Dawgs By Nature: FanPosts

Lerner to secure a Czar soon?

2009-11-20T12:42:52Z

Some media links, most notably Barry McBride's Orange and Brown Report, are dropping several hints that Randy Lerner, owner of the Cleveland Browns, is working fast to secure the services of a football Czar. According to several writers, 2 leading candidates have been in Berea this week to speak with Mr. Lerner about the position, and rumor has it that some negotiations have begun with one or both of these Front Office Personalities.

Most have been pretty secretive as to whom the candidates are. But, knowing how the process works, the 2 potentials are pretty easy to figure out.

Mike Holmgren

Holmgren is a product of former HC/FO Hall of Famer Bill Walsh. Former Packers coach and Seahawks GM/HC, Holmgren would bring stability and a winning resume to the Browns organization. In his time with the Packers, Holmgren provided 7 of a possible 7 winning seasons. In that time, the Packers made 6 Playoff appearances, 2 trips to the Super Bowl, most notably the 1996 Super Bowl Champions, following with another appearance in 1997, losing to the Denver Broncos.

Following the 1998 Season, Holmgren accepted the position of Executive VP/General Manager/Head Coach with the struggling Seattle Seahawks. What he was taking over in Seattle was a team who had went 10 years without a Playoff appearance. Beginning its existance in 1976, the Seahawks hadn't tasted much success as a franchise. From 76' to 82', this Franchise had never tasted success. In 1983, the Seahawks hired Chuck Knox. Knox had seen time with the Rams and the Bills, consistently reaching the playoffs. He did not let the Seahawk franchise down, going 80-63 and 3-4 in Playoff appearances. But after Knox, the Seahawks wen back to shambles. 7 seasons of consistent losing and no playoff appearances, the Seahawks went out and hired the very successful Bill Walsh protege, Mike Holmgren. Holmgren continued building on his reputation, ending the Seahawks playoff drought in his first season. But as the VP/GM/HC, Holmgren wore many hats and was very inconsistent in that 4 year tenure. He was fired as VP/GM in 2002, after missing the playoffs 3 consecutive seasons. Following his being replaced, as a HC, Holmgren took the Seahawks to 5 consecutive Playoff appearances, including a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 05' Super Bowl. In 08' , after a struggling season, Holmgren announce his resignation from the Seahawks franchise.

Though his drafts were somewhat questionable while in Seattle, Holmgren was able to win with the Franchise. It shows in the numbers and consistency of them, that he had trouble carrying all of those responsibilities. Holmgren is a great offensive mind, he knows how to get the most out of his players, and would bring one very important thing to the Browns table. Of his 16 Seasons, he led his teams to 11 Playoff Appearances. Mike Holmgren is one thing to football, a proven WINNER!

Charley Casserly

CC is the other name mentioned in the Browns open FO position. Casserly began his career as a Scout with the Washington Redskins, finding 2 of the "Hogs" that helped pave the way to Washingtons first two Super Bowl Winners. Eventually elevated to GM, Casserly had a knack for finding talent in the later rounds, most notably finding Brian Mitchell, QB turned RB/KR, and eventually joining Jim Brown as one of only 2 players to lead the NFL in Net Yardage 4 consecutive NFL Seasons. Casserly was eventually let go by Daniel Snyder in 1999, after 22 seasons with the Redskins Franchise.

He was then hired by the expansion Houston Texans. While it is noted their history of losing as an expansion franchise under Casserly, their recent success has Casserly's fingerprints all over it. Drafting players like A. Johnson, D. Ryans, Jerome Mathis, Owen Daniel, and the most controversial pick of Mario Williams over R. Bush and V. Young, which turned out to be more than genious.

Casserly's biggest issue as GM has been his evaluation and selections of QB's. Having drafted 2 HUGE busts in Heath Shuler and David Carr, Casserly doesn't seem to have a kein eye for the QB position. But, make no mistake about it, Casserly has a history of making very good picks in the NFL drafts and has plenty of experience and success in the role of a Front Office Executive.

Who would be our Coaches?

None of this is factual to who or how things would go in the selection process of a new Head Coach and/or Coordinators. Just some facts about Casserly and Holmgren's backgrounds which could lead to one of these groups heading up the on field activities.

Holmgren

Jon Gruden: Spent time under Holmgren in Green Bay as a WR's coach. Grudens first NFL assignment came from Holmgren. Gruden is an Ohio boy, so he has ties to the area and could want to again work under Holmgren in his home state.

Andy Reid: Though a consistent winner, Philly fans have grown tired of Reid and many have called for his head. Now, I am not insinuating that this will happen or is even a likely scenario. But, there are ties with Reid and Holmgren and with Philly not very appreciative of Reids services, and 2010 is the end of his contract. Supposedly, the Eagles and Reid are negotiating another extension, but after a loss to Oakland, and an extension that has been mentioned several times since the 09' Draft, I wonder if there is the possibility that Reid could be fired?

Jeff Fisher: No real straight line ties to Holmgren, but he is part of the coaching tree of Bill Walsh. So, I am sure that Holmgren is quite familiar with Fisher and his success under Sieferts tutelage. Also worth noting, Holmgren is by no means a defensive mind. I am of the belief that the most likely candidate to come into the HC opening, if Holmgren is the Czar, is going to be Defensive minded. Worth noting, Fisher coached under Buddy Ryan as well. This leaves the door open for retaining Rob Ryan as DC. Anyone should be capable of seeing the work Ryan has done defensively in his career and how that path has begun in Cleveland.

Casserly

I could honestly only come up with a couple of names that would link to Casserly.

Dom Capers: Was the HC under Casserly's watch in Houston, though a lack of success with those two doesn't make for a great combo. I could see Capers coming in as a DC/Asst. HC, considering his familiarity with the 3-4 D

Russ Grimm: An original Hog under Casserly's watch, Grimm makes a lot of sense. He knows the AFC North, he has a solid resume as an assistant and position coach, and is familiar with Casserly. Chan Gailey would likely be a name that would pop up as the OC in this scenario, as well as Dom Capers in a DC/Asst HC role. I would not be opposed at all to having Grimm as our HC. He does wonders for an O line, a place where the Browns have continually struggled, not to mention the work that he assists with in Arizona. Their high powered offense is intriguing to say the least.

Joe Gibbs: ???? There is a tie between the two. Not sure I like this scenario, but it is just another link to potentials in these scenario's.

My guess is that Lerner would request experience, which is why I stayed away from listing potential Coordinator hires.

Something could go down soon. Something may not happen until after the season. Regardless, Casserly and Holmgren are the leaders in the race and there is plenty for Browns fans to smile about when these names are mentioned. Experience, success, and winning is attached to their names and their names are attached to many other winners who we could see soon in the City of Cleveland.

The Recession Bowl

2009-11-19T21:16:29Z

I won't hide it...I'm a Lions fan! <please read further>. Earlier this season the Lions played a game for bottom feeder supremacy in which they eventually added another loss to their record after dropping a game to a very beatable Rams team. Oh...and they did this at home. The game was appropriately named "The Toilet Bowl".

At one point...long before I existed...these were the two best teams in football. But it's been a long time since the dust has settled from the 2nd World War, and at least in the Lions case...supremacy has waned. What happened to these once respected...feared, franchises? At least in our case it was a four letter word...F.O.R.D.! Not an excuse...just a fact. Fortunately for us Detroiters (and/or Michiganders) we've had several of our other professional franchises achieve ultimate success. I honestly pity Cleveland...you guys deserve better.

I watched a game earlier this year at a local watering hole in which the Browns acheived victory over a Bills team in what I thought (at the time) could be the worst football game I've ever witnessed. Then came the Lions game against the Rams. Then there was the sorry excuse for a football game this past Monday night in which your beloved Cleveland Browns lost to your former beloved Cleveland Browns...errr...the Baltimore Ravens. Up until then I did not realize that the Browns are actually named after the excrement that they play like. I kid!

