Remarker Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Regardless of who did what, when or why, from the FO on down the Browns are being built in the mold of the 9ers and the Hawks. This is not an accident or knee jerk. Aside from that, getting Clowney would be a 'SCORE'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFBF Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Yeah yeah glad to see these guys gone but let's not get too proud of Jimmy Haslam guts fortitude and business acumen. Somebody put this entire shit train on the tracks over a year ago... I am cautiously optimistic but what's see what happens now. WSS Haslam was/is a Rookie Owner. From what I've seen, to me it looks like he really does want a winning Team. So far it appears that he's actually making some good moves to improve things, so at least for now I'm willing to give him some slack. Time will tell, but I'm hoping for the best for our Teams' sake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bermeck08 Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Agree with clowney discussion Would rather get our future QB later- in the 3rd or 4th. Here's what it does ... Tells Hoyer - you da man- go kick some butt Makes our defensive line top tier of the league, if not the best- Flacco, Rothinstien, Daulton- your jobs just got more difficult Ummm , we just hired a D-line specialist- who we are told can develop young talent. Best part - nobody expects it. DE, WR, QB, OT, RB, DB/S (depending on Ward on roster)...FA- go get another WR and the best LB we can find Screw Johnny football...would rather trade out- if he falls to us Bermeck (get 3 starters and stockpile for 2015... 8-8, here we come) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrownsKidd Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 http://mmqb.si.com/2014/02/12/cleveland-browns-jimmy-haslam-fires-joe-banner/ Banner and Lombardi lambasted ...... What ticks me off are these comments that there is a "moat" or black cloud statements about the Browns. Yes, I understand it, but that is exactly what Haslam is trying to remove, that seems to be forgotten by the media. The big picture is what is important here, not the immediate knee jerk reactions by the media. And also, the Browns fans are alive and frickin' kicking. We are not numb, we are waiting for this ship to turn and I think it's happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonBrown Posted February 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 What ticks me off are these comments that there is a "moat" or black cloud statements about the Browns. Yes, I understand it, but that is exactly what Haslam is trying to remove, that seems to be forgotten by the media. The big picture is what is important here, not the immediate knee jerk reactions by the media. And also, the Browns fans are alive and frickin' kicking. We are not numb, we are waiting for this ship to turn and I think it's happening. The continuity thing annoys me. Yes we'd all love that but it only works if you have the right people to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFBF Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Agree with clowney discussion Would rather get our future QB later- in the 3rd or 4th. Here's what it does ... Tells Hoyer - you da man- go kick some butt Makes our defensive line top tier of the league, if not the best- Flacco, Rothinstien, Daulton- your jobs just got more difficult Ummm , we just hired a D-line specialist- who we are told can develop young talent. Best part - nobody expects it. DE, WR, QB, OT, RB, DB/S (depending on Ward on roster)...FA- go get another WR and the best LB we can find Screw Johnny football...would rather trade out- if he falls to us Bermeck (get 3 starters and stockpile for 2015... 8-8, here we come) From watching the Farmer presser, there are indications that Farmer may trade out picks from this year for picks next year, so with that bit of info there's no telling what to expect in the Draft this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFBF Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 The continuity thing annoys me. Yes we'd all love that but it only works if you have the right people to begin with. Are you talking about FO continuity? Don't forget, Farmer was here last year as Asst GM, and he was the one scouting at the Senior Bowl this year - Lombardi was MIA. Essentially, scouting and player evaluations have been handled by Farmer - that's why I was really concerned with him possibly going to Miami as GM, we'd be screwed big time. Also the Scouting department is the same, so no loss there. Combine is next week, and it looks like the guy Farmer is trying to pull in to assist has some serious talent evaluation skills (Kuharich), though I still wonder why he's not been in the NFL for several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbedward Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 This is interesting: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000325306/article/joe-banner-jimmy-haslam-had-major-rift-with-browns Basically says nobody wanted to work with the Banner/Lombardi dynamic. And says Banner insulted Wisenhunt, and Banner wanted nothing to do with Schiano before even interviewing him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 This is interesting: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000325306/article/joe-banner-jimmy-haslam-had-major-rift-with-browns Basically says nobody wanted to work with the Banner/Lombardi dynamic. And says Banner insulted Wisenhunt, and Banner wanted nothing to do with Schiano before even interviewing him. For some reason that article is not coming