Pioli Let Carr Walk For Fear Of Offending Flowers?
Dec 24, 2011; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli reacts during the game against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. The Raiders defeated the Chiefs 16-13 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE
If there was one thing to concentrate on from Sunday, it shouldn’t be the second consecutive blowout loss to start the season (frankly, that might be too painful to think about anyway), it shouldn’t be your thoughts about the questionable coaching, the defensive breakdowns, not utilizing Jamaal Charles, or the future quarterbacks entering the draft (actually, you could probably start concentrating on that one).
No, the thing you should be concentrating on is the little nugget of information Kent Babb from the Kansas City Chiefs dropped on us this week. In the article titled “Chiefs will never win big with Scott Pioli in charge,” Babb drops the knowledge that I always suspected but didn’t want to believe about Pioli’s offseason personnel decisions:
“He worries so much about trivial matters that it’s impossible to think that such an emphasis hasn’t been an obstacle to the Chiefs’ success. He was concerned enough about what cornerback Brandon Flowers might’ve thought if Pioli had signed Brandon Carr to a richer contract that this factored into his decision to let Carr leave Kansas City and sign with the Dallas Cowboys.”
I had always wondered if this had factored into Pioli’s decision to franchise tag Dwayne Bowe and let Brandon Carr leave in free agency; after all, Pioli had just signed Flowers to a five-year $50 million contract earlier in the 2011 season. Pioli had to know that keeping his number two corner would take just as much, if not more. But to avoid spending the money just to avoid the possibility of offending your number one corner – who, by the way, happened to be best friends with Carr – is ridiculous and downright offensive from a fan’s perspective.
As we all know now, Pioli tagged Bowe, didn’t reach a long-term solution with him, and Carr went to Dallas, where he received a five-year, $50.1 million contract (notice anything funny about those numbers …). In the meantime, the Chiefs continue to get gashed on defense and panic is now ensuing in Kansas City amongst Chiefs fans.
Am I saying this new-found knowledge is a fireable offense by Pioli?
No.
Although the Chiefs seem to be asunder, there are still 14 games left to be played this season, and anything can happen. But if the Chiefs’ season doesn’t produce a playoff appearance or even a winning record, Pioli needs to be held accountable for his actions. And not reaching out to Carr because of some petty and unwarranted fear of offending Flowers will be one of those acts that will stand near the top of a growing list of blunders made during his regime.
With every loss, Pioli’s ice becomes thinner. For his sake, the Chiefs better start winning.