Browns Rant

Think Mike Holmgren Is A Safe Bet? Think Again.

2009-12-17T16:34:00.000-08:00

So your already dreaming of all the Super Bowl rings Mike Holmgren is going to bring us, right? Check out this excellent peice by some dude named Cliff Olsen. It will blow your mind.

After reading that do we still want this guy?

Let the debate begin.

Mike Holmgren? In Cleveland?

2009-12-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

Well, the rumors are swirling that former Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay packers head coach Mike "Big Show" Holmgren is being wined and dined in the city that rocks by Randy "Randy Baby" Lerner for the position of "Football Pimp".

Toni Grossi claims he left Berea today without a deal. He knows this because no announcement has been made as of yet.

He did not know however whether the former Super Bowl Champion was on his way to the airport or downtown to sample Cleveland's awesome night life (Too bad the casino's aren't up yet. Are you telling me this guy doesn't look the Blackjack-all-night-hit-free-buffet-three-times-to-make-back-my-money kind a guy?).

Holmgren would instantly give the Browns credibility and much needed direction. Not to say that the current squad hasn't shown progress of late, but Holmgrens been involved in football for more years than Mangini has been alive. (By the way, my current favorite nickname for Mangini? Linguini.)

Not to say there aren't question marks, like the fact that Holmgren had his General Manager responsibilities taken away from him by the Seahawks, not that he would be G.M. here, just that he definetly will have a strong say organizationally. Let's hope the reason he floundered in that role was that he already had a twenty-hour-a-day job, namely being head coach and all.

Also, what of Mangini? Sources say he's going to get canned, victory over a flat Steelers team that quit notwithstanding. Hey, I'm one of Mangini's biggest critics and even I admit to seeing progress over the last month.

But let's not get carried away here. They came back against a Chargers team that was cruising in prevent mode and beat a Pittsburgh team that was already beaten by K.C. and Oakland.

Plus, you can't forget that the roster is pretty bare, resulting in a lot of players who wouldn't get a lick of playing time on any other roster seeing significant snaps. They know there is a new sheriff coming to town and they are auditioning for next year already. Naturally they are going to bust tail.

Bottom line, things continue to be interesting in Cleveland. Look for it to become more so as the offseason approaches.

And thank God Holmgren is no Bill Parcells. He would never be in Cleveland just to drive up the price for Seattle, right?

So what do you think Browns fans? Is this our man? Finally?

Stay tuned.

"Information" (if you could call it that) from the Cleveland Plain Dealer was used in this "report".

BROWNS-RAVENS MNF

2009-11-16T17:12:00.000-08:00

It will be interesting to see if the Browns will "BRING IT" (I hate Michael Reghi) tonight. Here are the different looks the Browns might give the Ravens:

Either......
A) Flatter than Helen Hunt. Always a distinct possibility with the Brownies, especially due to the hard practice conditions. Thank you Jamal Lewis for all your "leadership".
B) Half-ass it like Braylon. "Yes Rex, we knew he drops passes that cost games. What? No, you can't have your draft picks back. You want to speak to Kokinis? Sorry, he doesn't work her anymore."
C) Concerted effort but totally over matched like the Rams every week. Win or lose, "Spags" has them playing hard every week. Think the Giants don't miss him? Ask Tom Coughlin.
D) Total domination like the Browns-Giants game from last season. Just threw in this option because I needed a D). Chances are not good. All we can do is pray.

Other things to watch tonight: if Daboll (re:Mangini) finally switches up his approach by throwing screens and using Cribbs, if there is any hope for Brady Quinn, how many times the announcers use the word "protest" and the patronizing/sympathizing line that the "Browns fans deserve a winner", if any of Mangini's faces can top the Peyton Manning interception faces from last night.

The Eric Mangini Project Revisited

2009-11-07T19:50:00.000-08:00

There is nothing in life that I hate more than a hypocrite. As this crazy season keeps on spinning further and further out of control there appears to be many of them.

It's confession time on two accounts.

1) I have failed to live up to my commitment to my readers over the past month, and for this I apologize. There was some serious turmoil in my life and it has been time consuming and harrowing, but hopefully the worst is over. Thank you to all who have reached out to me during this time; to say I was touched is an understatement.

2) Not long after the Browns hired Eric Mangini I went against my gut feeling that hiring Mangini was huge mistake and penned a article by the name off "The Eric Mangini Project" opining why, after much deliberation, I felt Mangini might turn out to be a good coach.

I wish I can at least pretend that I was under the guise of "The Almighty Blogger", that like so many of my fellow bloggers I thought I supposedly new better than the average dude rocking a Lee Suggs jersey.

Unfortunately, in my case it was sheer stupid Cleveland sports fan bias. I knew Mangini was a terrible coach after closely following his exploits with the Jets. He was unimaginative, egotistical and pathetic.

My warped Cleveland mind came up with some crap that he was "struggling to reconcile his aggressiveness with his fundamentalistic approach to the game" to explain why he had previously been unsuccessful. I also "brilliantly" pointed out the similarities in character traits and career paths that Eric Mangini and Bill Belichik had.

My fellow bloggers have other rationalizations. Some operate under the presumption that the average dude rocking a Lee Suggs jersey is so stupid he is obviously terribly wrong on everything that has to do with Browns football. The more simple it seems to be the more complicated they have to make it.

Eric Mangini is the male mixture of Hillary Clinton and Roseanne?

"Nonsense", they claim . "He is a misunderstood football genius/idiot savant who lacks social pleasantries".

The Browns look three times as worse under Mangini than they did under Crennel? "Don't be silly", they'll tell you. "Your out of your league. Don't you know that since I know how to use Blogger or Wordpress that makes me a football guru?"

They plead for patience. "We need to give him at least two or three years to see if he can get the job done."

This is true. There is no chance he will succeed if he is not given time. The problem is we cannot afford the time.

Here is a guy that no team had any interest in and that all previous signs point to his failing. His G.M. was a hoax, best spelled out in this mind boggling article written by Jack Bechta for NFP. Players can't stand him, agents won't let their players play for him and his assistant coaches are a joke.

(Brian Daboll is approaching Maurice Carthon stature. Well almost. I still remember seriously contemplating that Carthon used to confuse Vickers and Winslow, which would explain why he repeatedly tried to portray Vickers as our premier offensive weapon. But I digress.)

