Offensive lineman Kyle Turley, who announced his retirement from the Kansas City Chiefs this year, is one of the most outspoken opponents of the NFL player's union. Running back Robert Smith, who retired from the Minnesota Vikings in 2000, is one of the most passionate supporters of the union.
In addition to being diametrically opposed on the issue of the union, Turley and Smith are also intelligent, articulate people, and when they appeared on Dan LeBatard's radio show together, the sparks flew. Sports by Brooks transcribes the juiciest parts, starting with Turley swearing at Smith:
"This is a serious issue. Families are affected, people are becoming homeless, living in shelters. Do you not see a problem with that? Well, f- you, then!"
After that they took a brief break, and then Turley continued:
"You know what? It's near pointless to speak to this guy, OK? Because he's not listening. People are not listening."
Smith's response:
"To say that the union doesn't care just isn't true ... To say that I'm not paying attention, that I'm not listening, that it doesn't make any sense to talk to me - man, I've been doing this for 15 years, I don't get a dime for it. I do it because I care about the players, every single player that's ever played the game or that will play the game."
Smith makes his point well, but Turley is correct on the fundamental issue, which is that there are too many former NFL players living with long-term health problems from the injuries they suffered in the league. The union should do more for those players.
NFL football commissioner Roger Goodell, right, speaks with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones prior to a luncheon Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tim Sharp)
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** FILE ** In this Sept. 8, 2007 file photo, Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly, right, heads into the end zone with his second touchdown of the game in front of teammate Jon Cooper, left, and Miami defender Dwayne Hendricks, center, during the first quarter of a college football game in Norman, Okla. Kelly took advantage of a second chance to work out for NFL scouts and cut more than two-tenths of a second off his time in the 40-yard dash. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
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** FILE ** In this Nov. 11, 2007, file photo, Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman throws against the Miami Dolphins during an NFL football game at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Losman doesn't appear to be going anywhere despite his request that the Bills trade him. "J.P.'s on this roster and he's a part of this organization. And we anticipate J.P.'s going to be on this team," Bills chief operating officer, Russ Brandon, said Wednesday, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
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** FILE ** In this Nov. 11, 2007, file photo, Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman throws against the Miami Dolphins during an NFL football game at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Losman doesn't appear to be going anywhere despite his request that the Bills trade him. "J.P.'s on this roster and he's a part of this organization. And we anticipate J.P.'s going to be on this team," Bills chief operating officer, Russ Brandon, said Wednesday, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
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** FILE ** In this Dec. 2, 2007 file photo, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Chris Redman passes during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams in St. Louis. After being out of the league for three full years, Redman made an improbable comeback last season and appears likely to remain the Falcons starter in the Year 2 A.V., After Vick. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick listens to a reporter's question during a pre-NFL draft media availability at the team's football facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday morning, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick responds to a reporter's question during a pre-NFL draft media availability at the team's football facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday morning, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
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New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork listens to a reporter's question during a pre-NFL draft media availability at the team's football facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday morning, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
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Football player Tony Gonzalez arrives at The Billie Awards presented by the Women's Sports Foundation in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Tuesday, April 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
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** FILE ** Defensive back Antoine Cason of Arizona makes a catch as he runs a drill at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in this Feb. 26, 2008 file photo. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Kyle Turley, who retired after the 2007 season, has never been shy about expressing his opinions. And on ESPN Radio today, Turley expressed some very strong opinions about suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam Pacman Jones.
Asked whether Jones should be reinstated into the NFL after serving a suspension for the entire 2007 season, Turley insisted that he shouldn't, saying that he believes Jones was directly responsible for a shooting in Las Vegas last year that left a man named Tom Urbanski paralyzed. Jones pleaded no contest to a charge of conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct, a gross misdemeanor
But Turley said he's personally familiar with the facts of the Jones case, and he said on the air today, "There's a lot more to this story than people want to know. I wish the entire thing would come out and who was there and who Pacman was in cahoots with. ... Pacman was definintely involved with this whole thing and the instigator of the whole incident."
It seems unlikely that Turley actually knows more about what happened than the authorities do, and it seems unlikely that if Jones were really as directly responsible for the shooting as Turley seems to believe, that the authorities would let him off with a no contest plea to a misdemeanor. But what does seem likely is that a lot of NFL players, like Turley, are sick of the way the handful of guys like Jones tarnish the reputation of the entire league.
The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, an organization devoted to raising money for retired NFL players with medical and financial problems, had its Super Bowl fundraiser Wednesday night in Arizona, and although the event was mostly devoted to and attended by players from the past, the name of one current player kept coming up: Kyle Turley.
