The columnists dissect the 2003 season and take a look at what's ahead for the Chiefs in '04. Read it here in a series of columns beginning next week.
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By Bob Gretz
January 14, 2004 (morning)--Last year, Dick Vermeil showed his loyalty to Greg Robinson by retaining him on his coaching staff.
Robinson paid back that loyalty on Tuesday by resigning as the defensive coordinator of the Chiefs.
It was an extraordinary act by Robinson. He put aside ego, all pretense and he fell on his sword for Dick Vermeil. Team and Vermeil came ahead of himself. No small wonder why the head coach was so emotional when he talked about Robinson and why he felt like he let his assistant down.
In more than 25 years of covering the NFL, I’ve never witnessed anything that came close to Tuesday’s morning gathering. The raw emotion was unforgettable. It was a window into the world that Vermeil has created with his football team. It was a window into the world of coaching and all the twists and turns that make the business so exciting and so heart breaking.
First, Robinson did the right thing in offering to resign. Secondly, Vermeil did the right thing in accepting. After everything that happened with the Chiefs in 2003, the focus was entirely on Robinson and the defense. It would have been impossible for this organization to make enough changes in other areas to overcome the negativity that would have surrounded Robinson’s further employment.
There’s no question the defense was broken. Robinson and the defensive staff tried their best, but in the end it did not come together on the field. Last year, Robinson was handicapped by a defense that had few talented players. This season, the talent level was improved, but it still wasn’t enough.
What was missing was a defensive mind-set that’s absolutely imperative to success in the NFL. Yes, football today is more complicated than it was years ago. Defenses must react to offenses, they must take part in the chess game.
But they must do it with an attitude that was seldom evident around the Chiefs defense. It was never there in 2002, showed itself early in 2003, but then disappeared, returning just briefly for the Chicago game. For that, the players, Robinson, the defensive staff and Vermeil must share the blame.
Beyond scheme, beyond talent, what this Chiefs defensive unit needs is an infusion of passion. When Vermeil picks Robinson’s successor, that’s should be the most important part of his resume.
There are many people celebrating Robinson’s departure, reveling in kicking a man when he’s down, laughing at the raw emotion he was willing to share on what was probably the worst day of his professional life. If you are one of those people, like the classless folks who started a web site to promote the firing of Robinson, please seek help. You believe the success of the team is more important to you, than the people who give their blood, sweat and tears each and every day to make it work. You are deranged and can not a hold a candle to a man like Robinson.
Anybody who witnessed what happened at Arrowhead Stadium on Tuesday morning should now have a better understanding of what the people who coach in this business put on the line. They don’t always get it right, they don’t always produce. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tk13:
Revenge? What? I'm not saying that any of it's funny. You think that there are people on this board that want to kill Greg Robinson, which is absurd.
No one is saying 'killing' him in person and for real but he was brutalized pretty extensively verbally and visually in a rhetorical sense.
Are you telling me that the public castration that occured on the guy since Sunday was born and bred of good vibes and not revenge and anger and hate? I'm sorry, I COMPLETELY misunderstood. Please forgive me. [Reply]
Originally Posted by PennyWise:
Stop asking questions people.
No, I'm bored. This is mildly unentertaining. I still have yet to pull my "Well, I'm sure President Bush's kids wouldn't be laughing at some of the things you've said" card. I also have an UNO Draw Four Wild Card to play. [Reply]
I'm really starting to get upset by those drugs and murder references, memyselfI. I've got a lot of feelings coming to the surface, and they were caused by this thread. I need them removed now, or I'm going to undo a lot of therapy. I can see the carpet again, and the gold turning to apricot. I didn't want to see it again, and it's back. [Reply]
Originally Posted by memyselfi:
Hopefully no one who visited the firegregrobinson.com site visited the link to CP save they be introduced to the Planet the past twenty four hours and think this is where fans castrate or excecute team members.
Originally Posted by memyselfi:
I don't pay money to see those movies. It was on HBO and I sat through ten minutes of it before I walked out of the room. Never saw movie. And if you must know, I have huge issues with Hollywood glamorizing and trivializing torture and death of human beings...
I'm done with this issue unless people keep asking questions.
When you go to the movies I understand leaving, but when you're watching it on HBO in your own home, you don't need to walk out of the room. You could always change the channel (pm me for instructions on how to do this).
Unless you were making some kind of stand and wanting to send a strong message to your dog about your hatred of violence. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tk13:
No, I'm bored. This is mildly unentertaining. I still have yet to pull my "Well, I'm sure President Bush's kids wouldn't be laughing at some of the things you've said" card. I also have an UNO Draw Four Wild Card to play.
I have not posted I want the guy dead or ways to excecute him. I have hoped for his political life to be very short...
the Photoshop picture had nothing to do with making a distinction between Greg Robinson the coach and his football life and Greg Robinson the human being and his life life. That is why photos like that are so dangerous. [Reply]
Originally Posted by memyselfi:
No one is saying 'killing' him in person and for real but he was brutalized pretty extensively verbally and visually in a rhetorical sense.
Are you telling me that the public castration that occured on the guy since Sunday was born and bred of good vibes and not revenge and anger and hate? I'm sorry, I COMPLETELY misunderstood. Please forgive me.
Now you're just being ridiculous. Hate's a strong word. I don't like to use the term hate... that's just me though. Sure there was some anger there, but I think revenge and hate are awfully strong words for some bulletin board banter after a demoralizing event. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Talisman:
When you go to the movies I understand leaving, but when you're watching it on HBO in your own home, you don't need to walk out of the room. You could always change the channel (pm me for instructions on how to do this).
Unless you were making some kind of stand and wanting to send a strong message to your dog about your hatred of violence.
Originally Posted by :
There are many people celebrating Robinson’s departure, reveling in kicking a man when he’s down, laughing at the raw emotion he was willing to share on what was probably the worst day of his professional life. If you are one of those people, like the classless folks who started a web site to promote the firing of Robinson, please seek help. You believe the success of the team is more important to you, than the people who give their blood, sweat and tears each and every day to make it work. You are deranged and can not a hold a candle to a man like Robinson.
Gretz, get a clue. So we fans should "just lie back and enjoy it", to quote Bobby Knight and not make our opinion known? It is our fanaticism Gretz that pays your salary.
I didn't see anyone on this board laughing at Greg for crying. Sure, we were happy that he was fired, because we care about this franchise. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tk13:
Revenge? What? I'm not saying that any of it's funny. You think that there are people on this board that want to kill Greg Robinson, which is absurd.
I also find it's bizarre that you're absolutely never happy with anything that goes on here. There are lots of things on the Internet that you, I, or anyone else would not want to be around, but yet you choose to stay here.
I just think that she has no personality other than biatching.
Probably the same no matter where she goes. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tk13:
Now you're just being ridiculous. Hate's a strong word. I don't like to use the term hate... that's just me though. Sure there was some anger there, but I think revenge and hate are awfully strong words for some bulletin board banter after a demoralizing event.
Well, I think putting up someone's photo with a gun to their head is awfully strong ACTIONS for some bulletin board banter after a demoralizing event.
The people posting that picture didn't do it out of love or forgiveness. [Reply]
Originally Posted by memyselfi:
Well, I think putting up someone's photo with a gun to their head is awfully strong ACTIONS for some bulletin board banter after a demoralizing event.
The people posting that picture didn't do it out of love or forgiveness.
You weren't paying attention to the photo. If you look at the size of Robinson's head compared to the person holding the gun, it's obvious that he was 3 or 4 feet behind the gunman. Robinson was just standing by as the gunman aimed at an object outside of the picture.
Once again, your perspective is warped. :-) [Reply]
