Chiefs Mellinger | Ex-GM Peterson ‘saddened’ by Chiefs’ situation

**Tribal Warfare** · 11-21-2012, 05:07 PM

Sam Mellinger | Ex-GM Peterson ‘saddened’ by Chiefs’ situation
By SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star
Carl Peterson knows exactly why I called. He knows why some Chiefs fans want to hear from him. In some real ways, this conversation is a beach ball of schadenfreude placed on a tee for the man who effectively ran all things Chiefs for nearly 20 years, then was fired four years ago with his reputation in Kansas City at least frayed.

Peterson knows all of this. He won’t take his biggest swing.

But he will make solid contact.

“I guess like every Chiefs fan, I’m disappointed and I’m saddened by what’s transpired there,” he says. “I think I know and made a real point to learn who the Chiefs fans were and what they wanted. I feel for them, because I’ve always felt the Kansas City Chiefs were, should be, and could be a great franchise.”

There’s more.

“I was very, very fortunate to work for Lamar Hunt for 18 of my 20 years there. He’s the guy who made the difference for me. They’ve fallen on hard times. That’s for sure.”

The point here is not just for Peterson to dance on the Chiefs’ rubble. There is some perspective in remembering what he and Lamar Hunt made together. They built the Chiefs’ brand in the 1990s. Through much of the 1980s, the team was a local afterthought. If they won, cool. If they lost, whatever. Nobody much noticed.

That began to change when Hunt hired Peterson, and Peterson hired coach Marty Schottenheimer and the whole thing just took off, with seven playoff appearances in the first eight years of the 1990s.

The Chiefs’ parking lot became the biggest party in Kansas City. Arrowhead Stadium became one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. Peterson, who lives in New York now, is one of the strongest connections we have to that time.

“We had fun at it,” he says. “We made it a fun thing. We made it a family thing. Lamar believed very much in that, and I did, too. He was a wonderful owner. He’d say, ‘How can I help?’ I’d say, ‘Lamar, I need you to do a contest in the parking lot to judge buses and vans that fans have painted,’ and he loved that.”

Now, of course, that is all different. Lamar’s son Clark fired Peterson two years after taking over, and Peterson says the two never communicate.

The Chiefs made massive personnel changes after Peterson was fired, often dropping thinly veiled shots along the way. Peterson hasn’t been back to Arrowhead since, and remains touchy about not being invited to Schottenheimer’s induction to the team’s Ring of Honor.

It is a vastly different franchise now, and when Scott ***** took over for Peterson after a 2-14 disaster in 2008, that was part of the point. The Chiefs were broken and needed fixing. A youth movement that started under Peterson — Brandon Flowers, Tamba Hali, Jamaal Charles, Derrick Johnson and other key players who predate ***** — needed structure, and until this season, there was reason for optimism.

Now, the big story out of the parking lot before Sunday’s loss to the Bengals was the team stopping the mass distribution of flyers listing some unflattering facts about the Chiefs on one side and “FIRE *****” on the other.

The Chiefs have never had a disconnect with their fans like this. That was always a priority with Peterson, sometimes to the point of being criticism. The common knock on the Chiefs was that they cared more about filling the stadium than advancing in the playoffs.

Now, team and town would settle for a fun atmosphere and competitive team. The last man to oversee a run like that watches from a distance.

“I do come back to Kansas City,” he says. “I still have a home there. People on the street, they’re very disappointed. Some of them are angry at what’s transpired. I’m sorry to see that. It’s no longer my watch, so I can have my personal feelings about it, but it’s not my responsibility anymore.”

Deberg_1990 · 11-21-2012, 05:09 PM

POPCORN!

Branden Albert's Huge Balls · 11-21-2012, 05:09 PM

Branden Albert's Huge Balls · 11-21-2012, 05:11 PM

Kudos to Carl for being classy. In a way I'm thankful that *****'s ineptness and assholism has made Carl's tenure here look like Camelot.

**Gonzo** · 11-21-2012, 05:12 PM

Wonder if he's looking for a gig...

