In big win, Chiefs find a leader in Romeo Crennel

[Hammock Parties]

This is dangerous. Chiefs players are lobbying openly for Crennel to get the job.

64-year old interim head coaches don't win shit in this league.

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/12/18...-a-leader.html

Rookie linebacker Justin Houston grabbed an orange bucket of blue Gatorade and followed a pack of co-conspirators to drench the Chiefs’ new head coach. Romeo Crennel took it, smiled and clapped.

Running back Le’Ron McClain strutted toward Arrowhead Stadium’s west end zone, dropped his helmet around the 25-yard line, and joined five or six teammates in high-fiving and hugging delirious fans.

Crennel missed it. By this time, he was making his way off the field, wiping away tears.

The Chiefs stunned the football world by beating the previously undefeated Packers 19-14 on Sunday, the most shocking outcome in the NFL this season and in Kansas City for longer than that, one that we all might look back on in a few years as the day the franchise’s direction changed.

Three critical developments, in ascending order of importance, emerged from Sunday’s improbable upset: The Chiefs maintained a sliver of playoff hope, reminded a city that football can be fun and almost certainly found their new head coach.

“We treated this as our Super Bowl,” running back Dexter McCluster said. “This was our Super Bowl. You could feel that positive energy.”

What the Chiefs accomplished on Sunday is now the talk of the league. The Packers are still the prohibitive Super Bowl favorites, owners of the second-longest winning streak in NFL history, the model franchise for 31 others trying to build sustainable and long-term success. They’d won 19 straight and came in averaging nearly 36 points per game.

Juxtapose that with an organization in disarray. The Chiefs hadn’t scored more than 10 points since October and have lost five times by 27 points or more — one away from the most since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970.

This last week started with head coach Todd Haley being fired. Kyle Orton, cut by the Broncos a month ago, became the Chiefs’ third starting quarterback of the season. Injuries continue to expose an inexcusable lack of depth.

Nobody wondered whether the Packers would beat the Chiefs as much as they wondered just how badly the Packers would beat the Chiefs.

Then a funny, fun and completely unpredictable thing happened: The Chiefs led for all but 4 minutes, held the Packers to their fewest points and yards since last season, shut down Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers and beat the defending world champions.

It can’t be as simple as Tyler Palko sitting, and the plainly capable Orton playing, can it?

Because even before this, Crennel figured to drop the “interim” from his new title as head coach after Haley’s firing.

But now, after the team’s most inspired effort of the season, the Chiefs almost surely have their man. The locker room is rooting for Crennel to get the permanent job — actually, some Chiefs players are openly lobbying for it.

“Everything was different,” McClain said of the past week. “More meeting time. More football time. Learning your opponent better, understanding your opponent. I know I watched more film this week than I watched all year. Everything was different, man. Good different.”

Especially after Haley openly admitted the Jets were better prepared than the Chiefs last weekend. What you hear from players now is both an indictment of the past and endorsement of the future with Crennel.

McCluster: “I know everybody in this locker room will fight for him.”

Receiver Terrance Copper: “He doesn’t give us a reason not to play hard for him.”

Running back Thomas Jones: “He’d be a great choice for us.”

Receiver Steve Breaston, a noted Haley supporter, even referred to Crennel’s nickname after the game on Twitter: “Yeah by the way … Rac City!!!!”

The descriptions of Crennel are a general sketch of what owner Clark Hunt and general manager Scott Pioli say they want in a head coach.

Crennel treats everyone with respect. He is obsessed with details, with fundamentals, with the kind of preparation that means the Chiefs know their opponents better than the other way around.

Crennel makes his own decisions (Orton found out he was starting Sunday’s game before Pioli did) without being insubordinate. He gives credit to his players first, his assistants second and himself never.

“I was just standing on the sideline,” he said. “That’s all I did today. They got it done.”

The parallels are too many to ignore. Crennel is consistent. He is dedicated. You will never see him take the kind of unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty that Haley drew in his last game.

Crennel went 24-40 over four seasons in Cleveland, but you know that Bill Belichick was also fired by the Browns before taking over the Patriots.

Pioli believes in guys he’s worked with, guys who’ve been in his system before. He believes that smart and motivated people get better with experience and can learn from mistakes.

In other words, Crennel fits.

The immediate impact of the Chiefs winning his first game in charge is kind of fun and mostly obvious. Green Bay’s perfect season is over. The Chiefs can still claim a mathematical shot at the playoffs.

A fan base is truly encouraged for the first time since that Monday night win over the Chargers, when the Chiefs improved to 4-3 and receiver Dwayne Bowe spray-painted his shoes and a dozen or so teammates put on “Scream” masks to celebrate on Halloween.

