Post by lazarus on Jun 14, 2005 20:17:55 GMT -5
Europass: Chiefs reap the benefits of Europe
By Mike Carlson
Special to NFL.com
(June 13, 2005) -- Is the NFL Europe League a worthwhile operation, producing usable talent for its parent league? Or is it a waste of owners' money, a showcase for football below NFL level, where street free agents go to end their careers?
NFL Network
NFL Network
Analysis, opinions, features and more!
Download Super Bowl XXXIX radio broadcasts and highlights to your MP3 player!
Field Pass
Listen LIVE to NFL games, plus watch video news and features of your favorite team.
Few teams have been as active in their support of the league as the Kansas City Chiefs. And few have received more positive result from the league's player development. Carl Peterson is the president/CEO/GM of the Chiefs, and he was in Düsseldorf to see Yello Strom World Bowl XIII first hand. Peterson has been a longtime supporter of NFL Europe, and has even given his daughter, Dawn, to the cause. While working in public relations for the Scottish Claymores, Dawn Peterson married the team physiotherapist, a Scot who's other job was with the national rugby team. Now Carl Peterson has a Scottish grandson and is afraid the boy might wind up preferring rugby to football.
But to Peterson, the value of NFL Europe ought to be self-evident. "We've sent 129 players to Europe over the years," he said. "On average, three each season make our team. Seventeen have been starters, and three (guard Brian Waters, defensive end Gary Stills and kick returner Dante Hall ) have gone to the Pro Bowl. None of those three would have made the NFL without that extra season in Europe.
"We sent 13 players to Europe this season," he continued. "Probably seven of them will go to camp with us. Rich Scanlon will make our team. Jonathan Smith has a great shot to replace Derrick Blaylock. Scott Connot and Ed Canonico could help our secondary."
But Peterson points out that it's not just the players who make your team that make the league good value. "The real bottom line cost to each NFL team is $450,000 a year," he said. "If you find about one or two players who can't help you and don't bring them to camp, you might save yourself that much money right there. Guys who can play are a bonus."
Peterson looks across town at the Kansas City Royals. "Here's a team with revenues among the lowest in baseball, but they spend $8-10 million a year on their own farm system. NHL teams can spend $2 million each. Our per team expenditure is a drop in the bucket."
There is another league-wide benefit as well. "The league isn't just for players," Peterson explained. "Game officials, equipment managers, front-office staff and trainers have all made the jump to the NFL. And now the coaching intern program is putting ex-players onto staffs."
There is, after all, little point in running a developmental league if you don't have skilled position coaches who can concentrate on fundamentals. Every team now has the equivalent of Sam Clancy (Raiders defensive line coach) or Wes Chandler (Vikings receivers coach), both successful position coaches in the early days of NFL Europe.
His season in NFL Europe has helped Rich Scanlon and the Chiefs.
But many teams prefer to keep players they think will help them at their minicamps in the states. Peterson wonders about that. "First, the guys we think will help us have usually been with us, and know the system," he said. "Second, you can schedule your minicamps for after the European season. But most importantly, you have to play the game to get better. There is no substitute for reps. We play the game in pads, and you have to see your guys in pads to know what they can do."
Scanlon, the league's defensive MVP this season, reminds me of another NFL Europe MVP, Mike Maslowski. Maslowski came from a Division III school without overwhelming physical talent, but he had an exceptional season in Barcelona. He returned to work his way into the starting middle linebacker position for the Chiefs. Peterson believes at least part of the Chiefs' collapse in 2003 was due to losing Maslowski halfway through the season.
"People didn't notice so much," Peterson said, "because he isn't a standout physically, but he's got such great instincts, he's so smart, that he's always in the right place, and that makes everyone around him better. He left a huge hole in our defense."
Peterson also sees a lot of Maslowski in Scanlon. "An undrafted guy from Syracuse, and he's just always in the right place, around the ball," he said. "Like 'Mas,' he may not start right away, but he'll help us down the line."
And if he does help the Chiefs, he will have been a bargain. A gamble that didn't require many chips, and a safer one because he was able to show what he could do in NFL Europe. If Peterson has his way, a lot more players will be proving themselves overseas in the future.
