Random Thoughts from the Weekend

1. Who to root for? OSU vs Kent State. Undergrad vs Grad. Past vs Present. Ya...

2. OSU looked good. Of course, it's versus Kent State. Either way, the lopsided final score really helps Ohio State when it comes to polls. Winning is good, winning big is better.

3. Though some things still worry me. I still don't trust Ohio State's run game in big situations. Meaning, those 3rd and 1 plays, where the defense knows they're running, the fans know they're running and OSU runs Beanie Wells... and can't convert. It's not the biggest problem to have and since Ohio State is blowing people out, it doesn't matter too much. But it still worries me.

4. Brian Hartline is good. That is all.

5. I'm still baffled by their ranking. Number freaking one? Really? Maybe I'm weird, but I don't think too highly of this OSU team. Don't get me wrong, they're good, but at this point they are ranked first by default.

6. Seriously, #1? OSU's schedule breaks out pretty nicely for them. They have Michigan State, Wisconsin and Illinois at home (basically they have to avoid upsets) and Penn State and Michigan away. The away games will be the tough ones (Penn State is at night) but I think it's going to come down to the Michigan game.

7. A lot of one-loss teams. I really hope we have a lot of one-loss teams at the end of the year. I'd almost be willing to sacrifice the Michigan game for a chance to really screw up the BCS (almost. My reasoning? This was supposed to be an off year, being a one loss team was more than most of us were expecting anyways. almost)

8. How bout them Browns? 3-3 baby! .500! Hell, I felt so confident this weekend that I picked Cleveland in my suicide league (or maybe the Dolphins stink that bad). Anyways, the Browns are starting to look like an actual, honest to God football team. Who'd have thunk it, especially after the first week?

9. Props to D.A. I haven't been a big fan of Derek Anderson, but he's done the job (and then some). He makes the offense actually look offensive (though it helps that Eric Steinbach and Joe Thomas keeps his jersey pretty clean) and he can make the throws he needs to (though he still has trouble with those pesky linebackers). He's kept Brady on the bench (and more impressively, he's kept the Brady chants to a minimum).

10. I like Jerome Harrison. A lot. He's always looked good in preseason but hasn't done much during the year. Well, in playing backup to Jason Wright yesterday, Harrison got 8 carries and put up 57 yards. Wright had 59 on 20 carries. I think Harrison is one of those players who, once they get a shot, don't let go. He runs hard, he makes people miss and he's fast.

11. I think Braylon Edwards has won over Browns fans. At this point, I don't even remember what the problem with Braylon was last year (seriously, did he act out? speak out? show up late? do I care? Should I?). This year, he's working hard and has turned into an elite receiver.

12. I guess Brady ain't starting after the bye week, huh? Anderson's play probably means that, barring injury, Quinn won't see meaningful playing time til next season.

13. I love K2. I know he's easy to hate (the solider comment, his best TE at 80% comment, etc). But the dude works hard as hell. He takes hits, he runs good routes and he always seems to be dragging guys. It's a shame we always hear about stuff like his feud with Joey Porter, because I think it just plays into his reputation as a me first guy. Winslow has sacrificed a lot and plays through a lot pain for this team.

14. I still don't trust their defense. The Browns gave up yet another 100 yard rusher (though barely) and at times, looked completely lost on the defensive end (like the Dolphins' opening drive of the second half). They don't get nearly enough pressure on the quarterback and they don't tackle well (they're often in position, but they arm tackle or go for a big hit instead of securing the runner).

15. How bout those Indians? Here's the thing, if I were to tell you before the series started that Sabathia and Carmona would combine to pitch 8.1 innings, give up 12 runs, 11 hits and 9 walks in the first two games, you'd swear that the Tribe would be coming back to Cleveland down 0-2. But they aren't. Even if both CC and Fausto had pitched lights out, the best we could've hoped for was a split in Beantown.

16. But that's the way the entire season has been. If I were to tell you in April that Trot Nixon, Dave Dellucci, Josh Barfield, Keith Foulke and Roberto Hernandez would all be flops, Travis Hafner would only hit .266 with 24 homeruns, Grady Sizemore would only hit .277 and Joe Borowoski would have an ERA over 5, you'd think the year would've been a waste. But the Tribe kept getting contributions from everyone, all year long. I don't know if I'd call the lineup 'slump proof' but it's close. They don't rely on just Hafner, Sizemore, Sabathia and Carmona. They get contributions from the entire ball club.

17. Which is why I feel really confident about this series. The Tribe is tied without either of their two best pitchers pitching particularly well. I expect Sabathia to respond in his next start and I'd be shocked if Carmona pitches two bad games in a row. Obviously, anything could happen, but I feel a lot better about things now than I did at around 11pm on Saturday night.

18. Ken-ny! Ken-ny! It really is neat that Lofton is back on the Tribe for this playoff run.

19. Could be. Terry Pluto comes dangerously close to calling the Tribe a team of destiny. I can see what he's getting at (see #15 and 16) but at this point, I'd have to give the 'Team of Destiny' title to the Rockies.

20. The pressure is on Boston. They have to rebound from their first postseason loss and they have to pitch Dice-K, who I'm not that high on. I think Westbrook will bounce back from his Game 3 loss; I'm not expecting much, but I think 6 innings and 4 runs should be about right (and right now, I trust the Tribe's bullpen a lot).

21. I'd be wary of pitching Betancourt tonight. He says he's ready and he has been dominant, but Game 2 was his longest outing of the season, in both innings (2.1) and pitches (42). It's not a huge deal, due to the off day, but I think he should only go an inning or less.

22. I always did like John Hart. Sure, he never got the pitching that they needed, but he's built quite a legacy around the league.

23. Really? We're doing this? Midges? Those bugs? The Plain Dealer has a cut out Midge Mask (.pdf). Fantastic.

24. I love how Eric Gagne has turned into the goat. Boston trading for Gange was one of those moves where you're like, "did you really even need to do that? You already have a dominant closer, you need another one? Just because?". It seems like only Boston and New York make these moves. It seemed completely unnecessary and arrogant. The rich getting richer and bloated, trading for a closer they don't even need. And I absolutely love the results.

25. Hey, the Cavs are in China! Just an FYI. Also, they brought Moondog.

26. Oh, goody. Apparently Mike Brown's new 'offense' doesn't include much of Z. I'm sure some fans will love this, but not me. Z has the best post moves on the team and probably the best mid range jumper. I'm not saying feature the guy, but if I start seeing box scores that show Larry Hughes with double the shot attempts, I'll be one unhappy camper.

27. Kevin Durant doesn't sound all that confident. I'm sure he'll be fine, but if Greg Oden said some of these quotes, Bill Simmons would have a entire column centered around the words 'alpha' and 'dog'.

28. What Digby said. Word.

29. Oh Boston fans. I know you guys are arrogant and all, but can you at least wait for the game to end before you crow about an ALCS sweep?

30. Jovi Punch!

Holy Crap!

I'm tired, but here's some thoughts...

How will Joe Torre come back and use the bullpen for Game 3... wait... sorry...

A split in Boston is all you could've hoped for. Sure, neither C.C. or Carmona pitched particularly well, but at the end of the day, the series is tied 1-1.

You can't keep falling behind Boston's hitters. That seemed to be Carmona's big issue, first pitch balls. Carmona and other Tribe pitchers have also blown a lot of 0-2 counts.

Manny Rameriz scares the crap out of me (and apparently Cleveland's pitching staff). A few of those blown 0-2 counts came against Manny.

Am I still allowed to hate Trot Nixon? I've hated that guy all my life (including this season) and now he just saved the Tribe's ass. *tipping the hat*

"It seemed like a Boston Marathon, but Cleveland rocked tonight". God dammit Fox, come on!

Fox has been better than TBS in recognizing that two teams are involved, but it's still heavily titled towards Beantown. When Boston's batters are up, they talk about Boston's batters... when Cleveland's batters are up, they talk about Curt Schilling. Awesome.

I don't know what it is, the fans, the media, my lack of total confidence in the Tribe, but every time the Red Sox scored, it felt like the world was ending. Fenway erupting, everyone acting like the win was inevitable... plus Ortiz and Ramirez always seemed to be involved...

But every time Boston took a lead, Cleveland stormed right back scored the very next inning. That was huge for the psyche (theirs, mine, whoevers).

What was with the strike zone? Nothing made sense to me, the zone seemed to change throughout the game (neither team really benefited, but it was just weird).

Jhonny Peralta is playing out of his God damned mind. At this point it's ridiculous.

One run lead.... shit Borowoski, get him another run... Two run lead... ok... I can breathe... but one more... Three run lead... alright... Four run lead... ok... not a save, but Joe will probably make it one but pull it through... Seven run lead... I think he's got this one in the bag...

