Cleveland Browns fire head coach Eric Mangini

[Auggie]

1-3-10 / Cleveland Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio -- The Eric Mangini Era is over after two seasons of 5-11 records.

The Browns coach was fired this morning in a meeting with President Mike Holmgren. He had two years remaining on his contract at an average salary of about $3.9 million, according to previous reports. Holmgren is scheduled to address the media at 1 p.m. (EST)

Unlike a year ago, when Holmgren met with Mangini over a few days to decide his fate, this inquisition didn't take long.

Two NFL sources speculated that Holmgren himself would take over as coach, returning to the sideline for the first time since he left as Seattle coach following the 2008 season. It's possible that he would seek to retain defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and special teams coordinator Brad Seely.

LINK: http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/01/cleveland_browns_fire_eric_man.html

No surprise, I suppose. Who better to tutor Colt McCoy than Mike Holmgren?

[TZ]

1. Will the 49'ers hire Mangini?

Because you know, apparantly, freshly fired ex-Belichick coaches are attractive...;)

[Auggie]

2. They want Jim Harbaugh of Stanford

Harbaugh's had two years of NFL coaching experience as an offensive assistant with the Oakland Raiders in 2002-2003. He was also an NCAA scout for his father at Western Kentucky University at the end of his playing days. He's had great success building college programs -- can he do it in the NFL with an unproven General Manager?

[Renew Deal]

3. Not a great decision

But whatever.

[HughBeaumont]

4. True, Mangini was far too conservative on offense, but that team is severely undertalented.

Especially on the lines and at receivers. Not only can the front office not judge talent to save their lives, but their drafts (save last year's) are woefully short on luck.

God, 11 seasons, only one playoff appearance and STILL no correction of their most consistently glaring problems.

[Auggie]

5. Are they undertalented, underutilized, or just not coached correctly?

I saw an otherwise inept 49er team play like champs yesterday under a new coach. Yeah, it was against the hapless Cardinals who were pretty much phoning it in. But San Francisco played with a spirit and resolve missing most of the season. It's time for Holmgren to make his own mark on the Browns. The past is behind them. I for one can't wait to see what happens.

[HughBeaumont]

6. Probably a lot of the first and a decent helping of the last two.

You gotta admit that these lines, especially the right side, get pounded quite often by the Steelers and the Ravens year after year. Whether it's injury, mediocrity or just plain old bad luck, our receivers, secondary and O-lines almost consistently suck. Because of the lousy (or injured) O-line, they can't ever get a running game going (which was also hit by injury this year), making them a piss-poor red-zone team that settles for the three, and a talent like McCoy is forced to scramble and gets saaaaaaaaaaacked way too much.

Mangini's conservative play didn't exactly inspire the players for sure, but you're pretty much hogtied with the injuries and the lack of talent.