It pains me to say it, but it's time for Brady Quinn to get out of Cleveland

I've always hoped that Brady Quinn could make it in Cleveland, just like I root for all Notre Dame players to do well in the NFL.

But it was more than that. I thought that it would be a story-book scenario if the Ohio native/matinee idol could star for the team he rooted for as a child. That's why I was thrilled when the Browns drafted him, even though it was painful watching the kid get hung out to dry as he dropped through the draft.

Now, however, I'm thinking it might be best for Brady to get out Cleveland, which is still a mess and will have trouble winning two more games (Last week's 6-3 victory over Buffalo has to be one of the ugliest games in NFL history.) Let him go some place more stable, which would be about 25 other teams in the league.

On Monday, a friend suggested the Browns react better to Derek Anderson. Is this the same Derek Anderson who completed the grand total of two passes against the Bills?

Last year, this same friend wanted Anderson benched (if favor of Quinn) because, in his opinion, the former was too prone to throwing interceptions. Such is the fickle nature of fandom.

This friend also says that Quinn never will be an NFL quarterback, which seems like a ridiculous assessment about a guy who has started six games in the NFL (of course, maybe the friend make that comment just to push my buttons, something he does quite well).

But Browns coach Eric Mangini pushed the gun by benching Quinn halfway through the third game of the season, a panic move if there ever was one. Of course, this is the same Mangini who fines players who don't pay for $3 bottles of water.

Apparently, the "Mangenious" hasn't learned his lesson after getting run out of New York. He is treating his players like junior high school students, and this is over-the-top behavior even for an NFL coach, all of whom are control freaks to some extent.

Mangini is going to lose his players, which is why the Browns will go 3-13 and Quinn needs to find a new address.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Quinn has put his house up for sale, an indication he could be dealt by next week's trade deadline.

The newspaper reported that Quinn has been at odds with Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll since his demotion.

If Quinn, whose contract expires after the 2011 season, is not on the field for 70 percent of the snaps this season, he will lose $11 million in salary escalators. The Browns also have reduced his practice reps.

I can understand why the Browns would want to keep him off the field because that's a business decision.

Reducing his practice reps, however, seems petty. Then again, Mangini takes pettiness to a new level.

Look, it could be that my personal feeling about Quinn is preventing me from making an objective opinion about his ability.

I still think Quinn has the qualities (leadership, intelligence, certain amount of charisma) to be an effective NFL quarterback, if not a superstar. He may not have the strongest arm, but that didn't prevent Chad Pennington from directing the greatest turnaround in NFL history last season with the Dolphins.

Then again, I could be entirely wrong. Quinn may indeed be a failure as an NFL quarterback. You just can't make that conclusion after six games.