Turley, a Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman, donated a game check (worth about $40,000) to the Gridiron Greats during the 2007 season, and he encouraged other players to do the same. For that and other efforts to bring awareness to the plight of disabled ex-NFL stars, Turley drew praise Wednesday night from such NFL legends as Mike Ditka, Mean Joe Greene, Ed "Too Tall" Jones and LeRoy Kelly.
For Turley's part, he said, "I'm in complete awe of the guys in this room. I was coached by the greats who played this game and I want to give back to them. Until active players stand up and lend their voice, the problems we have are not going to get fixed."
Turley said he plans to retire, and that he thinks being out of the NFL will give him more freedom to speak up for what he believes in, and speak out against a players' union that, in Turley's view, doesn't do enough to ensure the health and safety of former players. Turley shouldn't stop speaking out when he stops playing football. His is a voice that needs to be heard.
If you hadn't read that headline, and I had given you 100 chances to guess the favorite football player of a young Reggie Bush, you wouldn't have guessed Kyle Turley, would you?
But it's true. During Thursday night's Chiefs-Saints game, the TV sideline announcer said the game featured Bush, the Saints' young running back, and Turley, the Chiefs offensive lineman who was Bush's favorite player during his adolescence. I did a little research and found this:
When [Bush] was a youngster living near the campus of San Diego State University, a young Aztecs football player lived in an apartment across the street and was drafted by an NFL team.
Bush knew him. And when the player was selected in the first round of the draft, Bush asked that the player bring back some team gear. The player signed the items and gave them to Bush.
Bush says he always remembered what Kyle Turley, the Saints' 1998 first-round pick, did for him, and Bush admits that was another lesson that stuck: take time out for others.
So kudos to you, Kyle Turley. You may be a helmet-throwing maniac, but apparently you've got a softer side, too.
Veteran offensive tackle Kyle Turley, who only a few years ago was rated among the NFL's top right tackles, will get another opportunity to resurrect his career.
The Kansas City Chiefs, who are to report Friday to training camp, have signed Turley to a contract, the details of which were not immediately available. While the return of Turley to the league and to the Chiefs, who released him earlier this spring, probably isn't as big a headline item as the comeback of Kansas City tailback Priest Holmes, it is still a significant development.
It's especially significant to Herman Edwards, who is expected to beef up his security detail again with Turley around. After all, Turley is most famous for angrily tossing a Jets' player's helmet while playing for the Saints (video here) and threatening the life of Mike Martz while playing for the Rams (the best headline I've ever written here).
It's hard to tell whether Turley has mellowed with age, but take a look at that photo and ask yourself -- do I want to get into a bar fight with that guy? That may be exactly the attitude the Chiefs are hoping to see again this year.
First things first: yes, I have proclaimed faith in Adam Carriker's ability to play defensive tackle in the NFL. But the more I think about it, the more I have my reservations.
Carriker, 6-6 and 312, played end at Nebraska, but Haslett said that after the spring workouts and minicamps, "we've seen enough of him inside to say that he can be effective. Can he play nose tackle? I don't know; that's something we'll see when we put the pads on. But I think he can."
This is coming from Jim Haslett, the very same defensive coordinator of which my friend Kyle, a Rams fan, remarks, "I'm just hoping to get out of the Haslett era without him doing anything disastrous." The same Jim Haslett who's got a laundry list of failures sticking a player at a foreign position.
Will Witherspoon, LeCharles Bentley, Charlie Clemons, Cie Grant, Kyle Turley, and Boo Williams are just a few of the notable names who've failed or seen their production and efficiency drop because Haslett remained stubborn in sticking with a failing project. As for Carriker, he's got the frame (6'6'', 312 lbs.) to play tackle, but the guy played primarily at end in college, and even when he lined up at tackle, he was hovering over smaller, inferior talent. We'll see if history repeats itself.
In the coming weeks, I plan to start talking about what the Chiefs will likely do this offseason to help themselves at each position. This first blog will reference the easiest positions for the Chiefs to resolve. Punter: No mystery here. Dustin Colquitt stays.
Tight End / Fullback: The Chiefs already took care of business by signing Tony Gonzalez to a long-term deal. They will also return a healthy Ronnie Cruz to the roster, but there's no guarantee that he'll start. Ronnie Cruz turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. He was only an adequate blocker and very average on all other dimensions.
So what now? What the Chiefs do at the fullback position will ultimately determine what they will do at tight end. As of now, Kris Wilson is serving as the starting fullback. He is not a true blocker, but he proved to be a solid receiving option when he was switched into the role of H-back. The question is, are the Chiefs willing to continually sacrifice terrific blocking for a threat like Kris Wilson to serve as an H-back? I think they will. I think Wilson will only get better as a blocker, and he should figure better into a simplified gameplan. Then again, it would not surprised me if the Chiefs used a late round pick on a fullback prospect.
