Eric Mangini thinks the Browns are the Patriots
With the 1-7 Browns coming off of one of the more dysfunctional weeks in recent history and staring a blacked-out national broadcast square in the face, head coach Eric Mangini is hoping that fans and media will keep the faith. Because if he is given enough time, Mangini feels that this current Browns team has “remarkable similarities” to the New England Patriots.
Yes, the same team that went 16-0 just two seasons ago. Those New England Patriots.
In the same interview, that took place with the Boston Globe- as he may have been laughed out of the building had it been done in a Cleveland press conference – Mangini stressed that the first year with the Patriots was also a bit tumultuous as tough decisions had to be made and there was “not much success.”
And if Browns fans are curious as to a specific time frame that it took that lack of success to change, ”At one point in that second year, we were 1-3, but we didn’t change the approach, and then we went on a streak. That wasn’t a function of getting hot. It was a function of two years of work. You don’t know when that moment will strike, but they’ve been rolling since.”
As ProFootballTalk points out, that Patriots team had a cohesive structure that featured some checks and balances between Scott Pioli and Bill Belechick. Said cohesiveness is nowhere to be found among the current Browns front office, but this is something that Randy Lerner is aiming to fix sooner than later.
And about that whole issue?
“Nobody went into it with the intention of it not working out,’’ Manginisays, “but when that decision was made, it was made because it gave us the best chance going forward.’’
But what about the reported abuse of power and stubbornness that got the Browns where they are today?
“The thing that’s important to me is having as many people as possible that help us win,’’ Mangini said. “The distribution of power and responsibility, that’s not important. Trying to get the right answer is. Everyone here’s working towards that. It’s not about power.”
And while much of this discussion is laughable on many different levels, MJD at The Shutdown Corner thinks that it may just not be that crazy if looked at with a broad scope.
Thankfully, though it may have taken a lot longer than most would have hoped, the Browns do have an owner that is willing to make the moves to make sure things get done the right way. If the past is any indication of future decision making prowess, fans have a right to still be concerned. But while Mangini feels that he sees glimpses of hope among this team, fact of the matter is that it may not be his team all that far in the future. Then, it will just be someone else’s “Patriots.”
November 10th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
We’re Tiny, We’re Tooney, We’re all a little looney…
November 10th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I’m embarassed that he keeps playing coy about who the starter will be.
As if the Ravens D-Coord is crapping his pants because he doesn’t know who to game plan for, or this is somehow going to lead to losing by 2 touchdowns instead of three.
He’s delusional.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Amazing. I wish I would have been there:
Me: Two questions Mr. Mangini. One- which current Browns quarterback most closely resembles Tom Brady? Two – Bwaahhhaaaaaaaa!
November 10th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Man, talk about having your head so far up your own @$$ you can’t see the light of day. About the only thing this franchise currently has in common with the patriots is that they’re both in the NFL, altho its questionable as to whether or not the Browns deserve that honor.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Its amazing to me that every time there’s a Browns posting, I wonder just what new, embarrassing, incompetent garbage is about to be spewed from Berea.
Please do us all a favor and DON’T buy the rest of the seats for Monday’s game. Its too late in the evening for me to watch paint dry, or grass grow.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Mangini is missing one key point in his comparison: The Patriots had Belechick running the show, the Browns are stuck with Mangini, who clearly did nothing in New England except once Belechick run the defense. What a clown.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
The only Patriots the Browns are going to be like are the 1990 Patriots that went 1-15.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
@6 – Awesome name. I loved Rome!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
New Cleveland Patrijets?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
God forbid the coach show some confidence in his team. Maybe he should start freaking out in all his interviews and appearances like most of the ‘fans’ do.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
what is he really supposed to say “whoops, you guys are all correct……i have not really thought about a plan yet. i figured we could shoot from the hip! obviously when his back is against the wall, he needs to talk about another plan that he has at least been involved with that has been very successful. I’m not a huge Mangini fan, but sheesh, we rip him for not saying anything, then when he says that he has a vision we tear him that way, too.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
i missed an end quote there in #11…..right about “hip”.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Please get rid of this jerk! He has ruined BQ I fear and we are in the worst shape I can ever recall…….we suck!