Arrowhead Adventures! Not Again Tony G!

DD, I don't recall Gonzo ever saying anything about Haley's coaching style. Matter of fact, they never even practiced together. The trade happened in April before the draft. Haley never even had Gonzo on the practice field. Gonzo didn't want to go through a rebuilding, something he stated even before Herm was fired. Gonzo wanted Herm and the Chiefs to keep Tyler Thigpen as the QB in 2009. He was actually feeling better about the Chiefs because the offense improved so much under Thiggy and Gailey. The trade made perfect sense for all parties involved. The fact that KC was able to get that much use out of Gonzo, a first round pick, and flip him for a 2nd rounder just a couple of years before he retires was incredible value. It gave the Chiefs a much needed draft pick and Gonzo a chance to contend, which he still has if he comes back to Atlanta. I don't remember Haley ever saying that he didn't feature a TE as much but it was a common conversation amongst KC fans at the time that the Cards did not feature the TE under Haley. However, from the time the 2009 Chiefs took the field they were always looking for TE's and have drafted 2 since Pioli took over. I'd say Haley's use of the TE in Arizona had more to do with the talent than his preference for throwing the ball to the TE. After all, Moeaki was pretty much the team's 2nd best receiver last season.

You are right Patrick, I believe it has everything to do with the amount(or lack of) talent in Arizona, I'm sure that Haley would have loved to have Tony G in KC his first year coaching, but Tony wanted to leave because he did not want to be rebuilding again. I would like to see him here in KC so that he could retire a Chief, and also some mentoring for Tony M. I would be be plenty of game for that.

Paddy, First off, I am not really criticizing the trade. I'm mainly just trying to set the record straight. I doubt I can prove it but I know for a fact that I heard Gonzalez say in a local radio or television interview, that based on what others players around the league who had personally worked with Haley told him, that he did not think that Haley's style of coaching suited him but he would still do whatever he had to do for the good of the team if it came to that. I also heard or read Haley say at some point that having a TE function as a primary target was a concept that was declining in popularity around the league and that he would not play that style of offense. Can't prove that either but I know I read or heard him say it . . . probably during one of the many times I've run into the Haley clan at the pizza joint we both frequent.

Okay the bit about the pizza joint; that's not true. I just threw that in there because it's funny. In any event, I know he said it - who knows, maybe he said it because he felt a need to rationalize/defend the decision to part ways with Gonzalez? My personal opinion (warning, speculation coming) is that Haley and Gonzalez would not have seen eye-to-eye on much of anything, Haley appreciated that that would be the case and given that, he didn't want the one guy that the rest of the team looked up to more than anybody posing any kind of obstacle to his philosophy/vision for the team's direction. If that's the case and depending on how one views Haley's coaching style, I think a fair argument can be made that we shouldn't blame Haley too much for not wanting a guy like Gonzalez around, right?

Well, I don't love my synopsis, mostly because it tells us how badly we sucked. ;-) Just kidding, I know what you meant. And thank you. I'll be honest, I was kind of upset at first. But one thing I forgot to add was that Tony had a sour taste in his mouth from how Carl Peterson did him. Just google "Tony Gonzalez Carl Peterson" and you will see what I mean. The only reason Tony wanted to leave was to get a ring, and Carl essentially tried to screw around with him to keep him on the team. Tony even pulled some unknown stuff on the Jared Allen trade out of the bag when he was interviewed about it. It's just one more reason that I don't fault Tony in the long run. With the horribly bad shape that Peterson left the team in, and how low he and Herm left the team, it's absolutely amazing that Haley, Weis, Crennel, and Pioli got the franchise to the playoffs in only the second year of rebuilding...a feat that all of us have to admit we never saw coming.

If he did come back, where would he play, second tight end? I suppose I could see that, but I'd hate to shaft Pope like that, since I think he's done a decent job for us, and moving Moeaki down the depth chart is out of the question.

bossmanham, that's the truth. I think Tony would add a depth for a couple of years that Pope doesn't give us, and I think having him around would be a great thing for Moeaki as well (a la having Vrabel around to mentor the linebackers). It's mostly just me wanting to see him back in the red and gold, rather than the red and black. But there would be some positives, and it would be a fitting end to an illustrious career.

