Eric Mangini never had a chance.
When Mike Holmgren was hired, Mangini's clock was ticking. Holmgren was always going to bring in his guy. Last season's four game winning streak bought Holmgren an extra season. He could wait one more season, draft some defensive back's and wait one more season.
I feel for Mangini. He comes off as a guy that can't be a successful head coach in this league. But this is a big boy league. Sometimes a good guy takes a fall. Too bad.
With the Browns collapse down the stretch, Holmgren was finally able to bring in an offensive guy that he could shape. He was finally able to put his stamp on this franchise once and for all.
I like it.
Mike Holmgren has an uncanny eye for coaching talent. Did you know that his 1992 Green Bay Packers Coaching Staff had Steve Mariucci, Jon Gruden, Andy Reid, Ray Rhodes and Dick Jaruon. That is five head coaches on one staff! Three on offense, two on defense. The man knows what makes a good coach.
Even if you can look past all that, take solace in the fact that for the first time in this franchise's history, we have a President, General Manager and Head Coach that are all working together. No longer do we have a mish-mash of Belichick and Raven coaching tree's. We don't have one guy calling all the shots like Butch Davis.
We have an actual franchise with checks and balances of power. We have a proven General Manager calling the shots on draft picks. Now we have a Head Coach that will fall in line.
Shurmur may not be the hot name, or the sexy pick, but Shurmur will the best Head Coach for the Holmgren-Heckert led Cleveland Browns.