Every 10 years or so, professional sports teams go into rebuilding modes. When teams are saying rebuilding, it means out with the old in with the new. Aging players are let go, traded or benched for the new fresh stock of prospective rookies. The New England Patriots have been successful in building their team from the draft. But on the flip side if you look at the Kansas City Royals who are “rebuilding” the term is painful on the ears.

The Chiefs have always had a strong fan base win or lose. Arrowhead Stadium has always been a black spot on opposing teams’ calendars. Being one of the loudest stadiums due to its architecture and wild fan base, teams loathed playing in Arrowhead. But lately the stadium is a little more somber.

After Herm Edwards took control of the Chiefs as Head Coach in 2006 he led them to the playoffs. But in 2007 the Chiefs went 4-12. The idea of rebuilding came about and veterans were cut, including Jared Allen, one of the few sparks that kept the Chiefs lit. With most of our Pro Bowlers gone, nothing steady in the QB position, and one of the leagues highest paid players benched, things have been grim. The fans knew this day was approaching but with decent picks in the draft we thought surely we would have at least a .500 season.

Watching last Sunday’s game it was obvious how hungry the Chiefs were for a win. The running game was stopped, not for lack of effort. But the passing game was great, especially for 2^nd year, third string QB Tyler Thigpen. Bernard Pollard continues to play well, Derrick Johnson is doing his best at stopping the rush, Bowe is steadily working at becoming a fantastic receiver and Gonzales, a class act, continues to be the superstar he is regardless of his contempt for Carl Peterson.

So here we are at 1-6 with no idea of what is going on behind closed doors. Clark Hunt agreed to rebuild but professed that he wanted a contending team in 2008. Maybe the rebuilding should have started at the top with GM Carl Peterson. Tony Gonzales asked to be traded to a contending team but Carl Peterson wanted ridiculous terms for him so that fell through which is a shame because Gonzales deserves to wear a Super Bowl ring given everything he has done for the Chiefs. On top of a pathetic season we still pay outrageous parking costs and ticket prices. The fans want Peterson’s head.

A losing season might not be so bad if the Chiefs played like they did against Denver and the Jets.  Herm Edwards preaches the fundamentals of football, but he must be talking to the tackling dummy, because fundamentals are lacking as well. Missed open field tackles, buttery hands and changing quarterbacks every quarter does not look like good coaching to me. I suppose there could be a method to this madness. The Chiefs could be looking to finish dead last in hopes of signing MU’s Chase Daniel even though they have signed Quinn Gray. But if so, why are they talking to Culpepper so late in the season?