The Chiefs "Process"

In Kansas City the word process has become a cuss word for some.  Nearly every time a Chiefs coach, or Pioli talks they reference the word process.  What is the process, and is the process working?

The hot button issue in Kansas City during the 2012 offseason has been Brandon Carr.  The mantra at One Arrowhead Drive has been keep your own guys.  So how does a guy in Carr, who did everything right on and off the field not be retained by the club that drafted him.

The reason is the "process".  Everyone can be up in arms that Carr got away.  I understand it because it flies in the face of everything that the Chiefs have said about the right 53.  Carr was the right 53 but financials no longer made it possible for him to be on the roster.

I'll hit on the financials that led to Carr's departure later.

If you love Brandon Carr, in a way you love the "process", because it was the "process" that gave Carr the opportunity.  It was the "process" that had a position available for rookie 2nd rounder (Flowers) and 5th rounder (Carr) to start and develop.

Brandon Carr is where he is at today because there was a "process" in Kansas City that gave him the opportunity.  When Ty Law, and Patrick Surtain played their last game in Kansas City, conventional wisdom would have been...draft a corner, and pick up a free agent CB.  That's not what the vision was.

The vision was to develop your own guys.  To play your picks if their was an opportunity.  The vision was to build through the draft.  Today fans and media get amnesia and forget that the circumstances that aided Carr's success are the circumstances and belief that the Chiefs still use in their vision.

You can't in one breath praise Carr without recognizing the factors that led to a division 2 player starting every game since his rookie year.  Many times the Chiefs could have went in another direction during Carr's tenure with the team, yet the vision was that Carr, and draft picks in general are the vision.

Today we forget that vision, we forget the "process".  We want to fill holes with high priced free agents because we are close...close to what?  Close to stopping the development of young 5th rounders like Carr in the future?  Close to adding vets and making a run this year or next for a Super Bowl that no matter what is a tough get?

The Chiefs are close to building a consistent winner for the next decade, we can go all in, or we can stay the course.  The course is developing Powe, the course is getting Brown/Arenas ready, the course is drafting and playing Asomoah/Hudson and another lineman.  The course is Houston, the course is Bailey, the course is development.

It's development that has put this team in position.  Fans want to abandon that course because they think it's about now.  The course, the process was never about now.  It was never and will never be about Solai, about Nicks.  The course is about Wiegemann, it's about Kelly Gregg.

You may chuckle at those last two names.  But free agents for the Chiefs is about filling in until your draft pick is ready.  That's why you see the one year deals.  If the process fails in the form of Barry Richardson, Quentin Lawrence, then you make up for it and get your Winston's your Breaston's but the "process" makes damn sure you give your picks every chance to fail or succeed.

Chiefs fans don't get hoodwinked into thinking we are close, and don't think about the moment.  The process has worked, our picks are playing at a high level.  In Pioli's introductory press conference he didn't point to 2012, he pointed to traditions, to dynasties.  You don't build that type of team for one year, you build a sustainable franchise.

The "process" is working...never think the Chiefs have arrived...never think they will abandon the "process"...we are close because of the "process" and it's the "process" that will keep us close for years to come.