Haley thought his personal phone line was bugged...
interesting story by Kent Babb at kansascity.com
4 months ago
bansky
103 comments
1 recs |
Comments
Just read this story
as a season ticket holder. I have no idea what to think. It’s appalling and I’m sad to think I’ve supported such behavior.
by Chief Willie Wildcat on Jan 14, 2012 11:58 PM CST reply actions
Completely agree...
Likewise as a season ticket holder I don’t know if I should be upset or just assume this is what it takes to win a championship? If this is what it takes is it really worth it?
Very iiinnnnnteresting
Wouldn’t be surprised to see this on the Front Page by noon tomorrow.
#baldwinning
"Come at me, Come at me bro" -Matt Cassel
It makes me wonder if there wasn't some incidence with sports betting or selling info
going on prior to the big exodus a few years back. I don’t see this being unprovoked behavior. Too volatile and risky if it were not necessary.
To be honest... after reading this I still sort of wonder where the story is.
I’ve been in a family that has in some form or another worked for multi-million dollar companies for decades, and most of this is happening everywhere.
Obviously the “phone tapping stuff” is crazy, but honestly, prove it. Nobody has yet. And beyond that, most of this seems like the same crap I keep hearing from most disgruntled employees that are being affected by the recession, job cuts, layoffs, etc.
I mean for god sakes… part of this article is that some team employees were upset that they had to hide their relationships with other staff members from management… HELLO!?! Even freaking Dairy Queen frowns on that, where’s the news there?
And besides that…? Personal responsibility? Having to close your blinds during practice? The youth movement that every other big company in America is going through? Come on man, quit the bitching. The Chiefs aren’t unique. Scott Pioli was upset that there was a candy wrapper in the hallway for a week straight after he was hired? Why is everyone so surprised that he would comment on that? Are we really so conditioned to work as little as possible that we think this is something worth even bringing to the attention of a reporter?
In my opinion, Babb summed it all up here:
“A few former employees, though they don’t deny that the working environment was tense, said they believed Pioli and Donovan simply carried out changes that Clark Hunt, a graduate of the results-oriented Goldman Sachs training program, had authorized.”
That is such a small part of this piece, but really it explains pretty much all of it as far as I’m concerned. Every corporate environment in America is tense right now. Everyone is trying to bring in the youngest, brightest, hardest working people they can find, and most of the things I’m reading in this article sound like they just came from jaded employees.
Clark Hunt isn’t doing anything that the president / CEO / whatever of any other big business isn’t doing right now.
The only difference is that the media has dug their way into the recesses of these sports franchises so it seems like it’s different. But it’s not. We just don’t give a crap what happens on the Sprint campus (for example).
Posterized. | @ | Fb
by Chris Sembower on Jan 15, 2012 12:49 AM CST reply actions 8 recs
Agreed
I'm so overrated, I'm underrated.
by RememberDelaney37 on Jan 15, 2012 12:54 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
It's kind of funny to even think that if we had a franchise quarterback, most of this might be white noise ;)
winning cures so, so much.
Posterized. | @ | Fb
by Chris Sembower on Jan 15, 2012 1:03 AM CST up reply actions
That it does.
Really, the drama that surrounds professional sports is about the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. I can’t imagine the corporation I’m working for having this kind of scrutiny.
I just hope the media doesn’t run Pioli out of town, because he has us on the cusp of something great.
Further, look at all these players who love the team. Flowers, when he signed his contract, tweeted how he was glad he’s always going to be a Chief. They’re subject to the same, or at least similar, environment as the front office people.
People who had a cushy job just don’t like being relieved of it…
I think personally, that part of the reason why Pioli is here is because he's capable of handling the scrutiny
Clark knows this isn’t going to be a popular model to win with
Posterized. | @ | Fb
by Chris Sembower on Jan 15, 2012 1:19 AM CST up reply actions
Obviously the "phone tapping stuff" is crazy, but honestly, prove it. Nobody has yet.
But that’s not totally the point to me, whether it’s true or not. If multiple employees thought the place was tapped, what does that say about the culture of that working environment? That multiple people came to that conclusion?
by Joel Thorman on Jan 15, 2012 8:51 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
I work in the IT field as a programmer
and work under the assumption that everyone is listening in to every phone conversation and reading every email.
It keeps me more sane, really. Prevents me from writing anything that I might regret.
You think it's coincidence that I bleed red?
I also work in IT
most small to medium companies do not have the capabilities to monitor successfully on a company wide scale.
Individuals you betcha, but if you are not doing anything wrong.
