Chiefs Mellinger - 'Fixes' won't do anything

rabblerouser · 09:58 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/05...thing-for.html

These 'Fixes' Won't Do Anything - Sam Mellinger

There is no fix. Not at this point. Not when we are halfway through a season and the Chiefs have one win, zero plays called with the lead, and are the undisputed Greatest Disappointment In The NFL.

There is nothing Romeo Crennel can do in a weekday press conference to fix a team that was either wildly overrated with help from Todd Haley’s coaching or has by now cried Uncle on a dead-end season of historical failure.

Crennel cut Stanford Routt and effectively fired himself as defensive coordinator. That may or may not improve the 2012 Chiefs. If the 2012 Chiefs were a wrecked car, the insurance adjuster wouldn’t even bother calling a repair shop for an estimate.

So, most likely, the Chiefs just installed new speakers in a totaled car.

The Chiefs are either rearranging the ashy debris of an incredibly toxic season or changing the roster makeup and operating procedures in an effort to address a weak-minded perception on the part of grown adults who should know better.

“Sometimes,” Crennel said in explaining why he gave up being defensive coordinator, “a young player sees you over on the other side all the time, and he never sees you on this side, then he can begin to assume, ‘He doesn’t care about us over here.’ That’s not the case, and never has been the case, but if that’s the perception of one player then I need to change that perception.”

In some ways, it is refreshing to see Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli each admit mistakes.

But the gesture would be better received by an all-time irritated fanbase if this wasn’t the first admission in a lost season that many expected to end in the playoffs, and if the two decision-makers had been better at explaining the choices that led to a stunning place — a place where lifelong fans are organizing a “blackout” to dress like the next home game (Nov. 18) is a funeral.

In those ways, Crennel’s explanation and Pioli’s mistake are each more of the same. In replacing Matt Cassel with Brady Quinn as starting quarterback — one of the sadder position battles in recent NFL history — Crennel basically said he was trying “to get everyone’s attention” by “changing the dynamic.”

Combined with Monday’s explanation, Crennel’s two biggest decisions as head coach have basically been desperate reaches to send a message. There should be better ways.

Crennel is fixing a problem that never should’ve existed, and that he created. Head coach and defensive coordinator are two big boy jobs, separate 120-hour-a-week grinders that chew up many smart and motivated men. But either by ego or insecurity, Crennel wasn’t willing to let another man run the defense until now — about a month beyond the point of no return.

When Crennel is fired, this will be mentioned often in the analysis.

Pioli’s mistake is actually more understandable: Dwayne Bowe took the franchise tag, most saw Routt as a competent No. 2 cornerback, and this (hopefully) made it easier to sign Branden Albert to a long-term deal. But Pioli’s team is losing way too much with way too little explanation for that mistake to be digested as anything other than one more personnel whiff by a man who arrived with a reputation as a personnel guru.

When Pioli is fired, this will be mentioned often in the analysis.

Crennel had a chance at a reputation makeover, to convince people that his failure in Cleveland was more a sign of the Browns’ eternal dysfunction than his own shortcomings.

How’s that working out?

By cutting Routt — who has been terrible, but not as terrible as, say, Travis Daniels — Pioli turned what looked like a smart move into an enormous embarrassment and waste of money. For a man who prides himself on spending wisely, this is an especially bad look. If nothing else, Pioli needs to do some introspection about whether it’s his personnel decisions or the environment he’s developed that’s fueling this failure.

Whatever the case, we have now progressed past the fixable part of the season, and into the part where the first shards of debris break off the sinking ship.

To reach Sam Mellinger, call 816-234-4365, send e-mail to smellinger@kcstar.com or follow twitter.com/mellinger. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/05...#storylink=cpy

11-05-2012, 09:50 PM	Topic Starter
rabblerouser left blank intentionally Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Belize Nuts Casino cash: $4664897	Mellinger - 'Fixes' won't do anything http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/05...thing-for.html These 'Fixes' Won't Do Anything - Sam Mellinger There is no fix. Not at this point. Not when we are halfway through a season and the Chiefs have one win, zero plays called with the lead, and are the undisputed Greatest Disappointment In The NFL. There is nothing Romeo Crennel can do in a weekday press conference to fix a team that was either wildly overrated with help from Todd Haley’s coaching or has by now cried Uncle on a dead-end season of historical failure. Crennel cut Stanford Routt and effectively fired himself as defensive coordinator. That may or may not improve the 2012 Chiefs. If the 2012 Chiefs were a wrecked car, the insurance adjuster wouldn’t even bother calling a repair shop for an estimate. So, most likely, the Chiefs just installed new speakers in a totaled car. The Chiefs are either rearranging the ashy debris of an incredibly toxic season or changing the roster makeup and operating procedures in an effort to address a weak-minded perception on the part of grown adults who should know better. “Sometimes,” Crennel said in explaining why he gave up being defensive coordinator, “a young player sees you over on the other side all the time, and he never sees you on this side, then he can begin to assume, ‘He doesn’t care about us over here.’ That’s not the case, and never has been the case, but if that’s the perception of one player then I need to change that perception.” In some ways, it is refreshing to see Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli each admit mistakes. But the gesture would be better received by an all-time irritated fanbase if this wasn’t the first admission in a lost season that many expected to end in the playoffs, and if the two decision-makers had been better at explaining the choices that led to a stunning place — a place where lifelong fans are organizing a “blackout” to dress like the next home game (Nov. 18) is a funeral. In those ways, Crennel’s explanation and Pioli’s mistake are each more of the same. In replacing Matt Cassel with Brady Quinn as starting quarterback — one of the sadder position battles in recent NFL history — Crennel basically said he was trying “to get everyone’s attention” by “changing the dynamic.” Combined with Monday’s explanation, Crennel’s two biggest decisions as head coach have basically been desperate reaches to send a message. There should be better ways. Crennel is fixing a problem that never should’ve existed, and that he created. Head coach and defensive coordinator are two big boy jobs, separate 120-hour-a-week grinders that chew up many smart and motivated men. But either by ego or insecurity, Crennel wasn’t willing to let another man run the defense until now — about a month beyond the point of no return. When Crennel is fired, this will be mentioned often in the analysis. Pioli’s mistake is actually more understandable: Dwayne Bowe took the franchise tag, most saw Routt as a competent No. 2 cornerback, and this (hopefully) made it easier to sign Branden Albert to a long-term deal. But Pioli’s team is losing way too much with way too little explanation for that mistake to be digested as anything other than one more personnel whiff by a man who arrived with a reputation as a personnel guru. When Pioli is fired, this will be mentioned often in the analysis. Crennel had a chance at a reputation makeover, to convince people that his failure in Cleveland was more a sign of the Browns’ eternal dysfunction than his own shortcomings. How’s that working out? By cutting Routt — who has been terrible, but not as terrible as, say, Travis Daniels — Pioli turned what looked like a smart move into an enormous embarrassment and waste of money. For a man who prides himself on spending wisely, this is an especially bad look. If nothing else, Pioli needs to do some introspection about whether it’s his personnel decisions or the environment he’s developed that’s fueling this failure. Whatever the case, we have now progressed past the fixable part of the season, and into the part where the first shards of debris break off the sinking ship. To reach Sam Mellinger, call 816-234-4365, send e-mail to smellinger@kcstar.com or follow twitter.com/mellinger. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com. Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/05...#storylink=cpy Last edited by rabblerouser; 11-05-2012 at 09:58 PM..
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