Tuck the ball away

Posted: April 24th, 2009 | Filed under: Other Sports | 11 Comments »

The thing that struck me about Tony Gonzalez is that every time I saw him catch a pass — every single time, no matter if it was during practice, on the sideline during a game, or just goofing around afterward — he always tucked the ball away.

Always.

11 Comments on “Tuck the ball away”

  1. 1: Dark Side of the Mood said at 6:30 am on April 24th, 2009:

    On some levels I understand exactly why the Chiefs traded Tony. On other levels, man, what a drag. I hope Tony gets a couple of playoff wins w/the Falcons, but I can’t help but think that Matt Cassel is one bummed dude today.

  2. 2: Dark Side of the Mood said at 6:41 am on April 24th, 2009:

    (Sorry to be filling up the comments section) It seems to me that if Pioli and Haley are determined to change the mindset of the Chiefs players, Gonzalez is the one returning Chief you’d want to keep…

  3. 3: Blaine said at 8:01 am on April 24th, 2009:

    To me, it seems like the new regime isn’t just looking for players who can help the team, they’re looking for players who WANT to help the team. It seems the difference is big enough to warrant such a massive transaction.
    The true test will be for Chiefs fans, who handed out their gushing endorsements like cheese cubes at Sam’s Club when Clark Hunt handed the keys to Pioli.
    Do we really trust these guys as much as we keep saying we do?

  4. 4: Steve said at 8:45 am on April 24th, 2009:

    I’m sorry, but I never have understood this “he deserves to win” concept. Why does he, or anybody, deserve to win? Good people end up in less than ideal circumstances in all aspects of life, and most of them deal with it without demanding a trade. And we admire them for doing so. Bellyaching in public until you become a liability to your team does not strike me as an example of ‘class.’

  5. 5: somebody said at 9:09 am on April 24th, 2009:

    “Good people end up in less than ideal circumstances in all aspects of life”

    And they get new jobs (recessions aside). and new houses. and new loves. I’m not sure you’re right.

  6. 6: Buchholz Surfer said at 10:21 am on April 24th, 2009:

    The Chiefs threw to Gonzalez a LOT. But they never threw to him ENOUGH.

    This trade makes me kind of sad. I can’t help feeling that Pioli and Haley are thinking “tight ends aren’t worth much, it’s the most replaceable position, etc., etc.” But Gonzalez was way more important to that offense than any other tight end could have been. As for his age, Pioli this offseason has already brought in four likely new starters who are older than Gonzalez. Those guys will all be even another year older before KC gets anything from this trade, while the huge hole has already been punched out of the offense.

    As for Gonzalez, I think he’s seriously overrating the Falcons. It’s still quite possible that he could end up retiring without ever winning a playoff game. I certainly hope the Chiefs win a Super Bowl before Atlanta does, and it could very well happen.

    Neither team has much chance of winning one next year, IMO. Maybe Atlanta has like a 9% chance, and the Chiefs have like a 2% chance. I suppose other people see the odds differently. But it seems a shame to want a trade away from the place you’ve always played, where you’ve become a legend, just for that kind of miniscule potential improvement.

  7. 7: Tracy said at 11:08 am on April 24th, 2009:

    Perhaps Gonzalez hung around Raymond Berry. In one of his books, Paul Zimmerman has Russ Francis telling the story of how he learned to do it from Raymond Berry.

  8. 8: Jeremy said at 1:46 pm on April 24th, 2009:

    All I know is that I am gonna miss watching catch the ball for the Chiefs.

  9. 9: Old Man Duggan said at 4:32 pm on April 24th, 2009:

    This is sad, but from Gonzalez’s perspective I understand wanting to go to a team that has a very realistic shot at making the playoffs. He said he only thought he had two years left, and let’s be serious, the Chiefs are not going to be contending in two years. Sure, I’d like for that draft pick to be for this year so the Chiefs got a pick back, but I wish him luck, and there’s no acrimony coming from this Chiefs fan’s corner of the internet.

  10. 10: Buchholz Surfer said at 10:39 pm on April 24th, 2009:

    Actually, I’ll take the Chiefs to win more games than Atlanta in the 2010-2011 season.

    And if Gonzalez was with KC in 2010, instead of some rookie, I’d be even more confident in that prediction.

  11. 11: onthemark said at 7:19 am on April 27th, 2009:

    Certainly will miss Tony G, class act personified. But, anymore I tend to dismiss any pre-season talk about which team is going to the playoffs/Super Bowl. I mean, who saw Arizona coming within a play or two of winning it all last year? Anyone? (crickets chirping). So, who is to say KC has no chance, or that the Falcons will make the playoffs? That is why they play the games…

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