Brantley’s Strain Conjures Up The Sizemore Signing Pain
March 20, 2012
2012 WFNY Bracket Contest – First Winner Chosen!
March 20, 2012
Mike Holmgren did it again.
He called his old buddy in Seattle to talk football. Many fans and media are up in arms about it not because of what he said, but because he’s seemingly out there talking to Seattle more frequently than he is talking to Browns fans. That assessment might be harsh, but in the world of sports and entertainment where fans cling to every word, perception is reality. What’s most surprising to me is that Mike Holmgren and the Browns for all their experience don’t seem to get it. There’s a really really easy solution to all this.
Mike Holmgren needs to preempt every Seattle appearance with a Cleveland one.
Sounds simple, right? That’s because it is.
Mike Holmgren needs to pick one radio show, be it WKNR, WTAM, 92.3 or even WMMS and talk to them for 10 minutes on the same day before he calls his buddy Dave Mahler in Seattle. Maybe even do it a day before he calls Mahler. Seattle won’t mind. I promise.
If Holmgren really wants to make sure he gets a home team interview he can even just do a quick podcast with Vic Carucci for ClevelandBrowns.com
Maybe Browns fans are overly needy. Maybe it is silly that Mike Holmgren needs to placate fans and hold their hands so much. Even if that is your opinion, so what? Every NFL job comes with a pretty lucrative paycheck and slightly different sets of requirements. If Browns fans need more hand-holding, load up the tape recorder and hold their hands with a few minutes.
It would be better than inviting select media to a conference room, telling them to leave their tape recorders and cameras at home and not releasing any transcripts so that Twitter and next-day articles are needed to figure out what you said. This is the modern world.
Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it wouldn’t be good enough and people would still complain, but you never know until you try. Another appearance on KJR and another day of sports talk radio making it a topic of conversation means that you’re not doing it right yet.
Fix it. It will be far and away easier than solving all the personnel issues that you need patience to fix on the field on Sundays.
77 Comments
Good topic Craig….
1. Why does Holmgren think anyone in Seattle cares about what is going on in Cleveland?
2. Its insulting to the local media when he continues to give interviews with his buddies in Seattle before he does so here.
3. Its all ego…. he does what he wants when he wants, and when he does talk to the media here, he comes off condescending at times.
I had the pleasure of seeing him in action during training camp and he never comes off condescending in person. Never.
I saw him own a group of Browns backers having them laughing and cheering. He was quiet, thoughtful and playful with the media 10 minutes later.
When he was standing with Jim Tressel, Lloyd Carr and Chris Grant he seemed to be the guy in the bar who leads the whole group in conversation.
I just think he needs to be out there more and of course the Browns need to win more games. You wouldn’t find him arrogant if the Browns were winning already.
It is the biggest problem with the “dress for success” methodology. If you act like you’re a winner before you win, it helps internal culture, but it sets you up for mockery from the outside and potentially makes you look arrogant and out of touch.
I had the pleasure of seeing him in action during training camp and he never comes off condescending in person. Never.
I saw him own a group of Browns backers having them laughing and cheering. He was quiet, thoughtful and playful with the media 10 minutes later.
When he was standing with Jim Tressel, Lloyd Carr and Chris Grant he seemed to be the guy in the bar who leads the whole group in conversation.
I just think he needs to be out there more and of course the Browns need to win more games. You wouldn’t find him arrogant if the Browns were winning already.
It is the biggest problem with the “dress for success” methodology. If you act like you’re a winner before you win, it helps internal culture, but it sets you up for mockery from the outside and potentially makes you look arrogant and out of touch.
as I wrote yesterday, it’s a tone-deafness issue and your solution would be fine. He may be one of those charismatic larger than life guys who suck all the air out of the room, but he’s now dealing with a larger than life fan base that’s been driven rabid by recent incompetence. He doesn’t yet get that the Big Mike charm won’t work here until they win, and when they win he’ll get more credit than he even deserves. Just would be a lot easier for him to swallow some pride, listen to local advice and adjust.
