Article from KC Chiefs site on Pioli

[Squintz]

From a friend:

 

"Pioli Beyond Chiefs' Reach?

Nick Athan / WarpaintIllustrated.com

Dec 29, 2008

 

With more head coaching firings on Black Monday in New York and Detroit, the Kansas City Chiefs have already begun their search for a replacement for outgoing General Manager Carl Peterson. The top guy on the market, New England Patriots V.P. of Player Personnel Scott Pioli, has let it be known what he wants and teams will need to act fast to sign him. We have the latest on the Pioli sweepstakes.

Sunday afternoon the Chiefs regular season ended and now Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt is lining up his interviews to find a new GM. Rumors have already been swirling that Hunt, who did not fly back with the Chiefs’ charter on Sunday, has begun the interview process. An internet report from last week stated that he’s already interviewed at least one candidate.

The hottest name right now is Scott Pioli, who is wavering on his decision to leave New England. He’s never been keen on accepting offers from other teams and has turned down several opportunities over the last three years. So where does he stand with the Chiefs?

Apparently, Kansas City is not high on his list of places to jump to, according to a well-placed NFL source. Per that source, Pioli is asking for complete control of Football Operations, from scouting, to coaching to player personnel.

That won’t be an issue for Clark Hunt, but it appears that Pioli has eyes for only one job and it’s not in Kansas City.

Per our source, Pioli has a strong interest in the Cleveland Browns because he believes that’s the best place for his talents. However, the problem is that Browns owner Randy Lerner, who fired both General Manager Phil Savage and Head Coach Romeo Crennel in the last 12 hours, has a lot of people bending his ear in regards to the direction this football team.

Pioli will have no part of that, and if Lerner wants to get him in the fold, he’ll have to do it quickly. According to our source, Pioli wants an offer or substantial talks in the next 24 - 48 hours or he may withdraw his name from consideration as early as Tuesday.

He does not want this to drag the process out. With his Patriots missing the playoffs at 11-5, he’s in no mood to mess around.

So it appears the top guy might be out of reach for the Chiefs, though we believe that Pioli, as a courtesy to Jonathan Kraft, the son of Patriots owner Robert Kraft and a close friend of Clark Hunt’s, would at least take a phone call from Hunt.

That might be the best and only move Hunt can make if he wants a long interview with Pioli so he can sell him on the merits of coming to Kansas City.

The other issue at hand for whoever hires Pioli is that he wants Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as his head coach. The problem is that McDaniels is only 32, and young NFL head coaches haven’t fared well in recent years.

Lane Kiffin couldn’t handle it in Oakland and Eric Mangini had the same troubles in New York with the Jets. If Hunt jettisons Herm Edwards, he needs to find a GM who has ties to the best available head coaching candidates. Youth might not be the best course of action.

So that issue alone, and the fact Pioli really only has eyes for Cleveland, likely puts him out of KC’s reach. At least for the moment."

 

 

 

I think it's probably 60-40 that Pioli lands here. Everything I've heard is really positive. I've been hearing that Pioli wants Jim Brown and Bernie Kosar less involved... doesn't want them looking over his shoulder and then talking to radio sportstalk hosts.

 

[KardiacKid26]

I have a good feeling about this Pioli guy. If he comes here as GM, we're gonna be good.

[Fooleeze]

See this already bothers me. Rumors that he wants Bernie and Jim Brown less involved in the organization. . . Those are the legends of Browns past, why make your candidacy contingent on pushing away some of the most important pieces of the Browns history? They're not in a position to make decisions, what harm are they to have around?

 

 

[PlayoffsIN09]

Get it done Lerner!!!

[KardiacKid26]

Pioli is the dude, period. He's been turning down jobs until he was ready to take control and make his own masterpiece and now he feels that he's ready. If I'm Lerner, I make Pioli the number one guy in charge of everything... and bring in McDaniels.

 

 

 

I found someone that agrees with me.

[Squintz]

See this already bothers me. Rumors that he wants Bernie and Jim Brown less involved in the organization. . . Those are the legends of Browns past, why make your candidacy contingent on pushing away some of the most important pieces of the Browns history? They're not in a position to make decisions, what harm are they to have around?

 

It's like a buddy of mine as he dates a new chick. Why would he date a gal with a couple of kids from a couple of ex-husbands that are always around and chiming in when he can find a different girl that's just as hot without any ex's involved?

 

I love what Bernie and Jim have done for this organization and respect that they should be around. But they need to stop leaking crap to the media and meddling with management. They should be more like my man Reggie Rucker and voice his opinion without having to be coddled by the organization.

[OconRecon]

I like it. If its his show, then there is accountability.

 

If anyone heard Colin Cowherd today, this style is right up the ally of a strong willed and successful leader in sports. He says it continues to be true that strong gets it done, not the desire to please everyone. If Bernie and Jim need to be told respectfully to be quiet, then so be it. Time to win. By the way, he says this is Romo's problem. Trying to please all of the personalities.

 

(Colin was great today by the way).

[dencyguy]

See this already bothers me. Rumors that he wants Bernie and Jim Brown less involved in the organization. . . Those are the legends of Browns past, why make your candidacy contingent on pushing away some of the most important pieces of the Browns history? They're not in a position to make decisions, what harm are they to have around?

 

They're harm to have around because even if they don't sign the checks, they're ready-made distractions. Let's say, just for the sake of argument, that Brown and Kosar are seen regularly in Lerner's box, not officially advising him, mind you, just...talking...about things. Then let's imagine that there was a particularly lazy/unethical local beat writer, someone like, I dunno, Tony Grossi who can't think of anything to write and just wrote his monthly "Jim Tressel to coach the Browns" column, and he needs something. So he gets in touch with Jim Brown, who calls the coach soft and says that the team needs to clean house.

