There is no joy in Cleveland, the mighty Quinn has gone three and out; kick return man and wildcat Cribbs has gone down.

A fan at Cleveland Browns Stadium for the Monday Night debacle against the Ravens, held up a sign that said it all: “Hey, Baltimore, can you take this team, too?”

After suffering through another day of depression and frustration over the state of these Cleveland Browns’ pretenders, (remember, the Browns did not “come back” in 1999; late owner Al Lerner accepted a nameless, nearly talent-less expansion team and named it the Browns), Browns fans’ hope the end of the nine-game Coach Eric Mangini Era is near.

Even though Browns owner Randy Lerner said he would not fire his incompetent, arrogant little field general and dictator this season, a seriously injured Cribbs would have had Mangini packing, as well as his clueless offensive (yes, his lame playcalling is offensive) coordinator Brian Dabold.  Cribbs, a brilliant kick-off and punt return man, is a fan favorite and heart of the team.

It was in the final seconds of the 16-0 game that Cribbs was blindsided and knocked to the turf. This came after lateraling the ball to a teammate in a desperation mad dash to score six points. (Why? Because losing 16-6 would have looked better?)

The nearly empty stadium became even more silent as Browns and Ravens players surrounded Josh while he was lifted gently onto a stretcher. Cribbs was released Tuesday morning from the hospital, and Mangini, admitted in a conference call (yes, Coach opted to skip his regular face to face press conference)that he should not have allowed the hook-and-ladder play.

Brady Quinn did what he could with Daboll’s calls for five-yard bubble passes, a non-running game and receivers who let the ball slip through their hands. Game analysts figured Quinn had 2.5 seconds to take the snap, read the defense, find an open receiver and throw the ball — before getting leveled by Baltimore’s D.

After the last interception, Quinn tackled the wrong Raven too low, knocking his feet from under him and causing serious injury. This led Baltimore defense captain Ray Lewis to call Quinn out for the dirty hit. Quinn said he didn’t mean to hurt anyone — and I believe him.

Brady was so distraught, he probably didn’t know who had the ball.

Quinn has got to be lobbying his agent for a ticket out of Cleveland. Back-up quarterback Derek Anderson is also demoralized by Mangini and his schizophrenic quarterback shuffling.

The result is, neither Quinn nor Derek Anderson can move the offense into the red zone. Their egos are bruised, their confidence shot and trade value practically nil.

After a short practice week, the Browns head to Detroit to face the Lions on Sunday. (The first team to score a touchdown, wins the game.)

There is one flickering light at the end of the tunnel: Word came down from Berea Tuesday that Randy Lerner met with former Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Mike Holmgren about a director of Browns operations position, with authority over personnel — including the right to fire the coach.

One can only hope.

Before we get into the heart of this post and this week’s podcast, let me just type something that all of our Browns readers can agree on:

Pittsburgh sucks.

Everyone nod in agreement, put down the Stadium Mustard, and now prepare to be separated into two distinct camps (both of which still hate Pittsburgh, no worries there).

In one corner: supporters of Dawg Pound Mike Randall and the walk-in-late protest that he and Mobile Dawg Tony Schaefer are planning for next Monday’s Browns-Ravens game in Cleveland Browns Stadium. If you side here, you most likely think Eric Mangini should have been shown the door with George Kokinis.

In the other corner: supporters of the opinion held by fellow die-hards like Peter Pattakos of ClevelandFrowns.com, who do not understand what will be accomplished by purposefully settling into their seats after kickoff. If you are on this side, you most likely believe that the correct next step for the Browns is something other than a knee-jerk firing of the head coach.

And now we bring you what I am officially dubbing The Debate by the Lake in which Dawg Pound Mike and Cleveland Frown Peter go head to head discussing their beloved Browns.

Two men with the same ultimate goal, but vastly different opinions on what the franchise and its fans should do next in an effort to get there.

Enjoy.

MSF Podcast: The Debate by the Lake

featuring Peter Pattakos of ClevelandFrowns.com and Dawg Pound Mike Randall

(Note: You can subscribe to the MSF Podcast and listen to every episode via iTunes.)

Peter and Mike engaged in a very lively and spirited debate last night and both make their opinions quite clear. I’ve excerpted a few of the exchanges and quotes that stood out to me, but you’ll have to listen to the podcast to decide what stands out to you.

And even if you’re not a Browns fan, this is a podcast that you will enjoy. When was the last time you heard of two fans getting an audience with an NFL owner to voice their displeasure? As Peter says, whether you agree with Dawg Pound Mike or not, you have to respect the fact that he and Mobile Dawg Tony were able to get a face-to-face meeting with Randy Lerner.

After listening to the podcast, what do you think?

In case you don’t have the time nor inclination to listen to the entire podcast, I did cut out to two short (approx. 90 seconds) clips from Peter and Mike that sum up their positions. If you want to hear only the Cliff’s Notes versions of their viewpoints, listen to the following two clips:

Dawg Pound Mike on how he will determine success for the planned late-walk-in protest for the Browns-Ravens Monday night game:

Peter from ClevelandFrowns.com on why he will be in his seat at kickoff:

Where do I stand on this issue?

I respect his passion, his influence, and the access that he has received, but I disagree with what what Dawg Pound Mike is planning for Monday night. I don’t disagree with it so much from the standpoint that it will embarrass the Browns organization — it will do that, and I suppose I’m okay with that part of it — I just don’t really understand what there is to be gained.

As Mike explains in the podcast, he feels like he has to go through with the late-walk-in to sustain the momentum he believes has been created this week. I’m not so sure.

I don’t doubt his claim that Randy Lerner wants to win, and wants to win now, but the will to win has never really been Lerner’s problem. His problem has been the aptitude to make good front office personnel and head coaching decisions. If Lerner does not believe Mangini is the right guy for the job, he will fire him regardless of whether or not a portion of the fans aren’t in their seats at kickoff Monday night.

The problem is that none of us — not even Mike and Tony — have any legitimate reason to believe that Lerner’s next decision will be any better than his previous ones.

In this sense, I find Dawg Pound Mike’s dogged support of Lerner to be somewhat curious. No, Eric Mangini has not given Browns fans much of anything to pin their hopes on either…but has Lerner? At all?

So why align yourself so strongly with the guy who has failed in Cleveland for nine years as opposed to the guy who hasn’t even failed for one complete year yet?

Sadly, the one through line of that pathetic question is what we all can agree on, and what we all are frustrated by: failure. That ugly word has defined the Browns since their rebirth in 1999.

