Eric Mangini’s first year as head coach of the Cleveland Browns has not exactly been a walk in the park.  His football team has regressed from a 4-12 record last season to arguably the worst team in the NFL.  His handpicked GM, George Kokinis, left the organization less than a year after he was hired.

 

He has been in trouble with the NFL about hiding the injuries of Brett Favre while the pair was with the New York Jets last season, and supposedly the NFLPA has received complaints about tough practices, injuries to practice players, and over the top fines for such things as not paying for bottled water in a hotel.

 

I’m trying to think of something positive about what he has done to this football team, and I suppose the only thing I can think of is instilling discipline on the field.  No longer does this team pick up all kinds of dumb penalties, the pass interference penalty on Hank Poteat notwithstanding.

 

That’s about it.

 

Yesterday, he whined to the media about the Lions faking injuries to slow down the Browns as they were using the no huddle offense.  Even if the coach really believes this, to complain about it in the press just seems to be in poor taste. 

 

His team lost.  He should deal with it.  His football team had a 21-point lead, and blew it.  And one reason is the coaching staff went conservative when they had the lead even though three quarters of the game remained.  Perhaps he is diverting attention from this fact with his accusations. 

 

Maybe Lions' coach Jim Schwartz stretched the rules, maybe he didn't.  But he doesn't look like a jerk, Mangini does.

 

That’s part of what you get with this guy.  He’s a public relations nightmare.  No one thinks the coach should be a stand up comedian, but unless you have the resume of Bill Parcells or Bill Belichick, speaking to your fan base and the media in monotones and being totally secretive doesn’t work.

 

Football fans in this city want to support the coach of the team.  However, Mangini gives them no reason to.

 

He's hasn't shown to be a brilliant strategist, and his first draft is shaping up as a huge disappointment.  He can't get along with difficult players, trading Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow, and having an initial problem with Shaun Rogers. 

 

However, the most inexcusable error in Mangini’s tenure was turning the asset of having two starting quality quarterbacks and making them little more than waiver wire pick ups.

 

I’m exaggerating about the waiver thing, but in May, most people thought you could get if not a first round draft pick, at least a second round pick for either Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson, whoever didn’t win the starting job this season.  It was a great asset for a team that needs more talent to contend for the playoffs.

 

Now you would be lucky to get a 4^th or 5^th round pick for either guy.  That’s his biggest crime since becoming head coach of this team.  Fox’ Jimmy Johnson has commented that Quinn and Anderson’s value decreases every time they take a snap.  That will ultimately be his legacy.

 

The public support of this head coach is at an all-time low.  Most fans are hoping that whomever Randy Lerner hires as the head of football operations makes getting rid of Mangini his first order of business.  There is no question the team’s record adds to the disgust.  But the coach is equally to blame.  He gives the public no reason to like him.

 

JD

 

It is said that good teams find a way to win, and bad teams find a way to lose.  Yesterday's 38-37 loss to the Detroit Lions should eliminate any doubt that people may have had that the Cleveland Browns are a bad football team. 

 

The Browns had a 24-3 lead in the first quarter and still dropped to 1-9 with a loss on the last play of the game.  The defense had been playing hard and had been semi-productive, but rookie QB Matthew Stafford shreded them like tissue paper, firing an NFL rookie record five touchdowns in the contest.

 

It was an indictment of Eric Mangini's draft legacy that two of his second round picks were inactive for the game (Brian Robiskie and David Veikune) and so was one of six round picks, CB Coye Francies.  Mangini went in favor of experience against Detroit, and of course, it came back to bite him when veteran DB Hank Poteat interfered with Brent Johnson in the end zone on what should have been the last play of a win. 

 

Poteat should be released today for this incredible mistake.  In fact, why did Poteat have his back to the play considering Johnson was in the back of the end zone?  He couldn't have gone any deeper.  The pass was not even close to him.  It was such a bad play that the official couldn't overlook it.  If a young player had made this error, it would be a little understandable, but Poteat has been around for a while. 

 

At what point will people lose their jobs with this football team?  Brandon McDonald didn't start after he turned a short pass into a big play last week, but he played anyway.

 

Also inactive was RB Jerome Harrison, who rushed for 100 yards this season in a game against Cincinnati.  The coach wants to look at rookie Chris Jennings, but why take carries away from Harrison, who is one of the few players the team has on offense who can make plays?  Jamal Lewis has been a great player, but it's time for the coaching staff to look at guys who might be with the team next season. 

