Vermeil with QB Trent Green
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Goodbye to Coach Vermeil
Goodbye to Coach Vermeil
I've been a Chiefs fan ever since I can remember.
My favorite memory has always been the Monday night game, Elway vs. Montana, when Montana's elbow was swollen to the size of a softball and still helped the Chiefs walk away with the victory.
This season has brought many new memories, partly because after moving to Texas, I realized I would no longer be able to watch every game, (work and the lack of network coverage diversity limits viewing unless you shell out the money for Sunday ticket), mostly though, I will remember this season as the season of extraordinary events.
It was the season Priest Holmes was sidelined for the rest of the year and many fans feared their season was over, but Larry Johnson stepped up and finished 3rd in total rushing yards with 1,750 yards for the season, 50 yards behind NY Giant, Tiki Barber, and 130 yards behind Seattle Seahawk, Shaun Alexander, even though Johnson started less games than Alexander and Barber, number one and two respectively. It was also the season quarterback, Trent Green lost his father. Green finished the season stronger than ever, and the memory of his father would inspire Vermeil to go for the touchdown against Oakland.
I was lucky enough to get to watch Vermeil's last game on Sunday or most of it until CBS switched to the Miami game. Green completed 23 of 29 passes for 344 yards and finished the season with 4014 yards, #2 in the NFL behind Tom Brady. Johnson ran for 201 yards and Vermeil got one more Gatorade shower as Kansas City whipped the playoff bound Cincinnati Bengals 37-3.
At 69, Vermeil was the oldest coach in the NFL, but with age comes wisdom and experience and that was almost enough. I understand Vermeil’s decision to retire, I just wish, he would have given it one more year.
But then there's always one more year.
I'll end my memories of the season with a quote from Vermeil off the Kansas City Chiefs website, “In Philadelphia, the fans were the most intense, loyal and loving in the country. In St. Louis, once you got winning, they got totally emotionally involved. I feel bad that I wasn’t able to play a role in sharing that experience here, but I hope very much that the fans got out of our five years together as much as I got out of it because they are wonderful people. Never have I been treated with more respect and appreciation than I have by the Kansas City Chiefs fans. So, on behalf of Carol and my family, I say thank you.” You can find Vermeil's last press conference at the following link: http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/01/03/final_coach_vermeil_press_conference/
I've been a Chiefs fan ever since I can remember.
My favorite memory has always been the Monday night game, Elway vs. Montana, when Montana's elbow was swollen to the size of a softball and still helped the Chiefs walk away with the victory.
This season has brought many new memories, partly because after moving to Texas, I realized I would no longer be able to watch every game, (work and the lack of network coverage diversity limits viewing unless you shell out the money for Sunday ticket), mostly though, I will remember this season as the season of extraordinary events.
It was the season Priest Holmes was sidelined for the rest of the year and many fans feared their season was over, but Larry Johnson stepped up and finished 3rd in total rushing yards with 1,750 yards for the season, 50 yards behind NY Giant, Tiki Barber, and 130 yards behind Seattle Seahawk, Shaun Alexander, even though Johnson started less games than Alexander and Barber, number one and two respectively. It was also the season quarterback, Trent Green lost his father. Green finished the season stronger than ever, and the memory of his father would inspire Vermeil to go for the touchdown against Oakland.
I was lucky enough to get to watch Vermeil's last game on Sunday or most of it until CBS switched to the Miami game. Green completed 23 of 29 passes for 344 yards and finished the season with 4014 yards, #2 in the NFL behind Tom Brady. Johnson ran for 201 yards and Vermeil got one more Gatorade shower as Kansas City whipped the playoff bound Cincinnati Bengals 37-3.
At 69, Vermeil was the oldest coach in the NFL, but with age comes wisdom and experience and that was almost enough. I understand Vermeil’s decision to retire, I just wish, he would have given it one more year.
But then there's always one more year.
I'll end my memories of the season with a quote from Vermeil off the Kansas City Chiefs website, “In Philadelphia, the fans were the most intense, loyal and loving in the country. In St. Louis, once you got winning, they got totally emotionally involved. I feel bad that I wasn’t able to play a role in sharing that experience here, but I hope very much that the fans got out of our five years together as much as I got out of it because they are wonderful people. Never have I been treated with more respect and appreciation than I have by the Kansas City Chiefs fans. So, on behalf of Carol and my family, I say thank you.” You can find Vermeil's last press conference at the following link: http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/01/03/final_coach_vermeil_press_conference/
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