You Just Have To

Rob Parker, of ESPN New York on the tackling of the Jets fan:

You hate to paint an entire city with a broad brush. But in this case, you just have to. This might be the meanest, dirtiest thing to happen in sports.

Excellent point. Sure, you don't want to use one individual to pass judgement on an entire city and fan base but this time it's OK. Because... well, you just have to.  Hooray logic!

The Cleveland Frowns have much more on this story, including eyewitness accounts and many questions including: how does a grown man attack a child in front of a crowd of people without starting a fight or  someone taking a cell phone video or calling the police? The reason we even know about this story is because the mom (who wasn't there) told the Plain Dealer after the fact. 

But sure, blame the whole city of Cleveland because one asshole acted like an asshole. Someone from New York and/or ESPN shitting on Cleveland? Unpossible!

And speaking of assholes acting like assholes, Clevelanders aren't going to be rallying around Scot Raab for getting himself banned from Miami's American Airlines Arena, are we?

Raab (who I've written about previously) is a writer for Esquire (we also both had articles in the Cavs Zine) and was denied a press pass for Miami's home games mostly because he spends his time on Twitter creating #WhoreofAkron hashtags and tweeting nasty things to LeBron James. 

I certainly understand being pissed at LeBron and all that jazz.  But you lose me when you use childish nicknames (LeQuit, LeDouche, Whore of Akron, etc) in your pieces or take time out of your day to tweet nasty things to LeBron. If LeBron is such an asshole and liar and quitter and blah blah blah blah, why waste your time on him?

I mean, I'm sympathetic with the "us against the world" view of Cleveland sports as much as anyone, but I have a hard time working up my righteous indignation over this situation.  Raab is a great writer and a passionate Clevelander but I can certainly understand the Heat not giving him a press credential.  Can you really blame 'em for not credentialing the Whore Of Akron guy? 

Basically, if our choice is James (the athlete who stabbed the city in the back) or Raab (the national writer who tweets nasty, childish things all day), I choose neither.

Can't Wait for December 2nd

Not a good sign:

An 8-year-old New York Jets fan was tackled by an adult Browns fan after Sunday's game, according to a television station in Cleveland.

The boy went to the game at Cleveland Browns Stadium in a Jets jersey with his father, who was born in New York. Much to the chagrin of the local crowd, the Jets rallied for a 26-20 overtime victory. The boy's mother, identified only as Danielle by ABC affiliate WEWS because she didn't want to reveal her last name, said the fans in the stadium were great, but things got out of control after the game.

"Calling him a bad word, to my husband and to my son, throwing food at them," she said, according to WEWS.

When the family reached the parking lot, the situation got uglier.

"As [my husband] was walking, holding my son's hand, a guy from behind tackled him. A drunken Browns fan tackled him and pulled him out of his dad's hand. He was on the ground crying," Danielle said, according to the station.

The boy was left with a scraped and bruised ankle. The mother said her husband didn't call police, opting instead to quickly get in the car and leave. But the mother wrote a letter to The Plain Dealer in Cleveland detailing what happened.

Awesome. 

I'm definitely think there's a chance that the December 2nd Cavs-Heat game will never get started (assuming Bron-Bron shows up).  If Cleveland fans are tackling 8 year olds (and I'm fully aware that this asshole isn't representative of our fans, but still) then I'm not sure what's off limits.  Hell, look at how nastiness thrown Braylon Edwards's direction.  LeBron is gonna get all of that and much much more.

This is an area that has no jobs, shitty weather and lots and lots (and lots!) of sports heartache. It's not even the majority of fans I'm worried about. Much like the post-Michigan riots, I worry that the Heat coming to town will be the perfect excuse for knuckleheads to act up.

It wasn't the flash

Braylon Edwards never shuts up:

Former Browns receiver Braylon Edwards, who will come to town Sunday with his 6-2 Jets, got his homecoming party started early this week with the following Tweet on Monday:

"And before I take off and forget, all you Cleveland browns fans, 17 is coming back and you better bring ya [darn] popcorn."

 Edwards, who was traded to the Jets last season, knows he won't be warmly received, especially after telling the New York Times earlier this season: "There's nothing going on in Cleveland. There's no real estate. There's no social life, no social networking. All the people who have something going on leave Cleveland. So Cleveland has nothing, and I came in there with a New York-type of essence. So what? That was the attitude I came in with. Like, this is who I am. They didn't like the flash."

