From Gretz

Wonder why Tyler Palko was the starting quarterback after Matt Cassel was lost for the season? What choice did Haley have? Ricky Stanzi was even less prepared for the role than Palko, but in some situations a head coach would have put the rookie on the field. But Haley couldn’t afford to do that. He knew Pioli along with team chairman Clark Hunt were looking for any reason to fire him. He thought Palko presented a better opportunity to win than Stanzi.

When Kyle Orton arrived, the first week he was totally unprepared for stepping into the Chiefs offense. The second week, they planned to use Orton, but then he dislocated his finger on his first play on the field, knocking him out of the rest of that game and the next one after that.

Haley wasn’t trying to prove anything by using Palko other than win as many games as possible.

4 months ago LHO 31 comments 0 recs |

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Wow...

You pay $35 for that? There is no way anyone could convince me that Stanzi would have been worse than Palko. He never even got the chance. As for Orton, he sure as hell should have been the starter, ready or not, instead of thrown in on some trick play BS.

by Spiderwomn69 on Jan 20, 2012 4:17 PM CST reply actions

because it worked out so well for Palmer and the Raiders?

As for Orton, he sure as hell should have been the starter, ready or not

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by upamtn on Jan 20, 2012 4:22 PM CST up reply actions

Palmer didn't start the game against the Chiefs

Standing on the corner in a white Godfather hat. He drives a long black gangster Cadillac. He can steal a broads mind, man, in three or four minutes. It’s not how long you talk, brother, it’s what you put in it.

by HIV 2 Elway on Jan 20, 2012 4:55 PM CST up reply actions

and for a good reason

by upamtn on Jan 20, 2012 5:26 PM CST up reply actions

Not to mention

Orton had actually been on another team, practicing every day as opposed to sitting on the couch/throwing to one receiver.

by Chiefs447 on Jan 20, 2012 5:09 PM CST up reply actions

true, but it was a completely different system with different plays and entirely different terminology

you don’t learn that overnight … it’s some pretty complicated stuff, and he was throwing to different guys in Denver than the ones we have, and different patterns and routes

by upamtn on Jan 20, 2012 5:29 PM CST up reply actions

Not buying it

These guys are professionals. There is terminology, system differences all the time but you learn and adjust. Players go to the probowl and play with a hodge-podge of teammates and coaches, but passes still get completed. Players get traded go to a new team and a new system, well you were brought into that system because they feel they can use your skill, so you have something going for you.

The point is Orton was better than Palko, just as Palmer was better than Buldger.

by Spiderwomn69 on Jan 23, 2012 10:48 AM CST up reply actions

Anyone smell that? Smells like bullshit.

In Orton’s second game “they were planning on using him.” Not starting him but just use him, like on a stupid trick play that hurt him. Tell me something specific like he was going to be in for a quarter or so many plays or they had a package designed for him but not that they were going to “use” him. That’s just bullshit.

2nd, hell yeah put in Stanzi. By the time the 2nd game of Palko starting was over, everyone knew he couldn’t do it. Every fan knew it, press knew it. Everyone but Haley knew it. If Haley didn’t see it then he shouldn’t be a coach. After the 3rd game it was even more ridiculously apparent so hell yeah, put the rookie in. Also, by the 10th game of the season, if the rookie isn’t ready to play then that is on the coach as well. Either way, Stanzi has more of the tools to win than Palko can dream of so he should have played some. Instead, Haley did everything he could to not play anyone other than Palko.

So either Haley was trying to pull something or his football knowledge and ability to evaluate players is so poor that he seriously thinks Palko is a legitimate player. Either way that’s on Haley.

Insert witty yet thought provoking phrase here.

by Fozzyboyd on Jan 20, 2012 4:26 PM CST reply actions

Plus, I am so sick of the Stanzi wasn't ready argument

He looked fairly ready in the preseason. They were limited packages but he looked better than Palko during the preseason. You can’t tell me he didn’t learn more by the 10-11-12th games of the season to go in there and play. Maybe the offense would have been more limited but ya know what, spend 2-3 weeks making sure the guy is ready. Unless the guy is a total stupid worthless and lazy fuckup, which he never showed any indication of in his 3 years starting at Iowa, then that excuse is bullshit too. Screw Haley.

Insert witty yet thought provoking phrase here.

by Fozzyboyd on Jan 20, 2012 4:31 PM CST up reply actions

so did Palko ... but both were against 3rd stringers

He looked fairly ready in the preseason

by upamtn on Jan 20, 2012 4:38 PM CST up reply actions

Haley did say a 5th round rookie QB isn't ready to play in the NFL

Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories.
Hammerfisting my own balls since 2006

by KingChief on Jan 20, 2012 4:42 PM CST up reply actions

The Texans proved that point fairly well for him, didn't they?

