Eric Mangini does not fare well in AOL's ranking of the best and worst NFL coaches.
The ranking is done by Dave Goldberg, who covered the NFL for the Associated Press for about 59 years. I point that out to say he's right — rankings are purely subjective — but to say that he's not some guy in a bar blogging, that he has some credibility because of his experience.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Why don't head coaches with minimal talent on the field (even if it's due to their own intentional doing) try something halfway resembling innovation? For example, they've all got those radio headsets sending in plays. No players walking in plays. Don't need to have a Manning brain to call plays on the fly. So why doesn't anybody do a no-huddle offense on every play? Confuse the defenses. Sam Wyche in overdrive. This is so obvious, but nobody does it. Instead, you've got boneheads like Mangini. Two yards and a cloud of dust. Woody Hayes minus a yard and a brain. A guy like Quinn could dink and dunk like crazy, and it would work.
Excuse me, Pat, but I do all my blogging in the comfort of my very own home. It would be very difficult to do it in a bar, unless you had a waterproof (and beer-proof) laptop. Oh, and the bar would have to have wireless internet. And the bartender would not mind if you parked your laptop on the bar. Also, you'd need to be left alone by the other besotted (that means drunk) customers, who would probably be shouting out their own fascinating opinions, and trying to get at your keyboard. Oh and… ah, you get the point.
Where does the 'national perspective' come from? I'd guess when compiling such a story they read a few local reports by writers whose former moles may have been canned in the offseason, while the drunks in the bars actually watch the team.
Who cares about the national media, or that you don't have great access anymore.
I know this, after three years the talent level took a small step up from when Savage took over. Look at all the people the released or got rid of – almost all of them are out of football.
Sure they lost to the Steelers again, but they had opportunities and where prepared to an extent. Open field tackling would help. They are taking baby steps. I am not ready to run this guy off yet, where does that get us. Another year of a gutted roster.
hahaha still not me….but that is funny!
Joe, how did the talent level take a step up? Just the opposite. Two out of the only three guys who could make plays on their own are gone. You say that the people released are almost all out of football, but if not for Mangini, the replacements wouldn't otherwise be near a football field, either.
Besides, why are you talking about Mangini as a GM? Dave Goldstein's piece was about NFL head coaches.
I am a penis
Pat:
Mangine has done a terrific job up to this point…
When he came here he got a team that did not hit in practice that showed little respect for their profession…who ran over their far too nice and forgiving coach….who stole stuff from hotels…who went to College games to the detriment of their team …who ran around barefoot on the practice field…an accident waiting to happen….The worst tackling team in football….A team that hadn't scored a TD in 7 games…THIS IS WHAT MANGINE TOOK OVER…
1)He Got rid of the Deadwood…Smith ..Winslow and Edwards…..
He tries to get every advantage he can going into games by not telling the opposition anything he doesn't have too…Is that so terrible…Quinn is stinking up the place …so he put Anderson in…Who is also stinking up the place but we did win a game….WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT HIM TO DO…
2) He worked the guys hard and they hit in practice and began to learn to tackle again..and at ever turn he has been attacked by guys like Patrick…
3) He was a bad buy for taking his Rookies to a Charity event in CT. teaching them that they need to give back…and I am sure the guys that went got back more then they gave….
4) He made the rules clear in Writing …In Team Meetings and in private Meeting when necessary…and when some guys didn't want to listen stole some small articles from the hotel (like they always had done) he was a bad guy for fining Millionaires $1700 at they had been told he would…WHAT A MONSTER HE IS….
5)He doesn't recognize His nose tackle Rodgers at an event In one of his first days in town…He is a horrible person says our Press…
6) He makes guys run laps in practice when they screw up…Ohhhh what a rotten coach…it is beneath the players to run laps…
7)Davis gets hurt practicing…Mangine's Fault…Where was He why wasn't he there….
We praise the stories about Bear Bryant and his Alabama Death camps that he used to bring together his Alabama Team when he first took over……We Admire the Marine corp..and their rigid training that brings them together like no other Service does..So close that they take care of each other for life….
Yet you idiots in the press…can do nothing but belittle the guy…I am sick of it….Shame on You….
