Nobody ... and I can honestly say that without preconditions, pre-qualifications, ask anyone who knew me on January 9, 2006 ... NOBODY was more happy, satified, fired up, pumped up, ecstatic, at the news that Herm Edwards was to be the man to replace Dick Vermeil as Chiefs head coach.
Nobody wanted Herm in this town more than me. Nobody.
So it is with some sadness and regret that I note that Herm's reign as Chiefs coach came to an end today.
And his alleged rumored replacement ... is my most hated person employed by an NFL franchise last year, Mike Shanahan.
(Just capitalizing the man's name felt weird).
I'm not ready to post my thoughts on Herm's three years here yet. Quite honestly, I don't know what to say. The first 24 games, 3 quarters, and 11 minutes that count, of Herm's reign, I couldn't have been more satisfied with. A playoff berth. Somehow in first place at 4-3, with Green Bay on the ropes with 3:06 to play.
The last 24 games, 3 minutes that count ... were brutally bad. Were historically bad. Were "no Chiefs team ever was this horrific" bad.
So, let me address the people who have written or texted the following to me today:
Damien: "shanahan? you like that move?" and the follow-up: "even though he was a donkey?"
Phil: "are you going to quit on the Chiefs if they go with shanahan?"
Dusty: "wow"
Heath: "you excited about shanarat?"
Anthony: "I love it, he can coach and is great when he's not the gm"
To Damien's texts, I simply replied that I wanted Mike Shanahan because "he's the best mind available". But I should have been more specific.
Week 13, 2005.
The single most amazing, incredible, "holy sh*t, this guy gets it!" moment of coaching I have ever been privileged enough to witness in my lifetime.
To recap: the Chiefs lead 31-27 with 2:07 to play. It is 4th and 2 for denver at their own 47, and Shanahan decides to go for it, mainly because he has no timeouts left (that, and he's at midfield, why not go for it). He calls a run up the middle with mike anderson. Bill Leavy's crew initially marks it as a first down (after the measurement), and we hit the two minute warning.
Only Dick Vermeil challenges the spot.
And wins the challenge. The Chiefs held! Its the Chiefs ball!
The crowd is going nuts. I was going nuts in my little section of insanity known as section 132. Its cold, its a must-win game, and the Chiefs have somehow, someway, won this thing, right? Two minute warning, denver can't stop the clock again, three knees and its over!
Only ... one person in that stadium, despite all the pandemonium, despite all the craziness, never lost his composure.
That man ... was Mike Shanahan.
Who (correctly) called Bill Leavy over to the sideline. And noted that if the runner was stopped short of the line to make ... then 7 seconds didn't run off the clock. Shanahan challenged the clock.
And won his second back.
Putting 2:01 on the clock.
Meaning the Chiefs had to run a play prior to the two minute warning, and had to get a first down to run out the clock. And if we didn't get a first down, denver would get the ball back with about 40 seconds to play.
Mike Shanahan single-handedly kept his team afloat for two minutes ... and one second ... longer than it should have.
THAT is what I want in my head coach. Someone who doesn't get lost in the moment, but rises to it.
As I noted in my thoughts on Obama's inaugural speech and the first three days of his administration, (steve voice) "play time is over. The grown-ups are back in charge".
"The grown-ups are back in charge".
With Scott Pioli, we have a grown-up, not some seasoned citizen in the Depends diaper that has long outlived his usefulness and senility, in the GM's chair.
And with Mike Shanahan on the sideline, well ... the days of calling two timeouts on one play, the days of having to ask Mike White whether to challenge or not, the days of saying your first round pick needs to "take the diapers off", the days of having the smelling salts ready for Gun when he got too excited ... yeah. Those days are over. Playtime is over.
The grown-ups are back in charge.
So if the rumors are true, and its Shanahan's job if he wants it ... then let me, the biggest Mike Shanahan hater known to man, allow me to be the first. Welcome to KC, Mike. Welcome to KC.
(Just forgive me if it takes a few games to get the booing and raised middle fingers out of my system ...)
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