It was never that Braylon was from Michigan or that he had "the flash" and us dumb Clevelanders don't like  shiny things. I can't speak for anyone else (but as a life long Clevelander and an Ohio State grad, I will), but what pissed me off was all that dropping of the football. Us boring Ohioans can live with the attitude if it comes with the on field production (see: the entire LeBron James era), but if you fuck up and still act like an asshole, well ya, there's gonna be some issues.

I don't think this is a particularly hard subject to grasp. Not dropping footballs = happy fans (you get millions of dollars to catch a ball for a living. If you fail to catch said ball, well, fuck you). But if Edwards is looking to egg on Browns fans, maybe he isn't that bright.

Meanwhile, Coach Mangini refuses to name a starter for the Jets game.... sneaky!

Missed both of em

Due to work, I missed both the Ohio State-Miami game and the Browns season opener against Tampa Bay.  Though to be fair, I did see the 4th quarter of the OSU, so I didn't miss the whole thing.

My main thing I take away from both these games is how annoyed I am with the fans of these teams.  The Buckeyes won fairly easily but my Twitter feed was full of people calling Pryor overrated and bitching about Tressel-ball.  During the Browns game, people were freaking out about Mangini and some were even calling for Seneca Wallace.  Awesome, only took about a half.

I mean, all Jim Tressel does is win a crap load of games. Sure, he can be conservative at times but the dude wins.  Period.  Pryor is kinda difficult, because he looks so good at times (like his 2-play, 80 yard drive) but then he'll botch some short out pass (he throws too hard, kinda like Derek Anderson).  Sometimes I feel as if OSU are pissed that Pryor isn't better than he is.  

And the Browns... I like what Terry Pluto had to say:

They have a new quarterback in Jake Delhomme who is desperately seeking a fresh start and a revival of his confidence. They are a team with limited talent, a team that must win with shrewd coaching schemes, smart players and an approach to the game that avoids big mistakes.

Exactly.  The Browns best players are their kicker and their return man.  They can't afford fumbles inside the red zone or throwing picks at the end of halves.  I'm always pessimistic about the Browns but I think they should be better this season, but as Josh Cribbs tweeted:  

 today it was browns vs browns, & the browns lost... 

The Browns have the talent to beat other teams, they just can't lose their mental focus and beat themselves. 

If this happens, I'll lose what little faith I have left

Really guys? The Browns might cut their third round pick?

former University of Texas standout Colt McCoy might need to prove himself in the Browns’ final two preseason games to make their roster.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, McCoy, a third-round pick in April, is among one of eight players “on the bubble” for Eric Mangini’s team. That includes fellow QB Brett Ratliff, and two young running backs, James Davis and Chris Jennings.

This is dumb.  I can't imagine the Browns cutting McCoy. I know Ratliff is a Mangini guy but still.  You don't cut third round draft picks before they've even played a down in a meaningful NFL contest.

Wasn't the plan to have McCoy hold a clipboard all year anyways? The kid has some talent, no? Is it really that big of deal to carry four quarterbacks on the roster? I mean, with the way the new Browns have gone, they're usually picking guys up off the street for the final couple of games anyways.

Moving On

As Dan Gilbert recovers from Tom Izzo's rejection, the Cavs are pursuing Byron Scott:

According to sources, the Cavs are planning a second interview with Byron Scott after he finishes up his duties as an analyst for ESPN during the NBA Finals.

Scott is known to be interested in the Los Angeles Lakers job if Phil Jackson does not re-sign after his contract expires this month. However, a league source said, Scott is interested in the Cavs' job and at the prospect of coaching LeBron James.

Again, Scott doesn't wow me but he's a solid, solid choice. Probably a safer bet than Izzo. But not only are the Cavs waiting on one LeBron James, they're also waiting on the Zen Master, Phil Jackson:

The Cavs getting Scott is no certainty, either. Scott won three championships with the Lakers and lives in California. Working as an ESPN analyst, Scott is also taking care of his elderly parents as he waits for the Lakers' situation to play out. Both Scott and Gilbert had time on their hands if Gilbert was willing to hop on his corporate jet for Los Angeles or Boston, but they have yet to meet. The Cavaliers reportedly have talked to Scott only by telephone.

