In every NFL organization that is attempting to claw itself out of the depths of despair there is the one person that stands in the distance, out front, planning, leading, and called upon to carry the weight of past failures. 

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That one figure carries the burden of many years of frustration.  He carries the task of leading a group of men out of a hole where many others have failed.  He carries the future label of conqueror or conquered.

In the distance that man will stand alone.

He alone will receive praise or ridicule.  He alone will bare the ire of the fan.  He alone will be called upon to have the vision, the leadership, the drive to bring victory to Kansas City.

The Kansas City Chiefs are counting on the man that they chose to stand alone.  Counting on that man in the distance to show their players the way.

That man:  Todd Haley.

If you have ever played or coached any kind of team sport then you have witnessed first hand that the best disciplined teams beat more athletic teams all the time.  That is what the Kansas City Chiefs are counting on.

If you have ever been at war then you have witnessed first hand that when the rush of despair comes over a unit, it is the most disciplined that make it through.  The training.  The preparation.  That is what the Kansas City Chiefs are counting on.  They are counting on the man that they chose to stand alone.

They are counting on Todd Haley to be the conqueror.

I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.
-George S. Patton

Of no fault of his own, Todd Haley is starting from the bottom.  Where he takes the team from here is squarely on his shoulders.  How high he bounces is how much praise he will be given in Kansas City.  No excuses, no scape goats, no do-overs.  At the end of the 2010 season, fair or not, Todd Hailey will be a conqueror or one of the many conquered.

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Many of us in Chiefs nation have given a lot of credit to Scott Pioli for building this team.  Credit that is well deserved.   But make no mistake about it, Todd Haley has made his mark on this team and has contributed to the fate of this franchise just as much as Mr. Pioli.

Todd Haley has always liked guys of high character and frowned upon those players that brought turmoil to the team.

In Dallas he would not accept players like Terrel Owens and the "I" mentality...

..."He was the only one with the [guts] to tell Jerry 'I really want this job but I can’t coach this team with this guy [Terrell Owens] on it. And I don’t think you are going to win anything of any consequence with this guy on it.’ " - Keyshawn Johnson  (quote source)

...and he was a key voice in building the KC Chiefs with quality citizens that are willing to carry the weight of a franchise through hard work and team play.

Teams take on the mentality of their coach.                                                                 No Crybabies allowed

The 2010 Kansas City Chiefs are beginning to look more and more like Todd Haley:  No excuses, no crybabies, work hard, give everything you have on every play, and accept nothing but execution.  That is Todd Haley...and that will be your 2010 Kansas City Chiefs.

"I only know one way to do it, and that's how I'm going to do it...I take some heat from it sometimes in this day and age where people say you've got to be a player's coach and all this stuff. Well, that's not me. I'm wired a certain way, and that's not going to change." - Todd Haley  (quote source)

George S. Patton was a great general and Bill Parcells was a great coach.  No nonsense men that wanted team players that just kicked ass.  That is what Todd Haley appears to be.                                       Pic Source

Some fans don't like that approach.  Some people didn't like Parcells and many didn't like Patton.  At the end of the day, if you win you're in.  That is why the weight of this franchise is so much of a burden.  It had forgotten what it takes to win.  It's got years of dead weight to hold up as all the bad habits and bad decisions are pealed away.

Haley started pealing back that dead weight the moment his players reported for their first camp.  Camp Haley accomplished what it was intended to accomplish:  Chase off the players that don't fit, shed the weight that many players picked up, and establish the  thyme that will be the signature of the Todd Haley regime.

Monument to the slothful past (source)

That signature is hard work, discipline, team play, honor, and courage.

Not that far into the recent past the Chiefs organization was bankrupt when it came to having these franchise building attitudes.  At least as an attitude that was a constant message from it's leader and permeated the entire team.  Todd Haley is trying to change that reality.

Todd Haley has had some note worthy occomplishments in his career.  He was first known as a good receivers coach and then as a good offensive coordinator.  Maybe it is time for him to be known as a franchise builder.  2010 will tell the story.  What ever the case...

...that man will ultimately stand alone.