I don’t think the late-walk-in does anything to help reverse the culture of failure that has taken ahold of the Cleveland Browns franchise. In fact, I think it further perpetuates it.

That said, I applaud Dawg Pound Mike for his commitment, his initiative, and his passion. I just respectfully disagree in this case with his direction.

And now, as promised, here are some excerpts I transcribed while listening to the podcast after we recorded it:

Dawg Pound Mike defending the integrity of the protest:

“This is no disrespect, this is not done to embarrass, this is showing that we care, and we’re supporting this team. We’re here. I’m telling people to buy tickets.”

Peter’s counter-argument:

“Aren’t you still undermining Eric Mangini? Aren’t you still undermining the players? It’s an embarrassment frankly. It’s an embarrassment for the organization. Its an embarrassment for the franchise.”

Dawg Pound Mike responding to claims that the late-walk-in will be an embarrassment to the franchise:

“That’s why I came on here. Because I want to shut all these people up that think it’s a damn embarrassment. Because Randy Lerner, the owner of the Cleveland Browns, doesn’t think it’s an embarrassment.”

One of the questions posed by Peter that serves to sum up his argument regarding Dawg Pound Mike’s responsibility to use his access and voice to represent the Browns’ fan base more completely:

“What about the people that just want Eric Mangini to be given a chance to do his job?”

Mike and Peter argue about Brian Daboll and the Browns’ offense…easily my favorite exchange of the podcast:

Mike: “My biggest thing about Mangini: you hand-picked Brian Daboll. Okay? He’s terrible. He shouldn’t be offensive coordinator for a high school football team. He sucks that bad.”

Peter: “What plays has Daboll called that the Browns, with no wide receivers, with two yay-hoos at quarterback, with a geriatric running back, what were they supposed to do? Where was Brian Daboll supposed to come up with these great calls that a team with no skill position players was supposed to be able to succeed with?”

Mike: “Listen, there is talent on the team. They are put in bad decisions, bad formations…Daboll is an idiot. And I will say that to his face, and I did to him against Buffalo when he looked right by me and I go “You suck” and Eric Wright looked over and laughed.

Mike and Peter boil down the Randy Lerner debate into one exchange:

Mike: “He says ‘I’m the owner, it was my fault.’ Now, we told him and he knows he needs to find a good football operations guy in here instead of these bean counters that don’t know football, and he’s doing that. And he looked at us and he said ‘Guys, I don’t care about the money. If that guy’s the best guy, and he’s the best guy, and he wants this, I’m gonna get him in here because I want to win now. And if that doesn’t psyche up anybody out there that’s listening to this, then you’re not a true Browns fan.”

Peter: “So this wasn’t true before but it’s true now? That somehow, right now, Randy Lerner is going to get it right even though he apparently hasn’t gotten it right in the last decade.”

We’ll leave that last question posed their Peter as a rhetorical one. All Browns fans know it’s the question that has been haunting — and that will continue to haunt — this franchise until Randy Lerner is able to start making smart hiring choices.

I sincerely thank Peter and Mike for their time, and do hope you enjoyed the podcast. Use the comment section liberally to debate this issue. There certainly are plenty of valid points on both sides.

Ultimately, no matter happens with the walk-in, at least we can all agree on one thing that we want to see next Monday night: a win over the Ravens.

And maybe, just maybe, the NFL gods will decide to throw us another Monday night bone. Then, instead of arguing and focusing on another loss, we can go back to doing what Browns fan do best.

**********

* – Dawg Pound Mike photo credit: DawgPoundMike.com

* – The intro song for this week’s podcast is Awake the Day by Austin Bridges. The intermission song is I Won’t Wait by Records Record Records.

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.

Here is an excerpt from the petition sent by Chiefs fans:

While we are thankful for his service, we feel that Larry has been a black eye on the organization and has no business being mentioned with some of the above names.

During his first few years in Kansas City, Larry Johnson ran through holes created by one of the greatest offensive lines ever put together. He was handed the ball and was asked to follow Tony Richardson, the best fullback to ever don a Chiefs helmet. Because of those early successes, Larry Johnson now sits on the cusp of becoming the all-time leading rusher in Kansas City Chiefs history. Not to discredit anything he has accomplished, but we believe it would be a travesty if Larry were to surpass the great Priest Holmes as the Chiefs all-time leading rusher.

It’s not a hidden fact that Larry hates being in Kansas City. He doesn’t like the organization, he doesn’t like the fans, he doesn’t like the city. He has been more than vocal about how he feels about being a Chief. We’ve waited for years for him to be traded and we don’t believe that there is an offensive line that can open a hole big enough for Larry and the chip on his shoulder to run through.

I don’t often cite what I hear on Mike & Mike in the Morning, frankly because I don’t listen that often and rarely find much of the discussion overly insightful, but I do think that Mike Greenberg made a great point this morning.

He said that while sports leagues are a business, the teams too often treat their fans like sheep rather than consumers, mainly because fans allow it to happen. If more fans viewed themselves as consumers, and voiced their displeasure through both words and actions, teams and leagues would be forced to listen more carefully and act with the fans’ interests and desires more in mind.

At the end of the day, the money that fans spend on tickets, parking, concessions, merchandise, etc., is the lifeblood of professional athletics. Without the constant flow of money from fans, as well as the money that comes from TV contracts (the amount of which is a function of how many fans are watching), sports leagues would not be able to operate as they do now.

I hope that we see more fan bases follow the lead of Browns and Chiefs this year (similar to what Bengals fans did last year with movements like the Who Dey Revolution) and act more like consumers than sheep.

We give our hearts, souls, time, and money supporting these teams. Fans don’t always know what’s right, and team management has to be wise enough not to let the tail wag the dog, but the voice of the fan is important and needs to be heard.

Kudos to Randy Lerner for listening, and hopefully Scott Pioli does the same. They ultimately have to make the decisions, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with them being extra cognizant of how those decisions affect the fans.

**********

* – Larry Johnson photo credit: SpyonVegas.com via The Pitch

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.

Despite the discrepancies, one thing is sure: Kosar is expected to take on a more formal role in the Browns organization and football team he loves.

On Tuesday morning, rabid Browns fans “Dawgpound Mike” and “Mobile Dawg” appeared on the espn Cleveland affiliate WKNR-850AM “Really Big Show” to report they had just met with Lerner about the state of the Browns.