 

As for the game, Brady Quinn played well, but remember he was playing against a team that has won just two games in their last 26 contests.  He did throw the ball downfield which has been one of the raps against him.  He also didn't make any mistakes, throwing no interceptions on the day.  He needs to show he can play this way against better teams, but the play calling has to be a little more aggressive against better teams.   

 

The Browns ran for 131 yards yesterday, and Lewis gained 75 of them although it took him 24 carries to do so.  Lewis shows no ability to bounce runs to the outside and can't accelerate through holes anymore.  At this point in his career he is more of a fullback than running back.  This should be the last game he receives this many carries in a game.

 

Defensively, after several games the unit spent keeping the brown and orange in the game, Rob Ryan's guys were a sieve.  Stafford threw for 416 yards, and did so even though the Lions couldn't run the ball, getting just 57 yards on the ground.  On Detroit's first play, he threw a screen pass to RB Kevin Smith, who had no one within 20 yards of him when he caught the ball.  On a screen pass!  The play went for 64 yards and set up a field goal.  It didn't get any better from there.

 

DB's Eric Wright and Brodney Pool made good plays to get interceptions, but those plays were few and far between.  When Ryan dialed up the blitz, Stafford found the hot receiver.  They had a 21 point lead in the first quarter, and blew it before halftime.  They played a little better in the second half, even recording a safety, but they gave up the big game at the end of the game.  The offense finally scored some points, and the defense let the team down.

 

Mangini is being criticized for throwing the ball on 3rd and five on the team's last possession, but it wasn't the wrong decision to me.  If the pass is completed, the game is over.  I wish the coaching staff showed this kind of aggressiveness on offense more often. 

 

However, what was the coach thinking at the end of the first half.  He was lucky that Phil Dawson kicked the field goal to give the Browns a three point lead, because Mangini eschewed a 47 yard attempt to go for it on fourth down, which they converted, and then had Dawson pass for a first down later in the drive.  Had either move backfired, Cleveland would have had nothing to show for the drive. 

 

Maybe Dawson's leg is still bothering him a bit and that's why they didn't attempt the first field goal.  But the pass by the kicker was a reckless move.  They were in the kickers' range and the Browns were lucky Mike Furrey got out of bounds to stop the clock.

 

Next week, the Browns will play a team likely headed for the playoffs in the Cincinnati Bengals.  If the offense shows life again, there will be some optimism, and certainly the defense has to play better than they did yesterday.  It's good that the Browns scored points yesterday, just remember that the Lions are a team who ranks in the bottom five in the league, just like the Browns.

 

JD

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some stuff on sports in the beautiful city of Cleveland—

 

·          Much was made of LeBron James’ comments that money wasn’t the only factor he is considering in regards to his potential free agency.  Most people figured since the Cavaliers can offer him the most money, James was sending a signal that he was kissing the franchise goodbye at the end of the year. 

 

However, I took it just the opposite.  I think LBJ was saying that the Knicks and Nets do not have a chance to compete for a title in the next couple of seasons, and the fact he could make more cash from endorsements, etc. in those cities doesn’t override the fact he has a better chance to win in Cleveland. 

 

·          I like C.C. Sabathia, but if he really wanted to thank the fans of Cleveland, he would stop commenting on James’ impending free agency.  He said winning in New York is special. 

 

First, Sabathia never dealt with a super negative Big Apple media because his season went rather smoothly with his huge contract.  If he were getting lit up, it wouldn’t have been such a great atmosphere for him.  Imagine the New York Post headlines about his weight if he was losing.

 

Also, Sabathia doesn’t know what winning a world championship is like.  James would be remembered fifty years from now if the Cavs win the first title for this city since 1964.  In fact, all of the Cavs would be.  Think about how fans still revere the Indians who played in the 1990’s.  Ending the now 45 year drought would have those players never having to buy a drink in this area for the rest of their lives.

 

·          Seriously, Brian Daboll is still the Browns’ offensive coordinator?

 

·          I applaud the Indians adding Sandy Alomar Jr. to their coaching staff.  It’s not going to make a significant difference in the win/loss record, but why not have someone on the staff that was part of a winning tradition in Cleveland.  Other teams do the same thing.  Alomar was one of the best pitch blockers I’ve seen, and he will be a good tutor to the Tribe’s young catchers, particularly Carlos Santana.

