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Browns terminate Stallworth's contract
Colts kicker Matt Stover, 42, is oldest player in Super Bowl history
Browns, Dolphins make unusual trade
Holmgren dislikes quarterback battles
Cavs' hoops throw Bryant for a loop
Winfield won't let pain intercept playoff chance
NFL title games include several players with local ties
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Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
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Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
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Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Citizens United v. F.E.C. (Part 4): Kennedy's and O'Connor's Basic Approaches to Constitutional Decisionmaking – Top Down and Bottom Up
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
Track HR Research
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 08:28 p.m. EST, Jan 08, 2009
BEREA: Browns general manager candidate Tom Heckert has not officially pulled his name out of consideration but has postponed a scheduled interview with owner Randy Lerner to weigh his options, a league source said Thursday.
Heckert, the Philadelphia Eagles' general manager and the son of a former Browns scout, was reportedly set to talk to Lerner this weekend. Another source and Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that Heckert had withdrawn.
Lerner is expected to rubber-stamp new coach Eric Mangini's suggestion of his close friend, Baltimore Ravens Director of Pro Personnel George Kokinis. But the Ravens won't allow Kokinis to be interviewed until Sunday.
The only others interviewed for the top football job were New England Patriots Vice President of Player Personnel Scott Pioli, now out of the running because of Mangini's hiring and still a candidate with Kansas City, and Browns Director of Player Personnel T.J. McCreight.
''I have tremendous respect for George and I've known him for a long time,'' Mangini said of Kokinis, whom he met when they worked for the Browns in 1994.
''As a person, he's outstanding; as a professional, he's impressive. He's got tremendous substance. What ultimately is important is to get the very best people we can.''
As to who will have the power, presuming Kokinis is the choice, Mangini said: ''It's not going to be a function of what's defined on the contract. It's not going to be a function of individual fiefdoms or any of that. What matters is the GM and I work together every day and create decisions based on consensus.''
Coordinators picked?
Mangini said he hopes to hire New York Jets quarterbacks coach Brian Daboll as his offensive coordinator and Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to that same post.
Adam Schefter of NFL.com reported the deal with Ryan was done.
Mangini said he will run the 3-4 defense like his predecessor, Romeo Crennel, but not if he doesn't find the Browns' personnel adequate for that scheme.
Spot for Crennel?
Mangini didn't rule out trying to find a role for Crennel, perhaps as an adviser. They worked together for seven years with the Jets and Patriots, and Crennel and his wife, Rosemary, lived with the Manginis while their house was being built in New England.
''He's an amazing guy,'' Mangini said. ''I have nothing but absolute respect and love for him. I called him when I got the news and his response, how happy he was, how he'd love to help any way possible, that's who he is. I learned a ton of football from him and I'd love to have him here.''
Pressed on what kind of role he envisioned, Mangini said: ''I don't know. That's stuff we'll talk about over some nachos.''
Asked if he thought he could talk Crennel out of sitting back and playing with his grandchildren, Mangini said, ''That's the hard sell, I think.''
About those QBs
One of Mangini's biggest decisions will be what to do with quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, especially since Anderson is due a $5 million roster bonus in March. Mangini didn't say if he wanted to name his starter by training camp.
''You have to assess what they can do physically, you have to get to know what their huddle presence is like, how they are mentally, their decision-making process,'' he said. ''That's not something you just see right away. It's not something that necessarily happens quickly. You go through a process and make a decision when you feel the decision is right.''
Asked if he could see going to camp with both, Mangini said, ''Gosh, that seems far away.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. -->
BEREA: Browns general manager candidate Tom Heckert has not officially pulled his name out of consideration but has postponed a scheduled interview with owner Randy Lerner to weigh his options, a league source said Thursday.
Heckert, the Philadelphia Eagles' general manager and the son of a former Browns scout, was reportedly set to talk to Lerner this weekend. Another source and Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that Heckert had withdrawn.
Lerner is expected to rubber-stamp new coach Eric Mangini's suggestion of his close friend, Baltimore Ravens Director of Pro Personnel George Kokinis. But the Ravens won't allow Kokinis to be interviewed until Sunday.
The only others interviewed for the top football job were New England Patriots Vice President of Player Personnel Scott Pioli, now out of the running because of Mangini's hiring and still a candidate with Kansas City, and Browns Director of Player Personnel T.J. McCreight.
''I have tremendous respect for George and I've known him for a long time,'' Mangini said of Kokinis, whom he met when they worked for the Browns in 1994.
''As a person, he's outstanding; as a professional, he's impressive. He's got tremendous substance. What ultimately is important is to get the very best people we can.''
As to who will have the power, presuming Kokinis is the choice, Mangini said: ''It's not going to be a function of what's defined on the contract. It's not going to be a function of individual fiefdoms or any of that. What matters is the GM and I work together every day and create decisions based on consensus.''
Coordinators picked?
Mangini said he hopes to hire New York Jets quarterbacks coach Brian Daboll as his offensive coordinator and Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to that same post.
Adam Schefter of NFL.com reported the deal with Ryan was done.
Mangini said he will run the 3-4 defense like his predecessor, Romeo Crennel, but not if he doesn't find the Browns' personnel adequate for that scheme.
Spot for Crennel?
Mangini didn't rule out trying to find a role for Crennel, perhaps as an adviser. They worked together for seven years with the Jets and Patriots, and Crennel and his wife, Rosemary, lived with the Manginis while their house was being built in New England.
''He's an amazing guy,'' Mangini said. ''I have nothing but absolute respect and love for him. I called him when I got the news and his response, how happy he was, how he'd love to help any way possible, that's who he is. I learned a ton of football from him and I'd love to have him here.''
Pressed on what kind of role he envisioned, Mangini said: ''I don't know. That's stuff we'll talk about over some nachos.''
Asked if he thought he could talk Crennel out of sitting back and playing with his grandchildren, Mangini said, ''That's the hard sell, I think.''
About those QBs
One of Mangini's biggest decisions will be what to do with quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, especially since Anderson is due a $5 million roster bonus in March. Mangini didn't say if he wanted to name his starter by training camp.
''You have to assess what they can do physically, you have to get to know what their huddle presence is like, how they are mentally, their decision-making process,'' he said. ''That's not something you just see right away. It's not something that necessarily happens quickly. You go through a process and make a decision when you feel the decision is right.''
Asked if he could see going to camp with both, Mangini said, ''Gosh, that seems far away.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. -->
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