Hammock Parties
12-16-2008, 08:35 AM
Oh, happy day.
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/938735.html
The man who helped Carl Peterson turn around a moribund Chiefs franchise couldn’t hide the shock.
“He quit?” Marty Schottenheimer asked quietly. “He did? Was this spontaneous, out of the blue?”
Schottenheimer was silent for a long time.
“Well, God almighty, oh boy,” he went on. “Hmm. Oh my. Oh. Tell you what. I’m totally shocked. Call me back in 10 minutes. I need to think about this.”
Of course he did. It was Peterson who hired Schottenheimer in 1989, a move that helped the Chiefs become a powerhouse. Under Schottenheimer, the Chiefs went 101-58-1 in the regular season. They filled the stands. They won three division titles, made the playoffs seven times and reached the AFC championship game once.
The turnaround was so complete that Peterson survived 10 years longer than Schottenheimer — despite not winning another playoff game.
Until Monday, when Peterson announced he was stepping down.
Schottenheimer picked up the phone again, but now he sounded sad and thoughtful. Peterson was the man with whom he’d shared the Chiefs’ halcyon years — the good times, the wins and the turnaround and the positive moments inevitably lost when a man’s time with a team comes to an end.
“I think it’s a remarkable credit to Carl that he could be involved with one organization for 20 years,” Schottenheimer said. “The public, they have their expectations and they hope you go out and win every year. And the Chiefs appear to be in a bit of a transition. I’m sure Carl’s disappointed, and I’m sure it wasn’t easy for (owner) Clark (Hunt) to make that decision, but that’s life in the National Football League.”
Schottenheimer would know. He’s had his share of being fired or forced out. So a few weeks ago, knowing that the Chiefs were struggling, he picked up the phone and called his old friend. He wanted Peterson to know there was someone out there thinking about him.
“I called to try to encourage him a little bit because it’s been a tough season,” Schottenheimer said.
Peterson sounded far from in despair. If he knew the end was near, he didn’t let on.
“He said, ‘Hey, it is disappointing, but we’ve got to find a way to go out and win a game this week,’ ” Schottenheimer said. “And I think they went out and won that week.”
But that was far from enough, and now, with Peterson out, Schottenheimer took a moment to speculate on what must be going through the mind of his former boss.
“I’m sure there’s a sense of disappointment and a frustration,” he said. “(Especially) when you look back on the fact he was able to spend 20 years in one place, working his tail off to try to get a championship. He’s obviously disappointed that that wasn’t achieved.
“But there were a lot of very positive things that were a part of his leadership. He and I used to go round and round, but at the end of the discussion, when we concluded our dialogue, when I walked out of his office or he walked out of mine, I knew we were after exactly the same thing, and that’s to find a way to win.”
Now Peterson’s chance to win, at least with the Chiefs, is over.
“I’m disappointed for Carl,” Schottenheimer said, “But hey, it’s the National Football League, and it’s tough.”
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/938735.html
The man who helped Carl Peterson turn around a moribund Chiefs franchise couldn’t hide the shock.
“He quit?” Marty Schottenheimer asked quietly. “He did? Was this spontaneous, out of the blue?”
Schottenheimer was silent for a long time.
“Well, God almighty, oh boy,” he went on. “Hmm. Oh my. Oh. Tell you what. I’m totally shocked. Call me back in 10 minutes. I need to think about this.”
Of course he did. It was Peterson who hired Schottenheimer in 1989, a move that helped the Chiefs become a powerhouse. Under Schottenheimer, the Chiefs went 101-58-1 in the regular season. They filled the stands. They won three division titles, made the playoffs seven times and reached the AFC championship game once.
The turnaround was so complete that Peterson survived 10 years longer than Schottenheimer — despite not winning another playoff game.
Until Monday, when Peterson announced he was stepping down.
Schottenheimer picked up the phone again, but now he sounded sad and thoughtful. Peterson was the man with whom he’d shared the Chiefs’ halcyon years — the good times, the wins and the turnaround and the positive moments inevitably lost when a man’s time with a team comes to an end.
“I think it’s a remarkable credit to Carl that he could be involved with one organization for 20 years,” Schottenheimer said. “The public, they have their expectations and they hope you go out and win every year. And the Chiefs appear to be in a bit of a transition. I’m sure Carl’s disappointed, and I’m sure it wasn’t easy for (owner) Clark (Hunt) to make that decision, but that’s life in the National Football League.”
Schottenheimer would know. He’s had his share of being fired or forced out. So a few weeks ago, knowing that the Chiefs were struggling, he picked up the phone and called his old friend. He wanted Peterson to know there was someone out there thinking about him.
“I called to try to encourage him a little bit because it’s been a tough season,” Schottenheimer said.
Peterson sounded far from in despair. If he knew the end was near, he didn’t let on.
“He said, ‘Hey, it is disappointing, but we’ve got to find a way to go out and win a game this week,’ ” Schottenheimer said. “And I think they went out and won that week.”
But that was far from enough, and now, with Peterson out, Schottenheimer took a moment to speculate on what must be going through the mind of his former boss.
“I’m sure there’s a sense of disappointment and a frustration,” he said. “(Especially) when you look back on the fact he was able to spend 20 years in one place, working his tail off to try to get a championship. He’s obviously disappointed that that wasn’t achieved.
“But there were a lot of very positive things that were a part of his leadership. He and I used to go round and round, but at the end of the discussion, when we concluded our dialogue, when I walked out of his office or he walked out of mine, I knew we were after exactly the same thing, and that’s to find a way to win.”
Now Peterson’s chance to win, at least with the Chiefs, is over.
“I’m disappointed for Carl,” Schottenheimer said, “But hey, it’s the National Football League, and it’s tough.”