Carl Peterson approached the podium for his 40-minute farewell address wearing his customary tan and double-breasted suit coat, a red handkerchief peeking out from the pocket.
Not known for his thick skin, Peterson used the early portion of his remarks to gripe about the media. He expressed disgust with the "misinformation" that made its way into print and on to the air. He intimated that columnists and talk-show hosts were dilettantes. "They get paid to speculate," he said. "In the National Football League, this business is not about speculation." He even quoted Churchill.
The GM/president/CEO tried to dismiss any idea that he had been sacked. He said that he began discussing his departure with Hunt a year ago. Peterson said he was comfortable dropping all his titles with a year left on his contract. "Very simply, it was time."
Hunt has said that he does not want the next general manager to run the business side of the operation. Peterson suggested that splitting the responsibilities was his idea. Running a football team and a multimillion-dollar business required much decision-making, Peterson said, without conceding that he had not been up to the challenge. But the team's performance after Marty Schottenheimer left (four winning records in eleven seasons) indicates that Peterson was overwhelmed. The 2008 Chiefs were as bad as any Jack Steadman outfit from the '70s or early '80s.
Peterson was eager to revel in the glories of packed stadiums and memorable Monday Night Football games. He was less willing to take responsibility for the defeats. "Bad luck," he said team founder Lamar Hunt had told him after one of the 13-3 teams pulled a one-and-done in the playoffs. Still, one felt a bit of sympathy for Peterson when he noted his inability to present Hunt with the trophy that bears his name.
With no orchestra to play him offstage, Peterson went through a long list of people he wanted to recognize ("To our outside counsel...") He closed by thanking the Hunt family, calling Norma Hunt, Lamar's second wife, the most gracious and wonderful lady in all of professional sports. Speaking to reporters after the address, Peterson said he and his second wife, Lori, looked forward to spending time together in Hawaii, annual site of the Pro Bowl.
The press gaggle tried to get to Peterson to comment on speculation that he was going to work for the Miami Dolphins in some capacity. "I'm not even thinking about it at this point," he said. "I'm thinking about going away for a couple weeks and relaxing."
Peterson did say he'd like to remain in football. "Maybe I can be a consultant," he said, trying on a new title.
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From where I dwell, in my well sculpted nest, I can say without hyperbole that today the Chiefs and the world overall are in a much better place than they have been in a very long time. As that door hit where Carl is split, the world became a better place in every single possible way and all the 40-minute-loser-talk speeches in the world doesn�t change that.
Carl leaving, my friends, is change we can REALLY believe in!!
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