When we first called on "Dawg Pound Mike" Randall and "Mobile Dawg" Tony Schaefer to either call off their highly publicized "protest"* or explain more clearly what they were protesting, we suspected that their protest would do more to help themselves than anything to help the Cleveland Browns. After hearing what they had to say Tuesday on ESPN Cleveland's "Really Big Show" and yesterday on ESPN's "Mike & Mike in the Morning" about their incredible Tuesday meeting with Browns owner Randy Lerner, it's evident that we were right to be suspicious. It's further evident that folks who want to do good by the Cleveland Browns will be in their seats long before the game starts on November 16, yelling their lungs out for the Browns at kickoff, ready to meet any late protesters with the heartiest chorus of boos.  (If you're already with us, sign the petition here, and please pass it on.  If not, please, read on.)Before we get to the depressing lack of integrity displayed by Randall this week (we're leaving Schaefer out of it for the rest, as it looks to us like he's at least somewhat innocently along for the ride), it's worth a brief review of the backstory:  As we explained last week, our initial problem with the protest was that it appeared more than anything as an attempt to take personal advantag of a regressive wave of public impatience regarding the necessary reconstruction of the Browns.  Nobody questions that the Browns are a mess, that they've been a mess for a decade, and that something needs to be done about it.  Yet now, when for the first time in a decade the franchise brings in a head coach who at least appears to be trying to make the necessary structural-cultural changes, fans like Mike Randall complain that, or seek to take advantage of complaints that, the change hasn't happened overnight.  This line of complaining and its constant refrain that the team has "made no progress" on the field this season inexplicably refuses to acknowledge that one often must tear down to rebuild; that sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.    Other than complaints about the lack of championship banners and retired numbers on display at the Stadium, and the repeal of an alleged "no-standing" policy that might or might not exist (we've been to every home game this season, we've stood a lot, and haven't been told to sit once), Randall's protest is completely devoid of substance.  When pressed to explain the purpose of his protest, Randall's dominant response is that his purpose is "to be heard."  "They're going to hear us," and "they're going to listen," he says.  But listen to what?  "We want banners?"  Because again, it can't just be "change."  Change is what we already have, in spades, with Eric Mangini.  And by protesting now, these folks only make the reconstruction project more difficult.  Not only does the protest undermine Mangini in the public view, where his shake has already been more than unfair; but the players read the papers and watch the news too, and a protest like this only makes it harder for Mangini to sell the new culture to them.  Thankfully, despite the public criticism and dearth of talent on the roster, there's already sound evidence that the players are buying in, including a special teams unit that's one of the league's best, and that the 2009 Browns are the second-least penalized team in the NFL.  These are the things that a team can do to win even without talent on the roster.  Mangini has the team doing them.  But this doesn't matter to Dawg Pound Mike.  Folks, including commenters here, and Tony Rizzo, and Mike and Mike, have congratulated Randall for obtaining so much apparent support for his cause, and for his success in getting Lerner to meet with him and Schaefer, as though that in itself was an unqualifed good.  But it's not.  It's an abuse of power.  Mike Randall is essentially the leader of a large fan club that's an element of what's supposed to be one of the very best fanbases in sport.  He's the guy who's famous for wearing the most outlandish costumes (like this one), and must surely have access to the "Dawg Pound's" e-mail listserv, or something like it.  It couldn't have been hard for him to get "more than 2,000 emails" in support of his protest.  Impatience is easy, and so is complaining.  To be sure, Browns fans have had as much to complain about as any fanbase in sport thanks to Randy Lerner's failed leadership.  But again, now -- when we finally appear to have a head coach in place who's trying to fill the leadership vacuum -- is not the time to complain.  It's time to let the coach do his job.     Paradoxically, but perhaps not surprisingly, one of the dominant themes of Dawg Pound Mike's message has been what a terrific owner Lerner is, even despite the systematic failure of the franchise throughout his tenure as owner.  If Mike said it once this week about how "passionate" Lerner is, how "disgusted" Lerner is with the team's performance, and how badly Lerner "wants to win," he said it a thousand times.  Both on the "Really Big Show," and on "Mike and Mike," Randall played to emotions in expressing his trust in Lerner by explaining how Lerner looked up at a portrait of his departed father, and said, "I want to fix this."Of course, no word from Dawg Pound Mike on Lerner's ability to fix anything.  The question of why anyone should believe in Lerner as an owner after a decade of historic incompetence is apparently of no concern to him.  Instead, Mike revealed that his real target is the guy who's been here for less than a year, Eric Mangini, who himself, by any measure, has realized multiples of the NFL success enjoyed by Randy Lerner.  On both ESPN radio programs, Randall referred to Mangini in quoting Lerner as saying that "every coach deserves a year [that's one year, Randall pointed out]," and "we're not going to take three or four years, we're going to do this now."The inconsistency in his disparate treatment of Lerner and Mangini helps lay Randall's motives bare.  Mangini is certainly a far easier target than the billionaire owner.  