FUCK EM
It is a job, there are others that are better
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 4:29 PM CST up reply actions
I agree, none of that is good.
But that is also the only part of this story that strikes me as “news”. The rest is just fluff to make the organization look bad (and some of it is borderline REACHING). When it’s stuff that is probably happening on every major business campus on the planet.
Posterized. | @ | Fb
by Chris Sembower on Jan 15, 2012 12:01 PM CST up reply actions
seems more probable that it is a manifestation of a guilt complex.
and if you don’t believe that multiple people can have the same story….
in high school, five or six of us (including a jr high teacher’s son) egged one of the math teachers’ home. We didn’t think about coming up with a story of where we were and what we were doing….because we didn’t expect anyone to find out.
Except somehow the math teacher suspected at least one person in our group that night.
We were individually “interrogated” by that jr. high teacher. she wanted to make sure her son wasn’t involved. none of us knew any of the others had been “interrogated,” nor had we collaborated to come up with a story.
Later on, when we all got together, we found out we all had told her the EXACT SAME STORY.
Yet the story was a lie….and we all just made up the exact same story without talking to each other.
So yeah….stranger things have happened.
Seems more probable that employee X, employee Y, and employee Z all knew they were doing things frowned upon by upper management. Boom. They get canned. Self-justification and hindsight bias kick in: man, I was right. they had my phone/room bugged and they found out I was leaking info to Babb, etc.
Seriously, I’m supposed to believe that Hunt is willing to spend a boatload of money on military/intelligence agency level phone tapping devices? Ha….maybe the Nolan brothers can get together with Michael Lewis and introduce the Sports Suspense Psych-Thriller genre.
"At one point in your life you either have the thing you want or the reasons why you don't "
by chief Stevie_k on Jan 15, 2012 1:10 PM CST up reply actions
The MGMT troika has spoken
bring on the new USSR
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 4:27 PM CST up reply actions
Being upset ubout a candy wrapper in a stairwell at work
and obsessing about it for a week and then bringing it up in a meeting is absolutely ridiculous.
If you can’t see that then there is no arguing with you.
www.arrowheadaddict.com
by Patrick Allen on Jan 15, 2012 9:59 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Truly freaking out about it is ridiculous. But using it as a coaching moment is very good. There was the a-hole who threw it on the ground. The people who didnt even see it, the people who saw it and didnt pick it up, and the person whose job it was to clean it up but didn’t do anything.
I would get flaming mad or anything but I think when youre trying to do a wholesale culture change you pick up on stuff like that.
by WURoyal on Jan 15, 2012 10:47 AM CST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
right on.
"At one point in your life you either have the thing you want or the reasons why you don't "
by chief Stevie_k on Jan 15, 2012 1:11 PM CST up reply actions
Pioli was also part of the team
Pick it up Scott, dumbass
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 4:32 PM CST up reply actions
Will try this again
If you think obsessing over a candy bar wrapper for a week and then bringing up at a meeting is normal there is no arguing with you.
If this is what Pioli is doing with his time then I am not surprised this shit show is going on.
www.arrowheadaddict.com
by Patrick Allen on Jan 15, 2012 10:56 AM CST up reply actions
The man is brought in to change the culture of the entire building.
I’m astonished that there are people saying that bringing up a candy bar wrapper that has literally been laying around in a location (as trash), in a meeting is ludicrous.
Jesus man, we’re just supposed to leave it there and he shouldn’t say anything.
Come on. It’s like any excuse to pick on Pioli possible. “He cares more about the trash than he does about football oh my god!!” Give me a breakkkkkkkkk.
I am not surprised this shit show is going on.
…. nobody would be surprised if this was any other campus on the planet. Get over it. The man has a big job. Quit being so goddamn upset that he has an attention to detail. It’s not a bad thing…
Posterized. | @ | Fb
by Chris Sembower on Jan 15, 2012 11:59 AM CST up reply actions
Monitoring trash is more stupid than monitoring phones
Maybe it is an East Coast thing, in KC. You are either a picker upper or a leave it there.
Usually I am a picker upper unless my job makes me feel like Fuck that, it is someone elses job.
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 4:34 PM CST up reply actions
Meh
Haley thought his own personal cell phone was bugged? Come on.
And a group of recently released employees, some at the forefront of an age discrimination lawsuit, are complaining about the work environment? Shocker.
I don’t doubt things changed from Lamar to Clark and Peterson to Pioli. Are they this militant and paranoid? Highly unlikely. It sucks when you are held accountable for your job, especially when you weren’t in the past. Produce, or get out. I like it.
