Thanksgiving Cup O’Chiefs

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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If you think there wasn’t much for the Kansas City Chiefs to be thankful for during this disaesterous 2008 season, you would be wrong.

The Chiefs will get out of the office a few hours earlier than normal on Thursday so they can enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday.

And they all seem to have plenty to be thankful for this year. In fact, the timing of Thanksgiving in the midst of losing seven games in a row and 19 of the last 20 is actually a good reminder for many of them of what’s important in life.

“What we do here is very important,” safety Jon McGraw said. “But I think it’s always important to step back and put life into perspective. That doesn’t belittle what we do. Our job is to win football games and that’s important. Still there are things that are more important than football.

“There’s no better holiday to remind us all about how lucky we are than Thanksgiving. Just the opportunity to play this game and what it brings us is reason to be thankful. It’s a chance for us to remember what’s important.”

Herm Edwards will likely spend the holiday working. Wife Lia and the kids have gone off to California to see his mother and her parents. “I’ll probably just stay in the office and work,” Edwards said.

The head coach said he was most thankful for the people who serve.

“Whether it be military, police, fire department, all those people that do the things that we take for granted,” Edwards said. “We have to be thankful for them. They do a lot and it doesn’t get notice until something happens. I thought about that a lot this week.”

McGraw’s list of things to be thankful for was lengthy. “I’m thankful for just about everything in my life,” he said. “There isn’t a whole lot that I can complain about.”

Here are a few more Chiefs and what they are thankful for:

LB Derrick Johnson – “I’m thankful for the opportunity to play football. It’s taught me discipline, determination, courage and the good thing about football it gives you a plan for life. When football’s over, it’s transferring those things to the rest of your life.”

C Rudy Niswanger – “I’m thankful for my wife, my eight-month old daughter and my teammates. I’m thankful that I have a job where the leader is a good Christian man who believes in the same things that I do, like Coach Edwards.”

DT Glenn Dorsey – “I’m thankful for the opportunities that I have. I have a wonderful family, great friends and I’m 23 years old and had some success. I really don’t have much to complain about. I’ve been blessed.”

S Jarrad Page – “I’m thankful that I’m in a position to play this game and do something that I love to do.”

FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY

On November 27, 1988, the Chiefs lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-10 at Three Rivers Stadium. The Chiefs had won their previous two games in the last 60 seconds and tried again against the Steelers. But a pair of passes from QB Steve DeBerg fell incomplete in the end zone to finish up the game. This game is remembered in Chiefs history because of the suspension the day before the game of RB Paul Palmer. The team’s first-round draft choice was sent home when an assistant coach heard Palmer say on the team bus that he was considering fumbling the pass on purpose because he was unhappy with his playing time. When the assistant coach reported his comments to team management, Palmer was sent back to Kansas City on a flight Saturday night.

On November 27, 1994, the Chiefs lost to the Seattle Seahawks 10-9 at the Kingdome. It was a good day for the Chiefs defense, not so good for the offense in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle managed just 266 offensive yards, with just 59 rushing yards. The Chiefs had 312 yards on offense but were unable to score a touchdown, putting just three Lin Elliott FGs on the scoreboard. Seattle forced a pair fumbles, while the Chiefs did not get a takeaway. LB Derrick Thomas and DE Pellom McDaniels each had sacks. Seattle WR Brian Blades had seven catches for 141 yards.

SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO …

A couple of former Chiefs were born on November 27. KR Charlie Thomas (1975) was born in 1948 and LB John Olenchalk (1981-82) was born in 1955.

Hall of Fame pioneer Johnny Blood McNally was born on November 27, 1903. McNally played 14 seasons in the early days of pro football and later went on to become a coach.

OPPONENT NEXT/OAKLAND RAIDERS

Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker was placed on injured reserve Wednesday,

Coach Tom Cable has not declared the Raiders free of their mistake-prone ways even after Sunday’s big victory over Denver.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

There was a Tom Brady sighting on Wednesday in Boston, as he helped out with a Thanksgiving meal for the less fortunate.

Again, showing he seems immune to learning anything, Chad Johnson had plenty to say on Wednesday about his situation and that of the Bengals.

Former Chiefs-now Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes is trying to get a presidential pardon for his brother.

Brady Quinn is done for the season and trying to decide if he’s going to have surgery on his broken finger. 

AROUND THE REST OF THE AFC WEST

The Broncos feel like they are getting something out of trade-pickup Dewayne Robertson.

Here’s a good recap and overview of the predicament that the Chargers find themselves in with five games to play.