Have you ever prayed for God to do something, or give you something specific in your life? Asked for a certain someone to love you? Begged for a job, promotion or opportunity? Can you think back to a time when you did, certain that what you were asking for was the best thing for you? How did that turn out? I’m guessing that many of you, like myself can answer that question in at least one circumstance by saying “I’m glad that prayer wasn’t answered the way I wanted.”
Here’s where I get to the point. The Cleveland Browns are an absolute mess. I’ve heard and read so many opinions and ideas over the last 72 hours about what it will take to fix the situation. Most of them are ridiculous. Here’s one- Bernie Kosar should be the next GM of the Cleveland Browns. Really?
Bernie Kosar is the Browns QB of my youth. I remember watching Brian Sipe, but Kosar was the man during my football formative years. I remember fondly Bernie and Webster Slaughter hooking up to beat the Three Rivers Jinx. I wept with all of Cleveland when the Kosar’s Browns came up short in the AFC Championship games. I fumed and openly rooted against the Browns against Seattle after Kosar was dropped because of ‘diminishing skills’, and yes I was thrilled for him when he won his ring with the Cowboys.
But Bernie Kosar for GM? I have nothing what-so-ever against the man, except that he is not qualified to be team’s general manager. There is more to being a GM than knowing what’s going on down on the field. There is talent evaluation. Could Kosar be a good judge of talent? Sure, maybe he could. There is also a little matter of contract negotiations and the salary cap. Now, I don’t claim to be any kind of financial genius, in fact I submit that I myself would make a terrible GM for the Browns, but do you want to give control of your team’s salary structure to a guy that went bankrupt in his personal life? There will always be a special spot in my heart for #19 because of what he did on the field. I’d rather not have that ruined because he pulled a Matt Millen. That article I referenced said Kosar basically lost his money because he picked the wrong people to get advice from. Those in charge of his books and business dealings were trusted too much. That doesn’t speak well to his ability to find the right people.
I remember when the community was fighting to have the Browns back in the league. Fans were clamoring for a rich owner that would leave the team in the hands of football people. Well, congratulations! That is exactly what you got. Al Lerner had ties to the history of the team and essentially let his front office people handle the football side. Randy is following in his father’s footsteps, albeit from a farther vantage point. So how is that going for you? I mean, we got exactly what we wanted right?
What about Phil Savage? Wasn’t he exactly what we were looking for? I know I was excited about the hire. So let’s get a little bit of a grip on ourselves before we go suggesting that Kosar should run the team. I know, most of us really didn’t want Mangini. Congratulations, maybe we called that one right, but for the most part asking the fans who they want to be the QB, GM or Head Coach is not the brightest idea. And Cleveland fans are some of the smartest football fans in the country. That doesn’t mean we always know what’s best for the team though. So let’s learn the first rule of poker- leave emotion at the door.
Author: Rick
Rick is a co-founder and editor of WFNY. His love of Cleveland sports is surpassed only by his faith and love of his family. Follow him on Twitter- @rickwfny.Rick has written 743 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
Greatest thing i’ve read all week.
Well said. The pro-Bernie sentiment in some corners reminds me of when it was suggested Omar Vizquel should be the Indians’ next manager.
I concur……If Bernie were the GM, he would be set up to fail, turning his hero/idol status with the team as it stands now, to goat/disgrace later….. I don’t want to have any reasons to dislike the guy.
I’m happy as long as they have given Bernie something to do other than be in the booth for preseason games.
Honestly, this is one of those things where, “I don’t care what its called, so long as it works.” I don’t care who runs the Browns, but for god’s sake can we have someone competent at the helm so we don’t have another 20-30 years of heartache?
great read. i myself have the same worry that it would turn in the Browns equivalent of Isiah Thomas
I just want a guy who can evaluate talent, draft well, and sign KEY free agents. Doesn’t matter who he/she is.
On another note, remember how I suggested yesterday that it’s possible that Kokinis and Mangini’s personal assistant could be having an affair? Isis was QUICK to dismiss it, tell me I was a sheep, and suggest that I OBSERVE.
Well this morning on Mike and Mike, one of the guys that met with Lerner said that when he asked Lerner about why Kokinis was fired, Lerner responded and said that he wouldn’t get into details because he didn’t want to embarrass Kokinis’ family. HMMMMM, I wonder what would embarrass a man’s family, outside of doing a poor job as a general manager?
Maybe you should OBSERVE Isis…
It may be true that Kosar would not be a good NFL General Manager, but please don’t use his personal bankrupcy as the reason.
