What Todd Haley Must Do To Survive
by ChiefDJ on Nov 17, 2009 12:30 PM CST
in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign
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PrintThe more patient amongst the Kansas City Chiefs faithful will tell you that we are overreacting to the teams performance under Todd Haley. After all, he is in just his first year as head coach of the Chiefs. He did inherit a roster full of holes from the previous regime. He did take over a team that only won two games last year and only four the year before.
However, none of those excuses are going to save Todd Haley's job if the poor performances of this team continue, and don't fool yourself, Scott Pioli IS going to be holding Haley's feet to the fire. Pioli has built up a fantastic reputation for himself in New England and he is not going to blow that on a rookie head coach. The tree that both Pioli and Haley come from is results oriented and if you are not producing results, you aren't going to be a round long.
So Todd, here is some friendly advice on what you need to do if you want to keep your new job as head coach of the Chiefs and fulfill the sincere hopes of every Chiefs fan that you can turn this team into a winner:
1. GET A GRIP
We love your fire Todd. We really do. But there is a time and place to unleash it.
Football is a brutal, emotional game. As head coach, it is your job to be a steadying influence. I don't care if you have a hard time keeping your emotions under control. It's YOUR JOB.
If you are coming unhinged at critical moments, your team will too. You are making too many decisions emotionally rather than rationally. There have been many delay of game penalties after bad plays this year. I have to think that a large percentage of those are because you are blowing up about the previous play and don't get the next play called in time. THAT IS ON YOU.
You need to learn to harness your emotions and release them at the appropriate time for maximum impact. Ranting and raving like a lunatic on the sidelines the entire game dulls the effect and eventually the players will just roll their eyes and ignore you. You also need to find a way of relating your displeasure in a manner other than screaming obscenities like an abusive step-father. Parcells had "the stare". Cowher had "the chin". Players for those coaches received the message of displeasure from those coaches without a word.
2. LEARN TO TRUST
You have taken far too much on yourself. A rookie head coach has enough to worry about learning his new job without trying to do his old one too. You need to let someone else call the offensive plays so you can do you REAL job, which is to manage the game. If you still want to call the plays, you need to quit your head coach job and go back to being a coordinator.
Find someone you know and trust that is capable of doing the job and trust them to do it right. That does not mean you have to be completely hands off. You can still give your input and guide the coordinator in the direction you want him to go.
But by trying to run the entire offense yourself, your team is suffering. You have abdicated your input on the defense to an underachiever in Clancy Pendergast who could use some direction. When you DO give attention to your defense or special teams, your offense is suffering.
You are only one man. You MUST learn to trust others to do their job so you can do yours.
3. LEARN THAT ALL THE PLAYERS ON THIS ROSTER ARE "YOUR GUYS"
One of the most disturbing comments I heard during the Raiders game was the commentators relating a conversation they had with Haley in which he said "Once I get "my" guys in here, we'll be rolling". That is nothing but an excuse. A good coach will be able to work with the players he has and even if they aren't the most talented guys or don't fit exactly into his scheme, he should be able to get the most out of them.
Naturally as a coach has a hand in picking new players in the draft, he will pick players for what he has in mind rather than what the previous coach was thinking. But blaming the roster for the teams losses is the LAST thing a coach should do. Let the GM, whose job is personnel decisions blame the roster. The coaches job is to coach and if players are under performing, its YOUR fault.
4. RESPECT YOUR PLAYERS
That doesn't mean they have to be coddled. That doesn't mean you turn the other way to mistakes. It DOES mean that you don't walk in like a new prisoner at a Super Max facility looking to make an example out of guys to prove you're a bad ass such as how you handled Bernard Pollard. You are the head coach. You are the boss. You don't have to prove it.
Reward players who play well and don't harp SO much on the mistakes that they made that you completely ignore the good. We have seen a couple times now in Tank Tyler and DaJuan Morgan, where a young player got a chance to start and went out and did a pretty good job only to be benched the next game for seemingly no reason. You cannot constantly bring the stick without giving the carrot.
5. ADMIT YOU HAVE A LOT MORE TO LEARN THAN YOU THOUGHT YOU DID
I think you are gradually realizing that there is a lot more to winning football games than you thought. Yes, talent has a lot to do with it, but the New England Patriots have never been the most talented team and yet they find ways to win.
