KC Sports Central

Chiefs Sign Thomas Jones, Create NFL's Best Running Back Tandem For 2010

Wed, 10 Mar, 2010 12:43:34 GMT

Back in 1993, then Chiefs General Manager Carl Peterson signed a highly productive running back whose former team thought he was washed up at 33 years of age. That running back was former Oakland Raider great Marcus Allen.

Allen was brought in to take 26 year-old running back Harvey Williams under his wing, and provide the team some insurance should Williams falter in the running game. It wasn't long before Allen replaced the ineffective Williams, he went on to provide the Chiefs with five solid seasons.

The signing of Thomas Jones by the Chiefs current GM Scott Pioli bears a remarkable resemblance to the signing of Allen 17 years ago.

Jones, at 31, is younger than Allen was when he came to the Chiefs. He has also rushed for more yards in his ten pro seasons before coming to the Chiefs (9,217), than Allen rushed for in his eleven seasons as a Raider (8,545).

However, unlike the situation Allen found himself in with an unproven back like Williams to compete with, Jones joins a backfield with the up-and-coming Jamaal Charles.

Charles, at just 23, is much better after two pro seasons than Williams was at any point in his career. With 1,477 rushing yards in 257 attempts, Charles is averaging 5.7 yards per rush, and should not be in any jeopardy of losing his starting job anytime soon.

So why did Pioli bring Mr. Jones to Kansas City?

After all, it's not often that you see a running back who gained 1,402 yards the previous season signing a deal to be a backup.

In short, Pioli is bringing Jones to Kansas City to share the load with Charles.

While Charles is fully expected to be the Chiefs starter at running back this season, Coach Todd Haley and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis won't be asking Charles to break Larry Johnson's record for rushes (416) anytime soon.

Charles should get a bulk of the carries, and Jones should be expected to spell him as needed.

What's more, in addition to being the Chiefs leading rusher last season, Charles was a vital piece of the Chiefs passing game as well. No other running back on the Chiefs roster last season, provided the Chiefs the same receiving threat out of the backfield when Charles needed a breather.

The signing of Jones gives the Chiefs another back who is also an excellent receiver out of the backfield, preventing opposing defenses from scheming differently based solely on which back the Chiefs have in their backfield.

At the end of the day, Jones will also serve as an insurance policy if Charles can't make it through the entire season as the club's starter.

Even if Charles stays healthy, and there's no reason to think he won't, Jones should get plenty of carries and provide the Chiefs with what is possibly the best running back tandem in the NFL in 2010.

Football Follies: Terrell Owens To Join Ochocinco, Signing With Bengals

Tue, 9 Mar, 2010 11:46:08 GMT

If you believe what NFL players post on Twitter, then in a matter of hours, Terrell Owens will be a Cincinnati Bengal.

Late this afternoon, Owens replied to a tweet by the Bengals Chad Ochocinco, all but saying he was on his way to Cincinnati to sign a contract with the Bengals.

As far as how "conversations" go on Twitter, here's how it went down between Ocho and T.O.:

OGOchoCinco@terrellowens hey where you at? You sign on that dotted line yet
terrellowens@OGOchoCinco i'm on the plane!

So what's this mean for Bengals fans? It means that Carson Palmer has the best 1-2 receiving combination that he's had since T.J. Houshmandzadeh left for Seattle after the 2008 season.

It also means that the Bengals will have the two most-overhyped badboys (in perception only) amongst wide receivers in the league. And quite honestly, that should be good for the Bengals.

Both receivers are huge competitors, and should only make each other better as they compete for passes from Palmer. They also respect each other immensely and are friends off the field, which should negate any finger pointing that may have gone on in past years for either player.

It's a dream combination for Bengals fans, and it looks like that dream will likely come true in the next few hours.

Let the media circus and celebratory antics begin!

The 10 Best Draft Picks in Kansas City Royals History

Sun, 21 Feb, 2010 03:44:26 GMT

The 41-year history of the Kansas City Royals is a story of a meteoric rise to contention in the franchise's first 21 years, followed by a titanic fall to baseball's cellar in the last 20 years.

As an expansion team in 1969, the Royals became a winner after just two seasons and was a title contender for two decades. In fact, all seven of the team's playoff appearances occurred during a 10-year stretch from 1976 to 1988, making it to the World Series twice, winning it once in 1985.

The Royals early success hinged almost entirely on the team's ability to find, draft, and then develop young players in it's farm system.

In addition, the Royals were able to develop their players into winners, and then retain them.

In the early 1990s, all that changed. After an era where players spent their entire career with a single team, free agency sent salaries through the roof and players began leaving small market teams like Kansas City for the Bostons and New Yorks of the league.

Unfortunately for fans, the main issue in Kansas City the last 20 years is that as soon as the stars of players like David Cone, Johnny Damon, or Carlos Beltran began to rise, they were either lost in free agency or traded away to teams willing and able to pay millions of dollars more for their services.

Here is my list for the top 10 Royals draft picks of all-time. For younger Royals fans whose only taste of winning was a 2003 team that won just 83 games, there may be names of Royals greats that they are seeing for the first time.

For older fans, this list represents a flashback to the glory days of this franchise, with a few younger players mixed in, all of whom are players that any general manager in baseball would love to have on their team.

No. 10: OF Bo Jackson, 1986-fourth round

The late Buck O'Neil, on more than one occasion, would talk about the first time he heard the great Josh Gibson hit a baseball.

In all his years, Buck claimed to have only heard a sound like that on two other occasions: when as a child he heard Babe Ruth hit, and much later in life when he heard Bo Jackson hit.

Bo Jackson, a Heisman Trophy winning running back from Auburn, also played a little baseball.

A raw baseball talent who everyone thought would make his living in the NFL, decided to play both sports after the Royals spent a fourth round pick on him in the 1986 draft.

Stated simply, when you watched Bo Jackson play, it was very possible you would see something you'd never seen before.

After signing with the Royals, he asked if he could take batting practice before the game in Kansas City. On the first pitch he saw, he crushed it over 450 feet off the base of the Royals scoreboard.

When co-owner Avron Fogelman yelled to someone to "get me that baseball," Jackson promptly drove the second pitch he saw to almost the exact same spot.

Fogelman got that ball, too.

Bo's first major league home run went 475 feet to left center field at Royals Stadium, it was also the furthest ball hit in the history of the park.

Bo hit monster home runs, and on many of them, he broke his bat. Even when he didn't make contact, he'd break his bat, like when he snapped the bat over his thigh like a toothpick after striking out.

He was the first player to lead off an All-Star game and hit a home run on the game's first pitch, with a 448 foot shot to straightaway center field that great Tony Gwynn described as "unbelievable."

Perhaps Bo's greatest feat was "the Throw," when on a double to left, Bo wheeled and threw flat-footed to home plate from 300 feet away to gun out Harold Reynolds who was running on the play from second base.

Reynolds was one of the fastest players in baseball at the time, and with any other player in left field, he could have crossed the plate easily without even a slide. Bo wasn't any player in left field, to many he was Superman.

Despite a career .250 average, and a hip injury sustained in football that limited his superhuman exploits and shortened his career, Bo was quite simply one of the best players to ever don a Royals uniform.

His 109 homers in five seasons as a Royal rank him tenth in club history.

No. 9: OF Willie Wilson, 1974-first round

The best leadoff hitter in Royals history was their first round pick in 1974. His name was Willie Wilson.

If not for being overshadowed by a guy named Rickey Henderson, who played in Oakland and New York, Wilson could have very well been considered the best leadoff hitter in the American League from 1979 to1988.

During that span, Wilson led the league in triples five times ('80, '82, '85, '87 and '88) and averaged 51 stolen bases.

Many fans don't realize that during teammate George Brett's run at batting .400 in 1980, when he finished at .390, that Wilson actually outhit Brett.

That season, Wilson led the league in hits (230) and singles (184), both club records that not even Brett could break. And just a year earlier, in 1979, Wilson became the club's single-season stolen base leader, swiping 83 bases.

Wilson was the perfect example of an unselfish era when players used their greatest assets, in Willie's case his speed, to get on base and produce runs.

No. 8: RHP Zack Greinke, 2002-first round

The 2002 first round selection of former General Manager Allard Baird, Zack Greinke was a near bust after stepping away from the game in 2006 for a social disorder.

At one point, Greinke even contemplated quitting the game in favor of getting a job mowing grass.

Not only did Greinke recover from his disorder and put his lawnmowing career on hold, but he turned himself into the hottest young pitcher in baseball at just 26 years of age.

In 2009, after signing a long-term deal before the season began, Greinke went out and won 16 games and he did it in spite of run support that was the poorest in the league.

He finished with a league-best 2.16 ERA, and was under 2.00 until his final start. He also became just the second Royals pitcher in team history (Bret Saberhagen in '85 and '89) to win the American League Cy Young award.

Blessed with near flawless mechanics, Greinke has become a master at changing locations and speeds, keeping hitters off balance.

For Royals fans who have endured through a horrendous past several years of baseball, Greinke has quickly become the cornerstone and shining star of a rebuilding team.

No. 7: RHP Kevin Appier, 1987-first round

One of the often overlooked players in Royals history, Kevin Appier owns the club record for career strikeouts with 1,458.

Drafted two years after the team's 1985 World Series title, Appier was one of many pitchers drafted by the Royals in an effort to reload what was once one of the league's most dominant pitching staffs.

Unfortunately for the Royals, until the selection of Zack Greinke in 2002, Appier was by far the best pitcher to come out of the draft during that span.

In his 13 seasons in Kansas City, Appier utilized a herky-jerky delivery and an excellent slider to win 115 games while posting a very respectable 3.49 ERA. His 8.82 strikeouts per 9 innings in 1996 is still the club's single-season record.

No. 6: 1B Mike Sweeney, 1991-10th round

Back in 1991, General Manager Herk Robinson decided to use his 10th round pick on a heavy hitting high school catcher from Ontario, CA.

That player was Mike Sweeney.

While Sweeney would break-in to the majors as a catcher, it was his ability to drive in runs that kept him there.

A liability behind the plate, Sweeney would spend his best days in Kansas City splitting time between designated hitter and first base.

In his 13 seasons as a Royal, the five time All-Star hit .299 with 197 home runs while driving in 837. Sweeney hit 20 or more home runs in six of seven seasons from 1999 to 2005, and set the team single-season mark for RBI in a season with 144 in 2000.

If not for injuries that forced him to miss time in almost every season he played for the Royals, Sweeney's numbers would be even more impressive.

No. 5: OF Carlos Beltran, 1995-second round

When major league scouts and general managers look for players to build franchises around, they look for five-tool players.

The team's second round pick in 1995, Carlos Beltran, is arguably the best five-tool athlete to ever wear a Royals uniform.

In his seven seasons in Kansas City, Beltran turned in many highlight reel performances in Kaufman Stadium's spacious center field.

The American League Rookie of the Year in 1999, in four full seasons as a Royal, Beltran hit .294 averaging 25 homers, 103 RBI, and 33 stolen bases.

Unfortunately for Royals fans, the business side of baseball forced the Royals to trade Beltran before he became a free agent, as the team wasn't willing to pay the more than $15 million per season that the New York Mets would give him after the 2004 season.

At just 32, Beltran is a five time All Star, two time Silver Slugger winner, and a three time Gold Glove winner.

No. 4: LHP Paul Splittorff, 1968-25th round

Back in 1968, the Kansas City Royals hadn't even put a team on the field yet, but they did participate in the major league draft.

And the best player to come out of that draft was selected in the 25th round, and would go on to pitch 15 seasons in a powder blue uniform, becoming the winningest pitcher in franchise history with 166 wins.

That player was left-handed starter Paul Splittorff.

After becoming a full-time starter for the Royals in 1971, Splittorff won 10 or more games in 10 of the next 13 seasons, with a career high 20-win season in 1973.

Splittorff would never win a Cy Young or lead the league in strikeouts, but he was a staple in the Royals rotation for more than a decade, and the best left-handed pitcher in team history.

No. 3: RHP Dennis Leonard, 1972-second round

When the Royals used their second round pick in 1972 on a pitcher from small Iona College, they didn't know they were drafting a future workhorse who would become the team's only three-time 20 game winner.

In fact, during the team's winningest era from the mid '70s into the early '80s, righthander Dennis Leonard was the Royals best pitcher, becoming the team's second-winningest pitcher in team history with 144 wins.

While pitching 12 seasons in Kansas City, he was at his absolute best during a seven-year stretch from 1975-1981. During that span, he averaged more than 17 wins per season with a 3.50 ERA and 1,111 strikeouts.

Leonard owns several Royals records including 103 complete games and 23 shutouts in his career. He also set the high-water mark for Royals pitchers with 244 strikeouts in 1977.

His record of 21 complete games, which he also set in 1977, because of the advent of middle relievers in today's game, is likely to be a record that he holds for a very long time.

No. 2: RHP Bret Saberhagen, 1982-19th round

Most of the players on this list, with the exception of pitcher Paul Splittorff (25th round) and Mike Sweeney (10th round), are players that were drafted in the first couple rounds of the annual June baseball draft.

The second-best player ever drafted by the Royals, like Splittorff before him and Sweeney after, was a late pick as well.

With Splittorff and Dennis Leonard entering the twilight of their careers in the early '80s, second-year general manager John Schuerholz took a flyer in the 19th round of the 1982 draft on a lanky high school kid from Reseda, CA.

That lanky kid, named Bret Saberhagen, would become the youngest player to ever start a major league game for the Royals, making the big league club in 1984 at just 19 years of age.

