Eric Mangini says Cleveland Browns are in a place to win consistently

[BernietheKid]

Eric Mangini says Cleveland Browns are in a place to win consistently

Published: Thursday, January 06, 2011, 3:28 PM Updated: Thursday, January 06, 2011, 6:41 PM

By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer

Joshua Gunter | The Plain Dealer
Former Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini says the team can win soon and think quarterback Colt McCoy can be the leader of the team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- "Can you win with the Browns?"
That’s what I asked Eric Mangini when speaking with the former Browns coach on Thursday morning.

Actually, I put the question this way, "If someone who had been offered a chance to coach the Browns called you and asked if you could win here, what would you say?"

"Without a doubt, you can win," said Mangini. "I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. The division is a challenge. A real challenge. You have two elite teams (Pittsburgh and Baltimore) and I think Cincinnati can be good again. It’s an uphill battle, but you can do it — especially after the strides we’ve made here."

While there are some things Mangini wishes he’d have changed in his two seasons with the Browns, he believes that many of the things needed to be successful are in place.

"You will find a group of players with discipline who will embrace the new coach and be ready to work every day," he said.

Mangini doesn’t discuss the discipline problems that he faced. He has no regrets trading talented but sometimes troubled players such as Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow. He knows that fans see back-to-back 5-11 records, and they may not appreciate what he and his coaches did to change the attitude and approach of the team.

But he believes the pieces — in terms of the football "culture" — are in place for the Browns to "begin to win consistently."

Mangini believes the new coach won’t have to go through the seemingly endless search for the next Browns quarterback. He shifted between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson in 2009. Last season, it was Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy, who emerged as the starter.

"Colt McCoy has a real opportunity to be the guy," said Mangini. "He is really bright. He handled a situation (starting the season as the No. 3 quarterback then starting in Game 6) that most rookies could not. He faced a tough schedule. He makes good decisions. He is an accurate passer. He also has all the intangibles (leadership, preparation, poise) that you’d want."

Mangini said the Browns must "add receivers and running backs" to help McCoy, but believes you can build an offense around the rookie from Texas.

He added the new coach, "will find players like Peyton Hillis, who are humble, hard-working, guys who stand for the right things. ... One of my disappointments (about being fired) is that we were putting together the kind of team that Browns fans can really relate to."

Good football men
When Mangini arrived at Mike Holmgren’s office Monday morning, he was reasonably sure the Browns president would fire him. The four consecutive losses combined with a 41-9 spanking by Pittsburgh on the last day of the season turned a promising season into a final 5-11 record.

"Mike was very good about it," said Mangini. "He said he had to make change, and I understood his position. Mike said he enjoyed getting to know me, and then said, ’This would be easier if you were a real (jerk).’ "

Mangini thanked Holmgren for his support.

"I mean that," said Mangini. "Mike held up his end of the bargain. He let me coach the team my way. He didn’t interfere. He and (General Manager) Tom (Heckert) are good football men."

Mangini admitted he "was in a tough spot" once Holmgren was named president. He had signed a four-year contract when Owner Randy Lerner hired him before the 2009 season. Mangini hoped it was not a win-now situation, that he could build an organization and install his values.

But the hiring of Holmgren meant the former Green Bay and Seattle coach now had that job of setting the big picture agenda. Mangini was given one more year to prove he should remain as coach. The odds were against him because he was not hired by Holmgren, nor do they come from the same football families and approaches to the game.

Holmgren has always been a coach with the accent on offense and the passing game. Mangini is a defensive guy from the Bill Parcells/Bill Belichick coaching tree.

"The only thing was that I kind of felt like the lame-duck congress," said Mangini. "I knew the situation. We had to get it done right now. That was hard."
But Mangini added that the new coach will have a strong front office to help him.

"I thought we really worked together well on the draft and other things," he said.
He said one of his regrets from 2009 was that the hiring of George Kokinis as general manager "didn’t work out." That led to Kokinis being fired at midseason, "which was a real setback." Mangini admitted that doing both jobs "was too much ... and I had to learn not to get involved in all the details."

More than once, he said how he enjoyed getting back to just coaching this past season, and he especially had high praise for Heckert as general manager.

Loved being in Cleveland
Several times, Mangini talked about his "growth as a person and a coach."
He said he learned that he needed to be "my own person, to do things my way ... not do something just because it worked for someone else."

He was raised in a coaching school that held the media in disdain, and Mangini said, "I wish had I done a better job explaining to the media and the fans what we were trying to do in terms of changing the culture ... and the different steps that it takes. I would encourage the new coach to be more open about that. Let everyone know your vision and plan, and let them know what it takes to get there."

Mangini said he "feels at peace" about his two years in Cleveland.
"I wish we had won more games," he said. "It always hurts to get fired. But I did stick with what I believe in, and those things will help the next coach."

