Monday Morning Cup O’Chiefs
Around the Chiefs, there are no soap operas currently on the play list. Oh, there are some that may come soon, starring the likes of Larry Johnson, Tony Gonzalez and Brian Waters.
But as NFL teams are allowed to begin their off-season conditioning programs on Monday, the AFC West is again rife with unhappiness. While the A.J. Smith-L.T. feud in San Diego has been put aside for now, the same cannot be said for family feuds in Oakland and Denver.
The new face-off is the one between Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels and Denver quarterback Jay Cutler (right). The old favorite is the one between Al Davis and his former head coach Lane Kiffin. Both will have new chapters on Monday.
Let’s start in Denver. On Monday morning at 8 o’clock Denver time, McDaniels has his first team meeting scheduled with the Broncos. It’s considered mandatory attendance for all returning players. All the Denver scribblers, talkers and mini-cams will be at Broncos headquarters to see if the quarterback shows up.
He won’t be there. Cutler’s agent Bus Cook asked the team Sunday night to trade his client. Cutler wants out.
“I would like to talk to Jay before we go on and start to discuss some other type of alternative,” McDaniels said Sunday night to the Denver Post. “In the last couple weeks, we’ve been all about trying to communicate and resolve his unhappiness with what happened – which we understand – and that’s been our direction.”
It doesn’t look good.
“I’m very disappointed,” Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said Sunday night to the Post. “I’m disappointed in the whole picture, not just disappointed that we might lose our star quarterback.”
This all stems from the Broncos engaging in trade talks for Cutler over two weeks ago. In just the last seven days here’s what has happened in the situation:
- Cutler and McDaniels, along with a host of others had a conference call last Monday. Cutler was not pleased with the results of that call.
- Cutler’s home in southeast Denver went on the market.
- The home that Cutler bought for his parents, also in southeast Denver went on the market as well.
- Cutler and McDaniels met face-to-face on Saturday morning and that seems to have only made things worse.
- Scheduled to attend a fund-raising testimonial for the Broncos long-time trainer on Saturday night, Cutler was a no show, saying he did not want to cause a distraction for the event. He did send a sizeable donation.
Apparently, what Cutler wants to hear is something along these lines: “We were stupid idiots for even considering a possible trade. You are the quarterback of the Broncos for the next century. We will never think of trading you again. We are soooooooooooooo sorry.”
On the other side of this situation is McDaniels, who must view this as the opportunity very early in his tenure to show that he’s the man in charge, not the quarterback. What he wants to hear from Cutler is “I’m on board for whatever you want coach. I just want to help the Broncos.”
What Cutler heard on Saturday was this, according to the quarterback who told ESPN.com: “I went in there with every intention of solving the issue, being a Bronco, moving forward as a Bronco. We weren’t in there but about 20 minutes, (McDaniels) did most of the talking, and as far as I’m concerned, he made it clear he wants his own guy. He admitted he wanted Matt Cassel because he said he has raised him up from the ground as a quarterback. He said he wasn’t sorry about it. He made it clear that he could still entertain trading me because, as he put it, he’ll do whatever he feels is in the best interest of the organization.
“At the end of the meeting, he wasn’t like, ‘Jay, I want you as our quarterback, you’re our guy.’ It felt like the opposite. He basically said that I needed to tell him if we can’t work this out, to let him know. I thought he was antagonizing me and that was disappointing because I was ready to move on, committed as a Bronco. Really, I figured we’d hash things out, shake hands, laugh a little and move forward. What happened was the last thing I expected. If I didn’t think it could be fixed, I never would have come back to Denver. It was painfully obvious to me and Bus (Cook) it’s not something they want to fix.”
Also speaking to ESPN.com, McDaniels had a different take on the meeting, further evidence that there’s a problem in communication in this situation.
“I don’t think anything that happened was out of the ordinary,” McDaniels said of the Saturday encounter. “At the end of the meeting, Jay said he had thought about things quite a bit and requested a few more hours to mull things over. He said he wanted to talk to Bus on how to proceed. He was gonna call me on my cell phone and that never happened.
“Again, I think that’s been a pattern. I couldn’t get (Cutler) to talk to me for two weeks or to talk to Mr. Bowlen. Then when he came here this weekend, we couldn’t get a one-on-one meeting, just me and him alone. He wanted Bus in there, so I had Brian sit in, too. And it was the four of us. There wasn’t any yelling, none of that. I can’t believe we get to a totally different (interpretation.)
