The sun was brighter, color were more vivid, food tasted better and my team even held the court for five games in pick-up ball this afternoon. I'd like to thank Josh Cribbs and Rob Ryan. Because of them, the freezing, biting wind only felt extremely cold.
That was fun, wasn't it? Seeing the Browns beat the Steelers (ending their playoff hopes) in front of, not only their home fans, but these particular fans. Fans who were tailgating since 4:30 AM, people who sat through freaking 12 degree weather (and a -1 windchill) to come cheer on a 1-11 team (that has, quite frankly, deserved the heaps ridicule directed its way).
The Browns got a division win (it's been quite a bit), didn't embarrass themselves on national television, had more sacks (8) than points allowed (6) and Pittsburgh columnists are writing columns with titles like: Steelers Play Like Losers. It's a good day.
Note to Randy Lerner, Eric Mangini and whoever eventually becomes the football czar: when Josh Cribbs asks to renegotiate his contract, you better damn well do it. Cribbs is the guy responsible for this season's only bright spot (I assume no one is counting the Buffalo game, right?). He's the reason the offense was even in position to score points (Brady was 6-19. Ugh. To his credit, he didn't turn the ball over. So that's a plus). The guy is great, he's underpaid (by NFL standards obviously) and he plays extremely well against Pittsburgh. Pay the man.
Sure, the Browns are still 2-11. There's still a lot of problems (could you please throw the ball into the endzone when you get inside the 10? Just try it. Throw it in there. Quit it with these horizontal passes already) and I don't think Eric Mangini has saved his job just yet. If they go out and lose to a bad Kansas City team next week, he'll have squandered any good will from this win.
But a win is a win is a win. They beat the defending Super Bowl champions. Not only that, we won't have to suffer a Browns loss on Sunday. We get the whole weekend free of Browns misery.
Thanks again.
4 comments:
me too, but, and it's a big but, i just can't help but wonder if by winning that the browns didn't just cost themselves the # 1 pick in the draft and a chance at getting ndamukong suh??? sorry but i am thinking more along the lines of the "big" picture here and not just at one single game. while it was nice to finally beat the squealers, i doubt my day would have been any different today had the browns lost last night instead. however, at 1-12, they still would be in the driver seat to get the boy named suh, but at 2-11 now, they are just like every other sad-sack browns team before them who didn't know well enough to just leave well enough alone. sometimes you just gotta bite the bullet and take 2 steps backward to make one giant leap forward. otherwise, you will forever remain in this perpetual suck mode since you don't have any real impact players who propel teams into not just competitive and winning teams, but into actual contenders for championships. the cavs did it in 2002-2003 and look what it did for them??? does the name lebron james ring a bell??? while the ultimate goal of every team should be to win every game, there comes a point in time when you say to yourself "what's the point???" and cast your fortunes more along the lines of the long-term future of the team instead. i mean geez, they can't even get losing down right.
"It can't get worse than losing to the Browns.
There just isn't another team in the NFL that is that bad."
that made me giggle
yes, I know I'm an asshole
glad it's been a good day in cleveland
Yea.... but the Cavs won their last game of the season, beating Toronto 96-86. Heh.
I usually agree, why win meaningless last games and hurt your draft chances? But this is the Steelers. The defending Super Bowl champs. They still only have 2 wins (at least this one felt like a W).
Plus, it's the STEELERS.
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