The Future Quarterback of the Cleveland Browns

So, who is the future QB of the Browns?  Is it Johnny Manziel?   He certainly looked adequate in his first action of the season this year (unlike last year when he looked totally out of his element).  Is it Josh McCown?  Possible, in that McCown has thus far looked like a world beater.  Is he a late bloomer?  Is he a product of the new offensive system that the Browns are running?  Perhaps.   But maybe the future QB of the Browns is not on the roster now.  One would think that the Browns would draft a future QB next year, but I don't know.  I get the impression that this front office likes picking up reclamation projects (see McCown).  If that is the case, what about the Detroit Lions QB Matt Stafford?   He was benched last Sunday.  Is he falling out of favor with the Lions?   Could he be had in a trade for a mid level draft pick?  I don't know, but it is something to consider.

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

Riding A Colt

Colt McCoy has played his first NFL game.  Initial impressions are promising.  He looked calm in the pocket.  He had poise directing the offense.  He was able to MOVE the offense down the field.  The negatives?  He probably is headed back to the bench, to learn behind Dellhome and Wallace.  Which brings me to the overall offense, it is, well, offensive.  There are NO playmakers.  Players play hard but there are no game breakers.  Until the Browns get some playmakers on offense, they won't know what they have in McCoy.  Personally, I think he should play.  All of the time.  He has shown that he can handle the pressure.  So why not give him the experience?  At 1-5, the Browns AREN'T heading to the playoffs, so why not let him learn?  Give him the reps, and the hope that Heckert can find playmakers in the 2011 draft.

Blowing Up The Browns

Earlier on this blog I advocated blowing up the Cleveland Indians and starting over as an organization. Well, guess what, it is time to blow up the Browns. The present edition of the Cleveland Browns, while they may be nice people, is an EMBARRASSMENT TO ALL FANS OF THE ONCE PROUD FRANCHISE. Think of it, here we are on November 2, and the Yankees are on the threshold of winning their 27th championship. The Browns used to be the Yankees of professional football. When I was young, the Browns were always on top of their division, contending for the NFL Championship. Before I was born, they were the class of all football franchises. But not anymore. They have become an embarrassment and a joke.

It is hard to watch a Browns game, knowing that if the opponent scores a touchdown, the Browns have already lost the game! My son and I have plans on going to the next game, on Monday night football November 16 against the Ravens. Shall we wear bags over our heads? With the sorry state of this franchise, do we publicly admit our embarrassment?

Today the Browns fired their GM, George Kokinis. In my mind, they should have cleaned house, Mangini needs to go as well. Then they need to get top notch football people in the organization to rebuild this once proud franchise. If someone knows what he is doing, it should take long to rebuild. Sadly, it looks as if Mangini doesn't have a clue.

Are You World Serious?

Here it is the first game of the World Series, and I am not interested. A baseball fan like me SHOULD be watching the game, after all, the two former Cy Young Award winning Indians are throwing to start off the series. But I can't get into it. Is it because the Tribe traded away their two best pitchers (CC and Lee) and got little in return? Perhaps. Is it because the Yankees are playing and I hate the Yankees? Maybe. But more likely it is the fact that the Series is starting on October 28. Are you serious? October 28 is the middle of the NFL season, the end of the high school football season, it is the beginning of the hockey and basketball seasons. There is something wrong with October 28 being the start of the World Series. THE SERIES SHOULD BE CONCLUDING ON OCTOBER 28, NOT JUST BEGINNING.

Now, I know why the Series is starting so late, it is in large part because the regular season lasts as long as it does. The regular season is 162 games, no double headers scheduled, so that MLB clubs can maximize their ticket sales in order to pay the salaries of their respective ball clubs. But something has to be done to shorten the season so that the Series can end by October 28. How about day and night doubleheaders, where there are individual ticket sales for both games? A four game weekend series can be shortened to four games in three days, thereby giving the ball player the day off that he needs. I would even start the season earlier, at the end of March, and risk a possible snow out rather than begin a World Series at the end of October. f

MLB can thank the good Lord that two major markets are competing for the baseball world championship, because if it was anyone else other than Philly, LA, Boston or NY, their TV ratings would be in the tank. I predict that the ratings will be respectable only because it is the Yankees that are playing in the World Series. If I were a betting man, many can't get into a World Series that starts October 28. Hey, college basketball begins in a couple of weeks! Baseball should be over by this time of year. If there was any justice, bad weather will plaque the East Coast, weather that would be fitting to the time of year that it is, Fall going into Winter. Interested in the World Series? This year? Are you serious? I would rather watch the Blue Jackets and the Browns. Well, maybe not the Browns, but you get the idea.

The Future of the Cleveland Browns

The future success of the Cleveland Browns hinges, not on who will play quarterback, but on who they will draft in the upcoming draft. The most important people on the Browns staff right now are the scouts, who will seek out talent to play on this team. This year's edition of the Browns are woefully lacking in talent. I can only think of six players who would be considered possible Pro Bowl players at their positions. I can not emphasize enough the simple truth that the Browns need more talent.

So, what kind of talent or positions should the scouts be looking at and considering? If I were the GM, I would place an emphasis on offensive and defensive linemen and linebackers. If you can control the trenches, your football team will look and be more competitive. An offensive line that can open holes will make running backs look good. An offensive line that will give the quarterback time to throw will create opportunities to move the football. A defensive line and linebackers that can stop the run and rush the passer will take the heat off of the secondary.

So the moral of the story is this.... draft quality linemen and linebackers and you will see this team improve exponentially. Sadly, though, we must suffer through another woeful season.

How Did That Happen?

The Browns won, today! Finally! The Browns beat the Bills 6-3. I don't know how they did it, but they did it! Yippee!

Derek Anderson passed for 23 yards FOR THE GAME. His passing average was 1.4 yards per pass. I might add that this is 23 yards more than I had AND I DIDN'T EVEN PLAY OR WATCH THE GAME.

Again, I don't know how they did it, but they did it!

My Teams Finally Have Won!

In an unprecedented move by the commissioners of the NHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB have all awarded the teams from Cleveland and Columbus Ohio the Championships in their respective sports. Citing the recent awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize, the commissioners unanimously awarded the Lombardi Trophy to the Browns, The Commissioner's Trophy to the Indians, the Larry O'Brien Trophy to the Cavaliers, and the Stanley Cup to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fans of these teams were ecstatic, however it is understood that the fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes are petitioning the NCAA for a similar ruling for the 2009-2010 football season.

Anderson it is!

The Browns today names Derek Anderson the starter for Sunday. Ink stained wretches (and others) will say that this move will harm Brady Quinn's development, that it will "mess with his head." As much money as these QBs make, they can deal with it. It is all about competition. And as I mentioned in my previous post, I really don't care who starts. I just want the Browns to win. Seeing as they have started the season with three losses, and have looked terrible in each loss, it can't get any worse. As a fan, I just want my team to win. Anderson, Quinn, I don't care who the QB is, just win. Please.

DA vs. Brady

The present quarterback controversy in Cleveland, involving Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn, is really a non issue in my mind. Why? Because I really don't care who starts, I just want the team to win. So it doesn't matter to me who starts and plays, all I want to see is a Browns Super Bowl season. It is a stretch to believe that this will happen this year, but we always have faith.