Tarantism's Cleveland Browns Franchise

[tarantism]

Cleveland Browns Franchise


Game Options and Franchise Settings:

• Sliders: Custom
• 15 min Quarters, 25 second accelerated clock runoff
• Sim Injuries On
• Pre Existing Injuries On
• Salary Cap On
• Trade Deadline On
• 32 teams controlled, custom coach tendencies, all roster control set to CPU (except for user team) excluding "fill roster" option.

House Rules:

• No sprinting on interceptions and fumble recoveries
• Realistic trades and signings only
• No sprinting on offense when playing away road games
• User roster consists of 45 man "game day" roster, 8 man practice squad and 2 empty slots to simulate IR.
• Practice squad must consist of players with 3 years experience or less
• user must use playbook for respective offensive and defensive coaches (i.e. if if Mike Smith is my H.C. or D.C. then I must use the ATL defensive playbook, if Josh McDaniels is H.C. or O.C. I must use DEN offensive playbook).
• Franchise starts following the 2009 season

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2009 Final Standings:

Y= Division Winner X= Wild Card

AFC North

Y-Steelers (12-4)
X-Ravens (10-6)
3. Bengals (9-7)
4. Browns (5-11)

AFC South

Y-Titans (9-7)
2. Colts (7-9)
3. Jaguars (7-9)
4. Texans (6-10)

AFC East

Z-Patriots (14-2)
X- Jets (10-6)
3. Dolphins (5-11)
4. Bills (4-12)

AFC West

Y-Broncos (8-8)
2. Raiders (7-9)
3. Chargers (5-11)
4. Chiefs (5-11)

NFC North

Y-Vikings (11-5)
X-Packers (11-5)
3. Bears (5-11)
4. Lions (4-12)

NFC South

Y-Saints (11-5)
2. Falcons (9-7)
3. Panthers (5-11)
4. Buccaneers (2-14)

NFC East

Y-Giants (11-5)
X-Eagles (11-5)
3. Redskins (10-6)
4. Cowboys (9-7)

NFC West

Y-Cardinals (12-4)
2. 49ers (9-7)
3. Seahawks (7-9)
4. Rams (6-10)

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2009 Statistical Review:

Passing Leaders:

• Tom Brady (NE): 322/510, 4,070 yards, 39 touchdowns, 5 interceptions (109.4 QB rating)
• Drew Brees (NO): 387/604, 4,620 yards, 40 touchdowns, 14 interceptions (99.7 QB rating)
• Aaron Rodgers (GB): 355/582, 4,443 yards, 32 touchdowns, 14 interceptions (93.0 QB rating)

Rushing Leaders:

• Adrian Peterson (MIN): 366 attempts, 1,842 yards, 15 touchdowns
• Steven Jackson (STL): 326 attempts, 1,529 yards, 12 touchdowns
• Frank Gore (SF): 354 attempts, 1,424 yards, 14 touchdowns

Receiving Leaders:

• DeSean Jackson (PHI): 107 receptions, 1,558 yards, 10 touchdowns
• Randy Moss (NE): 99 receptions, 1,475 yards, 18 touchdowns
• Chad Johnson (CIN): 106 receptions, 1,445 yards, 11 touchdowns

Blocking Leaders:

• Michael Roos (TEN): 45 Pancakes
• Jahri Evans (NO): 39 Pancakes
• Louis Vasquez (SD): 39 Pancake

s

Tackles Leaders:

• Barrett Rudd (TB): 181 tackles
• James Laurinaitis (STL): 167 tackles
• Larry Foote (DET): 167 tackles

Sacks Leaders:

• Taylor Brayton (CAR): 17.0 sacks
• DeMarcus Ware (DAL): 15.5 sacks
• Aaron Schobel (BUF): 14.5 sacks

Interceptions Leaders:

• Ryan Clark (PIT): 6 interceptions
• Tyvon Branch (OAK): 6 interceptions
• Kerry Rhodes (NYJ): 6 interceptions

Passes Defensed Leaders:

• Antione Bethea (IND): 13 deflections
• Bernard Pollard (HOU): 11 deflections
• Tenard Jackson (TB): 11 deflections

Forced Fumbles Leaders:

