What about Bob?

Donte Stallworth, who struck and killed 59-year old Mario Reyes with his car while legally drunk, was released from jail yesterday morning. He served 24 days for DUI manslaughter in a Miami jail.

Stallworth, who was suspended indefinitely by the NFL, left the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center before dawn yesterday and did not make a comment to reporters. According to this report from CNN.com, it is unclear why the 28-year old Stallworth served just 24 of the 30 days he was sentenced to.

Stallworth had his driver's license permanently revoked (though he could get a limited license after five years), and he'll be under house arrest for two years and on probation for another eight. He also must give Mothers Against Drunk Driving $2,500, submit to random drug and alcohol testing and serve 1,000 hours of community service.

At the time of the accident, Stallworth's blood alcohol level was 0.126 percent (Florida's legal limit is 0.08).

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will meet with Stallworth's attorney Chris Lyons at some point to determine a final punishment.

Wrote Goodell in a letter to Stallworth: "The conduct reflected in your guilty plea resulted in the tragic loss of life and was inexcusable. While the criminal justice system has determined the legal consequences of this incident, it is my responsibility as NFL commissioner to determine appropriate league discipline for your actions, which have caused irreparable harm to the victim and his family, your club, your fellow players and the NFL."

Despite signing him to a seven-year, $35 million deal before last season, Cleveland is likely to sever ties the receiver. The Browns have nine receivers other than Stallworth on their roster -- Josh Cribbs, Braylon Edwards, Devale Ellis, Mike Furrey, Paul Hubbard, Lance Leggett, Jordan Norwood, David Patten and Syndric Steptoe -- and drafted receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie in the second round.

-Chris Mascaro

The latest: According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Browns rookies and their agents are upset that Mangini is taking them on a 10-hour bus trip to Hartford, Conn., today to work at his football camp and then busing them home on Sunday. "It's a sophisticated form of hazing,'' one league source told Cabot. "I've never heard of anything like it.''

Mangini's eighth annual football camp, for under-resourced children in grades 8-12, is voluntary for the rookies -- but all felt compelled to attend, according to the report.

"It's voluntary, but it's B.S. voluntary,'' said one source. "These players are fighting for starting jobs and playing time. What are they supposed to do, say 'no, I'm not going?'''

Another source put it ... uh ... more succinctly to Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio.

Oy.

... until the day he's not a Brown ... if that day ever comes.

Edwards addressed speculation about a trade to the Giants during today's media session, telling the Cleveland Plain-Dealer that he's content to remain in Cleveland. At least for the time being.

"I didn't get excited [about the rumors]," he said. "One, they were rumors and there was nothing to hold on to. And two, I felt like if I would have left Cleveland for any reason, I would have left with a bad taste in my mouth.

"I wanted to get back to playing good football, definitely here. It's a business and who knows what's going to happen next year. But for me, it was just about getting back to what I know I can do and being the player the Browns drafted in '05 and that the fans saw in '07."

Eric Mangini has tipped his cap regarding the quarterback situation in Cleveland, saying that Brady Quinn will get the first-team reps during the last day of voluntary minicamp today.

Said Mangini to James Walker of ESPN.com: "Brady will get the first reps today. He started with the first reps on Wednesday, and that's because he's done a really outstanding job in the offseason program. Not that Derek hasn't done well, but [Quinn] gets the first reps."

Mangini warned not to read too much into the move, but it appears he's already taking a liking to the third-year man out of Notre Dame.

Last season, Mangini was tight-lipped about who he favored in the Chad Pennington-Kellen Clemens QB battle well into training camp (though many speculated Pennington was in the lead). And it became a non-issue when old No. 4 arrived.

-Chris Mascaro

It isn't often you see one coach taking another to task, but Texas Tech coach Mike Leach ripped into Browns coach Eric Mangini for potentially diminishing wide receiver Michael Crabtree's stock shortly before the draft.

The way Leach sees it, Mangini leaked word that Crabtree acted like a diva during a private meeting with the Browns the week before the draft. The Browns wound up trading out of the fifth spot to the Jets, who selected USC quarterback Mark Sanchez.

