Red Right 88

The Big Man Speaks

Browns team president Mike Holmgren met with the media today about the team’s season so far and worked to clear up a few important questions.

On the season so far:

“There are some really good things happening and I’m not trying to paint a pretty picture. I think we’re improved over last year and brought in some players that are making some huge contributions. Ultimately, how many games can we win? I was very encouraged by our last win over New Orleans and now, we have to build on that and move forward.”

On whether or not he wants to coach again:

“No, I’m doing OK. Does it sound like I want to coach? The challenge of this is really something for me and I’m enjoying the challenge, but I’d be less than honest if I didn’t say I get fired up watching the games. But I also recognize what I was hired to do. And that’s what I’m trying to do.”

On the future of coach Eric Mangini:

“Wins and losses is not the only criteria. The crummy part of our business is most of the time it’s the main one. The most encouraging thing is we’ve been in most of the games. And we had chances to win the game. It’s also the most discouraging thing because we lost the games.”

Holmgren did make a point to say no decision would be made until after the season.

On the Browns wide receivers:

“Let’s not jump on the receivers too much here. I think they’re better than OK. I think they’re pretty good. It’s just that their numbers haven’t been very good.”

He did say that some of the blame for the poor performance rests on offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s play calling.

And the big one: the quarterback situation:

“As a youngster, (Colt McCoy) probably couldn’t go into two more difficult environments. What I learned from that game is the game itself isn’t too big for him. He handled himself well, made some throws and instilled some confidence in his teammates. It’s not like he had a wealth of experience going into that game.

“I told him, ‘Anybody can come in and play a good football game, so let’s put another one together. While we didn’t throw the ball around that much, I thought he played a really solid football game. I’m looking for how he handles the game. I told him I was proud of him and that he can build on it.”

Just as he did with the question about Mangini, Holmgren preached patience when it comes to making a decision on McCoy as the full-time starter, pointing out it is a moot point as long as Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace are both still injured.

Holmgren shed some light on the decision making that will go into the decision:

“The obvious thing is: If you play a young quarterback, does he give you the best chance to win? Or are you doing it just for the future? That’s kind of crummy, if you’re doing it just for the future. You want to win every game. So that’s the discussion that will take place.”

Add this all up and you get a clear sense of why the current structure of Holmgren as president, Tom Heckert as GM and Mangini as coach has a chance to work out.

You have Holmgren speaking about the team in big picture terms, leaving Heckert and Mangini to do the jobs they were hired to do. Too often last year Mangini was pulled away from preparing the team for the next day to deal with the on-going circus in Berea (some of it was his own doing, but some wasn’t).

While everyone – from the owner down to the fans – would like to see the team’s record be better than 2-5, reading what Holmgren had to say today is a clear indication – along with the improved play on the field this season – that the team is moving in the right direction.