Monday Morning Cup O’Chiefs
Today is a very unusual day in the history of the Kansas City Chiefs, as the players report Monday morning to what amounts to a new office for them and the coaches.
With their return from training camp in Wisconsin, the players and coaches are the first occupants of the team’s new training center and office building. It sets next to the team’s practice fields and indoor training complex just outside Gate 5 of the Truman Sports Complex. There is a brand new locker room there, along with new facilites for the equipment staff and trainers.
As a group, the players will see it for the first time when they report back to work after having Sunday off. The coaches have been in their new offices since Friday, making the transfer from River Falls and getting everything ready for Monday morning’s meeting. Also beginning work in the new building this week is the player personnel department and most of the public relations staff.
The new building is part of the big contribution that the Hunt family has made to the renovations of Arrowhead Stadium. The team’s offices have been within the stadium since the team moved there in 1972, leaving behind their facility at Swope Park. They occupied that city owned building in Swope Park not long after they made the move to Kansas City in 1963 from Dallas.
By November, most of the team’s employees will be in the new building and that Arrowhead office space will become part of the stadium changes with more club seating and concourse space.
In today’s NFL, very few teams conduct their day-to-day business in the stadium where they play their home games. San Diego, Houston, Green Bay, Cincinnati, Carolina, the New York Giants, New England and Jacksonville will be the only clubs working out of their stadium.
Although they are within walking distance of Arrowhead, by the end of the year, the Chiefs will become the 24th team to train outside of their stadium.
COUNTDOWN
It’s 8 days from the NFL’s first mandatory cutdown of the roster. Teams must go from 80 to 75 on August 26. It’s 12 days from the NFL roster cutdown to the regular-season limit of 53 players.
We are now 20 days - less than three weeks - away from their regular-season opener against the Patriots in Foxboro and they are 27 days away from their home opener against the Raiders.
CHIEFS HISTORY
On August 18, 1961 the Dallas Texans beat the Bills in Buffalo in a pre-season game, 35-26. RB Johnny Robinson had a pair of TDs in the game’s first six minutes to give the Texans an early lead. WR Chris Burford had seven catches for 106 yards and one TD.
On August 18, 1975 the Chiefs beat the Dallas Cowboys 26-20 in a pre-season game played at Arrowhead Stadium. WR Larry Brunson caught a 41-yard TD pass from QB Len Dawson and TE Billy Masters caught a 4-yard TD pass from QB Tony Adams. Jan Stenerud kicked 4 FGs. Dallas QB Roger Staubach was 5 of 8 passing for 64 yards and a TD. Dawson was 12 of 19 for 176 yards and a TD
AROUND THE LEAGUE
They had Olympic-Michael Phelps fever in Baltimore this weekend as the Ravens hosted the Minnesota Vikings.
The Redskins are talking about the problems they had in the last few years dealing with the marriage of Joe Gibbs offensive philosophy with that of Al Saunders. They are happy that now, they have one voice.
AROUND THE AFC WEST
Notes and quotes from the Chargers loss at St. Louis Saturday night, where the biggest news may have come before the game when TE Antonio Gates was catching passes.
Raiders coach Lane Kiffin wants receiver Javon Walker to start earning his money.
Broncos are getting production out of their second draft pick, WR Eddie Royal.
I’m hearing what I expected to hear among Kansas City media and Chiefs “fans” this morning, following the pre-season game against Arizona.
Once again, true to form, the backup quarterback is quickly becoming the darling of the negative “fans”, who are hailing Tyler Thigpen as the “real” answer to the team’s quarterback question.
I’m not claiming that Thigpen isn’t talented, or even that he might not challenge for the starting spot at some point. But just like many backup quarterbacks before him (Casey Printers, anyone?), he comes into pre-season games against backup defenses, scrambles around in broken plays and behind poor pass protection, and suddenly he is the most popular player in town.
Also true to form, we’ve already got Jason Whitlock predictably stoking the fire by penning a weekend column about how Brodie Croyle has been “disappointing” thus far in the preseason. This, despite the fact that Croyle has yet to turn the ball over, and has shown a solid confidence and knowledge of the offense. Whitlock complains about Croyle’s longest completion gaining “only 7 yards”. Perhaps receivers downfield were covered, Jason? Perhaps Croyle was making the pass that was dictated under the progression reads within the offensive play?
Instead of cheking through his progressions and hitting the short outlet pass to the open receivers underneath, Whitlock would rather have Croyle force the ball downfield into coverage, possibly throwing an interception so that he could be furhter raked over the coals for doing so.
Typical.
I think Brodie Croyle has done a fine job thus far, and I’m looking forward to him being tested further in the coming games.
—Tim
Couldn’t agree more Tim. It does get old. Well said.
I’ll assume that the move to the new offices is the reason the kcchiefs web site crew hasn’t had a chance to change the depth chart yet and enter Savage’s name as first team kick and punt returner.
Turk McBride has been moved to starting LE, so that is not the reason.
Bob, do you get to watch the Chiefs practices that are closed to the media?
bob, as a chief fan here in arkansas i must say that i look forward to your column daily, some of the other writers (jw) are so negative it’s a real turnoff. hey chief fans stay the course we’ll make it through this rough time stronger than ever!
Nice to see so many Chiefs fans visiting this site! I am McLovin it! Anyway, I too am tired of all of the negative “BS” QB talk. I am ready for Brodie to shut everyone up so we can move on already!
Keep up the bloggin’ BOB!