While We’re Waiting… Dunk you very much
January 18, 2013Browns Josh Gordon on Michael Lombardi, “Uh oh.. Am I in trouble??”
January 18, 2013According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter via Twitter, the Cleveland Browns have hired NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi as VP of Player Personnel. Initially Schefter reported that Lombardi was hired as GM of the Browns, but shortly updated his report to say Lombardi’s title will be VP – Player Personnel.
Browns hired Michael Lombardi as their new GM.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2013
Update: Michael Lombardi's title in Cleveland will be VP player personnel.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2013
The Cleveland Browns have since confirmed the hire and have announced an 11:30 am press conference where Jimmy Haslam and Joe Banner will officially announce Lombardi’s addition to the front office.
This will be Lombardi’s 2nd stint with the Browns, as he previously worked as a scout from 1987 to 1989, before taking over as Pro Personnel Director until 1993. His most recent tenure was with the Oakland Raiders where he spent 8 years in the personnel department from 1999 to 2007. He has since been working as an analyst for NFL Network.
[Related: NFL Rumors: Arizona’s Ray Horton Potentially Landing In Cleveland]
67 Comments
Debac-licious!
Because, you know… when you have a chance to get the best in the business, you go for it.
No but really I have no reason to be horribly upset with this move right now. If it doesn’t work out a lot of people will want Banner’s head on a platter, but it’s fine for now. We are definitely finding out that Banner wants to be the GM, though, as most of us originally speculated when he took the CEO job.
while this is not surprising, it is annoying that the new regime seems to think they can treat fans like morons (Banner playing coy with Lombardi questions when pretty much everyone knew). It is reminiscent of the old regime (and maybe that’s just the Cloak and Dagger nature of the NFL).
I can deal with them sucking for years, and I know that the new guys weren’t around for any of that, so I’m trying not to over react to anything as time will tell us more about them than anything, but it irks the snot out of me when people try to pee in my ear and tell me it’s raining. Sucking is one thing, playing me for a fool is another entirely.
Whatever Joe Banner, do what you think is best- just know that some of us already don’t trust you.
“His most recent tenure was with the Oakland Raiders where he spent 8 years in the personnel department from 1999 to 2007.”
Quick, who has the fastest 40 time of the players available when we pick?
Haha, Lombardi is already camped out at the combine.
I think Banner has already worn out his welcome with a lot of people. He seems to be very stubborn and have a big ego. I haven’t really liked him since he joined the Browns, but winning will make us forget everything. Right now, it doesn’t seem very likely…
Shamrock, I think a tankard of kool-aid is needed at the 480 bridge ASAP
I still think that they’ll hire Farmer as the GM to round out the current front office. Although when compared to what Heckert had to work with, he’ll have a lot less freedom for decision-making.
Ridiculous, atrocious, preposterous, unbelievable… surely, this will be Banner’s undoing in Cleveland. What a disaster.
I may be an idiot for asking this, but are ‘VP – Player Personnel’ and ‘GM’ the same thing? Or are they two different positions, which means that we are still looking for a GM to bring into the organization?
“Look, darlin’, it’s Mike Lombardi. Deadliest GM since Matt Millen, they say. What do you think, darlin’, should I hate him?
Shoot me in the face.
Great…what a failure of draft selections in his time in Oakland. And he drafted a kicker in the first round to boot (Janakowski)….I predict he will be here no longer than 2 years…
well said – this process has demonstrated a total ignorance of local culture. Fans may have warmed to Lombardi if their concerns were validated and a compelling argument for his credentials was made. Instead, Banner just comes across as another elite, out-of-touch executive installing the latest quixotic scheme in Berea.
I don’t… they are having a press conference about the hire today at 11:30am… I haven’t ever seen a press conference to announce the guy under the GM.
So are we still hiring a GM or is VP of player personnel taking the place of the GM?
NOOOOOOOOOOO
Our worst fear..
It seems like we have so many execs that maybe the ‘GM’ responsibilities have been distributed between multiple personnel
http://nooooooooooooooo.com/
I think you can assume there will not be a GM position. I’ve never seen a team have a press conference to announce a VP of player personnel… unless Banner/Haslem know how much the fans would hate this decision and want to defend it publicly, but that seems unlikely to me.
Will the media ask questions or just openly boo?
No. I’m sure of it, I hate him.
