Buckeyes headline All-Big Ten Offense list
December 2, 2015Taylor Decker named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year
December 2, 2015As is our usual humorous strategy on Browns television game day, my son and I looked for a go-to program to switch to during the countless interruptions in the game. You know how that goes, 200 channels and nothing to watch. After I gave up, willing to settle for the mute button, he picked Zombieland, the 2009 zombie comedy. I will leave it to the reader to fill in the punch line here.
Calling the Browns-Ravens game for Monday Night Football, Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden were not shy in their assessments of what’s been wrong with the Cleveland Browns since their return to the NFL in 1999, but they covered mostly familiar territory with their description of the team’s lack of continuity in the front office and with head coaches, combined with their unrivaled poor performance on the field and in building a roster. As is par for the course with such talking points, however, such analysis can be tiresome when precious little is offered in the way of remedies. The reason for this, I suspect, is that, except for a few outspoken ruffians, the media doesn’t generally point the finger at owners, the ones at whose mahogany desks the buck stops.
“1964 was a good year, Mike. Mick Jaggar. Jim Brown. Championship football here in Ohio. It’d be exciting if this franchise could come back, get the energy that it once had. But it’s going to take great players and great people, and—uh—we’ll see what happens.”
— Jon Gruden, November 30, 2015
If the Browns’ deficiencies run the gamut (and they most certainly do), how, precisely, does a new Browns quarterback produce a running attack that is even minimally effective? How does a quarterback mitigate his team’s ineffectiveness at stopping the opponent’s running game or pressuring the opponent’s passer? And what can he do to reduce the relentless pressure and hard hits he’ll endure every game? In fact, how does a newly minted face of the franchise even survive a full season without a competent line to protect him?
We need not continue beating a dead horse. A talented, savvy, smart, experienced quarterback can accomplish only so much for a team that excels at almost nothing. The correct answer to the question of what the Browns need to improve is “just about everything.” And if that’s the case, we are talking about leadership, beginning at the top.
Successful business people generally know their product or service well because they produce it, or at least oversee its production. They are thoroughly involved with their brainchild, from conception to marketing. Owners of NFL teams, however, do not fall into such a category. Except for those who have been immersed in the game for decades, or perhaps for generations, and who have somehow managed to hire (and be kept up to speed by) some of the genuine movers and shakers of the game, there just isn’t enough expertise for an owner to make him a truly qualified CEO in the traditional sense. He is more of an investor than a hands-on CEO. What he most needs, then, is someone who has a football background, someone who, on the one hand, is conversant with the big-picture issues (like how the game fits into the culture at-large) and, on the other hand, one who is extremely detail oriented about the game itself.
On some teams the general managers might fill that role. Elsewhere, it might be the head coach. Somewhere else it might be the team president. Most teams, undoubtedly, have settled on some form of shared responsibility. Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam seems to have settled on the latter, but he is also confronted with the disconcerting fact that team President Alec Scheiner, General Manager Ray Farmer, and Head Coach Mike Pettine are all novices in their respective roles. Add to that the fact that Haslam himself is new to the game and the result is an organization without either institutional memory or the steady hand of experience. And the inexperience shows — on the field and off.
From doubts being raised about the the Browns draft picks and other player acquisitions, to the questions about schemes and player performance, to the flubs at the micro-level (game-clock management, for example), to the anti-social behavior of the face-of-the-franchise-in-training, the entire team looks immature and unsteady. Even the rollout of the new-look uniforms was viewed by many as overplayed.
For those fans who are reprising their role as the Queen of Hearts (“Off with their heads!”) there is no guarantee whatsoever that there would be any suitable replacements for the beheaded waiting in the wings. Word does get around, you know.
And yet Jimmy Haslam might be drawn into Alice’s Wonderland once again by the notion that someone has to pay. It may be a tough call. When there are so many outward signs of the absence of basic competence, the elephant in the room is whether or not the team is learning from its mistakes or is simply incapable of correcting them. And how would an owner such as Jimmy Haslam tell the difference?
The day after Patriots wide receiver/punt returner Chris Harper lost a fumble to the Broncos in New England’s loss to Denver on Sunday night, Bill Belichick released him from the team. “Off with their heads.” Maybe someone like King Belichick can feel confident wielding the ax, but with the Browns?
There is a possible alternative, however, that doesn’t involve blowing things up, which Haslam has suggested he would strive to avoid. Could there be someone around the game, no longer putting in the hundred hours per week as a head coach or GM, who is capable of analyzing and advising the team about how to go about filling in some of the gaps in institutional memory, team philosophy and performance? Willing to work full time but not looking for a five-year contract?
