Josh Kingsley
No stories this week. All business. Let’s get to it!!
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Rocking (and Chalking) That Brand
The Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team made a huge move signing Hunter Dickinson from the transfer portal. Quick step back to show context. In recent years the NCAA made two huge paradigm shifting rules updates:
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- Essentially every rule regarding transfers went away. Players became free to change teams in the middle of their eligibility.
- Players can profit from their name and image likeness.
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Let’s be honest: these rules came about for football and men’s basketball. I am 100% on board with both of these rules, but do want greater guidelines established. My longest tenure with a company in my career is 4.5 years, so I am a job hopper. Every move made bettered my situation. Sometimes it was company culture and/or departure from a frustrating situation. Other times a cool opportunity for interesting work. Every time it was about the money. Based on that I have to like the rules as soon as I make peace with the elephant: student athlete is a laughable term in power five major sports. I don’t necessarily like it, but acknowledge it’s truth.
Back to KU. Dickinson was THE big fish. He is acting like a mercenary, but makes a great point in the linked article: most change jobs tomorrow for $10K raise. I’m cool with this in general, but ecstatic he picked the team I like. Kansas Basketball built a brand for over a century. Transfer signings like Dickinson are why branding is important. Welcome to Lawrence, Hunter. I’m excited to see you battle for another banner!!
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Endlich ein Deutschland-Update
Translation: finally, a Germany update. The CHIEFS Germany game is FINALLY official. After months of speculation around the Bears and mid-November dates we have an official game time. Kansas City hosts Miami on 5th November at Deutsche Bank Park, home of Bundesliga club, Eintracht Frankfurt. Frankfurt offers the easiest flight logistics, so that is a positive. I do keep receipts on myself and revisit my March 2 article: “NFL International and a Chiefs Projection”. My Munich projection failed, but the Dolphins made my list.
All any of this really does is reinforce my future season projections.
The real interesting piece of detail from this whole situation is the game protection. According to Peter King — who we should never doubt again — the Bears were the selected opponent until the CHIEFS stopped it. NFL rules allow teams that lose home games to pick a game to protect. The CHIEFS opted for the Bears game. NFC teams visit Arrowhead once every eight years, and the Bears have a massive fan base. This makes sense. What protection of that game meant was opening the door for Bengals, Dolphins, Eagles and Lions. The Chargers, Broncos and Raiders omit from that list as the NFL does not target divisional matchups. Bills hosting in London omitted them. I believe the NFL and teams told us three things:
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- Their ratings targets are final four caliber teams, and those games stay in the States.
- Big fan bases traveling to other conference stadiums matters.
- Team specific storylines do not matter. At all.
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The Bears and Eagles fit point two. Lions have not visited Arrowhead in a looooong time (they played the CHIEFS in London their last slated trip), and it needs to happen. The Bengals are a final four potential team, the Dolphins probably aren’t. No one outside of KC cares about the Tyreek Hill beef.
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A Numerical Rookie Take
The CHIEFS have seven new draft picks with new jersey numbers. I did some digging on the history of these numbers. Check out this Pro Football Reference link for the history of every number worn for any NFL team. This is my weekly rabbit hole alert. Rashee Rice started all of it. His number at SMU was 11, but that belongs to MVS. That fact prompted a move to 4, which is only vacant by the retirement of one Chad Henne (thing is possible). Henne provides a notable benchmark due to his exceptional work as Patrick Mahomes’ deputy. His work in the Divisional game vs the Browns during the run it tour engraves him in CHIEFS lore. The rabbit hole? What legacy does each drafted rookie carry?
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For the record – I cannot wait for the comment section on this one and expect to hear about many of the older players I overlooked.
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Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE –> #97
This number has some serious history:
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Who wore it best? It’s easy to pick Allen Bailey and Alex Okafor for recent bias alone. I have to go Saleaumua for this one. Dan was an interior monster in the heights of Martyball defense and hope for the best at QB era. I am certain I am not the only one hearing Holtus’ voice in my head after a sack or run stuff. That’s a good starting mark for Felix. Starting.
