Originally Posted by http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

So what really happened here? One league source tells us that once Lerner heard the news -- and once coach Romeo Crennel made his preference known that he wants Savage to stay -- the boss man clunked together the heads of Collins and Savage and told them to kiss and make up.

....one of the theories making the rounds as of late Friday/early Saturday is that Collins and Savage have indeed reached rock bottom in their relationship, and that Savage (through agent Neil Cornrich) attempted to provoke a termination, which would then have enabled Savage and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz (another Cornrich client and a close friend of Savage) to partner up in a new city for 2006.

If true, it appears that Savage and Cornrich might have played their hand too early. Still, the status quo is unacceptable; Savage and Collins don't like each other, and they can't work together moving forward. So perhaps the statement that Savage won't be fired represents an effort by the team to force Savage to leave. The hiring of Keenan, we're told, constitutes a breach of Savage's contract, which arguably would permit him to walk away without consequence.

Originally Posted by JoeSixPat

Regarding the likely yet to be finished Savage/Collins power struggle saga in Cleveland, at least one report suggests that Romeo's preference to see Savage remain in the GM position helped defuse the situation, at least temporarilly

You can read the whole report for yourself, but here's some highlights:

Originally Posted by dryheat44

If the Coach has say over who the GM is, then things are backwards, and they should just make Romeo GM/Coach

Originally Posted by JoeSixPat

It's not backwards - the key issue is only that there should be a partnership between coach and GM - that is having a coach and GM who are on the same page on personnel issues

NOT giving the Coach a voice in who the GM is seems like a VERY BAD idea as a Coach requires players who will fit into his system

Walking into this gig it seemed pretty clear that Romeo was hoping to find a partnership similar to what BB & SP have - yet still knowing that as a first time head coach, he was not going to be granted the same ultimate authority that Belicheck has

This report suggests that Romeo still feels that he and Savage are on the same page when it comes to personnel

Originally Posted by dryheat44

Yeah, but Standard Operation Procedure is the a GM is hired, then he decides on a Coach, not vice-versa. You don't see the GM getting canned in a disagreement with the HC. Or a President hire a HC and then ask who he'd like as GM.

Originally Posted by JoeSixPat

I understand, but that's not what was happening here - there was no disagreement between the GM and HC

It was a situation where the President/CEO of Football operations was about to can the GM without input from the coach

When the owner did ask the input of the coach, the report suggests that the coach felt that the GM was a good match for his coaching schemes

What's backwards is the team President canning the GM without the input of the HC (or otherwise ignoring the HC's views)... in that case the President should can BOTH the GM and the HC

Originally Posted by Terry Glenn is a cowgirl

John Collins should be the one getting the boot to the @$$...I guess dandy Randy Lerner isn't such a fast "lerner". Butch Davis was Randy's bright idea also.

I think that Savage is already a pretty smart guy. What John Collins does so well is...licking the owners crack. He was the person responsible for the Janet Jackson no nipple boob incident in the superbowl half time show.

...yet he is the president of the Brownies. Hmmmmmm...

Originally Posted by dryheat44

Yeah, but Standard Operation Procedure is the a GM is hired, then he decides on a Coach, not vice-versa. You don't see the GM getting canned in a disagreement with the HC. Or a President hire a HC and then ask who he'd like as GM.