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In a nutshell, the PD talked to the agent and reported it as fact. As I suspected, the agent planted the story. Sad.

From the ABJ:

By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Saturday, Jan 05, 2008

Coach Romeo Crennel’s agent Joe Linta said he and the Browns are not in the midst of negotiations over a contract extension, although Linta would like to be.

Linta said Thursday he made one telephone call to the Browns concerning Crennel’s status. Crennel, 60, signed a five-year contract in February 2005 that has two years remaining.

”It would be akin to an end-of-the-year evaluation meeting, not necessarily talking about football,” Linta said. ”Nobody said anything about a three-year deal. It was an inquiry from me to see where we stand, ‘Let’s evaluate this three years into it.’ ”

A report Wednesday that a three-year extension was in the works came on the heels of an Internet report that Crennel would be the first choice of new Miami Dolphins Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells. Crennel addressed that possibility twice, saying both times that he always has honored his contract.

”It would have been a great rumor for me to plant,” Linta said. ”I wish I could take credit for it.”

Linta said his ideal scenario for Crennel would be a five-year extension at $5 million per year.

”If he was worth a five-year deal three years ago, he ought to be worth a five-year deal now,” Linta said. ”Make him the face of the franchise so when you go into free agency, he’s the future, he’s rock solid.

”If you would have asked people in the 216 and 330 area codes, ‘Would you sign up for 10-6 this year?’ they would have done it. There’s a huge cohesiveness on the staff, the organization is coming together. He’s turned the program around.”

Linta said if he’s ultimately rebuffed, there will be no hard feelings.

”If they’re not going to do anything, fine,” Linta said. ”In a perfect world, we’d want (owner) Randy Lerner to say, ‘We want Romeo to be the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future, and we’re willing to make that commitment.’ If they don’t, nobody’s mad at anybody.”

Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.

Coach Romeo Crennel’s agent Joe Linta said he and the Browns are not in the midst of negotiations over a contract extension, although Linta would like to be.

Linta said Thursday he made one telephone call to the Browns concerning Crennel’s status. Crennel, 60, signed a five-year contract in February 2005 that has two years remaining.

”It would be akin to an end-of-the-year evaluation meeting, not necessarily talking about football,” Linta said. ”Nobody said anything about a three-year deal. It was an inquiry from me to see where we stand, ‘Let’s evaluate this three years into it.’ ”

A report Wednesday that a three-year extension was in the works came on the heels of an Internet report that Crennel would be the first choice of new Miami Dolphins Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells. Crennel addressed that possibility twice, saying both times that he always has honored his contract.

”It would have been a great rumor for me to plant,” Linta said. ”I wish I could take credit for it.”

Linta said his ideal scenario for Crennel would be a five-year extension at $5 million per year.

”If he was worth a five-year deal three years ago, he ought to be worth a five-year deal now,” Linta said. ”Make him the face of the franchise so when you go into free agency, he’s the future, he’s rock solid.

”If you would have asked people in the 216 and 330 area codes, ‘Would you sign up for 10-6 this year?’ they would have done it. There’s a huge cohesiveness on the staff, the organization is coming together. He’s turned the program around.”

Linta said if he’s ultimately rebuffed, there will be no hard feelings.

”If they’re not going to do anything, fine,” Linta said. ”In a perfect world, we’d want (owner) Randy Lerner to say, ‘We want Romeo to be the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future, and we’re willing to make that commitment.’ If they don’t, nobody’s mad at anybody.”

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