Chiefs Fans Join Activism Trend: Demand Season-Long Deactivation of Larry Johnson

Who knows what will come it, but Browns and Chiefs fans are fed up, pissed off, not taking it anymore, and letting the management of their beloved teams know about it.

Two Browns fans recently announced their plans to lead a protest during the 1st quarter of next week’s Monday nighter between the Browns and Ravens in Cleveland. The plan has received plenty of national pub and even merited a meeting with Browns owner Randy Lerner yesterday.

In Kansas City, fans are petitioning Chiefs GM Scott Pioli to not allow Larry Johnson back on the field.

Their reasoning?

He is close to becoming the franchise’s all-time rushing leader, needing 80 yards to pass Priest Holmes, and they do not believe that Johnson is worthy of sitting atop that esteemed list.

… Continue Reading

From the Sideline with Candice Crawford: Who Will Scott Pioli Choose to be the Next Head Coach of the Chiefs? Take Your Pick

From the Sideline with Candice Crawford

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So I hate to say this but I told you so.

Scott Pioli, the newest member to the Chiefs organization, made it official two weeks ago when he fired Herm Edwards.

Word immediately spread that they were talking to none other than Mike Shanahan, the former head coach of the Denver Broncos. I said in my last article that Mike Shanahan, with his expertise in the running game, would make a great fit for the Chiefs. However, they are having problems getting the deal signed, sealed, and delivered, so I don’t want to be disappointed if that doesn’t work out.

What are their other options?

Todd Haley — He is the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals who have found themselves in Super bowl XLIII. He’s a young and fiery assistant and has been at the helm of one of the NFL’s most high-powered offenses since 2007. Haley has learned from the best, working under Bill Parcells in Dallas for two seasons. The Chiefs are in need of a fresh start, and Haley is right out of the oven. Seeming inexperienced compared to the rest of the candidates, Haley has received recognition because of Arizona’ s recent run. His passion and emotion could be just the thing for the young Chiefs.

Clancy Pendergast — Maybe a better choice than Haley due to his experience and defensive mindset. While most fans do not recognize the Cardinals a strong defensive team, Pendergast improved their defense from 26th to 12th in his first year (2004) and improved it to 8th overall in 2005. Recently, their defense has shown a tremendous ability to show up in crucial sports throughout the season and into the playoffs. Pendergast’s specialty seems to be his ability to develop a strong defensive line, showcased by his development of Bertrand Berry and Darnell Dockett into Pro Bowlers, which has fit in very nicely with the Chiefs’ young, but very talented, defensive line.

Clandy Pendergast’s experience began in 1995 when he came into the league with the Houston Oilers, but his recognition started with the Dallas Cowboys in 1996. In his 6+ seasons with the ‘Boys, Pendergast was a defensive assistant working with both the secondary and linebackers and is credited with turning safety Roy Williams in to a perennial Pro Bowler. While most are hot on Haley, Pendergast just might be the real treasure on that Arizona staff.

But what if Pioli wants to go in the direction of established head coaches to steer the Chiefs in the right direction? Here are a few possible names, some more likely than others.

Jon Gruden is an obvious choice after being let go this by the Bucceneers on January 16th. He is known for his offensive focus, which helped them get a 12-5 record and a Super Bowl title in his first year with Tampa. Arguably, he took Super Bowl ready team — cooked and baked by Tony Dungy and Gruden just took them out of the oven.

Gruden is considered a safe choice, because he is a “big-name” in the NFL. But I don’t think he is the spark that would ignite enough change for the Chiefs. His ex-Buc’s players don’t like him — he’s apparently a “scumbag” — and even the fans influenced his recent firing. He may have a Super Bowl ring on his finger, but the Bucs turned into a mediocre team on his watch, and the Chiefs are not looking to get worse.

Bill Cowher has expressed some interest in wanting to stay retired for another season, but he would be a perfect fit for the position. Cowher is the face of a traditional football coach, literally. The Chiefs are a similar franchise to the Steelers in terms of history, tradition, and work ethic, and Cowher would make a seemless transition. Cowher’s emotion and excitement would give the Chiefs a much needed reputation makeover and return the edge and grit of the vaunted Chiefs teams of the past.

Dan Reeves- One of the greatest head coaches of all-time has shown interest in returning as a coordinator with the 49ers. Maybe he wants a bigger challenge with more cap room.

Speaking of traditional coaches, how about Mike Holmgren? While most believe he wants to take some time to enjoy retirement, Holgrem might get the itch to come back to the Midwest. He is excellent at mentoring young quarterbacks, which would be exponentially beneficial to Brody Croyle, Tyler Thigpen, or a potential young draft pick (if they choose to go that route….more on that in the coming weeks.)

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Candice Crawford is a Featured Author for Midwest Sports Fans and regularly provides her unique perspective into the sports world in her column “From the Sideline.” A native of Dallas, Texas, Candice will graduate from the University of Missouri in May of 2009 with a degree in journalism. You can email Candice with questions or comments about her “From the Sideline” features at candice@midwestsportsfans.com.

Herm or no Herm? That is the Question for Scott Pioli and the Chiefs

In the first From the Sideline, I broke down the three major decisions that Scott Pioli will have to make as the Kansas City Chiefs’ new General Manager, starting with whether or not to keep or fire head coach Herm Edwards.

Herm once said, “You play to win the game,” but somehow those words haven’t translated well with the Kansas City Chiefs, who started the 2008 season losing 11 out of their first 12 games and finishing with a 2-14 record. But is this so surprising? He had only mild success with the Jets before he made his way to the Midwest and was fought over as though he held all the answers for the Chiefs.

