Just sent off this ridiculously verbose email to Jim Rome.
The Monday following the Chiefs blowout by division rival San Diego Charger, I posted a thread on a Chiefs message board (link at bottom of email). I had priced the cost of flying a banner before the Ravens @ Chiefs over Arrowhead and found it to be relatively inexpensive. The company who is flying the banner is the same one who flew the banner over the MLB All-Star game calling for David Glass to sell the Royals. They are also the same company who flew in Arkansas calling for Houston Nutt to be fired. The guy I spoke with is also a Chiefs fan and was so in favor of our sign that he gave us a hefty discount to help our cause.
In about 48 hours we raised $1200, from about 70 different contributors, which is more than enough to fly the banner which likely means we will be taking further steps to continue voicing our displeasure over the state of this team. Simply put, Matt Cassel does not have what it takes to be a starting NFL QB. Many of his throws are erratic, they are either high or behind the receiver… and on occasion they are both. He makes poor decisions which cause his offensive line to look far worse that what they really are. He is quick to find the check down and often throws the ball well short of the 1st down marker and prays that his receiver can somehow find a way to get the 1st down. To paraphrase Dennis Green, he is who we thought he was. A QB that had not started a meaningful game since his last HS start until he was forced to fill in for Brady when Bernard Pollard, in an odd coincidence a KC Chief at the time, went low and broke Tom Brady for a season. He is an 8 year NFL veteran who carries himself on the field the way you would expect a rookie to do so.
As for Pioli, the GM of the Chiefs. The only players on the current Chiefs roster worth a damn are ones left over from the Carl Peterson era, save for Berry (S) and Houston (LB). His first round picks though not quite busts have not, for the most part, lived up to their draft position. In fact… our defense, powered by an all 1st round pick D-Line, has allowed the second most points in the NFL. A whopping 34 points per game. Hell, we have yet to hold the lead at any point during any of our first 4 games. His devotion to his hand-picked QB is mind boggling. Yes, there were rumors that the Chiefs went after Manning in the offseason but what does it say about the state of the team and the people who manage it when one of the best QBs to have ever played the game would not even take his phone call?
Arrowhead stadium was once lauded as the loudest stadium in the NFL. We have been reduced to half empty stands, early exits, and a crowd with the cheering power of the parents section in a pee-wee football game. No more. We the fans will use that voice that made offenses false start, opposing QBs call time outs because they could not communicate, and caused Ryan Leaf to have an epic meltdown. We will use this voice to say that we are sick and tired of being taken for granted. We are tired of seeing other teams claim the trophy that bears our founder’s name.
Hear us Rome… help us send a message to the ownership, the front office, and the fan base. We deserve better.
Sincerely,
A 20 year fan of this team and current (for the past 2 seasons… will he make it to 3?) season ticket holder who makes an 8 hour drive round trip to home games along with 70 equally pissed off Chiefs fans.
Link to thread where the movement began:
http://chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=264510
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-edit proof read and found my mistake. Not Jim Mora but Dennis Green. Caught it before I sent it.
