Randy Lerner

BEREA, Ohio - Cleveland's offseason already has begun with a disheartening loss. Bill Cowher is not interested in coaching the rebuilding Browns. Following a 4-12 season that began with Cleveland pegged as one of the NFL's rising teams, the Browns fired coach Romeo Crennel yesterday. The ouster came one day after general manager Phil Savage was dismissed by owner Randy Lerner. Lerner has begun interviewing for both openings and met with Cowher Saturday night in New York. The former Pittsburgh Steelers coach and current CBS analyst told him he has no intention of returning to coaching in 2009.

FOXBOROUGH — The last time Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini did their postgame hand jive as opposing head coaches, Mangini was riding high. His New York Jets were walking off the Gillette Stadium turf with a 34-31 victory over the Patriots on Nov. 13, 2008. Mangini had just his second win in seven tries (including one playoff game) against Belichick, his former mentor. The Jets, with Brett Favre as quarterback, improved to 7-3 and would notch another victory the following week.

The Cleveland Browns may have finally found their leader. Former Seattle and Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren , with one Super Bowl title and success brimming from his NFL résumé, spent his second day meeting with Browns owner Randy Lerner about running the team’s football operations. However, as of last night there was no indication of a deal. In an e-mail to the Associated Press, Lerner suggested the sides were still talking but gave no specifics. Holmgren arrived Monday after being invited by Lerner, who wants to hire a proven executive to take over his team.

Jerome Harrison ran from nowhere into the record books. Joshua Cribbs topped even himself. Embattled Browns coach Eric Mangini should thank them both. Harrison scored his third touchdown with 44 seconds left and rushed for a team-record 286 yards, and Cribbs returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, covering 100 and 103 yards, to lift the Browns to a 41-34 road win over the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday. Cribbs’s seventh and eighth career scores on a kickoff return set an NFL record.

FOXBOROUGH — The last time Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini did their postgame hand jive as opposing head coaches, Mangini was riding high. His New York Jets were walking off the Gillette Stadium turf with a 34-31 victory over the Patriots on Nov. 13, 2008. Mangini had just his second win in seven tries (including one playoff game) against Belichick, his former mentor. The Jets, with Brett Favre as quarterback, improved to 7-3 and would notch another victory the following week.

The process began at a rapid-fire pace, the Cleveland Browns acting decisively to speak with Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli to run their football operation. At this time last week, when Pioli was preparing for his Wednesday interview, the urgency of it seemed to indicate he was set to leave New England after nine years, determined to step away from his successful partnership with Bill Belichick and steer his own ship. Yet here we are, six days later, and there has been no movement with Pioli.

Jerome Harrison ran from nowhere into the record books. Joshua Cribbs topped even himself. Embattled Browns coach Eric Mangini should thank them both. Harrison scored his third touchdown with 44 seconds left and rushed for a team-record 286 yards, and Cribbs returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, covering 100 and 103 yards, to lift the Browns to a 41-34 road win over the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday. Cribbs’s seventh and eighth career scores on a kickoff return set an NFL record.

Alex McLeish has been hired to manage Aston Villa, five days after quitting crosstown rival Birmingham. Despite fan protests, American owner Randy Lerner appointed the Scot as Villa’s third manager in less than a year. McLeish says “I know that some of our fans have voiced concerns and I can understand why. It will be up to me to convince you that I am the right man to drive the club forward.’’ Although McLeish’s Birmingham was relegated from the Premier League last month, it qualified for the Europa League in February by winning the League Cup,...

Romeo Crennel's boss isn't planning to make him the next former Cleveland coach. Not now, and not any time soon. Browns general manager Phil Savage strongly backed the former Patriots defensive coordinator yesterday, saying it was unfair to blame him for all of Cleveland's problems, temporarily snuffing speculation the struggling club was on the verge of a coaching change. "Romeo has the total support of [owner] Randy Lerner and myself," Savage said. "He has the respect of the team.

Lions rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh grabbed Jake Delhomme’s face mask, twisted it, wrapped his arms around the Browns quarterback’s head, and slammed him to the ground. It was hard to watch — in real time or instant replay. The Browns hope the NFL looks at it again. Cleveland coach Eric Mangini expects the league to review Suh’s rough treatment of Delhomme in Saturday’s exhibition game in Detroit. In the second quarter, Delhomme was scrambling out of the pocket when he was grabbed by Suh, the No. 2 overall pick in April’s draft.

The Cleveland Browns may have finally found their leader. Former Seattle and Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren , with one Super Bowl title and success brimming from his NFL résumé, spent his second day meeting with Browns owner Randy Lerner about running the team’s football operations. However, as of last night there was no indication of a deal. In an e-mail to the Associated Press, Lerner suggested the sides were still talking but gave no specifics. Holmgren arrived Monday after being invited by Lerner, who wants to hire a proven executive to take over his team.

The process began at a rapid-fire pace, the Cleveland Browns acting decisively to speak with Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli to run their football operation. At this time last week, when Pioli was preparing for his Wednesday interview, the urgency of it seemed to indicate he was set to leave New England after nine years, determined to step away from his successful partnership with Bill Belichick and steer his own ship. Yet here we are, six days later, and there has been no movement with Pioli.

BEREA, Ohio - Cleveland's offseason already has begun with a disheartening loss. Bill Cowher is not interested in coaching the rebuilding Browns. Following a 4-12 season that began with Cleveland pegged as one of the NFL's rising teams, the Browns fired coach Romeo Crennel yesterday. The ouster came one day after general manager Phil Savage was dismissed by owner Randy Lerner. Lerner has begun interviewing for both openings and met with Cowher Saturday night in New York. The former Pittsburgh Steelers coach and current CBS analyst told him he has no intention of...

Mike Holmgren considers the opportunity to run the Cleveland Browns “very, very appealing’’ and plans to give the team his decision “sooner than later.’’ Holmgren, who spent two days meeting with owner Randy Lerner this week, said during his weekly radio show yesterday on Seattle’s KJR that he liked everything he learned about the Browns during his visit to Cleveland. The former Seahawks and Green Bay coach sounded as if he’s leaning toward accepting the Browns’ offer, calling the chance to head the struggling franchise’s football operations “about as good a job situation as...

Introduced for the first time as Cleveland's coach, Eric Mangini stepped to the podium and his football life flashed before him. This is where it all began. "I feel like I should be getting some coffee or picking up some towels or something," he joked. The ball boy returned as the boss. Mangini, fired by the New York Jets after their season finished with a December nosedive, took over the rebuilding Browns yesterday, completing a personal and professional career circle that started with him running errands in the early 1990s as an eager underling for then-Cleveland coach ...