Gunther Bashes Chiefs

[yashi]

I don't care for the guy, but he does make some valid points. Not a fan of all the whining though.

Cunningham's Chiefs had lot in common with Lions | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

MOBILE, Ala. — New Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham comes from Kansas City, a team that was a lot like the Lions last season.

The Chiefs ran the Tampa Two defense, were coached by a Tony Dungy disciple and struggled badly, with one of the worst defenses in the NFL and a 2-14 record.

But Cunningham isn’t a Tampa Two guy, and the Chiefs’ defense lacked experience.

“I’ve gone through three years of playing zone defense because I was loyal to Herm Edwards,” Cunningham said today in a conference call. “That’s what he wanted. People here in town knew that I was different than that. My idea is to put a lot of pressure on the quarterback — always has been, always will be.”

Cunningham said new Lions coach Jim Schwartz knows that, though Schwartz ran more zone than usual this season as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator.

Cunningham was Schwartz’s linebackers coach for three years with the Titans, and they became close.

Asked if he were entering a situation in Detroit that is similar to Kansas City, Cunningham said teams need experience by keeping good veterans and finding others in free agency.

“The emotions get involved, ‘Oh, we’ll play with all these young players,’ ” Cunningham said. “But what you don’t understand is, they have to be led by guys like Jared Allen.”

The Chiefs traded Allen, one of the best defensive players in the league, to Minnesota before this season.

“If you have a lot of young players that you’re going to draft, you have to make sure you work the whole process,” Cunningham said. “I believe the mistake we made here is that they tried to add some UFA players like Demorrio Williams. Well, he doesn’t have enough experience and enough ability to lead a bunch of rookies. …

“I can at least share what happened here and the pitfalls we ran into and see what the process brings.”

[KristofLaw]

I wouldn't say he bashed the Chiefs, sounded honest. This is the philosophy behind the Chiefs actions, and it didn't work. Sounds about right to me. Still on the whiny side and against the coaching creed but...

[Chief Tyler]

I wouldn't call it bashing either, it was true, but he is largely to blame for the defensive failure. He says he supported Herm's defensive scheme and tried to work with it, but I think he should have been a bit bigger than that and let Herm know that something wasn't working. I don't know how much weight a typical DC carries with a coach but Gun should have had quite a bit given his longevity with the organization. I do understand why he might have gone along with Herm's schemes though, money is a great persuader. I don't think I would have given up a paycheck and stepped down just so my spot could be filled by somebody more fitting.

[Seek]

How many coordinators have ever been in charge of a scheme they didn't think would work?!

If Herm was so dead set on the Cover 2 that Gunther couldn't run his offense, Gunther should (1) have found a DC job elsewhere a couple years ago; or (2) kept silent about it after leaving this offseason.

Right now, he looks like a simp for saying that he knew the Chiefs defense wouldn't work with him in charge.

I can name another under Herm, in Mike Solari.

Gunther told the truth. It is Herm forcing his philosophy on Gunther.

[tornadospotter]

interesting to say the least. Let us think, gun was here before or after hermie, gun was the HC of the chiefs at one time, fired, came back because of why? who?
This was never a Gunther Defense!
Gun best wishes to you!

[dbolan]

Sorry Gun. Don't be making excuses now. Your loyalties shoulda been to the Chiefs organization and your defense - not to your mis-guided head coach.
Everybody could see that Herm was not the future of this franchise. Everybody but you I suppose.
If you knew something was wrong, such as your zone defense that you deplore, you should have stood up and fixed it. Instead you decided to sit back and watch our defense sink to the bottom of the league as our Chiefs lost game after game.
Whats the worst that coulda happened? Herm might of let you go? Well, you're gone anyway now so no matter.
Sometimes you just have to grow a pair and do whats right.
You didn't do that here.
Good luck in Detroit.

I am not a huge Gun fan , BUT;

How do you know he did NOT go to Herm about it? Huh??

On the other side of the coin, how many times have you went over your boss's head and/or incorporated a significant change which was against his wishes and still expect to keep your job?

Gun did not slam anybody. I thought it was tactful, yet told us what we already knew which is: Too many rookies and the Tampa 2 was not working with this personnel.

[Bike]

I am not a huge Gun fan , BUT;

How do you know he did NOT go to Herm about it? Huh??

On the other side of the coin, how many times have you went over your boss's head and/or incorporated a significant change which was against his wishes and still expect to keep your job?

Gun did not slam anybody. I thought it was tactful, yet told us what we already knew which is: Too many rookies and the Tampa 2 was not working with this personnel.

I don't. If Gun went to Herm about the cover-2 and Herm shot him down, Gun shoulda quit on the spot.

[dbolan]

I don't. If Gun went to Herm about the cover-2 and Herm shot him down, Gun shoulda quit on the spot.

Gun did quit after it was proven that the cover 2 would not work and HErm wuld not budge on it.

Had he quit immediately, he would have looked like a whining baby and diminished his job prospects in the future.

He tried "the man's plan"...It did not work and he wuld not change. So, he seeked employment elsewhere and attained it in rather quick fashion...Which is somehting HErm will not be able to do. haha

[Bike]

Gun did quit after it was proven that the cover 2 would not work and HErm wuld not budge on it.

Had he quit immediately, he would have looked like a whining baby and diminished his job prospects in the future.

He tried "the man's plan"...It did not work and he wuld not change. So, he seeked employment elsewhere and attained it in rather quick fashion...Which is somehting HErm will not be able to do. haha

Not hardly. What NFL franchise would respect Gun for abandoning a sinking ship because the HC wouldn't let him do his job. He would had found work sooner than later. However, he sure looks like a whining baby now!
HUH???

[Sn@keIze]

Gunn had a top tier D when he was with the Titans and the best run D.

Its obvious Herm had the ultimate say and wanted to keep his blain vanilla D.

Gunn is right. He is not making excuses.

[Sn@keIze]

Not hardly. What NFL franchise would respect Gun for abandoning a sinking ship because the HC wouldn't let him do his job. He would had found work sooner than later. However, he sure looks like a whining baby now!
HUH???

Wrong! who wants a quitter when the going gets tough.