As the Boston Celtics face the Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals tonight, the question also looms whether Gilbert jumped the gun in his housecleaning. Granted, James and Brown seemed to have had a falling out as the season ended in the Eastern Conference semifinals. But with the Celtics one victory from a second title in three years, losing to them doesn't seem nearly as unsettling today as it did May 13. One can only wonder if it feels that way to James.

Izzo called Gilbert ''one of the classiest guys I've ever met'' as he put his NBA aspirations behind him. But in the aftermath of Izzo's rejection, Gilbert seems more like a meddler on a power trip than ever before. To salvage his big splash now, he needs to land Scott or Jackson, if the Lakers decide to slash the Zen Master's reported $12 million-a-year salary.

In an ESPN 850 radio poll on Monday asking which Cleveland team had the best owner, several callers chose Randy Lerner of the Browns, citing his better-late-than-never decision to hire Mike Holmgren to run the show. Program host Michael Reghi thought Gilbert would have been the people's choice in a slam dunk.

I can certainly understand feeling that the Cavs jumped the gun in firing Brown (with regards to the Celtics being a win away from the title) but he really had to go. It wasn't just that the Cavs lost to the Celtics, it's how they lost. The fact that Shaq played during crunch time was inexcusable. I'm still kind of in shock with how their season ended.

I'd be shocked, shocked if the Cavs even got a interview from Phil Jackson, let alone sign him. But maybe I'm pessimistic (and maybe Gilbert will throw a big pile of money at him).

(Oh, and color me surprised that Cleveland fans voted Randy Lerner the best owner in town. The Browns are allowed to get away with anything (like losing, ugly no less, for 10 seasons) and the fans in Cleveland will forgive them. A year ago, Browns fans wanted him gone but because he went out and got a big name, all if forgiven. (And hey, I like the Holmgren signing as much as anyone but it's not like he's a got this great history as a GM)).

Random Thoughts Draft Recap

I had planned on writing a post that discussed how little I know about the NFL Draft but I'd link to guys for ESPN, Yahoo and SI who gave the Browns' draft a B (or A or C). Unfortunately, I'm either too dumb or too lazy to find any Draft Grades on SI or Yahoo and Mel Kiper's Draft Grades are behind a paywall. However, LeBrownsTown has graded the Browns' picks, so head over there.

So ya, from what I know, I like what the Browns did. I love Colt McCoy in the late third round (he was picked later than Charlie Frye), I think I like Joe Haden and while I certainly like their emphasis on defense, I'm surprised that they didn't draft a single linebacker (Haden, T.J. Ward, Larry Asante are all in the secondary). I also read on twitter (lord knows from who at this point, but follow me, @BenCox83) that their late wide-out pick, Cartlon Mitchell was a nice little steal. So that's neat.

If you're looking for top notch draft coverage, go elsewhere I didn't even watch a minute of the draft coverage. I worked during the most of draft and there were enough NBA Playoff games going on that I never felt the need to turn the channel (by the way, if you aren't watching the Spurs-Mavs and/or Lakers-Thunder games, you're doing yourself a great disservice. Just superb playoff basketball. Kevin Durant is for real).

Basically, in the end, I'm just glad the Browns didn't do anything monumentally stupid, like drafting Tim Tebow in the first round or making the Rams a Godfather offer for the first pick. They made some moves, they plugged some holes and they maybe even found their quarterback of the future. I'll take it.

Big Day Today

Game 3 of the Cavs-Bulls and the NFL Draft (aka the one day a year where the Browns are legitimately interesting). I'm pumped.

I'll be honest, I haven't really been paying attention to any of the mock drafts or Browns news. Like most Browns fans, I want them to take Eric Berry, but I really don't have any more opinions. For what it's worth, most mock drafts (Bill Simmons, Peter King, Don Banks) have the Browns taking Berry (though not all).

However, I won't be watching the draft. The Cavs are playing. You know, Cleveland's good sports franchise? The team that's a title contender, who's had the best record in the NBA the last two seasons and happens to employ the reigning MVP. They're in the place that the Browns are trying to get to: the playoffs. Games that matter.

Plus, I hate the idea of the Thursday night draft. I enjoy the hell out of the draft, but it's really not that compelling of television. I loved watching the draft when it was on Saturday. Roll out of bed hungover (in college anyways), limp to the living room and plop down in front of the TV and watch while doing various chores or yardwork or napping. It's lazy day television, not must-see TV.

