THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 9, 2004
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
5B
Chiefs' inexperience at kicker, punter not a problem
Even without the second-highest scorer in NFL history, the offense should have no trouble scoring points this season
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The punter does not have one minute of NFL experience. The placekicker does not have one minute of NFL experience.
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The general manager, at least for the time being, does not have one minute's peace of mind.
"I'm scared to death," said Carl Peterson, president and General Manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. "I'm not going to be able to sleep at night until these guys prove themselves."
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The Chiefs' focus throughout the preseason was trained on achieving a defensive renaissance under Gunther Cunningham and fine-tuning a powerful offense — making sure a 13-3 playoff team remained a viable Super Bowl contender.
But less than a week before the season opener, the Chiefs did something only rebuilding teams are supposed to do. They fired their veteran placekicker,
No. 2 career scorer Morten Andersen, and dumped its in-the-doghouse punter, rolling the dice with a couple of scarly untested newcomers.
"A tough decision. A risky decision," agreed coach Dick Vermeil.
Punting will be handled by Steve Cheek. He's been with five teams in four years, but never found his way onto an NFL roster until making good in his only preseason game with Kansas City.
Succeeding Andersen, who still possesses great accuracy from 40 yards and in, is Lawrence Tynes.
Tynes kicked well the past two years in the CFL and obviously has more distance and power than the 44-year-old he displaced.
But like Cheek, he's never kicked with NFL-caliber athletes bearing down on him and 70,000 crazed fans screaming in his ear.
"You don't always have a100 percent consensus on the decisions you make on moving and changing the roster, but you try to come up with a majority that believes you're doing the right thing."
Dick Vermeil Kansas City Chiefs coach
Peterson, among others on the staff, favored keeping at least one of the veterans. But Vermeil prevailed.
"You don't always have a 100 percent consensus on the decisions you make on moving and changing the roster, but you try to come up with a majority that believes you're doing the right
Tynes should have plenty of opportunity to kick field goals and extra points because the offense that's led the NFL in scoring the past two years has never looked sharper.
thing," Vermeil said.
Pro Bowl players in quarterback Trent Green, running back Priest Holmes, fullback Tony Richardson and tight end Tony Gonzalez assure the Chiefs of plenty of firepower.
Green trails only Peyton Manning for the most yards passing in the past two seasons combined (7,729 to 8,467). Holmes, who rebounded from hip surgery in 2003 to score an NFL-record 27 touchdowns, has been running with greater energy than he ever showed a year ago.
Nine-time Pro Bowlers Will Shields at guard and Willie Roaf at tackle anchor an offensive line which ranks among the very best.
Wide receiver is the only worry on offense.
Never a strength, the situation grew bleaker with injuries that put Marc Boerigter on injured reserve and sidelined Johnnie Morton until this week.
In addition, rookie tight end Kris Wilson, who had the most impressive camp of any newcomer, broke his leg and will be gone at least half the season.
The unsettled look among the pass catchers might even take the ball out of Dante Hall's hands on some punts and kick-offs. If Hall winds up shouldering a greater load at receiver, Vermeil will not risk overworking the little guy who had five touchdown returns in '03.
But what of the defense?
Cunningham, fired four years ago as coach, is back doing what he does best — coordinating and energizing a defense. He has almost the exact same personnel as the unit that finished ranked 29th a year ago. But he's installed a new scheme and, perhaps equally important, a new
mind-set.
"You don't have to watch our 9-on-7 drills to see the difference," said linebacker Scott Fujita. "You can actually hear the drill, too. It's a completely different attitude."
Gravelly voiced and salty-tongued, Cunningham's influence is being felt everywhere.
"There's been a trickle-down effect ... to the whole football team," Vermeil said. "He's a tough guy and you can't have enough tough guys on a football team. He brings that little extra dimension that rubs off into everything."
At least one front row observer swears it'll be a new defense.
"They're attacking now," said Gonzalez. "They're rallying to the football. I think this is the year to do it, and I'm talking Super Bowl. This playoff stuff, we expect that. But we really do think our chances are good to go to the Super Bowl and win the thing this year."
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The University of Kansas Department of Theatre and Film University Theatre 2004 - 2005 Season
Season tickets now on sale! University Theatre Ticket Office 864-3982
MAINSTAGE SERIES
KU-TYP 50th Anniversary Celebration
University Theatre A CLAS Act!
October 1-2
Speakers nightly at 7 p.m. prior to 8 p.m. curtain
**Amber Waves** by James Still
October 1**, **2003** *3*, *7*, 8, 9, 2004
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
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You Can't Take It with You by Moss Hart and George Kaufman March 4, 5,6*, 10, 11, 12, 2005
Candide
KU-THEATRE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE SERIES
Still Life with Iris
by Steven Dietz
October 2*, 2004
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Amber Waves by James Still
Music by Leonard Bernstein, Book by Hugh Wheeler, adapted from the book by Voltaire Lyrics by Richard Wilbur, with additional lyrics on the cover of the bouche April 29, 30, May 1, 5, 6, 7, 2005
All performances are in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre
All performances are in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre
Noodle Doodle Box by Paul Maar February 12*, 2005
INGE THEATRE SERIES
Lysistrata
by Aisthophanes October 22, 23**, 24*, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30**, 2004
Directed, designed and performed by our Undergraduate Students April 8, 9**, 10*, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16**, 2005
Two One-Act Plays
All performances are in the William Inge Memorial Theatre
SPECIAL EVENT
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KU's Summer Greek Theatre Program presents The Eumenides, the third part of Aeschylus' Orestia August 27 - 28, 2004 William Inge Memorial Theatre
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