If Dawg Pound Mike can make it appear as though he were even partially responsible for getting Eric Mangini fired, Dawg Pound Mike is an even bigger star.  Here it's worth noting that Randall holds himself out as an agent to NFL players, including members of the Cleveland Browns.  And we have it on good information that he actually represents some Cleveland Browns players in securing local endorsement deals.  As it was it was put to us, "if you want [Cleveland Brown X] to show up at your kid's birthday party, you call Dawg Pound Mike."  No word on this came up on the press tour this week.  The apparent conflicting interests of a man who both represents players and holds himself out as a lead representative of the Cleveland Browns fan have not yet been addressed.  Now, Randall will respond -- as he did when WKNR's Aaron Goldhammer pointed out to him the complaints by many Browns fans who said they did not want Dawg Pound Mike "representing" them -- that "he doesn't represent [Cleveland Browns] fans, he represents [himself]."  Here, the profound lack of integrity in Randall's approach is most evident, as he brazenly disclaims any responsibility that might go with the position of power that he holds.  Because when ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and just about every other national sports media outlet in the country writes and talks about Randy Lerner meeting with Browns fans, and you are the most vocal of the only two Browns fans who these outlets are writing and talking about, then you do represent Cleveland Browns fans, whether you like it or not, and no matter what you self-servingly say.  Of course, that goes double when you call yourself "Dawg Pound Mike,"   So since Dawg Pound Mike Randall, the nominal leader of the Pound itself, took advantage of his status as a Cleveland Browns fan to obtain a meeting with Randy Lerner and so much press and fame, he has the obligation to answer, at least, the following four questions, as expressed in further detail above:1.) How does Dawg Pound Mike's protest help rather than harm the Cleveland Browns in the midst of an ambitious attempt to build a culture that the protest appears to undermine?  2.) Why should we expect much more progress on the field than we've already seen with the reduced penalties and improved special teams, when it's obvious that the team had to ditch its two most physically talented athletes for cultural reasons, and when it's true that sometimes it's necessary to tear down before rebuilding?  3.) Why does owner Randy Lerner, the only constant in a decade of unprecedented incompetence for the Cleveland Browns, deserve more patience than Eric Mangini, who's been here for less than a year and is trying to do something new and ambitious?  4.) Why shouldn't we be concerned about the apparent conflict of interest inherent in this protest that comes from Dawg Pound Mike holding himself out as a representative of both players and fans.  Specifically, why shouldn't we view Dawg Pound Mike's protest as an attempt to take advantage of public impatience and the public unpopularity of a coach trying to accomplish a difficult task, to help him appear more powerful to potential clients?We'd like to think that Dawg Pound Mike wasn't lying when he said on The Really Big Show that he responds to "every one of his hate mails," by leaving his cell phone number, and that "not one person calls" him.  But he never sent us his number.  He did Tweet at us, though, when we sent him a link to last Friday's post asking him to call of his protest or clarify its grounds.  His response:    "[N]ever! The fans are goon [sic.] to be heard." and "lol!!! Whatver [sic.] man! Keep thinking why [sic.?] you want! . . ."It's nice to think that Randall didn't send us his cell phone number because he didn't think of our email to him of last Friday as "hate mail."  Because we're not at all trying to hate on him.  He's a Browns fan, so he can't be that bad, and anyone can get carried away in a big moment, especially when he's at a new height of power.  But while we don't hate Dawg Pound Mike, we do hate his protest.  And his statement at his website that "all" of the emails he's received in response to his protest are "positive"?  Obviously, a lie.  So if Mike is a man of his word, we'll be talking with him soon.  In the meantime, we're joining forces with the Folks at "Real Fans Don't Miss Kickoff," and will be in our seats long before the game starts on November 16.  We further recommend that those who plan to join us bring a white towel or shirt to wave at kickoff, so that we can more effectively demonstrate our good faith and patience toward Eric Mangini, our recognition that difficult jobs can take time, and our support for our Cleveland Browns during a challenging time.  We understand that there are circumstances where a "real fan" might miss kickoff, but, as we hope we've made clear above, November 16 at Cleveland Browns Stadium is not the time or place.  If you agree, we hope you'll join us, and even if you won't be at the game (but especially if you will), that you'll sign the petition linked here, and please pass it on.  We don't have access to the Dawg Pound contact list like Dawg Pound Mike, but generating even modest numbers here should help advance our message of support.  In closing, we'll address a comment made by Tony Rizzo in concluding Tuesday's interview with Dawg Pound Mike:  That Mike's critics were simply jealous of his apparent success.  We'll admit that we would love more than anything to sit down and talk with Randy Lerner, as well as express our views on our Cleveland Browns on ESPN radio, ESPN.com, in Sports Illustrated, the Associated Press, and everywhere else.  But we're not critical of Mike Randall because we're jealous.  We're critical of Mike Randall because -- no matter what he says -- he's been holding himself out all week, nationwide and most publicly, as a representative of Cleveland Browns fans, and his message on our supposed behalf makes no sense.    ----------*Incredibly, Randall has stopped referring to his protest as a "protest."  He's now calling it a "late walk in."  Why walk in late?  Not to protest anything, apparently.