NFL Sunday Opens with Reaction to the Tragedy in Kansas City

Good morning and welcome -- NFL Sunday exports radio WEEI after ray out a little mini bye week. Them that the good part about -- you played two games in five days is that you get that little extra break the patriots. I had last Sunday off they are back in action this afternoon. In Miami against the Miami Dolphins and this is NFL Sunday so will spend most of the three hours today talking about that. Chris price from WEEI dot com is here. Former patriots linebacker Matt Chatham former patriots running back Kevin -- is here as well. It would be. Really difficult to have a football show and not talk about. The single most dominant topic and football so we're gonna do that at the top. And then will how to turn our attention to the things that we you know more routinely deal with here on a weekly basis. The opening couple of statements here are mine and mine alone and the three Fella sitting here. Don't have any part of what I'm gonna say and vacant strongly disagree if they'd like. I think I can have great sympathy and great empathy. Or victims of suicide. None of us can know what's going on in the head of -- person who decides that the only way out for them is to take their own life. I have zero sympathy and zero empathy. For anyone who takes someone else's life first. As I said on many occasions in the past the problem with murder suicide is that they always get the order wrong. That's the issue I have. To their credit I will say this about the Kansas City Chiefs. There will be no Helmut -- cal today. There will be a moment of silence for the victims of domestic abuse not for job on Belcher. And I'm happy to see that they have bought this thing through. Because -- on Belcher killed a woman. He made his three month old daughter and -- He then turned the gun on himself and killed himself later on at the Kansas City Chiefs practice facility. In front of Scott Pioli Romeo Crennel and his position coach -- the Kansas City Chiefs. Sorry you get notification of Jo -- Belcher from me. In fact I got a little creeped out watching ESPN this morning when they've got the full screen head shot. With 1985. To 2012. Underneath it. There was -- picture of Cassandra Perkins. She also probably had pretty similar birth years under their I think she was three years younger. There was nothing -- her passing from this earth. Having a hard time with people who were trying to somehow. Make -- on Belcher more than any world. We know. Is that he is a murderer. What we know is that he made his daughter and -- What happened after that. Is the substance of public domain it's what we read about what we talked about. And in the NFL community I know they are wrestling -- there were long conversations yesterday between the National Football League office. DeMaurice Smith of the players association. Ultimately they asked the Kansas City Chiefs captains. Should we played the game. The captains. On behalf of the team said that they wanted to play today. I don't know if the captains it's that they didn't wanna play today if the NFL would -- that because by the time they talked to the captain's about it. Carolina was already on an airplane and on their way to Kansas City. Those -- the things that are more mundane that we deal with on a regular basis. I'll also say this and you guys are better equipped than I. To know what Romeo Crennel is like you guys know him to know what Scott Pioli is like you guys an alum. I can't fathom. How those guys do their jobs today. They watched demand they know when presumably liked. Put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger according to one report in the Kansas City Star about three feet away from Scott -- Romeo Crennel probably has to make about 5000 decisions in the course of an NFL football game. And this is not a joking matter I'm not gonna talk about how poorly the decision making has gone for the -- so far this season it's been an abysmal season. How the heck do you keep a clear head. And make one decision let alone all the others that you have to make in the course of an NFL game. How do you do your job and that's that the classic Bill Belichick line doing your job. There's no playbook for how do you do your job in the aftermath of witnessing that. And the sympathy I feel is for. The baby who doesn't have a mother father. The parents of Cassandra Perkins the mom of Jo -- Belcher who -- in the house and watched it happen. The Kansas City Chiefs management and the players. Those are the people I feel sympathy for. Job on Belcher. Little harder for me to work a whole lot of sympathy. There and -- dissertation. You guys can rip me apart if you want to say whatever you want we were talking about this the last twenty minutes sitting here in the studio as we gathered. And I'll start with a simple question as NFL players. They go to you and say Kevin -- we play game tomorrow. Which who voted yea or neck. -- one of those that she's that you emotions take over. As a player and I know our emotional I am. And knowing that he was on my team I'm pretty sure I was will be voting no just because the emotion behind it. Yeah. I don't know I don't know what -- To be honest. I agree with Kevin and either way it would be emotional they would -- sensible yes serve her sensible though which are aware went so. You know. I promise Santa. The quote from the Kansas City mayor today really kind of -- for first and really two things from me you the quote McCain -- had him there was the first one where he said to think about two worst nightmare multiplied by five. And then that's the reaction to -- you know what whatever Romeo and in in Scottsdale you know watching it and presumably. From what we can. Gather there was a position coach out there -- -- we understand with the linebackers coach -- thing in India and brought up there's a three month old today who's on orphaned. It in that's the saddest thing communal. Just unfathomable. How you get to that point in anybody's life. According to -- Len Dawson. Former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback. Reporting -- Kansas City television last night he spoke to Scott Pioli. The last words Jo -- Belcher said to Scott Pioli and Romeo Crennel were I love. Then turned. According to the Kansas City Star pulled the gun put it to his head and pulled the trigger. I don't know what those -- and now a court and new again reading it the Kansas City Star which has as you might expect. More details than most on this. Brady Quinn said that about 930. Romeo Crennel had to address this team. Those who could get in because the police turned many players away from the practice facility would let the man. But those who got in there was a team meeting Romeo and L addressed his team. Told the team that jolt on Belcher had killed his girlfriend and then had been turned the gun on himself and killed himself. But the practice facility Brady Quinn said. He couldn't finish. He broke and who could. How could you finish -- when you're trying to describe that again you guys know -- better than I do that you played for -- What this guy must be going through today is just beyond belief for normal people -- Young. End. How is gonna get through it -- aren't always the man of faith and -- in a lot of the things you got to think about for days like this besides football book. They made the decision to do so they're gonna fear auto an old soul through a minute no Kevin and I know a lot of stores -- cells in the bill stuff like this -- death mean not not this kind of tragedy but still. Wasn't repeal love is in proximity to games and I've seen guys go through -- had to go through myself. It's always tough big example were using here is much more graphic than in -- of interest period -- actually get to. To witnesses bullets. You know I'm the only -- recommendation and make his personal I don't really -- -- that were first and foremost that thing that. We're -- kind of figure out in. Understand what had why it happened in what was understanding that it had an employee at the same time. There is people who that was affected as far as. Kansas City players to coaches and everything in we are trying to figure out how can the complete game jokingly. Even accept the -- of playing a game where I know people react differently to certain things and I just go back there and understand and when my mom passed to wait for me which is a different situation being. What happened yesterday but when my mom passed away the day after the funeral. I live. -- wanna be a part of anything. I just knew that football was my way. To stop thinking about everything to block everything out in that it was gonna take care of opinion that was going to be my comfort zone I'm not standard that the players' thoughts. But as a football player you don't wanna think about way. You know what -- well happen at all because. That's going to be sticking your here and I knew would happen at the facility and under what happened quick that's west sees a different situation and people reacting to certain different. You guys know as former players do you guys know of any sort of support system -- that the league has in place. When it comes to reaching out to players and coaches support staff administrative people. For something like this I imagine that there's no I mean that there's nothing in the responsible Oakland that the deal was from the Pacific like this there though Wisconsin. In terms of things like -- that there are things that are set in place by the league by the team yes it did help. And character of the editors of certain things pitching -- would. The -- has so many different programs that is. At hand for us and all we have to just make a phone call pick of the phone make a phone call. And tell them which you need in which it that the food and this is one of those programs you hope you never uses an extra in your top ten speaks well let's put. -- there and I think a saw and tweets relational league players officially announcing these people were. Being sort airlifted -- and obviously there in beaver and you -- the staff of the some story mark my father had. He's -- while rural properties back in our college town in South Dakota and murder suicide happened in places he owns and with the slows to red tape police type thing go along my dad had a and the cleanup the bedroom and a couple of pieces because and arrive for several days to do I obviously. Gruesome and -- it's hard to even try to make analogies between these things but just having witnessed the bat I know that years later. That's still certainly plastered. You can't even think if -- disclosed vision educated undermine you don't so. Worked fits in the -- -- -- -- roller world. You guys know while what football means to the people of Kansas City, Missouri I mean it is with the all the respect for the royals it's almost the only thing in Kansas City and it's one of the reasons why the abysmal season for the chiefs has been so trying. I was actually a little surprised to be honest with you the Kansas City Star ran a poll last night when I last checked a minimum maybe 45 minutes ago. They have had almost 7000 people respond it was a simple poll question should they played -- or not. 52%. To 48% said no. Which I gotta be honest with -- -- surprised me. It surprised me in Kansas City that most of the people not a huge majority but most of the people said they shouldn't play today. I wonder how -- wonder how much that's driven by the fact that there it's not been an economic competitive situation I'm older now like to think they would like yeah I think this is more just -- the proper emotional responsibility. In all business human beings -- cult released polls and you know. The people feel differently because -- non playoff chase and hope the hope it's the same way one way together to make the decision Whalen whether they were ten and one of one intent right you'd like to. You why it is amazing though in just having given some context of a situation -- you guys notice to -- it's a rabid fan base even now. In Kansas City for a it is a loud stadium is it believed it's a great football environment and to -- that -- pulled even in the