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http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/48708362.html

Browns need to put end to secrecy

Mangini reveals little about injuries, plays

By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Sunday, Jun 21, 2009

BEREA: Every Wednesday through Friday during the regime of former Browns coach Bill Belichick, a member of the public relations department dutifully reported to the press room overlooking the practice field to lower the blinds.

Shortly afterward, former Beacon Journal Browns beat writer Ed Meyer would prop his binoculars between the blinds' slats.

While Meyer merely hoped to tug Belichick's chain, his action now represents to me a form of silent protest against the paranoia and secrecy Belichick brought to Berea. Way ahead of his peers in the 1990s, Meyer responded by acquiring the latest electronic devices available to record telephone calls. Little did we know that Belichick was probably way ahead of Meyer.

With Belichick disciple Eric Mangini now running the show in Berea, spyware is back in vogue. At least when it comes to binoculars.

If the recently concluded offseason training activities and minicamps were any indication, the Hubble telescope might be more appropriate for those trying to tell the public what's happening with its beloved football team.

To his credit, Mangini opened more practices than the league required. But for the most part, the media were restricted to standing behind a sand pit, aka ''the sand box,'' beside Belichick's old training hill. The spot up against the fence was not close to the nearest sideline and light-years away when drills were conducted two fields over. A second-floor window of a nearby condo would have been a better vantage point.

Reporters might not be confined to the same area during training camp, which opens Aug. 1. Public relations director Neal Gulkis said Friday, ''As far as camp goes, nothing's been set yet.'' Gulkis has seen other teams with severe restrictions, including those coached by Bill Parcells, whose media were once confined to a tent. With his former team, the Miami Dolphins (where Parcells is executive VP of football operations), Gulkis said reporters sit in a cordoned-off area in the bleachers.

Under Romeo Crennel, the former Browns coach and former Belichick defensive coordinator, media were allowed to walk the fields' perimeter during camp to get closer to the drills they wanted to see.

Training camp practices will be fully open (at least to the media) through the second weekend of preseason games,
which for the Browns is Aug. 22. After that they will be open to the press for at least the first 30 minutes, which includes little more than stretching. So if the Browns' quarterback battle between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson continues through the third preseason game Aug. 29, the final few crucial days will be conducted mainly behind closed doors.

Injury reports

The mandatory minicamp illustrated another maddening trait of Mangini's — to reveal as little as possible about injuries, which he thinks is a matter of competitive advantage. Anderson came out with a sleeve on his lower right leg on the afternoon of June 12 and wore a heavier wrap June 13. Asked whether it was a minor injury, Anderson said, ''You'll have to ask coach about that.'' When it was suggested that it wouldn't affect his golf game, Anderson replied, ''Who knows?''

Mangini categorized Anderson's problem as ''bumps and bruises,'' which was not breaking any rule. He doesn't have to get specific until Sept. 9, when his first regular-season injury report comes out.

During his three years as coach of the New York Jets, Mangini frustrated reporters with his vagueness about injuries. A notable incident arose last October, when Dan Leberfeld of Jets Confidential pressed Mangini on whether kicker Mike Nugent had a hamstring injury, listed only as ''leg.'' Mangini wouldn't budge, telling Leberfeld, ''We're 21/2 years into this process. It's something that I believe in and something that we've consistently done, and I don't anticipate changing any time in the near future.''

Greg Aiello, NFL senior vice president of public relations, said a policy has been in place for five years that injury reports have to be specific about body parts.

''It has to be knee, ankle, hand, wrist, shoulder, elbow,'' Aiello said. ''Leg is not permitted.''

Aiello said Mangini ''follows the rules.''

''He may not do more than the minimum,'' Aiello said. ''But we didn't have a problem with the Jets as far as complying with the rules. Some media get frustrated when you won't go beyond what's on the injury report. But we don't require more than that.''

At a meeting with Browns beat writers in February, Mangini said he would continue to list injuries as ''leg.''

Specific plays

Mangini is just as obsessive about reporting on specific plays or formations. One reporter was chastised for writing that Mangini ran a flea flicker during a minicamp practice. When I brought up the subject during a one-on-one session, saying everyone practices flea flickers, Mangini wouldn't budge.

The following week, Anderson ran a penalty lap for a botched trick play that was not his fault. Because it happened on a day when Anderson and Quinn struggled in practice, the only three reporters remaining in the press room discussed how they could get this into the paper without breaking the Mangini code.

Practically seconds later, one reporter's cell phone rang. It was Gulkis, who said he had forgotten to reiterate Mangini's policy of not reporting trick plays after the previous week's transgression. The other two reporters also received calls from Gulkis, as did at least one other media member who was not present at the time.

Coincidence? To quote Anderson, who knows?

