Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
There are many traditions which take place during winters in Cleveland. Temperatures start to plummet, lake effect snow starts making appearances and the Cleveland Browns begin contemplating a new coaching search.
Sadly, the latter has become more and more frequent since the team’s return in 1999. Owner Jimmy Haslam has personally fired three coaches and two GMs since taking over in 2012. A team in dire need for some sort of consistency to build on instead cycles through coaches at an alarming rate.
So, it’s only natural to have the same scenario taking shape right now. The Browns are a paltry 3-11, heading into the final two weeks of an extremely disastrous season. For a while now, rumors have been surging claiming yet another housecleaning is coming in Cleveland. However, the players have been lining up to voice their desire for coach Mike Pettine to get another year.
So far, Johnny Manziel, Donte Whitner, Gary Barnidge and Joe Thomas have each made a case for keeping Pettine. They’ve all mentioned progress and the desire for consistency as reasoning behind these statements of support. At the same time, you can’t look at a team this bad and honestly think progress has been shown.
And so, the Browns are now faced with a major challenge. Haslam must decide what is more important: clearing out yet another culture of losing or giving the idea of consistency a try for once.
Unfortunately for Cleveland’s embattled owner, there are negatives to be found with each side of the argument.
Haslam has quickly developed a reputation for being overly trigger-happy when it comes to hitting the reset button. As a result, the concept of working with the Browns has become laughable throughout the NFL. If he were to indeed send Pettine packing, it’s tough to believe there would be a large line of candidates running to Northeast Ohio to put their names in the ring.
Therefore, if he were to clean house, you can’t help but think it will only set the franchise back further. Fans continually clamor for the Browns to hire someone who is a proven head coach, but what candidate with that kind of resume would honestly chose Cleveland? Why destroy your reputation working for an owner who will look to fire you if progress isn’t seen in two years or less?
With a new regime also comes a desire for players which fit the new style. This means there will be significant roster turnover, which will only make the wait for a contender last longer.
In considering all of this, rebuilding doesn’t sound like a great idea. However, maintaining consistency isn’t foolproof either.
As much as the players like working with Pettine, you can’t ignore what’s taken place since the Browns were 7-4 last season. They’ve since only won three games to date. The defense has gone from bad to pathetic, while the offense is severely lacking in playmakers.
However, as Cleveland continues to lose by two possessions or more, Pettine continues to claim the team is close to contending. One needs to only watch a quarter or two from this season to see this isn’t the case at all.
Fact is, Cleveland is only getting worse, and doesn’t even slightly look like a unit which is “close.” As a result, it’s very difficult to come up with a reason for keeping Pettine beyond the fact it would mean having some consistency.
As important as such a thing is, the team is regressing, and Pettine has hardly earned another year. If Haslam chose against firing Pettine, it would essentially be seen as the owner just not wanting to deal with another coaching search.
Does Haslam value the idea of consistency so badly he’d be willing to keep Pettine another year despite the fact he really doesn’t deserve it?
We’re sure to find out the answer to this in a couple weeks. The only thing we do know, though, is that neither side of the argument looks to improve the overall progress of this football team.
Casey Drottar is the Cleveland Beat Writer for www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter or “Like” him on Facebook
