Is the Jim Brown Statue Written in Stone?

I respect and admire what Jim Brown did on the field for the Cleveland Browns, he was a great football player. But, I think it is a travesty that they are putting a statue of him up before Paul Brown and Otto Graham. These two men changed the game forever and without them, there is no Browns passion handed down (10 years, 10 Championship games, winning 7!). And if there is a Brown to admire as a human being as well as a player, none stand taller than Graham. That’s the kind of person we should look up to.

 

It’s Time For Josh Gordon to Find His Passion

I’m glad that the Browns’ WR Josh Gordon says that he isn’t an alcoholic or drug addict and I hope, for his sake, that is true. So what is going on with him then? Why does he keep sabotaging his career at every turn? It is hard to believe that he is as dumb as his actions make him seem.

In my opinion, I don’t think he wants to play football. I think it is as simple as that. There may or may not be deep psychological or emotional reasons for it. He may not even realize that he doesn’t want to play. Maybe he just doesn’t like the pressure to perform. Maybe he feels guilty that he made it out of his life back home, but his friends didn’t. There could be any number of reasons. But his pattern is consistant, do something stupid so they stop me from playing.

It’s a shame. He is an incredible athlete. But talent doesn’t equal passion and love for the game. If he had that, he would make sure that he did everything within his power to be on the field. Football is all Josh Gordon has ever known. Playing football is Josh Gordon’s way out. Playing football is what Josh Gordon does. Has anyone ever asked Josh Gordon if he wants to play football?

We can’t understand why he is throwing it all away because most of us would give anything to be that talented and play professional sports. But sometimes, the people who are naturally gifted don’t appreciate what they have as much as someone who has to put in twice as much effort.

Selfishly, I hope the Browns do not cut him and that in a couple of years (remember, he’s only 23) he sorts it all out and he becomes the player equal to his potential. But mostly, I hope that he sorts it all out for Josh Gordon. That he decides what he wants to do, who he wants to be, and finds his passion and love in life.

Good luck Josh. This Browns’ fan is cheering for you, even if I never see you catch a TD pass on any given Sunday ever again.

My Preseason Fearless Predictions Revisited

Back on May 14, I posted my “10 Fearless Predictions for This Coming Browns Season.” Since the season is pretty much over, I thought it would be fun to revisit them and see how good (or bad) I did.

Ready? Let’s fire up the Wayback Machine.

#1)      Johnny Manziel is named starting QB at some point in the season, either due to injury or winning the QB competition outright, and the NFL flexes at least one Browns game into Sunday Prime Time.

I am going to say I got this half correct. Johnny Manziel was named starting QB, but the Browns were not flexed into Sunday Night Football.

2)      The 2014 draft will produce four starters by season’s end: Joel Bitonio (who will start Game 1), Justin Gilbert, Terrance West and Johnny Manziel. And maybe even Christian Kirksey.

Got this one right. The 2014 draft produced 4 starters: Joel Bitonio, Terrance West, Johnny Manziel and Chris Kirksey. Ching!

3)      Leon McFadden does not make the team, just a year after being taken in the third round. McFadden struggled mightily in 2013 and never seemed to be able to adapt to the speed of the game. If he makes the roster, I’ll be stunned.

Leon McFadden did not make the team. Cha-ching!

4)      Three of these undrafted free agents will make the roster: QB Connor Shaw from South Carolina, RB Isaiah Crowell from Alabama State, WR Willie Snead from Ball State, WR Chandler Jones from San Jose State, or WR Jonathan Krause from Vanderbilt.

Well, I got this one almost half right. Isaiah Crowell made the team and Connor Shaw was signed to the practice squad. So, half right.

5)      And with the inevitable addition of one or more WRs that get cut by other teams or the Browns trade for, Greg Little gets dropped. Pun intended.

Greg Little was cut. Cha-cha-ching!

6)      Two players that were signed injured and never played, S Jamoris Slaughter and WR Charles Johnson, will finally take to the field in training camp. And then get hurt. And then get cut.

