Chiefs Rand: Clark is being prudent

shaneo69 · 10-21-2008, 11:19 AM

An owner's dilemma
Oct 21, 2008, 8:38:24 AM by Jonathan Rand

With the Chiefs’ latest lopsided loss, you can expect fans to resume their exasperation with chairman Clark Hunt for saying that coach Herm Edwards and president Carl Peterson are doing a good job rebuilding the team.

Fans want to hear Hunt tell them that he shares their pain and frustration, and no doubt would welcome an angry ultimatum to his entire football operation.

But that’s not how a good owner operates, and Hunt in a recent Kansas City Star interview said that he’s staying the course. Publicly chewing out his coach and front office might briefly give an owner a “Joe the Plumber” moment of popularity, but would serve mainly to demoralize and divide the very people he’s trying to help succeed.

Firing NFL coaches during a season is relatively rare and usually futile, the 2-0 start of the Rams’ Jim Haslett notwithstanding. Once a season starts, football teams are like concrete that’s been allowed to dry, and it’s too late to tear it all up.

An offense and defense are meticulously crafted and married to the available personnel. Once the season starts, a team is on a 16-game roller coaster ride, and good luck trying to get out of your car. An owner has to keep the faith that the decisions he signed off on were sound ones unless 16 games tell him otherwise.

In baseball, you can follow through on a managerial shakeup by calling up minor-league prospects and making a major trade or two. The NFL has no minor leagues and the relatively few important trades are made before the season. If you acquire draft picks, they can’t help you now.

It would be naïve to believe that Hunt doesn’t grasp what he’s been watching for six games. Having graduated first in his class at SMU, played soccer there and having watched the Chiefs most of his life, you can bet that he’s keenly aware of all their shortcomings.

But it’s unwise to evaluate a team at its peak or valley, and the Chiefs clearly have reached bottom. Their offense and defense are among the NFL’s worst.

The Brodie Croyle era has probably ended before it really started. Former Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson, with his irresponsible behavior, seems determined to fulfill his prophecy that the Chiefs are trying to phase him out.

Hunt could be excused if all this made him scream. It’s to his credit that he hasn’t.

The New York Yankees’ George Steinbrenner was once the poster child for the populist owner who rips his managers and players, to the delight of fans. But the record shows that his tirades bred instability and underachievement, and that his Yankees enjoyed their greatest success when he finally stuck with one manager, Joe Torre, and began respecting sound personnel advice.

Giving his people the benefit of the doubt, however, often leads an owner into the “vote of confidence” trap. If he fires somebody after giving a vote of confidence, he’s considered inept, indecisive or dishonest.

But if he withholds a vote of confidence – even by uttering a simple “no comment” — he’s seen as pulling the rug out from under his people. For the owner of a losing team, this is truly a no-win situation.

As poorly as the Chiefs played Sunday in a 34-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans, no reasonable NFL owner pulls the plug on a rebuilding program after only six games. For Hunt to call for a restart at this point would make a tough situation worse.

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2008/10...wners_dilemma/

Reerun_KC · 10-21-2008, 11:21 AM

Dear God, make it stop...

**mlyonsd** · 10-21-2008, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaneo69

As poorly as the Chiefs played Sunday in a 34-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans, no reasonable NFL owner pulls the plug on a rebuilding program after only six games. For Hunt to call for a restart at this point would make a tough situation worse.

I throw the BS flag that this rebuilding program has been going on for only 6 games.

bowener · 10-21-2008, 11:23 AM

Why can't we just be unreasonable this one time? We already tried to make Brokie the QBOTF and didnt go out and pick up a viable FA QB just in case he went down. That seems pretty unreasonable, as does assuming Huard could handle it too.

smittysbar · 10-21-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

I throw the BS flag that this rebuilding program has been going on for only 6 games.

I agree

Click the link and vote on this article, this POS is at 3 stars, 2 stars to many

mikey23545 · 10-21-2008, 11:37 AM

You posters are the reason it's not a good idea to have kindergartners running a sports franchise.

bowener · 10-21-2008, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey23545

You posters are the reason it's not a good idea to have kindergartners running a sports franchise.

True. But isnt herm enough proof that its not a good idea to have carl peterson running a franchise?

And if he is running a franchise with Herm at the helm, then is it not a good idea to have his boss running a sports franchise?

triple · 10-21-2008, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaneo69

The New York Yankees’ George Steinbrenner was once the poster child for the populist owner who rips his managers and players, to the delight of fans. But the record shows that his tirades bred instability and underachievement, and that his Yankees enjoyed their greatest success when he finally stuck with one manager, Joe Torre, and began respecting sound personnel advice.

You know what, Jonathan Rand? George Steinbrenner got competent people under him. That's why he found success.

