Rick Barry’s Rebuttal via WKNR/850AM
January 24, 2009Report: Browns Officially Announce George Kokins GM Hire
January 25, 2009I have to admit that when it comes to the Eric Mangini hire, I’m relatively indifferent. Yes, I would have rather had a Bill Cowher type, but that obviously was not in the cards. I know that a lot of fans are not happy with the fact that we still do not have a general manager, and even more so, are not impressed by his selection of coaches. But for those of you on the fence, this may not help sway your decision towards our new fearless leader:
Former Jets coach Eric Mangini made a big deal about the Browns’ tradition when he got the job as the Cleveland head coach.
But one of the first things he did in an attempt to change the culture around the team’s training complex was to tear down a huge mural of the team’s Hall of Famers, a list that includes Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Paul Brown, Dante Lavelli, Marion Motley, Lou Groza, and Leroy Kelly. The mural was located by the player’s entrance to the practice facility in Berea, Ohio. That wall is now painted white.
With the way that this team has played over the last year, all fans really have to cling to is the history. As Bob Glauber states, Mangini even mentioned the “tradition” on his own. You know – the whole ball boy-to-head coach thing?
I can completely understand how this many not sit well with many fans of the Cleveland Browns. However, I must add that while the wall is currently painted white, there is no confirmation on the future plans. I do not want to jump to conclusions and throw Mangini to the e-wolves based on something that does not appear to be fully ironed out. For now, we’ll have to take this news with a grain of orange and brown salt. I must admit, though, that this is definitely not the best way to make a first impression with a fan base in dire need of some direction.
To be continued…
(h/t Newsday via Deadspin and Pat McManamon)
47 Comments
This lackluster feckless coach and this clear demonstration of messianic decision making makes me SICK. Wonder if he cleared this with Kokinis, who spent the week “in the building”?
Lerner won’t speak to his fans, Mangini treads anew with disregard to the fans; while lisping his way through the hiring of a coaching staff void of winning experience at their respective hired posts. Get excited Cleveland, this machine is ready to roll.
Viva la Mankok.
I read about him taking the mural down the other day… and for some reason I thought it came out of the Cleveland sports awards. I don’t know why, figured maybe they were needling him, or it was intended as satire or something… you know how they joke at those things. I’m somewhat surprised to hear it’s actually happened. And perplexed, since he seemed to embrace our history and tradition, as Scott points out. How sad.
I’m not liking the look of this at all. From the beginning I thought Mangini was a decent pick for head coach at best. I know I, for one, am not impressed with his picks for the coaches beneath him, and now he’s literally erasing our past traditions. How does he think a blank wall is more inspiring than a mural of our Hall of Famers? Ugh. For once, I’m actually not looking forward to next year with cautious enthusiasm. I almost want Mangini to fail so we can get on to another coach.
Maybe I’m overreacting. I actually hope I am. If Mangini turns around and puts up a new, bigger and better mural, then I will take this all back and smile.
im pissed. they better make another.
I’m like you Vic, my first thought was that we don’t really know what the plans are for that wall, so why jump the gun. But I just get a bad feeling about this one…
now guys, maybe Mangini is just trying to spark the local arts community by creating multiple painting jobs in Berea.
I vote for a mural of Lebron james in a Browns uniform.
I agree with humboldt… whats more inspiring to cleveland then LeBron?
Who cares? If he wins games, he can paint whatever the heck he wants on the walls.
Perhaps the Browns need to stop focusing on the past and focus on the future…
I hear he has a friend he wants to have paint the new mural which will include himself, Kokinis, the assistants, and Braylon Edwards holding a bottle of 5-hour energy.
But in all seriousness, I can see rocketman’s point. Maybe he’s trying to inspire the players to be the future mural of past excellence. And while I really don’t like the idea of painting over the mural, I’m kinda with deepb…if he wins games (ESPECIALLY AGAINST PITTSPUKE) he can paint anything.
Totally agree rocket, I’ve been saying this for the past couple years. As a young guy who never really saw Bernie and the rest play, I am so sick and tired of hearing about those guys. I understand that Dixon and Minnifield (sic?) probably belong in Canton. But, most those guys on those teams weren’t that great of players, they had good teams, but MOVE ON ALREADY!!!!
Agree with deepb. He can paint a picture of his and RAC’s fupas and moobs covered in gravy for all I care as long as he wins
I guess my real problem is that it comes out that they painted the mural over, but nobody has said anything else about why? The first I read it was Pat McManamon’s article on it. Is Mangini so off limits that he couldn’t be reached for a comment about why he was doing this? I understand the Belichick model calls for secrecy, but I thought that had more to do with gameplans, player injuries and stuff that matters on the field. If he has a different purpose for the wall or if he is going to make a statement about the philosophy of looking ahead instead of looking back, then maybe someone should tell the fans who love all the legends.
