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Monday, December 8, 2008
Doesn’t look like Marty sees a gleam
Here’s a transcript of what Marty Schottenheimer said on Serius Satellite Radio today on his show:
Schottenheimer responded to a caller who asked if he would ever consider going back to Cleveland.
Schottenheimer: “I don’t ever say ‘never’ if I don’t have to but I don’t see it (going back to coach the Cleveland Browns) as being likely.”
SIRIUS NFL Radio host, Adam Schein: “Marty, let’s get into this for a quick sec because I see the same [report] that everybody else is seeing. Are you in the mix to coach the Cleveland Browns? I think you just answered the question but why don’t you set the record straight?”
Schottenheimer: “I don’t see that as being likely at all. I really don’t. I’ve made a major change in my life and, again, the only thing I always say, Adam, as a caveat, I don’t ever make a decision if I don’t have to and thus I haven’t made one. First of all, nobody has presented me with an overture and, secondly, I’ve kind of aligned myself and my life kind of where it is and if they want to pay me $30 million a year I’ll have to talk about it. (laughs) But actually you couldn’t even take the $30 million because we need it for the government so we can get out of this financial crisis we’re in. I have not spoken to anybody from there and the likelihood is, if indeed I were to, I don’t see it [as being] likely.”
Schein asked if there is still an urge to get back into the league and whether his last experience in San Diego might have any bearing on any possible decision to pursue potential opportunities.
Schottenheimer: “That was an anomaly. That was an aberration. That was particular to the organization. I don’t sit here today saying, ‘Boy, I really got a bad deal.’ I swear I don’t ever stop and think about it in that context. It is what it is, it was what it was and it happens. I’m a football junkie. There’s no doubt about that. I am a football junkie. I sit down, as I said, in the morning and have breakfast and get ready for the games and I’m up ‘til the final [whistle]. I enjoy it. But that doesn’t put me necessarily in a situation where I want to stand there and have every moment that I’m there, making decisions and all. The key for me is people, as you well know. That is the most important thing in the world to me. My issues in San Diego were because of the people in the front office that I could not interact with.”
Schein: “If you took another coaching job would you need complete control?”
Schottenheimer: “Well, no. I don’t think that that’s necessary. I had complete control in Washington and it didn’t work out very well. (laughs) No, those are not issues that are critical in my mind. As a head coach I think you have to be responsible and have control at least of the 53-man roster.
To be responsible for the draft, in my opinion, I don’t think that’s the kind of situation, it’s too hard to do what you have to do let alone be involved making all the final decisions on the draft because, as a head coach in the National Football League, to do that job well (running the draft) I think you’ve got to be out on the road doing it all the time and, duh, if you’re out there how are you going to get ready to coach your football team? It’s just like the thing I enjoy most about working with you guys (at SIRIUS) are the people. The people are good people and that’s the only thing that is important to me, is people.”
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Schottenheimer? Really?
You can’t go back in time. Believe me, I’ve tried.
So forget this nonsense about bringing back Marty Schottenheimer as head coach of this football team. But how about team president? He could serve in a Bill Parcells-like capacity, calling the shots from upstairs.
That would probably mean re-assigning General Manager Phil Savage or losing him completely, and I don’t think they should give up on him completely, so maybe such a role wouldn’t work.
Head coach, though? Can’t see it. Wouldn’t pull that trigger.
Saw a Schottenheimer poll on a Web site and about 40 percent of those responding were in favor of giving him a call if something can’t be worked out with Bill Cowher to be head coach. About one-third unconditionally said “yes” to Schottenheimer and the rest responded with a resounding no.
No. No. No. Can I make it any clearer?
Then again, why not?
What this team lacks is toughness, generally, and Schottenheimer is good at instilling that quality. And the Browns definitely will need to find the biggest name they can for this job, and since Jimmy Johnson isn’t coming out of the TV studio and Cowher’s interest is iffy, the idea has some merit, I guess.
One thing is clear: Romeo Crennel’s tenure as an NFL head coach has three games remaining. Even announcers are taking shots at him. Did you hear Dan Fouts and the great Don Criqui rip him on TV during Sunday’s latest dismal defeat?
Hello 5-11. And that’s only if they beat the Bengals in two weeks, because they’re not going into Philly and winning on Monday night, nor Pittsburgh (assuming the Steelers are still playing for something at that point).
It’s clear that Crennel has given up. How else to explain his not challenging the sideline play in which Braylon Edwards appeared to get both feet down but was ruled out of bounds? Maybe someone upstairs was asleep at the switch, but it looked bad. Not as bad as three games without an offensive touchdown, but pretty bad nonetheless.
And don’t look for Schottenheimer to solve your offensive problems. His offensive coordinator in San Diego was Cam Cameron, don’t forget. That’s where any innovation came from there. Schottenheimer is many things, but he’s about as innovative as Crennel when it comes to offense, as we know from his previous — and largely successful — stint as head coach of the Browns.
But there is that toughness thing and how Schottenheimer’s teams usually find a way to contend, even though he’s never been able to win the big one.
Hmmm. OK, maybe I’m a maybe. Maybe Randy Lerner should have his number handy just in case.
