Cleveland Sports Torture

Vox Redux: Talking to myself about Mike Brown

2013-04-25T09:31:00.000-04:00

Q: The reaction over Coach Brown's rehiring seems pretty split. Where do you stand?

A: Look, after thirty years of reacting to Cleveland coaching hires, I've learned to eliminate emotion. My first thought is never an impassioned judgement, but rather a dispassionate inquiry: Why? I simply ask why, and then I answer my own question. Motivation almost always tells the...

Q: (interrupts) OK, I'll bite. Let's play the rapid-fire WHY game. Why Pat Shurmur?
A: Because of Mike Holmgren's ego, nepotism and a shared agent.

Q: Why Eric Mangini?

A: Because Tony Grossi told Randy Lerner during a press conference that the Jets had just fired Mangenius.

Q: Why John Lucas?

A: Because no other coach was down with losing on purpose for a year for two.

Q: Why Eric Wedge?

A: Because he Vulcan mind-melded with Mark Shapiro.

Q: Why Mike Fratello?
A: Because his predecessor's teams lacked fire.

Q: Why Tito Francona?
A: Because this is a TribeTown and Terry sells it! OK, the rings helped.

Q: And why Mike Brown? Because it's a LeBron-friendly hire?
A; Nah, the summer of 2010 proved that LeBron didn't weigh coaches in his Decision. Besides, 'Bron could name his HC wherever he goes, but front office ultimatums aren't his style. LeBron likes to be liked too much.

Q: Because the organization is comfortable with Mike?
A: No, familiarity often breeds contempt.

Q: Because only four current NBA coaches have won a title and Mike Brown had the fattest resume?
A: Not really; if past success was truly Dan Gilbert's hot button then Flip Saunders would've been his choice over Brown eight years ago.

Q: So tell us, Vox, WHY was Mike Brown rehired?
A: Easy. Byron Scott.

Q: Would like to expand on that?
A: Byron drove Gilbert and Chris Grant to make this decision after three years of experiencing the Scott-skill-set. The Cavs spelled it out for us- they desired a workaholic majoring in defense. It's just a coincidence that Mike Brown matched the criteria. He's the polar opposite of Byron-- who did nothing here to dispel his rep for looking towards tee-times. And, even on critical possessions, the Cavs would part like the Red Sea on defense. If Scott had been even semi-competent, his replacement might've been an up-n-coming assistant. The Cavs are probably over-compensating for Byron's flaws with this hire.

Q: Ah, Mike Brown is the anti-Byron Scott?
A: You got it. Brown is the most egoless coach in pro sports. Byron, in full contrast, seemingly oozes arrogance . Drive-by fans see the record, give Byron a pass and chalk it up to our crappy roster. But unless you paid close attention to every game, you don't realize how much of a hand Scott had in our Stepien-culture. Perhaps you missed him laughing through pressers, smiling emphatically with beat reporters questioning his team's ineptitude. I know, right? It couldn't be me. I mean, look here, I'm Byron hardass Scott. Silly kids aren't getting the message, Mary.

Q: Did you see Gilbert's tweets defending Brown?

A: Cute stats, but here's what I'd have tweeted: The Cavs were a lottery team when Brown arrived in 2005. They won 50 games and nearly reached the conference finals in Brown's first season. You might argue it was those "impactful" signings of Donyell Marshall, Damon Jones and Larry Hughes, but I'll credit Coach. And, last season, Brown won one more playoff game with the exact same Lakers' roster that Phil Jackson had a year earlier.

Q: Yeah, but remember how Stan Van Gundy went coaching-clinic on Mike Brown in 2009?

A: (Nods) Bro, I still haven't recovered from that series.

Q: So how will Brown ever win a championship now if he failed then?

A: Championship? Why are we even taking about a championship? We haven't even sniffed the playoffs since LeBron left. You're like a dude who hasn't been laid in three years trying to bang Kate Upton. Slow down. Coach will help us do some regular season slump-busting. Maybe he'll even convince Kyrie it's OK to play hard against the bad teams with no television audience. Kid picks his spots more than a stain remover.

Q: What else can Brown do for us?

A: I'm hoping he can raise our club's collective IQ, hold twenty point leads, and use a timeout effectively. That should upgrade the win total by at least seven or eight.

Q: How many games will we win next year?

A: 44, earning Mike Brown Coach of the Year Honors for a second time.

Q: That's hot. But very unrealistic.

A: So was the prospect of Mike coaching again in Cleveland.

Q: And what if he struggles with our immature squad?

A: I'll still feel fortunate that we nabbed him. Frankly, there wasn't a better alternative. Ten teams in the league may have coaching vacancies; the carousel recycles quickly and with little merit.

Q: Vox, I got a very important question to ask you. When Mike Brown get out the NBA, how would you like to go into the shrimpin' business with him?

A: Not nice. But we'd name the boat Delonte.

Q: You wrote in 2010 that "Mike Brown and accountability were never synonyms."

A: I was referring to LeBron, and Brown's refusal to call him out for burning shot clocks with the stanky-leg offense. Note that in 2011, especially in the Finals, Erik Spoelstra dealt with those same issues when 'Bron settled for jumpers or became disengaged during crunch time.

Q: Spoelstra's a genius now.

