Excuse Me--What?

The Kansas City Royals reacquired Yuni Betancourt from the Milwaukee Brewers, who declined to take his option from his old Royals contract this winter. He is signed to a one year deal and is visioned to be an infield back up and another right handed bat off the bench.

Excuse me--what?

Tom Coughlin Will Need to Go

The Giants lost again in a most dispirited (and dispiriting) way to the Washington Redskins on Sunday, and I have come to an unpleasant but necessary conclusion: Tom Coughlin has to go. Somehow, he has lost this team, and when the team comes out in games against opponents it should beat and lays an egg, it is something that the coach has a big hand in. Todd Haley lost two games with this Chiefs team that should have been won, and he's gone now. I can't imagine the Maras are having much more patience with Coughlin at this point.
It has been a great ride, but it is time for a change with the New York Giants.

O Romeo Romeo...and Kyle too

I don't think anyone in this town was expecting our Chiefs to beat the Green Bay Packers last Sunday. I personally was praying that we would not be blown out with some awful score like 49-7. Before the game started, I noted that the key to staying in the game, with any chance to succeed, the offense had to stay on the field. Dreadful quick three-and-outs would kill the defense and ruin any possibility of winning.
Well, my plan was executed to perfection. The offense started with a 6 minute plus drive--with a critical conversion of a third-and-eight right out of the box--and worked to keep Aaron Rodgers and the Packer offense in a place safe for Chiefs fans, mainly cooling their heels on the bench. Couple that with an outstanding game from the defense, continued stellar kicking from Ryan Succup, and a less than terrific performance by that Packer offense and the Chiefs managed to pull off the upset of the season.
As to what it means for the future: for this season, it keeps playoff hopes, however small, alive, which is more fun than being out of the running. It gives us an idea of what we have with Romeo Crennel and Kyle Orton--not solving those problems, but giving us something new to look at. The next two games, against Oakland here and Denver there, will be quite revealing.
The end of the season will be very interesting.

Chiefs Fire Haley: Did The Wrong Man Take The Fall?

I figured Todd Haley was toast at the end of the season. He had lost his team and his relationship with GM Scott Pioli is apparently quite frosty so it was just a matter of time. However, it came down around 1015 this morning that he was "relieved of his duties" as head coach. I think the 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was the last straw. I was trying to remember the last time a professional football coach got such a penalty. I could not. It is different from a technical foul in basketball--the 15 yards really hurt.

However, you have to question how this team was put together, how little depth there is, and why Tyler Palko, who washed out of both the CFL and the UFL was considered to be a NFL level quarterback. You have to wonder why we are $30 million under the salary cap with so many needs to fill. All that you lay at the door step of GM Pioli. And many are calling for an account from Pioli on how he put this team together. Some argue that the wrong man was fired.

I don't think Haley is a horrible coach. He needs to mature--he has a lot of rough edges and he has a rep of being hard to work with--but if he can mature, he might just be a fine coach someday. Marv Levy sucked the first time around--ironically with the Chiefs if you recall. Then he went on to lead the Buffalo Bills to the Superbowl several times. I would not be surprised if Haley lands on his feet.

Now, let's see what direction it goes for a new head coach. The rumor mill keeps grinding out the name Josh McDaniels, another branch of the Patriot tree. Will they take the best coach available, perhaps Jeff Fischer, or a guy whose resume is less filled with what he has done and more filled with who he knows?

This fan wants an experienced football guy coaching and a GM who is willing to spend money and take chances to give this team better personnel.