I have been told by a number of his players that because he could be a bit of a tyrant, there were times when it was "no fun" playing for Paul Brown; but as an example of loyalty and discipline, he had earned their respect and they wanted to play for him. Stating that the team was bigger than any one person, he didn't want the franchise to be named after him. Respect is something that is earned, not automatic because of a position of authority.

Yes, its probable that many under his authority were a bit stifled more than they should have been, and letting players speak their mind can create a healthy situation. However, through the years, I believe the "moral compass" Savage speaks about has taken a 180 degree turn . And with it, loyalty, respect for the game and the team concept of unity has been cast aside by some in favor of the self-centered cause. Yes, this approach is taken by a very small number of players and "one bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch." But because that one bad apple is usually the loudest, it sits on top of the barrel and is seen (and smelled) first. Maybe the bad apple should be taken out of the barrel.

Although some of those who didn't have the pleasure of witnessing the NFL in the 50's might get a chuckle when I talk about the era of high-top shoes, no face masks and goal posts on the goal line, the Cleveland Browns were viewed as family, not just a team. Year after year it was the same group we all became attached to; no different than the fans in Pittsburgh, New York, Detroit and every other city who boasted an NFL team. Todays game is filled with transients.

Boy, do I miss the good old days.

OK, then, let me rephrase. Savage knew Winslow had major talent. Everybody knew Winslow had major talent. If Savage thought Winslow was the second coming of Mark Campbell, or any other one of the tight end stiffs from the early years, then Winslow would have been dumped into Lake Erie with the rest of the trash immediately after Winslow clumsily popped a wheelie in the parking lot. Savage didn't "stand by" Winslow because Savage is a fiercely loyal man. He "stood by" Winslow because he thought Winslow, if he recovered from the accident, could still be an extremely valuable asset. Turned out he was.

So Savage should just cut the garbage. He can assert Winslow was totally out of line and was guilty of major insubordination. Arguably correct. But don't feed the public some line of bull about loyalty, integrity and all the rest of the fertilizer.

Do I love everything Savage has done? No. He's signed some FA's who didn't fit or didn't work out. He's wasted some picks on stiffs.

I didn't particularly care for the Anderson signing, as I would have much preferred two more #1's than Anderson. Anderson showed near the end of last season that his run may be over as defenses caught up to him, so we should have let him go when his value was highest. Still, I understand, with the expectations coming into this year, why he was signed.

But, one thing I will say for Savage…he's cut his stiffs from the draft (unlike Butch Davis, who clung to Joaquin Gonzalas for 3 years even though he proved he couldn't play a lick at this level), he's admitted to bad FA signings. And, he's right about this. It's definitely time that someone smacked Winslow upside the head and gave him a wake up call. He thought he was underpaid before…well, let's see how his underpaid wallet likes losing over 200K.

He's a prima donna. And if any of us regular folks behaved the way he does at our jobs, we'd be out on our ear and praying to find something else before the house is gone.

Furthermore, would Savage "had stood by Kellen through the motorcycle episode" if Winslow wasn't Savage's very own high draft pick with sky-high expectations? Not a chance in hell.

El stinko.

it's like watching this political nonsense on t.v. the talking heads dwell on the minutae of sarah palin's expensive wardrobe while the real problem gets a pricey band-aid.

the problem with the 2008 cleveland browns is standing on the sidelines with a blank look on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. romeo thanks the powers that be everyday that the media chooses to focus on a silly squabble between the g.m. and t.e. instead of the head coach and his terrible quarterback.

winslow is gone after this year. whoopie. not surprised in the least.

anderson starts again this week. amazing. other head coaches lose their jobs yet romeo stays. truly shocking. it's like watching a malignant tumor cover the body while the host is busy popping a zit in the mirror.