2011 Draft

First and foremost, I think some congratulations are in order for Tom Heckert. How he was ever able to get a 1st, 2nd and 4th round pick this year and another 1st and 4th round pick next year for what basically amounts to Julio Jones, I will never know. Nonetheless, this was the biggest lopsided trade I may have ever witnessed and for once, it's in Cleveland's favor! Having all those picks, assuming we hit on at the 1st and 2nd rounders, accelerates the rebuilding process under Holmgren and Heckert. Cleveland should be a contender by 2012 instead of 2014. The magnitude of this trade will be felt almost immediately by the organization especially in the amount of cap-room they saved by moving down 15 spots. (Again, that's assuming there is no rookie wage scale once a CBA is reached.)

On to the player Cleveland finally ended up with: Phil Taylor. As everyone knows already, he is a mammoth of a man at 6'4", 335lbs. He has quick feet, decent hands and a relentless motor for a man his size. He is not the flashy pick most fans envisioned prior to the draft, but he is a solid pick make no mistake about it. The beauty of having Taylor to pair with Rubin is that our entire defense will reap the benefits of his presence. Our linebackers will have more room to roam behind the line of scrimmage to make plays. Somewhere, D'Qwell Jackson has a raging... smile on his face. Also, it takes pressure off of our young secondary. They will no longer be stuck on an island or forced to cover a man for 5 seconds or longer thanks to Taylor and Rubin collapsing the pocket. This was an organizational pick. It wasn't trendy, it wasn't flashy, it wasn't what the so-called experts predicted, but it will undoubtedly make the browns a better team. With two 2nd round picks tonight and Da'Quan Bowers still on the board look for the Browns to add him as well. If that happens, the D-line will be set for the next 8-10 years.

Yesterday was a great day in Cleveland thanks in part to Heckert and Holmgren. As an avid Browns fan, I can only hope that there is more to come. To say that yesterday made me giddy would be a drastic understatement. HECKERT, KEEP IT UP!

State of the Union

It's been a long time since my last entry. Unfortunately, I have been extremely busy. With NFL owners and the NFLPA feuding like two school children fighting over the swings at the playground, the 2011 season is up in the air. Despite the leagues effort to continue with "business as usual" by still holding a draft and releasing the schedule already, games are going to be lost. The inability to agree on how to divide up 9 billion dollars is astonishing. There is no end in sight to this ugly divorce.

There has been no off-season to speak of due to the absence of a CBA. Keeping all of this in mind. Cleveland took several strides forward last season. They had a tremendous draft; arguably the best draft in the league boasting players such as Colt McCoy, Joe Haden and T.J. Ward. Despite drafting these terrific playmakers, the team still finished 5-11, fired Mangini (FINALLY! He should have never been hired in the first place.) and hired his replacement Pat Shurmur, who I am not entirely sold on. Shurmur's decision to not hire an OC shows his lack of HC experience. That's not to say that he can't handle the added responsibility, but I do not believe this is the best way to kick-off your first HC job.

GM Tom Heckert needs to draft defense early and often in this draft. There are some very intriguing prospects in this draft, none of which I'm sold on save for one....Patrick Peterson. If he is available at #6, Heckert needs to pull the trigger. There will be other temptations such as Robert Quinn, Da'Quan Bowers, Von Miller, A.J. Green and Julio Jones. WR might be our biggest need, but our lack of DE's is also disconcerting. Nonetheless, Peterson is a once in a generation talent that will team with Joe Haden and T.J Ward for the next decade to form the best secondary in the league. Being able to cover receivers is just as important as rushing the QB and allowing 26 TD's through the air last year has to be weighing on Heckert's mind as well. The bottom line is this team is still 2-3 years away from competing for a Super Bowl. There are a number of holes that need to be filled and, unfortunately, they cannot all be filled at once. Without free agency this year until a new CBA is reached, the draft has taken on an even more important role. If you think about it though, draftees are not allowed to sign contracts or have any contact with their respective franchises due to the lockout so it's really irrelevant at the present time who is drafted. As with anything else, it is a long-term investment and not a get-rich-quick scheme.

I am very encouraged that this franchise may actually turn the proverbial corner with Mike Holmgren and Heckert running the show. Thus far, they have demonstrated that they have shored up the organizational side of the business and now what needs tending to is adding talent and depth to a depleted 53-man roster that simply isn't up to par with the other teams of the AFC North.

