DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum BROWNS: Players supporting Crennel

By STEVE DOERSCHUK repository sports wRITER



BEREA Might Romeo Crennel be made a scapegoat if a season with a gash in its side keeps sinking?

"That's ridiculous," tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. said Wednesday. "Romeo ... Coach Romeo ... has nothing to worry about. That's ridiculous."

If it's ridiculous, it's real. NFL head coaches with Crennel's record get fired in any given January (see chart).

After going 9-23 in the final two years Butch Davis began as head coach, the Browns are 9-18 under Crennel.

Crennel, 59, has said all along he won't keep the job if he doesn't win. He was not taken aback Wednesday when the theme of his press conference turned from the Braylon Edwards soap opera to his own future.

At one point, Crennel said matter of factly, "If I believe what some of you seem to believe, I may not have a future."

Crennel's situation is far more complex than managing a young player blowing a fuse during a 30-0 loss.

Owner Randy Lerner wants continuity and growth, but many of his customers are at wit's end with losing in general, this year's 1-5 home record in particular, and a pitiful defeat fresh in their minds.

Coming off a 6-10 year, though, Crennel and a staff of mostly no-name assistants have been unable to create any momentum.

Crennel shows no signs of losing his appetite for the job. Asked to identify his vision, he said:

"I want this team to be competitive within the division and have an opportunity to play for the division championship.

"I would like to get to the playoffs and have an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl. That's probably not going to happen this year, but that doesn't mean that it can't happen next year.

"If I have the opportunity to continue, I'll plan to do that next year."

He concedes he doesn't know everything Lerner and General Manager Phil Savage say to each other about him, but he talks to both regularly and thinks they have a good dialogue.

The Browns are 3-8. Crennel knows losing out would be harmful to his professional health.

"I've been 3-13 before," he said, referring to a stint as Browns defensive coordinator in 2000 that preceded his run to three Super Bowls with the Patriots. "I'm not there yet.

"We have five games left. We are going to try to win all five of them, and we are going to play them one at a time. That's the way you have to do it and that's the way it's always been done."

Perhaps it works in Crennel's favor that no recent example of a quick coaching change includes a story in which a franchise lit up under a new regime.

Working against Crennel is a climate of patience worn thin in a city that has seen a franchise move and just two seasons better than 7-9 in the last two decades.

Several players defended Crennel on Wednesday. One was Edwards, whose sideline tirade Sunday raised questions about Crennel's ability to control the team.

"There's a lot of talk right now," Edwards said. "There's a lot of media hype. But in actuality, I don't think Romeo's going anywhere, and I don't think he needs to go anywhere."

Linebacker Willie McGinest, who has played for Crennel in New England and Cleveland, said, "For 'RAC' (Crennel's nickname) to be ridiculed for what went on and what's going on is ridiculous.

"The man's a decorated general in this game, a captain. ... The man knows how to win. He knows how to get guys together. He was my D-coordinator on all those Super Bowl teams.

"RAC has a lot of respect across the league."

Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. said Crennel is "not the problem at all."

"Everybody loves Romeo," Winslow said.

Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com

[color:"orange"]Thanks for the read stabber...

Even though RAC and Botch might have nearly identical records, it's not hard to see we're headed in a much better direction under RAC and Savage... [/color]

"Perhaps it works in Crennel's favor that no recent example of a quick coaching change includes a story in which a franchise lit up under a new regime."

The Saints are doing quite well with thier new regime.

Saints record
2000 - (10-6)
2001 - (7-9)
2002 - (9-7)
2003 - (8-8)
2004 - (8-8)
2005 - (3-13) - Zero home games
2006 - (7-4)

I think 2005 was a Katrina abberation.

[color:"white"]Only because they drafted an offensive tackle in the 1st round <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> [/color]

Miami Dolphins:

2004: 4-12
2005: 9-7

Miami looks headed down our road in 02, and that road was an empty promise. I think we all want a good couple decades of competition to make up for our decades of struggle/failure.

[color:"orange"]Again, you are agenda driven and it shows...tell the whole story...

Miami Dolphins
2002: 9-7
2003: 10-6
2004: 4-12 (year Wannstedt lost the team)
2005: 9-7

Miami had more positions in place when Saban took over, as opposed to RAC's situation here.

It makes no mind to me if you keep coming with this slanted view of eveything, but you'll continue to get called out on it. [/color]

And now, the Rest of the Story....

Miami Dolphins:

2001: 11-5
2002: 9-7
2003: 10-6


So again, you're looking at a one year abberration... not some miracle turnaround.

[color:"orange"]Great minds think alike? <img src="/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> [/color]

Funny never heard players address Parcells as Bill, Landry as Tom, Lombardi as Vince.

All three players in this article refers to Coach Crennel as RAC or Romeo.

