The NFL has fined Browns head coach Eric Mangini for violating the league’s rules on injury reporting when he was the coach of the New York Jets last season. The team failed to place Favre, now with the Minnesota Vikings, on the injury report during the final month of the season, even though he had a torn biceps tendon and his arm was barely attached to his body. The league, wanting to set an example, has fined the Jets 7 million pesos and Mangini and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum 2 million pesos each. It is unclear why the NFL will not accept U.S. currency. Mangini now wants to put the situation behind him. “I have worked with the league on this matter and now consider it closed,” he said in a statement. “It was difficult to find a currency exchange facility in Cleveland, but we got it done and now my focus is on our preparations for the Broncos.” Commissioner Goodell said Monday that the case would be an opportunity for the league to stress the importance of gambling on NFL games.

Late last week, when a sarcastic fan asked Mangini if he would even bother showing up at the season opener vs. Minnesota, the Browns head coach said he was going to flip a coin to decide. At first it didn’t appear as though he was serious. Rather, it was simply his way of saying it didn’t matter if he showed up or not. But if Mangini isn’t serious, he certainly isn’t relenting. Before practice this morning, Mangini once again said he plans to flip a coin to decide if he will coach. “That’s probably the fairest way to do it. I’ll probably give both thumbs equal reps with the coin,” he said. “But if I do show up, I might not arrive by car. I might take a train, boat, or hang glider. I really can’t say more than that though. It’s an internal matter.” The man continues to be the Rubik’s Cube of NFL coaches.

The Cleveland Browns improved their preseason record to 2-1 after defeating the Tennessee Titan 23-17 on Saturday night. After the game, head coach Eric Mangini participated in a 3-hour press conference in which he didn’t actually SAY anything. Here is just a sample of the Q&A from that press conference:

(On if Brady Quinn played well enough to be named the starting QB) “We’ll look at the tape and keep evaluating it. I have no timetable for that decision.”

(On the follow-up question: ‘Do you realize the season begins in less than two weeks?’) “I’ll have to look at my calendar. But the one I have, versus the one you have….they may not match up. They may not be the same.”

(On if he has been pleased that Braylon Edwards has not dropped a ball recently) “We’ll keep evaluating it and soon he’ll be there.”

(On the follow-up question: ‘Be where? Where will Braylon be?’) “We’ll have to take a look at the tape and see.”

This went on for what seemed like an eternity, leading this reporter to believe that coach Mangini is either a former CIA operative or affiliated in some way with the mob. We would have learned more about the Browns if we had interviewed his discarded wad of chewing gum.

New Browns coach Eric Mangini says his punter competition is far from over. But veteran Dave Zastudil and newcomer Jakub Krzynowek are ready to strut their stuff again in the upcoming game against the Tennessee Titans. “What I want to see is toughness from these two. I want to see them kick the sh*t out of the ball tonight,” Mangini said. “Lord knows they are going to have plenty of opportunities.” Last week, Krzynowek outplayed Zastudil, but both looked far from improving on last year’s 4-12 mark. Krzynowek, the fan favorite, is a former soccer star in his native Poland. His boyish good looks and goofy accent are a particular hit with female fans. Zastudil, the incumbent punter, has less of a huddle presence but has a particularly strong ankle. Although the regular season is just two weeks away, Mangini has set no timetable for his decision.

Brownieman.net has learned that head coach Eric Mangini is working on an agreement with MDB Advertising to star in the latest installment of Subway’s “Five Dollar Foot-long” TV commercial series. According to an anonymous source, Mangini will receive a large sum of money in a burlap sack and a sandwich named after him. For a limited time, Subway will offer Browns fans a special deal: a Mangini Meatball sub for only $5. The new sandwich will feature spicy peppers and will come wrapped in wax paper with Browns helmets on it. Mangini’s sandwich is approximately 1/10 the size of former head coach Romeo Crennel’s Meaty Feast Sub, which featured 12 different kinds of meat, chocolate chip cookies, and nacho cheese sauce. The commercial is slated to be shot at Browns training camp, but Mangini has been tight lipped about when the filming will take place. Rumor has it that the camera men, grips, and lighting crew will all be former New York Jet players….cause that’s how he rolls.

