Chiefs A message of Positivity, from Mr. Jason Whitlock - Page 2

chiefzilla1501 · 11-22-2009, 11:22 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...y/1587222.html
The victory was just icing. The progress could be seen long before Matt Cassel shook off a critical fumble and began the process of rehabilitating his image.

The progress started with Kansas City’s rookie head coach, Todd Haley, who may have finally figured out what to do with his game-day emotions.

Rather than castigate his players, F-bomb his assistants and bicker with the refs, Haley spent his most productive Sunday as an NFL head coach fueling his players with positive energy. They responded with their most promising performance in two years.

Kansas City 27, Pittsburgh 24 in OT!

Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs, winners of five of their last 30 games, knocked off the defending Super Bowl champions at Arrowhead Stadium.

It wasn’t a fluke. The Steelers tried to win the game. They didn’t stumble into Arrowhead hung over from a night of being denied entrance into P&L nightclubs. The Chiefs played a good football game and took advantage of the Steelers’ errors.

Jamaal Charles returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Tamba Hali led a Kansas City pass rush that harassed Big Ben Roethlisberger and eventually sidelined him with a knee to the head. Brandon Flowers manufactured the first of four Pittsburgh turnovers, poking the ball out of the arm of receiver Mike Wallace. KC safeties Mike Brown and Jon McGraw accepted the challenge of being physical against Pittsburgh’s running game. Linebacker Andy Studebaker intercepted Big Ben twice, returning one 94 yards, setting up a Kansas City field goal.

And, most important, the Chiefs’ $63 million acquisition, Cassel, showed some real courage down the stretch. I thought he was going to fold after his inexcusable 360-spin, I’m-afraid-of-a-pass-rush fumble that basically handed the Steelers a 24-17 advantage in the fourth quarter.

Cassel had been dreadful to that point, completing eight of 18 passes for 95 yards through a little more than three quarters of play.

“He was really down when he turned the ball over, but he bounced back and made some great plays,” Haley said of his quarterback.

Cassel may have saved his Kansas City career. He certainly bought himself some time.

On KC’s next possession, facing third and 9 from the Chiefs’ 10, Cassel laced a strike down the middle of the Pittsburgh defense to Lance Long for 30 yards. Cassel followed it up with a 47-yard bomb to Chris Chambers. Cassel drove the Chiefs 91 yards in eight plays, hitting Charles with a 2-yard TD pass.

In overtime, Cassel set up the Chiefs’ game-winning field goal with a 61-yard, third-and-5 connection to Chambers.

If you would like, you can crawl into the statistics — which were dominated by the Steelers — and craft an argument that the Chiefs got lucky.

Nope. This was Kansas City-created good fortune. No doubt the Steelers are the better team and would likely beat the Chiefs eight out of 10 games. But Haley’s Chiefs followed a proven blueprint on how to beat a superior football team: 1. win the turnover battle; 2. score on special teams; 3. get after the opposing quarterback; 4. make big plays that dramatically change field position.

Did Haley mismanage the clock at the end of both halves? Yes, he was too conservative before halftime. But that’s nitpicking.

Haley coached an excellent football game. He concentrated on play-calling and encouraging his players. He left the refs alone. He didn’t overreact to the mistakes made by his players.

Had the Chiefs lost the game, I would be writing the exact same thing. Haley is learning how to be a head coach. His players are noticing and appreciative of his change in demeanor.

“I’m a rookie head coach and am passionate about what I do,” Haley said. “I live and die every day on how it goes with this team — not just game day. When you care about something, there is going to be some emotion. It’s easy to be positive when good things are happening.”

Good things happen when you expect positive results, when you put your mind in a positive place, when you treat the people fighting with you like they have as much invested in the outcome as you do.

Haley’s transformation from coaching mad man to competent leader has been going on for several weeks. Sunday, he finally struck the right balance. His team reflected his new spirit. The players wanted to shock the Steelers as much as their coach, whose father played and worked for the Steelers.