The Chiefs might also want to start looking for a run blocking tight end specialist. Jason Dunn is getting older and more beat up every year.
All the chiefs problems lead directly back to Trent Green. I agree that defensive calls are also bad, but im tired of hearing how great Green is when all his stats have come from throwing to his te and backs. His interception and fumble took the air out of the chiefs and kept them from adding to their lead. You could see the momentum shift after that. I say we should have stuck with Huard and we would still be in the play-off hunt. Just look at the qb rating. - Steven Talley
Actually, Steven's response is representative of a fairly significant crowd in Kansas City that feels that Green deserves a lot of blame for the Chiefs' despicable loss on Sunday to the Browns.
I don't agree. Without Trent Green, the Chiefs had no fighting chance of beating the Browns. Larry Johnson did well, but he wasn't as consistently dominant as he is in most games. The defense was putrid and gave up 28 points in regulation to a pee-wee league offense. There are so many people to blame for the loss that it's hard to imagine why a man who threw 4 TDs with a 75% completion percentage deserves much of that blame.
No, it is not the Chiefs' starting lineup. It is the injury report. Six starters are either out, doubtful, or questionable. Sammy Knight has been upgraded to probable.
It is really quite a list. Brian Waters and Tony Gonzalez are perennial Pro Bowlers. Derrick Johnson is a Pro Bowl-caliber player. Tamba Hali was a sleeper possibility for defensive rookie of the year. Greg Wesley was having his best season in several years. Kevin Sampson... well, he had to be replaced by Kyle Turley.
The Chiefs are still going to be favored against the Raiders, but the game is going to be a lot tougher than it should be. Chris Bober, replacing Waters, was nothing more than a turnstile against the Dolphins. Jason Dunn, replacing Gonzalez, is a fine blocker, but is as much of a downfield threat as Lawrence Tynes is. Keyaron Fox, replacing Johnson, forgot that the most important part of tackling is to actually bring the ballcarrier down. Eric Hicks has not had a sack in about forty years. And, of course, there is Turley, of whom nothing more needs to be said, except that I already did.
I suppose I should take some solace in the fact that all these injuries came when the Chiefs are facing the Raiders. Yet, I cannot help but worry. Only the win against the 49ers was easy; otherwise, the Chiefs have scratched, clawed, and hung on for dear life to win games. The Chiefs absolutely cannot lose this game if they want to keep any hope alive for the playoffs. As Herm Edwards has said all year, "You play to win the game." The only problem is that, well, you need to actually play.
Kyle Turley is well known for his, shall we say, confidence. Give him this-- he has little fear. He will say what is on his mind, and usually that is in regard to how much better he is than his defensive opponent. At one time in his career, he could back up his claims. He was a definitely solid, probably good, debatably great lineman with the New Orleans Saints and St. Louis Rams. A back injury forced him into a premature retirement and left St. Louis scrambling for a replacement.
Like any good football player who retires in his prime, Turley itched to come back. However, warning signs should have flashed like a 1950s marquee when he attempted his comeback as a tight end. Kansas City took a flier on him after it became apparent they would need lots and lots of depth at offensive line.
The problem? Turley looked like the Nicole Richie of offensive linemen. Listed at 6-5, 285, he looks no bigger than a 250 lb linebacker. Tony Gonzalez is listed at 6-5, 251, and he looks considerably larger than Turley. The Chiefs justified trying Turley out as a tackle by claiming that he would gain weight as the season went on, and that his skills were enough to compensate for his lack of weight.
Offensive lineman Kyle Turley, who announced his retirement from the Kansas City Chiefs this year, is one of the most outspoken opponents of the NFL player's union. Running back Robert Smith, who retired from the Minnesota Vikings in 2000, is one of the most passionate supporters of the union. 
Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman 
Notes on 
If you hadn't read that headline, and I had given you 100 chances to guess the favorite football player of a young Reggie Bush, you wouldn't have guessed Kyle Turley, would you? 
Apparently, the Kansas City Chiefs looked at their roster yesterday and thought to themselves, "Y'know, 
First things first: yes, 
In the coming weeks, I plan to start talking about what the Chiefs will likely do this offseason to help themselves at each position. This first blog will reference the easiest positions for the Chiefs to resolve.
Call me Nostradamus, Swami, Fortune-Tell-Extraordinaire. 
Kyle Turley is well known for his, shall we say, confidence. Give him this-- he has little fear. He will say what is on his mind, and usually that is in regard to how much better he is than his defensive opponent. At one time in his career, he could back up his claims. He was a definitely solid, probably good, debatably great lineman with the New Orleans Saints and St. Louis Rams. A back injury forced him into a premature retirement and left St. Louis scrambling for a replacement.