I'm so overrated, I'm underrated.
by RememberDelaney37 on Jan 15, 2012 12:49 AM CST via mobile reply actions 3 recs
Clark Hunt agrees.
Change, he said, is often uncomfortable.
Posterized. | @ | Fb
by Chris Sembower on Jan 15, 2012 12:57 AM CST up reply actions
Haley also sued McDonalds for finding a rat in a salad
by chieffaninfl on Jan 15, 2012 7:51 AM CST up reply actions
nice...
"At one point in your life you either have the thing you want or the reasons why you don't "
by chief Stevie_k on Jan 15, 2012 1:11 PM CST up reply actions
Oh hey look.
Another story about how Pioli and Hunt are so evil.
Yawn.
The old guard, many of whom were let go, are fighting back in the media. The fact is that, as attested by many, the culture at Arrowhead was too lackadaisical, and Hunt brought Pioli in to change the culture. That’ll ruffle feathers every time. Difference here is our media is so desperate for this drama that they write the story like a murder mystery.
Interesting
A couple of names of these disgruntled employees and suing the team, Steve Cox and Stephanie…whatever her last name was, are the father-in-law and sister-in-law, of my big ex, girl I was with for four years in college. Worked for steve in the maintenance department in 2003. I haven’t talked to my ex in a long time. I didn’t know Steve and Stephanie were released, and suing the team. Wow
I'm so overrated, I'm underrated.
by RememberDelaney37 on Jan 15, 2012 1:01 AM CST via mobile reply actions
How would Todd's personal cell phone get bugged?
That says more about Haley’s state of mind than anything, if true.
Yep.
I think most of us assumed it would be business as usual. He put that to rest on day one, when he changed the QB depth chart, and said he told Pioli about it afterwards. And said all that without even being asked, as I recall.
A) If his phone was ever out of his sight for more than a minute, it could get bugged very easily.
B) The article clearly states that Haley wasn’t the only person who suspected it was happening.
by SlipperyPete on Jan 15, 2012 3:28 AM CST up reply actions
And yet Haley
never took his phone somewhere to “easily” get it checked for a bug. Nor did all the other disgruntled fired employees people “who suspected it was happening.”
Funny...
I don’t recall that being said anywhere in the article.
Furthermore, you’re missing the point. Whether phones were actually being bugged, multiple Arrowhead employees, including the HEAD COACH, all thought it was possible. Does that speak to ALL of their “states of mind”? Or does it speak to a rather pathetic and toxic atmosphere being fostered at One Arrowhead Drive?
But let’s put up our hands Baghdad Bob style and act like it’s no big deal.
by SlipperyPete on Jan 15, 2012 4:21 AM CST up reply actions
those commenting don't have a problem with Management doing anything the fricken want
Never have and never will
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 4:36 PM CST up reply actions
evidence
these secret tactics ARE NOT WORKING and are not helping us win games! the proof: two of three LOSING seasons under scott pioli.
these tactics make me embarrassed to be a chiefs fan.
Yeah, he should have won right away with Herm's 2-14 team.
by Tarkus on Jan 15, 2012 1:30 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
That's so 2-14
My favorite line
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 Jan 15, 2012 8:28 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
The only thing that makes me potentially embarrassed about this article is something that is only a rumor and that nobody can prove.
Everything else, for the most part, is stuff that I would expect any company that expects to thrive during a recession to adopt, I’m afraid.
Not that you did, but comparing the team that Pioli took over to the team being fielded today is almost a joke. That, to me, sounds like serious progress is being made.
Posterized. | @ | Fb
by Chris Sembower on Jan 15, 2012 1:35 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Night and day.
And not just the record, but the organization as a whole. If Pioli quit tomorrow, the next guy would have a tremendous head start, compared to what Pioli started with three years ago.
With what
A coaching staff of One and a nothing QB.
Jeff Fisher did not want the Chiefs and Chose the RAMS
Give me a break
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 4:38 PM CST up reply actions
I don't see the recession having anything to do with it.
If it’s true they are doing it for the same reason they have closed practices. It a competitive field and some (Al Davis) would pay big money for certain information. It’s all about accountability.
by fishhooks on Jan 15, 2012 9:24 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Last I heard he was DEAD
Al can watch all the Chiefs practices he wants now
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 4:39 PM CST up reply actions
More than two dozen employees
Dang, that is a lot of research.
by Joel Thorman on Jan 15, 2012 8:54 AM CST up reply actions
Very nice article by Babb
Suprised the Star did not can it for not being worth the trouble it will cause.
