Gretz:Waters Learns It’s A New Chiefs World

[Tribal Warfare]

Waters Learns It’s A New Chiefs World
February 27, 2009 - Bob Gretz |

Brian Waters gets failing grades for his first two tests in what is the brave new world of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The veteran guard failed to understand the message that was sent to him by Scott Pioli and Todd Haley.

And then he failed again when he apparently blabbed about his frustration and emotions and the information landed in the hands of Jason Whitlock and the Kansas City Star.

We hate to link to the Star for anything because they absolutely refuse to admit this site even exists. But if you haven’t read the story of an unhappy Brian Waters, then click here. We’ll provide a better written short version.

Waters did not like what he heard at the Pro Bowl about his new head coach. Gossip around the hotel pool with guys from the Arizona Cardinals was that Haley could be aloof and difficult to deal with. Waters decided to come to Kansas City and hear straight from the guys in charge what their plans are for this team.

According to the story, Pioli would not give him a meeting and Haley only had time to chat as they walked down a hallway in the team’s offices. Reportedly Haley told Waters that he could have gone out and gotten 22 guys off the street and won two games.

This attitude or in Whitlock’s word “arrogance” angered Waters and he then tried to contact Clark Hunt, who apparently would not take his call. That’s when Waters on Thursday called Haley and asked that the team to trade him.

Now Whitlock’s story does not quote Waters by name, and says the information came from someone with “knowledge of the situation.” Generally, that’s a player’s agent in that role. But Waters does not have an agent; he handles his contract stuff himself. So it’s pretty plain thanks to the detail in the narrative that the source of the information in the story is Waters himself, or someone Waters had spoken to in great detail. It’s either him or Haley and I think we are on very safe ground knowing it was not the head coach.

So, let’s say that everything in the story is accurate, at least to how Waters viewed what went down in the Chiefs offices. What should the average fan take from this?

I think the average fan already knows what Waters found out: that the whole world at Arrowhead has been turned upside down. The old way of doing things is out the door, and that goes for all facets of the operation.

Waters believed that as a nine-year veteran, team captain, Pro Bowler, team player rep and all-around locker room lawyer, he had the cache to walk in and get answers from those new guys in charge.

What he found out was that at Pioli and Haley’s poker table, he had no chips, he had no stake, he had no pull.

And from the view of Pioli/Haley, why should they spend even a minute talking with Waters right now? There are more important things to worry about like free agency, deciding on an offense, deciding on a defense, and preparing for the draft.

Plus, all they know is Brian Waters has been a starter on a team that has gone 6-26 in the last two seasons. What kind of answers does he have? What can they learn from him? Pioli can pull out three Super Bowl rings from his desk. How many winning post-season games has Waters played in? The answer would be none.

Whether this is the best way to handle players and people will be shown over the coming months and years. Pioli and Haley could have been more polite and handled Waters as if he was an asset that they still have available to them. But they are creating a new culture around the Chiefs and the way Waters was handled was likely done for a reason.

You can bet that Pioli/Haley have been told that Waters is a team leader. So they wanted to make sure the team leader got the message that things were going to be very different around the Chiefs. Whether it was done consciously or not, you can bet those two wanted to see how Waters handled the situation. They wanted to see if he could be their kind of leader.

And there were two ways Waters could have gone. He could have gone home, picked up the phone, called his teammates and told them “Boys, this is a brave new world and you had better buckle up and get to work because things have changed completely.”

Or he could have gone home, tried to go over the head of the new guys and then decided he didn’t want any part of the situation. To make sure the message was driven home, the whole thing was leaked so it could be made public.

For Pioli and Haley, their message still got out. Other players will hear of Waters’ story and quickly realize that things are very different around the Chiefs. Less established players will note how their buddy B-Dub was handled.

Brian Waters has always come across as a pretty sharp guy, and there’s no debating he’s been an asset to the team both on and off the field. But he missed the mark on this situation completely.

