Chiefs Mellinger: Chiefs need to make fixes, but not at head coach

FringeNC · 01-02-2012, 08:35 AM

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/01...ennel-and.html

Chiefs need to make fixes, but not at head coach
By SAM MELLINGER

The Kansas City Star

DENVER | They are chanting his name in the locker room, over and over and over, the second time in three weeks they’ve busted out in beautiful, spontaneous, united success for the man they overwhelmingly want to coach them next year.

RAC! … RAC! … RAC! …

Those Chiefs players will almost certainly get their wish, and very soon, as general manager Scott Pioli is expected to make interim coach Romeo Crennel the permanent leader of a roster already dedicated to him.

Crennel deserves it. He’s earned it, removing the most reasonable doubts by beating the Broncos 7-3 here on Sunday. That’s wins over two playoff teams in three games for a man who embodies most of the characteristics the organization wants to project.

Three respected Chiefs players — Tamba Hali, Steve Breaston and Le’Ron McClain — agreed that Crennel has “overwhelming” support from the players. So the Chiefs are best served with him as the head coach, but only under the following condition:

They don’t get fooled into believing the rest of the fixes from a disappointing season are in-house.

Early indications are good. The coaching staff will undergo major changes, almost certainly with a new offensive coordinator and new special-teams coach.

Crennel would have final say in hiring assistants, and that includes Josh McDaniels, with whom he worked four seasons in New England and will reportedly be fired as Rams offensive coordinator. Chiefs fans have spent a lot of time agonizing over McDaniels, but a Chiefs source said he was not and will not be interviewed for the head coaching job.

That’s a good start, but not enough. The players seem to understand this.

“Yeah, you need to bring in some guys,” says Hali, who with a long-term contract and universal respect is among the Chiefs who can speak most freely. “We need some younger guys. Guys like Derrick (Johnson) and I, we are aging in this game. I do believe you need to bring in some younger guys to help us.”

Hali goes on. He says that “we have to make sure that (quarterback) position is solidified,” and that “nothing against our old coach, but Romeo’s a little older, experienced, he knows what he’s doing.”

There is more, and it is echoed throughout the locker room, with a season now officially over and the players as honest and reflective as the NFL and Chiefs culture allows.

Breaston talks of being proud that his team played hard, when it had nothing to play for and the Broncos had so much. He thinks that’s equal parts Crennel’s influence and what he’s come to think of as a unique vibe within the Chiefs’ locker room.

McClain talks of hoping to be back next year, so he can see this thing through, only without an absurd string of injuries that hampered so much of what would’ve otherwise been possible.

Changes will be made, of course, mostly because changes are always made in the NFL, but also because changes need to be made with the Chiefs.

Injuries have become a crutch for apologists, and this is counterproductive if it allows anyone to believe that a near-historic number of blowout losses can be fixed by a doctor.

The offensive line was perfectly healthy, for instance, and it stunk for most of the season. Same with the defensive line, though Allen Bailey’s emergence is encouraging.

The Chiefs’ decision-makers seem to understand this. You get that sense through private conversations, anyway, though there is enough deliberate ambiguity within the organization that it’s hard to tell for sure.

One of the most dangerous temptations is to believe that the Chiefs are this close to the playoffs because they weren’t eliminated until last week.

You can even point out that if Dwayne Bowe hadn’t dropped a touchdown pass against the Raiders, or if Ryan Succop had made one of those field goals, the Chiefs would be in the playoffs.

Except that’s not a reason to be comfortable; it’s the opposite. The Chiefs came within a game of the playoffs because the AFC West is worse than chicken pox. Failing to take advantage would be a shame — a fireable offense.

Realistically, the Chiefs quit against the Jets and Dolphins, lost by 27 or more points five times and actually got pretty lucky with a schedule that gave them a string of failing quarterbacks (including the Chargers’ Philip Rivers fumbling away a win on Halloween) and breaks in Chicago.

Just by virtue of medical technology, the Chiefs will be the AFC West’s most improved team if Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry and Tony Moeaki fully recover. There is no way to plan for a similar stack of injuries next year, but only fools would rely on duplicating the remarkably injury-free season of 2010.

Hali understands this. He talked for about 10 minutes as the locker room around him cleared out for the last time this season. He talked mostly about his coach, and about how Crennel is one of those “special people … almost like your father” whom players want to make proud.

“You know our league,” he says. “Some guys buy in, some guys don’t. It seems like a lot of guys have bought into Romeo. His philosophy and everything he wants to get done, we’ve bought into it.”

The Chiefs need to make that matter. But they also need to understand that to capitalize on a beautiful opportunity next year, many of the other needed changes must come from outside the organization.

Dexter Manley · 01-02-2012, 08:36 AM

Coach was not the problem.

GM was... (hopefully implying that problem will soon be in the PAST)

htismaqe · 01-02-2012, 08:36 AM

If the players want him THIS bad, there is NO WAY you hire him. None.

