Chiefs Whitlock: The person Hunt hires gets the best job in football

FloridaMan88 · 01-03-2009, 11:28 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/col...ry/963879.html

The person Hunt hires gets the best job in football

Clark Hunt is interviewing candidates for what could be the best job in football.

Maybe that explains his deliberate approach to finding and securing Kansas City’s next general manager.

If a qualified man wants to be an NFL GM, running the Kansas City Chiefs should be his dream job. Scott Pioli, Kevin Colbert and Chris Polian — the most qualified and coveted future GMs — have more reason to pursue Clark Hunt than Hunt has to pursue them.

Why?

•The Hunt family employed Carl Peterson for 20 years, demonstrating a level of loyalty and patience that is pretty much nonexistent in professional sports.

•The Hunts gave Peterson a degree of autonomy that is pretty much nonexistent in professional sports.

•The Chiefs are more than $30 million below the salary cap and are in position to unload a few more unproductive, expensive veterans this offseason.

•The Chiefs are one season away from playing in a fancy, exciting renovated Arrowhead Stadium.

•There’s no one within the football side of the organization that a new GM has to show any loyalty. He can clean out the scouting department and coaching staff.

•Expectations are low.

My initial instinct in writing this column was to criticize Clark Hunt for appearing to go about fixing his broken franchise without a concrete plan. Things aren’t going the way I anticipated.

When Hunt fired Peterson with two weeks left in the regular season, I assumed Hunt had identified his next general manager. I thought within days of the season’s end, Hunt would lock up New England’s Pioli or Pittsburgh’s Colbert or Indy’s Polian.

Instead of a new football king to trumpet, we were treated last week to our departing King (Carl) granting an exclusive Internet podcast interview to his last loyal subject, Bob Gretz. Peterson doesn’t have the good sense to be embarrassed by his cowardice. But agreeing to a final, 7-minute Bob Gretz tongue bath further diminishes Peterson’s legacy.

Peterson has refused to discuss his dismissal with legitimate members of the media for three weeks. At this point what Peterson has to say about his tenure is irrelevant.

Like most Chiefs fans, I’m ready to move on.

And that includes moving on from Peterson’s last significant action — hiring Herm Edwards.

In fairness, Herm might just be collateral damage from the ugly end of Peterson’s era. But the Chiefs ended the 2008 season in poor fashion, including a gutless performance at Cincinnati.

Why hasn’t Hunt disposed of Edwards and his coaching staff? They’re unsalvageable. Why leave an unpleasant task to a GM who had nothing to do with the team’s 6-26 record the last two years?

And if Hunt would like to see a new GM retain Edwards, I don’t see how leaving Edwards publicly twisting for days (and potentially weeks) enhances his locker-room credibility. Herm is damaged goods.

But, after thinking everything through, I decided emotion was overruling sound judgment. None of my gripes (or yours) really matter.

Hunt has the job. He can afford to sit back a little and let candidates woo him.

He needs to hear from Pioli, Colbert and Polian what they’re going to do for the Kansas City Chiefs. What the Hunts will do for a general manager is a matter of record. Peterson, Jack Steadman and Hank Stram were all allowed to stay beyond their usefulness. Gunther Cunningham is the only head coach to be fired by the Chiefs during the last 20 years. Over the same time frame, the Browns, another team looking for new leadership, have canned coaches Bud Carson, Jim Shofner (interim), Bill Belichick, Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Terry Robiskie (interim) and Romeo Crennel.

There’s no reason for desperation. The situation isn’t desperate.

If Hunt lands the right GM, the Chiefs can experience the kind of turnaround the Dolphins did this season. Bill Parcells and his coach, Tony Sparano, sparked a one-win-to-11-win turnaround in Miami.

I can’t imagine a scenario in which Hunt doesn’t land a top-flight general manager. I’m willing to wait.

01-03-2009, 11:28 PM	Topic Starter
FloridaMan88 Mahomes: We Are All Witnesses Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Miami, FL Casino cash: $2622906	Whitlock: The person Hunt hires gets the best job in football http://www.kansascity.com/sports/col...ry/963879.html The person Hunt hires gets the best job in football Clark Hunt is interviewing candidates for what could be the best job in football. Maybe that explains his deliberate approach to finding and securing Kansas City’s next general manager. If a qualified man wants to be an NFL GM, running the Kansas City Chiefs should be his dream job. Scott Pioli, Kevin Colbert and Chris Polian — the most qualified and coveted future GMs — have more reason to pursue Clark Hunt than Hunt has to pursue them. Why? •The Hunt family employed Carl Peterson for 20 years, demonstrating a level of loyalty and patience that is pretty much nonexistent in professional sports. •The Hunts gave Peterson a degree of autonomy that is pretty much nonexistent in professional sports. •The Chiefs are more than $30 million below the salary cap and are in position to unload a few more unproductive, expensive veterans this offseason. •The Chiefs are one season away from playing in a fancy, exciting renovated Arrowhead Stadium. •There’s no one within the football side of the organization that a new GM has to show any loyalty. He can clean out the scouting department and coaching staff. •Expectations are low. My initial instinct in writing this column was to criticize Clark Hunt for appearing to go about fixing his broken franchise without a concrete plan. Things aren’t going the way I anticipated. When Hunt fired Peterson with two weeks left in the regular season, I assumed Hunt had identified his next general manager. I thought within days of the season’s end, Hunt would lock up New England’s Pioli or Pittsburgh’s Colbert or Indy’s Polian. Instead of a new football king to trumpet, we were treated last week to our departing King (Carl) granting an exclusive Internet podcast interview to his last loyal subject, Bob Gretz. Peterson doesn’t have the good sense to be embarrassed by his cowardice. But agreeing to a final, 7-minute Bob Gretz tongue bath further diminishes Peterson’s legacy. Peterson has refused to discuss his dismissal with legitimate members of the media for three weeks. At this point what Peterson has to say about his tenure is irrelevant. Like most Chiefs fans, I’m ready to move on. And that includes moving on from Peterson’s last significant action — hiring Herm Edwards. In fairness, Herm might just be collateral damage from the ugly end of Peterson’s era. But the Chiefs ended the 2008 season in poor fashion, including a gutless performance at Cincinnati. Why hasn’t Hunt disposed of Edwards and his coaching staff? They’re unsalvageable. Why leave an unpleasant task to a GM who had nothing to do with the team’s 6-26 record the last two years? And if Hunt would like to see a new GM retain Edwards, I don’t see how leaving Edwards publicly twisting for days (and potentially weeks) enhances his locker-room credibility. Herm is damaged goods. But, after thinking everything through, I decided emotion was overruling sound judgment. None of my gripes (or yours) really matter. Hunt has the job. He can afford to sit back a little and let candidates woo him. He needs to hear from Pioli, Colbert and Polian what they’re going to do for the Kansas City Chiefs. What the Hunts will do for a general manager is a matter of record. Peterson, Jack Steadman and Hank Stram were all allowed to stay beyond their usefulness. Gunther Cunningham is the only head coach to be fired by the Chiefs during the last 20 years. Over the same time frame, the Browns, another team looking for new leadership, have canned coaches Bud Carson, Jim Shofner (interim), Bill Belichick, Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Terry Robiskie (interim) and Romeo Crennel. There’s no reason for desperation. The situation isn’t desperate. If Hunt lands the right GM, the Chiefs can experience the kind of turnaround the Dolphins did this season. Bill Parcells and his coach, Tony Sparano, sparked a one-win-to-11-win turnaround in Miami. I can’t imagine a scenario in which Hunt doesn’t land a top-flight general manager. I’m willing to wait.
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