So as the Bengals and Marvin Lewis came to agreement yesterday afternoon, I couldn't help but think of how important this was to be able to even have a mere of confidence going into this off season with 13 starters being free agents, and the 2011 football season. The press conference was short and to the point, Marvin and Mike Brown was like tag team champ fighting together and backing each other against every question that was raised to them, which is a good sign. Another good sign for Bengals fans, is that Mike Brown seems to be committed to winning, Brown expressed confidence the Bengals would play so well in 2011 that he’d extend Lewis for even more years. Nobody, not even me expected Marvin to return to Cincinnati after 2010, they wasn't even sure if you ask me, it took three meetings Tuesday to come to a decision. I think it safe to say this was a shocker to most, so why???? Mike brown said " I think it give us the best shot to be the team we want to be." Marvin Lewis seem to be happy with the agreements the two had made. "I'm excited to have the ability to take this team where I want it." he also said that he felt it was rather important for this not to drag out, "I didn't want this dark cloud hanging over our players, and that's what people was trying to do, saying I was coming to my last weeks of my career here." As for Marvin control over Player and coaching personnel, let him tell it he was fine with the amount of control he had in personnel and coaching decisions stating "I never said I wanted or needed more control, I don't know where that came from, I never once got up here and said those words are anything close to it. Mike has the last say, there is no middle man I go through, and most the time he agrees with me, when we disagree I tell him why I feel the way I do and we go from there." Mike Brown Supported Marvin following " Marvin has a stronger voice on personnel than any other coach in the NFL. People don't know because they don't see us interact." Mike Brown also made it clear that the perception we, the fan had on him as a controlling maniac was wrong, " I'm not running like a dictatorship here, there are very little differences between us, it's not like Marvin a puppet and I'm dictating everything, it's not like that." As for personnel and coaching changes that can possibly be made, Marvin and Mike Brown was real careful and against answering any question about changes being made, so much that they got frustrated at Dave Lapham who was determined to get something out of them. Every other question he ask was about personnel changes. "Dave, you really need to let that go, your not going to get anything here." said Marvin. Mike Brown followed up saying, " You keep asking, and you keep getting the same answer, we're not here for that. The first order of business was getting things settled with Marvin, we did that now we'll get to the rest of the Staff, and then go down the list." They did talk about other things in the press conference, like the team that they currently had, and the guys they knew was coming back. Also about scouting department, which Mike Brown said was fine, giving the statistic that the Bengals was in the top 10 of players playing with the team which they we're drafted by. When Mike Brown was asked about the spike in ticket sales, and all the season ticket holders and luxury box holder he would lose, and how would he handle that he stated "You go out on the field and win games, that's how you fill the seats. Win and the people will come." When asked about a practice facility, which everybody know Marvin has been asking about, Brown said " It's not that I don't have a desire for a practice facility, there just more important things on the agenda right now, but it's coming." They didn't give a lot to reporters, and writers about personnel, it seem that's what everybody wanted to know about, not the contract extension on Marvin Lewis. Lewis did say " We have a nucleus of the right guys, we need to build around it, and we will. We're going to go to work getting to know some the new prospect, since we're not coaching in the playoffs." I personally took a lot of good out of this Press conference, In my opinion this was a huge step in the right direction, I have only one wish from the Bengals, that is that they get rid of Bob Bratkowski, not sure how likely that is with him being a Mike Brown guy. With all the possible free agents the Bengals has, 13 being starter, if they support Marvin the way they said they did Sunday and Monday, then bringing him back, will make it a little easier to get some these guys back, which is a good thing, given the fact that it practically impossible to get free agents here. The next few months leading up to draft is going to be interesting, I agree with Marvin when he said " I can't wait to get through the playoff and Crown a Champion so we can all go back to 0-0, and get this off season underway." To all the fans I must end with this, we didn't get much information on Personnel but I did get that CARSON PALMER WILL BE THE QB OF THE CINCINNATI BENGALS IN 2011.
John G. Dunn II
jgdunn.blogspot.com
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