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St. Joseph, MO —
If you read the paper or listened to the radio, the subject usually shifts back to the Missouri heat. For every player on the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s their first time in dealing with it for an entire training camp. There may have been a couple difficult days in River Falls, but nothing like summertime in Kansas City.
Maybe I’m not sensitive to the whole debate – perhaps I’m not. After talking to my friend who’s a season ticket holder, I know I’m not. He makes it a point to fly back to Kansas City for every home game. He’s been steady for the last four seasons. He’s a diehard fan and wouldn’t change a thing, but it’s not cheap. It costs him in the neighborhood of $500 a game. Again, he loves every tailgating minute of it, but that’s not the point. Does he shed a tear over whether the players are hot or not?
Let me answer that – no.
We’re a tough sell, especially since both he and I had a taste of the desert while in the Air Force.
I know there are fans who are very concerned – some who think the Chiefs should have stayed in River Falls – but I’m not buying it. I say save the print space and dedicate the airwaves to something else. For a short time, I was in the Local 533 as an apprentice. In other words, I was a rookie pipefitter. Those same men and women and other union workers built the new digs at One Arrowhead Drive. As a rookie pipefitter, I learned there’s two parts to a person – the piece you see and the one you don’t.
The journeyman pushed me, but they were finding out who I was. It was hard, nasty and unpleasant work. Not everyone can do that job, but you surprise yourself when being put into an uncomfortable spot. Like Rocky said, you have stuff in the basement. Arrowhead is capable of holding 76,000 people and of those fans there’s plenty who, instead of a helmet, have worn a hard hat. Ask them if they’ve been inconvenienced once upon a time.
I don’t mean to preach, but I shake my head when a radio guy straight from college doesn’t get it. Todd Haley’s already said he’s a Pittsburgh man. What comes to mind when you think of Pittsburgh? Is it overhauls, denim and a hard hat? If you’ve ever met someone from Pittsburgh, you won’t forget them, because they’re tough blue-collar folk.
If you read the paper or listened to the radio, the subject usually shifts back to the Missouri heat. For every player on the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s their first time in dealing with it for an entire training camp. There may have been a couple difficult days in River Falls, but nothing like summertime in Kansas City.
Maybe I’m not sensitive to the whole debate – perhaps I’m not. After talking to my friend who’s a season ticket holder, I know I’m not. He makes it a point to fly back to Kansas City for every home game. He’s been steady for the last four seasons. He’s a diehard fan and wouldn’t change a thing, but it’s not cheap. It costs him in the neighborhood of $500 a game. Again, he loves every tailgating minute of it, but that’s not the point. Does he shed a tear over whether the players are hot or not?
Let me answer that – no.
We’re a tough sell, especially since both he and I had a taste of the desert while in the Air Force.
I know there are fans who are very concerned – some who think the Chiefs should have stayed in River Falls – but I’m not buying it. I say save the print space and dedicate the airwaves to something else. For a short time, I was in the Local 533 as an apprentice. In other words, I was a rookie pipefitter. Those same men and women and other union workers built the new digs at One Arrowhead Drive. As a rookie pipefitter, I learned there’s two parts to a person – the piece you see and the one you don’t.
The journeyman pushed me, but they were finding out who I was. It was hard, nasty and unpleasant work. Not everyone can do that job, but you surprise yourself when being put into an uncomfortable spot. Like Rocky said, you have stuff in the basement. Arrowhead is capable of holding 76,000 people and of those fans there’s plenty who, instead of a helmet, have worn a hard hat. Ask them if they’ve been inconvenienced once upon a time.
I don’t mean to preach, but I shake my head when a radio guy straight from college doesn’t get it. Todd Haley’s already said he’s a Pittsburgh man. What comes to mind when you think of Pittsburgh? Is it overhauls, denim and a hard hat? If you’ve ever met someone from Pittsburgh, you won’t forget them, because they’re tough blue-collar folk.
Having camp in St. Joseph wasn’t just about the fans – a big part, but not the whole picture. The heat is an extra tool in Haley’s toolbox. The Chiefs have a few vets, but according to Haley, everyone’s competing. Who’s got the stuff on the inside, but the right stuff? That’s what the coaching staff needs to see.
So if you run into a fan who can’t believe they’re practicing in this heat, tell them the hotter the better. Push on, because you don’t need to be a 275-pound player donning a full set of pads to see the practicality of what’s happening.
Hey, ordinary people put themselves into it each day, but the Chiefs will be better for it. I know this much, what the Chiefs are going through in St. Joe will weed out the lazy ones for later.
Too hot? Please! And don’t even get me started on why the coaches yell!
PLAYERS SHINE IN CAMP: Dexter McCluster! I like him. If you don’t know who he is, you will very soon. I was high on Eric Berry, but so was everyone. He was the universal great pick, but Dexter?
I remember draft day. Who’s McCluster? Others thought the Chiefs were back to drafting non-factors. Just another ho-hum draft pick for the Chiefs. The more I learned after that pick, the more I knew. McCluster may be small, but don’t let that smallish figure fool you. He’s not your ordinary “mighty mouse” Mark McMillian, but McCluster has the makings of a player that will create plays year in and year out.
Durability will always be a concern, but like Marcus Allen, if you can’t hit Dexter square, then you can’t hurt him. One thing I’ve noticed is McCluster is very hard to catch. I’m high on him, and after a couple times of seeing him, I’m sure you’ll jump on the wagon, too.
Tony Moeaki is showing up. I don’t want to get overly anxious, but I’m visualizing a very good player for the Chiefs. He’s having a great camp and looks like he’ll be an asset to Matt Cassel. Last season Cassel had few options when throwing the ball. The cupboard was more than bare, but when Cassel did manage to launch the pigskin, butterfingers ran rampant with Chief receivers.
Moeaki has the look and tools to be a fine athlete. He’s big and fast, but his hands are what show up at camp. Who else at his position once upon a time made catches with players hanging on him? Who was that other Tony guy?
How’s that for pressure?
I’m not saying he’s the second coming of Tony Gonzalez, but if he keeps doing what he’s shown in camp, Moeaki will be a big plus to the offense. And good things have a way of making me smile.
I recently read on arrowheadpride.com that the Chiefs 2010 rookie draft class is shaping up to be a great one. I agree to the fullest, and that’s the buzz most are hearing. In camp it’s shown, and that leads to competition for the ones who were here before. Bring in good players and that creates an environment of everyone wanting to be better. Elementary!
I’m itching for the first preseason game. It’ll be vanilla, but fans will see a different energy to this team. Too much energy can be hard to contain. It’s a matter of letting the ones who are in charge do what they were hired by Clark Hunt to do.
So far so good!
Good day, Chief fans!
