DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Savage Out as Browns GM per league source

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SAVAGE IS OUT IN CLEVELAND
Posted by Mike Florio on December 28, 2008, 5:11 p.m. EST
A league source tells us that the Browns already have parted ways with G.M. Phil Savage.

It’s not clear whether he quit or whether he was fired.

The move was widely expected. It has come faster than anyone anticipated.

Some reports suggested that Savage would be given a chance to stick around in a reduced role; it currently appears that there will be a clean break.

The next question becomes whether the Browns will try to stiff Savage with respect to his buyout. Arguably, Savage’s e-mail exchange with a disgruntled fan could provide the Browns grounds for terminating Savage with cause.

And Savage doesn’t seem to have the temperament to fight such a decision via the filing of a formal grievance with the Commissioner’s office.

mere "talk" right now...

but seems like he is gone.

Not sure,,, but is that a blog you got that from? anyway,,

Quote:

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The next question becomes whether the Browns will try to stiff Savage with respect to his buyout. Arguably, Savage’s e-mail exchange with a disgruntled fan could provide the Browns grounds for terminating Savage with cause.

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Savages contract is chump change to Lerner.. he'll pay him off.

If this is true, the wheels are in motion already. I like it. Their are a lot of things that need addressed this offseason, and the sooner a new staff is in place the better.

I liked Savage, but think he is overrated in the talent evaluating department. He has made a couple hits, but his draft picks have showed me little. He has put together a base of players, but many of them have issues.

If he is gone, maybe the talk of Pioli coming in has some merit, or Cowher is being lured with full control available.

Or maybe PFT is throwing crap at the wall once again in hopes that it will stick.

Someone posted that the news in Cleveland is reporting it as well....

I must admit " I like it " .. Move and move Now !

This will be deleted. Rumor Mill articles are never allowed. It is already being talked about in another thread but I suspect that it will be purged as well...

http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/18370056/detail.html

CLEVELAND -- NewsChannel5's sports anchor Terry Brooks has learned that Cleveland Browns General Manager Phil Savage was fired Sunday.
That will likely mean that Romeo Crennel will be next.
Crennel will meet with team owner Randy Lerner on Monday, heightening the likelihood the Browns' embattled coach will be fired one day after Cleveland concludes its dismal season.
Lerner, wanted to wait until after the season out of respect for Crennel, who carried a 24-40 record in four seasons. Crennel was also 0-8 against the archrival Steelers and just 5-18 inside the AFC North.
Should Crennel Be Fired? | Browns Lose | Images: Week 16
The Browns entered the season with playoff expectations following a 10-6 record in 2007, but a slew of injuries, including season-ending ones to quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, contributed to Cleveland's alarming slide. The Browns went into Sunday's matchup without an offensive touchdown in five games and were forced to start Bruce Gradkowsi -- their fourth starting QB of 2008 -- against the NFL's top-rated defense.
In January, Lerner gave Crennel an extension through the 2011 season, a deal worth nearly $12 million.
Lerner would prefer his next hire to be an experienced coach. He will make a strong run at former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who resigned after the 2006 season and is working as a studio analyst for CBS. Cowher played linebacker for the Browns in the early 1980s and served as an assistant coach with Cleveland from 1985-88.
If Cowher doesn't come to Cleveland -- and there's no current indications he's ready to get back into coaching -- the Browns may interview some of the league's top coordinators, including Steve Spagnuolo of the New York Giants, Tennessee's Jim Schwartz, Baltimore's Rex Ryan and New England's Josh McDaniels.
Savage had significantly upgraded Cleveland's talent during his tenure, which began one month before Crennel was hired in 2005. The Browns had six Pro Bowlers last season, their first selections since 2002, and one of the NFL's most explosive offenses.
But Savage has not managed the team to Lerner's satisfaction. He mishandled tight end Kellen Winslow's hospitalization for a staph infection and embarrassed the Browns by sending a profane e-mail to a fan following a win over Buffalo.
Savage also received a contract extension through 2012 in May.

~Lyuokdea

Like I said on the other thread, I don't like this one bit....

Savage did a good job assembling a talented team, far and away better than we had under Butch davis in 2005.

~Lyuokdea

Odds of Bill Parcells, or Scott Pioli coming here, and Romeo staying as head coach?

I actually thought about that. I can invision a situation where RAC stays on (maybe not as HC, but in an advisory role) for a Parcells or SP administration.

I don't see Romeo being offered the opportunity to be the head coach for any further period of time.

I would love to see him bounce down to defensive coordinator if he's willing and we get the right people in place at GM and Head Coach.

I'd be very, very, happy with that. Somebody just told me that since the Dolphins are being sold, Bill Parcells will be available. - One of Rac's boys.

What little I've read about Parcells leads me to believe he wouldn't work the same place as Pioli. SP is Bill's son-in-law, I believe.

Could be wrong, of course.

Pioli is Parcell's stepson, and it's been written that he wouldn't pursue any job Pioli is interested in (NFL.com earlier today).

I don't know how much I like the idea of another coordinator-to-head-coach hire. I'd prefer if we got Cowher or Schottenheimer in here, someone with previous HC experience.

