Mangini Stabs Another “Friend” in the Back

BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini is not offering any details about the team’s unexplained dismissal of his friend, general manager George Kokinis. Mangini says the team’s decision to move ahead without Kokinis, who was on the job for less than a year, was “difficult, both professionally and personally.” Mangini wished Kokinis and his family well and said things didn’t work out for several reasons, though he declined to be specific. Mangini deflected several questions about Kokinis’ stunning departure on Monday. The team has not said if he was fired or resigned. Kokinis was hired in January, two weeks after Mangini became Cleveland’s coach. He previously worked with the coach under Bill Belichick in Cleveland in the 1990s…Kokinis refused to resign when pressed by owner Randy Lerner, who then persisted in seeking a dismissal “for cause,” citing Kokinis for failing to meet the specific standards as dictated by his contract, the sources said. The team’s security and legal department were reviewing phone records to build its case against Kokinis, a team source said.

Wow, that’s really gracious and magnanimous of Eric Mangini to wish George Kokinis and his family well.  Of course we’re left to wonder how they’re going to do “well” with no income since Mangina is doing everything he can to make sure the Kokinis family has  no income to live off of.  I’m sure Kokinis, his wife and kids appreciate the kind words from a guy who had his “friend” escorted from the building by security and is digging through his phone records looking for dirt to ruin his career with.  If Benedict Arnold was this good a friend to George Washington, he would’ve sold him out to the British, bukkake’d Martha and burned Mt. Vernon to the ground.  So I guess it was Kokinis who waffled about who the No. 1 QB was.  Kokinis who fined his players $1700 bucks for taking bottles of water.  Who drew up those abysmal game plans.  I’m sure all this is coming as a bit of a shock to the decent, God-fearin’ football fans of Ohio, but we here in New England can give them a big “I told you so.”  This is exactly the kind of duplicitous, underhanded treachery Mangini pulled on his “friends” on the Patriots, including the one he owes his career to.  If Belichick made a big mistake in his career, it was taking this fat, sniveling little traitor under his wing and trusting him.  So now Mangini is getting what he deserves.  He’s the captain of a sinking ship in Cleveland, no one in the game is dumb enough to trust him and no one is naive enough to befriend him.  Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.