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Enjoyed this read. Like to hear Holmgren's thought process regarding Mangini's job . . .

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=lc-bossholmgren052610

Holmgren shows why he’s the boss

By Les Carpenter, Yahoo! Sports
7 hours, 13 minutes ago

BEREA, Ohio – He is a man in charge of everything now and yet nothing is like what Mike Holmgren’s football world has ever been.

He looms around the Cleveland Browns offices at 61 years old, their new team president on what he calls “the last great adventure.”

In the mornings Holmgren no longer watches game films but instead sits through marketing meetings, makes promotional videos and spends hours phoning former suite-holders begging them to return. Whenever the NFL’s owners meet, he attends, taking the Browns’ seat at the big table next to Patriots owner Bob Kraft.

The other day, during a particularly dreary financial discussion, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones slipped him a note that read: “You need a PHD in economics to understand this.”

“I’m in meetings I’ve never been in before,” Holmgren says, a hint of wonder in his voice.

“Mike’s different,” says Gil Haskell, Holmgen’s longtime offensive coordinator who is a special assistant to him in Cleveland. “He’s smarter than a football man. There’s more to him than a football man.”

Last fall, back when he was on a one-year hiatus from football, he thought he would return to the Seattle Seahawks where he had coached for the previous decade. An executive job was discussed. But the power was all wrong, the organization in too much turmoil.

“It wouldn’t have been the right thing,” he says.

Browns owner Randy Lerner offered a franchise along with the control. It was a chance to remake a team. Such opportunity might never come again. So Holmgren seized it, maybe unsure exactly what it was he was grabbing.

And yet his presence has invigorated a team that has made the playoffs just once in the 10 years since its recreation and was in need of some kind of hope.

“It’s like a giant weight has lifted because the uncertainty was done,” the Browns general consul Fred Nance recently told the Cleveland Plain Dealer about Holmgren’s arrival. “It was clear what direction we were going.”

Still, Holmgren knows the perception lingers that he is only pretending to enjoy the meetings and that his real plan is to stabilize the Browns for a year, learn the organization, then at season’s end, dump Eric Mangini and make himself the coach. How can he not know it? The rumor has been percolating since he took the job in December. Many expected Holmgren to fire Mangini then, given the Browns’ 5-11 record and the fact Mangini was not a devotee of the West Coast Offense like all of Holmgren’s protégées.

The thought appears to disturb him. So many times in his time with the Seahawks he felt he was fending off some kind of assault from the men above him on the organizational ladder, who were believed to be plotting to have him removed. It is not the kind of atmosphere he wants to create in Cleveland.

As a result, Holmgren tries to squelch any longings he might have to coach again, beating them down – if not for the sake of his own stomach, which did not handle defeats well at the end in Seattle – then for Mangini’s sake. He owes his coach the comfort that the boss does not desire his job.

Mangini himself seems to believe Holmgren is on his side, saying he appreciates the fact that as a former head coach, Holmgren can understand what he is going through. “Even though you didn’t share the experiences on the same team, a lot of times there’s carry-over between the type of experiences you have.”

Holmgren remembers how Packers general manager Ron Wolf was with him when he was a new head coach in Green Bay. After particularly grueling defeats, it was Wolf who came by his office to listen.

“I always knew he had my back,” Holmgren says. “I hope with Eric he is comfortable enough with me to know I have his back, and he doesn’t have to deal with this other stuff and [I can] free him up to be the best coach he can be.”

“If this is my last job in the NFL, I hope I do what I am doing right now,” Holmgren adds.

Then he is asked if he has lost his zest for coaching.

Holmgren pauses.

“No,” he finally replies.

“Am I contradicting myself?” he asks, pausing again.

“[Last Wednesday] at practice was fun,” he says.

The day before, the Browns held an OTA on their outside practice fields. It was a beautiful sun-splashed morning after a dreary week of wind and rain, and Holmgren celebrated the occasion by donning NFL official issue coach’s shorts and a coach’s shirt and strolled out across the grass. For a few minutes he strayed into the middle of the practice, standing in a prominent spot not far from the huddle in a full-team scrimmage. And it was clear the coaching had never left him.