Rashee Rice, WR –> #4
I already teased where I am with this one, but here is the full list:
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This is Chad’s number until further notice. I eagerly hand it over to Rice with any of a 1,000 yd, 10+ TD, Pro Bowl accomplishment. Chad’s probably with me on this one.
Wanya Morris, OT –> #64
Our sweet soul singing OT from Oklahoma has some…I’ll call it company with this number:
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I marked Kush as the only name that jumps out at all. Maybe I should know Krisher. Wanya’s got the lowest mark to take over a number in my books.
Chamarri Conner, S/CB –> #27
Our new Safety turning slot CB produces a fun list:
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I could not pick one to highlight. My first thought looking at this number was Greg Hill. I’m not sure what that means, but speculate. My main assumption is an underlying attempt to forget a couple of RB I once loved. I own three jerseys: Mahomes, Kelce, Tony G. Part of it is expense, part is preference for t-shirts and 1/4 zips, part of it is guys like LJ and Hunt. Both of those guys rocked until they became embarrassing. I considered both guys’ jersey once. Both are rags at this point. I don’t really have an excuse for overlooking Fenton.
Connor has a high-ish bar to take this number. Many still love Hunt and want him back. By many I mean MANY and they are loud on social media. I’m not in that camp for the simple fact he lied to the team. The actions leading to it are inexcusable as well. Neither of those things change the Hunt tie to #27. Connor needs to be a bona fide star to take it.
BJ Thompson, EDGE –> #53
This number is ripe for the picking:
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Going recent on this one. Wilson and Hitchens came in with hype to solidify LB play. Neither made a major mark regardless of how bad we all wanted it. CHIEFS fans are dying to see a star wear #53. Thompson has the physical tools to become an all-timer. Veach’s intention is construction of an elite D. We as fans are looking for heroes on that side of the ball. A sea of #53 jerseys at Arrowhead is on the table IF his tools convert to elite production. Please keep in mind this is a wish list.
Keondre Coburn, DT –> #99
More D line legacy numbers here:
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Rakeem was my first instinct, Saunders my second. Mark Simoneau will always grab my attention as a Smith Center, KS guy. That high school team owned football growing up. Smith Center is a small town a couple hours north of Hays where the sport just clicked. Kind of like the run of small town, Brewster in basketball in the late 90s, early 00s. Another fun fact: Mitch Holtus is from Smith Center.
Coburn takes a number from a couple solid players. This number is his with a couple Pro Bowl nods.
Nic Jones, CB –> #31
Jones takes a number with some serious notoriety:
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Two names jump for different reasons. The first is Marcus Cooper. Cooper highlights the beginning of the current run of success. He made some huge plays, but also some HUGER mistakes. My lasting memory of Cooper is the audible groans from my watch parties anytime he gave up a first down catch to extend an opponent drive. It happened every game. A couple regulars from my watch party still talk about Cooper’s poor play. One guy in particular labels him his least favorite CHIEFS player ever. That’s bold.
One piece of context: Cooper’s biggest crime was sucking in Priest Holmes’ number. Holmes may the best undrafted FA ever. His mark on KC undeniable. I’m not sure we appreciate Priest enough. Nic Jones has the highest hill to climb. A retired number is his mark.
Bonus: Retired Numbers
The CHIEFS have ten* retired numbers:
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This is a solid list of players from the Super Bowl I and IV win (Stenerud, Dawson, Thomas, Haynes, Lanier, Bell, Buchanan), a couple tragedies — Stone Johnson and Mack Lee Hill — plus DT. My question: what does it take to crack this list?
Follow up: can a Priest Holmes crack this list? Based on the above list, probably not. I see two clear criteria: win a Super Bowl or be one of the best players at a position in all of the NFL AND a team legend. Priest unfortunately does not hit either.
The first criteria gives insight into how the current team will fall historically. One day many current players will have their name and number on this list. My only hope is they add to a list of 11. Notice the *asterisk* by the number word ten above the list. That is for Joe Delaney’s #37. The CHIEFS have not retired that number, but also have not issued it since Joe’s death. They need to remove the formality and make it official.
My new concern is the CHIEFS running out of numbers to issue!!
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Josh Kingsley — ArrowheadOne and Arrowhead Kingdom
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