What he is soon to learn, just as Tony Gonzalez learned last year and just as Larry Johnson will learn as well, is that a player can’t fire a team. One of the things a player gives up when they receive those millions of dollars from management is the right to decide where and for whom they play. Waters can change that by staying home and forfeiting the millions. He has that right.

But his football future will be decided by the guy who wouldn’t have a meeting with him and the guy that apparently offended him.

It will be decided by two guys that gave him a test that he failed.

[MVChiefFan]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

and clark not taking the call shows that he trusts what pioli is doing fully

I know, I couldn't help say "ouch" when I heard he wouldn't talk to him.LOL

[smittysbar]

Originally Posted by Buster Hymen

Defending a coach that was/is as bad as Herm is indefensable. This is directed at you as much as Brian Waters.

Rep

[Red Beans]

Originally Posted by brain1081

He didn't just barge in. He did the exact same thing that he has done hundreds of times before. For Christ's sake the man went to his place of employment. He should have been welcome with open arms in that building. He had every right to do what he did. I pity everyone on this board that can't talk to your boss...must suck.

I'm not talking about my office supervisor, I'm talking about the director of a state agency. The face of a franchise so to speak. Pioli is the freaking head of the Chiefs organization. I agree with a previous post, go talk to your o-line coach. There's a heirarchy that runs through all businesses, all places of employment. Brian Waters needs to get his head straight about how the world works and how the new Chiefs operate and so do you.

[Red Beans]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

he came in with NO warning on one of the biggest days of the year and didnt actually ask to talk to his immediate superior(oline coach) about work(his job) but about their job, and how they were going to handle it. try going past supervisors and ask the owner of the company when he's working on a merger to hang up the phone and lets talk about what youre doing and see how that works out for you

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Red Beans

I'm not talking about my office supervisor, I'm talking about the director of a state agency. The face of a franchise so to speak. Pioli is the freaking head of the Chiefs organization. I agree with a previous post, go talk to your o-line coach. There's a heirarchy that runs through all businesses, all places of employment. Brian Waters needs to get his head straight about how the world works and how the new Chiefs operate and so do you.

That doesn't necessarily apply in this case.

If I went to my CEO, nobody would listen to me. If a salesperson that every year won "Salesman of the Year" awards went in, then you bet your ass the leaders would drop what they were doing to talk. Waters isn't just any other worker. He is one of the top in the Chiefs' current work force.

I know it was bad timing on Waters' part. But that doesn't mean that Pioli/Haley were completely in the right. We don't know the full story, but there's at least reason to question whether the management handled the situation correctly. I trust that in the end, they're smart enough to deal with Waters appropriately and I'll give Haley the benefit of the doubt to do it. But for a new coach with a reputation of being a hot-head, this at least has to raise a little bit of concern.

[Red Beans]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

That doesn't necessarily apply in this case.

If I went to my CEO, nobody would listen to me. If a salesperson that every year won "Salesman of the Year" awards went in, then you bet your ass the leaders would drop what they were doing to talk. Waters isn't just any other worker. He is one of the top in the Chiefs' current work force.

I know it was bad timing on Waters' part. But that doesn't mean that Pioli/Haley were completely in the right. We don't know the full story, but there's at least reason to question whether the management handled the situation correctly. I trust that in the end, they're smart enough to deal with Waters appropriately and I'll give Haley the benefit of the doubt to do it. But for a new coach with a reputation of being a hot-head, this at least has to raise a little bit of concern.

it doesn't necessarily but it could. You're right, we don't know the details but what we do know is exactly who is running the show here. That's something we haven't had in the past.

[brain1081]

Originally Posted by MVChiefFan

I can talk to my boss about anything at anytime, but then again, I've been his right hand man for the past five years. If I were to have a new boss, I wouldn't feel comfortable just strolling in asking him what his intentions with the company are. And, how do you know he didn't just "barge in". Were you there? None of us know what happened but I'll tell ya this, no one is bigger than the "team" and I'm getting sick of these guys gettin' their poor-little-look-at-me-I'm-a-starter-on-a-2-14-team feelings hurt for not being coddled.

