Who is Mike Pettine???

Shifting gears just a little bit tonight because anyone who really knows me (and I mean REALLY knows me), knows that I LOVE football.  Not only do I love football - but I LOVE the Cleveland Browns.  (Yes, it's true - I bleed Brown & Orange) Today when my darling husband sent me a text at work that said "The Browns have a new head coach.", my first thought was "Who? Munchak?" Imagine my surprise when his response was "Bills DC Mike Pettine."  My first thought after that response was "Great. The Browns hire another nobody."  As a couple hours have passed and I have watched the taped press conference using one of my news apps of the Cleveland news channels, I am hopeful, but still cautious. 

I know my readers probably don't understand just how deep my love for football runs.  Let me just say this - football has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.  

Now that the Browns have hired their 15th head coach, whom I know absolutely nothing about, I have to find out about this guy.  What makes this guy the "right" choice for the Cleveland Browns and is he going to be the one that leads my beloved team to a winning record (I am taking baby steps to the whole playoffs-post-season-Super Bowl idea).  

Here is what I know about Coach Pettine.  He is 47 years old and was born and raised in Pennsylvania (I hope he wasn't raised a Steelers fan!)  His father is some famous high school coach in Pennsylvania, who apparently has a stellar record (326-42-4 in 33 seasons as head coach for Central Bucks High School West in Doylestown, PA). Coach Pettine was most recently the Defensive Coordinator for the Buffalo Bills (who by the way lost to the Browns in 2013 37-24).  His past coaching experience includes a stint as Defensive Coordinator for the New York Jets, Outside Linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens and a High School Head Coach.  He was a Free Safety during his time at the University of Virginia and played Defensive Back and Quarterback in High School where he earned All-State Honors.  

All of this is great - but he has no head coaching experience in the NFL.  Yet another coach added to the troubled Cleveland Browns head coach list.  It makes me wonder....what if he has a losing season in 2014 - will they fire him too?  I sure hope not.  I want to see what this guy can do.  I want the Browns to finally have a franchise coach....could Pettine be the guy.... finally?  

Listening to the press conference I am cautious, but hopeful.  It really does sound like he wants to turn this franchise around and turn us back into winners.  He seems to have some great ideas on what direction the team needs to head in order to be respected in the NFL.  After a long 14 years of heartache and loss, I pray that season 15 of the "New" Browns prove to be better - I just want to see improvement.  

GO BROWNS!