So who's going to be the first columnist to write the 'Playoff games start too late and kids won't be able to stay up and watch with their dad like I did growing up' column? I say Bill Livingston, but Terry Pluto could pull it off, albeit in a more palpable way.

Will Bud Shaw throw Carmona under the bus, like he did to Sabathia? I say no.

Dice-K and Tim Wakefield versus Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd? I don't know... I'd say you give the edge to Cleveland, but its pretty close. I have a sick feeling that Wakefield will do well, though I think both Westbrook and Byrd will do decent. Dice-K? Who the hell knows?

Cleveland lost Game 1 of the ALCS in both 1995 and 1997. Just sayin'.....

Too Far!

From Entertainment Weekly (emphasis added):

Case in point: Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, the Foo Fighters' terrific sixth studio album. At first listen, it seems Dave Grohl & Co. aren't doing anything radically new (except perhaps integrating the acoustic/electric schism they showcased on their last CD, 2005's In Your Honor, into individual songs). Yet it isn't long before you realize how frickin' right it all sounds, how damn near flawless the tone of the whole set feels. The band has taken everything it's always done best, from giddy power pop (''Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make-up Is Running)'') to country-tinged musings (''Summer's End'') to wistful acoustic ballads (''Home''), and brought it to the next level. Like the greats, the Foos have found a way to create their own archetype, with an instinctive feel for what constitutes a killer song. From this point on, ''Fooey'' will be as august an expression of approbation as ''Beatlesque.'

I disagree.

Well, Shit

It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game. It's only one game.

Scott Raab does not Speak for Cleveland Fans

Really? I certainly don't need this drivel:

As far as I'm concerned, LeBron James is worthless scum. The sooner this son of a bitch hauls his ass out of Ohio, the better. And any Cleveland "fan" who pays to see the bastard play after this should follow him out of town and straight to hell.

Wow, that is mighty dumb. Not Bill Simmons dumb,("My initial conclusion was this: Because the Cavaliers haven't yet signed Anderson Varejao or Sasha Pavlovic, the hat was LeBron's way of telling his front office, "Thanks for sticking me with another lousy supporting cast. I'm signing with the Knicks in three years." " Makes sense to me, the Cavs have no supporting cast, so I'm going to go to the team with a bloated payroll and no cohesion. Oh, logic...) but still, pretty God damned dumb.

And the thing is, I have the exact opposite reaction. If you're a "fan" who loves Cleveland sports and gets his panties in a bunch because a 22 year old basketball superstar roots for the wrong baseball team, fuck off and die. Look, I know Cleveland fans are moody, fickle and oversensitive but dear lord, shut the fuck up.

This is a kid who revitalized the Cavaliers, is one of the 5 best players in the world (who works his ass off) and you want him run out of town because he had the gall to wear a baseball cap you don't approve of? Who the fuck are you?

And did you see the Yankees (or Red Sox) games that were played at the Jake this year? Let's just say that LeBron isn't the only Northeast Ohio resident who prefers the Bronx Bombers.

This is so ridiculous. Because LeBron wore a Yankees cap, we Bill Simmons loudly crowing that James is going to go to the Knicks and some asshole is Esquire is telling him to not let to door hit him on his way out. What the hell is wrong with you people?

I can't wait for the ALCS to start so we can get past this inane bullshit (and I'll be able to get pissed at Simmons not for having no clue about the Cavs, but for having no clue about the Tribe).

Cedric Simmons is Hurt

The Cavs were already lacking one big man (Anderson Varejao) before Simmons reinjured his ankle against the Wizards on Tuesday:

Simmons, who suffered a left high-ankle sprain in July, reinjured the ankle during the preseason loss Tuesday to the Washington Wizards. He was scheduled to have an MRI exam late Wednesday to determine if there is any more damage. His status for the games with the Detroit Pistons and Seattle SuperSonics this week, and beyond, is up in the air.

Regardless, the athletic but spindly Simmons is more suited to play forward than center, where the Cavs are devoid of a reputable backup. Dwayne Jones played Tuesday behind starter Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and not all that well. Jones, who played just 18 minutes all of last season and is with the team on a nonguaranteed contract, has not shown that he can be a viable backup.

I know I haven't written anything about Simmons, but I really liked the pick up. The Cavs have had mostly quality big men since LeBron's arrival, but none of them have been especially athletic; Drew Gooden is the most athletic of the bunch, but he's never been a leaper/shot blocker, Varejao runs the floor the best, but isn't all that quick and saying that Z and Donyell Marshall are slow is being kind. I've really wanted to what LeBron would do with a really athletic big man- a leaper, a shot blocker, a raw dunker if you will. I want to see LeBron play with a guy who can grab alley-oops from LeBron all night. Some one who can just 'go get it'.

Simmons fills that athletic big man description quite nicely, its a shame that he already has the Larry Hughes bug.

I hope this injury and lack of depth doesn't make the Cavs do anything stupid, like sign Varejao to a contract worth $11 million a season. I'm all for the Cavs getting him into camp and starting the season strong, but they can't afford to tie up even more money long term.

Suck it, New York

Some quick thoughts...

This wasn't an upset. This was taking care of business. That's what happens when the better team wins.

So I was a bit wrong on Paul Byrd. I convinced myself that I wanted to see Sabathia go Monday night but Byrd pitched well... 5 innings, 2 runs, 8 hits... can't ask for much more than that. Well done Paulie.

Now C.C. and Carmona pitch Game 1 and 2 in Boston. That is gonna be fun.

Dear Fox, please don't make the same mistake that TBS did. There will be two teams playing in the ALCS, its okay to talk about both teams. TBS had all these neat little stats on the Yankee players, they focussed on Joe Torres' and A-Rod's future and all this crap. The announced seemed genuinely shocked that the Tribe kept playing well. FYI, the Cleveland Indians are a good baseball team. They have a lineup with multiple All-Stars, they have two Cy Young candidates, they have a ridonkulous bullpen; they won 96 games for a reason! Even with the lead, it seemed like they were just waiting for the Yankees to come back, like this Boston-New York ALCS was pre-ordained.

Please everyone pick Boston (oh God... the Sports Guy's team in a playoff series against a Cleveland team... I may go insane).

Kenny Lofton does not look 40. He's still fast. He's still slapping the ball all over the place. It's weird.

How can anyone not feel good for some of the mainstays on this Tribe roster. Sabathia, Blake, Martinez, Sizemore, Peralta, Westbrook... these guys have been here seemingly forever and it was great to see them whooping it up in the clubhouse after the game.

Joe Borowoski scares the shit out of me.

Random Thoughts from the Weekend

1. Good call me. I was scared to death of this game at Purdue but Ohio State simply spanked 'em.

2. It wasn't nearly as hostile as I was expecting. We saw a ton of Ohio State fans while tailgating and I first estimated it was about it broke down to 70-30 Purdue. But as the afternoon went on and we got closer to game time, it was probably closer to 60-40; OSU fans were freaking everywhere. I know we travel well and all that, but Purdue was 5-0, I figured they'd be out in full force.

3. Boeckman still scares me. I know his INTs were on long bombs, and none of 'em came back to haunt OSU... but still.

4. The schedule favors Ohio State. Realistically, OSU should be undefeated going into November 17th's game at Michigan. They have Kent State and Michigan State at home the next two weeks before playing Penn State at night on October 27th (which doesn't worry me nearly as much as it once did). After that they have both Wisconsin and Illinois in Columbus (though games, but they should be favored).

5. Anything can happen in OSU-Michigan. Ya, Michigan stinks this year. They never play road games, they've lost two games and they always choke blah blah blah. But that OSU game will be their entire season. They'll be playing for Lloyd Carr's job. They'll (possibly) be playing to ruin OSU's national championship hopes. They'll be at home with nothing to lose. Should be fun.

6. How has this happened? Before a season starts, you kind of map out the year in your mind, you figure you have a good idea of what your teams' prospects look like; how far they'll go, what you should expect, etc. I was not expecting Ohio State to be anywhere near the position to control their own destiny. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year. New quarterback, new players, licking our wounds after the debacle in Arizona... and now they're ranked number 3 in the country? They have a shot to go undefeated? This dumbfounds me.

7. However, this could be the year that the BCS gets completely screwed. What if USC wins out (beats Cal), OSU loses a game (Michigan), Oklahoma wins out and LSU loses one of its remaining tough games... basically, we'd end up with a bunch of Big Time one-loss teams. These are all top tier teams (not Auburn), what would happen? We'd have complete chaos (and inevitably some ESPN personality saying all this discussion is 'good for college football'). It would less the hurt if I knew that an OSU loss to Michigan helped fuck up the BCS (not that I'd ever root for that, but if OSU had to lose...)

8. A prank? Someone mentioned to me that Henton's prostitute fiasco was part of some prank he was playing on someone. I haven't seen this anywhere (though I haven't exactly looked), just a rumor from a buddy.

