Article on Mangini's coaching style

[Sez.EJ]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=At8K...o&type=lgns

 

BEREA, Ohio – In the push and pull that goes on between players and coaches in the NFL, sometimes it’s better to give a little.

 

Flashback to Saturday afternoon, as cool rain pelted Cleveland Browns practice for two hours. As the Browns went through a practice that emulated game-type situations, the team’s field house was only 50 feet away. As quarterback Derek Anderson(notes) went back to pass once, the ball slipped out of his hand. At other times, passing was rudimentary, at best. The speed of practice slowed as players became careful. At one point, wide receiver Syndric Steptoe(notes) suffered what is believed to be a season-ending left shoulder injury.

 

While coach Eric Mangini said Sunday that the conditions at practice on Saturday were “irrelevant” to Steptoe’s injury, perception sometimes is reality. If players think that Steptoe’s injury was because the team practiced in the rain, that’s fact.

 

“Sometimes you just run into a coach who wants it his way and that’s it,” said one Browns veteran, requesting anonymity. “Yeah, the practices are harder [than under previous coach Romeo Crennel], but that’s not the problem. It’s little things, stuff that shouldn’t mean much in the big picture.”

 

Defensive end David Bowens(notes), who played for Mangini with the New York Jets, doesn’t disagree with his coach’s aggressive approach.

 

“Eric wants things done a certain way,” Bowens said. “He’s trying to establish the foundation. I understand it from being in New York. He’s a young coach, trying to show people what he wants.”

 

If you listen to Mangini for a couple of days, what he wants is hard work, intelligence and discipline. Those three things play on a loop for Mangini, who has perfected the didactic speech pattern of mentor Bill Belichick. Even in private moments, when Belichick will often let down his guard with people he knows, Mangini measures his words as if using an atomic scale.

 

While hard work, intelligence and discipline are fine virtues and certainly necessary to success, there’s one thing that Mangini seems to overlook or at least not place in as high regard: talent.

 

More specifically, how to deal with it.

“You can tell that he knows football backward and forward,” Pro Bowl offensive tackle Joe Thomas(notes) said.

 

But, said another former Jets player: “His problem is that he doesn’t know how to relate to the really talented guys. … It’s like he thinks everybody is exactly the same and should respond the same way. In this league, you have to know how to push the right buttons with certain guys. The players really run the show and a lot of the really good players, they’re going to test you. The great coaches know how to push back on those guys.”

 

In Cleveland, that situation is already playing out. Talented and enigmatic tight end Kellen Winslow(notes), seeking a new contract at the time, has been traded away. Mangini butted heads with defensive tackle Shaun Rogers(notes), who is buying in more now but is hardly completely on board. Finally, there’s wide receiver Braylon Edwards(notes). Once on the trade block, Edwards is now in an almost perpetually testy mood.

 

With Rogers, the situation is almost amusing. Mangini has a rule that players must run a lap every time they make a mental error. Rookie Alex Mack(notes) has “run so much that he should be in great shape,” Mangini said with a light smile Sunday.

 

Rogers, who is part goof with his array of one-liners and this gigantic, jewel-encrusted Incredible Hulk medallion that hangs off a long chain around his neck, has taken to “running” laps in a mocking way. He actually walks the laps while pumping his arms hard to simulate running.

 

“You’re going to have to ask coach Mangini about them laps,” Rogers said.

 

As for Edwards, he was decidedly curt Sunday. Edwards had been seeking a new contract this offseason. After that didn’t pan out, he wanted to be traded and the Browns were willing to oblige, but the New York Giants weren’t willing to meet the price … at least not yet.

 

When asked if he was willing to go the route of Atlanta wide receiver Roddy White(notes), who held out recently to get a new deal, Edwards said: “Why are you asking me about Roddy White? Roddy White doesn’t play for the Browns. Ask me about somebody who plays for the Browns.”

 

As Edwards walked away, he was asked to assess the quarterback battle between Anderson and Brady Quinn(notes) (a battle neither is winning in a decided fashion through the first two weeks of camp). Before the question was finished, Edwards snapped: “I’m not talking about Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. We’ve had a quarterback controversy here for three or four years now. Whatever Coach Mangini decides, that’s it.”

 

Mangini also has his Tom Coughlinesque side. There is no grace for making weight. Where many coaches won’t fine players for being two, three or even five pounds over their prescribed weight, Mangini fines guys for every pound. Throw that on top of Mangini’s continued treatment of rookies (he made this year’s class take a 10-hour bus ride to and from a youth camp and continues to enforce offseason curfew) and you have a coach who tends to push people in ways that aren’t always considered very productive.

 

“Guys will get used to it,” Bowens said. “The second year, he eases up. He’s just trying to establish himself.”

 

Perhaps, but in the fine line between discipline and punishment, it often pays for a coach to get players to buy into the system a little more.

 

“If he’d just lighten up a little once in awhile, he’d probably get guys on his side,” one player said. “Just something, just a little bit.”

