It's a Fact: Mangini should be Coach of the Year

AMJets · Jan 4, 2007

http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Article.php?Page=1229

It?s a fact: Mangini is Coach of the Year
Cold, Hard Football Facts for January 4, 2007

By Cold, Hard Football Facts contributor Jonathan Comey

The NFL began releasing its end-of-season awards this week, and there is certainly no shortage of worthy candidates in each category.

But only one person can win each award, and you can bet your last bottle of holiday bourbon that the ?pundits? who choose such things will f*ck it all up, as they so often do. These ?pundits? typically create a storyline and then do everything in their power to see their initial impressions validated, no matter how badly their fallacious impressions are defied by Cold, Hard Football Facts.

This year, there are two winners who will be absolutely, positively incorrect: Sean Payton of New Orleans, the prohibitive favorite to capture Coach of the Year honors, and Tennessee phenom Vince Young, who was named Offensive Rookie of the Year Wednesday.

COACH OF THE YEAR
Let?s start with the gridiron generals who lead each NFL team.

Payton, the first-year man in New Orleans, seems like the undisputed front-runner for the award.

No doubt he?s done an excellent job with the Saints. They were 3-13 last year. They?re 10-6 this year, with a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Tack on the sympathy vote, and Payton will probably run away with the award.

Fortunately, for the benefit of your gridiron knowledge, the Cold, Hard Football Facts don?t tally sympathy votes.

The truth is that the Saints were not as bad in 2005 as they appeared, when Hurricane Katrina blew the entire franchise to hell for a season. In terms of talent, and who they would have been sans Katrina, they were closer to the 8-8 team of 2004. Add a quarterback upgrade from Aaron Brooks to Drew Brees (economy to first class), toss in the great draft gift that was Reggie Bush, and you had an offense that was destined for something bigger than it was in 2005 ? no matter who was at the helm of the organization.

Payton also did little to improve the defense, which finished 31st against the run (4.94 per carry) ? putting the Saints close to the list of all-time worst run defenses ? and 28th in interceptions (11).

And this all took place in the NFC, the Triple A of professional football. Payton?s little pigskin playground, the NFC South, was barely competitive: Its four teams went 29-35 overall, 17-23 out of the division and had a -122 scoring differential.

Now let?s look at the real coach of the year, Eric Mangini of the N.Y. Jets.

He forged the same type of turnaround as Payton, but did it against stiffer competition, against greater odds, in a tougher environment and with far less in the way of ?name? talent.

The Jets went 4-12 in 2005, just a game better than the Saints. They?re 10-6 this season ? same record as the Saints ? in the toughest division in the toughest conference in football. The AFC East led the NFL in cumulative record (35-29), out-of-division record (24-17) and scoring differential (+135).

Mangini did it the old-fashioned way, too: He put his nose to the grindstone and his middle finger up at the notoriously brutal New York media.

The Cold, Hard Football Facts fell in emotionless attachment with Mangini back in April, when he grabbed offensive linemen with his top two draft picks. You could hear sportswriters all over Gotham sharpening their claws. But the Cold, Hard Football Facts did nothing but stand in starry-eyed admiration for a young guy who had the stones to defy the pathetic pleas of the ?pundits? for a big-name star in the Big Apple.

And while Payton had talent fall in his lap, Mangini said bye-bye to the Jets? biggest names on both sides of the ball. He lost defensive end John Abraham, who was one of the NFL?s sack leaders in 2005 (10.5) and cornerback Ty Law, who picked off more passes than any player in football last year (10).

Future Hall of Fame running back Curtis Martin, meanwhile, was unable to recover from injury, so the Jets ground game was left in the hands of the immortal trio of rookie Leon ?Boom Boom? Washington (team-leading 650 yards), Cedric ?the Entertainer? Houston (374 yards) and Kevan ?I Set the? Barlow (370 yards and a pathetic 2.8 YPA).

And the quarterback? No contest. While Brees was blowing through the defenseless NFC, Mangini put his entire game plan in the hands of Chad Pennington, who?s about to break Joe Namath?s franchise record for surgically repaired body parts.

At the start of the season, there was no reason to believe that the Jets would compete in the AFC.

Not only have they competed, they?ve won ? despite being average or below in just about every statistical category. Mangini has done more with less than any coach in football.

That makes him the clear choice for Coach of the Year by any rational and emotionless measure. If only the ?pundits? would adopt our loftier standards, they might get these things right more often.

Cold, Hard Football Facts Top 5 Coach of the Year candidates:
1. Mangini.

2. Payton.

3. Marty Schottenheimer, San Diego. The Chargers have the talent, but 14-2? No one saw that coming.

4. Brian Billick, Baltimore. Ditto, but 13-3.

5. Andy Reid, Philadelphia. He gets a bit too much credit for the excellent play of Jeff Garcia, who should have been considered an elite QB based upon his consistent Pro Bowl performances in San Francisco. But, despite terrible luck, Reid has the Eagles poised for another Super Bowl run.
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WWWestonC · Jan 4, 2007

Love this article. About to print it out and tack it to the wall, nice to see some real journalism at work.

Vilmathegreat51 · Jan 4, 2007

Awesome article.It's good to see someone else recognize Mangini as the winner. :beer:

F Miami · Jan 4, 2007

Kevan “I Set the” Barlow

Maybe I'm living under a rock, but that's the first time I've heard that one and it's damn funny.

abyzmul · Jan 4, 2007

I'm pleased to say I was wrong about CHFF.

10nyjets87 · Jan 4, 2007

Kevan ''I set the'' Barlow :rofl: :lol: thats good

RobA · Jan 4, 2007

Leon "Boom Boom" Washington sounds right. And so does Kevan "I set the" Barlow. :lol: :rofl: :rofl2: Oh that is so great.

Wah · Jan 4, 2007

Kevan “I Set the” Barlow ... haha.. that is awesome!

highflyer · Jan 4, 2007

Haha the first thing that stood out to me was also Kevan "I Set the" Barlow. Gold.

JETTS216 · Jan 4, 2007

F Miami said: ↑

Kevan ?I Set the? Barlow

Maybe I'm living under a rock, but that's the first time I've heard that one and it's damn funny.
Click to expand...

hey i said that in preseason, just not on here

BxJetFan · Jan 5, 2007

thank you for the article really nice.

BxJetFan · Jan 5, 2007

Thans for the article you get a high 5 star for this one

Dinobot 2 · Jan 5, 2007

Very nice read.

glenn212 · Jan 5, 2007

Perfect..Let the facts and only the facts show who should be NFL Coach of the Year..No disrespect to Payton but the Cold Hard Facts speak for themselves..

JetsVilma28 · Jan 5, 2007

10nyjets87 said: ↑

Kevan ''I set the'' Barlow :rofl: :lol: thats good
Click to expand...

:lol: :up:

WarriorRB28 · Jan 5, 2007

Great read. That is one of the best football sites on the web.

GreenHornet · Jan 5, 2007

When I read, "Kevan “I Set the” Barlow", I laughed my A off. :rofl:

jcjet · Jan 5, 2007

Kevan “I Set the” Barlow...that is awesome!! LOL

pats-hater · Jan 5, 2007

The best line:

"And this all took place in the NFC, the Triple A of professional football"

HAHAHAHAHA!! so true...

Jetdic · Jan 5, 2007

when's it gonna be announced

It's a Fact: Mangini should be Coach of the Year

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