Hank Stram's 53 Rules to be a Chief

Thanks to my buddy, George Blowfish - keeper of "the seats" on the 50 yardline, front row...

According to legend, Hank Stram gave a mimeographed sheet to every Chiefs rookie on the first day of training camp. These are his 53 rules to be a Chief.

Lets all hope Scott and Todd put this back in play:

Here’s what Hank Stram was telling his players almost 40 years ago:

“The difference between winning and losing often lies in the failure to do the little extra things. Everyone cannot be an “All-Pro”, but EVERYONE can hustle and be a Team Man.

“We are looking for players who will become “coaches’ ballplayers”. This is the highest compliment a player can receive.

“Read these tips over and over again during the season and see if you comply.”

What follows are 53 tips, bromides, rules, suggestions and demands that Stram made of his players. Why 53? There’s no known reason. Unfortunately Hank is no longer around to ask.

But in Stram’s mind they were important steps towards victory and a championship. They still are.

Here’s the list:

1. The desire to be a champion must come from within. Do not expect your coaches, or anyone else, to do everything for you.

2. Hustle on every play on offense. Pursue on every play on defense. You have been instructed on the proper way.

3. Be punctual, even early, for all practices, games and departures.

4. Always strive to improve yourself by working on your weaknesses. You have been given an improvement sheet.

5. Use the time after practice to improve yourself. Don’t be a clock watcher and rush to the showers.

6. Be sure you know all the audibles, both on offense and defense. Also know when to use audibles and expect them.

7. Do not take careless chances on offense or defense when your team is two touchdowns behind or two touchdowns ahead.

8. Always call loudly to your teammate when fielding a kick to tell him that you are going to catch it – he must answer your call.

9. All players must develop endurance. Be stronger in the fourth quarter than your opponent. If you are not getting enough running stay after practice and run on your own.

10. Everyone must know how to make a tackle and throw a block. This is especially important on special teams - no one is excluded, from the quarterback on down the roster.

11. Linebackers and defensive backs must talk loudly on every play.

12. Anticipate what your opponent is going to do, but do not guess. Your pre-game preparation will help you here.

13. Always keep the score and time of the game upper most in your mind when on offense or defense.

14. Every defensive back and linebacker should leave his coverage and fly to the football once it is in the air. You never know when your presence could mean an interception, a recovered fumble or a game saving tackle.

15. Do not field punts from inside the 10-yard line. Fair catch high short punts in a crowd.

16. Always play the defense called. Don’t be a guesser.

17. Offensive linemen must learn to cover on every pass. You never know when you effort may result in the big play.

18. The quarterback must learn to push himself in practice before he can be an effective leader in the game. Your talent doesn't matter. Your performance does.

19. Don’t depend on a teammate or coach to tell you what to do. You have been prepared for every situation on offense and defense.

20. Each receiver must know and line up with the correct spacing one every play. This has been faulty. Don't let it ever happen.

21. The linebackers should play down and distance on long yardage plays by increasing their depth.

22. On long passes, the defender nearest his teammate should call “ball, ball, ball” at the last moment. This has to be done in practice.

23. Defensive backs should not allow the receiver to make unnecessary yardage by making a futile attempt to break up a pass that will not give the opposition a first down.

24. Defensive backs and linebackers should hustle on every batted ball. Occasionally you can stretch or dive and intercept one.

25. Don’t stand around and watch others if the play goes away from you. We can’t win with inspectors. The football is oddly shaped and erratic. Be ready.

26. Receivers don’t take your eyes off the football when attempting to catch the ball, in order to look at the defender.

27. Quarterbacks and generals should not call plays or defenses that are big names when a sound play or defense will pick up the necessary yardage, or prevent the long gain.

28. Know when to gamble and when not to gamble. If in doubt, see the head coach.

29. Don’t take a chance and throw a block and be called for clipping. A missed block is better than a penalty.

30. Never commit a foul, or be offside, when they are giving you the football.

31. Never substitute yourself on special teams without asking your special team coach.

32. Never let up on an offside play that appears obvious to everyone. Play the play out, always. Don't assume the referee saw the foul.

33. Prepare yourself for a written examination every week on Saturday night. You should be able to score 100% on every test.

34. Punt returners always check the wind before the game and again at halftime. Do not allow the wind to blow a ball over your head and bounce dead.

35. Defensive backs should make a determined effort to intercept low passes. Too many of these go incomplete because the defender thinks he cannot reach the ball.

36. Know the type of crowd and the acoustics in every stadium you play. There are specific parks where audibles are most difficult to hear. For example: Chicago and Baltimore. Do your homework on the ballpark.

37. Be sure to fall on a fumble and recover it in a crowd. Don’t try to pick up a bouncing ball on the run unless you are out in the open. You will get the ball 100% of the time you fall on it, but only 80% of the times you advance it.