Last time I checked, the decorations in Berea won’t affect the competitive balance of the Browns against their division rivals in the AFC North.
OK, if he wins games, and creates a ‘new culture of winning’ then he can have his own face painted out front for all I care.
Bernie/Hanford/Fannk M. were not on the mural btw, that mural was from the Browns actual championships…
Doesn’t it just strike you as odd though? If he is so focused on winning, then why worry about having this mural painted over in the freezing cold of January??
I am not sure why this is such a big deal. All the people on that wall were part
of a team now called the Ravens. This is a different franchise. The Texans don’t
have murals of Warren Moonand other great Houston players. Maybe it is a little
different, but I don’t care about the distant past when it comes to my football team.
I am going to wait and see what happens with this staff. I don’t really mind the young
or inexperience. Better than old and crusty. Let’s be patient and wait and see.
If he wins 11 games he can paint the whole building pink for all I care
If he wins 11 games, whether or not he can paint the building will depend on how they do in the playoffs. C’mon, you know we are tough to please and are happy to move the bar at any time.
🙂
@ Craig. I can settle with 2-0 against the Steelers.
This is a test. Mangini paints a wall white, sees how Cleveland reacts.
I’d put a Rorschach inkblot up there.
I agree with rocket back in #9: this move sends a message that it’s time for the current Browns to quit living off the tradition and accomplishments of the old ones and do something for themselves. I like it–“guys, until you prove it on the field, you don’t deserve to feel like you’re associated with those all-time greats”, or something like that. He should paint the wall pink, or black & gold, and keep it that way til the players man up and earn some respect instead of expecting it just because they pull a big paycheck or do the occasional commercial.
Of course, I could be wrong: perhaps this is just Mangini pulling and Belicheat and being a jerk for the sake of being a jerk, but I don’t think so. I’m all for whatever gets this team inspired.
Jeff, you’re right, but at the same time you’re off a little. The league created the Ravens as a “new” franchise, and the Browns keep all of their previous history and records.
That may only be semantics, but the comparison to Houston are not valid in this case.
We need a draft thread. I’d like to see everyone elses picks for the Browns.
Rick they were on the wall, far right, right along side half body Metcalf.
I can buy the forgetting about the past thing, but maybe Lerner is just giving himself enough rope to hang himself in one year so Cowher can come in and clean up.
Can the Kardiac Kids put their money together and just buy the team from Lerner already?
it’s just a wall.
Kevin McHale is not coming through that door.
tear it all down! It’s true, we ARE clinging on to the history of the team and it’s almost as if that’s all we’ll ever have…make history now…I want a mural of Wimbley, Winslow, and Quinn in a few years with SB ring/s in the foreground! Brown, otto, lavelli, they never did anything for my team in MY day. Make new HOFers in the team we have NOW!
Put up a mural of Roethlisberger getting smashed by McGinest and D’Qwell Jackson from this year.
I’m on board with Mangini, and I agree with those who said “as long as he wins”, but I do NOT approve of what he did. To paint over that wall, a wall of the greatest Browns in history, is just wrong. Tradition is a big deal here, Coach, and I understand if you want your players focused on the present. You also need to understand that those players need to respect the players that came before them, and the WINNING tradition they established. Maybe if today’s players played with a little more heart, instead of worried about their contract, where they went to college, if the front office does care about them, orpersonal stats, we would have a team we could be proud of. I hope for you’re sake (and mine, since I went out on the limb to support you) Coach, you know what you’re doing.
Regardless of what any one person’s opinion is about him painting over the mural–it’s as valid to be offended as it is to see the symbolism of not looking to the past–I think that the key thing here, which I don’t see many people commenting on, is Scott’s point that this action appears to be a direct contradiction to what Mangini said when he was hired.
I’m concerned by the mixed or inconsistent message. He sold Randy Lerner on his embracing our tradition and history here, and stressed that in his public comments in the Lerner-less press conference and in his followup radio interviews. Painting over the mural contradicts that message.
The commentary and discussion at WFNY has greater depth and insight and is far more civil than your typical internet forum or blog (ever seen the comments posted at Cleveland.com? Yikes.) so I’m a bit surprised more people haven’t focused on this aspect of the report… especially since it occurred (or was reported) against the backdrop of Browns legend Dante Lavelli’s passing.
