Post by theultimatekcchiefsfan on May 25, 2003 0:44:32 GMT -5
foxsports.lycos.com/content/view?contentId=1389394
They must think we are all
JUDGE: Vermeil may coach beyond 2003
BY CLARK JUDGE
FOXSports.com
May. 22, 2003 4:22 p.m.
thingy Vermeil is in the last season of a three-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, but he's already on record as saying he might coach beyond 2003. That's terrific, only what I never understood is what it would take to keep him asking for more.
"My sense," said Chiefs' president Carl Peterson, "is that if we have a good year he'll want to stay."
A good year?
"I'd like to think playoffs," said Peterson.
The Chiefs haven't been to the playoffs since 1997, when they had an AFC-best 13-3 record and were dismissed from postseason play by Denver. In two years under Vermeil the Chiefs are 14-18, improving to 8-8 last season after a 6-10 finish in 2001.
The general assumption was that Vermeil, 66, would coach the Chiefs this year, then disappear into retirement. But Vermeil doesn't sound as if he's interested in leaving, and Peterson is so sold on the guy that it appears it's up to Vermeil, not the club, to make a decision on his future.
"My deal with thingy three years ago was, 'How long do you want to coach? What length of a contract do you want?'" said Peterson. "And he said, 'Well, let's start at three years and see how it is.' And I said, 'fine.' So that's what we did.
"We'll evaluate it after this year, but my sense is the juices are flowing, he's excited about this year and he's excited about what we've been able to do in the off-season and the draft. If we have a good year I would expect him to return."
Provided they avoid serious injuries, the Chiefs should be improved — perhaps significantly improved — from the club that last year tied San Diego for third in the AFC West. Not only is Peterson confident that star running back Priest Holmes will recover from a hip injury that shelved him the last two games, but he's hopeful a defense that ranked dead last overall and 31st in pass defense will be improved.
"We felt we had to address three positions," said Peterson. "We needed an outside linebacker, a defensive end and a nickel corner. And we were able to do that with Shawn Barber, Vonnie Holliday and Dexter McCleon. We feel good right now, but injuries can dictate other things."
They did a year ago. The Chiefs lost safety Jerome Woods, a starter in 79 of their previous 80 games, before the season began. First-round draft pick Ryan Sims hardly played before an elbow injury finished him. Safety Greg Wesley missed three games with a back injury. Defensive tackle Eric Downing missed three games, too. Linebacker Lew Bush was suspended four games for violating the league's ban on ephedrine.
The results were predictable: The Chiefs weren't just bad on defense, they were dreadful, surrendering a team-record 367 first downs and 4,396 yards passing and failing to cover for one of the league's superior offenses. Four times the Chiefs scored 30 or more points and lost, and double-digit leads seldom were safe.
Now they've patched enough holes that maybe, just maybe, they make a run at Oakland in the AFC West. I know, the Graybeards are loaded, but Rich Gannon, Tim Brown and Jerry Rice are a year older, and Kansas City — which last year broke a five-game losing streak to the Graybeards — should be better.
"I would hope we got closer to them," said Peterson. "That's the standard right now ... getting to the Graybeards. Hopefully, we made progress."
thingy Vermeil's future may depend on it.
baby
They must think we are all
JUDGE: Vermeil may coach beyond 2003
BY CLARK JUDGE
FOXSports.com
May. 22, 2003 4:22 p.m.
thingy Vermeil is in the last season of a three-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, but he's already on record as saying he might coach beyond 2003. That's terrific, only what I never understood is what it would take to keep him asking for more.
"My sense," said Chiefs' president Carl Peterson, "is that if we have a good year he'll want to stay."
A good year?
"I'd like to think playoffs," said Peterson.
The Chiefs haven't been to the playoffs since 1997, when they had an AFC-best 13-3 record and were dismissed from postseason play by Denver. In two years under Vermeil the Chiefs are 14-18, improving to 8-8 last season after a 6-10 finish in 2001.
The general assumption was that Vermeil, 66, would coach the Chiefs this year, then disappear into retirement. But Vermeil doesn't sound as if he's interested in leaving, and Peterson is so sold on the guy that it appears it's up to Vermeil, not the club, to make a decision on his future.
"My deal with thingy three years ago was, 'How long do you want to coach? What length of a contract do you want?'" said Peterson. "And he said, 'Well, let's start at three years and see how it is.' And I said, 'fine.' So that's what we did.
"We'll evaluate it after this year, but my sense is the juices are flowing, he's excited about this year and he's excited about what we've been able to do in the off-season and the draft. If we have a good year I would expect him to return."
Provided they avoid serious injuries, the Chiefs should be improved — perhaps significantly improved — from the club that last year tied San Diego for third in the AFC West. Not only is Peterson confident that star running back Priest Holmes will recover from a hip injury that shelved him the last two games, but he's hopeful a defense that ranked dead last overall and 31st in pass defense will be improved.
"We felt we had to address three positions," said Peterson. "We needed an outside linebacker, a defensive end and a nickel corner. And we were able to do that with Shawn Barber, Vonnie Holliday and Dexter McCleon. We feel good right now, but injuries can dictate other things."
They did a year ago. The Chiefs lost safety Jerome Woods, a starter in 79 of their previous 80 games, before the season began. First-round draft pick Ryan Sims hardly played before an elbow injury finished him. Safety Greg Wesley missed three games with a back injury. Defensive tackle Eric Downing missed three games, too. Linebacker Lew Bush was suspended four games for violating the league's ban on ephedrine.
The results were predictable: The Chiefs weren't just bad on defense, they were dreadful, surrendering a team-record 367 first downs and 4,396 yards passing and failing to cover for one of the league's superior offenses. Four times the Chiefs scored 30 or more points and lost, and double-digit leads seldom were safe.
Now they've patched enough holes that maybe, just maybe, they make a run at Oakland in the AFC West. I know, the Graybeards are loaded, but Rich Gannon, Tim Brown and Jerry Rice are a year older, and Kansas City — which last year broke a five-game losing streak to the Graybeards — should be better.
"I would hope we got closer to them," said Peterson. "That's the standard right now ... getting to the Graybeards. Hopefully, we made progress."
thingy Vermeil's future may depend on it.
baby
I can barely make it 9 to 5 everyday at 34 yrs old. How is this guy gonna keep putting in 14 hour days. I think he has to go.