This story does not end well.

FringeNC · 01-02-2012, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

If the players want him THIS bad, there is NO WAY you hire him. None.

This story does not end well.

Mellinger suggests it's a done deal.

htismaqe · 01-02-2012, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FringeNC

Mellinger suggests it's a done deal.

More proof that Pioli has no clue.

FringeNC · 01-02-2012, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

More proof that Pioli has no clue.

I don't have strong feelings about RAC one way or another, but if Pioli does bring back Cassel, that will put a big damper on my enthusiasm for next year.

RINGLEADER · 01-02-2012, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FringeNC

I don't have strong feelings about RAC one way or another, but if Pioli does bring back Cassel, that will put a big damper on my enthusiasm for next year.

This is pretty much how I feel, though I'm not super-high on Romeo. Need to replace Muir and Cassel or there will be more tears in 2012.

Dexter Manley · 01-02-2012, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

If the players want him THIS bad, there is NO WAY you hire him. None.

This story does not end well.

Indeed, who wants a HC who gets the players to play hard for him...

Raheem Morris - he's your guy. The Bucs hate him. Let's hire him. He really had the Bucs sucking and slacking off. Some of the efforts yesterday against the Falcons were worthy of "Paper Lion..."

htismaqe · 01-02-2012, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dexter Manley

Indeed, who wants a HC who gets the players to play hard for him...

Raheem Morris - he's your guy. The Bucs hate him. Let's hire him. He really had the Bucs sucking and slacking off. Some of the efforts yesterday against the Falcons were worthy of "Paper Lion..."

The Charger players LOVE Norv Turner.

Dexter Manley · 01-02-2012, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

The Charger players LOVE Norv Turner.

No, the Spanos family does, or did...

The Chargers did not play that hard for Norv. The Chiefs did for Romeo.

htismaqe · 01-02-2012, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dexter Manley

No, the Spanos family does, or did...

The Chargers did not play that hard for Norv. The Chiefs did for Romeo.

Philip Rivers said yesterday that he loves Norv. You're delusional.

**dirk digler** · 01-02-2012, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dexter Manley

No, the Spanos family does, or did...

The Chargers did not play that hard for Norv. The Chiefs did for Romeo.

You are wrong. They won 4 out of their last 5. If they didn't like Norv you would have seen a Tampa Bay style meltdown.

And it appears that the Spanos might be reconsidering keeping Norv

'Hamas' Jenkins · 01-03-2012, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

The Charger players LOVE Norv Turner.

Herm Edwards and Pete Carroll approve this message.

JD10367 · 01-02-2012, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

If the players want him THIS bad, there is NO WAY you hire him. None.

This story does not end well.

I remember when Bill Parcells left New England, and they hired "Pom Pom" Pete Carroll. The players talked about how great it would be to have a "players' coach". At the press conference, one of the Patriots defensive players had his arm around Carroll.

And I also remember last year's epic collapse by the Boston Red Sox, with players eating chicken and drinking beer in the dugout while the team had the biggest September collapse in MLB history under another "players' coach", Terry Francona. Just before the September slide, after a victory no less, Francona tried to grow some balls and had a meeting with the players where he said he didn't like things that were going on; they responded with the biggest choke job in baseball.

Now, this all does validate your point somewhat but, the thing is, we don't know why the Chiefs players want/like Romeo. Is it because he's a great coach? Is it because he's coming up with unique and victorious plays? Those are great reasons to like him, and keep him. But if it's because he "isn't as mean as Haley", then, yeah, this could be a bad thing.

htismaqe · 01-02-2012, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD10367

I remember when Bill Parcells left New England, and they hired "Pom Pom" Pete Carroll. The players talked about how great it would be to have a "players' coach". At the press conference, one of the Patriots defensive players had his arm around Carroll.

And I also remember last year's epic collapse by the Boston Red Sox, with players eating chicken and drinking beer in the dugout while the team had the biggest September collapse in MLB history under another "players' coach", Terry Francona. Just before the September slide, after a victory no less, Francona tried to grow some balls and had a meeting with the players where he said he didn't like things that were going on; they responded with the biggest choke job in baseball.

Now, this all does validate your point somewhat but, the thing is, we don't know why the Chiefs players want/like Romeo. Is it because he's a great coach? Is it because he's coming up with unique and victorious plays? Those are great reasons to like him, and keep him. But if it's because he "isn't as mean as Haley", then, yeah, this could be a bad thing.

That's just the thing. There's very little evidence to suggest it's anything OTHER than a reaction to Haley. It could be any number of things other thant that, but the evidence doesn't point there. They all talk about how he's a father figure and a teddy bear and blah blah blah.