All the things he preaches we have become worse at. Can we really afford to give him more time if things don't improve?

Just because a man who uses the term "football" in a extremely profane and obscene way and whose actions have inspired this song to be written about him decided that Mangini was the right guy doesn't mean we should sacrifice common sense and beer-fueled football I.Q. on the altar of continuity and patience, especially when it seems the very same American football challenged man who thought it was a good idea in the first place might have already changed his mind!

One can only use "The Time Argument" if the only thing lacking is time. If after this year the Detroit media lambasted Lions head coach Jim Schwartz for his performance you can use "The Time Argument". We would not be able to accurately judge him based on his teams performance this year, thus he merits more time to make his case so we can truly see what he is made of.

But lets say Jim Schwartz decided that from here on out the Lions should start punting on first down. Would you still say we should give him more time to see if this is a viable strategy to win football games?

Of course not.

Now we can make a strong case that Mangini has fallen into this category just based on his performance in Cleveland alone and therefore is no longer privy to "more time." One can also argue (incorrectly) that Mangini has not fallen into this category.

It's a moot point.

Someone who you thought wasn't qualified in the first place(to the point where the only two coaches I could say that I would not have rather had than Mangini were Art Shell and Herm Edwards. And yes, I left off RAC and Denny Green on purpose) and has done absolutely nothing to show you why your gut was wrong surely doesn't deserve more time.

We made a mistake.

Now lets fix it.

Braylon Edwards Traded To N.Y. Jets: Fool Me Twice.... Jets fleece Browns. Again.

2009-10-07T10:53:00.000-07:00

   Unless you've been living under a rock you probably have heard that the Cleveland Browns have traded Braylon Edwards to the Jets for Chansi Stuckey, a decent wideout, and Jason Trusnick, a special teams ace, and draft picks(a third and a fifth-rounder to be exact but when they are not higher they aren't considered the centerpiece of the deal). There is no question that the timing of the trade indicates that Mangini is trying to make a statement. Unfortunately, the statement of, "If you misbehave than we will trade you to a contender for less on the dollar than Morgan Stanley paid for Bear Stearns" is not one that Browns fans want to hear.
   Even with the statement aspect the timing is horrendous. Remember the eight catch, one hundred fourty eight yard game "Eminem" had this weekend? You could forget about those for a while without Braylon drawing safety help over the top. That should impede his development, and as the only 2009 draft pick that's actually contributing, something the Browns can't afford.
  Another consideration is that the Jets essentially get something for nothing. They get to "rent" Braylon for at least the rest of the season, test drive him and then decide if he is worth a long term commitment. If it works out, great; if not they can "franchise" him and "flip" Braylon in the offseason to the highest bidder, probably for more than they paid considering he's bound to put up better numbers with a team that actually scores some points.  To offset this discrepancy the Browns should have charged the Jets a premium instead of giving them a discount.
   As far as what they got for Braylon, at first glance it seems as the Browns got too little from the Jets. Again. Don't get me wrong. Chansi is a nice player and it's great to get another special teams contributor( I wonder if Mangini factored Quinn's abilities on special teams when deciding he would be the starter)and who doesn't like some more draft picks, but the key in any trade negotiation is getting the other party to pay for what they think they are getting, not to what the player is worth to you. Granted Braylon drops more balls than Paris Hilton, but if the Jets think they are getting a franchise wide receiver; you've got to make them pay for one.
   So I ask you Browns fans. Did we get fleeced? Let me hear what you have to say.

Do You Think You Know Browns Football? Enter The "Kings Of Rant" Contest Today!

2009-10-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

Are you a rabid Browns fan who has a take with a edge? Are you sick of all the vanilla blogs that basically regurgitate the stats and Toni Grossi's "analysis"? Do you think you are a talented writer who can express himself/herself with wit and humor? Now is your shot, as Browns Rant is having it's first annual "King of Rant" contest. The winner gets a spot on the staff of one of the fastest growing Browns blogs(hold the applause). For details on how to enter, please email us at brownsrant@aol.com with your name and a short bio telling us a little bit about yourself, your man-love for the Browns(even if your a girl your love for the Browns is considered man-love) and why you don't suck(I hate Jim Rome). Anti-Steeler rhetoric is a must. We look forward to hearing from you and Go Browns!

Rants from the Dawg Pound: Browns-Ravens Preview Edition

2009-09-26T21:14:00.000-07:00

* Before training camp we at Browns Rant lauded Kokinis(though I'm sure Mangini has a little to do with it) for his plan to build the Browns from the ground up and bolster the depth at cornerback and along the offensive line, two places which it has been sorely lacking the last few seasons. Too long had we seen Phil Savage treat the nickelback position like it was his red-headed stepchild.
   The Browns added three very respected veterans with eighty four career starts between them and two rookies to take their shot at it. That worked out as well as Brian Daboll's game plan the last couple weeks. Ivy and Hood got chopped, Carey got stolen by the Jaguars, Hank Poteat "won" the competition and gets the bulk of the reps at nickel and is as embarrassing as the new season of "The Office". Coye Francies, the sixth rounder who showed flashes in the preseason, is inexplicably glued to the bench(maybe Mangini doesn't like guys who can't take a joke).
   As far as the offensive line is concerned, consider the following sequence from the Browns-Broncos game. John St. Clair, the prize OL free agent pickup,  had a false start and gave up two sacks-in consecutive plays. That could very well be the worst three play stretch by a Browns offensive lineman ever.

* The Keystone Beer keys to the game are:

Blitzing:  You probably thought I was talking about Rex Ryan's defense, right? Wrong. Want to see me predict the future? OK, here goes. The Ravens are going to blitz early and often. And this is good for us. Do you think I'm crazy yet?
   The truth is that Brady Quinn actually hasn't been half bad when the other team has blitzed; he usually gets it to the right guy and recognizes when Braylon is getting single coverage. Couple that with fact that Ravens secondary has not looked to pretty thus far,except for Mr.Reed. Quinns problems arise when he has to stare at seven defenders in coverage while worrying if John St Clair fell asleep again. If the Browns take advantage they might actually be able to hit on some big plays(read: longer that fifteen yards)for a change.