ESPN reported last week that Scott Pioli’s decision to keep or release Herm Edwards, would be final by the end of this week. Herm Edwards is a good coach and has had some success in the NFL, but somehow he has not been able to execute with the prosperity that he and Kansas City had hoped he would have.

Scott Pioli is going to have to decide whether or not Edwards had lost the team’s, for lack of a better word, “respect.” I believe that his players respect him as a coach and as a person, but there is only so much defeat you can take emotionally and mentally as an athlete. I would know, I played sports my entire life; and from experience, when it comes to a point where you and your team are accustomed to losing, you don’t care if you like the coach or not, you just want something to change, something that brings enthusiasm back to the game. If Herm Edwards is to come back next year are they going to have enthusiasm to come out every Sunday and “Play to win the game?” It’s hard to compartmentalize a 2-14 season.

The Cowboys are going through a similar stint with Wade Philips. Philips has no control anymore of his team and his softened persona gives players, Tony Romo in particular, the freedom to laugh and smile on the sidelines like they are up 44-6 with two minutes left…except wait, that was the Eagles who were up 44-6.

And while I’m on the subject, the fashion shows that Romo has during the press conferences are creating quite a lot of animosity among the fans. Someone needs to tell him that after yet another loss, coming out in a beret only shifts the focus from how you completely lost the game to how you have completely lost your mind. The Cowboys went from Bill Parcells the General to Wade Phillips the Grandpa and it’s not working.

Pioli is going to have to decide for himself whether or not the Chiefs have a Wade Philips on their hands or if Edwards can be the man to turn the team around like Bill Cowher did with the Steelers in 1992, taking them from a 7-9 record the previous season to an 11-5 record and winning home advantage in the AFC.

If Scott Pioli believes in miracles and keeps Edwards around, I think it would be only because he might have more hiring options at the end of the 2009 season. Who knows — Tony Dungy might be restless after a year of retirement.

I think Pioli is going to look to greener pastures A) because that is what most GM’s do, they like to bring in their own people; they want to be responsible for the success or failure of the team they are running, and B) because the Chiefs need a fresh start. They are getting a new GM, a newly remodeled stadium and need a new head coach to go with the equation.

But then who does Pioli hire? Would he dare try to hire Mike Shanahan, the ex-head coach of the Chiefs’ arch-rival, Denver Broncos? That could be an excellent fit, as Mike Shanahan is known for producing thousand yard backs and if they keep Larry Johnson, which they should, those two together could be detrimental to their opponents in the 2009 season. Not to mention the tutelage Shanahan could provide to the Chiefs’ young and undersized offensive line, a staple of Shanahan’s zone blocking schemes.

The Chiefs also have a quarterback, Tyler Thigpen, whose mobility and arm strength bear resemblance to current Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, and Shanahan-favorite, Tony Romo. Just think about it: Shanahan’s offensive success was based around John Elway, Terrell Davis, and Shannon Sharpe, and the Chiefs have those pieces in place with Tyler Thigpen, Larry Johnson, and Tony Gonzalez.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Herm Edwards is great person, a well respected coach and has done all he can for the Chiefs; but I think we can all agree that it is time for a new beginning for the Chiefs and that their fans deserve it.

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Candice Crawford is a Featured Author for Midwest Sports Fans and regularly provides her unique perspective into the sports world in her column “From the Sideline.” A native of Dallas, Texas, Candice will graduate from the University of Missouri in May of 2009 with a degree in journalism. You can email Candice with questions or comments about her “From the Sideline” features at candice@midwestsportsfans.com.

From the Sideline: Can Scott Pioli Turn the Chiefs Around Without Bill Belichick?

Editor’s Note: I am pleased to welcome Candice Crawford to Midwest Sports Fans as our newest Featured Author. Candice will graduate this May with a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri and she has extensive experience as both a sports reporter and sports anchor at KOMU-TV in Columbia, MO. Candice will be writing a regular feature entitled “From the Sideline” and offering further proof that women are smarter and more insightful than men, even when it comes to sports.

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Who is Scott Pioli?

He is a big name to those who follow the NFL and especially to those in New England. But going from the East coast to the Midwest, you may hear him use the phrase “I’m not in New England anymore.”

That’s right Scotty you’re not. You’re in Kansas City now.

You have entered into a franchise of heartbroken fans, exhausted from the never-ending disappointments; a team that hasn’t seen the Super Bowl since 1970 or a playoff appearance since 2004. You are, however, getting to work with $32 million under the cap and the number three draft-pick.

Scott Pioli is leaving the Patriots after seven seasons, three Super Bowl titles and five division titles. He must be looking for a bigger challenge; three Super Bowl wins is old news. And obviously his successes provide the Chiefs’ fans with the hope that they too will see their team at least make it to one Super Bowl after almost 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.

Before you go out and buy your season tickets, however, remember that someone is missing from this equation: Bill Belichick.

Scott Pioli’s successes with the Patriots have been alongside his pal Coach Belichick. Belichick hired him as pro personnel assistant while coaching for the Cleveland Browns, but after Belichick got fired and the Browns moved to Baltimore, Pioli stayed with the team and left his man Belichick to fend for himself. The separation only lasted a year until Pioli reunited with Belichick in New England in 2000, when Belichick got the head coaching job. Together they became the architects of the New England Patriots’ dynasty.

So the question is, can Pioli turn this franchise around on his own? Without his boy and pal Bill Belichick?

A quick side note for those wondering about Scott Pioli’s turnaround pedigree: Pioli is the son-in-law of turnaround specialist Bill Parcells. We don’t need to go into the history and successes of Bill Parcells, but I will mention the fact that as an executive, he brought the Miami Dolphins from a 1-15 2007 season to a successful 2008 season in which the Dolphins bested even the great Bill Belichick to win the AFC East.

