Todd Haley Isn't Afraid of Confrontation

I can understand why a room full of grown men might not respond well to daily dressing downs, particularly from a new head coach not much older than than they are. But that's the situation in Kansas City.

Herm Edwards got his walking papers after a 2-14 effort last season, which, inexplicably, was only half as many games as he won the year before. Scott Pioli, who replaced Carl Peterson as the team president and general manager, hired former Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley to help turn things around.

The Chiefs got right to work on the rebuilding: they sent a second-round pick to the Patriots for Matt Cassel, giving them a franchise quarterback and somebody for Haley, whose success in Arizona landed him this gig, to build the team around.

But Haley's from the Bill Parcells coaching tree, and his brusque manner sometimes rubs people the wrong way. Like, say, Terrell Owens. (I know, I know, it's T.O., but just hear me out.) In 2006, as the Cowboys' wide receivers coach, Haley got into an argument with T.O. during a team meeting, Haley apparently leaked word of it to the media, and Owens didn't appreciate it because, according to this Oct. 2006 AP story, "Haley vowed since training camp that all internal matters would stay behind closed doors."

Owner Jerry Jones even thought about disciplining Haley at the time (though, ultimately, he didn't).

And then, last season, Haley and Anquan Boldin exchanged words during the NFC Championship game, and the year before, Haley got into it with the patron saint of tackle football, Kurt Warner.

All three incidents proved to be nothing; more media creations than legitimate issues between player and coach. But the biggest difference between those examples and Haley's situation with the Chiefs: the Cowboys and Cardinals were winning (or, in the case of the '07 Cards, much improved from the year before under Denny Green). Kansas City has mustered six wins in 32 games. Sgt. Hartman is the cautionary tale for what can happen when you antagonize the wrong guy. Or if you're Haley, when you regularly go off on a group conditioned to losing.

"One coach has a little bit more personable style," veteran safety Jon McGraw says of Edwards, "and the other coach goes about it in a little bit different way."

Haley and guard Brian Waters reportedly shared a fiery confrontation in March that, as of last week, hadn't been resolved. Long practices end with relentless running sessions. Players who report overweight are grilled by coaches, dogged by trainers and dangled to the media. Other players have questioned whether Haley's no-nonsense, one-sided approach can work - and whether it will work in time for the Chiefs to keep the faith.

If Haley decided that forcing Brodie Croyle to run the scout team in a dress was in the best interest of the team -- and they were winning -- nobody would care. Parcells made a career out of pushing his players' buttons, and he's got two Super Bowl rings. But Haley's young and unproven, and this is his first go-round as a head coach.

I'm not suggesting he won't be successful -- frankly, I have no idea -- just that if the Chiefs start the year 1-4, we'll be hearing about how Haley is on the hot seat. Just warning you now because it's coming.