Very interesting comments over at The OBR today from Browns offensive captain Jamal Lewis regarding his head coach.
Let me see how to put this as nicely and succinctly as possible: it doesn’t sound like Jamal is the biggest fan of the Mangenius.
Berea Report: Lewis Rips Mangini — (The OBR)
Can’t wait for Monday!
Update: Our friends at Cleveland Frowns have responded to Lewis’ comments. And we’ve responded to it all.
Washed-Up Running Back, Washed-Up. Blames Coach — (Cleveland Frowns)
What would you do if you were a 30 year-old running back with more mileage than Jenna Jameson, and you didn’t want to admit that you were at worst washed up, or at best, in a rebuilding situation that was a bad fit for you at this stage in your career? Blame the coach, of course. Everyone’s doing it. Gotta take care of #1 eventually, Jamal. We get it, what you’re doing here.* But we don’t have to buy it. And we’re not. Nor should anyone else, really. Not least Randy Lerner. Not until Mangini gets his fair shake.
As with most cases like this, the truth and reality no doubt resides somewhere in then middle. I am sure that Jamal Lewis is frustrated and that his comments are consciously or subconsiously imbued with some reputation preserving sentiment.
But, if you’ve followed Lewis’ career, you all know that he is not prone to speaking publicly in this manner about team issues. I don’t believe just his ego could bring out this kind of statement because we haven’t seen it from him before.
Do Lewis’ comments mean that Randy Lerner should walk into Eric Mangini’s office and fire him today? No. But Lewis has earned enough respect for his words to be carefully weighed by the owner and whoever he brings in as “football czar”.
Yes, the culture in Cleveland needs to change. But as Lewis points out in his comments, at some point there needs to be a reward for the hard work, or there can never be any momentum for the change built.
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