Pioli offers an excuse

[Hammock Parties]

Pioli will bring Chiefs back to life

http://www.projo.com/sports/jimdonal...3.37be5c8.html

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ORLANDO — If you know Scott Pioli, you know he’s going to do in Kansas City what he did in New England — win Super Bowls.

Most likely not in his second year on the job, as the Patriots did in 2001.

But he’ll get the job done. He always has.

Pioli knows football. He knows people. He knows how to evaluate not only how a player will perform on the field, but also his character — what he’ll be like in the locker room, where the all-important chemistry that is an integral part of championship teams is established and maintained.

He knows his business, as he showed throughout his nine years in New England, when, working hand-in-hand with coach Bill Belichick, Pioli assembled the talent that enabled the Patriots to play in four Super Bowls – winning three of them — and five AFC championship games.

The Pats won six division titles while Pioli was personnel chief, going 18-0 in 2007 before losing Super Bowl XLII in the final seconds to the Giants.

He knows how winning teams — championship teams — are built, and he’s determined to do it in Kansas City, where he’s now a couple of months into his second year as general manager.

“The big difference is that, in Kansas City, I was starting at ground zero,” he said Sunday afternoon, stopping to chat for a few minutes in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton, where the NFL owners meetings are taking place this week.

The Chiefs were 2-14 in 2008, the year before he arrived. They doubled that win total last season.

“Where I’d come from,” he said, referring to his years with the Patriots, “we had a system and a program that was up and running, with people with a great deal of experience.”

It’s a somewhat different experience for Pioli in Kansas City, where he’s clearly at the top of the totem pole. In New England, Belichick had the last word. With the Chiefs, while Pioli discusses personnel moves with coach Todd Haley, he has the final say.

“It’s similar to my situation in New England,” Pioli said, “but the lead role has swapped.”

To help him in that lead role, he said: “I’ve brought in a number of people who are smarter than I am, starting with the head coach. I don’t ever kid myself that I know that part of the game well enough.”

The head coach is the 43-year-old Haley. It’s his first head-coaching job, but he has extensive experience working with teams that have had to rebuild — most recently the Arizona Cardinals, for whom he was offensive coordinator in 2008, when they won the NFC championship and played in the franchise’s first NFL title game since 1947.

“We have a shared vision of what it takes to build a successful franchise,” Pioli said.

To do that requires more than simply bringing in talented athletes.

“I’ve learned that chemistry is critical,” Pioli said. “In New England, we didn’t just have great players — we had great team players.”

The Patriots had players like Mike Vrabel, who was brought to Kansas City by Pioli last season as much for his leadership as his linebacking talents. Along with the likes of Willie McGinest and Tedy Bruschi, Vrabel made sure that every player who put on a New England uniform knew what was expected of him.

“We also had selfless leaders, like Roman Phifer, Bobby Hamilton, and Anthony Pleasant,” said Pioli, who recently added Pleasant to the K.C. staff as defensive line coach.

A veteran of 14 NFL seasons — the last three in New England — Pleasant is one of several Chiefs assistants with a Patriots connection.

When Charlie Weis was fired at Notre Dame, Pioli snapped him up as offensive coordinator. The Chiefs new defensive coordinator is Romeo Crennel, who was fired as head coach of the Browns after the 2008 season. Crennel and Weis were, of course, the coordinators for Belichick in New England when the Patriots won their three Super Bowls.

Pioli also has hired former Patriots defensive back Otis Smith and put him in charge of “defensive quality control.”

Throw in quarterback Matt Cassel, who filled in so capably for the Patriots after Brady was lost for the 2008 season when he was injured in the opener — against the Chiefs — and there clearly is a strong New England flavor to what Pioli sees as the recipe for success in Kansas City.

Which shouldn’t be surprising.

He doesn’t have to convince people with Patriots ties to, so to speak, buy the Kool-Aid he’s selling. They’ve already been drinking it for years.

“It happens all the time,” Pioli said of the practice of hiring people you know — and who know you.

“Look at what Josh (McDaniel) is doing in Denver. Look what happened when Brian Billick went to the Ravens, or when Andy Reid went to Philadelphia. (Bill) Parcells has done it everywhere he’s gone.

“It’s natural, when you’re looking for leaders.”

It’s been 40 years since the Chiefs have been to the Super Bowl. They’re looking to Pioli to lead them back.

It won’t be this year. But it may not be too many more.

[DaWolf]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The Dolphins? JFC, WHY would you include them?

It's been discussed to death but the Dolphins were smoke and mirrors. I said in January 2009 that they'd be LUCKY to be 8-8 last year and guess what?

They were 7-9.

And I don't disagree at all, but keep in mind that was a 1-15 team. To even sniff 8 wins a year later, to me, is a good turnaround. Was their division championship a lot of smoke and mirrors? Absolutely. But it was nevertheless a heck of a turnaround for one year...