9. Was anyone else kinda surprised at how un-awful the Browns looked Sunday? They didn't exactly play well (Derek Anderson had a Charlie Frye moment or two) but they moved the ball quite well on offense (they just turned it over). 34-17 at New England isn't too bad, especially when one TD was a fumble recovery.

10. Every time I want to write something about Derek Anderson, I almost start typing Kelly Holcomb. It's really quite weird. I'm not sure what that says about the Browns QB situation, Anderson or myself.

11. Brady Quinn put on a helmet! And the CBS cameras were right there. I'm pretty sure this was the first time we saw 'Quinn Cam' this year. At one point late in the first half it looked like Anderson got roughed up and might come out for a few plays, but he didn't let Quinn step on the field.

12. This is the Browns. They aren't a bad team, but they aren't a good team. They look like they can play with anyone, they just can't have many (any) mistakes. The offense moves pretty well, the line blocks well, the defense isn't terrible... but a big play here or there ruins them. I was expecting much worse on Sunday (though I am a Browns pessimist) and I was pleasantly surprised at how well they played New England.

13. They held Moss in check. Sure, everyone else beat them, but they had Eric Wright matched up on Randy quite a bit and he did a decent job.

14. I want more Josh Cribbs. He's electric every time he touches the ball.... so why not give him the ball more often. Also, I want to see him unload a bomb to Edwards. Just once. Please.

15. I don't think Winslow fumbled. I would've called it an incomplete pass, but I think it was one of those plays that was so close, whatever was called on the field would've stood up to a challenge.

16. Has Anderson bought himself the entire season? Or will we still see Quinn start at the end of the season? Anderson hasn't looked bad, but he hasn't looked good either. The line has looked really good and receivers are catching freaking everything... plus the Browns don't look like they need to Win Now, playing Quinn wouldn't be the worst idea... Unless Anderson cuts down on the turnovers...

17. How about those gnats? Yes, only New York had to deal with the gnats. The Tribe was impervious. It was unfair for Joba Chamberlain to have throw those (wild) pitches while Fausto Carmona had to strike out the AL MVP. Totally unfair.

18. Dear lord I've missed October baseball. We had Game 2 on the radio in the car on our way to West Lafayette on Friday night and I've forgotten how awesome these games are. Every pitch matters, the pressure situations, everything being magnified... Tom Hamilton informing us that it was 10 years ago to the day that Sandy Alomar hit a home run off of Mariano Rivera to win Game 4 of the ALDS was a nice touch.

19. Game 2 will go down as historic. Pettite pitching out of so many jams. Carmona throwing an absolute gem. The gnats. 1-17 with RISP. Extra innings. Just wow.

20. Game 3... meh. I though we'd see Westbrook, if not cruise, make it through six with minimal damage, especially after he started off getting ground ball outs in bunches. But he went South and the Tribe never recovered.

21. Paul Byrd? I'm not sure how I feel about this. Byrd has been good all year, he's earned a chance to start a playoff game... but he gave up 7 runs in two innings (that's a 31.50 ERA!) against the Yankees this season (0-3 with a 6.86 ERA in his last four starts against NYY) and was 2-3 with a 5.21 ERA in September. Plus, the article says Byrd is "anxious" to pitch Game 4. If he gets pounded...

22. But Sabathia on three days rest? At first I wasn't a big fan of the idea at first, but I'm slowing warming up to it (or it could just be dawning on me that Paul Byrd is starting for the Tribe tonight).

23. More Sabathia. From Joe Posnanski:

But I can say that I really would like to see this Indians team break the spell. And I’m seeing heartbreak ahead. The Indians lost Sunday night. Now, they’re going with Paul Byrd, which probably means another loss — and an eventual Game 5. I cannot believe they’re starting Paul Byrd. I mean I know Paul, I’ve written about him — he’s gutsy enough. He has done what he can with his abilities. I respect that. But come on.

To me, you have to win one of the next two games, and you have two of the best pitchers in baseball, C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona. You HAVE to start them in Games 4 and 5 and give yourself the best shot to win. You cannot start Paul Byrd. That’s all.

------

As a fan, that’s all I want from my manager or coach. Do everything you can to win. If it doesn’t work, hey, losing is part of the deal. If Sabathia gets racked in Game 4 (he has only gone on three days rest once in his career, and that was back in 2001 — though he did throw a one-hitter for five innings in that outing), so be it. If Carmona loses Game 5, OK, you tried.

But if you lose the series because you just gave away Games 3 and 4 by starting Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd, well, that’s just a whole lot harder to live with. And yet, that’s the way they’re going. Yep, heartbreak. I can almost feel it now.

24. Even more Sabathia. From Rob Neyer (insider):

The Indians are a fine team, but there's just one thing that sets them apart: They've got the best one-two starting pitchers in the majors. Amazingly, the screwy playoff format allows the Indians to use those two pitchers in four out of five games. Frankly, if they lose this series without having done that, they deserve their fate.

25. Still more. From Tom Verducci:

Cleveland manager Eric Wedge is making a gutsy decision to throw Paul Byrd on 10 days of rest in Game 4 of the ALDS. His other choice was to throw ace C.C. Sabathia on short rest with Fausto Carmona sitting there fully rested if a Game 5 is played. (Sabathia has only one career start on short rest.) But if the Indians need five games to advance, that scenario would leave him without Sabathia and Carmona for the first two games of the ALCS. Wedge is playing the ALDS with an ace in the hole (Sabathia in Game 5) -- and one eye on the ALCS.

26. Even more. From Howard Bryant (and about that ALCS):

At first, it appeared Wedge's strategy was to set up his rotation for the ALCS against the Red Sox that starts Friday night. But even if Sabathia started, he would be available on normal rest for Game 2 in Boston.

------

Were Sabathia merely a good pitcher who won a lot of games this season but lacked the sufficient ace mentality, Wedge and the Indians would be justified in being cautious.

But Sabathia is a franchise pitcher, and the Yankees are a dynasty for a reason.

27. Still going. From Bud Shaw:

The decision fits Wedge philosophically as well. His season has been all about the Indians' refusal to panic, about depending on each other.

This isn't sheer sentimentality at work, just as Joe Torre's decision to bring back Chien-Ming Wang tonight on short rest isn't a knee-jerk to owner George Steinbrenner threatening the manager's job.

It's all about position in the series. Torre's call is the right move for a team facing elimination and a Game 5 on the road. So is Wedge's.

There are two other words that might comfort those who feel these are desperate times in camouflage for the Indians.

Bartolo Colon.

Mike Hargrove's decision to pitch Colon on three days against Boston in 1999 ended in a score more fitting for a Patriots-Browns game. The Indians proceeded to blow the series.

But none of this should quiet your nerves. As soon as Wedge announced he'd go with a four-man rotation, you knew these games in New York were iffy.

28. One more. From Alex Beth:

Are the Indians making the correct move here? Sabathia has not pitched on three days rest all season. He's made 27 starts on 4 days rest (2.97 ERA), just three starts on five days of rest (4.05), and only four starts on six or more days of rest (4.33). Even though Sabathia threw a lot of pitches last Thursday in Game 1 and has only started on three days rest once in his career, wouldn't he give the Tribe a better chance than a veteran control pitcher like Byrd, who is facing a Yankee offense that is finally feeling confident?

After all, Fausto Carmona would be available to pitch on normal rest if the series moved back to Cleveland on Wednesday. Byrd actually pitched better this season the more rest he had, ending the season with 15 wins. But his ERA (4.59) was higher than league average (4.42), and while they would never admit to it publicly, you'd have to imagine that the Yankees would rather take their chances against Byrd than Sabathia.

29. My thoughts. I understand why Wedge is pitching Byrd (he's done well all year, he's a veteran, he doesn't want to use C.C. on three days rest, etc) but I don't like it. C.C. is your ace, I know it's three days rest and blah blah, but I figure Sabathia on three days rest is better than Paul Byrd on ten days (!!!!) rest. Plus, you still have Carmona (on full rest!) for Game 5 if C.C. doesn't pull it out. And if Sabathia does win tonight, he can still pitch on full rest for Game 2 of the ALCS (so Boston would still face C.C. and Carmona in the first two games, just reverse the order). Sabathia is your ace, he's a beast, he's favored to win the AL Cy Young and he's not named Paul Byrd, use the big man. I'm with Rob Neyer on this; the Tribe's biggest asset is their pitching, namely Sabathia and Carmona and they have a chance to have them start 4 out of 5 games. If Tribe loses with Sabathia and Carmona going twice apiece, you tip your cap to the Yankees. But if Byrd gets spanked and the Tribe loses Game 5, you're going to wonder 'what if' for the entire offseason. Pitch Sabathia.