Are things perfect between Haley and his players? No. But there’s been a lot of progress.

To reach Jason Whitlock, call 816-234-4869 or send e-mail to jwhitlock@kcstar.com. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com.

Direckshun · 11-22-2009, 11:41 PM

There's a difference between bad and stupid.

If bad's the best you can do because you're a bad player, screaming doesn't do much.

Haley's lost his shit over dumb things, at least from what I can tell on TV.

Titty Meat · 11-22-2009, 11:46 PM

Haleys Chiefs are 3-2 in the last 5 ballgames

Direckshun · 11-22-2009, 11:48 PM

I know nobody in this thread will remember this, so I'll just ask that you use my reputation (not my rep, my actual reputation) built up over 3 years of posting here, and 17,000 posts as a guide here when I say the following:

I called this. I said the team would go 0-whatever, or 1-whatever before the bye, and would go .500 after the bye.

This team is being built the right way.

Silock · 11-22-2009, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

The what? They played the best they absolutely could? Wha?

Did you watch the first half? That was as bad of a half of football that we've witnessed all year.

If he stayed calm through that, it's definite improvement on Haley's part.

I don't think it was THAT bad. Not as good as it should have been, but it wasn't as bad a half as the Oakland game, by far.

I mean, the Steelers had WAY more penalties than we did. I think we had 2 the whole game.

Psyko Tek · 11-22-2009, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCChiefsfan88

Next week is going to be a big test to see how sustained the Chiefs progress since the bye week is. I'm not asking for the Chiefs to beat the Chargers in San Diego next Sunday, but I would like to see them be competitive throughout the game.

**** that ask, hope for a wim
be satisfied with a competetive game

**DeezNutz** · 11-22-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silock

I don't think it was THAT bad. Not as good as it should have been, but it wasn't as bad a half as the Oakland game, by far.

I mean, the Steelers had WAY more penalties than we did. I think we had 2 the whole game.

It was disastrous. We gave up approximately 300 yards of offense, while managing only about 50 ourselves. Cassel was wretched, and Haley looked lost to end the half, with all three timeouts in his pocket.

This is what made the second half all the more remarkable.

Silock · 11-23-2009, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

It was disastrous. We gave up approximately 300 yards of offense, while managing only about 50 ourselves. Cassel was wretched, and Haley looked lost to end the half, with all three timeouts in his pocket.

This is what made the second half all the more remarkable.

I'm not saying it wasn't bad. It was. But I don't think it was the worst half of the season. I thought our first half against the Eagles was definitely worse. We were down 24-7 at the half and just gave up. We weren't even trying by half-time.

Sweet Daddy Hate · 11-23-2009, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjp27

He would not have been writing the same column had the Chiefs lost.

I agree. That part seemed disingenuous. Otherwise the article was FAIR to all parties involved.

**DaneMcCloud** · 11-23-2009, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

It was disastrous. We gave up approximately 300 yards of offense, while managing only about 50 ourselves. Cassel was wretched, and Haley looked lost to end the half, with all three timeouts in his pocket.

This is what made the second half all the more remarkable.

Dude, the Chiefs won! That's all that counts!

Leave the stats to the stats guys or whatever they're called.

Pablo · 11-23-2009, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Dude, the Chiefs won! That's all that counts!

Leave the stat to the stats guys or whatever they're called.

The letter 'W' is better than any number in any stat column.

Bunit · 11-23-2009, 01:46 AM

That fat mother****er such a ****ing joke.

GoHuge · 11-23-2009, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

It's also possible that Haley had a LOT less to be pissed about.

His Chiefs played the best they absolutely could, with minimal dumb mistakes.

Well I couldn't agree more. I'll use the best quote I ever heard from a coach regarding this very topic........."I don't have to yell as much when they don't do dumb things." Frank Martin

Sweet Daddy Hate · 11-23-2009, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Dude, the Chiefs won! That's all that counts!

Leave the stats to the stats guys or whatever they're called.

