By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports columnist
POSTED: 09:28 p.m. EST, Jan 02, 2011
CLEVELAND: Mike Holmgren hadn't achieved legendary status as of January 1997, when I first sat in on one of his news conferences at Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans.
Cleveland was serving three years in purgatory without a team, but Bill Belichick's monotone still droned in my ears. It was hard not to be captivated by then-Green Bay Packers coach Holmgren, who was friendly, down-to-earth and full of stories. The former high school coach with the Bill Walsh pedigree sent me daydreaming that one day the Browns would have such an affable and capable coach at the helm.
That day might be upon us.
And it could be the man himself.
Browns coach Eric Mangini will learn his fate in a meeting with Browns president Holmgren this morning. After finishing a second consecutive 5-11 season with a dismal 41-9 drubbing at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mangini seemed resigned to his dismissal. He even thanked the media and said he had tried to improve in dealing with them. In the locker room, he told the players he appreciated their hard work and effort during the season, even though it ended with four consecutive losses instead of 2009's four consecutive victories.
''I do believe what I told you, that his organization and this team have a very bright future,'' Mangini said.
Mounting speculation also included members of Mangini's staff. Foxsports.com's John Czarnecki reported that defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was on the Carolina Panthers' list of interview candidates. It also reported that offensive coordinator Brian Daboll could be considered for the same position with the Kansas City Chiefs if Charlie Weis leaves for the University of Florida.
Jon Gruden (the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach now an ESPN analyst), John Fox (who just finished his final season with the Carolina Panthers) and Marty Mornhinweg (the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator) are the primary names being floated as replacements for Mangini.
But the right man for the job is already here.
Holmgren fits the bill on so many levels.
For fans sick of the revolving door that has brought four Browns coaches in 12 years, Holmgren would bring relative continuity. The Browns would not be tearing down their house, just redecorating. There would be no sense of ''Here we go again,'' of blowing up everything and starting over. The top two football men would remain Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert.
For rookie quarterback Colt McCoy, he could learn from the man who has worked with Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young with the San Francisco 49ers and future Hall of Famer Brett Favre with the Packers. Holmgren's 23 years as an NFL coach, including 17 years in charge, included time with two other Pro Bowlers — Mark Brunell and Matt Hasselbeck.
With six interceptions in the past two weeks, McCoy has appeared to regress, albeit against two of the league's best defenses in the Baltimore Ravens and the Steelers. He needs Holmgren's tutoring.
A third-round choice who was the winningest quarterback in NCAA history at Texas, McCoy was Holmgren's pick, not Mangini's or Heckert's. McCoy's ability to throw on the run seems a perfect fit for Holmgren's West Coast offense. Why have someone from the Holmgren tree teach the scheme to McCoy when the Browns can have Holmgren, who learned it from Walsh himself?
Holmgren would also instantly rekindle interest in the Browns, who have faded into irrelevance since their Nov. 14 overtime loss to the New York Jets. Stunning victories over the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots seemed to awaken those teams, while the Browns went on to lose six of their final eight. With Holmgren, the Browns would have cachet.
Although Mangini's 10-22 record didn't show it, he did begin to change the Browns losing culture. He stressed hard work and teamwork and toughness. Some of his players rallied in his defense again Sunday, but it might have been too late.
Browns star receiver/returner Joshua Cribbs said he would be disappointed if Mangini does not return.
''Of course. I believe in what he stands for,'' Cribbs said. ''I just don't want to rebuild again. I want to win now.
''I feel like one man can only do so much. This is the biggest team sport there is. You're asking one man in two years to turn a football team that hasn't been winning into one of the greatest football teams. I mean, it takes some time. It's just impossible to put all the weight and give one guy all that responsibility and call him the fall guy for the way we've been playing. We have to own up to some things and take responsibility. Unfortunately, that's the world we win live in. It's always all on the coach.''
Tight end Robert Royal was also supportive.
''I don't mind having coach Mangini,'' Royal said. ''I think he's done a terrific job getting players to understand it's bigger than themselves and you have to play as a team. There's a lot of things we could do as players to help coach Mangini and his staff. It's not all on the coach when things don't go well.''
McCoy wouldn't go as far as those two but did offer a guarantee of sorts.
''I know I'm going to give everything I've got for our team and for our organization, and there are great things in the future,'' McCoy said. ''I don't know what the future holds for our coaching staff, but I do know there are guys in this locker room who are committed to changing the way it's been around here and I'm one of them.''
The hope of success McCoy offered would seem much closer if Holmgren took over as Browns coach. Granted, he is 62, so those looking for Pittsburgh Steelers-type coaching continuity might not be satisfied. Holmgren's wife, Kathy, might not want her husband to return to the sideline.
But the sting of another disappointing season would be instantly forgotten if Holmgren uttered just three little words: ''I'm taking over.''