What qualified Ozzie Newsome to be the GM of the Ravens? The rumor I heard wouldn’t upset me: Kosar being groomed to assume the GM spot from a lower position. Still, I think we could do worse than have a guy who bleeds orange and brown be in a position of power for the Browns organization. Anyway… I could get worse, could it? Please say it can’t get worse, please!
I’m all for it of someone were to come in a show him the ropes, ease him along. This someone would have to be a proven successful GM, and not bolt until Bernie was ready. As it stands now, in no way, shape, or form do I want ol’ #19 as our GM.
I want no part of Bernie as a GM.
However, I’m all for Bernie hiring a GM and working with said GM to hire a coach. I know it was the Arena League but Bernie hired the right people there. Even if it was the Arena League, Bernie knew football people. And I believe he’ll know football people at the NFL level. However, GM? No thanks.
As for Bernie’s bankruptcy, Uncle Rizzy said something along the lines of there’s reasons why Bernie did it that he can’t get into.
Can it get worse? Yes it can. Every draft that we whiff on adds another year or two to the recovery process. Every year we are terrible adds more heartache and misery. Every 5 years we are terrible adds another generation of kids that choose to be Steeler fans instead of Browns fans because they win. I’m sick of picking my daughter up from school and seeing Pittsburgh jerseys everywhere.
NONE OF YOU ARE TRUE BROWNS FANS. BERNIE WILL BE THE GREATEST GM IN THE HISTORY OF THE BROWNS. OBSERVE AND BOOK IT.
@Robbie
Ozzie was with the Browns/Ravens being groomed for 11 years before he was named GM of the Ravens. He took a front office job after the 1991 season and was named GM in 2002.
Randy Lerner OBSERVED that Dan Gilbert higherer an ex-player as GM and it worked beautifully. Although if we’re going to use this analogy clearly Testaverde would be a better choice than Bernie.
I think Bernie may have had, to be attractive to Lerner, three things: worthwhile NFL connections, local popularity, and weakened contractual leverage. He can play a significant role in the rebuilding phase without a specific title. The “grooming for the GM position” concept seems, in an Occam’s Razor way, unfounded. The concept is, however, intriguing.
This article for article of the month and #13 for comment of the month.
It appears that Ammo @11 beat me to the punch on my main point.
Lmao @ 13!!!
+1
I don’t know, I think former players have certain insights that office weenies will never have. See Matt Millen, Dwight Clark, et al.
have no fear…whoever is hired will surely get sucked into the “berea-muda triangle” and all previous talent will be lost…never to be found again.
book THAT
I wont pretend to know anything about Kosar’s ability to be a GM or anything of that sort, but it seems like a bit of a stretch to think he’ll be GM. Seeing him in a front office position, or some type of qb coach would seem to fit him more.
I’d rather have Bernie working with our QBs on pre-snap reads. Dude can do it while potentially in-the-bag up in the booth during pre-season like it’s nothing. He’s better at it than anyone on our staff/roster NOW.
I love Bernie, and I would love to have him be part of this team, but not in the GM role.
One of the big complaints is that Lerner won’t talk to the fans, we never know what he’s thinking. So since the team has been back, who has been the face of this team? Phil Dawson?
Let Bernie be the Team President. Let him hire the GM, let him work with the personnel office. Heck, let him coach the QB’s, (he was always great reading defenses.) Let him be the face of this club since the owner is afraid of public speaking. Let him be the man when it comes to Cleveland football.
No one would ever again question if the organization really cares. We know Bernie, and we know he wants us to succeed.
Canning Savage was a mistake.
If any of you don’t want to lose your lunch, don’t go to the Plain Dealer, Sports front page right now.
@ #20, Millen and Clark were both former players who had won superbowls.
Savage sort of had to go after the buffalo game and emails to the fans. I think he was in over his head on the management side and not on the same page as the coaches in terms of what players to bring in.
Bring in Floyd Reese, the Titans/Oilers had a pretty good run under him.
Floyd Reese? He’s a washed out nothing, cmon dude. We already have a GM, why not just stay the course? You know, the guy that’s been making all those great trades with the Jets. Can’t have it both ways, you know.
It appears as though Mangini may have something to say before all is said and done….
[Cleveland.com]
@29:
Yeah, if this is true then anybody that thought Lerner was going to right the ship was seriously mistaken. The Browns will never succeed under this owner.
@ #29 – That’s it. I’m going to throw my resume in and see what happens. For what the job will pay, I can be a puppet.
Makes you sick just thinking about, doesn’t it?
I would like to observe Bernie replace Daboll as offensive coordinator.
“Canning Savage was a mistake.”
OMG…. that’s the funniest thing I’ve read in months!
wait… is he serious?!
“It appears as though Mangini may have something to say before all is said and done….”
