Eric Mangini did not name his quarterback Monday or Tuesday. The process continues.

And what a process it has been.

Unlocking the secrets of the Mayans took less time. In fact, the Mayan civilization grew, fell apart and regrew in a shorter time than it has taken to decide the Browns' starting quarterback. Building those Mayan pyramids was not done with as much study or film work.

But that's irrelevant.

Because it's Mangini's right to process things as he sees fit.

So the process for finding a quarterback continues right to and perhaps through the fourth preseason game in Chicago on Thursday. By this time, starters are "supposed to be set." In fact, they're supposed to play four or five plays in the final game, then don golf caps.

But for the Browns the process continues. Maybe they should have hired a quarterback search firm.

Then again -- is anyone surprised?

Did anyone really and truly expect that after all the offseason work, after minicamps and organized team activities and hundreds of passes thrown, charted and dissected, after all of training camp and three preseason games that we would actually -- you know -- know who would start.

Mangini is the coach and he does things the way he wants, and right now he either doesn't want to name a starter or he's not ready to do so.

He's allowed. He cannot name a starter until Game 14 if he likes. I don't recall the Cleveland City Council passing a law saying he has to name a starter. Not yet at least.

It used to be that the league required starting lineups to be announced three days before a game. So when Don Shula coached the Miami Dolphins he would always, always, always go over the starting lineup on Thursday.

Because Shula followed the rules, and if the rule said three days, he would say the lineup on that third day before the game.

Nowadays a team won't even say what an injury is during a preseason game because -- well -- because they don't have to. So they put their thumb on their nose and wiggle their fingers and tell the world to stick their curiosity about an injury.

There's no rule about starting lineups either -- not that I know of at least -- so Mangini can keep us guessing right until the opener -- or beyond. I believe some teams believe it might be a competitive advantage thing.

I believe that, because I don't really know.

I have no idea why Mangini has not named a quarterback, except that there's no law requiring he has to do so.

I realize that's some very deep insight.

But I really have no idea.

I'm guessing that either Mangini doesn't know the player he wants to start -- or he wants to keep the Minnesota Vikings guessing for the season opener.

If it's the latter, it seems pretty silly, because it's really only a surprise for one play. It also doesn't seem like one of the league's dominant defenses is going to change a lot depending on who plays for the Browns.

The Vikings have the approach that they do not let a team run on them, then they attack on the pass rush with the best tandem of tackles in the league and Jared Allen. No matter who plays running back for the Browns on Sept. 13, he's not going to run much. It simply does not happen against the Vikings.

So it doesn't seem to matter who plays quarterback because the Vikings are going to do what they're going to do no matter what. Yes, they always could line up in a 1-10 to counter one quarterback or the other, but that's not likely.

So the only real surprise for the Vikings is on that first play. Which given the tendencies of NFL play-callers will be a run off the right guard.

Of course, it would be more effective if it were called into the two gap off the tackle and under the scraping linebacker, but it'll be into the backside of the guard.

Maybe Mangini really isn't sure who should play quarterback. Maybe in all his analysis and charting and study, he believes Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn are even. I hope that's not true. At this point, you would hope he has a clue.

Or maybe he wants to make them work for it. As if they haven't been working for it these past months.

Or maybe he just likes keeping a secret. Maybe he was one of those kids who refused to divulge a secret even when he was being pounded by the other bratty kids.

I have no idea.

I just know the process continues. And might continue right up through the re-establishment of the next Mayan civilization.