DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum The Interviews......continued

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I do wonder why no other teams have spoken about Mangini..is it just the Spygate thing ?

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I would say Spygate accompanied by the reports of him being a total jerk wad to work with are probably the two biggest reasons why.

Well..he's not a hot item..and if it is Spygate then it has the mistaken viewpoint..
Now if it's also how he treats his players..then I need to see something concrete..I do know several players said Mangini wasn't the reason they weren't in the playoffs..
Anyway..

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/

Cleveland Browns must wait until Sunday for Kokinis
by Tony Grossi Monday January 05, 2009, 12:20 PM


Courtesy: baltimoreravens.com

Browns to interview Kokinis
Parcells, Cowher staying put


The Browns won't be able to interview Baltimore director of pro personnel George Kokinis until Sunday at the earliest, said a source with knowledge of the situation.

Kokinis is involved in preparations for the Ravens' divisional playoff game against Tennessee. The game will be played on Saturday. The Ravens don't want anything to interfere with their game preparations.

If the Ravens win and advance to the AFC Championship Game, they have set aside Sunday as an available date for interviews. Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan would also be able to interview for various head coach jobs at that time.

The Ravens have let the Browns know that Kokinis could leave the team only for a position that contractually gives him full authority over football operations. Whether the title is general manager or something else, he would essentially have the same authority with the Browns that Phil Savage had.

Kokinis has never had that in his 18 years with the old Browns and now Ravens.

Cleveland Browns must wait until Sunday for Kokinis
by Tony Grossi
Monday January 05, 2009, 12:18 PM


Courtesy: baltimoreravens.com

Browns to interview Kokinis
Parcells, Cowher staying put


The Browns won't be able to interview Baltimore director of pro personnel George Kokinis until Sunday at the earliest, said a source with knowledge of the situation.

Kokinis is involved in preparations for the Ravens' divisional playoff game against Tennessee. The game will be played on Saturday. The Ravens don't want anything to interfere with their game preparations.

If the Ravens win and advance to the AFC Championship Game, they have set aside Sunday as an available date for interviews. Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan would also be able to interview for various head coach jobs at that time.

The Ravens have let the Browns know that Kokinis could leave the team only for a position that contractually gives him full authority over football operations. Whether the title is general manager or something else, he would essentially have the same authority with the Browns that Phil Savage had.

Kokinis has never had that in his 18 years with the old Browns and now Ravens.


nordawg

Showing my ignorance, how much do these front office guys do once they reach the playoffs? Is he that involved with the gameday preparations?

But, perhaps they're doing this just because they don't want the distractions that come with job interviews, etc. And, I completely understand that.

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Showing my ignorance, how much do these front office guys do once they reach the playoffs? Is he that involved with the gameday preparations?

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I was wondering that too...

Well 79 it does say

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The Ravens don't want anything to interfere with their game preparations.

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and the ball is in there court, so we either move on or wait...

nordawg

Has there been any word yet on Mckay being interviewed?

As far as GM candidates this is the guy I was most interested in. I guess that depends on who he would want to bring in as HC because that is my problem with Pioli.

j/c on you. But I see all these rumors about how Jets players hated Mangini, hard to work for, etc......

So I thought I would show the other side of the coin.........

Jets players sad to see Mangini go

The firing of Jets coach Eric Mangini was met with shock and surprise by players Monday as they bagged their belongings and headed off into the offseason.

Almost to a man, players said they didn't see it coming and insisted they Mangini didn't lose the team. Several players said off the record that quarterback Brett Favre, not Mangini, is most responsible for their epic collapse.

Favre, of course, threw two touchdowns and nine interceptions in the final five games, four losses.

What's more, players said privately that the organization is simply trying to make a big splash with a high-profile coach as it prepares to enter their new stadium and Mangini was the sacrificial lamb. The organization, players said, wanted to act quickly so they could go after Bill Cowder before another team grabbed him.

Mangini addressed the team briefly at noon.

``Certain things you don't see coming and it catches you off guard,'' said cornerback Ty Law. ``It's unfortunate. Eric is a great coach. He deserves better, especially from us as players. ... No, he didn't lose the team. The guys were behind him 100 percent. To say he lost the locker room, no.''