But it’s the other stuff that is more important, the other stuff that the players seem to know gives this a chance to be more than a temporary reprieve like their win in Chicago two weeks ago.

The feeling is entirely different this time. Some of that is Orton, who ran the offense well enough to knock off an opponent that hadn’t lost in more than a year.

The bigger part is Crennel, and a genuine vibe in the locker room that this team has found the right coach to make a still-promising future become reality.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Brock

I agree that 64 is old for a head coach in the NFL, but that's really only if you look at the number by itself and not the man. Romeo seems like a pretty sharp guy and he's probably in a lot better health than somebody like Charlie Weis.

Also, the long hours that these guys work aren't really work in the conventional sense. This job isn't exactly rocket science, it's just thinking about ways to improve the team and its performance. I'm not necessarily sold on Crennel, but his age isn't a real compelling argument against.

I agree. And maybe I am wrong but I always thought the coordinators put in longer hours than the head coach.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by Bo's Pelini

It was his first press conference I think. He was asked if he would comeback as a DC he said maybe it would depend on what the HC wants. He then was asked if he wanted to be head coach and he said yes but wanted to be able to pick his guys.

Makes sense. I think he ends up being the guy with McDaniels as the OC.

I honestly have no opinion about the HC until Cassel is gone. If he's here, I don't care who we get at HC. It's an epic failure.

Originally Posted by Omega

I'm surprised this had to be explained to anyone.

I'm surprised you just kept saying "he's old, he's old, he's old" without throwing out a logical argument. That's a logical argument. I don't think its a legal argument but I understand THAT concern.

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

It still illustrates my point... the idea that 64 is too old is ludicrous.

I agree. He's just pulling shit out of his ass. I would LOVE for somebody to do some research and break down overall records of coaches based on ages, categorizing them by 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, and so on. How interesting would that be?

And MAYBE if it came out that guys in the 60-70 range have bad records he could use that as an argument. But at this point he's baseless.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

So your entire argument is that due to the fact that he has lived 64 years he isn't qualified to coach the Chiefs? You base this on "trends" in the NFL...

No. My argument also takes into consideration that:

1. Interim head coaches don't go on to win SBs.

2. I don't believe Romeo is going to go get a QB.

3. His age guarantees he will be gone in a few years.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by KCrockaholic

But at this point he's baseless.

24 of 27 Super Bowl winners were under the age of 60.

Baseless?

Hardly.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Omega

No. My argument also takes into consideration that:

1. Interim head coaches don't go on to win SBs.

2. I don't believe Romeo is going to go get a QB.

3. His age guarantees he will be gone in a few years.

1. Jeff Fisher sure didn't.

2. Romeo isn't going to decide whether the Chiefs go get a QB. Neither would Jeff Fisher.

3. Poor performance will get a younger guy fired just as quickly.

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by Omega

No. My argument also takes into consideration that:

1. Interim head coaches don't go on to win SBs.

2. I don't believe Romeo is going to go get a QB.

3. His age guarantees he will be gone in a few years.

So basically, he's too old, and you've never seen an interim HC win a SB.

Yep, that settles it.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Omega

24 of 27 Super Bowl winners were under the age of 60.

Baseless?

Hardly.

Most NFL coaches have been under the age of 60. AN AMAZING COINCIDENCE? OR IS IT MORE?

Originally Posted by Omega

Coughlin and "interim" Romeo.

That's it.

Clearly we should follow this developing trend.

Your argument makes just as much sense as somebody demanding we run out and hire a 35 year old head coach simply because the Steelers won a ring when they did it.

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by Omega

24 of 27 Super Bowl winners were under the age of 60.

Baseless?

Hardly.

Like I've said. That doesn't take into account how many coaches during those seasons were in the 60+ range. There were more coaches in the 40-59 range than 60+ range, therefore, that number is skewed. NARROW MINDED ****.

Originally Posted by Omega

24 of 27 Super Bowl winners were under the age of 60.

Baseless?

Hardly.

You're bad, just very bad at analysis. Ask rainman to tell you why your 24 of 27 is bad data.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Phobia

Your argument makes just as much sense as somebody demanding we run out and hire a 35 year old head coach simply because the Steelers won a ring when they did it.

Terrible comparison. I'm examining 50 years of NFL history and the current state of head coaching in the NFL.

Someone making your argument is examining one team and one head coach.

[bricks]

Jack McKeon coached the Marlins in his 70s, Connie Mack coached up to 87...Dick Lebeau is 72 and is still coaching...Romeo can do it... There is hope.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by bricks

Jack McKeon coached the Marlins in his 70s, Connie Mack coached up to 87...Dick Lebeau is 72 and is still coaching...Romeo can do it... There is hope.

Will Romeo have us playing small ball or swinging for the fences?