Excuse me. I have to vomit.

**Mr. Flopnuts** · 11-21-2012, 05:12 PM

ChiefsandO'sfan · 11-21-2012, 05:13 PM

Not like Carl was a good GM Folks.

Bowser · 11-21-2012, 05:13 PM

Words.....there are none.

***** is an unmittigated disaster when Carl freaking Peterson blasts you like that.

Fish · 11-21-2012, 05:13 PM

Deberg_1990 · 11-21-2012, 05:14 PM

Why didn't Mellinger ask him why he passed on Aaron Rodgers? Fluffball column....

Bowser · 11-21-2012, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

Not like Carl was a good GM Folks.

He was the best GM to ever GM compared to the clown car driver we have now.

SNR · 11-21-2012, 05:17 PM

Yeah, it's nice and nostalgic that Peterson and Lamar cared about the fans so much.

Really can't say this makes me pine for him in spite of *****'s shit hole he's constructed.

siberian khatru · 11-21-2012, 05:22 PM

Quote:

“I think I know and made a real point to learn who the Chiefs fans were and what they wanted."

The God Hypothesis · 11-21-2012, 05:23 PM

He definitely didn't sound impressed with Clark either...

Bowser · 11-21-2012, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

Really can't say this makes me pine for him in spite of *****'s shit hole he's constructed.

Yep. Insert the names of Marty, Cowher, and any other former coach/personnel person that has ever worked here in the past.

We need to move FORWARD, not cling to the glory years. Make NEW glory years.

11-21-2012, 05:07 PM
Tribal Warfare The Boom Boom Room Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $1044321	Mellinger \| Ex-GM Peterson ‘saddened’ by Chiefs’ situation Sam Mellinger \| Ex-GM Peterson ‘saddened’ by Chiefs’ situation By SAM MELLINGER The Kansas City Star Carl Peterson knows exactly why I called. He knows why some Chiefs fans want to hear from him. In some real ways, this conversation is a beach ball of schadenfreude placed on a tee for the man who effectively ran all things Chiefs for nearly 20 years, then was fired four years ago with his reputation in Kansas City at least frayed. Peterson knows all of this. He won’t take his biggest swing. But he will make solid contact. “I guess like every Chiefs fan, I’m disappointed and I’m saddened by what’s transpired there,” he says. “I think I know and made a real point to learn who the Chiefs fans were and what they wanted. I feel for them, because I’ve always felt the Kansas City Chiefs were, should be, and could be a great franchise.” There’s more. “I was very, very fortunate to work for Lamar Hunt for 18 of my 20 years there. He’s the guy who made the difference for me. They’ve fallen on hard times. That’s for sure.” The point here is not just for Peterson to dance on the Chiefs’ rubble. There is some perspective in remembering what he and Lamar Hunt made together. They built the Chiefs’ brand in the 1990s. Through much of the 1980s, the team was a local afterthought. If they won, cool. If they lost, whatever. Nobody much noticed. That began to change when Hunt hired Peterson, and Peterson hired coach Marty Schottenheimer and the whole thing just took off, with seven playoff appearances in the first eight years of the 1990s. The Chiefs’ parking lot became the biggest party in Kansas City. Arrowhead Stadium became one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. Peterson, who lives in New York now, is one of the strongest connections we have to that time. “We had fun at it,” he says. “We made it a fun thing. We made it a family thing. Lamar believed very much in that, and I did, too. He was a wonderful owner. He’d say, ‘How can I help?’ I’d say, ‘Lamar, I need you to do a contest in the parking lot to judge buses and vans that fans have painted,’ and he loved that.” Now, of course, that is all different. Lamar’s son Clark fired Peterson two years after taking over, and Peterson says the two never communicate. The Chiefs made massive personnel changes after Peterson was fired, often dropping thinly veiled shots along the way. Peterson hasn’t been back to Arrowhead since, and remains touchy about not being invited to Schottenheimer’s induction to the team’s Ring of Honor. It is a vastly different franchise now, and when Scott *** took over for Peterson after a 2-14 disaster in 2008, that was part of the point. The Chiefs were broken and needed fixing. A youth movement that started under Peterson — Brandon Flowers, Tamba Hali, Jamaal Charles, Derrick Johnson and other key players who predate * — needed structure, and until this season, there was reason for optimism. Now, the big story out of the parking lot before Sunday’s loss to the Bengals was the team stopping the mass distribution of flyers listing some unflattering facts about the Chiefs on one side and “FIRE ***” on the other. The Chiefs have never had a disconnect with their fans like this. That was always a priority with Peterson, sometimes to the point of being criticism. The common knock on the Chiefs was that they cared more about filling the stadium than advancing in the playoffs. Now, team and town would settle for a fun atmosphere and competitive team. The last man to oversee a run like that watches from a distance. “I do come back to Kansas City,” he says. “I still have a home there. People on the street, they’re very disappointed. Some of them are angry at what’s transpired. I’m sorry to see that. It’s no longer my watch, so I can have my personal feelings about it, but it’s not my responsibility anymore.”
Posts: 25,390

