Cloack And Dagger, Smoke and Mirrors: The Coach's Black Arts

Alright, a recap:

We're going to trade Braylon Edwards to the Giants for Kawikia Mitchell, Steve Smith and a 1st round pick.  No wait, now we want 2 recievers and a 2nd.  OH!  OH OH!  We'll take Michael Crabtree.... or Mark Sanchez.  OR, we could trade Brady Quinn to Denver for Jay Cutler and go from there.

Wait, Alex Mack, a bunch of draft picks and some key veterans?

I'm going to go out there and say I don't always trust the words of an NFL front office nor what the media reports on them when it concerns future plans.  Doesn't matter if it's their future plans, trade prospects, depth chart order, free agency, the draft... QB controversies.

This article is not bashing Mangini or Kokinas for it, it's merely a fresh look at the situation.  I myself am glad that we have two guys that have forward vision and can lay the foundation for us.  I'm glad that they have what's best for the team on their minds.  And I'm glad that they operate the way they do.  Cloak and dagger, smoke and mirrors.  Also let's not forget that by taking Alex Mack, not only did we get a great center, Pittsburgh DIDN'T get him.

That's why I refuse to believe everything that I hear.  Granted, I take notes, I read the transripts, I can hear their statements (I can hear Jimi!!).  But I also read between the lines.  Like bringing in Brett Ratliff.  Like beefing up the O-line.  Like getting quality RB's.  Robiskie's and Patten's and Hubbards's, not Crabtree's and Heyward-Bey's and Maclin's.  It's why we got James Davis and not Knowshon Moreno.

Eric Mangini is a good coach, and George Kokinis is a good manager.  They know what they want and they know how to get it.  Smoke and mirrors.  Have we paid attention to the signs?  Mangini is a defensive mind, and his Jets were a running team.  Kokinis (with the Ravens) went after franchise players and RBs.  Oh, and we play in the AFC North.

We haven't made any advancements towards a Chud offense ([ch-UH-d]see: playground, go long).  We haven't made any investments in a vaunted passing attack.  We haven't done any actual work towards the whole "we need a big-armed guy" offense.  But we do have the groundwork towards a conservative offense.  Towards staying on the field.  Running the ball to set up the run.  Not screwing over our defense and losing the ball.

I just want to say that I think Derek Anderson is a good QB, and I think that he'll be a starter one day and even a winner.  But he's not going to do it for the Browns.  Not under this team, this direction.  I think this QB "controversy" was over the day it started.  Brady has the arm strength to go long, but probably won't put up many passes over 30 yards.  Derek Anderson does have a short game, but it's not his strong suit.

Let's hear the thoughts, Browns fans/writers.  What do you think is going on, what do you think should happen?