Maintaining Marvin: Managing Success Must Start With Bengals' Coach Lewis

March 5 may bring upon the start of free agency, but the Cincinnati Bengals' biggest to-do on their list is already on, scratch that, in charge of the team.

The Bengals have lived and died at the hands of head coach Marvin Lewis, but until he came to town, the playoffs were a mirage, fainter than a Simon Cowell compliment.

Sure the Bengals have still been inconsistent under his reign, but making the playoffs is progress that the city of Cincinnati enjoys.

Lewis is under contract until the 2010 season, where his team will play the likes of the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. It will be hard to maintain success, but with the core of players already on the Bengals, and free agency and the draft upcoming, the team can only improve. 

The point is that stability is the key to success, and a change at the helm after the 2010 season would cause disarray within the organization. It is hard to go out and find a coach that will automatically adapt to the scenario and benefit. And anything is possible when you have Mike Brown as your owner (except for hiring a general manager).

Luckily, Lewis seems to balance out Brown. They make an odder couple than Hugh Hefner and his "Bunnies" (truly the power of money).

Lewis has also dealt with more drama than Desperate Housewives. At times he mentors, while sometimes he babysits. And given the reputation of the Bengals, he is the guy who will bail you out of incarceration. 

Yet despite all of this, his preaching of redemption and discipline has paid off. Lewis and the Bengals were placed on center stage via the HBO series Hard Knocks , where his ambition and desire for the Bengals was amplified.

During the season he kept his team positive through the deaths of Vikki Zimmer and Chris Henry, multiple injuries, and continuous banter.

Lewis has revived the city of Cincinnati from its coma. His John Hancock on a new contract would surely sit well with the Bengals.

Lewis has guided them to the promise land twice and given the team a taste of what it feels like to be a playoff team. He turned the Bungles back to the Bengals and silenced the Who Don'ts.

So if it isn't broke, don't fix it. Take the hint, Mike Brown.