Tribal Warfare
12-27-2009, 12:38 AM
Haley, Pioli should try to fix their own problems (http://www.kansascity.com/sports/columnists/jason_whitlock/story/1651661.html)
By JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star
When it comes to putting thought into the Chiefs, there’s nothing quite like a snowstorm, cancellation of your scheduled flight home for Christmas and aggravated back pain from pushing a car stuck in the ice and snow.
This Christmas I had so much time to think about our favorite professional football team that I actually figured out how, in just one offseason, Scott Pioli and Todd Haley can fix the inherited mess they made worse.
For much of the season, I’ve pointed to Pioli’s and Haley’s bloated egos as the cause of what’s wrong with the 2009 Chiefs. The truth is, ego is only half of the problem.
The other half is youthful, inexperienced and immature leadership. Sorry, I’m not talking about the players. I’m talking about Pioli and Haley. Young, newly installed managers frequently make the mistake of focusing an immense amount of energy on proving the incompetence of the previous regime.
This applies to any workplace, not just professional sports. When young managers are asked to replace a failed management team, they often assume the easiest way to score points is by showing everyone they’re not as stupid as the previous boss.
Everything that transpired under the previous regime either stunk or wasn’t near as productive as it could’ve been. Young managers often lack confidence and a legitimate game plan to produce winning results. Insecurity causes them to preach to a choir: “Man, the old boss was bad.”
If you’ve read the spoon-fed narratives written this season by national writers who cover the NFL, the focus is always on how dumb Carl Peterson and Herm Edwards were. If you believe what has been written, Pioli and Haley took over the worst NFL franchise in the history of the league. Not only were the players no good, but they were fat, out of shape and complacent.
Here’s what young managers fail to realize. No one hired them to prove the previous boss needed to be fired. That case was already made. That’s why Clark Hunt dumped Peterson and allowed Pioli to can Edwards.
Pioli and Haley were hired to fix things, not tell us what we already know (the organization is broken).
Anyway, the beauty of next season is that Pioli and Haley will spend less time — hopefully no time — wasting energy vilifying Peterson, Edwards and the players they inherited. In 2010, Pioli and Haley will be forced to embrace the organization and roster as their own.
This could lead to far better decision making. It should lead to a far more positive leadership approach next season. Rather than looking for problems, Pioli and Haley will be focused on finding solutions.
My hope is they’ll discover a few more Jamaal Charleses. Think about it. Had Larry Johnson not melted down on Twitter, the Chiefs might not have a running back of the future and people would still believe Kansas City has a high school-level offensive line. The unearthing of Charles solved a couple of problems.
Last week, tight end Brad Cottam looked like he might be another solution. Cottam caught four passes for 62 yards. He’s 6 feet 7, 270 pounds. He’s a big target. He could turn out to be an important ingredient in making Matt Cassel play like a legitimate starting quarterback.
Peterson and Edwards drafted Charles and Cottam. Next year that fact won’t be seen as a negative, an impediment to getting on the field.
Next year there won’t be anymore Bernard Pollards or Derrick Johnsons. Next year the most talented players will play because Pioli and Haley will have less incentive to demonstrate that Peterson and Edwards overvalued the wrong players.
Here’s another thought that crossed my mind over Christmas: The last young head coach I thought was completely overmatched his first season was Kansas State basketball coach Frank Martin. I thought Martin’s sideline demeanor and temper would ruin any chance he had of being successful.
Obviously I was wrong, and just as obviously Martin has adjusted, matured and grown in confidence.
The same thing could happen to Todd Haley. It’s the holiday season, why not dream of miracles?
By JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star
When it comes to putting thought into the Chiefs, there’s nothing quite like a snowstorm, cancellation of your scheduled flight home for Christmas and aggravated back pain from pushing a car stuck in the ice and snow.
This Christmas I had so much time to think about our favorite professional football team that I actually figured out how, in just one offseason, Scott Pioli and Todd Haley can fix the inherited mess they made worse.
For much of the season, I’ve pointed to Pioli’s and Haley’s bloated egos as the cause of what’s wrong with the 2009 Chiefs. The truth is, ego is only half of the problem.
The other half is youthful, inexperienced and immature leadership. Sorry, I’m not talking about the players. I’m talking about Pioli and Haley. Young, newly installed managers frequently make the mistake of focusing an immense amount of energy on proving the incompetence of the previous regime.
This applies to any workplace, not just professional sports. When young managers are asked to replace a failed management team, they often assume the easiest way to score points is by showing everyone they’re not as stupid as the previous boss.
Everything that transpired under the previous regime either stunk or wasn’t near as productive as it could’ve been. Young managers often lack confidence and a legitimate game plan to produce winning results. Insecurity causes them to preach to a choir: “Man, the old boss was bad.”
If you’ve read the spoon-fed narratives written this season by national writers who cover the NFL, the focus is always on how dumb Carl Peterson and Herm Edwards were. If you believe what has been written, Pioli and Haley took over the worst NFL franchise in the history of the league. Not only were the players no good, but they were fat, out of shape and complacent.
Here’s what young managers fail to realize. No one hired them to prove the previous boss needed to be fired. That case was already made. That’s why Clark Hunt dumped Peterson and allowed Pioli to can Edwards.
Pioli and Haley were hired to fix things, not tell us what we already know (the organization is broken).
Anyway, the beauty of next season is that Pioli and Haley will spend less time — hopefully no time — wasting energy vilifying Peterson, Edwards and the players they inherited. In 2010, Pioli and Haley will be forced to embrace the organization and roster as their own.
This could lead to far better decision making. It should lead to a far more positive leadership approach next season. Rather than looking for problems, Pioli and Haley will be focused on finding solutions.
My hope is they’ll discover a few more Jamaal Charleses. Think about it. Had Larry Johnson not melted down on Twitter, the Chiefs might not have a running back of the future and people would still believe Kansas City has a high school-level offensive line. The unearthing of Charles solved a couple of problems.
Last week, tight end Brad Cottam looked like he might be another solution. Cottam caught four passes for 62 yards. He’s 6 feet 7, 270 pounds. He’s a big target. He could turn out to be an important ingredient in making Matt Cassel play like a legitimate starting quarterback.
Peterson and Edwards drafted Charles and Cottam. Next year that fact won’t be seen as a negative, an impediment to getting on the field.
Next year there won’t be anymore Bernard Pollards or Derrick Johnsons. Next year the most talented players will play because Pioli and Haley will have less incentive to demonstrate that Peterson and Edwards overvalued the wrong players.
Here’s another thought that crossed my mind over Christmas: The last young head coach I thought was completely overmatched his first season was Kansas State basketball coach Frank Martin. I thought Martin’s sideline demeanor and temper would ruin any chance he had of being successful.
Obviously I was wrong, and just as obviously Martin has adjusted, matured and grown in confidence.
The same thing could happen to Todd Haley. It’s the holiday season, why not dream of miracles?