R.I.P. Foge Fazio

By Don Delco
NoLogoNeeded.com Staff Writer

On Wednesday, Serafino "Foge" Fazio died at 71 after complications with leukemia. A Pittsburgh native, Fazio coached college football from 1966-87, which included a four-year stint as the Unviersity of Pittsburgh head coach from 1982-85.

He jumped to the NFL in 1988 and had two notable positions as an assistant. He was a defensive coordiantor in 1998 for the 15-1 Minnesota Vikings and was the Browns defensive coordinator from 2001-02.

The 2002 Browns made the playoffs after going 9-7. It was the franchise's best defnese since 1999. Remember, the Browns needed two victories in their final two games for a chance at a playoff berth. Cleveland beat Baltimore 14-13 and then had the goalline stand against the Michael Vick-led Falcons to win 24-16.

But his legacy in Cleveland will forever be cemented in the Wild Card playoff game against Pittsburgh.

The Orange and Brown Report's Steve King summed up the second-half sideline battle Fazio had with head coach Butch Davis with the Browns leading by 17 points.

"The Browns were trying everything and anything to stop Pittsburgh without success, an irate Davis grabbed the headset from Fazio and began calling the defensive signals himself. A quiet man who had an easy way about him, Fazio turned to a couple of Browns players standing nearby and said, “Well, guys, I guess I’m done.”

He was right. Davis fired him after the game."

Akron Beacon-Journal's Patrick McManamon also remembered Fazio as a kind man who was respected by all. Unforutnately, that playoff loss cost Fazio his job in northeast Ohio. Davis' decision to fire the beloved coached was the beginning of his end, according to McManamon.

"Players bristled at that move, saying that Fazio did not call the defenses in the second half. Fazio wanted to pressure Maddox, and he did just that in the first half.

But Davis did not think the pressures applied in the first half worked, and once the Browns got the lead, Davis wanted to play prevent. As Pittsburgh whittled the lead away, players came to the sidelines and screamed to get out of the defense they were playing.

Davis did not. He continued to play prevent."

Despite a 10-win seasons five years later, the Browns have not returned to the playoffs. On Sunday, the one-win Browns play host to the San Diego Chargers.