But he also spent a greater part of the workout on the sideline, talking with clusters of reporters who had been allowed to watch the session. And when he walked, he limped slightly, the result of a painful foot condition that might require surgery. Standing on the field for two hours is not as easy for him as it once was.

As much as he might long to coach again, he also seems to understand it is time to try something else.

“When the actual season comes along, that will be the next test [of his yearning to coach],” Holmgren says with a laugh.

“I’ve thought a lot about this,” he added. “And I’ve committed to being the president.”

Back in the late fall, when Lerner first proposed the job, Holmgren consulted people like Dolphins vice president Bill Parcells and Colts president Bill Polian, to see how they handled their roles. He wanted to understand the job, to see if he could fit into it. He had, of course, been the coach and general manager when he first went to Seattle in 1999 but fell under the controlling hand of team president Bob Whitsitt, who denied him as much influence as he expected. Ultimately Whitsitt forced him to give up the general manager role when the team struggled.

A part of him remains haunted by what happened to the general manager’s job in Seattle. Could he run a team?

“I’m wiser now,” he says.

Looking back he can see his mistakes. He talks about wishing he could have “a couple draft picks back.” He looks back at his first NFL draft in 1999 when he didn’t replace the previous scouting staff and instead tried to merge the old scouts with the new ones he brought in. The two groups had conflicting approaches and the draft was a bust.

This time, when he arrived in Cleveland, he fired many of the team’s scouts and hired his own to give the organization a single philosophy.

Another error he can see was drafting at times to fill needs rather than grab the best player left. This caused the Seahawks to “stretch,” picking players who weren’t good enough to be picked as high as they were. He vows not to do that with the Browns.

Unless it’s a quarterback. Holmgren loves quarterbacks. A former backup quarterback at USC himself, he built his career on developing quarterbacks like Joe Montana, Steve Young, Brett Favre(notes) and Matt Hasselbeck. He loves to tinker with broken-down passers, studying them, trying to figure out how they think. And with the Browns lacking their quarterback of the future, he was not going to let the team pass on former Texas star Colt McCoy(notes) when Cleveland made the first of its two third-round picks this year.

He always liked McCoy. McCoy was smart, had a good personality and seemed to know how to deliver a pass at just the right time. When the team’s third selection came up and McCoy was available, Holmgren would not let the moment die.

“I said: ‘What do you think? Let’s do it,’ ” Holmgren said.

General manager Tom Heckert and Mangini got the hint. They picked McCoy.

“He helped them make the decision,” Haskell recalls, smiling. “How’s that for being diplomatic?”

He is the boss, after all.

On some things, Mike Holmgren will never change.

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The thought appears to disturb him. So many times in his time with the Seahawks he felt he was fending off some kind of assault from the men above him on the organizational ladder, who were believed to be plotting to have him removed. It is not the kind of atmosphere he wants to create in Cleveland.

As a result, Holmgren tries to squelch any longings he might have to coach again, beating them down – if not for the sake of his own stomach, which did not handle defeats well at the end in Seattle – then for Mangini’s sake. He owes his coach the comfort that the boss does not desire his job.

Mangini himself seems to believe Holmgren is on his side, saying he appreciates the fact that as a former head coach, Holmgren can understand what he is going through. “Even though you didn’t share the experiences on the same team, a lot of times there’s carry-over between the type of experiences you have.”

Holmgren remembers how Packers general manager Ron Wolf was with him when he was a new head coach in Green Bay. After particularly grueling defeats, it was Wolf who came by his office to listen.

“I always knew he had my back,” Holmgren says. “I hope with Eric he is comfortable enough with me to know I have his back, and he doesn’t have to deal with this other stuff and [I can] free him up to be the best coach he can be.”

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That should answer those who think that Holmgren is just biding his time until he can boot Mangini and take over himself. I really think that Holmgren looks at Mangini and sees a bit of himself years ago. Different football philosophies, certainly, but I think that Holmgren sees Mangini as a guy who will be here for a long time.

Even though I do not "like" Mangini -- yet-- this is probably the right way to approach it.

How much worse can it get ?