Lerner agreed to meet the two after the fans announced a protest to be staged outside of Cleveland Browns stadium at the Browns next home game on Monday Night Football, Nov. 16, against the Baltimore Ravens. The plan calls for the fans to refrain from taking their seats until after kick-off. This would give the national audience a view of a near empty stadium.

The move is aimed at giving the impression of the disgust Cleveland fans have for the 2009-10 Browns, its management, and organization. The ploy is also intended to embarrass the owner and move him to make the necessary moves to restore the Browns to the great and well-respected organization it once was — prior to the Move to Baltimore in 1995.

“Dawgpound Mike” and “Mobile Dawg” told the local radio show host Tony Rizzo that Lerner met with them for nearly two hours, Tuesday morning; that Lerner listened to their concerns and spoke passionately about the Browns. Lerner did not ask the two “dawgs” to cancel the protest and it is still on.

Randy Lerner also made mention of promising his father, Browns former owner Al Lerner, that he would take over the ownership and turn the Browns into champions, again. Randy Lerner intends to honor his father’s deathbed request.

At Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini’s press conference Tuesday morning, Mangini addressed the Kokinis dismissal — sort of: “George is a friend of mine and … for a variety of reasons things did not work out. Organizationally, (Kokinis’ dismissal) was the best decision in order to move forward.”

With that, Mangini refused to entertain further questions about Kokinis, and began droning on with the same old refrain: “Analyzing film, trying to improve…”

Perhaps Mangini, like Brady Quinn, should put his house up for sale. It takes several months to sell a home in Cleveland.

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.

10 – George Kokinis, former Browns GM

That’s right, Kokinis. I know it sounds strange, but Randy Lerner went against the grain this offseason in hiring Eric Mangini less than ten days after Mangini was fired by the Jets. Before you pooh-pooh this one as being ridiculous and totally outlandish, ask yourself: would you really be 100% surprised?

This is, after all, the Browns we’re talking about here.

9 – LeBron James, Global Icon

Right now the Browns are bringing nothing but despair and embarrassment to the city of Cleveland. In this sense, they are much like the Indians. The Cavs, however, and their hometown superstar, are the one positive sports story the city has to grasp onto.

Until LeBron bolts for the East Coast.

Why not sweeten the Cleveland pot by giving him a the GM position with the Browns? He was a good football player in high school and could ultimately pull an MJ by coming down from the owner’s box and suiting up. Then the Browns would actually have an NFL-caliber receiver.

8 – Ryan Russell, Browns Fan Extraordinaire

You know Ryan from his work here at MSF. If you were at the Cavs’ game on Halloween night, you also know him from his incredible Eric Mangini costume, as chronicled briefly in the video below:

Clearly Ryan and Mangini would be on the same page when it comes to player fines. That’s a start.

7 – Gregg Williams, current Defensive Coordinator of the New Orleans Saints

Williams may not have credentials to be a GM, but that’s never stopped the Browns from hiring people before.

Actually, I propose Williams be named GM / Offensive Coordinator. Sounds strange, right? But think about this: the Saints’ defense has actually scored six touchdowns this season, whereas the Browns’ offense has only scored five. The numbers speak for themselves.

6 – Krayzie Bone, rapper and Cleveland native

You know Krayzie Bone from his work with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and his subsequent productions as a solo artist. He is also a native of Cleveland who understands the longtime suffering of Browns fans.

Plus, rumors out of Cleveland suggest that Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan is sick of being the only person referred to as “crazy” around the office. It’s not that he is offended, he’s just ready for a new nickname. Having Krayzie Bone around would give Ryan a chance to be referred to as “wacko”, “crazy man”, and his own personal favorite phrase: “$&@$!“.

5 – John Elway, Browns Dream Denyer

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right?

John Elway always seemed to dash Cleveland’s Super Bowl hopes back during the time many, many eons ago when the franchise was competitive. Perhaps he can sprinkle some of his Elway Dust in Berea and reverse the obvious curse that has haunted the franchise since its return.

Sure, it might make the older generation of Browns fans wretch, but wouldn’t everyone get over it if the team made the playoffs? Most every Browns fan I know would sell their souls to the Devil himself for a playoff run. Hiring John Elway would be close, but not quite that bad.

4 – Doc Brown, Inventor

Does the phrase 1.21 gigowatts mean anything to you?

If you’re a Browns fan it should, because imagine all the great things that could be done with Doc Brown as GM and his magic Delorean at the organization’s disposal.

• Go back to 1965 and convince Jim Brown to play another couple of years, thus making more championships possible during the early years of the franchise.
• Go back to 1987 and have someone grab and twist John Elway’s ankle in the middle of the 4th quarter. We wouldn’t want to injure him seriously (well…) but enough so that he couldn’t engineer the famous game-winning drive that haunts the Browns to this day.
• Go back to 1988 and convince Earnest Byner to protect the ball a little bit better.
• Go back to 1999 and draft any of the following instead of Tim Couch: Donovan McNabb, Edgerrin James, Ricky Williams, Torry Holt, Champ Bailey, Andy Katzenmoyer…wait, scratch the last one.
• Go back to the 2008 offseason and not hire George Kokinis…thus rendering his firing yesterday impossible…thus rendering the hiring of Doc Brown impossible…thus erasing all of the previously changed events…thus restoring all of the unhappy memories that define Browns football.

Damnit! We were so close.

3 – Derek Anderson, current Browns starting QB

Think about it: if Anderson has to take over the GM duties, then he can’t play quarterback. We would then be spared from having to watch the only QB in the NFL playing worse than JaMarcus Russell.

The fact there is even a QB playing worse than JaMarcus Russell is mind-boggling…and depressing. And who knows, Mangini might still keep Anderson out there anyway.

Scratch this one. Anderson would probably just give his responsibilities to someone in an opposing franchise anyway…kind of like what he does with the football on a weekly basis.

2 – Jon Gruden, Super Bowl winning coach and Monday Night Football announcer

Have you ever heard this guy say anything negative about anyone on Monday night? In fact, have you ever heard this guy refer to anyone as anything other than a great player or a genius?

I can’t wait to hear what this guy has to say Browns players next week when Cleveland plays Baltimore on Monday Night Football.

On Derek Anderson: “This guy, he’s just an excellent quarterback. He has size, he has a rocket arm, and he’s a guy you can build a winning football team around.”

On Eric Mangini: “This guy, I tell you what, I’ve watched film with him before and he’s a coaching genius. We need to get more press for this guy and get him some Coach of the Year votes.”