"Michael Crabtree has been more successful as a receiver than that guy has a coach at this point," Leach told Sacramento Bee writer Matt Barrows. "Part of the definition of a diva is someone who's loud and self-absorbed. Michael Crabtree is the furthest thing from loud that I've seen."

As evidence, Leach noted that the tape he had on Crabtree blocking in the running game was better than the tape of Crabtree making catches. "I think it's one of the strongest parts of the game," Leach said. "I mean, to the point where it's impressive."

Leach described Crabtree as the "ultimate team player who would serve the 49ers well." As for Mangini? "Let's see how all those non-divas do up in Cleveland this year," Leach said.

Ouch.

Per the Denver Post (via the Cleveland Plain-Dealer), the Broncos inquired about the availability of Brady Quinn and were told Quinn was not available.

Which leads me to this question for the Broncos: Are you people insane?!?!

Didn't this team just trade away Jay Cutler to the Bears in exchange for Kyle Orton, who supposedly drew raves from Broncos rookie coach Josh McDaniels? And now they're trying to trade for Quinn?

Wow.

This according to 19ActionNews, which cites sources as saying the Brownies are focused on USC quarterback Mark Sanchez and Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree.

Yeah, and this just in: Bernie Kosar plans to come out of retirement to compete for the Browns' starting job.

(sarcasm now over)

Kellen Winslow Jr. just signed a new deal with the Bucs after being traded from BBB (Boland's Beloved Brownies), but the locquacious tight end still found time to weigh in on the Browns' quarterback situation.

Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson?

Winslow takes Quinn.

"I love Derek Anderson. Great quarterback. It just didn’t work out," Winslow told the Dayton Daily News. "Brady Quinn is coming in, he has tremendous upside. Very calm, very mature and, I mean, give the guy a chance. What’s the big deal? I really don’t get it. This guy is coming in, he has worked his tail off. I bet you he is there working out right now. Just give him a chance. He is a leader, he is coming into his own. I really don’t get what’s the hard decision up there. My choice would be Brady Quinn.”

The Browns have been entertaining all the top prospects in the April 25-26 draft, the latest being Ohio State running back Chris "Beanie" Wells and Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry, who will visit next week, according to Boland's former hometown newspaper, the Plain Dealer.

Wells also has a visit scheduled with your New York Jets, as well as the Seahawks. He has already visit Arizona and San Diego.

The Browns are considering a replacement for Jamal Lewis, who turns 30 in August.

Curry could fit in as an outside linebacker in Mangini's 3-4 defense.

So says Favre's agent, Bus Cook, in response to a report last week in the Chicago Sun-Times that Cook was advising Jay Cutler against joining the Browns in a potential trade with the Broncos.

"Brett has never expressed to me that he doesn't like Eric Mangini,'' Cook told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer (Boland's former hometown newspaper). "In fact, they've been texting back and forth recently. "To this day, Brett has never told me anything negative about coach Mangini.''

Cutler was traded from Denver to the Bears last week in exchange for quarterback Kyle Orton, two first-round picks and a third-round pick. The Bears also received a fifth-rounder.

The Browns have denied they were players in the Cutler sweepstakes.

Earlier this morning Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth surrendered on a DUI manslaughter charge in a Miami courtroom, according to the Associated Press.

Prosecutors say Stallworth had a blood alcohol level of .12 (Florida's legal limit is .08) when his car struck and killed 59-year old Mario Reyes in Miami on the morning of March 14.

Stallworth faces 15 years in prison if convicted. The 28-year old receiver, who signed a seven-year, $35 million deal with Cleveland before last season, is expected to be released on $200,000 bail later today.

Stallworth, who has played for the Saints, Eagles and Patriots, had the worst statistical season of his career in 2008, posting 17 receptions for 170 yards and one TD.

-Chris Mascaro

***UPDATE***: Here is an updated story, which includes a statement from Stallworth offering his condolences to the Reyes family and the terms of his bail.