At just 21 years of age, Saberhagen would win the Cy Young award and lead the 1985 Royals to its only World Series Championship by notching his first career 20-win season and posting a 2.87 ERA.

Saberhagen would win another Cy Young in 1989, becoming the only Royal to win the award twice, winning 23 games and posting a league-best 2.16 ERA.

In total, during his eight seasons in Kansas City, the youngster from Reseda won 110 games, two Cy Youngs, and the hearts of tens of thousands of Royals fans everywhere.

No. 1: 3B George Brett, 1972-second round

If you've made it this far and were still wondering who the all-time best draft pick in Royals history was, then here's a hint: he's the team's only Hall of Famer.

A high school kid from El Segundo, CA, George Brett was selected by the Royals in the second round of the 1971 draft.

In his 21 seasons, all as a Royal, Brett put up prototypical Hall of Fame numbers with a career average of .305, 3,154 hits, 1,583 runs, 317 homers, and 1,595 RBI.

A 13-time All-Star, Brett is perhaps best known for being the player who came closest to joining Ted Williams as baseball's only .400 hitter, when in 1980 he hit a major league best .390.

And even if today's younger fans don't remember him going for .400, they will almost certainly remember Brett's highlight-reel tirade in 1983's "Pine Tar Game."

After hitting the go-ahead two-run homer against the Yankees in the top of the ninth inning in hostile Yankee Stadium, Brett's homer was disallowed for having too much pine tar on his bat. Brett flew out of the dugout in an absolute rage in what is perhaps the most memorable umpire-charging incident in baseball history.

In 1973, Brett began what would become the career by which every future Royals player would be judged.

Here we are 37 years later in 2010, and no other Royals player has even come close.

Walter Payton Man Of The Year: KC's Brian Waters A Winner Off The Field

Mon, 8 Feb, 2010 01:46:03 GMT

The Kansas City Chiefs have struggled on the field the past few years.

But if there's one thing Chiefs players continue to do better than any other players in the NFL, it's give back to the community off the field.

For the fifth time in the history of the NFL Man of the Year award, known since 1999 as the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, a Chiefs player has won for his generosity off the field. This year's winner is Chiefs All-Pro Guard Brian Waters.

Waters established his Brian Waters 54 Foundation back in 2005, which provides opportunities for underprivileged children and low-income families. Among other charitable work that he does, Waters is also the Chiefs chairman for First Downs with Down Syndrome, a program that raises more than $400,000 annually.

Waters joins former Chiefs greats Will Shields, Derrick Thomas, Len Dawson, and Willie Lanier on the list of winners from Kansas City.

Kansas City Chiefs: Breaking Down Their Draft Priorities In 2010

Mon, 1 Feb, 2010 03:13:03 GMT

Back in 1988, the Kansas City Chiefs used the third overall pick of that year's draft on a promising young defensive end named Neil Smith from the University of Nebraska.

In the season that followed, the Chiefs ended up with the league's worst rush defense, hemorrhaging a horrific 162 yards per game. That season, the Marty Schottenheimer-led Chiefs floundered their way to a 4-11-1 record.

In 1989, the team spent its first round pick on a future Hall of Famer, selecting pass-rushing menace Derrick Thomas with the fourth overall selection in that year's draft.

Thomas racked up 10 sacks in his rookie campaign, and earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. The team finished 8-7-1, and improved its rush defense from dead last the previous year to a respectable twelfth, allowing just 110 yards on the ground per game.

On the surface, it would seem that Thomas was the key to the Chiefs dramatic improvement in their rush defense that season. However, Thomas was more of a benefactor than source of the team's stiffer rush defense, which bottled up opposing running backs on first and second down, and allowed Thomas to tee off on unwitting quarterbacks on third-and-long.

Who was the real key to the Chiefs turnaround stopping the run that season? It was a little known free agent named Dan Saleaumua.

At 6'0" and 315 pounds, the imposing Saleaumua became expendable in Detroit because of a guy named Jerry Ball, probably the best nose tackle in the game at the time. Saleaumua, a fiery overachieving former seventh-round draft pick, was a perfect fit for a Chiefs defense in desperate need of a run-stuffing nose tackle for the middle of its defensive line.

In Saleaumua's eight seasons anchoring the middle of Chiefs' defensive line, Kansas City allowed just 104 yards rushing per game, ranking twelfth in the league during that span.

Fast forward to 2010.

Coming off a 4-12 season where the Chiefs spent the third overall selection on a promising young defensive end named Tyson Jackson, this year's team was also horrible against the run. Ranking 31st of 32 teams, the Chiefs' defense allowed over 156 rushing yards per game.

So where should the Chiefs concentrate their efforts to upgrade their personnel this offseason?

Here's a list of positions in desperate need of an upgrade if coach Todd Haley has aspirations to make a move from the cellar to the penthouse of the AFC West in 2010.

Priority No. 1-Nose Tackle

While it would be a dream come true for new defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel if somehow Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh fell to the Chiefs in this year's draft, the chances of that happening are about as remote as Dwayne Bowe never dropping another pass.

By far, the most important position in the 3-4 defense, a solid nose tackle is absolutely necessary in stopping the running game.

This past season, the Chiefs tried to fit a square peg into a round hole, putting veteran Ron Edwards at nose tackle. Edwards, who works best as part of a rotation in a 4-3 alignment, simply never commanded the double-teams you come to expect from even an average nose tackle.

If the Chiefs expect to win anymore games in 2010 than they did in 2009, they must improve at the nose tackle position.

Priority No. 2-Cornerback

After the defensive line in a 3-4 defense, the next most important position on the field is the cornerback position.

Cornerbacks, with the ability to matchup one-on-one against the league's best receivers, are essential to allowing blitzing linebackers and stunting defensive ends to get to the quarterback.

The Chiefs, after solid seasons from Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr in 2008, thought they had the right combination going into 2009.

They were wrong.

Carr took a major step backwards in 2009, struggling when asked to play man coverage and allowing receivers like Miles Austin and Jabar Gaffney to rack up career days against him.

Just as those great Chiefs defenses in the '90s had a solid run-stopper in the middle of their defensive line with Saleaumua, they also had great cornerback tandems like Albert Lewis and Kevin Ross, and Dale Carter and James Hasty.

Even if the Chiefs find a force to fill up the middle to shore up the defensive line against the run, they need an upgrade at cornerback if the 22nd ranked pass defense is going to improve.

Priority No. 3-Wide Receiver

Stated simply, when the Chiefs had both Bowe and Chambers in the lineup, the whole offense played better.

The line played better, Jamaal Charles played better, Matt Cassel played better...they all played better.

After Bowe and Chambers, the drop off to the team's next best receiver is comparable to falling off the edge of a cliff in the Grand Canyon.

Bobby Wade, Lance Long, and Terrance Copper may work hard and be decent special teams players, but they are a far cry from what offensive coordinator Charlie Weis needs for his no. 2 or 3 receiver in this offense.

Even if the Chiefs re-sign Chambers, who is a free agent, they need to find a slot receiver to give Cassel a full compliment of weapons.

With a draft class loaded with receivers who can step right in and provide an upgrade over Wade, Long, and Copper; it seems virtually certain that the Chiefs will grab someone in the draft.

Priority No. 4-Offensive Line

Many Chiefs fans will point to the number of sacks allowed by the Chiefs last year and deduce that the offensive line, particularly the tackle position, is the biggest need for this team in 2010.

While I agree that the team needs to upgrade it's personnel on the offensive line, it's for an entirely different reason.

The Chiefs line did fine last season when quarterback Matt Cassel had both Bowe and Chambers at his disposal. Truth be told, the pass protection for Cassel was average at worst when he had the full arsenal of Bowe, Chambers, and running back Jamaal Charles at his disposal.

So why is offensive line a priority if it's not to improve the pass protection in front of Cassel?

Short answer...Brian Waters isn't going to play forever.

Sure, Waters is planning on playing in 2010, but heading into his 11th NFL season, the time to find an eventual replacement is now.

The Chiefs could also use an upgrade at the center position, as Rudy Niswanger simply gets over matched against the league's top nose tackles. With more and more team's moving to the 3-4 defense, Niswanger is fast becoming a liability in the Chiefs running game.

Priority No. 5-Running back

Thank goodness for Twitter.

Just think, if Larry Johnson didn't have his inevitable meltdown and slam his coach on his Twitter page, we may never have seen how good Jamaal Charles can be in this offense.

Over the course of the last nine weeks of the season, Charles emerged as the league's best rusher not named Chris Johnson, averaging a league-best 5.9 yards per carry. He clearly goes into the 2010 season as Kansas City's no. 1 running back.

So why is running back a priority this offseason?

Because if Charles goes down, the Chiefs have no one worthy of replacing him on the roster. The next most effective back the Chiefs had, when Charles wasn't in the game, was late season pickup Tim Castille.

If the Chiefs want to insure that they don't become a one-dimensional passing offense, should Charles go down with an injury, they will need to acquire a complimentary back to assume the no. 2 running back position.

Whether the Chiefs acquire a player who is a bigger back that can run between the tackles, or someone with a burst who can get to the edge, he most certainly will need to be able to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Priority No. 6-Safety

If there's one person that thinks the Chiefs don't need an upgrade at safety, it's San Diego tight end Antonio Gates. In his two games against the Chiefs this past season, he caught 12 passes for 173 yards and 2 touchdowns.

After starting free safety Jarrad Page went down in week five against Dallas, journeyman Jon McGraw joined fellow Big 12 alum Mike Brown in the Chiefs defensive backfield.

McGraw, a career special-teams player, played admirably in 2009 despite being overmatched on an almost weekly basis in the passing game. Brown, showed that at age 31 he has clearly lost a step (or two) and can no longer play man coverage against even the most average of receiving tight ends, let alone the caliber of guys like Gates.

If the Chiefs can't acquire another solid cornerback to compliment Flowers and move Carr to nickel, an upgrade at safety is an absolute must. However, if the Chiefs can address the cornerback position, then Crennel's defense still could flourish without a big-time upgrade at either safety position.

While safety will almost certainly be addressed this offseason, upgrading the aforementioned cornerback position would make even a unit of McGraw and Brown better in 2010.

After all, when you look back at all those great Chiefs defenses of the 90s, everyone remembers Lewis, Ross, Carter, and Hasty. Not many will remember that the safeties who started behind those guys were named Charles Mincy, William White, David Whitmore, and Brian Washington.

Priority No. 7-Linebacker

More specifically, the Chiefs need to find a player who can eventually replace Mike Vrabel.

Tamba Hali did a great job this season of converting from a defensive end in a 4-3 to a blitzing outside linebacker in the 3-4. But with Vrabel showing his age, the Chiefs need to find a replacement for him with more speed that can get after the quarterback, and also cover a running back out of the backfield or fall back into zone coverage.

If the Chiefs cut ties with Derrick Johnson in the offseason, this position jumps up to no. 2 or 3 on the list.

Mark McGwires Says He's Sorry, But When Will Bud Selig Apologize for His Greed?

Mon, 25 Jan, 2010 01:19:03 GMT

As a kid growing up in the '70s and '80s, I was a huge baseball fan. Back then, baseball was a sport that wasn't dominated by any single aspect of the game. Teams won games with dominant pitching, defense, the running game, the occasional 3-run homer, or a combination of all of these.

Players like Pete Rose, Fred Lynn, Rickey Henderson, and George Brett put every fundamental on display in every game they played. They weren't one-dimensional players, but rather could help their teams win by playing all-around fundamentally sound baseball.

In 1980, Brett did something that is unheard of today. While most baseball fans know that Brett hit .390 that year, they don't realize that he also led the majors with a .664 slugging percentage while only hitting 24 home runs.

In addition, Brett also stole 15 bases and only struck out just 22 times in 449 at-bats, or just once every 20 at-bats. When Brett was behind in the count or didn't get a pitch he could drive out of the ballpark, he punched the ball the opposite field and legged out a double. That ability to make contact and hustle enough to turn singles into doubles was why Brett's numbers were so impressive.

Back then, guys worked to become complete ball players, hitting to all fields, stealing bases, and laying down bunts on a regular basis.

Then came steroids.

The Birth of the Steroid Problem

Fast forward to the late '80s. As a high school baseball player, I grew up trying to emulate guys like Brett or Rose, who did whatever they could to help their teams win. At the same time, many of my friends were trying to pattern their games after two of the big names of the day: Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, aka the Bash Brothers.

Let it be said that the Bash Brothers gave birth to the Steroid Era.

While I was trying to get on base anyway I could, guys on the other team and some of my teammates were going for the fences on every swing, trying to be the next big home run hitters.

Some of those guys were also taking steroids, and you knew it.

You knew it because you heard them talk about it, you saw them fly into absurd rages, and you saw them putting up 30 more pounds on their bench press than they did just a few weeks ago.

Playing with and against guys who were taking steroids, you'd have to be the most naive person in the world not to notice. Our coaches knew something was going on, but no one dug into it or said anything because it was in everyone's best interest to keep their mouths shut.

The team won, the coaches kept their jobs, and some of the players even got drafted or offers to play college ball.

In the end, greed dictated that people look the other way, even those who were supposedly morally and ethically obligated to bring those types of issues to light.

Who's Really to Blame for Steroids in Baseball?

That brings me to why I'm writing this article. McGwire, Canseco, and all the others who have admitted to using steroids can apologize all they want, but the blame goes way beyond just the players.

With the types of drastic changes that occur with even the most fit guys who use steroids, there is absolutely no way that coaches, owners, and the commissioner didn't know what guys were doing.

Bring on the '94-95 players' strike that canceled the 1994 World Series.