So much for my brief 36hrs of hope that Randolph had finally learned something…
Monday night, I was sure this was a way to box Mangini in as a first step to removing him after the season. The more I think about it, though… and after reading that article (thanks for the link @29 RobGoBlue), maybe this really is Mangini consolidating power.
God help us.
I don’t get the “leave his personal bankruptcy out of it, man” logic.
He not only went personally bankrupt, he also went PROFESSIONALLY bankrupt. His personal image, his professional image, his personal finances, his professional finances, were all rolled into one.
In other words, there is no way he would have built his personal wealth without his professional experiences, on and off the field.
They are forever tied, and that is, unfortunately or not, part of his resume that MUST be factored in.
He’s not a private citizen applying for a 9-5 gig. He’s a celebrity, and with that comes additional scrutiny.
Those who see otherwise are quite naive.
No for GM, yes for President. The President’s job is to identify the best GM and then hire him. Bernie is well connected throughout the league, and is in a position to find the best GM. (He has connections from his time in Dallas, Miami, and with his reconciliation with Belichick.) The GM and the player personnel guy then oversee the draft.
The other advantage to Bernie that has been mentioned is that he would be a great face of the franchise. He handles the media well, and access to him would help the imag eof the team.
“No for GM, yes for President.”
Browns already have a president.
The entire organization chart is hosed. They need to look at the successful franchises (which Lerner claims he’s done) and tear down the whole hierarchy, replacing it with a proven model.
Lerner doesn’t learn from his mistakes, and he doesn’t have the willingness to do what’s required to build a successful organization.
OBSERVE-REPORT NO BK FOR GM.
Could not agree more with the article.
@25
Totally agree. He left the team with talent at TE, WR, LT, LG, DL.
What has the current regime brought in?
wait, wait, wait….you forgot to mention that Ernie Accorsi will be coming back to our beloved Browns to work hand-in-hand with Bernie to teach him the lay of the land. Stop being such haters!!!! It’s a God-send that these classic Brownies are willing to be a part of the future of this busted-at-best franchise. I love Bernie, both on and off the field. Thanks for coming back to us #19. Do us well (again).
Kokinas was a bum who didn’t do anything. He left no mark on the team, in my opinion. I like Bernie, but I don’t think this is the time.
Interesting post and comments…
What if Carl Smith was the GM?
How about the owner hire a prez of football ops first, with inside and outside consult; then the owner and prez hire a gm with inside and outside consult; and the owner, the pres, and the gm hire a head coach in collaboration/simultaneously/organic process hire a player personnel dir/head scout with inside and outside consult; then the pres, the gm, personnel dir, and head coach hire the rest of the football and coaching staff and the owner goes to games, stays in touch (weekly, monthly mtgs.), lets the guys he hired run the show, counts money, and gets to remain a passionate fan.
Maybe my top down thinking is to archaic, but to me this is what the process should have been all along and has been the reason it has been a mess all along. It started this way with the Policy/Clark thing but that didn’t work out and it seems there has been a complete lack of structure, cohesion, chain of command that keeps leading the organization back to the exact same mess.
Oh and to the point of this post, I would like to keep Bernie firmly on his pedestal, just like he is in the picture above, in the mind of this kid who lived through those great years, and the aw-shucksy, good football analysis guy of today who I still root for and get to hear on the radio a couple of times a week. Unless the aforementioned scenario from above does take place and Bernie starts out in a role that could lead to bigger and better things, not start at the top. That is why the Wizard of Oz has flourished, he has been working at it, learning, and earning his promotions for a number of years. He wasn’t named GM first thing after he retired and started working in the Browns front office, he grew into his role, and that is why he has been so successful.
bernie is an idiot – i’ve witnessed it firsthand. i swear he’s missing too many brain cells to function normally. he’s like a drunk uncle that you keep around but don’t let drive your car or babysit your children.
Chill Alexa – now the Bernie bashers are coming out. They probably are DA supporters as well.
at the least give a job working with the quarter backs, he is a very smart qB.
it has been along time since the brown’s had a chance of going all the way, and bernie
was part of the reason. of course having receivers who catch the ball didn’t hurt.
If Bernie is brought in, as a lot of Gm’s are these days to handle Pro Personnel and Scouting, i think he’d be o.k. You have Dawn Aponte handling Contract negotiations and more of the business side. Even if Mangini is fired she will probably stay, she worked for the league office before this job, not the jets. But if you make Bernie the GM you still need a strong team President over him, and one of the reasons is that if Bernie fails, the president should be the one to fire him, not the owner, and certainly not the coach. I personally would rather see Bernie get into coaching the QB’s and then maybe work his way to the front office side, but remember he did have ownership and some control over that Arena team. That league folded, not Bernie, but it gave him valuable experience in running a sports franchise so maybe he’s more qualified then we give him credit for.