The Browns new head coach will have an open competition between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson.

He said so at the owners' meeting this morning in Dana Point, Calif.

The Browns recently laid off 18 employees, citing the economic downturn. But that hasn't stopped the organization from implementing a series of structural changes at the team's Berea, Ohio complex. The facelift could cost half a mil, according to Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

The new head coach of Boland's Beloved Brownies is not winning over the locker room just yet.

His latest issue: Defensive tackle Shaun Rogers is miffed that Mangini didn't reach out to him one day in the weight room and another time at a charity function.

According to NFL Network's Adam Schefter, "Rogers has grown so disenchanted with the situation in Cleveland that he has asked the Browns not to pick up the $6 million option-bonus payment due to him next month, a source close to the defensive tackle said. Rogers would rather be released after one season with the Browns, despite still being owed another $15 million in guaranteed money."

Mangini said he didn't notice Rogers at the charity function, despite the fact Rogers is hard to miss at 360-plus pounds.

"I didn't realize Shaun was there at the time," Mangini said earlier this offseason of the green-room incident. "I know it's probably hard to believe considering how big he is and how big I am. I feel really good about watching him on tape. I always appreciate 360-pound nose guards. He's powerful, disruptive, has a high motor, and I’m looking forward to that."

Of course, this isn't Mangini's first brush with controversy in his new digs. He had a large mural depicting the team's Hall of Fame players like Jim Brown, Otto Graham and Dante Lavelli, as well as Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown, ripped down and painted over. He later explained that it was all part of a plan to move the mural from the players' entrance to the front entrance of the building.

Um ... yeah.

We learned later that Mangini did much the same thing in New York, when he had pictures of the Jets' historic teams of the 1960s removed.

And soon after Chad Pennington was dumped after the Jets acquired Brett Favre in a trade, Mangini ordered all photographic evidence of Pennington's existence removed from the building.

- Associated Press photo

I know, I know. I said I'd move on from what Boland calls my obsession with former Jets coach Eric Mangini.

But I couldn't help but chuckle over this passage from Akron Beacon-Journal reporter Stephanie Storm's article in today's newspaper. Jets fans, and especially reporters who covered Mangini on a regular basis, will certainly relate. Stephanie writes:

Although various media outlets came to hear what the former New York Jets coach had to say, Mangini shared very little substance in regard to his first month on the job.

The 38-year-old was so soft spoken throughout the 45-minute question-and-answer period, reporters needed to strain to hear him over fingers typing on computer keyboards. Often, he would take a moment to answer a question carefully, while also being very cautious not to step on any toes of the previous staff.

Boland has been careful not to step on Mangini's toes. In fact, he has not reacted at all to anything about Mangini since his departure from the Jets. My hunch is that Boland will be co-writing Mangini's autobiography after he wins multiple Super Bowls in for Boland's Beloved Brownies.

(AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

I'm fairly certain Boland wasn't in favor of Eric Mangini ordering a large mural of the Browns' Hall of Fame players and coach Paul Brown ripped down and painted over.
In fact, the Bubbling Cauldron of Intensity was lathered up about it, him being from Cleveland and all, and suffering through many Browns' collapses over the years.

But there is no "official" comment from Newsday's Jets beat reporter. Perhaps he's withholding public judgment because he got along pretty well with the former Jets' coach, who regularly poked fun at Boland's selection of wacky sweaters and such. Or perhaps Boland might write something he'd later regret, so he'd rather write nothing at all.

Either way, a little surprising that the man with an opinion on everything ranging from politics to press room food is keeping quiet on this one.

(Photo from Jane McManus blog at lohud.com)

Associated Press photo

Former Jets coach Eric Mangini made a big deal about the Browns’ tradition when he got the job as the Cleveland head coach.

But one of the first things he did in an attempt to change the culture around the team’s training complex was to tear down a huge mural of the team’s Hall of Famers, a list that includes Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Paul Brown, Dante Lavelli, Marion Motley, Lou Groza, and Leroy Kelly. The mural was located by the player’s entrance to the practice facility in Berea, Ohio. That wall is now painted white.

