Chiefs Whitlock: Chiefs should thank anyone who sat through this game - Page 2

**OnTheWarpath15** · 12-13-2009, 11:27 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/1629259.html

By JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star

The “process” has entered the pandering phase.

That’s the only explanation for Chiefs coach Todd Haley opening his postgame news conference with a disingenuous thank you to the 30,000-plus Chiefs fans who filled 80,000-seat Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.

“Before I get started,” Haley said in the aftermath of Kansas City’s 10th loss, a 16-10 snoozer to the Buffalo Bills, “publicly I want to thank the fans. I thought the fans were tremendous for us today.”

Yes, this is the “process” to avoiding a blackout next Sunday.

In the minutes after Kansas City’s $63 million QB launched his fourth interception of the day, misfired on two more open deep balls and was caught by CBS television cameras telling someone — maybe booing Chiefs fans or Haley barking in his headset — to shut the (expletive) up, Haley campaigned for ticket sales.

“I just publicly want to thank the fans for making a lot of noise for us today,” Haley said.

The boos were quite loud. And the silence was deafening at times. I can’t really blame the fans.

Kansas City’s off-the-street receivers — Chris Chambers, Bobby Wade and Lance Long — were as bad as quarterback Matt Cassel, who early in the game overthrew a wide-open Mark Bradley twice.

Chambers dropped a critical pass along the goal line late in the fourth quarter, got flagged for a holding penalty on the same drive and got his hands on a ball that was tipped and intercepted in the fourth quarter.

Compared with Chambers, Wade had an awesome game. His most noteworthy screwup came on the last play of the third quarter when he inexplicably failed to field a punt that eventually traveled 73 yards before being stopped at the KC 7.

As for Long, well, the Bills brutalized “Wes Welker Lite,” smacking him around on several kickoff returns and turning his two receptions into negative-yardage plays.

Oh, and the Chiefs’ defense gave up 200 rushing yards and Haley continued to play a losing game of rock-paper-scissors with fourth-and-short decisions. Do I need to mention that in a close game against the league’s worst rushing defense the Chiefs threw the ball 43 times and ran it 26?

Is it fair to criticize Haley for wanting to feed Cassel? The Sixty Million Dollar Man’s QB rating jumped 21 points from last week to an astronomical 35.4, and Jamaal Charles picked up only 143 yards in 20 carries.

We talking ’bout progress, man. Not da playoffs. We talking ’bout progress.

Progress isn’t happening. Pandering is.

When this nightmare of a game ended, someone told Haley the most important thing to do was thank the limited number of fans who enthusiastically booed when KC’s offense stunk and cheered when Charles was given the opportunity to make plays.

“I thought the fans were tremendous for us today,” Haley said. “I thought they were loud, a disruption for the Bills much of the game.”

Yes, sir, the refs flagged the Bills for three penalties on Sunday —- two holdings and one pass interference. Buffalo clearly lost its composure inside thundering Arrowhead Stadium. You might think a noise-rattled team on the road would jump offsides or blow timeouts, but you don’t understand the “process.”

Or you don’t understand Kansas City’s ticket-selling “process.” It’s founded on gassing up gullible fans with poorly timed, poorly delivered platitudes. Haley sounded like Eddie Haskell.

The most troubling aspect of it all is that it’s an indication that Haley is receiving awful advice. He’s a rookie head coach. He needs solid, mature mentoring and guidance. He’s not getting it. He’s getting just the opposite.

Whoever told him to shill for ticket sales in the moments after that performance should be removed from Haley’s inner circle.

Some of you might think I’m pouncing on something small and insignificant. You’re wrong. The cliche is true: The truth is buried in the details.

Haley is likely receiving a lot of bad advice, not just on the proper tone to set in his postgame remarks. And if he’s receiving good advice, he’s ignoring it or can’t execute it.

This would explain all of the odd fourth-down decisions throughout the year. It would explain the fake punt deep his own territory last week. It would explain his Bobby Knight coaching style early in the season. It would explain a lot.

Haley looks amateur because his front-office support system (Clark Hunt and Scott Pioli) is amateur and he blew up the one assistant coach (Chan Gailey) with the necessary experience and credibility to help him.

So at 3-10 and one home game left on the schedule and a 156-game nonblackout streak on the line, Hunt, Pioli and Haley have been reduced to begging.

Please buy tickets, pay $22 to park and fill up Arrowhead Stadium next Sunday. Even if you boo, wear bags over your head and your children get ill watching the Chiefs play, Todd Haley will thank you for your $upport.

Frazod · 12-13-2009, 11:40 PM

Earlier in the year I had planned to come down for today's game. Thank God I changed my mind.

**cdcox** · 12-13-2009, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

It's probably a good thing the NFL ****ed everything up and spread out the draft over Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Now instead of having the party I've had for years, I can just sit and get pissed alone, with a bottle of good scotch.

I believe the Scotch should match the occasion. May I recommend a 1.75 L of Usher.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 12-13-2009, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

Earlier in the year I had planned to come down for today's game. Thank God I changed my mind.

