Record was performance enhanced!

I watched with amazement again as the Chiefs received publicity for the wrong reasons. Jerome Harrison became the new cocktail party trivia question for years to come by surpassing the incredible Jim Brown's single game Brown's rushing record. Brown was as gracious in congratulating Jerome (and nothing against the kid, he did what he was supposed to do) as he was awesome as a player. No shock there. Congrats to the kid. Hope he enjoys his day in the sun.

My guess is Harrison will not even be in the league in a three years but running all over the Chiefs last Sunday will keep his name alive in NFL junkie circles and trivia contests for decades.

Seriously though........in this age of tainted home run records and asterisks annotated accomplishments should we.........and more importantly the Browns.....really, really consider this their record?

This record was performance enhanced by miserable talent. Really. If the Browns were playing Emporia State or Baker.....or even KU for that matter would we really take the record seriously? No way. Playing the Little Sisters of the Blind results in a no joy win. (with all apologies to the all Little Sisters and people who are Blind and of course the Little Sisters of the Blind.....)

So I say throw it back. Don't count it. Strike it. Records set against the Chiefs shouldn't count. Jim Brown would have run for 500 yards against that defense.

As a postscript don't hear me saying Todd Haley is accountable for this debacle. Again, this isn't underachieving play and while the coaching isn't Hall of Fame quality and borders on desperation week in and week out this is lack of talent. To steal and manipulate an unofficial quote from our coach......Scott Pioli could pull most any beer drinking Season Ticket Holder out of the stands and coach a team to 3 victories (if he had the talent of Indy, New Orleans, or Minnesota). Talent trumps. Period. We. have. little. of. it. By the way, I enjoyed my black out Sunday very much. I love the Chiefs, I really do but I needed a break and the only way I won't watch is if I'm forced to not watch.

Don't forget it. Same is true in life as in sports. Rarely does poor talent win. Forget about the Rudy's of the world......they are far and few between.

New Dunkin Donuts Causes Different Kind of Hunger

I've read several great posts about the awesomeness of DD coming to sojoco......more signs of why life is better in the Golden Ghetto....or that this is such a big deal shows how absolutely lame it is. It might be possible that folks in Johnson County haven't had a carb in years by the way everyone flocked to the Grand Opening this morning.

Today's official grand opening was complete mayhem. Poor Hardee's next door had their parking lot full of people walking over to DD as well as the now closed People's Bank building. Traffic was jammed and Overland Park police were directing traffic.

Was all this for donut and a cup of coffee? Well maybe but I think it is possible that SOJOCO'ers are actually so hungry for something else. A winner. It is a little lame that the closest thing we have to a winner in professional sports in this town hasn't played in about 20 some odd years. George Brett was making an appearance for the Grand Opening. I know there was a charity play but it is telling that I've had to explain to my children why this old(er) guy is a big deal cause anyone younger than about 35 doesn't know there ever was a day in the sun for the Royals and at least drinking age to remember a day we pretend was the glory days for Chiefs. I say pretend because there wasn't even a Super Bowl appearance during those Marty days.

Does anyone else find it sad that this town doesn't have anyone else to put on a ridiculous pedestal? Jeez.......we all love George Brett but don't you think even he is getting a little tired of being the King of KC?

Pennington to the Chiefs: Former lovers reunited.

It is no secret that Herm Edwards loves Chad Pennington from his days in New York. I remember this was a situation of public man love like has been rarely seen since Broke Back Mountain.

With the news this morning on ESPN that Brett Favre has been traded to the Jets they are also discussing the reality that Chad Pennington will be traded or released.

I will make the prediction here and now that either via trade or free agency, the Kansas City Chiefs will get Pennington for their back up QB and cut Huard or trade him.

At this point in his career he is not a starter anymore and I think Herm will bring him in with the complete understanding he is coming in to teach and back up Croyle. Thigpen will return to being the #3 QB as a development project.

Bring the love story to KC................ The song "Reunited" or "Tell me how could live with you" from Michael Bolton pops into my head.....what should their love song be?

Peterson right on Allen

Peterson is right on Jared Allen and it speaks to more than just football. I've not been a supporter of Carl Peterson in general. The man's ego is just more than I can bear but when he didn't roll over and give Jared Allen a huge amount of guaranteed money and a long contract he was right to do so.

Allen was a young man who was in trouble and at a crossroads in his life....again. He had been in lots of trouble when he was younger that kept him out of the top collegiate programs in the country and the Chiefs took a flyer on him. If not them, somebody else would have so no crowns for the Chiefs on that one. Then he comes to us and finds that even the little bit of money he was earning was too much to handle. He got several DUI's in a single year. You know he was drinking and driving on regular basis to get caught that much. With his career at risk and needing to fly right to warrant a new contract he saw the light and finally decided to clean up and get some moral discipline.

No doubt everyone likes the new Jared Allen we see. He is the poster boy for redemption. But he was a huge risk then and remains one to a certain degree now. We couldn't have predicted with certainty he would stop drinking completely and become a model citizen and player. It could have just as easily gone the other way. Further, who is to say once he gets his 10 million a year he doesn't do back to his old ways? No, this was a reasonable and prudent move by Carl. You know he's seen more personal nightmares from bad apples than we even know. The NFL might have saved his life. I give Allen credit for at least realizing that he was throwing it all away. Maybe he looked back at college playing at a small school and said....not again. I'll give him credit for that.

Allen says in the paper today in an article by Poz that he was humiliated and embarrassed by the Chiefs for calling him out. He said he paid his price and has moved on. He might have paid his legal price, his price to society but an employer has to have a higher standard. They have more at risk. No, what he must understand is that in many regards he will always need to keep paying for the aggregate of his mistakes. He is young, only 26, but he'll learn that your past follows you and it takes more than just a year of good living to prove to people you are a changed person. This is his ticket for one DUI to the left.

The Chiefs went to bat for you to get your suspension reduced and have applauded your efforts to clean up. They had a right to exact a measure of caution and if they gave him the big money and he went nuts on us we'd be going crazy on Carl's lack of judgement.

Finally, I think trading him is a great idea if we can get a couple high draft picks for him. We need picks and keeping him won't win us any more games in the next 2 years. By the time our rebuilding is complete he will be close t0 30 and only have a couple good years left. His stock is high so now is the time. That said, if the trade doesn't happen I hope he'll show the maturity to suck it up and play. Jared, you are still paying for your past. You are much more fortunate than most.

Jared, I have a friend who got a DUI and lost his job because he had to drive for work. It was a good job and it supported his family. He can't find an employer who will take risk on him so he is underemployed. He has lost his family. He has paid his fines and has his license back a year later but his life is a train wreck. Oh, by the way, he had to give up his season tickets to the Chiefs that he held for more than 10 years. He loved going to Chiefs games. He understands that you keep paying and the costs are much higher for him than they have been for you. I hope you understand.

I hope Allen stays clean and makes lots of money. I wish him the best either as a Chief or with someone else but on this one.......Carl has it right.

Sorry about this picture.....just found it looking for pictures of Jared and couldn't resist.