Way to go, Eric.

Way to wipe out another reminder of the only things that were great about the franchise, which has been moribund since returning to Cleveland in 1999, four years after Art Modell high-tailed it out of there to Baltimore.

Mangini may be attempting to change the culture of losing in Cleveland - and chances are he'll put something up on the walls that he believes is more meaningful than the greatest players and coach in team history. But he’s going about it much the same as his mentor, Bill Belichick, did during his ill-fated stay in Cleveland in the 1990s. Belichick alienated many former players – with the notable exception of Jim Brown – and was one of the most detested figures in Cleveland.

The difference: Belichick learned from his mistakes, and went on to become a Hall of Fame coach in New England.

Needless to say, we don’t see the same greatness ahead for Mangini.

Akron Beacon-Journal columnist Pat McManamon has a few more knocks at the new administration. Among other things, McM details how Mangini has prevented some Browns' assistants he has no intention of keeping from interviewing with other clubs, simply because they're still under contract.

Great start, Eric.

UPDATE: Wow, a Deadspin shoutout, courtesy of a Bob Mantz shoutout. My day is complete. Take that, Best!

The Browns Hall of Fame receiver has died at age 85.

He played in an era when receivers were called ends, when facemasks were only one bar, and when the game was barely on the radar for sports fans. But the sure-handed receiver was part of one of the most dominant teams of his or any other era.

Lavelli was a favorite target of legendary Browns quarterback Otto Graham, and was part of four championship teams when the Browns dominated the All-America Football Conference in the 1940s. After Cleveland joined the NFL in 1950, Lavelli was a member of three title teams while playing for coach Paul Brown and alongside Graham, Marion Motley and Lou Groza — all Hall of Famers.

He was enshrined in Canton in 1975.

(Associated Press photo)

In an Associated Press story about the Browns' search for a new general manager, the last paragraph discusses the reasons behind Scott Pioli not becoming the GM once Eric Mangini got the head coaching job.

It reads like this:

"Scott Pioli, New England’s vice president of player personnel
who interviewed with Lerner, will be introduced on Wednesday as
Kansas City’s new GM. Lerner had initially hoped to pair Mangini
and Pioli together, but the two longtime friends may have had a
falling out following the infamous Spygate affair."

May have?

Wow.

I don't think they have spoken two words since Spygate erupted after Week 1 of the 2007 season.

As for the Browns' search for a general manager, it is in a holding pattern. The team interviewed Ravens personnel director George Kokinis last Sunday, but he can't be offered a job until Baltimore's season ends. They're at Pittsburgh in Sunday's AFC Championship Game.

Team owner Randy Lerner, who also owns the Aston Villa soccer club in England, is overseas until later in the week.

Meanwhile, check out Mad Dog Mascaro's freakishly annotated item below on the worst teams to ever play in a Super Bowl. Guess he thinks he's doing a term paper at Cornell with all those links. Well done, Dawg.

The Browns' new head coach is about to bring Brian Daboll (former Jets QBs coach) and Rob Ryan (former Raiders d-coordinator) aboard in Cleveland.

There had been some speculation that Ryan might join brother Rex if he gets the Jets' head coaching gig - which appears more and more likely at this point. But Rob Ryan - aka "The Big Lebowski" - has committed to Mangini.

... which, loosely translated, is why he hired a coach before he hired a general manager is theoretically said coach's boss.

Lerner explained that he felt there was a time sensitive element to hiring the coach. This in spite of the fact that Eric Mangini had zero interviews or interest from any team besides the Browns.

Lerner also has some 'splain' to do because two would-be general manager candidates - Eagles personnel man Tom Heckert and Falcons president Rich McKay - declined to be interviewed once Mangini was hired. And now there's word that Mangin's buddy, George Kokinis, the Ravens' personnel director, may not want to leave Bal'more.

Lerner says he has other options, including former Redskins and Texans general manager Charley Casserly and former Broncos personnel man Ted Sundquist. But it's just a little creepy that you hire the coach first, and then the GM.

