Chiefs Whitlock:Haley shows some courage - Page 29

**Tribal Warfare** · 09-22-2009, 10:05 PM

Haley shows some courage
JASON WHITLOCK COMMENTARY

Rookie head coach Todd Haley has a big pair.

You could see that Tuesday afternoon when he opened his news conference with a brief apology to the media for a postgame inconvenience orchestrated by Chiefs general manager Scott Egoli.

“Apologize for after the game, being out there late,” Haley said. “Rookie head coach here, rookie mistake. Unaware of the time limit and how that makes it harder for you guys to do your job after the game.”

And you could really see Haley’s courage when he talked about the play of his quarterbacks, The Sixty Million Dollar Man and Brokie Croyle.

Despite Matt Cassel’s hefty price tag and the stake Egoli has in Cassel’s success, Haley appears quite determined to make Cassel earn untouchable-franchise-QB status.

“You gotta ultimately do what you think gives your team the best chance to win,” Haley responded to a question about his QB philosophy. “If that means another quarterback being in there other than Matt Cassel, then sign me up.”

That was the money quote. Haley set it up by reminding reporters that as an NFL assistant in New York, Dallas and Arizona, he participated in the process of Glenn Foley, Drew Bledsoe and Matt Leinart getting demoted in favor of Vinny Testaverde, Tony Romo and Kurt Warner.

Haley’s Tuesday news conference was absolutely fascinating. It was Bill Parcells-esque, not Bill Belichick-esque.

You understand the difference? In dealing with the media, Parcells is real, honest, straightforward. Belichick is intentionally bland, mysterious and worthless. Haley was groomed by Parcells. Egoli was groomed by Belichick.

Parcells has been successful everywhere he’s coached. Belichick built a dynasty in New England after flopping in Cleveland.

We’re two weeks into the Haley-Egoli regular-season marriage, and I believe we’ve just seen our first public sign these guys might be unequally yoked. There are definite signals they disagree about Egoli’s Sixty Million Dollar Man.

Monday afternoon, I was mesmerized listening to 610 Sports as former Chiefs player and NFL broadcaster Bill Maas explained his opinion that Haley wanted to start Brodie Croyle against the Raiders and that Egoli objected.

I thought Maas was crazy, but he sounded very convincing.

Tuesday, as I listened to Haley discuss his QBs, I had to admit Billy Bob knew something.

Haley was asked if he could envision Cassel not being the starting quarterback this season.

“I wouldn’t speculate on that,” Haley said. “There were a lot of positives in Matt’s performance.”

Haley then added that in a typical football game, there are seven critical plays a quarterback can make that will be the difference between winning and losing.

“There were clearly seven in (the Raiders) game where we’d probably like to do something different,” Haley said.

In case you missed the connection, dude just said Cassel went zero for seven on game-deciding plays. That pretty much answers how Haley feels about the end-of-half debacle, the sack Cassel took on third and 1 at the end of the game and an assortment of other offensive calamities.

As for Croyle, Herm Edwards’ quarterback of the future, Haley had nothing but good things to say about Kansas City’s opening-day starter.

“I’m excited about Brodie’s progress,” Haley said. “I think Brodie getting to play in the first game, got his feet under him a little bit, started to gain some confidence, and I think that was clear in last week’s practices.”

Haley later relived Kansas City’s close loss at Baltimore: “I thought Brodie Croyle went into a very difficult situation, hostile environment, against a very good defense, and he looked like an NFL quarterback. He gave us a legitimate chance to win. He executed the game plan the way he was asked to execute it.”

So what do I think?

Croyle’s too injury-prone to be my starter. And Cassel was way too unproven to be anybody’s Sixty Million Dollar Man. Haley is in a tough position. I’m impressed with the way he’s handling it. He’s attempting to be true to the message he’s delivered to his players — every position is open to competition.

I haven’t made up my mind about Haley. I’ve had only one opportunity to really talk with him, and that sitdown was ruined by Egoli. He talked over the top of Haley the whole night (a three-hour dinner). Seriously, questions were asked directly to Haley, and Egoli drowned out the rookie head coach with fury, arrogance and rants about championship teams being built by playing secrecy games with the local media.

I was embarrassed for Haley and in awe of Pioli’s ego. I’ve covered professional sports for 16 years, wrestled with King Carl Peterson, stood toe to toe with drunken, delusional, hostile millionaire athletes, battled Mike Lupica and irritated billionaire owners.

None of them can touch Scott Egoli.

I like the fact Kansas City has a football coach with a pair big enough to try.

TrickyNicky · 09-23-2009, 04:01 PM

I do really love the angle that Haley is somehow the abused wife that Pioli keeps answering questions for.

Whit: "So, uh Todd, I see you're wearing a sling..."

Haley: "Yeah, funny thing, I uh..."

Pioli: "He fell in the shower."

Mecca · 09-23-2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrickyNicky

We should have drafted him, and either held him ransom for the highest bidder or kept him and had Cassel on the restricted tender until we got a better picture of him. That said, hindsight is really nice.