 

·          Hopefully, the Cavs’ defense will get better as the new players get used to their new teammates.  The team is currently 12^th in the NBA in points allowed, and 12^th in field goal percentage against.  Both rankings are far below what Mike Brown would like.  Those numbers need to improve if the Cavs are going to be as successful as they want to be.

 

MW

 

 

If you are old enough to remember what the Cleveland Browns franchise was in the 1960’s and early 70’s, watching a game like the 16-0 defeat against the Baltimore Ravens isn’t disgusting, it’s sad.  A team, who the greatest running back ever to play the sport, Jim Brown, now struggles to get first downs. 

 

The team which had one of the greatest wide receivers in pro football history in Paul Warfield, now can’t complete a pass over ten yards.  They couldn’t get past their opponents’ 40-yard line on Monday.

 

A franchise, which counts among its alumni guys like Otto Graham and Bernie Kosar, has reduced its passing attack to arguably the worst the league has seen in the last 20 years. 

 

When you think back to a time when the Browns were the flagship team of the NFL at that time, it makes you long for the days when you expected the brown and orange to win every Sunday.  Now, you just hope they don’t embarrass themselves. 

 

And you get disappointed when they do.

 

Last night, the defense played hard and played well, holding the Ravens to just 274 yards of offense, and limiting them to just ten points, and those were the result of turnovers.  They had one huge breakdown; CB Brandon McDonald whiffed on a tackle turning an 8-yard gain into a 30-yard gain. 

 

You feel for guys like Shaun Rogers, Robaire Smith, and rookie Kaluka Maiava who played hard, leaving everything on the field.  However, the best the defense can hope for is a scoreless tie, because they offense is so inept.

 

The Browns gained 160 yards of total offense, an amateurish performance.  They have scored five offensive touchdowns in the last 15 games, an abysmal rate.  Somehow, Brian Daboll continues to have the authority to call plays, which is mind-boggling. 

 

The offensive line provided no time for Brady Quinn to throw the ball, and when the quarterback did throw, several passes were badly off target.  When Quinn hit the target, the receivers dropped the ball.  The mistakes keep mounting.

 

The play calling on first down is vanilla, most likely a run.  After ripping off a 13-yard on his first carry, Jamal Lewis gained just 23 yards on his other nine carries.  What’s wrong with throwing a five or six yard pass on first down?  We certainly know the team has these plays in their playbook, because they seem to use them on 3^rd and long.

 

What is the offense trying to do?  Are they trying to run the ball?  The play calling is disjointed at best.  Both Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden pointed out that there is no rhythm to the offense, and it has been that way the entire season.  There is one solution that is so obvious, and that is to have someone else call the plays. 

 

If you throw on first down, you might have a chance to get the throw off and go downfield a little bit.  Every pass seems to be a screen pass.  When was the last time you saw a Browns’ receiver run a crossing route?  That seems to be a staple throughout the league. 

 

Right now, no one remembers how good the Cleveland Browns used to be.  Football fans watch a game like last night’s and see an offense that is an embarrassment.  Does the team need more talent?  Of course, it does.  However, there seems to be no plan to make the best use of the players they do have. 

 

That’s what coaching is all about.  You can draw your own conclusion.

 

JD

 

Last week, we wrote about the concern we had about the start the Cleveland Cavaliers had.  They were sitting at 4-3, and with tough games against Orlando, Miami, and Utah, they were staring at going 5-5 through the first ten games.

 

Is it too late to erase those comments?

 

Quite frankly, the wine and gold went down to Florida and took care of business, sweeping all three of the games (including Saturday's home win against the Jazz), and now sit at 7-3, with wins in seven of their last eight contests.  By the way, the trio of triumphs were also done with Delonte West. 

 

Very, very impressive.

 

In Orlando, Shaquille O'Neal got Dwight Howard in foul trouble early, and Mo Williams played like the all star he was last season in the win.  That was followed up by LeBron James out-dueling Dwyane Wade in Miami.  Yes, Wade had a huge dunk on Anderson Varajao in the first half, but I loved James' comments at halftime about it.  He basically said, yeah, it was a great dunk, but we're winning by five on the road.

