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Mangini took Lavaou, correct? Mangini was terrible....

Mangini took Lavaou, correct? Mangini was terrible....

Wait, there are still people who think Mangini let Goerge Kokinis do anything?

Then you factor in the amount of $ Washington gave him and if you use 'terrible' regarding Mangini, what's your word for the Redskin organization for giving him the contract they did? He got paid.

I guess there ARE (is) still people (a person) who think Kokinis made any of those picks.

He was a late round pick...He was playing special teams for us. That story about Boar hunting impressed just about everyone who was reading this board.

Many folks were bad mouthing the Mack pick as much as or more than the Veikune pick.

I thought Fraley was "good enough"

He was a fourth round pick who didn't start in college (or something like that) and Henry Melton was picked right after him.

Maiava was a starter on USC's crazy good defense. The other three linebackers were Maualuga, Cushing, and Clay Matthews (they ran a 3-4).

....it would be physically impossible for Mangini and the coaching staff in that first year to put in the time and effort to be a major part of our Personnel preparation for the draft. Future years yes, not that initial.

Alright then tab, tell me: who did the draft day planning? Randy Lerner or one of the mascots?

Bitonio is a badass guard, though. haha

That is your response? smh

So what did you all think of that Presser with Bitonio. that I posted.

And what does smh mean?

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2009/05/browns_rookie_linebacker_kaluk.html

Browns rookie linebacker Kaluka Maiava no stranger to tackling tough assignments
Print Mary Kay Cabot, Northeast Ohio Media Group By Mary Kay Cabot, Northeast Ohio Media Group
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on May 02, 2009 at 7:14 PM, updated May 03, 2009 at 9:00 AM

BEREA -- There was a moment during Eric Mangini's interview with USC linebacker Kaluka Maiava when he knew Maiava had the toughness it would take to succeed in the NFL, especially at his size.
It was when Maiava, a 5-11, 229-pound native of Hawaii, explained that one of his pastimes is hunting wild boar in the mountains of Maui -- without a gun.

"[Mangini] asked me 'what kind of gun do you use?' and I said, 'no, that's cheating,'" Maiava said at rookie camp Saturday. "Anybody can shoot something. It takes the fun out of it. We grab a couple of dogs and a 9-inch knife and go out and stick 'em a couple of times."

Maiava, the Browns' fourth-round pick, was introduced to boar hunting by his brothers and friends when he was 15, and soon learned that the youngest hunter must carry the boar home on his back.

"I got lucky," he said. "Mine was only about 150 pounds."
Then what?

"You eat it," he said. "You eat everything you kill."

What does it taste like?

"Tastes like chicken," he said. "It's amazing."

Maiava's hunting exploits confirmed everything Mangini had seen of Maiava on film at USC: tenacity, bravery, hustle.

"He's a tough, tough guy," said Mangini.

Of course, chasing down a raging wild boar with sharp tusks is great practice for skewering a running back or kick returner.

"It's the rush to chase something and tackle him -- you know, just like football," said Maiava, an inside 'backer. "Say you're on kickoff and you're chasing down the kick returner. It's the same thing."


It was that attitude that twice earned Maiava USC's co-special teams player of the year award and a starting linebacker job in 2008. Despite playing alongside stars Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews and Clay Matthews III, Maiava finished third on the team in 2008 with 66 tackles, had two sacks, forced a fumble and broke up two passes.
He capped the season by earning defensive MVP honors in the Rose Bowl victory over Penn State, in which he had four solo tackles and two key pass breakups.

"It was a shock to me," he said. "I was actually on my way to the locker room when they stopped me and told me I won the award, so it came as a surprise. It's just a blessing."

Similarly, Maiava was on his way to go surfing on draft day when he got the call from Mangini that the Browns made him the 104th overall pick.

"I had to check the number," he said. "I looked at my phone to make sure it wasn't one of my boys [from Hawaii] calling me," he said. "It was an Ohio number, I answered it and it was coach Mangini."

Before that moment, Maiava had no idea he'd be drafted at all.

"At the beginning of my senior year, I was expecting to go free agent, so this is all a great blessing and I'm happy to be here," he said. "I could finally breathe and hug my parents. Then I went to the beach."

Maiava said the coaching he received at Southern Cal helped him overcome his lack of size for a linebacker.

"[Linebackers coach] Ken Norton Jr. really helped me understand what offenses are trying to do to me," said Maiava. "Knowing what you're doing helps you play a lot faster, which puts you in right spots. It makes you play bigger than you really are. I'm only 5-11, but knowing where I've got to be, knowing how things fit, helped me a lot, and to be around the ball a lot more."

Besides, he had to keep up with the all-star cast.

"It's just the competitive nature," he said of the other linebackers. "They're getting all the pub and you see how they play and you've just got to play up to their par -- try to be as fast as them and as aggressive as them, make more tackles. It wasn't like I was out to get them, but we helped each other."

Some teams viewed Maiava as a safety at this level, but Mangini said he'll keep him at linebacker.

"He was an outstanding fourth-down player at USC and I thought he played extremely well in their defense," said Mangini. "They had a ton of seniors and I was impressed with him -- his intelligence, his recall of the system, the way he played, his temperament.

Despite being listed as an outside linebacker at USC, "most of the time I was stacked over the center, so it's not a big change for me. I'm very comfortable in that position. I'll do whatever they need me to do."

Maybe even give up wild boar hunting for a year.

I used to rewind and watch the OL many times over to get a view of what happened. On one play a few years ago our QB got sacked by a rusher coming right up the middle. I rewatched the play but could not tell exactly where the rusher came from. No lying, I had to watch that play about 7 times before I saw the rusher pull back from the right side, slide over the middle and then wait his opportunity to rush the QB.

You're right. Just watching the play once in real time is very hard to see what is happening. Especially if you never played, scouted or coached.

If its my job coaching the Browns OL and grading them I would do that. While watching the game I always take special interest in the Slo Mo Replays they do almost every play and try to get a better understanding.

Once in a blue moon (Last time - Lava man) I just would be confused as many posters will say so n so had a terrible game and in my first watch didn't come away with that impression. I would go and take at least a half and break it down and most times the general perception were Way Way off.

Love the Slo Mo replays...I use those to study what went wrong or what went right but don't bother with a relook especially with the game on...I DVR our games but watch them all live.

jmho

j/c:

Why do so many STILL feel the need to rip Mangini? You don't do this Holmgren. He was far worse.

This thread is about Bitonio. Not Mangini.