The Gipper Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Heard it this morning: Ken Whisenhunt is going to interview for the Browns HC job this week. This is a guy that I liked all along....but it was reported that the Lions job was his for the taking. It was also reported that the Browns would not be looking at anyone they interviewed last year......but they did interview him last year. So, it is good that they are flexible......and if they get this guy in lieu of McDaniel, then Josh's pulling his name out could be the best thing for this team. Only problem: I don't see Whisenhunt being a Yes man for Lombardi/Banner. This move smacks of Jimmy Haslam imposing this on the LBGT (Lombardi Banner Gay Team). This guy took the Cardinals to the Super Bowl....with a retread QB. I say: Get Him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren15 Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 I have always liked him and Kubiak and would not mind either ....if they are looking at coaches who have already been head coaches in the NFL ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickers Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 I hate Whisenhunt...yuck...that almost ensures we keep Horton on the staff...blech! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigGayKev Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 As a Steelers fan, I absolutely loved the Wiz. Your offense will be both physical and aggressive. He was actually my choice when Cowher retired and I was sad to see him leave the organization. I also met him at training camp in 06 and out of all Steelers players and coaches I met, he was both the nicest and down to earth person that I talked to. With Wiz as your coach, the North better buckle up for Cleveland as contender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyceRolls Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 We would be lucky to land a coach like Whisenhunt. He knows first hand what the afc north is all about and he has already turned a perennial loser around and taken them to the Super Bowl. I'm more than okay with keeping Horton around. Last time he was a DC for Whisenhunt, he was being talked about as a HC candidate. It would also be nice to get some kind of continuity and allow this defense to grow together within a system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted January 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 As a Steelers fan, I absolutely loved the Wiz. Your offense will be both physical and aggressive. He was actually my choice when Cowher retired and I was sad to see him leave the organization. I also met him at training camp in 06 and out of all Steelers players and coaches I met, he was both the nicest and down to earth person that I talked to. With Wiz as your coach, the North better buckle up for Cleveland as contender. Also, I suspect that Haslam had knowledge and interaction with Wiz from his brief time as minority owner there. Yea, like I said, I see this as possibly Haslam putting his foot down with his subordinates and saying "see if we can get this guy!" Good for him as far as I am concerned. (and, as I noted in a thread elsewhere: in a couple of years it could be a guy like Whisenhunt who would become "The Boss". Not Banner or Lombardi....just like BB became the boss in Boston.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tml1138 Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Finally...a ray of hope. It's not much, but I'll cling to it as this seemingly desperate hour. And if it means Horton stays, that isn't such a bad thing. Results could be better than what Horton had under Chud. Pull the trigger Haslam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tml1138 Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 (and, as I noted in a thread elsewhere: in a couple of years it could be a guy like Whisenhunt who would become "The Boss". Not Banner or Lombardi....just like BB became the boss in Boston.) Yep, and this prospect is only more good news for the long haul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miktoxic Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 banner and lombardi's egos are way too high to let a lowly HC override anything they say. but yes, i like wisenhunt a lot. back when i'd eat lauren holly's ass. she hit the wall about ten years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyin J Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Finally! A name that makes sense! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thenew23 Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 If he DOES take the job, it's b/c he knows who his next QB is going to be (Bridgewater/Manziel/Bortles) and he might force Lombardi/Banner to trade up to #1 to make sure they get that guy... I'm all for it, and for keeping Horton around if that's possible... I am one of the few that may have liked McDaniels, but WIsenhunt is clearly an equal-to-better option... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClevelandFanForLife Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Would love to have him. Also, a better thread title would have been "Wiz In The Hunt". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Bone Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Wiz is probably what this team needs in the tough AFC North. He would bring a dependable running game (remember that?), a tough defense and good special teams play............... Makes too much sense, which means he wont land here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Couple of thoughts on this one: 1) He was OC for the steelers when they drafted Big Ben - would that make it more likely we see someone like Bortles than Manziel? 