 

The Cavs finished the three game set off with a win at The Q against Utah.  O'Neal took the night off, but the home team built a 16 point lead that they squandered before LBJ saved them with eight points in the last few minutes.  Suddenly, the Cavs sit at 7-3, just a 1/2 game behind the team said to be their main competition in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics, who, by the way, started out 5-0. 

 

It just shows that it's a long season in the NBA.

 

Coach Mike Brown made some adjustments in his rotation after the loss a little over a week ago against Chicago at home.  We shelved the "twin tower" experiment, put J.J. Hickson into the starting lineup and started giving Jamario Moon more playing time.  These three moves give the Cavs more athleticism, and they used it to score over 100 points in all four contests.

 

Hickson had back-to-back career highs in points with 18 against the Heat, and then 20 against the Jazz.  Yes, he still needs work on defense and rebounding, but it seems the coaching staff knows they will need him to contribute come playoff time.  His defense will get better with more practice time and more game experience, but the second year man is certainly showing some ability.

 

As for Moon, the more I watch him play, the more I like what he gives this team.  He can defend and rebound, and can shoot the ball reasonably well.  Quite frankly, he can jump through the roof.  He does a great job keeping the ball alive for offensive rebounds.  He probably is best used in short spurts, but when he is in the game, good things happen.

 

The state of the Cavaliers is much better than it was a week ago.  They showed a sense of urgency in winning two tough road games, and re-established themselves as a title contender.  Although for some reason, they are flying under the radar from the national media.

 

JK

 

Yesterday, Browns’ running back Jamal Lewis finally had enough.  He decided to voice his opinions about the coaching style of Eric Mangini.  Lewis, who is a captain, doesn’t understand the direction the football team is taking, and feels the work they are putting in at mid-season should have been addressed in training camp.

 

Lewis is emulating former Kansas City running back Larry Johnson, who spouted off about the organization and head coach Todd Haley, and found himself at first suspended, and then released by the Chiefs. 

 

Which is exactly what he wanted.

 

Johnson and Lewis are both frustrated by being on losing football teams, teams that at this point in the season has very little chance of winning on a week-to-week basis.  They are at the end of the line and want to spend what is left of their careers by playing with winning teams.

 

Lewis wants out as well, and used the media to get his way.

 

Prior to his outburst, I thought it would be nice for the Browns to release Lewis and let him catch on with a contender to finish out his career.  He said he was going to retire, and it serves no purpose for the Browns to keep giving him carries with the team vying for the first pick in the draft.

 

The Browns would be better off playing Jerome Harrison and rookie Chris Jennings to find out if they should be part of the future of this football team.  Quite frankly, we advocated drafting a running back in the ’09 draft, knowing Lewis didn’t have much left in the tank.

 

Now, I would just suspend Lewis for the rest of the season.

 

Why the change in heart?

 

First off, Lewis is a captain and supposedly meets on a weekly basis with Mangini.  The running back could have talked to the coach about his feelings on the tough practices in these meetings.  Lewis hinted that he didn’t take this opportunity.  If you are a leader of the team and you are representing your teammates, why wouldn’t you discuss the situation with the coach?

 

Because it doesn’t help Lewis get out of town.

 

Secondly, it is tiring to see athletes use this ploy to get their own way.  Manny Ramirez stopped hustling to get traded by the Red Sox in baseball.  Vince Carter did the same thing in basketball.  This is not to say Jamal Lewis isn’t playing hard, but he signed with the Browns a couple of years ago and presumably he gets paid whether or not the team is winning.

 

If the team isn’t playing well, isn’t it incumbent on the players to play better?

 

Apparently, Lewis subscribes to the adage:  “When the going gets tough, I’m outta here.”

 

There are other Browns who don’t particularly like the coach and are tired of losing, but they keep their mouths shut.  However, the guy they elected as captain airs his grievances to the media.  That’s not thinking of your teammates, that’s thinking about himself.

 

This is certainly not to defend Mangini, who arguably is the worst coach in team history, and likely will not be back next season.  This football team has certainly deteriorated under his watch. 

 

Lewis is retiring after the season, but if I were in charge, he’s already played his last game in the NFL.

 

KM

 

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been off since last Friday night’s win in New York, and hopefully they are getting some good practice time.  They will need it because this is a big week for the wine and gold after starting the season 4-3. 