``I'm surprised. I didn't see it coming,'' echoed tight end Chris Baker. ``The way this business is, you have to expect the unexpected, though.''

``Eric and I are good friends,'' said cornerback Darrelle Revis. ``I''m sure he's going to be somewhere else next year.''

Safety Kerry Rhodes pointed to the Jets' effort in their 24-17 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday as proof that they didn't quit on Mangini.

``We came out and we still fought,'' said Rhodes.

``Everyone played a role (in Mangini getting fired),'' said wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery. ``We should've done better as players. I could've done a better job of making plays. Eric is a good guy. It's tough to see him go.''

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2008/12/jets_players_sad_to_see_mangin.html


Jets players' cell phones began ringing shortly after 8 a.m. yesterday morning with the news Eric Mangini no longer was their coach.

Four hours later Mangini stood before them to wish them luck and say goodbye in a team meeting one player called "awkward."

As Mangini left the stage after speaking for about two minutes, the players applauded. Though most players weren't crying over Mangini's dismissal, they were not dancing about it either.

"Had this been two years ago I would say probably guys would have been relieved more than anything," tight end Chris Baker said. "I think this year he kind of won the guys over in the locker room by changing some of the things we had done in the past. When a lot of these guys came in we were like, 'Oh you don't know what you're in for.' But he changed enough where we enjoyed coming over to the building and working together and things like that."

Mangini's popularity grew this year, but no one would say he was beloved by players. The move was a surprise to the players, who figured Mangini was safe as long as Mike Tannenbaum was general manager.

"I was definitely surprised," Baker said. "Eric and Mike are really close. They basically came up together. It came so quickly. I didn't see it coming. I was surprised by it. It is a business we're all in."

Some players blamed themselves for Mangini's firing. The team lost four of its last five games to finish 9-7 and miss the playoffs.

"I feel that we let him down, and we could have done a better job of making plays," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "It's tough. Eric is a great guy. ... It's just tough to see him go."

Mangini spent the hours after learning of his termination reaching out to the players and coaches he worked with in New York. He told the players to stick together and offered his former assistant coaches assistance in finding jobs if they are let go by his successor.

Friends of Mangini described him as being sad yesterday, but not bitter. He did not expect the firing, but accepted the decision made by the organization.

Nose tackle Kris Jenkins seemed the most upset about the change.

"He's a real man," Jenkins said. "He doesn't do what everyone says he should do. He goes his own way, for better or worse."

Jenkins then summed up life in the NFL: "This is a great game and a terrible business."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12302008/sports/jets/manginis_firing_catches_players_off_guar_146469.htm

I don't really see anything there "not to like".

And the Browns players where sad to see RAC go

wouldn't it be funny if we got this guy, and then the rats rehired savage.....lol

As always, there's two sides to every story..

I got a partcular kick out of the comment about the Jets wanting to make a splash and nab Cowher....LOL Man, if all you want to do is make a splash, you don't fire your HC before you have some idea that a deal could get done.

Cowher had been saying all along that he wanted to sit out the 2009 season... I guess the Jets owner thought he could offer the moon and stars and still get him.. if that's really the case, the owner is an idiot.....

Man you are all about Mangini ... Are you going to get a cut on his sweat shirt sales , or what ...

I just I could find a Cowher or Marty Clone ... Now we be talikn Pal ...

By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist

POSTED: 12:14 p.m. EST, Jan 05, 2009

The Browns seem prepared to move down the road toward hiring Eric Mangini as their coach and George Kokinis as their personnel guru.

This train seems loaded. Whether it rolls will be answered when Kokinis interviews, and that won't happen until Sunday (according to Cleveland.com).

Mangini impressed Browns owner Randy Lerner greatly in an interview, and Kokinis (the Baltimore Ravens' director of pro personnel) is very close to Mangini, dating to their days working for Bill Belichick in Cleveland.

The moves will be scrutinized.

