Whitlock:Haley shows some courage

[Tribal Warfare]

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.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Baby Got Grbac

whatever bad Cassel did against Oakland can be at least equaled by the idiotic 3rd and 18 check down from dumbass Croyle in the 4th quarter of the Ravens game...

That was at least EQUALLY as dumb as Cassel throwing that pass to Savage at the end of the 1st half.

Oh Hootie, .

Cassel ran for 9 yards on 3rd and 23.

Neither play was dumb. Just a guy trying to avoid a turnover in a hopleless, no-win situation.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I hope for the sake of our team Cassel is good because if he's not we're completely ****ed.

I bet you were shocked when he threw that touchdown. Admit it.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Uh that play didnt give up a sure 3 points.

yeah you're right

it just gave us 4th and 18 from our own 20 in a must-get-a-1st down situation!

Brilliant!

Lets throw a checkdown to a double covered shitty TE and hope he miraculously A) catches the ball and B) breaks 3 tackles to gain positive yardage so we can hurry up to the LOS and pray we pick up a 4th and 16 instead of a 4th and 18!

That pass was super ****ing pussy and served no purpose...as a Chiefs fan, I would have been much, much, MUCH more satisfied with a forced pick 6 downfield because at least that means he would have attempted to make a play...instead he checked down because he was afraid he might take a hit...rather than step up and try to make a play so we can win a football game.

That 3rd and 18 was all I needed to see (again) from Brodie...he's basically dead to me.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I hope for the sake of our team Cassel is good because if he's not we're completely ****ed.

It's best for the long term interests for him to be really good. But if he's not, it's almost better for him to be really bad so that we don't have to dwell in Carl-esque mediocrity thinking that we're just one or two players away when we really have no chance due to limitations under center.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Baby Got Grbac

yeah you're right

it just gave us 4th and 18 from our own 20 in a must-get-a-1st down situation!

Brilliant!

Lets throw a checkdown to a double covered shitty TE and hope he miraculously A) catches the ball and B) breaks 3 tackles to gain positive yardage so we can hurry up to the LOS and pray we pick up a 4th and 16 instead of a 4th and 18!

That pass was super ****ing pussy and served no purpose...as a Chiefs fan, I would have been much, much, MUCH more satisfied with a forced pick 6 downfield because at least that means he would have attempted to make a play...instead he checked down because he was afraid he might take a hit...rather than step up and try to make a play so we can win a football game.

That 3rd and 18 was all I needed to see (again) from Brodie...he's basically dead to me.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Oh Hootie, .

Cassel ran for 9 yards on 3rd and 23.

Neither play was dumb. Just a guy trying to avoid a turnover in a hopleless, no-win situation.

read below...

the Croyle pass on 3rd and 18 was an abortion of all abortions when it comes to NFL QB'ing...

Nothing Cassel did last game even rivaled that decision in my eyes...

and in all honesty, I think Cassel played a decent enough game to make me believe he will be a good QB for us...he's the only reason we really have for watching this abortion this year.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

It's best for the long term interests for him to be really good. But if he's not, it's almost better for him to be really bad so that we don't have to dwell in Carl-esque mediocrity thinking that we're just one or two players away when we really have no chance due to limitations under center.

One of my best friends is a Bills fan that lives in Jersey on Sunday night he said this to me..."If Sanchez keeps this up and the Jets end up good for a long time I'm blaming you and your stupid ass team"

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

you can never make your own point...tell me how that 3rd and 18 pass wasn't one of the dumbest decisions he could have made?

It was a terrible, terrible, ball-less throw that shows what kind of confidence Brodie Croyle has in his abilities.

He's a less talented, more injury prone version of Kyle Orton.

If that's what you want your QB to be than...whooopeee!

[Dylan]

On Whitlock:

Be careful of the bandwagon effect from viewpoints as well as objections because they don't fit someone's personal agenda.




just my expert opinion. ...

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by WildTurkey

I think Pioli had his QB picked before he even hired Haley... so Todd is just playing the hand that's been dealt....

And if you are an Offensive-minded coordinator with an established level of success, staking YOUR REPUTATION in the league as you move up to the next and final tier of coaching, wouldn't you DEMAND to have a say if not the FINAL say on who the most important member of your offense and in-fact the team is?

[Mecca]

It's no worse than throwing a 9 yard pass to the middle without calling a timeout then throwing a ball to an area where there are defenders then following that up by getting sacked.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Baby Got Grbac

read below...

the Croyle pass on 3rd and 18 was an abortion of all abortions when it comes to NFL QB'ing....

Yes, clearly more deleterious than throwing a left handed interception from your own end zone, or overthrowing an open receiver at the 10 yard line that leads to easy points, or missing an open receiver and causing a 70 yard INT return, or taking a sack when you could just throw the ball away, or losing track of the game and clocking it on fourth down, or lining up under the guard, or throwing a ball up for grabs when you're in the clutches of a defender on first down.

Did it ever occur to you that maybe he was just trying to get the **** rid of the ball or legally ground it so that the clock would stop?

Am I the only one who remembers multiple NFL teams picking up 4th and 18 or longer? It's a hell of a lot easier than scoring a touchdown when the other team has first and goal because of a sack/fumble or a boneheaded pick.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by Mecca

It's no worse than throwing a 9 yard pass to the middle without calling a timeout then throwing a ball to an area where there are defenders then following that up by getting sacked.

Coaches can call timeouts...if Haley wanted a timeout, he could have gotten a timeout...obviously, Haley didn't want a timeout...that's on Haley.

[DaneMcCloud]

Jamon Meredith was signed by the Bills.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Mecca

One of my best friends is a Bills fan that lives in Jersey on Sunday night he said this to me..."If Sanchez keeps this up and the Jets end up good for a long time I'm blaming you and your stupid ass team"

Yea don't blame Seattle whos QB is 34 and injury prone.