If Pioli gets in a bind, he can call up his good ’ol father-in-law for a little advice. (I wonder if he calls him the “Big Tuna” or just Bill?) Needless to say, Scott Pioli looks good on paper and is exactly what the Chiefs need.

But only time will tell if Pioli will get the job done, and he has some important decisions to make immediately as the Chiefs new General Manager; three major decisions to be exact.

1. He has to decide if Herm Edwards can do the job, or if he has lost the reigns of the Chiefs players entirely.
2. Pioli has a pretty large salary cap to work with going into this 2009 season and has room to replace and rebuild to where he sees fit.
3. The Chiefs have the 3rd pick in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft and Pioli will have to decide which player offers the most value and fills the biggest need for the Chiefs. I’m thinking QB if you ask me.

So once Pioli gets those three things squared away, we will hopefully be able to watch the Chiefs this 2009 season without wanting to go punch our walls or whoever is closest in proximity.

Candice Crawford is a Featured Author for Midwest Sports Fans and regularly provides her unique perspective into the sports world in her column “From the Sideline.” A native of Dallas, Texas, Candice will graduate from the University of Missouri in May of 2009 with a degree in journalism. You can email Candice with questions or comments about her “From the Sideline” features at candice@midwestsportsfans.com.

LOTD: Kansas City Chiefs GM the Best Job In Football Says Jason Whitlock

It has been an interesting day in the NFL today. The wild card round of the playoffs has wrapped up with a Philadelphia win, coming on the heels of the Ravens trashing the Dolphins earlier today. Additionally, there has been a plethora of new stories that have emerged regarding the job openings in Cleveland and Kansas City, among others.

The most interesting story of the day, at least from my perspective, is one written by Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star.

Whitlock says that the person hired by Clark Hunt to be the next Chiefs GM will be getting the best job in football. As to who might get that job, Whitlock cites Kevin Colbert, Chris Polian, and Randy Lerner’s reported favorite for the Browns GM job: Scott Pioli.

What is Whitlock’s reasoning for why each of these men has “more reason to pursue Clark Hunt than Hunt has to pursue them”?

The Hunt family employed Carl Peterson for 20 years, demonstrating a level of loyalty and patience that is pretty much nonexistent in professional sports.

The Hunts gave Peterson a degree of autonomy that is pretty much nonexistent in professional sports.

The Chiefs are more than $30 million below the salary cap and are in position to unload a few more unproductive, expensive veterans this offseason.

The Chiefs are one season away from playing in a fancy, exciting, renovated Arrowhead Stadium.

There’s no one within the football side of the organization that a new GM has to show any loyalty. He can clean out the scouting department and coaching staff.

Expectations are low.

I have to say that Whitlock’s reasoning is rather convincing. The Chiefs GM job certainly is not the best for a GM looking to win next year, although the Dolphins and Falcons proved this year that miraculous one-year turnarounds are possible; however, from a long-term standpoint, it is hard to argue that any GM would be getting a sweet gig in K.C.

As always, don’t just take my word for it. Be sure to visit the LOTD:

Chiefs GM Job is the Best Job in Football Says Jason Whitlock – (Kansas City Star)

I would obviously love to argue with Whitlock, and say that the Browns GM job would be better than Kansas City. Considering the troubles the Browns have experienced since coming back into the NFL, however, it is very hard to posit such an argument. And considering that Randy Lerner appears to now be seriously considering a new regime that would include a former Ravens personnel guy as GM and a former Patriots assistant as coach, I have to wonder exactly what the thought process is at the top of the Browns organization.

Remember, I said a new regime. If this article in the Plain-Dealer sounds familiar with you, it’s because the Savage-Crennel combo came to the Browns with pretty much the same background as the potential Mangini-Kokinis regime that Lerner seems excited about, save for Eric Mangini’s three years of head coaching experience that Crennel never had.

I still want to see Scott Pioli become the next Browns GM, but the way the things have dragged out, as well as his impending interview with Kansas City, has tempered by excitement somewhat this Pioli-to-the-Browns can become a reality. We’ll see.

Also, to update Midnight Writer’s earlier post from today that Bill Parcells-to-the-Browns could be a realistic possibility, the Miami-Herald posted an item earlier today suggesting that Parcells has already made assurances that he will stay in Miami. Obviously, the thought of Bill Parcells taking control of the Browns is exciting, and the Miami-Herald item would seem to kill the excitement. Luckily, Mike Florio over at Pro Football Talk keeps the dream alive by questioning just how much this story should be believed. His rationale seems reasonable to me. Of course, I may not be the most rational judge of the issue, as my wishful thinking could be clouding objectivity.

That’s it for now. Have a great Sunday night.

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…

LOTD: Is Scott Pioli Being Prematurely Anointed as a Great NFL GM and Savior?

I have been quite outspoken in my support of the Browns’ pursuit of New England VP of Player Personnel Scott Pioli to be the next GM in Cleveland. However, other very informed and rational Browns fans have certainly disagreed with my assessment.

Today’s LOTD (Link of the Day, if you are not yet familiar with our newest feature here at MSF) brings an entirely different perspective, and comes to us from SFTSports.com:

Now that Scott Pioli of the Patriots seems to have his pick of GM jobs for some teams that suck (that would be the Browns and the Chiefs if you haven’t been paying attention), I have a couple questions. Pioli seemingly has done wonders as VP of Player Personnel, but let’s be honest: as important as it may be, he’s not held the GM position. And how much of Pioli’s success can be directly correlated to Bill Belichick’s coaching? I get the sense that Pioli could draw a QB’s name out of a hat when he’s evaluating talent and have that guy get to the Pro Bowl via the scheme in place in New England where seemingly average players suddenly become better.

