Chiefs Whitlock- It’s OK to question Pioli and the Chiefs - Page 12

C-Mac · 03-08-2009, 08:16 AM

It’s OK to question Pioli and the Chiefs

Wednesday afternoon, on my drive on I-70 to watch the Tigers and the Sooners tangle, I passed the time listening to sports-talk radio.

I find one of our local stations unlisten-Neal-able, so you can assume which station and which show entertained me along the highway. And you can guess which host nearly made me drive off the highway.

The New Don Fortune expressed his disinterest in needing access and information from our New Carl Peterson, Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli. The New Don and his trusty sidekick, Mad Jack Harry, spent several minutes telling their listeners that we should trust Pioli implicitly and not waste emotion or energy worrying whether Pioli reveals himself, his plans or his players to the media.

Having worked in sports-talk radio, I’m aware the discipline requires a dramatic and healthy loosening of journalistic standards. But basic common sense and backbone are allowed and occasionally encouraged when hosting a radio show.

Supporting the new regime does not equate to rejecting the primary (and redeeming) role of the media.

It’s our job to acquire information and pass it along to you. Based on what we’ve seen from the Bill Belichick era in New England and our first two months with Pioli, gathering pertinent and enlightening information about the Chiefs is going to be rather difficult.

The Patriots, under Belichick and Pioli, reached the conclusion that too much media access disrupts locker-room chemistry and undermines the voice of the head coach. In New England, Belichick has turned the Boston media into an easy-to-play foil for his players.

He’s brainwashed his players into believing the media are evil, incompetent and stirrers of chaos. Obviously, we are not perfect. A collection of human beings cannot be flawless. There are instances when individual moments of incompetence make the media appear wicked or solely interested in controversy.

But overall, we attempt to be a watchdog of those with power. When we fail to play that role, generally speaking, terrible things happen. The Iraq War is a worst-case scenario. We trusted our president implicitly, led the cheers when we declared war on Iraq and declined to demand answers to difficult questions. Hundreds of billions of dollars later, and with our economy in collapse, we now blame poor, minority homeowners for the fall of our society.

I apologize. I digress.

Let me give you a worst-case scenario in the sports world.

If, in an attempt to duplicate New England’s three-Super Bowls dynasty, we neglect our journalistic, democracy-ensuring duty to challenge Pioli, there’s a far better chance that he replicates Carl Peterson’s Kansas City era than Belichick’s New England one.

Unchallenged leaders are dictators and quickly turn unethical.

For years, Kevin Kietzman and Jack Harry whined on radio that Peterson, in attempts to have them fired, harassed their former television bosses. Kietzman and Harry complained about Peterson’s heavy-handed tactics with players, their agents and their families.

Peterson acquired his nickname, King Carl, the old-fashioned way. We rolled over and gave him a kingdom. When he ushered in an era of winning after years of mediocrity, he treated the media as though his decisions and actions were above question. He became complacent and stale.

Scott Pioli is a human being. He’s capable of making the same mistakes as you, I or King Carl.

Sometimes people misidentify why they’re successful. Belichick and Pioli think the New England locker room is special partly because Belichick and the players have made the local media irrelevant. Belichick and Pioli believe in CIA-like secrets.

I’m sure there’s some value in all of it. But football isn’t all that hard to figure out. Find yourself a tough, talented quarterback who is willing to stand in the pocket and deliver the football under pressure, pray that he doesn’t get injured, and you’ll win a lot of games.

The Sixburgh Steelers won four titles with Terry Bradshaw and two with Ben Roethlisberger. They’ve had three different young coaches lead them to those six titles. John Elway took the Broncos to five Super Bowls and won two. Kurt Warner has played in three Super Bowls. Brett Favre played in two. Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb win a lot of football games. Did I mention Joe Montana, Troy Aikman and Tom Brady?

In his first big decision as general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs, Scott Pioli traded the 34th pick in the draft for Matt Cassel, a backup in college and in the pros. Because New England slapped Cassel with the franchise tag, Clark Hunt is going to pay Cassel a lot of money in 2009 or give him a big-ticket, long-term contract.

Everyone pretty much agrees the move makes sense for the Chiefs. Pioli still needs to publicly explain it, and it’s our job to seek a detailed explanation. We shouldn’t accept a brief statement on a press release.

It is fun and fashionable to beat up on the media. In our arrogance, we have refused to adequately police, examine and reshape ourselves. We’re paying a heavy price for our failure. We’re losing credibility.

It’s in your best interest to demand better from us. Don’t be fooled into believing we should go away or act as a propaganda machine for some newly-elected, popular-in-comparison-to-Peterson (or Bush) leader.

CaliforniaChief · 03-08-2009, 10:17 PM

Wow...let's see you've dropped Bob Moore, Patrick, Pete, Bob (Gretz), Brad, and the infamous "I have a tape of Nick Athan" episode. I'm waiting to hear of how you and Todd (Haley) have been breaking down tape over the last few weeks.

