ChiefsCountry.com

Bowe a victim of the win-at-all-costs pressure
By JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star
This column is not intended as a rationalization of Dwayne Bowe’s mistake relating to performance-enhancing drugs. Nor is it intended to be a demonization of Chiefs head coach Todd Haley.

My perspective on the world is colored by my football-playing experience and my belief that most of the media tend to see the sports world from the perspective of coaches and executives.

As members of the media, we get more access to coaches and executives than we do the athletes. The typical sports columnist or broadcaster is closer in age to the head coach or general manager/athletics director than the athletes.

The most surprising thing about Bowe’s suspension for using a PED is that he is the only member of the Chiefs to get busted. Bowe claims he used a diuretic to lose weight. Haley spent the offseason demanding that the Chiefs lose weight.

I know many of you don’t care about what may have driven Bowe to skirt the rules. You believe if you were paid millions of dollars to play a game, you’d have little trouble staying in proper condition. You’d do everything the right way as long as you were paid a huge sum of money.

The truth is, you’d struggle with right-and-wrong decisions just as much as today’s athletes. Humans are flawed. We all react differently to pressure. It brings out the best in some of us and the worst in others.

The culture of football begs athletes to cheat. Not to single out Mark Mangino, but listen to the stories we’ve heard this week about the culture inside the Kansas football program. That culture — minus the mean-spirited personal attacks — exists throughout college and professional football.

Injured players are pressured to play. They’re treated poorly by the coaching staff. Players who get away with circumventing rules relating to PEDs and excel on the field are rewarded with accolades and huge contracts.

Dwayne Bowe did exactly what the NFL asked him to do. Football demands that an athlete heal as soon as possible and by any means necessary. Football demands that an athlete get leaner, faster and stronger as soon as possible and by any means necessary. Football doesn’t tolerate excuses.

When someone raises an objection to the unethical culture of football, fans object. They argue that society has become “too soft.” They complain that kids don’t keep score in soccer matches and everyone must play in little league.

Do football fans realize that society has become far more unethical, too? Maybe a softer society is preferable to a more unethical one?

It feels like most Americans will do just about anything for money these days. And we’re disappointed when athletes mirror the rest of society. Dwayne Bowe is a kid compared to the 40- and 50-year-olds who cut corners in corporate America.

I understand personal accountability. And I realize Bowe should’ve never put himself in a situation in which he needed to cut weight quickly.

We want 20-something athletes to be leaders and role models. They’re famous and make a lot of money. You can say the same about the coaches. But we don’t want to hold them to the same high standards as athletes. Coaches and executives create the win-at-all-cost environment.

There are a number of people who view Mark Mangino as a victim. Mangino’s defenders believe his coaching approach prepares young people for a cruel world. It also prepares them to be cruel.

In their desperation to hold onto their money and fame, coaches are becoming more ruthless. The athletes take the majority of the heat. It’s very rare that a situation arises like what we’re witnessing at Kansas. The culture of football rarely gets challenged publicly.

Chiefs fans are so desperate for victories that it’s difficult to discuss the “winning” culture Scott Pioli and Todd Haley are putting in place at Arrowhead Stadium. Bowe’s suspension for PEDs is a reflection of that culture. It is.

Respect is at the foundation of ethics. If there is no respect, there is even less adherence to ethical standards.

Haley’s coaching style is disrespectful. For all the celebration of Bill Belichick and the Patriots Way, I understand why some people believe the Patriots Way was tainted by “spygate.”

In terms of wins and losses this season, I had low expectations for Haley and Pioli in year one. What I expected were a few individual success stories. Bowe is another flop. Tamba Hali’s 3 1/2 sacks, a rookie kicker and Jamaal Charles’ long run against the Raiders are our signs of progress.

The “process” to a winning culture is a lot more confusing than I anticipated.

Just found this. In this one aspect, speaking only for myself, I can say unmistakably that I absolutely hold the coaches and management staff to the exact same high standard that I do the athlete. Team and individual athletic attitudes and actions will, at least, most of the time reflect it's leadership. However, I also believe there are a few individual standout exceptions: TO, Pacman, and yes even LJ; these are examples of players with bad attitudes and actions regardless of were they play IMO. The three mentioned above are examples of what I like to refer to as locker room cancers; something I believe Bowe certainly is NOT, however, he cannot be held to a different standard then anyone else who plays the game.