I can only speak for myself. It's not that the Chiefs won, it's that the Chiefs won against a legitimate team.
Now maybe the Steelers were a bit lacking in the mojo department due to the losses or because TP is such a massive player that makes said mojo happen( I'll take Eric Berry in the 1st please

), but the Chiefs did what was considered by everyone under the sun to be impossible.

Hell, not only impossible, but unthinkable. That DOES count.

I know what this game means in the big picture; a fabulous win by a team that has MILES of work ahead. But God damn; if you're going to throw down the gauntlet as a team and say "I've had enough of this shit, and today you're going to hear about it", it was about as perfect and poetic a win as one could ask for.

SenselessChiefsFan · 11-23-2009, 05:23 AM

I love how he said Haley has been developing over the last couple weeks.... funny.... I thought he just blasted him last Monday after a win. I doubt he would be writing the same article after a loss. It just so happens that he would have come off even less credible had he bashed Haley after winning a game against a much superior team.

**the Talking Can** · 11-23-2009, 05:57 AM

"Haley’s transformation from coaching mad man to competent leader has been going on for several weeks"

Whitlock is an ass clown, and a liar.

one week ago, Whitlock wrote (after a win), that Haley has an out of control ego and no credibility as a coach...

two weeks ago, Whitlock wrote, that Haley was in over his head and "had no clue about leadership," he also claimed that Haley "stripped his players of emotion"...and wrote this of Haley ever becoming something but an egotistical, Brian Waters hating, failure:

"They [pioli/haley] remind me a little bit of legacy frat boys. Those guys never change."

then fat ass tries to jump on the bandwagon as if he has the first ****ing clue about anything Haley is doing....Clown Show

11-22-2009, 11:22 PM
chiefzilla1501 In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2008 Casino cash: $-1705503	A message of Positivity, from Mr. Jason Whitlock http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...y/1587222.html The victory was just icing. The progress could be seen long before Matt Cassel shook off a critical fumble and began the process of rehabilitating his image. The progress started with Kansas City’s rookie head coach, Todd Haley, who may have finally figured out what to do with his game-day emotions. Rather than castigate his players, F-bomb his assistants and bicker with the refs, Haley spent his most productive Sunday as an NFL head coach fueling his players with positive energy. They responded with their most promising performance in two years. Kansas City 27, Pittsburgh 24 in OT! Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs, winners of five of their last 30 games, knocked off the defending Super Bowl champions at Arrowhead Stadium. It wasn’t a fluke. The Steelers tried to win the game. They didn’t stumble into Arrowhead hung over from a night of being denied entrance into P&L nightclubs. The Chiefs played a good football game and took advantage of the Steelers’ errors. Jamaal Charles returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Tamba Hali led a Kansas City pass rush that harassed Big Ben Roethlisberger and eventually sidelined him with a knee to the head. Brandon Flowers manufactured the first of four Pittsburgh turnovers, poking the ball out of the arm of receiver Mike Wallace. KC safeties Mike Brown and Jon McGraw accepted the challenge of being physical against Pittsburgh’s running game. Linebacker Andy Studebaker intercepted Big Ben twice, returning one 94 yards, setting up a Kansas City field goal. And, most important, the Chiefs’ $63 million acquisition, Cassel, showed some real courage down the stretch. I thought he was going to fold after his inexcusable 360-spin, I’m-afraid-of-a-pass-rush fumble that basically handed the Steelers a 24-17 advantage in the fourth quarter. Cassel had been dreadful to that point, completing eight of 18 passes for 95 yards through a little more than three quarters of play. “He was really down when he turned the ball over, but he bounced back and made some great plays,” Haley said of his quarterback. Cassel may have saved his Kansas City career. He certainly bought himself some time. On KC’s next possession, facing third and 9 from the Chiefs’ 10, Cassel laced a strike down the middle of the Pittsburgh defense to Lance Long for 30 yards. Cassel followed it up with a 47-yard bomb to Chris Chambers. Cassel drove the Chiefs 91 yards in eight plays, hitting Charles with a 2-yard TD pass. In overtime, Cassel set up the Chiefs’ game-winning field goal with a 61-yard, third-and-5 connection to Chambers. If you would like, you can crawl into the statistics — which were dominated by the Steelers — and craft an argument that the Chiefs got lucky. Nope. This was Kansas City-created good fortune. No doubt the Steelers are the better team and would likely beat the Chiefs eight out of 10 games. But Haley’s Chiefs followed a proven blueprint on how to beat a superior football team: 1. win the turnover battle; 2. score on special teams; 3. get after the opposing quarterback; 4. make big plays that dramatically change field position. Did Haley mismanage the clock at the end of both halves? Yes, he was too conservative before halftime. But that’s nitpicking. Haley coached an excellent football game. He concentrated on play-calling and encouraging his players. He left the refs alone. He didn’t overreact to the mistakes made by his players. Had the Chiefs lost the game, I would be writing the exact same thing. Haley is learning how to be a head coach. His players are noticing and appreciative of his change in demeanor. “I’m a rookie head coach and am passionate about what I do,” Haley said. “I live and die every day on how it goes with this team — not just game day. When you care about something, there is going to be some emotion. It’s easy to be positive when good things are happening.” Good things happen when you expect positive results, when you put your mind in a positive place, when you treat the people fighting with you like they have as much invested in the outcome as you do. Haley’s transformation from coaching mad man to competent leader has been going on for several weeks. Sunday, he finally struck the right balance. His team reflected his new spirit. The players wanted to shock the Steelers as much as their coach, whose father played and worked for the Steelers. Are things perfect between Haley and his players? No. But there’s been a lot of progress. To reach Jason Whitlock, call 816-234-4869 or send e-mail to jwhitlock@kcstar.com. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com.
Posts: 51,630