I got this one mostly right. Slaughter was cut and so was Johnson.

7)      This will be Jordan Cameron’s last year in the Brown and Orange. Enjoy it.

TBD but I’m confident that I’m right.

8)      Neither Ray Farmer nor Mike Pettine will be fired at the end of the season. Whoa! Now that IS a fearless prediction!

Also TBD, but I’m still confident that I’m right.

9)      The losses will not enter into the double digits this season. Double whoa! Even fearless-er!

Right on this one! At the worst, there will be 9 losses, 7 wins. Cha-cha-cha-ching!

10)   Josh Gordon will receive a suspension, but not for the entire 16-game season. I just can’t imagine the league banning the guy who led all receivers the previous season. (In receiving yards, not joints smoked.)

Right again. 10 game suspension. Cha-cha-cha-cha-ching!

Hey, I even surprised myself on this one, but I did pretty well. So far, 7 right, with two TBD.

Go Browns!

This Is The Story Of Johnny Rotten

The Neil Young song, “Hey Hey My My” certainly puts my thoughts to music after watching Johnny Football’s horrendous debut.

“There’s more to the picture than meets the eye.”

There is more to the picture. Manziel was awful in his NFL debut. I think the coaches knew he wasn’t even close to being ready, which is why he never won the starting job in camp, never won it during the season, and only got the job after Brian Hoyer stumbled badly.

“You pay for this, but they give you that.”

We paid to see an NFL team play the Bengals. What we got was a JV high school team play the Bengals.

“Is this the story of Johnny Rotten?”

Yes, it was.

Good Luck Johnny!

As we welcome Manziel as the 21st QB to start for the Cleveland Browns since 1999, let’s take a moment to look back at the 20 that came before and their time in Cleveland:

When It’s Time to Change…

Brian, Brian, Brian…I love ya homie. I’ve supported you all season, but now, I can’t. I just can’t watch you throw one more under or overthrown pass to a wide open receiver. Because I can only go by what I see, and what I see is “diminishing skills”, I believe it is time for a change. Count it off Greg…

“You’re Tearing Me Apart!!”

Well now I just don’t know what to think. I’m so confused and torn about this Browns’ team. Things change quickly in the NFL. A few weeks ago it seemed like Hoyer and the Browns were unstoppable and we’d all go skipping gleefully into the playoffs. While that still might happen, we find ourselves awaiting word today whether the Manziel era will begin in Cleveland. Here are my thoughts:

1. At this point, I don’t really care who the QB is if they produce wins. I’m glad I’m not Pettine today. His decision will either make him look like a genius, an over reactor, or gutless.

2. Hoyer is the hometown good guy. Handles himself professionally, it is so hard to root against him. At times seems unstoppable, he has really struggled lately, but he has quarterbacked 7 wins this season. To a Brown’s fan that is huge. He runs the offense as designed. When it works, they win and occasionally when it doesn’t, they find a way (Atlanta). I just think this is who he is, some days (drives) he’s got it, other days (drives) he doesn’t. So far, he’s produced more wins and for that I am thankful.

3. Manziel is the great unknown. An exciting play maker and rifle arm, no doubt. Obnoxious, cocky kid that if he didn’t play for the Browns, I almost wouldn’t want to see him and what he represents succeed. When I watch him play, he looks like a great college QB, and I don’t know if that will work in the NFL long term. He looked great on that one drive, but that is what is supposed to happen when you bring in a QB for a “spark”. It is something different and has a better shot at working short term. His second drive was horrendous.

4. Has any other 7-5 team within shot of the playoffs ever changed starting QBs without injury? What Pettine has to decide is can the offense work as designed? Is Hoyer the reason it isn’t working? If the answer is No the first or Yes to the second. He should start Manziel. Manziel may give them the better shot at “making” something happen. It is all going to be improvised, which could turn out really good or really bad. The pattern to beat the Hoyer led Browns is out there, Manziel may make it harder for the other team to game plan.

