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9/22: after sleeping on it ... I edited this for comments I thought went over the line.

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I really didn't know how to title my thoughts.

The only words that come to my mind is "screw it, I'm done".

Its one thing for a fanbase to abandon its team. It happens. With every franchise, at some point in time.

There's a reason why no team in pro sports (save for maybe a recent expansion team) has sold out every game in its existance. Fans aren't gonna waste money on a team with no hope. I get that. And I am trying very, very hard to be objective, because a rebuild, an overhaul, is exactly what this team needs.

But noone. Noone should be asked to pay their hard earned money to watch a collection of quitters. A group of athletes who the coaching staff doesn't want to expose to "embarrassment". Would rather "lose with some dignity" than "go balls deep for the win".

To Herm Edwards. Sir, I have defended you through thick and thin. And God knows there's been a lot of thin, 337 days of it and counting. But your coaching performance today, in the 4th quarter ... do you actually "play the game to win"? Or are you "playing to save my ass come late December"? If the latter is true, just resign already.

Last week was an embarrassment. Today was ... what's worse than an embarrassment?

We f*cking quit. Well, not everyone. For all the crap he takes, LJ left every godd*mned ounce of emotion and energy he has on the field today. One guy on this team gave everything he had.

Too bad the coaching staff undercut him.

Like I said last week, I've left games angry. I'd rarely left embarrassed.

Today ... what's worse than those two combined?

This is my rant about today posted at bobgretz.com:

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September 21, 2008 - steve says:
what really irked me was the complete and utter lack of urgency after the muffed punt. If I recall correctly, we recovered that with 9:06 on the clock. We never ONCE went no huddle. We never ONCE snapped the ball with more than 10 on the play clock. We RAN the ball ALL FOUR PLAYS on goal to go, DESPITE being down 17 with less than 5 to play. And LJ’s final offtackle run, a decent play call there granted, was snapped with 3:59 on the game clock.

Really, it took us 5:07 to move 39 yards? Down 17? In the 4th quarter? (To say nothing of punting on 4th and makeable down 17, I don’t care where you are on the field, when you’re down 17 in the 4th quarter, YOU GO FOR IT!) After all, isn’t it OUR head coach who claims you “play to win the game”?

Bob, I know you can be objective. I grew up reading your work in the Star, and looking forward to hearing your reports on the FOX in the car riding to school each morning. Please, call (fertilizer) when you see it. The lack of urgency was pathetic, and revealing of the lack of competitive fire in this team today, and so far this season. Play to win my backside, just don’t embarrass yourself. That’s the message sent today. (A message the Falcons thankfully rendered useless with the Pick 6 with a minute to play).

We went no huddle down 24 to end the first half. We didn’t do it down 17 at the end of the second. That is utterly inexcusable, and it falls completely and entirely on the shoulders of the coaching staff. A coaching staff coaching … what, scared? Or worse yet, content that no matter what happens, they won’t be judged by the on field product? If that’s the case, we’re deeper in the mud than I fear we already are.

I’ll be there next Sunday in my usual spot, as I always am. But for the first time in ages, I won’t be encouraging anyone to join me. I can deal with a bad team. Obviously I can, I renewed my tickets. But I can’t deal with a team that quits. The organization quit today. They’d rather keep it close than risk a blowout and go for an improbable win. Its pathetic. And its why 0-16, L25 is looking more and more likely.

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I meant what I wrote. I will not ask anyone to show up this week. Or any other week.

This team quit on us. Whether that was a front office decision, or a coaching decision, or the players decision, who gives a damn. Really, who gives a damn. This team doesn't deserve our support.

They f*cking quit today. They laid down, waved the white flag of unconditional surrender, they told us, the loyal fans of the Red and Gold, "all that matters is the paycheck and the bling". Well, save for LJ, he busted his ass that entire 2nd half.

