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Do IT this week: Layering
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
POSTED: 07:46 p.m. EST, Jan 21, 2009
The Browns continue to leave a person scratching his head.
Puzzling, embarrassing . . . one of those words apply.
The Browns, who will pay some $20 million to their former coach and general manager, laid off 12 people Wednesday and three Tuesday.
Some have young kids, some have kids in college, some had been with the team since 1999.
All simply did their work behind the scenes in tireless ways, and all shared a passion for working for the Browns. These are not players with big signing bonuses. These are the average folks who worked the long hours because they believed in the Browns.
They found out their future for the first time this week.
Drive to work. Start to work. Take 10 minutes to clean out your desk. Sign up for a little severance and go home without work. That was the Browns' way.
In an internal e-mail, the Browns blamed the moves on the U.S. economy. And times are tough.
But this same economy gives every NFL team $70-some million in annual TV revenue and has league-wide TV deals worth billions.
How many $50,000 salaries does it take to eat up those millions?
Then there's the former assistant coaches who worked for Romeo Crennel. They think they are being kept in limbo by new coach Eric Mangini and team president Mike Keenan.
When Crennel was fired, he asked owner Randy Lerner to release his coaches so they could look for work.
This is typical, and it's the way many teams act when they have coaching changes.
A year ago, Bill Parcells called all the Miami Dolphins assistant coaches into his office the day after the season and told them they were being let go.
Of the Browns assistants, team spokesman Bill Bonsiewicz said in an e-mail: ''At the time of Romeo's dismissal, all assistant coaches remained under contract but were given permission to seek other opportunities.''
That was true until Mangini was hired as coach two weeks ago.
At that point, Mangini and Keenan started to treat assistants on a case-by-case basis. Some coaches were allowed to interview; others were denied permission.
Rob Chudzinski remains under contract with the Browns, for instance, even though Mangini has hired a new offensive coordinator.
Line coach Steve Marshall has a college job offer but can't take it because the Browns won't release him.
Strength coach Tom Myslinski has been offered two interviews, but the Browns won't allow it. Mangini is trying to hire the strength coach of the New York Jets. If he can, he'll release Myslinski, but by that point, the jobs he could pursue might well be gone.
Rip Scherer is listed as the team's assistant head coach on its Web site, but so is new hire Brad Seely. Two assistant head coaches?
Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker was interviewed to be the Browns' head coach but was not given permission to interview for an assistant's job elsewhere. This was denied even though Mangini had Rob Ryan in the office working as defensive coordinator.
Talk about helping minorities advance.
Tucker had to ask his agent to write to the league office about the situation. A few hours after the league was contacted, the Browns told Tucker that he could interview.
Why are the Browns doing this?
Uncertainty about their staff, for one. Mangini's staff with the Jets is under contract through the end of the 2009 season, and he wasn't sure he would be able to bring them all to the Browns.
But some believe that the economy enters the picture, as well. League rules state that if a coach is fired by one team and hired by another at a lower salary, his first team must make up the difference.
If a coach resigns, he forfeits his remaining salary.
Technically, a team can force a coach to stay because he's under contract. But the code states not to stand in a guy's way, especially if his replacement has already been hired.
End result: The Browns are playing marionette with people and their families.
''You don't play with people's lives that way,'' an assistant from another team said. ''These guys busted their behind for four years in Cleveland.''
Mangini, meanwhile, has been doing some football stuff, hiring a staff, watching tape, that kind of thing.
But he also has asked for the interior of the building to be painted. Seems he didn't like the way things looked.
And he asked that a mural of the Browns' hall of famers near the players entrance be painted over.
Too bad he didn't wait.
The Browns could have hired one of their former employees on a contract basis to do the work.
Embarrassing.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/
The Browns continue to leave a person scratching his head.
Puzzling, embarrassing . . . one of those words apply.
The Browns, who will pay some $20 million to their former coach and general manager, laid off 12 people Wednesday and three Tuesday.
Some have young kids, some have kids in college, some had been with the team since 1999.