I mean, this guy, Jon Gruden, he’s taken to his new position as an announcer and just done a great job. He’s an announcing genius. Not to mention a coaching genius.

Imagine bringing him in as GM. Surely his strategy of positive reinforcement would come with him once he has another NFL job. Hmm…on second thought…

1 – Cleveland Brown, star of The Cleveland Show

The Browns have won only one more game this season than a bunch of cartoon football players would have won, so why not hire a cartoon character to lead the organization? And could his name be any more perfect?

Honestly, this is a match made in Berea.

And from the underwhelming reviews that I’ve seen of The Cleveland Show, it might actually be FOX’s equivalent to the Browns. A perfect match!

Randy Lerner, as sad as it is to say, I think we’ve found the perfect candidate for your franchise.

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.

Lerner apparently is beginning to see the mistake he made as owner in hiring Mangini, shortly after he was relieved of his head coach duties for the New York Jets. That mistake was compounded by hiring Mangini before a hiring a general manager and naming a team president with football knowledge. More than one critic has said it was Mangini who hired his own immediate boss — General Manager George Kokinis, a man even more vague and distant with the media than Mangini. Kokinis has also seemed very much out of the loop.

Now, Lerner indicated to The Plain Dealer that it is time to bring in a football authority to help straighten out the mess. Ya’ think?

“The highest priority that I have is a strong, credible, serious leader within the building to guide decisions in a much more conspicuous, open, transparent way,” Lerner told The Plain Dealer. “I think my highest priority is to have a stable figure that represents the voice that explains the decisions.”

Over the last week or so, Lerner brought former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar in to serve as “another pair of eyes.” But Lerner did not respond when asked if Kosar would serve as the team’s “serious leader.”

Kosar told espn affiliate wknr AM850’s “Really Big Show” host Tony Rizzo that he was first trying to learn what everyone at Browns headquarters was supposed to do for the organization.

Kosar also said the Browns organization would be meeting and making some decisions during this bye week.

Kosar was the owner of the short-lived Cleveland arena team, taking it from near obscurity to the playoffs in one year. The arena league was dismantled, then discontinued last year.

Kosar has said he would love to get back into football at some capacity. But at the same time he has been hamstrung by four children and an ex-wife living in Florida.

In his impromptu interview at Soldier Field Sunday, Lerner also said the Browns current quarterback fiasco didn’t make sense. Mangini made it a priority to give both quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quin a fair shot during the mini-training camps and the pre-season exhibition games. Quinn started the first three games of the season, but was yanked at the half against the Baltimore Ravens.

Mangini thought Anderson could provide a spark — and he did manage to connect a few times early, but only got worse with each week. Lerner admitted the whole quarterback fiasco “doesn’t look sensible. As to why Mangini has not played Quinn. Lerner said he had no idea since he “wasn’t told about anything.”

In my opinion, Lerner should have been asking questions all along, and holding these coaches responsible.

Lerner could make the Browns right. But it will take the time to actually evaluate the abysmal parade of coaches — and players — since 1999

But taking the time could finally right this Cleveland Browns titanic before Browns fans drown in its wake.

Today Lerner is “soul searching.” Hopefully, he will be taking some action — soon.

Stay tuned.

Is it too late to give the Browns’ name, its colors, and history back to Baltimore?

When Art Modell sold the city of Cleveland down the river and moved the Browns to Baltimore, Clevelanders clamoured to keep the Browns’ name and create a new Browns out of…well, what would become a bunch of misfits led by poor schlep Chris Palmer in 1999.

After Sunday’s 34-3 humiliating annihilation at the hands of the former Browns, it is time to consider the 2009 Browns the latest group of misfits, and call the total new Browns a failed experiment.

But where to go from here?

Open letter to Browns owner Randy Lerner:

“As a successful billionaire businessman, you must know the hiring of Eric Mangini is a mistake. The man is incapable of teaching, coaching, drafting or motivating the players on the Browns, the team that your father, Al Lerner, willed you on his deathbed. Al must be screaming obscenities from his grave.

“If a manager you appointed in your business failed to deliver on his promises, you would fire him — or at the very least — relocate him.

“Mangini believes he is a football god with all the answers. He is incapable of self-criticism — and those kind of individuals do not change or grow.

FIRE MANGINI TODAY. Take the hit to your wallet and find a better coach.

Sincerely,

Cleveland Browns fans from across the world”

The Cleveland Browns not only lost big to the Baltimore Ravens, but lost its team; and perhaps worse, demoralized so-called starting quarterback Brady Quinn and killed the confidence of Derek Anderson who was told right before the second half kick-off he was going in to face the Raven D.

Derek being Derek, his big gun drove the team down the field to a field goal, but his gun also misfired for three interceptions and a QB rating of 30.9. Quinn’s was 42.7. Baltimore’s Joe Flacco’s QB rating was about 110.

Perhaps Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer columnist said it best: “Until further notice, the Cleveland Browns have become the franchise where quarterbacks go to see their careers die.”

Quinn, who led the Notre Dame offense in college and put up 30 and 29 point respectively against Denver and Buffalo last year, suddenly can’t move the ball?

To quote a frustrated Buffalo Bill Terrell Owens after Sunday’s game, he runs “the plays that are called.”

The lame, vanilla plays called by rookie offensive coordinator Brian Dabold depend on a running back that equals the resurrection of a young Jim Brown. Two running plays up the middle with puny Jerome Harrison and a weak offensive line? Then it is third and seven and Braylon Edwards is not free, everyone else is covered or not looking — so what does a QB do? Either check down and complete a three yard pass (Quinn) or force the throw and wind up with three interceptions (Anderson).

The pathetic thing is, the Browns could have had better players like Cincy’s Rey Maualuga or Clay Mathews Jr. or Knowshon Moreno. And if Mangini was so unimpressed with his QBs, Mark Sanchez was there for the taking.

But Noooo! Let’s get a few Jets retreads instead.

Good draft picks were made in the second round with Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie. But Massaquoi has been a ghost on the field, barely there for one play, then *poof*…disappearing into the Browns bench. And Ohio State stand-out wide receiver Robiskie has not been allowed to dress. (Did Robiskie maybe voice his opinion to Coach or fail to bow with deference? Only the shadow knows.)

And now we hear that up to five Browns players are filing grievances against Mangini, at least two for being charged $1,700 for forgetting to pay for $3 bottles of water from a hotel.