The Cavs are playing a playoff game in what could possibly be LeBron's last year in Cleveland, while the Browns are looking to add players who could be good to a team that might make the playoffs in two years.

I know which I'll be watching.

Seriously?

The Browns signed Jake Delhomme. Ugh. Sometimes... man, sometimes I just hate the Browns:

Jake Delhomme is "very, very excited" about coming in to be the starting quarterback of the Browns and will be here Monday for the start of the off-season program, a league source said Saturday.

Delhomme, 35, agreed to terms on a two-year deal, agent Rick Smith confirmed for The Plain Dealer. Terms were not disclosed, but the source said Delhomme will make $7 million — a starter's salary — in 2010.

Seven million dollars? $7 million dollars? They're paying 35 year old Jake '8 TD, 18 INT last season' Delhomme seven million dollars? Great.

Here's the spin:

Delhomme explained that he was playing tight last season after the playoff meltdown.

"When I play I try to sling it around. I wasn't doing that last year," he said. "I was trying not to make the mistake. I don't play that way."

Those close to Delhomme are convinced he can regain the form that led helped him lead the Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2003 and earn a Pro Bowl berth in 2005. He also has more than 20 fourth-quarter comebacks and a 58-40 record over the past seven seasons, including the playoffs.

Sweet. Here he can just play loose and sling it around to all those skill position players the Browns have. The Browns are just chock full of weapons that Delhomme can use at his convenience.

This is a guy who's 35 years old and coming off the worst season of his career. This isn't a "Kurt Warner in Arizona" situation either (and at least Warner has the big arm). The Browns don't have anyone with even half the talent of Larry Fitzgerald or Anquan Boldin.

And say goodbye to Brady Quinn. Jesus, what a clusterfuck that turned out to be. Trading for Seneca Wallace and signing Delhomme is pretty clear that Quinn is no longer wanted in Berea. I really do think the Browns screwed this kid up for good. I can never get past the fact that if Brady hadn't held out, he would've been the unquestioned starter his rookie year (he looked considerably better than both Charlie Frye and D.A. during that preseason). Now it's year four and teams still really don't know what Quinn can do.

But maybe this will work out and Delhomme can regain his skills (and the Browns will win football games, maybe?). It could happen... right?. I'll give Holmgren this, he's bold. I don't like the move (at all) but it seems, at the very least, like Holmgren knows what he wants.

So there's that.

Man, I can't wait for the Seneca Wallace/Jake Delhomme QB battle. That'll be, um, fun...

Knock Me Over With a Feather

No way, Derek Anderson doesn't like Browns fans:

Derek Anderson's contract was terminated on Tuesday.

His parting message to Browns fans will ring long after his passing statistics from the past five years fade into obscurity.

"The fans are ruthless and don't deserve a winner," Anderson wrote Tuesday in a terse e-mail when asked for a reaction to being released. "I will never forget getting cheered when I was injured.

"I know at times I wasn't great. I hope and pray I'm playing when my team comes to town and (we) roll them."

Can't say I'm surprised. Of course he hates Browns fans. We ripped the dude. I know I have (though I'm too lazy to go through my own archives).

As for that whole 'cheering an injury' thing... ya, can't say I blame him. This is the second time now that Browns fans have cheered an injured Browns QB (Tim Couch was the first). I know it wasn't everyone and it wasn't like the stadium erupted... but it's not good a trend. Even if I kinda/sorta understand the sentiment (hey, this bum is finally out of the game! Now the other bum gets to play!), you just can't do it. The fact that it's a Cleveland player makes it all the worse (at least Philly fans cheer their opponents getting hurt).

But I'm not sorry to see D.A. go. It's obvious that he wasn't going to work out here and maybe he'll catch on and 'get it' with another squad. Honestly, I feel like they wasted last season by playing Anderson. The fact that they still don't really know what they have in Brady Quinn boggles my mind to no end.

It would've been better for everyone involved if Anderson had gotten traded after the 2007 season. That alone was reason enough for Phil Savage to lose his job. But who knows, if Savage doesn't screw that up, Mike Holmgren probably isn't running the show today.

First Corey Williams, now Derek Anderson. The Browns are cleaning house.

