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Tracking Eric Mangini's path toward the Browns


Gen X Jet

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Interesting perspective from the Mistake on the Lake re what looks like the imminent hiring of Mangini. I see naivety along the lines seen in Kansas City in 2006 when Herm was headed there... (i.e. no comments about the 31st ranked secondary by Mangini (brought up as a DB coach))

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2009/01/analysis_tracking_eric_mangini.html

John Russell/Associated Press

Eric Mangini was not a vocal supporter of Brett Favre's signing with the Jets, although it was reported that after New York completed its late-season collapse, Favre told Mangini it was the players' fault, and not the coach's.

Eric Mangini was fired as New York Jets coach the day after the team completed a free-fall from first place to third in the AFC East and out of the playoffs.

Before the day was over, Mangini was on the fast track to becoming the front-runner to replace Romeo Crennel as the next Browns coach.

Now that Mangini's hiring appears inevitable, if not imminent, a refresher course on the one-time Browns ballboy is in order.

Question: How did Mangini go from "Mangenius" to "you're fired" in three seasons, two in which the Jets had a winning record?

Answer: Jets owner Woody Johnson doled out about $160 million in future contracts for veteran acquisitions in 2008 to get the team over the top while simultaneously pushing sales of ultra-expensive luxury seats in the new Meadowlands stadium under construction. The trade for disgruntled Green Bay quarterback icon Brett Favre was the final act in getting the team to the playoffs. When the Jets failed, Mangini took the fall.

Q: Is that all?

A: Mangini was not gung-ho about the Favre trade and seemed intimidated by him. Favre had his run of the place and other players took note. Mangini's defense failed him in the playoff stretch. He was heavily criticized for some game decisions that backfired. He also was hard on his players and on his coaches. He was not the most popular man in the Jets complex by the end of his time.

Q: So why did he appeal so much to Lerner?

A: Mangini was Crennel's first choice to be defensive coordinator in 2005, so there was some familiarity with him from that time. More importantly, Lerner has been convinced that the Browns needed an experienced head coach, one capable of learning from his failures in his first job. Mangini is a grinder who works his players hard and Lerner felt that type of coach definitely was needed. Also, Mangini never shirked responsibility as Jets coach and always stood up and took the bullets.

The word "stoic" is often used in describing Mangini during his tenure in New York. But as he proved here, there were times when his emotions bubbled to the top during games, and he was considered a very demanding boss.

Q: Why has no other team expressed interest in Mangini?

A: Some believe he is too tough a coach to work for. But he's not the only coach accused of that. It is odd that he is not a candidate in Detroit, St. Louis, Oakland or Denver.

Q: Would Mangini be given the full authority over personnel and the draft that Crennel lacked?

A: Probably not. Mangini's personal choice to take over as Browns general manager is George Kokinis, the Baltimore Ravens' pro personnel director. They are good friends since their original days in entry-level positions with the Bill Belichick Browns of the early 1990s. The only way the Browns could pry Kokinis from the Ravens, however, is by giving him full authority over football decisions. Mangini apparently is comfortable with that.

Q: Isn't that the way it worked in New York between Mangini and General Manager Mike Tannenbaum, who also were close friends?

A: Yes. For three years, Tannenbaum and Mangini worked hand-in-hand on personnel decisions, with Tannenbaum having final say. But they differed on Favre. The owner and Tannenbaum wanted him and Mangini was lukewarm at best.

Q: Isn't Mangini a clone of Bill Belichick?

A: Well, they are very similar -- stoic workaholics always looking for the slightest competitive edge to exploit their opponents. They are not going to light up a room when they enter it.

Q: What has happened to their relationship?

A: It's non-existent. After succeeding Crennel one year as New England defensive coordinator, Mangini interviewed for some head coaching jobs. Belichick encouraged him with one proviso -- take any job but the Jets, who are the Patriots' arch rivals. Mangini not only defied his mentor, but further angered him by trying to raid the Patriots' staff for assistants. Then, after the season-opening meeting of the rivals in 2007, the NFL office received evidence of Belichick authorizing the videotaping of Jets' defensive signals, which is against league rules. It is widely believed that Mangini is the one who snitched. The Patriots were docked a first-round draft pick and fined $250,000. Belichick was fined an additional $500,000 -- the maximum under NFL rules. In three seasons, the Jets were 2-5 against Belichick's Patriots, including one loss in the playoffs.

Q: It seems the Browns should be more concerned with defeating their own rivals than in trying to find the next Belichick. What was Mangini's record against the AFC North?

A: In three years, the Jets were 2-4 against teams in the AFC North. They beat Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. They lost twice to Crennel's Browns.

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Q: So why did he appeal so much to Lerner?

A: Mangini was Crennel's first choice to be defensive coordinator in 2005, so there was some familiarity with him from that time. More importantly, Lerner has been convinced that the Browns needed an experienced head coach, one capable of learning from his failures in his first job. Mangini is a grinder who works his players hard and Lerner felt that type of coach definitely was needed. Also, Mangini never shirked responsibility as Jets coach and always stood up and took the bullets.

:rl:

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What a steaming pile of horse crap...

Mangini was awful this year and is quoted as saying he told Brett he'd name his so after him during the wooing phase. I'd love to know who is the puppeteer behind this whole Mangini's a victim of Favre/Woody meme that's going around..

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What a steaming pile of horse crap...

Mangini was awful this year and is quoted as saying he told Brett he'd name his so after him during the wooing phase. I'd love to know who is the puppeteer behind this whole Mangini's a victim of Favre/Woody meme that's going around..

I think the guy who seems to bring it up the most is Peter King. He tore the Jets apart on the radio the other day. I have a feeling he is the guy who has floated the story around about how he got a complete raw deal(even though King was a huge proponent of Favre coming here) and that the attacks against him by the Jets and by the media are outrageous.

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Let me tell you something 9 f**king int's in 4 games is AWFUL. Not counting how many 3 and outs because Brett couldn't hit the side of a`f**king barn.No one deserves all the blame but if Brett played halfway decent down the stretch none of this takes place. the defense played well in Seattle and Miami but you give a team short fields because of int's or pick sixes it makes it difficult..The Packers obviously felt he was done...the Jets gambled he wasn't..conclusion..Jets wrong..If he comes back next year the Jets won't win five games...# 4 is a HOF'er but his time is done and unfortunately happened in the middle of a Jet season..

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Let me tell you something 9 f**king int's in 4 games is AWFUL. Not counting how many 3 and outs because Brett couldn't hit the side of a`f**king barn.No one deserves all the blame but if Brett played halfway decent down the stretch none of this takes place. the defense played well in Seattle and Miami but you give a team short fields because of int's or pick sixes it makes it difficult..The Packers obviously felt he was done...the Jets gambled he wasn't..conclusion..Jets wrong..If he comes back next year the Jets won't win five games...# 4 is a HOF'er but his time is done and unfortunately happened in the middle of a Jet season..

your partly correct. The D let that QB in Seattle look like Joe Montana!

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minus the Fg because thet went for it on 4th down they gave up 10 pts!! #4 missed four deep balls where receivers had a step or 2 on the secondary and he badly under threw them every f**king time..Favre's poor play lost the Seattle game not the defense.

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