Pioli says Chiefs can turn around after 0-2 start

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Pioli says Chiefs can turn around after 0-2 start
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star




Like seemingly much of Kansas City, general manager Scott Pioli is more than a little stunned by the Chiefs’ 0-2 start.

But Pioli said Tuesday that his confidence in the Chiefs is not shaken and he remains convinced the Chiefs can still make something of their season.

“If any one of us knew what the answer was, we wouldn’t be sitting where we’re sitting right now,” Pioli said. “But I also don’t think it’s the end of the world. We have 14 games left. We’re certainly digging a hole but it’s not something we can’t get out of. Everyone within the organization is disappointed in the results so far. We’re all surprised because I don’t think any one of us went into the season thinking we would be 0-2. I don’t think any of us anticipated that.

“(He expects the Chiefs) to improve, get better and start winning some games in whatever order that is. Those are my expectations, but I want to be clear those are mine and our expectations. I think those are the players’ expectations, the coaching staff, the fan base. Our expectations at the beginning of this year were that we were going to be winning games. Right now, we haven’t done that. (But) we’re two games into a 16-game season.”

The Chiefs are one of six 0-2 teams in the NFL, but they weren’t close to winning either game. Their scoring differential of minus-34 points is second-worst in the league behind only Tennessee.

As the general manager, Pioli built the roster. Asked whether he was guilty of overestimating the abilities of some of the Chiefs’ players, Pioli said, “We think the roster is good enough. I think it is. Now it comes down to executing. We improved this team through free agency and did quite a bit of spending to improve this team whether it was contract extensions or the signing of other players. Time will tell if it was enough. I think it was.”

Regarding their spending, figures supplied by the NFL Players Association showed the Chiefs to have more than $26 million in available room under the league’s salary cap. Pioli said he didn’t regret not using more of that available cap space when the Chiefs built their roster.

“I think there are things we did do that helped this football team,” Pioli said. “I also know for a fact that this year alone we’re spending over $141 million in cash this year. That’s more than $20 million over the cap.

“It’s been proven time and time again that there’s not a direct correlation between spending cap dollars and winning. There’s not.”

Pioli said the Chiefs would need to allocate some of their available 2012 salary cap space toward the 2013 cap. He didn’t provide 2013 cap figures, but his comments indicate the Chiefs might otherwise be snug against the cap next season.

“We had better have cap room this year to roll over for next year to make sure we’re (in good shape),” Pioli said. “(Using available salary cap space) is not a year-by-year, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants thing.

Pioli during the offseason also hired Romeo Crennel as head coach, promoting him from defensive coordinator. Crennel finished last season as the interim coach. The Chiefs went 2-1 in those games and fell just short of making the playoffs and completing a dramatic turnaround.

Crennel remains the defensive coordinator this season as well. But the poor play of the Chiefs’ defense is a big reason for the 0-2 start. They have allowed 75 points, which is tied for worst in the league.

Asked whether Crennel was the right coach to direct the Chiefs out of their hole, Pioli said, “Absolutely he is. I think he’s doing a good job. I really do.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/18...#storylink=cpy

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

The Program ‏@theprogramkc

The Star's @adamteicher is on The Program now. Time to fix the #Chiefs



Adam just said Pioli is going no where. FML

That means Cassel isn't too

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

That means Cassel isn't too

I think a major loosing streak may be the only thing that gets us rid of Cassel.

At some point Pioli is going to get tired of the losing and the effect it has on his "reputation", since that is supposedly his biggest concern, his rep.

[FAX]

Originally Posted by BlackBob

Thanks... Hopefully there will be some in depth articles about this going into next year.

This normally occurs in respect to signing bonuses, Mr. BlackBob. I'll try to explain ...

Let's say you have a cage full of complete morons. Now, the league says you can only have 5 complete morons, but you want 6. What do you do? You acquire a stubborn, verbose idiot and convert him to a complete moron. It's a simple matter of terminology ... or accounting.

For example, a signing bonus of 50 million on a five-year deal can be spread (cap-wise) over the term of the contract ... five years. That's 10 million each year against the cap.

However, the 50 million you spent in the signing bonus is actual, real, hard cash that went from your bank account to someone else's.

In this way, a team can "spend" money above the cap in any given year, yet remain below the cap in terms of how the money is applied.

Hope that helps.

FAX

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

This.

I think we've over reacted quite a bit, and rightly so.

But if we clear our heads and look at it as football people and not as emotional fans, we can see that this team does in fact have the talent to right the ship.

We've seen them do it. We've seen DJ hit his correct assignments. We've seen the D-line hold up against the run. We know what Charles and Bowe are capable of.

