Holmgren Interview

[Earl34]

For those of you who don't listen to SIRIUS NFL Radio...

 

NFL Radio has the show "The Blitz" which is usually New York's loudmouth Adam Schein (who has said on the air that he hates Eric) and one other host (usually Gannon). Once a week, John Madden joins for an hour which he did today. They had Holmgren on and it went like this:

 

-(Re: Being in the front office instead of on the sideline). Holmgren said he's glad to be back in football and that he's excited about his new job and he feels energized. It's a new challenge. He wanted to set the record straight that someone asked him this week if he wanted to get back into coaching. Holmgren said he was just being honest when he was asked and it was a general question. Never say never but he has no plans to now. He said it's hard after being a coach all of those years to be at practice or a game and not have much to do.

 

-(Re: His relationship with Eric Mangini) Eric is a good man (his emphasis, not mine...plus he said this twice). He's smart and very hard working. He knows football. They have a good relationship. He learned from Bill Walsh and Eric learned from Parcells and Belichick. They're both styles that have proven successful but Holmgren emphasized that it's Eric's team and he talked with him at length about this sort of thing before he even took the job and when they met to discuss Mangini's future. He was not going to be that GM who came in and insisted that the little things all needed to change to his liking.

 

-(re: Favre) They don't talk much during the season. Favre was "in the principal's office" more than a few times as a young player. Holmgren feels Brett is good for the NFL. He's done so much on the field and his longevity has been outstanding. After the season he had last year, it didn't seem like he needed to hang it all up.

 

-(re: Colt McCoy being put into a very difficult situation against Pittsburgh and New Orleans): That wasn't easy for Colt. It's never easy for a young QB to begin with. He doesn't coach the players but he did make an exception and he called Colt into his office after the Pittsburgh game. He was very proud of him. He hadn't gotten hardly any reps in preseason with 3 other QB's in camp. The game was not too big for him. Colt said he wanted to get his photo on Holmgren's wall alongside Favre, Montana and Young. Colt was excited to be playing now (and sounds like he was a little impatient!). Holmgren wants to see him play more if they get the opportunity and to see him progress.

 

-(re: Who should start at QB when all three are healthy): You'll have to ask Eric. It's his team. They do discuss the pros and cons. They spend a fair amount of time doing so. When camp broke, Jake was best prepared to lead the team but got injured. Seneca stepped up and got hurt as well. Right now, they're not all healthy. He kind of deflected this one.

 

-(re: the Pats success): That comes from Belichick and Brady. Consistent, proven QBs give a huge advantage in this league. They have a solid front office and they have a plan that they stick to. Each part of the organization addresses its' responsibilities.

 

The Wrap Up by Schein, Gannon and Madden

 

(Adam Schein) Sounds to me like a guy who still has the itch to coach

(Madden) Some guys never have the itch to go back. Some guys it goes away after a while and some guys it never goes away.

 

(Gannon) Coach, I look at this and I think that Eric Mangini is in a tough spot this year.

(Madden) Yes but it's more than the W-L record. They have to show improvement. You can't worry about what people (fans, media) think. If you win they can't touch you and if you lose, they can't help you.

 

(Schein) Which QB would you start? Would you start a guy to win now or would you start the rookie with an eye toward 2011?

(Madden) The answer is the same for all coaches. You have to win now. He has to decide based on who gives them the best chance to win now.

 

(Gannon) Have you seen improvement in the Browns?

(Madden) Yes. They're 2-5 but they look like they're a team that's on their way [to being a winning team]. They need some players. The've lost to good teams. At the beginning of the year you looked at the teams that weren't good last year and some of those teams are clearly playing better. The Browns are like the Rams, Bucs and Lions in that regard.

[TheClevelandSound]

So mad i missed this interview. Great stuff. Thanks man.

[ATENEARS]

Holmgren tipped his hand to much toward coaching next season for my liking. I hope I am wrong, but I think he may have just killed our momentum and cut Mangini's balls off at mid-season, practically labeling him a lame-duck coach. Yeah, I know, he also didn't ... but he gave the media an inch, and you know what they will do with that.

 

Stupid press conference IMO, and only self serving to Holmgren himself so he isn't forgotten.

 

That is what I got out of it. I was disappointed.

[Gips]

Holmgren tipped his hand to much toward coaching next season for my liking. I hope I am wrong, but I think he may have just killed our momentum and cut Mangini's balls off at mid-season, practically labeling him a lame-duck coach. Yeah, I know, he also didn't ... but he gave the media an inch, and you know what they will do with that.

 

Stupid press conference IMO, and only self serving to Holmgren himself so he isn't forgotten.

