Chiefs Fans Join Activism Trend: Demand Season-Long Deactivation of Larry Johnson

Who knows what will come it, but Browns and Chiefs fans are fed up, pissed off, not taking it anymore, and letting the management of their beloved teams know about it.

Two Browns fans recently announced their plans to lead a protest during the 1st quarter of next week’s Monday nighter between the Browns and Ravens in Cleveland. The plan has received plenty of national pub and even merited a meeting with Browns owner Randy Lerner yesterday.

In Kansas City, fans are petitioning Chiefs GM Scott Pioli to not allow Larry Johnson back on the field.

Their reasoning?

He is close to becoming the franchise’s all-time rushing leader, needing 80 yards to pass Priest Holmes, and they do not believe that Johnson is worthy of sitting atop that esteemed list.

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Browns ’soul searching’ continues; GM Kokinis escorted out, Kosar could be in

Just hours after “soul-searching” about the fate of his Cleveland Browns, team owner Randy Lerner put his frustration to action with the removal of Browns General Manager George Kokinis, who was reportedly seen being escorted out of the Browns practice facility in Berea on Monday morning.

The Browns were not saying whether Kokinis resigned or was fired. However, late speculation from various media sources is, Kokinis was dismissed “with cause.”

The beleaguered — and largely absent — Kokinis, hired at the suggestion of Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini, seems to have been made the sacrificial lamb for the Browns 1-7 season, its anemic so-called offense, and the general frustration, malaise, and chaos that has been the Cleveland Browns organization since Mangini took the helm early this year.

As of Tuesday, Cleveland NBC affiliate, WKYC Channel 3 and the Lake County News-Herald have reported that Lerner has been speaking with former Browns GM Ernie Acorsi about the idea of possibly becoming the Browns next general manager with the purpose of grooming former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar for that role.

However, The Plain Dealer is reporting that Acorsi, is in retirement with no desire to go back to work.

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Top 10 Most Likely Candidates to be the Next GM of the Cleveland Browns

In case you have not heard, George Kokinis was fired yesterday from his role as GM (General Mute) of the Cleveland Browns.

He had been on the job for less than a year and was reportedly at odds with head coach Eric Mangini as early as training camp. Rumors have since swirled that former Colts, Browns, and Giants GM Ernie Accorsi will be hired by Browns owner Randy Lerner soon.

We here at Midwest Sports Fans, however, are not so sure. Accorsi is a GM with a pretty successful track record and his hiring would almost seem to be too logical and sound a choice for the Browns.

So we put together top 10 list of candidates who – based on the Browns moribund history since being reinstated in 1999 -are probably more likely to be named General Manager than a former Super Bowl architect.

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George Kokinis Fired “With Cause” as Browns GM

Surprising news broke in Berea this evening. Browns GM George Kokinis, who has been on the job for less than a year, was fired on Monday.

Apparently a quick disintegration of his relationship with Eric Mangini helped spur his ouster.

ProFootballTalk was all over this story tonight. Here are the links to their coverage:

• Mangini, Kokinis marriage was doomed from the start
• Browns officially address firing of GM George Kokinis
• Report: Kokinis fired “with cause”

Also, there is this, from the News-Herald:

• Kokinis Out, Ernie Accorsi In

Browns owner Randy Lerner ’soul-searching’ for an answer to fix 1-7 Browns

Randy Lerner, owner of the Cleveland Browns, stood near the tunnel to the visiting team locker rooms at Soldier’s Field in Chicago Sunday — and by halftime appeared frustrated, angry and disheartened as the Browns fumbled and bumbled its way to a 30-6 embarrassing drubbing.

Lerner admitted to The Plain Dealer he was “sick” about the 1-7 Browns, the team which ranks at the bottom or very close in all aspects of play, including the offense, defense and special teams. And starting quarterback Derek Anderson had a quarterback rating of 0 at halftime, improving to 10 before the final whistle.

But “sick” as Lerner was, he also said he was not ready to fire head coach Eric Mangini — at least not during this Browns bye week.

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Monday Morning Masochism: Browns-Bears Reaction

The Browns are 1-7 and by all accounts are worse right now than they were eight games in their expansion season back in 1999.

Sunday’s loss at Chicago was a little better than last week’s home shellacking by the Packers, but not by much…and only because Chicago played a little more unevenly than the Packers did.

You may have noticed that I’ve been posting about the Browns less and less as this season has motored along. And there is a good reason for that: I don’t totally hate myself.

Obviously I hate myself enough to keep showing up at Browns Backers meetups on Sunday to watch the weekly dreck that is Browns football in 2009…but I try not to dwell on it as much throughout the week anymore.