By Mike Carlson
Special to NFL.com
(June 13, 2005) -- Is the NFL Europe League a worthwhile operation, producing usable talent for its parent league? Or is it a waste of owners' money, a showcase for football below NFL level, where street free agents go to end their careers?
NFL Network
NFL Network
Analysis, opinions, features and more!
Download Super Bowl XXXIX radio broadcasts and highlights to your MP3 player!
Field Pass
Listen LIVE to NFL games, plus watch video news and features of your favorite team.
Few teams have been as active in their support of the league as the Kansas City Chiefs. And few have received more positive result from the league's player development. Carl Peterson is the president/CEO/GM of the Chiefs, and he was in Düsseldorf to see Yello Strom World Bowl XIII first hand. Peterson has been a longtime supporter of NFL Europe, and has even given his daughter, Dawn, to the cause. While working in public relations for the Scottish Claymores, Dawn Peterson married the team physiotherapist, a Scot who's other job was with the national rugby team. Now Carl Peterson has a Scottish grandson and is afraid the boy might wind up preferring rugby to football.
But to Peterson, the value of NFL Europe ought to be self-evident. "We've sent 129 players to Europe over the years," he said. "On average, three each season make our team. Seventeen have been starters, and three (guard Brian Waters, defensive end Gary Stills and kick returner Dante Hall ) have gone to the Pro Bowl. None of those three would have made the NFL without that extra season in Europe.
"We sent 13 players to Europe this season," he continued. "Probably seven of them will go to camp with us. Rich Scanlon will make our team. Jonathan Smith has a great shot to replace Derrick Blaylock. Scott Connot and Ed Canonico could help our secondary."
But Peterson points out that it's not just the players who make your team that make the league good value. "The real bottom line cost to each NFL team is $450,000 a year," he said. "If you find about one or two players who can't help you and don't bring them to camp, you might save yourself that much money right there. Guys who can play are a bonus."
Peterson looks across town at the Kansas City Royals. "Here's a team with revenues among the lowest in baseball, but they spend $8-10 million a year on their own farm system. NHL teams can spend $2 million each. Our per team expenditure is a drop in the bucket."
There is another league-wide benefit as well. "The league isn't just for players," Peterson explained. "Game officials, equipment managers, front-office staff and trainers have all made the jump to the NFL. And now the coaching intern program is putting ex-players onto staffs."
There is, after all, little point in running a developmental league if you don't have skilled position coaches who can concentrate on fundamentals. Every team now has the equivalent of Sam Clancy (Raiders defensive line coach) or Wes Chandler (Vikings receivers coach), both successful position coaches in the early days of NFL Europe.
His season in NFL Europe has helped Rich Scanlon and the Chiefs.
But many teams prefer to keep players they think will help them at their minicamps in the states. Peterson wonders about that. "First, the guys we think will help us have usually been with us, and know the system," he said. "Second, you can schedule your minicamps for after the European season. But most importantly, you have to play the game to get better. There is no substitute for reps. We play the game in pads, and you have to see your guys in pads to know what they can do."
Scanlon, the league's defensive MVP this season, reminds me of another NFL Europe MVP, Mike Maslowski. Maslowski came from a Division III school without overwhelming physical talent, but he had an exceptional season in Barcelona. He returned to work his way into the starting middle linebacker position for the Chiefs. Peterson believes at least part of the Chiefs' collapse in 2003 was due to losing Maslowski halfway through the season.
"People didn't notice so much," Peterson said, "because he isn't a standout physically, but he's got such great instincts, he's so smart, that he's always in the right place, and that makes everyone around him better. He left a huge hole in our defense."
Peterson also sees a lot of Maslowski in Scanlon. "An undrafted guy from Syracuse, and he's just always in the right place, around the ball," he said. "Like 'Mas,' he may not start right away, but he'll help us down the line."
And if he does help the Chiefs, he will have been a bargain. A gamble that didn't require many chips, and a safer one because he was able to show what he could do in NFL Europe. If Peterson has his way, a lot more players will be proving themselves overseas in the future.