Oakland Pitching > Cleveland Pitching – Another Depressing Weekend in Wahooland
August 20, 2012Browns Veterans Return, Continue to Praise the Kids
August 20, 2012Since Jimmy Haslam came to agreement with Randy Lerner to purchase the Cleveland Browns, the first name on the list has always been Joe Banner to replace Mike Holmgren. Now, ESPNCleveland’s Aaron Goldhammer is pointing to the another name to potentially replace Mike Holmgren that could most likely spell the end of the road for Tom Heckert in Cleveland as well.
Seemingly the connection would be made because Haslam is a huge Tennessee fan, which also means he’s a big Peyton Manning fan. Peyton Manning had a great relationship with the Polian family from his time with the Indianapolis Colts. Manning and the Polians were let go in the same off-season.
If Polian comes to Cleveland as president like he was in Indianapolis, does that mean his son Chris Polian is also going to be hired as GM as he was in Indy? It’s all a lot of speculation, so while I wouldn’t worry about it per se, it is interesting to think about.
[Related: Browns Veterans Return, Continue to Praise the Kids]
43 Comments
Polian is a guy that turned a small market franchise in a midwest town into a dynasty. I like the sound of that.
Peyton Manning helped just a bit too.
Lets wait to see how the Browns do this year before we start naming these guys replacements. I like Heckart. If Wade, Skrine and Hagg work out it shows his ablility to get starters and playmakers throughout the entire draft. Holmgren…. Not too worried if he goes.
Yea but someone had to select Manning first. So far Heckert doesn’t have much of a track record at all. Three years and counting…
Yes Heckert/Holmgren didn’t build a championship over night so please let’s turn over the entire staff again, sounds great.
I certainly hope not. Bill Polian did one big thing right in his time in Indy, he drafted one of the ten best QB’s of all time. Have you seen Indy’s drafts the last 4-5 years they were there? Absolutely terrible, they make Mangini look like a competent drafter. Heckert has ruled the draft the last three years, which is the way to be good long term, keeping Heckert needs to be a priority.
Ok, let’s compare the Philly drafts and Cleveland drafts w/ Heckert to the Colts drafts w/ Polian the last 7 years.
Polian (top2 rounds)
2011 Costanzo(OT), Ijalana(OT)
2010 Jerry Hughes(DE), Pat Angerer(LB)
2009 Donald Brown(RB), Fili Moala(DT)
2008 Mike Pollack(OG), Philip Wheeler(LB)
2007 Anthony Gonzalez(WR), Tony Ugoh(OT)
2006 Joseph Addai(RB), Tim Jennings(CB)
2005 Marlin Jackson(CB), Kelvin Hayden(DB)
any wonder why if you removed Peyton Manning the Colts just didn’t have the talent to compete?
Let’s be real…I could have selected Peyton Manning.
Heckert is quietly growing the roster and I think most agree he is on the right track.
Uhm, Manning was one of the most highly touted QB’s coming out of college…ever, and was selected #1 overall.
If he was some 3rd round gem found by the keen scouting of Polian then I’d say yeah, great job Bill!
Your argument is invalid.
No question, but they were very good at putting playmakers around him… Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, and then the DEF pieces, Mathis and Freeney, etc. Plus, his offensive line was always excellent.
‘Heckert has RULED the draft…’ lets not get carried away, its not like he has helped improve on the win total….
Quietly sure is the right word…4-12 is almost silent
I hope not. As someone who lives just south of Indy, I have seen what the Polians have done or didn’t do. Their recent drafts have been horrendous, his son Chris seemed to be over his head as GM and had the job because of daddy. Heckert has been drafting pretty well, let’s see what this class can do.
Agree that “ruled the draft” is a strong statement; but also it’s hard to improve the win total in 2 years time when you are basically building a team from scratch.
It’s amazing to me that in 2009 we could basically could have been considered an expansion team again.
Manning is no Weeden that’s all I’m saying!
So Addai, Gonzalez and Brown were bad? The real issue for the Colts were injuries but that happens just look at Trent Richardson already.
they did well drafting the first few years to get those pieces. then, they just stopped drafting well. i don’t know the Colts FO history well enough to know what happened there.
True, there wasn’t much of anything here other than special teams when he started…
after his first 2 yrs, Addai was bad when he was healthy.
Donald Brown still is so bad at picking up blitz blocking that they can’t have him on the field on passing downs and he’s been underwhelming at best anyway.
anthony gonzalez never lived up to what they wanted from him, no. he was supposed to be the successor to Marvin Harrison. never came close to happening (and injuries were only part of that story).
Gonzalez was supposed to be the successor to Harrison, you sure? I don’t ever remember hearing/reading this I thought that was Garcon. Gonzalez was the perfect slot WR IMO.
It shouldn’t have been as hard as they’ve made it but welcome to Cleveland that’s what the professional sports teams do best!
