After yet another embarrassing beatdown for his Browns -- this time a 30-6 loss at the hands of the Chicago Bears -- Eric Mangini received a vote of confidence, at least for the remainder of this season. Randy Lerner, owner of the Browns, indicated he isn't willing to dismiss Mangini right now, but admitted to the Associated Press that he is "sick" about the state of his franchise.Even if Mangini's safe, Lerner did express interest in making one change -- he wants to bring in a football-tested authority figure to help run the franchise. The way he's phrasing everything, it sounds like he wants to hire someone in the Bill Parcells-in-Miami mold.
"There's absolutely no question about that," he said. "The highest priority that I have is a strong, credible, serious leader within the building to guide decisions in a far more conspicuous, open transparent way. I can maybe defend decisions by saying I've sought advice and I've brought people in, and we've gone to see people -- and I think my highest priority is to have a stable figure that represents the voice that explains the decisions."
Update: Browns Fire GM George Kokinis
Lerner also admitted the Browns' quarterback situation isn't even remotely close to working.
No matter how they proceed, it's obvious some serious changes need to happen in Cleveland. The Browns are 1-7 and the franchise is currently in as bad of shape as any other team in football. The game in Chicago was just another in a string of embarrassments for the Browns -- as they turned the ball over five times and even missed their only extra point attempt. This was a 30-6 beatdown from a team that lost 45-10 to the Bengals last week.
They don't seem prepared and have no real general direction. The personnel is pretty awful, too.
The Browns have a bye next week, but will face the Ravens at home in Week 10. They likely have three more realistically winnable games left on the schedule. They travel to Detroit in Week 11, go to Kansas City in Week 15, and host the Raiders in Week 16.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
11-02-2009 @ 1:00AM
indians022 said...
Whatever you do Brown Fans don't desert the Browns. If you protest, you will only be kicking them while their down. That's not what a true Brown fan would do. This is when they need our support. Hang in their Dawg Pound, and keep leading the fans on. The Browns will be back, but we must support them until then. GO BROWNIES.
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11-03-2009 @ 10:49AM
Bill Brucken said...
Indians022 - You, and fans like you are the reason Cleveland will NEVER have a championship team! Can you imagine a winning city like NY or Pittsburgh staying all lovey-dovey, soft and fuzzy with their teams if they had a record like the Browns? NO WAY! The team would have to hide from their fans until they got it together. Quit tolerating the losses, Cleveland. Quit offering hugs to a team with no direction or drive. This isn't your 5 year old playing soccer! Cleveland is a loser town! We only train the good players for other teams. (Watch, wait and see what happens to LeBron and Shaq!)
11-03-2009 @ 4:06PM
rbearfield said...
indians022--you are wrong about that.
when a man is down, kick him, that will give him the motivation and initiative to rise above it, and do something.
11-02-2009 @ 1:04AM
wongtpa said...
The Browns are just a reflection of the Mistake on the Lake. Cleveland has been on the down swing since Dennis Kucinich was elected mayor and purchased Muny Light. Cleveland should become part of Lakewood or Parma. Cleveland is an embarassment to all and their sports teams are just a real reflection of a mistake on the lake!
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11-02-2009 @ 2:06PM
jababaland said...
Enough with the mistake on th lake crap! As a long time Cleveland citizen, I am so sick of people bad-mouthing the city. I have now lived in Phoenix for almost 5 years and I can tell you that little Cleveland has more culture in its pinky finger than this 5th most populous city in the country. It's not the city's fault that it can't get a football owner who cares about the fans or knows anything about football. LAY OFF OF CLEVELAND ALREADY! If you live there and don't like it, move! If you don't or haven't lived there, then keep your mouth shut about things you are ignorant about!
11-03-2009 @ 9:40AM
waagtod said...
I love that everyone who defends Cleveland and says "its a great place, leave it alone" lives somewhere else. It's always "Cleveland is a wonderful place", by the way I live in phoenix of dallas or california. If it was so great why did you leave?