Other players have quit on the field. When Baltimore gets three running touchdowns without any Cleveland defensive player even touching him … can they be this bad? Or have they given up?

You decide, midwestsportsfans.com readers.

**********

*- Derek Anderson photo credit: SI

The mural, located inside the team practice facility in Berea, featured Browns members voted into the Football Hall of Fame in Canton including: running backs Jim Brown, Leroy Kelley and Marion Motley; quarterback Otto Graham; and wide receivers Ozzie Newsome, Paul Warfield and” Glue Fingers” Dante Lavelli, who died earlier this week at the age of 85.

As a second-generation Browns fan, I’m glad I was not ordered to smack a paint brush over the face of Jim Brown. I could not have done it.

“I guess Coach Mangini just didn’t like the way the wall looked,” said Patrick McMannamon, beat reporter for the Akron Beacon-Journal, who wrote about the whitewash for ohio.com. On Friday, McMannamon told Tony Rizzo, host of “The Really Big Show”, WKNR AM-850 that he noticed the new paint job earlier this week.

There must be a reasonable explanation, Rizzo opined. (Besides Mangini showing a latent interest in interior decorating, that is.)

A media source close to the Browns organization confirmed it.

Mangini feels the Browns are not living up to its tradition and wants to start anew, the source said.
Since “coming back” in 1999, the Browns have lacked its own unique identity. Browns gear and clothing are embossed with the Brownie sprite logo reminiscent of its heyday in the 1950s and ‘60s, to the Kardiac Kids moniker orchestrated by quarterback Brian Sipe in 1980 to the “Big Dawg” mascot inspired by defensive linebackers such as Frank Minnifield and Hanford Dixon in the late 1980s to early ‘90s in the Bernie Kosar era.

The solid orange helmet – the only lid in the NFL minus a team logo – has been the most outward symbol of the no-frills, just-football philosophy since the Browns joined the NFL in 1950.
The Browns have struggled with its wardrobe, from the traditional all-white uniforms at home and the brown jerseys away, to the garish orange jerseys and the god-awful skin-tight black pants, abandoned after wearing only once in 2007 after a loss. (It looks as if the Browns donated those black tights to the Baltimore Ravens, who had quite a run in those pants before getting tripped up by Pittsburgh in the AFC championship game, Jan. 17.)

Local sportswriters and broadcasters have been critical of Browns owner Randy Lerner for failing to establish a Browns culture from the top down. Lerner, an oft-absent owner who inherited the team from his father, Al Lerner, is a successful businessman with offices in New York and a pad in London to keep his eye on his Aston-Villa futbol club.

Some say Lerner should be in Berea, sleeves rolled up and nose in college rosters. But Lerner is no Jerry Jones. He hires the head coach and general manager – then hands over the reins.

While Mangini has begun to erase the old, he is also setting the stage for a new era under Brady Quinn who holds the fate of Mangini and the Browns in his hands. Let’s hope Quinn will play better than Mangini’s last quarterback for the New York Jets — Brett Farve, who ended a promising season in injury and interceptions.
I
f not, Mangini could be out of the door, Quinn on the trading block and Browns fans facing yet another cold and grey winter.

Kokinis, MIA?

While the Cleveland media has promised the announcement of George Kokinis as general manager, as of Friday afternoon no word had come from the Browns. Kokinis, a personal friend of Mangini’s, has already been spotted in Berea, hanging out with Eric at the Browns headquarters, despite still being formally employed by the Baltimore Ratbirds.

After Pittsburgh beat Baltimore in last week’s AFC championship game, (stop gloating, Mr. MNRC), Kokinis wasted little time cleaning out his desk and heading to Cleveland, according to The Plain Dealer’s Tony Gross.

Mangini added five assistants, four of whom were also on the New York Jets staff for three years. The new hires are Bryan Cox (defensive line), Jerome Henderson (defensive backs), Andy Dickerson (defensive quality control) and Rick Lyle (assistant strength and conditioning).

The fifth coach, quarterbacks coach Carl Smith, actually first showed to coach the quarterbacks under former Head Coach Butch Davis from 2001-03. Smith left the Browns in 2004 to join Pete Carroll’s powerhouse at Southern California as quarterbacks coach. The past two seasons Smith was offensive coordinator at Jacksonville.

“These men are outstanding teachers and their energy and expertise will have an immediate impact on our team,” Mangini said in a press release.

Cox, a 12-year NFL linebacker, joined Mangini’s Jets in 2006, while Henderson, who played eight years in the NFL as a defensive back, joined the Jets in 2006 as director of player development, and moved into coaching the following year.

Dickerson began with New England in 2004 and then followed Mangini to the Jets in ‘06.

Lyle, one of coach Bill Belichick’s favorite players with three teams (Cleveland, Jets and New England), also followed Mangini to New York in ‘06, according to The Plaind Dealer. He doubled as the team’s nutrition coordinator.

These additions raised to eight the number of assistants hired by Mangini. He previously named his coordinators, Brian Daboll (offense), Rob Ryan (defense) and Brad Seely (special teams).

Vacancies remain at linebacker, offensive line, receiver, running back, tight end and perhaps a few more quality control positions.

No word yet whether Mangini has called for more painters.

Here is the intro, which perfectly encapsulates how many Browns fans feel right now:

Today we offer a juxtaposition of three bits of Browns-related news that might result in something of an emotional roller coaster ride for folks who care about the team. We start with complete helplessness, move on to depression, then wistful remembrance, to hope, before returning to the depths where Browns fans have grown accustomed to dwelling.

An excerpt, from the section about Lerner, which itself includes an excerpt from an interview Lerner gave recently (in italics):

“Are the football teams really satisfying him creatively, I wonder? ‘That’s a good question,’ he says with an expression that suggests the internal answer is another screaming and heartfelt ‘NO!’ [NO F*CKING SH*T!!! F*CKF*CKF*CK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!] It might actually be an excellent moment to send him a begging letter.” [YES! YOU SEND ONE TOO! PLEASE HELP US GET OUR BROWNS BACK FROM THIS GUY! F**************************************CK!!!!]

Now, an excerpt from the section about Lavelli:

Lavelli exemplified the greatness that the Browns once represented, and his memory provides a stark reminder of how far this franchise has fallen in the custody of the Lerner family.

And now, we send you theie way. Head over to ClevelandFrowns.com and read the full article. Sure, it may make you even more depressed to be a Browns fan — or it will give you pleasure if you are a Steelers or Ravens fan — but we might as well not hide from the truth: the Browns are an organization in complete disarray and it definitely starts at the top.