There were several of us that wanted to do that without hindsight and we were called all sorts of names for wanting to do something "that stupid".

Sweet Daddy Hate · 09-23-2009, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

There were several of us that wanted to do that without hindsight and we were called all sorts of names for wanting to do something "that stupid".

This.

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-23-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrickyNicky

We should have drafted him, and either held him ransom for the highest bidder or kept him and had Cassel on the restricted tender until we got a better picture of him. That said, hindsight is really nice.

How many times was this mentioned from February to April 27th? 100? 1,000?

How many times was I called a ****ing idiot because of that suggestion? 100? 1,000?

Saccopoo · 09-23-2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrickyNicky

We should have drafted him, and either held him ransom for the highest bidder or kept him and had Cassel on the restricted tender until we got a better picture of him. That said, hindsight is really nice.

Only a ****ing idiot drafts a guy to "hold them for ransom."

HOSTAGE! HOSTAGE! HOSTAGE! HOSTAGE!

**Easy 6** · 09-23-2009, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soundmind

Thank you for your sanity.

I'm as heartbroken as the rest of the pack, but come on people. You knew overnight was NOT going to happen, and we're still entertaining all this negative banter and knee-jerk crap???

C'mon folks, you can't make ice cream out of water, I don't care how hard you stir. Haley is the best coach the Chiefs have had in a while, and he's someone who displays a lot of emotion and wears a lot on his sleeve. Does he yell? You bet. You know why? Cause he gives a shit. And you know...so do I. If the players showed up with half of the passion he coaches with, we'd have a chance.

We made dumb mistakes last week. We're a young, vastly short on talent team in more positions than not, so show some fortitude, this was going to happen. Sucks that it had to happen against the Faid.

Lead by example Todd, godspeed.

Killer.

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-23-2009, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

His career wouldn't be over because he fabricated a dinner story about Pioli and Haley.

I'm pretty shocked that you actually believe the shit Whitlock writes. He's had an agenda from early on and he's continued it.

So journalist integrity is dead in Kansas City, so much so that the Kansas City Star now prints outright utter lies?

**SAUTO** · 09-23-2009, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

So journalist integrity is dead in Kansas City, so much so that the Kansas City Star now prints outright utter lies?

how would the star know if some of the things he writes are true? he's not writing news here. he's a columnist who usually writes about his OPINION on things

**DeezNutz** · 09-23-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

how would the star know if some of the things he writes are true? he's not writing news here. he's a columnist who usually writes about his OPINION on things

Opinion based on evidence and research.

If he's falsifying this information there's no question it would come to the surface and he would and should be fired.

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-23-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

how would the star know if some of the things he writes are true? he's not writing news here. he's a columnist who usually writes about his OPINION on things

Jason, he has an editor and the Star does have fact checkers.

There's no way they'd publish a "supposed" direct quote of Todd Haley's like that without it being substantiated.

They could be sued for slander.

**SAUTO** · 09-23-2009, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Opinion based on evidence and research.

If he's falsifying this information there's no question it would come to the surface and he would and should be fired.

so you think he's not using a little embellishment to create an uproar in the fans since pioli/haley havent coddled him like the last regime?

**SAUTO** · 09-23-2009, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Jason, he has an editor and the Star does have fact checkers.

There's no way they'd publish a "supposed" direct quote of Todd Haley's like that without it being substantiated.

They could be sued for slander.

he never said who all was at the dinner. who's to know what ACTUALLY happened. if pioli had actually talked over haley dont you think someone else would come out and say it? why is it only whitlock?

**DeezNutz** · 09-23-2009, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

so you think he's not using a little embellishment to create an uproar in the fans since pioli/haley havent coddled him like the last regime?

Embellishing to me is the equivalent of falsifying information; it's dishonest.

What I think he does do, however, is take small jabs that annoy the **** out of people, things like Pioli's stupid nickname.

These cause people to overreact, IMO.

keg in kc · 09-23-2009, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Jason, he has an editor and the Star does have fact checkers.

There's no way they'd publish a "supposed" direct quote of Todd Haley's like that without it being substantiated.

They could be sued for slander.

I can't speak for anybody but me, but I don't have any issues with any of the pc quotes or how he decides to interpret them, right or wrong. What invalidates his column, and others, in my mind is his repeated use of "Egoli" - I think it's unprofessional, it's one thing to do that on a board or a blog, but he's supposed to be a journalist, even writing columns - and that paired with his effort to portray the relationship of the two as adversarial despite the fact that there's no palpable evidence of it, he's just not convincing me of anything but the fact that he clearly can't handle the new front office's media relations. He doesn't sound like a professional newspaper writer in any of his Chiefs work lately; he comes across more like a impotent jilted teenager throwing a temper tantrum for all to see.

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-23-2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

he never said who all was at the dinner. who's to know what ACTUALLY happened. if pioli had actually talked over haley dont you think someone else would come out and say it? why is it only whitlock?