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 4:40 PM CST up reply actions
come on, man
pioli came from an organization that got busted cheating( new england patriots). yes, i believe this stuff is going on. you know what pioli’s regular season record is as GM in three seasons? 21-48. he’s failing
He inherited a 2-14 team.
They doubled the win total the next year, and it was up five fold the following year. This year they were only a game under .500 like most of us thought they would be.
How much did Pioli have to do with coaching and filming in New England?
The answer is nothing. He was head of player personnel, nothing more. Just because he was part of the team involved courant mean he had any direct confection with the actions in question.
Pretty sure Thomas Dmitroff came from the same place, and no one is talking about this in Atlanta, likely because they are winning in Atlanta
I'm so overrated, I'm underrated.
by RememberDelaney37 on Jan 15, 2012 1:43 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Failing?
This Chiefs team is so much better than it was three years ago it’s not even funny. Much, much better product. The thing I can’t get over is how fast Pioli has been able to do it.
typical chiefs fans
who don’t demand excellence but make excuses for mediocre play. maybe thats why this team hasn’t won a plaYOFF game since ’93
by michaelaglover on Jan 15, 2012 8:59 AM CST up reply actions
It's more like realistic expectations and giving credit where it is due.
A big hat tip from me for Scott Pioli. KC could do much worse.
by fishhooks on Jan 15, 2012 9:27 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
I love people who think everything exists in a vacuum
In the 3 years prior to Pioli – 10 wins
In the 3 years since Pioli – 21 wins
No progress?
Predictions:
I'm going to stop predicting positive things
Sounds like pioli got rid of the "but Carl let us" people
We needed a change from top to bottom. Haley & cassel were stop gaps from the beginning, but that’s a different monster. All the people that resigned or were let go probably needed to be. Non of us is able to see what the hell they’ve really been doing. And most people think they’re awesome at there job. With 20 yrs of mediocrity of the Peterson “dynasty” it was time for fresh ideas & core values. It’s why we went from 155 to 82 office staff. The doughnut boy & the coffee girl were fired to make room for someone smart enough to do both. The bobs from office space said it best, “so what would you say…you do hear?” this is a nonstory.
Tough times never last, but tough people do.
by MadMartigan816 on Jan 15, 2012 1:40 AM CST via mobile reply actions
I wonder if you could get recently released employees of any company together
And create a story of bad work environments, ruthless bosses, and conspiracies. Every company in the country would be on most blast for “felony charges”
I'm so overrated, I'm underrated.
by RememberDelaney37 on Jan 15, 2012 2:14 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
It's the kind of sensationalistic crap we should be used to in KC.
This is why I’m so hard on Nick Wright. Uncritical people will just skim the story, see that the tone is one of dark deeds and big mean deceptive bosses, and uncritically jump on a guy who is probably somewhat harsh in his managerial techniques, but is doing a good job.
This is starting to worry me…
No doubt.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if personal phones are tapped” somehow equates to felonies being committed? Just goes to show you, if people have enough hate in them, they can twist anything to feed that hatred.
I wouldn't be surprised if Tarkus one time beat an old lady with a stick.
You see how easy that is? haha
Worst thing about this kind of reporting
is people ignore that a good bit of this is founded on disgruntled former employees complaining about their boss. The biggest thing in the story is that Haley was paranoid, and that other people are too. Doesn’t seem to be any hard evidence of this. Mostly Babb extrapolating.
So now Nick Wright and others are going to get on the radio tomorrow and say how evil Hunt and Pioli are. Good grief.
I’ll say it again, I hope Pioli isn’t run out of town by our silly local media.
They are trying to teach the front office a lesson
“If you don’t give us enough info that we want, we will make it up!”
I'm so overrated, I'm underrated.
by RememberDelaney37 on Jan 15, 2012 2:15 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
needs to happen
this kind of reporting needs to happen. the media are doing its job in asking questions. the media needs to hold these people’s feet to the fire especially in light of this organixations lack of winning last three years.
great job, babb.
by michaelaglover on Jan 15, 2012 9:05 AM CST up reply actions
Nick Wright is pissed
that he has to wait until he goes on the air Monday to comment. Okay, I’m speculating that he’s pissed, but he did say he won’t comment until Monday, but he wants everyone to read the story.
It would be funny if they name the OC on Monday, before he goes on the air. :)
Have a joint re-sign press conference with Carr and Bowe!
Of course, Wright and others would just spin that as PR control, and trying to hide the so-called big story.
Give me a fucking break.
