Marvin Lewis Signs On Again For The Cincinnati Bengals

After much debate, heated argument and twittering this way and that about the fate of Marvin Lewis and the Cincinnati Bengals, Lewis has signed an unspecified contract extension as head coach despite that he didn’t get all he originally stipulated for the team as a condition of his contract with owner Mike Brown.  Brown has alleged hinted that Lewis is here to stay for at least two years, but nothing official has been signed.

Emotions ran high on twitter yesterday as fans waited anxiously for Lewis’ decision.  Few were in favor of Brown; in fact, some were wishing Lewis would go where he was appreciated, and many were cautioning him to watch his back and protect himself if he agreed to stay.  Well, he did agree to stay, which makes him the longest-tenured coach in club history to date.

Lewis wanted to stay when his contract was up, but only if Brown would agree to changes in the operation of the team.  For one he wanted covered practice facilities.  The Bengals are the only northern team without cover under construction or at least planned.

 It seems that team owners are much like film producers – the people with the money usually don’t really understand what is needed to create the best product, and they usually get their way.  Then of course managers, coaches, players, directors, actors get blamed when the results aren’t stellar!

Well, it is what it is.  The Bengals will still be practicing in the cold but Brown has agreed to changes in the roster and coaching staff.  The kind of changes that won’t require him spending money, of course.  Brown isn’t saying much beyond that the team is close to reaching its full potential, that continuity is vital at this point, and that his relationship with Lewis is good, that they work well together.  He has insisted that he is not a dictator and Lewis is not a puppet, he has real control.  Brown has also admitted that the relationship isn’t an easy one.  Take your pick where the truth lies.

It is certainly not easy for Lewis, who has said, however, that he is staying on because he started a job and it isn’t finished yet.  Perhaps he can make magic despite not getting what he feels the team needs.  In 20 years the Bengals have only had two winning records, and both of them have been under him.  In 2005 they had their first winning season and won their first divisional title in fifteen years.  Lewis was awarded Associated Press’s coach of the year in 2009.  He is the first Bengals coach to win that award since Paul Brown, the team founded, won it in 1970.

However, there is only so much a coach and players can do.  Those teams that are the most successful are usually the ones whose owners recognize the importance of essential needs being met.  It remains to be seen whether Lewis and the Bengals can create the magic Mike Brown seems to be hoping for without him having to play his part as well.