This isn't the hiring of Bill Cowher or Mike Shanahan or Mike Holmgren, and Lerner knows that he might have to ''sell'' the new team that will run his team.

But he feels strongly that this new team will help the Browns win.

And that's what matters to him. Because when all is said and done, all the questions about Mangini this or Kokinis that will go away — if the Browns win.

Lerner has remained mum about the hires, instead choosing to bury himself in the job. But discussions with NFL folks who have talked to people who have been interviewed and with other NFL folks who have observed the process have painted a picture of how the Browns got to this point.

They did it by making a decision that it didn't necessarily matter if the coach or GM were hired first and by making some judgments about the qualifications wanted in a coach.

Two factors were key, both of which sprung from the four-year experience with GM Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel.

That pair wound up not seeing eye to eye, and differences between them affected the team's ability to win, especially last season.

Lerner did not want a repeat.

So he insisted that the two people whom he hired be able to work together, which means they had to know each other and get along.

He also saw that Crennel hired two coordinators who eventually were replaced. A rookie coach, his research showed, was more likely to make mistakes with his key hires than one who had been through the battles.

That led him to conclude that the Browns of today need a coach with head coaching experience.

As Lerner studied and reflected on the experience of Belichick, he also decided that the best thing that the New England Patriots did was to create an environment where he could succeed. Forget Belichick's personality, forget the media complaints — make it where the guy can win and let him do his job.

That's what Lerner decided the best thing would be for the Browns — find the right guy, then create the environment and circumstances where he could win.

Lerner did not enter the search determined to find a GM or coach first. He instead focused on finding the ''right guy'' for either job.

Before interviewing, he went to several teams to ask: Who makes the decision on personnel?

With the Pittsburgh Steelers, decisions are agreed on by all, and the owner breaks any tie.

Other teams gave different answers. One team said the coach, another the GM, and others said it had to be a complete team decision.

That led Lerner to conclude that the most important thing was to find people who could work together.

Thus he requested and was granted permission to interview Kokinis, a come-from-nowhere dark horse who entered the picture because he and Mangini are very close. Clearly Mangini recommended him, and Lerner believes strongly enough in Mangini that he is willing to consider and perhaps go with Kokinis.

This gives a lot of influence to a guy who was fired from the New York Jets. But Lerner was intrigued the second that he heard Mangini had been fired.

He called him quickly, and when he interviewed Mangini, Lerner was more than impressed with Mangini's knowledge, his ability to explain that knowledge and his ability to show he could apply it.

He liked Mangini's plans for everything from putting in a disciplinary structure (something the Browns think was missing with Crennel) to how to run training camp to how to game-plan for a specific opponent.

He found him to be anything but ''Romeo Light,'' the term being used to knock Mangini's candidacy by those who thought that he was another hire just like Crennel.

These feelings blended well with other studies the Browns had conducted, studies that favored hiring a coach who had experience in one place but was still young in his development.

The team thinks that this would get the coach on the good side of the learning curve, so to speak, because he could learn from his mistakes.

Other candidates

It's why the Browns decided not to wait on Mike Shanahan, who had worked almost his entire NFL career with one owner and who wanted to take two weeks off after that owner fired him.

The Browns reached out to Shanahan several times, but eventually viewed him as being too emotional to take another job so quickly.

Brian Billick's approach did not fit what they wanted.

Mike Holmgren was committed to taking a year off.

There was never a real desire to go back to a Marty Schottenheimer.

And when Cowher said thanks but no thanks, the feeling grew that perhaps some of these coaches were just too entrenched with their former team. That no matter how hard a guy like Cowher tried, he would always be a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Scott Pioli interviewed to be the GM, but there has been no indication that he was eager to leave the Patriots, much less join the Browns.

Rich McKay of the Atlanta Falcons was considered strongly, but he delayed his interview and did not seem eager. His hiring also would entail hiring a personnel man and a coach, and Lerner evidently thought that he could accomplish the same thing without the extra layer of management with Mangini and Kokinis.

Deciding to hire a coach with some experience but not one entrenched and branded with a team limited the pool, especially because Lerner also did not want to wait for a coach in the playoffs.

Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey coached the Buffalo Bills for two years but was not viewed as having the same strategic abilities as Mangini.

Cam Cameron and Dick LeBeau are with playoff teams.

Back to Mangini

Which leads the road back to Mangini, a Belichick-trained assistant who rose quickly with the Patriots to become defensive coordinator before he took the job with the Jets.

There are positives about him, starting with three years of head coaching experience and two winning seasons.

He is bright, organized (perhaps to a fault) and a workaholic.

He started his career as an intern in the Browns' public relations department, and when the Jets visited Cleveland two years ago, he sent the media lunch with a note that said: ''I don't forget where I came from.''

Concerns come mainly from his personality rather than his football IQ. He was said to be very difficult to work for, especially in his first season.

He ended the past season terribly, as an 8-3 record turned into a 9-7 finish. Losses came to the Miami Dolphins in the finale, but also to the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. Between them, they won 16 games.

Some point to the fact that quarterback Brett Favre had a terrible December, and that Favre was foisted on Mangini late in training camp by owner Woody Johnson and GM Mike Tannenbaum.

Mangini also was criticized for some of the same on-field decisions that Crennel heard criticism. Field goals vs. touchdowns. Punting vs. kicking a field goal. Some of those calls, especially in a late-season loss to the Seahawks, did not sit well with Jets fans and media.

The Browns think that he will learn from those mistakes (if they were mistakes) and grow given a second chance.

Finally, Mangini is cut from the Belichick cloth that a hamstring injury is a ''leg'' injury and the timetable for return is ''day to day.'' He also wants a cone of silence around his team and reportedly fined players for talking about injuries and/or saying more to the media than he liked.

Hopefully he'll learn that being honest about injuries and being honest in general really does not affect who wins or loses. Especially because he's walking into an environment where fans are frustrated and being open will help heal some of the wounds.

Bottom line is winning

The Browns, and Lerner, understand the questions.

They don't hide from them. They just believe that the positives outweigh the negatives, and that a guy who is willing to learn and grow will be better the second time because of the things that happened the first.

Too, they see some of these things as decorations on the cake.

What matters to Lerner, and the team, is winning.

In a sense, this is the first time that Lerner has stepped with both feet into the operations of his team. John Collins was team president when Savage and Crennel were hired, and he had as much to do with their hiring as anyone.

Mike Keenan now is the team's president, but he's more of a financial/business guy. Lerner is making these hires.

He wants a coach with experience working with a front office guy whom he can trust and work together with.

No matter who was hired first, coach or GM, Lerner was going to ask the same question: Can you work with (insert name here)? If he found two people who could work together, his job was then to create an environment where the two could succeed.

He knows that he will have to sell this team, but he believes that he's on the right track.

And he believes that the wins and losses will justify sending the train out of the station.


nordawg

.. " There was never a real desire to go back to a Marty Schottenheimer... "

And the reason not to look at Marty as a GM ???? .. To strong for ya Randy ?

Thanks for the article,,,,

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The Browns reached out to Shanahan several times, but eventually viewed him as being too emotional to take another job so quickly.

Brian Billick's approach did not fit what they wanted.

Mike Holmgren was committed to taking a year off.

There was never a real desire to go back to a Marty Schottenheimer.

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Not 100% sure of the accuracy, but each statement is very believable and seems right to me.

THe further comments on Pioli, Mularky, McKay (I can't believe he wasn't 100% interested in the Browns), Labeau and Cameron all make sense.

Didn't see any mention of Rex Ryan or Spagnoulo. I was under the impression an interview had taken place with Spags,,, not sure if one occured or was even asked for with Ryan.

All in all, I don't know how accurate this article is, but for once, it seems totally believeable as to what's going on.

If all goes well, this time next week, we'll know who our new guys are..

Oh please , not that old Junkin crap again ... Marty as a GM working with an up and coming Young HC. .. Yea I could deal with that .. A guy who Knows Cleveland , who could could mentor a Coach .. I for one believe in a GM and HC working together on Draft day as well as FA.. Marty knows what its like to have a GM stepping all over you ( as well an Owner ) ..