Just four short years since the lockout of 1990, which left a sour taste in the mouths of many baseball fans, the strike in August of '94 almost killed baseball. When the World Series was canceled that year, many fans vowed to stay away from the game for good.

That's when Bud Selig, who took over as commissioner in 1992, knew he had to do something to bring fans back to the game.

Selig became the Charlie Finley of baseball commissioners. He expanded the league to 30 teams, added wild-card teams to the playoffs, and looked the other way in the midst of a huge steroid epidemic in baseball.

Just like the old adage that says "chicks dig the long ball", Selig knew that even the fans who had sworn to stay away from the game couldn't help but come back when baseballs started flying out of the park.

And boy did baseballs start flying out of ballparks.

During the period from '95-07, from the end of the player strike until baseball's new drug policy, home runs were being hit in absurd numbers. The average number of home runs for each of the league leaders was dramatically higher than both the previous 25 years leading up to the strike, and the past two seasons since drug testing and enforcement have been put in place.

Here are the average number of home runs hit by each of the league leaders for each of the three periods I'm referencing:

'08-09: 42

'95-07: 52

'70-94: 40

It seems fairly obvious that Selig and the owners knew exactly what they were doing by simply ignoring the growing number of players on steroids. As the number of home runs went up, so did league attendance, revenues, and salaries...ridiculously.

In 1990, then Commissioner Fay Vincent made $500,000 as the top dog of major league baseball. His salary ranked him third of all the major league sports commissioners behind the NFL's Paul Tagliabue ($1 million) and the NBA's David Stern ($3.5 million).

By contrast, after a steroid-induced renaissance in baseball, current commissioner Bud Selig's 2007 salary package was in excess of $18 million. A salary that far and away ranked him ahead of the NFL's Roger Goodell ($11.2 million) and the NBA's Stern ($10 million).

So who should we really be demanding an apology from?

Should we continue to expect apologies from players who did everything they were allowed to do in order to compete for jobs on teams wanting guys who could hit the ball a mile and sell tickets?

Personally, I'm tired of hearing players say they're sorry.

I think it's about time that those who profited the most from the Steroid Era step up and tell the truth. After all, it was the owners and the commissioner who destroyed the game's integrity and allowed baseball's most sacred of records, the single-season and career home run records, to be forever tarnished by an asterisk in the record books.

Of course, l thoroughly doubt we'll ever get an apology from Selig or any of the owners. That would prove that they colluded to hide the problem, which almost certainly they did. Why would they ever risk losing the fans all over again by admitting they ran their own version of professional wrestling for over a decade?

No, I hardly expect these rich businessmen to come clean, especially when they can continue to make scapegoats of guys like McGwire, Canseco, Sosa, and Bonds?

That's way too easy, and they're still way too greedy.

GM Dayton Moore's Discount Shopping Makes Royals Better In 2010

Sun, 24 Jan, 2010 02:32:46 GMT

Kansas City Royals General Manager Dayton Moore is a bargain shopper, and he's turning into a pretty good one at that.

When he first took the Royals GM job, Moore was like a young new lawyer at one of the city's smaller law firms. He knew he needed a good suit to wear to the office, so he went shopping. Unfortunately, Moore went shopping at Armani those first couple years with only enough money to buy himself two suits, one named Gil Meche and the other named Jose Guillen.

Moore has come to realize that one or two nice suits won't get him through the week. Rather, he's learned he needs to take his money to Men's Wearhouse, where he can not only afford get himself a nice suit for everyday of the week, but a couple extra for church and his wife's cocktail parties.

Moore has turned himself into the type of GM this franchise needs to make itself a contender again. He's not trying to be flashy and throw big money at big names like Bay and Lackey to fill only one or two needs. Rather, he's spreading owner David Glass' money around to improve the entire team in 2010, while also stockpiling young promising prospects for the future.

While many Royals fans may be spending their winter months debating why Moore has opted for less expensive free agents like catcher Jason Kendall and outfielders Scott Podsednik and Rick Ankiel, these moves have almost certainly made the Royals a better team than it was a year ago.

In addition to making the Royals more competitive in 2010, Moore's acquisition of these guys allows him to buy time until highly rated prospects like Wil Myers, Jordan Parraz, David Lough, and Mike Moustakas are ready for the majors.

Moore's other discount deals, that could reap rewards with little to no risk this season, include: OF Brian Anderson (1 year/$750k), pitchers Matt Herges, Phillip Humber, John Parrish, and Brian Bullington (minor league deals).

Perhaps the smartest thing Moore did in all his recent moves, was to sign everyone but Kendall to one-year deals with an option for 2011. In this era of big free agent contracts, there is no better incentive for a guy to play well than the money he can make in free agency following a big season.

In the case of Podsednik and Ankiel, Moore included options for 2011 that would give each a nice raise over what they'll make in 2010.

With the signing this week of Ankiel, it appears the Royals may now be done in free agency. However, it remains to be seen if Moore will make a move to acquire another pitcher, or if he'll let some of his young pitchers develop in the majors next season.

If Moore does look to acquire pitching via free agency, some of the "discounted" pitchers still available include:

1. LHP Erik Bedard...On the surface, this would appear to be a match made in heaven. Bedard needs to prove this season that he has recovered from surgery to repair a torn labrum. While he will probably not be available to pitch until sometime after Opening Day, he could be a great no. 3 behind Greinke and Meche. He also offers the luxury that is a dominant left-handed starter, something the Royals haven't had since the days of Bud Black and Charlie Leibrandt.

2. LHP Jarrod Washburn...Washburn is still on the market because teams, after his collapse at the end of last season, are shying away from his demands for a multi-year contract at age 35. If Moore can talk agent Scott Boras into a one or two-year deal with an option, Washburn could provide the Royals their left-handed option. However, after making $9.8 million in 2009, it seems like Washburn's discounted rate may still be more than Moore is willing to pay, and rightly so.

As it stands, even if Moore's discount shopping spree is over, the Royals should be markedly better than the one that lost 97 games a year ago.

Wild-Card Deja Vu...Jets and Cowboys Whip Familiar Foes From a Week Ago

Sun, 10 Jan, 2010 06:39:00 GMT

The only thing different in Saturday's two Wild-Card matchups from the games pitting the same teams a week ago was the location of the AFC Wild-Card game. Everything else, including the outcome of each game, was the same.

A week ago, the New York Jets hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in the final game to ever be played in Giants Stadium in New York. In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles had to once again play the Dallas Cowboys in Jerry Jones' new shrine to Cowboys football.

For differing reasons, many expected the outcomes of these two playoff games to differ from the outcomes the last week of the season. They did not.

Last week in New York, the Jets pulled out all the stops to secure a playoff berth against a Cincinnati team that had already punched their ticket to the playoffs. Coach Marvin Lewis opted to sit starting running back Cedric Benson against the Jets, and had a quick hook for other players including quarterback Carson Palmer. The result: Jets 37 Bengals 0.

The most interesting thing about last week's game was Chad Ochocinco's declaration that he'd change his name back to Chad Johnson if Jets cornerback Darelle Revis got the best of him. The result: Revis 1 Johnson 0.

In Cincinnati on Saturday, Benson ran for 167 yards and was the only bright spot for a Bengals team that could not reverse the momentum of losing three of its last four regular season games, all to playoff destined teams, including the Jets.

Chad Johnson, who hadn't yet officially changed the name on the back of his jersey, again struggled against Revis. He caught just two passes for 12 yards. The result: Revis 2 Johnson 0.

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was extremely efficient for Rex Ryan's offense, completing 12 of 15 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown.

Of course this game, like most of the Jets games this season, wasn't to be won by the arm of Sanchez. The winning formula on Saturday for the Jets was the same as it was all season: a league-leading running game and defense.

Running backs Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones led a rushing attack that rushed 41 times for 171 yards and 2 touchdowns on Saturday. The Jets simply gashed the interior defensive line of the Bengals all game and were often in the secondary before getting hit.

In Dallas last week, the Cowboys shut-out the Eagles in the season finale that decided where this week's Wild-Card game between the two teams would be played. Perhaps the Eagles simply didn't mind the idea of playing in a nice toasty Texas Stadium, instead of at home where there were single-digit wind chills.

Whatever their motivation, the Eagles played poorly a week ago, but many thought they could rebound on Saturday. They did not.

Last week, Philadelphia ran the ball 10 times for just 37 yards. On Saturday, the offense could only improve those numbers to 56 yards on 13 carries.

Quarterback Donovan McNabb was looking to improve his team's chances on Saturday, after being sacked four times a week ago by a relentless Cowboys defense. Instead, McNabb barely completed half of his passes while under pressure, throwing two interceptions and getting sacked four more times.

Cowboys Head Coach Wade Phillips, with speculation that his job could be on the line if his team lost on Saturday, made sure his team brought their "A" game.

Running backs Felix Jones and Tashard Choice led a rushing attack that amassed 198 yards and 2 touchdowns against a once formidable but clearly declining Eagles defense. Quarterback Tony Romo also chipped in with 2 touchdown passes and 244 yards.

And while the Cowboys' offensive production was more than sufficient on Saturday, it was the ability of the Cowboys defense to force 5 turnovers that turned the game into a 34-14 blowout.

So while the Jets and Cowboys will move on to the Divisional round of the playoffs next week, questions abound for the teams they beat.

For the Bengals, one must begin to wonder if quarterback Carson Palmer will ever win a playoff game in Cincinnati. In a 2006 playoff game against the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, Palmer was lost to a knee injury.

In this year's lone playoff game, he completed just 18 of 36 passes with a touchdown and an interception. Worse yet for Palmer was that he appeared to get rattled under the pressure of the Jets defense, and made several throws that were nowhere close to his receivers.

As for the Eagles, the future of Donovan McNabb as the team's quarterback will undoubtedly be the topic of discussion on talk shows in Philadelphia this offseason. Unlike Palmer, McNabb actually has had quite a bit of success in the playoffs, yet his recent struggles against the Cowboys in consecutive weeks won't sit well with the Eagles faithful.

Invariably, the speculation in Philadelphia about replacing McNabb will be fueled by the presence of backup quarterback Michael Vick. Vick who threw the ball only 13 times this season, did complete a 76-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin on Saturday, and that will be the lasting memory of many Eagles fans this offseason.

Charlie Weis Will Make The Kansas City Chiefs Contenders Again in 2010

Thu, 7 Jan, 2010 03:08:55 GMT

With the anticipated announcement of Charlie Weis as the new offensive coordinator in Kansas City, the Chiefs are about to make themselves playoff contenders in 2010.

The embattled former Head Coach at Notre Dame brings to Kansas City as impressive a resume as any coordinator in the NFL today. Most impressive are the three Super Bowl rings he earned as the Patriots offensive coordinator during his five year stint in New England from 2000-2004.

Earlier this season, Chiefs Head Coach Todd Haley released Chan Gailey from his duties as the team's offensive coordinator because of fundamental differences in philosophy.

When it comes to Weis, Haley couldn't find a coach in the country with a more similar offensive philosophy. Of course, that only makes sense since these two are close friends who shared a small office together for three years as members of Bill Parcells' staff with the New York Jets.

Including those three seasons in New York and five more in New England, Weis has spent eight years as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. His offenses in those eight seasons averaged 23.7 points per game. Compared to the 2009 Chiefs squad who averaged just 18.4 points per game, it's reasonable to expect a marked improvement in 2010.

Of course, to see that type of improvement on offense, Weis will need to be instrumental in the continued development of quarterback Matt Cassel. By far, the player who has the most to gain from having Weis calling the plays in 2010 is Cassel.

Cassel threw just as many interceptions in 2009 as he did touchdowns (16), but will now have an opportunity to be mentored by the same coach who helped Tom Brady ascend to the status of future NFL hall-of-famer in the past decade.

Let it also not be forgotten that Weis played an integral role the last three seasons at Notre Dame in developing likely top-ten pick, Jimmy Clausen. Clausen is regarded by most draft experts as either the first or second best quarterback prospect in the draft, and this has to be due in part to the tutelage provided by Weis.

Another thing Weis, Haley, and General Manager Scott Pioli will need to address is the state of the Chiefs receivers. Assuming the team can resign Chris Chambers, the Chiefs should have a solid one-two with Chambers and Dwayne Bowe.

However, in the type of offensive system that both Weis and Haley want to run, they desperately need a playmaker at the slot receiver. This past season, Haley tried Bobby Wade, Lance Long and others in the role, but no one could consistently provide the production Haley expected from the position.

To be successful offensively in 2010, Weis will need to find a solid slot receiver, something that can likely be found in the draft. Assuming the Chiefs decide to draft defense with their first overall pick, with many mock drafts predicting the Chiefs to select safety Eric Berry from Tennessee, the Chiefs could find the right receiver for their offense at the beginning of round two.

Then again, many mock drafts are predicting that the Chiefs will take Oklahoma State offensive tackle Russell Okung in the first round. If that happens, it would seem more likely that defense would be the focus for the Chiefs in the second round.

Consider this, however...the combination of Weis and Pioli drafted together from 2000-2004 in New England. In the 2000 and 2001 drafts, the Patriots were in dire need of help at the offensive tackle position, similar to the need the Chiefs have this offseason.

During those two drafts, New England spent four draft picks on tackles, but none was drafted higher than the 46th overall pick, midway through the second round. During their final three seasons together, the Patriots did not draft another offensive lineman in any round, choosing to address any needs via free agency instead.

The moral to the story is: expect this Chiefs front office to address offensive line needs via free agency or after the first round of April's draft. With the depth of offensive line talent in this year's draft, there's no reason to think that the Chiefs can't find a starter with their second pick (from Atlanta) midway through the second round.