Seriously, those in glass houses should never throw stones...so from one God-Aweful franchise to another, please consider this more of a gentle lobbing of Tic-Tac sized pebbles. They announced this afternoon that the Lions vs. Browns game will be blacked out locally, as the Ford's failed to sell this game out by an abysmal 7,000 seats. Considering the proximity of Cleveland to Detroit, I gotta admit that I was suprised to learn we couldn't sell this upcoming debacle of a game out. Which leads me to believe that Browns fans are just as fed up (if not more so) as the Lions fans are with their respective franchises. In fact, I posted a question to Lions fans on Pride Of Detroit, and was suprised to know that while most Lions slappies are still confident the Lions will win...very few think it will be a blowout.

So with all that said...assuming the person responsible for the site didn't immediately delete this post after reading that I was a Lions fan. I pose the same question to you, Cleveland.

Poll

How are you feeling about the upcoming game against the Lions?

Browns Draft Radar.... The Line

2009-11-19T13:44:49Z

Mike Iupati will head up the Guards in the 10' NFL Draft

It is pretty obvious week in and out, the right side of the line needs a serious upgrade. Using common sense, the Browns will not be using a Top 5 pick on the right side of the line. So, we will look at late first and beyond projections that could help the right side of the Browns offensive line, starting at Guard.

GUARD

Mike Iupati - 6-6 330 lb Idaho Senior Guard is projected to be the first off the board. Plays with good leverage, has great footwork and a nice punch, not to mention that nasty mean streak that comes along with most Samoan football players. Plays with a high motor, does well in pass protection, as well as being a smart football player.

I have found no flaws in Iupati's game. Just questionable talent being played against.

Jon Asamoah - 6-5 315 lb Senior Guard from Illinois is a projected 3-4 Rd pick. Strong at the point of attack, good leverage, smart. amd athletic. Solid run blocker, needs improvement in the passing game.

Zane Beadles - 6-4 315 lb Senior from Utah. Plays both LT and LG. Good speed, athleticism, and power. Just not quick enough to project as an NFL Tackle. His game should translate well to the NFL as he is a very smart player. Late 2 early/mid 3

Mike Johnson - The 6-6 305 lb Crimson Tide Guard could very well become the best G of this draft class. Athletic, smart, good leverage and punch, good footwork, and plays with a mean streak. Not to mention, it is week in and out for Mike, as he is playing against some of the best talent in college football, week in and out. Keep an eye on this guy! Middle 2/early 3

Mitch Petrus - A former Tight End and Fullback, Petrus is easily the most athletic out of the class. Good size, speed, quick feet, and a technician of the position. Mitch is a vocal leader, and expects nothing more than perfection from himself and his teammates. Academics were an issue in the 07-08 season, but it looks as if Petrus is doing much better now, considering he is playing every week. Projects round 2-3

Shawn Lauvao - A bright spot for the Sun Devils, Lauvao plays with strength, mind, and heart. A definite lunchpail type, many NFL coaches will respect this guys work ethic. Projected early as a 7th rounder, I personally have him climbing the boards to no less than a 4th or 5th round pick. Lauvao could become a quality NFL Guard or be the journeyman type similar to Lennie Friedman.

Brandon Carter - Rising up the boards. High motor, former DL turned OG, long arms, good footwork, and a big body for DT's to have to move around. Wears face paint during the games, so likely a nutcase who comes to play week in and out. Most of the transitional lineman (coming from the defensive side of the ball) taste success in the NFL. Keep your eye on the big guard for the Aggies. 5-7 projection

Sergio Render - The 4 year Hokies starter is strong as an ox. Very good run blocker, but needs improvement in the passing game. Could be an interesting project. Looks as if he is a mid round pick, but his lack of pass blocking skills could cause him to fall in April. 4/5 projection

Sleepers (most 6-UDFA with a few exceptions)

Vladamir Ducasse - 330 lb Haitian from UMass will be a steal. Smart, great work ethic, played LT so he will be a good pass protector. For a power run scheme with Vertical Passing, Ducasse will make someone happy in 2010

Shelley Smith - A bit light, but has all the tools necessary to become successful in either zone or power scheme for an NFL team. Love his athleticism and strength.

Chet Teofilo - Another nasty Samoan, his game should translate well to the next level. Played some Tackle in Tedfords power run system, so he can pass protect, run block, and is very strong at the point of attack.

John Jerry - The guy is huge, not to mention Ole Miss has ranked high in rushing and sacks allowed. Jerry has his name plastered on most all OL award lists, is athletic for his size, and is climbing boards consistently. He faces some of the best DLine talent in college football and could become a very solid G in the NFL.

Others:

Reggie Stephens - Lacks good speed and footwork. Late rounder likely

Thomas Austin - Durable, power blocker, good leverage and footwork. Lacks ideal speed, but is a smart/hard worker to make up for his shortcomings.

Casey Bender - Good athlete and technician, lacks strength

Andrew Lewis - Has potential, lacks strength

Marshall Newhouse - Climbing many boards. Most likely a later round depth pick or UDFA

Cord Howard - Lacks ideal speed. Deph pick

Joe Thomas - Climbing boards with seasons performance

Matt McCracken - Small school prospect. Watch closely if you can, he is rising fast.

Peter King Thinks Weiss has a Chance to End Up in Cleveland

2009-11-18T22:13:22Z

I was listening to The Dan Patrick Show on the radio today and he was talking to Peter King. When asked if Charlie Weiss get fired at Notre Dame, could he come back and be an offensive coordinator in the NFL? King answered him with an absolutely. He mentioned he might be able to get picked up in New England. He has contacts in Miami, and maybe if Eric Mangini somehow keeps his job, he could be in Cleveland. With that being said, Daboll will probably not be here next year, no matter what happens. I think there is a legit chance we could land him as OC.

With that said, there will be some nay sayers about his tenure at ND, about how the team didn’t live up to the hype. Honestly, the Irish offense wasn’t that bad. And as an OC he can just focus on that, not Defense, Recruiting, Boosters, etc. Put him back in with just Xs and Os and I think he might still have what it takes in the NFL. But the bigger question remains, can an experienced offensive mind create something out of the Browns players?

Poll

Could Charlie Weiss help the Browns offense with the "talent" they have?

The only thing to look forward to...

2009-11-18T05:20:33Z

It is inevitable, the Browns are the worst team in the NFL.

The only thing to look forward to is the 2010 draft. Not Jon Gruden rooting for the Browns in the worst offensive performance in MNF history, not if Brady Quinn is our QB of the future, and defiantly not mooncamping's comments. So I would like to know; who should the Browns select with their eleven picks on the 2010 draft. The Browns have 1 first rounder, 1 second rounder, 2 third rounders, 1 fourth rounder, 3 fifth rounders, 1 sixth, and 2 sevenths. The Browns have a hole in every position that Joe Thomas or Shaun Rogers doesn't play. So lets here it; names, trades, and hopes. No mooncamping please.

The Hit on Browns' Josh Cribbs an Inappropriate Act of Retaliation

2009-11-18T02:05:32Z

Written by Daniel Wolf

After reading a Bleacher Report article on how Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn should be suspended for a low blow on Baltimore Ravens defender Terrell Suggs, I had to make a stand for my Browns and write this article on how the hit on Josh Cribbs was uncalled for and Ravens defensive end Dwan Edwards should be suspended and fined for this hit.

It was the last play of the game, and Quinn threw a pass to Cribbs, who then began to run and also look for another Browns player to lateral to.

He found tight end Robert Royal, who caught the ball, but then unbeknownst to Cribbs, he was targeted by Edwards. After I watched the replay, Edwards went for Cribbs' throat and smashed his arm right into Cribbs' head, causing him to lie motionless on the field once the game was over.

Was this a retaliation play by the Ravens' Edwards because Quinn was just trying to make a play earlier in the game and went a little too low and hit Suggs' knees because he was going for the defender who picked off his pass?

I would say it is very possible knowing that the Ravens like to play very aggressively and perhaps too aggressively at times.

In Quinn's defense, he is a quarterback who normally doesn't block big defensive players on a regular basis, so even after watching the reply of his block on Suggs, I would say that he was trying to make a play to the best of his ability without trying to hurt himself or another.

On the other hand, Edwards' hit on Cribbs looked to be a direct result of him going after Cribbs and attacking his head rather than his body.

Cribbs was eventually carted off the field and he was taken to a local Cleveland hospital immediately.

No word yet on the status of Cribbs' injury, but Browns coach Eric Mangini did tell the media that Cribbs did have feeling and movement in all of his extremities.