A: Yeah, because LeBron finally dedicated himself to low post dominance last season. Timing is everything.

Q: Will the Heat repeat?

A: If they make the Finals, yes. But I have a strange feeling they'll go down to Indiana or New York.

Q: Forget Go West, you are the real king of wishful thinking!

A: LeBron is still ringless in proper 82-game seasons, dog.

Q: After John Kuester returns and Jamahl Mosley (instrumental in the emergence of Tristan Thompson) is retained, who else should round out Brown's staff?

A: I'm officially lobbying for Luke Walton to re-sign as a player/assistant coach. And Michael Reghi is pretty much wasting away at KNR. Maybe give him a clipboard, too. Reghi thought he was coaching the team anyway in his last few years announcing games, which prompted Paul Silas to sarcastically quip, "If it isn't Coach Reghi!"

Q: Last time you talked to yourself in a column, you were mocking Terry Pluto. It should be noted that Terry also endorses Brown's return.

A: Doesn't surprise me. Terry supports just about every move any Cleveland team makes.

Q: Now why the potshot?

A: Me? No, I'm a writer, not a fighter. Terry's open letters are the voice of the Cleveland fan.

Q: If Terry is the voice of the Cleveland fan, what are you? The soft, white underbelly?

A: Haha, hardly. I'm a poor man's Scott Raab on my best days. And a less violent version of Robert DeNiro in The Fan on my worst.

Q: I wonder if your readers know "Vox" is latin for "voice?"

A: They do now.

Q: Say goodnight Vox.

A: Goodnight Vox. Parting is...inevitable.

Vote for the Indians' Bill Selby in the #OCABracket. Because it is right and just.

2013-04-17T12:46:00.000-04:00

So Will Burge (@WillBurge) and TJ Zuppe (@TJZuppe) put together a list of Cleveland's most obscure athletes of all time. And while I disagree with the premise that Bill Selby is obscure--after all, he has been described as "God" and has been elected to the Hall of Fame (Buffalo Bisons style). Also, he has a Bond-like home run counter online.

Regardless...take a few minutes to vote for Bill Selby here...give us at Cleveland Sports Torture a ray of hope, celebrating a great teammate who gave us a great moment off Mo Rivera more than a decade ago. Never forget.

Here's another link to the vote so you don't forget...and in the meantime enjoy the memory!

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Cavs must bring Byron back for one more go

2013-04-15T12:13:00.000-04:00

"You be quiet now, boy. I'm trying to watch 'Quincy.'"

When Byron Scott stands glowering on the Cavaliers' sideline, he looks like that strict uncle you were always a little bit afraid of. The kind of old-school disciplinarian not shy about pulling out his belt to deliver a whoopin' on whoever was fixin' for one, dagnabbit.

Scott needs to take the belt out more on these Cavs, a collection of raw talent that treats defense like a sullen teenager considering a messy room. Overall, the team simply plays too many stretches of lackluster basketball, evidenced again yesterday in a 91-77 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Cavs' fourth straight defeat and 14 of 16 overall, for the seven people out there who still give a damn about the 2012-2013 squad's fortunes.

Scott seems like the whip-cracking type, so it's frustrating for fans when the energy and effort are not apparent. Then there are the moments when this roster just chokes under the pressure, i.e. four blown leads of 20 or more points where you could practically hear the Cavs gagging on their own intestines once those big leads slipped away.

Coach Scott is an easy target of fan discontent. He's got that taciturn demeanor on the sideline where people want fire and brimstone and chair tossing, and then there's the in-game decisions that sometimes lead to those disappointing losses. As much as it seemed Scott would get at least one more year to nurture this roster, the poor and undisciplined play of late has some fans calling for the third-year coach's ouster.

While it would be tempting to scotch the Byron experiment, now is not the time to do so. It's not Scott's fault that his best defender went down with injury early on. Kyrie Irving has also missed significant stretches, with second banana Dion Waiters spending more time as of late in a fancy suit than on the floor. Tyler Zeller has had an up-and-down rookie season, and the injuries have cooled off a bench that was on fire after the trade that brought Marreese Speights and Wayne Ellington to town.

Right now, the Cavs have more of a talent problem than a coaching problem. The small forward position is anchored by role player Alonzo Gee. That is not the formula you need for consistent winning in a star-driven league.

Firing Scott at the end of the season would be short-sighted. For one, who would replace him? One of the Van Gundys? Some retread like Nate McMillan? There's expected to be five to 10 coaching vacancies this off-season. The Cavs are not going to get anyone better than what they have right now.

As depressing as it is to watch the Cavs these days, they are on the cusp of, well, at least competing for a low-seed playoff spot. A healthy roster very well could have made the post-season this year. This franchise cannot live on "what ifs," but it does have a million draft picks, a Scrooge McDuck vault of cap space, an improved Tristan Thompson, and a legitimate superstar, all which can be components of a potential playoff chase in 2013-14.

It remains to be seen if Scott can be the coalescing force that jells this roster, but a half-season next year surely will tell the tale. If the Cavs are still miserable on defense, still blowing leads, and have fallen out of contention by January, by all means, jettison Scott into early retirement. Firing the grim-faced sideline general now would be a mistake, and worthy of a whipping that would make your belt-brandishing tyrant of an uncle proud.