Now, assuming the Chiefs go defense in round one, there are several position players that should be available when the Chiefs make their first selection in round two that could help this offense in 2010.

One player that stands out, and could be very effective in a Wes Welker type of role is wide receiver Jordan Shipley out of Texas. Shipley is quick, runs great routes, and is sure-handed which after this season should make him a favorite of Haley's on draft day.

Another player that could be available early in the second round is someone Weis recruited to Notre Dame in All-American Golden Tate. While predicted in most mock drafts to go in the latter half of round one, it's not beyond the realm of possibility for Tate to fall to the Chiefs with the fifth pick in round two.

One thing is for certain going into this offseason, the Chiefs have hit a home run in their choice for their offensive coordinator. A fanbase that has been indifferent, at best, the past couple months now has reason to be optimistic heading into 2010.

Next up:

Hiring another former New England coordinator to run the defense. Let's hope that press conference happens on the heels of the one to introduce Weis.

Kansas City Runs Over The Playoff Hopes Of The Denver Broncos

Mon, 4 Jan, 2010 02:21:32 GMT

The Kansas City Chiefs went into Denver this weekend to battle a Broncos team needing a win to secure a playoff berth. The Broncos didn't get it.

The Chiefs' 44-24 win on Sunday was the franchise's first in Denver in eight years, and the first time they have ever won at Invesco Field at Mile High.

The Chiefs continued to do what they've done well in recent weeks, they handed the ball to Jamaal Charles. Charles, who averaged more than 10 yards per carry on Sunday, racked up a Chiefs' record 259 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Charles cemented his role as the Chiefs' starting running back for 2010, finishing the season with 1,120 yards in just 10 starts.

While the Chiefs put their hopes on Sunday in the hands of Charles, the Broncos' head coach, Josh McDaniels, put his team's playoff hopes in the hands of quarterback Kyle Orton and a slew of backup wide receivers.

In the Broncos' 44-13 thrashing of the Chiefs in Kansas City on Dec. 6, they ran the ball 45 times for 245 yards. In that game, Orton was only asked to throw the ball 25 times to targets that included talented pass-catchers Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, and Tony Scheffler.

On Sunday, minus Marshall, Royal, and Scheffler, it seemed a no-brainer that McDaniels would employ the same offensive philosophy from their win a month ago...run the ball.

He did not.

Instead, McDaniels opted to have Orton throw the ball 56 times to backups Jabar Gaffney, Brandon Lloyd, and Brandon Stokley. Through two quarters, with the game tied, it appeared that McDaniels' plan might just work.

Then in the second half, Orton threw the ball into the hands of Chiefs' linebacker Derrick Johnson...twice. On both plays, Orton didn't see Johnson in the middle of the Chiefs' zone coverage, and both times Johnson intercepted Orton's passes and returned them for touchdowns.

Unlike Charles, who will go into 2010 as the Chiefs' starter at running back, Johnson needed a big game on Sunday. Having lost his starting job in the Chiefs' base defense, and losing playing time to youngsters Andy Studebaker and Jovan Belcher, Johnson has worked hard to impress head coach Todd Haley whenever he's had an opportunity to get on the field.

On Sunday, Haley was impressed. Of course, only time will tell to see if Johnson, a free agent in 2010, will still be in a Chiefs uniform next season.

The 4-12 Chiefs head into the offseason with the high note of having beaten one of their rivals to end a tough season. The team and its fans also have the benefit of looking forward to the NFL Draft in April, with a top-five pick and three picks in the first two rounds.

The 8-8 Broncos, on the other hand, enter the offseason on the sour note of having missed the playoffs after beginning the season 6-0. The team's fanbase, having watched their team flounder down the stretch to a 2-6 finish, is left to debate the pros and cons of a young but stubborn head coach and an all-pro but unruly wide receiver.

One thing is for certain after Sunday's outcome, I'd rather be a Chiefs' fan.

Denver Broncos Playoff Hopes Hinge on Exploiting Chiefs Rush Defense

Sun, 3 Jan, 2010 03:14:09 GMT

The last time the Chiefs and Broncos played, Denver’s offense ran up and down the Arrowhead Stadium turf like it was their own backyard. In that game, six different Broncos ran the ball 45 times for 245 yards, leading the Broncos to a dominant 44-13 victory over the Chiefs.

Needless to say, the Broncos will be putting their playoff hopes in the hands of their rushing offense again this Sunday at Invesco Field at Mile High. Rookie Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels, already down one playmaking wide receiver in Eddie Royal, has benched Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall and tight end Tony Scheffler for Sunday’s game.

So if the Broncos are to make the playoffs, they’re going to have to do it with defense and their running game. That means if the Chiefs are going to play spoiler, they’ll need a much better performance on Sunday from their defensive front seven than they turned in back on December 6^th in Kansas City.

The Chiefs rush defense has been the single most disappointing thing about the team all season. Only the Buffalo Bills defense has allowed more rushing yards this season than the Chiefs’ 2,420, which equates to over 161 yards allowed per game. By contrast, the Chiefs offense is only averaging 107.5 yards per game.

Sunday also marks the last opportunity for players like defensive tackle Ron Edwards and linebackers Corey Mays and Derrick Johnson to make a case for being members of this team next season.

The line of Edwards, rookie end Tyson Jackson, and second-year end Glenn Dorsey has struggled to keep opposing offensive linemen off the Chiefs linebackers. As a result, players like Mays and veteran Demorrio Williams often get swallowed up by lead blocking guards and fullbacks, springing opposing running backs for big gains.

Additionally, in the passing game, the Chiefs front three has yet to produce a single sack this season. In fact, the Chiefs sport the only defensive line in the entire NFL without a single sack by one of its starting defensive lineman.

And since the Broncos won’t likely be throwing much on Sunday, there’s a good chance the group of Jackson, Edwards, and Dorsey will end the season with a goose egg in the sack column.

NFL: Top 10 Fantasy Football Busts of 2009

Sat, 2 Jan, 2010 06:20:34 GMT

Every season in the world of fantasy football, there are players who surprise everyone and come out of nowhere and sometimes can lead your team to championship glory.

But for every diamond in the rough there is inevitably a group of high profile players that fail miserably to live up to expectations.

This season has been no different, with many players drafted in the first few rounds of your fantasy drafts who have likely led your fantasy teams to the bottom of the standings rather than the playoffs.

Here is a list of 2009's biggest fantasy disappointments; highlighted by five running backs who likely went in the first round of your draft, a couple of quarterbacks that were supposed to take their teams deep into the playoffs, and three wide receivers who were set to be the focal point of offenses on bad teams.

#10 Terrell Owens - WR Buffalo Bills

Terrell Owens, only two seasons removed from a year in which he had 1,355 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, probably didn't get picked until the third or fourth round of your draft this year.

However, with a struggling Buffalo team many anticipated that Owens would be the focal point of an offense that would being playing from behind a lot and therefore throw a lot. That however, hasn't been the case.

The only team in the NFL that has thrown fewer passes than the Bills (416 attempts) is the New York Jets (377). As a result, Owens has only 51 receptions for 764 yards this season and four touchdowns.

#9 Matt Ryan - QB Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, in his second professional season, was supposed to have a breakout season in 2009. With the addition of future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez to go with wide receiver Roddy White and a tough running game, Ryan was predicted by many to have a breakout fantasy season.

Simply said, it hasn't happened.

Ryan missed all or part of three games with a bad case of turf toe, but for the season he has only attempted 18 fewer passes than last year.

In 2008, Ryan threw for 3,440 yards and 16 touchdowns. Not only has his completion percentage dipped from 61.1 to 57.7 this season, but he has only thrown for 2,693 yards. The lone bright spot is that his touchdown total increased from 16 last season to 20 this year, but for fantasy owners in yardage leagues, that's hardly any consolation.

#8 Calvin Johnson - WR Detroit Lions

After a breakout sophomore season in 2008, Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson was poised to take his spot among the top 5 fantasy receivers in the game.

2009 hasn't been great for Johnson. Not only has he had to break-in a rookie quarterback in Matthew Stafford, but a knee injury forced him to miss two games earlier this season as well. After having five 100-yard plus receiving efforts a year ago, Johnson has had only three in 2009.

After 78 catches for 1,331 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2008, Johnson was probably the third or fourth wide receiver off the board in many drafts this season. In 2009, Johnson is outside the top 20 in all three categories with just 61 receptions for 898 yards and 4 touchdowns.

#7 Kevin Smith - RB Detroit Lions

Like his teammate Calvin Johnson, many believed this season would be a breakout one for Detroit Lions running back Kevin Smith.

Smith, as a rookie in 2008, ran for 976 yards and 8 touchdowns averaging 4.1 yards per carry and caught 39 passes for 286 yards. Likely a late first round or early second round pick in most fantasy drafts, many thought Smith would only improve on those numbers.

The Lions in 2009 had attempted to make Smith more of a focal point of the offense, but it was more to his detriment than his advantage. In addition to his yards per carry decreasing to just 3.4 this season, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in their December 13th game at Baltimore.

Smith's final 2009 stats: 1,162 total yards and just 5 touchdowns.

#6 Michael Turner - RB Atlanta Falcons

The number one fear of all fantasy owners, particularly those with a high first round pick, is an injury to their first round draft choice.

For those owners out there who drafted Atlanta running back Michael Turner with their top pick this year, their worst nightmare came true in mid-November.

After rushing for 1,699 yards last season, third-best in franchise history, Turner was poised for another great season in 2009 and well on his way after nine games. In those nine games, he ran for 831 yards and 10 touchdowns.

At that pace, if Turner continued that production over the final seven games, he would have finished the season with about 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns.

However, in that ninth game against Carolina, Turner suffered a right high ankle sprain that has limited his playing time ever since. He has only carried the ball in two games since the injury, for just 40 yards and no touchdowns.

#5 Jay Cutler - QB Chicago Bears

When the Chicago Bears traded Kyle Orton to the Denver Broncos in the offseason for disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler, Bears fans were ecstatic.

Cutler, coming off a season in which he threw for 4,526 yards and 25 touchdowns with just 18 interceptions, would surely take the Bears offense to the next level... right?

Wrong.

In 15 starts, Cutler has thrown for just 3,390 yards and 23 touchdowns. However, the reason Cutler can be considered a bust this year in fantasy has more to do with his interception total.

Through 15 games, Cutler has thrown 26 interceptions. In fact, in seven games this season, Cutler has thrown for two or more interceptions, including his career-worst game at San Francisco on November 12th when he threw five picks.

If Cutler was your starting quarterback in weeks 1, 7, 10, 12, or 15; you probably lost.

#4 Dwayne Bowe - WR Kansas City Chiefs

New Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley loves to throw the ball...a lot. As the offensive coordinator of the Super Bowl runner-up Arizona Cardinals, his offense led the league in pass completions and was third in the NFL in passing touchdowns with 31.

Throw in the fact that the Chiefs traded for quarterback Matt Cassel in the off-season, in addition to sending tight end Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta, and the stars were aligned for wide receiver Dwayne Bowe to have a huge season.

Bowe, likely somewhere between the fifth and tenth wide receiver off the board in many drafts, has actually regressed after catching 86 balls for 1,022 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2008.

Unlike many of those on this list, Bowe's season wasn't derailed by injury, but rather he sent it off the tracks himself by testing positive for a banned substance and being suspended for four games.

In the 10 games that Bowe has played in, he has caught just 46 balls for 583 yards and 4 touchdowns. All are a far cry from what fantasy owners were expecting of him in 2009.

#3 Clinton Portis - RB Washington Redskins

After two consecutive seasons of averaging over 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns as the starting running back in Washington, most fantasy owners were more than happy to draft Portis in the late first or second round of their draft.

Unbeknownst to the fantasy owners that drafted him was that they were getting the Portis from 2006, not the one from 2007 or 2008.

Through the first five weeks of the season, Portis owners may have been wondering what they got themselves into as he was averaging just over 67 yards per game and had only one touchdown. Then in week six, against a hapless Kansas City rush defense, Portis ran for a season-high 109 yards that included a career-long 78-yard burst.

Portis would play in just two more games, suffering a severe concussion in the team's eighth game against the Atlanta Falcons. Placed on IR to finish his 2009 season, Portis finished with just 494 yards rushing and 2 total touchdowns.

#2 Matt Forte - RB Chicago Bears

As a rookie in 2008, Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte ran for 1,238 yards, caught 63 balls for another 477 yards, and totaled 12 touchdowns.

When the Bears acquired quarterback Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos, many thought the move would help open up running lanes for the promising young Forte, and his role in the offense would increase.

Forte has remained a focal point of the Bears passing game, catching 54 passes for 448 yards but no touchdowns this season.

However, in the running game, which was supposed to open up because of the presence of Cutler, Forte is averaging a half yard less per carry than he did in his rookie campaign (3.4 compared to 3.9 in 2008).

In addition, Forte's total touches per game having gone down from 23.7 to 19.7 per game, and so has his overall production. For the season, Forte has run for just 828 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Needless to say, Forte has been a colossal disappointment for any fantasy owners who picked him.

#1 Steve Slaton - RB Houston Texans

By far, the biggest bust in fantasy football this season has been running back Steve Slaton of the Houston Texans.

After a rookie season where he ran for 1,282 yards, including five 100-yard games, and 377 yards on 50 receptions, the young Slaton was considered by many as one of the top five players in fantasy football this season.

In fact, in most drafts around the country, after names like Adrian Peterson and Maurice Jones-Drew went off the board, the young Slaton wasn't too far behind.