All simply did their work behind the scenes in tireless ways, and all shared a passion for working for the Browns. These are not players with big signing bonuses. These are the average folks who worked the long hours because they believed in the Browns.
They found out their future for the first time this week.
Drive to work. Start to work. Take 10 minutes to clean out your desk. Sign up for a little severance and go home without work. That was the Browns' way.
In an internal e-mail, the Browns blamed the moves on the U.S. economy. And times are tough.
But this same economy gives every NFL team $70-some million in annual TV revenue and has league-wide TV deals worth billions.
How many $50,000 salaries does it take to eat up those millions?
Then there's the former assistant coaches who worked for Romeo Crennel. They think they are being kept in limbo by new coach Eric Mangini and team president Mike Keenan.
When Crennel was fired, he asked owner Randy Lerner to release his coaches so they could look for work.
This is typical, and it's the way many teams act when they have coaching changes.
A year ago, Bill Parcells called all the Miami Dolphins assistant coaches into his office the day after the season and told them they were being let go.
Of the Browns assistants, team spokesman Bill Bonsiewicz said in an e-mail: ''At the time of Romeo's dismissal, all assistant coaches remained under contract but were given permission to seek other opportunities.''
That was true until Mangini was hired as coach two weeks ago.
At that point, Mangini and Keenan started to treat assistants on a case-by-case basis. Some coaches were allowed to interview; others were denied permission.
Rob Chudzinski remains under contract with the Browns, for instance, even though Mangini has hired a new offensive coordinator.
Line coach Steve Marshall has a college job offer but can't take it because the Browns won't release him.
Strength coach Tom Myslinski has been offered two interviews, but the Browns won't allow it. Mangini is trying to hire the strength coach of the New York Jets. If he can, he'll release Myslinski, but by that point, the jobs he could pursue might well be gone.
Rip Scherer is listed as the team's assistant head coach on its Web site, but so is new hire Brad Seely. Two assistant head coaches?
Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker was interviewed to be the Browns' head coach but was not given permission to interview for an assistant's job elsewhere. This was denied even though Mangini had Rob Ryan in the office working as defensive coordinator.
Talk about helping minorities advance.
Tucker had to ask his agent to write to the league office about the situation. A few hours after the league was contacted, the Browns told Tucker that he could interview.
Why are the Browns doing this?
Uncertainty about their staff, for one. Mangini's staff with the Jets is under contract through the end of the 2009 season, and he wasn't sure he would be able to bring them all to the Browns.
But some believe that the economy enters the picture, as well. League rules state that if a coach is fired by one team and hired by another at a lower salary, his first team must make up the difference.
If a coach resigns, he forfeits his remaining salary.
Technically, a team can force a coach to stay because he's under contract. But the code states not to stand in a guy's way, especially if his replacement has already been hired.
End result: The Browns are playing marionette with people and their families.
''You don't play with people's lives that way,'' an assistant from another team said. ''These guys busted their behind for four years in Cleveland.''
Mangini, meanwhile, has been doing some football stuff, hiring a staff, watching tape, that kind of thing.
But he also has asked for the interior of the building to be painted. Seems he didn't like the way things looked.
And he asked that a mural of the Browns' hall of famers near the players entrance be painted over.
Too bad he didn't wait.
The Browns could have hired one of their former employees on a contract basis to do the work.
Embarrassing.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/
Comments
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Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 08:43 PM, 01/21/2009
And in one fell swoop, I today lost every ounce of respect for Randy Lerner and the so-called "management" of this disgrace of a team.
Billions, not millions, are being raked in...and the team has the gall, the nerve, to blame "the economy?" Did I miss something, or are NFL profits and outlandish salaries higher than ever? And the little guys, guys who work harder than many players and...er, "executive advisors" like Jim Brown...take the fall?
There's a reason the Browns are the laughingstock of the league, have been and always will be under this sorry "ownership." Go hide your face from the media, Randy, because today's firings make me too sick to even look your way.
clinton, oh
Posted 09:18 PM, 01/21/2009
Patrick McManamon - It is obvious you have an axe to grind with the Browns. Most everything I read from you bleeds negativity toward the Browns.