If there is no middle ground that can be gained here, then the Broncos should just go ahead and trade Cutler and they should start with the Detroit Lions. If new coach Jim Schwartz is interested in a quarterback, then Cutler is a better option than Matt Stafford or Mark Sanchez. He can come in and play now. Plus, Cutler is already under contract and has two seasons of tape to analyze.
Whether Cutler shows Monday morning or not, that will not be the end to this story.
Now, let’s head west to our favorite asylum painted in silver and black. On Monday in a San Francisco law office, former Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin will give a deposition in his grievance case against the team for money owed him on his contract. Kiffin was fired 20 games into the three-year deal.
The Raiders fired Kiffin for what they said was violating conditions of his contract. In legalese, he was fired with cause, so he’s not due any more money from Davis’ bank account.
The Raiders also fired a shot across the bow of Kiffin and the University of Tennessee where he is head coach, by making public a letter from the team to the school. The letter has the signature of Raiders general counsel Jeff Birren and it warns UT about the type of person they are now associated with as their head coach.
“Mr. Kiffin’s termination followed two written warnings and several verbal admonitions that he was in breach of his contract and must comply with the terms of that agreement and the NFL Constitution and By-Laws. Mr. Kiffin repeatedly failed to do so during his tenure with the Raiders and was terminated as a result of his multiple violations of his contract and continued insubordination.”
There’s one laughable moment in the letter where Birren says that Kiffin and the Tennessee athletics director referred to the Raiders as dysfunctional and always in a state of crisis.
“In our view that any such dysfunction was brought about by Mr. Kiffin during his period of time with the Raiders,” Birren wrote.
That’s a hoot given the fact the Raiders have been dysfunctional for some time now and it’s left them one of the league’s worst teams for the better part of the last six years.
That’s not all Lane Kiffin’s fault. But it’s become more apparent as time has gone by that what happened between coach and organization was not the fault of just one side. Birren said in his letter that Kiffin may have provided information about the organization to opponents.
Here’s the text of the letter from the Raiders to Tennessee.
Kiffin’s attorney said over the weekend that Raiders officials would be deposed on Tuesday and would be asked about their involvement in what he called a smear campaign against the former coach.
Unfortunately, these depositions are not public domain. This is an arbitration hearing that will ultimately go to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. But how much do you want to be that sooner or later this testimony will become public knowledge.
It should be very juicy stuff.
NFL PLAYERS ELECT NEW UNION LEADER
Meeting in Hawaii on Sunday, the NFL Players Association elected Washington attorney DeMaurice Smith as the union’s new executive director.
Smith was elected on the first ballot on a vote by the 32 players representing each team in the league. He was chosen over former NFL players Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong and attorney-agent David Cromwell.
He will replace the late Gene Upshaw, who died last year from cancer. Smith was elected by a vote behind closed doors at the posh Fairmont Kea Lani resort on the island of Maui. The four candidates spoke to the players on both Saturday and Sunday.Â
The vote was by secret ballot, which were collected in a Reebok shoe box.
Smith has no labor law experience. He apparently has ties to President Barack Obama and worked with new U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. He’s a partner in the Washington-based law firm Patton Boggs. He has represented Fortune 500 companies in numerous cases. A native of Washington, Smith earned his law degree at Virginia in 1989, and has been a frequent guest commentator on many cable television news programs.
“Guys, let’s get to work,” Smith told the membership after the vote was announced. “The men here today made a decision to be unified to take a strong step forward to build upon the leadership of Mr. Upshaw and stand together as a family.â€Â
Smith must get up and running quickly, as negotiations will begin soon on a new collective bargaining agreement with the NFL owners.
NEW PLACES FOR OLD FACES/WEEKEND MOVEMENT IN NFL
BRONCOS– re-signed TE Jeb Putzier.
LIONS – traded for LB Julian Peterson (Seattle).
PATRIOTS — re-signed DL Mike Wright; signed WR Joey Galloway (Tampa Bay).
RAIDERS- signed OT Khalif Barnes (Jacksonville).
RAVENS – signed CB Chris Carr (Tennessee).