My former boss, the late Dayton Daily News sports editor Si Burick, loathed complaining by the media. He once yanked a column by Hal McCoy on how difficult it was to cover the 1981 Super Bowl from the paper in between editions, sending that day's layout editor (me) into a frenzy as he proclaimed, ''Nobody cares about our problems.''

With Mangini, we already know the drill. He's the third coach most of us have covered from the Belichick tree, counting the mighty oak himself. These daily annoyances might not affect the win total, but could play a part in how fans connect with the team.

Whether or not the secrecy bothers you, keep one thing in mind: When you pack the car for training camp, don't forget the binoculars.

Marla Ridenour is the AFC North representative for the Pro Football Writers of America.
She can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns.

Never mind the media, I'm a bit interested to see how TC will be handled with respect to the public. SackDawg and I have already discussed wanting to go up to Berea a coupla times to see what a Mangini camp is like. Now I'm curious.

Just win games and we'll gladly sacrifice the life (or perhaps just career) of one member of the media every week. Drop them in to the volcano bound and writhing. The press's love of Romeo and his entertaining of them did zip, zero, zilch for what really matters. If Mangini thinks keeping it like a secret is going to help win games them more power to him.

Mangini's and Belicheck's secrecy tactics are tactics of the weak and paranoid.

I suggest you read "The art of war" by Sun Tzu

I read this article and thought the same thing as the title. Oh boo...

I mean, its not like Romeo ever gave the press anything when he talked, it was all just mumbo-jumbo useless jargon that John Madden even thought was basic straight-forward information.

Listening to Romeo talk I felt like he wasnt hiding anything, and that we had a coach that made John Madden look in depth and insightful.

I hear Mangini's words and they impress me. Mostly because they confuse me...Not like the words are too big because they arent, but because they sound like he's not telling you something, and while the media hates it because it leaves their columns to become these things, I enjoy it because it sounds like theres something to be hidden.

Does Belichick have the same type of secrecy in New England that he had here? Does anyone know?

And I don't see a lot of Boston reporters bitching about not being able to see plays in OTA's.

If keeping things hidden away from the media is what Mangini thinks will work, then go for it. If it works, the media will have a lot better time covering a 12-4 team as opposed to a 4-12 team.

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If keeping things hidden away from the media is what Mangini thinks will work, then go for it. If it works, the media will have a lot better time covering a 12-4 team as opposed to a 4-12 team.

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Exactly. I'm willing to let Mangini do what he wants to do if he thinks that it's going to make us a better team. Romeo Crennel's media policy obviously didn't work, we went 6-10, 4-12, 10-6, then 4-12? last year. Crennel failed, new guy comes in and should be allowed to do things his way.

I could care less about the Cleveland Media, and no offense to fans, but could care less about where people are allowed to stand during summer camp. I am not from Cleveland, or anywhere near Cleveland, but I go to a game once a year, and I watch the other 15 (because that's all it's been lately) on tv at bars or wherever I can.

And it's those 16 games that I truly care about. Period

Come on folks. You can't be serious. If the media doesn't have access how are they going to stroke the flames of the QB controversy, or creating a rumor of locker room cancer. What will they write about?


/sarcasm off

Mangini is the lighten up version of Belicheck and his other mentor Parcells. As for the respect the media gets...hey they dug their own with how they treated Mangini when he first came here and had to put the team together without breaking away from his valuable time to feed the local media so they can do their weekly columns with all regurgitated the hand fed diatribe.

So they went and villified Mangini. Now they want respect...lol

Belicheck? What do you guys think. He's won 3 super bowls and has complete control in NE you think he's feeding them info and cowtowing to them...lol

Parcells has them roped off in a corner somewhere or in a tent - Pioli in KC I'm sure he's got a open book policy there Denver probably tight but McDaniel probably of the least control of the picture a lot will be dictated by the owner in Denver.

These whiners just went through Mini-Camps open to them - MORE THAN WHAT WAS REQUIRED and they Whine. So buy a set of $50 binoculars and view closely what you want. Fact is they want to hear any bickering or any tongue lashing given out so they can write about some proposed controversy like their MADE UP CRAPOLA about Rogers and Mangini and their RIFT that was just too far for repair

Every Presser that I have seen by the HC or one of the main Asst. OC or DC. Was followed by a week full of regurgitation from each and every reporter. In this day n age of Multi-media where we can see the presser ourselves. What good are they really. If they cannot go and dig up info that we are not also privy to. Then they should be prepared to be replaced by the INTERNET!

JMHO

i don't know what you are talking about.....