So, you think he's a liar, correct?

09-22-2009, 10:05 PM
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-2807187	Whitlock:Haley shows some courage Haley shows some courage JASON WHITLOCK COMMENTARY Rookie head coach Todd Haley has a big pair. You could see that Tuesday afternoon when he opened his news conference with a brief apology to the media for a postgame inconvenience orchestrated by Chiefs general manager Scott Egoli. “Apologize for after the game, being out there late,” Haley said. “Rookie head coach here, rookie mistake. Unaware of the time limit and how that makes it harder for you guys to do your job after the game.” And you could really see Haley’s courage when he talked about the play of his quarterbacks, The Sixty Million Dollar Man and Brokie Croyle. Despite Matt Cassel’s hefty price tag and the stake Egoli has in Cassel’s success, Haley appears quite determined to make Cassel earn untouchable-franchise-QB status. “You gotta ultimately do what you think gives your team the best chance to win,” Haley responded to a question about his QB philosophy. “If that means another quarterback being in there other than Matt Cassel, then sign me up.” That was the money quote. Haley set it up by reminding reporters that as an NFL assistant in New York, Dallas and Arizona, he participated in the process of Glenn Foley, Drew Bledsoe and Matt Leinart getting demoted in favor of Vinny Testaverde, Tony Romo and Kurt Warner. Haley’s Tuesday news conference was absolutely fascinating. It was Bill Parcells-esque, not Bill Belichick-esque. You understand the difference? In dealing with the media, Parcells is real, honest, straightforward. Belichick is intentionally bland, mysterious and worthless. Haley was groomed by Parcells. Egoli was groomed by Belichick. Parcells has been successful everywhere he’s coached. Belichick built a dynasty in New England after flopping in Cleveland. We’re two weeks into the Haley-Egoli regular-season marriage, and I believe we’ve just seen our first public sign these guys might be unequally yoked. There are definite signals they disagree about Egoli’s Sixty Million Dollar Man. Monday afternoon, I was mesmerized listening to 610 Sports as former Chiefs player and NFL broadcaster Bill Maas explained his opinion that Haley wanted to start Brodie Croyle against the Raiders and that Egoli objected. I thought Maas was crazy, but he sounded very convincing. Tuesday, as I listened to Haley discuss his QBs, I had to admit Billy Bob knew something. Haley was asked if he could envision Cassel not being the starting quarterback this season. “I wouldn’t speculate on that,” Haley said. “There were a lot of positives in Matt’s performance.” Haley then added that in a typical football game, there are seven critical plays a quarterback can make that will be the difference between winning and losing. “There were clearly seven in (the Raiders) game where we’d probably like to do something different,” Haley said. In case you missed the connection, dude just said Cassel went zero for seven on game-deciding plays. That pretty much answers how Haley feels about the end-of-half debacle, the sack Cassel took on third and 1 at the end of the game and an assortment of other offensive calamities. As for Croyle, Herm Edwards’ quarterback of the future, Haley had nothing but good things to say about Kansas City’s opening-day starter. “I’m excited about Brodie’s progress,” Haley said. “I think Brodie getting to play in the first game, got his feet under him a little bit, started to gain some confidence, and I think that was clear in last week’s practices.” Haley later relived Kansas City’s close loss at Baltimore: “I thought Brodie Croyle went into a very difficult situation, hostile environment, against a very good defense, and he looked like an NFL quarterback. He gave us a legitimate chance to win. He executed the game plan the way he was asked to execute it.” So what do I think? Croyle’s too injury-prone to be my starter. And Cassel was way too unproven to be anybody’s Sixty Million Dollar Man. Haley is in a tough position. I’m impressed with the way he’s handling it. He’s attempting to be true to the message he’s delivered to his players — every position is open to competition. I haven’t made up my mind about Haley. I’ve had only one opportunity to really talk with him, and that sitdown was ruined by Egoli. He talked over the top of Haley the whole night (a three-hour dinner). Seriously, questions were asked directly to Haley, and Egoli drowned out the rookie head coach with fury, arrogance and rants about championship teams being built by playing secrecy games with the local media. I was embarrassed for Haley and in awe of Pioli’s ego. I’ve covered professional sports for 16 years, wrestled with King Carl Peterson, stood toe to toe with drunken, delusional, hostile millionaire athletes, battled Mike Lupica and irritated billionaire owners. None of them can touch Scott Egoli. I like the fact Kansas City has a football coach with a pair big enough to try.
Posts: 43,428

09-23-2009, 04:01 PM	#421
TrickyNicky My Black Friend, Alan Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Manhattan Casino cash: $10007047	I do really love the angle that Haley is somehow the abused wife that Pioli keeps answering questions for. Whit: "So, uh Todd, I see you're wearing a sling..." Haley: "Yeah, funny thing, I uh..." Pioli: "He fell in the shower."
Posts: 3,648