P.S. if you haven't done so already, vote for Peyton Hillis for the 2012 Madden cover at http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/feature/madden2012cover

Can Things Get Any Worse?

Bye-Bye Braylon. No I'm not talking about one of Braylon's highlight reel touchdown receptions from 2007. I'm talking about him packing his bags and moving to the Big Apple. In another brilliant, with the definition of brilliant loosely defined, maneuver, Eric Mangini has managed to trade our only wide receiver with any experience and talent. Even though Braylon has become a shadow of his former Pro-Bowl self, he is only 26. The dynamic duo of Kellen Winslow and Edwards is gone and Anderson and Quinn are left with no one to throw to. The Jets have to be the happiest team in the NFL if for no other reason then they are capitalizing on Cleveland's misfortunes. They parlayed Cleveland's 5th overall pick into Mark Sanchez and, obviously, have now acquired Braylon Edwards for Sanchez to play pitch and catch with. The Jets will make some noise come playoff time while Cleveland is working hard towards its goal of becoming the 2nd 0-16 team in NFL history.

At this point, I'm not sure Cleveland could beat the Tebow-less Gators, Texas or USC. Hell anyone ranked in college foootball's top-25 may give Cleveland a run for their money. Mount Union would be competitive. Well maybe not Mount Union, but the other 3 schools could without a doubt. In fact, I'd be willing to put money on the imaginary matchup. Once LeBron leaves after this next season, all of Cleveland sports will be a fucking joke. It's nice knowing that without any expectations to live up to you will never be disappointed. Thank You Cleveland for giving back to me so much for all of the blood, sweat and tears I have put into supporting your sorry ass excuse for a franchise. With any luck, well a lot of luck like HELL OF A LOT of luck, I will be able to buy that shit franchise and run it the way it should run. Hey, I can dream can't I?

Lions Look-a-Like

Thanks to Randy Lerner and his hiring of Eric Mangini, the Cleveland Browns are enjoying their worst season since rejoining the league in 1999. The reason I can say this so early in the season is because if it hasn't become blatantly apparent to everyone by now, let me spell it out for you, Cleveland will be the second 0-16 team in NFL history at the conclusion of the 2009 season. Contrary to Mangini's belief, this is not Brady Quinn's fault. In fact, the blame should not be solely thrust upon the quaterback (Quinn or Anderson) when clearly the problem is the entire 53 man roster and not one position.

Hiring Mangini was easily the worst decision Lerner ever made which is saying a lot when you consider the plethora of inept hirings made since '99 including Carmen Policy, Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, John Collins, Romeo Crennel, Phil Savage, I think you get the point. Mangini's complete lack of personality is destroying this team faster than a stick of dynamite shoved in a mailbox. He has no idea how to relate to anyone other than himself and is such a control freak that he fined Abram Elam (I think it was Elam) $1,701 for a $3 bottle of water he thought was comped at a hotel they were staying at. What an asshole! Aside from Mangini's off-the-field antics, he and his sorry excuse for a General Manager, George Kokinis, have absolutely no idea how to evaluate talent. If it were up to me, given the dire circumstances the team is in, I would cut every single person on that team with 3 exceptions (Joe Thomas, Shaun Rogers and Joshua Cribbs). The argument can be made to keep Alex Mack as well considering he is only a rookie and, other than his shotgun snaps, has played relatively well. The rest of the team is worthless inlcluding the coaching staff. Hitting the reset button and starting over from scratch as if you were putting together a brand new expansion team would be better than trying to build and rebuild around whatever foundation has already been laid over the last 11 years.