The GM is not the keeper of the cap $$ on most teams ( including the Browns )
Bankruptcy is often a smart financial move, ever notice how many very rich people / Corps come out of it in a better position.
….In Bernie’s Case I think it is also tied to his Divorce.
you have failed to make your point with me …
A man who is smart enough to graduate with 2 degrees in 3 years while playing big time football and guid his pro fate …..well that man could come work for me anytime …in almost any role.
I don’t know that GM is the role for Bernie …I think President is going to be the role he fills. GM may be a under use of his talents.
Who ever it is that takes on this new role needs to hit on this years draft !
My question in regards to BK being qualified. What business experience did Ozzie Newsome have when he was hired by the Ravens…NONE and look what he has accomplished…
Who says Bernie wouldn’t make a good GM. He certainly seems football savy to me – light years ahead of anyone occupying the Brown’s office so far. Ozzie certainly made the transition and did so magnificently. I see absolutely no reason whatsoever that Bernie wouldn’t do the same.
I would like to see Bernie as an offensive coordinator but not as a GM. We need qualifications there.
The fans and Randy Lerner have one thing in common, neither one know what he’s doing.
When Ozzie Newsome was hired by the Ravens it wasn’t as the GM. He worked his way up the organization over time. He wasn’t handed the reigns from the beginning. And Newsome hadn’t failed in his previous business ventures quite like Kosar. According to your logic we should give Mo Clarett a shot…
I just got through reading the PD. Mangini is believed to have input into the hiring of the GM. WTF??? THIS IS NOT HOW IT’S DONE PEOPLE!!! The owner hires the President (Kosar methinks…), the president hires the GM, the GM hires the coach and together, they hire the coodinators/ancilliary personnel. That is how ALL successful franchises are run. Steelers, Red Wings, etc… UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES are the employees to hire their bosses. Mangini reports to the GM PLAIN AND SIMPLE. I wish I could hire my boss…..
I’m a Cleveland Browns fan by choice, having been born and raised in Cincinnati, but having gone to university in NE Ohio.
Bernie Kosar is not a front office man. Bernie knows FOOTBALL. He knows offense, folks. I’d hire him as a QB coach for 2010, have him be involved in draft preparations with the new GM and scouting. He’s perfect for these roles. This team needs Kosar’s input, his enthusiasm. Maybe not as GM but something more than “consultant”.
Bernie Kosar did more in the NFL with less talent than anyone I have seen in the 45 years I have been a Browns fan. He was able to do that or one reason: football intelligence. Anyone who has heard him do the color on TV knows that he can disect a defense in a heartbeat. He also has to have tremendous innate intelligence. After all, he graduated from the U with a double major in finance and economics (not basket weaving and coaching football) in 3 years! How many people do you know who have done that? Anyone who understands the basics of business knows that bankruptcy is as much a business decision as it is an indicator of failure. Bernie apparently had some personal issues (a vindictive soon-to-be-ex-wife among others) that probably played into the bankruptcy significantly. Regardless, the Browns have the people in place to handle the salary cap and contract issues. I don’t think there is a person in the NFL who handles all those issues by themselves.
Does Bernie have the experience to run an organization by himself? Probably not. But he has the knowledge and instincts to learn, and he has some experience, though limited, with the Gladiators. Put someone experienced, like Accorsi, in charge of mentoring Bernie and I believe we will have someone who can take us to the promised land. I jsuggest you google Bernie Kosar to see his history. Bernie is an untapped resource that has been ignored and wasted for too long. GET HIM INVOLVED NOW!
How many other “smart” business men went bankrupt in this economy? How many Wall Street institutions needed bailout money to remain solvent?
That’s an unfair disparage of Kosar that he went bankrupt in his personal life.
So what, in this climate. It indicates nothing.
The Browns have a ex-NFL person named dawn that handles salary negotiations, salary cap etc. So this article is not well researched. Kosar is the type of straight forward person we need if not now, then down the road. His personnal finances shouldn’t be a factor. There are owners that mis-manage their finances.
Bernie Kosar’s issues are not whether he went bankrupt or not (he knows how to make money, but not how to spend it). The thought of Bernie as GM now is ridiculuos and I think he would say so. What Bernis is GREAT at is offense. He would make a really good Offensive Coordinator, or even a QB Caoch. From there, he could rise up through the ranks. And don’t sell Accorsi short btw, if between the two (Kosar and Accorsi) they could convince Lerner how it REALLY is, maybe Lerner will wise up and do something realistic..