ESPN is reporting, with Joe Reedy confirming, that Marvin Lewis is likely to remain in Cincy. WDR has long believed that, despite his faults, Marvin is likely the best we can hope for in Cincy (ex. Dave Shula, Bruce Coslet).
Marvin has made it very clear recently that in order for him to resign he would need to see some major changes (many of which are listed in WDR's manifesto), including more scouts, more control of player personnel decisions and an indoor practice facility. If he resigns, we can only hope that Mike Brown has agreed to some of Marvin's demands. At the very least, agreeing to hire more scouts so Marvin's coaches can focus on game planning and not scouting and allowing Marvin more say in various player personnel decisions.
As ESPN.com writes: "In most other NFL cities, there would be no discussion of keeping a coach with two winning records in eight seasons. Lewis works for an owner who doesn't like change and was willing to offer him with an extension last year. His overall record in Cincinnati is 60-69-1." Change in the Bengals has the best chance of taking hold if it is championed by someone from within, and we are hopefully seeing the beginnings of something with Marvin likely agreeing to stick around for a few more years.
How can this site question how this TEAM can lose ten in a row and yet not be pissed that the head coach of the most underachieveing undisciplined team in the history of the franchise is returning?
Marvin is NOT an NFL head coach. He is a rah rah players coach who routinely bungles games away.
This site wants a GM dedicated to winning a SUPER BOWL. Such a messiah would immediately fire Marvin Lewis.
I would rather go 1-15 than listen to another Marvin press conference. Those transcripts are priceless. Read one. Jibberish and so forth. It is shocking. Mike Brown wins if he agrees to hire some fucking scouts to appease a loser head coach and this site isn't fucking pissed. Yes, even this site has been Bungalized. Sad day.
Posted by: TJ | January 04, 2011 at 11:37 AM
Well with a lockout imminent, doesn't it make sense to have a job you hate then no job at all? As Head Coach, he'd still get paid. If the NFL season is cancelled, he can't even get a seat in the network pregame show!
Posted by: Andy Kulina | January 04, 2011 at 11:40 AM
@TJ - the problems with the Bengals are much bigger than the HC. If Marvin goes, Mikey just goes out and signs some other sad sack who would do anything for an NFL head coaching job, including ceding all control to the Brown family and not getting any level of support. Not even Vince Lombardi himself could consistently win in Cincy.
But, if Marvin stays AND is able to get more scouts, get the Brown family out of making player personnel decisions, build an indoor practice facility, then we are seeing some real LONG TERM change.
So the decision is not just Marvin vs No Marvin, it is really three choices.
A. Marvin and a lot of need changes
B. Marvin and nothing changed
C. Some other head coach
Change is only going to happen with A, but I still think B is better than C because who knows which dope Mikey will bring in to replace Marvin.
Posted by: Brosef Stalin | January 04, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Why do people claim this is the "most underachieving team in the history of the franchise?" On what objective data do they base this claim?
Because TO? Really? I think that is really all it is. The Bengals had some good luck and took advantage of a weak schedule last year. Didn't necessarily have a good running game, but just ran the ball as much as possible. Now bring in a great, but old, WR who destroys team chemistry, gives up on some plays, and is often not exactly where he should be on route (extremely important, but just makes the QB look stupid, not the WR). I do appreciate his honesty and trying to call attention to the huge faults in this organization, but he definitely did not help to balance the attack.
The Bengals did nothing to address their real issues, OL, DL, LB, Safety (but did for TE and NB). Lewis was recognized as coach of the year last year because it was incredible he took that mess of a team (and OC) to the playoffs. Ignorant fans all of the sudden think that team was actually good and think they were only improved during the offseason. The offseason was nothing but subtraction by addition. Brown taking the cheapest options despite their trouble. Got the fans to believe blindly in nothing but hype, and they are still buying it. Unbelievable.
Posted by: Houshbag | January 04, 2011 at 12:00 PM
take a step back and look at the most absurd moment i've ever seen in an NFL offseason.
A coach with a losing record. 60-69-1. Contract expires (most coaches fitting this profile would have been fired before expiration).
Owner wants coach with losing record back. Coach says first to the owner "only if you become a real NFL franchise"
Coach has demands. A losing coach has demands, other than contractual monetary demands. A losing coach has demands before he accepts a new contract.
Only the bengals.
but hey, if he fixes what is the sole reason why this team is inept, and limits Mike Brown influence.... I'm all for it.
Posted by: luda | January 04, 2011 at 12:48 PM
Houshbag - "The Bengals did nothing to address their real issues, OL, DL, LB, Safety"
I'm not going to argue some of those, but ignoring Carlos Dunlap and his 9.5 sacks in 11 games as an upgrade on the DL is pretty ridiculous, not to mention Michael Johnson looking good now that he's had a chance to play a little.
Posted by: Offensive Liability | January 04, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Let's not get too ahead of ourselves. Apparently, Marvin and the Family had their second meeting today and no contract was signed/progress was made, according to our boy Geoff Hobby at the home site.
http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/No-call-yet-on-Lewis/002ac20a-0ebe-4840-bbdb-e714c5ca36a9
I don't know if this means he's mulling everything over and the family gave him some/all of what he wanted, or if it means they're being really stingy with his demands and he's done with it all...
Interesting thought--What if Marvin is pushing for himself to be in a GM-like position and not as a coach, like we all assume. I know it's unlikely, but it could be a remote possibility. He could be pushing for that and then looking to bring in a Hue Jackson type of guy as Head Coach...Ah, one can dream.
Posted by: EdHochuli'sArms | January 04, 2011 at 12:57 PM
GM PRACTICE FACILITY AND SCOUTS... COULD IT BE? A THREE MAN WOLFPAC... IT IS TRUE.... AT FIRST THIS WAS A ONE MAN WOLFPAC WITH JUST MIKE BROWN... BUT THEN MY EYES WERE OPENED ... IT IS TRUE IT IS TRUE THE WOLFPAC IS ALIVE
Posted by: lordy lordy | January 04, 2011 at 01:12 PM
Good point, OL. Dunlap is a golden nuggat in this turd season. When the season mattered though, before we were totally out of it, the DL seemed to be less than effective to me. I know, the promise of Odom coming back and what not, the DL seemed to be far from a weak link compared to the rest of the team.
Posted by: Houshbag | January 04, 2011 at 01:26 PM
Ed, I saw that Hobspin article to, and as pessimistic as I have been in my last few comments on this post and the one that was below it, I have to say: at least they are talking and negotiating on these points. That is nothing for other NFL organizations, but it sure is something for this organization. Marvin is like a miracle worker, even if he does occasionally struggle with game management and clock management (hard to tell what else he is actually bad at as a coach considering his situation, I know one thing that is not solely his fault: his players behavior/discipline because he hasn't been in control of personnel decisions, I don't think he can discipline/control players like he wants, and natural locker room leaders can't speak out in this organization).
Posted by: Houshbag | January 04, 2011 at 01:36 PM
Brosef,
Commenting purely on semantics here but "resigns" means "quits". "Re-signs" means "to sign again". Fucking horribly annoying little mistake.
Posted by: Wyatt | January 04, 2011 at 10:24 PM