Some possible coaching/GM candidates in "wish list" order include
1. Bill Cowher - HC- the former Steelers legend would be the most obvious and ideal choice to run the franchise whether it be as the head coach or GM. He would bring instant credibility to a franchise that has none and with any luck, revamp and remodel the structure of the front office/team so that it can function as an effective NFL franchise.
2. Tony Dungy - GM - the recently retired coach would be a prime candidate for a front office position because he has made it clear that his coaching days are behind him for the time being. His uncanny ability to evaluate talent and get the most out of his players is well documented.
3. Doug Whaley and/or Ron Hughes - GM's - the current Pro Personnel Coordinator and College Scouting Coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers have assembled two Super Bowl winning teams in 4 seasons. In all likelihood, 2009 will bring yet another AFC Championship appearance and Super Bowl appearance for the Steelers.
4. Russ Grimm - HC - the current Cardinals co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach helped Arizona reach the Super Bowl for the first time last season. His rugged, lunch pale mentality is perfect for the Browns. I liken him to Mike Singeltary and what he has done so far in San Francisco. Not to mention, there are a few Super Bowl rings on his fingers.
5. Kirk Ferentz or Urban Meyer - HC - Meyer is the more accomplished of the two winning 2 national championships in the last 3 years at Florida, however, the spread offense he covets so much is ill-suited for the NFL. Meyer's undeniable abilities to "recruit," evaluate talent and prepare his players week in and week out make him a desirable coach nonetheless. Ferentz style of offense and defense are more suited for a smooth NFL transition. His Hawkeyes are routinely in the Big Ten title chase despite being unable to recruit high profile high schoolers like big wigs Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan.
*NOTE: The route of hiring a college coach is not popular in the NFL and with the exception of Jimmy Johnson in Dallas, has not worked out well for any franchise including Cleveland. Regardless, these 2 coaches are intriguing to me simply because of their ability to "coach" despite what history has to say about the leap from college to the NFL.

I have presented 4 head coaching candidates and 3 general manager candidates. In my opinion, none of these people will be pursued (except Cowher) for the respective positions. Their credentials speak for themselves and should undoubtedly be given serious consideration or at the very least, be granted an interview. Their body of work with their current and former teams is more than Cleveland has accomplished since its last championship in 1964 (45 years ago).

Quitters Never Win

Running back, Jamal Lewis, has made claims that some players "quit" during the Broncos game as reported by James Walker on ESPN.com. Well it seems as though Lewis isn't the only one who thinks that the Browns quit as Joshua Cribbs and Andra Davis have agreed with Lewis's statement about the team. This is absolutely unbelievable. If you don't wanna play than get the hell off the field. Players quitting on a season is a direct reflection on the Head Coach i.e. Romeo Crennel. Crennel should follow Mike Singeltary's example if he wishes to attain a coaching job ever again in the NFL. Singeltary benched first-round draft pick and starting TE Vernon Davis a few weeks back after he took over as head coach for Mike Nolan. Singeltary caught Davis pouting on the sideline after he was removed from the field for committing an unnecessary personal foul. Singeltary went over to talk to him and shortly thereafter told him that if he wanted to help the team, he could go take a shower and get off his sideline. Singeltary's hard-line approach to coaching is a needed change to the NFL ranks. Crennel is soft and does not have the respect and will never have the respect that a man like Singeltary demands. Players should be disciplined for not giving all that they've got because there are plenty of other players who salivate at the chance to play professional football.
This is further evidence to how poor of a job Crennel is doing at managing his team. Crennel does not deserve to be a head coach because he has no clue how to be a head coach. His personality is what is holding him back. It takes a tough man with a strong backbone to do the job and he simply does not possess enough drill sergeant in his blood to run a team. Discipline on the team is lacking severely and this is due to Crennel's inability to control his players. When players lose respect for their coach, winning becomes impossible; just ask Don Holl, head coach at Cathedral Prep. When respect is lost, the last thing anyone wants to do is give 110%, or claw for that extra inch or hit that much harder or block for another second. Giving all you've got for that person becomes impossible because they no longer give you all they've got. It has to be mutual.
The players who no longer wish to be there need to be let go and the coaches who no longer wish to be there need to be let go as well. The common expression is trimming the fat. Cleveland needs to trim the fat and believe me, there is a lot of fat and not a lot of meat. Good luck Randy Lerner. Other than Barack Obama, you have the least enviable job in America.