We'll see.

... wonder how Boland feels about all this, him being a lifelong Browns fan and all. I suppose we'll be reading about it soon enough. Come to think of it, who's Mangini gonna make fun of for bad sweaters?

(Cartoon by Jill Denton)

From ball boy to head coach.

Wow.

Here's a look at what he said on key issues.

Reports out of Boston and Cleveland suggest that the Browns have settled on former Jets coach Eric Mangini as the successor to Romeo Crennel.

Oy.

(UPDATE: It's official. Mangini to be introduced at news conference tomorrow. Will stress consistency and core values to the assembled media, whose eyes will eventually glaze over when they hear those terms about a zillion times over the coming years ... I apologize. This should be a time of optimism for Browns fans. Enjoy the moment, Dawg Pounders.)

We're hearing that the Browns have reached out to Eagles personnel director Tom Heckert about their vacant general manager position.

That could impact the status of Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who has also drawn interest from the Browns. Heckert and Spagnuolo know each other from their days together with the Eagles, and there has been talk of a Heckert-Spagnuolo tandem with one of the openings out there.

The Browns are also interested in an Eric Mangini-George Kokinis (Ravens personnel director) duo in Cleveland, but the Ravens won't allow Kokinis to interview with the Browns until Sunday.

Stay tuned.

Sounds like it could happen.

Wow.

This, according to longtime Browns writer Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

An unusual dynamic going on with the Browns, who seem to be all over the map in their search to replace Romeo Crennel.

They're interested in Shanahan.

They're interested in Scott Pioli, who is interested in bringing in Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz as his head coach.

They're interested in Eric Mangini, who hasn't said two words to Pioli since the Spygate scandal erupted last year.

They're interested in Falcons president Rich McKay, the former Bucs and Falcons general manager who was swept aside last year in Atlanta and replaced by Thomas Dimitroff, who might have been the NFL's best front-office executive in 2008.

Imagine team owner Randy Lerner telling Pioli, "Ok, you can have the GM job, but you've got to hire Mangini as the head coach."

Really.

We're also hearing that Mangini could be in play for the Texans' defensive coordinator's job now that Houston has purged most of its defensive staff.

When quarterback Derek Anderson suffered a knee injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season, many Browns fans cheered loudly as he lay on the field during yesterday's home loss to the Colts.

It brought back memories of Jets' fans cheering when Chad Pennington got hurt last year against the Patriots.

In a word: despicable.

Shame on anyone who would cheer an injured player on any team.

Strange. Very strange.

But Browns coach Romeo Crennel, who might not even be back next season, has named Brady Quinn the team's 2009 starter. This in spite of the fact that Quinn is out for the season with a broken finger.

Boland, what the heck is going on with your favorite team?

Browns general manager Phil Savage has apologized for using the f-word in an e-mail to a fan who was irate about the team's performance against the Bills.

Apparently, this was not the first time said fan has let Savage know of his discontent with the team's progress.

Meanwhile, the Bill Cowher-to-the-Browns rumblings have picked up steam. Profootballtalk.com is citing a source who indicates that the team has reached out to the former Steelers coach to take over as head coach next season.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this, but since it's been on Deadspin and is now making the rounds all over the blogosphere, I suppose Browns general manager Phil Savage ought to consider either not reading nasty e-mails or - at the very least - not responding to them.

A Browns fan wrote a critical e-mail to Savage - apparently during the team's Monday night win over the Bills - and made several ... um ... suggestions to the GM.

Savage apparently responded with a one-liner that might have been great if uttered to himself in his office, but came out somewhat differently on the computer screen: "Go root for Buffalo - f*** you."

Oh, my.

(Editor's note: We're fairly certain Boland was not the one who wrote to Savage.)

Just a few hours ago, Browns coach Romeo Crennel told reporters that Derek Anderson was his quarterback "as of right now."

Well, as of right now, Brady Quinn is the starter. Crennel changed his mind and anointed the hometown hero as his quarterback for Thursday night's game against the Broncos.

