The Death of Bark4Barkley

While many fans jumped on board the Suck4Luck campaign after the first couple of games for the Chiefs this season, I always knew that the Chiefs would not have a chance at Stanford QB Andrew Luck. The Chiefs, in their history, have never had the number one overall draft pick since the AFL-NFL merger. And with a team, although ravaged with injuries, so full of young talent, it would have been almost impossible for the Chiefs to have kept pace with the front-runner Colts.

Instead of Suck4Luck, I started the Bark4Barkley campaign. Going into this season, I had a feeling that USC QB Matt Barkley, had a chance to be very, very good. Even when Landry Jones was valued at the second best QB in college football, I just had a feeling that Barkley would be the second best QB coming out in the 2012 draft. Barkley became a realistic goal, one that was attainable.

And then the Chiefs started winning.

Soon the Chiefs were in first place of the AFC West, and looking ahead to the draft wasn't something I was concerned with. We had a chance at an improbable playoff run, and Matt Barkley took a backseat to that.

And then the Chiefs started losing again, and Matt Barkley became important. And when the Chiefs claimed Kyle Orton, I even contemplated on this blog that Kyle Orton could win us games and lose us position in the draft, thus not being worth it. Why should we care if we win a couple of meaningless games if it costs us a franchise QB?

Well, still being in the playoff race aside, the Bark4Barkley campaign came to an end this week. On Thursday at 3 pm C.T., Matt Barkley announced at a USC press conference that he was going to return for his senior season and a chance at the first bowl game in his college career (USC sanctions). And although Bark4Barkley died a valiant death (Barkley said that returning to college wasn't his original plan), it still brought all my draft day aspirations and hope crashing down around me. Now drafting a QB this year seems like a far-fetched notion.

Luckily, my heart can be mended by the Chiefs, Bills and Lions winning today. If that happens, the Chiefs face the Broncos next week for the division crown. Time and a playoff appearance heals all things.

Before I end this post, let me just remind everyone of Barkley's 2011 season:
308/446 (69.1%), 3,528, 39 TDs, 7 INTs, 2 rushing TDs