History Repeats Itself

As I watched the Browns/Broncos game last night, visions of John Elway danced through my head as the dreaded game dubbed simply "The Drive" was being reenacted on the field by a Jay Cutler led Broncos offense. This past week was historic as the American people elected its first black president. At a lesser level of importance, but still historic, Cleveland made the switch from Derek Anderson to Brady Quinn after a season and a half. Quinn's performance last night was nothing short of spectacular. He looked like a seasoned vet in the pocket and brought an element to the offense that Anderson did not. Quinn avoided the rush. Where Anderson would have taken a sack, Quinn evaded defenders and kept plays alive with his legs. He threw for 230 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions and 0 fumbles. Mistakes you would expect a rookie quarterback make such as miscommunications, poor hand-offs, wasting timeouts, poor accuracy, holding on to the ball too long in the pocket, none of that was there last night. Quinn was not sacked once which is as much a credit to his scrambling ability as it is to his offensive line. He didn't force anything and did not turn the ball over. He played very solid and found his favorite target, Kellen Winslow, in the endzone twice. Last nights loss cannot be placed on Quinn's shoulders. He put 30 points on the board. The loss falls squarely on the defense and Romeo Crennel.
The only defender we have that is any good is Shaun Rogers, who is definitely getting my vote for the Pro Bowl. Our secondary is porous and soft. There is no physicality at all in any one of our corners or safeties. Our secondary is manhandled by bigger receivers and burnt deep by smaller ones. DeAngelo Hall is available, but wooing him will be impossible because he is going to want to go somewhere where a Super Bowl is a realistic goal this season. Our linebackers flat out suck. There is nothing else to say really. McGinest is too flippin old and cannot get the job done. Wimbley just isn't suited for the 3-4. Alex Hall is a pass rush specialist and cant play the run. Anyone else that is on our roster as a LB is dead weight. Our defensive line would be the worst we've ever had since '99 without Shaun Rogers, period!
The flaws that I see are a direct result of coaching. Romeo does not know how to coach and cannot get the job done. He never could. The people he has hired have been suspect as well. A common saying is, the mark of a good coach isn't his ability but whether he surrounds himself with other good coaches. Crennel has not done that. I mean Mel Tucker is a terrible defensive coordinator. I'd rather have Todd Grantham back. At least he knew what he was trying to accomplish; his fault was that he didn't have the wherewithal to get it done. Tucker has no clue what he is doing: None! Rushing 3 and 4 men all night does not generate enough pressure on the QB, if any, and playing a soft, and i mean an extremely soft, zone behind a nonexistent pass rush just won't win ya very many games. The prevent defense is too much a part of his philosophy (and Crennel's). The only thing the prevent does is prevent you from winning as we've seen in the past.
Randy, just give Cowher whatever the hell he wants and get someone in here who who has some competency because so far I haven't seen any from anyone.

QUINNNNNNNNNN!!!

Finally, after 8 games of torture, Cleveland's coaching staff has named Brady Quinn the starting quarterback! With such a short week, playing Denver on Thursday night, I am not expecting anything magical out of Quinn because he has only 2 practices to prepare for his first NFL start, but I am expecting consistency; something Derek Anderson has failed to show. After playing a major role in the Browns self-destruction during the 4th quarter of the Ravens game this passed Sunday, Crennel said that Anderson would remain the starter which leads me to believe that this was not his decision, but is a direct result of pressure from within the organization. I can just see Randy Lerner issuing the ultimatum: start Quinn or lose your job. Hopefully, Crennel loses his job anyway at the end of the season, but one step at a time. Quinn is the starter and there is no doubt in my mind that he will take command of his troops; something that Anderson has failed to do. Quinn will not stand for Edwards case of the droppsies that has lasted 8 games now (yes that means the entire season thus far). His leadership qualities alone make him a superior quarterback than Anderson because you simply cannot win with as laid-back a demeanor that Anderson possesses. There are certain times when getting a little fired up make all the difference in the player. It seems as though Anderson has tucked his tail between his legs and lost all confidence in his game. I cannot wait to get a glimpse of the face of our franchise on Thursday night in the national spotlight.
On a more disappointing note, Joe Jurevicius has announced he will miss the entire season. The only positive that comes from this is that he also said that he no longer plans to retire after the season and will return in 2009. To be honest, how could you retire after missing the entire season while watching your team, who had Super Bowl ambitions and expectations in the offseason, fall off the map. Anyone with half a brain knew that Jurevicius could not end his career on such a dismal note. I, as many Browns fans, look forward to his return next year because he is such an integral part of this Browns organization.
Ryan Tucker has also been placed on injured reserve, effectively ending his season after playing just one game. His return next season will also be welcome because of his importance to the cohesiveness of the offensive line.
As I mentioned before, unless Cleveland runs the gauntlet and finishes the season at 11-5 (they are currently 3-5), they will not make the playoffs. Next season is all a Browns fan ever has to look forward to so, Browns fans, here's to a great draft, healthy offseason, smooth transition to a new head coach, free agent signings and of course talking about our team like they actually have a chance to beat the Steelers.