An unidentified man burst into Eric Mangini’s office on Wednesday morning wielding a gun and demanding to know the 2009 training camp schedule. The incident occurred 7am in Berea, and Mangini reportedly remained calm. He told the armed man that the he had very few details about the camp schedule and that it has to remain flexible for various reasons. But even at gunpoint, Mangini would not say why. Instead, Mangini offered the overzealous fan the following partial schedule:

• Aug. 1: 8:45-10:45 a.m. and 5:45-7:45 p.m.
• Aug. 2: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Aug. 3: 8:45-10:45 a.m. and 5:45-7:45 p.m.
• Aug. 4: 1:30-3:30 p.m. (closed to the public).
• Aug. 5: 8:45-10:45 a.m. and 5:45-7:45 p.m.
• Aug. 6: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Aug. 7: 8:45-10:45 a.m. and 5:45-7:45 p.m.
• Aug. 8: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Aug. 9: Family Day Scrimmage at Cleveland Browns Stadium, 1 p.m.

After receiving the information, the intruder yelled “QUINN TO WIN” just before knocking Mangini unconscious with the butt of his gun. Police are reviewing security camera footage in an attempt to identify the man and bring him to justice.

With the Tribe out of contention in the American League Central Division, Cleveland fans have their hearts set on a daily training-camp battle between Brady Quinn vs. Derek Anderson. However, the waters of Lake Erie are murkier now that Mangini has announced that Elmo will also have a shot at the starting spot. “Elmo brings a competitive nature, and the intensity and emotion that you want on the field,” he said from his office in Berea. “He is very ticklish, and NFL defenses may try to exploit that, but he has so many intangibles that are positive, so we want to give him a shot. Ultimately, the decision is going to be mine and hopefully I can make the right decision for the team.” This could be the most bizarre QB battle of the summer when you consider that a puppet from Sesame Street has never played a down in the NFL. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that Anderson has never been the greatest of practice quarterbacks and Quinn has had limited experience as a starter.

Eric Mangini announced today that he will partner with Richard Petty Motorsports to compete in the NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series in 2010. Team officials said the agreement with Mangini will bring an entirely new fan base to a sport followed primarily by Yinzers. “We will run in every race next season,” said Bruce Sadler, Team Mangina’s Vice President of Competition. “We want Team Mangina to be one of the most successful stand alone teams in the series. Eric will drive his own car, and we hope Browns fans will come out and support him, even though this isn’t really a sport.” The Browns’ head coach is slated to drive the number 19 car for Team Mangina at New Hampshire Motor Speedway next year.

Head coach Eric Mangini designed his Super Bowl XLIV championship ring to look different than the rest. And why not? Since Super Bowl XLIV has not been played yet. Mangini went with sixteen round, brilliant cut diamonds surrounding the Browns logo. The four diamonds on the right side of the logo represent the Browns’ four AAFC championships; the four on the left represent their NFL championships; the four on the top represent the four years that the city did not have a team in the late 90’s; and the four diamonds on the bottom represent the 40,000 fan suicides reported since the team was formed in 1946. Mangini intends to give each player a ring at the end of training camp and intends to wear his on the sidelines moving forward. “I think it will be motivational for the team. That, and I really wanted some sweet-ass bling,” Mangini said from his office in Berea. “When I showed the guys my design – we saw a bunch of grown men act like little kids. It was like Christmas: You beg your parents to get you what you really want. But you never know how excited you are going to be until you open up that box on Christmas morning.”

The Northeast Ohio Cub Scouts participated in a drawing contest on Tuesday as part of Cleveland Browns Kids Camp, an annual off-season event sponsored by the team. Dave Evans, a camp counselor, asked the scouts to draw a picture of their favorite Cleveland Browns player or coach. At stake – free tickets to a pre-season game. Jeremy Dycus of Cub Scout Pack 30 drew a picture of head coach Eric Mangini, who he met last year in New York while visiting his grandparents. When Dycus finished the picture, he told his cub master that he was sure he would win. His confidence proved justified. The judges voted unanimously to award him first place and he will soon be on his way to watch Mangini at work in a meaningless preseason game. The energetic eleven-year-old is getting ready for his transition into the Boy Scouts this Fall, and he can hardly wait. It made his day when he learned that he will be able to go to a Browns game for free.