context of what happened -- -- -- At one point yesterday afternoon CBS sportsline. On line actually posted the fantasy football implications of Jo -- Belcher killing himself. In other words if if you got Kansas City defense he had X number of tackles and -- and actually did this. Now you can imagine the hue and cry that ensued they ultimately pulled it actually fairly quickly. It does now still living screen grab and I seen that -- other people seated as well the person who actually. You know it and her on the keyboard and and tried to cope with the fantasy football implications of job on Belcher committing suicide is -- little beyond me. There was another guy on Twitter and I was following through yesterday and I apologize for not remembering. Is one of these fantasy football gurus and in his job. On line and on Twitter is fantasy football advice and he actually at one point yesterday said but don't ask me fantasy football questions about this this is. This is something beyond fantasy football this is. A child without a mother and father and -- was trying to be respectful. If you went on his site. And saw that tweets people were sending him. -- is your job wanna know this stuff I mean Egypt think about how do you get to the point in your life. Where where your first thought -- second thought. Is what does this mean personal if you get in Kansas City defense you've got issues that we can't even talk about anyway I'm making a joke to try to lighten the mood here somewhat. If you actually got to the point in your life where. You want some fantasy football guru and he explained to you what the fantasy football implications are of this man killing himself things you got to work through when your -- you you may have bigger problems. Then your fantasy football game if that's the case no car on the news that. And -- -- I admittedly I'm I'm not quite as big a fantasy football not as some of the folks who were out there. But come. I -- too worried how. I'm also sort of intrigued me intrigue just I think it's an equal. Sort of sickness and stuff like this happens and always campuses in sports and anything like there's always bizarre things. I'm always a little sort of taken aback by people trying to scramble for -- to their two cents and -- arm I read a lot of nonsense on line and the first point four hours that are really poorly -- that are religious speculation what Twitter was today we Twitter can be a fantastic -- this is -- is the same as it was just this is when Twitter just it was just a lot of bad information -- I mean as players we're used to -- judgments -- life we play in a big stage for a 7000 people people write articles about if -- with we stink on there we do well. I think that of this is a situation -- I think the -- should be turned on some people write these things if you if you came out four hours later and wrote. 600 words on something you didn't know about. I think that should be on the front page you ResMed -- because I think it's very responsible. I don't think a lot of us really know I think this gives you start peace to reference him as probably the best piece of information we've gotten -- Similar attacks it doesn't have a lot of us and there are a lot of BS and I think those people you know were used to be put on blast and we -- I think these people should be as well this is also and it's it's worth passing along. There is a good. -- just reference to hear there's a great piece in Kansas City Star written by Glen Rice that is a very. At least appears to be your very straightforward very simple account of what happened and it is in in terms of what we've seen in in everything it's been out there. Both on Twitter you know wherever this appears to be the best piece of information we've seen so four. The other sad part of this is that Jo -- Belcher should be one of those stories we celebrate football. This is a young man who played at the University of Maine. Wasn't one of the football factories. Was an undrafted players signed as a free agent made a position change from defensive line to line backer of the kind of guy Scott Pioli would love. Turned himself made himself into an NFL starting linebacker. He was not a star he was one of the appeal probable caliber linebackers but he was a starting linebacker in the National Football League -- did that by way of hard work in and determination. And he's one of those stories that. In normal course of events he would celebrate unfortunately the celebration ended. Sometime yesterday morning. About 7:50 yesterday morning when he shot his girlfriend. And sometime their after the practice facility when he turned the gun on himself. That's the down. That ends the serious portion of today's program. Wanted to get it out of the way -- top because -- is the biggest story in the NFL today it is everywhere. In the National Football League today I will say one final note and it goes meant to your point. About the low -- -- exist out there. At one point yesterday. Somebody was tweeting out on Joseph -- Belcher a -- Jo -- Belcher Twitter account asking people to donate money. To help support his orphaned daughter. It was a fraud. It was the world's biggest A hole. Trying to make money off ball and unfathomable. Tragedy and a whole lot of good decent people on National Football League trying to do good. Got sucked in by this. One thing here and someone here on the that the tax line mix probably the best -- it's just real simple you want answers talk to the mother in two weeks I think that's the biggest thing. A lot of that's the thing there was an eyewitness there wasn't I'm not an -- three month old eyewitness an adult eyewitness right so in even though this Kansas City stars -- articles pretty well reference I mean she does not get into the details what happened when he was killed one happened she gets and you know -- they were arguing this may be what the -- about. How those things went -- just get those details and she's probably narrative talk about either maybe it's gonna go public with a quite frankly so. Until those things happened a citizen is sort of be feasible.