up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoorta Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 The tinfoil in my head whispers that Farmer will be in cahoots with Lobotomy. In his presser he mentioned Lombardi as a very close and good friend. Farmer later he says that he'll get input on players from some bright, smart and creative people that can help him. Part of me thinks Farmer is to be the figurehead that Lombardi refused to be but he'll still have his hand in the jar. Farmer is a good talker and Haslam knows perception is reality. So by appearing to cast off Banner and Lombardi and putting Farmer, who is a good talker, he's changing the perception... It's feels kinda like almost to good to be true, like the red and blue pills in the Matrix... fuck it, bottoms up! Lombardi Is gone, and with him the Curse!! I doubt Farmer will be asking Mike for any advice on how to be a GM. Certainly not about any player evaluations. Might play a round or two of golf with him and ask how things are going back @ NFLN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Haslam was/is a Rookie Owner. From what I've seen, to me it looks like he really does want a winning Team. So far it appears that he's actually making some good moves to improve things, so at least for now I'm willing to give him some slack. Time will tell, but I'm hoping for the best for our Teams' sake. Yes he is new as the owner of the Cleveland Browns but he's had experience with parts of other teams (well part owner of the squeelers) and let's face it the NFL doesn't just let any idiot buy a team. It ain't like he bought the team on Craigslist... WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarker Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 The NFL doesn't just let any idiot buy a team. Hahaha, that's a hard argument to make considering Woody Johnson is an owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canton Mike Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Haslam was in a seeming "no win" situation..... 1) KEEP Banner & Lombardi to show SOME continuity but deal with distrust & further Fan disenchantment in addition to risking the entire off season. 2) Let them go & be criticized for excessive "turnover". Jimmy, God bless him, let his passion for fielding a winner take over & rid the Browns (and US) of the poison. He will be criticized by some, but he took that risk for the overall good. I quote Jimmy “In my business career, most of the mistakes I’ve made come from not moving quickly enough when you know there’s a tough decision to be made. The easy thing to do here would be to stay doing what you’re doing, even when you feel like you need to change course.’’ It takes courage to admit a mistake as publicly as he did. We'll see what happens from this point forward, and I can't speak for anyone else, but Jimmy Haslam has earned MY respect for his handling of this situation. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFBF Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 New audio interview (Bull & Fox) with Ray Farmer : http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2014/02/12/ray-farmer-says-were-gonna-be-relentless-were-gonna-make-things-happen/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour2ma Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Good read. Yes, it was... The tinfoil in my head whispers... Just keep it away from your fillings... I don't think the two statements are a conflict at all. Farmer's statement is based in the future of the club and Pettine's is in the here and now. Of course Pettine WANTS the right guys to run his system, but he understands that he can't just blink his eyes and have the perfect personnel in place. He knows that he's going to have to build the scheme around the talent that is already in place while farmer finds the guys that fit his system. Coaches need to be able to adapt to what they have at their disposal, and until the right personnel is in place he'll have to figure out how to make due. Beat me to it... Clowney is by and large the best athlete and it's really not even close. May well be the case, but I still do not see him standing up in a 3-4. If we're to be a 4-3 D, then bring him on unless... Do you have any concerns about his "motor"? Haslam was/is a Rookie Owner. Keeps coming up, but he was a minority owner to the SE of our town. Not a hands on position to be sure, but has to have exposed him to something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
next2nothing Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Yeah yeah glad to see these guys gone but let's not get too proud of Jimmy Haslam guts fortitude and business acumen. Somebody put this entire shit train on the tracks over a year ago... I am cautiously optimistic but what's see what happens now. WSS True. But remember that the NFL paired Haslam up with Banner, who then brought in Lombardi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soju Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Jimmy had to do something, he knew those two guys were not going to attract any personnel or players to this city. This was a wise move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombo Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 MK comes in with her big scoop, after the fact, and "according to sources" CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns CEO Joe Banner and his top lieutenant Mike Lombardi ended on bad terms with each other, and their discord led to Jimmy Haslam firing both, league sources told cleveland.com. Banner and Lombardi clashed over a number of things, but the disconnect came to a head during the tumultuous 25-day coaching search. By the end of it, Banner wanted to fire his