LOTD: Cleveland Frowns: Randy Lerner and Dante Lavelli (1923-2009): A Study in Contrasts, In Orange and Brown

And now some more links for you on a beautiful Friday morning here in sunny Dallas, Texas. (And while I do not wish for weather in the teens, it is January — it shouldn’t be 70 degrees outside. I am nothing if not a true Midwesterner. Where is the chill in the air? I have t admit I kinda miss it…)

What is front office end game for the Browns? — (Orange & Brown Report)

Michael Curry going with small ball in Detroit — (Hardcore Detroit Fan)

Recent Browns Lay-offs blamed on the economy — (WFNY)

Pretty sweet double alley-oop in a basketball game — (Black Sports Online)…and for the record, I don’t think you’d ever see similar video on White Sports Online, if such a site existed. Just saying…

Forbes 2009 Most Valuable Franchises breakdown — (The World According to MoonDog)

Chaos ensues in the Big Ten — (Off the Tracks)

A deal between George Kokinis and the Browns has been expected for some time now. He has reportedly been to Cleveland and according to one site I read (I don’t remember where, probably PFT) if Kokinis is not hired as GM, he is going to have an awful lot of inside information to take back to the Browns’ division rival the Ravens.

Of course, one thing holding up Kokinis joining the Browns was the Ravens deep playoff run. Now that the Ravens have gracefully bowed out of the playoffs, nothing is standing between the Browns and George Kokinis moving forward in the “ManKok” era of Cleveland Browns football.

Another interesting note: At the Orange & Browns Report rumor mill today, there is an interesting item regarding the chain of events that led to Eric Mangini interviewing with Randy Lerner and the Browns. There has apparently been some rumored speculation that Lerner extended Mangini and interview as a favor to Mangini’s agent and father-in-law, Ron Shapiro. Head over to the OBR to read more. (And by the way, for my PSA to all Browns fans today: my suggestion is to buy the premium OBR access. You don’t need it to read the post I just linked to, but their premium stuff is well worth the nominal charge and you won’t regret it.)

Another un-Pleasant Allegheny Valley Sunday in Pittsburgh., Pa., the land of the coal black and gold.

For Browns fans, it is another Sunday of holding our noses while watching the Pittsburgh Steelers and Benedict Arnold/Art Modell’s Baltimore Ratbirds go to war. The winner of the defensive battle will face off against the victor in the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Arizona Cardinals for the chance to play in the Super Bowl, Sunday, Feb. 1 in Tampa, Fla.

With the Browns last championship season in 1964, beating the Baltimore Colts, 27-0, Cleveland has never even set foot upon the hallowed ground of the biggest sporting match of the year.

Once again, choosing the lesser of two evil empires, I will be rooting for Piss-burgh while I wipe tears away with my own terrible towel. I don’t want to remind folks again that Art Modell, the most hated man in Cleveland, sold millions of loyal fans out by moving the Browns to Baltimore in 1995. So really it should be Browns vs. Steelers on Sunday.

That’s why I nearly choked on breakfast the other day while listening to ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning show. Guest sports analyst Mel Kiper Jr., a Baltimore shill, extolled the virtues of Joe Flacco’s big arm and the grand schemes coming from Coach John Harbaugh’s big head.

Then Kiper decided to rewrite history.

“Baltimore has the greatest fans in the world,” Kuiper crowed. “For 13 years Baltimore kept getting passed over by the NFL while other teams were granted permission for expansion teams.

“Finally, Art Modell arrived in Baltimore and gave us our team.”

No, Mel. Actually Modell gave you our team, the Browns, and simply renamed them after the black bird in the Edgar Allen Poe poem.

In the early 1980s, Baltimore fans were rightfully upset when Robert Irsay and his Mayflower moving vans left Baltimore in the middle of night and dumped the Colts cargo in Indianapolis.

Despite having their guts and hearts pulled out by Irsay and Indianapolis, Baltimore accepted the stolen goods that represented the proud franchise of the Cleveland Browns, and never looked back.

Modell got his 30 pieces of silver, a new stadium, the love and adoration from fans that he craved – and a Super Bowl ring.

Here is hoping Ben Roethlisberger has the greatest game of his life.

Lerner might not even watch the game. He will probably still be trying to nail down a general manager.

Lerner moved fast in hiring Eric Mangini to replace Romeo Crennel as the Browns head coach.

And while The Plain Dealer has reported Lerner is still interested in Baltimore pro personnel director George Kokinis to replace fired GM Phil Savage, Kokinis is not showing his cards.

It also comes to no surprise that Scott Pioli, Lerner’s first choice for GM, took the Kansas City Chiefs job. The Achilles heal of the Pioli hire was that he would insist on making Kirk Ferentz his head coach. The Cleveland media ran with that, but no one actually bothered checking the rumor out.

Now we hear that Ferentz has no desire to coach in the NFL, and he will stay put in Iowa, thank you.

So Cleveland would not have had to take a college coach with the deal, after all. But no way was Pioli going to work in the same city as Mangini, a former buddy who uncovered Spygate, tattling on Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick and by association, top man Pioli. While Mangini may have taken some satisfaction in watching Belichick’s non-apology, he ended up losing very powerful friends in New England.

The word was, others on Lerner’s GM short list, such as the Atlanta Falcons’ Rich McKay and Eagles’ Tom Heckert, dropped out of contention after Mangini was hired.

Former Denver Broncos general manager Ted Sundquist has reached out to the Browns about interviewing for the general manager position, but as of Thursday, no interviews had been scheduled, according to The Plain Dealer..

If I was Lerner, I’d forget about watching the game on Sunday. I’d be on the phone finding someone to come to Cleveland and help make this the winning franchise it once was.

Who knows, may some Sunday in January of 2111 (I mean 2011), we could be watching the Browns in the Super Bowl.

It could happen. Couldn’t it?

One source told The Plain Dealer that Kokinis may be leaning toward staying in Baltimore.

Lerner was said to have scheduled an interview with Kokinis Sunday. But it was unclear whether this job interview occurs only if the Ravens were eliminated from play-off contention.

Of course, if you watched the game Saturday, you all know that Tennessee shot themselves in the foot about four times, allowing Baltimore to defeat the Titans in Nashville, 13-10. All the numbers point to a Titan win, but Baltimore’s defense showed up big time. And while the media is making a big deal about a rookie quarterback – Joe Flacco – and rookie coach – John Harbaugh – making history by winning their first two play-off games, it really was all about the defense. Can you say Ray Lewis?