 

Grossi, of course, makes that his headline, and makes sure to point out that Brown "has Lerner's ear" and "is one of his inner circle of advisors." And Pioli and whoever the coach is have to deal with the subsequent distraction--what are you going to do to please Brown? Has Lerner told you that you'll not be back if you don't toughen up?--for at least a couple of weeks.

 

The problem with legends is that the verb in their description changes from "they were important to the team" to "they are important to the team." Team, not fans. The fact that Jim Brown is the best RB ever, and that Kosar almost got the team to the Super Bowl a couple of times, doesn't and shouldn't mean that they have a decision making or influencing role on the team.

 

Other people have pointed it out before, but the greatest thing Bear Bryant ever did for his successors was having the decency to die rather than hang around for decades to second-guess every third down play call they made.

 

Dennis

[Guest Aloysius]

See this already bothers me. Rumors that he wants Bernie and Jim Brown less involved in the organization. . . Those are the legends of Browns past, why make your candidacy contingent on pushing away some of the most important pieces of the Browns history? They're not in a position to make decisions, what harm are they to have around?

If you're the GM, do you want former players whispering to the owner about your personnel moves? Does that at all help to establish a functional & well-managed front office, something the last GM was fired for not doing?

 

I don't have any problem with having Pioli & the new head coach be the only voices representing our squad. Though it's nice to hear Bernie on the radio, does he really tell us anything valuable? Like you said, he's not involved in personnel decisions, nor should he be.

 

IIRC, Bernie was on the radio before the '07 draft saying that we already had a great QB in Charlie Frye. As bad as that player evaluation was, it was even worse that he'd step on the GM's toes & call for him not to make what turned out to be an entirely necessary move.

[Geech]

That is a fantastic post, Dency. Very eloquently (and elegantly) put.

 

5 star post.

 

-Al

[rich4eagle]

I found someone that agrees with me.

 

Yep, Weiss was the Dude........Belichicks offensive genius

 

and yep Romeo was the dude ..........Belichicks defensive genius

 

Yep Mangini was the dude.......Belichicks all genius

 

and yep Parcells never won a playoff game without Belichick at his side

 

So what is this that makes Pioli ...........hands down the man.......did he do Belichicks coffee better than the rest of these guys or is just another coffee bringer

 

I find it funny that Pioli who has NEVER lead any franchise anywhere is NOW de Man

[YtownBrownsBacker]

None here know much about Pioli except what they are reading, me included. Didn't we just lose a guy that was a media hermit and didn't like his ego to be challenged.

 

I have a problem with ultimate control or forget it.

 

I'm for asking Ernie Accorsi to be a part time adviser. Let's talk to Casserly also.

[Kosarfan]

Trying to get the team on track is not necessarily disrespecting former players. Give the guy the latitude he wants and lets get on with the fixing. Obviously the old ways - prior to the new Browns - have done squat for our current team. I will always be a fan of what the former guys did, especially Kosar, but I also want a future for this team to look forward to and watch, rather than basque in the past. Does'nt do much for me to talk about the teams of the '80's or before, when the game has changed so much. I'd much rather be talking about a winning season and high hopes rather than remember when ....

I'm sure anyone on this forum who has read the BS from the Squeeler trolls here, would too.

[OconRecon]

So what is this that makes Pioli ...........hands down the man.......did he do Belichicks coffee better than the rest of these guys or is just another coffee bringer

 

I find it funny that Pioli who has NEVER lead any franchise anywhere is NOW de Man

 

Alternative to Pioli?

[WPB Dawg Fan]

Yep, Weiss was the Dude........Belichicks offensive genius

 

and yep Romeo was the dude ..........Belichicks defensive genius

 

Yep Mangini was the dude.......Belichicks all genius

 

and yep Parcells never won a playoff game without Belichick at his side

 

So what is this that makes Pioli ...........hands down the man.......did he do Belichicks coffee better than the rest of these guys or is just another coffee bringer

 

I find it funny that Pioli who has NEVER lead any franchise anywhere is NOW de Man

 

So basically what you are saying is you are in love with Belicheck....who did absolutely NOTHING before he went to New England....and crapped his pants here in Cleveland....but after going to NE somehow suddenly became the ONLY man in the organization that knows EVERYTHING....and the rest are all baristas at best???

 

Brilliant!!!

 

[titleist585]

Yep, Weiss was the Dude........Belichicks offensive genius

 

and yep Romeo was the dude ..........Belichicks defensive genius

 

Yep Mangini was the dude.......Belichicks all genius

 

and yep Parcells never won a playoff game without Belichick at his side

 

So what is this that makes Pioli ...........hands down the man.......did he do Belichicks coffee better than the rest of these guys or is just another coffee bringer

 

I find it funny that Pioli who has NEVER lead any franchise anywhere is NOW de Man

 

 

Who would you bring in Rich?

[Guest Masters]

Who would you bring in Rich?

 

He needs more than 3 years to figure that out

[Gips]

Get it done Lerner!!!

 

 

I second this notion!

I like the way the man handles himself he knows exactly what he needs and isnt mincing words and is uncompremising about it this is the guy we need right along with a young HC.. get er done randy!

[Fooleeze]

Thanks for the responses about Bernie & Jim. I guess I would feel better if instead of pushing those guys away, if he talked to them and brought them into the fold. Got them involved with the organization and with them. But that's just my opinion.