Whitlock says Motherfuckyou Pioli!
 

The moral of this story? Never get between Jason and a bathroom.


Repression not good for Chiefs’ players
By JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star

Saturday afternoon, late in the Chiefs’ second minicamp practice of the day, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis screamed at one of his rookies.

I honestly have no recollection of what Weis barked. It was typical coach-speak, nothing revealing or remotely embarrassing. The kid botched an assignment, and Weis warned him to avoid another mistake.

The exchange was so mundane and inconsequential that when a member of the Chiefs’ media-relations staff instructed me and several other reporters that Weis’ comments were off the record and not to be publicized I had trouble remembering that Weis had said anything I could overhear.

But this is the era we live in now. Paranoia rules Kansas City’s professional football franchise. You’ve read my previous complaints about the air of CIA-like secrecy that general manager Scott Pioli brought with him from New England.

The air is growing thicker. And if we take a look at the Dez Bryant-Jeff Ireland controversy engulfing the Dolphins organization, we might find it offers a bit of context as to what is transpiring here.

Ireland is the general manager of the Dolphins. He is Bill Parcells’ top lieutenant. Parcells, of course, is Pioli’s father-in-law and Todd Haley’s coaching mentor. Ireland was in the news last week because it was revealed that in a predraft interview he insulted Dez Bryant by asking the rookie receiver if his mother was a prostitute.

Bryant confided to longtime NFL reporter Michael Silver that Ireland popped the indefensible question.

This is why some NFL executives and coaches despise the media. We, the media, are flawed and make mistakes that we’re sometimes reluctant to admit, but we have proven over the course of American history to be a reliable shoulder to cry on when a human being has been abused by someone or an institution with too much power.

Football executives have too much power. In the name of winning games and maintaining power, some of these men have created work environments devoid of human decency and respect.

Should we be surprised that NFL players seem to have more trouble staying within the laws of society than baseball, basketball and hockey players?

Of all the professional sports leagues, individual NFL teams have the most repressive policies regarding media access to their players.

The rules at Arrowhead remind me of visiting a federal penitentiary. Reporters are locked in a small room and have to bang on a door and ask permission to be given access to the bathroom. Saturday, rather than open up the locker room to the media, the rookies were brought to a podium one by one and allowed to interact with reporters for six to seven minutes while supervised by the media-relations staff. You could tell the players had been prepped to say as little as possible.

The rookies are no different from the veterans. They’re scared of being fined or released for saying anything that might be construed as inappropriate by Pioli. Warden Pioli’s no-snitch policy is as strictly enforced as a gang leader’s.

What is he hiding?

A lack of genuine leadership skills. Fear, intimidation and secrecy are his top leadership tools. Those tactics should support cutting-edge vision and strategy. I don’t see the vision or strategy. And I’m not backing off my earlier columns crediting the Chiefs with a productive offseason. I like the additions of Weis, Romeo Crennell, Ryan Lilja, Thomas Jones and Eric Berry.

But the obvious insecurity bubbling from the general manager’s chair could continue to undermine whatever progress the organization makes.

Let’s take a second look at the draft. I tip my hat to Pioli for acquiring high-character prospects. Upon additional review, however, it’s appropriate to wonder did the Chiefs sacrifice talent and roster needs to get kids willing to blindly submit to Pioli and Haley’s bully-leadership tactics.

Maybe the Chiefs’ draft picks wouldn’t care if Pioli asked whether their mothers were prostitutes. Or maybe they’d have the good sense not to expose Pioli for the transgression.

I don’t care how much money these young players make, they’re still mostly immature kids. A healthy percentage of them are not emotionally equipped to deal with the mental abuse heaped on them by 40- and 50-year-old egomaniacs drunk on power.

The level of secrecy being demanded at Arrowhead Stadium makes me suspect that Pioli is the NFL’s Fidel Castro.



Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/05/01...#ixzz0mkiS1y9z

I wonder what percentage of people that read Whitlock's articles go away happy they read them?

ha!

I wonder what percentage of KC Chiefs' GMs and coaches have found solace in Whitlock's ramblings over the years...

Egoli!

NFL's Fidel Castro? This article is ****ing pointless. Just a random thought that JWhit had. It's amazing the lack of filter between his brain and his column. He doesn't know what's happening because his access is restricted, so therefore the players must be suffering "mental abuse heaped on them by 40- and 50-year-old egomaniacs drunk on power."

