Can we believe?

I spent two and one half hours watching the Blue Jackets last night.  They played in LA, the game began around 10:45 and ended close to 1:15 am but I am not complaining.  The Jackets won on the road against a previously undefeated team (the Kings) at home.  It was a back and forth game, the Jackets took the lead, then it was tied, the Jackets once again took the lead, and then it was tied.  The Kings took the lead and then the Jackets tied and then went ahead late in the game.  All throughout the game I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for a Jacket turnover leading to a Kings goal.  But it didn't happen.  The third and fourth lines of the Jackets were the stars of the game.  They competed and kept the team in the game until the last five minutes, when the skill players took over.  Nash had an unbelievable move to score a goal, then scored an empty netter to seal it.  Some writers were saying that if the Jackets got three points on this three game road trip, it would be a successful trip, four points would be an overwhelming success.  Well, they got two points last night and if they played the way they did last night in the upcoming games, there is a possibility that they can take all six points on the trip.  Now, I am not saying that they will.  The Ducks and Sharks are  tough teams to play in their own rinks.  I will be happy for one point in the next two games.  But the way the Jackets are playing, who knows?   They can win the next two.  So why not be greedy?  Garon will probably get a start in goal in one of the next two games, and he has played well this season.  Can we believe in this team?  Is it a playoff team?  Maybe, but after watching the game late last night, I do know that hockey is fun again in Central Ohio.

Don't Over React, Browns Fans! Give Me a Break

There are those in the media today who want to err on the side of caution.  They are telling Browns fans: "Don't over react!  Don't go over board!  You are setting yourself up for disappointment if you think that this Browns team is THAT good.  You are setting yourself up for disappointment if you think that the Browns have a CHANCE for the playoffs because they don't.  Isn't that sweet, that these media types caution Cleveland fans so that we won't be disappointed or hurt?
Give me a break!  I am 54 years old and have been following Cleveland teams all of my life.  I have seen more years of bad baseball than I can remember.  I remember the Drive, Red Right 88, the Fumble, and Coach Marry's "there is a gleam, men." I have seen the Browns move and was at the rebirth of the franchise.  I was at the Miracle of Richfield and witnessed a hope for a Championship for the Cavs being squashed when Jim Chones broke his foot.  I have witnessed the Quitness and the Decision and have seen "the SHOT".  I have had more than my share of disappointment following Cleveland sports.  My sports heart has been broken more often than not. and now I am supposed to not get excited, even over react when the Browns beat two potential Super Bowl teams?  How do I know that the Browns WON"T make the playoffs this year?  I do I know that Colt McCoy won't become a star that we all hope he will be?  I don't know, and nether do the so called experts.  No one knows, that is why they play the games.  And that is why I am a sports fan.  I watch because the unexpected happens.  For Cleveland, the expected is major disappointment.  I have experienced it, and will experience it again.  So what will it hurt if the Cleveland sports fan over reacts?  It hurst nothing.  Will we be disappointed?  Hey, I have been disappointed in Cleveland teams for over 50 years. I am tired of getting excited over a new uniform for the home team ( I like the Indians' new look, by the way).  I can handle it, so can Cleveland.  So over react if you want to Browns fans.  It is okay.  A fan is a shortened term for the word fanatic.  Fans root for the name on the front of the jersey.  All we want to see is our team win.  When they do we rejoice. When they don't, we are disappointed.  But we don't need anyone telling us to not to get our hopes up.  We can handle it.  We always have, and we always will.

Here we go, Brownies, here we go!

The late Jack Buck, voice of the St. Louis Cardinals, made famous the saying: "I can't believe what I just saw."  The same can be said of the performance of the Cleveland Browns today against the New England Patriots. Who would have thought that the Browns would have dominated a Super Bowl contending team?  For two games in a row? Remember that they had defeated the Saints before the bye week, and now the Patriots.  My son, Mark, just got back home from the game and said the place was "insane".  That is a good thing, from watching it on tv, it reminded me of the old days of the Browns, before 1999.  Before they were stolen from Cleveland by Baltimore.  Perhaps we are seeing right before our eyes the rebirth of a franchise.  It is about time.  Now the younger generation can start to catch a glimpse of the passion and the love Cleveland has for football, Browns football.  Here we go Brownies, here we go! Woof Woof