Breakfast with Brownie

Good Morning Browns Fans!!!!

Well for some of you out there, yesterday was like Christmas morning all over again, as we saw the termination of CEO Joe Banner and general manager Mike Lombardi.

If you thought Chud being fired after one year was extremely odd, then this must have really shocked the dog biscuits out of you!!!!

Lombardi was fired effective immediately, and Banner will hang on for a few months to help make the transition a smooth one.  In just 16 months time, owner Jimmy Haslam has cleaned house for a second time, in hopes of finally getting it right.  By his own admission, he stated it’s not an easy thing becoming a new NFL owner and there is a bit of a learning curve.

“I will tell you that I underestimated this,” he said Tuesday during a press conference to discuss the departure of CEO Joe Banner and general manager Mike Lombardi. “It’s a learning curve to be an NFL owner. If you want to look at me as a work-in-progress, that’s fair to say or to do.

“I will tell you this: These are the last of the major changes that we’re going to make in the organization — but we’ll continue to, if I can use the word, ‘tinker’ with the organization to continue to find was to improve it and make it better.”

So out goes Banner and Lombardi, and in comes new general manager Ray Farmer.  Across the league, he is known as a very bright young mind and was on the radar of several teams to tab him as their next general manager, the Miami Dolphins most recently.  Farmer, who joined the Browns last March after eight seasons as the Chiefs Director of Pro Personnel, is the seventh Browns general manager since 1999 and the seventh African-American general manager.

Haslam did state, that Farmer would have control of the 53-man roster and Coach Pettine will have control of the 46-man , gameday roster.

Before we close, we will leave you with this bit of info that one NFL GM told Cleveland.com, “I will do business with the Browns again, and I’m not the only one that feels that way.”

Hopefully good times will be here again soon Cleveland, but even with these very positive developments, I’m not going to hold my breath just yet…

-MR(@puckelves)

Dawg Pound Daily Biscuits

Browns Ray Farmer press conferences notes

Browns interviewed Wisconsin HC Gary Andersen

Browns: Mike Lombardi, in memoriam

BROWNIE BITES

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam on the criticism he will get nationally by this bold move.  “I will accept comments and criticism about change,” said Haslam, who’s come under heavy criticism both locally and nationally for his quick hook. “I will accept responsibility for some of the changes that have been made. There is no primer for being an NFL owner. It is a learn-on-the-go, if you will, but I think what’s really important is for everybody in this room but really much more so for our fans to understand that this ownership group, our family and this owner is committed to bringing a winner to the Browns. As I said when we introduced (coach Mike Pettine) a few weeks ago, ‘Talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words.’ ”

Former CEO Joe Banner on leaving the Browns.  “It is bittersweet leaving the Browns organization,” Banner said in a statement from the club. “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Jimmy Haslam and helping him set the infrastructure for this franchise. I’m proud of the talented individuals we brought in to help lead this team and feel that the Cleveland Browns are in good hands moving forward.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam on charges that the Browns are dysfunctional.  “Let me say that I would disagree with that, OK?” he said. “I think that’s a perception that you all have set out there. I will tell you as I talk to people around the league or at the Super Bowl last year, people view this as a great franchise. It’s a great football area. We’re in great shape with the cap. We’re in great shape with the draft. I think that if you talk to people around the league, they’ll say that this is a wonderful opportunity. Now, we’ve got to produce. I had dinner with Pett last night. We were looking at some records. There has not been a coach here since before 1991 that had a winning record, and the team has only won 35 percent of its games. We’ve got work to do, but I continue to believe that this is an outstanding opportunity.”

Random Barks in the Twitter and Facebook Pound

>Couldn’t agree with BrownsGirl19 more..I wasn’t impressed with last years draft, and wasn’t feeling as confident going into this one with the two of them.  With Farmer running things now, I feel a sense of relief!!!

>I would agree with Andrew, that this morning’s piece by Peter King on the Browns moves yesterday was a great read and had some great insight into why it occurred.  If you have time check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read “Breakfast with Brownie”.  Please feel free to comment here or at the bottom of any other one of our articles here at Dawg Pound Daily.  You can find us all on Twitter as well, so feel free to contact any of us.  We always love to talk Browns football!!!