The Ravens were successful in beating the Browns 16-0 on Monday Night Football and they were also successful in possibly ending the season of one of the Browns' best and most talented players on their roster.

As a Browns fan, my prayers go out to Cribbs for good news and to have a speedy recovery and I strongly suggest to NFL officials to throw the hammer down on Edwards and suspend him for multiple games and give him a tremendous fine for his hit.

(Thank you Sam Ingro for the following photo!)

(Article also posted on Dawg Scooper and Bleacher Report)

Our Job as Fans

2009-11-17T07:18:50Z

I may be having that "Jerry Maguire" moment that doesn't go over well with most, but I'm going to put this out there:

It only has been a short while since our loss Monday night, in which I saw a very glaring problem. THE FANS. And the most obvious was at half-time, when the Browns had played their hardest, and the game was a 0-0 (much better than we thought), the fans in the stadium were booing the team off the field. Now put yourselves in their shoes, and imagine you are doing something you love to do. And you work hard, everyday, 12-16 hours a day, putting everything you have to become better at it. Then when it comes to game time, and you leave it all on the field, all you hear is boos. Now ask yourself this question, would you feel motivated to show up the next day, when you are so unappreciated. I know I wouldn't, as I have been in that situation in previous jobs.

I'll give you an example of where I see this happening, in Brady Quinn. Last year in the game against Denver, after the Browns suffered a heart-breaking loss, I saw a shot of Brady on the sideline, frustrated by the loss. But in that frustration, I also saw a desire in him to improve and get better. And tonight after the loos, I saw a shot of Brady and I saw nothing. He looked like somebody who had no motivation to improve. Perhaps this lack of motivation is because of the drama he has faced with the coaching staff, this is a very reasonable thought. But another very reasonable thought is that he felt unappreciated by the fans. The fans of a team he loves and dreamed of playing for. Now we have absolutely ZERO influence over how he is handled by the coaching staff, or at least it should be that way. But we have 100% influence on how we support him. And maybe that will bring a spark in him back to life. I know it did when I changed jobs from the one I felt unappreciated to the one were I was appreciated and motivated.

This is how I see my fellow Browns fans right now, myself included. I feel we are not doing the one and ONLY thing we have complete control over, which is to support and help motivate our team. We have done our "protest", and displayed our hate and anger over our QB's and our Head Coach. And to steal a line from American History X, "Has anything you done made your life better?". Or to put it into terms for the Browns, has anything the fans done, made the Browns better? Has anything we done made a rookie go out and play harder than he has ever played before? Has anything we done made a star free agent in his prime say, I want to help that team out?

We curse Mangini, saying that he has put the Browns back. And he may have, but have any of us thought that might have been the right direction to go? You have to demolish the condemned apartment building to build the mult-million dollar condos. It may not be a popular opinion but after reflecting on the season without being myopic, I'm starting to see the things Mangini has done well. He has built a defense that we can be proud of! Yet we curse him for the offense. He has gotten us 11 draft picks in what I have heard as one of the deepest drafts ever. Yet we want him run out of town.

This all came to me when I was getting ready for bed, and saw a book I have been reading called Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box, by The Arbinger Institute.It's a great book if you have time. And that is when I realized that, we as fans are in the box. Meaning that since we are in the box, we do not realize we may be part of the problem. So I want to propose this as our job description as fans:

Lets get out of the box, support the owner, the coaches, and the players, so that we ensure that we are not a part of the problem.

and

Let the people who have dedicated their lives to football, and spend countless hours at the training facility in Berea, do what they are getting paid millions of dollars for. They know more about the abilities of this team than we do, and going by past statements seem to have a grasp on how they wish to shape the future.

I know I have broken these proposals in the past, but I promise to try and go by them in the future.

I will end this with a quote I saw in Jim Tressel's The Winners Manuel:

Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first.

Gruden to Stay on MNF

2009-11-16T15:19:36Z

ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning announced that Jon Gruden just signed a multi-year contract to keep contributing to MNF. For Browns fans this might be a bit depressing. There has been some slight speculation that if Mike Holmgren accepted the job with Cleveland, that he would bring in Jon Gruden as a coach. With this recent news there, the only remaining "big name" coaches not under contract are Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher. As for the Browns it would leave Shanahan, as Cowher would rather not coach against the Steelers. So here is to the future and another possible year with Mangini as head coach.

Here is the link.

Browns Draft Radar.... The Running Backs

2009-11-15T06:16:52Z

C.J. Spiller

	Class: Senior
	Hometown: Lake Butler, FL
	High School: Union County

	Height / Weight: 5-11 / 195
	Position: RB
	Experience: 3VL

Today featured plenty of solid matchups for some of the top tiers in the draft class to showcase themselves against the best talent in the league. Lets take a look at some of those players and how they fared:

CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson Tigers

Rounded himself off today showing that he very well could be the best back in the draft. 97 yards rushing with a TD on 18 carries, 3 catches for 48 yards and a TD, and also showed his best Ronnie Brown/Ladanian Tomlinson impersonation with a 17 yard TD pass. Spiller, the Tigers KR as well, was only able to touch 1 Kickoff, as the Wolfpack steered clear of CJ and his 4.3 gamebreaking speed.

Jahvid Best, RB, Cal Bears

Sophmore, Shane Vereen, carried the ball 30 times today vs Arizona, in place of Jahvid Best. Best, a projected 1st round RB and possibly the best in the draft, was sidelined after a concussion sustained in last weeks game. This is the second time during the season that Best has come away with a concussion.

Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

In route to a ACC Berth clinching victory, JD rushed 14 times vs. the Blue Devils, gaining 149 yards and scampering into the endzone from 3 and 12 yards out. Dwyer is projected as a late 2nd round pick and is considered to be an everydown back at the next level

Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State

In a game where the Bulldogs were blown out of the stadium, Mathews failed to impress. 8 carries for 40 yards and 1 catch for 10 yards. Fresno State was forced to throw the ball early and often, as they just could not get their offense moving after the 1st Quarter.

Anthony Dixon, RB, Mississippi State

Facing a tough Alabama defense, this game featured many talents for the upcoming draft that I was able to tune into. Dixon became an intriguing prospect for me this evening. 22 carries for 81 yards isn't great, but vs. the Crimson Tide, it isn't too shabby against the nations #4 ranked defense. But the 6'1" 235 back was able to do some damage in the passing game, catching 6 balls for 59 yards, and the leading rusher and receiver for the Bulldogs. He has put up solid numbers against some of the nations best teams (Georgia Tech, Houston, UK, Auburn, and LSU). Dixon is a late 2nd/early 3rd projection, and if the Browns stick to the power run philosophy, Dixon could be a back that flourishes in a pro style power run game in the NFL.

Other Notables:

Charles Scott, LSU - DNP *Broken Collarbone*

Toby Gerhart, Stanford - 29 carries - 178 yards - 3 TD's

Jamal Lewis Renounces Browns, Considers Himself a Raven After Retirement

2009-11-14T17:27:32Z

Written by Daniel Wolf

Cleveland Browns and former Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis has announced that he is retiring at the end of this season, but that's not all he had to say.

Lewis has been with the Browns for three years now, and even though the Browns gave him a second chance to be a starter in the NFL after the Ravens gave up on his ability and cut him, he has denounced the team that has given him a second chance.

According to cleveland.com, "He said he'll look back at himself as a Raven as opposed to a Raven and a Brown."

Really?

He would rather consider himself a Raven and not even mention the fact that they cast him aside?

The reason this even came up is due to the fact that this Monday Lewis will play his former team for the last time in his career, but honestly, it sounds like he would rather suit up in the purple and black rather than in the orange and brown.

To support his statement regarding him always being a Raven, Lewis also said, "...that's who gave me my shot."

"That's who brought me in. That's where I pretty much did all my work. I have a lot of memories there, a lot of memories there—a lot of older players that helped me out and brought me in, led me and showed me the way. That's where I got it from."

Lewis has been silent about his reasons to retire, but he finally caved in and said, "...I'm tired of it....So, time to move on."

But he also said, "[he] made that decision before the season even started."

Sounds a little contradictory.

