Regardless of whether Sunday’s six-point performance against the previously 3-7 Texans gets coach Romeo Crennel fired on Monday or whether he finishes the year, we’re not wavering — at all – from our report that the Browns have been talking to Bill Cowher about taking the thing over in 2009.

If anything, we’ve heard more stuff since posting the item on Thursday afternoon that makes the story stronger, not weaker.

We fully expected when we posted the item last week that there eventually would be an “I’m not going to be the Alabama coach”-style denial from the Browns or Cowher or both.  In fact, we’re surprised that it didn’t come more swiftly.  (Then again, these are the Browns.)

Why deny it?  Because if it’s obvious that Cowher is going to get the gig, it will be difficult (if not impossible) for the Browns to comply with the Rooney Rule, which requires at least one minority candidate to be interviewed for each head-coaching vacancy.

We’ve got some more thoughts on Cowher’s candidacy for the Cleveland gig and what the leak of discussions with the Browns might really mean in a PFTV segment.