Nickelback: Hank Poteat has been absolutely atrocious in both games. It's time for Francies to start stealing playing time except Mangini feels that that would send a terrible message to the young impressionable teenagers of Northeast Ohio after the stunt he pulled on Friday. The bottom line is we need improved play from this position if we want any hope of getting off the field on third downs.

These are obviously besides for the usual cliche keys to the game: The Browns getting a run game going; substituting for the run game with misdirections and screens; Brady Quinn not sucking; stopping the run and might personal favorite: setting up the passing the game with the run game. I leave those for tomorrows announcers. Wouldn't want to steal their thunder.

Browns Fans Still The Best

2009-09-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

       There's not much to hang our hats on in Browns Town these days but I will say this. So far this season I was lucky enough to be at three games; both Browns games and the Oakland-San Diego thriller and I am proud to say that our fans have yet to be matched. It's obvious that we are emotionally attached and it shows. This is nothing new; last year ESPN ranked Browns fans third behind the hated Steelers and the Packers.

     Another thing I noticed is that fans mirror the organizations they root for. In Cleveland you get the irrational hope and bottomless, hurtful disappointment; in Oakland you have pure delusion. I wore my Browns jersey to the Raiders game just to get comments, and they did not let up all night. A few were derisive but most were of sincere pity.
    Imagine fans of a team that has Al Davis as a owner and that just made a trade that would have made Ted Stepien proud truly feels bad for us. They act as if they are a trust fund baby whose senile father is defecating all over their maserati; they're just waiting for him to kick and then the glory of Raider Nation will inevitably be restored. The Browns, they feel, are just, well, defecating all over their Chrysler Sebring.

Denver was little harder to read. My seat mates were Orson Hodge II and some forty year old cougar who wore a Elway jersey that said XXXXL on it(no I don't think that was a Super Bowl reference). They seemed ambivalent to the Broncos and the game in general except when Big Elway had her fifth chili dog and then had beer come through her nose while she was trying to wash it down, but overall the fans where decent, think Progressive field in the middle of the season when the Tribe is eight games out but just took three straight from the Yankees(just pretend it happened).

Bottom line, whether it's masochism or fanaticism Browns fans put out. And I'm proud of that.

Rants from the Dawg Pound:Browns-Vikings Edition

2009-09-15T10:36:00.001-07:00

*  In the "Best Damn Browns Preview" and in  Report: Browns RB "really sucks" Max Rage and I have gone to great lengths to prove to the jury that Jamal Lewis was worse at running the football than Steve Young was at giving color commentary. Wow were we wrong.
    First Lewis ran like it was 2007, being decisive and showing a nice strong burst while finishing the day with eleven carries for fifty seven yards. Then Steve Young goes out and delivers a mute button breaking performance and a previously impossible I-can't-believe-I'm-saying-this-but-I-wish-Tony-Kornheiser-was-here moment.
    On a scale from believable(Ellen DeGeneres is a lesbian) to unbelievable(Lindsay Lohan is a lesbian) here's how I rank this weeks events: Kameron Wimbley's one sack, three quarterback hits and three tackle day( which, if your keeping score, is another guy I threw under the bus. My bad, Kamerion. Much love.); Drew Brees torching the Lions for six touchdowns( apparently their "mentors" didn't do a good enough job); Kanye West berating Taylor Swift, thereby making a fool of himself; Jamal Lewis's solid day;  Kanye West on Jay Leno making a even bigger fool of himself (does he have a CD coming out?); the end of the Bengals-Broncos game(talk about hard knocks); the Pats comeback over the Bills, Dick Jauron's face watching the Pats comeback over the Bills and Steve Young nails-scratching-against-a-chalkboard performance. Seriously, it was that unbelievably bad. But I digress. The bottom line is Jamal Lewis didn't look half bad and James Davis either looked like a guy who just got concussed in a car accident or like a guy who faced NFL starters for the first time.
*   After the game on Sunday was mercifully over I was gripped with a wave of depression as I made my way back to my car. "Why was I so depressed", I kept on asking myself. It's not like this was unexpected, right? Heck, we were even winning at halftime. So what was my problem?
    On the way home it hit me like Hines Ward hitting Keith Rivers. I wasn't bothered that special teams and penalties basically cost us the game after Mangini promised change and discipline. Change takes time, especially if you just spent the last four years playing pick up football with Romeo. Brady Quinn looked shaky at best but that wasn't gnawing at me either. What really made my blood boil was the offensive coordinator and head coach playing not to lose. Nothing makes me lose my head more than that. You see, once you play not to lose the game is essentially over; you cannot win. Losing is inevitable; the only question is what the catalyst will be.
     Take the first drive, after Brad Childress decides to give the Browns a gift at the fifty yard line and the Browns have been moving the ball on the ground and through the air. With momentum at their back on third and nine from the twenty one yard line, they decide the best move is to basically run it and take the three points. Seriously that's what they did; that little shuffle pass gets you nine yards once every twenty times. The first drive of the season and they are already playing not to lose.I don't care how inexperienced your QB is; if you can't trust your quarterback in that situation than he should not be your in there. Consider this; Quinn did not throw a pass on third down until the fourth quarter.
    Another thing that bothered me (which Mangini has subsequently apologized for) was the two straight runs out of the wildcat at the goal line. The first one was understandable; the second one unforgivable. No surprise, no wildcat. It's that simple. I also felt there was a little lack of imagination offensively. Where were the screen passes? Why not try to get the ball to Cribbs in space, like the Vikings kept on doing with Harvin? "The Canadien Bull" has a lot of work to do.
* As for Brady Quinn, apparently he's a work in progress, which is expected at this point of his career. Still, the dinking and dunking is really starting to grate on my nerves. From what I saw he definetly left some plays on the field and looked afraid to take a shot, which is a terrible trait for a quarterback to have. In the huddle he looked like a guy who tells his dying wife that everything is going to be okay but she's knows the truth. His timing on his slants where way off and that "miscommunication" with Braylon is on him, not to mention his Garo Yepremian-esque fumble.
What's that you say? I shouldn't pass judgement after one game? I'm not, I just simply want to point out what we should be watching for in the next couple of weeks. By the way Eric, it might help if you show a little confidence in the kid and actually let him throw a pass on third down.
* Now the good news. My eyes popped out of my head when I saw the defense play. They played with fire and intensity. Rob Ryan called a great game, showing them a lot of different looks and blitzing plenty. Actual blitzing!
I felt like a father who's kid becomes a doctor; could you imagine my Browns, after all these years of me asking, pleading, cajoling, screaming and even begging for a aggressive defense, finally they are making me proud and listening to me. It was surreal.
  Didn't you love the extensive use of the "46" defense? The corners played well considering they weren't tested much. Kamerion Wimbley and Abe Elam had outstanding performances, especially in the first half. Even Brodney Pool, who has been comatose since his pick against the Giants last season added a sack and seemed to be around the ball.  Besides for Adrian Peterson's sixty four yard scamper (like a bad song you accidentally hear on the radio, I can't get  Chris Berman's, "and there goes Peterson, Whoop! Whoop!" out of my head) the Browns defense mostly was victimized by shoddy special teams(I was speaking to Max Rage and he made a very good point. The person who could be single handedly the most responsible for the Browns losing on Sunday? Dave Zastudil. Think about it. Zastudil's terrible line drive punts were the main reason the the Vikings were able to get such big returns. Did I mention Max hates Zastudil?) and being on the field for too long more than any thing else.