So Lewis decided before the season started that he wanted to retire but kept it quiet until two weeks ago after the Browns were blown out by the Bears, and then told everyone that he was also tired of it and it was time to move on.

Sounds like Lewis hates being on the Browns, but who can really blame him?

Regarding the Browns' current 1-7 record, he said, "I don't think that the locker room has turned. I don't think that anybody has turned their back on the situation or anything. Everybody's just out here working hard, because we know that we can go out and compete. We just have to put it all together."

Bottom line, with Lewis retiring, he should see less playing time in the last half of the season so that the Browns can give more reps to Jerome Harrison and Chris Jennings to see what their future is at running back.

Sorry Lewis, but in this journalist's opinion, your comments should only get you short yardage formations and goal-line plays for the rest of the year.

(Article also posted on Dawg Scooper)

WHY MANGINI IS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN CLEVELAND

2009-11-14T05:06:12Z

Are you as puzzled as I am? 2007 = 10-6. 2008 = 4-12 (5 games lost by less than a TD, 1 game lost from Edwards not catching the ball). 2009 = New Regime = TERROR!!!! What is wrong with this team? Why is Mangini getting worse results than RAC? Do you buy in to a roster overhaul? I don’t, and here is why:

R. Smith, S Rogers, healthy C. Williams, CJ Mosley, K. Coleman, upgrade Barton over A. Davis, upgrade D. Bowens over nobody significant; upgrade A Elam over S Jones. Good young corners with better depth. Mike Adams is healthy and adding J. Trusnick round out a more talented overall defense. On offense, you bring in Furrey, get both your QB’s back, add depth with Ratliff, have Womack, Fraley, and Hadnot at RG, upgrade Mack over an aging Fraley, St. Clair comes in projected better than Schaeffer, a healthy RB situation, some solid WR additions, and only really lacking at TE.

The talent is there. This is better than the 4-12 Browns of 2008. So, I will ask again, what is wrong? Is Mangini a bad coach? One would not think that, considering the work he did in New England that translated over to the Jets. Is DaBoll a bad OC? Well, this is debatable, yet we haven’t seen any execution on the field to really be capable of determining that to be the factual case. Is Rob Ryan a bad DC? I don’t think so. He translated the term Defense into the Oakland Raiders, making them a top tier Defense in his 4 year tenure as the DC of Oakland. So, what is it that is happening in Berea that makes this a true second rate team?

Let us look at what is going onto the field. On the offensive line, from left to right:

Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Alex Mack, Rex Hadnot, John St. Clair.

From LT to C, you have zone blockers. They possess great technique, good speed and agility for their positions, and are extremely smart. At RG and RT, you have power blockers, a lot of penalties on that side of the ball, no real technique, just decent footwork, good leverage, and good strength. So to sum it up, you have two separate styles of blockers manning your offensive line.

At Running Back, you have a washed up power runner and two finesse runners who use their speed and shiftiness to succeed. Lewis is just not the RB that he used to be. He does not hit the hole hard like he did in 2007 and previously with the Rats. His days as a quality NFL Running back are over. Chris Jennings and Jerome Harrison can be successful in this league. But neither fit a power running scheme.

Wide Receivers are currently too youthful. Mo Mass is not a #1 caliber in the NFL. Robiskie is not being used properly. Furrey is not being used enough. Chansi Stuckey has been absent since he arrived. For this group in the current scheme proposition, signing Matt Jones would be the best course of action. Similar to his first two starts, with a #1 WR on the field, Mo Mass can be very effective in 1 on 1 coverage and can stretch the field for Jones, a big speedy target who gets results.

Now to everyone’s favorite debate. The Quarterbacks have been anemic to put it nicely. Yet, there is a huge problem that both are trying to overcome. Neither is put in a position where their strengths are being showcased. Quinn is a West Coast Offense Quarterback. Derek Anderson will succeed only in a true Vertical Passing offensive scheme. During this season, Anderson has been asked to play a ball control game, where he is given short to intermediate routes to work with. Quinn was asked to handle that as well, but mixed with a touch of Vertical Passing. Neither qualifies for that system and has shown that throughout the 09’ season.

So, you may ask, “we have identified the problem, how do we fix it?” This is the most amazing part of the article. Someone who has done nothing more than play High School Football and watch years of the NFL has the answer to the Browns success in an internet article!

It is simple and I will outline it for you now:

OFFENSE

Zone Blocking Scheme / West Coast Offense:

LT – Thomas, LG – E Steinbach, C – A Mack, RG – H Fraley, RT – J Runyan

DJ Hackett QB – Quinn MM

Furrey

RB – Harrison/Jennings

DEFENSE

3-4 Defense

DE – R. Smith, NT – Shaun Rogers, DE – K. Coleman (run)/C. Williams (pass)

T. Laboy J. Trusnick D. Bowens K. Wimbley

E. Wright M. Adams

SS – A. Elam FS – B. Pool

To completely identify the problem for everyone, Coach Mangini has failed in several categories. A) He has not taken the opportunity to scour the FA block and capitalize on the available players that can succeed within the scheme B) He has failed to put players in a position to succeed C) He has failed to scheme around the strengths of the players on the roster D) He has failed to recognize that the style of offense that he would like to run does not fit the make up of the current players at his disposal. The current roster is filled with good Zone Blockers athletic enough to pull and finesse block, as well as reach the second level springing blocks for the faster and shifty backs like Jennings and Harrison. Quinn is a good short to intermediate passer who can flourish in a West Coast Offense. DJ Hackett could be an asset to a WCO and would take pressure off the rookies that are trying to produce more than they can. Runyan is a no brainer for a WCO/Zone blocking scheme. No matter the scheme, Fraley is an upgrade over any RG we have and is an asset on the field to the development of Alex Mack.

On the defensive side of the ball, the inside linebackers MUST recognize the delayed underneath routes and RB Slants that teams are killing them with. Bringing in an athletic LaBoy allows the coach to move some players around to better play within the scheme, get more pressure, stop the run, and become better in passing situations.

In case you wanted to know, coach Mangini’s failure to recognize what he has in his current pool of players and using them to the best of THEIR abilities is what has gotten our Browns off to a 1-7 start! The definition of a great coach is one that can recognize the issue and adjust to correct it. This is not happening in Cleveland with Mangini and his staff. By no means am I stating that the above will make the Browns 8-0 for a 9-7 finish. But I am of the opinion that by scheming to the strengths of the current players and adding some experienced veteran talent to that specific scheme would make the team more competitive and the results would be much easier to swallow! The quicker that anyone within this organization recognizes that we are not the Ravens, Steelers, or the Patriots, the quicker we can get on track to making this franchise a winning one, one that the City of Cleveland can once again be proud of!

Can Tebow work in the NFL?

2009-11-14T02:27:52Z

Can Tebow work in the NFL?

This is a question I have been thinking about for a while. It might be because I am drinking the Tebow Kool-Aid. It also might be because I do not want to pass up on the best leader in the draft. But what would it take for Tebow to succeed in the NFL? I'm sure it is a question that a lot of NFL GM's are trying to answer. So I would like to take my non-expertise knowledge in trying to predict how the Browns would need to act in order for Tebow to make them into a contender.

First the Browns will need to fully commit to creating a system, meaning many if not all of their picks in the first 3 rounds to get players that fit the system. And that system would need to have some aspects that last years Florida Gator offense had. The most important thing they would need is a great offensive line, I think that kind of would go without saying. Next they need the Percy Harvin, "Flex" receiver. The best thing about this is, the Browns already have this in Joshua Cribbs. Also needed is a "Speed" back, something else that I think the Browns have in James Davis. After that a little deviation from the Florida system would be needed, and that would need to be an all purpose back, #1 RB, would be needed. Last thing needed would be a good TE.

Going with our current picks, of course the Browns would need to draft Tebow with their first round pick. Then I think the Browns will need to draft an offensive linemen with their second round pick. With their next pick, whether it is the NY Jets pick being bumped up to a 2nd round pick or their early 3rd round pick, the Browns would need to take RB or another offensive linemen to add depth to that position. They could also draft a TE, if they see a good one. I would rather them not take a RB here, as in vision I have different ideas.