BigChief68 · 03-08-2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefPote

I'd rather that the Chiefs effectively and quitely create a football powerhouse like no other, without the interference of the media. The media is generally a collection of idiots attempting to make a name for themselves at the expense of others. ****em.

Totally agree!!!!

Spott · 03-08-2009, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

I think the most important question here is...

Which KC media member would be most likely to choose a Powerpuff Girl's villain as an avatar?

If I had to guess, it would probably be KK. I always thought he sounded like a rump ranger.

Mojo Jojo · 03-08-2009, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claythan

Embarrassing typos included.

Still I have done it and you NEVER will.

**KcMizzou** · 03-08-2009, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spott

If I had to guess, it would probably be KK. I always thought he sounded like a rump ranger.

Well, he did get busted receiving a BJ from a female intern once.

Mojo Jojo · 03-08-2009, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigChief68

Totally agree!!!!

This was the point of the OP. Thank you for bringing us back. I still think we need to question those in charge.

CaliforniaChief · 03-08-2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojo Jojo

Clayton...I have done a lot of work with the Chiefs in the past....you are in the same class as Nick. Bob, Pete and Brad have done a lot of work with me. I also did a lot of work with Patrick before he left for Wisconson. I will put my work with NFL, MLB and NBA against you any day. FYI not to rub it in, but I've also had sex.

Is that near Elinoy?

FAX · 03-08-2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

I think the most important question here is...

Which KC media member would be most likely to choose a Powerpuff Girl's villain as an avatar?

That would be Billy "Scoops" Butterbrittle. The famed Kansas City reporter who broke the Urinal Scandal back in the '60s.

We have Scoops to thank for our peeking laws and, today, all men can whiz in the comfortable and secure knowledge that anyone who can later describe their junk in detail are looking right down the barrel at 6 months and a $400 fine.

FAX

Mojo Jojo · 03-08-2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Wow...let's see you've dropped Bob Moore, Patrick, Pete, Bob (Gretz), Brad, and the infamous "I have a tape of Nick "Assclown" Athan" episode. I'm waiting to hear of how you and Todd (Haley) have been breaking down tape over the last few weeks.

I've broken down tape in the ESPN, ABC and CBS trucks. Have you? Come on you are a joke. Just admit you are a fan and have never done anything in football.

FAX · 03-08-2009, 10:25 PM

Loading those VTRs used to be a heck of a lot of responsibility, that's for sure.

Sometimes, they weren't even rewound all the way.

FAX

Sweet Daddy Hate · 03-08-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojo Jojo

I'm not Bob Gretz...and working with someone does not make them a "name-dropper" Once you can man up and admit what you have done then we can play ball.

Well, let's just throw the blanket out there then.

Len Dawson and Mitch Holthus are exempt from the following statement:

There are varying degrees of shit, but shit is still shit. And quite frankly, I can't name ONE journalist or radio "personality" in the KC market that merits a prize of ANY sort.

Your articles are guaranteed to contain pablum and/or disinformation, and/or personal opinion that has more to do with agenda than facts, in large, small, or medium quantities, and you ask some of the stupidest ****ing questions in press conferences with the Chiefs that I've ever heard.

If I were Pioli or Haley, I wouldn't exactly be getting "morning wood" over the prospect of spending five minutes with you, much less a half hour or more.

CaliforniaChief · 03-08-2009, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojo Jojo

I've broken down tape in the ESPN, ABC and CBS trucks. Have you? Come on you are a joke. Just admit you are a fan and have never done anything in football.

You've never worked for Univision? You gringo.

Spott · 03-08-2009, 10:30 PM

I've never been in the ESPN trailer, but one time I took a leak behind it before a Monday night game because there were no porta-potties close by.

Hammock Parties · 03-08-2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojo Jojo

I've broken down tape in the ESPN, ABC and CBS trucks.

Yes, but have you had sex in an ESPN, ABC or CBS truck?

Sweet Daddy Hate · 03-08-2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

You've never worked for Univision? You gringo.

It's "fuutball", Gringo; "fuutball".

