DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns dismiss top two executives

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/01/cleveland_browns_dismiss_two_t.html

BEREA, Ohio -- Mike Keenan and Dawn Aponte, two of the highest-ranking officers of the Browns until the arrival of Mike Holmgren, have left the organization, a league source said.

Keenan joined the Browns in 2006 and was appointed president in 2008. He answered only to owner Randy Lerner and accompanied Lerner during the coaching search that produced Eric Mangini a year ago.

Keenan was demoted to chief financial officer when Holmgren was named president on Jan. 5. Keenan's official biography was removed from the club's Web site on Friday.

Aponte joined the Browns a year ago as vice president of football administration. She was the club's chief contract negotiator and manager of the salary cap. Aponte is expected to join the Miami Dolphins, said the source.

The fate of both executives were sealed when Holmgren named Bryan Wiedmeier executive vice president of business administration on Monday.

If Aponte really offered Cribbs a take it or leave it contract, guess his agents can't argue that point anymore. Hopefully they move into a phase of good-faith negotiations now.

seriously..

I have some problems with thinking Dawn was the source of take it or leave it, that had to have been rubber stamped higher than Aponte.

I have to think this is no more than Weid getting his own people.

That would be double awesome if Cribbs contract all of a sudden got done real quick!

i am rather surprised by Aponte. From everything I have heard and read, she is really highly thought of throughout the league.

Of course, she must be pretty good if Parcells is bringing her in within a heartbeat of her release from the Browns.

I agree, she probably wasn't the sole source of take it or leave it. In any case, the agents were offended by neither Aponte nor MH responding to them. She is now gone (not necessarily anything to do with Cribbs' situation) and I thought MH said in one of his pressers that take it or leave it isn't any way to negotiate. All I'm saying that this may open a possibility of good-faith negotiations.

I'm not sure this has anything to do with either of these two folks.. I'm guessing it's more that Holmgren wants HIS folks in the lead rolls...

he did say that one thing he did wrong in Seattle was that he waited too long to make changes...

Well, he certainly can't be accused of that here

One thing,, look at who he's brought in so far,, Heckert and Wiedmeir are both qualified and experienced guys..

Let's see who he brings in next....

Well, MH is shaking it up. I doubt that Aponte could do that deal on her own, especially if it was take it or leave it. Had to be SOME direction there given the Josh Cribbs-type cachet. I hope a fair deal gets done.
And soon. Even if it is a bonus situation or something unusual. He has kept em interested and in the stands while we stunk it up inexcusably badly IMO. Put it to bed and put it behind us. Any chance to create a positive precedent should be welcomed. Especially for outstanding production like the JC show.
It is also apparent that I like the MH way. He is going with the quality he knows rather than endlessly trying to learn new people and sort out a bunch of baggage issues. So a mix of loyalty and upgrades I hope. Nature hates a vacuum; having your housecleaning is good to put people in place now, and it is at least a fairer opportunity to those leaving. I wish them all well, for they work or worked for the Browns. But I would much rather eat than weed the garden; let's get some notches going here.

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I doubt that Aponte could do that deal on her own, especially if it was take it or leave it. Had to be SOME direction there given the Josh Cribbs-type cachet. I hope a fair deal gets done.

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bard...Holmgren said this on 1/11...

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That take it or leave it stuff, I think that went out a long time ago. I'm not sure you ever say that. The one thing that I think you have to try and avoid is negotiating against yourself. Any sort of negation is, in my opinion, a two way street. My hope is that we can get this to a win-win situation.

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Aponte is described as.."Dawn Aponte, the club's chief contract negotiator and salary cap manager"

Concerning the "take it or leave it" contract proposal, Holmgren says this.." I'm not sure you ever say that."

Aponte was the Browns chief contract negotiator and the proposal that went out to Cribbs' agents was a "take it or leave it" type...and obviously Aponte knew it.

In defense of Aponte, the Browns have been operating without a GM, who would be involved with a proposal to Cribbs. Did she get others to sign off on her tactic?...we may find out in the future, but for now, she appears to be the person responsible.

No one knows if the Cribbs contract stuff had anything to do with Aponte moving on but it sure didn't help to make a first impression on Holmgren, Heckert and Wiedmeier.