Steinbrenner didn't have Carl Peterson, and if his GM had failed to win a postseason game in 15 years, he would have been fired 13 years ago.

Steinbrenner had one of the best managers in the league recent years. Hunt has the worst. And yet he does nothing.

Steinbrenner didn't always make good decisions, but at least he had the guts to make changes when they were warranted.

Quote:

As poorly as the Chiefs played Sunday in a 34-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans, no reasonable NFL owner pulls the plug on a rebuilding program after only six games.

You know what, Jonathan Rand? This rebuilding project has been going on longer than 6 games. It began in earnest last year, so that's 22 games.

It should have begun the year before that, 38 games ago, but Herm couldn't sell the only person in professional sports less competent than he is that the team needed to be rebuilt.

And firing these two clowns would not be "pulling the plug". It would be the move that shows committing to rebuilding, because these two imbeciles obviously have no idea how to do it.

Sure-Oz · 10-21-2008, 11:43 AM

amazing....Petro talking on 810 saying that Priest said, he wouldnt have been signed unless trent was traded to KC, the chiefs likely would've started a rebuilding period if that didnt happen. Intersting

**Iowanian** · 10-21-2008, 11:43 AM

Clark is being prudent and looking out for the Fan base...

I mean....if he was like a warden that watched the fan base being pushed down and raped in the shower on the security cam......and then, as the assalants are wiping their unit on our hair....coming in and saying "HEY! GITTOFFA DEM!!!! ERRRR ELSE"

HypnotizedMonkey · 10-21-2008, 11:47 AM

kiss some ass why don't you!

oaklandhater · 10-21-2008, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey23545

You posters are the reason it's not a good idea to have kindergartners running a sports franchise.

How come everyone ignores the shit you spew out of your mouth you insult any one who criticises the chiefs if no one else has the balls to say it I wil your an A$$Hole.

mikey23545 · 10-21-2008, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

How come everyone ignores the shit you spew out of your mouth you insult any one who criticises the chiefs if no one else has the balls to say it I wil your an A$$Hole.

Looks like it's time for you to put your blanket on the floor and get a good nap.

FAX · 10-21-2008, 11:56 AM

It is true that Clark's in a bit of a dilemma on this deal. After all, not only did he inherit Carl and Herm, he signed off on the whole "rebuild via the draft" plan. The best thing he can do is set clear and reasonable performance standards for everyone and hold his coaches and GM accountable. Frankly, that's pretty easy in football. He can use wins, individual stats, team rankings, or whatever as performance benchmarks.

The problem I have with him right now is that his performance requirements seem kind of mushy. For example, what does "improvement" mean exactly? I'm still waiting for Clark to demonstrate that he knows how to manage anything - let alone an NFL franchise.

FAX

DJJasonp · 10-21-2008, 11:57 AM

It's small-town writers (such as Rand) who perpetuate the small-town "professionalism" that some call leadership in the chiefs organization.

Give me Steinbrenner any day of the week....or Jerry Jones for that matter....I WANT my owner to give a damn about winning.

I remember hearing a great story about Mr. K and the royals....how he hated to lose so bad - and hated the yankees so much....he'd do whatever it took to be competitive and beat the yankees.

That's the type of ownership the chiefs organization needs.

As much as Mark Cuban can be an idiot...the guy hates to lose....and spends good money to be a winning franchise.
'
With wins come dollars......so even if ownership cares about the bottom line...they should first care about winning.