 

That is what I got out of it. I was disappointed.

 

Actually i was glad to hear from mike and his honest and somewhat brash outlook on the current state of the browns, thats why im confident in this regime and can live with what they feel is best for the future of the club, i believe its a serious wake up call for mangini and daboll in particular that there are things they need to do better like actually utilizing every weapon in the arsenal and actually playing to win..

 

When the fangini or hater takes the love/hate blinders off you have to realize that eric has built a solid foundation to work off of but he has also shown many signs of not being a carpenter, its time to build the actual house on the foundation now and he only possesses a concrete workers tools, and a very basic plan..

Mangini needs to go all out at this point to prove he can build the house and if he cant then we need to hire a new contractor to finish the job...

 

The pressure is really on these coaches to show us something and if we are going to lose due to a lack of talent or player execution lets at least give it 3 kinds of hell from the playcalling/gameplan side and go down fighting the good fight, like i said i think holmgren publicly challenged mangini and its more a wake up call to see if mangini can build the house now...

 

And while this boards overload of fangini's are hating on holmgren for his honest outlook, now my confidence is higher than ever that mike will do the right things to fix this club and mangini will have to earn his stay, its not the wins/losses as much as other problems that a blind man could see, lets start with dabs.

[kshutchins]

Holmgren tipped his hand to much toward coaching next season for my liking. I hope I am wrong, but I think he may have just killed our momentum and cut Mangini's balls off at mid-season, practically labeling him a lame-duck coach. Yeah, I know, he also didn't ... but he gave the media an inch, and you know what they will do with that.

 

Stupid press conference IMO, and only self serving to Holmgren himself so he isn't forgotten.

 

That is what I got out of it. I was disappointed.

 

I didn't hear any of that AT ALL. ::scratching head::

[ATENEARS]

I didn't hear any of that AT ALL. ::scratching head::

 

Well, I watched it on TV, and maybe the little grins, body language, raised eyebrows and such weren't apparent in the reading (I didn't read it). He definately kept his foot in the door to coach this team next season.

 

In addressing the WR's didn't he basically say that they aren't as much of the problem as the scheme to get them the ball is? I totally disagree. Our receivers are not only the worst in the NFL this season, but they are the worst WR's corp I've ever seen on an NFL team in my entire life. I wouldn't doubt that they don't set NFL record lows this year. Meanwhile we have a young QB, RB and the TE position are emerging ::scratching head over this honesty thing::

[kshutchins]

Well, I watched it on TV, and maybe the little grins, body language, raised eyebrows and such weren't apparent in the reading (I didn't read it). He definately kept his foot in the door to coach this team next season.

 

In addressing the WR's didn't he basically say that they aren't as much of the problem as the scheme to get them the ball is? I totally disagree. Our receivers are not only the worst in the NFL this season, but they are the worst WR's corp I've ever seen on an NFL team in my entire life. I wouldn't doubt that they don't set NFL record lows this year. Meanwhile we have a young QB, RB and the TE position are emerging ::scratching head over this honesty thing::

 

That could be it.

 

I listened to the Dan Patrick interview linked in another thread. I was really surprised that Holmgren didn't give Mangini more of a vote of confidence there when Dan proposed a wager about whether he (Holmgren) would be coaching next year. I don't know if Mike's just flattered at being asked and really WOULD enjoy it so he won't say "NO," or if there's been some discussion with Randy, or if he doesn't want to say "NEVER" and have it come back to bite him if something unforeseen happens, or if he's really thinking that Mangini is not the guy. I don't get it. He also didn't say anything like "I have a contract to continue doing the job I'm doing now." To his credit, there IS a half of a season yet to go and a lot could happen.

 

I agree with YOU about the WRs.

[Earl34]

My personal take is that I don't see his desire to coach and his approval of Mangini as being exclusive of each other. Perhaps he sees improvement and likes Mangini but also is a coach at heart and misses that action. I don't think Mangini staying or going is going to be predicated on whether or not Holmgren wants to coach.

[professor_g]

I couldn't agree more with ATENEARS. I really disliked the way that Holmgren handled that press conference, the transcript of which I read in the Plain Dealer.

 

After that remarkable win-- on the road in N.O. no less-- that's when you choose to talk about how there will be a decision on Mangini's job at the end of the season? Why not just say: "We've got a coach, a smart, capable coach. The offseason is a long way away, and we'll deal with what we have to at that time. For now our coach just beat the crap out of the World Champs!"

 

This has been annoying me most of the week. Glad I could finally rant about it.