I see the improvement….I see the guys coming together…The hitting in the games the much better tackling…..
I think Mangini has made the Right moves ..He is Building …Rome wasn't build in a day….Mangini is building Character…Building a team that Cleveland can someday be proud of…He will recapture The tradition of the Browns…I have far more Pride in this team then what we have had in the last 4 years…
The national press doesn't have a clue what is going on they get their feed from the Local press
bigmike, thanks for the report from an lsd soaked alternate reality.
OK, let's take this in your order:
1) He got rid of deadwood in Winslow and Edwards? He didn't even make the effort to add value to the only assets he had, both of which had previously been devalued. It's like having two Lexus cars that haven't been properly taken care of . Instead of taking care of them and getting back their substantial inherent value prior to selling them, he gave a rock bottom "buy it now" price to the first buyers on eBay.
2) He worked guys hard and taught them how to tackle again? They've been giving up a billion yards a game. What tackling? If that's the tackling they do when they're working hard, I'll hate to see how they tackle when they don't give a damn.
3) He took his rookies to a charity event? If by "took" you mean he shoved them in a bus for a 20-hour round trip while he ate the smoked salmon in first-class at 30,000 feet, then I guess he "took" them. As if there is no charity located right here in Cleveland, Ohio, the poorest city in the entire United States of America.
4) He made the rules clear in writing? So that justifies a $1,701 punishment for not paying for a plastic bottle? How? What would have happened if the player ordered porn on the hotel TV, would he have been waived?
5) He doesn't recognize the only guy on defense who made it to the Pro Bowl, and you think that is smart executive management? I don't know if Rogers' incompetence this season is a byproduct of Mangini's lack of people skills, but it sure can't help.
6) He makes guys run laps in practice if they screw up, and you think that's a good thing? These are grown men. That's high school crap. That's Marines crap. That's making guys hate practice crap. That's demoralizing crap. On a bad team, that's digging a 100-foot hole and making guys want to jump in just to avoid the head coach crap.
7) He tries to gain an advantage by not telling the opposition what he doesn't have to? What advantage? It's like not telling what color uniforms they intend to wear. And,telling the opposition about injuries was what he had to do, but decided he didn't.
Are you employed by the franchise, or what? He's building character? What wins games, character or talent? And Bear Bryant and Alabama? What? Bear Bryant wouldn't have lasted two minutes in today's NFL. He would have sucked 100 times worse than Lou Holtz sucked with the Jets.
And you actually have the nerve to say that Rome wasn't built in a day? Neither was Auschwitz. If Cleveland, Ohio is Rome, then Paris Hilton is a virgin.
It all starts at the top with Dandy Lerner.And oh, what a dandy!
Winslow… could catch but couldn't block and was constantly injured…Getting something for him was great…
Edwards …It had reached a point where he had to go…He could not stay here we got two players and two draft choices …It is the best we could do….and may work out very well for us…
Smith…you didn't mention him…I assume you agree with getting rid of him…
Your other comments are those of someone who can't see the Forrest for the trees….
Contracts were due to expire on those players. Free agency and money was the root cause for the trades.
What? Winslow and Edwards were going nowhere. Winslow had two years remaining on his contract, Edwards is going to be a RESTRICTED free agent at the end of this season. And if giving Winslow away to the first gal who hiked up her skirt was great, then how is it the gal thought he was so great a lay that she was eager to ink him to a record gigolo price. If Mangini would have made an effort to nurture the strong inherent value to what had previously been devalued, then he wouldn't have been pawned for one of the new semi-stiff rookie wide receivers. And speaking of stiffs, who cares about Shaun Smith. If you're going to punch Brady Quinn in the face, at least have the talent to back it up. A stiff.
You're wrong. I can see the forest for the trees. The trees are all Ailanthus trees. Also known as the Stink Tree.
So they were going to put a franchise tag on Edwards? Are you sure? Do you have some info that proves that statement? I believe that you are wrong in that guess. Winslow's trade was wrong, a knee-jerk reaction by Mangini and has backfired in his face. What did the organization acquire that trade?
Shaun Smith is no loss, so i agree with you on that.
