Browns Head Coach-GM Update: Eric Mangini Reportedly the Clubhouse Leader

Last week, I wrote a lengthy diatribe imploring Browns owner Randy Lerner not to hire Eric Mangini. My reasoning had nothing to do with Mangini being a terrible coach, and everything to do with the exigence of Randy Lerner making a hire that gives Browns hope and a sense of optimism heading into next year.

Hiring a recently fired coach who has the same New England coaching pedigree of our own recently fired coach is not my idea of renewing hope. Plus, I just don’t see Mangini’s aloof arrogance playing well in Cleveland, no matter how brilliant of a football tactician he may be.

Well, it looks like Randy Lerner does not pay attention to Midwest Sports Fans when deciding who to hire as head coach. (And, honestly, let’s all thank the good Lord for that.)

The latest report today from Chris Mortensen at ESPN is that Eric Mangini is now the leading candidate to become the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Additionally, Mort’s report says that Mangini could be hired as part of a package deal with a GM whose name is not Scott Pioli:

The Browns have continued their search process, interviewing other candidates, but sources say Mangini had a “compelling” interview and owner Randy Lerner is fascinated with him.

If Mangini gets the job to replace the fired Romeo Crennel, the favorite to become the team’s general manager is George Kokinis, who is the director of pro personnel for the Baltimore Ravens, the sources said.

Kokinis and Mangini each were members of the Browns organization when Bill Belichick was coach. Mangini formally joined the staff as an assistant coach in 1995. Kokinis was a scout from 1991 to 1995 before moving with the team to Baltimore.

This is obviously a very fluid situation, with new candidates seeming to emerge by the day and purported deadlines coming and going with now decisions ultimately being made. Thus, I don’t want to waste time speculating anymore on who the next Browns head coach and GM will be. I have made my feelings about Eric Mangini known, as well as my preference for Scott Pioli, even if it means Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz becomes the Browns’ new head coach. I think it’s now time to just sit back and see how it all shakes out before I waste my time typing about it anymore.

However, if you want to know all of the latest reports, here are some recent links for you to check out:

Mangini is the leader, but beware of unnamed sources in Browns head coach/GM search – (Pro Football Talk)

Is Pioli taking a page out of father-in-law Parcells’ book by maximizing leverage? – (Pro Football Talk) – Interesting post in which Florio echoes what I’ve been saying: that Browns fans are not going to want Mangini (nor another former Ravens personnel guy as GM) because we’ve been there, done that.

Mike Shanahan puts off Browns for two weeks, candidacy likely over in Cleveland – (Plain-Dealer)

Josh McDaniels and Mel Tucker make their case to become Browns head coach – (Plain-Dealer)

Browns like Mangini and Pioli; Can they get both? – (Plain-Dealer)

Latest News and Rumors on the Browns coach/GM search – (Orange and Brown Report – pay for the premium service, by the way. It’s worth it.)

Rumor of package deal with Ferentz makes Scott Pioli not look like such a good choice – (Dawg Pound Daily)

So there you go. I have heard from a few different sources that something will be happening with Scott Pioli imminently, and of course nothing has happened yet. I am going to watch the IU-Iowa game, and then the Colts-Chargers game, and try not to worry about the frustrating roller-coaster ride that has been Randy Lerner’s search for a new GM and head coach. Of course, if something definitive actually happens, I’m sure I’ll hop on here and get you updated.

All I know “for sure” is this: Eric Mangini definitely appears to be front-runner for the Browns head coaching job, and I don’t like it any more today than I did earlier this week. And if it precludes the Browns from getting Scott Pioli, I like it even less.

But it’s time to stop worrying at this point — and just start waiting. Randy Lerner wants to get something done quickly, so hopefully it will.

Weren’t things much more tidy and exciting when everyone was assuming Bill Cowher would be coming to town? Oh the good ‘ol days…

Cleveland Browns Want to Interview Mike Shanahan

Thanks to Midnight Writer for the tip on this one.

The Plain-Dealer is reporting today that the Cleveland Browns and owner Randy Lerner want to interview recently fired former Denver head coach Mike Shanahan. From the report by Tony Grossi:

The Browns will seek to interview fired Denver coach Mike Shanahan, said a source with knowledge of the situation.