The RB position could be a tricky one. If the Browns used the previous mention pick to get a RB like Toby Gerhart (if he fell this far like Walter Football's mock draft has him), I wouldn't cringe at the fact. Other possibilities at RB could be signing a free agent like LenDale White, or waiting until 2011 to get a RB like Joe McKnight (if he doesn't come out early).

In order to develop Tebow, the Browns will have to keep Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn, as Tebow's mechanical issues will need some time to be addressed. Possibly even keeping both to ensure Tebow is not made a full-time starter unless abosolute disaster hits. To fix Tebow's mechanical issues the Browns will need to hire a very good QB coach. They will also need to commit to the Wildcat for 1 year. This way they can get Tebow into the game for some game expirence, and yet they are not completely exposing Tebow's weaknesses.

The followiing draft the Browns would need to address the missing parts, a Joe McKnight as previously mentioned, or a #1 WR like an AJ Green.

If the Browns decided to do this, there are a few Pros and Cons to this:

Pros:

1. If Tebow works out, the Browns have a Peyton Manning like leader.

2. Tebows personality and work ethic would go perfectly with Eric Mangini (assuming Mangini is still in Cleveland)

3. If Quinn or Anderson somehow drastically improve while Tebow develops, we might actually be able to get something out of them

4. No more Brady Quinn (Ok this is a personal Pro)

5. If it doesn't work out, the concentration on the offensive line could keep us going in the right direction.

Cons:

1 Odds are against it working

2. Will be sacrificing developement of the defense

3. IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT, IT COULD SET US BACK MANY YEARS

Now I want to make it clear that this is not what I want the Browns to do. But going down the road Tim Tebow's draft prospect will be looked at highly. I personally would like to see the exact opposite done, in concentrating on making the defense great.

Love for Lewis

2009-11-12T21:53:06Z

Jamal Lewis is calling it quits after this season. There are some people that think he still has gas in his tank, but that remains to be seen. His former teammate and name sake, Ray Lewis, wants Lewis to stick around and keep his career going. Lewis has had one productive game so far this year, vs. Buffalo. Then again, someone had to be productive to get that win. Lewis remains under contract with the Browns till 2010, but that doesn't mean he won't ask to be released like Brett Favre. The only trouble with that is he is a 30 yr old RB and the NFL doesn't look kindly on aging backs.

With this being said, Lewis is talking a lot about the organization, as well as Mangini. Does announcing retirement give you the right to start speaking against your coach? If he takes the advice of his friend and one time teammate and not retire, will he be granted a release or even a trade? If he speaks too much he might not get any of those opportunities. What ever his decision I wish him the best, and he will forever be the Browns killer.

In Response to the Judge-Mangini Interview (caution: long)

2009-11-12T18:33:24Z

User Roger Dorn posted an interview between Mangini and interviewer Clark Judge a few days ago that was met with a generally positive review here at DBN. I had a different viewpoint, and started getting into my explanations in the comments. It quickly became long-winded (as I tend to be), so I said I'd review the article for anyone interested. I began doing so, and got about halfway through the article before I ran out of steam. The article itself was already almost 6000 words without my commentary, and the below half is now 5000 words with my comments added. And those were only the negative comments, as the point wasn't to show what I thought was good about the article.

So if you care to read the comments below, here they are. If you make it through, bless you - you're a hardcore fan (or really bored). Tell me why I'm an idiot - I'd like to hear opposing viewpoints. If anyone asks I'll review the remainder, but I said most of what I think below. If you get past the initially visceral reactions, I feel there is some depth to my objections.

BEREA, Ohio -- There is no head coach this season more vilified, more condemned and more ridiculed than Cleveland's Eric Mangini -- with Rolling Stone, of all people, calling his first-year tenure "a sort of Hurricane Andrew of football mismanagement."

That sounds pretty awful, only I'm not sure what it means. So I flew to Cleveland to find out. Not only did I meet with Mangini, I spent an afternoon with him. And what I discovered is that virtually everything I read, heard and believed about the guy does not correspond with the man I met.

He was cooperative. He was engaging. He was candid.

You clearly have no idea what the term candid means. More on the offense later, but candid would be if I ask what’s wrong with the offense and Mangini replied something like: "DA makes poor reads on defenses. Our young center is missing on too many snaps. Receivers are running the wrong routes. My coaching staff and I haven’t done a good enough job preparing our players not to make these fundamental mistakes." That’s not to say that’s what the issues are, but simply to highlight what a candid reply might look like. It’s also not to say that a candid answer is appropriate from a coach. There is a level of decorum that needs to be upheld. I’m just saying Clark Judge completely misuses the term here.

He was thoughtful, secure and downright interesting. In short, he was not the Bill Belichick clone he has been made out to be, though I wondered when seeing a Darth Vader mask resting on a shelf behind the door to his second-floor office.

It turns out it belongs to Mangini's kids, who are hooked on Star Wars and dressed up as characters from the movie for Halloween. I know because I asked, but to learn about Mangini's children all you have to do is look around the room. There are photographs of his family everywhere.

See? Stop yelling at him! He has kids! It doesn’t matter if the Browns win ever again the man has a picture of his wife and children in the office! No one else does that!

The Evil Empire this is not, but you would never know it reading reviews of Mangini's first season. Granted, he has only one win. But so does Jim Schwartz in Detroit. And Raheem Morris in Tampa Bay. And Steve Spagnuolo in St. Louis. And Todd Haley in Kansas City. Yet it is Mangini who is sliced, diced and spliced by an audience that demands answers from a coach it does not trust and does not like.

So Mangini is lambasted while the staffs in Tampa, St. Louis, KC, and Detroit are lauded? No… no those other coaches are questioned just as much for their on the field results as Mangini. The difference is, which of these teams traded away two pro-bowl receiving threats only to watch the offense sputter, or selected a GM only to watch him be run out of town five months later (possibly with cause), or fielded multiple grievances from players against the coach? Just the Browns.

I demanded answers, too, only I got them -- lots of them. And here they are.

So Clark makes a point to declare that he DEMANDED ANSWERS and he feels like he’s cracked the previously impenetrable armor of Mangini Clark Judge has valid and substantive answers to all the questions he’s asked. You are welcome, the world.

Q: What future is there for Brady Quinn and does he have a future in Cleveland?

Mangini: What I told Brady when he first got the job and, later, when I told him I was going to start D.A. [Derek Anderson], is that the important thing in my mind was all the progress he made since he had gotten here, all the work he had put in and all the things that he had done he couldn't stop because that was important for him to continue to develop. And even though I was changing [to Anderson] at that point things change quickly all the time.

I saw that with Tom Brady. Tom wasn't Tom when he first got in, but he worked like crazy, and it was every day with him. And he got better and better. What I said to Brady [Quinn] was, "Don't stop the approach; the approach isn't flawed at all. You didn't have the results you wanted initially, but that doesn't mean that can't change; that doesn't mean the opportunity couldn't present itself sooner rather than later." He's got a great work ethic, and I think he's making great progress."

Hey, remember, I was a defensive backs coach with New England. I know what it took to forge Tom Brady into a hall-of-famer because I passed him in the hallways from time to time. We were tight. Why do I mention this? Is it to imply that Brady Quinn could be the next Tom Brady? Well I certainly won’t say that openly, but I’ll mention it to get you thinking about it.

Q: So he might have a future here?

Mangini: Yeah, the things that he's done here I've really liked. And I don't see why he can't keep improving.

Why ask this question? What the hell is Mangini supposed to say? "Quinn is really disappointing and I’m trying to trade him but no one seems to be eager to buy a quarterback whose only track record is a small amount of failure?" There are some questions that when you ask them you know the answer. This was one of them. Any coach will talk up his players and leave room for hope unless his release papers have already been filed. I’d rather he asked something that had a chance of being answered, like, "what specifically was you’re reasoning for not bringing in Quinn at halftime in the last game?"

Q: There was a suggestion that he was nailed to the bench because of his contract and an escalator clause that rewards him the more he plays. Any truth to that?

See above. After a few of these questions where there is only one way to answer and it has no bearing on the truth, you get to feeling that maybe Clark asks it just because it’s on people’s minds.

Mangini: No, absolutely not. With all the different contracts ... I don't know what the incentives are. But that wouldn't make my decision [even if I did]. In New York, being involved with draft picks, and here being involved with draft picks, my philosophy is if you're right you're right. But if you're not right you can't compound a decision by playing a guy who doesn't give the team the best chance to win because the players see that, and everybody knows.

