Phil Savage Sends Angry Email Response to Fan?

by DallasDawgPounder on Nov 20, 2008 1:23 AM EST

Wow...totally unbelievable story starting circulate on the web. Deadspin, Midwest Sports Fans, ProFootballTalk...it's popping up everywhere. I thought it was pretty ridiculous at first, but now I'm not so sure.

Apparently Phil Savage told a fan to F--- himself and root for Buffalo after getting a frustrated email calling out the coaches and poor performance by the team. Deadspin.com apparently broke it first, at least according to the account I just read:

Phil Savage Cusses Out Fan in Email?

My goodness, if this is true it absolutely ridiculous. Part of me thinks it is just too ridiculous, but I can see how frustrated he must be, and maybe it just got the best of him in the heat of the moment.

A lot of sites are picking up on the story though, so there has to be something there. Interested to know what everyone thinks on this one. It doesn't really seem to pass the sniff test at first glance...but would Deadspin put their credibility on the line? If this isn't true, I'm thinking Savage would have some sort of recourse if the rumor keeps flying and somehow damages his reputation.

I'm not a lawyer though, just a frustrated Browns fan. Hopefully it's not true so the team can focus on Houston. Good lord, it's always something with this team.

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how crazy

phil reads fan’s emails! and up until this point, theyre all positive

Naming my son Brodie Damon

by troy145 on Nov 20, 2008 6:22 AM EST reply actions

Story confirmed

Looks like my impressions was wrong. AP confirming the story, with quotes from Romeo:

AP Story

by DallasDawgPounder on Nov 20, 2008 1:10 PM EST reply actions

DDP,

Can you correct the FanPost to better reflect the developing nature of this story?

by NickFantana on Nov 20, 2008 1:50 PM EST up reply actions

Countdown til this surfaces on ESPN starts now. Still time for PTI and Around the Horn to pick it up for this evening. Another black eye for the franchise.

by NickFantana on Nov 20, 2008 1:27 PM EST reply actions

Frighteningly poor judgment. Is Savage really this dumb?

by cleveland teamer on Nov 20, 2008 2:33 PM EST reply actions

Wow, this is maddening. In addition to some new coaches, I think we ought to think about a new P.R. person too.

Just moronic.

by DisplacedBuckeye on Nov 20, 2008 3:24 PM EST reply actions

While Savage’s reply is indefensible, it makes me laugh nonetheless.

You know Selig? Ombudsman.

by rolub on Nov 20, 2008 3:58 PM EST reply actions

After reading the short blurb on cleveland.com:

The fan, who appeared on WKNR radio on the “Tony Rizzo Show” without giving his real name, said he had been badgering Savage during the course of the evening.

Savage’s last response was: “Go root for Buffalo. F—- you.”

Savage sent the e-mail 23 minutes after the game ended.

That kind of irks me that a gutless, “fan” would admittedly “badger” Savage during the game and then go on local radio but not give his name.

It’s becoming a bit more understandable in my book now. Still not defensible, but understandable.

You know Selig? Ombudsman.

by rolub on Nov 20, 2008 4:07 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

I completely agree. I was driving a company van today, which meant my XM was left in my car. Unfortunately, it meant listening to local talk radio. This idiot was being treated like a hero. Fans were calling up and saying that he did the right thing. Really? The fans of Cleveland continually make me much more sad than the sports teams have recently.

by Fundamentals on Nov 20, 2008 8:38 PM EST up reply actions

Can’t say I blame him. If I had some dumb guy telling me how to do my job I would be angry as well.

However, someone in his position needs to be smarter than this.

by gahnki on Nov 20, 2008 6:33 PM EST reply actions

I agree, terrible jugement. And how is Savage’s email public?

What a season this has been! What’s next? A Brady Quinn sex tape with Paris Hilton?

by RD74 on Nov 20, 2008 7:27 PM EST reply actions

hmmmm

im not impressed with your performance

by troy145 on Nov 21, 2008 1:22 PM EST up reply actions

Anyone, if pestered enough, would have responded the same way Savage did. I probably would have done it sooner.

Really, there should be no way any fan has access to his email. No way. The Browns should have some guy sitting at a computer getting paid $7.00/hour to listen to a bunch of angry people complain about something over which he has no control. In America, we call this “customer service”.

Maybe the Browns call that “Tony Grossi”. Burn?

by rufio on Nov 20, 2008 11:08 PM EST reply actions

"It's hard to win when you don't score." Cliff Lee, 9/28/05.

by Harry Doyle on Nov 21, 2008 4:17 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs

Aweosome.

Now the Browns should just hire college kids to actually answer phones like that.

by rufio on Nov 21, 2008 5:53 PM EST up reply actions

Can this year end soon enough? Phil should stay the hell of away from fans emails, or his responce should be no comment. Phil should get killed for this, the position he is in, no need for his actions. Hey I am not praising this idiot who badger Phil, but Phil needs to step away from the keyboard in this case.

"Have You heard of the Boom on Mizar 5?"

by Grockcubs on Nov 21, 2008 8:57 AM EST reply actions