Anybody else remember a couple of years ago when everyone thought Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel were the greatest coaches alive? They won Super Bowls with the Patriots and have perfected losing since leaving. I’m not saying Pioli will be a bust by any means, but I’m saying let’s not order Super Bowl rings anytime soon for the team he goes to. I think Pioli could possibly end up like any of these young talents below who may have been prematurely thrust into the “great” category before we really saw their whole career play out:

To view the entertaining list of celebrities and athletes who were prematurely anointed as great, which may just be happening in the case of Scott Pioli, you’ll have to head on over to SFTSports. And I highly encourage you to do so. The link is below.

Link of the Day: Scott Pioli Premature Anointing List – (SFTSports.com)

And now some other entertaining links for you on a beautiful Saturday here in Dallas, as I await the first Big Ten game for the Indiana Hoosiers in what could be…ugh…and very long conference season.

Commiserate with other IU fans at this Indiana-Iowa Live Blog – (Inside the Hall)

Eric Gordon backing new AAU team – (IDS Basketblog)

White Sox and Orioles discussing Gavin Floyd-Brian Roberts Deal – (South Side Sox)

No one knows when Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton will be back – (Hardcore Detroit Fan)

SB Nation’s NFL 2008 Studs and Duds – (Stampede Blue)

It’s Time to Go For Brett Favre – (SFTSports.com)

Failure of Detroit Lions is No Coincidence – (Bleacher Report)

Colts-Chargers Wild Card Preview – (Bolts From the Blue)

Does Jerry Jones Want Mike Shanahan? – (Dallas Sports Fans)

Jason Whitlock is not amused by Deadspin or Rick Reilly – (Deadspin)

Enjoy your Saturday everyone.

Scott Pioli-Kirk Ferentz Combo a Possibility for Cleveland Browns

It is time for our daily discussion of the Cleveland Browns’ GM and head coaching positions.

When I left off yesterday, I mentioned that Browns owner Randy Lerner had interviewed Scott Pioli for the GM position. As of last night, a report out of Boston indicated that Lerner had placed a pretty immediate deadline on Scott Pioli to make a decision. However, as reported by Mary Kay Cabot in the Plain-Dealer this afternoon, sources close to the Browns say that no such deadline was placed on Scott Pioli.

So who knows what the real deal is with all of these unnamed sources floating around. All I know is that at this point no announcement has been made that Scott Pioli is or is not the next GM of the Cleveland Browns. So I shall continue hoping that eventually the announcement is made that he takes the job.

Over the past few days I have spent some time discussing many of the candidates for head coach that Randy Lerner has already scheduled interviews with, and others who are rumored to have a chance at Romeo Crennel’s former gig. One name that has been thrown out that I have not discussed much is Kirk Ferentz, the head coach at Iowa.

The rumors of Kirk Ferentz having a chance at the Browns job are based upon his close relationship with Scott Pioli. The two worked together with the Browns back in the mid-90s when Bill Belichick was in Cleveland. The conventional wisdom has been that, should Scott Pioli leave New England and become GM at another franchise, that he might bring his good friend in as head coach.

You may remember that back around the 2002-2004 seasons, Ferentz’s name was mentioned often for NFL jobs. During that three-year span, Ferentz’ Iowa Hawkeye teams compiled a 31-7 record. In the years since, however, a couple of factors have cooled the Ferentz-to-the-NFL talk:

1. The Hawkeyes have fallen off a bit. Before this season’s 9-4 record and Outback Bowl victory, Iowa was only 19-18 from 2005-2007.
2. Many of the high profile college-coach-to-NFL experiments have fizzled big time. Nick Saban left LSU for the Dolphins, and stayed only two years before bolting for Alabama and leaving lots of hard feelings in Miami. Bobby Petrino infamously walked out on the Atlanta Falcons mid-season to take the head job at Arkansas and not only left bad feelings, but forever became an icon of douchebaggery in the eyes of NFL fans everywhere. These are just two examples of many over the years.
3. The last few seasons have seen many incredible year-to-year turnarounds, in which an NFL team is pathetic one season and good the next. Just this season the Dolphins, Ravens, and Falcons completely defied preseason expectations to make the playoffs. All three teams had rookie head coaches who were assistants in the NFL the previous season. That is why names like Jim Schwartz, Josh McDaneisl, and Steve Spagnuolo, among others, have become such hot commodities this offseason.

With these three factors working against him, it is no wonder that Kirk Ferentz’s star has faded a bit with respect to his potential candidacy as an NFL coach. Plus, when many teams made overtures to Ferentz when he was hot in 2002-2004 (and even a few during 2006), he rebuffed them to stay at Iowa where he had been a coach under Hayden Fry in the 1980s. Ferentz signed a contract extension in 2004 to keep him at Iowa until 2012, and then restructured his deal in 2006 to become the highest paid coach in the Big Ten at $2.7 million annually. (All of this bio information is from his Wikipedia page, by the way.)

Earlier today, as reported by College Football Talk, after Iowa defeated South Carolina in the Outback Bowl, Kirk Ferentz addressed the renewed speculation that he could be a potential candidate to become head coach wherever Scott Pioli ends up.

Here as an excerpt from the CFT story on Ferentz:

Said Ferentz: “Scott’s a great friend of mine, and I think it’s a mutual thing. I think it’s presumptuous to think anybody knows what he’s doing right now, and he and I haven’t talked in three weeks. We’ve both been doing our jobs. I’ve got a great job at Iowa, I’ve said that many, many times. The people are fantastic, and I just feel very, very fortunate.”