2) Banner previously said fairly unequivically that nobody they interviewed last year would be looked at this year. this would seem to clearly indicate a lack of a plan, or failure to execute said plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Also, I suspect that Haslam had knowledge and interaction with Wiz from his brief time as minority owner there. Yea, like I said, I see this as possibly Haslam putting his foot down with his subordinates and saying "see if we can get this guy!" Good for him as far as I am concerned. (and, as I noted in a thread elsewhere: in a couple of years it could be a guy like Whisenhunt who would become "The Boss". Not Banner or Lombardi....just like BB became the boss in Boston.) Here is some evidence to support your suspicions: Peter King of Sports Illustrated tweeted that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is "very involved. I mean, very involved" with the team's head coaching search. Last year, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported that Haslam really liked Whisenhunt and the fact that he's been to a Super Bowl. (from http://www.dawgsbynature.com/2014/1/9/5291246/ken-whisenhunt-re-enters-the-cleveland-browns-coaching-search) I suspect, as you said, that Haslam is finally getting wise to the incompetents he has in his FO and is heading up this coaching search. You can almost guess as to which of the potential coaches were Haslam's idea vs. Banner vs. Lombardi. Haslam said he wants a "proven winner." Enter Wisenhunt, Malzahn, and Franklin. Banner seems to be trying to discover someone like he did with Andy Reid. In other words, someone who has not won games as a head coach, but has the potential to do so. Enter McAdoo, Gase, Dan Quinn, Todd Bowles. Lombardi seems interested in bringing in someone he has a man-crush on: Enter McDaniels (who has now exited). Of all the coaches mentioned above, the ones I favor are the ones I speculate are Haslam's choices. Wisenhunt has won before and knows the AFC North very well. Malzahn is the "Chip Kelly" of this year and turned around a horrible college program and is viewed as an offensive genius. Franklin also turned around a horrible program and I think from a character standpoint would be a great choice if you are concerned with keeping Manziel and Gordon on the straight and narrow, as he is someone who involves himself in a positive way in the lives of his players. This young Brown's team could benefit from that. You have to imagine that Haslam's patience has thinned with Banner and Lombardi after Chud's failure, and right now I am hopeful he is ready to exercise his authority on the coaching search. Having watched the press conference, I picked up on a lot of anxiety on the part of Banner, and I'm sure he took a lot of heat from Haslam regarding Chud's failure. People will recall that Banner said they wouldn't interview anyone from last year, yet here they are doing so. I think that smacks of Haslam overruling Banner on that decision. I may not even be surprised if Banner and Lombardi get fired after the coaching search is complete and Haslam tries to bring in someone new with a good drafting record for the draft (perhaps wishful thinking). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted January 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Couple of thoughts on this one: 1) He was OC for the steelers when they drafted Big Ben - would that make it more likely we see someone like Bortles than Manziel? Maybe, who knows....and he will never reveal what he thinks until the draft pick is made. 2) Banner previously said fairly unequivically that nobody they interviewed last year would be looked at this year. this would seem to clearly indicate a lack of a plan, or failure to execute said plan. More likely it is the Owner overriding his hirelings, and tell them he wants them to go after Whisenhunt....after the plan to get McDaniels fell through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thenew23 Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Here's an impressive list of assistant coaches he has worked with: Russ Grimm - Former PIT & AZ OL coach, who was in competetion with Tomlin for the Steelers job, which supposedly got taken away due to the Rooney Rule. Was not coaching in 2013. Mike Miller - AZ WRs coach when Fitzgerald and Boldin went to the Pro Bowl in the same year, and not to mention the SB. Was coaching last year in the CFL after losing his OC job when Whiz got fired in AZ Ray Horton - of course Maurice Carthon - former Browns OC (remember that debacle). Been coaching in the NFL since 1994, particularly offense and RBs, also has 2 nice SB rings as a player. Was not coaching in 2013. Clancy Pendergast - current DC at USC. Another former Browns coach, who got stolen by AZ and was DC when they went to the SB. Has a lot of experience coaching D, and has particularly been a DBs coach. Billy Davis - current Eagles DC. Twice former Browns coach (LBs). Was on Dick Jauron's staff before leaving for Philly for a promotion. Been coaching in the NFL since 1992 Kevin Spencer - current ST coach in San Diego. Has always coached great ST. Began his coaching career under Bill Bellichick in Cleveland John Lott - current AZ strength & conditioning coordinator. Famous for being the bench press coach at the combine. Also was Strength & conditioning coach for the Browns in '05 and '06 Freddie Kitchens - current QB coach in AZ. Former TE coach in AZ, and former Alabama starting QB. Did well with Palmer this past year... Todd Haley - current Steelers OC. I don't want him... Donnie Henderson - Current Bills DBs coach. Was never a Browns coach. Has coached D, especially DBs, since 1992 at NFL and college levels Frank Reich - current QBs coach in San Diego. Worked as Offensive assistant and QBs coach under Tony Dungy with Peyton Manning in Indy. Has been with Whisenhunt the past 2 seasons. Fred Graves - current WRs coach in San Diego. Former Browns WRs coach in 2004. Spending most of his career at the University of Utah coaching different offensive position sets, and being the offensive coordinator, he began coaching WRs in the NFL in 2001 and has held that post for 6 different coaching staffs. Rumor is he has made his receivers catch bricks in order to work on their hands... I like it. I'd love to see some of these guys in Cleveland if he gets hired... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuwoohio Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 I'll believe it only when it happens, but at least there's hope. Two phrases I'm literally hating right now is "it has been speculated", and "according to sources". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc3902 Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Since Lovie was already hired, this is my favorite option for the Browns. Would be cool if he brought Grimm along and kept Horton. I would love this hire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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