TOP TEN SLOGANS FOR THE UPCOMING BROWNS SEASON

2009-09-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

Last year, the Browns had a pretty pithy slogan: The name on the door is Cleveland. What would the slogan

be if pithy still reigned in Berea this year? Browns Rant takes a stab.

       1. AT LEAST WE DIDN'T FIRE OUR OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR . YET.

       2.   PROUD TO BE STAPH INFECTION FREE!!

       3. 2008 N.Y. JETS WITHOUT BRETT FAVRE.

       4. JAMAL LEWIS STILL GOT IT AND WE ADDED SHAUN ROGERS; WE'RE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!! ( Oops, that was last years)

      5. CHICKS GO ABSOLUTELY CRAZY WHEN ERIC MANGINI SAYS "LETS KEEP THOSE INTERNAL."

      6. "WE'RE/ TOO SEXY FOR OUR BROWN PANTS/ TOO SEXY FOR OUR BROWN PANTS/ FROM NEW YORK....."

      7. AT LEAST LERNER DIDN'T HIRE DENNIS GREEN OR HERM EDWARDS. OR BOTH.

      8. "WE WILL NOT CONFIRM OR DENY THE NAME ON THE DOOR."

      9. NEW WRINKLE THIS YEAR: GAMEPLANS!

     10. WHERE BEATING PITTSBURGH FINALLY HAPPENS.

BEST DAMN BROWNS PREVIEW

2009-09-08T13:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first annual BROWNSRANT BROWNS PREVIEW. Hey, how's everyone doing. First, a little housekeeping. Browns Rant would like to welcome our new columnist Max Rage, who, as his name indicates, really blows his stack sometimes. I mean Hillary Clinton PMS style. You can read his first offering on Browns RB Jamal Lewis here.
Now a disclaimer. Browns Rant will NOT make any predictions of any kind in terms of record. Any intelligent football fan knows that it's arbitrary and involves too many variables. Consequently, even if one makes a good prediction it's usually due to some factor that one never considered or was dismissed as irrelevant or was so obvious that everyone else thought of it. Unfortunately, we still can predict with almost certainty that the Browns will not be good this year. They have too many question marks and I don't see them all getting resolved. Do I think they are going to be 2-14 like Peter King does? I doubt he even looked at the schedule considering the Browns are playing a team that went winless last year(Detroit); a team that just fired their Offensive Coordinator a week before the season(KC); a team that drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall and whose Head Coach reportedly pounded a guy in the face ; a team that traded away it's franchise QB, is trying to trade it's franchise WR and features Andra Davis as starting ILB as part of arguably the worst front seven in football(Broncos); a team who went 5-11 last year and has former Brown and Josh Cribbs' financial guru Dennis Northcutt skillfully hauling in passes at WR(Jaguars). You have to think they take a few of those games, and that's without even mentioning the Bengals(who we play twice),the Bills and the "any given Sunday" factor. So Peter, please, do us a favor and write a nice long article about Brett Favre's jockstrap (no I don't mean Brad Childress) and leave the predicting to someone else. Without further ado......

Coaching: When the Brown's tabbed Eric Mangini to be there next coach everyone thought Randy Lerner was out of his mind or just plain stupid. We would've much rather Josh McDaniels or Scott Pioli, right? Now these organizations look like Britney Spears; spiraling out of control and repeatedly shooting themselves in the leg(Do NOT insert your Plaxico Burress joke here. I can't tell you how many times I heard that stupid joke along with the pretentious exclamatory "no pun intended!". I'm looking at you Jay Leno. No more.) There is no question that the Browns will be more disciplined and aggressive under Mangini than Romeo, which really is like saying America will be more liberal under Obama than Bush. The question is this.Has Mangini learned from his mistakes with the Jets when at times he seemed to play not to lose? He better, or else Randy Lerner will hire Art Shell to take his place in four years. You would also like to see the Browns develop some sort of identity on offense, and with Mangini that should mean running the football and a ball control based scheme which would be fine if you didn't have Jamal Lewis as your starting RB. I don't buy in to the the Browns rhetoric that they will be a game plan specific team like the Patriots just yet ; then again we don't have toys like Brady, Moss and Welker. Needless to say, the play-calling will be carefully watched. Obviously they will tone it down a little for Brady Quinn; I just hope that means more screens to Harrison and Cribbs and not more of Jamal Lewis diving for two yards. On the defensive side you have to love Rob Ryan talking like he's Rex and coaching like he's Buddy(you know with the whole 46 defense and all). The only thing is Mangini is known for his "bend but don't break defense" so either Ryan just likes to talk or (gasp!) Mangini might be coming around on the whole blitzing thing. We haven't seen a Browns linebacker blitz since Jamir Miller(Sorry Willie, what you were doing all these years cannot even loosely be described as blitzing). If the preseason is any indication the special teams should be a crack squad. On a related note, BLAKE COSTANZO MADE THE TEAM!! I begged Mangini not to cut him and force him to trade first names with Browns G.M. Kokinis and he apparently has started to listen to me. Or maybe that's "Jimmy" doing his thing.