[Earl34]

I couldn't agree more with ATENEARS. I really disliked the way that Holmgren handled that press conference, the transcript of which I read in the Plain Dealer.

 

After that remarkable win-- on the road in N.O. no less-- that's when you choose to talk about how there will be a decision on Mangini's job at the end of the season? Why not just say: "We've got a coach, a smart, capable coach. The offseason is a long way away, and we'll deal with what we have to at that time. For now our coach just beat the crap out of the World Champs!"

 

This has been annoying me most of the week. Glad I could finally rant about it.

 

I couldn't agree more. As long as we're on the subject of the coaching "vote of confidence", does anyone see a difference in how the media is "discussing" guys like Wade Phillips and Brad Childress? How about Mike Shanahan? If Mangini pulled Seneca with two minutes to go, I think the firestorm would be much worse because he's Mangini.

 

Just today, I heard two more loudmouthed New Yorkers pick the Pats and showing that they obviously don't respect our coach.

 

Adam Schein (buffoon, after his partner said 'You have to respect what Eric Mangini has done this year without a lot of talent'): I don't have to respect anybody. The Pats roll and roll big. Not even close.

 

Bill Pidto: I'll take the Patriots. Mangini is going to get absolutely schooled by Belichick who can't stand him.

 

Now, it seems to me that "Earl's First Rule of Bush League Journalism" applies to both of these situations: "The more hyperbole you use, the less substance in your argument". Clearly, these guys haven't watched any Browns games. Both of their on-air partners picked the Pats but were far more polite about it. They said that this is not an easy game for the Pats and this will be close. Then these two clowns chime in.

[CLEVELandMILIDH]

The most credible reporter in the business (Adam Schefter) picked the Browns, so its all good.

 

Ate, I couldn't agree more. I said the same thing in the WCO thread. He keeps saying he has to remove himself from looking at it from a coaching perspective and put the Czar hat on, but he continues to talk about it from a head coach perspective.

 

He says he understands there's more than 1 way to win in the NFL, but he doesn't seem open to any other way but his own.

 

He said he didn't want to throw a monkey wrench into Daboll's offense, but Bill Bellichek said the foundation of this offense is Holmgren's WCO, apparently the wrench has been thrown.

 

Everything he says about not wanting to interfere with Eric's philosophy appears to be the complete opposite. Do what you say and say what you mean.

[Frenchie]

I'm also in agreement with the last few posts. I have had little to criticize Holmgren but he's coming across as being two-faced and sending mixed messages. Furthermore, if I'm Lerner, I don't want Holmgren to be coaching unless it's an interim need after he fires the coach and before he hires another one. If Holmgrem is coaching, we're back to the days of Butch Davis and Lerner would have to fire him if the team isn't producing. The whole point of putting Holmgren over Mangini is so the coach can be fired without Lerner stepping in and to bring in his experience at the highest (czar) level of the organization.

 

Holmgren needs to do his job, not coach. He and Ekhert and the coach need to work as a team and bring their talents together for the betterment of the Browns. Holmgren has been both fortunate and smart this year. However, he also left this team without an NFL caliber receiving corps. so he was far from perfect. We need an excellent draft, a couple of free agents and determine who will be the franchise QB, so IMHO, Holmgren should have a busy agenda. And I think he will fire Mangini but not before he has identified a replacement/upgrade.

 

Personally, I would go after Coward (first choice) or Gruden (second choice). Stay off the field Holmgren!

[vdogrowz]

The Big Show has just thrown his name out there for Zygi Wolf and Jerry Jones, rather than trying to undercut Mangini. Dallas and Minnesota are both teams TBS would love to take over. He would be a perfect fit for either team.

[longhorn]

Holmgren left Seattle because they were not going to allow him to be head coach and GM. That option was open to him in Cleveland. As GM, if he thinks he is the best option for coaching I suspect he will do it. If he is thinking about it, then why should he put on a false act and speak as though Mangini is the best thing since sliced bread. If he did that and then decided to coach you all would be calling him a liar. With the team's record where it is, I doubt there is any way he knows what is going to happen. He's leaving the door open which should be fine. If the Brown's win out, Mangini will be back. If they lose every remaining game he will be gone. I suspect the real driving force is to see what happens with the lockout in 2011. Personally I think he will coach or he would never have come here. He was given wide control over the business and coaching apsects.

[sisky fringo]

TBS recognizes the Brown's strength of schedule this year. it's not as cut and dry as wins/losses, the key here is improvement. it's been documented all over, and as has been said, he's consistent with his speaking.

 

if the ship seems righted in CLE, it's possible he could slide out of his position and take a coaching job elsewhere. slim, but possible.