DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns apparently violated electronic devices rule

Careful, that's my wife!

j/c

Farmar and Haslam kept re-texting to Loggains and Shanny the Loggains text on draft day about getting JM...over and over and over

By Tony Grossi

Kyle Shanahan saw the Browns as a train wreck and he opted to leap off. That made him the No. 1 topic in this week’s Hey Tony.

Hey Tony: Your best guess? Who was the "high-ranking" member of the Browns’ front office to text down to the sidelines during games with opinions on play calling to OC Kyle Shanahan? Do you think that was the straw that broke the camel’s back?

-- Joe, Palm Desert, CA

Hey Joe: What I’ve seen of the reporting on this story has been incomplete. What I know is that there were non-football personnel texting disparaging remarks about coaching decisions, play-calls and use of players to each other during games. It was like two fans holding texting conversations during games. The problem was the “fans” were team employees who exercised bad judgment. When coaches became aware of what was going on, they were understandably put off and brought it to the attention of GM Ray Farmer. From what I know, it was not a case of texting play suggestions to coaches. But what was going on was inappropriate and symptomatic of the counter-productive culture within the organization that keeps it from winning. I don’t believe it was the main reason Shanahan asked out of his contract, but rather a justification for his desire to seek greener pastures.

http://espncleveland.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=18&post_id=41621

Interesting.

Will the dysfunction ever end?

Thanks Psydeffect

So it wasn't Farmer or other coaches sending down plays as some would have us believe. Gee La Canfora reporting half a story as fact and the ESPN parrots repeating ad naseum until it became truth.

Lets dig deeper , who were these non football people? What positions did they hold ? Are their opinions really not worthy? Wanting to know the entire story I would interested to know these things, and....

When the coaches found out they brought it to Farmer's attention... the question then is what did Farmer do? If it was not addressed and stopped then that's a problem.

If he did a "address" it, what did he do to the parties involved and what did he do to make sure it stopped?

AS an aside, I wonder if that sent any Texts about objectionable defensive calls as well?

This is not what happened at all.

Mary Kay reported it. La Canfora confirmed hearing her claims. Pat McMamanon also did so. Glazer chimed in. There are several beat reporters claiming their sources have sided with Mary Kay's.

You're trying to make it sound like LaCanfora threw out a half-baked rumor and everyone bit.

There are multiple corroborations.

to me repeating the same story using the same contact... "inside sources" is not corroboration it is parroting.

Now Grossi says his inside source says it was not plays being sent down... but two non football, ( whatever the hell that really means, seems anyone associated with the team could be regarding as a football person), people texting each other about play calling.

Still stupid and not a good thing but a far cry from plays being text to the coaches during the game.

And still I want to know what was Farmers response to this? How he handled it will go a long way in my opinion of him.

Two dip$#!% non-personnel employees texting stupidly to each other is far less dysfunctional than the ridiculously misreported story about the FO texting to the sidelines, but don't let that little tidbit ease your ire and contempt directed at the FO for allowing Shanahan, a possible cancer who didn't want to be here, walk out the door.

Hopefully those two douche bags have been dealt with, a new coordinator who actually wants to be here will be hired and everyone can get back to the business of rebuilding this franchise, the team and the surrounding culture. Like I stated before, Farmer and Pettine are building a culture of complimentary leadership. Shanahan was clearly not a fit. The fact that he used the poor judgement of two nonessential idiots as an excuse for leaving and allowing that misrepresentation of the facts to fester and make the owner and GM look like a-holes only further reinforces the notion that allowing him to go was the smartest possible move. Screw Shanahan, I'm glad he's gone.

Again, that's not what happened.

The board assumed that LaCanfora reported that coaches were being texted directly by someone upstairs.

That wasn't true. It was a set of assumptions that built up until a large deal of it became accepted as fact. LaCanfora didn't even do the initial reporting, and no one claimed direct contact.
Mary Kay reported that "One source said some coaches became upset when a high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about play calls."

Thus far, nothing has come out that discredits such a report, or suggest it's the product of sensationalist journalism.

What I'd like to know is how people on the sidelines even knew about texts between two front office types. Was one of the front office guys on the sidelines showing people his smart phone, saying "look at the text I just got"? There's enough missing from this story to make it a non-story, at least for now.

That's a huge difference from what La Confora was reporting. He made it sound as if plays were being texted down to Shanahan from either Farmer or Haslam.

I think we're going to find out that this is much ado about nothing and that the employees involved will just disappear from Berea.

Just a guess however..

For the third time, all of this is incorrect.

LaCanfora didn't report the story. Mary Kay did. She reported "one source said some coaches became upset when a high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about play calls."

La Canfora merely confirmed he'd heard the same. This wasn't his report.

I don't think anyone at any point said or made it sound as if Shanahan was receiving text messages on the sidelines. That's what some people on the boards immediately assumed.

Could you cite a quote from La Canfora that makes it sound as if Shanahan directly received a text message?

I'll stand corrected that it wasn't La Confora that started it. As for who said what, I read posters remarks on here and that's what they were saying.

As for your efforts to be "Board Cop" as of late, it's getting old really fast.

I dont know who first started it but I saw reports on espn that it was being reported by LaCanfora and didnt see any mention of Mary Kay. Either way it was shotty journalism at its finest and he once again used it as an excuse to bash the browns cause his butt buddy Lambardi was booted.

Right.

Just like when last year he wrote a piece stating we wouldn't win many games because we didn't have any talent, it was just a 'hatchet job' to help his buddy Lombardi, right?

My favorite part of this assertion is that you basically say "It doesn't matter if this wasn't LaCanfora's report, this was still LaCanfora holding a grudge again."

LaCanfora has been consistently right when it comes to the Browns. And you guys act as if he's swinging and missing every time.

His name first came to prominence here when he reported that Lombardi would probably get the GM job.

The reaction at the time was "what does this guy know? He's Lombardi's buddy, that's why he's saying it".

I'm actually curious who his sources are, because they're usually correct, and they've outlasted regime change.

I pointed out that it wasn't LaCanfora's report, and it didn't state or imply that Shanahan received a text.

You responded to that by stating LaCanfora made it sound like Shanahan directly received a text (more or less ignoring the very premise of my argument)

I took the time to explain a third time.

How is that indicative of 'efforting to be Board Cop'? Because I corrected you when you said something untrue?

He's singlehandedly ruining this board.

It's not just this thread, pdr.

What is wrong with wanting people to be accurate with what they? Too many let their bias control why they read or perceive what they think they read. I wouldn't take anything someone says here because of that.

I don't want to get into a peeing match with you.. not over something as dumb as this, but like other comments you make, you look at one Incident and somehow forget that you have been doing it for weeks now.

The other thing is trying to CATCH people in things. you word questions in such a way that "IF" people respond they are in danger of getting ripped by you.

It's like you gotta have that "GOTCHA" moment. Not sure why you feel as if you need to do that, but OK,, I can live with it.

we have an individual who is on this board.. A VERY well liked individual that has a serious battle ahead of him.. We have people on this board that are in constant pain from one ailment or the other. We have folks on this that I know are facing financial hardhips. So on the grand scale of things, you are really NOT all that important.

I'm now off my soapbox, If you wish to respond to this, do it in PM so as not to ruin this thread.

I was just on ESPN reading about this earlier and I did not see La Confora mentioned. The only thing I aw mentioned was the original report on Cleveland.com. Here is link of to a list of articles I was reading.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/cle/cleveland-browns

Reading the original report and what tony wrote, the two reports are not mutually exclusive.

After the initial report it seems those that WANT to hate on the Browns FO assumed it must be haslam or farmer. Assumed they must be calling plays and trying to impose their judgement onto the coaching staff. And from that bit of speculation it all got out of whack.

Neither tony or Mary kabots reports are confirmed but to me it makes sense and makes this a total storm in a tea cup. If you're trying to make this into something you clearly have an agenda.

I first saw this news on my iPhone team stream ap- it was Mary Kay reporting it. Then everyone was reporting it.

So maybe this whole story isn't as bad as it sounded at first. Two people complaining about play calls on company time and probably company owned devices. Stupid on their part. But did it really make sense that Kyle would have the time in the heat of the moment, in the middle of a game, to check his texts...

I am curious how this was dealt with internally. What did management do. I am also curious as to who the original source was- was it Kyle? The discouraging thing is, why do the browns have to make public something that should just stay internal?? And that brings me back to Kyle- he wanted out, he just might have been the source.