After another loss yesterday that included an interception returned for a touchdown, Browns QB Derek Anderson is officially on thin ice.

When asked whether Anderson was still his starter, Browns coach Romeo Crennel said the answer was yes ... "as of right now."

Oh, boy.

It seemed excessive in the first place, and the Browns finally wised up and rescinded the suspension.

A bit too late, though, since Winslow bolted from the team on Thursday and won't be in the lineup for today's game against the Jaguars.

Oy.

... again.

The high-strung tight end, who has had many problems during his brief tenure with the Browns, including a serious motorcycle accident and some unfortunate remarks along the way, has been suspended for a game over comments he made criticizing the team over its handling of his recent hospitalization.

With the Giants poised to play the Browns in a much-anticipated Monday Night Football matchup, it's as good a time as any to segue to a book we're now reading called "Playing For Pizza."

It's a novel by best-selling author John Grisham, and it's about a third-string quarterback for the Browns who suffers a fourth-quarter meltdown against the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game (hey, is that really fiction??). Anyway, Rick Dockery is chased out of Cleveland and eventually hooks up with a semi-pro team in Italy.

It's a breezy read, especially compared to the intense Grisham courtroom dramas we're used to . But it's certainly a refreshing story. Of course, any self-respecting Browns fan might cringe at the prospect of yet another playoff game disaster - even if it's only in Grisham's imagination.

So please don't tell Boland about this one. Might bring up too many painful memories.

I cannot wait to see the Ernie Davis story when it comes out in a few days.

Of course, I probably won't see it until it comes out on DVD, because we don't get much spare time around here during football season. I suppose if we treated life a little more like Plaxico Burress, we could find a little more time to enjoy the family. But I cannot afford a suspension.

All joking aside, this looks like it will be a terrific film about the first African American Heisman Trophy winner. I remember seeing previews of the movie when the wife and kiddies saw a flick during the off-season. It was many months ago, however.

It was only last week that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to the entire league reminding the teams that player safety is of paramount importance.

But the Ravens are now complaining the Browns purposely attempted to injured running back Willis McGahee, who had his eye poked during last Sunday's game.

The former head coach of Boland's Beloved Browns (I guess we'll now go with BBB when we talk about the Cleveland squad) was all over the team during a humiliating preseason performance against the Giants on Monday night. And it wasn't about those putrid brown pants they wore, either.

As the starters were getting pummeled 30-3 in the first half, Rutigliano, who does color commentary on radio, said the players looked as if they were trying to get everyone fired.

Otherwise, they might get ticked I said some nice things about the Browns.

Steelers fans don't particularly like the Browns, I'm told.

Former Giants receiver Joe Jurevicius, now playing for his hometown Browns, has undergone a fourth surgical procedure on his knee, meaning his playing career is imperiled.

Too bad. Jurevicius, 33, has been a standup guy for a lot of years, and has made some terrific catches along the way. Just the other day, he said he'd certainly be willing to be the team's third wide receiver, especially in light of his knee problems.

Jurevicius showed incredible fortitude in enduring the death of his infant son in 2003.

No, not that Mike Keenan, the psycho coach who led the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup victory since 19fawty.

A different Mike Keenan, who has been elevated to team president. He replaces John Collins, who was ousted last year in a front-office power play.

We're not sure what the Mike Keenan who is more familiar to NHL fans is doing these days. We'll leave that one to Baumbach, who owns the "Where Are They Now?" beat at Newsday.

As for Boland, when he's not busy reading our blog and posting juvenile comments, he's covering the Jets and offering some pretty decent insight ... for a guy who grew up rooting for the Browns, anyway.

This NFL thing sure is popular these days

Super agent Drew Rosenhaus, who represents about a million players, has come up with a creative way of disseminating information about his clients.

The other day, he was getting calls from several reporters in Cleveland wondering why Kellen Winslow Jr. wasn't at the team's voluntary off-season workouts.

So Rosenhaus responded by posting a video on Youtube to answer the question.

Joe Jurevicius is the latest Browns' player to have suffered a bout with staph infection.