Offense: Guess what one of the keys is for the Browns offense this year. I'll give you a hint.

The Patriots do it.

The Steelers do it.

Heck, even the Toronto Argonauts do it.

Screen passes. Yes, screen passes will be one of the keys for the offense this year, especially since we're operating with assumption that Brady Quinn will be the starter ( even though I fully expect Mangini to send him out with a ski mask under his helmet we should be able to figure out it's him by his biceps)and since the offensive line may have some problems opening up holes (apparently only for Jamal Lewis) we will need some other way to compensate for these yards. Enter the screen pass, which offers a great way to accomplish the objectives you want from your running game while also getting the football into the hands of your play makers. I'd say chalk up the Brown's up for at least four a game this season. Obviously, I hope they also do other things to spice it up like the no-huddle and the "Flash" package(which we rarely saw last season). Another thing they shouldn't be shy about is throwing the ball down the field in the beginning of games. If your afraid Brady will throw a pick then tell him to chuck it out of bounds. It's imperative that the opponent know that it's in our arsenal.

Quarterbacks: Let's keep this internal for now.

Running Backs: I expect Lewis to start the first few games, average 1.9 YPC and then to be benched. James Davis has looked pretty solid during the preseason with a nice burst through the line and a penchant for the big play. And if you watched the Bears game you saw Davis doing a great job at picking up the blitz numerous times. Keep Beanie the human hamstring pull" Wells. We'll take James Davis. Even though he seems to have been forgotten I still expect Jerome Harrison to touch the ball plenty. Remember, Mangini loved experimenting with Leon Washington in N.Y.

Offensive Line: Going into training camp I was as high as Michael Beasley (low blow alert-pun intended) on the Browns offensive line. With the drafting of "The Mack Truck" and the signing of Womack and St. Clair, and with Tuck, Rex Hadnot and Hank Fraley providing depth I thought we were stacked. Now? Tuck is gone, St. Clair hasn't made anyone forget Kevin Shaffer and they haven't been able to run to the right side the whole preseason. Penalties abound and laps have been run. Plus, our "swing tackle" is some guy named Phil Trautwein, who looks like he became a offensive lineman just because he looks like one. Keep your fingers crossed.

Wide Receiver: If Braylon learns how to catch a football, Cribbs steps up to be a number two reciever, Furrey makes key third down grabs and Massaquoi and Robiskie develop and contribute this year we should be good. You get the point.

Tight End: Royal is a big upgrade when he's blocking over Winslow who after all his bravado blocked like a third grade girl. We need seventy receptions from the tight ends this year. Steve Heiden is definitely good for thirty. It will be very interesting to see what Martin Rucker can contribute. I really don't see why Phil Savage had to trade his children for this guy; at best he looks like a decent pass catcher. But don't discount the added blocking; I think that more than compensates for Winslow's offense. Well, almost.

Built in excuses for the offense: Jamal Lewis is washed up; John St. Clair keeps on missing blocks; D.A. standing on the field and tripped Josh Cribbs ;(this joke is approaching Plax overkill status but until then...)Mangini doesn't divulge which plays he wants to run to the team; the elements; Braylon Edwards catches a football like a third grade girl and last but not least: our OFFENSIVE CORDINATOR IS CANADIEN!! How can the players possibly respect him? He speaks French and gets free health care. That's a built in excuse if I ever saw one.

Bottom Line: I don't see anyway the offense doesn't improve this season. We're talking about a team who averaged 100 yards per game rushing and less than 150 passing. Plus, contrary to popular belief we do have playmakers. Your excused if you can't get it to Edwards if he drops passes but we should be creative enough to get into the hands of Josh Cribbs. We should see a improved running game with James Davis and behind a offensive line that despite it's problems is arguably the best in the division.

Defense: I feel like Romeo and Mel Tucker used to send out the Browns defense and tell them, " Go out there and have fun. Remember it's not if you win or lose but how you play the game. Now remember Shaun,your not different then anybody else. You also have to count to three Mississippi before you rush the passer. Oh, by the way, the offense sucks so you probably will be on the field for most of the game but fear not we have the oxygen masks ready to go". Undoubtedly the Browns defense still has it's question marks; the lack of play-makers and the perennial lack of pass rush just to name a few, but we still should be much better than last years squad. Remember Terry Cousin and Travis Daniels? That was a nightmare. How about Andra "drag me five yards" Davis? Can't you just see him hanging on to L.T. for the last twenty yards of a touchdown run? One thing you have to give him credit for; he wasn't able to bring you down, but no matter what you did he never let go. And who can forget the "leadership" Big Willie brought to the team. We can't, because Mary Kay wrote eight articles reminding us. Point is, at least this season we get to see a real live NFL-style defense with all the trimmings like hitting and blitzing.

         Defensive Line: Probably all around the best unit on the team which includes our only true stud in Shaun Rogers and two lunch-pail types in Robaire Smith and Kenyon Coleman. It really hit the Browns hard when Robaire when down last season. These guys do exactly what 3-4 lineman are supposed to do; A) hold the point of attack and two gap and B) collapse the pocket if possible, which is why Corey Williams is such a horrible fit for this defense since he does none of those things well(which just further illustrates what kind of bonehead Phil Savage was. How do you trade a second round pick for him and give thirty eight million dollars to a guy to do something he has never done before? What was he thinking? ). I do expect to see him on passing downs when we can utilize his ability to shoot the gaps, which is what he did in Green Bay( Ironically the Packers also switched to the 3-4 defense this off season under Def. Coordinator Dom Capers, but the scheme they run calls for the defensive lineman to shoot the gaps which is what he's good at). Ahtyba Rubin and C.J. Mosely are also talented players which gives the Browns good depth.

          Linebackers: I'm really down on Kamerion Wimbley. Sure, I know the coaches plan to move him around this year. I just don't think it will help. The little boy Browns fan inside me has already created highlight reels of Wimbley taking off Big Ben's head but then reality sets in. This guy doesn't lack the work ethic, talent or intensity to get it done. Is it really the elusive "counter move" or is it in his head? It's just so frustrating after the monster rookie season he had. On the other hand Eric Barton is a huge upgrade over Davis, and he's only a decent player at best. Not having Davis should shave the YPC by a half a yard at least. Everyone talks about D'Quell Jackson being close to a Pro Bowl player; I say he's definitely tackles a lot of people but he doesn't make enough impact plays. He might get there though. David Bowens? Decent Veteran. Alex Hall? Needs more consistency but love his talent. David Veikune? Encouraging preseason until the Bears game; got a lot of first-team reps. Kaluka Maiva? Special team demon. Leon Williams? Wondering why he made the team.

