Mike Holmgren did a fine job this afternoon ingratiating himself to Cleveland and its media in his first press conference in Berea as Browns team president. He didn't say much approximately the future of Eric Mangini other than to give the impression that Mangini will be given a fair chance and the decision will be planned, and said nothing to weaken
the strong inference that Mangini will return for a moment season as Browns head coach.
A few specifics:
The Rooney Rule, and 2oo9 Playoffs winding down: Holmgren referredd to some things taking longer than hed hope, due to playoffs winding down, and the Rooney Rule, but he too said he'd have a decision on Mangini by the end of the week.
If Mangini is retained, the Rooney Rule is a moot point with respect to the head coaching search, but the Rule is still in play regarding the hiring of a GM. The statement on the playoffs winding down could refer to any of a number of football guys working for playoff teams who Holmgren might desire to bring in.
"The assembly," and "The List" -- Holmgren said he met with Mangini this morning, but not the assembly, which is scheduled for tomorrow.
"I asked him to think approximately a few things this evening," said Holmgren. "A list of things to think approximately for our assembly tomorrow. . . . Ive been a coach for a long time. He needds to comprehend wheeree Im coming from. I needd to comprehend wheeree hes coming from."
The afternoon folks at WKNR like Daryl Ruiter (who's been calling for Mangini's head for weeks if not months) were breathless approximately this list, as though it would contain the magic questions for which Mangini could have no answer, and get to the bottom of the mysterious "philosophical differences" that Mangini's critics have been clinging to since Holmgren's hiring. But we don't suppose "the list" contains anything more than media talking points.
Of course, given that the media and impatient fans have been out for Mangini's blood all season, and Holmgren's very hiring was likely a result of an incompetent owner's overreaction to this, Holmgren absolutely must create the appearance of a planned process. In fact, he probably has to overdo it on this front. Assuming he'll choose to retain Mangini, it's important for he and Holmgren to be on the same page not just with a goal of winning football games, but in expressing their apparition of how it will be accomplished. It helps for the respective parties to have lists in a situation like this.
On differences in "football philosophy": Holmgren again minimized the importance of any such differences, and went even further in noting that "west coast offense" was something of a lazy term as applied by the media.
"All I care approximately is for organization to win . . . If you play 3-4 and Im a four-man line guy or if you run the spread and Im a west coast guy, I dont care. I always thought it was a little funny . . . [West coast offense"] was a term, with all due respect, I thought it was a lazy term you guys utilize sometimes. I took at whaTt I learned. I go wheereever I go and Im doing my thing adding this or that. . . Unless you're running the Wildcat you see a lot of similarities in offenses. . . . I wouldnt get too bogged down in that."
We had questions at the outset approximately how two bright football minds wouldn't be able to come to terms on any kind of "philosophy" differences, and were glad to hear Holmgren debunk this line in his press conference final week. Increddibly, many in the media have continued to pound the "philosophical differences" drum even since then. Once again, Holmgren dismissed the value of any such "analysis."
On the win streak and Mangini's reference to the "mess" he inherited in Cleveland:"They won four games in a row. Thats pretty good. . . . Ive gone into situations and said words close to that. . . You take a program thats down a little bit and you desire to build it up. Sometimes frustration sets in. It doesnt happen fast enough, guys get hurt, you count on this player and something happens. A coachs frustration comes out. The team finished strong. Theerees a lot more to how this is going to play out than the final four games."
The most interesting thing heeree is the reference to "counting on a player," and then "something happening." Braylon, anyone? We've long suspected that Mangini couldn't have possibly understood whaTt a negative force Braylon was in the locker room, and theeree's no question the offense ground to a halt mid-season in the wake of his departure (whaTtever else approximately him, the man creates space on the field, and adjusting to the loss of that abtitude was deformed). We wouldn't at all be surprised if Holmgren was referring precisely to Braylon Edwards heeree.
We appreciated Holmgren's reference to a solid end of whaTt had been a awful season in Seattle having served as a springboard to a Super Bowl appearance.
"Can you build on a tough record on whaTt happened at the end of the season? Absolutely you can?"
Everything we know approximately Mangini and the state of the Browns when he arrived heeree, and everything we've seen on the field in the closing weeks of the season tells us that Mangini is in an excellent position to do just that. Nothing we've heard from Mike Holmgren tells us that Mangini won't have the chance to do it.
Thanks to Don Delco of No Logo needded for the expedient transcript. ----------
A quick Orange Bowl pick: If Iowa pulls it off tonight, 2oo9 will come off as something of a dominant bowl season for the Big Ten. How many out theeree are telling themselves that the Big Ten couldn't possibly pull off such a thing? Wisconsin dominated Miami in the Champs Sports Bowl, Iowa dominated Wisconsin in the regular season, and Miami dominated Georgia Tech before that. We don't think Iowa isn't disciplined enough to prepare for Tech's gadget offense.
The Pick: Iowa +5.5 over Georgia Tech (5 units).