In the last week, Mangini has been taking his two sons (ages 6 and 4) to school.
"I went out to eat, I went to the mall ... not sure when was the last time that I went to the mall," he said. "I’m not embarrassed. I’m not hiding in the house. I am running into fans everywhere, and they are super. I sense there is a growing excitement and optimism about the Browns. They are becoming relevant again."

He talked about all the players who have contacted him, who have thanked him. He has been contacted about some coaching jobs, and is open to that. But added that he is "intrigued" by the possibility of working in the front office.

Mangini paused, then spoke with passion, his voice breaking a bit.
"I loved being in Cleveland," he said. "The people here have been great to me and my family. The friendships will mean a lot to me and my family. The fans here are great.
I’m not the coach, but I am cheering for this team. I want them to consistently succeed for a long time. I really mean that."

Eric Mangini says Cleveland Browns are in a place to win consistently - Terry Pluto blog | cleveland.com

[5150k9]

He is a class act.....

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Originally Posted by BernietheKid

One of my disappointments (about being fired) is that we were putting together the kind of team that Browns fans can really relate to."

That's up in smoke. Time to switch over to a flashy WCO, with a bunch of scat backs and big slow receivers. Smash-mouth is dead in Cleveland ...probably for at least the next decade.

Originally Posted by BernietheKid

"The only thing was that I kind of felt like the lame-duck congress," said Mangini. "I knew the situation. We had to get it done right now. That was hard."

This guy was rooked.

Originally Posted by BernietheKid

Mangini paused, then spoke with passion, his voice breaking a bit. "I loved being in Cleveland," he said. "The people here have been great to me and my family. The friendships will mean a lot to me and my family. The fans here are great. I’m not the coach, but I am cheering for this team. I want them to consistently succeed for a long time. I really mean that."

We made a mistake. I'm going to miss the first coach that we've had since Marty who truly "got it". He could have been a hero here. Instead he was snuffed out by the angry mob before he had an opportunity to get the job done. Sickening.

And for those who say "oh, the media and fans have nothing to do with anything" ...I call bullshit. The media and fans who were thirsty for Mangini's blood made Holmgrens firing of Mangini a whole lot easier. Do you really think it would have been an easy decision if the media and fans were largely backing Mangini? Nah. It would have been real tough, and the move wouldn't have been made ...especially with the choices we have at hand to replace him.

There was a real strong case for Mangini to retain his job here in Cleveland ....but the easy way out was to give him his walking papers.

Cleveland sports fans are their own worst enemy.

[OconRecon]

Originally Posted by TheBestPlayersPlay

...We made a mistake...

The little voice in my head agrees. This guy held it together better than anyone when the going was rough, and as emotionless as he can be, was elated at the pressors when we won.

Interesting how our reaction is different than the Jets boards a few years ago. They seemed quite happy to see him go.

I wish he had been given one more year. He inherited a mess last year, had to deal with a new front office this year, had the Browns competing in nearly every game, and gave us two of our most solid wins (NO & NE) since the franchise returned in '99. The 3 weeks of the Saints, Pats, and Jets were the great.

Ah well, onward and hopefully upward. I still think it starts with the front office, which is still intact and more solid than ever.

[Crow]

It seems aimless now but we'll get a new coach, he'll suck us in (as always) and things'll go back to normal.

[Enigmatic Evil]

Yeah we take a coach who destroyed a locker room overrun by giant egos and a hierarchy of shit. He instilled a system of hard work and determination in a squad that would probably be bench players on most other NFL squads, sure he had a rocky start to his tenure but with what he was working with he did the best he could. In the rabid sports media started jumping on him like a shark to blood he didn't stand a chance with the team riddled with injuries and with the majority of the 'hype' pointing to him being fired.

I really think Mangini got a raw deal, and that's why I will be placing high expectations on the next coach that comes in here. The team's on a good platform right now, where we're a few roster moves and depth acquisitions away from being legitimate, with consistancy, we can fight to take a winning record and maybe even make the playoffs. We were nowhere close to that before Mangini came along...

Kinda sounds like The Jets when you think about it...

[Crow]

"Mangini got screwed, so be overly harsh to the next guy."

That mentality, as a Browns fan, makes no sense to me. Sure he's a good guy, says all the right things. But it's not the Cleveland Manginis.

[Enigmatic Evil]

Its not about being overly harsh Crow, it's about being realistic. Holmgren's firing of Mangini sets a precedent that we want to win NOW. Not setting the same standards on the next coach would be hypocritical. It's not about spiting the next coach. History would show that I was not Mr. Mangini's #1 fan. I came onto the board calling him "Mangina" and criticizing the way he handled the team. The thing is, with a new coach, you have to have a certain level of expectations and it would make no sense to me that we would all of a sudden take it easy on a new coach when we fired Mangini for not meeting expectations.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Crow

"Mangini got screwed, so be overly harsh to the next guy."