11-21-2012, 05:09 PM	#2
Deberg_1990 MVP Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $138544	POPCORN! __________________ Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning: Matt once made a very nice play in Seattle where he spun away from a pass rusher and hit Bowe off his back foot for a first down. One of the best plays Matt has ever made.
Posts: 43,479

11-21-2012, 05:09 PM	#3
Branden Albert's Huge Balls ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: In the Soup Nazis Kitchen Casino cash: $151783	__________________ Alex Smith's career record when the opponent scores at least 24 points: 2-27-1
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11-21-2012, 05:11 PM	#4
Branden Albert's Huge Balls ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: In the Soup Nazis Kitchen Casino cash: $151783	Kudos to Carl for being classy. In a way I'm thankful that *****'s ineptness and assholism has made Carl's tenure here look like Camelot. __________________ Alex Smith's career record when the opponent scores at least 24 points: 2-27-1
Posts: 150,227

11-21-2012, 05:12 PM	#5
Gonzo The Turtle Can't Help Us. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: F'ing Huskerville Casino cash: $108269951	Wonder if he's looking for a gig... Excuse me. I have to vomit. __________________
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11-21-2012, 05:12 PM	#6
Mr. Flopnuts Banned Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Down the rabbit hole Casino cash: $113740886	Wow.
Posts: 41,475

11-21-2012, 05:13 PM	#7
ChiefsandO'sfan MVP Join Date: Feb 2009 Casino cash: $1368323	Not like Carl was a good GM Folks. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohoRCFslH3E
Posts: 12,469

11-21-2012, 05:13 PM	#8
Bowser What's Clark gonna do, Cotton? Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In Transition Casino cash: $50964615	Words.....there are none. ***** is an unmittigated disaster when Carl freaking Peterson blasts you like that.
Posts: 45,271

11-21-2012, 05:13 PM	#9
Fish Missing Dick Curl Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2086847	__________________
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11-21-2012, 05:14 PM	#10
Deberg_1990 MVP Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $138544	Why didn't Mellinger ask him why he passed on Aaron Rodgers? Fluffball column.... __________________ Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning: Matt once made a very nice play in Seattle where he spun away from a pass rusher and hit Bowe off his back foot for a first down. One of the best plays Matt has ever made.
Posts: 43,479

11-21-2012, 05:17 PM	#12
SNR You're all I have left, Copper Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Where the hell is SNR Casino cash: $4527268	Yeah, it's nice and nostalgic that Peterson and Lamar cared about the fans so much. Really can't say this makes me pine for him in spite of *****'s shit hole he's constructed.
Posts: 46,865

11-21-2012, 05:23 PM	#14
The God Hypothesis Starter Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Lenexa, KS Casino cash: $16178	He definitely didn't sound impressed with Clark either... __________________ "When I touch that field again, you're going to feel my pain,you're going to go through what I went through. It's going to be that way for me the rest of my career." - Jamaal Charles
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