[Bette]

Apparently, problems surfaced during Cleveland's October 21 bye week when there was talk that Romeo Crennel could take over the defensive play-calling duties. A welcome change for Browns fans, no doubt, but it wouldn't have done much for Grantham's confidence. It gets weirder, though. Two days ago, before Grantham was canned, the Orange and Brown Report had this:

And just what was the genesis of the problems between Crennel and Grantham? According to several players, none of whom would speak on the record, Grantham "schemed behind RAC's back" in an effort to get him fired before the bye so that he could take over as the interim head coach and, possibly, secure the position for years to come.

Additionally, there were "scheme and personnel issues" between not only Grantham and Crennel, but between Grantham and players on the defensive side of the ball. In particular, veterans have been exasperated over Grantham's unwillingness to even listen to input on various defensive issues.

Wow. It's important to keep in mind that OBR cites unnamed sources, but given how this thing has played out, the accounts certainly seem feasible.

Why the Browns Canned Todd Grantham - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

[Lefty Noob]

Very interesting, if it's true. I wouldn't put it past a coach to be driven by that kind of blind ambition.