Marvin to Bengals: Changes must happen, or I'm gone

[Reds4Life]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5981214

By Adam Schefter
ESPN
Archive

People who have spoken to Marvin Lewis say that, as much as he'd like to stay in Cincinnati as the Bengals' coach, he believes it's time to move on from his current job -- unless the team makes changes they've been unwilling to make for years.

Lewis, whose contract expires after this season, will meet early this week with Bengals president Mike Brown, according to league sources.

Lewis would like the Bengals to upgrade their training facilities and their player personnel department, and he is so adamant on these issues that it is the reason he declined to sign the contract extension offered him before this season.

If Cincinnati is unwilling to budge on these issues -- and there is no indication they are -- then Lewis will not return to Cincinnati next season and he will become the latest desirable coach on the open market.

The Bengals have had only two winning records and lost their two playoff games during his eight seasons. He has a 60-66-1 record heading into the game against Baltimore (11-4).

The Bengals had gone 15 years between winning records when he led them to the division title in 2005. They won it again last year, and splurged on the payroll to try to win their first back-to-back division titles in franchise history.

Instead, Lewis has presided over perhaps the franchise's biggest disappointment. The Bengals tied the club record by losing 10 in a row, and receiver Terrell Owens blamed the coaching staff for the offense's troubles. Cincinnati failed to sell out the last four home games.

Should Lewis leave, the Bengals have an ideal in-house candidate in defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.

Adam Schefter is ESPN's NFL Insider. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Marvin might as well put his house on the market, and start getting quotes from moving companies. Brown isn't going to change anything. I'm sure they'll try and hire Zimmer on the cheap, and the cycle starts again in Bengal-land.

[LawFive]

Adios, Marvin.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by LawFive

Adios, Marvin.

My thoughts exactly.

Marvin has done way more than any coach in the Mike Brown era and for that Bengals fans should be grateful, but this seasons complete meltdown coupled with very minimal overall success doesn't really help his case.

If anything its burning bridges on the way out. Marvin is saying what Bengal fans have been saying for years. It's never going to change and its going to tie the Bengals into more or less hiring a Mike Zimmer because it will paint Marvin as somebody who didn't have the control to do what he wanted. No experienced coach (which is what the Bengals need) is going to come anywhere close to Cincy.

Marvin was gone anyways, what he is doing is basically giving Mike Brown an ultimatum that is going to put the franchise further on back. Sad part is, I don't know if I really blame Marvin.

[Reds4Life]

Originally Posted by WVRed

My thoughts exactly.

Marvin has done way more than any coach in the Mike Brown era and for that Bengals fans should be grateful, but this seasons complete meltdown coupled with very minimal overall success doesn't really help his case.

If anything its burning bridges on the way out. Marvin is saying what Bengal fans have been saying for years. It's never going to change and its going to tie the Bengals into more or less hiring a Mike Zimmer because it will paint Marvin as somebody who didn't have the control to do what he wanted. No experienced coach (which is what the Bengals need) is going to come anywhere close to Cincy.

Marvin was gone anyways, what he is doing is basically giving Mike Brown an ultimatum that is going to put the franchise further on back. Sad part is, I don't know if I really blame Marvin.

It's hard to seperate the failings of Lewis as a coach, and organizational issues due to the team being run by a clueless idiot. I don't believe Brown cares about winning, he never has. If they win, ok, if they don't, oh well. Mikey boy still gets his truckload of cash, so he doesn't care either way.

I don't think Lewis has anything to lose by doing this. The Bengals, as an organization, are viewed as a joke. If he nukes a few bridges and takes a few jabs on his way out the door, I doubt any potential employer is going to care all that much. He can always blame everything on Brown, and it would be credible.

If I was Zimmer, there is no way I'd take the job. Why would anyone who wants to start out as a coach want to coach here? Your ability to do your job is severely limited, and you start your head coaching career stained with the stigma of losing records thanks to one of the most incompetent organizations in the NFL. The only reason to take that job would be for the paycheck for a few years, and knowing Mike Brown, he will make sure that paycheck is as small as he can get away with.

With Haywood getting canned at Pitt, wondering if maybe Marvin will consider taking a college job.

[Kingspoint]

It's about time someone gave Mike Brown an ultimatum other than their punter or a disgruntled All-Pro player.

It's nice to see Marvin have some self-respect.