That's how I felt last week, Tim.

I had a chance to go last minute, and decided it wasn't worth it to get up at 5:00am, drive up, tailgate, then drive 3.5 hours home pissed.

One of my better decisions, as of late.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 12-13-2009, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdcox

I believe the Scotch should match the occasion. May I recommend a 1.75 L of Usher.

Reerun_KC · 12-13-2009, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

So have I.

From the draft to preseason to the regular.

I wished that I had been wrong.

Sometimes, it sucks being right.

Yes it does suck being right, I was right about Herm, Thigpen, Huard and so forth...

So far going against the "popular opinion" of the board has proved me right more than not...

So now the popular thing now is being a Negative Mecca Whitlock wanna be, so I think I will go the other way...

I will look for positives, regardless if it is one positive per game, and roll with it..

If I can be a fan through the epic fail Carl, Marty, Gun and Herm years. Then I can stand to see that these guys should get 3 years to turn this around and get it moving....

I am not going to be like many here and start the season saying " if we win 3 or more games I call the season a success" then the first sign of suck they bail and jump on the cool thing, just for the sake of rep points...

Screw it dude, I have my homer glasses on and see the cup half full, not half empty...

Extra Point · 12-13-2009, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thurman merman

the fans were awesome today. all they did was boo for three hours straight.

I thought CBS was piping in cheering, the few times I watched.

(Sombody's got to paint the house and change the oil.)

Reerun_KC · 12-13-2009, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

Earlier in the year I had planned to come down for today's game. Thank God I changed my mind.

I am thinking if the funds allow it, that I might take my son and I to next weeks game...

It would be a blast to go and see arrowhead again... My boycott is officially over when Herm was fired... I know my son would have a kick ass time if we went..

So we are mulling that over now...

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-13-2009, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

It's probably a good thing the NFL ****ed everything up and spread out the draft over Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Now instead of having the party I've had for years, I can just sit and get pissed alone, with a bottle of good scotch.

Dude!

We should do a "Drafturbators" thing this year!

If it's small, like Hamas, Deez. Pest, you and me, you guys should come to Los Angeles. I have a PERFECT spot to drink and watch the draft all day.

If it grows, we should hit VEGAS!

Seriously! Think about it, guys.

**dirk digler** · 12-13-2009, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Yes it does suck being right, I was right about Herm, Thigpen, Huard and so forth...

So far going against the "popular opinion" of the board has proved me right more than not...

So now the popular thing now is being a Negative Mecca Whitlock wanna be, so I think I will go the other way...

I will look for positives, regardless if it is one positive per game, and roll with it..

If I can be a fan through the epic fail Carl, Marty, Gun and Herm years. Then I can stand to see that these guys should get 3 years to turn this around and get it moving....

I am not going to be like many here and start the season saying " if we win 3 or more games I call the season a success" then the first sign of suck they bail and jump on the cool thing, just for the sake of rep points...

Screw it dude, I have my homer glasses on and see the cup half full, not half empty...

I hear you Reerun and you won't be alone. I put up with Carl's stupidity for the last 10 years I can at least give Pioli 3-4 before I start wanting him to be shit canned.

Frazod · 12-13-2009, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

That's how I felt last week, Tim.

I had a chance to go last minute, and decided it wasn't worth it to get up at 5:00am, drive up, tailgate, then drive 3.5 hours home pissed.

One of my better decisions, as of late.

The last time I was at Arrowhead was the 2007 KU/MU game. I had tickets for the Chiefs/Raiders game the next day, and ended up leaving them on the counter of a Lee's Summit Quick Trip. I figured it would be better to head back early and beat the traffic than watch a loss and get back around midnight. I made the right call.

This team simply isn't worth the price of admission, let alone a 1,000 mile round trip.

Reerun_KC · 12-13-2009, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Dude!

We should do a "Drafturbators" thing this year!

If it's small, like Hamas, Deez. Pest, you and me, you guys should come to Los Angeles. I have a PERFECT spot to drink and watch the draft all day.

If it grows, we should hit VEGAS!

Seriously! Think about it, guys.

No invite for me?

Reerun_KC · 12-13-2009, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

The last time I was at Arrowhead was the 2007 KU/MU game. I had tickets for the Chiefs/Raiders game the next day, and ended up leaving them on the counter of a Lee's Summit Quick Trip. I figured it would be better to head back early and beat the traffic than watch a loss and get back around midnight. I made the right call.

This team simply isn't worth the price of admission, let alone a 1,000 mile round trip.

Understandable....

That is why we are debating it...

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-13-2009, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

No invite for me?

Do you REALLY want to be associated with the DRAFTURBATORS?

Reerun_KC · 12-13-2009, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Do you REALLY want to be associated with the DRAFTURBATORS?

Well you have a point.... If things are going well, count me in...