Very good points in this article but you forgot the most important one: Holmgren is being paid millions by Lerner to not just run the football operation but to also be the face of the franchise. It’s not his choice, it’s his job! Why should Browns fans have to seek out radio interviews in Seattle to find out more information on their team during a crucial time of transition? You’re right. Holmgren doesn’t get it. And that’s what worries me on a lot of levels.
Good propositions, Craig, though I would be hesitant to say Browns fans are qualitatively more needy than other fans. The NFL is a league built on soft tribalism (just look at the Muny lot on Sunday mornings in the fall), and Holmgren’s relationship with Seattle media creates dissonance where total loyalty is expected. This is basic social science, and it’s surprising someone of Holmgren’s intelligence doesn’t get it.
Insulting the local media is something they must keep doing.
perhaps Holmgren could hold a conference call to season-ticket holders answering a whole slew of questions and then have clevelandbrowns.com post that whole conference call just a day or two before talking shop with his Seattle boys.
naw, Grossi would still complain.
It really is surprising how ham-handed the Browns p.r. efforts have been. They haven’t taken charge of their message, they just reluctantly react after little problems fester into unnecessary controversies. Holmgren should know better.
to be fair, the local media includes Chuck Booms, and he deserves every insult thrown his way.
I have relatives in Seattle, and all of them have said that we are very fortunate to have a guy like Holmgren. Both he and his wife were involved in the community as well as numerous charitable organizations. He is still well liked and respected in Seattle, which is one of the reasons he does interviews there. I think he inherited a much bigger mess here than he expected, and he has underestimated the cynicism among the fans and media dating all the way back to the Modell years. He is now the man most associated with this organization and every move he makes is heavily scrutinized, especially the missteps.
I agree that winning would cure all ills. Unfortunately, that appears to be unlikely to happen any time soon.
While I agree that the tone deafness is frustrating, the guy doesn’t say anything anyway. What more can he say than what is already out there – “we got outplayed for RG3”, “don’t expect any major FA moves”, “we’re not going to tip our hand about the draft”.
Well, that is a little different than tossing a bone to the local media with an interview or two. Granted, it shouldn’t matter to the fans so I don’t think they’re the ones who should be complaining, but, if you’re a local sportswriter/broadcaster, I could see why you’d be upset that the team can’t toss you an interview with the Prez every now and then yet he’s regularly showing up for out of market buddies.
So would, and do, thousands of other people.
Apparently, a short call to a radio talk show trumps a publicly-available direct Q&A with season ticket holders in terms of importance and “connection.” I am at a loss. There is absolutely nothing that this man can do that would good enough or right enough with this fan base.
Not only does he continue to talk football to Seattle, he always wants to talk Matt Hassleback. Half of his interview was about Hassleback, he loves to talk highly of what he did with that guy. He doesn’t really have any passion for this job, he just couldn’t pass up the money and the power.
Oh come on Bode, why the Grossi cheap shot?! For his many faults, he’d at least give it back to the people in power in Berea
He can connect with the fan base, validate the suffering and angst, reaffirm the plan. He could also bring former players into the fold to help with some of the PR. In an era of “social” the Browns are stunningly closed off and off-pitch as an organization.
because Grossi was the first one to complain about the Holmgren talking to Seattle thing (at least that I saw)?
not a cheap shot, just the facts:
http://espncleveland.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=17&post_id=727
I’ve never been bothered by Holmgren talking to someone in Seattle that he has a relationship with. It’s not like he’s spilling team secrets or breaking news, he said the same things that he said last week.
It could also be that because it bothers the anti-Holmgren crowd, I’m more inclined not to go into pearl clutching mode.
But, but, but, we want him to say nothing to us first!!!
We. Are. So. Angrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry.
I liked Grossi still do he made a mistake and the Browns seized the opportunity to see him removed I mean reassigned. You can say what you want about Holmgren but he’s made more then a few PR blunders since becoming team president. Couple that with how bad the team is and it’s no wonder people feel the way they do. And I didn’t even mention Mumbles Shurmur/ Belichick 2.0.
I think this is a simple case of underestimating the passion and appetite that this town has for the Browns. We are going to talk about football 24/7/365 because it’s a part of who we are. It might not be rational or healthy, but that’s just how it is. It’s one of those things that I just don’t think people understand unless they are from the area. And he’s not from the area.