In recognition of the group’s lack of experience such an advisor could serve in the role of mentor for a year or two. He could acknowledge the elephants in the room. He could have the authority to raise uncomfortable questions, even to make the incumbents squirm. The key, however, is in the details.
The details. Every successful coach — in fact, every successful anything — involves thoroughness of the work and learning from the mistakes.
What would such an advisor say about the team’s drafting and other player acquisitions since 2014? And what has the team learned about roster building?
Why, after announcing your intention to build a team identity around strong defense/strong running game has the team looked like a victim of identity theft?
Oh, and as for your quarterbacks, what are you looking for in such a talent and how far are you willing to stray from the NFL prototype?
And if the quarterback is as important as people say he is, why have you not protected him better with players, play-calling, schemes … whatever? Why does your team look like one that needs four QBs just to get through a single season?
Yes, Mike Holmgren was probably expected to fill such a role with the Browns when he was named president on December 21, 2009, but by the time of his departure after the 2012 season, it can hardly be said of him that he set in motion an organization that would become known for continuity and a clear sense of its identity. Just the opposite it turns out.
After the storied history of the Cleveland Browns stopped, and then restarted, the questions remain about the team’s identity. Will the team ever get beyond its current Queen of Hearts approach? Speaking of storied history, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll turned 150 this year, so here I’ll give Alice the final say: “Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.”
50 Comments
Like TigersBrowns I think we need to keep everyone until their contracts expire. Not because I am insane like he is in thinking they are or ever might be good, but rather because you will not attract any quality candidates for any position if you keep firing people. If you fire Farmer for failing before his contract is up then it becomes easy to point at the organization and blame the dysfunction on us, whereas if Farmer is given his full 5 years to fail then the crappy team fielded is on him and more importantly another GM can look at the organization and say, “Farmer failed” rather than “the Browns don’t give anyone a chance.”
The question for that GM then becomes not: “will the Browns let me work” but rather “am I better than Ray Farmer”? If they are any good, odds are they will be willing to get on themselves and their 5 year build plan.
Zombieland was a great movie.
As for the rest until a front office architect who has a resume as such is found all you will probably see is an exchange of first timers. First time GM and first time HC. This is the fundamental problem. First timers trying to find their way making one mistake after another and the results speak for themselves on the field.
The problem is front office architects don’t grow on trees and are probably rarer then a white guy out of Compton. Still no proven HC will come here as things are so maybe they can find a proven GM. I don’t know. I just know when you look at what Farmer has done, is doing I can’t see retaining him. The same for Mike Pettine who is clearly drowning now.
I still want Sean Payton. I thought for awhile New Orleans had figured it out but with the firing of Ryan as DEF COORd. maybe not. I’d turn everything over to Payton as long as he was the HC.
thanks HOP … i think.
insane ? … yeah , right …. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!
peace, brother …
yes , the inexperience has showed … but eventually they will all attain experienced status , at which point they can be fairly & accurately judged.
Alec Scheiner for GM!
Pettine has gotten worse in his second season so BOOM! What else ya got?
they all have their hands in the “gotten worse” pie … patience.
17 years and counting!
for the current regime : 2 years & counting …
2014 – 1 step forward
2015 – 2 steps backwards
2016 – ??
I used to be a big continuity guy.
No more, with this franchise.
Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.
Send Haslem et al to LA. Start over with a new owner.
Hi Greg. Start over with a new owner? Is this something fans could vote on? As long as we’re dreaming, right?
Just two steps backwards? I would say 5 steps backwards. Why? 7 wins last year, minus 5 steps backwards this year.
And think about this, who would rather the Browns have kept Chud and that regime. He was fired as the Browns lost 8 games in a row down the stretch. Pettine dating back to last year, has lost 14 out of 16!
Well, Randy Lerner leaned on Accorsi for each of his regime searches.
I am at 4 years. I think 4 years is fair (not sure if they had 4 or 5 year deals). At 4 years, you know if you have a competent coach or the next Mike Shula.
WFNY majority owners!!!
Man, I do not know what to do. Sadly, I am not sure Haslam or anyone else in Berea is going to be all that confident about the next steps either.
I like what DeFilippo has done this year with the QBs/WRs/TE, and I do want to just try continuity to mix things up. I’m still leaning on firing O’Neill as the “someone must pay” guy (and egads the defense), but keeping everybody else and hoping we don’t roll snake eyes.
I’m with you – stick with the guys (except maybe O’Neil) for now. I really hope they learn from their mistakes. Even if they don’t, the patience will help attract a better guy next time. Now, if someone shows interest before they clean house, all the better.
They do need some sort of experience at the top. Can they get someone better than Holms or Banner?
Peyton Manning? LOL!! Just kidding.
Yeah, let’s add another new guy! That’ll help!