SEAHAWKS- traded for DT Corey Redding and a fifth-round draft choice (Detroit).
VIKINGS - signed CB Karl Paymah (Denver).
SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY …
Born on March 16, 1942 in Oakland was RB MacArthur Lane.He played 11 seasons in the NFL, the last four of those seasons with the Chiefs (1975-78) for Paul Wiggin and Marv Levy.
In the ’76 season, he led the Chiefs in rushing and receiving with 162 carries for 542 yards on the ground and 66 catches for 686 yards and a touchdown.
Overall, he played in 42 games with the Chiefs, with 27 starts and he ran for 1,209 yards on 318 carries and caught 130 passes for 1,207 yards, with nine total TDs.
Lane also played for St. Louis and Green Bay over his career. He finished with 7,442 yards in total offense and 37 touchdowns.
I sure hope the Chiefs don’t have any type of soap opera like the Broncos & Raiders are having with our guys in the likes of Larry Johnson, Tony Gonzalez and Brian Waters.
“The Right 53″
Two words with regard to the “situations” regarding Cutler and Kiffin…
“Who cares!”
Is there a contract clause for these guys that says if they make the headlines of the newspapers they get extra money – or is that their deal with the fishwrap and tv networks?
One word to describe the relationship of McDaniels and Cutler: FUBAR
Cutler…gawd, what a baby. He’s over-rated anyway, and he expects the new Head Coach to bow down and worship at the alter of Jay “I’m better than Elway” Cutler?
And he won’t do it. Ha ha!!! I love it. Reality is a bitch, huh Jay? Ship him off to the Lions. Let’s see how he likes playing for the worst team in football.
Denver Imploding: check
Raiders being the raiders: check
Norv Turner being Norv Turner: check
The chiefs have a legit shot at the AFC west.
My son and I have been talking about the Jay Cutler situation. He thinks the Chiefs should trade Cassel for Cutler and get an 2nd or 3rd pick with it. I am against trading for Cutler. What do you all think?
md554chiefs says:
“My son and I have been talking about the Jay Cutler situation. He thinks the Chiefs should trade Cassel for Cutler and get an 2nd or 3rd pick with it. I am against trading for Cutler. What do you all think?”
No freakin’ way do we need or want Cutler. One whining crybaby (LJ) on our roster is enough.
AMEN Scott!
I don’t want any part of a left over, over rated Denver cast off QB! He can stay in Denver or get traded some where else, but NOT HERE!!
md554chiefs, no offense, but if your son ever says that again, take your right hand, extend your arm out, pull back, and slap the turd across the cheek. Then lift up his shirt and see if he is wearing a Broncos Jersey. If he is, call me, I’ll come right over. You might not have the stomach to do what’s next.
The local news here in Denver have mentioned that Cutler had not only put his house up for sale, but also the house he bought his parents out here in Colorado. He obviously doesn’t want to stay in Denver. Go Chiefs!
-
You make it sound so easy, Bob, but if I’m a Denver Broncos fan and we trade Cutler– I’m PISSED!! (Even trading to Detroit; as there is a finite amount of time to be excited about the #1 pick and, then, only so long before the rookie QB has to play!)
McDaniels lacks the gravitas, quite frankly. And an old lesson for all of them, but especially for Pat Bowlen – BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!
I would much rather keep Cassel, no way would I want any thing to do with Cutler. He looked terrible in the pro bowl and I think he is way over rated with the cast of receivers he has to throw to. I think he is like Brett Farve was, wait long enough and he will throw a pick or two to change the momentum of the game. I believe he is not that good a QB or why would McDanials have been trying to get rid of him. He would not make “the right 53″ in my book.
I personally think that Cutler is a decent QB, but I dont know what Denver is going to do about a QB which Im happy about. Cutler in detroit would definately be career suicide but you know they have a new regime there also, so things can always change.
McDaniels is like all of the other coaches that have left New England, they all have their way or the highway approach and you see how that worked out for Crennel and Mangenius… McDaniels has destroyed the best part of that team, which again I am happy about.
I think a bigger story is the Raiders signing Barnes (formerly of the Jags) – that’s one less FA o-lineman off the market. Is anyone ELSE concerned that Damion McIntosh is still one of the guys who could be protecting our QB?
McIntosh MUST be one of the Right 53!!