I am not pleased with the results of this last season either but at least the Browns are not sitting around and trying to get by with an inadequate management team that obviously did not know how to handle the success of a 10-6 season from 2007.
The held-over staff can look for new jobs as you stated and if they can prove their worth, they should be able to readily land a job with all the coaching changes in the NFL.
Why don't you move to Pittsburg if you do not want to support the Browns, I have read about you bragging them up? I am tired of reading your negativity about our home team. No the Browns aren't perfect! If you know so much about running a football team, go apply for a job with Mr. Lerner and quit whining in my newspaper!
San Antonio, TX
Posted 09:37 PM, 01/21/2009
Kind of makes you long for the days when Modell ran a classy operation.
Kent, OH
Posted 09:55 PM, 01/21/2009
I have an idea. Get a cross-section of Browns fans/season ticket holders to be the next GMs and head coach when Mangini and the GM to be fail. Let them run the team by committee for 3 years, then see who was more successful, the coaches and GMs, or the fans.
fostoria, oh
Posted 10:28 PM, 01/21/2009
how did you ever get a job writing about the browns? everything i have ever read that you wrote is nothing but negative about the browns. at this time in browns history we need fans not critics. go to pittsburgh and get a job thier if you love them so much.you just lost my membership to the paper and if anyone else has half a mind they would drop thiers to.mangini might not be the first chioce for a coach but he is the best available this year so get over it and lets move on and support the browns not critize them.
San Diego, CA
Posted 12:48 AM, 01/22/2009
The more I read about the Browns and it's organization, the more I wonder if the Browns didn't have one of their own "billygoats" that they wouldn't let into the stadium at some time. I'm beginning to think that Mangini might be a jerk and that Lerner might be clueless. Makes you wonder if the Browns will ever be a big winner doesn't it?
Wilmington, NC
Posted 04:45 AM, 01/22/2009
Why does everything have to be so dramatic? Could it be that these people were released because...they weren't all that good at their jobs?
Look through the browns website over the past three years and you'll see that 80% of the pieces are written by Zac Jackson. So tell me what is the point of having a staff writer in Steve King that doesn't write?
As for not releasing coaches immediately -- the Browns are covering themselves, yes exactly. That is what good management does. Would you rather they fire everyone immediately and then be short handed once the preseason picks up and everyone else floating around the league has landed? And I don't know where you get your information, but few, if any, of those released make $50K. Add 50% to that and you might be close. So excuse me while I weep with you into my discount beer. I don't know how they'll pull through rattling around their Chagrin Falls estate all day long.
Give me a break with all this "working class, blue collar man" stuff. Get a job in a machine shop or make a living picking stuff up and then we'll talk.
Naples, FL
Posted 06:27 AM, 01/22/2009
I'll withhold judgement until I hear all this negative stuff from multiple sources. This sounds much like Paul Hoynes overreaction to the Indians firing of Luis Isaacs. Pat seems to have become extremely negative of late so I'm taking this with a grain of salt. He may be correct but I'm not going to condemn the Browns on Pat's opinion alone.
akron, oh
Posted 07:22 AM, 01/22/2009
this franchise went from one of the corner stones of football to the biggest embarrassment in football bring back art modell
Posted 07:35 AM, 01/22/2009
Mangini-meany? Good... Painting over murals of Browns heroes? Good. I hope something is said to the players on earning the right to be in such excellent company... Personally scrutinzing the performance of each member of the coaching staff before releasing them or deciding to keep them on? Good. Are you going to be mad when he does the same thing to the players? ...And lastly, If you're going to strike out in anger against lay-offs I think there are more significant places to start. 12 people? Didn't Intel just lay off 5000?
You've got this one all wrong Pat.
Akron, Oh
Posted 07:42 AM, 01/22/2009
The only thing missing is the 3 rings, other than that the Circus is in town.
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 07:48 AM, 01/22/2009
This is exactly why the Browns will never win a super bowl championship. The organization doesn't have a clue how to run a NFL franchise. Lerner doesn't get it.
Thank God I belong to the Akron Pittsburgh Steelers fan club and can't wait for their super bowl appearance in less then two weeks. GO STEELERS !!!