embattled GM, and Lombardi knew it. If he didn't know, he missed the writing on the wall. But what Banner didn't know, and should have, was that Haslam had also grown weary of him during the search -- portrayed as dysfunctional in the local and national media -- and was gearing up to fire him. The owner and the CEO didn't see eye-to-eye over a number of candidates, and Haslam came to feel that Banner was the reason some didn't want to interview for -- or accept -- his coaching job. Banner took a gamble last year on Lombardi -- who is reportedly set to join Bill Belichick's staff in New England -- despite a thunderous backlash from Cleveland fans and media, and it ultimately contributed to his downfall. In the latter stages of the coaching search, Lombardi's good friend Belichick was calling to advise Haslam on candidates, including encouraging him to interview fired Bucs coach Greg Schiano, sources confirmed for cleveland.com. Sports Illustrated's Peter King first reported that Banner was miffed about the last-minute Schiano interview, which took place a day or two after their second interview with Mike Pettine at the Senior Bowl in late January. Against Banner's wishes, the Browns left the Senior Bowl and flew to Tampa to interview Schiano, who was coming off a scandal-rocked 4-12 season. The year was marred by a MRSA outbreak in the locker room and a public battle between the team and quarterback Josh Freeman. At the time, the interview looked like a favor for a coach down on his luck, but it was more than that. Haslam listened to the recommendations of Belichick and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, and overrode his CEO's opinion. Others in the organization were also on board with talking to Schiano. The Josh McDaniels candidacy Josh McDaniels View full size New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was a key figure in the Browns coaching search. Elise Amendola, AP Haslam and Banner were also at odds over Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, according to insiders. McDaniels -- a longtime Lombardi favorite -- supposedly became Haslam's top choice, but Banner had his reservations. McDaniels had been fired by the Broncos after a controversial reign in which he alienated some players and lost 17 of his last 22 games. He was also fired in large part because of a videotaping scandal. But Lombardi strongly felt McDaniels received a raw deal in Denver, and would excel in the right situation chance, much like his pal Belichick did in New England. Shortly after the Browns interviewed McDaniels, a Canton native, he pulled his name out of the search, saying he was happy where he was. After the media portrayed McDaniels' withdrawal as another sign that no one wanted the "radioactive'' Browns job, sources told cleveland.com and other local reporters that McDaniels pulled his name out because he was told he wasn't the frontrunner. The "frontrunner'' retort didn't sit well with some candidates or potential candidates, a source said. But a McDaniels hire might've also gone over like a lead balloon. During the interview, NFL Network's Mike Silver wrote, “ ... when I read reports that former Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels might be the leading candidate to fill the Cleveland Browns opening, I feel like someone has just taken a tire iron to my skull.” Within about 24 hours after McDaniels pulled out of the search, he called to get back in, sources close to the situation told cleveland.com. This was contrary to a report on NFL Network that the Browns called McDaniels and tried to lure him back into the mix. Regardless, he remained in the running right up until the end, when the Browns hired Pettine on Jan. 23. In fact, he received the support and recommendation of Belichick right up until the 11th hour. McDaniels was likely the "mystery finalist'' the Browns referred to on the day Pettine was hired, although they later said it was Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who also hadn't yet been eliminated until Pettine agreed to terms. The Ken Whisenhunt candidacy whisenhunt.jpg View full size Ken Whisenhunt wanted to know why the Browns passed on him for their head-coaching job after the 2012 season. AP The Ken Whisenhunt candidacy also presented problems. Sources said that Whisenhunt, who took the Titans head job, would've considered coming to Cleveland but had concerns over the management team in place, specifically Banner. The Browns had interviewed Whisenhunt for their head-coaching vacancy last year, but passed him over because they were more impressed with the coordinators Rob Chudzinski could produce -- Norv Turner and Ray Horton, sources told cleveland.com at the time. Whisenhunt also interviewed with Buffalo in 2013, but the job went to Doug Marrone. SI's King reported Wednesday that when Whisenhunt asked the Browns in his interview this year why they didn't hire him in 2013, Banner told him it was because they wanted to see more of a “a championship coaching staff” Whisenhunt, one NFL source told King, was miffed that Banner, who had never coached, would criticize his choice of assistants. “Who are you to tell me what makes up a championship coaching staff?” Whisenhunt said, with an edge in his voice, King wrote. Sources told cleveland.com it's true Whisenhunt was told he didn't get the job last year because of his staff, but that he never called out Banner over it during this year's interview or had an edge in his voice. One source said there was never an awkward moment during the Whisenhunt meeting and that he was the consummate professional. The discussion was frank and open, but Whisenhunt was non-confrontational. "Why would someone who was trying to land a job go off on one of the interviewers?'' said one source. Beginning of the end Cleveland Browns: Mike Pettine named head coach View full size Even though the search had its rough patches, in the end the Browns are happy that they landed Mike Pettine as their coach. Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer Still, the disconnect amongst the power-brokers was evident by then, and the groundwork had been laid for the end of the short Banner-Lombardi regime. Banner had the job for 16 months, and Lombardi, 13 months -- although he was involved behind the scenes from the moment Haslam agreed to purchase the team 18 months ago. Sources also said that former Penn State coach Bill O'Brien, who also remains close to his former boss Belichick, wasn't interested in interviewing with the Browns this year because of the management team in place. He talked to Browns last year but opted to remain at Penn State. This year, he took the Texans head-coaching job without interviewing with the Browns. By the day Pettine was hired, the signs were strong that Lombardi was gone, and that Haslam and Banner weren't in lockstep. While Lombardi wasn't even present at introductory press conference, Farmer was hailed that day by Haslam and Banner as "a rising star'' in the organization -- the first sign that Lombardi was on his way out. That same day, Banner also lamented the fact that he didn't get a chance to meet with the Super Bowl-bound Quinn a second time, calling it "the toughest decision'' of the interview process. He went on to praise Quinn, predicting he'd be an excellent head coach some day. It almost sounded like buyer's remorse -- but several sources said that wasn't true, that everyone in the organization was completely on board with Pettine and blown away by his interviews. A week later at the Super Bowl, Banner continued to praise Farmer in an interview with cleveland.com regarding the assistant GM's decision to turn down the Dolphins' GM job. "I'm not surprised that other people are recognizing it,'' Banner said. "He's extremely hard-working, smart, totally trustworthy loyal and a great evaluator. He understands the elements of character, personality and drive (in prospects) and he integrates them into the grading of what you see on the film.'' Meanwhile, Banner barely mentioned Lombardi and kept his media-savvy GM out of the public eye all season, describing him in March as a "lightning rod for criticism.'' It was clear that Lombardi had fallen out of favor with Banner, and that the top of the organization was splintered. Still, two sources said Banner was "flabbergasted'' by his firing and never saw it coming. They said Banner thought Haslam was happy with Banner's first 16 months, during which he attracted excellent top-level executives such as President Alec Scheiner and general counsel Sashi Brown and had overhauled the entire operation. Insiders also said Haslam may have had second thoughts about firing coach Rob Chudzinski, even though he was completely on board with it at the time. In the end, the Browns felt they landed an excellent head coach in Pettine after a thorough process in which they cast a wide net. Several sources said that perceptions candidates didn't want their job were inaccurate, and that many excellent prospects called to be interviewed and weren't considered. The only candidate on their list who actually declined to interview was Broncos coordinator Adam Gase, who told them he wanted to focus on the Super Bowl and was happy with his current job. In the end, Banner took a chance on Lombardi, and when he set out to fire him, they both went down. http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2014/02/joe_banner_and_mike_lombardi_e.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sienn13 Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 New audio interview (Bull & Fox) with Ray Farmer : http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2014/02/12/ray-farmer-says-were-gonna-be-relentless-were-gonna-make-things-happen/ Thanks for the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrb12711 Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 The way i see it, everything last year was a total wash. It's obvious everything in the organization was toxic and dysfunctional, and needed to be purged out. Haslam was a first year owner dealing with a major issue in his company. A year gone is a year wiser, and now all the trash is gone. We have a guy who is actually widely respected in Farmer. We got a young seemingly fiery coach and an aggressive owner who wants to win. It's time to get a QB and win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFBF Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Whoa, some National respect for the Browns (NFL.com) : The Browns were mocked as clowns, a mess of an organization. Cleveland changing coaches and executives like you change your socks. Everyone was having a grand old time yucking it up. Laugh now, but the joke will be on you later. Haslam saw a problem. He fixed it. The Browns are much better off. Seriously. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000325600/article/jimmy-haslams-revised-cleveland-browns-are-no-laughing-stock Such rapid and unrelenting change can signal the lack of a plan or vision. Maybe that's true. Or maybe Jimmy Haslam just hit a home run. Early call for the Season : Cleveland won four games last year. But with the regime changes, a whole bunch of cap space and a ton of talent already on the roster, I think the Browns are in prime position to double their win total in 2014. Again, seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFBF Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Grossi interview with Farmer (Part 1) : http://espncleveland.