Today was Scott Pioli day for KC area radio stations. Both 610 Sports and 810 WHB had the Kansas City Chiefs GM on today. Pioli talked with Steven St. John on the Border Patrol this morning and then the Big Show with Josh Vernier and Jay Binkley this afternoon.
There's one question you gotta ask if you interview the Chiefs GM right now -- where's Dwayne Bowe? Pioli, as expected, declined to discuss the specifics of the Bowe situation.
He was asked about Bowe by both stations and I transcribed his answer this morning on 810 and then this afternoon on 610. Check them both out below. He seems to do a good job of staying on point.
Jay Binkley (610 Sports): Dwayne Bowe. Is it not a question of if but when?
Pioli: "This is one of those questions, and I understand you asking. It has to come up. But out of respect to Dwayne, the process, the Chiefs and everybody involved, I just don't think it's healthy to talk about it, Jay, because I could say something seemingly innocuous about where things are or where I hope things to be and it be, not twisted by you, but just maybe taken the wrong way by someone. Everyone knows what the circumstances are, what the deadlines are, and those things tend to work themselves out. I don't ever want Dwayne or anyone else to think we're trying to leverage him, or he's trying to leverage us. Right way the way things are it's being handed professionally by both sides."
Steven St. John (810 WHB): I know I wanted to ask you about this, you tell me you only talk about the players that are here. But a lot of people are thinking about Dwayne Bowe and wondering when he's going to be in camp. For you, the general manager, when you've got a guy in this situation who hasn't signed the franchise tender, how do you handle that? Do you not worry about him until you hear from him? Do you try to make contact with the agent? What's the process like when a guy's not here that clearly is an important part of the football team?
Pioli: "It's one of those things, and I've said this time and time again. I understand and respect the questions, I understand the fans interest and curiosity and desire to want to know. One thing I feel very strongly about and want to remain consistent on is that when questions like this come out and you have a situation like this between the club and any player that it's not in the best interest to talk about the situation or the players or your expectations because regardless of what I say, I can say something that's positive that gets spun in the wrong way, intentionally or unintentionally, that looks like a leverage play with the player. The situation is what it is. It'll resolve itself at some point in time. Saying anything now as to what I feel or think -- do I think about it in the morning? At night? -- only lends to being unfair to the player and the club under circumstances like this."