Chiefs The Chiefs, and a few others, whiffed on Harbaughs

ForeverChiefs58 · 02-01-2013, 10:38 AM

Typical Pioli. A day late, and a dollar short.

NEW ORLEANS -- Long before the country focused in on the Harbaugh brothers, other teams did.

The first team to interview Jim Harbaugh for an NFL head-coaching job was none other than the New York Jets. Four years ago, in an airport in Arizona, Jets owner Woody Johnson and three of his lieutenants spent hours meeting and discussing New York's head-coaching job with Harbaugh, according to sources.

They were the first ones to identify and interview Harbaugh for an NFL job. The Jets thought Harbaugh was dynamic, energetic -- but not quite ready. So they went with Rex Ryan instead.

The Detroit Lions also contacted Harbaugh to gauge his interest in returning to Michigan, where he attended college, sources said. But the conversations with the Lions never advanced far before Detroit offered its job to Jim Schwartz and Harbaugh signed a contract extension with Stanford.

And then, the day after Harbaugh signed his extension, the Kansas City Chiefs weighed in, seeing if the Stanford coach would be interested in leaving, sources said. The irony was that Harbaugh's wife, Sarah, is from Kansas City. Had the Chiefs called 48 hours earlier, before Harbaugh gave his word and signature to Stanford on an extension, he might have been enticed. But the Chiefs were a little late, a delay-of-game penalty that would haunt them. Harbaugh stayed at Stanford, and Kansas City hired Todd Haley.

Any of those three teams -- the Jets, Lions or Chiefs -- could have hired Harbaugh ahead of his time, before he was ripe. They correctly identified him, just didn't act in timely enough fashion. The 49ers did, luring Harbaugh to San Francisco before the Dolphins could bring him to Miami.

And if those moves leave those fan bases shaking their heads, think of what's happening at Boston College and UCLA. Back in January 2007, Boston College narrowed down its head-coaching candidates and, in the end, opted to hire Jeff Jagodzinski over Eagles special teams coach John Harbaugh.

But John Harbaugh had another opportunity as well. He was a finalist for the UCLA job in December 2007. But as much as UCLA liked Harbaugh, it liked Rick Neuheisel even more and hired him instead.

Before they became the celebrated coaches they are today, just shy of Super Bowl XLVII, the Harbaugh brothers first were repeatedly rejected. How much would NFL teams and colleges like a mulligan on those decisions today?

Not to single out the Jets, but which NFL franchise has been more crossed than theirs? They once wanted but missed out on drafting Southern Mississippi quarterback Brett Favre, once watched Peyton Manning return to Tennessee for his senior season when they had the No. 1 pick, and once witnessed Bill Belichick resign as head coach of their organization as he was attending the news conference that was supposed to announce his hire. Now, Harbaugh can be added to the list of Jets whiffs.

And there's a lesson in there for all these teams and colleges that embark on coaching interviews at the end of each of their seasons. Sometimes, the men who are hired are not as capable as the ones who are bypassed. Sometimes, teams believe they are making the right choice, but the only way it can be verified is through time. And sometimes, teams make as many mistakes as the head coaches who lost their jobs.

Like drafting players, hiring coaches is a crapshoot. Sometimes, teams nail it, and other times they flub it. The Jets, Lions and Chiefs made questionable decisions, as did Boston College and UCLA. The 49ers and Ravens, who square off Sunday in Super Bowl XLVII, did not.

Who made better moves than them? Nobody.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/newth...=newthread&f=1

seaofred · 02-01-2013, 10:54 AM

Well, that sucks.

**RealSNR** · 02-01-2013, 10:57 AM

Vince Lombardi in his prime probably couldn't win with Pioli as GM

suds79 · 02-01-2013, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

Vince Lombardi in his prime probably couldn't win with ***** as GM

Yep.

As soon as we hired Pioli, we were doomed.

htismaqe · 02-01-2013, 10:59 AM

Harbaugh WITH Pioli?