By all accounts, 2009 has been a nightmarish season for Slaton and his fantasy owners.

Not only was Slaton benched in November for his ineffectiveness in the running game, but he was later placed on IR with a shoulder injury, ending his season.

In total, Slaton's 2009 season stats read like this:

11 games played, no 100-yard rushing games, 437 rushing yards, 44 receptions for 417 yards, and 7 total touchdowns.

Texas Tech Fires Mike Leach, Coaches Everywhere Look In the Mirror

Wed, 30 Dec, 2009 08:09:49 GMT

On the heels of allegations of mistreatment by Red Raiders wide receiver Adam James, Texas Tech Head Coach Mike Leach has been fired.

The firing comes one day before Leach was due an $800,000 bonus, and only ten months since he signed a 5-year $12.7 million contract extension.

Leach's firing comes on the heels of the resignation of fellow Big 12 Coach Mark Mangino at Kansas when he came under fire for mistreating players. Like Mangino, who won the Big 12 Coach of the Year award in 2007, Leach won the award in 2008.

The firing of Leach raises many questions. Are many big-time college coaches going too far in their treatment of players in an effort to win? Are athletic directors using player allegations as an easy way to justify cause in getting rid of high-priced coaches? Are parents and school administrators making too big a deal out of these incidents?

In the case of Leach, who threatened to leave Texas Tech after last season for greener pastures, it appears that his firing had more to do with a strained relationship with the administration than James's allegations.

His firing most certainly can't be justified by looking at his record. After a Tech best-ever 11-2 finish last season, Leach followed that up this year with an 8-4 mark and a trip to Saturday's Alamo Bowl against Michigan State. He ends up 84-43 in 10 seasons at Texas Tech, reaching a bowl game in each season.

Where Kansas getting rid of Mangino appears justified based upon the severity and number of allegations against him, the firing of Leach appears ridiculous.

At the end of the day, there is a very happy athletic director at Texas Tech and a jovial James family. However, it is a sad day in Lubbock for every fan of Red Raider football.

It is also yet another wake up call to coaches everywhere. Every coach will be taking a look in the mirror and thinking about whether or not they are doing anything that will make them the next Mike Leach or Mark Mangino.

Royals GM Dayton Moore Needs to Make a Move In Free Agency For the Royals to Win in 2010

Sun, 27 Dec, 2009 03:15:18 GMT

The 2009 Kansas City Royals baseball season got underway with much fanfare, due in large part to completed renovations to Kauffman Stadium that made it suitable for well, royalty.

The stadium’s concourses and concessions were brought up to today’s standards, and there were so many new amenities that any Royals fan would have a hard time taking advantage of them in a single homestand.

The question last season was, “Could the team on the field show everyone they were worthy of playing in such a fantastic ballpark?”

Through the first month and a half of the season, the answer to that question for many was yes.

The Royals' young players were playing well and the team was riding high atop the AL Central. For the first time in a long time, Royals fans thought they had won the lottery with a great new stadium and a hungry young team on their way to a pennant for the first time in 24 years.

Then in classic Royals form, it all came crashing down. Injuries decimated the Royals roster and the team fell back into last place in the division, finishing the season with a miserable 65-97 record.

The lone bright spots for the team last season were pitcher Zack Greinke, who won the AL Cy Young in spite of horrendous run support all season, and the emergence of young first baseman Billy Butler who had a breakout season at the plate.

So now, with the 2009 season in the rearview mirror, it is General Manager Dayton Moore’s responsibility to find a few players who can help this team contend in 2010.

By far, Moore’s best move this offseason was a trade that sent outfielder Mark Teahen to the White Sox for second baseman Chris Getz and third baseman Josh Fields.

Fields has yet to reach his full potential and likely will be a player off the bench for the Royals, spelling starter Alex Gordon as needed. Getz, on the other hand, should improve the team’s league-worst defense and also provide solid numbers offensively.

After the Teahen trade however, Moore’s moves this offseason have been puzzling. In fact, his other moves have probably been better suited to building a roster for the Royals’ AAA affiliate in Omaha, rather than the big league club in Kansas City.

He signed catcher Jason Kendall to a two-year $6 million deal. Over the past three seasons, the 35 year-old Kendall has hit just .240, averaging two homers and 38 RBI a season.

Last year’s starting catcher Miguel Olivo, by contrast, hit .249 with 23 homers and 65 RBI for the Royals last season. However, rather than re-signing Olivo, who made $2.7 million with the Royals last season, Moore opted for Kendall.

Based strictly on production, it’s difficult to see why Moore would opt for a declining Kendall, especially when Olivo has emerged in Kansas City as the type of hitter many thought he could be, and he likely would have re-signed for the same deal Kendall signed for.

Another puzzling signing this off-season was the one-year deal Moore gave to 27 year-old outfielder Brian Anderson.

Anderson, who was once one of the mostly highly touted prospects in the country coming out of the University of Arizona, has been an underachiever as a professional. Over the course of three seasons, the Chicago White Sox provided Anderson every opportunity to become the team’s starting centerfielder, but his talent never caught up to expectations. He was traded to the Red Sox last season and served as a reserve off the bench.

Anderson's one-year deal is for just $750,000, and he is expected to challenge Mitch Maier for the starting centerfielder job with the Royals. A career .227 hitter, the Royals are likely in trouble if Anderson is playing everyday.

Moore also signed a few other former top prospects that have underachieved in their careers, reaching minor league deals with pitchers Phillip Humber, Bryan Bullington, and Josh Rupe.

In case you haven't figured it out, Moore’s modus operandi is one of acquiring reclamation projects, not known commodities in free agency.

Since becoming the Royals’ GM in 2006, Moore has made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t go after big name players who consistently produce and stay healthy year after year.

Rather, Moore chooses to spend less money and gamble on players who are oft-injured or inconsistent enough that it makes them cheaper to sign. He gambles that somehow that player will realize their potential as a Royal.

Unfortunately for Moore, his gambles don't often pay off. This "home run or strikeout" mentality in free agency has yet to lead the team back into contention, and is one of the things most frustrating for fans when it comes to Moore.

Arguably, the single gamble that has paid off for Moore was the acquisition of starting pitcher Gil Meche. In his first two seasons as a Royal, Meche stayed healthy and threw 426 innings with a sub-4.00 ERA.

But even the acquisition of Meche came back to bite Moore in 2009, when Meche made $11.4 million.

Meche broke down last season, battling shoulder and back injuries that eventually shut him down in August. Meche finished the season with just 23 starts, going 6-10 with a 5.09 ERA, by far his worst season as a Royal.

Three other signature signings by Moore have yielded far worse results. The signing two years ago of outfielder Jose Guillen, and last year's signings of outfielder Coco Crisp and first baseman Mike Jacobs have been complete failures for Moore.

All three players had shown flashes of success during their careers, but none of them had done it on a consistent enough basis to truly justify Moore signing one, let alone all three, of them.

For just over $21 million in 2009, the Royals got just 49 games out of Crisp, 81 out of Guillen, and 128 from Jacobs. Combined they hit just 31 home runs, drive in 115 runs, score 106 runs, and steal 14 bases.

By contrast, this year’s hottest free agent Jason Bay, who is commanding around $16 million, hit 36 homers with 119 RBI, 103 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases for Boston in 2009.

It could be argued that the Royals could save money and get better production by signing only Jason Bay this off-season. Moore could sign him, put a bow on him, and bring him to Kansas City for $17 million, and say “Merry Christmas Kansas City!”

Of course, Moore is not going to go after Bay, even though that kind of move would surely provide a boost to Royals’ season ticket sales.

A gamble on Bay or fellow outfielder Matt Holliday, are as close to a sure thing as one gets in the crapshoot that is free agency these days, but neither are economically viable for the Royals. Even if somehow Moore was able to find the money to sign one of these guys, if they didn’t lead the Royals to a pennant, it would be the end of Moore in Kansas City.

Here are a couple of players that Moore should target to help this team in 2010. Neither will likely generate the buzz in Kansas City that a big signing would, but for what they’ll cost, it’s entirely possible that Moore could sign both of them and put the Royals in a position to win the AL Central:

Marlon Byrd

Byrd is a career .279 hitter, plays centerfield, and should produce along the lines of current Royal David Dejesus. After struggling earlier in his career in Philadelphia and Washington, Byrd has shown during the past three seasons in Texas that he can get on base and provide 15-20 home runs.

2009 salary: $3,060,000.

Garrett Anderson

The 37 year old Anderson is definitely on the backside of his career, but he can help this team in 2010. While he's no longer going to play 150 games, he is a great option for platooning in right field with Guillen and serving as the Royals DH. Most importantly, Anderson epitomizes what it is to be a professional and is a fantastic situational hitter. Both attributes are precisely what this team of young players is in dire need of, and Anderson could help Manager Trey Hillman and Hitting Coach Kevin Seitzer finally get through to guys like Alex Gordon who strikeout way too much.

2009 salary: $2,500,000.

Chiefs Defense Is Getting Worse, Clancy Pendergast Needs to Go

Mon, 21 Dec, 2009 04:51:59 GMT

The key to football success in Kansas City is, and always will be, defense...a hard-nosed, blue-collar, hit-em in the mouth, turnover producing defense.

Sure, there were a few years under Dick Vermeil when the franchise tried to change its identity and win with offense, but the team's success with that formula was short lived and didn't produce a championship.

Defense is what sold seats 19 years ago, when the Chiefs recently broken sellout streak began, and it's the reason those same seats were empty in the team's 41-34 loss to the hapless Cleveland Browns.

Chiefs fans don't care about their team having a high powered offense. The people of Kansas City want to see a defense that makes opposing teams dread coming to Arrowhead Stadium to play a game.

The problem once again this season is that the Chiefs defense has played awfully in most games, and invariably gives up too many big plays. The Chiefs offense, still growing as a unit and in need of help on the line and in the receiving corps, simply can't overcome the deficits the defense creates for it.

The Chiefs have talent on the defensive side of the ball, including four former first round draft picks (Tyson Jackson, Glenn Dorsey, Tamba Hali, and Derrick Johnson). The unit also boasts three accomplished veterans with experience playing on championship-caliber defenses (Mike Vrabel, Mike Brown, and Demorrio Williams).

The million dollar question is: "So why is this defense so bad?"

The short answer to the question is: "Defensive Coordinator Clancy Pendergast."

Pendergast's defenses in Arizona should have clued Chiefs fans into what to expect prior to this season. Pendergast's units have never been dominant and he utilizes a scheme that can only contain an opponent for so long before inexcusably allowing an 80-yard run or pass for a touchdown. Sometimes, these breakdowns happen several times in one game.

While Pendergast's objective is no different than any other defensive coordinator in football, to force turnovers and not let the opponents score; his approach is far different from his more successful predecessors in Kansas City.

In Kansas City, former defensive coordinators Bill Cowher and Gunther Cunningham dominated opponents with an aggressive style of play that allowed it players to play with great emotion and fire. That style of play also served as the catalyst for stirring the Arrowhead faithful into a frenzy each and every home game, and making it difficult for any opposing offense that came to town.

Pendergast's defense, by contrast, doesn't unleash the hounds on every play like those great defenses of the 1990s. Instead, he takes a more cerebral approach with his playcalling. As a result, his players are asked to play "smarter" and are therefore more apt to making the mental mistakes that invariably lead to big plays for the opposition.

Unfortunately for Pendergast, his defense isn't making enough big plays itself to balance things out. With his approach, Pendergast tries too hard to out-coach the offensive coordinator on the other sideline when attempting to put his players in a position to make big plays, instead of just letting them go out there and make big plays.

The Chiefs need to make a change.

If General Manager Scott Pioli and Owner Clark Hunt are interested in once again filling Arrowhead with frenzied fans who have a fiery passion for winning, than they should hire a new defensive coordinator with just as much passion.

Kansas City wants someone who's aggressive leading the defense, someone who will turn games into a street-fight, not a chess match.

Then after bringing a new defensive coordinator to town, it wouldn't hurt to grab a dominant defensive player like Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh or Tennessee's Eric Berry in April's NFL draft.

Chiefs Embarrassment: Kansas City Blacked Out For First Time in 19 Years

Fri, 18 Dec, 2009 09:25:20 GMT

It's official.

The Kansas City Chiefs last home game of the season will be blacked out. It's the first time the Chiefs have been blacked out since December 16th, 1990.

With 5,500 tickets left to sell when the week began, apparently Chiefs fans didn't think the return of wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and a matchup with the 2-11 Cleveland Browns was worth the price of a ticket.

Of course, who can blame Chiefs fans?

The Chiefs have been difficult to watch for most of this season, and to fans longing for the success enjoyed by the Chiefs teams of the 1990s and early 2000s, it has been downright unbearable.

In recent home games, Arrowhead Stadium has been a home away from home for opponents' fans. For those out there that remember home Chiefs games back in the early and mid 1980s, they'll agree that Arrowhead in 2009 bears a remarkable resemblance despite it's cosmetic upgrades.

For those that do plan on spending money to watch this team on Sunday, you have to wonder how many will be pulling for the Browns.

If the draft were held today, the Chiefs would be picking fifth overall. However, a loss to the Browns on Sunday could move the Chiefs up to as high as the third overall selection.

And to those hoping for the Chiefs to have a shot at stars like Ndamukong Suh, Eric Berry, Derrick Morgan, or Russell Okung; a loss to the Browns could mean having your pick of the litter, versus taking the next best player available.

Heisman is a Hoax, This Popularity Contest Needs an Overhaul

Mon, 14 Dec, 2009 03:47:24 GMT

Congratulations to Alabama running Mark Ingram for winning the 2009 Heisman Popularity Contest.

