The Cowher Way Is the Right Way

Bill Cowher will not be the head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2009. Bill Cowher will never be the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. This may be a damper on the fans of Cleveland, including numerous websites petitioning for Cowher to the next head coach of the Browns, but in reality, Cowher is doing it his way. The Cowher Way. The Steeler Way.

But you might say, "Cowher should be the next head coach of the Browns. He started his coaching career there. He is the only man who can turn the team around." To that, all I have is one word for you. Respect. The man respects the Cleveland Browns-Pittsburgh Steelers rivalry. He respects the Rooney family. And most importantly, he respects the game itself.

In a brief conversation with Randy Lerner, the Cleveland Browns owner, he stated "he was happy with his CBS position and being with his family." So basically, it was a thanks, but no thanks. Honestly, Lerner could have offered the most money to Cowher and he would still have declined. Heck, he could have offered the whole city of Cleveland, and Cowher would have still walked away.

The man respects the rivalry and the legacy he built at Pittsburgh. No money could ever tempt him to ruin that.

Bill Cowher was and still is in many Cleveland fans' eyes, the "sexy" pick for head coach. But can you imagine Bill Cowher in Browns gear, coaching against the Steelers in 2009? I couldn't. What will happen when Cowher would make his first mistake in Cleveland? Or if the Browns got swept by Pittsburgh...again? They would call for his head just like they did for Romeo.

As a Browns fan myself, I wouldn't mind Cowher coaching the brown and orange. Yet, I respect the man even more after this move. He can coach anywhere else, but coaching in Cleveland doesn't and wouldn't seem right. Too bad there aren't more men like him in the world of professional sports.