New Orleans 1-15 three years ago ??,...now Super Bowl champs.

This is NOT about talent. It's about leadership.

I think Mangini gets a bad rap.

I actually never believed he was using Mangini as a Place Holder for either himself or Gruden or whoever..

I just took the guy at his word.. and I'll continue to do that until he shows that I can't..

Damon...excellent point, I agree.....on a side note, Mangini's growing on me as a coach, I do think he gets a bad rap for being hard core and maybe for his interviews, Eric isnt the most fluent talker and sometimes stummers & stammers around with words, making him sound like he should be riding the short bus, so the public only see's a 1-2 minute interview with Eric and basis his intelligance off of that, which dosent say much for thiers, but thats how it is, I think if given the chance Eric will be fine.

Yeah Clay.,, you are probably right about all that.

Mangini may have gotten a pretty bad rap around here because of how the little things happened last year.. of course, the big thing was the record..

But things like the Water Bottle issue with Edwards were blown way out of proportion.. Why shouldn't the team hold a player accountable for his hotel expenses?

I do think he was nuts to bus the players to New England for that thing with kids.. at the very least, I think a plane ride would have been smarter. but be that as it may,, I think that was an exercise to help build team unity perhaps. certainly it was to the benefit of kids which is never a bad thing..

I'm like a lot of folks were, about mid way through the season, I thought,, what the hell is this guy up to.. the team sucks and they don't seem to show any hope for getting better..

Then a funny thing happened.. Lewis went down with an injury,, Harrison stepped up, Vickers stepped up, Jennings stepped up and if you can imagine it, Cribbs stepped it UP a notch...

They began doing things on offense that they hadn't been doing with any consistency prior..

To me, that's coaching. when you can get the most out of what you got, use it to it's best advantage.. that's coaching.. Not just Mangini, but Daboll and Ryan as well.

So as much as I thought Mangini should and would go, I began to soften on him as I thought I was seeing what HE wanted.. kinda like his teachings finally taking hold or something..

I have little doubt that Holmgren must have seen the same thing.. Thus, Mangini and his coaches remain in charge..

I suspect that as long as there is measurable progress (W-L Record) and no major meltdown occurs, Mangini and crew will return for 2011 as well..

I'm encouraged that we seem to have some top flight folks in Holmgren and Heckert running the football side of things...that makes me think that decisions are NOT being made in haste but rather with forethought..

Mangini had too much on his late last year, he was overwhelmed. He isn't a media person, so he doesn't do well in interviews, much like Belichic is very drab in interviews. I think Mangini can do the job, especially when that is his main focus, and he's not trying to run the whole show.

It's just too much for anyone to run the whole show when you had the mess we had. Being coach and GM works only when everything is in place and the system more or less runs itself, it's too hard to try to do both when everything is broken.

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Then he is asked if he has lost his zest for coaching.

Holmgren pauses.

“No,” he finally replies.

“Am I contradicting myself?” he asks, pausing again.

“[Last Wednesday] at practice was fun,” he says.

The day before, the Browns held an OTA on their outside practice fields. It was a beautiful sun-splashed morning after a dreary week of wind and rain, and Holmgren celebrated the occasion by donning NFL official issue coach’s shorts and a coach’s shirt and strolled out across the grass. For a few minutes he strayed into the middle of the practice, standing in a prominent spot not far from the huddle in a full-team scrimmage. And it was clear the coaching had never left him.

But he also spent a greater part of the workout on the sideline, talking with clusters of reporters who had been allowed to watch the session. And when he walked, he limped slightly, the result of a painful foot condition that might require surgery. Standing on the field for two hours is not as easy for him as it once was.

As much as he might long to coach again, he also seems to understand it is time to try something else.

“When the actual season comes along, that will be the next test [of his yearning to coach],” Holmgren says with a laugh.

“I’ve thought a lot about this,” he added. “And I’ve committed to being the president.”

---

It does appear that Holmgren is somewhat conflicted, battling within himself, about the coaching urge.

If this season would go horribly wrong and Holmgren becomes unhappy watching someone else do what he knows he can do better (coach)..we could see Holmgren coaching again..."could".