Predictions:
I'm going to stop predicting positive things

by jmcgoblue on Jan 20, 2012 4:51 PM CST up reply actions

Makes you wonder even more why Haley wouldn't budge from that

Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories.
Hammerfisting my own balls since 2006

by KingChief on Jan 20, 2012 4:55 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, annoys me when they make a decision based on the round a guy was picked in. Make the determination on the guy, not the round.

Insert witty yet thought provoking phrase here.

by Fozzyboyd on Jan 20, 2012 5:03 PM CST up reply actions

Worked ok for Houston and Yates

If anyone wasn’t ready, it was Palko.

by TheFifthDimension29 on Jan 20, 2012 4:52 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

Not making any excuses

but didn’t we hear that Stanzi had an ankle injury during that time period?

by ValkRider on Jan 20, 2012 4:50 PM CST up reply actions

bah - excuses, excused. Big Ben played with a broken ankle

Didn’t stop Steelers from starting him.

Charlie Batch is a better backup than Palko.

by Mitul V. Patel on Jan 20, 2012 4:52 PM CST up reply actions

Haley was just finging reasons not to play Stanzi

no matter how lame they were

Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories.
Hammerfisting my own balls since 2006

by KingChief on Jan 20, 2012 4:56 PM CST up reply actions

How the hell does Gretz know

if Stanzi was ready or not?

by Chiefs447 on Jan 20, 2012 5:09 PM CST reply actions

There is a small amount of truth

Stanzi ran our scout team his rookie year. Pioli wanted this, because he wanted Stanzi to gain a large mental capacity in terms running a high octane NFL offense.

To explain, scout team learns the plays that win in the NFL from Green Bay to Pittsburgh to Indy. This is a redshirt move , partially to extend Stazi’s presnap read and call audibles at a faster pace than at Iowa.

The point of Haley vs Pioli re- Palko should come down to Palko being dropped off the chart after the Jets game.

by Shackett on Jan 21, 2012 3:16 AM CST up reply actions

That's great information

Thanks for sharing. I didn’t know that about Stanzi’s role in practice and such. Pretty cool actually.

by cheapham on Jan 21, 2012 11:19 AM CST up reply actions

Not buying it at all.

If it looks like it crap, smells like crap, it usually is crap.

by Mr.Pibbs on Jan 20, 2012 5:11 PM CST reply actions

Gretz is an idiot

if he thinks that after what Palko did, it still wasn’t worth starting the rookie. BS.

I don’t care who you are, if the guy you’re playing is LOSING you games, you get him out of there.

Why anyone would pay $35 for such nonsense is beyond me.

[Placeholder for H2E’s defense of Gretz]

by bossmanham on Jan 20, 2012 5:15 PM CST reply actions

Nah, Gretz is to Carl as Holtus is to Clark/Pioli these days

Both are overrated, pompous ass kissers. Plus I sat across the aisle from Gretz once on a flight to Philly for the Eagles game and the dude seemed like a tool. Don’t think he liked being recognized while flying Southwest.

by HIV 2 Elway on Jan 20, 2012 5:37 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not sure I buy this.

Because Romeos first act as head coach was to put Palko on the shelf. Palko was Haley’s act of rebellion and was his way to force Pioli’s hand into firing him because he wouldn’t resign.

"Give them nothing! But take from them everything!"

by GenericBrand on Jan 20, 2012 5:31 PM CST reply actions

I AM SO CONFLICTED

by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 20, 2012 5:55 PM CST reply actions

Why are some so sure that this is BS

but when Babb wrote his, some of the same took it as gospel.

I’m not saying either are 100% accurate, I’m just looking for why some are easier to believe than others.

I’m not from the KC area, but I’m trying to get to know the players in the media and am curious why the difference between the two journalists.

by Steve_in_RI on Jan 20, 2012 7:23 PM CST reply actions

Gretz used to work with mitch and len...........

doing reports on the sidelines

Providing COLOR commentary for Arrowhead Pride! AKA The Picture Diva!
"To be good is to be forgotten. I'm going to be so bad I'll always be remembered."-Theda Bara, silent film vixen

by LadyChief on Jan 20, 2012 8:41 PM CST up reply actions

There's proof someone other than the fans thought Stanzi was better than Palko

once Romeo became Head Coach he just as well cut Palko from the team. Yeah he started Orton but Palko was inactive. Crennel was ready to roll with Stanzi in the worst case scenario

There are no stupid questions just stupid people

by IPWT2009 on Jan 21, 2012 4:42 AM CST up reply actions

No brainer. My grandmother has a better arm than Palco.

by Mr.Pibbs on Jan 21, 2012 7:22 AM CST up reply actions

Denvers O was similar to ours(according to the NFL people)

And the fact that our plays can fit on a notecard, this “unprepared” shit is just flat out bullshit. And the Bears game with the D eating our line you put him in for a long-developing play? Should’ve finished the Steelers game(how hard is it to call slants,screens, and outs) started the Bears and Jets game, period.

by KCinIL on Jan 20, 2012 8:17 PM CST reply actions