It's not right. It should be a meritocracy. I tell that to the rookies who come in here with the drafted, undrafted or trial guys: "It doesn't matter how you got here; it matters what you do now. My job is to play the best players that give us the best chance to win, regardless of what your contract is, regardless of where you were drafted. Because that doesn't matter. Those were decisions that were made before. The decisions that count are the ones you're trying to make to help you that week."

Q: Last week Washington owner Daniel Snyder said he was "disappointed" and "embarrassed" by his team's performance. Do you share similar sentiments about this team?

Mangini: I'm not happy with the production that we've had, and I don't think anybody is. But I am happy with the way these guys have worked. Going through the experience in New England where the team was 8-8 [in 1999] and ended up 5-11 [in 2000, Belichick's first season there]; then where the start of the next year we were 1-2 and things didn't look good ... Anyway, we worked the same way, and people make good decisions. Then we beat San Diego [in 2001], and it was like the whole tide turned. And that wasn't a function of that game. It was a function of all the work that went in leading up to that game. People understood how to play as a team; what it meant to study, to work, to be selfless, to be part of something bigger and not to worry about who got credit. And when it hit, it hit big and it's continued to hit over time.

I like to think I was part of an organization that was built to last, but it doesn't happen overnight. And it doesn't take one decision or one person. It takes a ton of them. Our whole philosophy is based on things that I learned here [in Cleveland] as a ballboy and a young guy, and in New England as a young position coach. Here, we [the Browns] had gone to the playoffs and paid Andre Rison a $5 million signing bonus, which at that time was astronomical. I picked up Andre at the airport, and he made Bill sit and the owner sit and the media sit for an hour while in a limousine that I was in. And that was the start of it.

The first game he had two penalties and wasn't very productive. But when you give a guy like that all that money you're assigning what you believe in organizationally: That it's OK because we will pay you. Basically, what you're saying is that those traits ... that's what we endorse organizationally. And when we struck adversity that year things fell apart.

But when we went to New England we committed to guys with character, and it was totally different.

BS. The Patriots committed to guys with a desire to play football without be ostentatious, but character had nothing to do with it. Rodney Harrison was voted dirtiest player in the NFL twice, and was suspended for HGH usage in 2007. That’s not character, that’s cheating. It’s the opposite. This is where Mangini gets into luring fans over emotionally. Everyone wants to root for a hard worker and a good guy, but the collection of talent in New England was not about being a good guy, but a team player. In fact, with Belichick as the mastermind, I’m willing to bet that he instructed staff and players alike to use, at minimum, questionable means to gain advantages. Sacrificing your integrity for winning is the opposite of character.

It was like truth in sports. I believe in smart, tough, hard-working, competitive guys -- guys who are selfless and guys whom football is important to. Those are our core characteristics. You can ask any player on the team what it is. It's in the draft room. It's in the free-agency room. And it frustrates the personnel guys because they say, hey, we have this great guy who can run this 40, and we'll say, "What's he like? What's he like in the locker room? What's he like in the classroom? What's he like in practice?" Because I really believe one guy affects five. You get a bunch of good people organizationally, committed to the same vision and working the same way ... and it doesn't waver ... great things happen.

Q: But great things haven't happened to this team. Did the Browns have to take two steps back to take one step forward?

Mangini: I think any time you go through a transition it's really hard. Everyone has to get used to your approach. You have to get used to the players you have. You can talk about communication, but that's developed. There is a trust that's developed. When I got let go in New York I wanted to address the team, and I told them, "Look, guys, there are times where you thought I was the biggest [jerk] in the world, and you probably thought I was crazy. But my job ... and what I committed to doing ... is making you the best players and us the best team. And that's not always easy. You're not always going to agree with the decisions I make. But they're all made for one reason: To help us win and to make sure you achieve your potential and we achieve our potential. There is another coach coming in, and I've been on the other side of the table, where I heard that things didn't work out and we're going in a different direction. I was told that today, and that's part of the business. But whoever comes in here you're a good group of players who worked hard. So embrace that guy. Don't let all that hard work go to waste because you're trying to figure out who the new guy is."

Now Mangini is deliberately telling a story about how great of a guy he is, without making it look like self congratulations. It’s a nice piece of self PR, and it makes you want to overlook his to-date failures. Well done, Eric. The problem is I don’t care if you’re a good guy. Start winning. I watch the Browns in hopes they succeed, not in hopes that they play their little hearts out and then hand out hugs after the game.

Q: The problem with a long-term plan is that you're on the clock, and time is a luxury you may not have. Having an owner who understands that is crucial.

This isn’t a question; it’s a lead in to talk about how great Lerner is despite having just fired a guy he hired no more than five months earlier. If Lerner had a boss, there would be a hell of a lot of explaining to do on that one. Instead, let’s listen to how great he is!

Mangini: It is crucial, and you have to share the same vision because there are hard decisions that are made and there are criticisms that are made. And you have to believe in what you're doing and weather the storm. If you're always going to respond to public opinion and not do what you believe what you should do organizationally because of a negative article or how it's perceived, then you don't believe in anything and everything is diluted.

Here’s Mangini ignoring the obvious: what’s more germane the context of the Browns state, a random negative article or the Kokinis firing? Watch how ridiculous Mangini’s sycophantic elusion sounds if the more appropriate reference is used:

"If you're always going to respond to public opinion and not do what you believe what you should do organizationally because of having to fire a man with cause after entrusting the second highest office in your organization worth hundreds of millions of dollars to him after only five months, then you don't believe in anything and everything is diluted."

When I got to Cleveland I started my first meeting with the same message I left the last team with. I said, "This is who I am. I have three kids. This is my wife. I like Tupac better than I like Biggie. I like these TV shows. And this is my approach as a coach, and this is what I believe in. And you can come into my office at any point, and that's not a corporate slogan or a line I'm telling you to get it off my check list. It's true."

I'll tell you what Rodney Harrison told me. He said, "Tell players the truth. They may not like it, but they will respect you for it." You come up here, and I'll tell you the truth. And at least you have a chance to do something about it. You may not want to hear it, but you can do something about it. It's your choice. And I believe in that.

It happened with Laveranues Coles. He hated me -- I promise you, as much as any player has hated anybody. And I didn't understand him, either. So I called him up on a Saturday night and I said, "L.C., I want to meet with you tomorrow afternoon at 1 o'clock." He shows up at 1 with a suit. And we sit across a conference table, and I said, "Look, I'm going to tell you all the things I like about you, and all the things I don't like about you. And you're going to tell me all the things you don't like about me. And maybe there's something you do like about me. But we're not leaving this table until we understand each other." And we sat for three hours and talked about everything. After that, we had a great relationship. He became one of my guys, and he still text-messages me.

I did the same thing with Eric Barton. When Braylon [Edwards] left, I said, "Look, this is a great start for you. Don't let anything get in the way of what you really want. It's a totally new start. You may get to a point sometimes where you need to hear the truth or need perspective. Call me up. When I met you the first time and told you I want you to be the best player and person you can be that doesn't change because I'm not your coach anymore. You call me, and we can talk. I wish you the best. So go do the things you want to do there. It didn't work out here, but that doesn't mean it can't work out there."

Q: Since you brought it up, why was it in the Browns' best interest to get him out of here? Was there a moment where you said enough is enough?

Mangini: I think Braylon was at the point where he needed a fresh start, and organizationally we needed to change directions, too. And that was going to be the best thing for both sides.

I don’t really have a problem with the Braylon trade so I won’t respond other than to say there’s nothing really said here. Nothing new, at least. This is common throughout the interview so I won’t point it out every time.

Q: What or where has been the biggest source of disappointment?

Mangini: The hardest thing for me is that a lot of times when there is criticism -- and I respect everyone's right to say a decision is poor -- but when it becomes personal criticism by people I've never met before, that is different. You like to have the opportunity to explain what you believe in and why you make decisions. That doesn't mean you expect the person to agree with what you say or that you expect a different kind of grade scale. But the personal attacks ... that's a little more disappointing, especially from someone I haven't met or dealt with because it just doesn't seem as objective and balanced.