          Secondary: Max Rage loves the corners. I'm afraid of them. They are ball hawks but young and too inconsistent in coverage. And what's with the celebrations and gyrations every time your opponent throws a incomplete pass? Are you guys totally oblivious to the fact that this is a very common occurrence? That it happens approximately 40% percent of the time? Maybe Hank Poteat can provide some "veteran leadership" while he fights for the nickel back spot with Coye Francies, who is looking very,very good. I think Abe Elam and Brodney Pool will get beat deep plenty this year. I hate to say it but I'd be more comfortable if we had Sean Jones back there.

         Built in excuses for defense: Too many Jets; Rob Ryan's hair was getting in the way of the chalk board during meetings; Bryan Cox is a "butt head"; lack of playmakers; we never blitz.

         Bottom Line:   Again, I don't see how this unit doesn't improve at least against the run. Against the pass we could be in for a very long season. Mangini must find a way to manufacture some pass rush.

          Well that's it. Hope you enjoyed. One last note. Every year we get all psyched up about the Browns and every year they deliver mind numbing disappointment. Remember how deflated every one was after the pathetic showing against the Cowboys last year? Troll the message boards and you will see Browns fans predicting 7-9 or 8-8 seasons. Even a few occasional playoff picks. Now check out what the local and national media predicts. I'm not saying they know what they're talking about, I'm just saying that we as fans our a little biased. Of course, we should demand excellence from our team but we shouldn't expect  it like it's the most natural thing in the world as if we were Pat's fans. We're not. We're Browns fans, and I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. Even if it means rooting for Jamal Lewis.

Cleveland Browns 2009 : Dare to Dream

2009-09-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

Here we are Browns fans. The season is upon us. We have the same chance as everyone else to be a playoff team (as a Browns fan Super Bowl team is not even in my vocabulary) but why not us? Why can’t this year be our year? I keep asking myself why we can’t get a couple lucky bounces- okay a lot of lucky bounces. Maybe play a couple teams that overlook us; who knows? If we can’t dream now when we are all even chances are we won’t be able to dream later.

           Browns vs. Vikings week one you have a 39 year old quarterback who’s been known to throw picks for no other reason but to say hey, my name is Brett Favre, I’m a gunslinger, girls over forty love me. You have a coach Brad Childress when watching him coach actually makes you think that Romeo will get another job (girls over forty do not dig him). It’s a dream. It could happen any given Sunday. Look at the Dolphins from last year who went from 1-15 the previous season to 11-5. It could happen. Anything is possible.

          So I woke up after the win against Favre’s Vikings and started thinking; how did an under average team such as the Dolphins manage to go 11-5 with a quarterback (Chad Pennington) who makes Brady Quinn’s arm look like Jake Cutler’s, with a best receiver in Ted Ginn who is five foot ten and can’t run routes, with one of their running backs (Ricky Williams)that is so high on weed he makes "The Dude" look like The Pope. A defensive line that lost its best player (Jason Taylor) etc… you get the point. They were not exactly the Cowboys of the nineties.

           Then it dawned on me. The Dolphins didn't go into any game saying, “Hey, we are better than them, we are going to beat them on both sides of the ball and dominate the game”. Rather Tony Sparano told his team, “We are going to do everything in our power to win this football game, to gain an extra yard and to gain any advantage possible”. Sparano created the wildcat not because it was the most technically sound way to play the game of football, but just because it gave him a chance for his team to get an edge. With out-of-the-box coaching and a mentality that we will do anything to win(and with the testicular fortitude to buck the status quo) they surprised and shocked the NFL.

         So Eric, what do you think? Do you have it in you? Do you think you could throw out all your “there is a right and wrong way to play to the game philosophy”, to give the Browns a chance to win a football game? Do not get me wrong, I would love to see a Brown’s team that can beat teams up, win games on pure talent, and football smarts alone. Just this Browns team doesn’t have the personnel to win like that.

        Now I know what you all are thinking. Don’t we want to build a team on technically sound football even if we have to wait a couple years to be good? Would you not rather see a technically sound 6-10 Browns team that looks like if we added a couple of fixer uppers we could (gulp?) make the playoffs, or (double gulp??) win a playoff game? The answer is yes, that’s the dream for the city of Cleveland. Let us start dreaming anew not like we are always building for the future Clevelanders, but like the winners we all deserve to be. Just because the rest of the NFL thinks we're a bunch of losers doesn't mean we have to play like one.  On the contrary, it will show us and teach the players something that is surely needed, the "we will do anything to win and gain any advantage no matter how big or small” mentality. In my opinion there is nothing better to teach than that- to have an organization that runs on these principles. More often than not organizations that run on these principles (i.e.Patriots, Steelers), win now and our power houses for years to come by playing and doing anything to win a game. Take the Steelers win in the Super bowl against the Seahawks. The biggest play in the game was a trick play that saw WR Antoine Randle-El throw a touchdown pass to WR Hines Ward, so in a game in which they were outplayed they managed to win because they had a coach who did anything possible to get a victory. The coach all us Browns fans coveted; a guy by the name of Bill Cowher.

          So dream with me Browns fans. Let us dream that this is the year we turn into a city of winners. Let us say NO to anyone who says the word building block, or that we are rebuilding (Mark Shapiro). We can dream of a team that plays and cares to win as much as we do. Here is my rage to anybody who believes that building for the future is more important than winning football games now. To anybody in the Browns organization who believes that winning is somewhere in the future, and tries to convince us that we have a grand master plan. So let us dream Browns fans. Let us dream that dreams is not all that we have left. GO BROWNS.