FloridaMan88 · 12-13-2009, 11:55 PM

Arrowhead during the National Anthem... enjoy your "sellout" Clark:

12-13-2009, 11:27 PM
OnTheWarpath15 MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2021115	Whitlock: Chiefs should thank anyone who sat through this game http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/1629259.html By JASON WHITLOCK The Kansas City Star The “process” has entered the pandering phase. That’s the only explanation for Chiefs coach Todd Haley opening his postgame news conference with a disingenuous thank you to the 30,000-plus Chiefs fans who filled 80,000-seat Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. “Before I get started,” Haley said in the aftermath of Kansas City’s 10th loss, a 16-10 snoozer to the Buffalo Bills, “publicly I want to thank the fans. I thought the fans were tremendous for us today.” Yes, this is the “process” to avoiding a blackout next Sunday. In the minutes after Kansas City’s $63 million QB launched his fourth interception of the day, misfired on two more open deep balls and was caught by CBS television cameras telling someone — maybe booing Chiefs fans or Haley barking in his headset — to shut the (expletive) up, Haley campaigned for ticket sales. “I just publicly want to thank the fans for making a lot of noise for us today,” Haley said. The boos were quite loud. And the silence was deafening at times. I can’t really blame the fans. Kansas City’s off-the-street receivers — Chris Chambers, Bobby Wade and Lance Long — were as bad as quarterback Matt Cassel, who early in the game overthrew a wide-open Mark Bradley twice. Chambers dropped a critical pass along the goal line late in the fourth quarter, got flagged for a holding penalty on the same drive and got his hands on a ball that was tipped and intercepted in the fourth quarter. Compared with Chambers, Wade had an awesome game. His most noteworthy screwup came on the last play of the third quarter when he inexplicably failed to field a punt that eventually traveled 73 yards before being stopped at the KC 7. As for Long, well, the Bills brutalized “Wes Welker Lite,” smacking him around on several kickoff returns and turning his two receptions into negative-yardage plays. Oh, and the Chiefs’ defense gave up 200 rushing yards and Haley continued to play a losing game of rock-paper-scissors with fourth-and-short decisions. Do I need to mention that in a close game against the league’s worst rushing defense the Chiefs threw the ball 43 times and ran it 26? Is it fair to criticize Haley for wanting to feed Cassel? The Sixty Million Dollar Man’s QB rating jumped 21 points from last week to an astronomical 35.4, and Jamaal Charles picked up only 143 yards in 20 carries. We talking ’bout progress, man. Not da playoffs. We talking ’bout progress. Progress isn’t happening. Pandering is. When this nightmare of a game ended, someone told Haley the most important thing to do was thank the limited number of fans who enthusiastically booed when KC’s offense stunk and cheered when Charles was given the opportunity to make plays. “I thought the fans were tremendous for us today,” Haley said. “I thought they were loud, a disruption for the Bills much of the game.” Yes, sir, the refs flagged the Bills for three penalties on Sunday —- two holdings and one pass interference. Buffalo clearly lost its composure inside thundering Arrowhead Stadium. You might think a noise-rattled team on the road would jump offsides or blow timeouts, but you don’t understand the “process.” Or you don’t understand Kansas City’s ticket-selling “process.” It’s founded on gassing up gullible fans with poorly timed, poorly delivered platitudes. Haley sounded like Eddie Haskell. The most troubling aspect of it all is that it’s an indication that Haley is receiving awful advice. He’s a rookie head coach. He needs solid, mature mentoring and guidance. He’s not getting it. He’s getting just the opposite. Whoever told him to shill for ticket sales in the moments after that performance should be removed from Haley’s inner circle. Some of you might think I’m pouncing on something small and insignificant. You’re wrong. The cliche is true: The truth is buried in the details. Haley is likely receiving a lot of bad advice, not just on the proper tone to set in his postgame remarks. And if he’s receiving good advice, he’s ignoring it or can’t execute it. This would explain all of the odd fourth-down decisions throughout the year. It would explain the fake punt deep his own territory last week. It would explain his Bobby Knight coaching style early in the season. It would explain a lot. Haley looks amateur because his front-office support system (Clark Hunt and Scott Pioli) is amateur and he blew up the one assistant coach (Chan Gailey) with the necessary experience and credibility to help him. So at 3-10 and one home game left on the schedule and a 156-game nonblackout streak on the line, Hunt, Pioli and Haley have been reduced to begging. Please buy tickets, pay $22 to park and fill up Arrowhead Stadium next Sunday. Even if you boo, wear bags over your head and your children get ill watching the Chiefs play, Todd Haley will thank you for your $upport.
Posts: 60,758

12-13-2009, 11:40 PM	#16
Frazod Did you hear what I said? Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $-866615	Earlier in the year I had planned to come down for today's game. Thank God I changed my mind.
Posts: 121,808

12-13-2009, 11:55 PM	#30
FloridaMan88 Mahomes: We Are All Witnesses Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Miami, FL Casino cash: $-827094	Arrowhead during the National Anthem... enjoy your "sellout" Clark:
Posts: 50,383