• DeMeco Ryans (HOU): 5 fumbles forced
• Jonathan Vilma (NO): 5 fumbles forced
• Barrett Rudd (TB): 5 fumbles forced

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2009 Playoffs Review

Wild Card:

• Baltimore at Tennessee: Titans, 33-27
• Philadelphia at Minnesota: Vikings, 21-13
• New York Jets at Denver: Broncos, 25-6
• Green Bay at New Orleans: Saints, 33-14

Divisional Round:

• Denver at New England: Patriots, 39-7
• New Orleans at Arizona: Cardinals, 17-13
• Tennessee at Pittsburgh: Titans, 12-9
• Minnesota at New York Giants: Giants, 23-6

Conference Championships:

• Tennessee at New England: Patriots, 20-3
• New York Giants at Arizona: Giants, 24-17

Pro Bowl:

• AFC defeats NFC, 41-24 (Pro Bowl MVP: Cason Palmer)

Super Bowl:

• New York Giants vs. New England Patriots: PATRIOTS, 38-21
  
• Super Bowl MVP: Tom Brady (NE): 21/35, 335 yards, 5 touchdowns, 1 interception (119.6 rating)

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2009 Season Awards

• MVP: Drew Brees (NO)
  
• Offensive Player of the Year: Tom Brady (NE)
  
• Defensive Player of the Year: Brandon Meriweather (NE)
  
• Offensive Rookie of the Year: Mark Sanchez (NYJ)
  
• Defensive Rookie of the Year: James Laurinaitis (STL):
  
• Coach of the Year: Bill Belichick (NE)

[tarantism]

"Mangenius" Sacked After Just One Year

AP- The Cleveland Browns today announced that they have terminated the contract of head coach Eric Mangini after just the first of a five year deal that the team struck with the struggling coach last January. Mangini spent much of 2009 toe-to-toe with both players and upper management, and the feud led to a disappointing 5-11 finish that left little hope for the struggling Browns franchise. Mangini and his agent both refused comment Sunday.

Eric Mangini spent five seasons as a defensive assistant with the New England Patriots under Bill Belichick, winning three Super Bowls before accepting a job as the teams defensive coordinator in 2005. Mangini spent just one season in that position however, and in January 2006 Mangini accepted the head coaching position with Patriots division rival New York Jets, replacing Herman Edwards. Mangini failed to find much success in New York however, and the head coach was fired following the 2008 season. Mangini finished his stint as the head coach in New York 23-25 with a loss in his only playoff appearance coming in his first season against his former employer, Belichick and the New England Patriots. Mangini was fired by the Jets one day after the season completed in 2008 only to be hired as the head coach of the Browns nine days later, bringing with him former GM George Kokinis. Kokinis was dismissed from the team after the first eight games of 2009.

During Magini's stint the Browns finished 28th in total offense (14th rushing, 29th passing) and 30th in total defense, allowing 41 sacks while achieving just 181 first downs, 30th in the NFL.

"We would like to thank Eric for his time here and wish him the best of luck in future ventures" said team president Mike Keenan in a team issued statement, "But we as an organization felt that it was time to move in another direction. On behalf of myself, Randy [Lerner, team owner] and the entire Cleveland Browns organization I would like to say that we are committed to making whatever changes are necessary to bring the Browns up to the epitome of football excellence". Keenan could not be reached for further comment on Sunday. Early repots indicate that Mangini's entire assembled coaching staff.

No likely candidates can be confirmed at this time. However, Keenan's statement went on to indicate that the coaching search is to begin immediately: "We would like to get the process started as soon as possible. I am meeting with Randy and some of the other members of the personnel department today and we are going to move forward following that meeting. I promise that our due diligence will be done during the entire process."

Other NFL News:

• Bucs Fire Raheem Morris after 2-14 season
• Buffalo hires Jim Haslett to fill Head Coaching vacancy

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Coaching Search Continues for Browns

AP- The Cleveland Browns apparently are doing their due diligence during their latest search for the team's next head coach, and while other NFL teams are filling vacancies the Browns are currently conducting second interviews and narrowing down what was apparently a lengthly list of candidates. Known assistants that are now out of the running for the job are Carolina defensive coordinator Ron Meeks, Bengals defensive coordinator and longtime NFL veteran Mike Zimmer, Arizona assistant head coach and offensive line coach Russ Grimm, and Seahawks offensive coordinator Gregg Knapp. The team is also known to have extended an invitation to recently retired coaches Wade Phillips and Bill Cowher, both of whom declined a chance to interview for the job.