Posted 08:23 AM, 01/22/2009
Yes OMG you are waiting for their APPEARANCE, because they will NOT win the super bowl!!!
As for ol' Patrick. You sir are a waste of space at the ABJ. Your articles are a complete waste of time to read. You are starting to sound more and more like Rhoda on WKNR. You two both spew so much negativity about Cleveland and both secretly love the Steelers. MOVE TO PITTSBURGH and please take OMG with you. Maybe, if we could be so lucky, the moving van carrying all three of you will be run off the road into the Ohio River on your way to Pittsburgh!!!
Port Saint Lucie, Fl
Posted 08:33 AM, 01/22/2009
Lerner should have hired a GM and then stayed out of it,he keeps mucking things up.
Posted 08:56 AM, 01/22/2009
The Browns are a joke. And a 10-6 season isn't much of a success if you don't even go to the playoffs.
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 09:02 AM, 01/22/2009
I didn't see a direct line that the lay-offs were coaches...
I think it was the average guy's - janitors, secretaries, building maintenance, etc.
If that's the case and they blamed the economy then I can't see giving another dime to this organization.
As for coaches they know the teritory when they sign on, nothings sure other than the contract they sign... and will be paid.
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 09:21 AM, 01/22/2009
All i can do is laugh!! Hhahahahahahhahahahahahahaha!!!! Cleveland sux!!!
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 09:39 AM, 01/22/2009
hannaman - the only thing worse then not going to the playoffs like the Browns didn't last season with their 10-6 record, is to not go to the playoffs like the 11-5 Patriots didn't this season. I smile everytime I think about how mad Coach Bill B must have been at seasons end.
Richfield, OH
Posted 09:43 AM, 01/22/2009
Did Pat write a similar article when the ABJ laid off workers? And of course, he played the race card. Tucker got special intervention from the league that was not provided to the other coaches.
Richfield, OH
Posted 09:46 AM, 01/22/2009
Grump is right - Pittsburgh has a superior organization. Just look at their process to hire a new coach. All three main candidates are coaching in the Super Bowl this year.
barberton, oh
Posted 10:40 AM, 01/22/2009
What's there to say ? Lerner needs yo sell the Franchise while it's still worth something. He's the Worst Owner in the NFL, hands down. He can't do what his Dad would have done, make a corrrect decision !! Unload the Team Randy, U R the worst...
Loveland, OH
Posted 10:54 AM, 01/22/2009
Disgraceful! The Browns org. is bringing in millions and doling out millions to people no longer working for them because of Poor Learners crappy hiring practices and they fire these people whos salarys don't add up to half a million. Poor Learner better rectify this quick. Until now, I thought the Browns ran a classy org. And to blame the economy; that adding insult of intelligence to injury. Sad and embarrassing new low point.
Loveland, OH
Posted 11:01 AM, 01/22/2009
I'm going to have to agree with lowrider54 and the other who are calling for this. If Poor Learner doesn't sell, he should at least turn the club over to someone who knows how to successfully run a business. How about local businessman and fan favorite Bernie? He would certainly bring some credibility back.
Posted 11:20 AM, 01/22/2009
i can't believe people are so brainwashed as to defend the browns in this situation. nfl attendance is near it's all time high set last year. revenue from ads and merch is extremely high. the browns sell out EVERY game. god knows why. it seems people in cleveland enjoy getting kicked in the nads by anyone wearing brown and orange.
Canal Fulton, OH
Posted 11:34 AM, 01/22/2009
It amazes me that so many Cleveland fans still stick up for this organization in any fashion. Chrisshrider, I don't suspect you know anyone that works for the Browns (I happen to) and for you to make the satirical statement about what they make and where they live in slumber is really not accurate. These are hard working people that get axed while the owner throws millions away for coaches and a GM that got contract extensions 1-2 years before being fired. I find it comical that people in this town pay money for a PSL only to get the priviledge to pay for season tickets to over-priced entertainment. The Arizona Cardinals have now been to a Superbowl for crying out loud and Cleveland still has not. Let's be honest, we will all still watch the Browns because that's what we do on Sunday's in the fall/winter. Bet you can bet they won't see either a financial investment or an emotional investment out of this fan. If it weren't for the Lions and the Raiders, we would be the laughing stock of the entire league!!!