I want Holmgren to be a hands on Browns President, willing to step in and advise when he knows there is a better way to coach some aspect of the game.

Holmgren has a lot to offer this Browns coaching staff, especially on the offensive side of the ball, where we need help the most. The Browns would not be getting the full benefit of the hire if Holmgren fails to spread his knowledge to those who might need some instruction.

As far as Holmgren closing the door on coaching...I did not get that feeling from reading the article. Like Holmgren said, the next challenge for him will be the actual season starts.

Obviously, Holmgren is still adjusting to his new role...but I do agree, he needs to focus on being the best President of the Browns, he can be...but spread his knowledge when necessary.

Yeah,, that's very true I think..

He was crushed with details that Kokanis should have been handling...

I'm certainly not the first to say this, but Mangini seems a heck of a lot more likable this year since Holmgren and Heckert arrived.. so maybe we are seeing the REAL mangini now.., who knows...

Time is the only thing that will tell...

I'm one of thos few people who never had a problem with Mangini.

Water bottle and all that? I knew what was going on. Mangini was making his first attempts at what I've been railing on about since '99.... he was instilling a whole new culture in Berea- one of responsibility and accountability. No problem with that, considering how dysfunctional we've been.

Bus ride- bad choice for a good reason: bond the rooks before TC. Team building from the ground up.

Baby steps, you know?

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I suspect that as long as there is measurable progress (W-L Record) and no major meltdown occurs, Mangini and crew will return for 2011 as well..

I'm encouraged that we seem to have some top flight folks in Holmgren and Heckert running the football side of things...that makes me think that decisions are NOT being made in haste but rather with forethought..

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Two very good observations. I'm on board, too.

I'd also like to point out that several people have noticed Mangini has seemed a lot better with his interviews this year, and that is only because of Holmgren. I think Mangini as a coach, but he has huge weaknesses that came out last season. The guy can't handle the tough questions in interviews, and his drafting is extremely questionable.

Holmgren has taken both of those things off his plate (drafting to a lesser extent as Mangini has input). Let the guy do was he was brought here to do (coach).

Ok I agree Holmgren still has the Coaching "bug" yet is the word conflicted correct?
Now he wants to back Mangini and stay on the sidelines yet he is all geeked to be on the field "hands on" as well. While Mangini says he feels a camaraderie of having a boss who understands, EM must also note that crappy game day management and poor offensive play calling DURING THE SEASON may not pass the Boss's scrutiny.

This is a double edge sword Mangini is sitting on/under and marginal coaching and player relations, and playng favorites will not pass muster. My money is on MH having a new coach he pickes ou in 2011.

I disagree.

You and Mac both have a good point BUT I would much rather see the older experienced MH mold Mangini into a long term winning coach for us.

I think Mangini has what it takes to be a great coach. I think much of the Jets success last year was his doing rather than Ryans.

Given a couple of years to right the ship, I finally feel we have The RIGHT FO and Coaching Staff. I'm even liking Daboll being tutored under MH and Company.

It's an investment in the future mentallity versus a quick fix/win now mentallity.

I don't think we'll be this years Cinderella BUT we could be contenders by 2012. JMHO

love mangini, i've been in his corner from day 1 and i really think he could be our guy. i'd love to see what he could do with a team if they ever stabilize the quarterback position and get a few playmakers on defense.

and i think that shows what kind of a person mike holmgren is by giving this guy a realistic chance. he could have easily fired mangini and brought in his own guy, you know randolph would have signed off on that easily.

mike holmgren is good people and i am glad he's on our side. that type of stuff works its way down.

and wow if jake delhomme bounces back to old form we'll be making up horrible holmgren songs in no time.

I can see Holmgren changing his philosophy and start coaching the coaches. I can also see him giving out all his knowledge on QBs and offensive philosophy to Mangini and his staff. I don't think he'll be calling plays from the booth, but I can see him instilling others with his knowledge. A coach is a teacher, after all.