HA HA HA JIMMMAAYY!
Holmgren: “I messed up Jimmy, I really need your help.”
Haslam: “take this money, and now
I’ve gotta turn my back on you.”
It was $38 million dollars, not enough to even pay the rent.
Yes, Brandon Weeden was not the most highly touted college QB to ever enter the draft and be selected #1 overall.
Your statement is valid.
Agree with mgbode. Those draft picks were atrocious and yes addai gonzo and brown are all huge busts! would you trade a 3rd rounder for any of them? I sure wouldn’t. He is a terrible drafter and Manning made him look acceptable despite his deficiencies. Why replace H & H? I would rather have Haden, Ward, Little, Sheard, Richardson, OR Taylor rather than all of those Polian picks combined!!!
How can you give credit to Polian for drafting Manning? It’d be luck giving credit to the colts this year for drafting luck. Any football fan knows it was a no brainer. When Bellichek lost Brady for the season in 07, they still went 10-6 and last year the colts won 2 games. This shows how poor Polian did in regards to addressing the other needs on this team. Besides, they only won 1 super bowl under Peyton Manning, arguably the best qb of all time, I don’t consider that a success.
Oh I like this team here.. Shurmur is going this way, Heckert is going the other way and Holmgrens saying “Whadda ya want from me?”
It breaks down two ways, it appears to me…
1) I LOVE Bill Polian! He drafted Peyton Manning AND I’ve heard of him (barely)!!!
2) I can’t stand Bill Polian. Yes, he drafted Peyton Manning (who couldn’t??), but I am familiar with his overall draft history and base my opinion on actual facts.
Which are you?
I think your rewording history a little here I don’t ever remember hearing that Manning was the most highly touted QB to ever enter the draft. It’s okay though because I can tell you who the greatest sixth round QB ever drafted was:
http://itsalwayssunnyindetroit.com/2012/08/tom-brady-wears-tux-dog-collar-vman-magazine/.html
Pats baby!!!
Garcon was drafted later and after Gonzo because they couldn’t count on him.
This is fantastic.
Okay buddy
Whenever we needed money we would just get hired by Randy Lerner, to us it was better than Citibank.
But Montario Hardesty played at TENN so that means Haslam is also a huge Hardesty fan and that means he’ll keep Holmgren & Heckert since they drafted Hardesty and have a great relationship with him.
This litle guy Goldweenie is so desperate to develop ANY cred in Cleveland that he’ll float even the most absurd pretzel logic crap he can in the hopes that something, anything might stick.
Anything I wanted was a phone call away. I’d blow 20-30 million on a coaching change and come out with new throwback jersey to make up the difference, I had a dozen flats in London to go to till the heat blew over.
It didn’t matter, didn’t mean anything, ticket sales, merchandising, television contracts, we ran everything… And now its all over.
And thats the hardest part, i have to wait around like everyone else. Can’t even get decent food. right after I left Parma I ordered Keilbasa and Kraut, i got Lunchables. I get to live out the rest of my life like an obscenely rich schnook.
you win the internet for a day, sir
I don’t listen to KNR at all anymore. Pretty much due to his presence. Don’t even want to hear him do a promo. It’s a shame because I was a fan of Rizzo’s a long time before he got to KNR.
complete BS
Manning was, for certain, the most highly touted QB to enter the draft up until that time. He was Archie Manning’s son. A 4 year starter at Tennessee. Everyone thought he was going pro after his junior year, but he didn’t, even though he already had his degree completed and would have been the #1 pick in the 1997 draft.
He went into the 1997 season as a Heisman favorite on a NC contender. The Vols couldn’t beat Florida and Charles Woodson had one of the greatest seasons ever by a college football player, so he didn’t win the big name hardware. Still, he won the Maxwell Award, the Davey O’Brien award and the Johnny Unitas award.
Other than Andrew Luck, I honestly dont remember anyone who was as highly touted, for as long. Sure, every year some QB or another is the best of that year’s draft picks so the talking heads have to do something to fill air time, but when you factor in the duration of the hype, I really don’t think anyone surpasses Manning
well done.
I guess I missed the part where Manning was touted as the best NFL QB out of college EVER before taking a single NFL snap. That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen it sounds like something a talking head might say. That being said I was a Dan Marino fan from his days at Pitt and that continued to the Miami Dolphins and into the HOF. I just wish he’d have won a ring, just one. After that gimmie Tom Brady.
maybe John Elway?
Haslam: “So this thing with Tom, don’t worry, he’s got a good case. Listen I got some beautiful new Nike sidelines gear. You want to pick some out?”
Shurmur: “Yeah, sure Jimmy. Thanks”
Haslam: “Right down there…keep going. Right there… Right there on there corner..
it’s right there..nah nah nah nah, it’s right down there…go IN the store.”