Mike Holmgren not only gave his state of the Browns, but also had a distinct message for the media yesterday.  Maybe he was trying to tell them that this time things are going to be different with regard to controversy and conspiracy.

There were actual conspiracies to be had when Eric Mangini and George Kokinis were here.  There were actual conspiracies going on when Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel were here.  There were scandals too.  There was a power struggle behind closed doors in Berea when Butch Davis was here.  For once, though, this is a group of guys are all going in the same direction.  They might be failing miserably, and it is up to the media to report that kind of stuff based on what happens on Sundays.  Maybe for once though, that is what we can focus on rather than all the other conspiracy stuff.

I know it feels like all Mike Holmgren all the time here lately, but I got cut off before I could hear Holmgren’s final statement, which was kind of a pep talk to the media.  I thought it was good, not because you can derive any intelligence from a pep talk, but because it does a good job of trying to throw a wet blanket on the unnecessary pyromania that has seemed to persist since the bye week.  I am really tired of any topic that isn’t related to actual football.  Hopefully this helps change the culture surrounding the Browns and their relationship with the media.  I’d prefer to talk about why it was dumb to not hire an offensive coordinator than talking about conspiracies relating to Peyton Hillis any day.

It seems to me that Mike Holmgren just raised the bar and threw the ball in their court, to overuse a couple of clichés.  Here is the statement I am talking about that ended yesterday’s presser.

Let me conclude with this and then you’ve got more important things to do. This is not rocket science. They’re not giant conspiracy theories. Those of you that have been at this a long time, it’s kind of cut and dry. You need good players who are coached well, you need a little luck with injuries and you can get this thing done. That’s where we’re headed. I believe that with all my heart. That’s where we’re headed and I’m not talking about me, I’m talking about the team. We have a good coach, we have a good coaching staff, we are getting better players, we’ve got young people that I think will be here a while. There’s a good feeling in the locker room. The business side of it is going okay. I think the owner’s feeling pretty good, which helps me.

What I would ask is that is to kind of spread the word a little. I think distractions are created and some of them are unnecessary. They just are. It’s not helping anything and I understand everyone has a job to do. I get all that. Some of it, the distraction causes us to be less than our best at times because you are dealing with young people, immature at times, and they kind of don’t understand the big picture. People can write that I’m leaving town Monday. It doesn’t bother me all that much. We joked about it today because I kind of get it. If you write that about our starting quarterback, ‘What do you mean I didn’t tell anybody that.’ They don’t get it. I know you want us to do well, I know everybody wants the team to come back to their former glory. You can help with the formula, I guess that’s what I’m saying. I appreciate it. Thanks for your time today.

No doubt that Holmgren is a master manipulator.  Do you think what he is saying is fair?