Browns need to put end to secrecy

Mangini reveals little about injuries, plays

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Sunday, Jun 21, 2009

BEREA: Every Wednesday through Friday during the regime of former Browns coach Bill Belichick, a member of the public relations department dutifully reported to the press room overlooking the practice field to lower the blinds.

Shortly afterward, former Beacon Journal Browns beat writer Ed Meyer would prop his binoculars between the blinds' slats.

While Meyer merely hoped to tug Belichick's chain, his action now represents to me a form of silent protest against the paranoia and secrecy Belichick brought to Berea. Way ahead of his peers in the 1990s, Meyer responded by acquiring the latest electronic devices available to record telephone calls. Little did we know that Belichick was probably way ahead of Meyer.

With Belichick disciple Eric Mangini now running the show in Berea, spyware is back in vogue. At least when it comes to binoculars.

If the recently concluded offseason training activities and minicamps were any indication, the Hubble telescope might be more appropriate for those trying to tell the public what's happening with its beloved football team.

To his credit, Mangini opened more practices than the league required. But for the most part, the media were restricted to standing behind a sand pit, aka ''the sand box,'' beside Belichick's old training hill. The spot up against the fence was not close to the nearest sideline and light-years away when drills were conducted two fields over. A second-floor window of a nearby condo would have been a better vantage point.

Reporters might not be confined to the same area during training camp, which opens Aug. 1. Public relations director Neal Gulkis said Friday, ''As far as camp goes, nothing's been set yet.'' Gulkis has seen other teams with severe restrictions, including those coached by Bill Parcells, whose media were once confined to a tent. With his former team, the Miami Dolphins (where Parcells is executive VP of football operations), Gulkis said reporters sit in a cordoned-off area in the bleachers.

Under Romeo Crennel, the former Browns coach and former Belichick defensive coordinator, media were allowed to walk the fields' perimeter during camp to get closer to the drills they wanted to see.

Training camp practices will be fully open (at least to the media) through the second weekend of preseason games,

which for the Browns is Aug. 22. After that they will be open to the press for at least the first 30 minutes, which includes little more than stretching. So if the Browns' quarterback battle between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson continues through the third preseason game Aug. 29, the final few crucial days will be conducted mainly behind closed doors.

Injury reports

The mandatory minicamp illustrated another maddening trait of Mangini's — to reveal as little as possible about injuries, which he thinks is a matter of competitive advantage. Anderson came out with a sleeve on his lower right leg on the afternoon of June 12 and wore a heavier wrap June 13. Asked whether it was a minor injury, Anderson said, ''You'll have to ask coach about that.'' When it was suggested that it wouldn't affect his golf game, Anderson replied, ''Who knows?''

Mangini categorized Anderson's problem as ''bumps and bruises,'' which was not breaking any rule. He doesn't have to get specific until Sept. 9, when his first regular-season injury report comes out.

During his three years as coach of the New York Jets, Mangini frustrated reporters with his vagueness about injuries. A notable incident arose last October, when Dan Leberfeld of Jets Confidential pressed Mangini on whether kicker Mike Nugent had a hamstring injury, listed only as ''leg.'' Mangini wouldn't budge, telling Leberfeld, ''We're 21/2 years into this process. It's something that I believe in and something that we've consistently done, and I don't anticipate changing any time in the near future.''

Greg Aiello, NFL senior vice president of public relations, said a policy has been in place for five years that injury reports have to be specific about body parts.

''It has to be knee, ankle, hand, wrist, shoulder, elbow,'' Aiello said. ''Leg is not permitted.''

Aiello said Mangini ''follows the rules.''

''He may not do more than the minimum,'' Aiello said. ''But we didn't have a problem with the Jets as far as complying with the rules. Some media get frustrated when you won't go beyond what's on the injury report. But we don't require more than that.''

At a meeting with Browns beat writers in February, Mangini said he would continue to list injuries as ''leg.''

Specific plays

Mangini is just as obsessive about reporting on specific plays or formations. One reporter was chastised for writing that Mangini ran a flea flicker during a minicamp practice. When I brought up the subject during a one-on-one session, saying everyone practices flea flickers, Mangini wouldn't budge.

The following week, Anderson ran a penalty lap for a botched trick play that was not his fault. Because it happened on a day when Anderson and Quinn struggled in practice, the only three reporters remaining in the press room discussed how they could get this into the paper without breaking the Mangini code.

Practically seconds later, one reporter's cell phone rang. It was Gulkis, who said he had forgotten to reiterate Mangini's policy of not reporting trick plays after the previous week's transgression. The other two reporters also received calls from Gulkis, as did at least one other media member who was not present at the time.

Coincidence? To quote Anderson, who knows?

My former boss, the late Dayton Daily News sports editor Si Burick, loathed complaining by the media. He once yanked a column by Hal McCoy on how difficult it was to cover the 1981 Super Bowl from the paper in between editions, sending that day's layout editor (me) into a frenzy as he proclaimed, ''Nobody cares about our problems.''

With Mangini, we already know the drill. He's the third coach most of us have covered from the Belichick tree, counting the mighty oak himself. These daily annoyances might not affect the win total, but could play a part in how fans connect with the team.

Whether or not the secrecy bothers you, keep one thing in mind: When you pack the car for training camp, don't forget the binoculars.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marla Ridenour is the AFC North representative for the Pro Football Writers of America.