That mentality, as a Browns fan, makes no sense to me. Sure he's a good guy, says all the right things. But it's not the Cleveland Manginis.

That's a good way of saying it Crow. Whoever gets hired has ZERO to do with Mangini getting fired. Remember how many Browns fans wanted Testaverde to fail because of their loyalties to Bernie? So much so that they convinced themselves little Eric Zeier was the answer to all their prayers. And we remember how that turned out. Things can get REALLY weird and inexplicable. Then again, fan is a prefix of a pretty appropriate term sometimes.

It's going to be inevitable that people are concerned we didn't just fire a guy without knowing if upgrades were available. ALOT of us that get misconstrued as Mangini fans - REALLY didn't know whether we wanted to keep him halfway 2009. Many didn't decide until they saw some things coming together late in 09 inspite of blatant holes to very important positions. In fairness, there hasn't been the RIGHT QB until McCoy was allowed to play. He only went as far as the talents he had access to and is it fair to say Ben Watson was the only favorable matchup he had most of the time he didn't handoff? The 1st Superbowl Championship season for NE, BB was off to winless start behind Bledsoe. What if Brady never got the chance? What do we suppose happens to BB's resume?

The biggest sense of frustration I feel is we did it backward hiring the President and Draft Guru near the conclusion of our young coach's first season. THEN, Holmgren felt he did the right thing giving 1 more year. Unfortunately, the reality of new systems coming means we purge the roster right back down in accordance with new begiinings. In essence, 2 more years wasted before hearing "Cleveland fans just need to be patient" from someone that hasn't been through 20 years of this.

[Crow]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic Evil

Its not about being overly harsh Crow, it's about being realistic. Holmgren's firing of Mangini sets a precedent that we want to win NOW. Not setting the same standards on the next coach would be hypocritical. It's not about spiting the next coach. History would show that I was not Mr. Mangini's #1 fan. I came onto the board calling him "Mangina" and criticizing the way he handled the team. The thing is, with a new coach, you have to have a certain level of expectations and it would make no sense to me that we would all of a sudden take it easy on a new coach when we fired Mangini for not meeting expectations.

Had Mangini been Mike's original hire with Mike's front office in place, I am sure he would still be here. The front office kept him because he overachieved at the end of the 2009 and it was his first year, which made firing him hard. They used Eric to rebuild the team for the next guy and to give Eric a fair shot of convincing Holmgren their connection was a happy accident. Ultimately Holmgren didn't feel like their styles grooved or their philosophies and cut him, wanting to put up his own guy. This kind of thing happens all the time in the NFL - Mangini gets here and the first thing he wants is a bunch of jets scrubs, his "guys."

We have a real front office with people who are talented and wise. We have the most base foundation. The next guy Cleveland hires should be around for the next half decade and given a real shot, real continuity to actually succeed. Winning now isn't important, winning long term is. Putting the next guy on a short leash and having high expectations...well, sounds something like what people are talking about in their gripes about Mangini.

[Crow]

No one wants to hear it but Cleveland does need to be patient. Even if it's been 20 years now. What alternative is there, other than becoming the Raiders?

Clevelanders may be out of patience but they'll be out of brains too if they run everyone here out of town again.

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by TheBestPlayersPlay

We made a mistake. I'm going to miss the first coach that we've had since Marty who truly "got it". He could have been a hero here. Instead he was snuffed out by the angry mob before he had an opportunity to get the job done. Sickening.

We have been treated to Palmer, Davis, Romeo and Eric. It is very simple who the best has been since we have returned and that is Eric. While Butch actually took a team to the playoffs (and should have won), Eric did clean some things up and add some "decent but average" players.

But just because Eric played cleaner and lowered the margin of defeat does not mean there is not a better coach out there. Seems people want to search for reasons he was fired - the media, the fans, the injuries, the roster, the QB's, Eric Wright - than actually trying to determine if maybe the best part of Eric Mangini was simply Eric Mangini, that the staff he hired was undesirable by Holmgren. Mike probably feels a HC should hire his staff, and changing only the OC wasn't going to get it done, and picking all of Eric's coaches is not how you do it. That is like hiring an OC like Daboll and asking him to run an offense like the WCO.

So maybe this was more about Eric's choices for coaches than just Eric Mangini. Fact remains that while improvements were made, the same problems we had last season getting untracked materialized this season. When losses to JAX, CIN, and BUF overshadow wins vs. NE and NO, plus a close win vs the worst team in the league, it is more than just changing OC, IMO. You need a complete staff overhaul, and forcing those changes is not what one HC (Mike) does to another HC (Eric.)