Sources: Cleveland Browns GM George Kokinis escorted out of team facility by security

[many a good man]

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns general manager George Kokinis was escorted out of the Browns facility in Berea by security, two league sources told the Plain Dealer, and is believed to have been fired.

The Browns did not immediately return calls or emails, including an email to owner Randy Lerner.

Kokinis was handpicked by Browns coach Eric Mangini to be his general manager, but was barely heard from after his hiring in January. Both began their careers in Cleveland as underlings to Bill Belichick in the early 1990s.

One league source said "Kokinis is a great guy who does not deserve this. He is taking the fall for the team's problems and it's not right.''

Browns owner Randy Lerner spent considerable time following Sunday's 30-6 loss to the Bears on Sunday talking one-on-one with Dawn Aponte, Vice President, Football Administration, who was under Kokinis' jurisdiction in the football operations department.

Afterwards, Lerner told two reporters that he wouldn't fire Mangini during the bye this week but that was searching for a football authority to guide the organization.

more: http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2009/11/sources_cleveland_browns_gm_ge.html

[Auggie]

1. The fans want blood. Lerner is reportedly going to meet with some of them.

Sounds like Kokinis was the sacrifice.

11-2-09: CLEVELAND -- Browns owner Randy Lerner says he is "sick" about the state of his NFL team but he will not make a coaching change.

In acknowledging the disappointment, Lerner has agreed to meet with two longtime season-ticket holders organizing a protest to show their disgust with the team's decade of losing.

<snip>

Two fans, Mike Randall and Tony Schafer, have been urging fans to stay away from their seats for the opening kickoff of the Nov. 16 nationally televised game against Baltimore. The pair have a meeting scheduled with Lerner on Tuesday morning at the team's headquarters.

Randall, who's also known as "Dawg Pound Mike," plans to present Lerner with over 2,000 e-mails he has received from fans since announcing the "walk-in" protest. Randall says he hopes to persuade the ultraprivate Lerner to speak directly to Cleveland's fan base.

LINK: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4616312

[joeybee12]

2. He took the fall for their worthless owner...n/t

[TZ]

3. I wouldn't mind seeing that happen in DC.

Worthless owner and worthless GM need to go....

[joeybee12]

4. Don't hold your breath over that one!

:hi: