It's Haley’s Way Or The Highway

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Chiefs Haley Football Haley is a hard nosed, tough minded, accept no B.S., selfless kind of guy. He is not “touchy feely” like Vermiel, and does like to hear himself talk like Herm. If you haven’t noticed the Chiefs have sucked for many years now, and maybe, just maybe, Todd Haley’s despotism is exactly what an underachieving and underperforming team like the Kansas City Chiefs need. Todd Haley is not here to make friends or look good in front of a camera (that is obvious to all who have witnessed any of his press conferences). He is here to change the mentality of a losing franchise and win. Want proof?

When Todd Haley interviewed for the head coaching job in Dallas after Bill Parcells left, he told Jerry Jones that “I really want this job but I can’t coach this team with this guy on it. And I don’t think you are going to win anything of any consequence with this guy on it.” That guy was Terrell Owens. To say that to Jerry Jones takes a lot of guts and tells me that Todd Haley is more into fighting for the team instead of himself. Most people in an interview say everything that they expect the perspective employer to hear, and they especially don’t slam the employer’s star employee. Haley calls them like he sees them. It is no wonder he did not get the job and Wade Phillips did. You may remember Wade, the coach who has very little personality, has a hard time controlling his team, and appears to be a mere puppet for Jerry Jones, but hey, Dallas’ loss was Arizona’s and now the Chief’s gain.

One thing the Chiefs will no longer lack is discipline. Todd Haley’s coaching methods weed out the selfish, me first players which leads us to Mr. Brian Waters. Brian is a wonderful offensive lineman and a pillar in the community. He has never been a problem player before, but he learned rather quickly that nobody is above the team. You see, I believe that as good as Brian Waters is, Haley is trying, whether conspicuously or not, to let everyone be aware that they were all a part of the problem over the last couple of years. These individual players may have been good, even very good, but the overall team has not. The team and “team concept” in Haley’s mind takes absolute priority over everyone, including Waters (who played with the second team at mini-camp today and admittedly reported out of shape).

We badly need Brian Waters this year and I hope that he realizes the changes currently being made in Kansas City will make the Chiefs a better team. Isn’t that what Waters has always wanted; to be on a better team? If not, then Waters is exactly the kind of player that Haley is trying to weed out.

Jeremy Hanson

Absolutely wonderful points hammer. I am pumped right now!

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the hammer formerly known as g.l.

I am pumped, as well.

Double DD,

Here are some things to cheer you up:

1. Vrabel and Thomas will bring veteran leadership to the "D".

2. Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali=do or die. They have to perform and they know it or they are gone. Tamba and Turk McBride in new positions may ignite some sparks.

3. Lots of first day picks on the defense.

4. Great rotation for the defensive line....Dorsey, Jackson, Magee, Tyler, Boone, etc.

5. Great secondary. Not real deep as yet, but maybe some rookies will step up.

6. Better scheme=players flying to the ball to make the play. Natural athleticism turned loose to perform at its best.

7. Entering training camp there will be fourteen linebackers on the roster to choose from. Fourteen players to pick from and none of them can play? That is laughable.

8. Much better (more effective) coaching. The coaching is going to make a big, big difference. Coach the players up and turn 'em loose.

9. The "right" 53 players. Look for some team chemistry to show itself in abundance this season. This is going to be something special, man, I don't know how some folks cannot see this.

Double D

You're not buying that Herm kept Cunningham on a short leash I take it?

As far as how the Chiefs fare this year, right now I'm selling because talent-wise it looks to me like we're worse off than we were last year. In other words, I need to see compelling evidence of an uptick. Color me skeptically open-minded.

hmills110

DD: I think people are looking at that early NFC East stretch as a ball-buster. I personally think the defense will be a lot bigger and stronger than last season, and even with the rookie at LDE, the whole D will look a lot smarter. I think they'll understand what Pendergast wants more plainly than what Cunningham wanted. I think Cunningham failed to give players an understanding of what the TEAM was trying to accomplish in any given situation, over-thinking things and making compromises on what he expected a player to know and do. It's actually easier to get something done if expectations are high and very clearly expressed. I think Cunningham owned that D, and not the players. Now the players will be expected to own it.

Chiefs will definitely have opportunities to steal some games from a division that's already counting all its AFC West meetings as wins. And just by the discipline that I'm seeing in KC, I expect them to capitalize on numerous unforced errors on the part of division rivals. It'll take a few games for teams to really have solid intelligence on how to game-plan the Chiefs. And I wouldn't be surprised if Haley's already plotting to come out with some changeups, to stay ahead of scouting reports.