This is a key point. Clark asks the question, presumably about the Browns, and Mangini’s response is to say he’s disappointed in the personal criticisms. Well we all feel very sorry for you, Eric, but we want to know what about the football team has been most disappointing. The one you coach, in hopes of winning, so that we can see winning. Thanks for not responding, though. Clark Judge should have followed up emphasizing a separation of personal and professional criticism, but here’s what he asks instead:

Q: Has that criticism or this streak of futility affected the way you go about your job?

Notice his question does not re-state the above question. That means that either Clark is letting the answer slide (spineless interviewing) or he feels that was an appropriate response (either confused or perhaps intentionally allowing Mangini to divert audience attention away from the football disaster that is the 2009 Browns and onto Mangini’s personal feelings and work ethic).

Mangini: No, because I really do believe in the things we're doing. I do believe in good people. And after experiencing what I experienced in New England and in New York with Bill Parcells and their commitment to a certain type of player, I know it works. I've been there. I've seen it. And I know it's hard. And I know you're going to take hits and that it's a process. I really have a conviction about that, so that when those things do happen I'm comfortable with it because I've been through it.

I look back at some of the articles from 2000 in New England, and they were pretty brutal. There are a lot of things said then (he pauses) ... well, history has sort of been rewritten in the recent past. But that's the way it is when you're losing. Not much looks very good.

See above for the Pats comparison, but let’s look at this from a slightly different aspect: logic. There are two arguments here. First:

1. I am building a team of good guys

2. Everyone likes good guys.

3. Therefore everyone must like what I’m doing

This is the argument Mangini presents, although a good deal more subtly. The obvious flaw is that that "good guys" are not necessarily good football players. Step one should actually read "I am building a team of players driven to play football and willing to do so through my specific philosophy". Well, the potential problems with that statement are numerous:

1. We don’t know if all players, including key, talented players, are willing to accept that philosophy. We may be limiting our access to talent (the Indians may also be guilty of this)

2. We don’t know if that philosophy is a good one. Mangini’s track record is unproven, and the results are mixed.

3. There isn’t an emotionally driven urge (at least not nearly so universal and strong) to overlook failure if we’re discussing "team oriented players" as opposed to "good guys". In fact the proper wording of step one completely negates the next two steps, which open up Mangini for criticism.

We should not allow ourselves to be sucked in to this argument. We should continue to monitor the football results, regardless of the process or the sainthood of those involved.

The second argument is here:

1. I was involved with the Patriots during the building of their dynasty

2. Therefore I know how to build a dynasty

3. Since everyone would like me to build a dynasty they should accept my judgement and stop criticizing me

Well, again there are flaws with this logic. First, we don’t know if he learned enough about the building of the Pats dynasty to replicate it. He was a defensive backs coach. Our offense is struggling mightily. How does your experience as a defensive backs coach imply the ability to create an outstanding offense? It doesn’t. Also, our recent experience with Romeo Crennel completely denies this argument. He was at least as much, likely more heavily, involved in the building of that dynasty than Mangini. He failed. Point disproven.

Q: Have you pulled any of those articles out recently?

Mangini: Yeah, recently, actually. Very recently. (He goes to his desk and pulls out a binder of articles from that season, with sentences highlighted). Look at this one. (He starts reading) "Not much worth saving here ... Next test, please ... A mess ... Autopsy on the season, a pretty good choice of words."

I remember the Cleveland game where we came here, and that was brutal. They were an expansion team, and we came here and lost. (He starts reading again) "Officially plunged to the nadir. ... Bill Belichick is in charge of bringing respectability back to football in New England, but right now fans would settle for a little dignity, which is in short supply on bloody Sunday."

Thinking back to it, I remember when I drove up with Bill to New England. I was in my hotel that first night. I was listening to a talk show, and the three guys on the show were just killing the decision [to hire Belichick]. And I was thinking, "We haven't even been here five hours, and we're getting killed." I think back to that now, and say, "OK, we've been through this experience before. But I know what we're doing." And so does Brad Seely, and Brian Daboll and Rob Ryan. You just have to keep digging.

And what about Kokinis? Screw him, he didn’t buy into it? Why should we believe that this process you keep referring to is the way to success? One more point on the comparisons between the 2000 Patriots and the 2009 Browns. The 2000 Pats had a total DVOA of -5.9%, that’s somewhat below average. The 2009 Browns have a total DVOA of -41%. That is extremely bad. It’s terrible. In fact, in the past five seasons only four teams did worse (though three teams are on course to be worse than that this year). The 2009 Browns situation is far more dire than that of the 2000 Pats, so you’re analogy is flawed Eric.

Q: At the risk of going where you don't want to go, do you and Bill have a relationship today?

Mangini: We haven't talked in a long time, but I appreciate the things he taught me and the opportunities he gave me. [My oldest son] Luke's middle name is William because he was born right when I got the job in New York. When we were leaving [New England] Bill had done so much that [our son] became Luke William after Bill. Jake (Mangini's middle son) has Harrison as a middle name, after Rodney Harrison because Rodney at the AFC Championship Game said, "I'd like to thank the Lord, Jesus Christ, and Eric Mangini." My wife saw that, and I said we should name our son Rodney. She said she really liked the name Harrison, so he became Jake Harrison. So we stayed with football middle names, and with Zack (his youngest) when I was recruiting Brett [Favre], I said, "Look we're about to have a baby, and every baby we've had the middle name is after someone who's been important in this football career and our lives. I'm going to commit right now to giving him the middle name of Brett because I know you're going to be important in my career," which he was. And the strangest thing is that Zack was born on Brett's birthday. We did that months and months ahead of time, and he was early. So we have Jake Harrison, Luke William and Zack Brett.

Who cares?

Q: I've seen some teams that have trouble scoring, but nothing like this ... and I mean dating back to last year. What's going on?

Mangini: It's been frustrating, and what's frustrating is the amount of self-inflicted wounds. Now where we've been great is penalties. We're number one in the NFL in penalties, but we hired Dick McKenzie, who once was the head of officials. He does our challenges at the games, but he coaches our officials every day. So we have a coach for our officials who officiate practice, and they've been great.

We track every penalty every day, and we went from 32nd in the NFL last year to first this year. And that's a sign of discipline. That's a sign of growth.

When I look at some of the scoring plays we have ... like last week [against Chicago], there's a second down, and we fumble the snap. We actually have the play blocked up pretty well, and on third down D.A. goes to the fade instead of to the snag because the first time we ran the play the snag wasn't open. So instead of going through his progression he goes away from it, and now the snag is open and the fade is covered. Those types of things are examples of where it's like, "Look, just stay with what we talked about. We can't have these fumbles. We can't have these turnovers."

Last week we hit Mohamed [Massaquoi] on the 12- or 14-yard line, and he fumbles. We hit Steve Heiden on third-and-5, he gets the first down and he fumbles. It kills you.

In this snippet Mangini does two things: one he states there are positive signs and two he implies that were it not for a few mistakes by players the offense would not be an issue. First, the positive sign, that the penalties are way down, is good, yes. The problem is that your offense is the possibly the worst in the league despite the fact that its made so few penalties. How can that be? What are the real issues here?

The second piece is what really upsets me. You’re the Browns coach, asked about the massive struggles of the offense, and you call out specific mistakes by specific players. No mention of yourself, no mention or your staff. No mention of the offsensive players as a group. Steve Heiden did this. Derek Anderson did that. What a tremendous copout. So he assigns blame to these specific players on these specific plays without mentioning anything else: what’s the implication? That without those types of mistakes we’d be a good offense. That’s ridiculous. No one watching this team feels like if we could only cut down on the turnovers, we’d be even an average offense. Further, the correlation between turnovers per drive and points per drive is actually extremely weak (R^2 value of only 0.226). It can be somewhat counterintuitive until you remember the risk/reward factor. New Orleans runs a very open, aggressive offense. It ranks 27th in turnovers per drive, and yet leads the league in points per drive. We’re running one of the most conservative offenses in the league and yet we still rank 31st or 32nd in every offensive measure, including turnovers. The only one we don’t, actually, is starting field position, where we rank 9th. So we’re number one in fewest turnovers, top ten in starting field position, and still dead last in points per drive. PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT MANGINI.

