Mike Holmgren is set to name Tom Heckert as the Cleveland Browns’ GM as early as today. However, his first move as the team president proved to be a stunner. He kept Eric Mangini on as his head coach.
Most observers figured Holmgren would bring in someone he has worked with in the past, someone who is also a West Coast offense aficionado. But he stayed with Mangini, who won his last four games after starting out 1-11.
Why? There are several possibilities to ponder.
Perhaps The Big Show thought the four consecutive victories showed the team turned the corner. After all, the last team to win their last four after a 1-11 start was the 1993 New England Patriots, and they made the playoffs the following season.
It’s more likely though, that Holmgren wanted to wait until 2011 to look for a coach when Jon Gruden might be interested in coming back, or perhaps the Eagles’ Andy Reid may be available. After all, that’s where Heckert is coming from.
In the meantime, Mangini will get a year to see if he can work with Holmgren and Heckert, and to see if he can live with just coaching. That’s not the job he came here for, he was to have control over the draft and the 53-man roster, something he likely no longer has.
Perhaps it’s just as simple as having to trust Holmgren on this one. He was hired because of his experience in the NFL, and his success in the league. Most Browns’ fans rejoiced at finally having a football man in charge. So now, you have to trust that he knows what he’s doing in keeping Mangini as the head coach of this football team.
However, Mangini has to learn to coach talented players who might have a little different attitude. It’s nice if your best players have a tremendous work ethic, but that always isn’t the case. You can’t keep getting rid of guys who can play.
It will also be interested in seeing the make up of the coaching staff. Yes, the entire staff was welcomed back, but it would be stunning if some changes weren’t made, especially on the offensive side of the ball. You know Holmgren will want a coach who is very familiar with the west coast attack.
The same is true with the hiring of Heckert. The Eagles have had some good drafts recently and hopefully, he is responsible for them. We have no way of knowing for sure, but you have to trust Holmgren and Reid, who recommended Heckert for the gig. Apparently, Heckert will have control of the 53-man roster something he didn’t have in Philadelphia.
Some of compared his hiring to making Phil Savage the GM, but the huge difference here is the presence of Holmgren. Savage was the highest football man in the organization, and didn’t seem to want to be in the office much, preferring to be out on the road scouting.
Heckert will not have that handicap as Holmgren is in the office running the football operations.
Mike Holmgren wants to win and wants to do it as soon as possible. It is doubtful he would make decisions that would be detrimental to accomplishing that. You have to trust the man based on his track record.
JD
Cleveland Sports Perspective 