Chiefs QB Cassel Gets a Few Questions on the New Signs

by Joel Thorman on Nov 5, 2009 3:13 PM CST in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign

Over the bye week, the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff put up some new signs around the locker room and meeting rooms. One of them seemed, to some people, to send a message to the players, maybe Larry Johnson in particular.

"Losers assemble in small groups and complain about the coaches and other players," one sign read and continued on the bottom, "Winners assemble as a team and win."

Today, QB Matt Cassel was asked about the signs around the building. Judging by the questions, and the video of the Q&A, folks were interested in hearing Cassel's take on the signs. Here's the exchange with Cassel today. Questions are in bold.

Q: We’ve seen some new signs around the building, what do you think about those?

CASSEL: "I’m still getting to know them, so please don’t ask me to recite them right now. It’s good. It’s just a reminder to everybody to do certain things and stay on top of your job."

Q: Does this team need that reminder? What are your thoughts on why they’re there?

CASSEL: "I think you’d have to ask Coach on that. When we came back they were up and I think everybody has taken notice of it."

Q: Did you guys notice them right away or did Coach say they were up; you get kind of in a routine and might now look at the walls all the time?

CASSEL: "Yeah, it’s pretty obvious when you come in – it’s right there in front of your face. I think it’s just a good reminder for everybody."

Q: Why do you think they went up?

CASSEL: "I don’t know. Like I said, you’re going to have to ask Coach. He’s the one who put them up, and we’re the ones that get to look at them and read them and hopefully it’ll help."

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Let's hope ...

Let’s hope they did something more than put up signs over the bye week.

by Hank44 on Nov 5, 2009 3:18 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

"Ask coach" "Talk to Coach" "I don't have permission to have an opinion."

Sounds like a ringing endorsement.

by jk86 on Nov 5, 2009 3:19 PM CST reply actions

"After all, I'm only the franchise QB that will be relied on to be the starter for the next 5-6 years"

…That was the plan, anyway, or so I thought.

by jk86 on Nov 5, 2009 3:20 PM CST up reply actions

Come on man

he is doing what the signs say. He is shutting the hell up, not running his mouth and worrying about the next freaking game.

I’m fine with that.

Please help send my girlfriend to Broadway! Visit http://magonbroadway.blogspot.com/

by Patrick Allen on Nov 5, 2009 3:24 PM CST up reply actions

+1

by nycchief on Nov 5, 2009 4:22 PM CST up reply actions

Amen!

Nice!

"Every day is an evaluation and if you’re not out there how can we depend on you? If you’re out there and you don’t know what to do, how can we depend on you?" Accountability -- Haley-style...

by Chief_Elmo on Nov 6, 2009 6:56 AM CST up reply actions

Really What did you expect him to say?

Did you expect him to go off on some rant about the signs? Were you expecting him to say more than he has in any interview when asked about why things are happening?

What it shows me is the man is smart, he has the ability not to answer questions by saying whatever comes to mind first. He may have his opinion and one day we might even hear it, but for right now on this team he is doing the smart and right thing. Did you really expect an NFL Quarterback to say something that would hurt his team or contradict the Head Coach? It’s just doesn’t happen if it does there’s always other QB’s to choose from. He took the company line, that’s what we expect of him. Now if other feel the need to vent to the media or start a twitter war, I’d say the writings on the wall, for all to see.

is it me? or isn't about time the Lamar Hunt trophy belonged to His team?

I’m a Chiefs fan Dammit and I’m damn proud of it!

by KC Fanatic on Nov 5, 2009 3:31 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

No, but given his position of leadership it would be simple for him to go along with it and say its great and wonderful and a great motivator

instead of saying, eh, i dont really know and being non-committal.

this is coming from a Pro-Cassel guy, mind you.

by jk86 on Nov 5, 2009 3:34 PM CST up reply actions

I agree, KC Fanatic

I thought Cassel handed it perfectly. If only Haley had done so. :-(

John

"Gentlemen! You can't fight in here. This is the War Room!"

by RDOGuy on Nov 5, 2009 8:14 PM CST up reply actions

Actually...it does...

Sounds like a ringing endorsement.

That interview = buying in = ringing endorsement

Don't forget to be an AP-vangelist...Tell A Friend...

by woodman212 on Nov 6, 2009 12:07 AM CST up reply actions

Chiefs QB Cassel

Who agree with . The signs are a reminder . Any thing else ask Coach .

by 65tosspowertrap on Nov 5, 2009 3:31 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

Welcome back 65toss

Agreed….when in doubt, ask the coach.

Arrowhead Pride

by Joel Thorman on Nov 5, 2009 3:32 PM CST up reply actions

I still can't decide

if 65tosspowertrap is a real person or a rather sophisticated commenting bot.

Founded Arrowhead Pride 7/26/2006

Please read our community rules, netiquette rules and our technical overview before commenting.

by Chris Thorman on Nov 5, 2009 5:38 PM CST up reply actions

In my opinion ; Both !

by 65tosspowertrap on Nov 5, 2009 6:23 PM CST up reply actions

Welcome back Toss :)

learned a lot since you left.

We Will kick at least 4 Teams Asses in 09
And Succop will be the Key in two of them.
" Think and talk positive football off the field." Hank Stram

by Steve_Chiefs on Nov 5, 2009 6:01 PM CST up reply actions

Same Here ! Like/Wise !

by 65tosspowertrap on Nov 5, 2009 6:25 PM CST up reply actions

Sorry who I agree with ! Thank’ s Joel ! Would not have made with you ! And KCShuffle ! NjChiefs Fan ! Comp11 !

by 65tosspowertrap on Nov 5, 2009 3:35 PM CST reply actions

Hooooooooooooo! (Jim Duggan style)

Look what we’ve got here! Roll out the red carpet. Daddy’s got a brand new bag.

