The Pioli Watch Thread

[cardken]

I'm hijacking the thread starter to use for an "updates" area. Sorry cardken. Here are a few recent updates:

Last updated 1/13/09 2:30pm CDT (final update)

Originally Posted by Basileus777

New England Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli has agreed to become head of football operations for the Kansas City Chiefs, two NFL sources confirmed to ESPN's Michael Smith.
The vice president for player personnel at New England, Pioli, 43, is close to Patriots coach Bill Belichick and has been with the Patriots for nine years. Pioli would find a warm welcome in Kansas City. At the last Chiefs' home game, shortly after the embattled Carl Peterson resigned after 20 years as president, general manager and CEO, several signs were spotted in the crowd proclaiming, "We want Pioli." Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3830515

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by Fritz88

F5 broke in my keyboard. Can't refresh anymore.

Man....I guess I never knew F5 refreshed the browser. LOL.

["Bob" Dobbs]

Originally Posted by ChiefsGirl

there is "some" new news.

Okay gang....

I can't do it.

Thank you!!!!!

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

I know this is old but man we have to hire this guy!


Brian MacPherson's Patriots Notebook: Loss of Pioli would be huge one for Pats

By BRIAN MACPHERSON
Special to The Sunday News




MAKE NO MISTAKE: Losing Scott Pioli, should he take a new job this week, won't be like losing Romeo Crennel or Charlie Weis. Bill Belichick certainly has good instincts for player acquisition, but everything he's done with the Patriots has had Pioli's thumbprint on it.

And losing Pioli, the vice president of player personnel, also would make an already challenging offseason even more challenging.

The Patriots must evaluate the health of Tom Brady and make a huge decision on the future of Matt Cassel, a free agent who could be a candidate for the franchise tag. They must decide whether Laurence Maroney has any hope of living up to the promise he showed when he rushed for 745 yards as a rookie three years ago.

They must work on contract extensions for franchise cornerstones like Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour, Ellis Hobbs and Logan Mankins. And they must find a way to inject more youth into a defense that didn't get any younger when injuries forced the return of Rosevelt Colvin and Junior Seau.

►Click here to visit the blog of the Union Leader's Boston sports correspondent, Brian MacPherson, 'One If By Land.'

Trouble is, Tom Dimitroff, the most natural successor to Pioli, left last season to take over as general manager of the Atlanta Falcons. Belichick and much of his coaching staff will return, Pioli has had as much to do with the Patriots' decade of dominance as anyone -- especially anyone whose last name does not start with the letter "B." Still skeptical?

Here's a handful of highlights from the resume of the most sought-after executive of the offseason:

Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis, 1996
It seems easy now to call the selection of Ogden -- an 11-time Pro Bowl selection and perhaps the greatest left tackle of all-time -- with the fourth overall pick of the NFL draft a no-brainer. But five other offensive tackles went in the first round of that draft, and only two of them made even one Pro Bowl.

The Baltimore Ravens, with Pioli then in his first season as director of pro personnel, then selected bruising linebacker Ray Lewis with the 26th overall selection.

Four years later, Lewis and Ogden were cornerstones of a Super Bowl champion; both are locks for Canton. Yes, it's easy to find talent in the first round of the draft, but it's easy to miss badly, too -- and Pioli hit a pair of home runs.

Vinny Testaverde, 1998
The name of Bill Belichick became inextricably linked with that of Testaverde when Belichick picked the veteran over the popular Bernie Kosar to quarterback the Cleveland Browns in 1993, a move that turned fans against him for good.

But Belichick, later a defensive assistant with the New York Jets after he was fired by the Browns, would have had little to do with the negotiations to bring Testaverde to New York five years later. That responsibility would have fallen in large part to Pioli, for whom Testaverde played both in Cleveland and with the Ravens.

The Ravens had released Testaverde after a season in which the 34-year-old threw almost as many interceptions (15) as touchdown passes (18) and missed the final three games of the season with a knee injury. Pioli, in his second year as the Jets' director of pro personnel, snatched him right up. Testaverde then threw for 3,256 yards and 29 touchdowns and quarterbacked the Jets -- 1-15 two seasons earlier -- to the AFC title game.

Curtis Martin, 1998
Bill Parcells, who coached Martin for two seasons with the Patriots, got most of the headlines. But as director of pro personnel, Pioli had to have quite a bit to do with the decision to spend $36 million and first- and third-round draft picks to get Martin.

It was a steep price, even for a running back who had rushed for at least 1,110 yards in each of his first three seasons. But it paid off in spades. Martin rushed for at least 1,200 yards in each of the next four seasons and went to the Pro Bowl both in 1998, the year that turned the Jets' franchise around, and in 2001, by which time Pioli had left to join Belichick in New England.