Is Pioli Shapiros brother in law or am I confuing him with sombody else?

Holmgren.

I don't think he's going to receive any HC interviews after this season, and if our players love him as much as they say they do it might make it easier for him to stay.

Who knows though. If i were him I'd probably head to New York or New England.

I think it goes beyond assembling talent. Savage has made mistakes in his position that doesn't have to do with scouting.

Savage also has had some pretty big failures with trading picks and 1st three round picks.

Only one of his 1st rounders has any certainty of being a long term player here.

He traded away Faine to move up a few spots to pick DQ in the second. I like DQ, but in retrospect was he worth it? Who did we leave on the board at that position?

He drafted Pool very early in the second and it was considered a reach back then. Pool has not produced like a top 35 pick. I don't think he has produced enough to warrant a second rounder at all.

He picked Frye in the 3rd. Frye would have been a good pick if he could prove to be a backup in this league. He had a tough going here (not all of his fault) but is also struggling in Seattle. He picked Wilson in the 3rd and he was a complete bust.

Now Edwards is a complete headcase and we don't know what to expect from him now. Quinn cost us a second, but we can't fault him at this point since Quinn hasn't had an opportunity yet.

We traded back one spot to get Wimbley. We only got a 6th to back up one spot in the 1st. Wimbley hasn't really produced much after his 1st year.

We traded away another pick to move up and get Wright. I think Wright to this pont is proving to be worth the gamble.

Second day picks are always a crap shoot. Many of his are still in the NFL even if they are not here. McDonald was the only real good pickup to me (at this point). Trading away two more picks (one a 3rd) this year to move up for 2nd day picks was a bad idea in my mind.

He did make to great moves by bring in Cribbs and DA. Neither cost us anything.

With a new coaching staff we might see some of these guys turn it around. Picks like Wimbley and Pool might thrive in a better system. DQ has had a good year but he might be even better if we were to switch to a 4-3.

I think we have something to look forward to next season. This team was not as bad as they played this year. We were killed by injuries and possibly internal bickering.

Browns make it official: GM Phil Savage is fired
by Tony Grossi/Plain Dealer Reporter
Sunday December 28, 2008, 6:39 PM
Chuck Crow/The Plain DealerBrowns GM Phil Savage was fired on Sunday after failing to get the team to the playoffs in his four years with the organization.
PITTSBURGH -- The Phil Savage era as Browns general manager is over.

Shortly after the Browns completed a 4-12 season with a 31-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns confirmed that Savage was fired.

Owner Randy Lerner made the decision prior to the game. A source said the decision was based on problems with Savage's communication and leadership skills.

Lerner is hoping to recruit former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher or New England vice president Scott Pioli to head his revamped football operation. According to a source, Lerner was absent from the game because he was lining up a busy week of interviews this week.

He is expected to meet face-to-face this week with Cowher, who has been telling everyone that he does not intend to return to coaching in 2009.

Lerner also could do personal interviews with a couple of NFL assistant coaches to comply with the league's mandate to interview at least one minority for a head coaching vacancy. The Browns may interview Buffalo defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and Washington defensive coordinator Greg Blache.

The Browns also want to interview New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo in the "window" allotted by the NFL with the Giants on a postseason bye week.

In May, Savage agreed to a three-year contract extension through 2012.

Savage had a more tumultuous year than his team in 2008. He made several public comments that applied pressure on his coaching staff, got involved in a messy spat with tight end Kellen Winslow over a suspension that ultimately was rescinded, and responded to a disgruntled fan in an email that contained an expletive.

In four years with Savage as general manager, the Browns were 24-40. The team was 25-40 with one playoff appearance in the four years prior to Savage.

From Wikipedia:
Pioli and his wife Dallas have a daughter named Mia Costa. Dallas is the daughter of former Patriots coach Bill Parcells, making Pioli a son-in-law to Parcells.

RAC's phone will be ringing about 3 minutes after he giets terminated, if he does. RAC is a quality DC and quality coach.

Savage was let go for many reasons, but the swiftness (and this is only my opinion and not something I've heard) is because of how he's reacted to the season. RAC took alot of hits for the team this year. Savage pretty much tried to distance himself from criticism and lay the blame on the coaches. IMO, that led to the swift move along with all the other things that happened this season.

Where did this thread come from?

We have been discussing the subject of Savage being let go in another thread and all of a sudden, I check back and we have this thread, with written confirmation of Savage being let go.

Whatever...as far as Lerner moving quickly, I posted the following on the other thread too...

If everyone remembers the last time the Browns made these kind of changes, it was a slow agonizing process that saw many of the best assistant coaches hire quickly, after the season ended.

Maybe Randy Lerner learned his lesson based on the fact that the Browns had to wait for Crennel to end the season, which for the Patriots included winning the Super Bowl before the Browns could officially hire him. I believe the date was Feb 8th, 2005 when Crennel was hired and then he and Savage began putting together the coaching staff with those left over after all the other teams had gotten theirs.

The Browns were last in filling many of their assistant coaching positions and it did hurt the team, IMO. Two years later, we ripped up the offense and brought in a new one.

Just a guess on my part, but Lerner either learned some good lessons from past mistakes or he's getting some good advice from someone.