You cannot simply snap your fingers and give a withering glare and expect the team to fall magically in place and running like a well oiled machine. YOU have to put forth effort to reach your players. If you feel a player is uncoachable, it is because YOU failed. You can only beat your head against the wall so many times before you have to admit that whatever you are doing is failing.
We are seeing ridiculous things happening like fumbles on the snap or the QB and RB running into each other that you don't even see a lot of in college. This once again comes down to coaching. Maybe you feel that these players are in the NFL and should know how to do these things. Maybe you are frustrated that you aren't able to use all these awesome plays you've been drawing up your entire career. But you have to work with what you've got.
If you don't, you won't have anybody to work with.
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Nice post DJ. Well stated.
I remember Vermeil saying once something to the effect of “being a good coach is not just about bringing in the guys with the most talent, it’s being able to bring out the most talent in the guys you have as well”. So you need talent true, but Vermeil would have that O line clicking by now.
However, Haley is learning and I get that. My biggest complaint with him is that we look a little improved for a game and then slide backwards for 2 more. We looked better against Baltimore and Dallas than against Oakland IMO. I thought it was the blunder bowl. Whoever screwed up the least won. Consistency is what’s missing and that’s coaching. On every level that’s coaching.
We can’t keep blaming the players only after a certain amount of games have gone by. We chose to keep these guys and not trade or FA anyone else. So that’s on the coaches. These are the guys we have because that’s who they chose to keep. We did a LOT of personnel changes in the offseason and when the smoke cleared, Haley’s boys were left. He promised us that. He said these were the “right 53”. So…I’m just waiting to see it.
I think what I see a lot of this year is what you said about delay of game penalties, but not exclusively. There have been some very silly penalties like delay of game that really come down on the QB and HC to avoid. Bad stuff right there.
I think your right about too many responsibilities. He has way too many.
he does have too many responsibilities
but it’s too late to fix that right now. i believe he will hire an OC in the offseason who is familiar with his system and a QB coach (the only reason we don’t have a QB coach is because the OC who was fired was doing double duty) i don’t think he WANTS to do everything but when the decision was made, he felt it best for the long term to do so…i can respect that even if i know it hurts us bad this season.
The only players I hurt with my words are the ones who have an inflated opinion of their ability. I can't worry about that.
Bill Parcells
Knowledge is confidence. And confidence lets you play fast.
Bill Parcells
this is the mentallity i have a problem with
If you feel a player is uncoachable, it is because YOU failed.
some guys just aren’t going to “get it” regardless of how much they’re coached. i recall a story from our very own UCrawford where he tells of a soldier he was responsible for that despite trying literally every single leadership/coaching tactic there is, the soldier never got better. in fact, he got worse. that would be on the soldier and if it were a player, it would be on them.
i agree with some of your points and disagree with others in this post but this particular line/mentality bothers me.
The only players I hurt with my words are the ones who have an inflated opinion of their ability. I can't worry about that.
Bill Parcells
Knowledge is confidence. And confidence lets you play fast.
Bill Parcells
by kcguy on Nov 17, 2009 12:41 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
not the best of work
I appreciate your dedication and time spent on writing this but I dont necessarily agree with the post. 1) emotion is a cop out for all you Haley haters out there. There are many posts about this and no sense in rehashing them but lame point. 2) if you watched the telecast Sunday the commentators, awful by the way, said that Haley told them he wishes he wasnt the o-cord and that we will have one next year. So if Chan didnt screw it up then he wouldnt have had to take on responsibility. 3) we just flat out have under-talented players. Anyone can see that. There are very few players on this team that would be starting for other teams, thats just a fact.
by jayball09 on Nov 17, 2009 12:43 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Kray, please approach the bench for a judge's meeting. LOL.
"You've only got 10 fingers to stick in the dike. Is there a breaking point that pushes you over the edge?...Where's the limit?"
-Marty Schottenheimer
by go_saleaumua on Nov 17, 2009 1:10 PM CST up reply actions
LOL.
"You've only got 10 fingers to stick in the dike. Is there a breaking point that pushes you over the edge?...Where's the limit?"
-Marty Schottenheimer
by go_saleaumua on Nov 17, 2009 1:47 PM CST up reply actions
I agree with you on the points you make Jayball
And would also like to state that we dont know what goes on behind the scenes as far as the stick and carrot idea goes……
I think you are throwing your team overboard for an unproven (and unqualified) coach
You are certainly welcome to your opinion, but I wholeheartedly disagree with you.
