Don Banks from SI on Chiefs Coaching/GM

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

• Kansas City -- The general consensus among the league sources I interviewed was that the high level of fan unrest in Kansas City would probably lead Chiefs owner Clark Hunt to make the personally difficult decision to replace general manager Scott Pioli, and not just head coach Romeo Crennel. Hunt and Pioli remain close, so there's a chance Pioli returns, especially if there's a head coach hire that Pioli can sell to Hunt as the potential difference maker. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is a name long linked to Pioli dating from their days together in Cleveland, and he always surfaces as a possible Pioli hire.

If Pioli isn't retained, he won't be out of work for long, because his personnel judgments are still widely respected throughout the league -- at least outside of Kansas City. It was thought the Chiefs might pursue Bill Polian as a GM candidate, but sources say there has not been contact between the two, even though Polian was thought to be willing to listen.

Other potential GM hires by the Chiefs are plentiful, but they include San Francisco's Gamble, Green Bay director of football operations John Dorsey and Indianapolis vice president of football operations Tom Telesco.

Dorsey is known for having a good eye for talent, and his college scouting background gives him a strong draft pedigree. He has worked under both Ted Thompson and Ron Wolf in Green Bay, two of the most respected personnel evaluators in recent NFL history, and sources say he's ready and willing to pursue all GM opportunities after turning down offers to interview last year.

On the coaching side, Arians, who might win the NFL Coach of the Year award for the job he did as the Colts' interim, is a name that has surfaced in Kansas City. His track record for quarterback coaching is respected, and his résumé includes successful stints with the likes of Peyton Manning in Indy, Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh and this year's impressive rookie season by the Colts' Andrew Luck.

On the defensive side of the ball, Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has again done a superb job with the talent he has on hand, and his work has as much to do with the Bengals returning to the playoffs as any other factor. He has been long considered a quality head coaching candidate, and his son, Adam Zimmer, is currently a defensive assistant on Crennel's staff.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...#ixzz2GIFg6Ne3

[el borracho]

Four complete seasons and the team does not have a QB; does not have a Head Coach; doesn't have an Offensive nor a Defensive Coordinator. It doesn't matter what the rest of the team looks like, without those pieces you have nothing. I think it is safe to say that Pioli has failed about as hard as one can fail.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Do you read what you write?

Who are the players whom Haley "improved"? Bowe? Was a stud before Haley arrived. DJ? Potentially true. Still a stud this year, so definitely not a "loser." Hali? See DJ. Flowers? Nope. Stud before Haley arrived. Albert? Nope. Good before Haley arrived and good after.

Oh, you meant "losers" in a general sense? Well that was true during Haley's tenure, too.

Ironic that you say this is "exaggeration planet" after making such an inaccurate and hyperbolic initial statement.

Albert wasn't "good" before Haley arrived. He played in a pistol offense that masked the fact that he had no technique. Haley's decision to force Albert to cut weight and coach up on technique was a ballsy move, and a terrific move, and Albert progressed from a swinging gate to a top-tier left tackle. The idea that Bowe was a stud that didn't improve is nonsense. He was a good player when Haley got here. But he changed from a guy who was 10 lbs overweight in training camp to a guy who started working for months in an intense offseason training program with Larry Fitzgerald, which never happens unless Haley was there. And guess who started losing focus and dropping the easy ones again this year? Bowe. DJ went from a freelancer, to a focused missile under Haley, to a freelancer again under RAC who plays with no discipline. Eric Berry improved to the point of an almost dominating performance against Baltimore, then... you guessed it, became a freelancer again. Hali was asked to cut weight and was in tremendous physical condition, and guess what, he regressed under Romeo. Young guys like Asamoah and Hudson and Houston... you could see steady progression in these guys (Houston was a complete nonfactor early in the year). Jovan Belcher... limited by talent, but improved every year. Tyson Jackson -- played about to his ceiling under Haley.

By the way, all these guys got far worse after RAC took over in 2013. The team was in peak physical condition. You had guys working their tail off in practice. And you had freelancers playing with discipline. Last year, we had people laughably claiming RAC deserved credit for that and Haley didn't. How well is that theory holding up now?

It is completely exaggeration to say nobody got better. Apart from maybe McCluster, name another player on this team who didn't reach his potential? And Cassel doesn't count, because he didn't have talent.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis

I'm not too keen on Dorsey as GM, and here's why: I think he would try to trade for Flynn from the Seahawks and then draft Luke Joekel with the #1 pick.