Here are the thoughts and feelings of those Browns fans who are more committed than I am, if you can possibly stomach reading any more about this team:

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Bears Have Chance to Fix Problems This Sunday

Last Sunday for the Bears was nowhere near fun.

It wasn’t fun for the players, coaches, or the fans, and I was disgusted by the Bears just plain awful playing. Their weaknesses were heavily exposed by the Bengals in a game game that showed something needs to be fixed and fast.

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When It Comes to Sports, Cleveland Most Certainly Does Not Rock

I want you to play the song below while reading this post. Try, as best you can, to not be distracted by the vicious, piercing irony of the chorus as it relates to the sports teams of Cleveland.

I know, it’s not going to be easy…especially after the events of last night rubbed even more salt into the (eternally?) tragically open wounds of an entire city’s fan base.

On the same that night that the last two Cy Young Award winners — both of whom were Indians when they won it — faced off in Game 1 of the 2009 World Series, the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James dropped to 0-2.

You might think, well hey, at least Cleveland fans have the Browns game to look forward to this Sunday!

And this sentiment, of course, would be met either with hearty laughter or plaintive cries, all depending on one’s perspective, mood, and current level of sanity.

No, ladies and gentleman, sports in the city of Cleveland most certainly do not rock. Last night was simply further confirmation of this ever deepening and depressing truism.

But don’t take it from me. Scan the Cleveland sports blogosphere. It’s hard to wait for next year when you can barely make it from day to day this year.

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NFL Betting Week 8 Odds and Picks: Bears-Browns, Giants-Eagles, Vikings-Packers

Just like the World Series odds put pressure on the Yankees, the NFL is placing the heat on several teams this week. The Bears, Giants and Vikings all have plenty to prove; we focus on them for our Week 8 NFL picks.

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More Scenes From the Muni Lot: The Official Frownie Foto Gallery

Since I officially entered the blogosphere some 14 months ago, one of my favorite Cleveland sports blogs and near-daily stops has been Cleveland Frowns.

It’s a place where, like the song says, “everybody knows your name” and where unique, informed, and interesting takes on all things Cleveland sports are usually present.

And then there are the Frownie Foto galleries, which are…well…let’s just say they’re the best thing since this.

This past weekend I had the good fortune of meeting Frowns and joining him for an entertaining tailgate in the world famous Muni Lot before the Browns-Packers game, which has previously been remembered here and here.

Now this glorious Sunday has its own Frownie Foto gallery…and it’s awesome.

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Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video 2.0: More Scenes From the Muni Lot

Another day, and yet another look back at this past weekend in Cleveland.

Yesterday I brought you Sarah Spain’s photo diary of the Sports Media 360 tailgate before the Browns-Packers game.

Today, MSF’s own Ryan Russell has released his video diary of the weekend, which has way too much of me in it…but is hopefully still entertaining for everyone.

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The Muni Lot: A Tailgating Experience Unlike Any Other

As you know, I spent this past weekend in Cleveland for the Sports Media 360 conference. In addition to a wonderful exchange of ideas on Saturday, the trip was highlighted by my first ever Browns tailgate and game.

Unfortunately, the game sucked…but the tailgating was predictably awesome, featuring an endless supply of decorative vehicles like the one you see pictured.

It also featured belligerent drunk guys getting arrested, men wearing jerseys and no pants, bald guys with their faces painted bright orange, a guy in a Browns-colored Spider-Man outfit, a far greater number of good looking women than I would have expected, and plenty of actual dogs.

It was also a hell of a lot of fun and all I needed to experience to know why so many Browns fans keep coming back on Sundays despite the putrid product on the field.

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I agree wholeheartedly

From today's Monday Morning Quarterback from Peter King:

Posted via email from Jerod’s Blog

From Fans’ Perspective, Is Joshua Cribbs the Second Most Untradable Cleveland Athlete?

The following tweet by our friend Scott from Waiting For Next Year perfectly summed up my thoughts regarding the Josh Cribbs trade rumors floating around right now:

As little underlying support there is, these Josh Cribbs rumors are not fun

He is exactly right.

Who knows how legitimate the Cribbs-to-Miami or Cribbs-to-whomever talk is, but there is nothing fun or exciting at all about the Browns’ clear fan favorite being mentioned in the same sentence as the word “trade.”

All the rumors about Cribbs got me to thinking: is he the second most untradable sports figure in Cleveland?

(I think we all know who the first is.)

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Throwing a (Dawg) Bone to Eric Mangini

I’d been thinking about writing this post for the past week or so.

And after reading this on PFT this morning, I decided the time was right to at least try throwing a bone to embattled Browns coach Eric Mangini.

I figure if I don’t point out the positives now, before the rare glow of the team’s first victory fades into what I assume will be the overall blackness of our experience in Heinz Field this weekend, I might never get around to it. 

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