Gmail Blue Launches; Orange and Brown would have been a "disaster"

2013-04-01T17:05:00.001-04:00

In one of their yearly April Fools' pranks, Google announced "Gmail Blue". Groundbreaking, as it's totally different yet totally the same--it's blue.

Now, much of Buckeye nation is blue today as well, it's opening day tomorrow for the Red, White, and BLUE Tribe, and of course that team up north is in the Final Four. So Blue, indeed.

But the funny thing is, they tried Orange and Brown...

And it was "a disaster." How apropos.

Here's a link to the whole video, and the Orange and Brown part starts below.

Browns' Scott Fujita standing up for equality in the New York Times

2013-03-27T18:33:00.000-04:00

If you've been on social media over the past 48 hours, you've undoubtedly seen the Human Rights Campaign symbol in people's newsfeeds. And you certainly may have seen other parodies, protests, or counterpoints to those. But like many, I'm sure you don't think the Supreme Court cases this week regarding gay marriage would resonate much in an NFL locker room.

Well, Browns linebacker Scott Fujita is no shrinking violet, on or off the football field. And he is using his fame to stand up for a message he believes in. I'll let his words do the talking, from Sunday's New York Times.

Acceptance by Example, on the Field and at Home

By SCOTT FUJITA

Crow/Plain Dealer

My three young daughters, like most kids, are curious and ask a lot of questions. My wife and I are as open and honest with them as possible. But there’s one question I’m not prepared to answer: “Why aren’t Clare and Lesa married?”

I don’t know how to explain to them what “inferior” means or why their country treats our friends as such. I don’t want to tell them that “Yes, our friends love each other just like Mommy and Daddy love each other, but that their love is considered ‘less than.’ ”

As my girls grow up, they will learn about a few of the more embarrassing moments in our nation’s history. And I expect they’ll ask questions. But for the most part, I’ll be prepared to respond because I can point to the progress that followed.

They will learn that their great-grandmother Lillie delivered a son, their Grandpa Rod, in a Japanese-American relocation camp during World War II. Initially, they might be shocked that this is part of America’s past. But I’ll be able to tell them, ”I think a lesson was learned from that experience, and it won’t happen again.”

They will learn that couples of different races, like their grandparents, were once denied the right to marry. But at least I’ll be able to say, “Thanks to a Virginia couple named Richard and Mildred Loving, things are better now.”

At some point, they will hear the term “separate but equal,” and will learn there was a time when their father would not have been able to go to the same school or sit in the same restaurant with many of the same friends that he now shares an N.F.L. locker room with. But then I can say to them, “That was a long time ago, and look how far we’ve come.”

I anticipate us having similar conversations about women’s suffrage or Rosa Parks. And each time, I’ll be able to say that this country moved toward progress. Sometimes, change is slow, but when we know better, we do better.

Sometimes, people ask me what any of this has to do with football. Some think football players like me should just keep our mouths shut and focus on the game. But we’re people first, and football players a distant second. Football is a big part of what we do, but a very small part of who we are. And historically, sports figures like Jackie Robinson, Billie Jean King and Muhammad Ali have been powerful agents for social change. That’s why the messages athletes send — including the way they treat others and the words they use — can influence many people, especially children.

Believe it or not, conversations about issues like gay marriage take place in locker rooms every day. In many respects, the football locker room is a microcosm of society. While there is certainly an element of bravado in our sport, football players are not the meatheads many think we are. For some of my friends who raise personal objections to marriage equality, they still recognize the importance of being accepting. And many of them also recognize that regardless of what they choose to believe or practice at home or at their church, that doesn’t give them the right to discriminate. I am encouraged by how I’ve seen such conversations evolve.

Recently, I heard someone say: “You can legislate tolerance, but you can’t legislate acceptance. That takes a societal shift.” Such transformation requires more than just common sense. It takes love, understanding and time. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on California’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage. I agree with the lower courts that said Proposition 8 violated the constitutional rights of gay men and women without any evidence-based rationale for doing so, and I, along with other professional athletes, signed my name to a brief sent to the court stressing the importance of marriage equality. Now the Supreme Court — like a referee in a football game — has the opportunity to simply enforce the rules as written. And I’m confident the justices will.

I support marriage equality for so many reasons: my father’s experience in an internment camp and the racial intolerance his family experienced during and after the war, the gay friends I have who are really not all that different from me, and also because of a story I read a few years back about a woman who was denied the right to visit her partner of 15 years when she was stuck in a hospital bed.

My belief is rooted in a childhood nurtured by a Christian message of love, compassion and acceptance. It’s grounded in the fact that I was adopted and know there are thousands of children institutionalized in various foster programs, in desperate need of permanent, safe and loving homes, but living in states that refuse to allow unmarried couples, including gays and lesbians, to adopt because they consider them not fit to be parents.

In articulating all my feelings about marriage equality, I almost don’t know where to begin. And perhaps that’s part of the problem. Why do we have to explain ourselves when it comes to issues of fairness and equality? Why is common sense not enough?