30. And by the way... The Tribe still controls the series. Oh yeah...

31. I concur. Terry Pluto sounds like he's losing his mind over the reaction to LeBron's Yankee cap flap:

Randal Lee Dowler wrote: "Would Kobe Bryant wear a Seattle Mariners cap in lieu of a Dodgers cap? Would Terrell Owens wear a Kansas City Royals cap in lieu of a Texas Rangers cap? How bush for LeBron to act' this way! LeBron, you should be ashamed of yourself."

OK, I have no clue what Owens would do, I just know he makes James look liked a monk who took a vow of silence. As for Bryant, I think the Lakers would have preferred that he had worn a Yankees cap rather than drag the organization through a rape trial (he was acquitted) a few summers ago. Bryant also has made noises more than once about wanting to be traded, and about not liking his coach, etc.

Let's be fair and mention how James has done a lot -- especially for Akron -- in terms of backpacks for school kids, rehabbing local recreation centers and other charities. And do we blame him for being born into a poor family?

This is a great talk radio subject, and it was not James' finest moment. But has he not played well for the Cavs? Has he not led them to the highest level the franchise has ever reached?

Has he not represented the community well in terms of staying out of trouble and saying nice things about his hometown? Aren't those the big issues? And while it seems he's been around forever, James is only 22. Here's my advice to James: Throw out the Yankees cap. But I'd really be more worried if he showed up in a Knicks cap.

32. More Pluto. Trot Nixon's start confuses him, he likes Jensen Lewis and he wouldn't pitch Sabathia on three days rest.

33. Get to work Tivo! Tribe playoff, new Heroes, new Journeyman... fantastic.

34. Something clever. Should go right here.

35. My God, yes! November 27th....

As always, you're missing the point

I can't stand Bill Simmons discussing A) Cleveland Sports or B) LeBron James:

Speaking of Cleveland, how 'bout LeBron's wearing a Yankees cap to the Yanks-Tribe game last night? Why not just hold a press conference to say, "I'm signing with the Knicks in two years?" Has there ever been a bigger and more random slap in the face to an entire city of sports fans? Even if you're a Yankees fan, don't you have to hide this in a PLAYOFF GAME THAT'S IN CLEVELAND???? I'm still speechless. I'm without speech. We're within three years of Knicks GM Anucha Browne Sanders introducing Bron-Bron to the New York press as Spike Lee sobs happily in the background.)

Did Simmons miss the part where Craig Sager called LeBron on being a front runner? He grew up a Cowboys, Yankees and Bulls fan (I hate fans like him). But I got no beef with him representing the team he roots for- that's fine. But it looked like LeBron was taken aback by how angry some of the Cleveland fans were and was he looked kinda shocked at their reaction (cause we've all known he's been a Yankees fan for years), like he was suprised we'd take offense. He probably thought he was being playful, but it really was almost insulting. He's Ohio's favorite son right now and he's wearing the opposing teams' hat in Cleveland... He shouldn't have done it. Root for your team, but don't wear their shit here. He misjudged the situation, but who cares?

As for Simmons saying LeBron is going to sign with the Knicks.... why? If he showed up to a Browns-Cowboys game wearing Dallas cap, would Simmons think that LBJ is signing with the Mavs? I doubt it. The Cavs just built at state of the art practice facility. LeBron is building a giant house with a freaking casino. The Knicks stink. They are a terrible franchise (Simmons even references the sexual harrassment case). Why would anyone want to play for that organization?

The Yankee cap means nothing. Calm down.

That was Awesome

I don't have a lot of time but I do have a few random thoughts...

I forgot how much I've missed October baseball. Sure, I've watched other playoff games over the years, but it's different when it's the Tribe.

C.C.: ya, he struggled with his control (6 walks) but none of them came around and scored. He pitched his ass off despite not having his best stuff.

Everytime C.C. gave up some runs, the Tribe came right back the next half inning. That is huge confidence-wise (if not for the pitcher, though I believe it is, but for my own sanity). Whenever Sabathia faltered, the hitters picked him right back up.

Come on Carmona!

Who knows, maybe Cleveland will get on the first half of Sports Center...

Craig Sager cracks me up. He was interviewing LeBron about wearing the Yankees cap and James said something along the lines of "I want the Tribe to do well, just not against the Yankees. I want the Browns to do well, just not against the Cowboys". Which is fine, to each their own (I really could give a shit less about which baseball team LeBron James roots for. I'm more concerned about him winning basketball games). Then Sager came back with something like "let me get this straight: you rooted for Michael Jordan and the Bulls, you root for the Yankees and you root for the Cowboys. LeBron, are you a front runner?" I can't say I didn't smirk (and I think that's the first time, ever, I've seen someone challenge LBJ during an interview).

Of course

Figures, the weekend I go out of town (NYC) is the same weekend the Cavs do something in months (though the moves weren't exactly earth shattering).

I'll have more later, but there's class and stuff to get to first...

What the Hell?

My God:

On a street corner at the edge of a Kroger's parking lot, near a janitorial supply store and just blocks from the main campus drag of restaurants and shops, Ohio State freshman quarterback Antonio Henton at 8:27 Monday night became the inevitable Buckeye on the police blotter.

With $19 in his pocket, Henton solicited an undercover police officer on the corner of North High Street and 6th Avenue, offering $20 for sex, according to Franklin County Municipal Court records. Henton, the Buckeyes' 20-year-old third-string quarterback from Fort Valley, Ga., entered a plea of not guilty Tuesday morning, posted a $274 bond and was released. He is expected to have his court date set today.

Wow. Just... wow. I'm baffled. I don't even know where to begin.

First of all, what was Antonio Henton thinking? I used to live a few blocks from that Kroger (which students called Ghetto Kroger, due to its location and crappiness), I would frequent it quite often and if their hookers are anywhere near the quality of their food/store.... yikes.

The thing is, if I were to go start looking for hookers in Columbus, Ghetto Kroger would probably be the last place I'd go to. But hey, maybe I'm naive; Ghetto Kroger could be the spot to pick up a whore. I've gotten terrible food there, I've been asked for money repeatedly while shopping amd I've seen a guy take a piss, on his own car, in the middle of the parking lot, but I'd like to think I'd have noticed hookers wandering about. And the fact that he only offered $20 kinda confirms my suspicions on the quality of the product

You know what the most shocking thing is? A member of the Ohio State football team felt he had to find a hooker (at fucking Ghetto Kroger) in order to get laid (and he couldn't even pay for the full $20? He only had $19 on him? Where's all the boosters when you need 'em?) What's happened to campus? Can the guy not find a house party? Can he not go to Four Kegs? This shouldn't be difficult for someone in Henton's situation.

It's a sad day for the program.

Random Thoughts from the Weekend

1. Northwestern is a terrible football team. I'm not sure how else to say it. They suck.

2. I'm not sure what else to say. This is one of those wins that college football pundits love (lots of scoring, a blowout, big numbers, etc) but doesn't mean squat. Its like when Texas beats up on Rice or something; people salivate over the big numbers, but it's really just running up the score on a bad team.

3. Not that I'm complaining or anything. But I'm still scared to death of these upcoming night-road games. And destroying a Northwestern team (that lost to Duke) at home really doesn't do a whole lot for me. Personally, I'm not taking anything away from this game. Is it nice to see them destroy a team? Sure, but said team lost to Duke.

4. Dammit Penn State. Losing to Michigan? Come on. Now the team up North is 2-2 (and don't get me wrong, I love it) instead of 1-3.

5. Also, does Michigan ever play a road game? Seriously.

6. Maybe they should've kept Ty Willingham. 0-4 for the first time ever, well done Notre Dame.

7. I agree. Bud Shaw says (among other things) that the Browns didn't deserve to be as close as a Phil Dawson field goal. I concur.

8. More Shaw. He also points out that the Browns have given up 529 rushing yards in 3 games. That is beyond awful. The defense has (mostly) gotten a pass due to the overall ineptness of the offense, but they are equally as bad. The missed tackles, the lack of QB pressure... this has been a problem since '99.

9. More defense. Eric Wright needs to be benched. He looks lost out there and he consistently gives up the big play. I think Wright will work out eventually, but he needs play some nickel or something for right now.

10. Kamerion Wimbley got his first sack(s) of the year. So that is kinda nice, I guess... I wish the rest of the defensive line put some pressure on the QB as well.

11. Right... 'inconsistent'. I would go with 'bad'. Anderson made a ton of mistakes, got picked up twice, consistently threw into coverage and for some reason burned a timeout on a 3rd and 40 in the first quarter. On second thought, that's a good TO, you don't want to take a 5 yard penalty and put yourself into a 3rd and 45.

12. The dirt bugs me as well. I don't know how much it really affected Anderson's (or the Browns') play, but I do agree that it looks absolutely terrible. I also agree that Kellen Winslow kicks ass and that, in general, the Browns receivers deserve more praise.

13. You're kidding. Terry Pluto loves Josh Cribbs. As do I. I don't understand why the Browns don't use him more in the offense (well, besides the fact that they've f'd up their QB situation and they're on their 85th offensive coordinator in three years). Cribbs needs to be used on more than just end-arounds and QB draws; have him decoy (cause if you only have him out there for trick plays... well, you aren't exactly tricking anyone).