 

They are on the road tonight and tomorrow against two quality opponents, taking on the Eastern Conference champs, the Orlando Magic tonight and going against Dewayne Wade and the Heat tomorrow.  Both games are on the road.  Then, on Saturday, Utah visits “The Q” for their only appearance in Cleveland.  Three games against three tough foes in a five-day span.  The Cavs need to be ready.

 

Right now, coach Mike Brown is trying to get a feel for what combinations work and who shouldn’t play together.  However, if the Cavs lose the two games on the road, they likely will be just 5-5 after their first ten games.  Nobody expected that slow of a start.

 

It’s time for this team to kick it up a notch.  With the athletes this team picked up in the off-season, there should be more of a commitment to run the floor as much as possible.  Last season, the wine and gold made an improvement in getting as many transition hoops as possible.  This year, it seems like they are satisfied with a half court game.

 

Shaquille O’Neal is a formidable presence up front, but he is not a particularly good outlet passer to start the fast break.  The coaching staff needs to stress the importance of getting the ball off the glass and get down the floor, especially when LeBron James, Mo Williams, Delonte West, and Jamario Moon are on the floor.  Now that J.J. Hickson is in the starting lineup, he’s a big man who can run the floor as well.

 

It’s up to Williams and James to set the pace.  The coaches have to be preaching to the players to push the ball at all opportunities.  It’s really a mindset.  Even teams without great athletes can be fast break teams if it’s established early on.  The Cavaliers need to buy into that mindset.

 

The “Showtime” Lakers ran up and down the floor with Magic Johnson and James Worthy, but when they had to play a half-court game, they waited for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to get down the floor and settle into the low post.  The Cavaliers could do the same thing with Shaq.  Push the ball as much as possible, and if it not there, dump it in to O’Neal.

 

No one expected the Cavs to be in mid-season form while breaking in several key players in the rotation.  However, they have looked very disjointed thus far, and there hasn’t been steady improvement from game to game.  With three games coming up against likely playoff teams, it’s time to start getting it together.

 

JK

 

 

Baseball's annual General Manager's Meeting start this week, and so will the hot stove league.  The groundwork for trades can be laid down at the meeting, and some may even be consumated.  Mark Shapiro and Chris Antonetti are representing the Indians, who have watched their AL Central brethren already make moves. 

 

The White Sox, Royals, and Twins have already made trades since the World Series ended on Wednesday night.  The Sox traded Mark Teahen to Kansas City for INF Chris Getz and cornerman Josh Fields, while Minnesota picked up former all-star SS J.J. Hardy from the Brewers for OF Carlos Gomez. 

 

Will the Indians do anything this week?  What should they do this off-season?

 

The Tribe doesn't have a lot of payroll flexibility, so they will have to redistribute the cash in order to be improved going into spring training.  The Sporting News put Cleveland 30th in their post-season power poll, and for those who are mathematically challenged, that ranks them dead last. 

 

Their priority should be starting pitching, as new manager Manny Acta really has no one he can depend on going into camp.  With this in mind, Shapiro is probably looking to move Kerry Wood and his annual $10 million salary, so he can acquire a reliable starter.  The Florida Marlins are send to be interested in Wood. 

 

If Shapiro deals Wood for prospects, he should be interested in righthander Jon Garland, whose option was not picked up by the Dodgers.  Garland shouldn't be that expensive, and he has pitched in the American League.  He's also an innings eater, which is something the Tribe desparately needs.  Garland, 30, has won at least 10 games the last eight years, with highs of 18 victories with the White Sox in 2005 and 2006.  He's also thrown at least 190 frames in each of those eight campaigns. 

 

The Marlins do have some young, hard throwing starters they may be willing to part them in order to get a closer.  Perhaps Shapiro could get a guy like Chris Volstad included in the deal.  Acta talked about the need for hard throwers in order to compete in the American League, and the Marlins have used that philosophy for years.  They would be a perfect trade partner.

 

Teams who almost lose 100 games shouldn't be spending huge money on a closer.  Acta can try Chris Perez as his closer to start, and he has Rafael Perez in reserve, providing the veteran gets himself straightened out. 

 

Not to sound like a broken record (or skipping CD), but the other player who should be moved in Jhonny Peralta.  His salary is too high compared to the production he has given the Tribe.  The reported $4.5 million he is scheduled to make next season can be put to better use. 