Emotion is a tool for coaches to use. They must be the master of it. If emotion is the master of THEM they end up being a horrible coach. Haleys emotions have caused him to make poor decisions in personnel, poor decisions in play calling and poor decisions in game managment. Until he gets it under control, he is going to continue to make huge strategic decisions.
I’m sure Haley does wish he had an O-Coordinator now. He has no one to blame for the offenses poor performance but himself. Will we have one next year? Remains to be seen. You throwing Gailey under the bus saying he “screwed up” is laughable. How could Gaileys offense POSSIBLY be worse than the one we have now? How did Gailey screw up? Every indication we have gotten from Haley himself is that he disagreed on a PHILOSOPHICAL level (which probably means that Gailey, who already knew the weaknesses of the team, wanted to work around those weaknesses and Haley, who I STILL don’t think knows this team very well wanted to ram a square peg in a round hole).
How about you give blame on Haley where it is due. He CHOSE to keep Gailey instead of bringing in another OC when he was hired. Then he CHOSE to fire him 10 days before the season started. That whole debacle is all Haleys fault and there is not another person that can be blamed.
We do have undertalented players. The fact that Haley has benched some of them and Pioli has cut or traded others to bring in the Patriots practice squad rejects doesn’t help much. I think you are throwing the players under the bus because you love Haley though. We do have GOOD players on this team. What they need is a good coach. We don’t have one.
I like the post.
Don’t agree with every single thing you said but he does need to follow some of your points to be successful. Everyone can keep learning. The smart ones acknowledge that.
This is a great point.
Ranting and raving like a lunatic on the sidelines the entire game dulls the effect and eventually the players will just roll their eyes and ignore you.
This is actually a lesson I learned by reading a book about fatherhood (which is startlingly applicable to coaching, too).
It basically said that getting loud should be reserved for emergencies. If you’re yelling at your kids because they didn’t pick up their socks fast enough for your taste, they’re not going to take you as seriously when you yell at them about the oncoming car.
In other words, if getting loud is your only method of communicating, the people that you’re talking to (either your kids or your players) are going to respond to everything the same way, whether its minor or emergent, because you respond to everything the same way.
Great lesson there that I’m sure a lot of coaches and dads could stand to learn.
you sound like a good dad.
I was told the same thing. If you yell over everything they won’t take you serious when it’s something life threatening like “look out for that car”. Good point. I agree. I don’t think every single thing that goes wrong should be made into a mountain.
To me, JacinB was saying...
Find other ways to communicate displeasure besides screaming “all the time.”
In my experience working in urban classrooms and at an outdoor museum, I’ve found that to be true. Full-time yellers eventually get 0% of the people’s attention. Selective use of tone—including soft, loud, and LOUDER—on the other hand works much more effectively, with all ages.
The more tools in your toolbelt, the more work you can do.
"You've only got 10 fingers to stick in the dike. Is there a breaking point that pushes you over the edge?...Where's the limit?"
-Marty Schottenheimer
by go_saleaumua on Nov 17, 2009 1:00 PM CST up reply actions
Exactly.
“If all you’ve got is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.”
The book basically said getting your kids to do what you want them to do should follow a process. 1) Ask (“Jimmy, will you go grab that towel for me?”). If that doesn’t work, 2) Tell (“Jimmy, go get me that towel.”). If that still doesn’t work, 3) Physically direct (Gently placing your hands on little Jimmy’s shoulders and physically pointing him in the direction of the towel and, again, telling him to go do what you told him to do). And, finally, 4) Increase your tone.
If you constantly yell at your kids to ‘motivate’ them, eventually they stop responding to to you yelling and, because you’ve already elevated the situation to the highest point, there’s no where else for you to go. If you save your yelling for the urgent situations, you’re more likely to get them to respond when you really need them to and less likely to have them learning to a) ignore your authority and b) resent you.
Seriously, adults are not drastically different.
I’ve managed a tax office, led shifts at a 24-hr truck stop, supervised staff (whose ages ranged from high school to retiree) at a museum, and taught 12-18 year olds.
People are people and the methods you’re referring to work pretty consistently.
"You've only got 10 fingers to stick in the dike. Is there a breaking point that pushes you over the edge?...Where's the limit?"
-Marty Schottenheimer
by go_saleaumua on Nov 17, 2009 1:12 PM CST up reply actions
I don't, but I work with them a lot.
In what I do (well…what I used to do full-time), I taught anyone who walked into the door of my historic site.
I’ve also taught in urban middle and high schools.
"You've only got 10 fingers to stick in the dike. Is there a breaking point that pushes you over the edge?...Where's the limit?"
-Marty Schottenheimer
by go_saleaumua on Nov 17, 2009 1:03 PM CST up reply actions
jayball...that was just silly
that’s not even anything like what he said…you made that up completely or else you didn’t read what he wrote.
Not screaming like a maniac does not equal coddling
Bill Parcells is a perfect example. He yells when it is appropriate to do so and it has impact because he doesn’t yell all the time.
Parcells uses it as a tool. He does not let his emotions control him like Haley does.
I dont mind whats going on
With our penalties, dropped passes, blown coverages on both sides of the ball, they need and should be yelled at. You millionaires give me a break. The position coaches spend the most time with these guys anyways so it’s more on them than it is on Haley. We’ve had, what, a DECADE, of litterally babying these guys and where did it get us, the only way to change it is to be extreme.
About # 2:
It's years like this that I wish I was a bear. Hibernation would make it so much easier.
by Red N Gold Beast on Nov 17, 2009 12:52 PM CST reply actions
I’m hopeful that he fired Gailey and has Mo Carthon shadowing him so he can tell him how he wants it done in hopes of turning Mo into teh OC next year. I would fully applaud Haley if that was his intention.
It's years like this that I wish I was a bear. Hibernation would make it so much easier.
by Red N Gold Beast on Nov 17, 2009 12:53 PM CST up reply actions
Bill Cowher
So the difference is winning percentage. It is ok to act like a madman if you win.
Good post DJ.
I don’t agree with all of it, but the overall idea is definitely spot on. If Haley doesn’t continue to evolve (and hopefully improve) as a leader, he’ll be gone.
Does anyone have a link or something for the “my guys” comment? Mike Lombardi at National Football Post keeps saying the same thing—that the leadership in KC can’t stand anyone on their roster, etc. I haven’t gotten that from anyone else either, until now, so I just chalked that up to Lombardi running his mouth.
If Haley really can’t stand Herm guys, it’s odd that he and Pioli chose to hang onto so many of them instead of cleaning house.
"You've only got 10 fingers to stick in the dike. Is there a breaking point that pushes you over the edge?...Where's the limit?"
-Marty Schottenheimer
Hasnt Haley grown though?
I mean, I see a growth compared to the beginning of the season. And it’s hard to completely clean house in 1 year when you didn’t get here till Dec/Jan.
Agreed KcinIL.
I’d still like to see him hand off either coordinating or playcalling (or both?) so he can focus on growing further. Being a position coach, coordinator, playcaller and head coach is a major task, and our on-field performance suggests that it might be spreading Coach too thin.
The team definitely hasn’t quit yet—and for our lack of talent and lack of wins, that says a lot.
"You've only got 10 fingers to stick in the dike. Is there a breaking point that pushes you over the edge?...Where's the limit?"
-Marty Schottenheimer
by go_saleaumua on Nov 17, 2009 1:08 PM CST up reply actions
Overstated. Some valid points but Haley is doing very well and is making.....
adjustments as he goes. On one of his interviews he referrenced something that his wife had mentioned and he knows that he needs to tone it down a little at times. Loud, angrier coaches have been very successful in the NFL and it’s comparable to military bootcamp where you have to have their attention. Haley has a history of success with players like Warner, Fitzgerald, and I would of liked to say Bowe…..and many of these players give a lot of credit to Haley. He makes many of them better players. If they can’t take it, they move on. If they can’t relate to the coaches methods, then they are not a good fit. It appears that Waters and Haley have developed a good repoire which tells me that Waters likes, appreciates the discipline…..and many do thrive and perform better under a strict environment.
I like this Haley quote, I think he's more grounded than people say
"I had all the answers when I was an assistant," Haley said. "I think I’ve tried to be open and forthright that I don’t have all the answers. I feel like I’ve tried to apologize when I’ve been wrong or said something that wasn’t correct, or something that wasn’t inappropriate. I’ve always tried to do that with my players, coaches and everybody involved.
"This is a hard job. It’s a big job and I’m finding my way through it. I would hope that nobody thinks that I’m arrogant in going about the job. I’m fighting for my life really to be honest, and that’s the way I feel each and every day. I’m trying to get this thing going and trying to be me. I haven’t been characterized as being arrogant, at least to my face that I know about. I try not to appear arrogant in any way because I don’t feel arrogant.