Asked where the NFL fits on his “to do” list, Ferentz said, “I don’t have a ‘to do’ list. I never have. I just try to live every day and enjoy them, and I can’t think of a year I’ve enjoyed much more than this one.”

I don’t know about you, but I certainly do not read anything in there that leads me to believe that Kirk Ferentz is 100% committed to staying at Iowa. And I’m certainly not saying that to be negative in any way — it’s much better than Nick Saban chastising reporters for asking him if he is interested in Alabama, and then lying and saying no, only to leave shortly thereafter.

What I am saying is that it certainly appears that if Scott Pioli gets a GM gig in Cleveland, Kansas City, or anywhere else, that Kirk Ferentz will be right at the top of the list of candidates to be head coach. Add up the success that Ferentz has had at Iowa, his close relationship with Scott Pioli, a realization that he may be running out of chances to jump to the NFL if that is one of his goals, and the obvious bump in pay he would receive, and I think it is actually presumptuous to not consider Kirk Ferentz as a possibility to be the next coach of the Cleveland Browns. Scott Pioli is the #1 choice of Randy Lerner to be GM, and until Pioli is ruled out, you have to assume the possibility that Kirk Ferentz could follow if Pioli takes the job.

How do you feel about that?

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My position has always been that I do not want one of my teams reaching into the college ranks for its head coach. Just look at the litany of failed experiments bringing college coaches to the NFL. Lou Holtz, Steve Spurrier, Butch Davis, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino, and I could go on and on.

(As a quick aside, look at the picture of Bobby Petrino to the right, and notice how uncomfortable he looks holding the Falcons helmet. This is a perfect metaphor of what happens to college coaches in the NFL. They are out of their element, out of their comfort zone, and it leads to problems.)

Now try to list off the successful examples of college coaches jumping to the NFL. I can come up with Jimmy Johnson, and that’s it. Please, if I’m leaving someone out, tell me in the comments section.

The fact remains that there have been far more failures that successes. And when you look at the history of the Cleveland Browns since they returned to the NFL, the franchise itself has had far, far more failures than successes. So how would it possibly make sense to take a strategy that fails more than it succeeds, add it to a franchise that fails more than it succeeds, and expect success? Sounds like a pretty ill-advised strategy if you ask me.

Look, I have gone on record saying that I want Scott Pioli to be the next GM of the Browns, understanding all the way that he very well might tap Kirk Ferentz to be the head coach. So my endorsement of Pioli and my criticism of the idea of Ferentz-to-the-Browns certainly seems contradictory, even to me. And if a Pioli-Ferentz combination is what we get, Kirk Ferentz will certainly have my support as I take a leap of faith that Scott Pioli knows much more about what he is doing than I do.

But boy would I be skeptical and a little nervous.

NFL teams keep trying to make college coaches into NFL coaches, and it keeps failing. Perhaps Kirk Ferentz is different though. Nick Saban and Butch Davis, for instance, failed because they were control freaks whose coaching style is much more suiting to dominating college boys that working with and motivating professional men in the NFL. They also tried to handle personnel responsibilities as well. Kirk Ferentz obviously would just be coaching, while Scott Pioli would be handling GM/personnel duties. So that right there is one advantage over some of the other college-coach-to-NFL scenarios we’ve seen in the past. And Kirk Ferentz does, at least, have some NFL experience having coached with the Browns and Ravens.

Can you tell that I am trying to talk myself into a potential Kirk Ferentz era of Browns football?

I suppose I could be wasting my time. I have heard no rumor of Kirk Ferentz to the Browns that does not involved Scott Pioli being named the GM. And there is a very real possibility that I could post this and immediately find out that Scott Pioli has said no — rendering this post useless and making me want to bang my head against the wall for wasting my time, at least from a Browns perspective.

But I still think that Scott Pioli will end up in Cleveland. And after reading the post on CFT about Ferentz’s statements, it sure as hell sounds like he would be interested if Scott Pioli came calling. So as a Browns fan, I feel it is only prudent to prepare myself for an outcome that goes against my own personal philosophy for how to build an NFL winner — never choose a college coach for an NFL team.

Luckily, my #1 philosophy for building an NFL winner is to have a proven winner in place at the top, and trust him to make sound decisions. Scott Pioli is as proven a winner as there is available to the Browns right now for GM, and obviously has infinitely more qualifications than I do to choose a head coach. So I trust that if he is the Browns GM, he will make the right choice.

Even if it is…*gulp*…Kirk Ferentz.

Browns Interview Scott Pioli – Want Answer Today

(Photo Art by Midwest Sports Fans)

We may find out sooner than expected who will be leading the Cleveland Browns franchise into the foreseeable future.

According to Adam Schefter of NFL.com, Browns owner Randy Lerner is meeting with Scott Pioli today and wants an answer from Scott Pioli…today.

All reports leading up to today have indicated that Scott Pioli is the Browns’ #1 choice to be their VP (at least now that Bill Cowher is out of the running). Should Pioli decline, reports Schefter, the Browns will then likely turn to former Falcons GM Rich McKay. Or, as Mike Florio at PFT posits, Pioli may decline the Browns offer but “remain interested.”

Obviously Randy Lerner wants to put a GM in place who can help direct the next steps of the coaching search. Bagging a hot commodity with the experience and success of Scott Pioli would be the first good news for the Browns since…well…they returned to the league? That may be a bit dramatic, but it would certainly be the kind of big-splash hire that would give Browns fans legitimate hope for the future.

Or, at the very least, it would allow us to trick ourselves, and believe our own trickeration, that happier days and more wins are on the horizon.