 

To replace him, the Indians have Andy Marte, who can play his natural position, or they could go out and get a free agent.  Melvin Mora's option was not picked up by the Orioles, and he might be a good fit. 

 

Mora, who will be 38 next season, hit .260 last season, but is a year removed from hitting 23 HR and knocking in 104 runs.  He probably isn't an everyday player any more, but could be a guy who can play against southpaws, as he has a lifetime .454 slugging percentage against lefties.  He can also play the outfield (LF) in a pinch. 

 

The Indians only need a one year stop gap at the hot corner because either Wes Hodges or more likely Lonnie Chisenhall will be playing the position in 2011.  If Peralta can be moved for more pitching help, it should be strongly considered by Shapiro.

 

When Shapiro took over as GM, he said the Indians would be built on pitching.  These meetings have to signal a move back to that philosophy.  With a limited budget, the Indians need to improve this area, and they can start by re-allocating funds to take care of this problem.

 

MW

 

 

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers have gotten off to a bit of a slow start, splitting their first six games.  Their coach, Mike Brown, has a lot of new personnel to work with, and he is searching for combinations that work.  That accounts for the .500 record thus far.  There is no question this team will be a lot better in March and April than it is right now.

 

There is one combination that needs to be shelved right now, and that would be playing Shaquille O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas at the same time.  Having the two big men on the court at the same time makes the Cavs slow and unathletic, the two things that hurt the wine and gold in the playoffs against Orlando a year ago.

 

GM Danny Ferry set out to rectify this situation in the off-season signing Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon.  They would have the Cavaliers both offensively and defensively, Parker being a good catch and shoot guy, and Moon is a slasher, who can also stick the three.  Defensively, both guys are long and athletic enough to the tall wing players who hurt Cleveland last season.

 

While Parker is starting, Moon has seen less than ten minutes of playing time per game over the last three contests.  That is puzzling, particularly since Brown is always emphasizing defense. 

 

There are times when playing the two centers together make sense, such as when they are playing a team like Boston with Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett.  However, when you are playing a team like Chicago, with no true center, the move backfires.  O’Neal and Ilgauskas simply aren’t athletic enough to be on the floor together covering guys like Joakim Noah.

 

Offensively, the Cavs need to establish O’Neal as early in the game as they can.  Going to the big man right away will force the defense to double him, leaving open shooters.  If they choose to guard Shaq straight up, then you keep feeding him because even at 37, there are very few men who can stop him near the basket. 

 

And since O’Neal is an older player, why not play him 26-28 minutes a night, with Ilgauskas getting the rest.  It just makes too much sense. 

 

What the coach needs to do is get more time for Moon and another athletic player in J.J. Hickson.  The Cavaliers are going to need those guys when the playoffs come around.  Mike Brown is trying to see what works, but six games in, I can tell him that having two slow big guys on the floor at the same time isn’t working.

 

JK

 

 

Is it really change when you get rid of someone who really didn’t do anything?  It is if you are the Cleveland Browns, as GM George Kokinis was let go yesterday with the team floundering at 1-7.  Was Kokinis a sacrificial lamb, offered up by Eric Mangini?  

 

Although Kokinis had the title, most people believe that all aspects of the football operations have Mangini’s fingerprints on them.  Can we really blame the general manager for last April’s draft, which right now looks questionable at best?  Or did Kokinis point out some things the coach did that he wasn’t happy with, and he paid for it with his job.

 

There have been reports that the GM and the coach clashed on some issues from the moment Kokinis was hired, so Mangini took this opportunity to get rid of him.

 

If the move came down from owner Randy Lerner, then Mangini cannot feel very secure today.  Obviously, Kokinis’ dismissal is a forerunner to a new head of football operations being hired, a person who will want his own man to be the head coach.

 

This is a similar situation to the Dolphins during the 2007 season.  They hired Bill Parcells to be in charge of football, and he fired Cam Cameron after one year in which Miami finished 1-15.  Parcells brought in Tony Sparano to be the new coach.  The Dolphins went 11-5 last year and are playoff contenders this season.  And they show imagination on offense. 

