Tribal Warfare
08-16-2010, 11:28 PM
Chiefs take break from camp to see something besides game film (http://www.kansascity.com/2010/08/16/2154459/chiefs-take-break-from-camp-to.html)
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
ST. JOSEPH | About 10 a.m., when he should have been halfway through another tedious training camp practice, Derrick Johnson was asleep in a darkened movie theater, a partially empty slushie in the drink holder.
Todd Haley was watching “The Other Guys.” Given a choice of movies, Glenn Dorsey was seeing “The Expendables,” and Dustin Colquitt “Dinner for Schmucks.”
Whether the Chiefs actually watched the movies or snoozed right through them, the temporary reprieve from the drudgery of camp was provided by Haley. In an unusual move, he canceled Monday morning’s practice and carted the Chiefs to a local theater, calling the maneuver a “team-building exercise.”
“It seemed like the right thing to do,” Haley said. “We were able to get it organized and get it done. I feel like we’re making progress as a group, as a team. By no means are we there. But we are making progress. This year, I’m trying to think outside the box a little bit.
“I just felt timingwise, it was a good thing for all of us. It appeared to me guys enjoyed it and were grateful.”
Under previous coaching staffs, the Chiefs have canceled training camp practices to stage softball home run-hitting contests and golf closest-to-the-pin challenges.
The move appeared strange coming from Haley, normally a no-nonsense type when it comes to practice. But it could be a sign Haley is softening in his ways, considering he also turned a regular practice into a walk-through in the air-conditioned indoor facility early in camp.
The timing also was interesting with the Chiefs appearing to need more work after their lackluster 20-10 loss to Atlanta in last week’s preseason opener.
Haley wasn’t in much of a mood to analyze the situation, saying merely it was a reward for the team’s hard work and progress.
“They have been working hard and in tough conditions and with pads on in 18 out of 20, I believe, or 19 out of 21 days,” Haley said. “That’s a lot of days in pads in some difficult conditions, which we needed. That’s one of the reasons I felt we were making progress.”
The Chiefs held their normally scheduled practice later in the day.
But in the morning, just after the Chiefs arrived on their practice field in full gear, the players huddled around Haley for what appeared to be pre-practice instructions.
They let out a collective cheer when they received the unexpected change in the day’s schedule. They walked back up the hill and into their locker room, changed out of the practice gear and into shorts and T-shirts, and piled onto two buses headed for the Hollywood Theaters.
“I didn’t make it through the whole movie,” Johnson said. “I knew I would fall asleep sometime in there with the dark setting and comfortable seats. We had a good time as a team. The camaraderie of the team was good.
“A lot of guys were pretty excited. I’m an older guy, so I’ve already got my tape on and I’m ready for practice. But Coach knows how to take care of us, and we appreciate it.”
The Chiefs also splurged for munchies and drinks for the players, but they were issued with a warning from Haley.
“We let them eat what they wanted from the concession stand, but we did remind them they did have a weigh-in coming up,” he said.
Haley also seemed to enjoy the break from the same old, same old. He had only one complaint with “The Other Guys.”
“I could only hear portions of it,” he said, “because (defensive lineman) Shaun Smith was one row behind me snoring as loud as I’ve ever heard a human being snore.”
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
ST. JOSEPH | About 10 a.m., when he should have been halfway through another tedious training camp practice, Derrick Johnson was asleep in a darkened movie theater, a partially empty slushie in the drink holder.
Todd Haley was watching “The Other Guys.” Given a choice of movies, Glenn Dorsey was seeing “The Expendables,” and Dustin Colquitt “Dinner for Schmucks.”
Whether the Chiefs actually watched the movies or snoozed right through them, the temporary reprieve from the drudgery of camp was provided by Haley. In an unusual move, he canceled Monday morning’s practice and carted the Chiefs to a local theater, calling the maneuver a “team-building exercise.”
“It seemed like the right thing to do,” Haley said. “We were able to get it organized and get it done. I feel like we’re making progress as a group, as a team. By no means are we there. But we are making progress. This year, I’m trying to think outside the box a little bit.
“I just felt timingwise, it was a good thing for all of us. It appeared to me guys enjoyed it and were grateful.”
Under previous coaching staffs, the Chiefs have canceled training camp practices to stage softball home run-hitting contests and golf closest-to-the-pin challenges.
The move appeared strange coming from Haley, normally a no-nonsense type when it comes to practice. But it could be a sign Haley is softening in his ways, considering he also turned a regular practice into a walk-through in the air-conditioned indoor facility early in camp.
The timing also was interesting with the Chiefs appearing to need more work after their lackluster 20-10 loss to Atlanta in last week’s preseason opener.
Haley wasn’t in much of a mood to analyze the situation, saying merely it was a reward for the team’s hard work and progress.
“They have been working hard and in tough conditions and with pads on in 18 out of 20, I believe, or 19 out of 21 days,” Haley said. “That’s a lot of days in pads in some difficult conditions, which we needed. That’s one of the reasons I felt we were making progress.”
The Chiefs held their normally scheduled practice later in the day.
But in the morning, just after the Chiefs arrived on their practice field in full gear, the players huddled around Haley for what appeared to be pre-practice instructions.
They let out a collective cheer when they received the unexpected change in the day’s schedule. They walked back up the hill and into their locker room, changed out of the practice gear and into shorts and T-shirts, and piled onto two buses headed for the Hollywood Theaters.
“I didn’t make it through the whole movie,” Johnson said. “I knew I would fall asleep sometime in there with the dark setting and comfortable seats. We had a good time as a team. The camaraderie of the team was good.
“A lot of guys were pretty excited. I’m an older guy, so I’ve already got my tape on and I’m ready for practice. But Coach knows how to take care of us, and we appreciate it.”
The Chiefs also splurged for munchies and drinks for the players, but they were issued with a warning from Haley.
“We let them eat what they wanted from the concession stand, but we did remind them they did have a weigh-in coming up,” he said.
Haley also seemed to enjoy the break from the same old, same old. He had only one complaint with “The Other Guys.”
“I could only hear portions of it,” he said, “because (defensive lineman) Shaun Smith was one row behind me snoring as loud as I’ve ever heard a human being snore.”