38. Return every intercepted pass the designated way we have planned for that opponent. This increases our chances of gaining extra yardage.

39. Always expect a fake field goal attempt and always be alert for the punter to run. Every time.

40. Hustle from one practice area to another when whistled up. Don’t ever be the last one.

41. Every pass thrown by our quarterback must be thrown at a target. This will improve your accuracy, even when warming up aim at a target. For example: numerals, right shoulder, left shoulder, left ear, right ear, etc.

42. The safety man on the kick-off team, the kicker on the punting team and the holder on field goals must always check to see if we have eleven men on all these special teams. Many games have been lost because someone failed to count and only ten players were on the field.

43. Take care of your equipment and don’t throw it around. Don’t dress sloppily for practice, just because it’s practice. Have pride in your appearance every time you go on the field with your team. Always shave your jersey tucked in your pants. Take pride in your appearance.

44. Always check your cleats before every game and make sure that you are wearing the proper type for the condition of the field. If in doubt, see the head coach.

45. Make sure you know the direction of every punt return and kickoff return. Don’t guess. Many games are won or lost in this department.

46. Never miss a weigh in and never be fined for being overweight. This is a lack of self respect.

47. Be careful of your conduct and your associates off the field. Keep in mind that you represent yourself, the League and the Kansas City Chiefs.

48. Be careful of your language on and off the field. Just imagine that your mother or sister is within hearing range. The vulgar talkers are not always so tough.

49. Think and talk positive football off the field.

50. Regarding the clubhouse – let what you hear there, see there and say there, stay there.

51. All players must learn the official playing rules. You have a copy, read it. You will be tested.

52. Your body is your best friend. Don’t abuse it and shorten your playing career.

53. Set a good example for all the rookies and develop pride in being a Chief.

“The only way we can lose is for us to beat OURSELVES”

They're baaaaaack

As predicted by the Dogg -
On the first mandatory day of off-season workouts, Brian Waters and Mike Vrabel reported for duty on time.

Here's the deal to all you who freak out about all the media BS. These guys are professionals. They are also veterans, and they are both very active in the union. They know EXACTLY what the CBA allows -- to the letter. They know what they can get away with, and what they are expected to do. Both have been to Hawaii. Both get it. Both will be ready to go when the games start to count.

Take a chill pill. I know it's hard to believe, but the sports media get paid to find controversy and discord, not unity and professionalism.

Dogg rates the draft

I watched Jack Harry blow a gasket on the teevee last night about this draft. And the big take-away I got from his rant is that Jack Harry needs a valium. He was really upset that there were no "fireworks". That somehow he expected Scott Pioli to come in and set his hair on fire, strip naked, cover himself in cool whip and drive a bulldozer through the Arrowhead parking lot -- or something. 

Scott Pioli gave me sort of what I expected. He picked lots of players I didn't know much about, and only one player that didn't surprise me -- kick returner/wideout Quinten Lawrence. Pioli has never been known for fireworks. Spying perhaps. Not fireworks. Pioli has made his bread-and-butter by finding guys that were not splashy - often in the late rounds - who quietly become pro-bowlers.  So, for now, I'm willing to give this draft class the benefit of the doubt. 

What did they get? Let's start with need areas:

Defensive end was a clear need - Check - first two picks are huge, Richard Seymour-style DE's

Offensive line was a need - Got one of them, too. A big fat, slow, white one. 

Kick returner - You betcha. Possibly one of the best values in this draft. 

Receiving tight end - Consider it done. Tony G he ain't, but who is?

Mr. Irrelevant - Found maybe the most irrelevant guy on the board! In fact, when interviewed after the draft, his mom said, "Ryan who?" 

(You all recall the last "Mr. Irrelevant" to wear the red and gold? That's right - the ONLY Mr. Irrelevant to ever play in a Pro Bowl - and the finest woman in the history of the NFL - Ms. Bill Kenney.)

And you can't look at this draft without including the second round, where they got Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel in trade for that pick.

Was it splashy? No. Did they wheel-and-deal, and pick up 20 more picks? No. But they did a competent job of filling a few of the myriad holes shot in the hull of this sinking ship, by the previous administration. 

And they still have a lot of cash to shop the free-agent market. 

Overall, the Dogg says, it looks like a B- effort. But there's no real way to know until you see these guys don the pads and start making contact.  

WIth the 3rd overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft, The Kansas City Chiefs pick...

LSU Defensive End Tyson Jackson

Raise your hand if you saw that one coming. 

Although, apparently Kiper and a couple of other started basically the night before mentioning Jackson's name, nobody I know of had this on Pioli and Haley's radar. However, it makes perfect sense, when you think about it. If KC is going 3-4, this pick just made Glenn Dorsey's day. Dorsey can now play nosetackle, where he belongs -- and he has his old college roomie next to him. 