Years ago, my wife and I became friendly with a young woman whose teenage brother committed suicide after coming out to an unsuspecting and unsupportive father. This woman explained that her father was a football guy, a “man’s man” — whatever that means. She challenged me to speak up for her lost brother because, as she said, the only way to change the heart and mind of someone like her father was for him to hear that people he admires would embrace someone like his son.

I hope that soon after Tuesday’s arguments in front of the Supreme Court, people like me won’t have to speak up for those sons or daughters. No one owns the definition of love. It comes in all shapes and sizes. As Toni Morrison wrote, “Definitions belong to the definer, not the defined.” One thing I know for certain is that you can’t put a face on love, and you can’t tell me what a family is supposed to look like.

I recently received a message from a friend who has been in a committed relationship with her partner for eight years: “Pretty much my entire adult life I’ve always felt like I should settle for not having similar rights because I’m old enough to see how far we’ve come. I’ve grown accustomed to it. But I so hope it changes for the next generation because I hate to think that because they love, they should feel ‘less than.’ ”

I don’t ever want to explain to my daughters that some “versions” of love are viewed as “less than” others. I’m not prepared to answer that kind of question.

Instead, in just a few short years, and in the same way we now sometimes ask the previous generation, I hope my daughters will ask me: “What was all the fuss about back then?” I’m looking forward to hearing that question.

Scott Fujita is an 11-year N.F.L. veteran and an ambassador for Athlete Ally, which fights homophobia in sports.

Siri commercial spoof by the Cleveland Indians

2013-03-27T12:02:00.000-04:00

After the ~~no personality~~ business-like Cleveland Indians of the Eric Wedge and Manny Acta era, things seemed to have turned the corner with the addition of Terry Francona. First the Harlem Shake video from a couple of weeks ago, now this spoof on iPhones' Siri called TERRi. This year is shaping up to at least be a fun in terms of viral videos. What it amounts to in terms of wins and losses I don't know, but we'll find out in a little bit less then a week.

You can watch the full video below or watch it here.

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Aaron Craft all over Ohio State's Sweet win (and thoughts on the charge)

2013-03-24T19:55:00.000-04:00

Speechless.

That's probably how most of Buckeye Nation feels Sunday afternoon after watching one hell of a ~~second~~ third round game between Ohio State and Iowa State at UD Arena. What can you say? The leadup was all about the three point capability and dangerous shooting of the Cyclones. The game stayed pretty close through the first half, with leads changing back and forth, and to be honest, I was slightly nervous when Korie Lucious and the other Cyclones did hit a couple nice threes. Something like 40+% of Iowa State's shots are threes, and when a team can hit those in March, no lead is safe.

However, when Ohio State turned a one point lead with about 12 minutes left in the game into a twelve point lead with about 8 minutes left, I really did feel like the tide had turned due to the solid play by Ohio State on both sides of the court. Deshaun Thomas just kept doing what he does, and LaQuinten Ross started making plays. However, only about 10 seconds later, Lucious answered with a three right back.

And then it started happening. Every Ohio State fans' heart (or at least something on our bodies) started tightening up. And it looked like some of the players started getting tight too. Especially Aaron Craft.

Ross with a travel. A ridiculously bad foul call on Lenzelle Smith. A reach in foul on Aaron Craft. A nice take by Shannon Scott made it 10. But then a turnover by Craft, an unlucky-but-inadvised missed layup by Craft, and I'm pretty sure I tried to give Coach a little advice. Like he wanted anything from me.

Rest of the game just feed Thomas and look for a cutting or open Ross or Thompson.
— ClevelandSpTorture (@CleveSpTorture) March 24, 2013

Meanwhile, Iowa State made their free throws, and Aaron Craft didn't. Missed the front end of a one-and-one at 4:40, and another at 4:07, bookended around another Iowa State three pointer, and followed immediately by a Lucious drive and-one. So Aaron Craft left four points on the floor, and all of a sudden Iowa State punctuates a 15-2 run with yet another 3, and Craft turns the ball over yet again, and then he fouls Iowa State into the double bonus, and Ohio State is down. Uggh. And Craft looks like a disaster.

At or immediately before this point, it appears that
Craft's foot was on the line. (All photos
courtesy CBS, and my cell phone picture skills.)

And then it happened. Craft was absolutely unfazed. Drives to the basket for a great score and-one. Despite another ridiculous call (loose ball dive on Scott) and yet another travel at the three-point line by Ross, Aaron Craft came up huge. Will Clyburn drove to the basket with 1:41 left, and in a much-debated call later on the set of NBA Tonight, Aaron Craft drew a charging call.

But by the time contact happens, Craft's heel is
clearly off the line.

Right before contact, Aaron's feet "appear" outside the line,
and I'm sure the ref had an eyeful of his left foot.

Now, this call was very close. And Charles Barkley felt very strongly that it was a blown call, that Aaron Craft was "on" the line of the restricted zone, the semicircle where a charge can't be drawn. Here's what I saw. It did indeed look like Craft may have tapped the the line for a split second, and then off it. (Despite what the announcers seem to say on television. The clip they zoomed in on was started after he tapped the line, I believe.) When contact is made, Craft's feet are both touching the ground outside the restricted area. The front of his feet. Apparently, his heel is still "hovering" over the line, which is why Barkley (possibly rightfully) felt that the call saved Ohio State. (The basket did fall, and assuming Clyburn made his free throw, Ohio State would have been down four instead of only by a single point.)

