Reports: Pat Shurmur will end up in Cleveland

Pat Shurmur with the Rams/Courtesy: ramsgab.com

It should be a done deal by the end of the day today...Friday morning at the latest. Multiple outlets are reporting that Mike Holmgren and the Cleveland Browns have found their man. And he is Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.

Shurmur, who had a big hand in the development of Rams QB Sam Bradford this year is considered an up and comer. His family is widely known in NFL circles, his uncle being Fritz Shurmur, who worked for Holmgren in Green Bay and in Seattle.

More from Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer RIGHT HERE

Shurmur probably wouldn't be a bad pick for the Brownies, who despite getting rid of the Mangenious after the season, did show some potential signs of life in 2010. From QB Colt McCoy to a pretty good defense, the pieces are slowly coming together.

Apparently, most current coordinators in Cleveland are interviewing for other jobs, so expect Shurmur to bring in a lot of his friends when he's tapped for the job.

BREAKING: Eric Mangini fired, Holmgren Won't Coach Browns

Eric Mangini/Courtesy: phil masturzo-akron beacon-journal.

It appears Black Monday's first firing has happened in Cleveland. Several ESPN reporters are saying that the Cleveland Browns have parted ways with now former head coach Eric Mangini.

This is not a surprise as Mangini has been rumored to not be a favorite of team president Mike Holmgren, though Holmgren gave Mangini a season to turn things around. The Browns went 5-11, which actually was an improvement, but not enough of one.

More from the Cleveland Plain-Dealer RIGHT HERE

Read the teams statement from Holmgren RIGHT HERE

Look for Holmgren to target his pal Jon Gruden, who's rumored for every opening...

However, the name we've been hearing thrown around...a lot, is now former Carolina Panther head coach John Fox. Stay tuned....

Here's Holmgren addressing the media this morning...
((HT: Newsnet5/Cleveland))


And Reggie Rucker has some advice on the matter...
((HT: WEWS-TV))

Mangini Staying, Cribbs Pissed...

No, the two aren't related... that's the beauty of a nebulous headline...

The Man-Genius is returning for a second season as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Apparently, on the surface, the last few weeks of the season saved his job.

Da New Team Prez, Mike Holmgren, had said that he wanted to have the coaching situation figured out by the end of the week.

There had been speculation that Mangini’s job was under the microscope after a 1-11 start.

Remember all the fun from earlier in the year... Mangini had hand-picked former general manager George Kokinis- and we all know how that turned out.

Now he's got a new boss in Holmgren and he'll have a new GM soon...

Those of us at OSG HQ think it's more related to Holmgren wanting to see if Mangini can keep the momentum from the end of the 2009 season and, at the same time, not have to worry about bringing in a high-priced coach in an uncapped year with possible labor unrest hanging over everyone's plate...

To the other half of the story...
Kick returner extraordinaire Josh Cribbs is pissed he doesn't have a new deal.

On his Twitter account, Josh posted this:
Thanks everyone, I love playing for the Browns and put my all in to it, but it doesn't look good for me at this point on returning,” Cribbs tweeted. “I don't believe I made the to do list for the team in 2010.”

Cribbs' agent, Peter Schaffer, says that the Browns were willing to move up a $1.4-million, but that's it. Cribbs has three years left on his 6-year, $6.77-million deal. The Browns say they're "not budging..."

Fox 8 caught up with Cribbs after he cleaned out his locker...
((HT: WJW-TV))
 

March should be interesting in Browns camp...

Mike Holmgren goes to Cleveland...A Walrus by the Lake

Hail to the Chief. The Cleveland Browns have a new president, Mike Holmgren. Holmgren, the former Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks Head Coach has accepted the job of running the...to be polite...struggling Cleveland Browns.

To be clear, Holmgren will "RUN" the Browns...not coach them.

The story from The Cleveland Plain-Dealer RIGHT HERE.

((Hail to the Chief...or is it Chef? Mike Holmgren//Photo Courtesy: Phillynews.com))

We have at this early point no idea what this will mean for the Man-genius. The Browns to date have won 3 games this year, though they have for most of the season been somewhat of a laughing stock. The Man-Genius has taken a lot of flack for his somewhat "Intersting" coaching methods. But, the team has been playing hard of late, though they are clearly outgunned. Needless to say Mr. Walrus...I mean President Holmgren has a mighty task ahead of him, trying to rebuild a very proud franchise that isn't really even a shell of their former selves.

Enjoy President Holmgren taking his coaching victory lap in Seattle. Courtesy: KJR Radio/You Tube: (Try singing "Hail to the Chief" when you see this")