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If a decision comes down, I probably won’t be able to report it tonight, as I will be out on the town celebrating the new year. But if you are dying to know the latest, I’m sure the Plain-Dealer or PFT or NFL.com would know way before me anyway.

Happy New Year’s everyone! And perhaps tomorrow Browns fans can wake up not only to a brand new 2009, but also to a new a brand new Scott Pioli era of Browns football. As far as I’m concerned it would be a wonderful belated Christmas present from Randy Lerner to the Browns faithful.

Two quick updates that I just caught after posting this:

1. PFT is reporting that the Browns have received permission to speak with Josh McDaniels about the head coaching vacancy. (Don’t know much about him, but I like him better than Mangini!)
2. The Chiefs are also now in the running for Pioli. Not only could this delay a decision, but it will almost certainly drive the price up. Damn you Kansas City.

Memo to Randy Lerner: Say No To Eric Mangini | Browns Will Also Interview Spagnuolo, McKay

Yesterday, I went into a pretty detailed description of Scott Pioli, the much decorated Vice President of Player Personnel for the New England Patriots who is reportedly the #1 choice of Browns owner Randy Lerner to replace Phil Savage as GM. My initial take? Do whatever it takes to get Scott Pioli.

There were a few new developments today, so let’s run them down real quick.

First, the Plain-Dealer reported that Randy Lerner will also interview former Atlanta Falcons GM Rich McKay for the Browns GM position. McKay was fired in Atlanta after the Michael Vick debacle tore the franchise apart. Florio floated a few interesting hypotheses about the Browns’ “interest” in Rich McKay over at PFT. One of these hypotheses is that the Browns willingness to bring Rich McKay in for an interview may have more to do with a desire to gain leverage in negotiations with Scott Pioli than anything else. Seeing as how Rich McKay’s reputation took a pretty big hit after the Atlanta debacle, I’m not so sure Florio isn’t onto something here.

Either way, I want Scott Pioli. If we can get him for perhaps less money, more power to Randy Lerner. But just get him.

Second, word also broke today that the Browns will be interviewing both Eric Mangini and Steve Spagnuolo for the head coaching spot vacated by Romeo Crennel’s firing. As reported by Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns are also currently trying to get permission to interview Josh McDaniels, Jim Schwartz, and Jason Garrett. Cabot makes special mention of the fact that there has been no word regarding the Browns’ potential interest in recently fired former Denver head coach Mike Shanahan.

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I will admit that I do not know a whole lot about Steve Spagnuolo and Jim Schwartz, except that they have both been very successful as defensive coordinators for the Giants and Titans, respectively. The Cleveland Frowns have endorsed Jim Schwartz for the job, and their reasoning is pretty sound.

I also do not know much about Josh McDaniels, but obviously his candidacy would seem to be strengthened greatly if Scott Pioli is ultimately the choice as GM. If Pioli were to choose McDaniels, a great possibility considering their familiarity with eachother in New England, based on Pioli’s sterling record as a personnel man, McDaniels would certainly have my endorsement. Of course, Pioli’s success has been with choosing players, not coaches; so perhaps any endorsement would be jumping the gun a bit. Oh yeah, and there’s that little thing about former Patriots coaches not doing so well after they leave Bill Belichick. Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini.

(And for the record, in that picture to the right, does anyone else think it looks like Mangini is ready for the ‘ol lean-in-and-hope first kiss technique? Ah the good old days, before Mangini became a rat and turned Belichick in for cheating).

What a nice transition into my main point.

I want to go on record right here, right now with a little memo to Randy Lerner: stay away from Eric Mangini. There are a few primary reasons why I say this:

1. Going to back to the point I just made regarding Josh McDaniels, former Patriots coaches under Bill Belichick have not done well once they leave. Eric Mangini only went 23-25 with the New York Jets, including this year’s total collapse after the team started 8-3. That’s not really very inspiring.
2. I do not think that Eric Mangini’s personality is a good fit for Cleveland. He is obviously a very smart guy, and some might even say too smart for his own good. He has that same arrogance and aloofness of Bill Belichick, but without the Super Bowl titles to back it up. I really believe that in the AFC North you need a fiery, intense guy to succeed and set the proper tone for the battles against the Steelers and Ravens. Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin, Brian Billick, John Harbaugh…all are very fiery guys who were the emotional leaders for their teams. And in Baltimore, you have Ray Lewis and Ed Reed who are the true emotional leaders to supplement what comes from the coach. Well, the Browns don’t have any leaders on the field who set the tone with their attitude. And Mangini’s personality is not going to help that. Additionally, after four years of the laid back Romeo Crennel, I think Browns fans are starving for a coach who shows emotion and fire. Mangini’s arrogance may fly on the East Coast, but I don’t see it going over well in Cleveland unless he is going 14-2 every year.
3. I hate Eric Mangini’s facial expressions. Play after play this past weekend during the Jets loss to the Dolphins, Mangini would have this look of arrogant disgust on his face like, “If these assholes would just do exactly what my genius plan dictates, we’d never lose.” Who knows, maybe he’s right. But I wanted to smack him in the mouth.
4. Is there any lingering effect of the whole SpyGate thing? I suppose Eric Mangini did the “morally right” thing by turning in Bill Belichick for cheating. But it does raise the question of whether or not Mangini is a guy that you can trust. I think that Vinny Tresselini of Flash Sports Tonight summed it up best when reported “the real story” behind the Spygate Scandal:

Look, Eric Mangini is probably a very talented coach. From what I have heard, he is outstanding as a secondary coach and has a brilliant football mind. And the Browns apparently wanted Mangini back when they hired Crennel, but the Patriots would not allow permission to talk to him. Plus, Mangini got his first NFL job with the Browns, so he has roots. But I just think, especially at this particular time, Mangini would be a terrible decision.