She can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns.

BEREA: Every Wednesday through Friday during the regime of former Browns coach Bill Belichick, a member of the public relations department dutifully reported to the press room overlooking the practice field to lower the blinds.

Shortly afterward, former Beacon Journal Browns beat writer Ed Meyer would prop his binoculars between the blinds' slats.

While Meyer merely hoped to tug Belichick's chain, his action now represents to me a form of silent protest against the paranoia and secrecy Belichick brought to Berea. Way ahead of his peers in the 1990s, Meyer responded by acquiring the latest electronic devices available to record telephone calls. Little did we know that Belichick was probably way ahead of Meyer.

With Belichick disciple Eric Mangini now running the show in Berea, spyware is back in vogue. At least when it comes to binoculars.

If the recently concluded offseason training activities and minicamps were any indication, the Hubble telescope might be more appropriate for those trying to tell the public what's happening with its beloved football team.

To his credit, Mangini opened more practices than the league required. But for the most part, the media were restricted to standing behind a sand pit, aka ''the sand box,'' beside Belichick's old training hill. The spot up against the fence was not close to the nearest sideline and light-years away when drills were conducted two fields over. A second-floor window of a nearby condo would have been a better vantage point.

Reporters might not be confined to the same area during training camp, which opens Aug. 1. Public relations director Neal Gulkis said Friday, ''As far as camp goes, nothing's been set yet.'' Gulkis has seen other teams with severe restrictions, including those coached by Bill Parcells, whose media were once confined to a tent. With his former team, the Miami Dolphins (where Parcells is executive VP of football operations), Gulkis said reporters sit in a cordoned-off area in the bleachers.

Under Romeo Crennel, the former Browns coach and former Belichick defensive coordinator, media were allowed to walk the fields' perimeter during camp to get closer to the drills they wanted to see.

Training camp practices will be fully open (at least to the media) through the second weekend of preseason games,

which for the Browns is Aug. 22. After that they will be open to the press for at least the first 30 minutes, which includes little more than stretching. So if the Browns' quarterback battle between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson continues through the third preseason game Aug. 29, the final few crucial days will be conducted mainly behind closed doors.

Injury reports

The mandatory minicamp illustrated another maddening trait of Mangini's — to reveal as little as possible about injuries, which he thinks is a matter of competitive advantage. Anderson came out with a sleeve on his lower right leg on the afternoon of June 12 and wore a heavier wrap June 13. Asked whether it was a minor injury, Anderson said, ''You'll have to ask coach about that.'' When it was suggested that it wouldn't affect his golf game, Anderson replied, ''Who knows?''

Mangini categorized Anderson's problem as ''bumps and bruises,'' which was not breaking any rule. He doesn't have to get specific until Sept. 9, when his first regular-season injury report comes out.

During his three years as coach of the New York Jets, Mangini frustrated reporters with his vagueness about injuries. A notable incident arose last October, when Dan Leberfeld of Jets Confidential pressed Mangini on whether kicker Mike Nugent had a hamstring injury, listed only as ''leg.'' Mangini wouldn't budge, telling Leberfeld, ''We're 21/2 years into this process. It's something that I believe in and something that we've consistently done, and I don't anticipate changing any time in the near future.''

Greg Aiello, NFL senior vice president of public relations, said a policy has been in place for five years that injury reports have to be specific about body parts.

''It has to be knee, ankle, hand, wrist, shoulder, elbow,'' Aiello said. ''Leg is not permitted.''

Aiello said Mangini ''follows the rules.''

''He may not do more than the minimum,'' Aiello said. ''But we didn't have a problem with the Jets as far as complying with the rules. Some media get frustrated when you won't go beyond what's on the injury report. But we don't require more than that.''

At a meeting with Browns beat writers in February, Mangini said he would continue to list injuries as ''leg.''

Specific plays

Mangini is just as obsessive about reporting on specific plays or formations. One reporter was chastised for writing that Mangini ran a flea flicker during a minicamp practice. When I brought up the subject during a one-on-one session, saying everyone practices flea flickers, Mangini wouldn't budge.

The following week, Anderson ran a penalty lap for a botched trick play that was not his fault. Because it happened on a day when Anderson and Quinn struggled in practice, the only three reporters remaining in the press room discussed how they could get this into the paper without breaking the Mangini code.

Practically seconds later, one reporter's cell phone rang. It was Gulkis, who said he had forgotten to reiterate Mangini's policy of not reporting trick plays after the previous week's transgression. The other two reporters also received calls from Gulkis, as did at least one other media member who was not present at the time.

Coincidence? To quote Anderson, who knows?

My former boss, the late Dayton Daily News sports editor Si Burick, loathed complaining by the media. He once yanked a column by Hal McCoy on how difficult it was to cover the 1981 Super Bowl from the paper in between editions, sending that day's layout editor (me) into a frenzy as he proclaimed, ''Nobody cares about our problems.''

With Mangini, we already know the drill. He's the third coach most of us have covered from the Belichick tree, counting the mighty oak himself. These daily annoyances might not affect the win total, but could play a part in how fans connect with the team.

Whether or not the secrecy bothers you, keep one thing in mind: When you pack the car for training camp, don't forget the binoculars