Listen up, KC media hacks; THIS is how you do a Chiefs article.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Gentler Todd Haley part of the recipe for Chiefs' winning ways

Jim Corbett, USA TODAY
Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley was painfully aware of his "crazy dude" coaching perception last season.

Player unfriendly? Let's just say Haley might have outdone his coaching mentor, Bill Parcells, by adding a level of hard-core, former Alabama legend Paul "Bear" Bryant to his demanding, change-the-culture approach as a rookie coach.

But the year-after dividends are tough to argue with for a 3-0 program built from the bottom up by Haley, general manager Scott Pioli and a more veteran, tight-knit coaching staff that includes Super Bowl-winning defensive and offensive coordinators in Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis, respectively.

The Chiefs had won just 10 combined games their three previous seasons. Now they're one win shy of matching their 2009 victory total.

"Last year was about one thing — Let the alarm clock ring, major wake-up call and a lot of pain and suffering," Haley says of laying last season's 4-12 foundation.

"But that's the only way it could be. I took a lot of flak for that. My image takes a hit because everybody thinks I'm a crazy dude, the public perception of me.

"This year I've really worked hard at the team-building aspect of things, showing movies, and just different motivational things to try to get us closer."

One new-school example of Haley's enlightened coaching about-face: He had seen multitalented rookie slot receiver/return man Dexter McCluster's video for a public service announcement against text messaging and driving. It showcased McCluster's impressive talents as a free-style rapper.

McCluster's video gave Haley the idea to have the rookie come to the front of the Chiefs' meeting room during last week's game-planning meeting for the San Francisco 49ers.

"As I went into our team meeting Wednesday morning, I told the guys as I went through all our keys, 'The reason I'm excited is because I knew how much room for improvement there was, that we're going to get better and better and better,'" Haley says. "To prove that point, I said, 'Dexter, get up here.'

"I put him up in front of his team. And I said, 'I hear you think you can free-style rap.' He started getting embarrassed. I said, 'No, stay here now. I want you to show you can free-style and I'm going to give you the subject matter.'"

Haley challenged the former Ole Miss rapper and singer to improvise an on-the-spot rap about where the Chiefs are as an offense now, and "how we're going to become good and then great."

Then, Haley told McCluster's teammates in the auditorium to give him a beat.

Haley and McCluster's teammates were blown away.

"He was unbelievable," Haley says. "That's an aspect to this kid that told me a lot about him when you can think fast like that. He just went at it and came up with some pretty incredible little quick lines with no preparation. I was impressed."

Haley impressed his players by turning this bye week into another team-building, players-take ownership exercise.

Since training camp, Haley had been soliciting advice from veteran players on what was their best bye-week experience.

Linebacker Mike Vrabel, a 14th-year veteran, growled, "All the bye weeks have sucked. Even if the coaches think they're throwing you a bone and you only practice three times, I'd rather just play a game. Because practice beats me up more than a game."

Haley took that under advisement and came up with another player-friendly brainstorm.

"I picked 12-14 veteran-type guys — Vrabel, Brian Waters, Thomas Jones, and some younger, developing guys, too, like Brandon Flowers, Tamba Hali— guys I want to become leaders at some point," Haley says. "I'm trying to have their best bye week.

"I've got coaching gear for them and I'm making them coaches for the week — trying to take care of their bodies.

"I was like, 'How can I most involve the guys we need and are going to need, but save the wear and tear on their bodies?'

"So I've got a player-coach list. They're going to dress in coaching gear. They're going to help run the meetings, coach out on the field. They're not going to practice. They're going to be coaches for the week. We'll see how that goes."

Rewarding players after the hard work and high-effort, disciplined play that led to Kansas City's surprising, 3-0 start goes a long way in the locker room.

"I told them, 'Since you guys have all the answers, we'll see how you do when the shoe is on the other foot,'" Haley says. "The Vrabels and the Waters are excited. I'm just trying to go outside the box and not be pigeonholed into one way of doing things."

The former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator helped Ken Whisenhunt's Cardinals soar to third in scoring offense and reach Super Bowl XLII and has served on three other coaching staffs — Dallas under Parcells, Chicago and the New York Jets, again under a Parcells regime that reached the playoffs.

So he knows what it takes even if his no-nonsense, demanding style won't ever go away.

A prime example is third-year cornerback Brandon Flowers, who has two interceptions, including a touchdown return against Cleveland.

"I had Brandon Flowers' mom come up to me and say after the Cleveland game, 'Coach Haley, I want to say hello to you and I just want you to know how much you've meant to Brandon,'" Haley says. "I said, 'Mrs. Flowers, I appreciate that because sometimes I thing Brandon really doesn't like me because I'm on him all the time. I always text (Message) him and tell him (Jets cornerback) Darrelle Revis is so much better than you.'

