Did Savage deserve to be fired?

[jjchieffan]

I don't understand his firing. I thought he was doing a good job in Cleveland. Sure this year went bad, but his body of work has been good in Cleveland. I remember last year(2007), when everyone was applauding him for the draft. How he moved back in to the first round to get Quinn. The roster also seems to have the most talent in years. I don't believe this years results are his fault. In fact, I wouldn't mind bringing him in here as an assistant to the new GM, much like Kuharich was under Carl.

[Demonpenz]

Jamal Lewis had alot more in his career than I thought he had. He is a big mo fo.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Your proof is irrefutable. Savage paid a player a lot of money to come to Cleveland and the player said nice things about the guy that just gave him millions in the form of a signing bonus. He must be a great guy that easy to work for and with. Forget the power struggle that existed his first year with Collins that led to Collins resigning. Forget the crap with Winslow, the email, and his comments this year when things started to go poorly with the head coach he retained:

Yep. It says alot about the man when he got fired not for being a good talent evaluator but for being a total douchebag and not able to get along with anyone.

You don't hear alot of outcry from Browns fans about him being shit canned either.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Your proof is irrefutable. Savage paid a player a lot of money to come to Cleveland and the player said nice things about the guy that just gave him millions in the form of a signing bonus. He must be a great guy that easy to work for and with. Forget the power struggle that existed his first year with Collins that led to Collins resigning. Forget the crap with Winslow, the email, and his comments this year when things started to go poorly with the head coach he retained:

''My responsibility is the 53-man roster, and then it's Romeo and the rest of the coaching staff's decision how to utilize the 45 players who are dressed on Sunday. If I'm going to get involved in those decisions, then I may as well put a headset on and double my salary.''

Why would anyone here care about a power struggle from 3 years ago that we really don't know anything about, other than some vague innuendo that Savage must be hard to deal with? Also, there isn't anything wrong with that quote.

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by Brock

Why would anyone here care about a power struggle from 3 years ago that we really don't know anything about, other than some vague innuendo that Savage must be hard to deal with? Also, there isn't anything wrong with that quote.

Of course you don't think there is anything wrong with the quote.

An ex Browns player feels a little differently:

These statements sounded to me like a GM taking out the coach at the knees, of the complete abandonment of the ''all for one and one for all'' philosophy.

But I've been critical of the Browns lately, and at times of Savage. So to be fair, I asked a few people, including a former player everyone respected, what they thought of Savage's words.

The former player summed up the feeling: ''Tell RAC to get a paddle, 'cuz Phil just sold him down the river.''

That was kind of my reaction. ''Hey, I got these standout players; if they laid an egg, that's on the coaches.''

It didn't seem quite fair to Crennel, a good man who has worked his hardest and done his best to win. He has made some decisions that can be questioned, yes, and his won-lost record is not good.

But given his efforts and work and dedication, he doesn't deserve to see the last weeks of his job include this kind of thing.

This came across like self-preservation, of protecting one's own hide at the expense of others. Years of ''we are in this together'' suddenly became ''don't ask me to coach them, too.''

I asked the former player — I told him I preferred to use his name; he did not want to, but he is a former Brown who knows Savage and Crennel — for a little more insight.

He said: ''I hope Mr. [Randy] Lerner sees through that. Savage picked all the players. Romeo coaches the guys Savage gives him to coach. You get a bunch of kids and not enough smart leaders, then the inmates run the asylum. Does the coach run, catch, tackle, drop passes, blow plays? Who picks those players?''

He wasn't finished.

''The decisions are made by the GM,'' he said. ''The coach coaches who is put in front of him. He doesn't have a choice.''

Kind of like Crennel didn't have a choice on his offensive staff changes before 2007.

''The coaches coach; the GM picks 'em. Bottom line,'' he said. ''If anything, they are tied together.

''I'm not saying RAC is free from question. It's just that everything is not based on the coach. Yes, at times it comes down to scheme, teaching. But if the exact same defense worked in New England, why is it so bad here?

''Duh. The players aren't the same and neither is the guy picking them.

''Look at New England's team. Smart, tough, team guys that play together. Cleveland has talented, young, prima-donna-filled, blown-assignment guys that don't play together or for a common goal. They pick up a paycheck.

''Not all are that way, but enough are to mess things up.

''Now, who picks those guys?''

[King_Chief_Fan]

Originally Posted by jjchieffan

I don't understand his firing. I thought he was doing a good job in Cleveland. Sure this year went bad, but his body of work has been good in Cleveland. I remember last year(2007), when everyone was applauding him for the draft. How he moved back in to the first round to get Quinn. The roster also seems to have the most talent in years. I don't believe this years results are his fault. In fact, I wouldn't mind bringing him in here as an assistant to the new GM, much like Kuharich was under Carl.