Post by MizzouTiger on Dec 9, 2007 10:42:42 GMT -5
www.kansascity.com/sports/columnists/jason_whitlock/story/395741.html
JASON WHITLOCK COMMENTARY
Herm deserves time to rebuild
Now that there is a consensus building that King Carl must be dethroned, let me lend my voice to the people defending Herm Edwards.
This city has not been fair to Herm.
We want to throw Herm out with the King who brought him to town. That’s not right.
And let me add this so that all of our chips are on the table: Dissatisfaction with Herm is not a racially divisive issue in this town. I spend more time at my barbershop defending Herm than I do ridiculing Carl Peterson. Thanksgiving weekend I had to loud talk my Aunt Mae to get her off Herm’s back.
Kansas Citians of every stripe seem to have a problem with Herm Edwards and his run-and-punt offense.
The man deserves four years. His resume demands that. The fact that he backed this franchise into the playoffs last season dictates that we remain patient. The problems he inherited thanks to the staleness of Peterson’s personnel department and coaching-staff leftovers make a compelling case to stick with Herm for at least two more years.
Herm has his shortcomings. Every coach does. He and thingy “Father Time” Curl struggle with clock management. Herm is not an offensive-minded coach.
What Herm can do is identify talent, develop it, motivate players and construct a strong defense. That’s enough to be a highly successful head football coach. With the help of the right general manager, Herm can find the proper mixture of offensive coaches, rebuild KC’s offensive line and develop a second receiver to play alongside Dwayne Bowe.
Finding a head coach is not an easy thing to do. You don’t give up on one who has four playoff appearances without ever being blessed with a franchise quarterback. Getting to the playoffs with Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair and Kurt Warner in their primes isn’t sport’s most difficult task. If those guys don’t get hurt, you’re pretty much assured of making the postseason.
Herm hasn’t found his guy, so he looks really awkward at times. Bill Belichick and Tony Dungy appeared awkward and confused offensively when they worked with Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Trent Dilfer, Shaun King and Brad Johnson in Cleveland and Tampa Bay, respectively.
Am I calling Edwards the next Belichick or Dungy? No. But a head coach has to be really good at something until the other side of the ball figures itself out. Belichick, Dungy and Edwards can coach the defensive side of the ball.
Most “great” head coaches get lucky. Take Denver’s Mike Shanahan. What has he done since John Elway retired? Shanahan has never been on the same level with Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren or thingy Vermeil.
Parcells won Super Bowls with Phil Simms and Jeff Hostetler, lost a Super Bowl with Drew Bledsoe and identified and developed Tony Romo in Dallas. Holmgren spotted Brett Favre and then later turned Matt Hasselbeck into a Super Bowl quarterback in Seattle. Vermeil created Ron Jaworski and Kurt Warner.
Herm Edwards hasn’t proved to be one of the game’s all-time great coaches. But most coaches aren’t. They have their highs and lows. They go as far as their quarterback will take them. There are a lot of Norv Turners in the NFL, coordinators masquerading as head coaches.
Edwards is a head coach. He just needs to catch a break at quarterback.
I’m hopeful that a new offensive coordinator (retain Mike Solari as O-line coach), a legitimate quarterbacks coach (dump Father Time), three new offensive linemen and a free-agent quarterback to compete with Brodie Croyle will fix Kansas City’s offense.
That sounds like a lot. It’s not really. The Chiefs have several extra draft picks this offseason. If they keep losing, they’ll have a shot at Michigan left tackle Jake Long, who would be an instant upgrade. If Kansas City is in position to snag Long, then the rest of the Chiefs’ draft and free-agent priorities become much easier. Unless a strong QB prospect falls into their lap in the second round, the Chiefs just take the best receivers and corners on the board in the middle of the draft and try to find another O-line starter in free-agency.
We’ve wanted a true rebuilding year for a long time. We have one. Let’s give Herm a chance to rebuild. We have no real reason to doubt his eye for talent.
JASON WHITLOCK COMMENTARY
Herm deserves time to rebuild
Now that there is a consensus building that King Carl must be dethroned, let me lend my voice to the people defending Herm Edwards.
This city has not been fair to Herm.
We want to throw Herm out with the King who brought him to town. That’s not right.
And let me add this so that all of our chips are on the table: Dissatisfaction with Herm is not a racially divisive issue in this town. I spend more time at my barbershop defending Herm than I do ridiculing Carl Peterson. Thanksgiving weekend I had to loud talk my Aunt Mae to get her off Herm’s back.
Kansas Citians of every stripe seem to have a problem with Herm Edwards and his run-and-punt offense.
The man deserves four years. His resume demands that. The fact that he backed this franchise into the playoffs last season dictates that we remain patient. The problems he inherited thanks to the staleness of Peterson’s personnel department and coaching-staff leftovers make a compelling case to stick with Herm for at least two more years.
Herm has his shortcomings. Every coach does. He and thingy “Father Time” Curl struggle with clock management. Herm is not an offensive-minded coach.
What Herm can do is identify talent, develop it, motivate players and construct a strong defense. That’s enough to be a highly successful head football coach. With the help of the right general manager, Herm can find the proper mixture of offensive coaches, rebuild KC’s offensive line and develop a second receiver to play alongside Dwayne Bowe.
Finding a head coach is not an easy thing to do. You don’t give up on one who has four playoff appearances without ever being blessed with a franchise quarterback. Getting to the playoffs with Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair and Kurt Warner in their primes isn’t sport’s most difficult task. If those guys don’t get hurt, you’re pretty much assured of making the postseason.
Herm hasn’t found his guy, so he looks really awkward at times. Bill Belichick and Tony Dungy appeared awkward and confused offensively when they worked with Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Trent Dilfer, Shaun King and Brad Johnson in Cleveland and Tampa Bay, respectively.
Am I calling Edwards the next Belichick or Dungy? No. But a head coach has to be really good at something until the other side of the ball figures itself out. Belichick, Dungy and Edwards can coach the defensive side of the ball.
Most “great” head coaches get lucky. Take Denver’s Mike Shanahan. What has he done since John Elway retired? Shanahan has never been on the same level with Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren or thingy Vermeil.
Parcells won Super Bowls with Phil Simms and Jeff Hostetler, lost a Super Bowl with Drew Bledsoe and identified and developed Tony Romo in Dallas. Holmgren spotted Brett Favre and then later turned Matt Hasselbeck into a Super Bowl quarterback in Seattle. Vermeil created Ron Jaworski and Kurt Warner.
Herm Edwards hasn’t proved to be one of the game’s all-time great coaches. But most coaches aren’t. They have their highs and lows. They go as far as their quarterback will take them. There are a lot of Norv Turners in the NFL, coordinators masquerading as head coaches.
Edwards is a head coach. He just needs to catch a break at quarterback.
I’m hopeful that a new offensive coordinator (retain Mike Solari as O-line coach), a legitimate quarterbacks coach (dump Father Time), three new offensive linemen and a free-agent quarterback to compete with Brodie Croyle will fix Kansas City’s offense.
That sounds like a lot. It’s not really. The Chiefs have several extra draft picks this offseason. If they keep losing, they’ll have a shot at Michigan left tackle Jake Long, who would be an instant upgrade. If Kansas City is in position to snag Long, then the rest of the Chiefs’ draft and free-agent priorities become much easier. Unless a strong QB prospect falls into their lap in the second round, the Chiefs just take the best receivers and corners on the board in the middle of the draft and try to find another O-line starter in free-agency.
We’ve wanted a true rebuilding year for a long time. We have one. Let’s give Herm a chance to rebuild. We have no real reason to doubt his eye for talent.