Jim Paxson Approves

Just two years ago:

Early Thursday evening, the Packers agreed to trade defensive tackle Corey Williams to the Cleveland Browns for a second-round pick, according to an NFL source familiar with the deal. The trade comes less than two weeks after the Packers used the franchise tag to prevent Williams from leaving in free agency without compensation.

Today:

The Browns dealt Williams and their seventh-round pick to the Lions for a fifth-round pick. That pick was originally owned by Denver and acquired by Detroit.

Not that I'm blaming the Browns (the fault lies with Phil Savage) but still, trading a second rounder for Williams only to part with him for a fifth reeks of Jiri Welsch.

For what its worth

Also, Terry Pluto:

4. Lerner's approach has been to hire a guy and hope that somehow, the new leader fixes everything. When he hired Holmgren, he never saw the four-game winning streak coming. It seems the Browns were headed for another off-season where everyone is fired and it's time to start over, just like a year ago. Holmgren is giving no clues to his plans, other than he will wisely hire a general manager who can immerse himself in the draft.

5. Here's the situation: Holmgren is coming to Cleveland to build a basement/foundation, especially in drafting and securing players. The house itself is the coaching staff and the general approach to the game (the 3-4 defense, a run-style offense, etc). Can he put in a new basement but not tear up the house in the process?

6. It's fair to assume that when Lerner began discussing the job with Holmgren, a new coach would be hired. Don't be surprised if Holmgren is in a mighty struggle trying to decide what to do about Mangini -- something he never imagined a month ago.

4pm press conference. Should be interesting.

The Walrus

Say what you will about Randy Lerner, but at least he didn't go out and just throw a ton of money at the first big name available.

All snark aside, I like the hiring of Mike Holmgren. He's the most credible football guy the Browns have had since their return.

That being said, the rumor of a Christmas deadline coupled with the 10 year, $50 million deal just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Can you really blame me for being apprehensive when part of the reason he chose the Browns was because they offered complete control. I mean, can you really say with a straight face that they explored all of their options? That they left no stone unturned? I didn't think so.

Eric Mangini days have to be numbered. Yes, they've made a nice showing these past two games but they beat two bad teams. At the end of the day, they're still 3-11. Maybe he can convince Holmgren to let him stay on, but I doubt it. As Bud Shaw says:

He turned down Seattle, in part because he wouldn't have complete power. He'll get that here and he shouldn't be shy about exercising it solely because of late-season momentum.

If nothing else, it looks like the Browns at least have a plan, a sense of direction. That's gotta count for something, no?

I Dunno About You, but I Had a Wonderful Day

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.

This Team is a Joke

What an all around awful game. The defense was terrible, the offense was abysmal and the special teams were non-existent. I really hope I don't see people defending the defense (since they only gave up 16 points). The Bengals ran for 210 yards with Cedric Benson on the bench. Terrible.

Brady Quinn did not look good. He rarely threw downfield (for what it's worth, the playing was horrendous) and his quick throws were wildly inaccurate. Not that his inaccuracy mattered, since the Browns' receivers couldn't catch the simplest of passes.

Neither Quinn nor Derek Anderson have gotten any favors from the receiving corps. Patrick McManamon:

Quinn is throwing to a rookie, a guy who was acquired via trade four games into the season, and a special-teams returner being forced into a receiver's role.

Ya, that about sums it up.

Also, what does Offensive Coordinator Brian Dabol have to do to get fired? What a terrible game plan. To his credit, the Browns ran some nice plays on their one scoring drive (a Cribbs-to-Quinn pass and a QB draw for the TD) but he followed it up with a drive that consisted of 3 horizontal passes to Cribbs for no yards. Just awful.

This season can't end soon enough.

Your team may beat the Browns

but our team will injure your key players.

What a game. No sarcasm, I mean seriously mean it: What. A. Game. I'm not even mad that they lost. Well, not quite, I am pissed. But at least this game wasn't awful to watch. I enjoyed myself watching the Browns. And not the "wow this team sucks lets rip on 'em" fun I had on Monday night. This was a fun Sunday.

The fact that the Browns managed to blow this game doesn't even phase me. I'm in the Anchorman/wheel of cheese state right now. You managed to blow a 21 point lead, give up a 78 yard game winning drive under 2-minutes to go, to a team that's 1-8, has no timeouts and is playing a rookie quarterback? I'm not even mad, that's amazing.