What a ****ing asshole.

You think this is bad? You should see his Twitters. Complete lack of filter.

I do not follow him for that very reason. I figure anything so bad that it's funny or inflammatory will make it onto here. Everything else will just piss me off.

Pretty much figured this type of crap would continue to spew from his mouth. Must of had some bad ribs or something last night?

So he openly acknowledges that Pioli brought over the CIA-like culture from New England. However, then he says Pioli operates this way because he is insecure and hiding something, namely a lack of leadership.

But Pioli brought it from New England, he didnt invent it. So... why does New England operate that way? Is Belichick hiding something? Is Belichick not a leader? Is Parcells not one either?

What is he babbling about?

Even though they brought the "NE Model" they don't know how to run it properly. The other way to look at is they are trying to mimic rather than creating their own culture of success.

He sounds awful butthurt in this article.

Maybe Haley is just a great actor, but he seems like a big ol asshole to me. I don't think he is faking anything.

He sounds like a five year old throwing a temper tantrum b/c he's not getting the quotes he wants.

I don't care if he is an asshole. The entire coaching staff and Pioli could be assholes. They just need to start winning some ****ing games...

Any journalist that continues to question Scott Pioli is obviously incompetent... /truefan

Neither of those have anything to do with what Whitlock wrote here. He is describing the CIA-like secrecy as something bad. He is saying Pioli wants good little soldiers who wont tattle when he and Haley berate them and demean them.

He certainly isnt saying they should do a better job of operating like NE does, because the Pats operate in the same secretive way that Whitlock is practically declaring evil. And he never comes close to raising the copycat issue.

He cites Parcells and New England as Pioli influences, yet then acts as if Pioli has invented this style of operation all by himself. He calls Pioli the NFL version of Castro. Not Belichick who he learned it from, not Parcells who is running the franchise where a player allegedly got demeaned by the GM, but Pioli. That is dumb by itself. Then he attempts to create reasons for why Pioli operates this way, none of which apply to the influences he would have gotten it from.

And I havent even mentioned the embarrassing part where he tries to link the criminal problems of NFL players to the way teams treat them so horribly, without providing a single example of this terrible mental abuse other than one disputed story about what a team asked a rookie in a pre-draft meeting.

This column is awful is almost every way.

lol, has whitless watched a game? he berates them all the time. I dont see what would be different in practice. Its probably worse, but Haley has never EVER hidden his emotions on gameday.

He's just being a dick cause thats his thing. I didnt even freaking read the while thing i stopped after the first paragraph, no idea how this dude still has a job. I understand creating controversy, but this was just playing stupid and worthless.

I disagree. I like having a columnist covering KC that has a personal vendetta against the management.

how is it personal? did Pioli **** Whitlocks girl? Did Hailey spit in His face?

Probably and Probably.

He does have a point in one thing, the rookies seemed coached to say certain things. Everyone of them said common things like they are "just trying to make the team"...even Berry. All of them also said they are gonna "do whatever coach Haley wants them to do" Berry even said he would cover kicks.

But geez...quit crying Jason. If you didn't try throwing everyone at 1 arrowhead dr under the bus at every possible opportunity, maybe they would trust you around this young team more. Ever think of that?

There is a huge gap between objective and vindictive and you are the latter.

Good luck!

They were most likely coached by their agents.

no, not unless they all had the same agent.

They all basically said the same uniform statement.

They are on KCChiefs.com go watch em.

I am REALLY starting to love the DMC pick everytime I see this kid. I think he is gonna be a really special player.

They are coached, sure. They are being coached to be better football players, and are being told those lines by the coaches over and over. Of course they would repeat them to the media. And this is the first time they are behind the podium as professional football players. Maybe a little coaching there isn't a bad thing either. Professional media is much different than collegiate media.

The coaching staff most definitely "set the tone" with these guys in more ways than one.

How embarassing it must be to write an article like that. If he is going to "take up the cause" I wish he would go write about a different organization. I would rather read something from the bleacher report than this crap.

Total crap! How does this guy keep his job? How many crappy articles has he put on paper in the last 10+ years? I wish the Chiefs organization would tell him to get lost!