..Bigmike34 is right about some things he's posted. A good example is CB McDonalds getting posterized every game, very embarassing for a professional football player to be brushed aside that way by that Viking running back. Lack of defensive talent has always been the Browns achilles.
They wouldn't have needed to put a franchise tag on Edwards. Different rules in 2010. Players will need six years of service before unrestricted free agency. And if it's an uncapped year in 2011, teams will be able to tag three guys in 2011, not just one. Edwards would have been totally screwed. But instead of using the strong leverage and handing off the offense to a strongly motivated Edwards and ballooning his value, Mangini the coach took a leak on him and Mangini the GM gave him away.
Bigmike – I agree with everything that you've said. Good post. I'll add the fact that our schedule to start the season has been brutal – especially for a team in transition like ours. We were very bad at the end of last season, had a ton of turnover on the roster and the offense is learning a whole new system (again). We've played 4 of our 1st 6 games on the road. Our opponents have consisted of two 6-0 teams, the defending Superbowl champs on the road, the Ravens on the road, who were in the AFC Championship game last year, the much improved Bengals (with Palmer back) who are tied for the division lead that have beaten both the Ravens and Steelers this year, and the 2-4 Bills on the road, the only team we've beaten. As fans, we need to be patient and see how the next 10 games go to see how the team progresses. We have 2 tough games coming up with GB at home and Chicago on the road, but after the bye, we play Detroit, Jax, KC and Oakland and our toughest games are at home with Balt, Pitts and SD. Cinci will also be tough on the road, but we almost beat them the 1st time, so we should have a chance at that one.
It has sickened me how the Cleveland media and the national media have slammed Mangini constantly, including making up lies about him. Yeah, impatient fans who blog and call into talk shows is one thing, but there's no excuse for the treatment of the new regime by the media, especially the local media. Does the Cleveland media want to try to run the team out of town or something? It makes me wonder the way they've been acting. At the end of last year, I thought the old regime should have been given one more year to turn things around. When they were fired, I wanted Brian Billick as our next coach. I got neither – Mangini was hired. I have come to really like the guy and I'm glad now that a change was made. The constant ridiculous criticism of Mangini makes me root for the guy even more. His draft is ridiculed, but it's way too early to tell how it will pan out. Let's see, Mack is progressing pretty well as the starting center. We have 2 rookie receivers that are finally getting some playing time. Of course, many ignorant fans are writing them off as busts already. It's a well-known fact that wide receiver is the 2nd toughest position to adjust to in the NFL game besides QB. Most receivers don't make much of an impact until their 2nd or 3rd year. Massaqoui has looked great at times, bad at other times. Robiskie is finally getting his feet wet. Veneike (sp?), our other 2nd round pick, is trying to adjust from DE in college to inside LB in the NFL, which is a tough transition and fans are calling him a bust already also.
I know others feel differently, but I think the new regime really needs 2 full years before we can truly judge them. I read things all the time from fans who say silly things like "Mangini is the worst NFL coach ever". Really? The WORST? Don't think you can call a coach who had 2 winning seasons in his first 3 years of being an NFL head coach the worst ever. I'm not saying that I know for sure that he'll be great either. My gut tells me that he will, though. If the Cavs don't win it all this year, I think Mangini will be the first coach to give Cleveland the championship that it craves so badly.
Somehow, Mangini affects terje the way terje affects Joyce. I hope it's not a sexual tension thing like on "Moonlighting."
Larry, as "We're just friends" becomes "We're lovers", to "We hate each other", so will the exciting blog tension pulsating through Ohio.com come to a sad end. Awesome pop culture reference to a show that just couldn't keep it up.
1 and 5, the team looks WORSE than it ever did under romeo and players and agents from all over the league view cleveland as a graveyard. yeah, things are going to get better under mangini who was canned by his last team DESPITE having 2 out of 3 winning seasons.
larry, i don't go for doughboys but i do hope joyce looks as good as cybil shepard did in the 80's. however, i can picture mangini taking pictures like this for his female staffers.
http://www.1stoppostershop.com/products/McGaw/celebrities/mg_GeorgeTheTimelessArtOfS.jpg
That's funny.