Posted 11:34 AM, 01/22/2009
Something positive has to happen for you to write a positive article.
Posted 12:38 PM, 01/22/2009
mcmanamon must go. People are being layed off all over the country in exactly the same manner. There is no notice, they call you in an office and tell you they are letting you go.
Mcmanamon definietly writes mostly negative articles about the Browns. My response will be to not ever read another article of his and let the ABJ know that I am doing so. Peraps if enough people follow they will give us a real sports writer.
Posted 12:40 PM, 01/22/2009
PS - all of the naysayers can go jump off a bridge also.... If you do not like the Browns or are upset with the owner, stop reading/posting about them. dont buy tickets, and dont watch them on tv. We dont want you as fans ever again - even if they do turn things around. Go read a Pittsburgh paper you front-running traitors
Posted 01:02 PM, 01/22/2009
So if we have something remotely negative to say about the Browns we're supposed to commit suicide? Odd.
Richfield, OH
Posted 01:39 PM, 01/22/2009
If I were Lerner, I would make Romeo be a door man. The guy is still going to make a ton of money - may as well get some work from him.
Posted 01:45 PM, 01/22/2009
The Steelers are a model franchise. The clowns would be wise to emulate them. How can Pat write positive things about the clowns, when there's nothing positive to report?? Pat's a good writer.
Posted 01:50 PM, 01/22/2009
People, don't rely on this loser Pat for your information. As others said he obviously has an axe to grind with the Browns. He hasn't written an article in months that isn't totally negative.
For all of you complaining about the firings, and how the Browns are paying so much for the contracts of Crennel and Savage, what do you propose? Should those two have been retained and allowed to continue to run the Browns even though they have proven that they cannot succeed?
Once again, the cold temps, extended lack of a championship and general bitterness of NE Ohio people have sucked you all in. So yep, hate the Browns and their organization. Because you know, Pat McMoron tells us that they are evil firing all of these hard working people.
Nevermind the thousands losing their jobs at GM, Ford, Microsoft, Intel and many other companies. I'm sure you all have sworn off buying any of those products for the rest of your lives.
Akron, OH
Posted 01:55 PM, 01/22/2009
Reality check: These aren't the real Browns. They're now called the Ravens. And they lost.
Lerner should bring over the Aston Villa offense. At least they manage to get the ball across the goal line.
The Pottsville Curse will catch up to the Cardinals on Super Sunday. Save your breath, wait and see.
Kent, Oh
Posted 02:02 PM, 01/22/2009
I thought you said that team spokesman Bill Bonsiewicz gave the assistants permission to seek other jobs after Romeo's dismissal. Sure they don't make players salaries, which are way more than they deserve anyway, but it's really hard to feel bad for the assistant coaches that can still find other jobs that make millions of dollars. Cry me a river. Who cares? A lot of people are hurting right now. If the assistant coaches along with RAC did a decent job, (they didn't) they would still be with the Browns. go Cavs and go Indians!
Barberton, OH
Posted 02:04 PM, 01/22/2009
None of this is surprising. Lerner knows about as much about football as Zsa Zsa Gabor, and his hiring practices prove this.
Posted 02:14 PM, 01/22/2009
hey steve, newsflash for you: the nfl isn't hurting and neither are the browns. so your comparison to other companies that are losing money (as opposed to the browns who are swimming in cash) is waaaaaaaaaaaaay off.
Posted 02:59 PM, 01/22/2009
Ok, what exactly are they supposed to report that is positive for the Browns?
Barberton, OH
Posted 03:22 PM, 01/22/2009
They can't report on anything positive with the Browns, there isn't anything remotely positive about the franchise's situation right now, and the future, given our current hiring fiasco, looks just as bleak as the past four years.
I'm telling all of you Browns fans, get into fantasy football now, it'll make the NFL season a lot more enjoyable.