One of the best things Mangini has done so far is instill discipline and accountability.
Don't wanna be here, don't wanna follow rules? See ya Braylon.
And Holmgren's support of Mangini also sends a message to the players (a message guys like Braylon never absorbed): it's about the team, and it's Mangini's way now as a coach, because Holmgren, in his own words, has "his back".

I agree with you. IIRC when MH first took over and made the decision to keep EM he made a comment that he saw EM as some one that could be here coaching for 15 years, or words to that effect.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/...acherreport.com

Mike Holmgren 'absolutely' has way to revive Cleveland Browns

By Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY
The "H-bomb" has landed, and that is good news for Cleveland Browns backers desperate to see the end of the football devastation that has haunted their city for decades.
New team president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert think they can detonate the recent past and construct a new future for the downtrodden franchise. Browns fans pray the partnership can re-energize and reorganize what has been a calamity.

Since re-entering the NFL in 1999, the Browns have endured fits and starts in the front office and the coaching staff. In 11 years, the franchise has employed six general managers and/or vice presidents of football operations, four team presidents and five head coaches.


POWER RANKINGS: Browns barely above 30 in post-draft analysis

The lack of stability weakened them, as did the death of owner Al Lerner in 2002. His son, Randy, an Ivy League-educated lawyer, has been portrayed as being indifferent to owning an NFL team. (The billionaire declined to be interviewed for this story.)

"I think Randy gets a bit of a bum rap," Holmgren says. "His father was kind of larger than life, and the (Browns) were given to Randy overnight. Quite the contrary — he is interested. When he sat in my living room in Arizona (while courting Holmgren), he said, 'Maybe I want this too much for Cleveland, the fans and my family.'

"He really cares."

But the Browns have not reached the postseason since 2002 and have not won a playoff game since 1994. The franchise has not hung a championship banner since 1964.

Naturally, "Dawg Pounders" remain skeptical.

"That is our biggest issue right now," Heckert says. "They have heard all this (rebuilding talk) before. But I think they are willing to give us the benefit of the doubt. That is all we can ask for. Now we just have to prove on the field that we can win."

Holmgren and Heckert have experience at rebuilding franchises.

Holmgren was an NFL head coach for 17 seasons. He helped deliver the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks to Super Bowls after years of futility. The Packers won Super Bowl XXXI after the 1996 season and lost it the next year; the Seahawks fell in Super Bowl XL after the 2005 season.

He seems to have inherited another strong offensive line in Cleveland. Whether rookie Colt McCoy can be molded into a franchise quarterback the way Brett Favre and Matt Hasselbeck were is unknown. Holmgren seems optimistic regardless.

"I am going to attempt to use the same formula that we used in Green Bay to bring back the Pack and what we used in Seattle," says Holmgren, who was stripped of personnel responsibilities while with the Seahawks. "I don't think it's impossible. There are some very simple foundational things that need to take place. And (Lerner) — he is going to let me do it. … We should be able to fix it.

"Now, do you get to the Super Bowl? You need to be a little lucky and all that stuff. But can we get it so that (fans) are feeling better about their football team? Absolutely."

Heckert was the Philadelphia Eagles' director of player personnel beginning in 2001. Although coach Andy Reid had final say on players, the duo helped lead the Eagles to four consecutive NFC title games from 2001 to '04 plus a Super Bowl (loss after the '04 season). Heckert later was promoted to GM.

Whether the Browns' revised blueprint for restoring constancy and productivity includes the long-term retention of the head coach is another matter. During Eric Mangini's maiden campaign in 2009, the Browns stumbled to a 1-11 start.

Team chemistry deteriorated so quickly that, by October, Rolling Stone piled on with a story citing Mangini's unyielding toughness, though linebacker David Bowens told the magazine the coach's door always was open and, "It's not like it's a total dictatorship around here."

None of this is lost on Holmgren, who says he thinks Mangini is a good coach — and will get a chance to prove it."

Holmgren says it is possible he could one day return to the sideline. But he adds, "(The) odds become less and less the longer I'm here, if it takes awhile to fix this."

Mangini has been quite solicitous regarding his new boss, saying he thinks he has someone to lean on for advice and assistance.