14. More Pluto. He says this game was winnable but the Browns didn't come out prepared. This seems to be one of Romeo's trademarks (besides losing dumb replays). The Browns never seem to be prepared. Pluto says the Browns didn't need to be great in order to win, just solid. That is completely true and yet, sad.

15. That Mike Williams? Wow, I was completely unaware that he was on the Raiders. At least he didn't drop any touchdown passes or commit any huge turnovers...

16. How much time did the Cincinnati game buy Anderson? Does it get him to the bye-week? What if the offense lays an egg against the Ravens this week? How long does Romeo wait? Personally, I think Quinn can lead the team better right now than Anderson (seriously, that 3rd and 40 timeout fucking killed me. That drive was already depressing enough).

17. You know what's is scary? There's no major injuries on defense. Sure, Andra Davis is a bit under the weather and Willie McGinest is out, but no one is making plays. I'm not sure I can name anyone on the Browns defensive line besides Ted Washington (and that is simply because the announcers point out how grotesquely fat he is every week).

18. Wait, scratch that. Simon Fraser. OSU!!

19. Tell us how you really feel. Pat McManamon sounds a wee bit disgusted. Can't exactly blame him...

20. Happy thoughts! The Tribe celebrates! Consider them rebuilt. Word.

21. That saying... While part of me loves the work Shapiro has done, part of me thinks the Tribe got a bit lucky this year (that not you don't need luck or that you don't make your own luck by doing diligent work). They were ready to platoon Garko at first (or send him to to AAA), Fausto didn't start the year in the rotation, the offseason acquisitions didn't exactly pan out (Barfield, Nixon, Delluci, Hernandez, Foulke) and they didn't really make a move at the deadline. They've relied on guys brought up from the minors to compensate for the mistakes (and like I said, the fact that they've been able to do this reflects well on Shaprio's work with the farm system).

22. I dunno, maybe that's what you need. The '04 Red Sox would've had A-Rod at shortstop if they could've had their way... guess that worked out.

23. Not sure if I like the pun, but I'm with ya. Bill Livingston calls the Tribe a 'feel-better story'. He also says that the Tribe is winning with tomorrows players today, which is exactly right. This is a really young team, full of guys who've had 'down' years. The Tribe should be contending for awhile (or at least as long as C.C. is here).

24. Will they be another Ohio bridesmaid? I think the Tribe has a great chance to get to the World Series (having C.C. and Carmona will do that) but I'm wary of another 2nd place finish (like the two Buckeye teams and the Cavaliers). And don't get me wrong, I refuse to bitch about this (like a certain city in the New England area), because, the reality is, we're fortunate enough to have these great to semi great teams here. I'd rather have my teams lose in the final round than not even get the shot. Would I rather Tribe had won in 1997? Of course. But which season do you remember more fondly, the 1997 or 2003? I'll take 2nd place over last any day (though, obviously, I'd love a 1st).

25. It's articles like this that almost make me root for A-Rod. Of course, this is also why I love FJM.

26. Cavs news? Wah? Sasha Pavlovic's agent is threatening to take his client to Europe. Windhorst explains that this is highly unlikely.

27. I'm a dork. I'm really excited for the new Heroes tonight. I'll also be tuning into Journeyman, which starts tonight and stars Kevin McKidd (who was great in Rome).

28. Fantasy update (because you care). I start McNabb and Big Ben goes off. I start Big Ben and McNabb goes off. And Ladainian Tomlinson hasn't done shit yet. I'm really close to being 0-3. Not good. I sucked in Pick 'Em this week as well. At least Baltimore saved my ass in Survival...

29. Story and music time. So I caught Reel Big Fish a few weeks back at the Agora. As always, they kicked ass. But when I arrived at the show, one of the opening bands was playing and everyone was singing along. I was blown away. I mean, these guys sounded pretty good and all, but the entire place seemed to know all the lyrics to all their songs. The band? Streetlight Manifesto. Consider me a convert. I've had their songs playing almost continuously for the past month. Here is "A Better Place, A Better Time":



30. More music, more ska music. So I've always been a fan of Reel Big Fish and their brand of ska, but I've rarely ventured out for more ska music. Not that I don't like, but from my experience, there isn't a lot of difference between a bad ska band and a mediocre ska band. But I've found that there's a very noticeable difference between a okay band and a really good band (the former is almost unlistenable while the latter I'll love til the day I die). So after I was blown away by Streetlight Manifesto, I went searching for more ska goodness. I ended up with the Mad Caddies. Consider them the latter. Here is "Last Breath":

Now I'm All Pissed Off

Charlie Manuel:

Charlie Manuel, former Tribe manager and hitting coach, says his current Philadelphia Phillies are a better offensive club than the Indians of Albert Belle, Jim Thome, Roberto Alomar, Eddie Murray, Kenny Lofton and gang.

"This offense might be the best I've ever been around," Manuel told Philadelphia reporters Tuesday. "They come everyday to play. You don't hear them complain and moan. They have more fight [than my Indians teams], they've got more determination, better attitudes and they come to win.

"I think our Cleveland teams had a lot of great talent and they liked to play, but they liked to play basically to put up numbers and promote their career. These guys are definitely different."

Best he's been around, huh? Not so much.

2007 Phillies team stats (through 152 games):

Runs: 841
Doubles: 341
Home Runs: 196
Average: .275
OPS: .813
RBI: 802
AB/HR: 27.1

Not bad by any means. But let's check out those 1995 Indians (in 144 games!):

Runs: 840
Doubles: 279
Home Runs: 207
Average: .291
OPS: .839
RBI: 803
AB/HR: 24.3

Well, the 1995 Tribe had more home runs, a better average and a better OPS than the 2007 Phillies. The Phillies scored one more run and hit more doubles, but they've done it in 12 more games.

But hey, they have more determination, a better attitude and they come to win. Unlike those 1995 Indians who went to the World Series.

Oh, and by the way, it's not just the 1995 team that was better, the 1999 version was the first team to score 1,000 in a season since 1950. (And if the goal of the offense is to score more runs, I'd say the '99 Indians trump Manuel's Phillies as well).

On a semi related note, in 1995 Albert Belle got completely robbed of the AL MVP. Yes, I know it's 12 years later but I'm still pissed off. I mean, look at these stats:

Albert Belle: .317 average, 1.091 OPS, 52 2B, 50 HR, 126 RBI, 80 K and 73 BB
Mo Vaughn: .300 average, .963 OPS, 28 2B, 39 HR, 126 RBI, 150 K and 68 BB

Just... I ...God damn I hate Mo Vaughn....

Honestly, how is this even a debate? Belle had a better average, 11 more home runs, 24(!) more doubles, walked more and struck out less often (almost half!). I'm pretty sure we can trace my hatred of Boston sports back to this moment.

And yes, I'm preemptively angry about the looming Beckett/Sabathia Cy Young fiasco.

Finish Them

The Tigers came into Cleveland needing at least win the three game series if they wanted a shot at the division. It wasn't that far fetched; they only had to face C.C. and not Carmona, and they had Rogers and Verlander go against Byrd and Westbrook.

Well they lost the first two games and now they get to face Sabathia this afternoon. Good luck with that. This series has already pretty much buried the Tigers, but a Tribe win today would absolutely finish them off.

C.C., end it.

RIP Robert Jordan

My favorite author, Robert Jordan (real name James Oliver Rigney Jr), passed away on Sunday at the age of 58. I learned of his death late last night and I've had this cloud of sadness hanging over me throughout the day.

To say I enjoyed his Wheel of Time series is a vast understatement. I discovered Jordan's books while in the 7th grade on a recommendation from the school librarian and I was done for. There was no going back; the breadth, the depth, the detail, the writing... just wow.

The plot? If I even started to try to explain the plot, I believe I'd go insane. Complex doesn't even begin it... but at the same time, it's deceptively simple. Here's how the AP describes it:

The books follow Rand al'Thor on his journey to battle ultimate evil.

There ya go. That's how he filled up 11 books (and counting).

I've probably read the first book, Eye of the World, at least seven or eight times (but I could very well be in double figures by now) and each time I get that same sense of wonderment when I open its pages. The series just sucks you in and doesn't let you out.

I almost feel bad (or maybe it's a sick pleasure) when I recommend these books to friends and family. By simply handing them Eye of the World, I know I've completely destroyed any and all free time they may have in the next month or so.

And that's not just me. I remember being at Bonnaroo a few years ago and seeing my buddy's girlfriend reading Shadows Rising (book 4) and we had the following conversation:

"dude, is she reading Robert Jordan?"
"Ya, I gave the books to her, she's addicted"
"You know you're a bastard, right?"
"Oh I'm, aware"

You don't put his books down- you make time to read. I've read his books on trips, in school (even while walking home from school- yes, that's how engrossed I'd get), work breaks, I'd wake up in the middle of the night just to read a few chapters. I devoured these books.