The Browns head coaching list gets shorter by the hour but the remaining at large candidates are Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frasier, former Texans head coach and current Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers, Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator and former Bills head coach Mike Mularkey, Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and Denver Broncos defensive coordinator and former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan. A switch to the "4-3" defensive scheme would come with the hiring of Frasier, Mularkey and Williams.

Other NFL News:

• Norv Turner re-ups as Chargers Head Coach, signs 4-year deal
• Jason Garrett inherits Cowboys head coaching job from retired Wade Phillips
• Tom Cable out, Mike Pettine in as Raiders coach
• Former Lions coach Marinelli lands Tampa Bay head coaching job

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Browns Search Comes to an End, Team Hires Frazier as Next Head Coach

AP- Cleveland Browns president Mike Keenan announced today that the organization's lengthly search for a new head coach has come to and end Thursday with the hiring of Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, an eleven year NFL coaching veteran who has a resume which includes stints as defensive backs coach with the Colts and Eagles and defensive coordinator jobs with the Bengals and most recently the Vikings. Frazier has never served in the NFL in a head coaching position before. "I am excited to get this opportunity to show Cleveland and the whole NFL what I can do in this position" said Frazier, age 51, on Thursday in a team scheduled press conference, "I think that any coach in this league will tell you that this is his dream, so it's great to realize that. I think that this team has a lot of talent that just needs to be exploited and it is important that these guys get some confidence in themselves. I think that when you combine a good coach scheme with great playcalling and confidence in the players, you see a lot of guys really living up to their potential."

Frazier went on to outline changes that he intends to make to the current look of the Browns, including a defensive shakeup that will require the team to transition from the "3-4" defense (three downed linemen and four linebackers in the base package) to the more conventional "4-3" defense (four down linemen and three linebackers). Frazier's defenses in Minnesota are known for being consistently among the league leaders in stopping the run. Being from the Tony Dungy school of coaching, Frazier almost assuredly will implement a version of the "Tampa Two" style zone defense first made popular by Dungy and Monte Kiffen in Tampa Bay. The Tampa Two is a version of the classic cover two defensive alignment that relies almost exclusively on the front four to create pressure while the linebackers and secondary rely on speed and strict execution to limit big plays by the offense. Another accolade Frazier brings with him is his reputation to coach up defensive backs, and the Browns should see marked improvement in this area of weakness based on the secondary improvement that has followed Frazier in each of his NFL stops.

Assisting coach Frazier in implementing his preferred style of defense will be 13-year NFL veteran Mark Duffner, who was most recently the linebackers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, a job he had held under tenured head coach Jack del Rio since the 2006 season. Duffner has also spent time as the linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers (2003-2005) and the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach for the Bengals (1997-2004). Duffner also spent 21 years coaching in the college ranks, including two head coaching jobs at Holy Cross and the University of Maryland. Calling the plays on the offensive side of the ball for the Browns next year will be Bill Musgrave, thought to be a key developer of NFL rising star Matt Ryan in Atlanta, where Musgrave served under head coach Mike Smith as the quarterbacks coach. Musgrave has only held one offensive coordinator job in the NFL before, in Jacksonville for the 2003 and 2004 seasons. He is, however, a well traveled 11 year NFL veteran. The special teams coordinator spot is to be manned by 8-year specials veteran Larry Mac Duff.

The recent failures of the Cleveland Browns franchise have left one of the most loyal fan bases in the NFL in tatters and demoralized, and while there is no cause of celebration yet the newest coach as good as promised that some may be in order soon: "I came here to win" said the NFL's newest head coach to a crowd Thursday, "I came here to obtain victory and glory and I promise this fan base that we as a staff will leave no stone unturned until we achieve the dream of every NFL team, a world championship".

Other NFL news:

• Raiders to switch to 3-4 under new coach Pettine
• Garrett promises Cowboys will be "fiercely aggressive"
• Marinelli is "confident" in Buccaneers roster, but says "pieces are still needed"
• AFC South: del Rio, Kubiak on hot seat?