"You want to be great, I'm always challenging him."

Those challenges are paying off from the sizable weight loss since last season by defensive end/tackle Glenn Dorsey and offensive tackle Brandon Albert that have allowed them more flexibility. And this April's dynamic draft class that Pioli, Haley and their coaching and scouting staffs added has been adding major contributions.

McCluster, nickel corner and return man Javier Arenas and even third-round tight end Tony Moeaki, who made that one-handed, Nerf-ball like 18-yard touchdown catch in Sunday's 31-10 trouncing of San Francisco, have all shown up.

"The whole group, it hasn't been too big for them," Haley says. "This may be one of those classes you look back on and say that was the catalyst for something special."

That and their second-year head coach's willingness to take a lighter, more enlightened approach that is playing well so far in Kansas City.

Fin.

[chiefs1okie]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

You mean like Singletary ! Good point.

THIS.

[R&GHomer]

Originally Posted by Chief Henry

Good stuff indeed, props to the writer of the article and props to ROR for finding this article...Haley is learning and accepting new ideas from many sources.

Haley is maturing as a head coach.

I don't disagree that Haley is maturing as a head coach "He should as long as he's the head coach" I would hope, as a measure of his character that he never stops striving to be better.

What surprises me is that so many people don't seem to recognize "IMHO" that most of his actions to date have been part of the plan. Decided on from the moment he accepted the job. BUILD A TEAM!

Not unlike the military s boot camp. A group of individuals "and we had a bunch" from whatever background... are all going to be accountable by one standard. You break them down, never faltering from treating everyone the same. Eventually the ones that just wont conform get weeded out and you're left with the foundation.

Slowly but surely you start building, one step at a time. Will some falter and start slipping back into bad habits? Sure! but at some point the light flips on and as a group you start to realize that... Hey all this yelling, cussing and hard work aren't because the drill sergeant "coach" is a complete mental dick head. He's teaching us what's necessary to survive "Win".

The light didn't flip on with Haley after the Pittsburgh game. The light flipped on for our team. Haley is acting like a leader. Have we arrived, hell no, but I for one commend this organization from the top down. They have a plan, and they are sticking with it.

Proud to be a Chiefs Fan!!

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

"It's easy to grin / When your ship comes in / And you've got the stock market beat. / But the man worthwhile, / Is the man who can smile, / When his shorts are too tight in the seat." - Judge Smails

Get your foot off the boat Spalding...

[Contrarian]

Originally Posted by LOCOChief

I disagree with this. What was he to do come in and start celebrating with the players right off the bat when there was clearly nothing to celebrate? No he let them know that complacency was not tolerated, dumb play was not tolerated, not giving 110% effort would not be tolerated and you had to earn his respect by not giving up on your teammates.

I've had the fortune to be part of a successful "turn around" and I was happy with his approach from day 1, regardless if a few guys were butt hurt (I really don't give a shit about that) and in the end they don't either.

PS. not all these guys are grown men and they're getting paid millions to play a game.

Absolutely agree!
Many on this post think that what Haley is doing this year is due to his bad guy reputation last year. That is bullshit. It's leadership 101. That is what you do with a non productive lazy group of people that have become used to what they think they are and are satisfied. Losers.
How many times have you worked somewhere and your company hires a significant someone to come in and manage the old group of people that have grown used to their surroundings and the way the company operates?
Just to see that new manager clean house, change the expectations, and hire hungrier more qualified individuals to produce at a hire level. Then implement innovative ways to build their team structure.
It's all part of the plan.

[allen_kcCard]

100% agree with the above posts as well.

It is even complete with an old school person that tried to tell the new guys "how we do things around here" and them being made an example of. Good thing is that in this case that guy put on his big boy pants and got with the program and is doing well now. LJ, Page, and Pollard are examples of guys that I see as a byproduct of the changes and they are gone now because they were not getting with the new way of doing things or couldn't cut it.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by Stinger

How many times did we hear or read last year.... Haley is going to lose this team .....

You mean from Mecca? About a zillion.

I loved the Haley hire when it happened. Dude is going to be great.

[Otter]

Originally Posted by R&GHomer

I don't disagree that Haley is maturing as a head coach "He should as long as he's the head coach" I would hope, as a measure of his character that he never stops striving to be better.

What surprises me is that so many people don't seem to recognize "IMHO" that most of his actions to date have been part of the plan. Decided on from the moment he accepted the job. BUILD A TEAM!

Not unlike the military s boot camp. A group of individuals "and we had a bunch" from whatever background... are all going to be accountable by one standard. You break them down, never faltering from treating everyone the same. Eventually the ones that just wont conform get weeded out and you're left with the foundation.