It wouldn't have EVER worked.

Sorter · 02-01-2013, 11:05 AM

ForeverChiefs58 · 02-01-2013, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorter

Really? I was thinking more like

Rasputin · 02-01-2013, 11:17 AM

Love me some hindsight being 50/50 gives me the opportunity to say something like

**** you you pos mother **** Scott ****ing pioli Cassell cack sucking **** face sob stick it up your ass you ****ing **** no good GM (Goat Mother ****ing whore) then the midgets..

Anyways it's good to have that hindsight 50/50

**Mr. Flopnuts** · 02-01-2013, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Harbaugh WITH *****?

It wouldn't have EVER worked.

Saved me the time from posting my diatribe on this. No. ****ing. Way.

teedubya · 02-01-2013, 11:35 AM

NO NO NO... Harbaugh was going to come to the University of Kansas! :-D

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/kc-rad...ball-job-27359

Deberg_1990 · 02-01-2013, 11:37 AM

yea, there was a story in the Star the other day about how Harbaugh's wife was from KC. She was actually in the stands in Jan 96 the day he beat us with the Colts.

She was a Senior at Olathe East at the time.

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/27...n-kc-will.html

lcarus · 02-01-2013, 11:42 AM

We whiff on everything. Its what we do. I guarantee we'll ****in whiff hard on this #1 pick too.

**bevischief** · 02-01-2013, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

Love me some hindsight being 50/50 gives me the opportunity to say something like

**** you you pos mother **** Scott ****ing ***** Cassell cack sucking **** face sob stick it up your ass you ****ing **** no good GM (Goat Mother ****ing whore) then the midgets..

Anyways it's good to have that hindsight 50/50

This about says it all.

Deberg_1990 · 02-01-2013, 11:43 AM

Heres another one from Mellinger. I had forgotten he almost took the KU job.

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/30...-decision.html

Chiefspants · 02-01-2013, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcarus

We whiff on everything. Its what we do. I guarantee we'll ****in whiff hard on this #1 pick too.

I've already accepted a Luke Hochevar (Joekakcelelele)/Alex Bono combination for the next season.

02-01-2013, 10:38 AM
ForeverChiefs58 MVP Join Date: Mar 2009 Casino cash: $2945326	The Chiefs, and a few others, whiffed on Harbaughs Typical Pioli. A day late, and a dollar short. NEW ORLEANS -- Long before the country focused in on the Harbaugh brothers, other teams did. The first team to interview Jim Harbaugh for an NFL head-coaching job was none other than the New York Jets. Four years ago, in an airport in Arizona, Jets owner Woody Johnson and three of his lieutenants spent hours meeting and discussing New York's head-coaching job with Harbaugh, according to sources. They were the first ones to identify and interview Harbaugh for an NFL job. The Jets thought Harbaugh was dynamic, energetic -- but not quite ready. So they went with Rex Ryan instead. The Detroit Lions also contacted Harbaugh to gauge his interest in returning to Michigan, where he attended college, sources said. But the conversations with the Lions never advanced far before Detroit offered its job to Jim Schwartz and Harbaugh signed a contract extension with Stanford. And then, the day after Harbaugh signed his extension, the Kansas City Chiefs weighed in, seeing if the Stanford coach would be interested in leaving, sources said. The irony was that Harbaugh's wife, Sarah, is from Kansas City. Had the Chiefs called 48 hours earlier, before Harbaugh gave his word and signature to Stanford on an extension, he might have been enticed. But the Chiefs were a little late, a delay-of-game penalty that would haunt them. Harbaugh stayed at Stanford, and Kansas City hired Todd Haley. Any of those three teams -- the Jets, Lions or Chiefs -- could have hired Harbaugh ahead of his time, before he was ripe. They correctly identified him, just didn't act in timely enough fashion. The 49ers did, luring Harbaugh to San Francisco before the Dolphins could bring him to Miami. And if those moves leave those fan bases shaking their heads, think of what's happening at Boston College and UCLA. Back in January 2007, Boston College narrowed down its head-coaching candidates and, in the end, opted to hire Jeff Jagodzinski over Eagles special teams coach John Harbaugh. But John Harbaugh had another opportunity as well. He was a finalist for the UCLA job in December 2007. But as much as UCLA liked Harbaugh, it liked Rick Neuheisel even more and hired him instead. Before they became the celebrated coaches they are today, just shy of Super Bowl XLVII, the Harbaugh brothers first were repeatedly rejected. How much would NFL teams and colleges like a mulligan on those decisions today? Not to single out the Jets, but which NFL franchise has been more crossed than theirs? They once wanted but missed out on drafting Southern Mississippi quarterback Brett Favre, once watched Peyton Manning return to Tennessee for his senior season when they had the No. 1 pick, and once witnessed Bill Belichick resign as head coach of their organization as he was attending the news conference that was supposed to announce his hire. Now, Harbaugh can be added to the list of Jets whiffs. And there's a lesson in there for all these teams and colleges that embark on coaching interviews at the end of each of their seasons. Sometimes, the men who are hired are not as capable as the ones who are bypassed. Sometimes, teams believe they are making the right choice, but the only way it can be verified is through time. And sometimes, teams make as many mistakes as the head coaches who lost their jobs. Like drafting players, hiring coaches is a crapshoot. Sometimes, teams nail it, and other times they flub it. The Jets, Lions and Chiefs made questionable decisions, as did Boston College and UCLA. The 49ers and Ravens, who square off Sunday in Super Bowl XLVII, did not. Who made better moves than them? Nobody. http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/newth...=newthread&f=1
Posts: 10,466