 

This move shows once again, what a mess this franchise is in.  Apparently, Lerner sees that he made a mistake with the hiring of Mangini.  However, he didn’t seem to do the due diligence involved when he was hired.  Most football people would have hired the guy that Lerner is looking for now, someone to be in charge of the football operations.  Had Lerner done that in January, instead of getting all googly eyed for Mangini, perhaps the team wouldn’t be 1-7 right now.

 

The owner is supposedly seeking the counsel of former Browns’ GM Ernie Accorsi as to what to do with this team.  Apparently, Lerner is now willing to listen to Accorsi, because it has been reported he was against the hiring of Kokinis from the get go.  Reports also have Accorsi grooming former Browns’ quarterback Bernie Kosar to be the man in charge at some point in the near future.

 

Whether or not Kosar is going to be the man, it appears that Lerner is set on putting together an organization with a strong football man at the top.  This means that Mangini will either have to decide he is willing to work with that guy, or be out on the streets looking for work. 

 

Either way, the head coach’s power with the Cleveland Browns will be drastically reduced.  As someone who doesn’t think the coach should be in charge of personnel, this is a good move. 

 

Many people are criticizing the owner for this move, preaching patience.  However, if a disaster is starting to happen, why not make changes sooner rather than later.  The huge step backwards taken this season forced Lerner to rethink his decision.

 

Eric Mangini may not be a bad NFL head coach, but he may have been given a job that he is incapable of in running an entire franchise.  To paraphrase Paul Brown, you can’t blame Mangini, the blame rests with the man who hired him.

 

JD

 

Last season, the Cleveland Browns failed to score an offensive touchdown in their last six games.  However, at that point in the season, they were playing the third and fourth string quarterbacks in Ken Dorsey and Bruce Gradkowski.  What's their excuse this season?

 

The Browns did score an offensive touchdown today, but the philosophy and results when they have the football continues to be an out and out joke.  Their passing game is a total embarassment for an NFL team as once again, Derek Anderson had a horrible game.  After completing just two passes in the first half, Anderson was not replaced for the third quarter as the coaching staff apparently was watching a different game than the rest of us.

 

Anderson wound up hitting on just 6 of 17 throws for 76 yards and two interceptions before being mercifully removed in the fourth quarter after having his last pass returned for a Chicago touchdown by Charles Tillman. 

 

Yes, there were dropped passes and fumbles, but Anderson's second throw was a short pass (maybe about 5 yards) that was behind Lawrence Vickers and that set the tone for his day.  His passer rating was 0.0 at halftime and improved to 10.2 by the end of the game.  Is it possible that this guy went to the Pro Bowl just two years ago?  He should have started his last game as quarterback of the Browns barring some sort of injury.

 

It should be noted that the touchdown scored yesterday was put on the board without the aid of the passing game.  They took over the ball on the Bears' 30-yard line and used all running plays to move it into the end zone. 

 

After the game, owner Randy Lerner said he was dissatisfied with the performance of the team, and hinted changes will be made over the bye week.  The first change should be to have a new person calling the plays two weeks from tonight against the Baltimore Ravens.  Brian Daboll has been terrible in this area, and needs to be replaced. 

 

What will be done?  There have been hints that Lerner would like to bring in someone to run the football operations right away.  Whether that person is Bernie Kosar or someone else, bringing in a football man would seem to mean than Mangini doesn't have a lot of job security right now.

 

One good thing about the game was the performance of the defense, which was aggressive before running out of gas due to the poor performance of the offense.  They were on the field for over 37 minutes yesterday.  They put pressure on Jay Cutler most of the day giving him different looks, and held the Bears to three field goals despite great field position for Chicago.

 

Rob Ryan's unit continues to work hard, and his feisty demeanor is refreshing.  He jawed at Cutler when the Bears couldn't score on a 1st and goal situation from the one in the fourth quarter.  Cutler is one of those guys who isn't as good as he thinks he is, and Ryan was probably telling him that. 

 

Thankfully, there will be no action on the field next week, and hopefully there will be some action off it.  Jamal Lewis said he's had enough after the season, which is more problems for the coaching staff since he is a captain.  Perhaps, this dreadful season finally makes the owner admit he needs someone to run the football operations, and let that man hire a coach.  It hasn't worked with Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel, and Mangini. 

 

Browns fans deserve a good product, and movement forward.  There was no reason to take a step backward after last year's 4-12 fiasco, but this year looks like it could be a tough time hitting that mark in 2009.

 

JD