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Emptying my clutter bin solves writer's block
There are some weeks where nothing seems to "strike my fancy" in selecting a theme for my column. When all else fails, I turn to my "clutter bin." This location contains past ideas that have failed to measure up to a full story line, or some new thoughts that only require a few passing sentences. This is one of those weeks.
My first item deals with my health. Last week I had another sudden and somewhat concerning emergency illness. Luckily, I have received very adequate treatment, and my doctors feel I am on the road to full recovery.
It is that treatment and medical system that I want to highlight and commend. The very suddenness and severity of my illness required an ambulance trip to the Nevada Regional Medical Center ER. After treatment there, a second ambulance trek sent me to Olathe Medical Center, where I have previously been treated for more serious conditions.
In Nevada, I often hear so many negative comments about our local health care. My care, which included on site emergency treatment by the ambulance staff, additional treatment and evaluation by the NRMC ER staff, and finally a second ambulance trip to Olathe, were all conducted in simply a "top notch" manner.
In my mind, there is no question, that I might have not likely survived my emergency condition, if not for the immediate response of the local ambulance district and our local hospital. Yes, the more detailed treatment in Kansas City was significant, but without our local medical professionals, that would never have followed.
So my simple plea and hope for our community's medical system is that they receive the support that is so desperately needed. A community like ours must have these vital onsite services. That may well require further tax support by our citizens. If you were in my position last week, I am sure you would agree.
My second story line is in regards to my beloved Kansas City Chiefs. I was in attendance at our bitter season ending loss. In my own mind, my illness, which followed the next morning, may well have been caused by me having to endure another such defeat.
I decided to do a postmortem on the season, and to list my own recommendations for the future success of my Chiefs. A lot of fans want to lay much of the blame upon our quarterback, Alex Smith.
I do not think he is one of the top five or six best quarterbacks in the NFL, but his play was far from the defining cause of that loss. Our receivers dropped more than enough good passes from Smith, to have likely brought home a victory.
To me there were multiple culprits that doomed our quest to go to a Super Bowl. The first of these was our rushing attack. We did not have Jamaal Charles in the lineup again this season. Our main running back, Spencer Ware, was barely able to give us a consistent ground attack. In the latter half of the season we simply did not run the ball well at all.
The second and in my mind the most significant area of demise lay in our inability to stop the rush of other teams. The Chiefs lost long time All Star inside linebacker Derrick Johnson, in the middle of the season. In the periods after he was sidelined, we lost three heart wrenching home contests to Tennessee, Tampa Bay, and Pittsburg.
In each of those games, the opposing team game planned to run the ball right at the middle of our defense. It was almost torture to sit and watch run after run go right up the middle for 5 or more yards.
Our pass rush, which was once one of the most feared in the NFL, was never quite the same this season. Dee Ford had a decent year, but Justin Houston was absent most of the season, and when he was available he was never the player he was before his injury. Tamba Hali is in the twilight of his career, and thus the pass rush, which is an NFL must for success, was simply average at best.
The obvious question is where do we go from here? It would seem obvious that to cure the above issues we must draft some defensive linebackers and pass rushers. We have a good defense, but good is not good enough in the NFL.
Our quarterback and receivers roster is in good shape. It would therefore seem that running back and offensive linemen are the areas in which we need to seek help. Running backs in the current NFL have to be able to catch passes out of the backfield and also pass block.
Andy Reid is an able coach who has shown his ability to take teams to the playoffs and even to a Super Bowl, so we don't need to look for any changes in that area.
We are facing a tough challenge next season. Our schedule is one of the toughest in the NFL. We again face all of our division opponents twice. At home we host the Bills, the Dolphins, the Eagles, the Redskins, and again the Steelers. On the road we go to New England, the Jets, the Cowboys, the Giants, and the Texans. That means that seven of our 15 opponents were play-off teams this season.
My final thought for this week includes my condolences to the family of Yordano Ventura, the 25-year-old star pitcher for the Royals, killed in a car crash last weekend.
He was, like many young Latin players, talented but emotional. His future was so bright, and he will be sorely missed by his teammates and fans.
I only attended one World Series game in my lifetime, game six of the 2014 Series in KC. Ventura pitched a complete game shutout, and it was a masterful performance.