COMMENTARY

Chiefs’ Edwards gives Army a boost

There’s an old line that goes something like this: Bankers get together to talk about art, and artists get together to talk about money. It also can go like this: When football coaches get together, they talk about war — bombs, sacrifice, shotguns, stealth bombers flying over stadiums, ground attacks, courage, defensive lines.

And when soldiers get together, they talk about football.

“There are so many similarities with what we do,” Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell told Chiefs coach Herm Edwards. “It’s remarkable. We are dealing with many of the same things.”

Caldwell is the commanding general of the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth. This is the position Gen. David Petraeus had immediately before taking over as commanding general of the multinational force in Iraq. Just to give you an idea.

Sure, there are many cheap and easy jokes you can make about Herm Edwards going to Fort Leavenworth on Friday to address the United States Army School of Advance Military Studies (SAMS). But … I was there. And Edwards was amazing.

Yes, I do realize the Chiefs went 4-12 last year. I realize that the offense’s most productive player was the punter. I realize that anytime you write the words “Herm” and “Edwards” in the same column, you are guaranteed to get dozens of e-mails and phone calls from people who would like to point out his many deficiencies as a strategist and football coach. The words “clock management” will be repeated often.

I think a lot of it is unfair. Let’s face it: Edwards took over an ancient team that was trying to win with new clothes and a combover. He was saddled with a lot of dead weight and irrational expectations. The star left tackle, Willie Roaf, retired before Edwards’ first game. The starting quarterback, Trent Green, was knocked unconscious during Edwards’ first game. Last year, his singular offensive weapon, Larry Johnson, got hurt when the Chiefs had a winning record (4-3) and were beating the Green Bay Packers. The Chiefs did not win again.

Edwards’ offensive line — the heart of the Chiefs’ moderate success in the early 2000s — fell apart. His cornerbacks were old enough to catch movies at half price. His quarterback choice was between a 34-year-old lifelong backup and a strong-armed Alabaman who had thrown seven passes in his NFL career (two of them interceptions).

Now, finally, Edwards is being given a fair shot. The Chiefs had what they (and most other draft analysts) considered a spectacular draft. They got 12 players — including their dream choice Glenn Dorsey — and added another nine college free agents. They will go to River Falls, Wis., this July with perhaps the youngest team in pro football. This is exactly what Edwards wanted. He knew they would have to blow things up. The feeling at Arrowhead is that the Chiefs are on the right track, they have rebuilt their core, they have broken away from the failed policies of the last decade.

Now, not everyone is buying it. But the United States Army does. Rob McClary, an instructor at SAMS (which prepares and trains some of the Army’s best officers for command positions), embedded with the Chiefs coaches last year to study how a team prepares for a game. He has spoken many times with Edwards. He was very impressed. He asked Edwards to come and speak to the students about leadership and overcoming adversity and building a team from the ground floor.

“No, no, you don’t want me,” Edwards said. “What you guys do is for real. We’re just playing football.”

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To reach Joe Posnanski, call 816-234-4361 or send e-mail to jposnanski@kcstar.com. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com.