It seems like he thinks he can sneak off and talk to “outsiders” without us noticing since it’s the offseason and most football fans aren’t paying attention. Personally, I don’t really care that much that he is speaking to the Seattle media, but it sure seems odd and comes across as “tone-deaf” to the Cleveland market.
Holmgren doesn’t know better. That’s part of the problem.
I won’t disagree with any of this. I’m just more upset over how poorly they handled the RG3 situation than Big Mike’s media schedule.
We need to know everything that there is to know and not know. While we know that we may end up not knowing what there is to not know, it’s the not knowing – and knowing that we don’t know – that’s the problem.
+1
Seriously, Mike spent a full hour fielding questions directly from season ticket holders. What are we complaining about?
I know!
To be fair, Eric Mangini was Belichick 2.0… Shurmur would have to be 3.0 (or maybe 2.1)
Yes, but there are known knowns—that is, things we know we know. Then there are known unknowns—that is to say, we know that there are some things we do not know. But we also know that there are unknown unknowns, which are things we do not know we don’t know.
Define your terms.
I’m frankly more concerned about the unknown knowns. You know, those things that we know, but we don’t know that we know them.
This new regime just like all the others JUST DON’T GET IT and they NEVER will!!! they haven’t a clue how much we Browns fans eat, breathe, sleep and bleed orange and brown football!
Not sure why Chuck Booms deserves insults. He speaks from the heart and that is what a lot of fans that do not have the voice to reach Mike H. would want to say.
stop it right now, boys, or I’ll sit you in opposite sides of the room. Or with the latin-speaking geeks, and then you’ll also get tripped every day in the cafeteria.
Randy (slow) Lerner should have sold this team right after his father passed away, he has no business owning a team that he could give two you know whats about and now the city of Cleveland and all of us Browns fans will suffer till this idiot owner realizes that his own heart is just not in it and it would be in his best interest to find a buyer or group that would actually give a damn! it’d be great to see Bernie Kosar and a few others that he played ball with way back when come together and buy out Lerner, that would be the best thing that could happen to this city since sliced bread!!!
To be fair, this conversation isn’t about an isolated incident, it’s about Holmgren’s overall body of work. There are some troubling patterns that could be curtailed with a more savvy PR approach
You’re right. There is no other fan base like ours. Those Green Bay fans are a bunch of latte sipping possers. And Philly? Eagles fans are a bunch of European nancy boys. They don’t care about their team they way we do. And given that’s where Holmgren and Heckert were before Cleveland it’s easy to understand how the front office just doesn’t get our passion.
It all starts from the top. Randy Lerner rarely speaks to the local media (or any media for that matter) so Holmgren doesn’t feel it necessary. Why didn’t Randy make “media relations” a job stipulation, perhaps put something tangible in his contract about meeting with media once a month? Forget for a minute that this is billionaire-millionaire relationship, it’s an employee-employer relationship. If my boss wants me to do something I do it. It’s no different here.
It all starts from the top. Randy Lerner rarely speaks to the local media (or any media for that matter) so Holmgren doesn’t feel it necessary. Why didn’t Randy make “media relations” a job stipulation, perhaps put something tangible in his contract about meeting with media once a month? Forget for a minute that this is billionaire-millionaire relationship, it’s an employee-employer relationship. If my boss wants me to do something I do it. It’s no different here.
Fairly certain that until this moment I’d never come across the phrase “nancy boys” in written form. Not sure whether to virtually applaud or flog you, Mark. Sounds like an androynous 80s technopop thing. Or maybe I’m flashing on Pet Shop Boys.
Fairly certain that until this moment I’d never come across the phrase “nancy boys” in written form. Not sure whether to virtually applaud or flog you, Mark. Sounds like an androynous 80s technopop thing. Or maybe I’m flashing on Pet Shop Boys.
1. Hire an head coach with experience
2. If hiring rookie Head Coach, do not allow said inexperienced Coach to further distract himself from managing the game by calling plays
3. Leave Tom Heckert alone (so far, so good. not 100% good, but 75% is like batting 1.000 in Cleveland)
4. Don’t expect me to believe that you believe Colt is the answer. You tried to get Bradford, and then RGIII.
5. Answer the phone when I call for playoff tickets
I understand what you are saying though, some folks are impossible to please. I admit I don’t necessarily like it, but I’m not going to get my nose out of joint over it.
