“It’s Just Training Camp”
by Sam Kombrink
The summer of 2018 has been a good one for most folks, but for sports fans it’s been a tad rough. Here in Kansas City we like consistency, and it seems that the Royals didn’t get the memo. When the Royals aren’t winning, we turn our attention to football.
We follow our Chiefs up at training camp in St. Joe, and talk about the team while we’re at the gas station. This season has the fans excited about our newest tool in the shed, quarterback Patrick Mahomes. All eyes are on the young gunslinger as he gets ready to lead “his” team into the season, and get back to the postseason. That may be easier said than done though, especially when, as my friends like to inform me, Patty is throwing under forty percent in Training Camp.
I have always been told that you learn from your mistakes. And, as the great Michael Jordan said, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”
Failure is part of the process that leads to success. And I’m confident that if you ask the players, they will tell you that they welcome failure in training camp. From their point of view, it is much better to fail in camp rather than on Sunday in a game.
So, when my friends talk about Mahomes, I tell them it’s going to be “all good.” Based off what I have witnessed, I see in Patrick Mahomes a quarterback with a God-given natural ability to throw a football. When you review his tapes, he makes throwing on the run look so natural.
Chief’s fans didn’t worry much with Alex Smith as a quarterback because he was efficient and accurate. But, he never took chances. Now the Chiefs have a guy that will do just that. He will take those chances downfield, escape the pocket, and make something out of nothing. People will say that he will turn the ball over more, and that is probably true. But, that’s how it is with gunslingers. Fans are concerned about the fact that he threw seven interceptions during this year’s training camp, but it was over the span of “six” practices.
Mahomes also has the grit that you need in a quarterback, like Brett Favre had, to get back up after getting completely rocked and keep stepping up until the team gets the “W.”
If you read the reports about Mahomes, it “is” mostly negative. Some people are saying things like, “He’s going to be inaccurate,” or “He’s not ready,” and “We should have kept Alex Smith for another year’” Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for the Mahomes era to begin. I’m a little tired of yelling at my TV on Sunday when Smith wouldn’t hit an open receiver downfield. Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback we have all been waiting for since 1983, when we drafted Todd Blackledge from Penn State. We Chiefs fans have waited way too long for a franchise quarterback, and now is the time to realize that Mahomes is it.
I think we need to embrace this kid, and be okay with the fact that he will turn the ball over, but also throw rainbow passes from end zone to end zone. With a special talent like Patrick Mahomes, on Sunday’s you can expect 300+ yards passing, two to three touchdowns downfield, with an interception. But what is most important is that the Kansas City Chiefs will remain contenders.
Sam Kombrink will be reporting local sports for the Martin City Telegraph. He has worked with Sports Radio 810 and 610 Radio Sports. Look for his weekly sports updates on our Facebook page starting in September.