Posted 04:18 PM, 01/22/2009
i dont live in barberton any more and ive been gone for over 20 years but always a browns fan and i think i can say this from the outside looking in since i havent been there in quite some time. the browns are the laughing stock of the league and i dont get any enjoyment from saying this. i love the browns even though i only watched 1 game this season. maybe mangini will bring some competition to the stadium this year. the reason i stopped watching them is because the old coach brought no fire to the games on the sideline and no discipline on that team whatsoever and got tirred of the old coach patting these guys on the back after a stupid penalty or a missed assignment and making excuses for them. if mangini starts anderson i wont be watching again next year. start quinn and let him take his lumps but anderson has already proven he cant handle the position. oh and the predictable prevent defense they played last year made me sick. but im not giving up on the team just yet. i want to see the browns succeed as do most fans but we are tired of being pittsburg and baltimores door matt. jmho
Lexington, KY
Posted 05:03 PM, 01/22/2009
I have to agree that when I first heard about the Browns layoffs I was disgusted...particularly in light of how much “dead” salary this organization has agreed to pay – even recently.
That said, as a numbers guy I took a look at a few things and it seems likely that the Lerner’s financial picture has taken a SIGNIFICANT turn for the worse lately, quite possibly much more than anyone thinks. According to USA Today, the Lerner's owned 86 million shares of MBNA when it was acquired by Bank of America in 2006 – then worth just under $3.9 billion. As of today, BofA stock is worth about 15% of what it was when the Lerner's sold. If they kept all of that stock in BofA, their tidy fortune is today worth about $600 million, not $3.9 billion. Much of that decline has happened in the very recent few months. For example, at the start of the 2008 season, that holding would have been worth about $2.8 billion, so in other words, while the Browns were getting set to lose 11 football games, the Bank of America might have started losing over $2billion of the Lerner’s fortune.
While the real story isn't likely this drastic (there’s no way they held all of that wealth in BofA stock), it does seem likely that the Lerner family have suddenly become more like the Dolan family - where the source of their underlying wealth collapses in the market, and they can't fund day to day operations like most pro team owners do. By any reasonable standard, the Lerner's are very likely still fabulously wealthy...but the idea that they can throw money around for say Bill Parcells, etc. might suddenly be a pipe dream. Hey, the Cavs are having a pretty good season…
Canal Fulton, OH
Posted 05:07 PM, 01/22/2009
Steve... you can't be serious. Pat hasn't written anything positive in months because the team went 4-12. What exactly should he write positive? Should he talk about how great the tailgating was despite the pathetic team? Should he write how enthusiastic the fans' boos were? He's calling it as he sees it which the way I see it is pretty bad. Not much else to say.
As for your question about what should Lerner have done with the contracts... Nothing now but perhaps not giving a contract extension to someone you clearly don't have confidence in to do the job since they were fired within a year. I don't think just because as fans we are voicing our displeasure over years and years of losing that it means we should move to Pittsburgh. But I'll be honest with you, if my choice is to watch losing football for the next 5-10 years or not have a team at all, the later is getting more and more tempting. At least we'd get games broadcasted locally in the 1pm timeslot where it was a competitive team.
smithville, Tn
Posted 05:36 PM, 01/22/2009
As a former Browns fan this from the middle of 2008 season this organization is a joke...
Posted 05:40 PM, 01/22/2009
Dan Gilbert has also let some staffers go from the Cavs because of the mortgage crisis(Quicken) but I dont remember McMoron reporting that...have you ever noticed that ALL Northeast Ohio Steeler fans root for the Indians,Buckeyes and Cavs but not the Pirates,Penn State and...oh thats right no NBA team in the burgh..wonder if its because those teams suck...hard to jump on that bandwagon I guess..asked Kenny Rhoda that once and he said because when he lived in PA they got the Indians games on channel 43..might be the lamest excuse I ever heard..guess people in PA dont know how to build antennas or make any other color than black and urine(every teams color)...how about the truth..a REAL FAN supports his/her team win or lose not just because there in first place..you squeelers fans stay away from my cavs and indians...we dont need you or want you now that were winning..