Last week Wright on 610 was accusing 810 of striking a new access deal with the Chiefs and in turn they became the official Chiefs ballwashing media arm. Apparently 810 gets access to players, coaches, and Pioli in exchange for towing the company line for them and 610 doesn't get shit.

Seems to be a theme here.

It seems personal because now he's treatedlike every other journalist in town. He's not being asked into the film room to view tape on prospects, he's not being given inside info, and he's not being coddled.

He also desperately needs to have an opponent. He had one in Carl, and Carl played the game with him. This regime isn't interested in that game, and it is boring Whitlock to death. This is why we keep seeing virtually the same column over and over for the past year.

****ing loser Whitlock.

So basically he wants Pioli to open up the flood gates so he could get a quote or 2 to build his entire column base for the next year.

This is such a desperate attempt it's not even funny. It's more bitter than the kid who got picked last in dodgeball, it's the girl who didn't get asked to the prom.

Sully is exactly right. Whitlock needs to have a me vs. Pioli attitude to sell papers. Whitlock is largely irrevelant anymore due to Twitter, and more national writers covering more teams. He's grasping at straws here trying to come up with something.

When did it work for the Chiefs players to have free reign in the media? How did that ever work? Whitlock is just pissed because it's tougher to do his own job now.

Please post in this thread you washup so I can remind you how relevancy has passed you by.

Honestly, and I have no basis for this, I don't think Pioli gives a **** one way or another about what the media says or writes about him.

It apparently came from the draft coverage during the 2nd round and how 810 went full Holtus on how great the Chiefs draft was. I personally wasn't listening to either stations draft coverage. I agree Pioli may not care what the media says about him, but I have no doubt that he is fully aware how the media can cause enough drama in the locker room amongst players that it can effect performance and synergy. He may not care, but he's not giving disfavorable media outlets any access to the Chiefs.

Whitlock thinks he is enititled to access within a private business.


ROFL

I got about halfway through before I couldn't take it anymore. Was there even a point to his article?

:ZZZ:

Until the Chiefs actually......umm..you know......WIN, we will continue to get more and more columns like this.

I don't care if he is Hitler....as long as we WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Exactly my point. Nobody will care as long as we win.

Everybody hated Belicheck back in the Browns days and when he was hired in NE. Hell, they still do, but as long as he wins, fans can deal with it.

As soon as he starts to lose, he wont last long.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.

Jason must've been bored when he had to write this.

On some levels, he is, since coaches and players are required to be available to reporters at certain times.

Anyway, I agree with several others here. If we start winning, I could care less if our GM is an asshole.

I agree. But at the same point, watching him in certain interviews, I do think he cares what the people think about him in KC. I've heard him sound pretty defensive at times towards the end of last year. I remember one quote in particular;

"Listen, I know it's tough. People have to realize, I really wanted to be here. This is the place for me. I want to win championships for this organization."

This is nothing more than Whitlock's passive-aggressive way to beg for another night of gluttony at Garazzo's.

Sounds great! Now go get a ****ing QB.

Pioli = Castro :facepalm:

I liked the idea of the article, but I think he should go more with how it negativly affects the fans or players or someone other than the media. I mean, I understand that it sucks, but he needs more meat and potatos on why communism is bad, or something. Remember, you will never hear the people that live in Cuba complain about Castro. Just a thought.

Whitlock must have been dropped on his head. What a crap article.

A disgruntled player can photocopy his playbook and sell it to the enemy
they're not locked in a cell or trying to escape from an island

Then why make a point of telling the media they can't report what's happening at practice?

Personally, I agree with most of you - the article is stupid.

Then again, so is inviting the media to practice and telling them what information they can and cannot provide their readers.

...Weis screamed at a rookie, but it was mudane?

....the anguish of mental abuse?

...so many victims, so litlle time.

Carl was bigger prick than Pioli and I never saw an article that threw Carl under the bus, such as the PERSONAL nature that Whitlock has decided to do with Pioli. His work comes off like a crybaby. Grow up, you freakin' whiner. Boo ****ing hoo.

Might be true...might not.

ROFL Sorry, Carl's one of the biggest douche's on the face of the Earth. Pioli isn't even close.

Do you have any greater knowledge about Carl other than what you've received via the media?

Jared Allen's drinking problem stopped when he left town
conclusions can be formed he was acting out -bottomless can of worms

What a bizarre article.