It's not like I'm happy with the outcome but I'm not exactly pissed. It's the Browns! They're now 1-9 rather than 2-8. Oh noes! It's not like this game actually meant anything (besides who's landing the first overall pick- Cleveland baby!). Plus, ya gotta give the Browns credit, they keep finding new and interesting ways to lose every week.

The real shame is the fact that the Browns (especially the offense) played really well. The offense looked good (if not great): Brady Quinn threw for 304 yards and had 4 TDs. The defense wasn't great (Stafford had 5 TDs and threw for over 400 yards) but they had their moments; a couple picks and safety.

Though despite all the fun, when you lose to the Lions, you know there were mistakes. First mistake: No Jerome Harrison (who was inactive). Jamal Lewis ran the ball 24 times and got 75 yards. Awful.

With 3:40 to go, the Browns had a six point and the ball but only managed to run a minute and forty off the clock. The their last play was an incomplete pass on 3rd and 5 (and their previous first down was on a 3rd and 6 pass). If the Browns had any semblance of a running game, the Lions shouldn't have had enough time to muster a 78 yard touchdown drive. (If you want to argue that the Browns should've run on 3rd and 5 anyways, simply to run time off the clock, I'm open to that. But if it's 3rd and 2, you take the pass out of the equation).

And Coach Mangini... what can ya say. For as much as Jamal Lewis sucked, he was the guy who kept calling his number on first and second down. Yes, the Browns were whistled for a pass interference in the endzone with no time to go. That sucks. However, they managed to injure Matt Stafford's shoulder and the Lions were charged with an injury timeout (but they had no TO's left, shouldn't have there been a 10-second run off?), taking Stafford out of the game. What's Mangini do? Call a timeout, allowing the Lions to take out Dante Culpepper (who was not warmed up and ice cold) and allow the Lions to re-insert Stafford. Well done sir. Can't lose to the backup (in Mangini's defense, I was scared of the QB sneak with Culpepper).

and finally, the defense... what happened? The Lions first play from scrimmage was a 60 yard pass to their running back and it never got any better. The defense's stats haven't been great this year but they've played pretty good games (even if they got tired by the end). But 38 points to the Lions? Unacceptable.

Though, again, for what it's worth, I had fun. I watched the Browns and had fun. How often can we say that? They scored (a lot) points. They threw down field. They even converted 2-point conversions. It was enjoyable to watch.

That's better than most weeks, no?

They even found a way to play "The Shot"

Wow.

Bravo to everyone involved. That was a night of awful. Just pure awful.

Everybody had their moments; the Browns looked like they didn't practice any offense over the bye week, the announcers kept piling on (they managed to find a way to show 'Jordan over Ehlo') and to the Ravens managed to injure Josh Cribbs on the final play of the game. Kill me now.

If you're looking for a silver lining, the defense only gave up 10 points, so that's something (never mind the fact that Baltimore missed a FG and twice passed (and failed) on 3rd and 2).

The play calling was bad (this was a game plan with two weeks preparation?!), the execution was bad (dumb penalties, dropped passes, missed blocks) and they simply looked like a team without a clue.

Somehow this game was both better and worse than I imagined. The first half wasn't completely terrible. The Browns were actually tied at halftime (0-0 but still, tied) and the defense looked more than solid. Sure, the offense was painful to watch but the Browns were still in the game.

And then things went to hell. A four play touchdown drive followed by a pick-6 and that was all she wrote. The offense never got better (Quinn threw deep... out of bounds) and the play calling never made sense (down two scores and running Jamal Lewis and 1st and 2nd, are you trying to set up 3rd-and-long?). Quinn couldn't throw more than 7 yards, the line couldn't block, Lewis missed blocks and took 12 steps to go maybe two yards. All in all, just awful. Eric Mangini should've been fired midway through the fourth quarter.

It's hard to imagine at this point that Mangini will be around next season. This is an absolute mess. The rumor mill has the Browns targeting Mike Holmgren and I tell ya what, I'm all for it. Bring in Holmgren and let him hire one of his old Green Bay or San Francisco coaches. Have him bring in Jon Gruden to coach (ya, he just signed a deal with ESPN, but there were certain points during the game where he sounded like he wanted this job) and let them do their thing. Whatever it they'd do, it has got to be better than this garbage.

Please, save us Mike Holmgren, we'll give you all the seals you can eat.

Wait, what?

