BEREA: Phil Savage almost didn't survive his first year as Browns general manager.

In December 2005, he found himself caught in a power struggle with team President John Collins that owner Randy Lerner later compared to ''a marriage gone bad.'' Savage was saved by a groundswell of support from fans who remembered him slaving in a windowless room for then-Browns coach Bill Belichick and valued his skills as a talent evaluator.

When Savage signed a three-year contract extension Friday that runs through the 2012 season, he made more than one reference to the loyal followers who came to his rescue.

''I've had unbelievable support. I've got to be the first GM in the history of the league to put a team out there that got beat 41-0 in a home game on Christmas Eve and the fans come out and say, 'This is the guy we want to run our football team,' '' Savage said.

He also acknowledged the difficult task he and coach Romeo Crennel assumed when they came to Cleveland in early 2005. The expansion Browns went 30-66 with one playoff appearance under coaches Chris Palmer and Butch Davis in 1999-2004.

''I'm hopeful we're through the difficult part,'' Savage said. ''People don't realize what a re-clamation project this was, what state the Browns were really in. We've deconstructed the house and now we're kind of reconstructing it and making it into the image we want it to be.

''The fans are slowly but surely getting back on board with us. I know from a personal standpoint they've been very supportive of me, and I appreciate that.''

Coming off a 10-6 season that included a 7-1 home record, Lerner took care of both Savage and Crennel. The coach received a two-year extension Jan. 29 that runs through 2011. Now the two are gearing up for a season that includes five prime-time games.

''I'm happy for Phil, like I was happy for myself,'' Crennel joked. ''That gives us an

opportunity to keep the program going. This year will be a critical year for us because the expectations are greater. We have to perform, we have to produce and we're looking forward to it.''

Savage thought back to Dec. 30, 2005, the day the clash with Collins came to a head and Savage's job seemed doomed. The Browns still had a home game remaining, which they won 20-16 over Baltimore to finish 6-10. Crennel went to bat for Savage, and Collins resigned. He is now the National Hockey League's vice president for business and media.

''It was a tough time,'' Savage said. ''You have a first-time GM, a first-time head coach. You live and learn. Honestly, from a personal standpoint, it probably made me a little stronger. It probably brought our group together, from a personnel standpoint, a coaching staff standpoint. A lot of times when you survive something like that it makes you better.

''I know my relationship with Randy from that Tuesday in the aftermath of that weekend, it's been great, it's been what I hoped it would be from Day 1. It took 11 months to get it there, but it's been fantastic the last 21/2 years.''

Back then, Savage might not have thought he would eventually secure his future — at least financially — for seven years.

''You're always hopeful you're going to improve and get better,'' he said. ''Maybe the extension today is somewhat symbolic that you survived that first wave. If you can just get out of the blocks after three years and survive, maybe you have a chance of sticking around for a while.''