Who do you want as head coach of the Cleveland Browns next season?

• Lenin

  If Mike Holmgren takes a job in the front office, which appears all but official, Eric Mangini's firing is likely inevitable. Thank God. That being said, who do you want to be the Browns coach next season.
  
  I know he has only been there a year, but I think this is a case where you have to fire the coach after one season. Eric Mangini has mishandled his stint in Cleveland worse than anyone in NFL history, in my opinion. The guy is an absolute train wreck.
  
  Holmgren has had TONS of success as a head coach, but I don't really like coaches having so much control in the front office. Because of that, I don't really want Holmgren as both the coach and "czar."
  
  Although Dallas has had their late season struggles at times recently and underperformed in general, I love Jason Garrett. I think he will be a phenomenal coach when he gets the chance. However, I don't know if I want to go the coordinator rout. Personally, though, I would get him if he'd come.
  
  Obviously, if a guy like Cowher were to be available, I would get him in a heartbeat. I don't know about him working with Holmgren, though. Would be interesting. I'm pretty sure Cowher would want lots of personnel control. I highly doubt Jeff Fisher will get fired now, so that takes his name out, too.
  
  Laugh all you want, but I wouldn't mind seeing Schottenheimer get another shot in Cleveland.
  
  Thoughts on these and other candidates? Who is on your wish list?
• gerb131

  

  Bill Cowher?
• pkebker

  Lenin wrote: If Mike Holmgren takes a job in the front office, which appears all but official, Eric Mangini's firing is likely inevitable. Thank God. That being said, who do you want to be the Browns coach next season.
  
  I know he has only been there a year, but I think this is a case where you have to fire the coach after one season. Eric Mangini has mishandled his stint in Cleveland worse than anyone in NFL history, in my opinion. The guy is an absolute train wreck.
  
  Holmgren has had TONS of success as a head coach, but I don't really like coaches having so much control in the front office. Because of that, I don't really want Holmgren as both the coach and "czar."
  
  Although Dallas has had their late season struggles at times recently and underperformed in general, I love Jason Garrett. I think he will be a phenomenal coach when he gets the chance. However, I don't know if I want to go the coordinator rout. Personally, though, I would get him if he'd come.
  
  Obviously, if a guy like Cowher were to be available, I would get him in a heartbeat. I don't know about him working with Holmgren, though. Would be interesting. I'm pretty sure Cowher would want lots of personnel control. I highly doubt Jeff Fisher will get fired now, so that takes his name out, too.
  
  Laugh all you want, but I wouldn't mind seeing Schottenheimer get another shot in Cleveland.
  
  Thoughts on these and other candidates? Who is on your wish list?

  Why is it likely inevitable? Holmgren has done nothing but compliment Mangini. He is also on the record as to saying that firing a coach after one season isn't fair. I would prefer Mangini to be coaching next season. The only change needed for our coaching staff is a new OC.
• Lenin

  Well since every NFL expert has said Holmgren will more than likely fire Mangini, I'd say it is probably inevitable.
• pkebker

  Lenin wrote: Well since every NFL expert has said Holmgren will more than likely fire Mangini, I'd say it is probably inevitable.

  A 'job in question' does not mean 'inevitable'. Most simply say they do not know whether or not Mangini's job is safe. I would take Holmgren's word. I'm not saying he won't be fired. I just think saying Mangini will be fired, it's an inevitability, is a poor way to create a forum since their simply is no reports that he will be fired.
  