01-02-2012, 08:35 AM	Topic Starter
FringeNC MVP Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: NC Casino cash: $-1773986	Mellinger: Chiefs need to make fixes, but not at head coach http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/01...ennel-and.html Chiefs need to make fixes, but not at head coach By SAM MELLINGER The Kansas City Star DENVER \| They are chanting his name in the locker room, over and over and over, the second time in three weeks they’ve busted out in beautiful, spontaneous, united success for the man they overwhelmingly want to coach them next year. RAC! … RAC! … RAC! … Those Chiefs players will almost certainly get their wish, and very soon, as general manager Scott Pioli is expected to make interim coach Romeo Crennel the permanent leader of a roster already dedicated to him. Crennel deserves it. He’s earned it, removing the most reasonable doubts by beating the Broncos 7-3 here on Sunday. That’s wins over two playoff teams in three games for a man who embodies most of the characteristics the organization wants to project. Three respected Chiefs players — Tamba Hali, Steve Breaston and Le’Ron McClain — agreed that Crennel has “overwhelming” support from the players. So the Chiefs are best served with him as the head coach, but only under the following condition: They don’t get fooled into believing the rest of the fixes from a disappointing season are in-house. Early indications are good. The coaching staff will undergo major changes, almost certainly with a new offensive coordinator and new special-teams coach. Crennel would have final say in hiring assistants, and that includes Josh McDaniels, with whom he worked four seasons in New England and will reportedly be fired as Rams offensive coordinator. Chiefs fans have spent a lot of time agonizing over McDaniels, but a Chiefs source said he was not and will not be interviewed for the head coaching job. That’s a good start, but not enough. The players seem to understand this. “Yeah, you need to bring in some guys,” says Hali, who with a long-term contract and universal respect is among the Chiefs who can speak most freely. “We need some younger guys. Guys like Derrick (Johnson) and I, we are aging in this game. I do believe you need to bring in some younger guys to help us.” Hali goes on. He says that “we have to make sure that (quarterback) position is solidified,” and that “nothing against our old coach, but Romeo’s a little older, experienced, he knows what he’s doing.” There is more, and it is echoed throughout the locker room, with a season now officially over and the players as honest and reflective as the NFL and Chiefs culture allows. Breaston talks of being proud that his team played hard, when it had nothing to play for and the Broncos had so much. He thinks that’s equal parts Crennel’s influence and what he’s come to think of as a unique vibe within the Chiefs’ locker room. McClain talks of hoping to be back next year, so he can see this thing through, only without an absurd string of injuries that hampered so much of what would’ve otherwise been possible. Changes will be made, of course, mostly because changes are always made in the NFL, but also because changes need to be made with the Chiefs. Injuries have become a crutch for apologists, and this is counterproductive if it allows anyone to believe that a near-historic number of blowout losses can be fixed by a doctor. The offensive line was perfectly healthy, for instance, and it stunk for most of the season. Same with the defensive line, though Allen Bailey’s emergence is encouraging. The Chiefs’ decision-makers seem to understand this. You get that sense through private conversations, anyway, though there is enough deliberate ambiguity within the organization that it’s hard to tell for sure. One of the most dangerous temptations is to believe that the Chiefs are this close to the playoffs because they weren’t eliminated until last week. You can even point out that if Dwayne Bowe hadn’t dropped a touchdown pass against the Raiders, or if Ryan Succop had made one of those field goals, the Chiefs would be in the playoffs. Except that’s not a reason to be comfortable; it’s the opposite. The Chiefs came within a game of the playoffs because the AFC West is worse than chicken pox. Failing to take advantage would be a shame — a fireable offense. Realistically, the Chiefs quit against the Jets and Dolphins, lost by 27 or more points five times and actually got pretty lucky with a schedule that gave them a string of failing quarterbacks (including the Chargers’ Philip Rivers fumbling away a win on Halloween) and breaks in Chicago. Just by virtue of medical technology, the Chiefs will be the AFC West’s most improved team if Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry and Tony Moeaki fully recover. There is no way to plan for a similar stack of injuries next year, but only fools would rely on duplicating the remarkably injury-free season of 2010. Hali understands this. He talked for about 10 minutes as the locker room around him cleared out for the last time this season. He talked mostly about his coach, and about how Crennel is one of those “special people … almost like your father” whom players want to make proud. “You know our league,” he says. “Some guys buy in, some guys don’t. It seems like a lot of guys have bought into Romeo. His philosophy and everything he wants to get done, we’ve bought into it.” The Chiefs need to make that matter. But they also need to understand that to capitalize on a beautiful opportunity next year, many of the other needed changes must come from outside the organization.
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01-02-2012, 08:36 AM	#2
Dexter Manley Veteran Join Date: Dec 2011 Casino cash: $10004900	Coach was not the problem. GM was... (hopefully implying that problem will soon be in the PAST)
Posts: 1,263

01-02-2012, 08:36 AM	#3
htismaqe 'Tis my eye! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chiefsplanet Casino cash: $8099900	If the players want him THIS bad, there is NO WAY you hire him. None. This story does not end well.
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