11-02-2009 @ 1:12AM
Jetfan said...
Same ol Mangini
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11-02-2009 @ 3:57AM
busterk5 said...
Mangini go back to ny they threw you out and who knows why cleveland always get someone elses trash beats me ... not to mention but browns dont have the talent to win much either
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11-02-2009 @ 4:22AM
jessemolson48 said...
i lived in ohio for 7 years ,and not a cleveland clown fan. its funny tho no matter what coach they hire they still suck,i would call them and the los angeles basketball team on the same road.not the lakers the other team, lol i cant remember .as i said both suck.ooo one more thing i hate the buckeyes, and i live in columbus ohio.
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11-02-2009 @ 4:58AM
neyvit said...
I'm sorry, but your opinion on sports (or life for that matter) is moot if you don't even know the 2nd NBA team in L.A.
11-02-2009 @ 7:56PM
ynicvic said...
go to h-ll
11-02-2009 @ 5:05AM
jessemolson48 said...
sorry i dont the other basketball team name besides the lakers, i dont watch that sport,since larry bird,the greatest player that ever played basketball,and am not a celtic fan, as my screen name is 48 am a nascar fan jimmie
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11-03-2009 @ 8:33AM
Dale Levy said...
I guess puncuation is not your strong suit either. I though 48 was your screen name and you're IQ.
11-03-2009 @ 1:57PM
oxhartly said...
A Nascar fan that cant compose a coherent sentence. Shocking!!
11-07-2009 @ 10:04AM
shulawt said...
A friend of the redneck round-d-rounds posting on an NFL board... hmmm, take your redneck, inbreed, southern (you didn't win the war) mentality and go shoot a deer or something. You're as useless to the ways of America as Mangunius is to Cleveland.
11-02-2009 @ 5:40AM
megazoidia said...
first comment doesn't even make sense, why would you pay for a not even close to half finished product?
come on fans! lets keep spewing money out to watch lions slaughter lambs! that kind of mentality has allowed teams like the lions, and raiders to be horrendous for so long.
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11-02-2009 @ 7:43AM
sd3jones said...
The Browns should throw away the play book they have! They should have plays for what little talent they have! I have been a Browns fan for 55 years and it is time to stop the run 2 plays pass 1 play and punt offense! They need to come up with some different plays to keep the defense on their toes!
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11-02-2009 @ 7:54AM
rjw6683 said...
Lerner is in over his head with this team. The only reason that stadium still has people in it is because some of us still remember the Browns that dominated football for 2 decades. I sometimes have to stop and remember that my 18 year old has never seen a good browns team. This ownership has not only robbed me of something I lived for every Sunday in the fall, but has also robbed my kids from having the childhood memories that I have. The only people I see on that coaching staff that reflect our hunger to win are Ryan and Cox. Can Mangini and make Ryan our head coach now so he has a couple weeks to get the team ready. Players respond to his kind of in your face discipline for messing up, not the sackless Mangini water bottle fine discipline. Good call putting in Quinn when it meant absolutely nothing Daboll. I'm sure he learned a lot running against a prevent defense. You and Mangini both suck hairy nutsacks.
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11-02-2009 @ 7:55AM
waharsh said...
If you guys expected Mangini to turn the Browns around in only 1 season, then you are just stupid! Give the guy a break. He has been trading away players to get draft picks so that he can start building his team next year. The Browns have been a bad team for a long time now, just changing the coach will not instantle fix the problem. I know that the Browns fans out there are so tired of looseing, but have a little faith and hopefully in 2011 the browns will be a competitive team again.
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11-03-2009 @ 9:38AM
Michael P Harvey said...
He is the wrong personality for the team. Someone like Rich Rodriguez of Michigan is the force we need. Or Ryan of New York. Someone who has the guts to say what is needed and the moxie to back it up. That is why Lerners chickenxxxx firing of the GM is just a cover up for a bad owner who won't hire the right people to make these overpaid players perform.