  
  For the record, I do support Mangini, and would prefer for him to return. However, if Holmgren feels he cannot work with Mangini successfully, then I support Holmgren to hire someone else.
• Rotinaj

  

  I think mangina deserves another year. He took over a below average team and got rid of guys who didn't wanna b there. Let's see how next year goes with all the picks we have.
• h2thaizzo

  Every NFL expert is a crock of shit. Chris Mortensen isn't even 100% certain that Holmgren is going to Cleveland, but he is 100% certain that IF he does go, Mangini will be fired? Its an easy out to actually doing some work on their part. The players don't like him, his team isn't playing well, he isn't well liked around the league, etc. I doubt any of the sources of these so called experts have talked directly with Holmgren, nevermind even being told by him that he was definitely going to fire Mangini. Lerner is going to let Holmgren make most of the decisions for this team, but he isn't going to let him do a lateral move as far as head coaching goes. Unless we are getting a guy with a PROVEN record as a HC, which means we are not going to be hiring a defensive or offensive coordinator to take over as head coach, Mangini will be the coach for the Browns next season. We are within one win of matching last seasons win total, and our two biggest offensive playmakers from last year aren't even a part of this team now. Joe Thomas and Josh Cribbs are buying what Mangini is selling, so I would be real interested to see how someone would get rid of the guy when the team's two best players are behind him.
• bulldog8

  Mangini deserves another year. Firing Mangini will send them down the same path as the Raiders and Lions. Their turnover rate of head coaches is way too high. You can't expect anyone to produce instant success without giving them a chance to get the personnel they prefer. It's not Mangini's fault that he inherited a rotting program. Give the man a stinkin chance! Against majority opinion of Browns fans, Mangini has this team playing with more passion than they have in years past.....for that reason, they should show some faith in him.
• Manhattan Buckeye

  Funny how all of a sudden two wins in a row get people back on the side of Mangini, the issue is whether he is the coach of the Browns for the long haul or he isn't, if he isn't why bother keeping him around? If Cribbs/Harrision don't set records today (against an awful KC team) would people still support him?
• h2thaizzo

  Manhattan Buckeye wrote: Funny how all of a sudden two wins in a row get people back on the side of Mangini, the issue is whether he is the coach of the Browns for the long haul or he isn't, if he isn't why bother keeping him around? If Cribbs/Harrision don't set records today (against an awful KC team) would people still support him?

  Comments like this are whats funny. Lets just throw every "if" scenario into the fold when making the decision. I think its funny how the Jets have clearly taken a step back as a team after firing Mangini for Rex. We are a win away from equaling last seasons total, without our two best offensive playmakers on the team, without our starting ILB, with only one good defensive back, I'd say this is saying a lot. Lets also face the facts that we have managed to give away a few games. We should have won both games against the Bengals, should have beaten the Lions, stuck in games with San Diego and Baltimore, we are a few bonehead plays away from being a 6 win football team. The guys Mangini has brought in have played pretty solid for us. Roth is doing great, Trusnik plays solid every week, Kenyon Coleman had another good game, can't say enough about Bowens leadership in the locker room. We need secondary help in the worst way, and we need help offensively, and we all know this past draft didn't help matters much, but the good news is that Eric will not be the guy making these decisions for the 2010 draft. Things didn't start out well for him, but there have been no complaints about him the last half of the season, and our two best players have publicly came out and said they like what his plan is for the team. That, to me, weighs in a lot heavier than a bunch of "if" scenarios about today's win. It WAS a WIN, and we DID have two players that looked brilliant, thats all that matters.
• Writerbuckeye

  

  Lenin wrote: Well since every NFL expert has said Holmgren will more than likely fire Mangini, I'd say it is probably inevitable.

  Since when are the talking heads always right?
  
  I'd prefer not to change coaches again. If Holmgren can live with Mangini for at least another season, I think that would be much better than starting from scratch again.
  
  This team has responded to Mangini and is still playing hard. They haven't quit on him, which tells me all those stories about the players hating him are a bunch of BS. If that were true, they would have tanked the season weeks ago.
  
  There has been measurable improvement in this team the last six weeks, even while losing half of their defensive starters. There have also been some smart pickups in personnel during that time.
  