You see, everyone loves a winner, including the media who vote each year on the player most deserving of the Heisman Trophy. Unfortunately, the misperception that the country's best player must be a member of one of its best teams has turned the award into a hoax.

For Ingram, all winning the Heisman proves is that he's the best player on one of the country's best teams.

The Heisman Trophy espouses itself as the award to recognize the most outstanding college football player in the country, but the ambiguous nature of the award's voting process has allowed it to become a sham.

More often than not, the best players on the best teams are simply another cog in the machine. Their statistics and success are a byproduct of the talent around them, and the fact that they are man-for-man more talented than their opponents.

Conversely, for players on less talented teams, the argument can be made that it's more difficult to put up a Heisman-worthy season because they have less talent around them.

When these players put up great numbers and lead their teams to victory, it's often in spite of their supporting cast and they are typically playing a far greater role in that team's success.

This season, Alabama's Ingram wasn't the country's best player. He didn't lead Division I football in any major statistical category. In fact, there were actually two other running backs his own team (Roy Upchurch and Demetrius Goode) that averaged more yards per carry than Ingram.

It is entirely possible that if Coach Nick Saban would have stuck with either of the other two backs this season, they could have produced every bit as well as Ingram.

The Heisman this season should have been a coin flip between the best two players that were irreplaceable to their teams: Ndamukong Suh and Toby Gerhart.

Suh, while touted by most as the probable overall top selection in next April's NFL draft, apparently wasn't good enough in the eyes of Heisman voters.

For the second season in a row, Suh led one of the country's best defenses in tackles, sacks, hurries, blocked kicks, and tackles for loss. His presence on the Cornhuskers defense made every other player on the squad better, and his team always had a shot to win because of Suh.

Gerhart, did nothing less than lead the country in every major rushing category: yards, TDs, attempts, and scoring. He didn't just lead all RBs in scoring, he led all of Division I in scoring. By comparison, Ingram ranked 14th in scoring.

The 235 pound Stanford senior led the country in runs of over 10 yards, with 50. That number is phenomenal considering he faced four defenses in the Pac-10 (Arizona, Arizona St, Oregon St, and Cal) that allowed less than 120 ypg. Ingram faced only one defense that good (Florida, 102.3 ypg).

The Stanford runner also ran for 100 yards in 10 of his 12 games, including three games with over 200 yards. Ingram, by contrast, only ran for 100 yards eight times, hitting the 200-yard mark just once.

Why didn't Suh or Gerhart win the Heisman? Simply put, their teams didn't win enough, as both played for four-loss teams.

In the future, here's to hoping that the Heisman committee listens to those who are critical of the current voting process.

Because without changing the criteria by which voters cast their votes, the Heisman Trophy will continue to be given to an above-average player on a great team, while college football's best players are only recognized by the other collegiate awards handed out in the two weeks prior to the Heisman.

Woods Saga Continues, This Is Getting Entirely Ridiculous (TIGER)

Sun, 13 Dec, 2009 11:13:39 GMT

On a daily basis, it's hard not to be reminded of how hypocritical and selfish our society has become. The Tiger Woods "scandal" is just another example of how bad our society has become, not because of Tiger's infidelity, but because of how we've responded to it.

The United States is a country that boasts people from all over the world, allows its citizens to practice whatever religion they choose, and where gay marriage, casino gambling, and pornography are all legal.

It's difficult to find much of anything, that's not illegal, that falls outside our moral compass.

Our country is filled with agencies like the ATF, DEA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, State Police, and others to protect its citizens from the unlawful activities of others.

However, there is no such thing as the "Morality Police," designed to keep people from doing things you don't like, at the local, state, or federal level.

But unfortunately, our country isn't short of critics who tear into anyone who doesn't live like they think they should. There also isn't a shortage of critics who will gladly move a private issue into a public forum just to make a buck.

These critics who feel compelled to outwardly judge the morality of others may as well be throwing a boomerang into the wind, because their hypocrisy will eventually come back and hit them square in the face.

We all do things at some point that we're not proud of, and we invariably supply others with the ammunition to criticize us and how we live our lives.

If so many people feel so compelled to share how appalled they are with Tiger for cheating on his wife, I certainly hope they are willing to outwardly make the same criticism of their next-door neighbor who may be doing the same thing.

Of course, that won't likely happen because people don't care if your neighbor is sleeping around on his wife, just like they don't care if you are. The only reason people think they're entitled to criticizing Tiger is because he's rich and famous.

Are people criticizing Tiger because they're jealous of his success and money? Absolutely.

Do some people just love to throw fuel on the fire in an effort to play a part in the fall of another famous star? Most certainly.

Is the only reason why some people are criticizing Tiger because they are trying to make money off this scandal? Of course.

Tiger didn't impose his lifestyle on you, he didn't steal your money, he hasn't committed a crime against anyone, he doesn't do drugs, and one of his affairs wasn't with your daughter or your wife.

If you're upset because Tiger has been your son or daughter's role model, you need to spend some more time with your kids. Tiger shouldn't be their role model, you should.

We should all respect the accomplishments of athletes like Tiger who are devoted to giving their best to succeed in their sport, but as parents it's our responsibility to put the lessons of sport into the proper perspective for our kids. If he does something we don't agree with, it's our job to help our kids understand that as well.

To a certain degree, it's almost comical how naive our society is when they see famous public figures like Tiger fall prey to transgressions like cheating on his wife. They seem so oblivious to the fact that this sort of thing happens all the time to normal people, let alone rich and famous athletes like Tiger.

Like the old proverb says, "Before criticizing a man, walk a mile in his shoes."

If you've ever known a high school or college football player in the state of Texas, or if you've ever spotted a famous athlete out at the club, you know that athletes are continually being confronted by women and others who are willing to do anything to be associated with them.

This is true of athletes, musicians, actors, comedians, politicians, CEOs, and pretty much anyone who is in the public eye. Regardless of if someone's fame is limited to their small town or it extends across the world, women and other predators are out there who want a piece of that fame.

The more famous someone becomes, the more they are bombarded with opportunities to do things they otherwise wouldn't even have a chance to consider. For guys like Tiger, Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, and others; it means having a line of beautiful women in every town at their beckon call if that's what they want.

It's unfortunate for women like Elin Woods, who are often too naive or too confident to think that their famous beaus would ever stray in their relationship. They fail to even consider the possibility of these things happening, even though many know it's the price one often has to pay for loving someone as famous as Tiger.

No one reading this article has ever walked a mile in Tiger's shoes, and most of us can't even fathom what it might be like to be him for a single day.

In the end, he doesn't need our advice or help, so let's stop trying to give it to him.

Jayhawks Still Searching, Harbaugh Would Rather Stay at Stanford

Sat, 12 Dec, 2009 10:36:21 GMT

The leading candidate for the head coaching job at the University of Kansas, Jim Harbaugh has instead opted to sign a three-year extension and stay at Stanford.

The news comes less than a day after media in the Kansas City area reported that Harbaugh would be arriving in town tonight to meet with KU officials and sign a deal. That report was obviously the brain-child of a blindly optimistic KU alum.

It was rumored earlier in the week that Harbaugh could be using the Jayhawks as leverage for a better deal at the Cardinal, and it appears he got one.

Harbaugh would've been an excellent choice to lead the Jayhawks, if Atheletic Director Lew Perkins could have reeled him in. After inheriting a one-win team three years ago, the former NFL quarterback led this year's team to an eight-win season, has developed a Heisman worthy running back, and led his team to an upset of perennial Pac-10 contender USC.

The Jayhawks will continue their search, and one of the remaining coaches on their short-list, Buffalo's Turner Gill, has reportedly already publicly announced that he would accept the position if offered.

Gill could be a good fit for the Jayhawks. His daughter, Jordan Gill, is a sophomore at KU and works in the KU Athletic Department. Also, being a former star quarterback in the early 1980s at Nebraska and later an assistant under Head Coach Tom Osborne, Gill is quite familiar with Big 12 country.

Whether Perkins hires Gill or someone else, he can ill afford to have another Harbaugh moment where one of his candidates picks another school over KU. By the time he decides on a coach, he may lose any recruits who were once pondering the thought of signing with KU.

Blackout Avoided, But Will Chiefs Fans Even Be Watching?

Sun, 13 Dec, 2009 05:48:32 GMT

This Sunday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills will be on television in Kansas City. Up against an extended deadline by the NFL to sell their final 3,000 tickets, an as yet undisclosed business stepped up and purchased the tickets, insuring that the Chiefs would be on television locally this Sunday.

Chiefs fans, aren’t you relieved to hear that?

Probably not, in fact you could probably care less.

The Chiefs, who haven’t been blacked out on local television since a cold and drizzly 39-degree December 16^th in 1990, narrowly avoided their first non-sellout in 19 years. In that game, Houston Oilers quarterback Warren Moon threw for 527 yards in a 27-20 defeat of the Chiefs. It was the second-best passing performance in a single game in NFL history.

Of course, that 1990 Chiefs team was no where near as bad as the 2009 Chiefs. At the point in which the Chiefs played the Oilers in 1990, they were on a four-game winning streak, and would eventually secure an AFC wild-card berth in the playoffs with an 11-5 record.

The 2009 Chiefs may not be playing Warren Moon on Sunday, but as poor as the team’s pass defense has been all season, it’s conceivable that the Bills’ Ryan Fitzpatrick could have a big day nonetheless.

The Chiefs defense currently ranks 30^th in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing 27.5 points per game. And Sunday, Kansas City will face an offense that scored 54 points against them in November 2008, and has been clicking more since the firing of Coach Dick Jauron.

So this Sunday, when the 3-9 Chiefs host the 4-8 Bills, will Chiefs fans tune in to watch a team play that has been error-prone and allowed 44.5 pts per game in consecutive losses?

My guess, with only two full shopping weekends left before Christmas, is that many won’t. But to those who decide to sit at home and tune in, one bit of advice: have plenty of adult beverages handy, because this one could be ugly… again.

Go Danica! Can Danica Patrick Revive NASCAR?

Wed, 9 Dec, 2009 02:37:46 GMT

Danica Patrick is coming to NASCAR, announcing a deal on Tuesday to drive a limited Nationwide event schedule for JR Motorsports in 2010.

The deal joins the two most marketable drivers in racing, Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. JR Motorsports is owned by Dale Jr and his sister Kelley along with Hendrick Motorsports head Rick Hendrick.

Perhaps the most difficult part of the whole deal for Patrick will be the transitioning back and forth between driving stock cars and driving Indy cars for Andretti Autosports in the same season.

Former Indy-car driver Sam Hornish Jr. was the last driver to attempt a limited NASCAR schedule during a season when driving a full IndyCar circuit. Hornish Jr. made the jump full-time to Sprint Cup in 2008, but he has yet to enjoy anywhere near the success he had in IndyCar where he won 19 races in 116 starts.

Patrick, in her five-year IndyCar career, has won one race. Is it even possible for her to be successful in NASCAR, especially when compared to the more talented Hornish Jr. or other former Indy drivers Juan Pablo Montoya or Tony Stewart?

Well, if you measure success in wins, it's not likely Patrick will be winning any Nationwide races anytime soon.

If however, you measure success in terms of dollars and marketability, Patrick will be a huge success. In fact, her new boss Dale Jr. has already proven that you don't have to be a winner in the sport to be the most sought after driver from a marketing perspective.

Patrick, who drives an IndyCar sponsored by Go Daddy and Boost Mobile, will also have Go Daddy on the hood in Nationwide events. Patrick has been a marketing juggernaut for both companies and she will most certainly provide Boost's parent company Sprint, a huge marketing advantage with their NASCAR Cup sponsorship in 2010.

She may never win a race in Nationwide, or subsequently in Sprint Cup, but Danica Patrick will undoubtedly be successful in bringing more fans to the track on race day.

And when it comes down to it, more fans are what NASCAR needs, and that's what they're going to get with Patrick.

Signing Erik Bedard Could Make the Royals a Contender in 2010

Wed, 9 Dec, 2009 05:11:00 GMT

The Kansas City Royals, believe it or not, could contend for the American League Central division in 2010. Of course, as with any small-market team, a lot of things need to go right and very few things can go wrong if it's going to happen.

In 2009, aside from a fast start through the middle of May, and a Cy Young season by ace Zack Greinke, the Royals' season was a forgettable one.

Last year's key pre-season acquisitions, Coco Crisp and Mike Jacobs, were disappointing to say the least with both hitting just .228 in a combined 614 at-bats.

Additionally, while one former first-round pick thrived in his third season in Billy Butler, another lost his season early to injury in Alex Gordon. Gordon played in just 49 games at third base, and while Butler came into his own offensively, Gordon once again failed to show the plate discipline that made him an All-American at the college level.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the 2009 season for the Royals was the lack of a true number two pitcher behind Greinke.

Gil Meche, in the third season of a five-year deal paying him $55 million, had his worst season as a Royal, winning only six games in 23 starts. Of all the Royals starters, with the exception of Greinke, only Brian Bannister had an ERA under five.

The Royals still believe another former high first-round pick, Luke Hochevar, will be a solid starter for this club. Hochevar, and the addition of another highly regarded young arm in Aaron Crow, will potentially give the team two solid starters in the near future.

However, if the Royals want to contend in 2010, they won't be able to rely upon these two youngsters just yet. They need Meche to pitch like he did in 2007 and 2008, and they need to acquire a solid number two starter behind Greinke.

The pitcher who Moore should target in free agency is Erik Bedard.