Ever since then, consciously or subconsciously, I've held every other book I've read up against Jordan's standard. Will this book suck me in like Jordan? Will the world the characters inhabit ('real' or fantasy) be as fully realized as WoT? Will I gladly devote the countless hours reading (and rereading) the exploits? Sadly, very few books have stacked up.

Even the later books in the series, which some (including me) have criticized for a slow plot, have a special magic about them. Upon rereading the series I've found myself immensely enjoying the 'slow' books more than I thought I would; maybe the first time through I was disappointed because they weren't what I was expecting, but there is still that special something that keeps you reading 'til 2AM.

Part of me is sad for selfish reasons as well. I'm not going to be able to read the ending as he intended it. At the time of his death, Jordan was writing the final chapter of his 12 part series. I guess he has been dictating plot threads and endings to multiple authors and tape recorders, but it won't be the same. Don't get me wrong, I'll be happy just to get some closure and resolution to this story I've been following almost half of my lifetime (when I started reading WoT, I was younger than the main characters and I've since surpassed them). But no matter how the series ends, I won't be able to get over the fact that it won't be exactly as Jordan envisioned.

What can you do? I, for one, may just go open up Eye of the World another time. I was going to wait until book 12 came out to reread the series, but now is a good of time as ever.

Random Thoughts from the Weekend

1. Not me. I'm not nearly as confident in the Buckeyes as some people.

2. For one thing, Ohio State was lucky to just be down 7-3 at halftime. The Huskies dropped a few INTs and made some bone head plays at the end of long drives. I'm not saying Ohio State didn't deserve to win, but the final score (33-14) wasn't indicative of how close the game was (even if you don't include Brandon Saine's last TD run as time expired, it was closer than 27-14).

3. I do not trust Todd Boeckman at all. He got away with a lot of mistakes (seriously, how many dropped INT's were there?).

4. That being said, he put up a great second half. He made the throws when he had to, but I still hold my breath whenever he lets loose. I'd like to see the team play well for an entire game.

5. [Insert "Locker has room for improvement" pun here] I think Huskies redshirt-freshman QB James Locker is going to be really damn good. I was scared to death of him the entire game; I really think the Buckeyes won this game due to Locker's inexperience (he made some dumb throws after driving Washington down the field).

6. Or was it that 'bend but don't break' defense. I'm not a big fan of the bending defense- eventually, if you face someone good enough, it is gonna break. That being said, James Laurinaitis just makes plays.

7. I miss Mike Nugent. Just sayin'....

8. Better game from Beanie Wells. 135 yards and a TD. Not bad. But they still don't convert short yardage situations as well as they should. But hopefully this performance will calm him down and he'll find a groove.

9. Still worried. Anyone feel comfortable about those night road games at Minnesota, Purdue and Penn State yet?

10. More derision please. The pundits and the media told us that Charlie Weiss was the greatest offensive mind ever and now, instead of mocking him as inept, they just shrug and go 'isn't it weird to see a Charlie Weiss team with no offensive TDs in three games'. The guy sucks and he can't rely on Ty Willingham's players anymore (good call ND alumni!).

11. Michigan still sucks. 1-2 in three games at home. Well done boys.

12. I'm still alive (but barely). So how many 'survival leagues' did the Browns fuck up yesterday? Two guys got knocked out in my league (one of 'em picked against the Browns both weeks. Suck it). I had Denver... I am lucky.

13. Derek Anderson, WTF. 5 TDs, 328 yards. Damn, what can I say. I've never been an Anderson guy (and if anyone of you expected this, please raise your hand...) but wow. Hats off and more please.

14. Can I really nitpick after a 5 TD performance? Fuck yes, I'm from Cleveland. I don't want to sound like a hater (cause Anderson played great), but there were more than a few plays where the receivers saved his ass, especially Winslow and Edwards- they stepped up big time. He made the throws when he had too, don't get me wrong, but he missed a lot too (and the Bengals dropped more than one INT).

15. Jamal Lewis is a beast. 216 yards, 1 TD. He can thank Joe Thomas for that 65 yard TD (amazing what drafting talented linemen will do, huh?). I wish the Browns had gotten Lewis another TD at the end.

16. That's my only coaching complaint (while I don't agree with another 4th-and Vickers play, I can somewhat understand it)- not getting Lewis another TD. With 5:52 to go in the game and 3 and goal at the 1-yard line and leading 48-38, the Browns didn't simply pound Jamal Lewis two more times. Lewis had ran over the Bengal defense that entire drive (51 yards in three plays) and I didn't like the Browns throwing the ball on 3 and 1. Reward your work horse and pound Lewis twice; if he doesn't get in, you've wasted more time and Cincinnati is pinned back at it's own 1. Either way, Cincinnati needed two TD's to win (though the 3 points took away a the chance at OT) and if Lewis gets in, they need 3 scores and are basically done.

17. Seriously, what the hell has happened: MMQB:

Offensive Player of the Week

Cleveland QB Derek Anderson and Cleveland RB Jamal Lewis. "Romeo was great last night,'' Anderson said via cell phone after the game, speaking of coach Romeo Crennel. "Calm, reassuring. I think he thought we'd go out and play really well today.''

But this well? In the long NFL history of the Browns, which dates to 1950, they'd never had a game in which a back ran for 100 yards, a quarterback threw for more than 300, and two receivers exceeded 100 yards. In the 51-45 win over Cincinnati -- which could well have its worst defense in recent years -- Anderson was 20 of 33 for 328 yards. Lewis, who has so much dirt shoveled on him that I think if you watered him he'd sprout buds, had the best running day of the season: 28 carries, 215 yards. For one Sunday, there was joy in Mudville.

18. How is this happening? Chaos theory.

19. That sure was fun, right? Terry Pluto says that the Browns fans deserved the win. I'll say.

20. I love Josh Cribbs. Kent State baby (if the Browns were any good, he'd be right up there with Devin Hester)

21. With Pluto leaving for the PD, Patrick McManamon gets more column space (and I like it). I particularly enjoyed this:

The Browns announce a starter one week, trade him two days later. One game into the season, the backup is promoted and the guy who was cut is re-signed.

These are fantasy-type moves, but they've not been limited to this year.

Trent Dilfer and Reuben Droughns were signed to contract extensions, then dealt a year later. Jeff Faine was jettisoned against the wishes of the offensive coaches. Kevin Shaffer signed a huge deal, then was discussed in a trade after the drafting of Joe Thomas.

The quarterback position has been a complete yo-yo, with an environment that makes it next to impossible for anyone to succeed.

Consider offensive coordinator.

Maurice Carthon was kept too long, then Jeff Davidson tried to make it work with Carthon's offense the rest of last season. When Davidson was very blunt with Savage about his assessment of the team's talent ` hint: he wasn't real positive ` he was removed from consideration to keep the job. Davidson got the same job with the Carolina Panthers and looked pretty smart in the team's opening game.

21. I'm sick of spygate. I hate the overblown coverage of any controversy in sports; I'll tell ya right now ESPN, whenever something that involves TO, Barry Bonds or some similar shit goes down, I stay away from your station. I can't stand it.

22. More spygate (sorry). Surprisingly, Bill Simmons is whining (I like Simmons, I really do, but this God damned Boston victimization really pisses me off):

That reminds me, everyone's talking about the other teams and implying they were the victims. What about Pats fans? How did we deserve this? Our favorite team cheated, we lost a No. 1 pick, our coach pulled the football version of the Watergate break-in, our entire mini-dynasty has been tainted according to the outside world. ... Seriously, what did we ever do other than support a perpetually crappy franchise with a bad stadium for years and years and years? Do you think we wanted any of this to happen? All week, I almost felt like I did something wrong just because I rooted for these guys. Well, no more. Call them cheaters, call them villains, call them the evil empire, but it's still my team. You can't disown your team just because it does something sleazy, just like you can't disown a close family member for doing something sleazy. Your team is your team. I hate what happened, I think it has been terribly overblown, we paid the price, and we're moving on. At least until Belichick's version of the 17-minute missing Nixon tape is released.

What about Pats fans? Seriously, your team cheats and you're complaining? Really? Imagine if Joe Torre and the Yankees got caught cheating, what the hell would Simmons be saying? He'd be laying it on. For the past five years we've been bombarded with stories and quotes about how the Patriots are a model franchise and that they're just "a team of football players", they do everything the right way blah blah fucking blah. Look, the Patriots are far and away the best team in the NFL, the Red Sox have a sick rotation and will be World Series favorites and the Celtics just got KG and Ray Allen- I'm sorry if no one is considering the feelings of Patriots' fans during spygate. Take your medicine and shut the fuck up.