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=17&post_id=28581 Interesting comment here : Q: Do you prioritize certain positions in building a team? I do, but I will not reveal what positions I think are most important to us because I think it leads to a competitive disadvantage. I think it’s good when teams don’t know what you want or how you want. So it gives you a lead-in. There’s a thought process that you have to take certain positions. I would caution everyone to believe that just because you think it’s important and you think it should go here, doesn’t mean that’s necessarily the strategy. There’s always other ways to solve the puzzle. I don’t think anything’s exact. People take different risks at different times. For me, I think it’s best stated for me that we should fly low and under the radar for as long as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoorta Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Grossi interview with Farmer (Part 1) : http://espncleveland.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=17&post_id=28581 Interesting comment here : Quote Q: Do you prioritize certain positions in building a team? I do, but I will not reveal what positions I think are most important to us because I think it leads to a competitive disadvantage. I think it’s good when teams don’t know what you want or how you want. So it gives you a lead-in. There’s a thought process that you have to take certain positions. I would caution everyone to believe that just because you think it’s important and you think it should go here, doesn’t mean that’s necessarily the strategy. There’s always other ways to solve the puzzle. I don’t think anything’s exact. People take different risks at different times. For me, I think it’s best stated for me that we should fly low and under the radar for as long as possible. The Manziel rumors can now officially be put in the dumpster. I have to wonder who started them in the first place. LOL it had to be Lobotomy- he's a big enough bozo to do something like that. Scouting heavily? Like the Browns didn't "scout heavily" Bridgewater, Bortles, & Carr too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Anyone familiar with his drafting scouting and signing record out in Kansas City? That might give us a clue as to priorities. I could look it up but I bet some of you guys already know. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Anyone familiar with his drafting scouting and signing record out in Kansas City? That might give us a clue as to priorities. I could look it up but I bet some of you guys already know. WSS I posted that in another thread (actually in response to one of your posts, lol). See this link, you can skip the part about Lombardi's horrible record: http://thebrownsboard.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28391&page=2&do=findComment&comment=384664 We can't say he is completely responsible for this, but I'm sure he was involved in the process, as was his new advisor, Bill Kuharich. I'd take those picks any day of the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbedward Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Anyone familiar with his drafting scouting and signing record out in Kansas City? That might give us a clue as to priorities. I could look it up but I bet some of you guys already know. WSS A lot of defense. They also grabbed 4 offensive lineman in the top 3 rounds the past 3 years. There are some high skill offensive positions there like McCluster and Dwayne Bowe. Interestingly enough, only 2 QBs though. Round 3 and 5. That was about the last thing KC put in place over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Thanx! The Mike Lombardi Hall of Fame you posted I recall, but I didn't recall the Kansas City pics. Yep a lot of defensive players. Could be a great sign. I think it's a good idea to put together a hell of a defense then drop in a quarterback. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour2ma Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 MK comes in with her big scoop, after the fact, and "according to sources" Well... what it lacked in timeliness it more than made up for in length.. Grossi interview with Farmer (Part 1) : Interesting comment here : Very interesting... I swear Haslam is 2 for 2 with Pettine and Farmer. This really feels good... strange, but good... Anyone familiar with his drafting scouting and signing record out in Kansas City? That might give us a clue as to priorities. I could look it up but I bet some of you guys already know. The QB was the last piece... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 A lot of defense. They also grabbed 4 offensive lineman in the top 3 rounds the past 3 years. There are some high skill offensive positions there like McCluster and Dwayne Bowe. Interestingly enough, only 2 QBs though. Round 3 and 5. That was about the last thing KC put in place over there. I suspect we can see his imprint on those draft picks in the linebackers they selected, since he happens to be a former linebacker himself, he'd know that position better than he knows any of the others. I am definitely getting the vibe from his interviews, especially this one with Tony Grossi, that we may not take a QB with that #4 pick. He just doesn't seem to think QB is the end-all-and-be-all of the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadNewsBrowns Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Trying hard not to get sucked in yet again.... saying all the right things .. but show me don't tell me. We better win our first game & our home opener this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.