But, like Harv says above, the tone deafness is palpable abd surprising
Sounds like a great plan. Lets get rid of an owner with deep pockets who is not afraid to spend money and replace him with a bunch of ex-players who do not, because Lerner just does not want to win. In fact, I am certain he would rather lose!
Winner!
PR blunders + losing = angry fan base.
12 years of PR blundes + 12 years of losing = Cleveland fan base
Start winning and nobody cares who you talk to or when you talk to them.
Just win baby.
I think I have finally come to the breaking point with this franchise. I was born in ’76 so I at least got to witness the late 80’s when we actually had a TEAM. This RGIII whiff almost makes me hate my favorite team (an yes, it was a whiff and the original offer was not as strong as Washington’s when they asked for the team’s best offers). Here’s a little advice Holmgren, Heckert, and Shurmer (who is not head coach material): If you go all-in and get a franchise player, people want to come here. He elevates people’s play and makes people believe again. In my opinion, this miss is up there with the Browns trading Paul Warfield to Miami for their first round pick. We got Mike Phipps who never did a thing. You watch: RGIII is going to be more than special and we’re already talking about 2013 and Matt Barkley.
Seriously, how are there not more pissed off people on here? Meanwhile the walrus speaks out of both sides of his mouth and takes ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSIBILITY. The other moves I’ve been able to handle, and they’ll always be my only team, but this one really turned me off though. Why is this acceptable in Cleveland?? Can someone please answer me???? Mike? Randy? Anyone?
you missed on the sarcasm font but well done.
Side Note: the “you may also like ” links seem to be spot on the past few weeks.
THIS MAKES ME ANGRY BECAUSE I AM A CLEVELAND SPORTS FAN AND HAVE NEVER BEEN TAUGHT TO FEEL ANY OTHER WAY.
I think I have finally come to the breaking point with this franchise. I
was born in ’76 so I at least got to witness the late 80’s when we
actually had a TEAM. This RGIII whiff almost makes me hate my favorite
team (an yes, it was a whiff and the original offer was not as strong as
Washington’s when they asked for the team’s best offers). Here’s a
little advice Holmgren, Heckert, and Shurmer (who is not head coach
material): If you go all-in and get a franchise player, people want to
come here. He elevates people’s play and makes people believe again.
In my opinion, this miss is up there with the Browns trading Paul
Warfield to Miami for their first round pick. We got Mike Phipps who
never did a thing. You watch: RGIII is going to be more than special
and we’re already talking about 2013 and Matt Barkley.
Seriously, how are there not more pissed off people on here? Meanwhile
the walrus speaks out of both sides of his mouth and takes ABSOLUTELY NO
RESPONSIBILITY. The other moves I’ve been able to handle, and they’ll
always be my only team, but this one really turned me off though. Why is this acceptable in Cleveland?? Can someone please answer me???? Mike? Randy? Anyone?
Perfectly voiced Craig. I,too, do not understand why Mike Holmgren lacks the awareness of the dissonance that he has created. Your solutions are not only common sense but essential.
It is a heavy lift for us who still try to defend this regime on pure football “rebuild” strategy ( Still need another year to add quality players and depth, no need to take on bad contracts to appease impatient fanbase this year, still more moves to be made this offseason, etc.) But with a little basic PR 101 from these guys the temperature in this city could be taken down at least 50 degrees.
So we talk to Holmgren once a month. I WONDER WHAT HE WOULD SAY? Here I’ll tell you what he will say. “We are not going to go crazy in free agency.” “We like Colt McCoy, but we are going to have a competition.” We are going to stick to our plan of building through the draft.” “I liked Peyton Hillis, I wish him well.” Does that about sum it up? Did I miss something? Man us as fans need to back off this guy. They said in January what their plan was. Why are we complaining in March that they are doing what they said they were going to do? Let’s see what happens in the draft. I am frustrated too, but guess what I’m still here. I won’t root for anyone else. If they fire this regime and get a new one, I’ll root for them too.
I just want to know if the cat is alive or dead