1. Shaun Rogers and Mangini will never be able to get along.
2. Cribbs and Dawson's contract negotiations are beyond the point of repair.
3. Braylon Edwards is going to be shipped out of town any day now...

those are all facts reported by our media and cannot be refuted. just don't pay attention to Rogers taking a leadership role at mini-camps or Cribbs meeting with team officials and showing up to mini-camp anyway. And definitely don't pay attention to the fact that #17 is still on the team.

the media is just looking for an angle to get people to click on their links...one day all former Jets players hated playing for Mangini because he is a horrible man....the next day Kokinis is signing too many former Jets players that are lining up at the door for the chance to play for Mangini again. it's pretty comical.

I've come to the conclusion that the "news" has just become organized tabloids. It's all about sensationalism, and not about the news itself. It's how our society in general has become.

Ever notice how the most controversial, annoying, arrogant self-center SoB never gets voted off the reality show til late in the season? I find it hard to believe that's not planned that way, because that's what our society wants to see, controversy.

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Then they should be prepared to be replaced by the INTERNET!

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Pssst ... not sure if you've noticed ...

The Boston Globe ... there parent company (NYT .. kinda ironic isn't it .. *L*) ... threatened to close there doors not more than a month ago ..

NYT - HEMMORAGING MONEY and on the brink of bankruptcy ...

Chicago Tribune - losing money hand over fist ..

Washington Post - very very sickly ...

USA Today - circulation is way down over the last decade ... not sure how hard they been hit lately ..

other than the WSJ I do not know of any other "daily" newspaper that is not suffering big time and has not had MAJOR LAYOFFS and RE-STRUCTURING over the last 5 years ...

my point .. THEY'VE PRETTY MUCH ALL READY BEEN REPLACED by the internet ..

agreed.

when thinking about the source of this article, ohio.com has always been slow on and lacking in articles yet they complain about the lack of info. plain dealer sucks and has just turned into a profootballtalk model, where they just link to other's news and every once in a while, makes up crap to try to grab readers. the only place i've been satisfied for news is the cantonrep. they still try.

It's been more than a decade since I read it but I don't remember the chapter on stiffing the media.

It seems to me that they should worry more about their opponents than the Cleveland Plain Dealer or the Akron Beacon Journal.

Are they providing information that gives our opponents a competitive edge? If so then I understand limiting that information.

But they're not, this is a form of entertainment, and sports readers constitute a large portion of newspaper readership.

To me this is unnecessarily creating an additional enemy. And if I may let me direct you to Mark Twain: "Never pick a fight with a man who buys his ink by the barrel."

IMO the media just creates controversy because they pick every little thing and try to turn it into something it isn't. And that alone would be reason for me to want to keep them at bay.

It's hard enough to take control of a new team, new players, new coaches, and try to teach a new system and get things in line and running smoothly without every wannabe reporter trying to rile the masses.

You'll see when the NFL network shows up they will have full access. Why? Most likely because they report the basics, what they see, how the team is coming along, not made up intentionally misinterpreted crap, which is what most local media outlets are best known for.

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It seems to me that they should worry more about their opponents than the Cleveland Plain Dealer or the Akron Beacon Journal.

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By keeping the media at a distance, isn't that pretty much what they are doing?

No they're creating an adversary by unnecessarily complicating their job.

A smart coach would foster a relationship with the local press based on respect.

Mangini has simply slammed the door shut.

Parcells and Belicheck are dumb coaches?

there is always more than one way to be successful, this is the way Mangini learned.

i don't think mangini really shut the door. all of mangini's pressers are full of info, way more than rac's. just because he doesn't want to talk about specific injuries doesn't mean he doesn't talk about the practice, his philosophies, and how specific players are progressing. he even allowed the coordinators to talk about what they're going to do in their crafts, i.e. how special teams will address the wedge difference and the defense's plan for the 4-6. it just so happens the media isn't satisfied because mangini, the plumber, fixed all the leaks.

i don't think mangini was disrespectful by any means to the media. i would also say that mangini, in his time here, has been charismatic and witty; he seems like a fun guy to talk football with. the media is simply blinded because, again, he made their jobs harder.

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A smart coach would foster a relationship with the local press based on respect.

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You think the local media would show him the same respect if the Browns started 0-10?

Just from the point of view of the reporters.

They have jobs and they need to produce so many articles and so many column inches. What happens when the information spigot gets turned off?

Speculation.

They're not going to stop reporting because of a lack of information. It's just an ugly situation.

I would approach it another way if I was the coach. There's the opportunity for a partnership to be struck regarding the dissemination of information. Mangini isn't going about it that way and that's his perogative. It's unfortunate.

"Are they providing information that gives our opponents a competitive edge? If so then I understand limiting that information.
But they're not"

They are not? Says who? btw most of that article had to deal with Injuries and the lack of information given to them.