And while all of the reasons stated above are important reasons why I think this, here is the main reason: hiring Eric Mangini, a coach who just got fired yesterday, would create about as much buzz as a dead bumblebee. We would go from a former New England assistant who was fired to…a former New England assistant who was fired. And Browns fans are supposed to be excited about that?

Randy Lerner, please. Say no to Eric Mangini. Or, more accurately said, do not offer any contract to Eric Mangini. Bring him in for an interview, turn over every possible stone, that’s fine. But do not punish Cleveland fans by trying to sell us on getting excited about a coach who wasn’t even good enough for the Jets.

Ideally, I’d like to see Scott Pioli take over as soon as possible and lead the coaching search himself. I realize Lerner needs to start interviewing coaches to draw from the biggest possible pool, before any good ones get snatched up, but he also needs to avoid any temptation to make a quick, hasty decision. If the Browns have learned anything from the Pittsburgh Steelers over the years it should be that stability in the front office and at head coach are the bedrocks of a consistent organization. If Randy Lerner makes good decisions over the next few weeks, he could set the Browns on a course towards consistent success.

Of course, if he doesn’t, the same old cycle of sucking and sadness will continue in Cleveland. I’m afraid that choosing Eric Mangini would not only lead the Browns in a bad direction, but it wouldn’t even offer any immediate hope of a turn around.

We’ll “wait till next year” Randy, but at least give us some hope to hold onto. If you pick Eric Mangini you’ll be pulling a Braylon Edwards: dropping the ball.

Who Is Scott Pioli? And Is He THE (NEXT) ONE To Create “Real” Hope in Cleveland?

(Photo Art by Midwest Sports Fans)

Who is Scott Pioli?

This is the question being bandied about today in cities like Cleveland and Detroit — where offseason housecleaning has already begun. In Cleveland, both GM Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel were fired, yesterday and earlier today, respectively. And as Waiting For Next Year points out, offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski could be (or should be) next. In Detroit, head coach Rod Marinelli was canned after leading the Lions to the first 0-16 season in NFL history.

Enter Candidate #1 who will get the chance to lead the quest for a turnaround in both of these cities, and probably many others: Scott Pioli.

Before today, I did not even know what Scott Pioli looked like, although I have obviously heard his name quite often. As Vice President of Player Personnel with the New England Patriots, Pioli has been Bill Belichick’s right hand man in creating the Patriots dynasty of the 2000s. As you can tell from the picture above (and the original source photo to the right), I am obviously familiar with what Scott Pioli looks like now.

But again, I ask, who is Scott Pioli? Most football fans, like me I would presume, know the peripherals about Scott Pioli, but not a whole lot else. They know that he is a well respected front office decision maker, and that he has been a major part of the Patriots success, and that has name is this year’s IT name to be interviewed and eventually chosen to turn around some sad-sack, moribund franchise. Many fans are probably clamoring for their team to hire Scott Pioli based on name reputation and recognition alone. When I heard that the Cleveland Browns were interviewing Scott Pioli, I know that it got my heart racing a bit (and in a good way, not in the Derek-Anderson-dropping-back-to-pass-in-the-red-zone-OH-NO kind of way).

So, I decided to find out a little bit more about Scott Pioli. Who is this exalted genius that men like Randy Lerner are running to and begging to turn their franchises around?

(FYI…most of my information comes from Scott Pioli’s Wikipedia Page and the Scott Pioli Bio on the Patriots website.)

Pre-NFL Background

Scott Pioli was born in March of 1965, which makes him 43 years old as of this posting. He is a 1987 graduate of Central Connecticut State University, where he was a three-time Division II All-New England selection as a defensive tackle and graduated with a degree in communications. Pioli was inducted into the Central Connecticut State Hall of Fame in 2005.

Pioli got a Master’s degree at Syracuse University, where he also served as a graduate assistant on the football team. Following his stint at Syracuse, Pioli moved onto Murray State, where he was an offensive line coach and then a defensive line coach.

He is married to the former Dallas Parcells…yes, the daughter of one Mr. Bill Parcells, which means that Scott Pioli is the Big Tuna’s son-in-law. Scott Pioli and his wife Dallas have a daughter named Mia Costa. He also is active in a variety of non-profit organizations, including the College for Every Student Foundation, and he established the Rose Pioli Scholarship in the name of his grandmother to benefit children of educators, firefighters, policeman, and other emergency medical service providers.

Scott Pioli is also credited with the Creation of Man and served as a model for Michelangelo’s Sistene Chapel. Just kidding.

NFL Experience

Scott Pioli got his first NFL job in 1992, when Bill Belichick hired him to be a pro personnel assistant for the Cleveland Browns. This was, obviously, before Art Modell ripped out the soul of the city of Cleveland and moved the Browns to Balitmore. Interestingly, Belichick put Pioli in charge of college player evaluation and handling some player contracts, despite the fact that Pioli had no prior NFL experience. Belichick was fired by the franchise after moving to Baltimore, but Scott Pioli stayed on with the Ravens as Director of Pro Personnel.

In 1997, a year later, Scott Pioli and Bill Belichick were reunited in New York with the Jets. The move allowed Pioli to be closer to his hometown of Washingtonville, New York and also allowed him to work with Bill Parcells. At the time, Belichick was an assistant to the Big Tuna. Pioli was the Director of Pro Personnel in New York, and then followed Belichick again in 2000 when Belichick was named head coach by the New England Patriots. Initially, Pioli was only the Assistant Director of Player Personnel in New England. He was soon thereafter promoted to Director of Player Personnel, and then promoted again in 2002 to his current position of Vice President of Player Personnel.