Tom Brady, 2000
Self-explanatory, really.

Mike Vrabel, Roman Phifer
...And the outcasts turned champions, 2001.

Defensive tackle Chad Eaton left for a big-money contract in Seattle. Stalwart linebacker Chris Slade was at the end of the road in a decorated career. In response, Pioli and Belichick signed a handful of otherwise unwanted players like Vrabel (who couldn't crack the Steelers' starting lineup), Phifer (released by the Jets), defensive tackle Anthony Pleasant (not retained by the 49ers) and cornerback Terrell Buckley (allowed to walk by the Broncos).

And it was that defense -- as well as the play of Brady in relief of Drew Bledsoe, the franchise quarterback Pioli inherited when he arrived -- that shut down the St. Louis Rams in one of the greatest Super Bowl upsets in history.

That's just a sampling. Pioli since has hit the jackpot time after time with his personnel moves: Adalius Thomas and Rodney Harrison through free agency; Logan Mankins in the draft; Corey Dillon and Randy Moss in trades.

Belichick, of course, has had quite a bit to do with everything Pioli has done, particularly in the nine years since the pair left the Jets for New England.

But should Pioli take a pay raise with the Browns or Chiefs this week, he'd leave a huge hole in the Patriots' personnel team.

Brian MacPherson covers the Patriots for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News.

I think it's safe to say Pioli would be a great first hire for Clark. Just sayin'.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by leviw

We MUST keep up with all the other teams filling their GM vacancies right now!

I am not so worried about the GM position but we need to move on getting a HC if they are going to fire Herm.

[bowener]

Ok, so it is looking better or good for the Pioli hire. This is big, obviously, for the Chiefs.

What are some things that we are likely to see in a Pioli run Chiefs regime?

Is he going to try and find a BB type head coach? One that is very cerebral? Is Ferentz a BB type of coach? I am guessing we will finally steer away from a PR man like Herm, thank god.

Are veteran players as good as gone if it helps the team? Will this be the season that Tony G is traded away? Same goes for LJ, and hopefully Surtain.

Is he going to try and make the Chiefs a marketable image? I know that comes about naturally by winning, but is he going to attempt at something like the Cowboys have... no matter how many times they blow it, reeruns will continue to buy their shit.

What type of team will he try and build? One that is very versatile and can win a game no matter what is thrown at them; one that can run or pass without needing to do the other to set it up?

I am just wondering what we should expect. I guess what I feel like is coming for the Chiefs is a modernization of the franchise. It feels like they are finally going to step into the modern era of the NFL and have the possibility of being trend setters.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by bowener

Is he going to try and make the Chiefs a marketable image? I know that comes about naturally by winning, but is he going to attempt at something like the Cowboys have... no matter how many times they blow it, reeruns will continue to buy their shit.

I'm pretty sure that this describes a lot of Chiefs fans, too.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by bowener

Ok, so it is looking better or good for the Pioli hire. This is big, obviously, for the Chiefs.

What are some things that we are likely to see in a Pioli run Chiefs regime?

Is he going to try and find a BB type head coach? One that is very cerebral? Is Ferentz a BB type of coach? I am guessing we will finally steer away from a PR man like Herm, thank god.

From all the various reports it sounds like Ferentz is going to stay at Iowa

[eazyb81]

Not sure if this should be in the Pioli thread or the Ferentz for HC thread, but I'm posting it here.

Jim Schwartz had his second interview with Detroit today and is said to be their leading candidate.

He had a long interview with a Detroit journalist today, which makes me think he's close to accepting an offer. If that happens, I'll be a bit pissed that this GM search has taken so long.

Schwartz on his defensive philosophy:

• On his defensive philosophy: “The best way I can describe our defensive philosophy is multi-dimensional, do what it takes to win that week. ... This came from (Patriots coach) Bill Belichick my first years in the NFL, he always talked about making an opponent play left-handed. If a racquetball player has a good forehand, well make him hit his backhand. Our philosophy is sort of the same way. If it's a good run team, force him to throw the ball to win. If it's a good pass team, force him to run the ball to win. In order to do that you have to have multidimensional players. We'll do what our players do the best.”

