As I stood outside of Mizzou Arena yesterday I thought of the controversy and confusion of only three years ago. It seemed that only yesterday Mizzou fans were calling for Mike Alden’s head for bypassing the hiring of Bob Huggins as their coach for a relative unknown — Mike Anderson from UAB. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed.
During the next two years, Anderson set about rebuilding the Tigers. Players left willingly knowing their talents did not match Anderson’s “40 Minutes of Hell” playing style. He next began looking for a leader for his team. He thought he had one in a point guard by the name of Stephon Hannah, but ultimately settled for a relative — his nephew DeMarre Carroll, a second-team all-conference player from Vanderbilt.
Next, he began looking for unconventional sources of talent. He immediately found one in a state champion broad jumper from Georgia, J.T. Tiller, and another in a scholar-athlete holdover from the previous regime, Matt Lawrence.
The first two years of his regime were filled with disappointing losses and off-the-court turmoil. Arrests, DWIs and a fight outside a nightclub called Athena. Through it all he remained steadfast to his principles; suspending players, limiting playing time and even playing a game with only six scholarship players. He continued to recruit and develop new talent as those unwilling to buy into his system went to the wayside.
Ultimately, he developed a cohesive team of which the whole was greater than the sum of its parts.
But why am I discussing this on a Chiefs site? Because that is exactly what Scott Pioli and Todd Haley are attempting with the Chiefs. They have found one of their leaders in former back-up quarterback Matt Cassel, a player who possess uncanny amounts of both perseverance and poise. Receiver Bobby Engram, who came back from a thyroid issue to post his best season, is another unlikely leader who fits the new system. Mike Vrabel? You bet.
During the next several weeks, the Chiefs will perform addition by subtraction by trading or cutting distractions to the team. The first I believe is Larry Johnson, who quite frankly has worn out his welcome in K.C. Others who fail to buy into the system will be sent packing. That is the Patriot way and the way of most successful organizations.
The lesson to be learned from the above illustration is PATIENCE. Enjoy the process. Watch the building blocks being put together and the troublemakers being sorted out.
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Something is missing this season but I can’t place it. OH Its anger and frustration! Im with you on this OC we can enjoy both the trip AND the destination.
So now we have the PRESEASON schedule for 2009.
Dr. Best,
I think you have swung the hammer and hit the thumb right on the nail. I totally concur with your assessment. We are seeing the beginnings of something quite special in K.C. What a relief after the last three years of total frustration.
Does anyone notice that Todd Haley never really answers any questions he is asked?
Nice read and solid assessment of “The Plan”. But can we PLEASE cease with use of the phrase, The “Patriot Way”? It’s gotten way past annoying. I rank it right next to “it is what it is”.
Amen, Buck. This is a football organization, not a Shaolin temple.
Shaolin temple? Well, Scott Pioli is kind of like our RZA now, if anyone even gets that reference.
Can’t disagree with anything written here. Mizzou was a joy to watch even as a rival fan. Their teamwork and toughness was unrivaled in the tourney, even if they possessed inferior talent. I hope we can create that kind of program and environment in K.C. At least until we possess superrior talent.
I have no patience.
When I sit back and think about last season I don’t have any patience either. We are signing guys that are too OLD, we have 30 million at least to use, I feel the folks at Arrowhead will be doing us a disservice by not spending some of that loot come draft day on more free agents. If Miami can go from 1 win to 10 in one season, by God so can we. Jason Taylor is out there, Pace, we need some more holes filled quickly- give the real fans something to chew on because we are the ones that will bring people to the games. We need change we can believe in. lol
Crane:
I am amazed that we have not addressed our need at DE. Not only do we need a quality starter, but we need depth. We have neither. It is the most glaring need going into the offseason, and still is. If we are waiting to address this need in the draft, then we better hit a home run. (I doubt Jason Taylor wants to play in KC.) How can our mediocre Defensive coaching staff change things around with the current DE/LBs? (Be honest everybody, our Defensive coaching staff is not impressive).
I think we are going to be good on offense this year. Defense may be another story.
Isn’t 40 years patient enough? That is how long it has been since the Chiefs have won the Super Bowl. If we want to lower our goals, it has been 16 years since the Chiefs have won a playoff game. I think that KC has demonstrated an unbelievable amount of patience.
Jeremy – I concur on the defensive coaching assessment. Very underwhelming for the most part – just hope they prove me wrong.