During their time together in New England, Scott Pioli and Bill Belichick have won three Super Bowl, titles, five AFC East championships, and been famously accused of taping opponents signals. Bill Belichick has taken most of the heat for that scandal, but it is safe to say that everyone who has worked closely with Belichick during the Patriots’ run at least has a little bit of the SpyGate stench attached to them.

Honors

Scott Pioli has to be one of the most decorated executives in the NFL. A quick rundown of the awards he has won during his time in New England:

• 2001 NFL Executive of the Year by the Dallas Morning News
• 2003 NFL Executive of the Year by Pro Football Weekly
• 2003 George Young NFL Executive of the Year by The Sporting News
• 2003 NFL Executive of the Year by Sports Illustrated
• 2004 Executive Achievement Award by the NFL Players Association
• 2004 Executive of the Year Award by the San Francisco Chronicle
• 2004 George Young NFL Executive of the Year by The Sporting News
• 2004 NFL Executive of the Year by Sports Illustrated
• 2004 NFL Executive of the Year by USA Today
• 2007 NFL Executive of the Year by the Dallas Morning News
• 2007 NFL Executive of the Year by Pro Football Weekly
• 2007 Executive of the Year Award by the San Francisco Chronicle

So apparently Scott Pioli is pretty damn good at his job. We all know about how Tom Brady was famously unearthed by the Patriots in the 6th round of the draft, but he is only one of a large handful of successful draft picks made by the Pioli-Belicheck combo. Others include Dan Koppen (5th round), Matt Light (2nd round), and Asante Samuel (4th round). Additionally, Pioli and Belichick have made good use of free agent signings by plucking Patriot stalwarts like Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, and Larry Izzo. And, of course, they have made some pretty successful trades, including the deals that brought Randy Moss and Wes Welker to New England.

What does it all mean? Well, it certainly appears that the hype machine behind Scott Pioli has a hell of a lot of substance. Of course, until he has success apart from Bill Belichick, questions will remain. The hype machine around Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, and Eric Mangini was pretty intense too — and only Charlie Weis still has the job that he left New England to take, and very tenuously at that. The difference is that Scott Pioli is an executive, not a coach. And as we have seen through the amazing ability of the Patriots to maintain success through coaching and player departures, the strength of the organization is just that: the organization. There are a lot of people who wonder who good Bill Belichick would be without Scott Pioli.

The truth is that the two of them have proven to be a perfect fit, and deserve shared credit for the success of the New England Patriots. And this year is not the first year that Scott Pioli’s name has come up for other executive jobs around the NFL. The difference is that this seems to be the first year that a) the Patriots are not making a deep playoff run and b) that Pioli seems willing to interview for other jobs.

So can Scott Pioli be the next person charged with creating new hope in Cleveland? Obviously before that can be answered, he would have to accept the job first. But it appears quite certain that he will have an opportunity to ply his trade in Cleveland if he wants to. Randy Lerner had hoped to lure Bill Cowher out of retirement, but Lerner’s overtured were rebuffed by The Chin this weekend. That leaves Scott Pioli as one of the two A-list candidates that Randy Lerner hopes to have in Berea next season. And as reported on the Plain-Dealer earlier today, the Patriots have granted Scott Pioli permission to interview with Lerner for the opening with the Browns.

The conventional wisdom seems to be that if Scott Pioli is the choice as the next executive decision-maker for the Browns, that he would want to bring offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels with him. I read in the Plain-Dealer that Randy Lerner was intrigued by the possibility of Eric Mangini, but as Mike Florio at PFT pointed out earlier today, Mangini likely burned any bridges with Scott Pioli when Mangini turned in Belichick for cheating — the beginning of SpyGate last year.

Before we start talking about coaches though, we will have to see if Randy Lerner can convince Scott Pioli to leave what he has helped build with Bill Belichick in New England for the chance to build something on his own in Cleveland. Lerner will no doubt open up his check book and allow Pioli to name his price, but Lerner will also likely have to explain to Pioli why he should take control of a franchise that seems to have been cursed upon being reinstated into the NFL. The Patriots have build one of the most successful winning machines in the history of the NFL, and during a time when the rules make it harder and harder to consistently dominate. In Cleveland, Scott Pioli would be charged with overturning a decade of futility since the team’s return, and bringing winning back to a city that is always expecting the worst — and always seeming to be on the look out for “next year.”

One thing is for sure: a new era of Cleveland Browns football is nigh. The tandem of Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel were given four years to prove that they could turn things around in Cleveland. Despite the unexpected excitement of 2007 and the promise of 2008, the Savage-Crennel combo was never able to get the Browns over the hump; and in fact, they presided over a precipitous tumble in both record and reputation during this 2008 Season of Disappointment.

Cleveland Browns fans, as usual, are thirsting for legitimate hope and for leadership that can restore the franchise to its Jim Brown-era glory. Hell, any Cleveland fan would take the oh-so-close frustration of the 1980s over the putridity that has defined the current decade. The cupboard is not bare either. The Browns have talent in their organization, but they lack a winning attitude and a consistent roadmap for success.

If Scott Pioli can come in and continue to upgrade the roster, hire a coach who can instill a winning attitude and a winning gameplan, and chart a course the franchise can follow for year-in, year-out success, he will become a legend in a city that lives and dies with its football team.

First, though, he has to take the job. So before we start talking about how Scott Pioli can be successful, Browns fans must hope that Randy Lerner can be successful in persuading Scott Pioli to come to Cleveland. If Randy Lerner can convince Scott Pioli to do so, then perhaps Pioli can be the one to restore hope and glory to the city of Cleveland.

An impatient nation of Browns Backers awaits his decision.

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