# Cleveland Browns turnaround bandwagon **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 5, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813 "2018-09-05T17:53:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/161 "2018-10-30T14:10:44Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > The timing of the firings is quite odd. The Browns are up for getting an ass pounding next week against KC, then they have their bye. > > Why hire an interim coach just to take that beating, when you could let the current coach take the beating (and then fire them in the wake of it) and then give the new interim coach the bye week to prepare? Makes sense to do it now. New coach has an excuse for taking a beating, let the media distractions die down a little over the bye week so everyone’s not spending that time answering questions about the transition. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/162 "2018-10-30T16:44:35Z")
Also, if the team happens to play well or even win against KC, it would be pretty weird to _then_ fire the coach. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/163 "2018-10-30T17:03:54Z")
The Browns improvement is a testament to just how influential a good quarterback is to the success of a team in the modern NFL. Now that they have that key component, the Browns can build around it and make even more improvements in a relatively short period of time. They’ve gone from being horrid to being competitive in a single season. I’d praise the coach for that, not fire him. They didn’t really expect to go from 0-16 to 11-5 in one season, did they? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/164 "2018-10-30T17:15:43Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > They’ve gone from being horrid to being competitive in a single season. I’d praise the coach for that, not fire him. They didn’t really expect to go from 0-16 to 11-5 in one season, did they? True, but it works the other way, too. Hue Jackson took Mike Pettine’s 3-13 team and went 1-15, then 0-16. It took Jackson two and a half seasons to win as many games as his predecessor won in one season. He took a low bar, and lowered it. _That_ deserves firing. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/165 "2018-10-30T18:21:48Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > True, but it works the other way, too. Hue Jackson took Mike Pettine’s 3-13 team and went 1-15, then 0-16. It took Jackson two and a half seasons to win as many games as his predecessor won in one season. He took a low bar, and lowered it. _That_ deserves firing. I agree. Hue needed to go and so did Haley. I do agree with Jasmine’s first point though, that a good QB is very important and that the Browns can potentially end their time at the bottom if they can build around him. And he’s probably a big reason they’re actually winning any games this year. What I worry about though is that the Browns’ problem hasn’t just been bad coaches and mediocre-to-bad QBs. Their head office is a joke (remember the AJ McCarron trade that failed because they couldn’t file paperwork on time?). They do have a new GM (John Dorsey) so maybe the problem has been the Haslams as owners? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/166 "2018-10-30T22:32:04Z")
The AJ McCarron thing was a deliberate sabotage by Sashi Brown on the way out, to which we owe him thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/167 "2018-10-31T00:41:28Z")
Getting to this late, I saw the news from the airport on Monday and haven’t read much on the rumors and reasons for this, but it has the hallmarks of a shitty power struggle that ended in everyone getting fired for even being a part of it. Seems like Haley was undercutting Hue and might have been angling for an interim HC title, which when exposed made Haley look like an insubordinate jackhole but also made Hue look like the hapless buffoon he is. Dorsey just said fuck it, you’re both gone. What I thought was funny is that the news picked up the story of Haley getting fired like 15 minutes before Hue’s new dropping. That makes it seem like someone wanted to make it VERY clear that Haley was fired, and not that he simply got canned along with Hue as part of a package deal. These were 2 separate firings for separate reasons. Gregg Williams coming out the back end smelling like roses has to be one of the biggest upsets of all time. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/168 "2018-10-31T05:43:11Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > The AJ McCarron thing was a deliberate sabotage by Sashi Brown on the way out, to which we owe him thanks. Maybe so, but you missed out on his wife’s hotness plus AJ’s Bengals legendary play. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/169 "2018-10-31T06:24:58Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Gregg Williams coming out the back end smelling like roses has to be one of the biggest upsets of all time. Am I the only one irrationally upset by this? Also, when is the bandwagon going to stop turning around? I’m dizzy. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/170 "2018-10-31T16:33:39Z")
I do like the idea that Hue and Haley had a power struggle and somehow they both lost. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/171 "2018-11-11T23:27:16Z")
Well that was really good to see. Seems like the team was invigorated and the playcalling was pretty creative. The game wasn’t even as close as the score. If they come out of the bye firing on all cylinders like that it would reflect really badly on the previous coaching. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/172 "2018-11-12T01:00:46Z")
Isn’t Gregg Williams the coach while with the Saints got suspended for a year and heavily fined for orchestrating the “headhunting bandwagon”? ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/173 "2018-11-12T05:10:01Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Isn’t Gregg Williams the coach while with the Saints got suspended for a year and heavily fined for orchestrating the “headhunting bandwagon”? Payton and Williams were both suspended. Williams’ suspension was indefinite, though only lasted one season because he said “pretty please”. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/174 "2018-11-18T15:48:33Z")
[What](https://imgur.com/0fI2Piq.jpg) [What?](https://twitter.com/mysportsupdate/status/1064178998467575809) ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/175 "2018-11-18T16:56:15Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > [What](https://imgur.com/0fI2Piq.jpg) > > [What?](https://twitter.com/mysportsupdate/status/1064178998467575809) If this is anything other than a story ripped from the Onion, I think the NFL should seriously consider revoking Cleveland’s franchise. Sorry, Cleveland. The experiment failed. These “Browns” aren’t a real football team. Start over with a new franchise and new ownership. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/176 "2018-11-18T17:03:56Z")
It’s a great idea. And while you’re at it, why not hire Oprah to be defensive coordinator? It’d be cheaper though to borrow Bill Veeck’s idea and have grandstand managers run the team (with a simple cellphone app, plays could be voted on and quickly dispatched to field level, then relayed to the quarterback or defensive leader(s)). They could hardly do worse than Hue Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/177 "2018-11-18T17:33:12Z")
Heard two plausible-ish theories about this one. They want her as some sort of team executive manager sort, but it’s easy to get her in there as a head coach interview and satisfies the Rooney rule if they already know who their guy is. Or they leaked a bunch of different, out-there stories about who they were thinking about as a way of figuring out who is leaking to the press. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/178 "2018-11-18T18:03:44Z")
I like both those theories. Well, I don’t “like” circumvention of the Rooney rule, but you know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/179 "2018-11-18T18:09:55Z")
I drank too much whiskey last night and seriously thought I was still intoxicated while reading the Rice story. It made the Washington Post! > **[Condoleezza Rice and Browns deny ESPN report that team wants to interview her...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2018/11/18/cleveland-browns-reportedly-want-interview-condoleezza-rice-head-coach/?utm_term=.12397027b56a)** > > ESPN had reported that Cleveland wouldn't rule out the former U.S. Secretary of State, who is a Browns fan with no coaching experience. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813/180 "2018-11-18T18:37:58Z")
I think she’s fully qualified for a front office position. A head coaching interview would be a stoopid stunt. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-browns-turnaround-bandwagon/820813.md?page=10)