George Kokinis was a frontrunner for the Browns general manager job, to replace the fired Phil Savage, because of his experience working under the traitor Ozzie Newsome. (Okay, I know, Art Modell offered the Wizard of Oz the job in Baltimore and it apparently was too good to refuse.)

The very fact that Newsome does not want to part with Kokinis, makes him even more valuable. Plus, Kokinis is a personal friend of Eric Mangini, the Browns new head coach, and the two could have worked together. This would be different than Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage, who clashed on everything from choosing players, to quarterbacks. Crennel wanted Brady Quinn after Derek Anderson proved to have the worst QB rating in the NFL. And the well-spoken and dignified Crennel certainly frowned on Savage’s explicit email after the Browns defeated Buffalo.

Now a Mangini and Kokinis marriage is in jeopardy.

Perhaps worrying that he won’t be able to coax Kokinis to come to Cleveland, Lerner has widened his GM search to include former Denver GM Ted Sundquist and Chris Polian, Colts vice president of football operations, as potential candidates, according to The Plain Dealer
.
The Browns also have interviewed T.J. McCreight for the position. McCreight was player personnel director under former GM Phil Savage. (Oh, yeah. Now that would be a great hire. Someone working beneath Savage? I wonder if McCreight writes f-word emails. Think again, Mr. Lerner.)

Lerner has said in interviews that naming a general manager will take a back seat to assembling Mangini’s coaching staff. Mangini is poised to officially name Jets quarterbacks coach Brian Daboll offensive coordinator and Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to the same post here.

However, Mangini said in his press conference that the first step would be to hire a general manager. But that was when Kokinis was considered a shoe-in.

Lerner’s very first interview was with Scott Pioli of the New England Patriots. Most Browns fans and local media voiced their preference for Pioli, but then he went West to interview in Kansas City, and when Lerner chose Mangini as head coach, Pioli’s name kind of went by the wayside. Lerner apparently did not think the gumbas could kiss and make up after Spygate. (In the spirit of full disclosure, my mother was Italian.)

Back to the play-offs.

I hate to say this, Much Needed Delusional Czech, but if it is Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh next week, I hope the Ravens lose.

But even if Baltimore blows it, will Kokinis turn his back on the City of the Dirty Birds and come to the Browns?

Only the Raven knows.

“I know the Cleveland fans,” Mangini declared. “The Cleveland fans do not just love football. They live football.”

He gets it. And he might have been speaking about himself.

Mangini, who worked as a ball boy under Cleveland coach Bill Belichick in the early 1990’s, was introduced by Browns President Mike Keenan who said in a written statement: “We selected the person we thought to be the most driven, passionate and most qualified … Eric Mangini understands how much we want this team to win.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

“With that, it is my great pleasure to welcome Eric, his wife, Julie, and his children back to Cleveland,” Kennan said.

(Picture below courtesy of John Kuntz / Plain-Dealer)

Conspiculously absent from the scene was Browns owner Randy Lerner, who has refused to speak before modern media technology such as television cameras, tape recorders, and laptops. Lerner, however, is okay with pen and paper and shorthand.

However, Lerner may be available for a closed meeting with select reporters, later today.

Speaking in a stilting manner, but with confidence and fire in his eyes, Mangini, who turns 38 at the end of the month, said he wants his players to be intelligent, hard-working, very competitive and very passionate about the game of football.

Mangini ducked the quarterback question, stating he needed time to access not only each quarterback’s game, but his presence in huddle and his intelligence. He said he would speak personally to both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, before naming a starter.

Although Brady Quinn was named the starter for 2009 by former Head Coach Romeo Crennel, that is not a given under Mangini. However, local sports analysts have said Anderson had his chance this year and failed miserably — and that he should be used as trade bait.

Again, Mangini wasn’t talking about any of that.

He did, however, commit to sticking with the Browns 3-4 defensive scheme, but did leave room for a bit of flexibility. Critics have complained the 2008 Browns did not have the personnel for a 3-4 defense, believing a 4-3 would have resulting in more blitzing opposing quarterback schemes — resulting in fewer opponents points.

Eric Mangini, who has been compared to his mentor, Bill Belichick, in being a man of few words and saying nothing when talking to the media, showed that side of his personality. Although his answers were somewhat wordy, he really didn’t get into specifics.

He used a broad brush in answering media questions, refusing to be baited into saying anything remotely negative about the Jets organization or his former quarterback, Brett Favre.

Mangini also deflected a question from Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer as to specifically what three things Mangini would do to turn the Browns around.

“I’ve only been here for 12 hours,” Mangini said.

Mangini said his vision is to instill “a truth in sports”. He does not just want talented players, but talented, hard-working and disciplined players.

This could be a major reason Lerner chose Mangini. Romeo Crennel was rumored to have run a country club atmosphere with hugs and no hitting during practice. This led to the Browns being woefully unprepared when the exhibition season began in which Cleveland went 0-4.

This lack of intensity — and more than a few injuries — carried onto the regular season evidenced by having to call unnecessary time-outs and dropped footballs when players were not on the same page. The Browns were also tagged on mickey-mouse penalties for being offsides and having too many players on the field.

Eric Mangini will not tolerate any lackluster play, and will decide which players will play and which will go after doing his own assessment and evaluation, he said.

Mangini said he learned a lot from his first head coaching job with the Jets from 2006 until the end of the 2008 season.

There were so many firsts in his first year with the Jets, from practice rosters, to hiring assistants and sports psychologists. (This writer has believed the Browns have needed a shrink in the locker room for several years.)

First, the Browns had to hire a general manager. Although Eric Mangini will be there for the G.M. interviews, he is less interested in who will be assigned specific duties — the general manager or head coach — than in reaching mutual decisions and being on the same page.

It is clear that Mangini — not the general manager — will be the new face of the Browns. Cleveland’s new Browns culture will be determined and shaped by Mangini.

The Browns are leaning in the direction of hiring George Kokinis, who works in player personnel under Ozzie Newsome, general manager of the Baltimore Ravens. The Browns will not be able to speak with Kokinis under after the Ravens are eliminated. (This writer hopes that will happen on Saturday when Baltimore plays Tennessee.)

The only problem with the Mangini press conference was in many of the stupid questions asked about Mangini’s relationship with the Jets; why he was fired, if he has a chip on his shoulder, questions all asked to get some kind of rise out of Mangini.

