hteeteep://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4616312

Cleveland Browns general manager George Kokinis was escorted out of the team's facility Monday afternoon, a television station and newspaper reported,

NH has a better record than Kokinis. So you are advocating that he should get more time?

I'll start by saying that I hope that the team will improve sufficiently so as to justify giving management more time.

If there is no "significant improvement"* at the close of this next season, I would advocate that both Huntington and Coonelly be relieved of their duties.

They came here with a .420 team, so 'significant improvement' would be something better than that.
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Three years is sufficient time to see positive results; not 'complete' improvement, but at least a clear indication that the team is, in fact, improving.

Another 5th- or 6th-place finish and a .410-something win percentage, and I would say that dismissals would be in the best interests of the franchise.

greenyBuc,

I agree with almost everything you just posted. The only exception is Huntington. Opie to me is simply not suitable because of his lack of experience. He is learning and he will become a very good GM.

Coonelly IMO is more of a key to success or failure of our Pirates. He is because he would be the best man to put a true value on talent. We need this because Nutting's dollars are far from seemingly limitless.

Bob Nutting will make the difference. If we do not field a winner by 2012, he'd be my least favorite person. For now, take my word for it, he is genuine and he is one of my favorites. He is not a baseball man, however he may have the adroit wit to become one.

I shook his hand at the opening of Miracle Field. He was there for 18 hours that day and he was more concerned about accommodating so many of the participants. He was also PO-ed at the total lack of press coverage, as was myself.

Just an observation that has taken time to creep up on me about Nutting, and this is because we have a mutual acquaintance from his youth who called him a daredevil on the slopes, he likes to take chances.

I do not believe Opie is long for the Pirates.

BEAT 'EM BUCS

That guy was given 9 months to turn around a train wreck. It is also reported that he and M.angina didn't get along. So they went with the coach.

Are you trying to get free tickets? I'm sure he does well by the kids and all that. And thats fine. But when it comes to funding his baseball team he does a very poor job. In fact only one other owner is worse and thats the owner of the Marlins.

Coonelly is here at the behest of the commisioner. And when Selig retires Frank will get that job. THATS why he is here, to learn the workings of a MLB team. Opie is here becase he is a cheap hire.
There were better canidates out the who either weren't asked or made it know that they didn't want the job. So you get stuck with leftovers.

Amd if BOB is willing to take chances, they must be confined to the slopes cause he sure hasn't taken any with his ball club.

keithBuc,

Although I have had more comp tickets than I can remember in years past, I must admit that those are hard to come by since Nutting took over.

I will agree with Opie being a cheap hire. That is another reason I do not see him being here for long. At some point, he may become a good GM, however he cut is teeth here. He would be an asset at player development IMO. The fact that he did play at one time and is still young makes me also believe he has less use to us in a GM role.

Coonelly is interesting to say the least. As much as I have heard the next step for Coonelly is the Commissioner's chair, that might have a lot to do with the success or failure of the Pirates. On one hand, the inexperience of Nutting as an owner could make the Commissioner's suggestion that much more powerful. Then again, the business experience of Nutting would make Coonelly an ideal candidate all by himself with his knowledge of talent and value.

what is say is possible however it is also highly speculative. If the Pirate's fail, his Commissioner's appointment would look bad. If the Pirate's succeed, Nutting will not give him up.

BEAT 'EM BUCS

""NH has a better record than Kokinis. So you are advocating that he should get more time?""

The more time the Pirates give Huntington, the greater the chance that he finishes with a worse record than Kokinis.

Mong

Not really. Have you looked at his Winning Percentage?

Have you taken a look at Huntington's, over the last 2 months of the 2009 season, Gip?

Mong

Yes, I have.

Then, Gip, you know that the Pirates stumbled home 18-41, over the last 2 months of the 2009 season.

And while 18-41 might be better than 1-7, it's not very much better. 18-41 is certainly not something I'd emphasize, as a point of pride.

"And while 18-41 might be better than 1-7, it's not very much better."

Actually, a 1-7 pace over a 59 game stretch is 7-52 pace. So 18-41 is an 11 game improvement.

The idea of comparing a GM in the NFL to a GM in baseball is ridiculous. The only way you can lose in football is poor management. You can have good management in baseball and lose, simply because the playing field is no where near level. I'm not saying that's the case in Pittsburgh. However, the Pirates aren't expected to win right now, mostly because they're blowing up the major league roster to build through the farm system, which is the best way small market teams can compete in baseball.

""Actually, a 1-7 pace over a 59 game stretch is 7-52 pace. So 18-41 is an 11 game improvement.""

LAMC!!

Only you, Scorp, could see the positive in 18-41. The Pirates really would have to go 7-52, before you'd acknowledge that they're a bad team.

They escorted him out like a criminal. Im not a Browns fan by any stretch,but they have no clue to whats wrong. Lerner,an absentee owner,should escort himself out. This Gm was stuck with the previous GMs lack of recognizing talent. He could not draft 53 players in the draft to change that. The Browns are ions away from being competitive. I would not want to work for that organization because they have zero patience to their losing situation .

Well, the point of my message was what followed my sarcastic comment about comparing the records.

"If there is no "significant improvement"* "

Well there is already, but for someone that does not believe there is more to a baseball organization than the current 25 man roster that would be difficult to understand. Baseball people outside of Pittsburgh think they are doing things the right way.

"That guy was given 9 months to turn around a train wreck."

Wow, that sounds like plenty of time now that you said that!

"It is also reported that he and M.angina didn't get along. So they went with the coach."

Which tells me that there is a bigger problem than the GM. The players hate that coach. Good luck to them.

I highly doubt that. Only a complete fool would think that is possible...well, I guess I answered that one!