What about Bob?

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.

Click here for the latest free agency updates and NFL rumors

The Browns had threatened to take a three-year offer off the table if restricted free agent QB Derek Anderson didn't sign it before midnight last night.

But even though negotiations lasted longer than that, he has agreed to a deal that will keep him in Cleveland through 2010. It's believed to be worth $24 million.

A source familiar with the negotiations said late last night that "anything is possible" with the Anderson negotiations. But in the end, Cleveland ponied up enough dough to keep Anderson in the fold and keep Brady Quinn on the bench.

The Browns are hopeful of getting restricted free agent quarterback Derek Anderson signed to a three-year deal before the start of free agency at 12:01 a.m. Friday. But just as a precaution, they officially tendered him a one-year contract that would give Cleveland first- and third-round picks in the event Anderson is signed by another club.

That it has come to this is still one of the biggest stories of the 2007 season. Anderson started training camp buried on the depth chart, but showed enough to convince the Browns to trade starter Charlie Frye to the Seahawks after the first regular season game.

Anderson then went on to have a terrific year and got the Browns within a whisker of making the playoffs.

Check out Terry Pluto's column in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer for his reaction to the Browns' fateful day and night.

By day, the Browns beat the 49ers at home to complete a surprising 10-6 season.

By night, they could only watch helplessly as the Titans beat the Colts' jayvee team to knock the Browns out of playoff contention.