I hope to God that SackIntosh ISN’T one of the “Right 53″. That guy sucks!
I would line up Thiggy under C before I let Cutler line up under our C. No way will any self respecting coach want Cutler as a starter. Maybe they might sign him as a backup or #3QB, but no way a cry baby as a starter. Signing him as a starter would be like putting a rotten apple in the middle of a fresh bushel of Fuji’s,my favorite apples. He is not a good example of a choice for any TEAM as their 53.
It is all about the TEAM……….and……….
THE RIGHT 53 2009
time check 1158
I’m not a big fan of writing $14-million of checks to a guy who spends half the year on IR because his line can’t protect for him.
And now it’s time for another episode ‘My Take’, a regular blog feature of bobgretz.com – with your anonymous host…’anonymous’ – thanks for waiting!
Q: Could the KC’s Chiefs use the services of Jay Cutler from the Broncos?
A: Could Custer have used some assistance at the Little Big Horn?
- Yes x2.
Q: Should KC package there current QB version of Bono, Grbac & Pelluer – aka mut cassel – for the franchise quarterback that the town favor forgot KC hasn’t had since the prime of Lenny Dawson?
A: Were the Atlanta Falcons retrospect fools for having traded & the Green Bay bandits for having acquired Brett Favre?
- Yes x2.
Et tu KC i.e., Cutler & cassel?
Even up? We could only be so fortunate, although with DEN being in a bit of a bind regards Cutler this is the perfect scenario nee opportunity for searchme piolee and his unshaven unwashed friend
checkpoint hailee to show their mettle.
Cutler is to Favre nee Star of India as cassel be to cubic zirconia and $3 bills…which is to say, the Chiefs should dive headlong toward the dingwa and get this deal done – STAT!
So then, what will it be Kaycee: cheese on white bread sandwich nee ‘mutburger’ or a seven course meal nee ‘extravajayganza’?
Yes, but about that Cutler whine? 88 & 27 > > 6.
Though Bono might disagree, here in Kaycee we’ve some nice sampling of some of the finest whines, such as the Muga “Prado Enea” Gran Reserva – we call it “the gonzalez” – comes in 88 milliliter size and the quite inconvenient ‘Nabuchadnezzar’ which lasts several weeks & beyond into the off season (which never actually ends here in KC.)
We’ve also grown quite accustomed to nee fond of some vintage “Blandy’s Verdelho Solera Madeira”, a vintage dating a century old! It is the finest in the market… a guilty pleasure which we call “the johnson.”
And, with the new Chiefs (mis)management gestapo in place it is the perfect opportunity to go all Alezander Haig and show the subordinates that no one is safe nor should they get comfortable even the newer arrivals because “I’m in charge here!” (if anyone is listening or even cares, ala Haig.)
Jay Cutler…get some, today! (marked down from the normal price of two #1 draft choices plus a starter to a cassel and #3 & #4 picks in 2009 – which is a bargain!)
Opening Game 2009 KC Chiefs Public Address System Announcer:
“And the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, #6, Jaaaaaaaaay Cuttt-ler!!!
It’s the blog segment where it’s obvious I don’t read what people are talking about so please skip over me…
It’s okay, SG! The horses read what I say!
That’s okay, SG! The horses will read what I write!
Will the birds do the same?
I only have illicit relationships with horses.
I think AnonaRin’s pro-Cutler rambling drivel melted down Bob’s server.
554chiefs, I like the way your son thinks. We won’t be lucky enough to get Cutler even with an even up trade. I would go for that though. Cutler is a proven Pro Bowler we would have to give Cassel and a draft pick to get him.
One more thing. If the Broncos are willing to trade Cutler, they will find a trade partner!
I think if Bob’s got the daily entry called Bottom of the Cage…then anonymous’ entry should be called “Liner of the Stalls.” Dude at least be in the discussion of what’s going on rather than some off-course drivel.
NFL network and Arrowhead Pride are reporting a possible trade sending Peppers from Carolina to New England. Is it just me or are the Pats loading their roster with several big name free agents that (on most other teams) might not be one of the right 53 guys and making them work fairly well?
Continuing…
If the Chiefs could somehow trade our checkpoint hailee for DEN Head Coach josh mcdaniels – who – most of the commentators herein wanted anyway… so much the better.