"I can go (to Holmgren) and not have to explain the 'why' very deeply, because he gets it," Mangini says. "Tom's been good as well. They understand the type of player that I am looking for. That is something Mike and I talked about a lot before I knew if I was staying. We have stayed true to that approach."

Mangini's problem, particularly in the short term, is trying to assimilate players newly acquired through free agency and the draft with veterans — and trying to continue the momentum gained from last season's fast finish of four consecutive wins.

Clearly the Browns' priority in the offseason was to revamp the secondary, which was torched last season. Mangini and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan often were put in a position of calling for defensive schemes to try to mask the Browns' woeful coverage and tackling.

Heckert dealt for players with whom he was familiar in Philadelphia, Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown and linebacker Chris Gocong. Then the Browns made corner Joe Haden of Florida their first pick in the draft, later adding two safeties. In free agency, the Browns added veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme and linebacker Scott Fujita.

"I think we all want the same type of guys — smart, tough and physical," Heckert says. "We don't have to have the most talented guys, but they have to be tough and love football. Jake and Scott are going to add to the chemistry of the team. That's what Eric wants."

AROUND THE FIELD IN CLEVELAND

Quarterback: With the release of Derek Anderson and the trade of Brady Quinn to the Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers reject Jake Delhomme is the starter — provided he doesn't melt down as he did last season, prompting "Dump Jake in the Lake" detractors. The former Super Bowl quarterback will mentor rookie Colt McCoy after the Browns failed to tempt the St. Louis Rams for the No. 1 overall pick and Sam Bradford. New Browns president Mike Holmgren also has brought in Seneca Wallace, whom he drafted for the Seattle Seahawks.

Running back: Jerome Harrison stepped up at the end of last season, running for 561 yards over the final three games. But he has produced 1,310 yards over four seasons. Cleveland traded up to draft inside power runner Montario Hardesty in Round 2. Newly acquired fullback Peyton Hillis is not a traditional thumper, but coach Eric Mangini loves his versatility in catching the ball and playing special teams.

Wide receiver: This position continues to be a glaring weakness. Mohamed Massaquoi is a likely starter, but after that, who knows? Brian Robiskie, Chansi Stuckey, Joshua Cribbs and Jake Allen are in a mix that could eventually include a veteran free agent. Rookie Carlton Mitchell has size and speed but is very raw.

Tight end: The Browns upgraded with the signing of Ben Watson, who had several productive seasons with the New England Patriots. Evan Moore and Robert Royal remain on hand.

Offensive line: This crew is anchored by Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas and second-year center Alex Mack, whose smarts and work ethic enabled him to displace Hank Fraley last season. Left guard Eric Steinbach is solid. On the right side, Floyd Womack, Tony Pashos and third-round pick Shawn Lauvao will battle for time.

Defensive line: The aging defensive front features Shaun Rogers, Kenyon Coleman and Robaire Smith. But can they hold up? Compounding the problem is a felony charge against Rogers, an imposing nose tackle, on allegations he carried a concealed weapon in an airport, leaving his status uncertain.

Linebacker: This is the focus of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's 3-4 scheme, particularly along the edges. The Browns are loaded with newcomers Scott Fujita and Chris Gocong and returnees David Bowens, who can play inside and out, and versatile pass rusher Matt Roth, a restricted free agent who has yet to sign his tender. They also have bruising inside 'backer D'Qwell Jackson, who is unhappy with his contract status. Vying for snaps are Eric Barton, David Veikune and Marcus Benard.

Secondary: General manager Tom Heckert, who had the same role with the Philadelphia Eagles, added a familiar face when he traded for former Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown. This area was also the focus in the draft. Cleveland added youth, toughness and hitting with top pick Joe Haden plus two safeties — T.J. Ward and Larry Asante.

Special teams: The brightest beacon is Pro Bowl returner Cribbs, who signed a new contract after a contentious debate. He is every NFL team's nightmare to defend with a record eight career kickoff returns for scores. He also leads effective coverage units.

Coaching staff: Tick, tock — Mangini is on the clock. Unless he can show sustained improvement, Holmgren might show the coach he inherited the door. Ryan can be a difference maker as an aggressive play caller.