Tying (by including) the Bryant thing into his issues with the organization is a definite reach.

I've met King Carl on numerous occasions. Sometimes at charity events. He use to come almost every Sunday home game right by my tailgate. He took a groups of friends, visitors etc to see the tailgating in the lot and I always tailgated by the tee-pee gang. I never gave him chit or yelled asshole etc at him. Didn't want to spoil my good time. One time he told the group that had stopped to talk to us that the Chiefs could use me on the DL, give him a call. He was always jovial and likable when I saw him in public.

Yes. His ego in the media is well-documented, no need to further substantiate it.

That's what I'm saying, BRC. Now, of course Carl was trying to put on his best public face for these types of interactions, but...

The simple fact is that the vast majority of us can form our opinions about professional sports folks only via the media, so we're always getting a second-hand rhetorical construction.

Exactly my point.

One night after a game years ago he came in to the restaurant across the street from Arrowhead, sat down at the table next to us, and had dinner with a real hot blonde.

After that I always considered Carl a prick because he didn't buy the house a round or offer to pick up my check.

same here...

first time he saw me in costume, i told him there was a new "King" in town...he laughed and said he bequeathed his throne to me. he also spotted me out of costume at a vikings scrimmage up at camp..walked over just to shake my hand and thank me for the support.

Media doesn't necessarily mean from journalists. Pretty much EVERYTHING on the web is considered MEDIA.

THIS!!!!!!!:clap:

I'm not sure I'm emotionally equipped to deal with mental abuse heaped on me by Whitlock presenting such skewed profiles of these people.

They believe in certain principles and methodologies and are trying to incorporate it in the culture here. When you hire a CEO who comes from a successful organization, it's only natural they are going to try and implement the things they believe in...

Didn't wade through all the posts so it may have already been said. But the way the media especially JW report, they are always stirring up a bunch of crap that really is meaningless. All in an effort to create controversy and interest in their reporting. I realize it is their job to sell their product for their employer just as its whatever teams management to try and squelch the distractions.

I don’t care how much money these young players make, they’re still mostly immature kids. A healthy percentage of them are not emotionally equipped to deal with the mental abuse heaped on them by 40- and 50-year-old egomaniacs drunk on power.

Yea, college coaches held their hands and wiped their asses for them all the time.

Why the hell would anyone think they hadn't been yelled and cursed at before getting to the NFL?

If yelling at young men is so morally destructive as to render them damaged I really don't understand how we have the best military in the world.

His premise is off, IMO.

Pioli didn't bring over this operation because he's a dictator with insecurity issues, he brought it over because he bought into the Patriot propaganda model so deeply that he has no critical thinking ability wrt: its strengths and weaknesses.

That's why this is such a paint-by-numbers approach.

Pioli is a bigger asshole than Peterson.

how?
Posted via Mobile Device

It's really not just a Patriot thing. The entire NFL is this way, and it's getting worse. I'm sure other training camps are like this. I know the Colts are... they will lay down rules on the media. The NFL is very protective of their product.

Hilarious. Not like you have any ax to grind.

I disagree. I see Pioli/Haley creating their own culture here. This is just another angle for Whitlock to beat a dead horse. He appears to be using the Ireland incident to find Pioli guilty by association.

I watched them all. They used the same words several times, but they are pretty common cliches. "I just want to make the team." "I'll do whatever I'm asked." "Wanna help the team however I can." Not exactly some crazy patriochief philosophy there. Just guys not wanting to say the wrong thing. I imagine every rookie in the league is saying these exact things.

Whitlock should be fired for incompetence. But I suppose the Star has its reasons for employing such a petty hack to begin with.

jason`s just mad,i mean really who the **** cares?whoever said haley was an asshole ur way off base these young athletes today need a kick in the ass im so sick of seeing crybaby immature player...urrrrrr lebron james/such a ****in asshole.then you have all these athletes today crying oh my coach was too hard on me ....well tough shit/im sick of seeing these spoiled crybaby pussies,just stfu and play.as far jason/what makes him an expert on anything,nothing.

I have met Carl before and from the some of the Chiefs front office staff I know its the true. Pioli is your typical asshole New Englander.

Fatlock sucks ass in this article. What a little bitch.

He's awesome on Twitter. Definitely worth following.