Report: Browns RB "really sucks"

2009-09-02T12:53:00.001-07:00

JAMAL LEWIS SUCKS. There I said it. Why is everyone so afraid to say it? Please tell me that Browns nation isn't so naive to think that just because the Browns have a good record when he gets twenty or more carries it doesn't mean he's a legitimate starting RB in this league. How many starting running backs wouldn't you rather have on the Browns instead of Lewis? Cedric Benson? Julius Jones? Maybe? I mean please, the only reason they were able to win those games is because the Browns were up big and they tried to "eat some clock" with Jamal Lewis basically taking knee after knee and then it still almost killed them.
It seems Brown's fans have forgotten Romeo's default game plan; hand the ball off to Jamal on first and second down and then try to convert on third and long. Doesn't everyone remember screaming bloody hell at the TV after Jamal went down on the first hit after another two yard gain? After we were down, oh say two touchdowns Romeo would realize something was amiss and put in Wright or Harrison to make it respectable. Am I the only one who remembers this?
A word of warning; when by some miracle the offensive line opens a whole the size of Queen Latifah's backside and Jamal A)Identifies the hole and B) slowly moseys his way for eight yards and a first down, JUST SAY NO. Say no to the guy next to you at the bar who says, "That Jamal Lewis guy still has it. Did you know he had back-to-back thousand yard seasons? He's the lone bright spot on the Browns" don't listen to him or shake your head politely and buy him another beer. Either launch into a profanity laced tirade against Jamal Lewis or take your beer and move. Reuban Droughns, another great Browns RB (washed up from a different team) was just as good here, and he couldn't crack the rotation with the Giants. So why do James Davis and Jerome Harrison have to play spectacular to take away carries from him? Mediocre should suffice.
So that's my rage. The ball is in your court Mangini. Do you want to impress Brown's fans and do right by Jamal Lewis(i.e. bench him) and emerge from Belichik's I-do-everything-please-hire-my-assistants-who-I-choose-for-their-abilities-to-spy-on-other-teams- shadow? Or are you just another Belichik disciple who thinks he's smarter than he is? CUT JAMAL LEWIS. GO BROWNS.

Browns trade DL Leonard to Panthers

2009-09-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

         The Browns traded DL Louis Leonard to the Carolina Panthers, who were thin at DT after the injury to Ma'ake Kemoeatu, for a undisclosed draft pick. Leonard reportedly "butted heads" with DL coach Bryan Cox two weeks ago.
        Apparently Bryan Cox rubs some players the wrong way as he also butted heads with Shaun Smith before he was released. Then again, everyone rubs Shaun Smith the wrong way.
         Per a semi-reliable source close to the Brown's organization(sorry, your no "Jimmy" just yet; we'll see how you do), the Browns received a sixth round pick in the trade. Leonard started four games and made thirty one tackles last season.

Browns Rants

2009-08-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

    A few observations........

     * "Jimmy"(my Browns insider) tells me that contrary to some media speculation, aside from some standard bumps and bruises("only the kicker doesn't have them")Shaun Rodgers isn't injured, and that Mangini and Rodgers' relationship has not fizzled whatsoever. He referred to the report as "laughable" and "just the media grasping for straws".
    * Jimmy also told me that the apparent lack of pass rush  should be taken with a grain of salt. Eric "The General" Mangini would kill them if they deviate from their assignment or gap even if they did it to make a big play. So if making a play while freelancing won't get you more playing time and reps why risk it? A lot of the stress on defense in training camp was on fundamentals such as tackling, positioning on the field and reading plays. In the games the coaches just wanted to see who can apply the fundamentals in a game setting, not who can beat up Matt Stafford and Aaron Rodgers.
    * I asked Jimmy about the Quarterback situation. He would not utter a word. In fact, he wouldn't even say the names "Brady" or "Anderson" in any context. I asked him who played QB for the Pats and he said O'Connell, Walter and Gisele's husband. I asked him what Neo's last name is in the Matrix and he looked at me like I was crazy(OK, I didn't know that lifetime football guys aren't into Sci Fi). Tommy Lee's wife's last name? Nope. Pamela from Baywatch? His eyes lit up but he quickly looked away. It got uncomfortable. We had a shot. Few more beers. Nothing. This guy really has a Seinfeldian vault. I'm telling you he looked nervous and scared to talk about it. "The General" really has him by the Browns.
    * On paper the cornerback situation looks pretty decent. But after going to the Lion's game I'm a little concerned. Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald are decent ball hawks but there were a lot, I mean a lot of open receivers. The safeties have a knack of letting the receivers get behind them. I'm not sure how this is going to play out. If Matt Staff didn't only look at one receiver per play it might have looked more like the Packers game.
    * I don't think the Browns are ripping up Josh Cribb's contract. Adjusting it, maybe, but rip it up? He has four years left and he has no real leverage. Yes, he is an important part of the team, especially if he comes on as a receiver, but he should have listened to former Brown's WR Dennis Northcutt when he advised him not to sign his six-year $6.77 million dollar extension.The funniest part is that Cribbs is walking around saying, "Man, I should have listened to that Northcutt dude. He was one smart cat." I promise no one has ever said that before.
    * It's very exciting to see some rookies, even some late round picks, making a impact. James Davis hopefully will take some of Jamal Lewis' carries, Coye Francies (cool name) is looking very solid and David Veikune looks like he's from the Teddy Bruschi/Mike Vrabel school of linebacking. Not to mention the receivers and "The Mack truck" (I know, I know, too easy, too easy). We should hold a parade for Kokinis just for that alone.
    * One more tidbit from Jimmy. The most hated Smith in Browns land? Not Shaun Smith. Gene Smith(Jaguars G.M.). The front office is pissed and has vowed revenge. I love it. Yeah, I know that Gene Smith took a dump on Kokinis and the entire organization. Phil Savage wouldn't even have realized.
    * Mangini if you are reading this: Please keep Blake Costanzo and force Kokinis to trade first names with him. No fan would ever doubt a trade made by a guy named "Blake" and it would be awesome to have a player named George Costanzo.This definitely has a future. I'm sure a fun-loving guy like Mangini will go for this. Please. Please comment.

George Kokinis: Puppet or Mastermind?