Outlook: Since returning to the NFL in 1999, this franchise has mostly stumbled about with poor decisions made at the top regarding players and coaches. But the hiring of Holmgren and Heckert is a strong indication ownership is serious about restoring pride and tradition. Strides were made in the offseason, but Holmgren tempers 2010 expectations: "You can't fix everything in one year."

decent overall synopsys. only real complaint: no love for Rubin?

I enjoyed the article, and I liked how they discussed who has what responsiblities in the operation. With Holmgren, there should be no power struggle. Hopefully Mangini does well going back to what he originally did well for the Jets, coaching.

I do believe that Mangini works hard to improve himself, and I would be very pleased if Heckert and Holmgren at least keep him around for a little while. If anything his discipline approach brings good habbits and good fundamentals. It worked well for the Jets....... And as I said, I think Mangini, a young coach, works hard to improve himself and see what works and what doesn't. He cares a lot about his job and being successful. I'd love to see this trio workout, with may be Holmgren running through his contract, and possibly giving the reigns over to Heckert (or continuing to go with Holmgren).


But........... on the evaluations

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Offensive line: This crew is anchored by Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas and second-year center Alex Mack, whose smarts and work ethic enabled him to displace Hank Fraley last season. Left guard Eric Steinbach is solid. On the right side, Floyd Womack, Tony Pashos and third-round pick Shawn Lauvao will battle for time.

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Alex Mack was more or less handed the job week 1. His play developed throughout the season because of his smarts and work ethic, but he definitely didn't beat out Hank Fraley. It took him a bit of time to catch up with the NFL speed and skill level.

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Defensive line: The aging defensive front features Shaun Rogers, Kenyon Coleman and Robaire Smith. But can they hold up? Compounding the problem is a felony charge against Rogers, an imposing nose tackle, on allegations he carried a concealed weapon in an airport, leaving his status uncertain.

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No mention of Rubin. He'll see significant playing time this season.

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Linebacker: This is the focus of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's 3-4 scheme, particularly along the edges. The Browns are loaded with newcomers Scott Fujita and Chris Gocong and returnees David Bowens, who can play inside and out, and versatile pass rusher Matt Roth, a restricted free agent who has yet to sign his tender. They also have bruising inside 'backer D'Qwell Jackson, who is unhappy with his contract status. Vying for snaps are Eric Barton, David Veikune and Marcus Benard.

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No mention of Jason Trusnik. Eric Barton will have a difficult time making the team unless he is completely healthy from last season's injury. Mangini likes Trusnik (ex-Jet he traded for and holdover from last year. Didn't he sign his tender, haha), and he'll at least be more relevant than Barton, who I think will be competing for a spot with Maiava and whoever else is on the bottom rungs at ILB (Veikune?)

I'm not sure if Holmgren is entirely responsible or not but I love the air of positivity that has been put into this team upon his arrival here. He looks borderline driven to turn this ship around and he's change the attitude this team has in a matter of months. (I will agree that Mangini deserves SOME of that credit as well) He wants Cleveland to succeed and I'm glad he knows that it's something that will take some time. I just hope we can see some potential of that turn-around in the next couple of years before we really break out.

The one person that isn't get any credit for this attitude change is Lerner...

So many were quick to demand he sell the team (as if that made a lick of sense) but yet, when he goes out and gets a credible leader to put at the top of the organization, NOBODY says,, Damn,, good Job Randy..

Wait a min............ How long have the Lerners owned this team ? What is out win loss record ? .. You want to talk about a swinging door operation since 99 ... The Lerners may be fine folks , but they have been crappy owners so far ... Now maybe things will change with the latest change , MAYBE !

I'd like to be that kind of slow.... about a billion times over

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I really hope Holmgren can succeed for Randy's sake. Guarenteed if this Holmgren experiment fails (and it's really too early to tell about that or even hint at it) you know the outcry against Lerner will be tenfold.

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I couldn't disagree more with this comment.

There's not a soul out there that thinks MH was a bad choice of Lerners to bring in and run the show,in fact,he couldn't be commended more for is efforts and desire to make this team a winner.