Just reading an article about how the Browns are all pissed off at their 1-7 start and I come across this:

Running back Jamal Lewis questioned the direction of the team, saying, "Where are we trying to go and what are we trying to accomplish?" The future Hall of Famer said he is so distraught with the way this season has gone south after "everybody bought in" in training camp that this would be his last season of playing.

Um, I know he had some great great years with Baltimore (lord knows he always destroyed the Browns) but he's been extremely mediocre in his time in Cleveland.

As for this being his last season, I'm ok with that. I was surprised that he was brought back as the unquestioned starter to begin with (with only Jerome Harrison as a legit replacement). Even if he doesn't hang it up for good, this should be his last season in a Browns uniform.

This is Dumb

No no no no no no no:

The Browns are believed to be unwilling to trade Cribbs before Tuesday's deadline, a source said. They prefer to hang onto him and perhaps work out a deal in the future. Cribbs is the prototypical player for coach Eric Mangini, one who has tremendous passion for the game.

The source said two teams inquired on Thursday about trading for Cribbs. The Palm Beach, Fla., Post reported that two of the teams interested in Cribbs are Kansas City and Oakland. Indianapolis has also been mentioned.

NFL.com, citing a league source, reported the Jaguars and 49ers are also interested.

But unless they make the Browns an offer they can't refuse, nothing is likely to happen by Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline.

The Dayton Daily News reported the Miami Dolphins expressed interest.

No. You don't trade Josh Cribbs. He and Joe Thomas are the only things worth a damn on this squad. Cribbs is the sole reason this team gets in the endzone; if he doesn't get it there himself, he give their shitty offense great field position. They lose Cribbs and they may not see the endzone until 2010.

Just pay the guy. Is this really that difficult? Pay the man.

Also, either figure out how to use Cribbs on offense or move him to safety. Hint: use the wildcat more than once a game (and not back to back) and let him throw it every now and then. Another hint: he's not a wideout, his hands aren't good enough and he's not a good route runner. But imagine him on defense... taking out receivers coming over the middle, coming around on a blindside blitz... the man is a beast.

Don't you dare trade him.

This says it all

From an article discussing the possibility of trading Brady Quinn:

Quinn, on the other hand, can't get on the field in place of a quarterback who now has one touchdown pass, five interceptions and a league-worst 39.0 rating. Quinn, who started against some of the best teams and defenses in the NFL -- the 5-0 Vikings, 5-0 Broncos and 3-2 Ravens -- has better numbers than Anderson with one touchdown, three interceptions, a 60.8 completion percentage to Anderson's 46.4, and a 62.9 rating

(Let's not forget that in the the Browns wasted a Quinn redzone possession by running the same Josh Cribbs direct snap on 2nd and 3rd down. Romeo-esque).

Ugh. I was actually angry that a lot of my friends had these "yay!!! Browns win!!" as their Facebook status. I dunno about you, but I wasn't happy after that game. I'm absolutely pissed that I not only watched that whole game, but that I DVR'd the game so I wouldn't miss anything. Woo!!

By the way, the Browns didnt' win, the Bills lost. The Browns had no business winning that game, but the Bills definitely deserved to lose. I especially enjoyed the timeout at the end of the 3rd quarter (forcing the Browns to kick into the wind), followed by the return man running backwards 15 yards and concluding with a '3 and out' with a 15 yard penalty tacked on at the end. Well done. As a Cleveland fan, I salute you. I almost missed the Crennelephant for a second.

As for Quinn vs DA, I'd still rather see Quinn take his lumps on a bad team than watch DA. Now, maybe Anderson is better suited for this talentless squad, but I can't help but think that Quinn has gotten a raw deal (however, if he wouldn't have held out, he would've won the job his rookie year, easily). Anderson has moved the ball, sure. But if we're judging him by the same standard we judged Brady, it's time for Brett Ratliff, no?

On one hand, a win is a win. But on the other hand, they scored 6 points and the QB was 2-17... I don't understand feeling good about last week, I just don't. They won because the Bills had 39 false starts and couldn't get out of their own way.

Bottom line: this team is a mess. The defense wasn't awful (in fact, quite good), though I fully expected Buffalo to score on what should've their final drive, but the Browns got bailed by Roscoe Parrish muffing the punt. Once again, the special teams is the best unit on the squad. The new Browns: extra special. Ugh.

On the other hand, the Cavs sure do look good, eh?