target, fill, and fix the 3 holes on defense, let them all practice together throughout pre-season, and be ready to do very well next season.
I think we’ll be the surprise of the NFL next season by what I see happening to the team right now on the field.
If I’m wrong, I’ll reevaluate, but I see the signs already.
So that’s why I support him.
Heres the thing tm you make good points about Herm. Except for the throwing people under the bus stuff. I hear that coming more from fans than I do players or asst. coaches so you can’t say something like that when other people aren’t saying it because he is not refering to you. I think the thing you have to realize is that this team for 2008 was not built is was built to win 2009 and beyond. The 90s team tried free agency and does teams came and went with no Super Bowl to show for it and lack of patience from fans,media, and ownership by not keeping Marty around if he had still been here we would have a Super Bowl by now.
Now as for your comment about him being full of himself I don’t understand that either. Thats more of your anger towards Herm than fact. There is nothing wrong with a guy believing in what he started despite the record. If he you’re a manager or coach and you don’t believe in what you do then you don’t need to be a CEO,or head manager, or head coach. Herm believes he’s got this organization going in the right direction based on the talent we have in place. And so do I. I think if you look at our roster compared to 2007 we are a much more talented team that is only going to get better. You’re one of those fans looking for instant success and that is not what this team is built for. They’re built for future success. Adding a couple free agents may have got the fans expectation all how only to still maybe win 1 or 2 more games this point in the season. And besides when you’re rebuilding for the future no need to bring in a bunch old veterans that want be around when these guys mature and actually be good.
Last my thing is the team is young but want always be young. We’re going in the right direction we went from in 2007 needing players at damn near every position on the field down to maybe only about 4 key positions (defensive end,middle or outside linebacker, right tackle, and right guard,). If Herm 2009 draft is just as good as the 2008 and he fills in the holes where I just mention on the roster and bring back Tyler as the starting quarterback we will win a bunch of games next year. So we’re not as far away as people like yourself may think but you just not an outside the box type of guy. You want immediate gratification and sometimes in sports patience just has to be used. I’m betting Marty was losing playoff games you were saying he needs to go because he couldn’t win in the playoffs. And now you’re calling for Herm’s head in the middle of a rebuild. Fans sometimes have to learn patience and that you’re going to have some good and bad years on a football team. That is what life is about ups and downs. Right now this team is down but the way we’ve played against playoff teams in close games there is hope and optimism for the future. That hey if we can strengthen our weaknessess on the roster then we can win these games that we’re losing. So thats what you got to look at.
I agree Ed and Nathan, the chiefs aren’t good this year, but look at the big picture. You want a team that will win and be competitive for years, notice the plural, not a year. Im tired of hearing fair weather fans on here complaining about everything under the sun. The team is young, not a few years ago the the titans were young, where are they now? Almost unstoppable. Patience is a virtue, it’s ashame that most fans dont possess this virtue.
Also, tm1946, the punter has slipped a little since he pulled his groin, what do you expect from a guy who kicks a ball and is coming back from a groin injury. It’s a bit different injury to heal from for that position.
I COULD NOT MAKE IT THROUGH THE COMMENTS OF THE SUPPOSED CHIEF FANS ALWAYS WANTING TO BE SELFISH we needed a rebuild an Herm is the man for standing up and getting it done I am tired of watching denver and san diego going to the playoffs while we sit looking in with 9 win teams i have been a chiefs fan since 1960 when i was born even before i knew it so why dont the real chiefs fans stand up and all of you people that have to have it all now just shut up and watch what happens when we get the whole team healthy and start playing together a bad break and a lot of poor zebra calls does not make the youngest team in the nfl a bust it just make them inexperienced and learning how to be a team our coaching is great compared to the teams of the past even when we went 9-0 with vermeil did we make the playoffs or go anywhere but home TONY G beleives in this team and so do i but to listen to crap you supposed fan put out thats embarrasing to the real fans of the Chiefs and you people are entitled to yuor opinions but wow what a load CHIEFS FOREVER I BELEIVE SO SHOULD YOU
Keep up the unproductive work Coach Edwards. ALL of KC is sick of you and we know that you will make excuses and lead us back to 2 and 14 very soon now.
AND NOW, Clark Hunt has RE-affirmed Herm’s The Man On The Hot Seat!