I think Mangini walked into a disaster in Cleveland; a team full of players with very low morale and terrible work ethics, and no discipline. So naturally, there was a weeding out process that was slow and painful to watch. Players either had to be dragged onboard, kicking and screaming, or get shown the door (or bench, for now) By the last 4 games, they won them all, 2 against teams that were in the playoff hunt late in the season. And going forward, Cleveland will have the core of a group of young future stars as well as extra draft picks to build upon that. Personal feelings aside, he did the best he could with what he had, and its only starting to pay dividends. I'm actually hoping he gets to stick around a while longer. Its only fair to reap some reward from everything he built this season instead of the next coach getting all the glory.
I think he gets the ax today... Holmgren is going to want things his way, I can't imagine Mangini giving in. If Mangini is willing to do things Holmgren's way he may get a shot but Mangini's ego is too big to do that. If he comes back he'll be axed by midseason and maybe a guy like Zorn will be running things at this time next year. Now that's a guy I feel sorry for... Jim Zorn.
Rex Ryan is 10x the coach that Eric Mangini is. Ryan's defensive schemes earned him the moniker "The Mad Scientist" -- have you ever heard of anyone giving Mangini a nickname other than "The Penguin"? There's a reason for that. So, Mangini, whether he gets fired or not, is a mediocre coach with very few credentials, other than the fact that he's got a losing record as a head coach.
Do I feel sorry for Mangini? Fuck no. He got fired not only because his poor coaching and inability to make any adjustment ever cost the Jets a playoff spot, but also because he's a megalomaniac who nobody can stand. Look at all the petty stuff that's piled up in just his first year in Cleveland (getting rid of all the Jim Brown stuff in the team offices, fining a player a thousand bucks for taking a water bottle from the minibar, letting Harrison get trucked by a linebacker while not wearing pads, and so on.) If anything Mangini's lucky that any team would even consider hiring him after he ratted out his old boss with Spygate. And, despite a nice winning streak to end the season, he's pretty much pissed his second chance away by being such a tool. He gets no sympathy from me.
I said this about Mangini early on... You cant act douchy like Belicheat until you actually win something. His personality sucked and his whole CIA approach to starters and injuries was a fucking joke. Belicheat can do it because the dude wins...plain and simple.
He willingly took on the disaster. Maybe the owner promised him a longer leash but he sure seemed to lose that pretty quickly by alienating team members (bus trip) and fan base (remember the monday night protest?). That alienation forced the owner to do something. I do not feel sorry for the man at all. He had the option to go back to become a position coach or D-Coordinator or to continue the head coaching gig. He chose the head coaching gig and won 5 games. He chose to manage his public perception into the dirt.
I view Mangini just like I do Bradway. Both are great overall talent evaluators. Both are terrible at their day-to-day jobs. Bradway was atrocious at the bargaining table. Mangini is not head coach material. I don't particularly feel "bad" for Mangini, since his attitude makes his situations worse. I would give him a second year with the Browns if I were Holmgren though.
I dont feel sorry for Mangini but I dont think Rex is a better HC. Rex is using Mangini's team with even more improvments...the biggest being Scott. But the difference is Mangini had us set to keep building and improving year after year. Rex has mortgaged our future on a few players for a 9-7 record that was gifted to us. I am not confident about our future under Rex. He should have stuck to DC - its where he is best. Same could be said about Mangini but at least he understood how to build.
+1. This is really what bothers me about the situation - Holmgren and whomever his lackey will be is going to walk right in there and take credit for the work that Mangini's done. In hindsight, Lerner probably freaked out a little too early and should have given Mangini and the former GM (i dont want to butcher the spelling) more time. As far as the Jets go, it'd be nice if the Browns were a factor in the AFC North.
I don't believe that Mangini is really that much of a control freak to be so inflexible to management that he won't cave on somethings. I think he'll look at the opportunity to work with Holmgren as an opportunity to learn from another coach who has pretty much done it all. It could be a tremendous experience for him, and I don't see his ego getting in the way of that. The real question is can he sell himself to Holmgren to give him a chance. I'm betting he's a genuine enough guy to have a shot at it.
I don't feel sorry for Mangini at all and here is the reason why. Not only did he crap out in the final four to five games of last year to take us out of the playoff spot, but after the loss at Seattle, he admitted during a press conference that he tried to cram two game plans against the Seahawks & the Dolphins in the same week. THAT IDIOT LOOKED PAST THE SEAHAWKS AND THOUGHT ABOUT THE DOLPHINS AFTER THE BILLS GIFTED THE JETS A WIN ON THE FUMBLE RECOVERY BY ELLIS FOR THE TD! That is unforgivable in my eyes and for Mangini to put the cart before the horse was absolutly wrong. That really pissed me off and I am very happy we have Rex Ryan leading our team and not that clueless shmuck.
Mangini is a good x's and O's guy, has zero charisma and is a horrible leader of men. Rex is a defensive guru, a terrific leader of men AND has incredible charisma. I'd say both guys have their merits and flaws but Rex is going to be the far better HC in the long run unless mangini goes to the personality store and buys one.
Eric Mangini after 64 games as a coach: 28-36, 1 playoff appearance. Bill Belichik after 64 games as a coach: 31-33, 1 playoff appearance. Belichik took over a disaster area in Cleveland, however it was a one season disaster - the Browns had made the playoffs 4 years running before that. Mangini took over a disaster area in both NY and Cleveland, however the NY disaster area was a one season thing - The Jets had made the playoffs in 3 of the previous 4 years before the disaster. I think they're remarkably similar in their results given that Belichik got 4 years with the Browns and Mangini had to start over from scratch in the 4th year. You cannot argue that Mangini has the kind of knowledge that Belichik did at that point, because Belichik was one of the smartest guys in football on the defensive side of the ball, but the head coaching is remarkably similar. If Mangini stays with the Browns he'll be canned at the end of the year, just as Belichik was canned after his 5th season. However you won't be able to write him off based on that. He's kind of following in Belichik's footsteps but not quite as successful. BTW, both of them are bad with people including their own players. The way they're bad differs though: Mangini is a hothead and Belichik is a cold fish.