Hey that’s the latest buzz I’ve heard. Hehe!! 🙂
Hey, what did LA ever do to you?! (Ok besides stealing the Rams in the 40s).
Poor Mike. I think he even ran a Shula’s steakhouse into the ground.
I seriously could see this happening.
I don’t agree with this. There are only 32 NFL HC jobs. Nobody wanted the job two years ago because they could tell how dysfunctional things were and didn’t want to be Banner’s puppet.
If you hit the reset button on everything, I think you’d get quality candidates.
If you fire Pettine and try to find someone willing to carry water for Farmer, not so much.
Also fire the entire OL staff.
Already did. In September.
Ok. Fire everyone but Johnson.
Ernie said he wouldn’t consult for any other team during the period he consults for the Lions.
.
I don’t know how much football Lewis Carroll knows (is he the ancestor of Pete?) but three heads must go. Ray Farmer. Study his draft and the comments he makes about positions . Think Jimmy will trust Ray with that first pick AGAIN?? THWACK! Jim O’Neill……the block is being prepared. You have the highest paid and the (now) second worst defense in the league. Your guys are always out of position and they can’t tackle. You know this is a results based business and yours are….what? THWACK! Johnny Manziel You SHOULD have been demoted when you were drinking, watched your girlfriend get wasted, and drove 90 mph on our public thoroughfare. You were in rehab for ten weeks for what? Washing your hands ninety times per hour? No. For alcohol……and then that lovely little video of you prepping for your SECOND BIG CHANCE…….and then lying about it and you want MORE??? Oh, so we feel really good about our QB. Before you are lead to the block I guess you can watch the next draft from the tower and see if we draft Goff, Cook, or Lynch. I’ll bet they understand the rare opportunity they are given but then you are an alcoholic. It’s a problem but not one that should ruin another year for Browns fans. THWACK!
hi CIRCA … it is only opinion that farmer will be spared the “twacking”.
hi BOB … we’ll count the steps at the end of the year. they do have 5 games left , though i’m not seeing many victories ahead.
i would’ve been fine with keeping chud … i don’t care for banner & lombardi and neither did the potential HC candidates.
i totally agree …
They already did that back in September!
I mentioned Accorsi as an idea not as a hire. Obviously he couldn’t consult for two teams at same time.
“Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
The Cheshire Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.
Alice: I don’t much care where.
The Cheshire Cat: Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.
Alice: …So long as I get somewhere.
The Cheshire Cat: Oh, you’re sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.”
“How puzzling all these changes are! I’m never sure what I’m going to be, from one minute to another.”
It was a good idea. I hope Jimmy has another equal idea up his sleeve!
If ANY dedicated Browns fan/draftnik had handled the last two drafts instead of Ray (or Lombardi), Pettine would have a whole bunch more wins. We would not be seeing WRs smaller than junior high players running out there in crunch time for one thing.
can’t argue with you there … but , i’m pretty sure pettine had some input on the players drafted. i am still willing to give farmer 2 more years minimum to see if he is evolving & making progress.
I think it was Dave Shula. Mike has shown some competence as a OC in the college ranks. Dave was horrible as the Bengals coach.
All the Shulas! (except for Don)
But, yes, you are correct, it should have been a reference to Dave in this case. Thanks.
Two years??!! I can’t imagine Jimmy Haslem will wait two years while his investment is shooting down. Pettine has the losses but when I listen to Pettine speak, I hear an intelligent football guy talking. When I hear Farmer speak (or “conversate” as he would say) about his “philosophy” of wide receivers and see what he puts on the field and hear what he thinks is important about a player (they love football and want to be a Brown……….HEY, I LOVE FOOTBALL and would LOVE to be a Brown but I played my last game in 1965 so how about me?)…..I hear a blockhead who is constantly trying to tell you he is smart with a few vocabulary challenge words. I doubt that Ozzie ever has to “conversate” about an issue in a press conference. No two years for him. Recent first round analysis of the 2015 first round on Pro Football Focus and the 2014 draft re-do on NFL.com tells it all..
good enough … i’d almost be willing to bet farmer will still be here next year. i think mr. haslam actually learned something in pittsburgh & is going to exercise some patience … we’ll see.
OK, that’ll be fun. Gentleman’s bet. No stakes. I would be AMAZED if he stays UNLESS as Mike Florio contended on Grossi’s On the Clock segment Farmer is just a heat shield for Jimmy but I do NOT believe that. Neither does Grossi. If that is true……I’ll be a Bills fan or something.
got it … i’m on WFNY during the weekdays.
Are we the “Charlie Browns”?
This was excellent!
Have a punch line for the first para? 🙂
LOL. Great write up Rich. I guess the current punchline is: Urban Meyer!
I like this a lot. Says it all without being too mean spirited. Every opponent is Lucy.