"Todd was into football always. The way we lived, it was different, that’s all," Dick Haley told T...

"Todd was into football always. The way we lived, it was different, that’s all," Dick Haley told The Associated Press. "I thought it was more important to come with me than to stay at home and go to high school football practice. And he would be in training camp with me before that. Whether that’s right or wrong, that’s what I thought. That was me dictating. When you’re 14 or 15 years old, you’re going to do what your folks tell you."

"Todd was 6-2, about 210 pounds. Certainly, he could have played football," said his father.

Comments

"Unfortunately, some NFL players will look at their coach and if he’s not in that fraternity of ex-players, sometimes they might let it affect the way they look at him," said Tim Grunhard, a former Chiefs center who coaches at a large area high school. "I think that’s a big mistake. A lot of outstanding NFL coaches never played much at all. From everything I’ve seen of Todd Haley, he’s going to be a great head coach."

I thought Tim wasn’t hot on the “new regime”? Interesting…

My long, drawn-out predictions that no one cares about, nor will bother to remember:

1. Todd Haley will still be the Chiefs Head Coach up to the 2011 season.
2. Clancy Pendergast won't make it to the 2010 season and was never intended to. Last-minute hire for a position that needed to be filled.
3. Todd Haley will not be the OC at the start of the 2010 season.

by jbj8609 on Oct 29, 2009 4:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He's felt slighted by loss of access privileges.

From everything I’ve seen of Todd Haley, he’s going to be a great head coach.

Grunny’s gripe is he doesn’t get to see enough.

No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.

by hmills110 on Oct 29, 2009 5:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think the bullshit of whether you played or not having an affect on your ability to coach

has run its course and fallen off the cliff. Lets move on.

*No offense to any poster or commentor. :)

Winning begins with Attitude - Haley and Pioli will be winners in KC!

I'll forever be a Chiefs fan! Only God himself could take that away from me, but when I get to my great reward, I'll rejoin two bigger fans, my Mom and Dad.

by Lanier63 on Oct 29, 2009 5:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I thought it was more important to come with me than to stay at home and go to high school football practice.

Exactly the way I made sense of Todd’s background. His formative years were spent learning about football from the best scouts, coaches, players, and managers; if not the best, then certainly superior and more expert than the highschool and college counterparts.

Further, for 12 years, he has been honing the early skills he learned and doing so under the tutelage of some of the best. Parcells was the one who promoted him to his first coach-level position. Had he demonstrated lack of ability or dedication he would have never been allowed to remain on staff, let alone promoted.

My personal opinion has always been that athletes do not necessarily make the best coaches. If you are born with natural ability, you aren’t required to reflect on the process or an actions effect on results, your abilities are always good enough to carry you through. Without reflection, there is no learning, only reaction. You cannot coach(/teach) if you without knowledge of what you are teaching.

I've been rapping for about seveteen years okay? I don't write my stuff anymore I just kick it from my head you know what I'm sayin? I can do that. No disrespect but that's how I am.

by soybon on Oct 29, 2009 5:34 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

Agree

Todd has more experience in the NFL than most rookie HCs would have. Haley may not have played high school’college/pro football, but how many rookie HCs can say they have 30-40 years of NFL experience.

As for your first sentence in the third paragraph. Herman Edwards is one of the best examples for that.

by ChiefsFan90s on Oct 29, 2009 5:52 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Was gonna say the same thing 90's.

LJ really screwed up this time, he has had many chances, suspend him for the season, keep him out of Chiefs facilities.

by Eric Allen on Oct 29, 2009 7:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who?

Who is Herm Edwards?

by Nick Britt on Oct 29, 2009 8:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's get the facts right, shall we?

Haley is 42. If he started hanging around with his dad at age 12, then you could make a case for 30 years – but not 40.

However… even the case for 30 years falls down, because he missed about 10 years of NFL experience from the time he went into college until he decided he didn’t want to be a golf pro anymore and got a job in the NFL – which happened when he was 27. So 20 is more like it.

In contrast, most NFL coaches who are 42 have at least 25 years experience in organized football – either as a player or a coach.

I will gladly grant that Haley gained a significant advantage by being so exposed to his father’s world at a young age. Without it, I doubt he would have become an NFL coach in this first place. And it certainly serves him well now.

But the fact remains: Haley has never been a head coach at any level. Most guys who find themselves as NFL HCs have at least had the opportunity to be HCs at the high school or college level. It’s there – not in the film room or training camp with Dad – where you learn how to make gametime decisions under pressure, and lead a team.

That’s where you learn NOT to go for it on 4th and 1 on your own 41 when you’re behind 7-0 in the first quarter. That’s where you learn to trust your assistants, and delegate authority. That’s where you learn to coach… because you can’t sign a WR cut by another team three games into the season. You’ve got to figure out some way to turn the players you have into winners. That is the essence of coaching.

The fact that Haley took a different path to get where he is doesn’t mean he can’t be a great NFL head coach. But it does mean he’s more likely to make mistakes and misjudgments we don’t normally see at the NFL level. I believe we’ve already seen some of those.

He’s a smart guy, and he’ll learn. I just hope he learns quickly.

by RDOGuy on Oct 29, 2009 8:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs