Whitlock: Chiefs Todd Haley is a Fraud as NFL Head Coach

As overrated as Whitlock is, for the most part he makes a good case.

Edit: In this instance

 

yes, i read the column. and that 'kicker' line to sum up his 1,500-word thesis is incredibly juvenile, sophmoric, take your pick. oh, and jason's pioli-bashing ('egoli'? really?) was typical egomaniacal drivel from a small-town columnist who expects gm's and coaches to kiss their ring and give them accessibility they don't give to peons. pioli may be several unflattering things, but egomaniacal isn't one of 'em. but he is going to treat everyone the same and not cater to 'big-cheese' columnists who expect to get preferential treatment.

lupica is the king of this big-timing columnist m.o. if he can call you up to get an interview in the a.m. so his column can be done without leaving his sofa, you'll be cut all kinds of slack. but treat him like everybody else, make him actually get off his butt and attend your news conference, get prepared to be ripped.

 

i

oh, as i said, he jason may well be right about todd. but you don't do yourself any favors making your case by concluding with, 'I don't care if the kansas city chiefs win the super bowl this season. todd haley is not an NFL head coach.'

just asinine. know what, jason? if the chiefs somehow win the super bowl this season, you're damn straight todd haley will be an NFL head coach. in the eyes of everyone. forever.

c'mon, man. why did ya have to ruin the fine case you built up only to wreck it at the end? that's my point.

 

Whatever the case, Haley was hired as an NFL coach and by definition, Whitlock's wrong.

Haley may not fit Whitlock's criteria, but that's not really the test. Haley has the KC Chiefs in the playoffs hosting a game with the players Pioli assembled. The Niners wish they could say the same for the past 8 years. Its not that easy.

 

That was a very enjoyable read.

Nicely done.

It also - without expressly saying it - greatly complements Bill Belichick who hasn't lost a step in personnel department despite losing Scott Pioli. Look at some of the draft picks and free agents that are helping the Patriots this year and it is hard not to think that Belichick may not just be the best coach in the NFL but also the best GM.

 

K.C. reminds me so much of the 2008 Dolphins who went 11-5 and won the division by beating almost no one.

Formula success for both? Good two-headed run game (Mia: Ricky/Ronnie; KC: Jones/Charles), no turnovers and nothing else. First round playoff opponent for both? Host Baltimore.

I expect something similar to the 27-9 loss Miami enjoyed, too.

Dolphins were not good, but they unveiled the Wildcat and beat New England, then proceeded to beat a host of below average teams at home by two points who traveled cross country for a 1 p.m. kick. They were that kind of team.

K.C. looks exactly the same.

 

Hilarious.

Whitlock spends 2,000 words flogging Haley for being a "fraud" and then tacks on six or eight grafs at the end pumping Weis, the very definition of "fraud," who has never ever been successful running an offense without an offensive-genius superior above him (Belichick or Haley).

I especially love this part:

Weis will never be a head coach of any team at a level higher than Mid-American Conference. He fucked up at Notre Dame about as unconditionally as it is possible to fuck up.

 

I just love the irony of Whitlock calling someone a fraud and attention whore.

 

Bingo.

 

I don't know why, but this makes me recall a column Whitlock wrote about Turner Gill. He didn't think Gill was a good coach. He might be right, of course. But Whitlock's reason that Gill wasn't a good coach? Because Buffalo beat Ball State. He tried to justify that Ball State was the unluckiest team in history of football that game, that Buffalo was outplayed in every aspect and was lucky to win.

 

Perhaps, but the Chiefs don't have to play in the same division as New England and NY Jets. Denver is awful, Oakland may have biffed its chance to pass Kansas City next year by getting rid of Cable, and Norv Turner is one of the worst coaches in the NFL. Next year, 8-8 or 9-7 might win the division. 7-9 even?

 

Doubt that. San Diego went 9-7 despite Turner and the worst special teams the game has ever seen. And they'll still be the most talented team in the division next year.