Bedard, who has only pitched in 30 games the past two seasons and who's 2009 season ended in July with a shoulder injury, could be an excellent option for the Royals in 2010.

If he can prove to Royals' doctors that he is progressing in his rehabilitation after surgery for a torn labrum, Bedard could be a dominant compliment to Greinke in the Royals rotation. Bedard is a strikeout pitcher who has a career ERA of 3.71 and has won 51 of his 92 career decisions.

The Royals haven't been able to find even a mediocre left-hander for their staff in the past several seasons, and Bedard could provide them with a dominant one. Most importantly, and what would make him a great fit for the Royals, is the fact that Bedard's asking price won't be anywhere near the $7.75 million he made with the Mariners last season.

It's possible that the Royals could sign Bedard to a one or two year incentive-laden deal in the $4-5 million range. That would provide Moore a bargain of a deal that could put the Royals in a position to win in 2010, and provide the time needed to get Crow to the majors in 2011 or 2012.

Here are a few other free agents that could help the Royals in 2010:

SP - Rich Harden: Always an injury-risk, Harden has been relatively healthy the past two seasons. After dominating in 2008, he struggled during the first half of 2009 but looked like his old self by season's end. Also a strikeout pitcher, he'll be more expensive than Bedard, but he has greater upside at only 28 and can be every bit as good as Greinke in any given start.
SP - Jon Garland: A true innings-eater, Garland has started 32 or more games every season since 2002. A solid pitcher who always seems to have one horrendous outing every four or five starts.
C - Jason Kendall: The free agent market for catchers is pretty thin, and I still can't figure out why the Royals let Miguel Olivo go. Kendall, who won't remind anyone of Johnny Bench offensively, could provide a solid veteran presence behind the plate for a young pitching staff.

Chiefs' Derrick Thomas Makes Final Appearance Against Broncos on Sunday

Sun, 6 Dec, 2009 11:58:16 GMT

Almost a decade since the last time Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas stepped on the field for the Kansas City Chiefs, his spirit will undoubtedly be in attendance at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

Thomas, whose number 58 will be retired by the Chiefs on Sunday, sacked Broncos' quarterback John Elway more than any other quarterback during his 11-year career in Kansas City. Against no other opponent would it be more appropriate for the Chiefs to retire Thomas' number.

During his career, Thomas registered 126.5 quarterback sacks, the fourth-highest amount in NFL history by a linebacker, including the most sacks in the 1990's with 116.5.

On Sunday, the 3-8 Chiefs will entertain a Broncos team that is fighting to stay in the playoff race, losing four of their last five after starting out 6-0, and who is struggling to move the ball offensively. The question for the Chiefs is whether someone will be able to channel the energy from the fans, that will undoubtedly be present with the retirement of Thomas' number at halftime, to turn in a performance that will lead the Chiefs to victory.

When Thomas played, he would raise his hands to encourage the Arrowhead faithful to be as loud as they could. He and his teammates would then, more times than not, rise to the occasion to force a turnover or three-and-out by the opposing offense. That type of presence is something the current Chiefs defense is in dire need of.

On Sunday, a great Chiefs player will be remembered one last time. It will serve as a prime opportunity to see if a current young Chiefs player could seize this opportunity to take his play to a level anywhere near that of Thomas. If someone can, the Chiefs have an opportunity to deliver one more blow to Denver's playoff hopes, and provide Chiefs' fans with some hope heading towards 2010.

A Nebraska Victory in Big 12 Title Game Could Kill the BCS

Sat, 5 Dec, 2009 08:07:46 GMT

Every football fan in American who is in favor of a college football playoff should be a Nebraska Cornhusker fan tonight.

For Coach Bo Pelini and his Cornhuskers, they are one victory away from reaching one of their goals for the season: winning the Big 12 Championship.

However, a Cornhuskers' win over Texas tonight in Dallas could mean a heck of a lot more to everyone in college football. It could trigger the end to the mathmatical system known as the BCS, that's been in place since 1997.

Entering this weekend's games, there are six undefeated teams in Division I-A, including the Cornhuskers' opponent, Texas. Two of the other five, Alabama and Florida, play each other today as well. Three of the teams without a blemish on their record come from lesser conferences: Boise State, Cincinnati, and TCU.

If Texas wins tonight, as predicted, they will play the winner of the Alabama-Florida matchup in the SEC Championship in the BCS title game in January. However if the Cornhuskers and their third-rated defense, led by All-American defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, can beat the Longhorns, all chaos will ensue.

It could mean that because of the mathmatical system used by the BCS, that a one-loss team could play for the National Championship despite there being three other undefeated teams. Boise State has been that team before, and Cincinnati and TCU could soon find themselves being snubbed by the BCS as well.

As we all know, the BCS skews it rankings to favor schools from the six founding conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac 10, and SEC). Each of those conference champions receives an automatic bid into one of the four BCS bowl games.

The remaining Division I conferences (Conference USA, Mountain West, MAC, Sun Belt, and WAC) must be ranked in the top six in the BCS to gain a berth to a BCS game. This season, there are two undefeated teams from these conferences that are in the top six in the BCS rankings.

Playoff Proposal

How do you fix this flawed system?

Here's a plan that would resolve the problem:

Create a 16-team playoff
Two teams from each of the founding conferences with 10 or more teams (Big 12, Pac 10, Big 10, ACC, and SEC) makes the playoff.
If these conferences employ a division system, the winner of each division within the conference will represent the conference in the playoff
The regular season champion from each of the remaining conferences (Big East, Conference USA, Mountain West, MAC, Sun Belt, and WAC) makes the playoff.
No more conference championship games
Reduce the number of allowable regular season games from 12 to 11
Seeding will be determined by rankings at the end of the regular season
The first round will include eight games with all 16 teams, with games being played at the home venue of the highest ranked team
Subsequent rounds would played in two-week intervals at bowl venues selected to host playoff games

Here is how this plan could have been rolled out this season:

Round One

Dec 5 (by seed):

Game 1: #16 Troy (Sun Belt) at #1 Florida (SEC East)

Game 2: #15 Clemson (ACC Atlantic) at #2 Alabama (SEC West)

Game 3: #14 Central Michigan (MAC) at #3 Texas (Big 12 South)

Game 4: #13 Nebraska (Big 12 North) at #4 TCU (Mountain West)

Game 5: #12 Houston (Conf USA) at #5 Cincinnati (Big East)

Game 6: #11 Oregon St (Pac 10) at #6 Boise St (WAC)

Game 7: #10 Georgia Tech (ACC Coastal) at #7 Oregon (Pac 10)

Game 8: #9 Iowa (Big 10) at #8 Ohio St (Big 10)

*Losers in Round One could then be invited to play in non-playoff related bowl games

Round Two

Dec 19:

Quarterfinal 1 (Maaco Las Vegas Bowl): Winner of Game 1 v Winner of Game 8

Quarterfinal 2 (R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl): Winner of Game 2 v Winner of Game 7

Quarterfinal 3 (St. Petersburg Bowl): Winner of Game 3 v Winner of Game 6

Quarterfinal 4 (New Mexico Bowl): Winner of Game 4 v Winner of Game 5

Round Three

Jan 1:

Semifinal 1 (Sugar Bowl): Winner of Quarterfinal 1 v Winner of Quarterfinal 4

Semifinal 2 (Rose Bowl): Winner of Quarterfinal 2 v Winner of Quarterfinal 3

Final Round

Jan 9:

Consolation game (Orange Bowl-change date from Jan 5): Losers of each semifinal

Jan 11:

National Championship game (Tostitos Bowl-change date from Jan 4): Winners of each semifinal

Future National Championship games could be rotated between the Sugar, Orange, and Tostitos Bowls. The Rose Bowl would maintain it's role as a New Year's Day semifinal game. The four bowls in the second round could be rotated to include other bowls during that weekend.

In the end, the NCAA would have a system that provides an opportunity for the best teams from each of the Division I-A conferences to win a National Championship. The conferences would also be able to make more money under this playoff system than under the current BCS system.

Go Cornhuskers!

Looking Ahead to 2010: 5 Questions That Need Answers for the KC Chiefs

Thu, 3 Dec, 2009 01:49:47 GMT

In case you haven't been paying attention, the Kansas City Chiefs won't be making a trip to the playoffs in 2009. In fact, if the season ended today, the Chiefs would have the 5th overall pick in April's NFL Draft.

So, over the course of the final month of the season, Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli and Head Coach Todd Haley need to begin finding answers to some very important questions.

Question 1:

Will Pioli and Haley bring in an offensive coordinator that they both know very well, in Charlie Weis; or will they opt for a coach with a lower profile that Haley can more easily influence?

Prediction:

While it is rare to see a coach hired this late in the season, it may be Pioli's best chance to bring in his old friend before he's had a chance to entertain offers elsewhere, after the season.

Weis, who flopped as a head coach at the college level, is still one of the best offensive minds in football. He could undoubtedly figure out ways to best utilize Matt Cassel, Dwayne Bowe, Jamaal Charles and company.

Unfortunately, I don't see Haley giving anyone, even Weis, total control of his offense. Instead, it is probably more likely that you'll see a current assistant (like Maurice Carthon) promoted, or a young coach brought in to fill the role of offensive coordinator with Haley continuing to play a big role in what plays are called on Sundays.

Question 2:

Will Haley continue to entrust his team's defense to Clancy Pendergast?

Prediction:

A trademark of a good coach, at any level, is that he is able to adept to his personnel and still be productive and win.

Haley and Pendergast are both guilty of moving the Chiefs to a 3-4 defense they were ill-equipped to install in 2009. Pendergast was just as guilty of this when he was the defensive coordinator with the Cardinals. Pendergast's defense wasn't the reason the Cardinals got to the Super Bowl, Haley's offense was.

While many Chiefs' fans were baffled by the choice of Pendergast to begin with, especially with Romeo Crennel unemployed at the time of his hire; just as many will be baffled when Pendergast is retained in 2010.

Like Haley, it seems Pendergast was given a one-year pass to get his system implemented, and he'll have through 2010 to make it work.

Question 3:

With the Chiefs likely picking anywhere from 5th to 10th in next April's draft, will Pioli be willing to do whatever it takes to select one of the few game-changers that may or may not be available when the Chiefs pick?

Prediction:

The Chiefs offensive line needs improvement, but good offensive linemen can be found outside the first round of the draft. This team's greatest areas of need, defensive tackle and safety, also happen to be the positions played by three of college football's most best players.

The most dominant player in the 2010 draft is Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Suh, while better suited to a 4-3 scheme, would still be a major upgrade over Ron Edwards and Kenny Smith even if he had to play in a 3-4.

A 4-3 Chiefs defense, with Suh and Glenn Dorsey in the middle, and Tyson Jackson and Tamba Hali at the ends, would be a vast improvement over any defensive line the Chiefs have had since the mid-90's.

USC free safety Taylor Mays or Tennessee strong safety Eric Berry could fill a huge void in the Chiefs' secondary at either of safety positions. Mays is the best athlete in the draft, and Berry has playmaking abilities that have prompted comparisons to late Redskins safety, Sean Taylor.

While it is very doubtful the Chiefs will be able to make a move up the board to get Suh, it's very possible that both Mays and Berry could be available when the Chiefs make their first selection.

If Suh, Mays, and Berry are gone, look for the Chiefs to possibly trade down and taking 365-pound nose tackle Terrence Cody out of Alabama.

Question 4:

What will the Chiefs do with LB Derrick Johnson?

Prediction:

Demorrio Williams has far and away been the Chiefs best inside linebacker, and is likely the Chiefs' Defensive MVP for 2009.

Johnson has played inside this season as a backup to Williams, but is far more talented than Corey Mays, who has started most of the season at the other inside linebacker spot.

Mike Vrabel, oft-injured and 34 years old, may have seen his final days starting for the Chiefs at outside linebacker. Of the team's other outside linebackers, Hali and Andy Studebaker, neither is the caliber of athlete or as versatile as Johnson is.

While it would seem that Johnson should be able to find himself in a starting role in 2010, it doesn't appear that Pendergast and Haley necessarily agree with that.

Since Johnson is playing out the final year of his contract, and the Chiefs have younger (and cheaper) linebackers in Studebaker and Jovan Belcher, who have both gotten substantial playing time this season, it appears inevitable that Johnson and the Chiefs will part ways.

Question 5:

Can Jamaal Charles prove to the coaching staff that he is the team's future at the running back position?

Prediction:

Unlike the quarterback position, where the Chiefs have committed $63 million to Matt Cassel, the team doesn't have near as much invested in Charles.

While Charles has proven that he is capable of being the team's best offensive playmaker since Priest Holmes, he has not proven he can hold on to the football. He also hasn't proven that he can take the beating that goes along with being a full-time running back in the NFL.

The 2010 draft may see as few as two or three running backs taken in the 1st round, depending on the number of underclassmen who forego whatever eligibilty they have remaining.

That said, there could be several productive backs available between the 2nd and 4th rounds.

If the right player falls to the Chiefs between the 2nd and 5th rounds, like Stanford's Toby Gerhart or LSU's Charles Scott, expect the Chiefs to take them. Both Gerhart and Scott are bigger backs, and could fill the Chiefs need for a guy to hammer it between the tackles, and replace Kolby Smith as the compliment to Charles.

Chiefs Winning: Charles Is in Charge, But Cassel Is Still The Key

Fri, 27 Nov, 2009 11:46:36 GMT

The Kansas City Chiefs are in the midst of something they haven't enjoyed since October of 2007...a two-game winning streak.

New Head Coach Todd Haley has made more than his fair share of mistakes while learning the ropes as a first-year head coach this season. The team is full of young inexperienced players, and has endured the loss of team leaders with the release of a disgruntled former star and the suspension of a current one.