2009-08-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

Human nature is to be adverse to risk. People hate change. It's everywhere. We go through great pain and hardships to make sure that everything stays the same in our families, our jobs, even the way we get dressed. Losing weight and quitting smoking are viewed as being impossible albeit heroic undertakings. Even when it comes to determining who and what will be successful the status quo is worshipped. That's why when the Browns shunned Scott Pioli and hired the Mangini/Kokinis tandem(Ten bucks to anyone who comes up with a nickname I haven't tried to pin on them yet. Yes, even that one you sicko.) we were so disappointed. We disregarded the fact that Pioli was blessed with one of the greatest Quarterbacks of our time(O.k. fine, he drafted him)and worked with a coaching genius; we just assumed that he would waltz into Cleveland and with his magic touch Tower City would turn into Mall of America. Kokinis? Quietly people are starting to whisper about how much they like the Brown's off season moves, and contrary to popular belief(i.e. everyone besides Kokinis' mother) the new Brown's G.M. is not just a puppet in Head Coach Eric Mangini's hand. Allow me to introduce "Jimmy". "Jimmy"(i feel like Dr. Evil) is my mole(MOLE!) , my spy, my informant deep inside the Brown's organization. (Somewhere Manginis yelling, "Screw the Packers, find Brownsrant's mole!!! Get me Kokinis now! Damn Shaun Smith!) Anyway "Jimmy" told me after a few stiff ones that everyone Kokinis has amazed everyone with his understanding of how to build a football organization and his ability to assert himself while getting along with Mangini. "Don't get me wrong", Jimmy tells me in between shots, "Mangini is in charge. It's just that Kokinis has had a equal if not greater impact on free agency and the draft thus far." When he told me that I was shocked, as you probably are right now.
One could tell the strength of a football team by how much it resembles a mini baseball team/organization. Just as a baseball team is made up of stars, veterans either solid starters or dependable backups, rookies, developmental prospects,minor leagues etc., so must a football team relatively respect this makeup. Kokinis is doing exactly that. He's building a roster where the backups aren't just washed up veterans who are looking to collect one last paycheck(Big Willie, Joe Andruzzi, Jason Fisk, Oh wait,we signed them to start. My bad.) or career backups who suck and have no special teams skiils or leadership abilities whatsoever, but players with different rolls. At almost every position he has added both dependable veterans and good developmental players. Let's get something straight. The Brown's roster is decent at best. How many players would you call decent? Ten? Eleven (including Cribbs, Vickers,Dawson)? Point is that even with the absence of play makers this is the deepest Browns team in a while, with depth on both lines and in the secondary. After Phil Savage treated this roster like he was playing a video game that's definitely a step in the right direction.
Inbox
Dear Brady, Stealing signs is for little girls. If you really want something that will help you get ahead call me mon.
Sincerely,
Big Papi

Dear Mr Mangini,
Give me my playbook back.
Sincerely,
Romeo Crennel

The Eric Mangini Project

2009-08-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

When I first heard about the Brown's supposed interest in Mangini my heart skipped a beat(in a bad way), I stopped breathing(in a bad way) and was so pissed off that I had to randomly piss people off just to get back at the Football Gods. I sincerely thought it was a practical joke like the guy on YouTube who thought he won the lottery. I hated Mangini. I would've rather had Art Shell as Coach and your younger brother who builds a great team on Madden 09 as G.M.(oh wait, wasn't that what we had with Romeo and "FU" Savage? Right that was.) Wasn't there some way the good people of Cleveland could petition and boycott and somehow convince Mr. Randy Lerner that aside from Larry Dolan he was the LAST MAN who should be making that decision? "Must be a way of leveraging Scott Pioli", I kept on telling myself. They're not really going to hire this guy.

January 8, 2009 they did, and I, like so many of you, thought we were entering the dark ages of Cleveland Brown's football. Now I'm going to tell you why the exact opposite is true.

First, a disclaimer. This is not another Assistant Coach- Bill Belichik word association game. Everyone has grown tired of all the rotten apples of the proverbial "Bill Belichick coaching tree". This is different. In hindsight we know that Romeo had less to do with Belichick football than Michael Reghi has with talk radio( BRING IT! BRING IT! Seriously, Mike, don't ever say that again. Your embarrassing Cleveland. You really are.) Your going to tell me that this man really use to concoct defensive wizardry for Belichick? Come on, he was having a Krispy Kream eating contest with Big Willie. Charlie Weiss is nothing more than a incompetent arrogant man. It's obvious that these men were not cut out to be Head Coaches and to judge other people from the "tree" based on their performance would be idiotic. There was no question that he was extremely bright and eighteen hour a day guy. So why did I hate Mangini with such passion? Because having watched most of his games over the past three seasons there were times I felt he was more Herm Edwards and less Bill Belichick. It appeared at times that he was playing not to lose, and there is NOTHING in a Coach I hate more than that. He was schizo; he would try a onside kick to start the second half and than go conservative on play calling at the end of game. He didn't seem to have that Parcellian killer instinct aggressiveness we crave for all our coaches. And then it hit me. Where have we seen this before? Where have we seen a coach who was very bright and a bad communicator struggle so mightily to reconcile his latent aggressiveness with his fundamentalism about the game? You guessed it! Bill Belichik! Could you imagine the coach who sent his RB up the middle again and again as if he didn't have another running play in the book and made "Metcalf up the middle" a joke and a catchphrase to underscore his boring conservatism being the same coach who won multiple Super Bowls and is known for his cunning and sometimes omniscient aggressiveness? No one saw it coming and when Bill Belichick was hired by the New England Patriots in 2000, we all snickered, just as the New York Jet fans are snickering now. How's this for a prediction: The Browns will win a Super Bowl under Eric Mangini.

Training Camp!

2009-08-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

Training camp! Football is back for six full months! Im sorry to my faithful readers that I took such a long hiatus but now I'm back for good, hopefully posting once a week in the off season and twice a week during. First my philosophy; 1)I will not sit here and make the same old stupid analysis you hear some other places, i.e. Derek Anderson has a gun that enamors coaches while Quinn has more touch. We all know this; there is no reason we need to hear it a thousand times a day. 2) My goal is to write this as a fan and not as a football guru that some bloggers try to be. Although luckily I do have a mole inside the Browns organization. More on "Jimmy" later. The funny thing is I didn't have one during the swinging Savage days. (By the way, rumor has it that "FU" Savage is doing color commentary on radio for the University of Alabama. Could you imagine? The guy is duller than Larry Kellner.) One more note: I created this blog primarily to interact with other fans that eat, sleep and breath Browns. I will read every comment and look forward to hearing from you.