"But discussions with NFL folks who have talked to people who have been interviewed and with other NFL folks who have observed the process have painted a picture of how the Browns got to this point."

With sources like that,Patrick has his finger on the pulse of this situation.

He has his finger on the pulse of the guy who did the examination of the guy who had his finger on the pulse of the situation.

Post deleted by Referee6

nordawg

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I'll let you look it up BC...but and up is part of it....I was awake enough to ask questions but out of it enough not to remember what i asked..


Browns need a proven winner as next head coach
COMMENT: Who should coach the Browns?
By Sean McClelland

Staff Writer

Monday, January 05, 2009

Retiring Cleveland Browns linebacker Willie McGinest had this to say on an NFL Network show over the weekend:

"Whatever coach comes into that system is going to have to crack the whip and get them organized. There's a lot of talent on that team, you just have to put it all together."

It's the most scathing indictment yet of fired head coach Romeo Crennel (who should not, by the way, be invited back as defensive coordinator under any circumstances). And this from a guy who always seemed to have Crennel's back, someone handpicked by the coach to provide veteran leadership.

McGinest confirms what we suspected: Crennel would make a nice neighbor, but in finding the right buttons to push on an NFL team, he more resembled your dopey uncle.

The trick now for owner Randy Lerner is not to swing too far the other way. Yes, you want more discipline. No, you don't need to dig up Vince Lombardi.

Assuming Mike Shanahan isn't interested, the Browns should explore the possibility of Brian Billick, who has a career record of 80-64 and won a Super Bowl, you may remember, with Trent Dilfer playing quarterback.

Billick had a reputation for being a "player's coach" in Baltimore and that works against him, but I'm not sure that makes fired New York Jets coach and alleged frontrunner Eric Mangini, with a three-year record of 23-25, a better option.

It's worrisome, because Mangini hasn't won anything, and the Browns desperately need someone who has.


nordawg

....I just have to wonder IF Mr. Lerner Really knows what he is doing and IF he is dedicated to building a Winner....How can he seriously look any Browns Fan in the eye and say that Kokinis is going to be better than Mr. Savage ?....They both came from the same place = Baltimore and both had the same amount of experience as a NFL GM = No Experience ....IF we fail to hire an Experienced and Successful GM , it just will confirm to me that Mr.Lerner doesn't get it.....Besides Kokinis comes from Baltimore and wouldn't you assume that he also has the same management style as Mr. Savage ?.....

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Assuming Mike Shanahan isn't interested, the Browns should explore the possibility of Brian Billick, who has a career record of 80-64 and won a Super Bowl, you may remember, with Trent Dilfer playing quarterback.

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Wonderful,,, let's hire Billick and see what a mess he turns this place into ... he's so hated around here, Lerner would have vitrually no chance to sell that to the Fans...

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Besides Kokinis comes from Baltimore and wouldn't you assume that he also has the same management style as Mr. Savage ?.....

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Mammal i really don't agree....I was 1 of 14 foreman from a construction company i worked for....Even though a handful of us did the bigger jobs we ran them differantly...Everybody's different....so until someone proves they can't do something ...show me what you got..

nordawg

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They both came from the same place = Baltimore and both had the same amount of experience as a NFL GM

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I grew up in the same house as my brother and sister, and we were all raised by the same parenting system. That being said, we all see and do a lot of things very differently. "Guilty by association" doesn't necessarily have to happen here.

Maybe Kokonis will do a worse job than Savage, maybe the same, or maybe better. The bottom line is that he is NOT Savage.

Also, don't you think it would be a little different if we brought in a rookie GM, but had an experienced coach for him to work with?

And, who's to say that Savage/RAC wouldn't have worked if they had been on the same page?

Thanks for the article Nordawg. Good read. Outside of more talks with Pioli or new talks with Shanahan, I guess we already know our guy is. I was worried about Mangini's toughness or jerkiness....but that lunch story was awfuly nice to hear.

We'll see.......

I wonder if one of the questions Randy asked was, "What would you do with our QB's?"