22. Big series begins tonight. Tribe vs Tigers. Byrd goes tonight against Kenny Rogers (who the Tribe never seems to hit hard). Hopefully that changes tonight.

23. Maybe some fans will show up. And maybe the local sports media will give 'em half the coverage the Browns get. Who am I kidding...

24. Is it weird to say that this team reminds me of the 90's Yankees? They hit well, they pitch well, they make opposing pitchers work and though they hit for power, they don't have any big mashers (though they have a bunch of guys in the mid 20s). I think this is good. (Also, I didn't notice this before but: is Grady our Jeter?)

25. Though, they are missing a few things. They don't have a closer anywhere near as lights out as Mariano Rivera, they don't anyone near as ugly as the horse faced Scott Brosius and they don't have anyone who is nearly as big of a douche bag as Paul O'Neil.

26. Not a bad way to do it (and thank God that it wasn't against Cleveland). Good for Jim Thome. Always like him and I never really got mad that he left (same with Manny).

27. I am confused. I saw Colbert and Stewart announce Ricky Gervais but then they said that since "Ricky Gervais could not be here tonight. Instead we're going to give this to our friend, Steve Carell" Carell then ran on stage and jumped around with Colbert and Stewart (which was awesome). Gervais won. Colbert and Stewart's bit where they made fun of award shows was good too.



28. Really? How the hell did James freaking Spader beat out both Tony Soprano and Tommy Gavin. Come on (but hey, at least 30 Rock won something)

29. Thank God it's back. I freaking love It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The first two this year were pretty solid, but not great. Some parts where brilliant (the ali baba sword? Green man? Awesome). Check out the videos on their website, I enjoyed 'em.

30. That didn't go as planned. So last Tuesday I was planning on attending a concert and seeing the Coral and the Arctic Monkeys. Now, I like both bands, but I wouldn't have made the trip to Columbus on a weeknight just to see the Arctic Monkeys- I love the Coral. Anyways, we get there and there are no t-shirts for the Coral. Not good. Turns out they dropped out of the tour and got replaced by Voxtrot. This blew chunks for multiple reasons: A) I didn't get to hear any acid pirate rock B) I didn't get to buy a Coral t-shirt (and I really wanted on) and C) Voxtrot sucks ass (check out the comments in the link). On the plus side, the Arctic Monkeys were better than I was expecting (to the point where I'd go out of my way to see 'em again). But seriously, Voxtrot was awful; whiny, skinny indie kids playing boring music while acting like they were rocking out. I was not a fan (and neither were other people, the beer line was long as hell when Voxtrot was up).

WTF

Simmons and Oden

I read the whole column and all I noticed was A) a "why the hell is this even there" Celtics reference B) Simmons likes being right and C) Simmons likes to jump to conclusion.

Besides that, fun read.

Um, kinda

Livingston:

Charlie Frye had little to recommend him except earnestness as a lifelong Browns fan and geographical happenstance as a college player at Akron.

Both gave him a pass for a time. The rub was that eventually he had to pass, too.

Maybe Frye bought some time with fans (and Terry Pluto) simply by being an Akron product and local boy, but I hope to God that Frye's hometown never came up in meeting between Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage (and if it did come up, fire both of them right now).

There seems to be some idea that the only reason Frye was around this season was because he was a "hometown kid". I don't particularly think so, maybe that played a part in things. A small part.

But ya know what? Frye won the job in training camp! We all saw that right? We all saw Derek Anderson lose the job to Charlie Frye (and he did lose the job, he was ahead of Frye coming into training camp). Sure, we also saw Brady Quinn outshine both of 'em, but he wasn't starting the season as the number 1 QB. So Frye won the job.

And then was awful.

Did Frye need to be traded (or cut)? Probably. Does the thought process of the Browns management scare the hell out of me? My God yes (a year ago they thought Frye was so well off that they didn't need a veteran QB to help out). Are we now simply waiting for Brady Quinn to take the field?

You bet.

So lemme get this straight....

Charlie Frye sucks so bad that they have to trade him for a 6th round pick after one terrible half.... so they can hand the keys to the guy who couldn't beat out Charlie Frye in training camp.

My confidence in management is skyrocketing...

Random Thoughts from the Weekend

1. Ohio State hasn't impressed me... Yes, they're 2-0, so they're doing better than some teams, but damn a 3-2 first half versus Akron? Not good. They weren't exactly impressive against Youngstown State either. I'm not feeling particularly good about facing Washington next weekend.

2. I'm also not excited for some other games. Mainly the night games at Minnesota, Purdue and Penn State. Ohio State teams haven't exactly played well at night under Tressel and the team doesn't look that strong this year.

3. Their ranking confuses me too. Right now, they're 10 in both polls, which seems high to me (some people have them ranked 3rd. 3?!?! are you kidding me? I love me some Buckeyes, but God damn).

4. I was expecting more from Beanie Wells. Bill Livingston isn't impressed and says Wells needs to step up (though some of the problem has been play calling). I'm not too worried (yet) but I was hoping he'd run all over Youngstown State and Akron and he's been average thus far.

5. What's better than Michigan starting the season 0-2? Michigan AND Notre Dame starting the season 0-2. The Battle of Suck is next Saturday. Can both teams lose? Can Lloyd Carr be fired at halftime (Charlie Frye style)? What do I root for? A 0-3 Michigan or a 0-3 Charlie Weiss? Or do I simply root for injuries? So many questions...

6. Antonio Pittman got cut. That's not good. But he got picked up by St. Louis. Kinda surprising.

7. The Browns suck. This shouldn't exactly shock anyone, but I'm sure it will (though I didn't expect them to play that poorly against Pittsburgh, my lord).

8. That didn't work. Maybe they should've eased Eric Steinbach into the starting lineup eh?

9. When did we start referring to Romeo Crennel as RAC? This was all over the message boards yesterday and even in a teaser link for a Bud Shaw column.

10. Peter King has some Browns tidbits in his MMQB column:

Quote of the Week II

"BRAY-dee! BRAY-dee! BRAY-dee!''

-- The Cleveland Browns Stadium crowd, four minutes and 23 seconds into the new season. Literally. That's how long it took them to call for coach Romeo Crennel to make Brady Quinn his starting quarterback. But Crennel did not listen. He replaced Charlie Frye, all right, in the second quarter -- but with Derek Anderson, not the 22nd pick in April's draft.

---------

f. Teams that have to feel ridiculously depressed after Sunday: St. Louis, Buffalo, Kansas City, the Jets and Cleveland.

g. Wait -- give me a separate category for Cleveland. What I wonder after watching chunks of that game is, how can you work for an entire training camp and look like that? "If the gamut runs from A to Z,'' GM Phil Savage said last night, "that was a Z.'' Maybe a letter doesn't exist for what that was.

---------

3. I think the most overplayed story of Week 1 was the subterfuge angle of former players spilling the beans to the enemy. Just like Jason David's information on the Indy offense meant nothing to New Orleans' defense in the Colts' 41-10 beatdown of the Saints, the importation of former Patriot Reche Caldwell for a look-see and the Patriots bringing in ex-Jets Tim Dwight and Bobby Hamilton (on the QT Friday) meant nothing to the outcome of the Patriots' win over the Jets. Maybe the Jets learned a scintilla about the physical condition of Randy Moss -- maybe -- but as far as strategy or signals or audible signs ... fiction.

"It's the most overrated thing in sports,'' said Peyton Manning, who went on to give me a great example of how a foreign agent can actually hurt a team's preparation. "The classic was when we're playing Cleveland and they got [former Colts backup quarterback and offensive assistant] Kelly Holcomb and Bruce Arians. It's Tony Dungy's first year, maybe 2002. So the Browns grill Holcomb all week, 'You got to give us something' and he says, 'I'm telling you, Peyton's going to change it up. He knows I'm here, he's going to give you a dummy audible early. I'm telling you, he's not stupid. So, just play your keys.'

"They're up 16-3, I think, at the half," said Manning. "Second half, we get a good drive going and it's fourth-and-three. So we run our bread and butter play, a little five-yard under route. Well, I signal the play and Holcomb -- it's the same signal -- so he says, 'Ah, now I'm going to help them.' So he says, 'They're running the five-yard under play! Five-yard under play!"

"And so you can see it on the film -- they're going, 'Watch the slants, watch the slants.' So they load up, all inside technique, and they go into a man defense. Well, I see this and I see the defenders all change up -- that's the thing about the no-huddle, I can see this -- and I kept the receivers doing the same thing and I checked to a zone running play and it's only six guys who gotta know -- the linemen and the back [James Mungro]. And he goes 29 yards untouched for a touchdown. And so their guys go to Holcomb, all pissed off, 'So, they're running a slant, huh? Thanks a freaking lot, Holcomb.'

So, maybe that sums it up right there, be careful of what you think you know.''

