State of the Kingdom: Week Two

I don’t think I can take much more of this (cuss). It was barely three weeks ago that 6 of 8 writers on the NFL’s flagship website picked the Chiefs to win the AFC West. Since then we’ve had to see tweets/stories hinting at our beloved franchise being somewhat of a laughing stock two games into the season.

And who’s to argue? There’s plenty of supporting evidence, but I’ll spare you the autopsy.

What happened to the good old days?

Like many of you, I spent my formative years at Arrowhead Stadium basking in Marty Schottenheimer’s unparalleled execution of simple football concepts. I learned to appreciate every single play from scrimmage (especially on defense) if for no other reason than wanting to feel like I belonged in the stands. The atmosphere was infectious – it was a glorious time to be a Chiefs fan.

I remember DT's seven sack game like it was yesterday... I was five at the time and bawled my eyes out when he missed his eighth on that final play, leading to a 17-16 loss. As a nine-year old, I prayed for a Chiefs win while hiding in the bathroom. That was October 17th, 1994 - the Mile High Miracle - and I still firmly believe I played a hand in that monumental victory.

Special moments like those that made certain Martyball would never lose its mystique. I have to admit however, the best game I've ever attended and the loudest moment in Arrowhead history happened during the Vermeil era. While that teary-eyed genius gave us a few good (offenses), it didn't amount to anything more than colossal letdowns at the end of each season.

Sometimes I visit my family's old seats (Sec. 320, Row 9) just to see if I recognize any of the faces from my youth, but those people are long gone. The crowd has changed, right along with the culture - and not in a good way.

What did we do to deserve things like this? And don't forget this. Or this. There are countless milestones (for lack of a better word) along the way to… wherever the (cuss) we’re at right now.

To borrow from my man @HisDirknesS: our decision makers have come to accept the team's perpetual mediocrity. Be honest - when was the last time you felt something special at Arrowhead Stadium? That Monday Night game to start the 2010 season was electric in every sense of the word, but few (if any) performances during the past three-plus seasons have been memorable.

It pains me to say so, but I've been reduced to tailgating more out of habit than love.

You'll have to forgive me - this wasn't meant to be about how we got here, rather what we're supposed to do about this mess.

I'm no expert, but from what I can see it starts with coaching. Romeo Crennel routinely channels Gunther Cunningham's head coaching career as his magnum opus. Given Papa Bear's inside-voice approach, their demeanor couldn't be less similar. Still... there's an undeniable familiarity about the "he deserves a shot" mentality from the men in charge.

Romeo's signature win came as an interim head coach against an undefeated opponent in which preparation was the key element. I'm willing to set the Atlanta game aside for now, but the egregious effort shown against Buffalo on Sunday was inexcusable. What's worse is that I wasn't even all that angry about it.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I've become nauseatingly accustomed to these types of games. We are a far cry from the days when every series had us on the edge of our seats. Each Matt Cassel mistake brings me further from the center of my universe - Chiefs football. The passion may still burn, but for me its down to a mere smolder in the pit of my stomach.

Its a shame that despite so much promise year-in and year-out, the glory days of this franchise are a borrowed nostalgia for the younger generation and a distant memory for the rest of us.

Difficult as it may be, I have to remind myself that we're only two games into what promises to be a long season. Each team in the AFC West has significant and easily exploitable flaws, leaving the division just as wide open today as we thought a few weeks ago.

So while I believe that Romeo is a lame duck head coach, Scott Pioli has handicapped this organization with his unwillingness to hire anyone outside his circle of trust (are you a pothead, Focker?!) and Matt Cassel is an embarrassing excuse for a starting Quarterback... I'm still going to be patient.

Because I have to. Because I'm a Chiefs fan.

But perhaps most importantly, because Clark Hunt and his prize General Manager aren't giving us much of a choice in the matter.

Follow me on twitter @ryanscotthall