BEREA -- Media room filling up fast for Mike Holmgren's first press conference since Oct. 21.

A point of interest: The appearance was unscheduled until 10:53 this morning when the Browns electronically sent a media advisory.

Coach Pat Shurmur's regular Wednesday press briefing was set back till after today's practice.

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To set it up ...

the Browns were visited on Tuesday by two doctors representing the NFL and the NFLPA. Their mission was to review the Browns' handling of Colt McCoy after the quarterback suffered a concussion on a hit by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison in the Thursday night loss in Pittsburgh.

Holmgren has been criticized for not making any public comments on the controversy and letting Shurmur speak for the organization.

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Holmgren enters the room six minutes late, smiling, in Browns sweat suit.

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Says he met with NFL to get some sort of closure on what happened with Colt. Reason they waited, he said, is to have those other meetings before seeing the media.

Also said the schedule of how we have these "is going to be our decision, not your decision."

Was McCoy examined and tested for a concussion?

"No, he was not," Holmgren replied.

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Holmgren said the doctors and trainer did not see the impact of the Harrison play because they were all working on other players. They heard the crowd reaction and saw McCoy was down and also Alex Smith down.

"Our medical staff and our training staff -- we have the best in football. There's no doubt in my mind. These guys are really good."

One of the things troubling to me is they're getting slammed pretty good, along with the head coach, he says.

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Holmgren taking us through the details of what happened. Said McCoy "was not unconscious" and was responding to every question.

Holmgren: "Why wasn't a SCAT test administered at that time? ... Their reaction to the way Colt was reacting did not dictate that. They did not see the play. ...

"If you see the hit, you'd say, 'Goodness gracious.' But they didn't see the hit."

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Holmgren extremely defensive and intermingling admonishments to media that "It's not business as usual with the Cleveland Browns."

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"You people in the press box of having the luxury of seeing the replay."

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Holmgren says the trainer goes to the head coach, based on how Colt responded, and says, "He's good to go."

"No coach that I know would ever overrule a doctor and put a kid in a game. Pat will never do it. So understand that up front."

After the game is over, Holmgren said McCoy still showed no symptoms. First thing they did was X-ray his (left) hand.

Holmgren said McCoy was put through the concussion tests by Dr. Waters after that.

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Holmgren said McCoy passed the test, but made a remark about hearing a loud noise in the shower. He also asked for the lights to be dimmed.

When he came back the next day, he still had a headache.

Holmgren said all these events in this timeline were detailed in the NFL review.

"I don't expect anything to happen in a punitive way. What could we have done differently? They followed protocol. We did what we had to do.

"Colt is home today. We're following the league protocols by league standards. He still has a headache.

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So, what were you thinking when McCoy went back in?

"I'm not going to second-guess Pat. Pat's in the front lines. He's got to make the decision. (as a coach) if I feel the quarterback's good to go, then he's back in the game. That's his call."

What about McCoy laying on the ground?

"That came up in the meeting yesterday. It seems inconceivable but nobody alerted anyone. So how do we do this so the doctors get the information they need. Best thing we could come up with is putting in a process to have somebody say something."

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"I saw the hit on replay and I go, 'OK, that's not good.' But I've also seen hits that look bad and you just let them go.

"It didn't start to show (symptoms) until a good time in the locker room."

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Was Shurmur told not to answer question about getting tested for concussion?



"I think before you can answer those questions truthfully, you have to get the doctors in the room."

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What about coaches in the booth? Didn't they see the hit?

"By the time the replays were going, (McCoy) was on the bench. If they (doctors) had that information, there was a hit, I can't say for sure anything would be different because he didn't display the normal (symptoms). It wasn't there."

You don't expect any penalties? What type of feedback did you receive?

"I think it was a very healthy meeting. From league, union and club standpoint, how can we make this a little bit better. Have an observer, perhaps? It wasn't a condemnation of how we handled the situation."

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Holmgren said Brad McCoy's story that Colt couldn't remember the play did not jive with Colt was saying during the game.

Holmgren said he has not talked to Colt

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He declines to comment directly on the James Harrison one-game suspension.

Holmgren is asked about Shurmur's job.

"Absolutely (will be back). He'll be the head coach."

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Holmgren refuses to answer why Seneca Wallace was not kept in the game or his feelings about it.

"Ask Pat," is all he'd say. "Ask Pat."

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Holmgren on his role: "My definition of my role is hire good people and support them the best I can. That's why I don't do press conferences. That's why I don't have a radio show. I've done that for 25 years. I support my people behind the scenes. We have a very competent young coach who will be here for a long time."

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Holmgren admits he may have wasted a year by waiting to change coaches, but says he doesn't regret doing it. He is very, very defensive today. "You're either with us or you're not. I'll be honest with you ..." He stops himself from saying something he didn't want to say.

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"If we'd just snap the damn ball and catch some passes, we'd be 7-6."

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Holmgren declines to evaluate Colt McCoy until after the year.

Pressed to comment on McCoy, he declines again.

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Holmgren says he didn't want to see Browns teammates retaliate against Harrison. "Two wrongs don't make a right. That's not how I want my team to be. Do I want them to remember? Yeah. Do I want them to do that in a game? No."

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Holmgren said "We've talked to Brady McCoy." (Not pleased.)

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After repeated questions about what's going wrong with the season, Holmgren reiterates he'll talk about those things after the season.

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"I'd like to win a couple of these down the stretch. I had a year in Seattle, 4-9, Hasselbeck was new and had three playoff teams (to play) and we won all three. Matt kind of established himself and it really was the springboard for the future. They also removed me as general manager after the last game, which to this day I don't agree with."

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Holmgren clarifies that he did not speak to Brad McCoy but somebody in the organization did. Said he feels the air was cleared.

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Towards the end, Holmgren is more conciliatory and less defensive. Folding his arms and leaning back, he says it would have been premature to comment before today.

"We're trying to be better, far as transparency and dealing with (media). ... Sometimes, unlike years past, when you needed two sources, stuff comes out immediately. In our rush to judgment on things, I would ask you to believe me a little bit and trust me on how we're doing things around here. I'm not going to lie to you. We will try to get you the proper message at the appropriate time."

The Big Show is over. In closing, he lauds Shurmur as a good man and says he's going to be the head coach here for a long time.

An instant classic.