03-08-2009, 08:16 AM
C-Mac Lurker Extraordinaire Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Wally World Casino cash: $-1156301	Whitlock- It’s OK to question Pioli and the Chiefs It’s OK to question Pioli and the Chiefs Wednesday afternoon, on my drive on I-70 to watch the Tigers and the Sooners tangle, I passed the time listening to sports-talk radio. I find one of our local stations unlisten-Neal-able, so you can assume which station and which show entertained me along the highway. And you can guess which host nearly made me drive off the highway. The New Don Fortune expressed his disinterest in needing access and information from our New Carl Peterson, Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli. The New Don and his trusty sidekick, Mad Jack Harry, spent several minutes telling their listeners that we should trust Pioli implicitly and not waste emotion or energy worrying whether Pioli reveals himself, his plans or his players to the media. Having worked in sports-talk radio, I’m aware the discipline requires a dramatic and healthy loosening of journalistic standards. But basic common sense and backbone are allowed and occasionally encouraged when hosting a radio show. Supporting the new regime does not equate to rejecting the primary (and redeeming) role of the media. It’s our job to acquire information and pass it along to you. Based on what we’ve seen from the Bill Belichick era in New England and our first two months with Pioli, gathering pertinent and enlightening information about the Chiefs is going to be rather difficult. The Patriots, under Belichick and Pioli, reached the conclusion that too much media access disrupts locker-room chemistry and undermines the voice of the head coach. In New England, Belichick has turned the Boston media into an easy-to-play foil for his players. He’s brainwashed his players into believing the media are evil, incompetent and stirrers of chaos. Obviously, we are not perfect. A collection of human beings cannot be flawless. There are instances when individual moments of incompetence make the media appear wicked or solely interested in controversy. But overall, we attempt to be a watchdog of those with power. When we fail to play that role, generally speaking, terrible things happen. The Iraq War is a worst-case scenario. We trusted our president implicitly, led the cheers when we declared war on Iraq and declined to demand answers to difficult questions. Hundreds of billions of dollars later, and with our economy in collapse, we now blame poor, minority homeowners for the fall of our society. I apologize. I digress. Let me give you a worst-case scenario in the sports world. If, in an attempt to duplicate New England’s three-Super Bowls dynasty, we neglect our journalistic, democracy-ensuring duty to challenge Pioli, there’s a far better chance that he replicates Carl Peterson’s Kansas City era than Belichick’s New England one. Unchallenged leaders are dictators and quickly turn unethical. For years, Kevin Kietzman and Jack Harry whined on radio that Peterson, in attempts to have them fired, harassed their former television bosses. Kietzman and Harry complained about Peterson’s heavy-handed tactics with players, their agents and their families. Peterson acquired his nickname, King Carl, the old-fashioned way. We rolled over and gave him a kingdom. When he ushered in an era of winning after years of mediocrity, he treated the media as though his decisions and actions were above question. He became complacent and stale. Scott Pioli is a human being. He’s capable of making the same mistakes as you, I or King Carl. Sometimes people misidentify why they’re successful. Belichick and Pioli think the New England locker room is special partly because Belichick and the players have made the local media irrelevant. Belichick and Pioli believe in CIA-like secrets. I’m sure there’s some value in all of it. But football isn’t all that hard to figure out. Find yourself a tough, talented quarterback who is willing to stand in the pocket and deliver the football under pressure, pray that he doesn’t get injured, and you’ll win a lot of games. The Sixburgh Steelers won four titles with Terry Bradshaw and two with Ben Roethlisberger. They’ve had three different young coaches lead them to those six titles. John Elway took the Broncos to five Super Bowls and won two. Kurt Warner has played in three Super Bowls. Brett Favre played in two. Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb win a lot of football games. Did I mention Joe Montana, Troy Aikman and Tom Brady? In his first big decision as general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs, Scott Pioli traded the 34th pick in the draft for Matt Cassel, a backup in college and in the pros. Because New England slapped Cassel with the franchise tag, Clark Hunt is going to pay Cassel a lot of money in 2009 or give him a big-ticket, long-term contract. Everyone pretty much agrees the move makes sense for the Chiefs. Pioli still needs to publicly explain it, and it’s our job to seek a detailed explanation. We shouldn’t accept a brief statement on a press release. It is fun and fashionable to beat up on the media. In our arrogance, we have refused to adequately police, examine and reshape ourselves. We’re paying a heavy price for our failure. We’re losing credibility. It’s in your best interest to demand better from us. Don’t be fooled into believing we should go away or act as a propaganda machine for some newly-elected, popular-in-comparison-to-Peterson (or Bush) leader.
Posts: 5,661

03-08-2009, 10:17 PM	#166
CaliforniaChief #RIPAce Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: So Cal Casino cash: $10455899	Wow...let's see you've dropped Bob Moore, Patrick, Pete, Bob (Gretz), Brad, and the infamous "I have a tape of Nick Athan" episode. I'm waiting to hear of how you and Todd (Haley) have been breaking down tape over the last few weeks.
Posts: 17,474

03-08-2009, 10:25 PM	#175
FAX testing ... 1, 2, 3 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Tennessee Casino cash: $6753759	Loading those VTRs used to be a heck of a lot of responsibility, that's for sure. Sometimes, they weren't even rewound all the way. FAX
Posts: 44,492

03-08-2009, 10:30 PM	#178
Spott Court Jester Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Orlando Casino cash: $-927600	I've never been in the ESPN trailer, but one time I took a leak behind it before a Monday night game because there were no porta-potties close by.
Posts: 20,703