Seven is just a random number
As kids, Schoolhouse Rock taught us that “three is a magic number.”
But there are some in Brownstown who would have us believe that seven is the real magic number – as in “Eric Mangini needs seven wins to keep his job.”
We’ve been through this before. Cleveland Frowns has covered this. Pretty much anyone who has watched the Browns play this year got the memo that the team has improved and there’s little reason to believe a different coach would have produced more wins. Consider that:
- The Browns have started three different quarterbacks this season – one that probably shouldn’t be a starter in the NFL anymore, one a career backup and one a rookie.
- They have no NFL-caliber wide receivers on the team.
- They have only one viable option at running back, Peyton Hillis.
- They continue to start John St. Clair at right tackle.
- They start two rookies in the secondary.
- And, oh yeah, they’ve played one of the toughest schedules in the NFL.
Apparently that doesn’t matter to some. We get that, before the season, writers covering the team and the league have to come up with projections and predictions about how the Browns will do.
But once the season starts, shouldn’t people adjust their expectations to fit the reality that is happening on the field? Maybe grasp that a team that beat New England and New Orleans, and was competitive in a stretch of tough mid-season games is improving?
Herm Edwards taught us that “you play to win the game,” and wins and losses are an important measuring tool, but you have to take into account everything that goes on with a team during a season.
Luckily the one person who’s opinion counts in this situation, team president Mike Holmgren, understands what is going on. Let’s remember what he said in a press conference following the Browns bye week in November (the important stuff is in bold):
“The important point there I think is any coach, any staff where I am in the position I’m in, will be judged at the end of the season. It will take thoughtful thinking and I’ve said this before and I said it when I first came here, I think it’s important that you take some of the emotion out of it if you can. At the end of the year, everyone catches their breath a little bit, think about it and hopefully make an intelligent decision. I also said this, wins and losses are not the only criteria. The crummy part of our business is that most of the time, it is the main one. I thought my least year in Seattle, 4-12 on the surface they should have fired me. Based on record, 4-12 is my worst record of all time. It may have been my best coaching job because we were playing with young people that gave me everything they had, but they just weren’t good enough, we got so injured. If that taught me anything, it taught me that now in my position, there’s more to look at.”
Holmgren’s thought process couldn’t be any more transparent: “wins and losses are not the only criteria.” “There’s more to look at.”
Is that not clear? Holmgren will look at the big picture, weigh everything that went on this season and make a determination.
And when Holmgren holds his season-ending press conference and the question “Will Eric Mangini be coaching the Browns in 2011” is asked, we’re willing to bet the answer will be:
“Of course, why would we make a change?”
***
As this is the 30th anniversary of the death of John Lennon, it’s worth the time to check out ESPN’s Outside the Lines piece on how the news of Lennon’s death broke on Monday Night Football.
We were familiar with the story, but never knew the behind-the-scenes story of how ABC came up with the scoop.
And it’s interesting to look back at how news was spread just 30 years ago. Cable TV and ESPN were in their infancy, no Twitter or Internet, no cell phones, no 24-hour news channel. How different things would be if something like this happened today.
Rest in peace, John.
Red Right 88 