Joe Theismann once said, “Being able to deal with success is probably the most difficult thing that people have a problem with.” Problem? I think Theismann has it right… and furthermore, it’s something the Kansas City Chiefs will have to show they know how to “contend” with. See what I did there?
If you’re reading this, I’d guess that many of you most likely grew up with those good ol midwestern values. My father was born and raised in Council Bluffs and married himself a southern belle from deep in the heart of Texas… so of course I was raised with those… bible belting, pot-melting, fanny welting… midwest values. Therein lies the problem for many of us who cheer for our favorite midwest Kansas City football team.
Take humility for example. I’ll bet the first player who did NOT come to mind when I said the word humility was Dwayne Bowe. Bowe was… THE BOWE SHOW. His actions often screamed, “Look at me… I’m great.” The symbol of humility? Not so much.
Does that matter when we’re talking about success? Yes and no. There were a lot of fans that didn’t like Bowe for just that reason. Screaming me, me, me is not what any of us is teaching to our kids.
However, isn’t it the “Muhammad Ali” effect that the Chiefs are missing? No, they don’t have to be writing poems or proclaiming, “WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD” (unless of course they become the champions of the world) every chance they get… but… if they’re not celebrating their own accomplishments, couldn’t it be counterproductive to their own sense of gridiron self-determination (ei: football-ego-libido)?
It bothered me at first when, what has appeared to be a pattern of the team bringing in “bad boys” over the past couple of years. Upon further examination, isn’t it “those” players who can bring an unbridled sense of confidence? And that kind of confidence can be a great motivator too.
Take rookie wide receiver Demarcus Robinson. Look over these tweets, or visit his twitter page Demarcus Robinson honeythunder14, and tell me what strikes you.
— Demarcus Robinson (@honeythunder14) June 29, 2016
Turn Up Young Thug 🔥🔥🔥
— Demarcus Robinson (@honeythunder14) June 29, 2016
Anyone who touts themselves with a nickname like “Honey Thunder” or says, “Turn Up Young Thug” has got balls. And lots of them. Either that or they’re just really big balls. If he’s successful as a Chief I can certainly see him measuring up to the BOWE SHOW legacy. My question is… would that be so bad for the Chiefs? I don’t think so.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “What kills the skunk, is the publicity it gives itself.” He and Muhammad Ali would not have gotten along very well, eh? And yet, it is those two worlds which we live between. Especially in the midwest.
The team is from Missouri: the Show Me State. So, it makes sense.
I lived in Kansas City more than two decades. However, I’ve also lived in Arizona, Iowa, California, and Texas and I’d say one of the major benefits of doing so, has been to gain a bit of a global perspective… in other words, there’s always more than one way to do things (or think about things).
Part of what that means is that you must “think” to succeed… as well as having that old fashioned “work ethic,” which is all about… doing. So, sometimes you have to “think like a champion” before you become a champion. Trumpet your greatness, before you can become great. That’s very different than what I was taught by my father that, “champions are made” by acting like a champion… meaning, “Do the work and success will come.”
Sometimes you have to put your mouth out there, even if it means putting your foot in your mouth every now and then. Technically then, that would be… your mouth in your mouth… or something like that.
John Wooden was one of my favorite coaches growing up and he once said, “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” And now I would say to that… oh gag me with a deflated football.
John Dorsey and Andy Reid have shaped this roster over three and a half years to include a mixture of old school and new school players. Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson, Eric Fisher, and Eric Berry could all be old school guys because… have you ever heard one of them toot their own horn? Even when Eric Berry was doing his very public tour of media events upon his return to the Chiefs last summer following his battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, he never said anything that could be remotely interpreted as self-centered.
New school guys include the aforementioned Robinson, as well as Marcus Peters, Charcandrick West, Justin Houston and Travis Kelce. Those last four have been known for their on-field celebrations and boldness off the field. I still can’t get enough of Justin Houston pulling his shirt up after a sack to display the #29 on a white t-shirt under his jersey in support of Eric Berry during the latter parts of the 2014 season.
However, I also believe that the Chiefs may not have enough of those fiery extroverts to create the kind of success they aspire to.
Most teams now have a set of rules about what players can and can not say in a press conference. Lively, genuine and animated discussions with players and coaches seem to be a thing of decades past. Now, players are vilified or ostracized for speaking out about themselves or their own team. Think Brian Urlacher or Terrell Owens.
A reality of today’s NFL is that we may not know who those outspoken locker room guys might be because they must wear a quiet cloak of public persona at their team’s behest.
On the flip side… affable players like that have helped to produce a lot of wins and ton of successful, often memorable, plays. When a player states their intentions to “triumph” it helps their teammates see what they say. It gives the team a literal vision. That’s why so many companies across America have vision statements.
Instead, the K.C. roster seems to be filled predominately with mild mannered men who quietly hope they can don a cape… instead of a bunch of audacious dudes who fly into town and then back up their forward words with their own strong on-field performances.
Jared Allen is an example of one of those animated kind of guys. Looking back, that may be as big a reason as any, even his his history with alcohol, that he ended up on the trading block.
On another note… you may have guessed by now that I’m in favor of player celebrations. I wouldn’t mind seeing them extended instead of more penalties being assessed, which usually results in what are often meaningless penalties on the ensuing kickoff. I’ve often wondered why penalties given on touchdown plays, which are plays from scrimmage, aren’t assigned to the next play from scrimmage.
Moving right along…
When you think back about the Super Bowl teams from the past few seasons, each team has been filled with outspoken leaders… with huge egos perhaps… but spunky players who are willing to put their money where their mouth is, so to speak. Players like CB Richard Sherman, TE Rob Gronkowski, CB Josh Norman, QB Cam Newton, RB Marshawn Lynch (when he decides to control the conversation), CB T.J. Ward, LB Terrell Suggs, WR Emmanuel Sanders, LB Von Miller, WR Anquan Bolden and others.
While I think the Chiefs are bringing in more of those kinds of guys, I’m not sure there are enough of them yet. Gregarious guys who grab your attention can also help other players… either loosen up… or feel like they don’t have to worry about having the attention being placed on them.
I miss the Bowe Show in his early days with the Chiefs. Travis Kelce seems like the closest thing the Kansas City Chiefs have to that right now but, is it enough?
What do you say Chiefs fans? Do you think we need more good and “flashy splashy” players? Or… are you fine with what they’ve got?