[Kingspoint]

Originally Posted by Reds4Life

I don't think Lewis has anything to lose by doing this. The Bengals, as an organization, are viewed as a joke. If he nukes a few bridges and takes a few jabs on his way out the door, I doubt any potential employer is going to care all that much. He can always blame everything on Brown, and it would be credible.

That's the impression I always get when I hear respected people like Cowher and Jimmy Johnson laugh their heads off whenever the topic of Mike Brown comes up.

[Kingspoint]

Originally Posted by Reds4Life

If I was Zimmer, there is no way I'd take the job. Why would anyone who wants to start out as a coach want to coach here? Your ability to do your job is severely limited, and you start your head coaching career stained with the stigma of losing records thanks to one of the most incompetent organizations in the NFL. The only reason to take that job would be for the paycheck for a few years, and knowing Mike Brown, he will make sure that paycheck is as small as he can get away with.

I agree. Would love to see him turn it down, if only so that our Defense is run by a good D. C.. However, if someone like Paul Alexander gets offered the job, then it's in my best interest that Zimmer takes the job.

I wouldn't mind seeing Bratkowski get the Head Coaching job for two reasons. He'll no longer be the O. C., unless he tries to be one of those Head Coaches who also makes the Offensive play calls. Secondly, as Zimmer's close friend, he'll let Zimmer do what he wants and try to give him the tools he needs to succeed (not that Marvin didn't do that, but I'm certain that Brat would).

[KoryMac5]

Mike Brown will never upgrade the personel dept or go out and get an outdoor practice facility for the team to use. Marvin knows that and doesn't want to be blamed for things not working out here. I really can't see anyone but a desperate person taking the HC job with this team knowing that you won't be given a chance by this owner to build a winner. Billick fits the desperate HC candidate to a T!

[traderumor]

I like Marvin, always have. It is easy to see his faults with some game management issues, but the Bengals have had two playoff runs and been watchable for most of his regime. He seems to be a decent administrator, a hard worker, and generally honest. Considering his handicaps created by his boss, that is commendable.

A lot of the player character issues seem to now point back to Daddy Warbucks, who is like the father of spoiled children that frustrates the mother trying to do the right thing and continually getting undermined by the permissive parent's unwilling to discipline the children and let them get away with bad behavior under the guise of being a generous person.

I don't think he's burning bridges, I think he is showing the courage to tell Mike Brown to do what is necessary to win consistently in the NFL or he's gone.

[Eric_the_Red]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d...e=HP_headlines

Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is on the short list of candidates to take over the University of Pittsburgh's football program, a league source said Sunday.

[Reds4Life]

Originally Posted by KoryMac5

Mike Brown will never upgrade the personel dept or go out and get an outdoor practice facility for the team to use. Marvin knows that and doesn't want to be blamed for things not working out here. I really can't see anyone but a desperate person taking the HC job with this team knowing that you won't be given a chance by this owner to build a winner. Billick fits the desperate HC candidate to a T!

I hope UC never allows the Bengals to use their new outdoor practice facility. When UC approached Brown about playing some games at PBS, he gave them an outrageous price, and wanted 50% of the consession sales and everything else.

Screw him.

[The Operator]

Originally Posted by Reds4Life

I hope UC never allows the Bengals to use their new outdoor practice facility. When UC approached Brown about playing some games at PBS, he gave them an outrageous price, and wanted 50% of the consession sales and everything else.

Screw him.

Indeed. He certainly does everything he can to build the goodwill of the city, no?

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by traderumor

I don't think he's burning bridges, I think he is showing the courage to tell Mike Brown to do what is necessary to win consistently in the NFL or he's gone.

Thats just the problem though, Marvin is coaching a last place team and saying "If you don't do what I say, I'm leaving" when he is going to likely be fired anyways. It's kinda silly.

It would be the equivalent of Rich Rodriguez at Michigan saying he isn't going to return next year unless changes are made. The fact that Marvin's contract is up is just a formality.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Eric_the_Red

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d...e=HP_headlines

Good to see Pitt finally getting it right. I thought Marvin should have been a candidate the first time. Either Marvin or Rich Rod would be perfect there.

[KoryMac5]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Thats just the problem though, Marvin is coaching a last place team and saying "If you don't do what I say, I'm leaving" when he is going to likely be fired anyways. It's kinda silly.

It would be the equivalent of Rich Rodriguez at Michigan saying he isn't going to return next year unless changes are made. The fact that Marvin's contract is up is just a formality.

However Marvin has been telling Brown this for a few years now, hence why he didn't sign the extension after winning coach of the year. He just started going public on the situation recently to save face with potential job offers.