KCChiefs.com : There's A Role To Play

[Coach]

Every production, whether it's in the world of sports, music, film, stage, or a product, like a car, computer, clothing, food ... every production needs role players. They are the engines that drive the process and leads to the

More...

[AussieChiefsFan]

There's A Role To Play

Mar 20, 2009, 8:33:15 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ



Every production, whether it’s in the world of sports, music, film, stage, or a product, like a car, computer, clothing, food … every production needs role players.
They are the engines that drive the process and leads to the product’s success.
For instance, take any type of entertainment production. Say Julia Roberts has been signed to star in a movie, or Bruce Springsteen has agreed to do a concert, or John Grisham is going to write a book. They are the star power that will get attention to the production. But the project only gets done when there are role players to make it happen, when there are supporting actors and a film crew for Roberts, and a band and road crew for Springsteen, and editors and publishers for Grisham.
Role players are huge.
What Arrowhead’s new regime has done in the three weeks of unrestricted free agency is this: they’ve gone out and found role players for the 2009 Chiefs roster.
Now, certainly there were star-type players available in free agency, performers that some fans wanted to see come to Kansas City. Guys like former Tennessee-now Washington defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth, and Baltimore-now New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott and Cincinnati-now Seattle wide receiver T.J. Houshmanzadah.
Reportedly, the Chiefs made a play for Haynesworth, but the new duo of Scott Pioli and Todd Haley do not view free agency as the route to getting stars. The evidence has stacked up to show they view free agency as helping them find role players.
Wide receiver Bobby Engram will be the slot receiver, the guy who operates on third down. Monty Beisel will bring his special teams’ contribution and his play on short yardage-goal line defenses. Travis Daniels isn’t going to be a starter, but he could provide a veteran presence at the fourth cornerback spot and help on special teams.
Even down to the sole free agent the new duo re-signed: safety Jon McGraw. He’s not going to be a starter at safety, but he’s going to provide big contributions in the kicking game and he can serve in some of the sub-defenses when three safeties are needed, or you want to move a safety into a linebacker-type role.
There are a lot of factors in creating a successful team, but it must have two things: star power and role players. Some might think finding role players would be the easier task because there are so many available bodies out there.
That’s simply not the case. Every team needs role players, but every player isn’t prepared to serve as a role player. Most successful players are driven by ego. Few are willing to concede that they might not be the best option for any opportunity. A competitive personality is a requirement to play the game, but it’s not something that can be shutoff. They all want to be stars.
That makes players who are talented enough to play, and smart enough to know that they have a specific position or duty to handle fairly precious commodities. No GM or coach wants a player who doesn’t think he’s good enough to play. But they do want a player who is willing to say, ‘This is what you want me to do and I’ll handle that role as best I can and you won’t hear a peep out of me in unhappiness.”
Remember, from his very first public moment as the football leader of the Chiefs, Scott Pioli said he was interested in finding the 53 players who would create the best team, not the 53 best players. And, that’s just what he’s done in free agency.
That’s what role players do; they create the best possible team, even if they are not the best possible talent.