If you’ve ever wanted to tear your hair out and run screaming from your home into oncoming traffic when hearing the words “quarterback competition” associated with the Cleveland Browns, this will be wonderful news. In an interview earlier this week on the Dan Patrick show (also mentioned here), team president Mike Holmgren was asked if both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson would be with the team next season.
Citing the fact that he isn’t a “big believer in that competition stuff,” he stressed that the team’s mind better be made up before camp in order to let camp run through one [...]

Cleveland Browns’ President Mike Holmgren very recently gave an insightful interview with Dan Patrick of Sports Illustrated.
There are several things that we can take away from that interview.  First, there will be NO quarterback competition during 2010’s training camp in Berea.  Holmgren was clear that he thinks that approach is a mistake.  We fans will know the starter when training camp opens.  Second, Holmgren makes no apologies for stealing talented managerial, front office and coaching personnel from other organizations.  If it will help the Browns win football games, then nobody is off-limits.  Third, Josh Cribbs will wear the orange and [...]

It’s not because we necessarily wanted to see Brett Favre win the Super Bowl, but because he had to. It was essential that the man win it all again so he could ride off into the sunset, never to be heard from again on a football field. Though he is an amazing player to watch – his talents at 40 are still far and above those of most players – and most of us are too in awe of him to truly be bothered by him during the season, he has become a nightmare during the off-season.
Perhaps it is not [...]

Citing the fact that his son came from the University of Michigan and not for his frequent drops and various antics as to why Browns fans loathed the sight of him, Braylon Edwards’ father has proven the apple has not fallen far from the tree. I suppose someone wrote an article about Edwards because the New York Jets are “close” to the Super Bowl, but it really seems to exist to reinforce the hatred that everyone has for the wide receiver.
Anyone who is a fan of Cleveland sports knows of the year-by-year heartbreak that we are subjected to. However, other [...]

Numerous sources, including the Plain Dealer and NBC Sports, have reported that contract talks between kick return specialist Josh Cribbs (the very best in pro football) and the Cleveland Browns, particularly new President Mike Holmgren and new General Manager Tom Heckert (recently acquired by the Walrus from Philadelphia), are near completion.
Much progress has been made.  It seems certain that Josh will receive a brand new or substantially re-worked contract which pays him big money.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/22/cribbs-agent-says-talks-with-browns-are-progressing/.
The above is a lengthier account of recent developments.
We think that professional sports franchises, including our beloved Brownies, ought to be very hesitant to write new contracts that [...]

You know, for being a 5-11 team, the Browns sure know how to win awards.
Josh Cribbs and Joe Thomas were named to the Pro Football Weekly/Professional Football Writers of America all-NFL team on Monday. Better yet, rookie center Alex Mack was named to the PFW/PFWA all-rookie team.
With the team’s left tackle winning so many awards and the team’s rookie center getting some recognition, one has to be relatively pleased with the progress of the Browns’ offensive line. Once certain changes were made to the right side of the line during the season, Jerome Harrison began to look like a man [...]

Mike Holmgren has been a busy man since coming to Cleveland, as he has now brought on a new GM in Tom Heckert, who is coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles. Holmgren also hired Bryan Wiedmeier as the new executive vice president of business operations.
What probably enticed Wiedmeier the most into coming to Cleveland is the fact that he will now have final say on the draft and the 53-man roster, something that was in Andy Reid’s hands back in Philly. It also probably didn’t hurt that Heckert’s father was once employed by the Browns as a scout.
In other news, [...]

What in the world is going on between the Browns and Josh Cribbs? Here is the best player on the team, now a perennial Pro Bowler, and a guy who truly gives 110% each and every week. Losing him would not only mean the loss of a great player, but it would sort of annihilate an image the Browns have created, that of a team with a dangerous special teams unit.
Let’s put this ridiculous offer in perspective. According to the cleveland.com article:
…players with similar roles are making the following per year: Chicago’s Devin Hester — $5.45 million, Houston’s Andre Davis [...]

But what does that say about the future of head coach Eric Mangini? Team president Mike Holmgren said in his introductory press conference on Tuesday that a decision should be made on Mangini “by the end of the week.” He also said that he will meet with Mangini onWednesday and probably a couple more times this week in order to make a decision on the Browns coach.
Whatever happens with Mangini, one has to be impressed with the way Holmgren has taken command of the organization and immediately given it a voice for everybody to turn to. It’s like Browns fans [...]

By ending the season on a four-game winning streak, head coach Eric Mangini has made it very difficult for new team president Mike Holmgren to fire him. The Browns did show visible improvement during the season, it just took a long time getting there.  Best of all, there seems to be an actual direction (and a good one at that) that the team is heading in.
Despite all the reasons we can begin listing off as to why Mangini should be kept, the coach is still going to have to worry about his job, even if he says he’s not anxious about [...]