Eric Mangini held his first press conference this morning as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

“I know the Cleveland fans,” Mangini declared. “The Cleveland fans do not just love football. They live football.”

He gets it. And he might have been speaking about himself.

Mangini, who worked as a ball boy under Cleveland coach Bill Belichick in the early 1990′s, was introduced by Browns President Mike Keenan who said in a written statement: “We selected the person we thought to be the most driven, passionate and most qualified … Eric Mangini understands how much we want this team to win.

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“With that, it is my great pleasure to welcome Eric, his wife, Julie, and his children back to Cleveland,” Kennan said.

(Picture below courtesy of John Kuntz / Plain-Dealer)

Conspiculously absent from the scene was Browns owner Randy Lerner, who has refused to speak before modern media technology such as television cameras, tape recorders, and laptops. Lerner, however, is okay with pen and paper and shorthand.

However, Lerner may be available for a closed meeting with select reporters, later today.

Speaking in a stilting manner, but with confidence and fire in his eyes, Mangini, who turns 38 at the end of the month, said he wants his players to be intelligent, hard-working, very competitive and very passionate about the game of football.

Mangini ducked the quarterback question, stating he needed time to access not only each quarterback’s game, but his presence in huddle and his intelligence. He said he would speak personally to both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, before naming a starter.

Although Brady Quinn was named the starter for 2009 by former Head Coach Romeo Crennel, that is not a given under Mangini. However, local sports analysts have said Anderson had his chance this year and failed miserably — and that he should be used as trade bait.

Again, Mangini wasn’t talking about any of that.

He did, however, commit to sticking with the Browns 3-4 defensive scheme, but did leave room for a bit of flexibility. Critics have complained the 2008 Browns did not have the personnel for a 3-4 defense, believing a 4-3 would have resulting in more blitzing opposing quarterback schemes — resulting in fewer opponents points.

Eric Mangini, who has been compared to his mentor, Bill Belichick, in being a man of few words and saying nothing when talking to the media, showed that side of his personality. Although his answers were somewhat wordy, he really didn’t get into specifics.

He used a broad brush in answering media questions, refusing to be baited into saying anything remotely negative about the Jets organization or his former quarterback, Brett Favre.

Mangini also deflected a question from Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer as to specifically what three things Mangini would do to turn the Browns around.

“I’ve only been here for 12 hours,” Mangini said.

Mangini said his vision is to instill “a truth in sports”. He does not just want talented players, but talented, hard-working and disciplined players.

This could be a major reason Lerner chose Mangini. Romeo Crennel was rumored to have run a country club atmosphere with hugs and no hitting during practice. This led to the Browns being woefully unprepared when the exhibition season began in which Cleveland went 0-4.

This lack of intensity — and more than a few injuries — carried onto the regular season evidenced by having to call unnecessary time-outs and dropped footballs when players were not on the same page. The Browns were also tagged on mickey-mouse penalties for being offsides and having too many players on the field.

Eric Mangini will not tolerate any lackluster play, and will decide which players will play and which will go after doing his own assessment and evaluation, he said.

Mangini said he learned a lot from his first head coaching job with the Jets from 2006 until the end of the 2008 season.

There were so many firsts in his first year with the Jets, from practice rosters, to hiring assistants and sports psychologists. (This writer has believed the Browns have needed a shrink in the locker room for several years.)

First, the Browns had to hire a general manager. Although Eric Mangini will be there for the G.M. interviews, he is less interested in who will be assigned specific duties — the general manager or head coach — than in reaching mutual decisions and being on the same page.

It is clear that Mangini — not the general manager — will be the new face of the Browns. Cleveland’s new Browns culture will be determined and shaped by Mangini.

The Browns are leaning in the direction of hiring George Kokinis, who works in player personnel under Ozzie Newsome, general manager of the Baltimore Ravens. The Browns will not be able to speak with Kokinis under after the Ravens are eliminated. (This writer hopes that will happen on Saturday when Baltimore plays Tennessee.)

The only problem with the Mangini press conference was in many of the stupid questions asked about Mangini’s relationship with the Jets; why he was fired, if he has a chip on his shoulder, questions all asked to get some kind of rise out of Mangini.

With competing television, radio and newspaper reporters — and personalities — together in one room at the press conference, the air was charged with testosterone — even among the females.

Mangini has his work cut out for him in Cleveland. But at least he is not a virgin. He has his first coaching job under his belt and has faced off the New York media.

The last time the Browns hired a coach with NFL experience was Nick Skorich in 1971.

But Mangini with the struggling, fragmented and injured Browns team, has his work cut out for him.

Is he up to it? I am as optimistic as a Cleveland fan could be.

I can’t wait until August.

Go Browns!

__________

Also see:

Mangini Hired: Randy Lerner – Inspired or Tired? — (Cleveland Frowns)

Randy Lerner dropped the ball – must have learned it from Braylon — (Waiting For Next Year)