Alas, then we would still be stuck with that mut cassel & DEN would retain the better QB.
Former KC Chiefs Talent Guru Don Klosterman was correct nee a prophet 44 years ago when he said thence reference the football future circa 2009: “Kansas City be not so much Heaven or Hell…as Purgatory.”
The trade they are talking about would be sending the No 2 pick they got from us for Peppers. Another franchise player possibly being traded for our No. 2 pick. That could turn out be quite a pick.
No way the Broncos send Cutler to the Chiefs. He has way to much potential to send to a division rival. That’s just ridiculous on the surface.
McIntosh can come back, but as a reserve. He is versatile, in that he can play on either side and can play guard and tackle. He’s kind of like Ross Gload: He’s a good guy to have on the roster, but not as a starter (or even getting 400 ABs).
I hope Donkeys send Cutler to Detroit. It would serve both of them (Cutler and Denver) right. Then the only team left to pass for the AFC west crown is San Diego. The Chargers appear to be the real deal.
As it stands for now, J. Cutler is not coming to KC and I like that. Anon./rin is a hater because he offers no alternative, just hate. Lastly KC could be in the hunt in 09 but I doubt it. C, RG, and RT are missing pieces and DL was bad last year and we kept the same coach so why expect a different result?
tm1946 says:
” . . . zzzzzzz . . . zzzzzzzzzz . . .”
- just as we all expected nee par for the course his – double bogey, steak in the rough, mulligan free.
“As it stands for now”
- as did Rome too once ‘stood’, yet fell in a day or a ‘season’ – same difference.
“J. Cutler”
- far better than mut cassel.
“is”
- agreed.
“not coming to KC”
- well, he’s already here nee snuck in under cover of darkness, but he can just as easily ‘disappear’ again.
“and I like that.”
- as do I…we’ve consensus then.
“Anon./rin”
- tmj1946./lockjaw
“is”
- never a doubt.
“a”
- ok.
“hater”
- you’ve female problems; ok – tried Midol?
“because”
- because you’re giving others the cramps reading your mental ‘discharge’ nee blogs any herein. Oh, and what about piolee, what does he offer KC?
“he offers no alternative, just hate.”
- exactly, again we agree. So, where do you think the Chiefs will finish – firstly or lastly in the AFC West?
“Lastly KC”
- yes, checkpoint hailee and searchmepiolee will bring their weight to bear, sinking ship result.
“could be”
- will without question.
“in the hunt in 09 but I doubt it.”
- again we agree…that dog Chiefs won’t hunt in 2009.
“C, RG, and RT are missing pieces and DL was bad last year and we kept the same coach so why expect a different result?”
- pure insanity nee scary – nightofthelivingdead todd & hellifheknowscott.
Just say no! Cutler can go farrrr away. He may have talent but seems to lack control in himself and his throwing. It’s nice how Den. is bonding so well.
I’d take Cutler for Cassel in a millisecond. Unfortunately Denver won’t, which is what started all this nonsense to begin with. Cutler IS behaving like a petulant child. Here are some other QB’s that have behaved like petulant children at one point or another in their careers, off the top of my head. John Elway, Jim Kelley, Steve Young, Brett Farve, JOE MONTANA. They all demanded trades, refused to report to a team, and otherwise considered their own needs over the needs of an organization they were with. They all turned out OK, and Cutler has the kind of talent to someday rank with those guys.
I LOVE HORSES!
I admit it, I am Rin Tin Tin K-9 Cop!!
That smell? It’s me. I am doo doo. I love to play with it which means myself. Why? Because there is no one else will and I love grabbing my ankles so Josh will like me. He does. He makes me feel like a natural woman.
It is all about me and Josh……….and……….
THE RIGHT spot. He hits it every time 2009.
time check 1254
I love it when Devildog1976 does that for me. It makes access so much easier and the smile on his face tells me he cares. I love him.
So I will follow him. Follow him wherever he may go. There isn’t an ocean too deep, a mountain so high it can keep, keep me away from him.
I love him, I love him, I love him, and where he goes I’ll follow I’ll follow I’ll follow.
Do me a favor and bend over again my Devildog1976? Thanks.
anonymous,
I don’t understand why you insist on spamming this site with your multiple names. It’s really stupid.