Pope? Pope?? Aside from being a big blocking TE, he hasn't done jack. Nothing personal, but saying this team is somehow better off with Pope instead of Gonzalez is . . . man, that's just so far out in left field. Imagine having both Moeaki and Gonzalez available on 3rd/4th and short or for red zone offense!? That combination, with Charles in the backfield, plus Bowe at WR would be impossible to defend.

I didn't say it would be better off. Perhaps go back and read what I actually said. I said I would hate to shaft the guy like that, who does block fairly well as you said and did catch two td passes this year. Not saying that's stellar, but it's not nothing. Plus, I'm in the frame of mind that, perhaps it's time to move past a guy who doesn't want to be here in the first place.

+1

I agree with this column. I was watching the Falcons in the playoffs and was cheering for the Packers to win. I can't stand the Packers but I did not want to see Tony go to the SuperBowl. Loyalty goes along way and I hope the Falcons never see the playoffs again until Tony retires. He made tons of money in KC, was loved by all the fans, and when the going got tough the tough got going.

DD,

I don't recall Gonzo ever saying anything about Haley's coaching style. Matter of fact, they never even practiced together. The trade happened in April before the draft. Haley never even had Gonzo on the practice field.

Gonzo didn't want to go through a rebuilding, something he stated even before Herm was fired. Gonzo wanted Herm and the Chiefs to keep Tyler Thigpen as the QB in 2009. He was actually feeling better about the Chiefs because the offense improved so much under Thiggy and Gailey.

The trade made perfect sense for all parties involved. The fact that KC was able to get that much use out of Gonzo, a first round pick, and flip him for a 2nd rounder just a couple of years before he retires was incredible value. It gave the Chiefs a much needed draft pick and Gonzo a chance to contend, which he still has if he comes back to Atlanta.

I don't remember Haley ever saying that he didn't feature a TE as much but it was a common conversation amongst KC fans at the time that the Cards did not feature the TE under Haley. However, from the time the 2009 Chiefs took the field they were always looking for TE's and have drafted 2 since Pioli took over. I'd say Haley's use of the TE in Arizona had more to do with the talent than his preference for throwing the ball to the TE. After all, Moeaki was pretty much the team's 2nd best receiver last season.

You are right Patrick, I believe it has everything to do with the amount(or lack of) talent in Arizona, I'm sure that Haley would have loved to have Tony G in KC his first year coaching, but Tony wanted to leave because he did not want to be rebuilding again. I would like to see him here in KC so that he could retire a Chief, and also some mentoring for Tony M. I would be be plenty of game for that.

Paddy,

First off, I am not really criticizing the trade. I'm mainly just trying to set the record straight.

I doubt I can prove it but I know for a fact that I heard Gonzalez say in a local radio or television interview, that based on what others players around the league who had personally worked with Haley told him, that he did not think that Haley's style of coaching suited him but he would still do whatever he had to do for the good of the team if it came to that.

I also heard or read Haley say at some point that having a TE function as a primary target was a concept that was declining in popularity around the league and that he would not play that style of offense. Can't prove that either but I know I read or heard him say it . . . probably during one of the many times I've run into the Haley clan at the pizza joint we both frequent.

Okay the bit about the pizza joint; that's not true. I just threw that in there because it's funny. In any event, I know he said it - who knows, maybe he said it because he felt a need to rationalize/defend the decision to part ways with Gonzalez? My personal opinion (warning, speculation coming) is that Haley and Gonzalez would not have seen eye-to-eye on much of anything, Haley appreciated that that would be the case and given that, he didn't want the one guy that the rest of the team looked up to more than anybody posing any kind of obstacle to his philosophy/vision for the team's direction. If that's the case and depending on how one views Haley's coaching style, I think a fair argument can be made that we shouldn't blame Haley too much for not wanting a guy like Gonzalez around, right?