Gretz:Waters Learns It’s A New Chiefs World

[Tribal Warfare]

Waters Learns It’s A New Chiefs World
February 27, 2009 - Bob Gretz |

Brian Waters gets failing grades for his first two tests in what is the brave new world of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The veteran guard failed to understand the message that was sent to him by Scott Pioli and Todd Haley.

And then he failed again when he apparently blabbed about his frustration and emotions and the information landed in the hands of Jason Whitlock and the Kansas City Star.

We hate to link to the Star for anything because they absolutely refuse to admit this site even exists. But if you haven’t read the story of an unhappy Brian Waters, then click here. We’ll provide a better written short version.

Waters did not like what he heard at the Pro Bowl about his new head coach. Gossip around the hotel pool with guys from the Arizona Cardinals was that Haley could be aloof and difficult to deal with. Waters decided to come to Kansas City and hear straight from the guys in charge what their plans are for this team.

According to the story, Pioli would not give him a meeting and Haley only had time to chat as they walked down a hallway in the team’s offices. Reportedly Haley told Waters that he could have gone out and gotten 22 guys off the street and won two games.

This attitude or in Whitlock’s word “arrogance” angered Waters and he then tried to contact Clark Hunt, who apparently would not take his call. That’s when Waters on Thursday called Haley and asked that the team to trade him.

Now Whitlock’s story does not quote Waters by name, and says the information came from someone with “knowledge of the situation.” Generally, that’s a player’s agent in that role. But Waters does not have an agent; he handles his contract stuff himself. So it’s pretty plain thanks to the detail in the narrative that the source of the information in the story is Waters himself, or someone Waters had spoken to in great detail. It’s either him or Haley and I think we are on very safe ground knowing it was not the head coach.

So, let’s say that everything in the story is accurate, at least to how Waters viewed what went down in the Chiefs offices. What should the average fan take from this?

I think the average fan already knows what Waters found out: that the whole world at Arrowhead has been turned upside down. The old way of doing things is out the door, and that goes for all facets of the operation.

Waters believed that as a nine-year veteran, team captain, Pro Bowler, team player rep and all-around locker room lawyer, he had the cache to walk in and get answers from those new guys in charge.

What he found out was that at Pioli and Haley’s poker table, he had no chips, he had no stake, he had no pull.

And from the view of Pioli/Haley, why should they spend even a minute talking with Waters right now? There are more important things to worry about like free agency, deciding on an offense, deciding on a defense, and preparing for the draft.

Plus, all they know is Brian Waters has been a starter on a team that has gone 6-26 in the last two seasons. What kind of answers does he have? What can they learn from him? Pioli can pull out three Super Bowl rings from his desk. How many winning post-season games has Waters played in? The answer would be none.

Whether this is the best way to handle players and people will be shown over the coming months and years. Pioli and Haley could have been more polite and handled Waters as if he was an asset that they still have available to them. But they are creating a new culture around the Chiefs and the way Waters was handled was likely done for a reason.

You can bet that Pioli/Haley have been told that Waters is a team leader. So they wanted to make sure the team leader got the message that things were going to be very different around the Chiefs. Whether it was done consciously or not, you can bet those two wanted to see how Waters handled the situation. They wanted to see if he could be their kind of leader.

And there were two ways Waters could have gone. He could have gone home, picked up the phone, called his teammates and told them “Boys, this is a brave new world and you had better buckle up and get to work because things have changed completely.”

Or he could have gone home, tried to go over the head of the new guys and then decided he didn’t want any part of the situation. To make sure the message was driven home, the whole thing was leaked so it could be made public.

For Pioli and Haley, their message still got out. Other players will hear of Waters’ story and quickly realize that things are very different around the Chiefs. Less established players will note how their buddy B-Dub was handled.

Brian Waters has always come across as a pretty sharp guy, and there’s no debating he’s been an asset to the team both on and off the field. But he missed the mark on this situation completely.

What he is soon to learn, just as Tony Gonzalez learned last year and just as Larry Johnson will learn as well, is that a player can’t fire a team. One of the things a player gives up when they receive those millions of dollars from management is the right to decide where and for whom they play. Waters can change that by staying home and forfeiting the millions. He has that right.

But his football future will be decided by the guy who wouldn’t have a meeting with him and the guy that apparently offended him.

It will be decided by two guys that gave him a test that he failed.

[PastorMikH]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsfan88

Too bad Waters didn't show this intense outrage during the past 2 seasons when (under his pal Herm) the Chiefs won a combined 6 games.

Pioli should have told Waters, his plan for the team is rather simple... win.

Kinda sounds like Eric Hicks - Hicks wasn't upset about losing, he was upset when the Commisioner popped a joke about the Chiefs D. Waters doesn't seem to be nearly as upset about losing so many games as he is about not getting the "Respect" he thinks he's due at Arrowhead.

[FAX]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

... And for you people agreeing with Gretz, recall that he wanted to keep Greg Robinson, and then wanted to keep Herm and Carl. And he called us names. This is definitely just a suckup article to the new people in the big house.

All very true, Mr. Rain Man. All very true.

But remember, on occasion, even a blind hog can activate an experimental high intensity subatomic particle accelerator.

FAX

[FAX]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Well, admittedly that's a good point. But it doesn't account for the fact that he called us names, and I'm not going to cut him a break until he comes on here and apologizes to me.

Hear that, Gretz? I am your Palestine, mister. I am the non-negotiating, unreasonable, bus-bombing, non-showering, swarthy, ululating thorn in your side until I hear an apology from you for what happened back in the early part of the decade.

If you are going to ululate on this board, Mr. Rain Man, I expect you to wipe afterwards.