4. I think, still, that Romeo Crennel has to stand strong and not put Quinn on the field. Not yet, anyway. Four of the next five games, before Cleveland's bye, come against teams that finished in the NFL's top 10 in defensive rankings last year. "Our whole thought was Charlie [Frye] and Derek [Anderson] keeping us functional through the tough part of our schedule,'' Savage told me. And now? "If you ask 70,000 people in our stadium today, the process got accelerated. We'll meet [Monday morning] and discuss it. But I think you run into trouble if you change your plans after one game. Back in 1999, we lost to Pittsburgh 43-0 in the first game of the season with Ty Detmer playing and we threw Tim Couch in there. You saw how that turned out. Once Brady goes in, that's it; there's no turning back. To do it after the first week ...''

Look, the Browns know this season's a wash. Frye got sacked five times in the first 23 minutes against Pittsburgh. Do you want the kid shellshocked in September, or do you want him to play after he's had more than 92 snaps (the real number) with the first unit since he signed his contract?

11. I'm not sure where I'm at with Quinn. Obviously, Frye and Anderson both suck ass. This can't be denied. Sure, we may prefer one over the other, but neither is a good option. Quinn is going to get his shot this year, it's only a matter of time. So what's the point of sitting him? I mean, would anyone be worried about him if he had to face the 'vaunted' Cincinnati defense next week?

12. Well, Quinn has one point in his favor... He led the Browns into the Post-preseason.

13. That's some fine coaching there Lou. I'm glad we had that quarterback competition in the preseason so they could scrap the guy by halftime. Good times (with coin flips!). And I know Frye sucked ass. He was terrible (Terry Pluto tries to defend him by saying that the Steelers didn't blitz Anderson nearly as much). It's not the losses that piss me off so much, it's the terrible coaching; these don't look prepared at all. The whole offense was a mess (again) and this shit is getting old.

14. Har. Livingston would've started the coin.

15. But hey.... at least Romeo won't name his starter for next week. I'm sure that gives the team all the confidence they need.

16. I know the Browns are going to be the big talk of the day, but... we're all aware that the Indians kick major ass, right? They just split a four game series with the Angels. These guys are good, they have a bona fide number 1 starter in Sabathia and they should be able to make some noise in the playoffs.

17. Grady Sizemore is awesome. Last night in the fourth inning he bunted for a hit, stole second base and then scored on grounder that didn't leave the infield. Well done young sir.

18. This annoys me:

The Tribe knocked around Jered Weaver (11-7, 4.00) for six runs on nine hits in five innings. The man who delivered the big hit - a three-run homer in the five-run fourth inning - was the last position player to make the club out of spring training. Ryan Garko hit Weaver's first pitch over the bullpens in left field for a 4-2 lead.

It was Garko's second homer of the series. His parents, Michael and Elaine, were in the stands. So was most of his senior class from Servite High School in Walnut, Calif.

"Garko had to make the club out of spring training," said Wedge. "Then we weren't sure how much he was going to play. But Andy Marte got hurt, Casey Blake moved to third and Garko has played better than a lot of people thought at first base."

19. Honestly? Has Garko really played that much better than people would've thought? Cause he's about where I'd thought he'd be. And look, I know that he had to earn his job and all that, but the fact that the Tribe's brass was prepared to sit Garko for Casey Blake scares me.

20. Speaking of really surprising things. People can't actually be shocked that Randy Moss put up those numbers yesterday, right? I know he's a 'locker room' problem and he missed preseason games and blah blah blah... but come on. This guy made Jeff George into an MVP candidate, I think he'll be okay with Tom Brady.

21. Ha. Kenny Lofton thinks he's putting finishing touches on Hall of Fame career. And I know it's a humorous article and all... but say Kenny had stayed with Cleveland all these years and started every day (rather than jumping around and platooning). I'm not saying he'd be a HoF'er, but he'd be though of rather differently at least.

22. AL MVP... I know A-Rod is going to win it (and he probably should) but I'd be willing to bet that if Victor Martinez played in Boston or New York, he'd be higher than 'rest of our top 10'.

23. Troy Glaus, really? I, for one, am shocked! Shocked I say!

24. When can the Brett Boone reports come out? Come on, he went from 'scrappy second baseman' to '140 RBI machine'. I've been pissed about this for years.

25. Faaaantastic. Alan Houston is 95% sure he's going to return. If he ends up taking time away from Boobie Gibson, I will be one pissed blogger.

26. Big day today. Yup, yup and yup.

27. It's really happening... with a logo and every everything.

28. Humpy poopy, just watch it. I know this guy.

29. About time. Help! is being released on DVD with a deluxe treatment. Now if we could get Let it Be...

30. Sweet concert tomorrow night. I'm seeing the Arctic Monkeys and the Coral. The Arctic Monkeys are the headliner (not surprising) but I more excited to see the Coral. They've been one of my favorite bands for awhile now and I'm really excited to see them live. I can't really describe their sound, because they change things up from album to album, but the song writing and performance is always quality; they're kinda hard to pin down. Their new one, Roots and Echoes, is a more stripped down affair and it is quite good (I probably still love their self titled debut the most, but that was my introduction and I've played that thing a ton). They aren't very well known (I've never met someone else who's even aware of 'em- well, besides people who've heard of them through me) and I hope that they'll get some stateside exposure from this tour.

The Coral - Roots and Echoes - Jacquelin:

Not Good

Under Romeo Crennel:

11/13/2005 - Pittsburgh 34, Cleveland 21
12/24/2005 - Pittsburgh 41, Cleveland 0
11/19/2006 - Pittsburgh 34, Cleveland 20
12/17/2006 - Pittsburgh 27, Cleveland 7
09/09/2007 - Pittsburgh 34, Cleveland 7

Also, it is my opinion that Brady Quinn didn't get any playing solely because Romeo doesn't want to have to answer "when does Brady start?" questions this week (and honestly, a blow out is the perfect time to get a rookie QB some reps).

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

More Cowher

This time from the Sports Guy (and hey, at least he doesn't have the Browns ranked 32nd):

28. Cleveland Browns
One year away from being turned around by Bill Cowher and his rejuvenated spittle.

Is it really that much of a lock? WKNR 850 plays a blurb from Jim Rome discussing this possibility.
Should I start preparing myself now? A team with a ND quarterback, a Miami tight end, a Michigan wide receiver and a former Raven (who gained 500 yards against the Browns in one season) at running back... all coached by a former Steeler?

But hey, if they win games.... I root for whoever.

Survival and Pick 'Em Leagues

I know this is late (since the season, you know, starts tonight) but if anyone is interested in joining a(nother) pick 'em or survival league, I'm hosting a couple through yahoo fantasy sports.

The info is as such:

Survival Football: Leauge ID:13453 password: firefight
Pro Pick 'Em: League ID: 37888 password: kitna

Good luck and all that.

Um, did Leigh Bodden not get the memo?

This is the year that the Browns aren't supposed to fuck up. This is the year the team takes off. Getting arrested during the first week of the season wasn't on the agenda:

Browns starting cornerback Leigh Bodden ended up in the Cleveland City Jail on Wednesday after being arrested at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport. He was accused of aggravated disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and various traffic offenses.

According to Lt. Thomas Stacho, public information officer for the Cleveland Police Department, Bodden was spotted about 6:30 p.m. driving a 2004 GMC Yukon the wrong way on the lower roadway for arriving flights. When a police officer instructed Bodden to stop, he didn't immediately, but complied with a second request, pulling his vehicle to the curb and walking away.

God dammit. I'm sure Romeo is loving this, he's only had a quarter back controversy and a first round hold out in training camp. Things were supposed to become kinda normal for the season. But he can't care for this distraction for Week 1, especially when the first week's opponent thinks that their former coach is going to take his job.

(On a semi related note: this is dumb and means nothing at all)

C.C.

Gammons:

But as you appreciate that the Indians beat Johan Santana five times this season and further realize that C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona won all five of those games between them, not only should one think about what the Indians may be like in a short series in October should they get there, but realize what Sabathia has done to help put the Indians six games ahead of the Tigers in the AL Central.

Click down the list of pitchers Sabathia has faced. He beat Santana three times. He was matched up with Justin Verlander twice in five days on May 26 and 31, and won both games. He has also lost to Verlander and dropped a 1-0 decision to Daisuke Matsuzaka.

He's first in the AL in wins (16) and innings pitched (211), second in complete games (three) and fourth in strikeouts (182).

Think what having the Indians go 5-1 in his starts against Santana and Verlander means to the Indians in the standings, and right now Sabathia also has to get consideration for votes in the top 10 in the AL MVP balloting.

They just keep winning games, it is actually kinda amazing at this point. And they win them in crazy ways; last at-bat walks and home runs, Garko hit taking a weird hop and even in spite of Casey Blake taking off on a fly ball with no outs.

They just keep winning. Hopefully Cleveland fans will notice.