As for your comparison - As other posters pointed out. Parcells, Belicheck and Coughlin for that matter are not good coaches. Oh as for that perfect relationship of info to the media, look no further than RAC as his camp was open to all including the players.

Held - you've been against the Mangini hire since day one. But come on how can you side with the media...the guy/gal is complaining that their view wasn't good enough at camp but access was there over and beyond what was needed.

Also proven was Mangini tells no more than what he has to by the NFL guidelines regarding injuries. Probably more than what Belicheck does.

JMHO

The reporters have jobs to do too.

I think Mangini is missing an oppty to start off on the right foot.

And I didn't like how Belicheck conducted himself in Cleveland before dealing with the media.

And if you don't like my opinion, you can:

A. Pound sand
B. Go fly a kite
C. Take a long walk off a short pier.

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I think Mangini is missing an oppty to start off on the right foot.

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It seemed to me that the media might have started off on the wrong foot. Different members of the media attacked Mangini from the start.

They go after him about the Shaun Rogers thing and they go after him about removing a mural, which was not gotten rid of but taken somewhere else.

I'm pretty sure i'm correct when I say that the media immediately went after Mangini......... And i hate the Cleveland Media sometimes. Sure they give us our news, but they also seem to try to start trouble.

I realized this years ago when Mary Kay Cabot asked Dennis Northcutt how he felt being replaced as a starter by Braylon and if he felt that Braylon deserved his spot. What a stupid question, how does this help OUR team? She might live next to Cleveland, but she's no Cleveland Browns fan

So yeah, I say make them stand in the freezing cold/rain and be miserable because they suck

I for one am on that long list of people who cannot stand the Cleveland media, I could care less how difficult it is for them to get their info. I think they, as a group, have already proved to to be untruthful and misleading in many of their articles. To say that Mangini needs to earn their respect is laughable, it's definately the other way around. Mangini's success in Cleveland is based on how he runs the team,not on how much ammo he gives the media to use to spew negativity.

After seeing years of how awful the Cleveland media can be regarding our teams, I don't blame Mangini one bit.

Yes, the media has a job to do... and I think that Mangini's approach of "that's not my problem t worry about" is perfectly fine. He is here to coach this team, not feed writers. God forbid the writers actually do something like talk football. I mean, seriously, do we REALLY need multiple writers for the same paper covering the Browns in June?

Perhaps one of them could show off their football savvy by running a series of educational articles covering things like offensive lines, the 3-4 defense, etc... nope, they need to have their job spoon-fed to them. They just want to collect sound bites, regurgitate them as quickly as possible in a semi-accurate way, skip spell-check and move on to the next day.

going along with that thought, the blog No Logo Needed (who is often linked by the plan dealer now) ran a GREAT piece about getting to know mangini. they did really great research on mangini, the player, the college player, the assistant graduate, the nfl assistant, jets coach, etc. very comprehensive research that includes a lot of perspective from people who were around him through out the years, from his college coaches to the writers for the jets media. i didn't post because it's a blog but it's a great read and their work puts at least the PD to shame.

He knows this:

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My former boss, the late Dayton Daily News sports editor Si Burick, loathed complaining by the media. He once yanked a column by Hal McCoy on how difficult it was to cover the 1981 Super Bowl from the paper in between editions, sending that day's layout editor (me) into a frenzy as he proclaimed, ''Nobody cares about our problems.''

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But writes the story anyway.

"And if you don't like my opinion, you can:
A. Pound sand
B. Go fly a kite
C. Take a long walk off a short pier.

Another compelling argument

Opinion...sorry, I thought you were stating some "Opinion" as fact...sorry my bad

But always in a debate of different opinions if I make my case I'm always, Condescending, Insulting and now I must "LIKE" you opinion

How bout being just correct in your opinion.

My name is eo. (clap clap)

It's all JMHO. (clap clap)

So check me out.

So check me out!

that made me laugh out loud

Thats ok...attack me personally as we differ in opinion meanwhile you are a hypocrite as you attack me and state that I will not let other opinions be made. When it is you who in a LOSING MANTRA will result to insults and attacks. Usually the sign of somebody on their last thread. Point the finger and J'accuse.

I apologize once again for knowing more football than you...like what seems to be the state of the country right now...lets not elevate our knowledge lets dummy it all down.

But thank you as sometimes I feel bad when I beat another posters ill conceived concepts as I don't want to cross the line and insult anyone. But in your case all I see is a Coward attacking me and a hypocrite sighting a right to an opinion but I see you do not give me the same rights that you CLAIM I am betraying.

So Mattlock...laugh all you want. Sorry I'm not here as a Clown such as Heldawg to entertain with Cute insults. I'm just here to talk about PURE Football. Oh wait...I'm in the right forum. I thought this was tail gate.