We will NEVER know what happened with Aponte.. but her reputation is extremely good in the league.. with Parcells picking her up that quickly, I think it's safe to say that it wasn't all her..

Was it Keenan,, was it Lerner... or did Aponte just take it upon herself to say it was a "take it or leave it" thing..

Or, and we can't rule this out, was there ever a time when the words "take it or leave it" were ever uttered by a Browns Rep? I would never put it past players agents to say that to make the team look bad and greedy.. Afterall, they are the ones that took this battle to the people... I wouldn't put that past them for even a second.

Trip MacCracken is listed as Legal Counsel on the main site but at one time, wasn't he the CAPologist for the team?

I was wondering about Keenan after we signed Wiedmieir as it sounded like that was Keenan's job description.

Dawn - I'm not sure exactly what she did...for some reason I remember her name bantered about when this board was the Browns board and in its better glory days - I think she ran the board??? I don't know for sure - I just remember people mentioning the name Dawn a lot...Shep would be better to say anything about it than me.

But by the job description she might have been a total different person and coming last year would have made her a Kokinis or Mangini appointment. Probably a NEVER MIND on the stuff about her and the Board.

She just joined the Browns this past off season,, I think you are thinking of Amy Gretsinger who used to be the manager of new media for the browns,.., don't know if she's still with the organization or not... don't think so..

Aponte is a lawyer that spent three years with the league prior to joining the Browns....

Well that has to be a + for Cribbs and Rickert. Maybe they can quit the drama queen routine and negotiate like men.

Was Aponte really dismissed as the title says? It wouldn't be that far-fetched for someone to leave Cleveland for Miami to work with the Tuna. Lerner did say he'd like her to be here for a long time or something to that effect. She's regarded around the league as one of the most adept people in dealing with the salary cap. So far, the only one that said she made the take it or leave it comment is Rickert.

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the only one that said she made the take it or leave it comment is Rickert.

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Exactly my point,, is there anyone that actually thinks that it's beyond reason that the agents trying to score a big contract for a client would spread a rumor about the offer being "take it or leave it"....... the idea of going public is to stir up outrage.. that would do it...

I mean seriously,, if ANY member of the Browns organization would make that statement (even if they really felt that way) they'd be IDIOTS....

There is something different about this account of things.. This article says that Keenan was fired but Aponte has "left the organization"..

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/01/cleveland_browns_dismiss_two_t.html

The interesting thing is, even the title of the article isn't supported by what the article actually says.

Typical,,, where have the journalists gone....

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BEREA, Ohio -- Mike Keenan, who was president of the Browns until the arrival of Mike Holmgren on Jan. 5, was fired by the club on Friday, a league source confirmed.

Also, Dawn Aponte, the club's chief contract negotiator and salary cap manager, has left the organization. The source said Aponte was joining the Miami Dolphins.

Keenan joined the Browns in 2006 and was appointed president in 2008. He answered only to owner Randy Lerner and accompanied Lerner on the coaching search that resulted in Eric Mangini being named coach a year ago.

When Mangini was presented to the media, it was Keenan who introduced him. That was Keenan's first and only appearance in a news conference setting. Shortly thereafter, Keenan laid off about 18 Browns employees in various departments to cut costs.

Keenan, an accountant by trade, oversaw the development of broadcast contracts and the club's sales and marketing departments. He was Lerner's top representative at league meetings.

Keenan was demoted to chief financial officer when Holmgren was named president.

Aponte was touted by some as a rising star when she joined the Browns a year go. Like Keenan, she worked in the league's Management Council and was regarded as an expert in the league salary cap.

""The fates of Keenan and Aponte were sealed when Holmgren lured Bryan Wiedmeier from the Dolphins and appointed him executive vice president of business administration on Monday.

The Browns did not confirm the firings. A Browns spokesman did not immediately return an e-mail for comment.

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So, if she didn't get fired and Miami has already hired her,, then maybe she was looking to get out since Holmgrens name first surfaced...

Mac, I listened to the interviews with both of Cribbs agents..Rickert and the other guy whose name escapes me at the moment.. they were interviewed on "all bets are off" with Bruce Drennan.

in both cases, each agent was adament that Dawn Aponte made it VERY clear that this was a take it or leave it offer..

that's what I'm referring to. Other than holmgren alluding to this not being a Take it or Leave it situation, no other comments were made by the browns,,

The more I look at this, and because of my basic distrust of agents, I think this was a put up job by the agents involved..