What I think is that no way in hell can a ref make the call based on where the heel is "hovering", calling the infraction from 10 feet away on the baseline. The ref is looking to see where the player is standing, and he was technically standing, and by that I mean "touching the ground," outside the area.

Despite Craft missing yet another free throw, Ohio State had the ball with 45 seconds to go, and what happened? Craft (despite my sage advice above) shot a long range jumper. Brick, but somehow OSU retained possession.

Waving off Deshaun Thomas. Balls.

The rest, as they say, is history. Deshaun Thomas was cramping, but still is the most effective scorer on the floor, and had a look at the top of the key. But what did Craft do? Waved him off!

Then, our embattled hero took his three.

Swish.

Ballgame. Ohio State survives and advances to dance in LA.

Browns' and Dawson take the high road

2013-03-22T11:30:00.000-04:00

Dawson on the phone with Joe Banner

This past week saw the departure of another beloved special teams player. Last week it was Josh Cribbs, this week its Phil Dawson. The local rags/sports talk are up in arms because not only one, but two of the undoubtedly stand up guys are as of this week are no longer calling themselves Cleveland Browns.

Josh Cribbs was gone, he knew it and we knew it. By the end of the year it was obvious to anyone watching the Browns that Cribbs was a step slow (maybe knee issues?), and with the rule change relating to kickoffs, was no longer the impact player he was earlier in his career. Like Desmond Howard, and Devin Hester before him, Cribbs' time as the best returner in the NFL are over. Good move by the Browns is what most people would say.

Phil Dawson on the other hand is an entirely different scenario. Where players usually decline with age, he only seems to be getting better and kicking farther. He consistently gets touchbacks, 30 in 2012, compared to his next highest of 12 in 2008 (he only had double digits two more times in a 14 year career). In addition, his field goal kicking has improved, 14/15 in the last two years from 50+ yards. If he played baseball, everyone would be screaming that he's on PED's, or some other performance enhancer, but players in the NFL wouldn't take those things.....

Anyway, I'm not hear to say Dawson isn't a good kicker or isn't a great role model, leader, captain, etc. I'm more curious about the dead silence from both sides when it comes to the contract negotiations between the Browns and Dawson.

Reporters asked the Browns on what happened, "no comment".

The same reporters asked Phil Dawson what happened "I appreciate the interest in (a possible Browns offer), but my focus is on 100 percent moving forward and that's just how I'm going to roll with this,".

Could it be that the Browns did offer him a contract, but worked it out with Dawson that they would take the heat, instead of throwing Dawson under the bus where he would end up as yet another beloved Cleveland player ditching the team and the city he clearly "loves". If the Browns come out and say "we offered a contract, but he didn't except" Banner/Lombardi lose credibility in the locker room with any other current and future contract negotiations, especially doing it to a player as well liked as Dawson is. If Dawson comes out and says "hey they never offered me a contract", what harm will is cause? That's what we all believed happened anyway. Something to me doesn't add up.

Here's what I believed happened.

When the season was over Dawson knew he wanted to leave and play for a winner somewhere else, who could blame him really. Dawson told the Browns he had no intention of playing under the franchise tag, and would like to leave. The Browns worked it out by having neither party talk about the "contract negotiations" so Dawson could leave as a stand up guy, and the Browns could move on from the last remaining link from 1999. The Browns were in a lose-lose situation, knowing they would take heat if they low balled Dawson with their contract, or if they never offered him a contract to begin with. Either way the Browns will, and have gotten ripped in the press, but having Dawson save face goes a long way in the locker room. Just a thought.

Another reason I don't think Phil ever had any intention on staying in Cleveland wrote "Phil was here 1999-2012" in his locker after the last game. The writing was literally on the wall.

With Dawson gone, at least we get to look forward to "Kickalicious".

Fine feelings about the Cavs, Indians, and even Browns

2013-02-27T07:30:00.000-05:00

Since I moved to Chicago for a job five years ago, I've done my best to keep 100% up to speed on all my ~~birthright-cursed~~ beloved hometown teams. And I gotta say, I've done my best. Cleveland.com is the first site I check in the morning on the El to work, this thing called "Twitter" was invented and lets anyone ~~spout mindless bullshit~~ banter about games to with me in realtime like at your neighborhood pub, and there are no shortages of great Browns bars to head to every Sunday.

And although the Browns have only played here for one regular season game since I've been there (and my friend Ryan and I discovered really how lousy the Chicago tailgate scene is), I have gotten to see the Indians play quite a few times (even one series against the Cubs...still waiting for that next rotation to Wrigley), the Cavs play many many times, and even the Buckeyes play at Northwestern. But of course, over my time here, there have been more downs that ups. Yet, this winter has me feeling good things about the future of the Cavs, Indians, and even Browns. And I'm not the only one.