I want a HC hired first and then a GM who will go out and get the players that the HC wants and needs for their vision to be implemented.

The head coach I want is Chip Kelly. I want an aggressive, shit down your throat playing and coaching style. Chip Kelly will do that in the NFL. I can handle losing. As a Chiefs fan, I'm used to it. At least go balls to the wall instead of playing not to lose (when you are already behind).

I would have to hope that he's not that stupid. Hopefully if there's one thing Packers people learn from being in the system is that the system is only as good as you make it. Trying to siphon off from the greatness you were a part of is a mistake made by reeruns like Pioli, who thinks building a great football team means eating the corn out of the shit that came out of the asshole of the Patriots organization. Why does he think that? Because that's all he's ever known, and that's all he was ever trained to do.

Schneider did sign away Flynn, but considering his team's draft position in 2012, I wouldn't have been too optimistic about finding a franchise guy in the first round either, especially since Miami traded UP to go get Tannehill. I have to think that the team's willingness to go with Wilson once they discovered him on the team is indicative of the way they view acquiring talent.

[RealSNR]

Are we still talking about Todd Haley on this forum?

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Albert wasn't "good" before Haley arrived.

Guess where most people will stop reading.

I know, I know. Haley, our last coaching messiah, broke Bowe down to build him back up into a 1000-yard receiver who still has lapses in concentration.

And the team lost 467 pounds collectively! No sizzle! The right 53!

Cassel was clearly the great albatross that doomed what would otherwise be the brilliant coaching career of the best golfer in the NFL. But I have this one lingering question: If Haley was building everyone up, and all the players were ascending under him, why did the team play so poorly in '11? Fresh off a promising playoff performance in '10, that team was poised for greatness.

He was a piece of ****ing shit HC. This doesn't necessarily mean that everything he touched turned to ****--after all, the man isn't Pioli--but he wasn't anywhere close to being good.

But we can continue to blame everyone else for Haley's failings. No way. No ****ing way was he really as bad as the results suggest. The stats lie.

[The Bad Guy]

The Steelers offense certainly isn't better with Todd Haley.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

The Steelers offense certainly isn't better with Todd Haley.

Who could win with that QB? I mean RB; I mean offensive line. I mean GM. I mean...

All of the evidence is wrong. Wrong I say.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Who could win with that QB? I mean RB; I mean offensive line. I mean GM. I mean...

All of the evidence is wrong. Wrong I say.

Mike Wallace hates his offense. No running back can get into any rhythm.

Anyone praising Haley needs their head checked. Praise him, but knock Arians?

GTFO.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Guess where most people will stop reading.

Which is exactly why you lose credibility. Three years ago, we were talking about drafting Russell Okung and moving Albert to Guard because he just wasn't good enough to play left tackle. Today, he's a top tier left tackle and people want to franchise tag him and are enraged at the thought that Pioli may choose to not re-sign him. He improved dramatically. It's ridiculous to suggest he's not significantly better than he was as a rookie.

I know, I know. Haley, our last coaching messiah, broke Bowe down to build him back up into a 1000-yard receiver who still has lapses in concentration.

Bowe didn't take the game seriously enough to even show up to camp in shape. He had to cheat to cut weight. Under Haley, he willingly began committing to the game, training on his off-time with Fitzgerald, and hitting peak physical condition. Those things never happened before Haley got there. He was a good receiver before Haley, but his work ethic and focus improved dramatically.

And the team lost 467 pounds collectively! No sizzle! The right 53!

And they never showed up to camp out of shape. Albert played a different brand of football and it's turned him into a top-notch left tackle. Hali lost 10-20 lbs and became a pro bowl OLB. Dorsey never showed up to camp out of shape again. Name one player that got worse because Haley asked them to cut weight? CP threw a shit fit that Haley would dare ask Albert to play at such an ungodly low weight. Guess who was wrong on that.

Cassel was clearly the great albatross that doomed what would otherwise be the brilliant coaching career of the best golfer in the NFL. But I have this one lingering question: If Haley was building everyone up, and all the players were ascending under him, why did the team play so poorly in '11? Fresh off a promising playoff performance in '10, that team was poised for greatness.

You don't think that has anything to do with the idea that our QB was so bad that our entire offense had to revolve around Jamaal Charles, a player who only played 1 game in 2011? Or the fact that they had to play 4 games under Tyler Palko (a QB that was only there because Pioli refused to listen to guys like Haley who were screaming for QB depth?)

He was a piece of ****ing shit HC. This doesn't necessarily mean that everything he touched turned to ****--after all, the man isn't Pioli--but he wasn't anywhere close to being good.

But we can continue to blame everyone else for Haley's failings. No way. No ****ing way was he really as bad as the results suggest. The stats lie.

We've acknowledged he had a piece of shit GM who dictated a shitty QB decision. We've acknowledged that no team can win these days without a franchise QB (let alone a good QB). I have acknowledged Haley's shortcomings. I don't know if he would become a better coach with a better GM. But the level of blame that gets put on his shoulder is ridiculous, as is the refusal to give him credit where credit is due. This place is exaggeration planet. They exaggerate how bad people they hate are, and exaggerate how great people they like are. Haley is no exception.

[DaWolf]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Pioli and Cassel didn't fail because of anyone but themselves. Haley was severely limited because of Pioli and Cassel. Because of that... we don't know what Haley would have done in a better situation. I think he will do well if hired in Arizona and it will only make a bigger mockery of Pioli's shit show.

Haley did plenty to contribute to the situation. And the immaturity which which he reacted to it all told me enough about why he is not suited to lead any organization or locker room. Arizona would be no better than average if they hired him, and I don't know what quality coordinators would ever want to work for him. He is not suited to be a head coach...

[Crush]

Haley called a Mike Cox FB pass to Matt Cassel in the last game of the 2009 season against Denver. Todd Haley, purported offensive genious (CP spelling) and quality HC, thought a Mike Cox to Matt Cassel pass was a good idea. That single fact completely negates any supposed positives that come with Todd Haley.

[The Bad Guy]

Shocker, Zilla thinks he'll do well if hired in Arizona with really no basis for such an opinion.

What coordinators are going to coach with him? Pioli is a smug one who sucks the penis who few want to work for, and Haley is in the same boat.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Guess where most people will stop reading.

I know, I know. Haley, our last coaching messiah, broke Bowe down to build him back up into a 1000-yard receiver who still has lapses in concentration.

And the team lost 467 pounds collectively! No sizzle! The right 53!

Cassel was clearly the great albatross that doomed what would otherwise be the brilliant coaching career of the best golfer in the NFL. But I have this one lingering question: If Haley was building everyone up, and all the players were ascending under him, why did the team play so poorly in '11? Fresh off a promising playoff performance in '10, that team was poised for greatness.

He was a piece of ****ing shit HC. This doesn't necessarily mean that everything he touched turned to ****--after all, the man isn't Pioli--but he wasn't anywhere close to being good.

But we can continue to blame everyone else for Haley's failings. No way. No ****ing way was he really as bad as the results suggest. The stats lie.

Let me give you Matt Cassel and take Charles away, for the year, during game 2...along with Berry and Moeaki being already out for the year.

Look at the final records in the AFCW last year and tell me Haley doesn't win the division a second year in a row with a healthy team and a ****ing horrid quarterback situation.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Let me give you Matt Cassel and take Charles away, for the year, during game 2...along with Berry and Moeaki being already out for the year.

Look at the final records in the AFCW last year and tell me Haley doesn't win the division a second year in a row with a healthy team and a ****ing horrid quarterback situation.

That's damn near impossible to say. You don't know how the team would have played against Green Bay, or the closeout game in Denver.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

Mike Wallace hates his offense. No running back can get into any rhythm.

Anyone praising Haley needs their head checked. Praise him, but knock Arians?

GTFO.

I don't think Haley is an offensive guru by any stretch. But I've seen a lot of Steelers games with buddies who are diehard Steeler fans. You are exaggerating the problem. The RBs can't get into rhythm because Mendenhall has missed almost the entire season. And what RB can get into rhythm when you have three offensive line starters out?

I know Wallace hates the offense. Big Ben does too. But you have to keep in mind that the Rooneys fired Arians because they were tired of seeing Big Ben freelance and get hit 10 times a game. The new offense has Big Ben getting rid of the ball faster and doing less freelancing, and that opens up less opportunity for Wallace. You can disagree with the philosophy if you want to, but that's coming from the Rooneys down.