Of course, what’s the follow-up? Nothing.

Apparently, Adam Schefter Can't Wait Till Wednesday

2009-11-11T02:02:21Z

Schefter and sources seem to think that Quinn will start against the Ravens Monday, announcing this a day before Mangini is preparing to announce his decision.

Personally, I'd rather wait till the Lions, the Ravens might be a hard game to shove Quinn back into. I also hope he's been getting some good chemistry in practice if he is starting. I think it's ironic he was pulled the first Ravens game only to possibly start the second. Mangini loves drama.

Don't get in my face about this being a fanpost. It's more noticeable up here.

Source.

If Mangini Keeps His Job...

2009-11-10T18:16:30Z

There are a lot of new rumors about the Cleveland Browns right now. I don’t know of any other team that had so much action during their bye week this season. The GM was fired and there is another starting QB secret. Now, throw in Mike Holmgren as a possible Vice-President of Football Operations and there is plenty of spin out there. As it stands right now, Randy Lerner, publically, will not ax his head coach, Eric Mangini. I agree with not mentioning his plan for Mangini now, it would just undermine Coach’s decisions from here on out. Also I think Mangini may need one more year to figure this team out. A lot of people on this site are posting that Brady Quinn was not given enough time to show what he can do before being benched. Isn’t this the same situation with the coach? It is hard to judge someone by their first year coaching. So before calling for his head, let’s give him a chance, unlike how he gave Quinn a chance. That being said, this is a hypothetical post about Mangini returning next season.

Again Hypothetically, Mangini has pulled out 5 wins in the last 8 games. These wins would be against the Lions, Chiefs, and Raiders. I will give the team one more win due to the fact that I believe, to save his job; he needs to win more games than Romeo Crennel did last year. For that reason I have chosen the Bengals, because the Browns played them close in Oct. Now during the off season there will be moves done. First thing is the QB situation. Both Quinn and Derek Anderson will be gone trades and draft picks. I will not get into whom, what, and where but they will be gone. Kellen Clemens will be a free agent (FA) in the offseason and Mangini will pick him and he will be the starter. Clemens is a 2nd round pick out of Oregon and he was Mangini’s 3rd ever draft pick as a head coach. This is his guy that he was going to groom to be his starter. With Clemens starting that would put Bret Ratliff as back up, and then I believe there will be a QB drafted in later rounds. Now that puts to rest the QB controversy, let’s move on to Joshua Cribbs.

I believe that, remember this is Mangini being the head coach next year; Cribbs will be gone next year. And I have justification for that. Based on the situation of contract disputes with Cribbs and the organization and FA, Mangini will get another former Jet and draft pick. He will pick up Leon Washington, who was drafted round 4 in the same year as Clemens. The justification for this move will be, besides he is a former Jet, Washington is a dynamic kick returner and will fill that slot for Cribbs, but also the Browns will be needing a RB due to Jerome Harrison being a free agent in 2010 and Jamal Lewis retiring. This will put the depth chart at James Davis as #1 back and Washington at #2.

I feel with the history of how Mangini has run this Browns team, he will get more New York Jets to move to Cleveland. I wonder what will happen in the Draft but really don’t want to speculate since that has been done way too much. Also it will be over posted come week 17. I honestly think it would be unfair to Mangini not to give him a fair shake at Head Coach because he took over a bad team. We may need to give him time to put his plan into action. And this may, or may not, be that plan.

Browns = The Next Patriots?

2009-11-10T16:41:37Z

Browns = The Next Patriots? (Article)

I think if I'm reading this right we're supposed to be the next New England Patriots? I'm down with that. But I'm curious to see all your reactions to it. I've heard it said that if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Well, this sounds pretty darn good. However, I suppose the eternal optimist in me says that it's possible. But then again, the Browns fan (or Cleveland fan in general) in me says claiming that a Cleveland team is going to turn into the next team to be in the national championship game in any sport every other year like the Patriots is just absurd. I hope the optimist is right.

Thoughts?

I Think I'm The Reincarnation of Art Modell. Shoot Me.

2009-11-09T18:39:37Z

This made me extremely sad. Now I was born while Art Modell was still alive of course but I just figured out that I was born on his birthday. This hit me extremely hard and I was quite shocked.

Now I'm not one for folk lore or fantasies but does this mean something significant? Do I have the hands to destroy or create a football organization? It just seems very odd that a blogger fan such as myself who is a fan of the organization he destroyed was born on such a large date for Modell himself.

I feel like Frankenstein. What should I think about this?

Note: This is a funny yet shocking fanpost. I'm being completely legitimate in my findings and want to know what everyone thinks of this.

Poll

Do you see me any less of a fan now?

ESPN reports that Lerner wants Holmgren

2009-11-08T16:24:56Z

Just a few minutes ago on NFL Countdown, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the man Randy Lerner wants to bring in Mike Holmgren, former coach of the Packers and coach/GM of the Seahawks, as President of the Browns. He wants Holmgren to play the role that Parcells has with the Dolphins as the top football man in the organization and face of the franchise. Shefter said that Lerner also wants to talk to Ernie Accorsi, Rich McKay, and possibly Ron Wolf, but it's Holmgren's job to lose. If Holmgren would come to Cleveland, he would hire a GM and then those two would decide on the future of Eric Mangini as head coach.

At least it sounds like Lerner has a plan going forward and he wants to bring in an experienced man to run the operations. I wish he would have done this last offseason, but it sounds like he's learned from his mistake and is trying to rectify the situation. I guess this gives us hope for the future, which is all we can have at the moment.

UPDATE: ESPN.com now has an article by Schefter giving some more details.

An SF Bay Area Sports fan commiserates

2009-11-08T07:14:39Z

What's up DBN faithful? The guy here, to let you Browns fans know that you are not alone. As a Golden State Warriors fan, I feel we have a lot in common. Both fan bases continue to support their horrifically run franchises to a fault. Both teams are still selling out games despite the sub-par product that is put on the field of play. I suppose that is part of the problem, that the powers that be have no reason to change what they are doing, because they are still making money hand over fist despite the quality of the teams they field. Because of that, I'm here to ask you rabid Browns fans for your blessing to adopt the Browns as my secondary NFL team, after my hometown 49ers.

I'm becoming a Browns fan for a few reasons. First, I'm obviously a masochist. What kind of person would WANT to support the Cleveland Browns and the Golden State Warriors? I'm just asking to be consistently disappointed. But I hate front-runners and bandwagoners, so part of me likes to make a point to do the opposite. I get on the bandwagon of teams that can't possibly do any worse. I'll put it this way: When I first became a fan of the Warriors, their starting lineup included Vonteego Cummings, Jason Caffey, and Donyell Marshall. Marshall was their best player. I'm not kidding. Haven't heard of the other two guys? I'm not surprised. But to support that awfulness until that one, sweet moment (in this case, a first round upset of the Dallas Mavericks) is so much more satisfying than taking the easy route and becoming a Patriots, Yankees, or Lakers fan.

The Browns also just have a bunch of players that I would be a fan of regardless of what team they were on. Joe Thomas is one of the best lineman in the NFL. He is a guy you can build a franchise around. Shaun Rogers is a great NT. Kamerion Wimbley has all the tools to be a dominant LB in the league. Joshua Cribbs is just AWESOME. And I don't think there is a player I have ever felt worse for than . Leads the NFL in tackles on a tiny salary, and instead of doing the usual "pay me what I'm worth" holdout, he basically says "I'm just going to show up, do my job at a very high level, play out my contract, and then get my money." Unfortunately, he sustains a season-ending injury, and probably won't get paid like the Pro-Bowl caliber player he is. He's like the poster-boy for why players SHOULD hold out. Browns' management seems like they could give a crap less about their players. Jackson should have been determined to get his. If a franchise won't look out for one of it's best players, that player should look out for himself. I don't want to get too much into this because it is being discussed elsewhere on this site extensively, but Mangini is a completely selfish jerk, despite having done nothing to earn it, so I don't think anyone would have faulted Jackson, a proven stud, for looking out for himself.

So, in conclusion, I like Browns fans and I like Browns players, and I think the FO is deplorable, especially Mangini. So what do you say? Am I a Dawg by Nature?