The coaching staff? Name just one of them who deserves to be employed. Herm Edwards clearly is utterly incompetent with clock management (again, 6 minutes to move 39 yards? Down 17? In the 4th quarter? That's a coaching staff that's trying to save its ass). Chan Gailey? The first half play calling was more pathetic than even my worst efforts at Madden. Gunther? God knows I love Gun ... but its been 5 years man. It took you 5 months to install a championship caliber defense your first tour of duty. If you can't field a top 10 defense after 5 years, either (a) the game has passed you by, or (b) the game has passed your personnel decision makers by.

And does it really matter which is right? Because either way, we're done. And we're in this spot ...

Because of fans like me.

So to my readers, I apologize. I am done defending Carl "3 roster spots out of 56 draft picks" Peterson. I am done defending Herm "I'd rather lose with a little dignity than win in incredible fashion" Edwards. Herm didn't play to win the game today, he played not to get embarrassed. And God knows Carl hasn't played for anything other than selling out the stadium in a while.

Its time to clean house. Its time to kick every last member of the front office, the coaching staff, even the support staff, to the proverbial f*cking curb.

This team cannot move forward ... until we kiss the past goodbye. (And call it "confident and classy" as it has the door hit its ass).

I'm done defending anything with this team. What you saw today ... is rock bottom. We entered the worst team in the NFL last year as a 5 1/2 point dog ... and lost by 24. Heads SHOULD roll.

Its up to our owner to make reality happen. And if he can't, hey. The candidate I backed (and still wish was running) for President? She can loan you a pair, Clark, if you need one ...

(But yes, I will still be there on Sunday. For two reasons. (1) its denver. I'd never miss it. (2) Tony G sets the last TE record left to be set. Whatever you think of this regime ... and God knows I'm with you ... he deserves a more-than-half full stadium to celebrate his achievement.

Screw you Carl Peterson. We are where we are today, because you are utterly incapable of identifying a NFL caliber QB. But hey, you'll milk another $1 million plus in the Jack Steadman role. You're a mother f*cking corporate raider. Same as what is tanking our economy right now. I guess I should be proud -- we employ a man too stupid to get in on Enron, Lestar, AIG ... but hey, he cashed in on us, Chiefs fans. What a freaking joke. Jason Whitlock was right -- Carl is this generation's Al Davis.

(Can't wait to see what the PSL to pad his pockets is next year ...)

And in case Carl reads this: I am in section 132, row 26, seat 2. Come and meet me to my face you coward. You weren't exactly visible at the home opener, why is that? Are you too scared to face the folks that keep paying for your employment. Put your ass in a seat. Come and sit with the fanbase. Grow a pair and come sit by me, there's always two empties to my left. Come and tell me where I'm wrong, to blame your draft screw-ups for the mess we're in. To blame your inability to draft or trade for or scour the waiver wire for an even league average QB. 3 of 56 draft picks, from 2000-2005, are on our roster, what should be the core of the team. Come and explain to me, and my fellow DIE HARD LOYAL SEASON TICKET HOLDERS, who have MADE YOU WHAT YOU ARE, explain to us your f*ck ups. Explain to us why we should continue to give you (literally) thousands of our hard earned (and hard to come by) dollars to watch this abortion of a team you put on the field.

The team you inherited ... is not NEARLY as bad as what we've got now. The team you inherited went 8-7-1. This team might match the one in the tie column, because they ain't matching anything else.

Carl ... screw you for not having the dignity and decency to say "you know what, I fucked up. I blew this. Let's give someone else a chance". 15 years without a playoff win. You have your legacy sir. You are a miserable failure. And thanks to today, even one of the last die hard "no Carl ain't that bad" fans in Arrowhead Nation (and read the blog, that's me), even I'm done with you.

Go blank yourself Carl. Tyler Thigpen was WORTH picking off waivers? Really?

Why not send that scout who made that decision, out to Lot G on the grassy knoll at the back, I guarantee you we can find someone more qualified to run an offense than Tyler Thigpen.

Go blank yourself Carl. Take my $840 for my ticket, my $220 for my parking, my $1000 plus for tailgating, my beer money, and just go blank yourself with it.

Because God knows I'd love to stick something up your ass. And it wouldn't feel good.

(wow, this is worse than the Ravens 06 recap ...)