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THE OTHER SIDE OF SCOTT
February 12th – 6:02 AM

Okay Chiefs fans, describe general manger Scott Pioli. This should be easy, right?

“Football Guy”

“Astute Personnel Evaluator”

“Leader”

“Proven Track Record of Success”

Those are certainly scratching the surface. However you’d end up choosing to describe Pioli, the result is likely tied to football in some way, shape or form. But, like so many of us, there is another side to Pioli than the one that meets the public eye.

How about, “Art Enthusiast?”

“We live close enough to the city where there is a lot to do,” Pioli told season ticket holders in the Chiefs fan forum Wednesday. “Culturally, there are a lot of things to do. We’re involved with the K.C. Rep (theater), we’re involved with the Nelson-Atkins Museum, the Charlotte Street Foundation here in town and also the symphony.”

The Charlotte Street Foundation, for those of you unfamiliar with the organization, self-describes itself as - supports and recognizes outstanding artists in Greater Kansas City; presents, promotes, enhances and encourages the visual, performing and interdisciplinary arts; and fosters economic development in the urban core of Kansas City, MO. In all endeavors, CSF places artists at the center of its mission and has built an infrastructure that depends on and reflects their involvement. As a result, CSF is an organization that continually evolves in response to artist input and in relation to the city’s larger cultural ecosystem.

How about, “Literature Appreciator?”

“We’re in walking distance of one of the public libraries, so there are a lot of things we love to do in this city,” Pioli listed as an advantage to his location in the city.

Of course, “Family Man and Friend.”

“We love Kansas City,” Pioli said. “My wife is originally from Wichita, so we have family here. Her mother was born and raised in Wichita so her mother’s whole side of the family is here. Her father attended Wichita State, so she’s got several cousins that live in Wichita, Lawrence, and actually here in Kansas City.

“Oddly enough, one of my closest and dearest friends from growing up back in New York has been here for 13 years,” Pioli continued. “So this transition, when we made it, I knew was going to be relatively, I don’t want to say easy, but it was going to be easier knowing we had some things and some people in place that were going to help us learn a little bit about the city. I think our six-year-old has really taken to the city because there is a lot to do.”

Maybe even, “Restaurant Connoisseur?”

“The best breakfast that we’ve found so far is Winstead’s.,” Pioli indulged. “In terms of ethnic food, there are a couple of places; Garozzo’s is a favorite of ours, El Pueblito over on Southwest Boulevard. There are a lot of good restaurants around town. Westport has a couple really good restaurants. I’m a big fan of Indian food so Korma Sutra is really good. In terms of the barbeque, for sitting down, we love Jack Stack.”

Of all the above restaurants, Pioli’s backing of Garozzo’s likely carries the most weight considering “Pioli” isn’t exactly an Italian family last name or anything (sarcasm through the keyboard confirmation – yes, Pioli is an Italian last name and Garozzo’s, as you’ve likely gathered by now, is an Italian restaurant in the area).

I’m not exactly sure where this next quote fits in for description, but it’s certainly worth putting in this column.

“I’ll tell you a funny story, last year, as Todd and I were homeless, we were living in a hotel downtown, and we’re spending every waking hour here,” Pioli explained. “One of the things you do when you’re watching tape late at night, you like to eat. So one night, one of the guys went to Gates Barbeque and brought back this thing called a burnt ends sandwich.

“I’ll tell you what, it was a special one,” Pioli continued. “The first one was special, the second one pretty special. I actually caught Todd one night; he had literally gone through two-and-a-half burnt ends sandwiches himself. He tried lying to me, saying that one of the other guys had eaten it. When it comes to barbeque, the burnt ends sandwich is pretty big.”

Then again, if you’re Chiefs head coach Todd Haley, you might just describe Pioli as the “Arnold of Arrowhead.”

“Most times I see (Scott), he’s benching…a lot of weight,” Haley said Wednesday on kcchiefs.com’s The Red Zone with Soren Petro. “I believe (that he bench presses 500 pounds). He’s like Mr. Incredible.”

Umm, personally, I think I’ll just stick to “Boss” for the time being.