I guess I’m not getting the job then? Bummer oh well I tried. Hopefully I’m still in consideration for the DC job
Actually, this is a briliant move. Joe Banner can weed out future draft busts simply by asking Lombardi which players he really likes.
does anyone know how Banner was introduced to Haslam? Did the NFL hook that up?
Right now Haslam is starting to remind me of Randy. Hire someone else to run the show and let them take the wheel. Hope their “plan” will be successful. Have no clear vision of your own. This is not a good thing. I hope that ends soon. Once Chud starts winning, I won’t care anymore (Im going to maintain a positive attitude, I swear)
they could fill the Valley with Kool aid, so the bridge was nothing more than a 3 meter springboard, and I don’t think it’d be enough
Joe Banner is the GM in everything but Title. It is the Joe Banner show. He has a hard on to prove how smart he is, since Andy Reid got all the credit in Philly.
I didn’t like it when they hired banner and now it’s really starts to bear fruit. This is a disaster. I can’t believe anyone thinks he is even a top 5 candidate
With the hiring of Mike Lombardi by Joe Banner, I am beginning to realize that I am the battered spouse in an abusive relationship with the Cleveland Browns.
His last name IS Lombardi…. positives guys..
What a bunch of babies…. Everything is so negative with this whole sky is falling act. Banner knows what he is doing and has the track record to prove it. In Oakland, Lombardi was hampered by having Al Davis as the owned and having final say on pretty much every organizational decision. Davis is the sole reason why the Raiders have sucked for the last decade and will continue to suck for a few more years until they can get the stench of his moves out of Oakland.
If the Browns get off to a typical Browns start this coming season, I think we’ll see a lot of fans leaving.
i can get behind the first part of your comment.
but the ‘banner knows what he’s doing’ part rings hollow.
This comment seems negative, and unless there are two different “woods” posting you seem to be speaking of yourself with the sky is falling talk.
bill simmons is sure to say nice things about the browns now.
That’s a weird glitch… all of the comments looked like they were coming from RGB on my browser until i refreshed and saw they weren’t.
hahaha RGB h4x
agree with much of humboldt and max. In the last 5 months HasBan seems to have picked up on the fact that we’ve been rendered somewhat nuts, and apparently decided they better just disregard screams from the locals and do what they think needs to be done.
But what they apparently don’t yet know is that, underneath the anxieties, Clevelanders know pro football. These guys better drop the condescending doctor routine. Absolutely support Banner’s right to hire whom he wants; that’s why he left Philly, that’s why he bought in and came here. But today’s presser better include a persuasive explanation of why he thinks Lombardi was the best available guy. If all we get is generic “long experience in the league” and “ability to work with the team we’re assembling” I’ll interpret that to mean that Lombardi was deperate enough to get back in that he’s ok having Banner make significant input on player evaluations and falling on the sword if they bomb.
I know so many here hate Lombardi. Not saying that’s wrong, I am just more ignorant of consistent awfulness than a lot of others seem to be. But here’s what scares me more than good scouts feeding info to Lombardi for his ultimate call: that the scouting info goes to Lombardi, who further filters and spins it his way for Banner, who gets last call. The best chance of succeeding is to hire people who have successfully performed those same duties before. It’s not that hard. The coordinators can be a safety net for Chud, the scouts a safety net for Lombardi. But not if non-personnel guy Banner throws himself into the process because he’s finally in charge and therefore entitled. If it works it will defy the odds.
Banner and Haslam lose all credibility. Is Lombardi really the best candidate for this job? Smack of Holmgremesque good ol’ boy syndrome.
List of all the great players Lombardi has “evaluated”
http://brownschat.clevelandbrowns.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4731011/m/610104815
I love scotch. Scotchy scotch scotch. Here it goes down. Down into my belly.
Hey, Jerry Rice!
I know, right!?! The Browns are destined to a team loaded with HOFers! I can’t wait.
Well I’ll take what I can get… Wasn’t Banner successful in Philly?
Something strange happening here…..
I have a professor that looks like Bill Simmons & I irrationally hate him for that reason alone.
HEY! I was told we couldn’t start drinking til noon.
You’re just beginning to realize that NOW?
meh. they’re $16MM over cap. nnmadi and vick signings look bad. samuel signing was shaky (1.2MM in dead money carried this year.). vince young. demetrus bell.* STACY ANDREWS.
they’re 4-12 and completely re-tooling.
there’s a lot not to like in banner’s record. there’s little to sustain the ‘cap-guru’ label he carries.
*not sure if bell is on banner.