Welcome to Chiefs REBUILD - Version 2.0 /The Clark Hunt Edition
Chiefs will be lucky to go 4-12 in 2010

by KansasCityShuffle on Nov 5, 2009 4:52 PM CST up reply actions

Would not have made it back without you,KansasCityShuffle,NJ Chiefs Fan & JComp11!

Tried to google Jim Duggan . However I came up empty !

by 65tosspowertrap on Nov 6, 2009 8:55 AM CST up reply actions

eh sounds a little bush league to me....

by callmesir on Nov 5, 2009 4:04 PM CST reply actions

the signs say what they say....

it just might mean more to different players…..if it offends certain players, then they must have a guilty complex….Im sure Cassel knows they are not targeted at him so why speak on it.

by KCinAZ on Nov 5, 2009 4:28 PM CST reply actions

Guess That Answers The Question Of Who Put Them Up

Looks like Coach Haley is now firmly secured in his bunker mentality.

And I’d say that, combined with Cassel’s less than enthusiastic response, is an excellent indicator that Haley has lost the locker room.

Moderator - Arrowhead Pride
Predictions for 2009

1. Todd Haley's going to struggle with managing his staff in his rookie year as head coach.
6. The Chiefs will go 7-9 in 2009, good for 2nd in the AFC West. Revision: We go 5-11 and finish behind Oakland.
7. Ryan Succop will not perform better in 2009 than Connor Barth did in 2008.
8. The Chiefs will have a bottom 10 defense this year.
9. RB will be a problem area this season on offense.

by UCrawford on Nov 5, 2009 4:47 PM CST reply actions

Come on people!

At least this coach has the b@lls to do something like this. This time last year, if LJ had done the same thing, Herm would have just pulled him aside and said “Bad Boy”, and then asked him if he was mad at him for scolding him. And what did we realistically expect out of this season? 16-0? Come on…….we are recovering from the Lin Elliot of coaches! Shouldnt we expect (realistically) a rough start? Look at the Colts the first year of their rebuilding. No offence, no defence, no special teams. But look where they are now. Similar blueprint, hopefully similar results.

by Mike Bro on Nov 5, 2009 5:03 PM CST reply actions

Give Herm credit

He deactivated the guy last year for three games.

Arrowhead Pride

by Joel Thorman on Nov 5, 2009 5:04 PM CST up reply actions

We all know that wasnt Herms doing. That was King Carl and PR

by Mike Bro on Nov 5, 2009 5:05 PM CST up reply actions

No matter what our record is..........

Chiefs fans need to unite! Wear red on fridays. Wear your Chiefs jackets. Put those stickers/magnets back on your cars and trucks. Lets show some signs of our own! Sure it’s not the good ol days, but if this team doesnt have our support, it never will be the good ol days again. Everybody knows the players actually do read what the media has to say, and they do sneak peeks at Arrowhead Pride and whats being said. Yeah, our record is terrible now, but I have a much better feeling this year at 1-7 than I did last year at 1-7. There are signs of hope!

by Mike Bro on Nov 5, 2009 5:29 PM CST reply actions

We are 1-6 Bro

Should I put my money on Jax.
Maybe some FastForward going on here :)

We Will kick at least 4 Teams Asses in 09
And Succop will be the Key in two of them.
" Think and talk positive football off the field." Hank Stram

by Steve_Chiefs on Nov 5, 2009 6:07 PM CST up reply actions

My bad

by Mike Bro on Nov 5, 2009 6:58 PM CST up reply actions

Soooooooo......

Haley spent the bye week at Kinkos?

by Chris Olson on Nov 5, 2009 6:59 PM CST reply actions

Signage. It's what organizations do.

To an extent, your HC needs to be an “organization” guy. I know from my own profession that the workplace IS “a process” of learning new ways of doing the same things better, and finding ways to free yourself up for what’s IMPORTANT, rather than being distracted by daily brushfires, always working feverishly (and inefficiently) on what’s URGENT.

Hard to say if Haley’s a great people person, but quite a few quality people claim to have great relationships with him. Signage, and its content, appears to be on the organizational, rather than the people skills side of the equation, and Haley’s job calls for both. I think we may be seeing what happens when a whole lotta players the current organization wouldn’t’ve had in in the first place.

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

by hmills110 on Nov 5, 2009 7:25 PM CST reply actions

Talk about non sequiturs, Mills.

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

by hmills110 on Nov 5, 2009 7:26 PM CST up reply actions

I feel bad

for our players that are always asked to answer the most asenine things.Haley put up a sign and that makes him the worst coach ever 7 games in!!I dont know who would wanna take this job?Kansas city fans have to be the most self loathing fans.I bet Russell has more support in oakland and he cant throw the ball 10 feet.

by cbrown3001 on Nov 5, 2009 8:11 PM CST reply actions

The problem I have ...

For an organization that has made a big deal out of being tight lipped this appears to be a defensive move. It would be one thing if you are the players putting up the sign … or the fans … but if it is the person (or organization) who has received criticism then it is a reactionary thing. In no way am I supporting the comments and attitude of Larry Johnson – they were amateurish and foolish – but handling it (and any other comments) with this kind of tactic will only become further divisive. The signs have lowered the management to the level of the accusers. This is something you handle in the locker room as a coach directly with your players or the accusers …not in hallways seen by the press and not with signs. If you are going to do this then you might as well just tweet it like Larry.

by Hank44 on Nov 6, 2009 6:21 AM CST reply actions