There is a fine line between patience and stubbornness.
We have seen that over the years with the coaches and managers who have passed through Cleveland over the past few years. When it works out, it’s patience. When it doesn’t, it’s stubbornness. More often than not, it does not work, and the person in charge loses their job.
Being stubborn is not the trait of successful coaches. Eric Wedge was like this when he was managing the Indians, particularly with the use of his bullpen. In the end, it cost him his job.
Eric Mangini is doing the same thing with his quarterback, and it may come back to bite him in the behind.
Since Colt McCoy was injured in the Jacksonville game, Mangini has gone with Jake Delhomme at quarterback. This is understandable because the veteran had a good pre-season and he lost his job because of a high ankle sprain in the season opener.
However, since the first half of his first start back against his former team, the Carolina Panthers, Delhomme has played poorly. Perhaps it was the QB fumbling and throwing two interceptions in a span of four plays that has caused the coaching staff to severely button up the play calling, but whatever the reason, his play has been subpar.
Yet, earlier this week the head coach said he would continue to start Delhomme if McCoy is not healthy enough to go this Sunday against Cincinnati. Based on the last 2-1/2 games, this would mean the coach would rather go with an ultra-conservative attack than play Seneca Wallace, who started for the Browns in their first victory of the season, which came against the Bengals.
What is the reason for doing this? It is decisions like this that have conspiracy theorists going crazy.
Is Mangini playing Delhomme because Wallace said he expected to start when he came back from his ankle injury? Is Mangini playing Delhomme because the team is paying him $7 million? Is Mangini playing Delhomme because he has provocative pictures of the head coach with a farm animal?
It appears that the coach trusts the rookie most in terms of running the offense. The offense seems to have more flexibility with the rookie because he makes good decisions with the football. Delhomme has thrown seven interceptions in 149 passes this season and 25 in 470 attempts over the past two seasons. By contrast, Seneca Wallace has thrown 16 INTs in his career covering 656 passes.
McCoy has tossed three picks in 129 passes this season.
If Mangini values being careful with the pigskin, why wouldn’t the choice be Wallace if McCoy can’t start?
With all of these factors and statistics staring him in the face, the Browns’ head coach says Jake Delhomme would be the second option as the starter ahead of Wallace? It just doesn’t make sense.
You have to assume that Wallace is in the coaches’ doghouse. When this happens, thoughts go to former Tribe skipper Pat Corrales when asked if he was going to bench Julio Franco when Franco missed a game in New York, apparently because he was out too late the night before.
Corrales said something about his team not being good enough for him to have a doghouse.
Eric Mangini should be thinking along those lines.
And if Wallace isn’t in good graces with the coaching staff, then Mangini’s stubbornness is getting the best of him.
He would be another in a long line of coaches to lose their job because of it.
JD
Cleveland Sports Perspective 