"Every day is a new day and every game is a new experience … since we’re talking about Mo Carthon, he always makes the statement that the problem of knowing everything you can’t learn anything new. I always try to think about that. We don’t have all the answers and I don’t ever try to act like I have all the answers or even think I have all the answers."
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
* Stats are for losers
by stagdsp on Nov 17, 2009 1:32 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
" press conference guy is a completely different person than Haley the on field coach."
Exactly. The press conference guy seems sane.
Rec'd
I think you make some great points here. Haley has a long way to go as a head coach. He may get there, but right now, he’s as much of the problem as the players on the field.
I hope he develops into a good coach… I think he’s got the knowledge and the background to do it. If he can take these suggestions to heart, he can get there.
Interesting post
I’d been working on pretty much the exact same topic for a post, you obviously beat me to it, but the conclusion that I came to while writing mine was made even more apparent while reading yours; What Todd Haley needs to do to save his job (to become a good head coach) is to completely change his personality. That’s pretty much an impossible thing to do for most people, and for those who can, it doesn’t happen over night. I think he may get one more year, but he’ll be on a short leash. I’m beginning to believe that he’s not cut out for the job. Not that he doesn’t have the football knowledge and mindset, but more like he doesn’t have the character. He reminds me more and more of Gunther Cunningham as head coach. Works his ass to the bone and just spins his wheels. He’s going nowhere fast.
Braccae illae virides cum subucula rosea et tunica Caledonia-quam elenganter concinnatur!
Great post
When they hired Haley I was very pleased. I thought they needed a stronger hand, someone who would hold players accountable and even get in someone’s face when called for—but not a raving nut. It’s not either/or. If the coach loses composure the team does as well. His job is the get the best out of what he has not have a hissy fit marathon. And he needs to coach the WHOLE team.
This aritcle doesn't make sense and is totally unfair
Lets start with the first thing. Seeing Haley rip players or coaches is how the guy is. I didn’t hear people say Cowher needs to get rid of the chin everytime players screwed up. Or Gruden looking like Chuckie on the sideline after a bad play. Or even Parcells going off on a player. To bring that up as a way for the guy keeping his job is foolish. As for the guy talking about gettting his players he’s right. Alot of the guys on this team want be around next yr because of lack of talent, work ethic, or NFL IQ. Any new coach that takes over a franchise has to get his guys in their to turn things around. As for the guy admitting his mistakes he does it all the time at the press conferences. Are you a Chiefs fan? Do you watch the press conferences? He always admit how he made some bad calls or didn’t do a good job coaching.
Last but not least Pioli aint going to fire Haley. Why ? because firing him would mean he has no clue on what to look for in hiring a head coach. So firing Haley would make him look like an imcompetent owner. GM’s and coaches are joined at the hip. So no way is Haley going anywhere he’ll be here as long as he wants to and as long as Pioli is the GM.
I don't agree
that Haley will be here as long as he wants. He’s going to have to produce eventually, or Pioli will have no choice to fire him. The only question is how long “eventually” is.
John
"Gentlemen! You can't fight in here. This is the War Room!"
Another thing a good coach does
is finds what a player does well and exploits that. You dont ask players to do things that they are not comfortable with. The Patriots are a prime example of this. They get the most out of their players because the put them in a position to succeed. They form the game plan,or the ofense defense around what the players do well. Not forcing something on them. I think that a BIG reason our offense is so bad is because Haley is trying his ass off to make us look like the Cardinals offense last yr. Problem is, we dont have a future HOF QB, the best WR in football, Boldin,a pro bowler, and another 1000 yrd reciever in Breaston.
AZ did not run the ball a lot while Haley was there. They didnt have to. We do!..In fact, his running game playcalling is very…amatuer-ish. I think that is why it struggles so bad..He was a recievers coach turned OC. I dont think he knows much about the running game and he is the one that calls the plays. Thus, you have a guy that averages 5.7 yrd per carry that, up until this week, could not get more than 5-8 touches a game.
Todd Haley Vs Herm Edwards
gotta remember who he replaced idk about you but i much rather have haley than edwards… besides we didn’t wanna fire herm after nine games… haley will be fine he just have to learn. if Edwards was here lj would still be here we would be doing our run run pass punt offense and we wouldn’t be watching the games. hell we probably would have brokie croyle starting still
Brett farve’s first completion was a pass to himself
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