Needless to say, it's worth getting excited about when this young Chiefs team can string together a couple of wins. The question now is, "can they keep winning?"

The Chiefs are winning because they are finally learning to play together, trusting their coach, and trusting one another.

Earlier this season, they were losing games because their opponents were making big plays far more frequently than the Chiefs were. Over the course of the past two weeks however, the Chiefs have been the ones making the big plays.

Big plays breed confidence, and nothing is more important to a young inexperienced team than confidence.

No player on the Chiefs' roster has injected more confidence into this team than running back and kick returner Jamaal Charles. Charles has accounted for a 44-yard touchdown run and a 97-yard return for a touchdown during this Chiefs' winning streak.

Charles has provided the spark for his team the past two weeks.

Defensively, the Chiefs have been embattled all season long. They continue to allow huge chunks of yards to their opponents, but they are beginning to come up with big plays when they need them.

In Oakland, safety Mike Brown sealed that victory with a late interception. This week, against the Steelers, linebacker Andy Studebaker made two key interceptions that setup 10 points for the Chiefs.

So moving forward, what do the Chiefs need to do to continue winning?

The easy answer would be to say that they need to continue getting the ball to Charles, and relying on players on defense to create turnovers.

Sure, it would be nice if Charles and the Chiefs defense can continue to do what they've done the past two weeks, but it's far more likely that the Chiefs will need to look elswhere for a consistent source of big plays.

That place is the passing game and quarterback Matt Cassel.

Cassel, with only six interceptions to his 12 touchdowns, has done a fairly good job of not turning the ball over. However, he has completed only 55 percent of his passes, has been sacked 34 times, and has made way too many drive-killing decisions this season.

Cassel appears to have developed a strong rapport with the recently acquired Chris Chambers. In addition to Charles, the emergence of Chambers in the passing game has been key to the success of the Chiefs' offense the past two weeks.

With Dwayne Bowe sidelined for another three weeks however, Cassel needs to develop a consistent second option in the passing game. Whether that threat is receiver Lance Long, tight end Leornard Pope, or Charles out of the backfield, Cassel needs to have another target he can rely upon for five catches a game.

Whether the Chiefs can extend their winning streak to three games this week in San Diego remains to be seen. The recipe for success is there, they just have to continue to build on the confidence that's gotten them to this point.

There shouldn't be any doubt that the Chiefs should fare much better in their final six games, than their first six. If not for the Chiefs' 0-6 start to the season, it's entirely possible we'd be talking about a run at a wildcard spot right now.

Still a Mystery: Chiefs Head Coach Won’t Start Linebacker Derrick Johnson

Sat, 21 Nov, 2009 11:43:22 GMT

Chiefs Head Coach Todd Haley must have had a bad experience as a child at the hands of someone with a last name of Johnson.

In addition to the most recent episode with former Chiefs' running back Larry Johnson, Haley continues to harbor some sort of ill-will towards Kansas City linebacker Derrick Johnson.

So much ill-will apparently, that Haley can’t seem to find a situation or a position on his defense that justifies starting the former first-round selection out of Texas.

Johnson, unlike his former running back teammate of the same surname, hasn't been critical of his head coach. He hasn't gotten in trouble with the law. He's not making a habit of antagonizing Chiefs' fans when he's out in public. And he hasn't gotten into trouble with the league for failing a drug test.

Stated simply, Derrick Johnson has been a class act in his time in Kansas City, and one of the Chiefs most productive players. So why isn’t Haley giving Johnson consistent playing time on a team that is 2-7?

Haley has pointed to issues with Johnson’s work ethic since early in training camp. He also pointed to similar issues with wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. And like Bowe, Johnson was demoted during the preseason.

The difference between Bowe and Johnson however, is that until this week and the suspension of Bowe by the league, Bowe has started all but one of the games in which he’s played this season. Johnson has started only once, and has been relegated to special teams’ duty for the most part this season.

Like Bowe is on offense, Johnson is arguably the most talented player on the Kansas City defense.

When Haley announced shortly after being hired that he was bringing in Clancy Pendergast to be the defensive coordinator, it seemed that his creative blitz schemes would be a perfect fit for Johnson’s athleticism.

But instead of Johnson being allowed to flourish in the new system, Haley has only allowed him to play sparingly on defense.

When Johnson has played, he has shown that he can produce in this defense. In his only start of the season at Washington, he had four tackles.

In spot time in other games this season, he has produced one sack, defended two passes, forced a fumble, and returned an interception 70 yards to setup a touchdown in week one against Baltimore.

And while Johnson is listed with the Chiefs as an inside linebacker, there is no doubt that he can play outside as well. In fact, if you were to compare him to the Chiefs’ outside linebackers, who include converted end Tamba Hali and veteran Mike Vrabel, Johnson has more speed and is more capable in pass coverage.

If you compare Vrabel’s full season stats of a year ago, when he played with the Patriots, to Johnson’s, Johnson was more productive.

2008-2009 Stats

Mike Vrabel (NE): 62 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 5 passes defended

Derrick Johnson (KC): 85 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 interception, 4 forced fumbles, and 7 passes defended

Now, after nine games of finding excuses as to why Johnson isn’t playing, and with the 34 year-old Vrabel out with a knee injury, it would seem the ideal time to get Johnson a start, right? Apparently not.

With Vrabel out for Sunday’s game against the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers, Haley has publicly announced that second year linebacker Andy Studebaker will start in Vrabel’s place.

That’s right, a guy who played at Division III Wheaton, was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth-round of the 2008 draft, picked up off the Eagles’ practice squad by the Chiefs and has 12 career tackles will start for the Chiefs.

Apparently, Haley is of the opinion that Studebaker, more than a former first-round draft choice who was second on the team in tackles last season, is more capable of blitzing Ben Roethlisberger and covering tight end Heath Miller.

Keep in mind, Miller is the Steelers second leading receiver and is tied with wide receiver Hines Ward with four receiving touchdowns. He has been Roethlisberger’s safety blanket in the passing game.

With the Chiefs secondary, particularly the safeties, having difficulties in pass coverage all season long, it would only make sense to play the athletic Johnson in Vrabel’s spot. Instead, Haley has chosen to start a guy with no career starts to his credit to line up Sunday against the defending champions.

Here’s to hoping that Haley wakes up sometime soon, and finally forgives whatever childhood menace named Johnson tormented him in his youth.

Haley’s honeymoon first season as a head coach is almost over, and unless his play calling and personnel decisions start yielding better results in the win column, he’s going to run out of reasons as to why he isn’t playing his defense’s best player.

Just Like Old Times, Nebraska Hosts K-State for Trip to Big 12 Title Game

Fri, 20 Nov, 2009 02:54:49 GMT

At the beginning of the season, many around college football wondered if the 70 year-old Bill Snyder could somehow resurrect the Kansas State football program the same way he did when he took over the program 20 years ago, in 1989.

Back then, Sports Illustrated had labeled the Wildcats program as “America’s most hapless team.” And they were. For three straight seasons leading up to Snyder coming to the Little Apple that is Manhattan, KS; the Wildcats didn’t win a game. Under Snyder, that all changed.

In Snyder’s second season, he won five games, something that had only occurred once in K-State’s previous 17 seasons. Then in 1993, Snyder guided his team to only its second 9-win season ever, and began a streak of 11 straight bowl appearances.

And during each of those 11 seasons that ended in a trip to a bowl for the Wildcats, Snyder’s main objective was to beat Nebraska. Because if you beat the Cornhuskers, it meant you had a great shot to win the conference.

The Cornhuskers, led by the legendary Tom Osborne through 1997, then by long-time Osborne assistant Frank Solich, won three National Championships and eight league titles during that 11-year stretch.

However, by the end of Snyder’s run in 2003, the Wildcats had surpassed the Cornhuskers atop the Big 12 North, and Snyder had pulled off the greatest reclamation project in major college sports history.

Then in 2004, with the departure of Snyder at K-State and the ouster of Solich at Nebraska, both the Wildcats and Cornhuskers began a trek down the path to mediocrity. Each team has been struggling to regain their status atop the Big 12 ever since.

Both K-State and Nebraska have since fired the coaches they brought in back in 2004. Instead, each has turned, once again, to a former coach familiar with each program’s tradition in an effort to return their teams to prominence once again atop the Big 12 North.

This Saturday in Lincoln, these two teams faceoff in a game that means more than any of their meetings the past six seasons. At stake in this game, just like old times, is the right to represent the North division in the Big 12 Championship game in Dallas on December 5^th.

For Snyder and his Wildcats, they need this game not only to secure a spot in the Big 12 Championship game, but they need this win just to become bowl eligible. Should they lose, their Cinderella season will come to an abrupt end.

On Saturday, that additional motivation will be important to a team long on effort but short on talent. K-State ranks dead last in the conference in passing offense, and relies heavily on their running game and special teams to score points. In fact, the Wildcats’ biggest threat and most talented player is kick returner Brandon Banks.

Banks, who stands only 5’7” and weighs a mere 150 pounds, has blazing speed and is probably the best kick returner in the country. His four kick returns for touchdowns lead the nation while his 1,077 return yards rank him second.

Nebraska, on the other hand, enters the game riding a three game winning streak that includes an impressive 10-3 victory over Oklahoma two weeks ago in Lincoln. After dismantling the Jayhawks in Lawrence a week ago, the Cornhuskers will be geared up for their final home game of the season in front of a sold out Memorial Stadium.

Nagurski Trophy finalist Ndamukong Suh, leads a defense that ranks third in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 11 points per game. Suh and fellow defensive tackle Jared Crick have combined for 33 tackles for loss and Crick ranks fifth in the conference with nine sacks.

If the Wildcats want to be successful on offense, they will have to find a way to contain Suh and Crick.

The Keys to Victory

Kansas State

The Wildcats will need to make big plays on special teams, and possibly get another touchdown out of Banks.
Snyder needs to reach into his old bag of tricks and find plays that neutralize the Cornhuskers overwhelming superiority on defense when K-State has the ball. Mainly, they need to find ways to get the ball into the hands of Banks in space.
The defense needs to do what Iowa State did to the Cornhuskers earlier this season… force turnovers, a lot of turnovers.

Nebraska

The special teams unit must not allow Banks to have a big day in the return game.
Roy Helu must run the ball without putting it on the ground, as he’s done recently since sustaining a shoulder injury a few weeks ago.
Whether it’s Zac Lee or freshman Cody Green at quarterback, they must make good decisions in the passing game and not force any plays that could cause turnovers. Niles Paul has played well of late, and should be able to make big plays against the K-State secondary.
On defense, Suh and company simply need to continue what they’ve done all season… dominate the line of scrimmage and limit the number of big plays against them.

Prediction

Barring some major collapse on defense or special teams by the Cornhuskers, Nebraska should be able to handle their business in front of Husker Nation and millions more on ESPN.

However, if K-State’s Banks can find a way to make some big plays on special teams, and the defense can force turnovers like Iowa State did in Lincoln four weeks ago, Snyder’s team could find themselves booking a trip to Dallas.

My pick:
Nebraska 27
Kansas State 10

KC's Bowe Show on Hiatus, WR Suspended for Four Games

Thu, 19 Nov, 2009 06:24:22 GMT

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley can't seem to catch a break, or maybe he can.

After six straight losses and only one win to his credit, the heat was getting turned up on Haley, as fans and the media became increasingly skeptical of Haley's decision-making and play calling.

Then three weeks ago, running back Larry Johnson quickly took the focus off of Haley with his open criticism of the head coach on Twitter. Everyone jumped on the LJ media circus, Johnson was released, and Haley escaped public criticism for a couple more weeks.

Now after some sketchy play calls again in Sunday's narrow win over a bad Raiders team, Haley is facing the difficult task of gameplanning for a very good Steelers team. With another loss likely on the horizon, Haley was bound to have to start answering tough questions about his coaching ability, right?

Maybe not.

Tuesday, the NFL announced that Dwayne Bowe, the team's best young offensive player, has been suspended for four weeks for violating the league's policy against performance enhancing drugs.

Bowe, who leads the Chiefs with 33 catches for 466 yards and 4 touchdowns, took all of training camp to get out of Haley's doghouse, and now it appears he'll be right back in it.

Bowe cannot participate in any team-related activities for the next four weeks, and he will miss four game checks due to the suspension.

For Haley, it provides yet another distraction to take the focus off his coaching deficiencies. Rather than having to answer more questions about things such as his affinity to go for it on fourth down, he now has a less difficult task of answering questions about how he can replace Bowe.

As far as the Chiefs' offense is concerned, losing Bowe takes their best receiver off the field. It means that Lance Long and Bobby Wade will have to fill the void left by Bowe at receiver, a difficult task to say the least.

With opposing defenses now shifting their focus to stop the newly acquired Chris Chambers, the Chiefs will be looking to get more production out of their tight ends and backs. That means running back Jamaal Charles, and tight ends Leonard Pope and Sean Ryan will likely see increased roles in the passing game.

While it may never be known what substance Bowe tested positive for, he has most certainly put himself in a precarious position with the Chiefs and his head coach.

If Bowe can't get himself back in Haley's good graces, he may want to call an interior decorator to make that doghouse feel a little more at-home. It could become his permanent residence for the duration of his stay in Kansas City.

Hopefully for Chiefs' fans, Bowe doesn't use his extra free time the next four weeks to share his opinions about his head coach on any social networking sites.

Instead, Bowe may want to find a new personal trainer or dietitian who knows what NFL players are not allowed to put in their bodies.