[Mecca]

In 2003 San Diego picked 30th...not 3rd, there's a slight difference there. Of course that was after a trade down but they still did not have a top 5 pick.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

That's all well and good but out of seven draft choices and 38 free agent acquisitions, the Chiefs were unable to find something they sorely lacked:

A game-changing, playmaking, difference maker.

Pioli can bring everyone that's even been associated with Parcell, Belichick and himself but until he drafts or signs some playmakers on both sides of the ball, this team will continue to falter.

I don't disagree with that. They do need playmakers. But the reality is, as I mentioned, that it's one offseason. And they need(ed) literally dozens of players across the board. I thought before they even started it was going to take three years to put the team together. Which doesn't mean that I'm saying last offseason was somehow unimportant or that it should be written off; the players they drafted last year have to be good. They have to be pieces of the puzzle, so to speak.

There have to be more this year, and eventually they have to add some playmakers to the bunch.

This is just my own (oft-stated) opinion, but I think the way the draft fell last year was primarily luck. Really, really bad luck. Because the Chiefs were in a position to draft a primetime player but, unfortunately for them, it was a draft without any, at least not once Stafford was off the board. I didn't want Sanchez any more than I wanted Cassel (and it's not because I'm shy about drafting a QB; I just didn't like Sanchez...). I didn't want Curry. Or Crabtree. I didn't want one of the offensive tackles after the way Albert played in 2008. I didn't want Orakpo (which may or may not be a mistake in the long run). I didn't want Jackson, either, but he actually fit exactly the kind of player I expected them to draft, so it didn't really come as any surprise. But, really, looking back at that list, what playmaker was there, especially if you look at it with April 2009 eyes...

I think this draft will ultimately be a lot more telling. And you won't find anybody more disappointed or disgusted than me if the first name called ends up being an offensive tackle. This is a much stronger class, and I think this draft as a whole is a better one, as deep as last year's was after you got past the weak-as-hell top of the first round. I think they have an opportunity to really land some talent, and they'll perhaps be more able to do so because they addressed some of the more workmanlike positions in 2009.

But that's just a guess...

Maybe in the end they'll just keep taking more linemen in every round.

[Wilson8]

I didn't like KC's 2009 draft but Keg has a good point that all of these players are young and deserve some time to develop. Alex Magee is only 22 years old. Tyson Jackson and Donald Washington are also only 23.

I wish we would have seen more potential from all of these players last year but let's see what happens this coming season with them.

I was kind of concerned seeing all of the CBs the Chiefs have been interviewing that are projected to go in the 2nd round. That would mean that Donald Washington is the FAIL.

[Mecca]

No matter what year it is you can not be missing on top 5 picks or trading for scrub QB's and act like you're building something for the long haul.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

He did inherit a team with a young LT with possible upside, an unknown unused RB, a player who played like a #2 WR with the dropsies, a CB with all the upside in the world, a DT that had been underwhelming, one of the best TE that wanted out and was near retirement, and the 3rd and 34th overall picks.

Now, if you look at what those assets were spun into, it's not surprising it was underwhelming.

Here's what I know you meant to say

[DaWolf]

Originally Posted by Wilson8

I was kind of concerned seeing all of the CBs the Chiefs have been interviewing that are projected to go in the 2nd round. That would mean that Donald Washington is the FAIL.

Washington was one of those guys they drafted more on potential than production. He may end up amounting to nothing, but he also declared as an underclassman, so last year should have been his senior year. Hopefully he doesn't end up being a failure...

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

He certainly brings piss and frustration to life on a daily basis.

[MahiMike]

You can argue if it was Pioli or Belichick behind the magic curtain. But you can't argue with the fact that he knows 'the system' inside and out. I always admired how the Patriots got prima donas to become team players.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Here's what I know you meant to say

No.

Branden Albert handled Richard Seymour and Joey Porter thoroughly in his rookie year. You don't do that if you're not really talented.

Bowe's production was right in line with a future top 10 WR.

Charles had already shown game breaking ability and ungodly speed. There wasn't really much of a difference between he and Felix Jones running up to the 2008 draft, but people forget that.

Gonzalez was an "over the top" piece, and the one transaction it looks like Pioli absolutely nailed.

We had the #3 overall pick and #34 in what is looking like a pretty ****ing underrated draft class..

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

We had the #3 overall pick and #34 in what is looking like a pretty ****ing underrated draft class..

With a ****ing franchise QB sitting at #3. Thats the hardest pill to swallow.

[DeezNutz]

Evaluation year. Get over it.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Evaluation year. Get over it.

"Rebuilding/Get Over It"

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Well hey, let's take a look at YOUR post history.






Wow. You are a goddamn genius.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Tripod doesn't allow hotlinking, n00b.