  I honestly don't think there's anyone out there (coaching wise) who is REALLY available that can make this team any better next year. I don't believe Cowher wants to come (he turned down Randy last year) and Schottenheimer is too old and not interested.
• jpake1

  

  You think Mangini is a train wreck, and you'd love to have Jason G. I know all I need to know about you.
• Manhattan Buckeye

  "That, to me, weighs in a lot heavier than a bunch of "if" scenarios about today's win. It WAS a WIN, and we DID have two players that looked brilliant, thats all that matters. "
  
  And YOU are still 3-11, with a 6-3 win over a crap Buffalo team, a win over Pittsburgh in a game where people talked more about the weather, and today's game. By the way what did YOU do to help out the team?
  
  If you want to keep Mangini have at it, heck give him a 5-year extension for all I care. I'm not a Browns fan. I know that Jets fans were pleased as punch when his petty rear end was run out of town.
• h2thaizzo

  Manhattan Buckeye wrote: "That, to me, weighs in a lot heavier than a bunch of "if" scenarios about today's win. It WAS a WIN, and we DID have two players that looked brilliant, thats all that matters. "
  
  And YOU are still 3-11, with a 6-3 win over a crap Buffalo team, a win over Pittsburgh in a game where people talked more about the weather, and today's game. By the way what did YOU do to help out the team?
  
  If you want to keep Mangini have at it, heck give him a 5-year extension for all I care. I'm not a Browns fan. I know that Jets fans were pleased as punch when his petty rear end was run out of town.

  No shit, sherlock, I was not aware that the Browns were 3-11. Mind telling me what our record was last season? How good are the Jets this year, I mean, for the fans being so pleased as punch, whatever the hell that means, they sure look worse this year than they did last year. How about instead of making bitch ass comments, like "what did you do to help out the team", you come up with a logical post, like maybe telling us who the hell would take the head coaching job here that's a clear upgrade to what we have in place now? My guess is that you're going to come up with another illogical, bullshit comment, because you know that no big time coaches are going to want this job. Not to mention, who in their right mind would want to coach at a place that gave the last guy named HC (if your wet dream of Mangini getting fired comes true) just one year? Those same Jets fans sure loved the guy when they started out 8-3 last year.
• Lenin

  I love how people are so ecstatic about matching last season's win total. Oh boy! Four wins! It is the freaking NFL. It really isn't that hard to win four games. The worst team in the league is usually in the 3-4 win range. That is no accomplishment at all. If you didn't think the Browns would win at least four games prior to the season, you're an idiot.
• Mulva

  

  Comparing 3 wins so far with this years schedule vs. 4 wins last year is insanity.
  
  I think Mangini is a bad coach. He took over a bad roster, yes, but he made it worse. The trade with the Jets for the #5 pick was embarrassingly bad. I'm not saying we should have kept the pick, but what we (he) got back for it was atrocious. The free agent acquisitions have been bad. Everyone loves to complain about John St. Clair and the right side of the line. Who was the one who signed him?
  
  I think he earned another year as coach with the win over the Steelers and wouldn't complain if he was kept, but I would be happier if he was replaced because he is definitely not the answer in my mind.
  
  I would actually rather have kept Kokinis and tried to lure Holmgren as head coach, where he has an unquestionable track record. The way it's set up now I'm not sure who I'd go after as head coach.
• pkebker

  Lenin wrote: I love how people are so ecstatic about matching last season's win total. Oh boy! Four wins! It is the freaking NFL. It really isn't that hard to win four games. The worst team in the league is usually in the 3-4 win range. That is no accomplishment at all. If you didn't think the Browns would win at least four games prior to the season, you're an idiot.

  The reason we are a 3 win team is a lack of talent and an absurd amount of injuries, not the coaching. The coaching staff has done an excellent job of keeping this team motivated and playing well with a roster full of players that were on practice squads to begin the year. This is why many of us are happy with the job Mangini has done. We have seen positive improvement as the year has moved on. I honestly believe no other coach would have us in any better position. Now, if we can get some talent in, then you'll start seeing the improvement in the win column as well. But it is a process...
• HitsRus

  

  Manhattan Buckeye wrote: Funny how all of a sudden two wins in a row get people back on the side of Mangini, the issue is whether he is the coach of the Browns for the long haul or he isn't, if he isn't why bother keeping him around? If Cribbs/Harrision don't set records today (against an awful KC team) would people still support him?

