Randy Lerner

He said: "The Browns are not doing well and Randy is there.

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"You said it, I heard it." When Holmgren was asked whether a meeting with Lerner was fact or fiction on Friday, he continued, "I absolutely would love to talk to him about the possibility of working," Holmgren said. "But until that happens, you guys will be the first to know."

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"At this moment, right now Randy Lerner is meeting with one of the great football minds in this country," Brown said, according to the (Cleveland) Plain Dealer. "And if things work out, that person will come in to run the football side of the Browns."

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"I've looked at this stuff since I was a kid and it's always wait till next year," Kelly said. Kelly, a barber, talks with fans every day and thinks their frustration with Lerner, who also owns the Aston Villa soccer team in the English Premier League, is boiling over. "They think Lerner's more interested in his soccer team," Kelly said. "They think he's playing with the fans. You shouldn't play with the fans."

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"Friday the 13th." The phrase "Wait Till Next Year" was written on the mask. "I've looked at this stuff since I was a kid and it's always wait till next year," Kelly said. Kelly, a barber, talks with fans every day and thinks their frustration with Lerner, who also owns the Aston Villa soccer team in the English Premier League, is boiling over. "They think Lerner's more interested in his soccer team,"

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Asked about Mangini's fate, Lerner said, "I still believe in Eric, and we're trying to give him the resources he needs to be successful. We all knew the situation we were in when Eric took over."

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"Dawn is a very talented executive and a good person," Lerner said. "My hope is that her role and impact will grow within our organization. "

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"We have to to a better job of listening," Lerner reportedly said. "A class act,"

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In a brief but telling interview with estimable Plain Dealer writer Mary Kay Cabot, Lerner said he wouldn't fire Mangini during the bye week, but added, "The highest priority that I have is a strong, credible, serious leader within the building to guide decisions in a far more conspicuous, open [and] transparent way. I can maybe defend decisions by saying I've sought advice and I've brought people in, and we've gone to see people -- and I think my highest priority is to have a stable figure that represents the voice that explains the decisions."

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Lerner has now taken the next step to help his team, and after a question was sent to him from OBR.com asking Lerner if he ever considered hiring a President of Football Operations or an Executive of Football Operations to oversee both Mangini and General Manager George Kokinis, Lerner responded: "There is no question that the Browns need a credible, vocal leader that is accountable for all levels of performance. Regardless of the title, that person, whether they're in the building currently or not, is a priority. "

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