Talk about out of the f’ing blue.
The Cleveland Browns plan to fire senior vice president and general manager Phil Savage, NFL sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen on Friday. The split is over “philosophical differences,” primarily salary cap management. The announcement could come as early as Friday, Mortensen reported. Savage could not be reached for comment.
Wow. I mean, WOW. The ESPN article lists Atlanta Falcons chief administration officer Ray Anderson as a possible replacement. I wonder what these “philosophical differences” are, and who he’s in disagreement with: Romeo, Lerner, or both.
I have a funny feeling John Collins had something to do with this. Regardless, Savage is clearly one of the best talent evaluators in the NFL. Unfortunate this had to happen.
Good point on Collins. Whoever Savage had these differences with, they had to be substantial enough to make this move the best solution.
Let’s hope the issue wasn’t that Savage wanted to spend more money and Lerner wouldn’t pony up. If I’m not mistaken, the Browns were way under the salary cap this year.
I hearby object to the use of the word “organization” to describe the Cleveland Browns.
I’m gonna hold my fire on this until the news is confirmed by the Browns. Roda has no confirmation as of 3.46
Hey,
Triv is saying that he talked to Browns and they are NOT firing Savage. Casey Coleman is on the air, and just said that no one has said anything to Savage, “Phil was hired as a General Manager and what he is seen as a Player Personal Manager.” So, there is a dispute, but they don’t want to split. They just want to reorganize how his contract was written.
But, I’ll be listening to WTAM, which everyone else should be doing, and will post what they say.
- Garvin
Channel 3 is saying that it was over a disagreement with Collins! What a tool! To lose a talent evaluator like Savage is just wrong and just because Lerner is too cheap to spend money to bring people here!
Oh god. You listen to Roda for your information? And you call yourself a Brown’s Fan, listening to a Steeler’s brown noser. *shakes head*
This has nothing to do with Lerner and his unwillingness to spend money. Stop with the irrational jib jab. It has to do with his contract, and how it was worded. They want a seperation of powers, and Savage is doing a lot, rather then splitting his responsibilities with the rest of the staff.
Is Triv somehow better than Roda? I can’t stand that loudmouth.
roda’s sayin’ he’ll have ESPN’s chris mortensen on. WKNR’s Browns beat reporter says Savage was at practice today.
if it’s not a done deal, i’m not sure what’s more incompetent. firing him, or talking about firing him so much that it leaks to ESPN.
I want to hold my comment until everything comes out, but here is my initial response: “Why the hell am I a Browns fan? Ever since they have been back, they have been the laughing stock of the NFL. Both Lerner and Collins interviewed Savage and hired him less than a year ago. The were impressed with him enough to give him a 5 year contract. Because the Browns have been god awful in there drafts since 1999, they decide to fire Savage who is a prven talent evaluator.
Unless something MAJOR comes out of this firing that blows us away, this just smells of poor ownership and upper management, re: Lerner and Collins… Our destiny as a franchise seems to make other poorly run teams look at Cleveland and say, “At least we aren’t as bad as the Browns.” I thought Arizona and Cincinnati filled that role, but I guess I was wrong.
So the question should be raised again…why am I a Browns fan? The only answer I can give is that it is in my blood…and that I am insane. Pass the Prozac.
The only reason I listen to WTAM rather then Roda, is because Roda is getting ESPN’s reporters on to talk about it. WTAM is talking directly to the Browns and getting Browns people to talk about it. Its more direct, because the station is more powerful. Plus, Roda is a Steeler’s fan. That doesn’t sit well with me.
garvin,
jim brown is on WTAM saying the story isn’t true. is jim brown speaking for the team?
According to Jim Brown, who is very close to the Browns’ says the story is not true. That the two parties (Lerner Family/Collins and Savage) have been talking about giving Savage some help and by giving Collins/Lerner more negotiation power with players, rather then Savage doing everything. But Brown says that the story is false as far as he knows. That they want to settle the issues and keep everything intact and that ESPN has blown it out of the water.
I 2nd everything NY Buckeye posted. Garvin: Collins and Lerner are tools. Part of a GM’s job is salary cap issues and contracts. THAT’S WHAT GM’S DO!!!!!!!
If this goes down, I’m done for awhile. If you release your GM after ONE YEAR, and proceed to hire some tool whose specialty is in drawing up contracts and the cap, you don’t deserve my support and you won’t be compettitive for the next decade.
GO BENGALS.
i agree 100% with NY buckeye. this team and organization is a freakin joke. why do we continue to root for them? 7 years of pure incomptency!!!