I think the guy is talented, but if Kyle wanted out, and this is how he chose to do it, then he can leave. He will have a hard time as a head coach if he can't deal with the media and what others have to say about his coaching.

bottom line who really gives a rats ass as to who reported it first. I am not a fan of Lancanfora and his ties to Lombardi just make it easier to hate on the guy. his great contribution to football journalism has been standing outside Farve's house and covering Michael Sam's post draft kiss lol

OO and Mary Kay Cabbot yawn, the only thing she knows about football is her boobs are shaped like one.

That's exactly what it appears to be...and should have been reported that way.

Yeah, it maybe a little overblown but we will find out eventually. I think it does show a lack of respect and professionalism though. There isn't enough info out yet to really know anything.

I find it distasteful for you to invoke someone's serious illness as a way to attempt a one up of someone who pointed out that you were incorrect.

Can you provide a string of examples of me being 'Board Cop'?

Or is it usually a case of me condescendingly pointing out that others are incorrect in what they believe to be fact, often due to assumptions?

If you want to characterize me as someone who frequently 'polices' those who make erroneous statements, I'll attest to that.

...says the guy who thought Johnny Manziel would account for a +40 point swing just by being in the game.

I find the report interesting precisely because Mary Kay traditionally holds the organization's water.

Do u know why i expected a swing against the colts? I figured we would run the hell out of the ball and not ask the rookie to throw it. It didnt have a whole hell of a lot to do with johnny but a commonsense approach to protecting a rookie. I did not think Hoyer would produce a single scoring drive. I was wrong against one of the weakest defenses in the NFL he produced a TD well he handed the ball off really well lol.

Personnally, as for Mary Kay Cabbot,I dont think she knows a damn thing about football and is an embarrassment. Her and Lacanfora is whats wrong with football journalism. they deal is gossip and rumor,not football.

I wouldn't consider Mary Kay or LaCanfora to be premier football journalists.

But LaCanfora is right about the Browns far more often than most people on this board. People here tend to have a complex where when people paint the Browns as the dysfunctional losers that we are, it's the result of a bias that just 'hates' us for a variety of reasons.

LaCanfora has been a pretty good source for info on the Browns since Haslam bought the team. He's right more than he's wrong. He has someone in his hear.

Cabot...she's a company woman, toes the line. Not credible as a source of deep insight...but if she's dogging the team, I'm listening.

I would put money on such a texting event happening rather than it being made-up sensationalist journalism.

Well, this thread has taken a turn.

To try and bring it back......let me just say that none of us know the real truth. Taking Grossi's word as gospel would be insane considering his past history and the fact that several other reporters had a different version of what went down.

I am NOT saying Tony is wrong, but let's not act like his word is better than the word of several other journalists. The guy has been known to lie. Of course, so has Mary Kay.

There's not one thing wrong with it. It had already been clearly stated that Mary Kay was the originator of these claims yet people kept on and on attributing it to La Canfora. It actually was becoming irritating to me as well. People often times don't read the entire threads and end up missing some of the important parts. Then the same error continues as though it's factual.

This board used to be a lot more fact based. You used to have to need a confirmed source. Damon was actually one who railed against rumors and wanted a fact based consistency in posting. Now all of a sudden I guess that's become a bad thing. I certainly don't understand it.

Nobody is going to want to come coach the Browns.We are a laughing stock.So sad .Paul Brown is laughing his a** off.What kind of crap is that,texting your opinion of a play during a game.How childish

If Paul Brown was alive today, he would be saying what the hell is texting?

If Paul Brown was alive today he'd say "Wait, I'm not dead?".

He'd say "What, the Bengals had 4 winning seasons in a row?"

Then the shock would put him back in the grave.

If Paul Brown were alive today, he'd be a bone head.

I still try to operate that way. Citations be a good thang, yo.

When I'm stating opinion, I try very hard to not word it as fact. Qualifers such as "IMHO" or "it's my guess".... clears up a LOT of potential misunderstandings, and lends some clarity.

I'm no Nazi, nor do I hold others to the same requirements, but that's how things were when I joined, and it's one of the reasons I appreciated this site above most others for that very reason. I don't mind holding on the the old ways. I liked the credibility that came from reading backed-up posts.

.02 <--- (indicates opinion)