FAX

[huskerdooz]

Originally Posted by Claythan

Haley is an asshole.

Somewhat like yourself?

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Claythan

GRETZ NAILED IT!

Yep. Gretz went up, down, and around the bend, but he pretty much vocalized my first take and particular view of the matter.

Now, what's up for the Centaur? That should be very interesting...

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Darth CarlSatan

Yep. Gretz went up, down, and around the bend, but he pretty much vocalized my first take and particular view of the matter.

Now, what's up for the Centaur? That should be very interesting...

Hopefully Pioli can sucker someone into giving us a late round pick to replace the one we're all guessing he gave up for Vrabel.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Hopefully Pioli can sucker someone into giving us a late round pick to replace the one we're all guessing he gave up for Vrabel.

If anyone can do "suckering", I'm sure it's him. I haven't even weighed in on New Guy because I don't know anything about him. Some people think it's a bad move in terms of pure player performance or trade value, some people think it's a good move in terms of defensive leadership.

Whatever the case, I'm pretty sure sentiment has no role in it whatsoever. We'll see.

[brain1081]

I sure hope you're right. So far Pioli has not lived up to the billing. Of course they haven't played a game yet, so I reserve the right to be on board for Chiefs in '09.

[R&GHomer]

Originally Posted by FAX

You know, this whole deal has reminded me of something.

The Chiefs have sucked for a long, long time. There have been different degrees of that suck, but the bottom line is that we have been incapable of winning a playoff game - in, like, forever. You have to assume that, throughout the league, the Chiefs are viewed as doormats, pushovers, and pussies. Now, after two of the worst years any team - that's any team - in the history of the league has ever had (we've set records in a variety of suck categories), our reputation as an organization has to be at its lowest ebb.

Enter Scott Pioli. Former executive with a dominant organization. Multiple Super Bowl winner. Builder of dynasties. Does anyone in their right mind (excluding Whitlock) believe that he's impressed with anything this franchise does? I think not.

So, for a player - even one of our best players - to get pissy about how he was treated by the new FO is laughable. A little puppy yapping at a big dog. Waters has learned the hard way that we are a joke and he's part of the punch line. If he's smart, he'll do an about face asap and get with the program. All other potential outcomes for him are bad.

FAX

Well said. I remember thinking to myself this morning when I read the withlock article. How in the hell does Waters think he can show up un-announced and expect them to drop everything so they can have a private meeting... WTF

Things have changed and..... WOW it feels good to type this! The days of mediocrity and bullshit excuses are over. Put up or shut up!

[Ultra Peanut]

Gretz is still a shill. Awesome.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by brain1081

I sure hope you're right. So far Pioli has not lived up to the billing. Of course they haven't played a game yet, so I reserve the right to be on board for Chiefs in '09.

I hate doing cross-thread repeats, but the short version is; the people who expected Ray Lewis and the like we're being unrealistic. You sign a Ray Lewis or a Randy Moss when you're on your way to the Super Bowl, NOT when you're doing the complete overhaul and basically starting from scratch.

Mr. Vrebl( Gerbil? Whateverthe**** )actually makes a lot of sense right now( depending on the terms of the trade, of course ); Pioli feels they operate on the same page. We're supposedly switching to 3-4. New Guy knows the 3-4. New Guy can help those retained on the defensive roster understand the 3-4, and be an older, more experienced leader. And unlike Lewis, New Guy is a serviceable stop-gap that doesn't cost a shitload of money.

It's all relative to what they're building right now, you just have to look at the long-term and the Big Picture.

[R&GHomer]

Originally Posted by brain1081

Yeah, never been a problem. Normally, I go into their office (or email them) and then within the week it's done. Frankly, it shouldn't be a big deal for anyone that's confident in what they're doing to schedule an hour to ensure that their employees are happy. Typically this leads to overall production and word spreads quickly about the future to other employees. On the flip side if the topic comes up and everyone is refusing to talk about it then that spreads quickly too and production goes down. You don't know much about management or economics in general do you?

LOL... you're ****ing kidding right? Who the hell do you work for?

Waters has always been a favorite player of mine, but, however unfortunate it ended up being him, the message has been sent.

[brain1081]

Originally Posted by R&GHomer

LOL... you're ****ing kidding right? Who the hell do you work for?

Waters has always been a favorite player of mine, but, however unfortunate it ended up being him, the message has been sent.

I work in IT for a law firm but it's not the only place I've been to like that. I honestly could not work for a company that doesn't have time for me, the one doing the dirty work to make the money. Maybe that's why we disagree on this,

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

Gretz is still a shill. Awesome.

Good Lord man, what is that in your avatar? It reminds me of that old Eddie Murphy, SNL skit where he was made over in to a white man.

[FAX]

Peeps are so indoctrinated after 2 decades of Carl and almost 10 years of player's coaches like Vermeil and Herm, it's understandable that it will take time for players to re-orient themselves to a new way of doing business. Heck, it's been difficult for the fans and the media.

Unfortunately for guys like Waters, there's no one left to support them based solely on affection and common history. Even Clark has drawn a line in the sand and has demonstrated a desire to win that, apparently, even supersedes any loyalty he might have felt for Carl and Herm. That has to sting a little.

I think it was Parcells who is credited for the phrase, "You are what your record says you are.". But regardless of who said it, that will likely be the measurement used to evaluate our players going forward. The term, "player's coach" is little more than code for treating the team with kid gloves. It now appears that Haley prefers a claw hammer and a pair of rusty testicle pliers.

It kinda makes you feel sorry for the veterans, in a way, because they like their balls just as much as anybody else.

FAX