Some thoughts:

Wayne Ellington, everybody
(Gary Dineen / Getty Images)

First, the Cavs. Legitimately not a bad team. Who would have though this after the dreadful start, but they are effective offensively, stronger defensively, and maturing before our eyes. Tuesday was the first time the Cavs had beaten the Bulls in their last 12 tries. And yes, I was at that last win, yes, I've been at many of the losses too, and yes, I made the trek through dire blizzard warnings to see the wine-and-gold Tuesdsay night. Kyrie Irving was out with a sore knee Tuesday, but Dion Waiters was in his zone, you could tell he was feeling it the whole game. And the rest of the team followed his lead against a very strong defensive Chicago team. Shaun Livingston handled the ball well, Marresse Speights looked strong, Wayne Ellington had some nice buckets, and Luke Walton--LUKE WALTON--came up with a couple huge plays, including a steal from none other than inbounder Carlos Boozer that sent the crowd streaming toward the exits.

Near the end of the game, the United Center played that "Hey Baby" song. If you don't know what I'm talking about, follow me around for a few days. I think between sporting events, beaches in Mexico, and even a trip to Oktoberfest last year, I've heard that song ten million times. You'll be sure to hear it.

The Indians have me excited too, and I'm obviously not the only one. The home opener sold out in six minutes. So maybe spending some money does get the fans stirring. Who knew. Whatever the case with the team this year, at least it looks like it has some life. If the starting pitching can do something, starting with Justin Masterson Opening Day and leading right into Ubaldo, this team can make some noise. No huge piece to get super excited about, but with Swisher, Bourn, and a bunch of bargain veterans players or last-chance prospects, there could be a recipe for success here.

Shoot, even the Browns have me ready. Brandon Weeden said the other day that he welcomed all competition and he expected to win it. Well, I wouldn't expect anything less, and I'm happy to see him showing gumption. I am in no way ready to give up on Brandon...finally we have a QB who has the tools to put the ball down the field--let's let him develop (quickly) the rest of the package. After all, the Browns weren't that damn bad last year. Seriously. We all watched. Every painful loss. I was in New Orleans for the Super Bowl and gave Jimmy Haslem a fist bump on the sidewalk, maybe that's the luck the Browns need. Yeah right.

It's not even March yet, but I'm ready for Opening Day. And when March Madness starts with Braxton Miller busting through the cover, I'm ready for the rest of 2013.

LeBron James has faster 40 time than Manti T'eo, and much hotter fake girlfriend

2013-02-27T00:50:00.000-05:00

I don't even know what to make of this Bleacher Report story about LeBron saying he ran a 4.60 40--and pointing out that he is faster than famed Golden Domer and fake dead girlfriend rumor maintainer Manti T'eo.

I guess (a) yeah, I could have guessed he is faster than that in a 40. I bet he can run faster than that dribbling a basketball or two. And (b) if he had a fake girlfriend, she'd be much much hotter. And named something like Dwayna Wadebosh. Or something like that.

No gain for Cleveland from Super Bowl pain

2013-02-06T20:49:00.000-05:00

When the Ravens won their first Super Bowl in 2000, I was bitter, angry and depressed. It felt as if a cinder-block was crushing my chest. Needless to say, sleep did not come easy that night.

Do you really want to hurt me?

When the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 with Manny Ramirez as series MVP, I was struck by pangs of jealousy, bewilderment and a great deal of dislike for the former Tribe slugger, the entire Red Sox roster, their fanbase, and the city of Boston as a whole. My eyes stayed open through the watches of that night, too.

When LeBron James and the Miami Heat hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy last summer... well, see examples A and B for the predictable reaction.

Then came last Sunday, as the Ravens clinched their by God second Super Bowl with the entire team wearing black "Art" patches on their uniforms - a roster constructed by no less than Ozzie Newsome, the Browns’ Hall of Fame tight end-turned-Ravens general manager. This should have been another recipe for mental agony and dry-eyed insomnia, right?

Not this night. After Cleveland's own Ted Ginn, Jr. was tackled midfield to end the contest, the TV clicked off before the first Raven could get on the field to celebrate. I wasn't going to watch Baltimore's victory dance or the subsequent canonization of Ray Lewis, but at the same time I felt no bitterness, self-pity or tinge of jealousy.

Why? Hard to say, really. Maybe I don't connect Baltimore with Cleveland after all these years, despite Newsome's presence and Jim Brown's recent suggestion for Clevelanders to "get over" The Move. Indeed, it has been almost 20 years since Art Modell packed up the Browns and bundled them to Baltimore. Matt Stover was the last "old Brown" on the Ravens, and he left Baltimore in 2009.

A better explanation for my passive reaction is the uselessness of what somebody on my Twitter feed called "pain-by-proxy." That is, playing a depressive form of six degrees of separation where it not only hurts when Cleveland loses, but that pain is also felt when a player or team with Cleveland connections reaches the top of the golden mountain.

The Ravens' case is unusual, but it's not unprecedented. After all, the former Baltimore Colts won a Super Bowl in Indianapolis. Teams leave cities and strike it rich sometimes. It happens.

Granted, it's difficult to watch the ex-Browns become one of the league's superlative franchises while the new Browns continue to lead the league in incompetence and money spent on hiring those old-timey stencil guys to etch new names on office doors in Berea. (You know the guys I'm talking about. They wear those little visors. Go watch an old movie about the newspaper industry and you'll get the reference. Trust me, it's funny.)

And I suppose that's the main issue with Cleveland letting go of its self-pity and bitterness. It's been two full years since any Cleveland team has played in a single post-season game. The last one was...wait for it...That Guy in Miami's (TGiM) final game* with the Cavaliers in May 2010.

