George Herron
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Jamal Lewis Is Right: The Browns Need To Work Less Hard (???)
Posted by pacmanxu on November 15, 2009
Jamal Lewis spouted off to the media this week that Eric Mangini is working the players too hard in practice. Everyone’s first reaction is to jump on Mangini…just another maggot on the rotting corpse that is the Browns season, right? Wrong. Lewis is crazy and way out of bounds on this one, so let me set the record straight with some facts.
A picture of Lewis after an exhausting 2 hour practice
For those of you in Cleveland, facts are things that are “true” and have “actually happened.”
- Mangini’s practices consist of a 30 minute walk-through followed by a 2 hour practice. I know, right? That sounds grueling. I find it hard to believe that professional adult men…some of them the most gifted athletes on the planet…get worn down for practicing less than high school teams do.
- Lewis is whining about this because he preferred the country club style set up that Romeo Crennel used in which the veterans had to do very little. The team is young and bad and he wants the Browns to cut him so he can sign with a better team. I don’t blame him for that, but this is a lame way of going about it.
- As we all know the Browns are young and bad. And you know I know it because I’ve said it twice now in two bullets. This team needs all the practice it can get. I’m sure the Patriots and Colts don’t practice as much, but it’s because they have veterans that have been in the same system for years and know what they’re doing.
- Lewis is a captain, and Mangini has a separate meeting with the captains every Thursday to get their input and to give them a voice. Lewis didn’t bring it up at this meeting, as he said “it’s not my place.” No bro, that’s EXACTLY the place for a CAPTAIN to raise this issue to the coach. He couldn’t tell the coach in a meeting designed for that very thing, but he could tell the media later in the day. I would strip his captaincy, because he’s clearly not a leader of men. I think if other players felt that way, he wouldn’t have had any problem bringing it up to Mangini. My guess is he’s the only one.
- Lewis is old for a NFL running back and there have been a lot of miles put on his legs. He’s clearly lost a few steps, so he probably does get tired after having taken beatings for 8 years in the league. But you don’t plan your schedule around your weakest link. He said he’s retiring after the season.
Don't take it personal, Eric. That's just crazy old man Jamal telling one his stories again. He just needs a nap.
That’s like hearing an old person complain about “those kids and their damn loud music.”
- This team is in flux and clearly Lewis is not in the future plans for the team, so he’s not invested in learning the new ways of Mangini. I understand that too, but they’re paying him to do this, and that’s always the bottom line.
Jamal is one of the left-overs from the last regime’s building effort. There were rumors that he was going to be cut in training camp, so now might be the time to set him free and do what’s inevitable anyway. The only reason not to is that the RB depth is pretty thin, but I’d rather give his carries to Jerome Harrison, Josh Cribbs, and Chris Jennings to see what might develop for the future, rather than waste them on a guy who regularly turns 10 yd runs into 3 yds because he’s so slow. It would also send a message to everyone else that attitude and hard work are valued components of this team, even if losing is still the result.
grhii said
Man does this ever reek of familiarity. Corey Dillion? Takeo Spikes? The only difference was that they were in or close to the prime of their careers. Jamal is a washed up has been that is pissed that he is playing on a bad team.
You are totally right though, he had an opportunity to say something in the captains meeting and instead spouted off to the media. I hate that shit. Do not make the media fight your battles for you, be a man.
I feel for you Cleveland I really do. Cincinnati has been under the same rebuilding for 6 years.
Katie said
I appreciate the post because:
You clearly define your terms early *and*
You wrote this sentence: “And you know I know it because I’ve said it twice now in two bullets.” I like that you respect the power of the bullet.
Also, that second picture has traumatized me and not just for a little while.