TOP OF THE MORNIN'
Grigsby outlines a three-year plan for the Chiefs
By JEFFREY FLANAGAN
The Kansas City Star
Most Chiefs fans still cringe when they hear the words “five-year plan.”
Maybe that’s why fun-loving Bill Grigsby, while addressing the crowd at Tuesday’s Chiefs Kickoff Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center, talked about a new plan, a three-year plan.
“This year we can go 8-8,” Grigsby said. “Next year, 10 or 11 wins. The year after that, it’s a Super Bowl!”
Later, as Grigsby again talked about his three-year plan, he joked to the crowd, “Most of you probably think I’ve been drinking again.”
But even Chiefs president/general manager Carl Peterson seemed to get caught up in the moment, perhaps needling himself a little in the process as well as, of course, the news media.
“I know that the light at the end of the tunnel is very, very bright,” Peterson told the crowd. “It may seem a bit dim … Saturday night in Miami (groans from the audience).
“It always seems dim to our doubting media. But they don’t know what we know.
“I know that this will come out as something very, very special. And as Bill said, a three-year plan is better than a five-year plan.”
Coach Herm Edwards also joined in on the conversation.
“I’m sitting here listening to three-year plans and five-year plans,” Edwards said. “For me, it’s a this-year plan.”
Strong words. But then again, that’s what preseason luncheons are all about — to fire up the doubting fans (oh, I mean media).
Biggest cheers
As Chiefs play-by-play man Mitch Holthus introduced the team one by one at the luncheon, he saved Tony Gonzalez for last. And naturally, after a lengthy and hyped intro, Tony G got the biggest cheer from the crowd.
First-round pick Glenn Dorsey probably landed the second-biggest ovation, and Larry Johnson (yes, Holthus called him the “Centaur”) got the third-loudest cheer.
Worst fan cities
According to Forbes.com, Kansas City is the sixth-worst city for fans.
The ranking is based on income figures among Kansas Citians, ticket prices, and, of course, lousy performance from our teams.
Miami was picked as the No. 1 worst city for fans, followed by San Diego, Indianapolis, New York, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Charlotte, Tampa, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
Of Kansas City, Forbes.com wrote:
“Ticket prices are reasonable, but the Royals just can’t shake over a decade’s worth of the doldrums.”
No blackout
Chiefs public-relations director Bob Moore tells us that the Chiefs haven’t sold out Thursday night’s game against the Rams at Arrowhead at 6 p.m.
But the Chiefs are close enough to a sellout, he said, that the game will be televised on Channel 5.
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