Even with MH here there are no guarantees of success and if it fails it won't shed a negative light on RL.

Win or lose, RL is giving this franchise the best opportunity possible to succeed.

If nothing else, Randy and his father tried things about every way they could be tried ....

Experienced President and rookie GM/HC (Policy/Clark/Palmer)

All in one football czar (Davis)

Rookie GM (with final authority) and rookie HC. (Savage/Crennel)

Experienced HC with rookie GM (Mangini/Kokinis)

Experienced football authority (but rookie as President) with very experienced GM and HC. (Holmgren/Heckert/Mangini)

There has not been a lack of effort, and they have certainly spent a ton of money on making this team successful. I think that they just finished paying Davis from his contract.

Another thing Holmgren brings to the table none of the previous regimes did is respect. MH has respect through out the league. This changes attitudes immediately, and helps to create a new environment in which everyone works.

Most of us have at one time or another worked with and/or for someone you didn't respect, and know how that affects the overall work environment. In many cases when your the new guy, respect must be earned and it can slow progress, but MH had that respect before he even stepped foot in Berea.

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If nothing else, Randy and his father tried things about every way they could be tried ....

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That right there is the Crux of my reasoning for the Lerners being good owners..

They haven't hired perfectly everytime.. name me one owner that has?

RL didn't hire Botch (I know you know this, just sayin')... he did hire RAC and Phil and I think most people were on board with it, moreso the hiring of Phil cuz he was a rising star, or so we were told believe. It didn't work out, but it wasn't like it was an unpopular choice here.

Fast forward to Mangini/Kokinis: this is the one that didn't look good. Quick to hire Mangini, quick to allow Mangini to pick the GM.
So Randy gets highly pissed off halfway through 2010 and says to himself, "self, I have to get a guy who can come in here and steer the entire ship. A man with integrity, league-wide respect and tremendous football savvy. Wait, Mike Holmgren is available but maybe he won't want to come to Cleveland."
Well, every man has his price and RL emptied the vault so to speak (well he didn't exactly empty it, but he took out a large chunk ) to get Holmgren.
Can you imagine Holmgren/Heckert getting into a two-week email battle with a fan, like Savage did? I can't.
Can you imagine Holmgren saying something like "we want Christian athletes" or words to that effect? I can't.

Maybe this won't work either, but I really like the Holmgren hire, and just as much, I like the Heckert hire.
No one can say Randy isn't trying to do whatever it takes to bring a winner to Cleveland.

Well we just line up on different sides on this one Amigo

To me it's kinda like everything else around here : Excuses ! There real easy to come up with .. I love the line " Loser's cry and moan ; winner go home and blank the Prom Queen "

well, hopefully Holmgren can respond to Connery with Cage's line (TBS version):

"I married the prom queen"

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RL didn't hire Botch (I know you know this, just sayin')...

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Yes, I'm aware, but Water was commenting that the Lerner "Family" was a good family but not good at the whole NFL Team thing.. (paraphrasing of course) That's what I was referring to.

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Fast forward to Mangini/Kokinis: this is the one that didn't look good.

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I wasn't a huge fan of those hrings but was more than willing to sit back and let things develop....I didn't say a word about it at the time, but what was bothering me was the general lack of info coming out of OTA"s and Camp....

But I accepted it as just the way that Mangini was.. turns out that's not who he is at all....What we seem to know now is that Kokanis wasn't holding up his end of the bargin.. Thus everything landed on Mangini.. That's a hell of a load to carry...It would damn sure make me an ornary cuss

Was that a mistake to hire mangini so quickly,, Jury is still out on that one.. Holmgren thought enough of him to retain him so there has to be something there..

Kokanis had the pedigree but I didn't like the way it came together.. Was that a mistake by Randy,, I'd have to say yeah it was..

Let me say this again,, tell me which NFL owner hasn't made those kinda mistakes...

In the past 40 or so year, only one team stands out,, Pittsburgh.. But look at thier entire history and you will see that every other coach they hired prior to Chuck Noll was a flop... pretty much so anyway.. Art Rooney Sr., in all the years he ran the Steelers, he really only hired 1 Winning HC.. Noll...