Canal Fulton, OH
Posted 06:39 PM, 01/22/2009
Poppinfresh, I too don't understand the mystery of Ohio born Steelers fans that root for the Cavs and Indians. It's one thing if you live in the East Liverpool area, Youngstown or even Steubenville area where you are equadistance from both cities and thus pick and choose. But most don't have any good reason for being Steelers fans other than a bit of front running. I sure wish someone could acuse Browns fans of being a front runner one day because at least it would mean we are good. I would suggest realizing that sports isn't worth getting as fired up as you and many other fans seem to be. At the end of the day, there's much more to concern yourself with.
brunswick, oh
Posted 02:08 PM, 01/23/2009
Mcmanamon is completely dead on about this farce. Some of you that thinks that he has an axe to grind need to realize that the Browns have given him and us for that matter, MUCH to gripe about.
This has been a joke of a franchise for 9 years. These are not the browns I grew up with and innocently and nievely followed for 25 years until that terrible stunning day in october, 95.
As much as I wanted this team to be the extension of that team the reality is that it is not. Those browns, the browns our fathers, and grandfathers grew to love and pass down to my generation to love are GONE!
I have 2 children who will NOT be raised to be browns fans. I can't back such a classless, weakling, punk (Braylon, Kellen) group of idiots.
My kids deserve more. Besides, the way this team is going that would be bordering on child abuse.
Note to Browns Mgmt: (not that you'd stoop to read this) you are alienating what were diehard fans for generations en masse. Apathy is setting in. Many of my age group 40-50 are basically done with you. That's why you see hundreds of steeler fans in NE Ohio, but cannot find 10 Browns fans in Pitts.
brunswick, oh
Posted 02:20 PM, 01/23/2009
hey poppinfresh:
They aren't "your" cavs and indians, but they sure want you to keep thinking that so you can keep investing in your teams. Tell me, how did your staff meeting with Gilbert go about how to handle Lebrons upcoming free agency. Are YOU going to approve an extension for Cliff Lee.
You Rube.
Nothing wrong with folding on a bad hand. That's what the Browns are, the worlds worst hand, but hey, you go all in...rube
Posted 03:56 PM, 01/23/2009
but i suppose there "your" steelers right.."my" was just a figure of speech I was not claiming i owned the team genius...what does LeBron or Cliff Lee have to do with being a frontrunner? If they stay or go I will still be a Cavs and Indians fan and you will still be a bandwagon jumping squeeler fan or whatever the hell you are..i must have hit a nerve.. thanks for the affirmation..(since your probably a squeeler you will need a dictionary for that word)
Lakewood, oh
Posted 11:51 AM, 01/24/2009
Pat and anyone else,
I have worked for all three pro sports franchises in Cleveland over the past ten years. I still work at the Q and for the Indians. For what it's worth: If the Tribe had the Browns' money we would have at least one or two World Series championships by now. They are a very smart organization that spends (for the most part) their $ wisely. The Cavs are also first class and will bring us a championship very soon. Finally, the Browns. The organization lost a lot of class after Al Lerner passed away. Things got progressively nastier and cheaper there. A lot of mistakes were made off-the field in personnel moves and the NY boys brought in made things very bad. No continuity, little class, just a ton of cash spent poorly. I'm not a Steeler fan but if you lok at their organization versus the Browns you'll see the difference is at the top- a football family and football people for Pittsburgh versus a bunch of NY wannabees who "don't get it" for the Browns. Nuf said.
Posted 08:33 AM, 01/25/2009
So let me get this straight. Mangini doesn't want to let some of the current staff go until he can find out whether he can hire some of his old Jets staff. The Jets staff is being held to their contracts until THEIR new coach decides if he wants to keep them or let them go. And yet you imply that the Browns are the only bad guys in this situation??? The Browns are doing something that no other team does?? And yet the Jets are doing exactly the same thing??
Pat, get some perspective. These people are under contract to the Browns. The Browns need to do what is in their own best interest. These people will get paid in the next year. They are not out on the street. I guess I can't feel sorry for them given the number of people who are REALLY out of a job.