See, from the paranoid Cleveland perspective, all the evil happenings our sports' teams face come back in a big circle. It rhymes, like poetry, to quote George Lucas. Every ounce of hope has been scraped away, and all Cleveland is left with is a sickened defiance that makes us look petty and resentful to a nation that only pays attention to the North Coast when telling us how to feel.

Now I'm going to tell you, dear reader, how to feel. Because it really does not pay to get down when such-and-such team wins or whozit player gets a ring. It's bad enough watching Cleveland teams these days. Let Baltimore celebrate. Let LeBron kick it with his boys in Miami. Let it go, Cleveland. Let it all go.

*for now

Vox Super Pick

2013-02-03T14:38:00.001-05:00

Raven Droppings

Time to put the wraps on another winning season, my fourth in five campaigns, and this one proved to be the most lucrative of my handicapping career. I ambushed your book for 14 units of profit on the strength of three wagers: the re-election of President Obama, Seattle's first round playoff win over Washington and Baltimore's upset of the Patriots two weeks ago. Less was more for Vox this year, as my bets were more infrequent and deliberately efficient in building your bankroll with my strong 4-dime plays.

Today's line, in my view, is the tightest since the Rams edged the Titans thirteen years ago. I've changed my mind at least a dozen times. In my younger, ornery days, I would've succumbed to my need for action and emptied my account just for Sunday thrills. But past mistakes force perspective, perspective brings clarity, and clarity is the father of wisdom. Vox won't touch this game, my first no-action SuperBowl since 1998. The stakes are high, anyway, since I'll root like hell against the Baltimore Birdshit. For my readers determined to bet this game, I recommend a very light play on the underdog.

See you in September.

---

Ravens (+4) over 49ers, 1 dime

Championship Sunday: 2-0 (+5 dimes)

Season: 9-7 (+14 dimes)

No kidding? Newsome thinks Modell should be in the HOF

2013-01-30T20:08:00.003-05:00

Ozzie preached to the wrong choir about Art's HOF credentials.

Ozzie Newsome is a Cleveland Brown and will always be a Cleveland Brown. Those aren't my words, but those of the man himself in a guest column he wrote for the Plain Dealer today.

"The Wizard of Oz" used two paragraphs to thank fans who supported him even when he was getting just one three-yard dink pass each Sunday to extend his reception streak (Those are my words, not Newsome's).

The ex-tight end's honeyed remarks were followed up by the expected blow: "I believe Art Modell should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame," he wrote.

It's a lovely thought on Ozzie's part and certainly an arguable one. Newsome credits Modell for being at ground zero during pro football's modernizing forays into the TV era. The late owner also contributed to the game's business history, Newsome continues, negotiating the first collective bargaining agreement and serving as an instrumental figure in the merging of the AFL and NFL.

Newsome unsurprisingly skates over Modell's reasoning for taking his Cleveland franchise to Baltimore:

"As I look at it, because he took over the running of Cleveland Stadium - and he did that at the request of a mayor of Cleveland - his finances were never what they should have been in just owning an NFL team. In the end, to stay in the business, Art moved."

A revision of history to say the least. Instead of selling his "business," Modell took an iconic team away from the city that adored it. What if George Steinbrenner had packed up the Yankees and moved them to Jacksonville after getting a sweetheart deal? He would have been crucified for all time and deservedly so.

No matter what Modell has done for the game, moving the Browns erases his past contributions. The saying "It takes a lifetime to build a reputation, and a moment to destroy it" was made for guys like Uncle Art.

That's not the issue here, however. What I would like to ask Newsome is why he felt the need to share his views directly with the people of Cleveland. Sure, the Plain Dealer gave him an outlet and I don't blame the newspaper for taking a hot topic and trying to crank some readership out of it.

Newsome should have known better, however. He must realize the wounds of The Move are still fresh, even if Cleveland, as he states it, got its team back and now plays in a "beautiful home." Now, it's not necessarily Modell's fault that the Browns from 1999-2012 were a miserably run club, and there's no denying that Newsome has done a superb job as Baltimore's executive vice president and general manager.

Thing is, Browns fans don't want to reminded of any of that. There's no percentage in stating the obvious to a fanbase that's only going to get rankled by Newsome backing the man who so crassly ripped their team away.

Of course he's going to push for his former boss getting a bust in Canton. Newsome just didn't need to preach to Cleveland about it when he could have gone to Sports Illustrated, NFL Network, the Shithouse Falls Examiner, or any number of other publications or blogs that would have been happy to print his thoughts in the run-up to Hall of Fame selection weekend.

Jack Nicholson said it best in "As Good as It Gets:" Sell crazy someplace else, Wiz, we're all stocked up here.

Facebook maps NFL fans and it's time to expel the middle of Ohio

2013-01-29T17:02:00.000-05:00

So Facebook knows way too much about our lives, I'm sure...and in this case they started mining their data for good instead of evil. And by "good", I mean "good thing we know which counties in Ohio are occupied by ~~cockroaches~~ Pittsburgh Steelers fans.