I'm tired of these spoiled rich GMs and Coaches walking into this city like they have actually done something for us just by taking the job. These guys are treating one of their best players like crap and there's no reason for it. Waters didn't do everything right (although, I still contend that if there was an open door policy the entire time he's been here, how is he supposed to know that there isn't one now) but this situation could have been avoided completely by just using common manners on the head coaches and GMs part. If this was a calculated move then I think there was a better way to do it without disrespecting Waters and getting the point across to the team. If it was an accident, then this is probably going to be a short ride with these guys.

[Red Beans]

Originally Posted by brain1081

I'm tired of these spoiled rich GMs and Coaches walking into this city like they have actually done something for us just by taking the job. These guys are treating one of their best players like crap and there's no reason for it. Waters didn't do everything right (although, I still contend that if there was an open door policy the entire time he's been here, how is he supposed to know that there isn't one now) but this situation could have been avoided completely by just using common manners on the head coaches and GMs part. If this was a calculated move then I think there was a better way to do it without disrespecting Waters and getting the point across to the team. If it was an accident, then this is probably going to be a short ride with these guys.

I didn't know Brian Waters posted here. Either that or you can type while you fellatiate him. That is what I call skill. I'm tired of spoiled players who act like cry baby vaginas after I paid to watch my team go 2 and 14.

[Duck Dog]

Originally Posted by brain1081

He didn't just barge in. He did the exact same thing that he has done hundreds of times before. For Christ's sake the man went to his place of employment. He should have been welcome with open arms in that building. He had every right to do what he did. I pity everyone on this board that can't talk to your boss...must suck.

There are protocols to follow and he broke every single one. He had no right to do what he did the way he did it.

[eazyb81]

It's apparent Gretz took his own advice by realizing this is a "Brave New World" and it's time to quit or actually start writing intelligent and thought-provoking articles.

Apparently he chose the latter and is hopping on board the Pioli bandwagon. Good decision.

[brain1081]

Originally Posted by Duck Dog

There are protocols to follow and he broke every single one. He had no right to do what he did the way he did it.

For as much shit as I'm getting for only listening to one side of the story, I have to ask this. If there were new protocols how was he supposed to know what they were? Was something sent to all the players? "Do not come to Arrowhead without an appointment. We are very busy with the up coming off season. Thank you.". No one knows. Again, how is he supposed to know that there is no longer an open door policy if no one tells him? Sure he may have made a mistake by going to Pioli first, and a really big one by trying to call Clark. But lack of common courtesy on the teams part is really disappointing. Once again, they're either a-holes or stupid. Either way, I look on this as a bad thing.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

That doesn't necessarily apply in this case.

If I went to my CEO, nobody would listen to me. If a salesperson that every year won "Salesman of the Year" awards went in, then you bet your ass the leaders would drop what they were doing to talk. Waters isn't just any other worker. He is one of the top in the Chiefs' current work force.

I know it was bad timing on Waters' part. But that doesn't mean that Pioli/Haley were completely in the right. We don't know the full story, but there's at least reason to question whether the management handled the situation correctly. I trust that in the end, they're smart enough to deal with Waters appropriately and I'll give Haley the benefit of the doubt to do it. But for a new coach with a reputation of being a hot-head, this at least has to raise a little bit of concern.

If your "Salesman of the Year" was the top saleman in a workforce that was 12.5% to plan last year (ie. 2-14), there's a better than good possibility the new management won't give two shits that he was good or not.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by brain1081

We are very busy with the up coming off season. Thank you.

EVERYBODY knows this, EVEN Brian Waters.

[brain1081]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

EVERYBODY knows this, EVEN Brian Waters.

In light of the Cassel trade...I'm backing off on this a little. I still thing they could have handled it better but I'm way too excited now to continue on with the ripping of the front office
Hopefully this tells Waters everything that he needs to know about the future of this franchise.