In todays NFL I don't think you can go back more than 1 year to get a comparison. Much changes in 2 years.....on all teams....plus....all that really matters is what is happening now.

You guys are getting a wee bit touchy.The writer of the article said no recent team has made a quick turn around with a new coach,which is not entirely true.Some examples have been brought up.
I don't see anyone here advocating a coaching change,hell,I'm still pissed about Mo being fired.That has worked out well.

While that can be quite true, at the same time having a track record of winning for years on end, then a solitary losing season followed by more winning points directly to isolated problems in that one year and not the new guy working miracles.

see Miami Dolphins of 2004: Ricky Williams "retires" the summer before the season, leaving them without the heart & soul of their offense. If I'm not mistaken, they also got hit pretty hard by the injury bug that year. They go 4-12, but then solve their running woes in the following draft, but the rest of their team was already in place with plenty of talent all around. They've since returned to their former selves.

That's more of a "then verses now" debate and I don't think it has any specific reference to the Browns...

[color:"white"]Well, how many Dolphins say "Nick" versus Coach Saban? How many call him "Tom" instead of Coach Coughlin? Or "Mike" instead of Coach Holmgren?

My opinion is that they view him as one of their own instead of as just the head coach. Is that bad? Is it good? I don't have enough information to say, but I do know such is a term of enderment and respect.[/color]

i bet in pittsburgh they don't say COWHER. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Of course the players support him! A lot of them would lose their jobs if someone else would be coaching here.

Players...shut up and play!

[color:"white"]What? You mean they don't call him Coach Chin? [/color]

That is what I was thinking and thanks for bringing that up as I meant to before.

Paul Brown was coach or Mr. Brown to his players.

Romeo is soft.

[color:"white"]I don't see it that way, but there's plenty of room to debate the subject.

And you better hope that USC beats UCLA, or your Gators stand a good shot at reaching the Championship game, and subsequently getting killed at the hands of the Buckeyes for the National Championship <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> [/color]

First whoever posted that about Botch's final years vs Rac's FIRST two is kinda funny and doesn't prove anything...
I'm glad the players feel the way they do..

No prob....I bet if you poked him in the side you would agree he is soft. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[color:"orange"]Care to explain the logic in that? [/color]

[color:"white"]I'd have to make sure and do it from the side so that he couldn't get both hands on me <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> [/color]

Ok....maybe the soft comment was a bit overboard.....but players calling him by his first name just doesn't foster the type of seperation or respect I feel is needed.....IMO.

Phil Jackson's players call him Phil. And Phil has 9 NBA Championships.

[color:"red"]Paul Brown was coach or Mr. Brown to his players [/color]

<img src="/images/graemlins/rolleyes1.gif" alt="" />
Is this even worth debating?
How many coaches are referred to AS MR.?
They're usally called by their last name or Coach------
So the guys(McGinest) who KNOW him call him Rac?
I mean so what?

Its common for assistants to be buddies with the players. It isn't common for Head Coaches to be buddies with their players. I dont think you can be their coach and be their friend. Heck i have met and talked to quiet a few head coaches and I refer to them as Coach or Coach and their last name. Its just respect.

I don't think is even remotely similar... to compare something along these lines from 30-40 years ago just doesn't translate. There is a level of respect that just doesn't exist any more across the board, not just with coaching... it has changed to some type of assumed familiarity......

I bet alot of giants players use other names when refering to him lately.... <img src="/images/graemlins/rofl.gif" alt="" />

As long as WM as been under Rac I don't see a problem..I have seen a few players in other sports call their coach by a first name or nickname ...but the ones who did were with these guys for a long time..
Here, the whole team isn't CALLING him by this name..just WM..

Honestly I think it is pretty disrespectfull when the media doesnt address a coach as coach. So for players it bothers me even more.

I guess its just a new era.

"That's ridiculous," tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. said Wednesday. "Romeo ... Coach Romeo ... has nothing to worry about. That's ridiculous."

Coming from what other big mouth?KW..did Braylon address him as such?Coach Romeo..U know what? I'm not offended by it.
Yet he didn't call him Rac..McGinest did..
Honestly U can present this all U want..if it in the end means he doersn't have control of the team..then whateva..if it doesn't then U guys did something else to worry about.
I'm not.

Yea it was McGinnest, Edwards and Winslow. I probaly would have never even noticed it if it wasnt for the fact that all 3 refered to him as RAC or Romeo.

Like I said before.

Phil Jackson's players call him Phil and he has 9 NBA Championships.

Typical Browns fans making something out of nothing.

The NBA is not the NFL.

Sorry Mourg but I don't have a problem with McGinest calling him Rac..it just shows to me the relationship those two have had..both are older and don't have formalities with each other.

Its cool. I wasnt trying to spew a great debate on this although I usually enjoy doing just that lol.

Whatever floats RAC's boat. Its still odd.