With competing television, radio and newspaper reporters — and personalities — together in one room at the press conference, the air was charged with testosterone — even among the females.

Mangini has his work cut out for him in Cleveland. But at least he is not a virgin. He has his first coaching job under his belt and has faced off the New York media.

The last time the Browns hired a coach with NFL experience was Nick Skorich in 1971.

But Mangini with the struggling, fragmented and injured Browns team, has his work cut out for him.

Is he up to it? I am as optimistic as a Cleveland fan could be.

I can’t wait until August.

Go Browns!

__________

Also see:

Mangini Hired: Randy Lerner – Inspired or Tired? — (Cleveland Frowns)

Randy Lerner dropped the ball – must have learned it from Braylon — (Waiting For Next Year)

The official announcement will be made Thursday morning from Berea when Mangini will be introduced to the media, according to a report from WKNR AM 850.

The announcement comes on the heels of a rumor that Lerner was actually waiting until Monday to name his new head coach. That’s when former Denver Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan, would be available.

The Broncos were one game away from a play-off berth, and the firing of Shanahan was viewed a surprise to national sportscasters and most of the sports-covering press.

Mark “Munch” Bishop of WKNR reported after today’s announcement that Lerner had been advised to wait until Shanahan returned from a two-week family vacation — and to sit down and talk with Shanahan before committing to Mangini.

Apparently, Lerner, for whatever reason, decided to go with Mangini who actually started his career in Cleveland as an assistant under Bill Belichick.

Although the New York Jets at one point were 8-3 for the season, they ended their run at 9-7 and failed to make the play-offs.

Allegedly, Mangini did not like the acquisition of former Packer great Brett Favre to the Jets team last year. He managed to reign Favre in, but after about six games, Farve who was older than Coach Mangini ,took more control which some critics say, led to Favre’s typical gunslinger play — exciting and risky, and in the end the interceptions killed Farve’s chance to make the play-offs as a Jet, and Mangini took the fall for the disappointing season.

“Lerner simply fell in love with Eric Mangini during his first interview,” according to a news report from Daryl Ryder, WKNR beat reporter. “My only problem is, Randy Lerner was in such a hurry to get this done.”

Mangini is said to be recruiting assistant coaches from the Jets organization.

Mangini’s direct supervisor, the Browns general manager and perhaps team president, have not been chosen, although Lerner is said to be waiting for permission from the Baltimore Ravens to interview Kokinis, who worked under Browns great receiver and Ravens general manager, Ozzie Newsome, thought by many to be a recruiting genius.

Baltimore will play Tennessee on Saturday. If the Ravens lose the game, Lerner would be free to speak with Kokinis.

One can only hope Lerner was not in a hurry to get the Browns business out of the way to jet off to England to see his Astin-Villa futbol (soccer) team play. (Lerner bought the soccer team after the Browns were willed to him after the death of his father, Al Lerner, the original team owner of the 1999 Browns.

Phil Savage, the Browns fired general manager, also came from the Baltimore organization.

Tune in to Midwestsportsfans.com tomorrow to find out more details following the press conference.

Hiring a recently fired coach who has the same New England coaching pedigree of our own recently fired coach is not my idea of renewing hope. Plus, I just don’t see Mangini’s aloof arrogance playing well in Cleveland, no matter how brilliant of a football tactician he may be.

Well, it looks like Randy Lerner does not pay attention to Midwest Sports Fans when deciding who to hire as head coach. (And, honestly, let’s all thank the good Lord for that.)

The latest report today from Chris Mortensen at ESPN is that Eric Mangini is now the leading candidate to become the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Additionally, Mort’s report says that Mangini could be hired as part of a package deal with a GM whose name is not Scott Pioli:

The Browns have continued their search process, interviewing other candidates, but sources say Mangini had a “compelling” interview and owner Randy Lerner is fascinated with him.

If Mangini gets the job to replace the fired Romeo Crennel, the favorite to become the team’s general manager is George Kokinis, who is the director of pro personnel for the Baltimore Ravens, the sources said.

Kokinis and Mangini each were members of the Browns organization when Bill Belichick was coach. Mangini formally joined the staff as an assistant coach in 1995. Kokinis was a scout from 1991 to 1995 before moving with the team to Baltimore.

This is obviously a very fluid situation, with new candidates seeming to emerge by the day and purported deadlines coming and going with now decisions ultimately being made. Thus, I don’t want to waste time speculating anymore on who the next Browns head coach and GM will be. I have made my feelings about Eric Mangini known, as well as my preference for Scott Pioli, even if it means Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz becomes the Browns’ new head coach. I think it’s now time to just sit back and see how it all shakes out before I waste my time typing about it anymore.

However, if you want to know all of the latest reports, here are some recent links for you to check out:

Mangini is the leader, but beware of unnamed sources in Browns head coach/GM search – (Pro Football Talk)

Is Pioli taking a page out of father-in-law Parcells’ book by maximizing leverage? – (Pro Football Talk) – Interesting post in which Florio echoes what I’ve been saying: that Browns fans are not going to want Mangini (nor another former Ravens personnel guy as GM) because we’ve been there, done that.

Mike Shanahan puts off Browns for two weeks, candidacy likely over in Cleveland – (Plain-Dealer)

Josh McDaniels and Mel Tucker make their case to become Browns head coach – (Plain-Dealer)

Browns like Mangini and Pioli; Can they get both? – (Plain-Dealer)

Latest News and Rumors on the Browns coach/GM search – (Orange and Brown Report – pay for the premium service, by the way. It’s worth it.)

Rumor of package deal with Ferentz makes Scott Pioli not look like such a good choice – (Dawg Pound Daily)

So there you go. I have heard from a few different sources that something will be happening with Scott Pioli imminently, and of course nothing has happened yet. I am going to watch the IU-Iowa game, and then the Colts-Chargers game, and try not to worry about the frustrating roller-coaster ride that has been Randy Lerner’s search for a new GM and head coach. Of course, if something definitive actually happens, I’m sure I’ll hop on here and get you updated.

All I know “for sure” is this: Eric Mangini definitely appears to be front-runner for the Browns head coaching job, and I don’t like it any more today than I did earlier this week. And if it precludes the Browns from getting Scott Pioli, I like it even less.

But it’s time to stop worrying at this point — and just start waiting. Randy Lerner wants to get something done quickly, so hopefully it will.

Weren’t things much more tidy and exciting when everyone was assuming Bill Cowher would be coming to town? Oh the good ‘ol days…