5. With that being said, I think Hoyer should be given the chance to finish what he started. If he succeeds it will be great, if not, we’ll know who he is and it makes the Manziel decision easier next year. I also see nothing wrong bringing Manziel into games when Hoyer is struggling. Doesn’t mean he should start the following week. Hoyer isn’t a hall of famer, but he has done a good job with what he’s been given. Give him these last four games and let him write his own place in Brown’s history. Live and die with the results and probably go with Manziel next year either way

6. I’ve contradicted my first point, haven’t I? See, I told you I don’t know what to think.

Thank You, Football Gods, The Browns Didn’t Draft RG3!

And while I’m at it, thank you Mike Holmgren for screwing up your deal to trade the farm for this guy. You know who I’m taking about – It’s Eddie Murphy, right?

Seriously, they’re calling him “Robert Griffin the Turd” in DC. And this week, I am thankful he’s not a Cleveland Brown.

Have You Ever Seen The Movie “Freaks”?

What Steelers’ fans let their kids cuddle up to each night:

Football Season Is Fun Again!

Brown pants, white pants, orange pants, no pants. Who cares! We’ve got a winner!

WOW! It’s fun to be a Browns’ fan again! Finally, we have something better to talk about than uniforms. I have tried to keep my excitement quelled so far this year, but can no longer contain my joy. The Browns, the Cleveland Browns, the 1999 and after Cleveland Freakin’ Browns are 6 and 3 and in first place of the AFC North! Gosh, I’m giddy.

This team is an extension of their leaders; Pettine, Shanahan, Hoyer, and Dansby. This game is about playing with heart, emotion, and confidence and these guys have a bushel full of all. They may not be the best, most talented, or most impressive team out there every week, but 6 weeks out of 9 they have found a way to win. In a couple of games they were even, dare I say, dominant!

Even more impressive is that they are winning with guys coming in and out with injuries. Not scrubs, but injured pro-bowlers! They are getting production from veterans, rookies, and free agents. Everyone is contributing and they just seem to be getting better. They are no longer the team on the field making stupid penalties, bonehead calls, and finding ways to lose games. They are winning. Pettine has them playing as a team and is definitely a candidate for coach of the year at this point in the season.

It took awhile, but the defense is really starting to gel. The defensive backfield may be the best in the NFL; Haden, Skrine, Whitner, and Gipson.They are creating turnovers and making key stops. The defense has had their hiccups along the way, but they are beginning to get the new system and continue to improve. If they can continue to get better against the run and pressure the QB more, this could become one of the best defensive groups in the league. Yes, they give up yards and some big plays, but they aren’t allowing many points and are creating turnovers, which is huge. They are giving the offense a chance to win.

Let’s put this to bed right now. Barring injury, Johnny Football will not be starting anytime soon for the Browns. Brian Hoyer is a WINNER! His never say die, shake off the last play/series attitude is motivating this team to wins. He can be hot and cold and sometimes inaccurate, but he just keeps forgetting and fighting on. He gets rid of the ball quick and makes good reads. He finds a way to win and inspires his teammates to play hard and at the end of the day, that’s what the QB is supposed to do. Manziel may be a star in waiting, but for once, let’s be thankful we don’t have to rush out another rookie who may not be ready.

The offense had a major set back when Mack was lost to injury, but if last night’s game against the Bengals is any indication, the running game has been found again. The ability to run opens up the play action and makes the offense click. The baby backs ran well and we finally have receivers and tight ends that can be counted on to get open and catch the ball. I truly doubted their ability at the beginning of the season, but Hawkins, Gabriel, Benjamin, and Austin have really stepped up and made plays. With Gordon coming back in a couple of weeks, the receiving corps and offense is in good shape.

Browns’ fans, it is fun again. Enjoy it. Yes, we have leaned to guard our hearts and realize that it could all come crashing down around us in the blink of an eye, but that is old Cleveland thinking. Let’s take a lesson from our quarterback and be positive and enjoy the ride. Hoyer is in the driver seat, I’m buckled in, and I’m excited to see how far this team can go. LET’S GO BROWNS!!