Slowly but surely you start building, one step at a time. Will some falter and start slipping back into bad habits? Sure! but at some point the light flips on and as a group you start to realize that... Hey all this yelling, cussing and hard work aren't because the drill sergeant "coach" is a complete mental dick head. He's teaching us what's necessary to survive "Win".

The light didn't flip on with Haley after the Pittsburgh game. The light flipped on for our team. Haley is acting like a leader. Have we arrived, hell no, but I for one commend this organization from the top down. They have a plan, and they are sticking with it.

Proud to be a Chiefs Fan!!

Are you new here? People are finding way to complain about being 3-0.

If the Chiefs stumbled upon building a car that ran on water some people would be bitching that their going to make everyone die of thirst.

I was tickled pink when they showed Carl the door and brought in smart, young guys from outside 'the circle of mediocrity'. That right there was enough to make me shut up and see what happens.

Now if they would just draft and develop a QB!

[MatriculatingHank]

[penchief]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

And when he was acting like a horse's ass last year, they didn't perform.

Like Metro said, this year he's celebrating with his players instead of blowing them off. He's not a raving lunatic on the sideline.

I don't think it's just coincidence that this team started coming together last year after the Pittsburgh game, where from that point on, "Psycho Todd" disappeared and "Normal Todd" appeared.

All of this shit was exaggerated last year because too many people were injecting their own agenda, ala Whitlock. So much of what was said had no basis in reality. I really don't think his fundamental approach has changed much at all. Even last year you could see players on the sideline gravitate toward him when they experienced any measure of success. Even guys who supposedly had reason to dislike him, like Bowe and DJ.

Last year he had to break this team down. This year he's building it up the way he envisioned. I think it's too easy for people who were too shortsighted in their premature evaluation of Todd Haley to say that the reason Haley is experiencing success now is because he changed his ways. I think any success he is experiencing is because he stuck to his guns. The process is now in a stage that calls for a different tack than what was needed when this team was a bunch of self-entitled pussies.

[blazzin311]

Nice read. Better than some of the other Chiefs articles some of these clueless nit-wit writers come up with.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by penchief

All of this shit was exaggerated last year because too many people were injecting their own agenda, ala Whitlock.

What?

Exaggerated?

We all watch it with our own two eyes, either on the TV broadcast, or live at Arrowhead.

Hell, Clayton devoted an entire "GIF'd UP" to Haley raving like a lunatic on the sidelines.

Don't act like it didn't happen - it did.

And thankfully, his Dad or someone else got to him, he woke the **** up, and now he acts like a leader.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, some of you watch too much Friday Night Lights.

You can be a leader and change a culture without treating people like shit.

[penchief]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

What?

Exaggerated?

We all watch it with our own two eyes, either on the TV broadcast, or live at Arrowhead.

Hell, Clayton devoted an entire "GIF'd UP" to Haley raving like a lunatic on the sidelines.

Don't act like it didn't happen - it did.

And thankfully, his Dad or someone else got to him, he woke the **** up, and now he acts like a leader.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, some of you watch too much Friday Night Lights.

You can be a leader and change a culture without treating people like shit.

The impact of his actions were most certainly exaggerated. He never lost this team as people were saying. Coaches getting emotional on the sidelines is nothing earthshattering. Too many people exaggerated the impact of Haley's behavior in order to fuel their own opinions.

Anyone with two eyes could see that Haley was exactly what this team needed. And anyone with forsight would have seen better times coming. It's just that some people have to present themselves as smarter than everyone else by trying to be the first to tear something down before it even has a chance to work.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by penchief

The impact of his actions were most certainly exaggerated. He never lost this team as people were saying. Coaches getting emotional on the sidelines is nothing earthshattering. Too many people exaggerated the impact of Haley's behavior in order to fuel their own opinions.

Anyone with two eyes could see that Haley was exactly what this team needed. And anyone with forsight would have seen better times coming. It's just that some people have to present themselves as smarter than everyone else by trying to be the first to tear something down before it even has a chance to work.

"Getting emotional."

Yeah, that's all it was.

If you want to go through life thinking that MFing a bunch of grown men is a way to get their respect - to get them to buy in, go right ahead.

I know better.

[Hammock Parties]

I love the fact that Haley texts Flowers and tells him Revis is better.

LOL

Probably one a week, that text comes, like a thief in the night. And it pisses Flowers RIGHT off.

That's funny.

(Herm doesn't text, the ****er).

[penchief]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

"Getting emotional."

Yeah, that's all it was.

If you want to go through life thinking that MFing a bunch of grown men is a way to get their respect - to get them to buy in, go right ahead.

I know better.

It appears he had their respect. To say otherwise is to do so without any basis in anything other than personal opinion. Yet there were many like you who whined and bitched about something you had no real insight about. Only speculation and your own agenda.