Wow! What a big week for the professional sports teams in Cleveland. Each team made news, some bigger than others, with the highlight being the hiring of Eric Mangini as the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Here is our “perspective” on all the news—
Browns Hire Mangini.
Eric Mangini might very well become the next great NFL head coach, but he also could be the next Romeo Crennel. It has been said he had problems with his assistants and some players, but so did Bill Belichick, and he learned from his mistakes to win three Super Bowls. Perhaps Mangini will learn as well, and be a better coach than he was with the Jets.
The biggest problem was the process taken by owner Randy Lerner. Lerner interviewed four people for the job, excluding names like Titan defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, and former Bronco coach Mike Shanahan. Why not wait and interview these seemingly qualified coaches?
The answer is Mangini infatuated Lerner, the same way Romeo Crennel did four years ago. We all know how that turned out. I would feel better if someone with a football background, whether it would be Scott Pioli, Rich McKay, or Tom Heckert made that decision, rather than the owner.
The other part of the equation is that the new General Manager will likely be George Kokinis, currently the Ravens’ director of pro personnel. It appears that Kokinis will be in the office on a daily basis, which differs from the style of Phil Savage, who spent much of his time on the road. This is a key aspect for Lerner.
There are some who say the head coach is more important than the GM, but I would have preferred to hire a football professional to head up the organization, and allowing that man to decide on the football coach. To me, that’s the best way to run an organization. That’s why I am skeptical about the hiring of Eric Mangini. He hasn’t proven enough at the NFL level to wield that kind of power.
Tribe Signs Pavano.
The Indians signed a free agent starting pitcher, that’s the good news. The bad news is the signing doesn’t exactly ease my concerns about the starting rotation. That doesn’t mean it isn’t a good deal for the Tribe, however.
Why not sign Pavano for a one-year incentive laden contract? If he comes back from the assortment of injuries he suffered during his tenure with the Yankees, they get a pitcher who has won ten or more games in the majors twice in his career. In his last healthy season, he went 18-8 for the Marlins in 2004. I don’t think anyone is expecting that, and if his arm isn’t right, the Indians can release him at little financial cost.
The Indians still need another middle of the rotation starter who is healthy and capable. The only free agent available who fits this bill is Jon Garland, but he likely is too expensive for the Tribe. GM Mark Shapiro has said the Pavano signing is likely the team’s last move unless he can get rid of some payroll, which means any move would be a trade.
The team has some bullpen depth, and could look to move RHP Rafael Betancourt to free up some cash. I keep hearing that Texas would like to unload Kevin Millwood’s contract and I wouldn’t be shocked to see a deal bringing the right-hander back to Cleveland if the Rangers eat some of the money. He would be a perfect fit in the middle of the Tribe’s rotation.
Big Game at “The Q”
Don’t look now, but the Cavaliers have the best record in the Eastern Conference and tonight they take on the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last year, the World Champion Boston Celtics. The Celts have struggled lately, dropping six of their last eight, but still this might be the biggest regular season in years for the Cavaliers.
With the wine and gold embarking on a west coast trip next week, they definitely need a win tonight to maintain an edge on the green. The Cavaliers are short-handed with the loss of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, so it will be a big test especially on the defensive end without the big man. This is where playing J. J. Hickson could be considered a risk, but on the other hand, it will be a great experience for the big man.
Who knows, tonight’s game could help determine home court advantage in the playoffs, and anyone who watched last year’s series knows how important having the seventh game on your home floor is. The Cavs know it too. They made getting off to a good start a priority to make sure they had home court advantage in the playoffs this season.
There is no doubt that tonight’s game will have a playoff feel.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 