 

 

There are always going to be guys who like the discipline and guys who complain. Romeo spoiled these guys and that IMO is why we have been so soft on defense and a lousy team in general for the past few years. Guys revolted with Coughlin in Jacksonville, and in NY.. Fact is .. he wins.. So when guys say Mangini is tough... I say GOOD!!!! It's football, it should be tough..They certainly are being paid well enough to have to put up with a little crap and make sacrifices... I say to the players.. tough it out.. If you cannot handle discipline.. you should not be playing pro football. I also like that he does not kiss the but of the "so called" star players. I noticed both in Jacksonville, and in NY with Coughlin..once they started winning..all the whining stopped. I'm also not too sure iI buy everything this guy asserts as to players "feelings" on camp Mangini..

[Guest Aloysius]

The way Rogers power walks through his laps does seem kind of disrespectful towards Mangini and the coaching staff. But his injured ankle may be the reason why he's doing it.

[NW Ohio Brownie]

Boy, I am already sick and tired of hearing the media question Mangini's approach. A few reasons/facts as to why I'm ready to blow up at these people:

 

1) This team was 4-12 last year. That's 4 wins and 12 losses. Yeah, we should go back to the old way of doing things.

 

2) Mangini is testing this team relentlessly on how to respond to adverse conditions. There's a reason for everything he does. Everything.

 

3) Crennel's teams did not respond well to adversity. Crennel's teams were not asked to practice under adverse/challenging conditions. I'll let you do the math.

 

4) When the Patriots went undefeated in 2007, Belichick was on their asses every week. Everyone had to eat a piece of 'humble pie' and remind themselves they hadn't accomplished squat. Every. Single. Week. For those of you who would argue this was going too far with a team such as New England, I would like to refer you to Coach B's success there and then ask for you to go sit in the corner.

 

5) Accountability. Discipline. Responsibility. Character. Maximum effort. An expectation for results. What is wrong with any of this? Under Crennel, these words did not apply when it came to what the coaches expected from the players. These aren't just words either; they're core values that breed success in all walks of life.

 

6) I am tired of people telling me, a lifelong Browns fan, how things shouldn't be run. Dammit, people, WE KNOW HOW THINGS SHOULDN'T BE RUN. We're Browns fan, for crying out loud. We've seen plenty of ways to NOT do things around here.

 

7) I believe in the Mangini way because he expects of the Browns what we expect of the Browns. His dreams for the Browns are our dreams for the Browns. And when it all comes together it's gonna be a great day to be a Browns fan.

[Solon16]

Just watched a show o how tough Tomilnsons camps are/ were in his first two years and how he is now easing up on the vets....Give it a rest(media), tear em down and build em up...i LIKE THE NON CODDLING AND ACTUALLY MAKING THEM PRACTICE FOOTBALL....GEESH

[FairHooker11]

NW Ohio Brownie - "Boy, I am already sick and tired of hearing the media question Mangini's approach. A few reasons/facts as to why I'm ready to blow up at these people:"

 

 

I agree with your whole take on Mangini - the author Jason Cole with yahoo-was a former writer for the Miami Herald - you suppose he was yelled at and OUT of the Jets lockerroom by Mangini? more sorry ass sour grapes by [the analyst lol] Cole?

 

 

[Guest Masters]

You know what gets me about that story, the vet making negative comments and requesting anonymity. If you are going to complain, to a writer no less, have the balls to put your name with it.

[Earl34]

You know what gets me about that story, the vet making negative comments and requesting anonymity. If you are going to complain, to a writer no less, have the balls to put your name with it.

 

I agree. "Anonymous sources said..." is a quick way to turn me off to any legitimacy of the statements.

 

The dude hasn't even coached a down of preseason yet and everybody wants to question his methods. His methods got the Jets to 8-3 last year and I think a lot of the players respected him (you don't need to be liked by everyone). Kris Jenkins and Coles were two tough personalities that were upset when he got let go. I think this article is rubbish.

 

People seem to think that since he "hasn't won anything" that he can't expect a lot from his team. That's simply not how the NFL works. The coach sets the bar. That's his job. Lerner wanted it set high.

 

Let me ask you this: Has there ever been a team that's loved it's coach during training camp? IT'S TRAINING CAMP PEOPLE!

[Vegasdogg]

“His problem is that he doesn’t know how to relate to the really talented guys. … It’s like he thinks everybody is exactly the same and should respond the same way. In this league, you have to know how to push the right buttons with certain guys. The players really run the show and a lot of the really good players, they’re going to test you. The great coaches know how to push back on those guys.”

Coach Mangini doesn't treat talented players like prima donnas? How dare he. "ohhhh, the HORROR."

 

It is not like other AFC teams have been successful with a team centric appoach - ::cough::steelers.indy.pats::cough::

 

The 3 top teams in the AFC all place team above player.

 

 

[Gips]

Wow silver is relentless at scrutinizing the browns at every opportunity and the guy never quite has his facts straight and or he uses outdated info to mold to his point..

 

Bottomline is the crennel leftovers who dont like mangini's way will either get use to it or get cut ,ask for a trade or be traded and for some of these lackluster talents trade isnt an option...rather outsiders like him or not mangini is exactly what this club needs and im really starting to think half the guys on this team may not be here over the next 2 years as mangini rebuilds this club with his kind of guys the kind that dont cry ,whine and moan about improving their skills and team discipline because they want to be there and they wont limp off the field when they feel a new pimple a rising on their ass....mangini's kinda guys are my kinda guys too....