I can see Mangini wanting to change the culture–that’s a given after the creampuff Romeo years–but the mixed signals are curious.
Who cares what’s on a fricking wall. Winning is all that matters at this point. Make your own history. Buy a book or surf the web, if you want to read about the past.
“Who cares what’s on a fricking wall. Winning is all that matters at this point.”
Obviously, Mangini does.
Since winning is all that matters, then you surely must be disappointed that Mangini is concerning himself with non-essential details like repainting the walls, right?
Kokinis officially hired
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/super-bowl/01/25/browns.kokinis.ap/index.html
Released via statement, of course.
[…] being the proverbial laughing stock of not only the AFC North, but the NFL in general. Perhaps Wallgate was just the start of the new era. But as many of you all have already stated, as long as it […]
I think they call it starting over with a blank canvas.
It obviously hasn’t inspired them in 10 years
I know I am going to get a little flack for this, but Mangini should take it a step further. He should change the uniforms to something more modern too. Hear me out before you get upset. The helmets should never change, but lets change the boring look of the uniform. Look at the Patriots, they changed their look, they got better. I am not saying that is why they got better. Tampa Bay did it. Seattle did it. Arizona did it. Hell even our Cavaliers modernized their look. As far as the wall I see rocketmans point. Who cares what is on the wall, just win. On the other hand Mangini is contradicting himself like mj says. We are so hungry for a winning football team that all we have to cling to is the past. That hasn’t done anything for the present. I will never forget those great days of the Kardiac Kids and the 80’s, but it is time to put that on the back burner. Let’s hope and pray Mangina can turn it around, and just win so we can give these younger fans the memories we have.
Why did my post show as deepb?
I heard they are going to put up a new mural. One side will show the laid-off employees and a scoreboard after a Pittsburgh game. The other side of the new mural will show “The Randolph”, RAC, Butch, Savage et all lying on a bed of money laughing hysterically.
For everyone that says he should be more focused on winning – who are we playing this week? Oh, right, nobody, its the offseason for the Browns. I’d rather he paint a flippin’ wall now than during week 5, you know?
Don’t change the uniforms, but the wall thing might actually be a good thing. maybe i’m giving mangini more credit than he deserves, but perhaps he feels that the browns’ history is what keeps them from winning. think of how that mural looks to these new players. who is on that mural? look at those names. if nothing more, that mural served as a constant reminder that our Browns haven’t won a title in 45 years, and haven’t even won our division in the last 20 years. How is a player supposed to get pumped up when they look at a mural of players whom they’ve never seen play because they retired 20 years before they were born? Sure, those players on the mural kicked butt in their time, but there hasn’t been a notable player on the browns since the days of Kosar. We are not a storied franchise. You have to have periods of success throughout your franchise’s history to actually be into your history. Pre-SuperBowl championships and a few shortlived (and heart-breaking) winning periods do not give you much to be proud of. Honor those players in a mural outside the stadium for the fans or something. Its the fans who remember the past (and really need to in order not to go insane with this franchise). The players need to start from scratch and rebuild this franchise to something a little more respectable.
They wanted a painting of Winslow, so they chose the only wall that could fit the size of his head.
perhaps the mural simply sucked
maybe he can burn all the playbooks out in the parking lot
Who cares? I think we should judge him on how the team does, not on how the walls at the training facility look.
IT’S TIME FOR YOU GUYS TO PULL YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR BUTTS. If this story is true then Randy Lerner better get involved in getiing that mural back up. There hasn’t been any repect for the Cleveland Browns sine 1946 with Paul Brown and Blanton Collier. And to do this with the great loss of Dante Lavelli just Buried is sacreligious. Otto, Dante, Marion Motley,Edgar(special delivery Jones Lou (the toe) Groza and later with Jim Brown these Guys and these Teams were respected. Realbrown
i wanted marty back…………
but we’ll see
MAYBE THE REASON jEFF SAYS (jAN. 24) WHAT jEFF SAYS IS BECAUSE HE DOESN’T GO BACK TO HIRAM IN 1946 with the BROWNS AND THE PAUL BROWN AND BLANTON COLLIER YEARS WHEN THE BROWN HAD RESPECT. i WANT TO SEE THAT KIND OF RESPECT AGAIN FOR THE GREAT TEAM THAT COULD BE 10 T0 14 POINTS BEHIND AND SEE OTTO THROW TD PASSES TO DANTE LAVELLI AND SPECIAL DELIVERY JONES AND MARION MOTLEY RUN TRAP 32 FOR A TOUCHDOWN! Realbrown!