• Disputing the reputation that he doesn't like to blitz: “We blitzed quite a bit back in 2002-03. Our team was a little bit different. I think one of the most important things in coaching is putting your players in the right positions for a chance for them to be successful. Quite honestly, our front four could get pressure without blitzing (this year) which allowed us to do a lot more in the back end. If our front four wasn't as good, we would have probably blitzed more. I think the only person that wanted to see Albert Haynesworth dropping back on a zone dog or Kyle Vanden Bosch dropping back on a zone dog was the opposing quarterback. And we tried not to let that happen very often.”

http://davebirkett.blogspot.com/

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Not sure if this should be in the Pioli thread or the Ferentz for HC thread, but I'm posting it here.

Jim Schwartz had his second interview with Detroit today and is said to be their leading candidate.

He had a long interview with a Detroit journalist today, which makes me think he's close to accepting an offer. If that happens, I'll be a bit pissed that this GM search has taken so long.

Schwartz on his defensive philosophy:



http://davebirkett.blogspot.com/

If he has the relationship with Pioli that some here claim, then I have a hard time believing the two haven't spoken about the opportunity at some point.

If Schwartz takes the Detroit job, then it would lead me to believe either:

a) Pioli never intended on hiring Schwartz, where ever he happen to land,

b) Pioli isn't planning on leaving New England.

[BigRock]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

If he has the relationship with Pioli that some here claim, then I have a hard time believing the two haven't spoken about the opportunity at some point.

If Schwartz takes the Detroit job, then it would lead me to believe either:

a) Pioli never intended on hiring Schwartz, where ever he happen to land,

b) Pioli isn't planning on leaving New England.

Exactly, and you could say that about any coach, which is why the OH NOES WE GOTTA HURRY talk is so silly.

If there's an in demand coach who Pioli wants, he's either going to say to the guy "Hey, don't take this other job, because I want to hire you in KC" if they have an existing relationship, or he'd be pressing to get the deal done with Clark so that he could get his coach hired. Or he'd be doing neither because he's not leaving NE.

But there's no chance that he's going to miss out on the coach he wants.

[MGRS13]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

b) Pioli isn't planning on leaving New England.

this

[FringeNC]

Originally Posted by BigRock

Exactly, and you could say that about any coach, which is why the OH NOES WE GOTTA HURRY talk is so silly.

If there's an in demand coach who Pioli wants, he's either going to say to the guy "Hey, don't take this other job, because I want to hire you in KC" if they have an existing relationship, or he'd be pressing to get the deal done with Clark so that he could get his coach hired. Or he'd be doing neither because he's not leaving NE.

But there's no chance that he's going to miss out on the coach he wants.

Made the same point on the Ferentz thread. If Pioli comes, I'd have to think Ferentz has been his #1 target all along, given McDaniels is gone and Schwartz appears to be gone. I guess there is always that Dean Pees guy, but I'd be shocked if he left the BB tree.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by BigRock

Exactly, and you could say that about any coach, which is why the OH NOES WE GOTTA HURRY talk is so silly.

If there's an in demand coach who Pioli wants, he's either going to say to the guy "Hey, don't take this other job, because I want to hire you in KC" if they have an existing relationship, or he'd be pressing to get the deal done with Clark so that he could get his coach hired. Or he'd be doing neither because he's not leaving NE.

But there's no chance that he's going to miss out on the coach he wants.

You're ignoring the possibility that we don't get Pioli. A different GM may not have a number of strong HC candidate friends in his network, and thus the supply of coaches would be lower.

I want there to be as many great HC candidates available as possible, instead of hanging my hat on the fact that we will definitely get Pioli and he definitely has some master plan of who he wants as head coach.

[CaliforniaChief]

This idea that Pioli only has 1 or 2 people as viable coaches all goes back to the preconceived (and now disproved) rumors that Pioli will only leave if he gets a package deal with coach. There's no verification of that at all. What's to say he wouldn't pursue Shanahan, or Spagnuolo, or Frazier, or someone you don't even know about? He has been in the league for a long time and has lots of connections in the league. Let's just get Pioli in town first and then worry about the next step. I'd rather have both parties convinced that this is right than to rush because some "hot coordinator" is going to go off the market soon.

Such logic produces the same behavior that causes us to buy cars and other things without research for fear that they'll be gone soon.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

This idea that Pioli only has 1 or 2 people as viable coaches all goes back to the preconceived (and now disproved) rumors that Pioli will only leave if he gets a package deal with coach. There's no verification of that at all. What's to say he wouldn't pursue Shanahan, or Spagnuolo, or Frazier, or someone you don't even know about? He has been in the league for a long time and has lots of connections in the league. Let's just get Pioli in town first and then worry about the next step. I'd rather have both parties convinced that this is right than to rush because some "hot coordinator" is going to go off the market soon.

Such logic produces the same behavior that causes us to buy cars and other things without research for fear that they'll be gone soon.

THIS