By Mike Holzheimer
“How do I fire thee, let me count the ways.”
Apologies to poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning for the mild satirical reference pertaining to the opening line of her famed Sonnet 43, but that’s what came to mind when the news first broke that the Cleveland Browns had fired its head coach Hue Jackson.
And while the “discord” of dust has settled a bit within the walls of the team’s headquarters in Berea, the burning question is still being asked by media members and fans-what took you so long?
Indeed. There was no validation to be found anywhere that would suggest Jackson should remain in charge on the sidelines because eventually, he will right this sinking ship. But after a 3-36-1 combined record as head coach, Jackson’s ship had about as much of a chance to remain afloat as the Titanic.
Losing all those games, contests he was in charge of, was simply unacceptable. It was also an anchor far too heavy around the necks of General Manager John Dorsey and Jimmy Haslam, the Browns owner, who gave Jackson one of the biggest breaks ever afforded a head coach in the history of professional sports. One would be hard-pressed to find a NFL head coach who was given the kind of “pardon” Jackson got with such a horrific won-loss record.
Haslam’s assurance that the media, league and fans would “see the real Hue Jackson” this year, had as much accuracy as a Shane Gonzalez extra point or field goal attempt.
In fact, Haslam’s overall accuracy in terms of “getting it right” when it comes to hiring the right head coach ranks right up there with the many misses by placekickers in the league this season.
In terms of really missing the mark, though, Jackson stands alone, and despite what Haslam told the media during the press conference announcing the firing, this WAS NOT a very tough decision. Whether or not to fire Jackson was about as difficult a decision as asking a young boy to decide between the latest video game and a pair of corduroy pants for one of his Christmas presents.
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