02-01-2013, 10:54 AM	#2
seaofred Wish I had something clever... Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Trout fishing capital USA Casino cash: $4825333	Well, that sucks. __________________
Posts: 1,656

02-01-2013, 10:59 AM	#5
htismaqe 'Tis my eye! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chiefsplanet Casino cash: $10269900	Harbaugh WITH Pioli? It wouldn't have EVER worked.
Posts: 100,022

02-01-2013, 11:17 AM	#8
Rasputin Tip of the hat LIV Champs Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: ks Casino cash: $3495421	Love me some hindsight being 50/50 gives me the opportunity to say something like ** you you pos mother Scott ing pioli Cassell cack sucking face sob stick it up your ass you ing no good GM (Goat Mother **ing whore) then the midgets.. Anyways it's good to have that hindsight 50/50
Posts: 54,962

02-01-2013, 11:35 AM	#10
teedubya Most Valuable Poster Join Date: Oct 2003 Casino cash: $9490002	NO NO NO... Harbaugh was going to come to the University of Kansas! :-D http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/kc-rad...ball-job-27359
Posts: 36,651

02-01-2013, 11:37 AM	#11
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $3914454	yea, there was a story in the Star the other day about how Harbaugh's wife was from KC. She was actually in the stands in Jan 96 the day he beat us with the Colts. She was a Senior at Olathe East at the time. http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/27...n-kc-will.html __________________ Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning: Matt once made a very nice play in Seattle where he spun away from a pass rusher and hit Bowe off his back foot for a first down. One of the best plays Matt has ever made.
Posts: 66,914

02-01-2013, 11:42 AM	#12
lcarus Everybody Lies. Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: 22 Acacia Avenue Casino cash: $1879928	We whiff on everything. Its what we do. I guarantee we'll ****in whiff hard on this #1 pick too.
Posts: 17,336

02-01-2013, 11:43 AM	#14
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $3914454	Heres another one from Mellinger. I had forgotten he almost took the KU job. http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/30...-decision.html __________________ Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning: Matt once made a very nice play in Seattle where he spun away from a pass rusher and hit Bowe off his back foot for a first down. One of the best plays Matt has ever made.
Posts: 66,914