By the end of the season, KC's easiest stretch, they could definitely go on a run. By that time, I'm more optimistic than ever (including Marty's time) that they'll be one of the healthier teams on the up-tick. Anything can happen. But I think the Chiefs are poised to surprise the league.

How anyone can say that 1-6 would be in any way acceptable is totally beyond me. In the NFL it is never about how you play the game, it's about winning. Period.

CHIEFS FAN IN CT

If the Chiefs are no better than 1-6 at the break that doesn't mean shit given the schedule. And personally I could care less what the media will say. What will be important is how we play in those first games against teams of playoff caliber. If we play well with improvements on both sides things will only get better from there on out.

Awfully negative dd. Tony G. wanted out before Pioli came along. And we really don't know exactly what was said to Waters that made him blow up. That bit of laundry wasn't aired in public. Haley's been very consistent in the line he's taken.

And yet, somehow Waters and Vrabel show up for mandatory minicamp, as required. And Haley remains on-message.

Compare the Brian Waters situation and the tempest in a teapot that happened in Denver. Or the weirdness in Cleveland. If I were you, I'd be giddy at the changes.

The last 25 times the Chiefs have taken the field, they have won twice. That is a win every twelve and one half games. Seems to me that 1-6 at the break would be a drastic improvement! We will not be 1-6 at the break however. Brian Waters showed up unannounced to straighten the management out this spring and he was rebuffed? Big deal. Brian Waters is a player, not the boss. I really think Haley could take 22 people off the street and have a better winning record than the Chiefs for the last two years just like he said to Brian Waters. Tony Gonzalez is no longer a Chief. So be it. It was his choice and a very foolhardy choice at that. The Chiefs may actually make it to the playoffs before the Falcons.

Adam is good, he just has a lot going on right now.

It seems to me that Haley is either not interested in or can't handle locker room leaders. So yeah, like a tinhorn despot he sort of seems to prefer eliminating those whom he perceives to be a threat his power. Brian Waters did not do anything to deserve the shoddy treatment he has been receiving. Haley's coaching style was undeniably a factor in Tony Gonzalez' desire to play elsewhere - Tony, being the consumate professional that he is would have dealt with it if he had to but his stated preference was clearly to not have to put up with it if other options were available. Sad fact, but 100% true.

If the Chiefs are no better than 1-6 at the break, I promise you that the honeymoon will be done and Todd Haley's stoic "tough guy" act will have worn thin with the team and the media. You can also look for signs in the stands saying stuff like "Fraud Haley," "$17 mill bought us this QB?" "We Miss Tony," and "Win With Thigpen."

Whir

How is Adam Best doing? Where is he? Just curious.

chieflonghair

YES!!!! YES!!!!! YES!!!!! can you spell TEAM!!!! all I can say is it's about time,,,, I may be overly optimistic but I see BIG things for our CHIEFS---- go Todd Haley and go CHIEFS!!!

sgt_ducttape

Some interesting reads of late there Jeremy. I'm glad you have something to say. I hope when the action starts to heat up we get back to having some more input from the rest of the crew also. They have been very quiet, given, theres not much to rant about right now.

So thank you Jeremy for giving us something, how about a Donkey or Faider bash? I am very pleased we didn't get McDaniels as our HC, look at the mess he's made in Denver.

On a final note, send another bottle of oxygen and some Geritol to Al on my tab. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK THERE AL! lol

Vermeil's workouts were also known for being tough. So you can be tough and touchie-feelie at the same time.

As a teacher of general education courses, where standards are very explicit, I always hit the ground running on the first day. There's a fine line between letting the students know you like them, personally, but can't make compromises on the knowledge. It's better to be a bit reserved, in terms of emotion, especially early on. If you do it right, you can ALWAYS take your foot off their necks later on, but the last thing you want to do is engage in recriminations after the class (team) falls far short of standards.

It's actually a lot less personal right now, because there still isn't an immediate win at stake. It's easy to be even-handed and firm, right now. It'll get tough when they're down to the final 53, and have to get along with the people they have. I think that in the past, expectations and explanations weren't all that clear, and it became a bunch of back-biting by coaches (thinking Cunningham here), when expectations weren't met.

Igorash

Can you spell rude awakening? Go Chiefs !!

bbq

I really like what I've seen and heard from Todd Haley so far. Maybe it's about time the Chiefs got a no nonsense coach rather than a "player's" coach. Hopefully he'll whip our batch of talented youngsters into shape -- and by shape I mean championship form.