“How can you not?” said the source.

According to Grossi’s report, Lerner and Browns president Mike Keenen are in New York today conducting interviews with Scott Pioli and Eric Mangini. As Grossi points out, the interviews are separate. And he makes it sound like the meeting with Mangini is more of a convenience thing than anything else, saying “[Lerner] decided to hook up with Mangini, recently fired as Jets coach, to get a feel for him before proceeding with other planned interviews.”

Sweet. So perhaps that means that Mangini is not necessarily near the top of the list of potential head coaching candidates. I have made my feelings about Eric Mangini known, and known loudly. So without any shame for being completely redundant, let me say it again: do NOT hire Eric Mangini!

Scott Pioli, however, is just fine by me, a point with which Don Banks of SI.com obviously agrees.

The news that the Browns are interested in interviewing Mike Shanahan comes on the same day that the Plain-Dealer also reported that the Browns will interview former Browns scout and current Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

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As far as Mike Shanahan goes, I think that Randy Lerner should absolutely seek to interview the former Broncos coach. The man has won Super Bowls, he is a genius when it comes to designing and executing the running game, and no one disputes Shanahan’s overall offensive acumen.

However, I do not buy into the perception that Mike Shanahan is any type of slam dunk candidate.

First off, you have to assume that Mike Shanahan would want a similar level of control to which he was used to in Denver, where he was the Vice President of Football Operations and had final say over the 53-man roster. This is obviously problematic if the Browns were to hire Scott Pioli. And in my opinion, I would rather have Scott Pioli as our next GM, even if it means ending our chances of landing Shanahan.

The Broncos have only won one playoff game in the last ten years since John Elway retired, and Shanahan has proven unable to establish any sort of continuity on the defensive side of the ball. While his running game would fit perfectly in the AFC North, his inability create toughness and identity on the defensive side of the ball, or to find a coordinator who can, would be a huge problem.

One Browns fan I talked to said what about Pioli as GM, Shanahan as head coach, and Romeo Crennel as defensive coordinator. Honestly, it sounds pretty damn good to me. I don’t think it’s very plausible, but at the very least it is a flight fantasy worth considering…for a moment.

I don’t pretend to know what Mike Shanahan’s intentions or desires are, but if he can find a place where he will have GM-level control, I am sure he will end up there. Based on how the last ten years went in Denver, I do not want to see him get such a position in Cleveland. If he is only going to be the head coach, then we can start talking.

I was hesitant to even discuss Shanahan-to-the-Browns yesterday, but with today’s report that the team is interested in interviewing him, the topic is now relevant. I just see Mike Shanahan coming in as precluding us from getting Scott Pioli, and personally, I think Pioli should be priority #1 for the Browns.

Mike Shanahan Out In Denver – Could He Be a Candidate in KC or Cleveland?

As a Chiefs fan I am happy, but as a football fan I am utterly shocked. I realize the Broncos choked in a big way and had their asses handed to them by San Diego on Sunday night for the Division Title, but by no means did I expect Mike Shanahan to lose his job be fired by Denver.

I mean come on, when you think of Denver, you think of John Elway, and then who?

Mike Shanahan.

This guy has been a spectacular NFL head coach over the past 14 years in Denver, which includes back to back Super Bowl titles in 1998 and 1999. Mike Shanahan has compiled a record of 146 – 89 over his tenure at Denver and has been a contender in the West it seems like every year.

I don’t have much more to say here other than WOW, and that the firing of Mike Shanahan definitely opens the door for some teams that are currently looking for a head coach.

Now that Mike Shanahan has been fired by Denver, would he be a potential fit in Cleveland? How about Detroit? Or wait, what about the Jets? Or, no way, what would it be like if the Chiefs let Herm go and Shanahan takes over in Kansas City! That would be sweet!!

This offseason is really getting interesting and as a Chiefs fan I have always hated the Broncos, but I can’t deny the fact that Shanahan has always had my respect as a Coach for what he has been able to accomplish year in and year out.

Merry Xmas to the next team that lands Mike Shanahan as their new head coach.

coop92 is a contributing author to Midwest Sports Fans, as well as the editor at Midwest Sports Junkies. Check out his site for additional analysis of the St. Louis Cardinals, the BCS, and Missouri Tigers football.