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From the monthly archives:

January 2009

Pontbriand Hawaii-bound

January 28, 2009

For the second consecutive season, Browns long snapper Ryan Pontbriand earned a spot in the Pro Bowl as the AFC's need player.
A fifth-round pick out of Rice in 2003, Pontbriand helped kicker Phil Dawson set a Browns' single-season record with 30 field goals in '08, surpassing Matt Stover's 29 in 1995. Dawson also hit a [...]

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Patriots hire Reese

January 27, 2009

Those not entirely on board with Browns owner Randy Lerner's hiring of coach Eric Mangini and general manager George Kokinis might again cite the New England Patriots' model.
On Tuesday, the Patriots hired former Tennessee Titans general manager Floyd Reese as a senior football advisor. Reese's various assignments will include contract work, the Patriots' press release [...]

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Be heard on the Kokinis hiring

January 26, 2009

Finally, after a week of stalling, the Browns have hired a new general manager. But, was it the right choice? You tell us. Vote and if you pick no, tell us who you would have wanted.
[poll id="5"]
Also see:
- Patrick McManamon: Meet the new GM, same as the old GM
- Terry Pluto: Eight thoughts on the [...]

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Reports: McCreight out

January 23, 2009

Browns director of player personnel T.J. McCreight was fired on Friday, according to Internet reports, including Cleveland.com.
McCreight had been leading the team's scouting effort this week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
The move is a likely indication of the imminent hiring of Baltimore Ravens director of pro personnel George Kokinis as general manager. [...]

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Even without GM, Browns busy at Senior Bowl

January 22, 2009

Sure, George Kokinis isn't officially the general manager of the Browns, but the team has a small army of scouts in Mobile, Ala. taking a look at the top senior talent in the nation.
Luke gave a good look at Monday's activities. Here's how things have shook out the last two days:
The venerable Scott Wright reports [...]

Tagged as: 2009 NFL Draft, DeAngelo Smith, George Kokinis, Herman Johnson, NFL Draft, Senior Bowl, William Moore

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Bentley resurfaces

January 21, 2009

LeCharles Bentley attended Wednesday night's Greater Cleveland Sports Awards at the Renaissance hotel in support of his old high school football coach, Chuck Kyle of St. Ignatius, who received the lifetime achievement award. Bentley has opened the O-Line Academy in Avon, a training center for offensive linemen that he said is the [...]

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Lerner, Kokinis talk

January 21, 2009

Browns owner Randy Lerner spoke to general manager candidate George Kokinis again Wednesday, a source confirmed. But it is unknown whether Lerner offered Kokinis a contract.
Kokinis, the Baltimore Ravens director of pro personnel and a close friend of new coach Eric Mangini, is expected to be hired this week.
A [...]

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Browns lay off 15

January 21, 2009

The nation's recession struck the Browns this week when 15 employees were laid off, 12 receiving the news Wednesday and three Tuesday.
Economic woes were given as the reason for the layoffs, which were not performance-related. One person was let go from each of the front office support staff departments, including the team's legal counsel, the [...]

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Kokinis in Berea again

January 20, 2009

George Kokinis, the apparent choice to be the Browns new general manager, spent part of Tuesday in Berea before heading back to Baltimore, WKYC Channel 3 reported.
A source said another meeting with Browns owner Randy Lerner has not been scheduled.
Kokinis met with new coach Eric Mangini, his longtime friend, and the Browns coordinators Monday and [...]

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Kokinis meets with Mangini first

January 19, 2009

George Kokinis, expected to be named Browns general manager this week, will meet with new Browns coach Eric Mangini and some staff members before getting together again with owner Randy Lerner, a source said.
Kokinis' second meeting with Lerner was not scheduled for Monday, according to the source.
Kokinis, [...]

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New commercial features LeBron as a Brown

January 17, 2009

Recently, pictures surfaced of Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James in a Browns jersey. The reason is the following:

Tagged as: Cleveland Browns, LeBron James, State Farm

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Should Sundquist get the GM job he wants?

January 16, 2009

If the Browns wait to hire Ravens director of pro personnel George Kokinis as general manager until Baltimore is done in the playoffs, that could be until after the Super Bowl.
That would mean the Browns wouldn't have a general manager present at the Senior Bowl practices, which begin on Jan. 18. And for a team [...]

Tagged as: Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, George Kokinis, Randy Lerner, Ted Sundquist

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Browns announce coordinators

January 15, 2009

As expected, the Browns announced Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator and Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator. The team also hired Brad Seely as special teams coordinator.
You probably know all the particulars about each guy by now. So, instead, here is a fun video of Rob Ryan and his brother, Rex, the likely next coach of [...]

Tagged as: Brad Seely, Brian Daboll, Cleveland Browns, Eric Mangini, George Kokinis, NFL, Randy Lerner, Rob Ryan

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Report: Browns to interview Harris

January 14, 2009

Browns owner Randy Lerner will interview former Jacksonville Jaguars vice president of player personnel James Harris on Thursday in New York, WKYC Channel 3 reported Wednesday.
Harris, 61, resigned on Dec. 23 after serving nearly six years as the Jaguars GM.
A playoff team in 2007, Jacksonville went 5-11 in 2008, including a 2-8 finish that began [...]

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Kardiac Kid now college coach

January 14, 2009

Brian Sipe, the star of the early 1980s Browns "Kardiac Kids" teams, is the new quarterbacks coach at San Diego State University.
Sipe, a SDSU legend with coach Don Coryell, has been a successful high school coach in the Southern California area.

"This is San Diego State. It's not USD, it's not UCLA or a position [...]

Tagged as: Brian Sipe, Cle, Cleveland Browns, Kardiac Kids, NFL

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LeBron James, savior of the Browns?

January 12, 2009

Check these out from here.

Make of them what you will. Shot at the University of Akron Stile Field House, this is certainly from a commercial or magazine shoot. But can you imagine a 6-foot-8, 250-pound wide receiver charging down the field catching passes from Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson?
The mere thought gives Danny Ferry a [...]

Tagged as: Brady Quinn, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James

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Browns interview Kokinis

January 12, 2009

Browns owner Randy Lerner interviewed Baltimore Ravens director of pro personnel George Kokinis Sunday and their meeting reportedly went well. But the possibility of hiring Kokinis as general manager to partner with coach Eric Mangini will have to wait.
The Ravens advanced to Sunday's AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, making Kokinis unavailable to join [...]

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GM candidates out, Mangini needs to discipline and more

January 8, 2009

Per Adam Schefter of NFL Network, both Scott Pioli and Tom Heckert are out as possible general manager candidates for the Browns.
Neither is surprising. What does come as something of a shock is the last part of Heckert's reasoning.
Heckert told the Browns he is canceling the interview that was scheduled for Friday because he doesn’t [...]

Tagged as: Cleveland Browns, Eric Mangini, NFL, Randy Lerner, Rob Ryan, S, Scott Pioli, Tom Heckert

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Mangini news conference highlights

January 8, 2009

First, owner Randy Lerner was not present. Eric Mangini was introduced by team president Mike Keenan. The news conference lasted just about a half hour with Mangini opening with a statement followed by questions.
- On coming back to Cleveland where he was a ball boy and public relations intern:
"It is really special to be back [...]

Tagged as: Cleveland Browns, Eric Mangini, NFL

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Mangini takes command

January 8, 2009

Eric Mangini took over as the 12th-full time coach in Browns history Thursday with a full appreciation of the team's tradition and a vow that he's changed in the three years he spent with the New York Jets.
"You learn there's so many things there's no handbook for," Mangini said. "They say [...]

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