Oh Please

What I want to know is......are the Browns a more profitable organization if they are winning??............just answer the question!!!!

Oh Brother

You guys are giggling like a couple of school girls.

I find it a bit odd that Aponte even offered Cribbs a contract that quickly after the season with the Holmgren hiring fresh in the background, then gone shortly after.

If she was planning on leaving, why would she give a take it or leave it contract at that time?

If she didn't leave for Miami, did Holmgren not like her negotiating and offer to Cribbs? Offed her?

Interesting.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/01/cleveland_browns_miami_dolphin.html

Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins might trade salary cap specialists
By Tony Grossi
January 16, 2010, 8:07PM
CLEVELAND -- In what would amount to the first trade of the Mike Holmgren administration, the Browns and Miami Dolphins are contemplating swapping salary cap specialists, according to a league source.

If it works out, Dawn Aponte would leave the Browns to join the Dolphins, said the source. She would be replaced by Matt Thomas, a vice president of football administration of the Dolphins.

The changes apparently are being brokered by new Browns Executive Vice President Bryan Wiedmeier, who was with the Dolphins for 29 years -- three as club president -- before joining the Browns this week.

Aponte previously worked for the New York Jets during the time Bill Parcells was coach. Parcells is executive vice president of the Dolphins.

A club spokesman said Saturday that Aponte was "still an employee of the club," and had no knowledge of whether she was leaving.

Aponte was the Browns' executive who characterized the club's most recent contract offer of $1.4 million per year to disgruntled All-Pro Josh Cribbs as "take it or leave it." Later, Holmgren said, "That take-it-or-leave-it stuff, I think that went out a long time ago."

Meantime, the Browns issued no official statement on the status of former President Mike Keenan, but a club spokesman confirmed that Keenan "is no longer employed by the Browns."

The Plain Dealer reported Saturday that Keenan was fired on Friday. Keenan was president of the Browns from May 2008 until Holmgren arrived on Jan. 5. At that time, Keenan was demoted to chief financial officer.

Hmm... you can trade front office people.

Now there's a new one I hadn't considered.

I was kinda wondering why Aponte was still listed on the front office staff but Keenan was gone.. Thought it was odd..

I thought she was already gone??

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I thought she was already gone??

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Apparently not... She is still listed on the Browns official site..

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/frontoffice.php

note: Keenan is off the list,, so are the folks that got fired from the Pro Personnel side.....

But Aponte is still listed...

Good luck in your future endeavors Mike. The lack of success was not caused by a lack of effort on your part buddy. Thanks for all your hard work.

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I understand that....i can read.

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No sense in getting your shorts in a twist., I think I knew you could read..

If it works out, Dawn Aponte would leave the Browns to join the Dolphins, said the source. She would be replaced by Matt Thomas, a vice president of football administration of the Dolphins.



Is there a draft pick in there somewhere?

Nope just a janitor to be named later.

I hope he's good at cleaning out poop, because there's a lot to clean out in Berea.

nrtu

Dawn Aponte was the one who made the Snachez trade possible. She found the clauses concerning Abe Elam where he had to sign off on any trade. As we know, Mangini wanted Elam as part of that trade or the trade was not going to happen. Seh did a few other things and basically took over some of the GM duties ( in small respects) when Kokinis dropped the ball. She did a lot of brokering on the Edwards trade. Which frankly I think is looking better all of the time...LOL

I think she may be a valuable asset. Sorry to see her go...I wouldn't be suprised to see her name in the future as the first woman such and such in the NFL for some team...

FYI This is Dawn Aponte from the Staten Island Live site
web page

Staten Island native Dawn Aponte sent Mark Sanchez to the Jets
By Daniel O'Leary
May 02, 2009, 9:48AM
APHey Jets fans, like the way Mark Sanchez looks in a New York Jets uni? You have West Brighton native and Cleveland Browns salary cap specialist Dawn Aponte to thank.OK, all you long-suffering Jets fans.
You 300-section types, who think gold was struck with last weekend's drafting of USC quarterback Mark Sanchez.

