Let's talk about "true fans"

[Bowser]

I WANT to be an optimist. Hell, I'd like to be a full blown homer ala Patriot or Steeler fan, but I'm a pessimist. I've seen this dog and pony show before. They're going to have to earn my optimism or homerism.

"If there's a new way, I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time." Ah, Megadeth. Political and football savants.

[patteeu]

I'm an optimistic realist. Part of what helps me remain optimistic is the fact that I have what I think are realistic expectations.

I hope for the best and understand that plans don't always work out. I'm skeptical of some moves like trading for Cassel and drafting Poe on potential, but even in those cases I'm willing to wait and see how it turns out.

I wouldn't have included a "balanced" option in this poll.

[Rain Man]

In general, I'm a 2. I figure that if I can't start a season hoping for the Super Bowl, why be a fan? Ever since the 1999 Rams, I refuse to believe that there's no chance.

However, that doesn't mean that I approve every move or believe every move will work. I hated the Jared Allen trade, for example, and the Tony Gonzalez trade, though I knew that one was necessary. And I tirelessly voiced my opposition to Herm after that disastrous Colts game where it became obvious that he was not ... playing ... to win ... the game.

But when Ryan Succop is approaching the ball on the opening kickoff of Week 1, I believe that we will win the Super Bowl. Otherwise, the whole thing is a waste of time.

[Buehler445]

I'm probably balanced, but voted pessimistic. I did after all have a fairly significant meltdown with the whole albert fisher thing.

[suzzer99]

The thing about the NFL is you never know. The Chiefs were hoping for playoffs, but no one expected 13-3 in 2003. Alex Smith could flourish under a dominant o-line, plenty of experience under his belt and free from the pressure of 1.1 at SF.

/optimist

[Ming the Merciless]

Overall I am fairly realistic....

I allowed myself to have hope during the Pioli regime

I really liked what haley did with Az., and homerishly thought it would translate

I trusted the 'executive of the decade' to know wtf he was doing with Cassel


Now Im pessimistic about the current regime


I dont have faith in Alex

I Dont llove what we did in the draft



So I guess it all balances out....in general I just ride with it , and try not to go too far in either extreme...

I got labeled a ball washer during the early cassel years, simply because I wanted to give him a chance...now I see the same thing happening all over again. Lines are drawn and if alex smith turns out sucking & not winning a playoff game, there will be people labeled as ball washers etc...

CP 3:14
Let he who wants to accuseth his brother of ballwashery, wash his own balls first.

[WV]

I was all set to join the Balanced or Optimists club, but I was waiting until after the draft to see how the QB situation was handled.

After how it was addressed, I'm back to pessimist. Along with the apparent trade valuation of this FO.

[keg in kc]

I see myself as balanced. I just have a particular opinion on the best way to do things, and all-to-often the franchise goes in a completely different direction. When I like something they do, I'm not shy about saying that. It just doesn't happen as often as I'd like.

True fans to me are people who would have been big fans of Martyocre in the 90's, think "King Carl" shit gold, and who for some reason today still believe in that decade's philosophy at Arrowhead, which is basically outmoded in today's NFL. (And, hell, it was outmoded back then.) We're in a league where speed kills and where the rules are so ridiculously slanted towards the passing game that it's become far more beneficial to be great on offense and then as competitive as possible on defense, rather than vice versa. Zero-point-three yards and a cloud of dust ain't where it's at, folks, not anymore. Lines are always important, but skill position players win games and the quarterback in particular is the most important single position in all of sports. You don't want to "play not to lose". You don't want a QB who you hope can be "good enough". Strive for greatness there. Don't limit yourselves to Damon Huards and Matt Cassels and Alex Smiths. And for god's sake, we aren't looking to relive the "glory years" of the 90s. We want something more. So put away the zubaz, cut off that mullet and join us in the 21st century.

So I guess I what I'm saying is that, to me, true fans are people that are stuck in the past. It's not so much about what they're saying, but why they're saying it. I'll even throw in the word 'brainwashed' there from time to time, because they seem so satisfied with a philosophy that produced pretty steady failure for the better part of 20 years. It's like stockholm syndrome.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

I covered this 4.5 years ago.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=198633

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I covered this 4.5 years ago.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=198633

I guess my point of this thread is that the type of people you describe in that thread largely don't exist on ChiefsPlanet.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I guess my point of this thread is that the type of people you describe in that thread largely don't exist on ChiefsPlanet.

Not a student of Nixon, I see.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I covered this 4.5 years ago.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=198633

Nailed it.

Originally Posted by DaFace

I guess my point of this thread is that the type of people you describe in that thread largely don't exist on ChiefsPlanet.

Not sure how I feel about this statement... there are a lot of fans who talk about simply making the playoffs at 9-7 or 10-6 like it's some significant accomplishment, those who don't seem to understand that the upside to finding the next great QB is worth possibly drafting a couple of turds, and those who talk about needing to protect the QB like it's a one way street and a QB can't possibly be successful without a great line (as opposed to a QB making his O-Line look better than they really are).

However, like you said in the OP, it's become cliché, and not everyone who's giving Alex Smith a chance necessarily agrees with every retread move they've ever made and not everyone who falls into group 2 or even 3 is a true fan, by definition.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Not sure how I feel about this statement... there are a lot of fans who talk about simply making the playoffs at 9-7 or 10-6 like it's some significant accomplishment, those who don't seem to understand that the upside to finding the next great QB is worth possibly drafting a couple of turds, and those who talk about needing to protect the QB like it's a one way street and a QB can't possibly be successful without a great line (as opposed to a QB making his O-Line look better than they really are).

However, like you said in the OP, it's become cliché, and not everyone who's giving Alex Smith a chance necessarily agrees with every retread move they've ever made and not everyone who falls into group 2 or even 3 is a true fan, by definition.

I can't speak for others, but my personal opinion isn't that it's a significant accomplishment to go 9-7 or 10-6, but that you need to get to that point before you can really hope to start competing every year. I doubt there are a ton of teams that go from 2-14 to 14-2 back to back (though I know a handful have done close to that).

For me, Alex is a stabilizer that will help to 1) let our young guys get practice with a real-live NFL team and 2) make us somewhat more attractive because there is a CHANCE we'll actually compete.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I can't speak for others, but my personal opinion isn't that it's a significant accomplishment to go 9-7 or 10-6, but that you need to get to that point before you can really hope to start competing every year. I doubt there are a ton of teams that go from 2-14 to 14-2 back to back (though I know a handful have done close to that).

For me, Alex is a stabilizer that will help to 1) let our young guys get practice with a real-live NFL team and 2) make us somewhat more attractive because there is a CHANCE we'll actually compete.

True for this year, but I've seen the 'just get in' mentality for as long as I've been here. IMO, when a Tebow-led team or a 7-9 team can make the playoffs, it just doesn't mean much, except that yes, sometimes weird stuff happens (like how both of those teams managed to win a game). A lot of people have always seemed content with playing it safe in the offseason as long as they're in the playoff hunt (after all, they won the worst division in the AFC while playing the worst NFC division! ), even if they're no serious threat to do anything.

I'm apathetic about the whole QB situation.. part of me wonders if this was the one year they really had no other choice than to make a trade, instead of drafting a QB, and it's not like the new regime should draft one in the first couple of rounds just because the Chiefs haven't done so in 3 decades..... but it's like walking into your carpet-stained house with a new dog and the first thing it does is shit on the floor. You can't kick it to the curb, but, really?

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I covered this 4.5 years ago.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=198633

Holy shit. You just nailed a lot of the board with that one.