  It only may be two wins in a row, but I've definitely seen improvement the past 6 weeks or so....and this on top of some injuries to key players.
  I say Give Mangini another year if the team continues to get better.
• hoops23

  

  This team, despite being 1-11 at one point, has NEVER quit and always seems to play hard...
  
  Now, they have beat the Steelers and Chiefs in back to back weeks and sit at 3-11...
  
  Mangini deserves another year.
  
  I also hate when people say he took a bad roster and made it worse.. Uh, no shit. That's what happens when you go full blown rebuild. You turn the roster over. 11 draft picks and a lot of money to spend in free agency could lead to a quick turnaround.
• h2thaizzo

  Lenin wrote: I love how people are so ecstatic about matching last season's win total. Oh boy! Four wins! It is the freaking NFL. It really isn't that hard to win four games. The worst team in the league is usually in the 3-4 win range. That is no accomplishment at all. If you didn't think the Browns would win at least four games prior to the season, you're an idiot.

  I'm far from ecstatic, but if you were expecting the guy to come in here and immediately turn a shitty football team into a success story, you're an idiot. Trying to determine how a coach is developing a bad football team merely on wins/losses is about the worst thing you can do. If you're a shitty football team, then whats the difference between 4 wins and 6 wins, other than where you pick in the draft? I would hope every coach takes a job for the same goal, winning a Super Bowl.
  
  

  Mulva wrote: Comparing 3 wins so far with this years schedule vs. 4 wins last year is insanity.
  
  I think Mangini is a bad coach. He took over a bad roster, yes, but he made it worse. The trade with the Jets for the #5 pick was embarrassingly bad. I'm not saying we should have kept the pick, but what we (he) got back for it was atrocious. The free agent acquisitions have been bad. Everyone loves to complain about John St. Clair and the right side of the line. Who was the one who signed him?
  
  I think he earned another year as coach with the win over the Steelers and wouldn't complain if he was kept, but I would be happier if he was replaced because he is definitely not the answer in my mind.
  
  
  I would actually rather have kept Kokinis and tried to lure Holmgren as head coach, where he has an unquestionable track record. The way it's set up now I'm not sure who I'd go after as head coach.

  Why is that? We played 6 playoff teams last season, and its looking like we will have played at least 5 playoff teams this season, so I don't see a major difference.
  
  As for point two, he did what needed to be done with this roster in order to build for the future. Winslow wanted a huge deal, one he certainly didn't earn, and Mangini got picks for him. Edwards was exactly the same situation. Sean Jones was a constant injury liability, and hasn't done much of anything for Philly. I watched him make a half assed attempt at an arm tackle on Dominik Hixon, who went for a big TD a couple weeks ago. As far as how the picks were used, that should never have been Mangini's job, thats what Kokinis was hired to do, and the reason he isn't here now is because he wasn't able to handle the position he was brought in for. We are well aware that Mangini will not be the man in charge of our drafting this year, so in a way its pointless to even worry about. I will say this, however, if Mangini had tried to get more out of that trade down, it never would have happened, and if the picks we obtained through those trades were maybe used a little better (again, should NEVER have been Mangini's job to be in charge of those picks), I highly doubt anybody would be complaining.
  
