Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:43 AM
To quote Cinderella, the 80's hair band, not fairy tale character, "Don't know what you got till it's gone". If you haven't heard, Carl Peterson, after a 20 year tenure at the Chiefs helm, has resigned from his positions with the team. Now after giving myself the evening to reflect, I wonder if we, as Kansas City Chiefs fans, will be singing the Cinderella ballad after we give it time to sink in? I know the popular opinion in this town is that this is long over due and I don't disagree. I think it's good for new blood to cycle through in positions of power. Depending on your viewpoint, you could say that is why we limit the presidency to two terms. Too much of anything ends up being a bad thing at some point. I'm sure a lot of us got reminded of that at Thanksgiving dinner recently. I know I did!
I don't believe the problems with the Chiefs team are Carl Peterson's fault. I might be a minority in that regard. There are things I don't like that have taken place in his tenure. Ticket and parking prices are pretty ridiculous. I have been a season ticket holder since 1996. I have got to see them increase nearly annually over the last 13 years. As much as I love to pay $22 to park on some grass and barbecue with friends, it is a silly price. One day at Arrowhead typically runs me $125 and I am just one person who does not consume any alcohol at all. I used to be a part of that crowd and my bill would be closer to $250 for a fun filled Sunday with a victory and a hangover on Monday morning.
What good came from the Carl era? Lot's of sell outs are probably the first thing people will quote off. We've sold out every game since 1991. Even though the NFL's definition of a sell out is kind of stupid. You technically don't have to sell every seat to have a sell out. But since we didn't get credit for over selling out when we had standing room only games, I'll call that one a push. We were one of the winningest franchises in the 90's. That was great! Actually, to be honest, winning is all that really matters in pro football, and we never won the ultimate prize, but it sure was a great time to go to a game and have no doubt you'd win. We won 176 games while Carl was around. We won our division 4 times. There were several occasions that we fielded the best team in football. Obviously, we over achieved with some teams. We had a shot in 1993 to win it all, losing in the AFC Championship against the Bills. In 1995, 1997, and 2003 you could argue any of those teams, if not upset in the Divisional game, would have went on the the Super Bowl. All those teams were 13-3 in the regular season and upset by teams in the playoffs. The Colts beat the Chiefs in 1995, 10-7, and eventually went on to lose to the Steelers. That game the Chiefs, who had been virtually mistake free in the regular season, did themselves in with plenty of silly mistakes, and of course three missed field goals by Lin Elliott. In 1997, the Chiefs were beat by the Denver Broncos, 14-10, who went on to win the Super Bowl. I still say to this day in conversations with friends and family that the Chiefs were robbed that game by the officials. Say what you will about starting Grbac or Gannon, the refs did us in with two costly calls, one no call and wasn't that the game that the Broncos came out with greased up jerseys? The darn cheaters!!!! Finally, in 2003, the Chiefs lost again to the Colts, 38-31. That one stunk because it was the culmination of all the years of Marty saying we needed chunks of yards, then Gunther saying we were going to move the ball up and down the field, and then Dick Vermeil showing up with the "Greatest Show on Turf". We had a heck of a day. Score after score. It was fun except we came up just a tad bit short. I guess we should have addressed the defense when we got destroyed at Denver and Minnesota that year. Oh well. I suppose Carl will be remembered for some key players he acquired, big names such as Joe Montana and Marcus Allen, or small names who turned into big players such as Priest Holmes as a free agent in 2001 or Will Shields from the draft in 1993. He'll always be known as the man who picked Derrick Thomas. #58 was big here, really big.
Did anything else come from the Carl era except for me bitching about prices and a few trips down memory lane? I can't think of anything. Maybe, in a few years, I'll look back to the team I'm watching on the field now and think just like every one else does. I can't help but look out there and see improvement each week and wonder why everyone is so down on the guy. We all asked to blow it up and start over and now that we are everyone hates losing... well duh????
I need to go to bed. Carl, I think you're time in KC will remembered fondly for all the good memories and the last few years will be distant once the team returns to prominence again... after all, it's been since 1993-1994 since we have won a playoff game and 1969-1970 since we have won the Super Bowl. The time is right for you to go, just I'm not so sure the sentiment is warranted.
Carl Peterson
Kansas City Chiefs President/CEO/GM
December 1988 - December 2008
Record: 176-141-1
Head Coaches:
Marty Schottenheimer January 24, 1989 - January 11, 1999
Gunther Cunningham January 22, 1999 - January 5, 2001
Dick Vermeil January 12, 2001 - January 1, 2006
Herman Edwards January 9, 2006 - present