WDThomasReigns
@KaloPhoenix @getnickwright @kentbabb No, I am in serious mode now. Babb’s story makes me sick. If true, it’s 10 years federal. I’m pissed.
He’s pissed that Haley was paranoid, and some disgruntled employees said he might have had a good reason to be.
Wow.
@DThomasReigns
@KaloPhoenix @getnickwright @kentbabb I’m sure Babb is telling the truth…that truth is Pioli broke federal law. #Chiefs
Babb/Star should have waited for Monday's paper.
Would have gotten a lot more attention, and he could have went on all the talk shows before people realize there’s not much substance to it. Now by Monday talk radio, it will be old news.
Disinfecting the Carl Peterson era...
Start with these facts…Carl bloated the organization to 155 “non-football” employees and sold Clark on building an 85,000 square foot office buiding. The 155 explains the huge office complex. Does anyone know how it takes 85,000 feet to produce winning football?
NOTE: this building doesn’t include the indoor practice facility.
As for Clark, surely he observed the intricasies of Carls kingdom and it took some time (several years) to figure it out enough to dismantle it. It needed dismantleing…the organization had tipped over too much to promotion and buzz and not enough of a winning football environment.
As for Pioli, he may or may not be the answer. His drafting has been disappointing and somethings stiil not clear about he and Haley’s relationship but Pioli came out of NE where it was reported that the Kraft family had become “very close” to the Hunts and had highly recommended Scott to Clark. Does anyone here question the success of the Kraft family? Hadn’t he also been elected “Executive of the Year” a couple of times by his peers? Also note that of the 2 remaining employees mentioned, 2 Spani and Winston are FOOTBALL people not PR types.
The former employees? I’m sensitive to these folks to some degree (as I prepare my $10,000 check for my renewal today ) but when there are 50+ too many (NON_FOOTBALL) people lurking around protecting their turf what else was Pioli to do but execute an aggressive house cleaning? When 40% of your organization is bloated and insecure it’s easy to imagine the bs and paranoia that would permeate the building. Hopefully it didn’t take the GS Program for Clark to know this….it’s just human nature. My guess is that when the staff found out what a lean org NE was that turmoil soon followed.
Although everyting is not clear with the office changes, THE BIG MYSTERY is the Haley demise. This is football centric and what real football people are wondering about….the administartive turnover is mostly a media vehicle for the off season.
Haley was Pioli’s hot commodity that was A TOP PLAY CALLER coming in. He proved to be a MOTIVATOR who demanded committment/ production from many underachivers (BOWE, D. JOHNSON, DORSEY, CHARLES) and got it. He produced a PLAYOFF season. INJURIES tanked the early part of this season. WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?
I want FOOTBALL ANSWERS not front office rumors and innuendo. After 50 years as a ticket holder I WANT WINS and if Piloi can’t get it done he can go too.
since63
by since63 on Jan 15, 2012 9:39 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Agree
Haley was all football and he got the boot too.
He didn’t shave or clean up well, talked in circles to the media, and produced a winning team.
Out like the garbage, some will say not soon enough and then when Clark fires Pioli they will claim not soon enough too.
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 4:50 PM CST up reply actions
His drafting has been disappointing
How do you figure?
Yes, his first year here was disappointing, but since then, he’s given us Berry, McCluster, Arenas, Asamoah, Moeaki, Lewis, and Houston, with chances Sheffield, Baldwin, Hudson, Bailey and Powe at the very least could become solid contributors.
Agreed
Tough times never last, but tough people do.
by MadMartigan816 on Jan 16, 2012 3:49 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Good to see
That once again the only thing Chiefs fans Arrowhead Pride likes about the Chiefs is the way the front office is run.
Ha Bullshit
Whatever you gotta tell people to make you save face from starting Tyler fucking Palko. This guys a joke.
He was Scott's backup QB plan from day one in 2011
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 4:51 PM CST up reply actions
Until Orton arrived
This is just Haley trying to save some kinda face as to why it didn’t work out. It didn’t work out cuz he was a terrible offensive coach and put his ego before the team(you tellin me Orton couldn’t have started the Bears game, the dude could’ve came in the Steelers game and performed better than that joke) to prove some kinda point to the boss. This dude gets no sympathy, and these Whitlock/Nick Wright conspiracies are just hilarious.
He was Scott's backup QB plan from Day one in 2011
Need I say that Orton was not available on opening day 2011….
by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 15, 2012 7:25 PM CST up reply actions