What is there to like about the big guy? For one thing, he's very fast and agile. For another, he can play inside or outside, meaning he's a threat to rush up the gut, the same as around end. He has an extraordinarily long wingspan, and huge hands. He's known as a nasty block-shedder, with a lighting quick burst. He could be another Neil Smith -- he's even from New Orleans, like Neil. Let us hope. 

I think it was a reach, but Pioli has proven even a lot of really smart people wrong on draft day before. This is clearly a "wait and see" pick.  

UPDATE: The Kansas City Star this morning gives us some insight into this kid. It seems that -- again in the Patriots mold -- they are looking for reliable, "character" players. A quiet young man who's nightlife involved Wednesdays and Sundays at his Baptist church. Further, he played along side Glenn Dorsey at LSU. Along with center Rudy Nuswinger, and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, the Chiefs have their own little bayou posse going on. If that gives them the success LSU has experienced in the past few years, I'm good with that.  

DOGGITYBLOG BREAKING NEWS

hiefs trade Gonzalez to Atlanta
The Kansas City Star

Tight end Tony Gonzalez, a 10-time Pro Bowler and fan favorite in Kansas City, has been traded to the Atlanta Falcons for a second-round selection in the 2010 draft.

“On behalf of my family and the Chiefs, I want to thank Tony for his time in Kansas City,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said. “Over the last 12 seasons, Tony has been one of the finest players in Chiefs history, and he will always be remembered as a member of the Chiefs. His play on the field speaks for itself – he holds almost every major NFL record for tight ends, and he is arguably the best to ever play his position. We wish him the best in Atlanta.”

Gonzalez did not show up for last weekend’s minicamp at Arrowhead Stadium and has expressed interest in being traded several times since last season.

“From an organizational as well as personal standpoint there are mixed emotions,” said Scott Pioli, Chiefs general manager, in announcing the trade. “I have the highest personal and professional respect for Tony and consider him to be a future Pro Football Hall of Famer.”

Gonzalez owns NFL career records for tight ends with 916 receptions, 10,940 receiving yards, 76 receiving touchdowns and 26 100-yard receiving games, totals that are the highest of any player in Kansas City history in all categories. He played in 188 regular-season games for the Chiefs, meaning only guard Will Shields (224), kicker Nick Lowery (212) and punter Jerrel Wilson (203) played in more games.

Gonzalez earned 10 Pro Bowl berths as a member of the Chiefs, the highest total of any tight end in NFL history. He became just the fifth player and the first tight end in league history to produce 11 consecutive seasons with 50 or more catches in 2008.

The Patriots West

Big day in KC Chiefland. It has been reported that Scott Pioli has traded the Chiefs' second-round draft pick for Matt Cassel. This deal with New England apparently includes linebacker, Mike Vrabel. Giving KC a potential "quarterback of the future" and a veteran signal-caller on defense, with one deft trade. If you can pull something like that off with your 2nd round pick, why not? 

What does this tell us? It would seem that despite the whining of Tony G, and the retention of Chan Gailey, Todd Haley wants his own offense, and it isn't the Tyler Thigpen high-school nonsense of 2008. It also seems to indicate that the 3-4 is in KC's defensive future. You might ask why cut Donnie Edwards and then turn around and sign Vrabeck -- who is about the same age? First of all, Edwards may not be completely healed, and Vrabeck is healthy. Also, Vrabeck is a low-mileage early model, having spent three years keeping the bench warm in Pittsburgh before getting any significant playing time. Finally, and probably most importantly, Vrabeck is a 3-4 signal caller. 

As for the recent garbage about how Brian Waters is offended and wants a trade, and all that? I'm not ready to put any stock in it, at this juncture. With Gailey still here, if it looks like this team could win this year, everyone will get real happy, real fast. 

If you can win by osmosis...

Todd Haley, the offensive coordinator of the Cardinals was hired as the Chiefs' new head coach today.

Before becoming Arizona's offensive coordinator, he was on the staff of Dallas, Chicago and the Jets. He also scouted for The Steelers and Jets. But that's not the half of it.

Remember Bradshaw and Swan and Harris and Greene? Todd Haley used to bring them Gatorade. He was the waterboy for the Steelers during the halcyon days of the 1980's. But that's not even the REAL connection. He got that job because his dad was Dick Haley, the director of personnel for the Steelers from 1971 until 1990. Anyone who played for those Steelers teams and was drafted or brought in as a free agent during those years, was approved by Dick Haley.

Not bad genes.

Then, he went on to work to help with the bills -- Bill Cowher, Bill Belichick, and Bill Parcells.

He was offered the head coaching job at Miami last year by Parcells, and turned it down.

I think the boy has been exposed to how to build a football team. Let's hope he took good notes.