You have one person to thank for your good fortune:

And it's not Rex Ryan.

Instead, give a nod to former Notre Dame Academy second baseman Dawn Aponte from down the block.

That's right.

Forget about all the red-meat types who were stuffed into the room at Cleveland Browns Central on draft day. They couldn't have accomplished a thing had it not been for the only woman in their midst, West Brighton native Aponte.

On draft day, the former Dawn DeFortuna -- mother of four and long-time executive with the Jets, and in the NFL league office -- had just taken a new gig as vice president of football administration with the Browns.

She had barely unpacked a bag in Cleveland.

The kids were still back on the Upper East Side being trundled back and forth to school and off to play-dates by husband Kevin.

But Aponte was settled in enough to be part of the decision-making process when it came to dealing the No. 5 pick in the draft to the Jets in return for safety Abram Elam, defensive lineman Kenyon Coleman and backup quarterback Brett Ratliff.

And it was Aponte who unearthed an obscure clause in Article XIX, section 3, paragraph H of the Veteran Free Agent section of the collective bargaining agreement that indicated that Elam -- for lawyerly reasons we are unequipped to explain -- would need to sign off on a deal before it was done.

It was Aponte who notified new head coach Eric Mangini, whom she worked with in the Jets organization; and new general manager George Kokinis, who was a NFL front-office co-worker.

It was also Aponte who, ever so quietly so as to not to tip off other teams, reached out to the people involved on the Jets' end.

And it was Aponte who dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's, hustling off the necessary paperwork to the NFL home office, where, ironically, she worked reviewing just such deals weeks earlier.

"Capwoman," Sports Illustrated's Peter King called Aponte after the complicated deal was done, completely shocking non-participants.

Advance file photoDawn Aponte
Because of the trade, Mangini now has three veteran pros he has coached before to go along with last weekend's draft choices, beginning with No. 21 overall pick Alex Mack, a center from Cal.

In return, he gave up the rights to Sanchez.

The Browns are happy.

The Jets are happy.

And Aponte?

She's just trying to clear her desk enough to get back to New York to see the kids.

"With the draft, we've just been so busy" she said yesterday. "I'm hoping to get home next weekend."

Which raises the question, what would entice a successful NFL veteran to leave a vice president gig in the league office to take on a job in Cleveland, where the franchise has made one playoff appearance in the past 15 seasons?

For Aponte, the answer is simple:

The challenge.

"When I sat down and thought about a combination of things, it really wasn't a tough decision," she said. "In fact, I considered it kind of unique."

How so?

"There was the broadening of responsibilities, and the opportunity to get more involved on the football side of things," Aponte said. "Then there was the fact that I knew the people who are involved in Cleveland. And in any decision like this, the woman issue is a factor. In the end I had to ask myself, 'How many opportunities like this am I going to get?'"

Aponte's football journey goes something like this:

Close to 20 years ago she became a summer intern in the New York Jets front office, schlepping and hustling and commuting out to Hofstra University while her friends were headed to the Jersey Shore for sun and fun.

The internship became a pitifully-paid junior bookkeeping job in the organization. Which, following hundreds of late nights and weekends, turned into a gig as a senior team accountant dealing with salaries and such.

During down time, she'd head out to the practice field and pick the brains of the coaches and scouts.

All that grit and smarts and curiosity catapulted Aponte into a Jets' vice presidency as the organization's salary cap and labor relations specialist.

She OK'd deals and negotiated contracts.

Along the way she got a crash course in dealing with difficult personalities by working with the likes of Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick.

Aponte left the Jets a couple of years back to join commissioner Roger Goodell as an NFL front-office attorney, specializing in collective bargaining matters.

By then she had a league-wide reputation as one of the few people in the business who truly understood the stupefyingly confusing maze of the NFL salary cap.

Now she's an NFL veteran who is in the room and in the loop when the football decisions are being made.

And if this Sanchez thing works out for the Jets, all you fans will have Dawn Aponte to thank.

I always thought Keenan was a problem after hearing about him taking sides with Crennel/Savage and Mangini/Kokinis. To me it seemed like he always took the stance on the more dominate influence instead of getting them to work together. He helped create the power struggles and I didnt expect to see him here after Holmgren was hired.