It's a matter of WILL they do it?

We know these players are CAPABLE of doing it.

It's just a matter of whether they'll get it done or not, and whether RaC has the ability to get a high level of play out of them.

Confidence is huge in this league though. This team needs some.
They need to play over their heads and beat the Saints.
If this team stops believing in itself this season will spiral out of control.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Micjones

If this team stops believing in itself this season will spiral out of control.

At this point, isn't this what we need?

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

At this point, isn't this what we need?

I'm literally rooting for us to go 0-16.

[Black Bob]

Originally Posted by FAX

This normally occurs in respect to signing bonuses, Mr. BlackBob. I'll try to explain ...

Let's say you have a cage full of complete morons. Now, the league says you can only have 5 complete morons, but you want 6. What do you do? You acquire a stubborn, verbose idiot and convert him to a complete moron. It's a simple matter of terminology ... or accounting.

For example, a signing bonus of 50 million on a five-year deal can be spread (cap-wise) over the term of the contract ... five years. That's 10 million each year against the cap.

However, the 50 million you spent in the signing bonus is actual, real, hard cash that went from your bank account to someone else's.

In this way, a team can "spend" money above the cap in any given year, yet remain below the cap in terms of how the money is applied.

Hope that helps.

FAX

It does help and that's what I thought. Thanks man.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

[bigbucks24]

Originally Posted by BlackBob

It does help and that's what I thought. Thanks man.

Well done, Mr. Fax. And welcome back! I was going to explain it like this.

You sign a player to a 5 year contract. The signing bonus is $5MM and each year the salary is $1MM.

According to the cap, it is a 5 year, $10 MM contract. The hit against the cap is $2MM for the next 5 years.

According to the bank account, it looks like this.

Year 1 - $6MM
Year 2 - $1MM
Year 3 - $1MM
Year 4 - $1MM
Year 5 - $1MM

Of course, this is a very simplistic example. There are all kinds of incentives (likely-to-be-earned and not-likely-to-be-earned), roster bonuses, guarantees, and of course, all of the years don't have the same salary.

[Ace Gunner]

Do you feel better about this team now? Neither do I. That is the problem. Scott.

[In58men]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

I'm literally rooting for us to go 0-16.

Why? We'll just trade back for more picks and keep Cassel.

[BossChief]

They actually changed the rules for how a bonus can be spread to eliminate that loophole.

That's why players aren't getting crazy signing bonuses anymore and the focus is on guaranteed dollars.

I've been saying this about our spending for over a year now...the only reason we are under the cap right now is due to the rollover.

[kaplin42]

1 win, 5 wins, 8 wins, means nothing except for picking in the middle of the draft next year. Getting to the playoffs means nothing, since "Cap'n Shit my pants while I curl up in the fetal position and suck my thumb" will still be leading this team.

TBH, at this point, Pioli doesn't get redemption till we go to the bowl, otherwise it's all shit with peanuts in it. You may like peanuts, but you're still eating shit, and Pioli is the one holding the spoon and force feeding it to us.

[CaliforniaChief]

Mellinger is spot-on with what he wrote this morning. There's no trust. In fact, the more Pioli says it, the LESS we believe it.

So there's no proven connection between more spending and winning? But is there a proven correlation between not spending and guaranteed losing?

And there's certainly a proven connection between having elite franchise QB's and winning championships, yet Pioli continues to ignore that, hang his hat on "The Patriot Way", (which ironically is built around an elite franchise QB that in their collective genius they themselves passed on 5 times before picking), and "The Right 53."

He could win back the fans very quickly by admitting that mistakes were made and that great leaders re-evaluate themselves and do things differently. But it's not in his constitution. He could win hearts by saying that until we become a champion, that he has failed. Instead, he says that the goal is to "get better, improve, and win some games"?

He hides behind the curtain of arrogance, this "I know what the fans are saying but this is the truth" stuff. But the reality is that he's actually the LAST to know what all of us have figured out:

It ain't working. And if it ain't working, you have to change it.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Cash spending vs. the cap.

Two different things.

What he's saying is 100% true and accurate. It's been verified by independent entities.

The Chiefs' cap number is somewhere between 15-20M under the cap. However, in cold, hard cash, they're like 7th in the league in spending.

I think 99% of fans don 't realize what goes into running a business. All they see is what the media reports and our 0-2 record. As a business owner I have to make decisions that I know the employees are saying WTF but I have to do what I have to do because I have to look at the big picture. Personally I think Pioli is headed in the right direction, our roster is better than it was 4 years ago and again we need a better QB but who's availabe ??? I know draft one but it's an awful high risk with a first round pick.