  A lot of the players we acquired through trade or free agency have been playing well for us. Kenyon Coleman has been a solid contributor on the d-line, starter worthy, probably not, but in the NFL you need depth at every position. Trusnik has looked solid since he came over from the Jets, Roth, can't say enough about his play. I don't think anybody expected Bowens to bring what he has to the table. We are seeing Wimbley play his best football since his rookie year, Rubin develop closer to being our future run stopping NT, Corey Williams is finally starting to play like a 3-4 DE should play, just top to bottom, we don't have a complete group of talent needed to be a consistent winning football team. I wish we would have used one of our 2nd round picks to get a RT, but we didn't. Its impossible to expect to fill every void this team has in just one season, but I'm sure thats a point of emphasis we will focus on this offseason.
  
  If you replace him with a more proven NFL veteran coach, then by all means make that change, but I highly doubt anyone of that caliber is going to want the job as it is.
  
  In one season, Mangini was able to fix our salary cap problems, deplete us of our locker room problems, gain us four extra draft picks, with the possibility of adding even more, and obtain some solid depth to positions where we formerly had none before he got here. We will have enough draft picks to likely add 3-4 starters through this years draft alone, and enough money available to add just as much through free agency, other than the results that lack in the w/l column, I don't know what more we could ask for.
• Gobuckeyes1

  LTrain23 wrote: This team, despite being 1-11 at one point, has NEVER quit and always seems to play hard...
  
  Now, they have beat the Steelers and Chiefs in back to back weeks and sit at 3-11...
  
  Mangini deserves another year.
  
  I also hate when people say he took a bad roster and made it worse.. Uh, no shit. That's what happens when you go full blown rebuild. You turn the roster over. 11 draft picks and a lot of money to spend in free agency could lead to a quick turnaround.

  Pretty much sums up my feelings.
  
  I would be in favor of giving Mangini another year. The players are still playing hard, and things have certainly improved in the past few weeks. The team we have seen the past month is the team that I expected to see all season. We knew there wasn't much talent there, but they play hard and are competitive.
  
  I would very much be in favor of bringing in Holmgren to oversee the draft and personnel decisions and would hope that Holmgren and Mangini could work together, at least for one season. If things don't go well next year and it's clear that Holmgren and Mangini can't co-exist after next season, then go ahead and can him.
  
  However...all that being said...if it comes down to choosing Holmgren or Mangini, I'm taking Holmgren.
• Cleveland Buck

  

  I'm wondering if they are playing hard because of Mangina or if it is because the only guys who are playing are trying to make an NFL roster for next year. Almost every established veteran on the team is sitting out these games.
  
  That said, I like the improvement I have seen, and wouldn't be mad if they gave Mangina another year, and I didn't want him in the first place. They must upgrade the talent though. It looks like they screwed up their chance to pick Ndamukong Suh #1 overall, so I guess they should take Eric Berry. They need to get a starting tailback, WR, RG, RT, and 6 or 7 new starters on defense. If they don't address these then it doesn't matter who coaches them.
• Mulva

  

  h2thaizzo wrote: Why is that? We played 6 playoff teams last season, and its looking like we will have played at least 5 playoff teams this season, so I don't see a major difference.

  6 playoff teams, but 8 games against playoff teams. Not to mention 9-7 Dallas, 8-8 Washington, 8-8 Houston, 8-8 Denver, etc.
  
  Last years schedule was brutal. Not to mention the playoff teams were legit. We played 5 games last year against teams that went 12-4 or better.
  
  The playoff teams we've played this year (outside of Minnesota and San Diego) already all have 5-6 losses with 2 games left to go.
  
  And Kansas City, Detroit, and Oakland are all worse than anyone we played last year. The only team that even has an argument against that is Cincinnati.
  
  The SOS last year was 7th. It's currently 24th this year.
  
  Not even comparable.
• h2thaizzo

  Oh no doubt, 3/4 secondary positions need to be upgraded NOW. Wright I am fine with, he makes his share of mistakes, but I like what I see out of him a lot more than I dislike what I see from him. Steinbach has been shitty this year, I really think its beneficial for him, and for the team if he were to move to RT for the remainder of his career here, he just isn't cutting it as a guard right now.
• Elliot Stabler