10-21-2008, 11:19 AM
shaneo69 Smug Weasel Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bleachers at Busch Casino cash: $10004900	Rand: Clark is being prudent An owner's dilemma Oct 21, 2008, 8:38:24 AM by Jonathan Rand With the Chiefs’ latest lopsided loss, you can expect fans to resume their exasperation with chairman Clark Hunt for saying that coach Herm Edwards and president Carl Peterson are doing a good job rebuilding the team. Fans want to hear Hunt tell them that he shares their pain and frustration, and no doubt would welcome an angry ultimatum to his entire football operation. But that’s not how a good owner operates, and Hunt in a recent Kansas City Star interview said that he’s staying the course. Publicly chewing out his coach and front office might briefly give an owner a “Joe the Plumber” moment of popularity, but would serve mainly to demoralize and divide the very people he’s trying to help succeed. Firing NFL coaches during a season is relatively rare and usually futile, the 2-0 start of the Rams’ Jim Haslett notwithstanding. Once a season starts, football teams are like concrete that’s been allowed to dry, and it’s too late to tear it all up. An offense and defense are meticulously crafted and married to the available personnel. Once the season starts, a team is on a 16-game roller coaster ride, and good luck trying to get out of your car. An owner has to keep the faith that the decisions he signed off on were sound ones unless 16 games tell him otherwise. In baseball, you can follow through on a managerial shakeup by calling up minor-league prospects and making a major trade or two. The NFL has no minor leagues and the relatively few important trades are made before the season. If you acquire draft picks, they can’t help you now. It would be naïve to believe that Hunt doesn’t grasp what he’s been watching for six games. Having graduated first in his class at SMU, played soccer there and having watched the Chiefs most of his life, you can bet that he’s keenly aware of all their shortcomings. But it’s unwise to evaluate a team at its peak or valley, and the Chiefs clearly have reached bottom. Their offense and defense are among the NFL’s worst. The Brodie Croyle era has probably ended before it really started. Former Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson, with his irresponsible behavior, seems determined to fulfill his prophecy that the Chiefs are trying to phase him out. Hunt could be excused if all this made him scream. It’s to his credit that he hasn’t. The New York Yankees’ George Steinbrenner was once the poster child for the populist owner who rips his managers and players, to the delight of fans. But the record shows that his tirades bred instability and underachievement, and that his Yankees enjoyed their greatest success when he finally stuck with one manager, Joe Torre, and began respecting sound personnel advice. Giving his people the benefit of the doubt, however, often leads an owner into the “vote of confidence” trap. If he fires somebody after giving a vote of confidence, he’s considered inept, indecisive or dishonest. But if he withholds a vote of confidence – even by uttering a simple “no comment” — he’s seen as pulling the rug out from under his people. For the owner of a losing team, this is truly a no-win situation. As poorly as the Chiefs played Sunday in a 34-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans, no reasonable NFL owner pulls the plug on a rebuilding program after only six games. For Hunt to call for a restart at this point would make a tough situation worse. http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2008/10...wners_dilemma/
Posts: 4,910

10-21-2008, 11:21 AM	#2
Reerun_KC Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Casino cash: $7231160	Dear God, make it stop...
Posts: 1,529

10-21-2008, 11:23 AM	#4
bowener BAMF! Join Date: Nov 2007 Casino cash: $9549897	Why can't we just be unreasonable this one time? We already tried to make Brokie the QBOTF and didnt go out and pick up a viable FA QB just in case he went down. That seems pretty unreasonable, as does assuming Huard could handle it too. __________________ Main Entry: bowe·ner Pronunciation: \ˈbō-nər\ Function: noun Date: circa 2007
Posts: 8,358

10-21-2008, 11:37 AM	#6
mikey23545 MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10015321	You posters are the reason it's not a good idea to have kindergartners running a sports franchise.
Posts: 12,314

10-21-2008, 11:43 AM	#10
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $1638454	Clark is being prudent and looking out for the Fan base... I mean....if he was like a warden that watched the fan base being pushed down and raped in the shower on the security cam......and then, as the assalants are wiping their unit on our hair....coming in and saying "HEY! GITTOFFA DEM!!!! ERRRR ELSE"
Posts: 62,946

10-21-2008, 11:47 AM	#11
HypnotizedMonkey usually hooplah is involved Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Casino cash: $10004925	kiss some ass why don't you!
Posts: 1,311

10-21-2008, 11:56 AM	#14
FAX testing ... 1, 2, 3 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Tennessee Casino cash: $6753759	It is true that Clark's in a bit of a dilemma on this deal. After all, not only did he inherit Carl and Herm, he signed off on the whole "rebuild via the draft" plan. The best thing he can do is set clear and reasonable performance standards for everyone and hold his coaches and GM accountable. Frankly, that's pretty easy in football. He can use wins, individual stats, team rankings, or whatever as performance benchmarks. The problem I have with him right now is that his performance requirements seem kind of mushy. For example, what does "improvement" mean exactly? I'm still waiting for Clark to demonstrate that he knows how to manage anything - let alone an NFL franchise. FAX
Posts: 44,492

10-21-2008, 11:57 AM	#15
DJJasonp My work speaks for itself!!! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: So Cal Casino cash: $-1984800	It's small-town writers (such as Rand) who perpetuate the small-town "professionalism" that some call leadership in the chiefs organization. Give me Steinbrenner any day of the week....or Jerry Jones for that matter....I WANT my owner to give a damn about winning. I remember hearing a great story about Mr. K and the royals....how he hated to lose so bad - and hated the yankees so much....he'd do whatever it took to be competitive and beat the yankees. That's the type of ownership the chiefs organization needs. As much as Mark Cuban can be an idiot...the guy hates to lose....and spends good money to be a winning franchise. ' With wins come dollars......so even if ownership cares about the bottom line...they should first care about winning. __________________ Its easier to fool a man, than to convince a man he's been fooled.
Posts: 14,023