Red Right 88

Holmgren speaks, but is anyone listening?

Cleveland Browns team president Mike Holmgren spoke to the media on Wednesday about the manufactured controversy surrounding Colt McCoy’s concussion and showed more piss and vinegar with the media than the Browns have shown on the field this year.

While the headlines will scream “Browns did not test McCoy for concussion” the reality is far different.

According to Holmgren, team doctors did not administer the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool 2 test because McCoy “was talking, answering, knew how much time was left. So, following our normal protocol, (his responses) did not dictate they administer the test.”

Just as important, when McCoy started feeling strange after the game, he was seen by trainer Joe Sheehan who sent him to a doctor. That doctor administered a concussion test, which McCoy passed.

After returning home, McCoy’s conditioned worsened and he was diagnosed with a concussion on Friday.

Holmgren explained the team’s decision to not talk until Wednesday because they were meeting with NFL and NFLPA officials about the situation.

“There’s a lot of speculation, there’s a lot of things that have been written and said and the reason that we’ve waited as an organization to have this meeting is that we had to have those other meetings before so I wouldn’t say something and then I’d have to come back and change it,” Holmgren said. “Now, we’ve had those meetings so now here it is. I also want to comment that on the schedule and how we have these, it’s going to be our decision. It’s not going to be your decision.”

Holmgren’s going to get roasted by the local media for that last part, but he’s right. He doesn’t have to put on an act like a dancing monkey just because the media starts whining.

He also made a very important point that – the current regime simply can’t be held responsible for what went on before they arrived in Berea.

“The problem is and the tough thing for you guys and our fans is it seems it’s business as usual, which is very easy to write and say, but I’m telling you that it’s not,” Holmgren said. “You can choose to believe me or you can say, ‘I’ve heard it before.’ That’s your choice, but when it does happen, don’t come to me for extra tickets to a playoff game or something. Don’t do that. You’re either with us or you’re not. I’m telling you it’s different now.”

In hindsight the Browns obviously should not have let McCoy return to the game. And they certainly didn’t do a good job earlier in the week explaining the situation – they should have gotten out in front of the story by explaining the upcoming meeting with league and union officials.

And if you are one of the fans who is predisposed to thinking everything the Browns do is wrong, then it really doesn’t matter what Holmgren says because your mind is already made up.

But to think the team intentionally ignored an injured player and put him back in the game is preposterous and not supported with any kind of facts.

One final thought: Why are the Steelers getting a pass on all this? Why isn’t someone in the media demanding that Art Rooney II come forward and explain why they continue to let James Harrison act the way he does on the field? Somehow they get a pass because the Rooneys are an “old football family that does things the right way.”

Just another reason to hate the Steelers.

(Photo by The Plain Dealer)