Seriously, where do the local sports franchises find their doctors? They seem to universally suck. Starting with the moron who practiced malpractice on Brad Daugherty's foot, it hasn't stopped. The Browns, the Cavaliers, the Indians. Did any of these jokers attend medical school in the United States, or what? It's beyond ridiculous.

Do folks really want to know more about Lerner and the inner workings of the Browns and the revenue that drops into the local cash registers? You'll never read about any of this in this blog or in any mainstream local newspaper. You never attack a titan in this town. Who knows, Lerner could order Lew Merletti to have Pat killed. Or, at the very least, Pat's dog. Or whatever kind of pet Pat has. A ferret, possibly. Or possibly one of those box turtles?

http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/5900

Oh, and Adam Gannon, pet peeve here. It's a different "organization." What does Paul Brown have to do with anything? It's like calling the Charlotte Bobcats organization the same organization as the Charlotte Hornets organization. Or the St. Louis Rams organization the same organization as the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Or the Seattle Cavaliers organization the same as the Seattle Supersonics organization …. uh, whoops, took a time machine vacation for a moment. Sorry.

i had to move thousands of miles away to attempt to break the cycle in my family. my wife looks at me with pity as i tune into losing seasons year after year while she has had the satisfaction of seeing her team (the g-d cowboys! ugh!) hoist the lombardi trophy in her lifetime. i hope my daughter never knows my pain. but i catch her, sneaking peeks as i watch a stream of the game on my laptop. she's not even 2 yet but she seems to have a mild interest in the brown and orange. terry, good luck. if you are successful you may be able to help my daughter and many other children avoid or beat this terrible addiction.

I am one of those fans who has followed Cleveland teams my entire life. I don't normally participate in internet forums, call radio stations or otherwise communicate my feelings. I just suffer in silence.

That being said I can no longer stay a fan of the Browns. It is not that they have been unsuccessful since their return in 1999, it is because they do not play with any kind of noticeable passion. I want my team to play like they care about the outcome of the game.

I believe a team is a direct reflection of their coach. Romero may be a great guy but he stands on the sidelines without showing any emotion and I have never seen him get angry at the play of the team. To me that tells players there is little consquence to their actions.

The Houston game was the end for me. Bad game plan, terrible execution, no passion, lousy coaching – and one lost fan.

Thanks, too, for reminding readers that those two positions have had the club disadvantaged all season long, underscored by the complete inability to sit Braylon because of what alternatives exist behind him.

Meanwhile, the GM has not drafted at all well but has already spent three of next April's draft picks on individuals who do not participate, even on a floundering club.

So, the idea that this coaching staff has not exactly received helpful support from its personnel chief should be amply clear, ironic in that the same GM has the coach speaking in his defense.

As outrageous as it may seem, it is possible the head coach outlives the GM, with the former justifiably arguing it has been the front office man who has undermined his attempts, failed in his duties and imposed upon him important assistants who don't necessarily conduct themselves in the best interest of the entire staff, the provided talent or with the appropriate approach/philosophy.

Alas, it appears all things are status quo until the final five games are played, with wholesale changes to follow. A proven football man overseeing the entire operation, including the GM, is the recommended way to go, with a departure from finesse to physical toughness the prescribed attack.

As for Savage himself, he'd garner a lot more respect if he showed the courage of his convictions by appearing up-front as a stand-up guy for an organization he supposedly leads, much as Mark Shapiro is always there when Tribe issues arise. (Not an original thought.) His chosen manner speaks volumes about the Browns' desperate need for organizational leadership. Weak, cowardly, timid, reticent—way to set a tone, little man.

Hopefully with some intense training he will be able to run a slant in 2009, and maybe even a post by 2010. Then in 2011 they can start teaching him to catch the ball and sign him to a long extension.

Let's not forget the defense. In the offseason, the thinking was, just like
the offense last year, if rebuilding starts at the line, then the whole defense gets better. But 2 additions do not a defense make…where do we start? one of the smiths gets injured, then ther other smith misses time, then sean jones gets sidelined….a couple of rookie cornerbacks (forgivable if that was
the only thing wrong with the defense)…wimbley not having a good year…Adams? who's he. Terry cousin? my cousin plays better then him, even pool was out for a bit. U get my point. The puzzle will only be finished with several pieces to add to the defense….along with a better coach.
take care
joe

1. i still fail to see what romeo being a good guy has to do with his coaching skills. we love ya romeo, just not as the head coach of the cleveland browns.

2. faine was a butch pick. butch, by the way, looks a lot better in retrospect than the crap phil and romeo have been dishing out for 4 years.

3. hey adam gannon, mike brown may be a turd of an owner and marvin lewis is the nfl's colonel clink in charge of the prisoners in stalag ocho cinco but at least they made it to a couple super bowls. that's two more than the cleveland browns.

4. if randy lerner is saying and doing all these things but they are not being made public then he is in essence doing nothing.

as you said pat, "there need to be some changes – and if it's not in people it should be in approach. In bringing leadership at the top. Real leadership that doesn't leave the coach to clean up all the messes and does have the man on the top answering questions — and leading."

if phil savage isn't going to take responsibility and do the right thing then it is up to the owner to go public and clean his g.m.'s mess. he has failed to do so and has eroded the trust of the fan base. jim ingraham's article couldn't have been any more right. randy lerner either needs to address the fans—-now—–and even that is too late—–or find someone who cares enough to do what is necessary for the team and the fans in cleveland.