Haley's abrasive style doesn't deter Steelers

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

There is a method to Todd Haley's perceived madness, and looking beyond the fits of anger to which he is prone is the key to understanding the new Steelers' offensive coordinator.

That is the message Kurt Warner has for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who had flourished under Bruce Arians and developed a close relationship with the Steelers' former offensive coordinator.

"You have to welcome people that come along that aren't willing to be status quo, and that's what I would tell Ben or any of the (Steelers') players," said Warner, the former NFL quarterback who resurrected his career in Arizona while Haley was the offensive coordinator there. "Everybody sees the outburst on the sidelines and hears about some of those things, and they get scared away by that persona.

"All I would tell those guys is, you always have to figure out where a coach is coming from before you can read too much into certain characteristics or certain antics that they have."

The Steelers left little doubt they were trying to shake things up when they officially hired Haley on Tuesday.

Haley, who returns to the organization for which he once served as a ball boy, is strong-willed and fiercely competitive, and he can be confrontational.

The coaching style that has been described as abrasive is something that could put Haley on a collision course with Roethlisberger.

"I know all the reports and talks about how outspoken he is, and for me I'm a guy that believes as long as those things aren't personal I welcome opportunities for people to challenge me to be better, and that's what Todd's about," said Warner, who is an analyst for NFL Network. "I'm OK with a guy seeing me not play my best and get on me for it, no matter how much success I've had and what I've accomplished."

Haley has built a reputation for having a keen offensive mind and an ability to adapt to his personnel. He also clashed with players he became close with, such as Warner, because he is so demanding.

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Adapting to his personnel is key, in my opinion. That's a stark contrast to Arians, who said he has his game plan and he's going to run it regardless of what players he has to work with. And with Haley being demanding and Ben being the competitor that he is, my gut tells me this relationship is going to work out well.

More on the subject of Haley and his rep:


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Haley's portfolio loaded with candor, feistiness
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If the Steelers wanted an offensive coordinator who will be tough on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, they found the right person in Todd Haley.

As an offensive coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals, Haley often got into arguments and in-your-face debates with some of his top players, including star quarterback Kurt Warner.

As coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, he even argued and feuded with the team's general manager, Scott Pioli, because of his passionate style.

Haley, 44, will bring some of that and more to the Steelers, who have hired him as their new offensive coordinator -- the first time in the past 13 years they have gone outside their organization to hire a coach to run their offense.

His fiery, tempestuous style will be in direct contrast to the person he replaces, Bruce Arians, who had a chummy relationship with Roethlisberger in his five years as the team's offensive coordinator. Curiously, that relationship might ultimately have led to his departure.

"It doesn't matter where you stand on the totem pole," Warner said in a phone interview Tuesday, hours after Haley's hiring was announced by the Steelers.

"If he sees something you can do better, he lets you know about it. That was a reason for our success."

Haley, who grew up in Upper St. Clair, is the most significant coaching hire coach Mike Tomlin has had to make since he inherited Arians and defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau from Bill Cowher's staff in 2007.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12039/1208717-66-0.stm?cmpid=steelers.xml#ixzz1loGiy199

Time to shake this offense up, score some points, and take some of the wear and tear off the defense

Hell I don't care if his head is shaped like a big ole' penis as long as he gets the most out of Ben and whoever his supporting cast turns out to be!!!!