11-22-2009, 11:41 PM	#16
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	There's a difference between bad and stupid. If bad's the best you can do because you're a bad player, screaming doesn't do much. Haley's lost his shit over dumb things, at least from what I can tell on TV.
Posts: 59,693

11-22-2009, 11:46 PM	#17
Titty Meat Inmem 2.0 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: My house Casino cash: $-1122442	Haleys Chiefs are 3-2 in the last 5 ballgames
Posts: 78,120

11-22-2009, 11:48 PM	#18
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	I know nobody in this thread will remember this, so I'll just ask that you use my reputation (not my rep, my actual reputation) built up over 3 years of posting here, and 17,000 posts as a guide here when I say the following: I called this. I said the team would go 0-whatever, or 1-whatever before the bye, and would go .500 after the bye. This team is being built the right way.
Posts: 59,693

11-23-2009, 01:46 AM	#26
Bunit Starter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Wilmington, NC Casino cash: $10004900	That fat mother**er such a **ing joke.
Posts: 198

11-23-2009, 05:23 AM	#29
SenselessChiefsFan MVP Join Date: Nov 2008 Casino cash: $10005450	I love how he said Haley has been developing over the last couple weeks.... funny.... I thought he just blasted him last Monday after a win. I doubt he would be writing the same article after a loss. It just so happens that he would have come off even less credible had he bashed Haley after winning a game against a much superior team.
Posts: 5,540

11-23-2009, 05:57 AM	#30
the Talking Can Supporter Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: street Casino cash: $9222208	"Haley’s transformation from coaching mad man to competent leader has been going on for several weeks" Whitlock is an ass clown, and a liar. one week ago, Whitlock wrote (after a win), that Haley has an out of control ego and no credibility as a coach... two weeks ago, Whitlock wrote, that Haley was in over his head and "had no clue about leadership," he also claimed that Haley "stripped his players of emotion"...and wrote this of Haley ever becoming something but an egotistical, Brian Waters hating, failure: "They [pioli/haley] remind me a little bit of legacy frat boys. Those guys never change." then fat ass tries to jump on the bandwagon as if he has the first **ing clue about anything Haley is doing....Clown Show __________________ Clark Hunt: "Thank god for the Dominican pool boy"**
Posts: 51,585