Obviously, the Browns dominate the smart part of the state, and the Bengals cover the southeast. But Pittsburgh yellow occupies not just the eastern edge of Ohio, as could be assumed, but the entire middle of the state south of roughly Millersburg (Holmes County), and even the Toledo and Columbus areas. I think it's safe to say we'd be okay expelling those folks from Ohio on principle alone.

Good news Bobcats fans! Athens county falls squarely in the brown-and-orange column. Must be a sad, sad place too.

(Thanks to Deadspin for steering me to this monstrosity of a map...)

Cleveland Browns 1999-2012 Documentary

2013-01-28T14:00:00.000-05:00

I first learned about this video while reading Besides the Point this afternoon. I figured the Browns have consumed countless hours of my life, what's another 25 minutes. Brings back a lot of ~~bad~~ good memories. Hopefully Haslam, Banner, Lombardi, Chud and Co. can turn this rough patch in Browns history around.

Vox Lox Championship Sunday: Lombardi Stinks

2013-01-20T13:58:00.002-05:00

Grantland.com's Editor and chief Bill Simmons, also known as The Sports Guy, featured the following email and response in Friday's Mailbag. You can read my retort below.

Q: After the Browns hired Chud to be their next head coach, I prodded my new roommate, a Cleveland native, to tell me what it was like to be a Browns fan. Very seriously and despondently he said, "It's like watching your dog get put down every Sunday."

—Will, Palo Alto

SG: Come on, the Browns just hired one of the greatest B.S. Report guests of all time, Mr. Mike Lombardi! Things are looking up! I couldn't be happier for Lombardi — the guy loves Cleveland, loves working in football and desperately wanted one more chance. He's one of the best people I have ever met in sports, as well as one of the most thoughtful. I know he's gonna kill it there. Sometimes it makes me sad, though … Lombardi being gone from the B.S. Report. I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up DOES rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty now that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend. (Sorry, I had to.)

---

SV: Bill, Bill, Bill. For an outsider, you normally measure the pulse of Cleveland with uncanny accuracy but you've let your friendship with Lombardi cloud your Shawshank analogy. Let's rethink this. Michael Lombardi is hardly Andy Dufresne. Dufresne is actually the Cleveland Sports Fan: jailed for crimes we did not commit, ass-raped by leaders of our own institution, and forced to crawl through 50,000 yards of shit-smelling-foulness you (being a Boston fan) can't ever imagine or maybe you just don't want to. 50,000 yards, that's the amount of offense opposing teams have put up on our defense since 1999. We crawl through a river of shit EVERY SUNDAY, but we don't EVER come out clean. And we sure as hell don't escape. Instead, time is added to our sentence with every new regime that busts into our city preaching faith and discipline (and patience).

Joe Banner is the Warden Samuel Norton, a small and crooked dictator determined to rule. And Lomabrdi, of course, is Byron T. Hadley- first henchman and ass-kisser. I wasn't there to see it, but I heard Lombardi sobbed like a baby when Al Davis fired him for airing the Raiders' dirty laundry to his media butt-buddies. Those friends in high places are now returning the favor; see Jim Nantz's obtuse, deliberate and buffoonish defense of Lombardi on 92.3's Bull & Fox show. But the stench cannot be removed from this foolish hiring, as Lombardi's NFL legacy speaks louder locally than any national spin. Two days ago, Lombardi begged the Cleveland media for a "clean slate" but there are no magic erasers in this town. We've suffered too much, simply. "The Hole" at Shawshank equates to First Energy Stadium. And there ain't no easy time at The Factory of Sadness.

Every fan-base has its breaking point.

---

Ravens (+9) over Patriots, 4 dimes
Falcons (+4.5) over 49ers, 1 dime

Last Week: 2-2 (even)

Season: 7-7 (+9 dimes)

Perception is everything in Browns, Kelly fallout

2013-01-16T22:57:00.001-05:00

"They like me, they REALLY like me.."

A story that seemed dead in Cleveland media circles came back to shambling life today as the Philadelphia Eagles announced the hire of Chip Kelly as their head coach. More interesting than the hard news is the fallout. Reaction both local and national to Kelly's flip-flop mirrors the strange, defeatist attitude facing the Jimmy Haslam/Joe Banner ownership regime in its first months of operation.

The thought that the Browns were "duped," "schooled" or "look bad" for not taking another run at Kelly after initial talks broke down may not be the prevailing position around town, but the discomfiting clamor from Twitter, the blogosphere and professional sportswriters is too loud to be ignored.

How do the Browns "look bad," exactly? New owner Haslam and CEO Banner spent seven hours with Kelly, including a two-hour dinner. Due diligence was done, the team made its pitch, and Kelly left for a full-day interview with Philadelphia. The coach then reportedly rebuffed both teams before heading back to Oregon. The Browns moved on with their search rather than sitting back for two weeks to see if Kelly's suspiciously diva-esque and flaky behavior would allow him to consider an NFL gig after all.

Now, the Eagles bombshell, and woe-is-us Browns fans are left holding a 200-bag that goes by the nickname of "Chud." The damnedest thing is, Philly has no more idea what they have in an unproven college coach than the Browns do in a similarly callow coordinator.

That's not even the story, however. People are more anxious that the one man the Browns were gunning for apparently slipped through their fingers, meaning...what? Haslam is an incompetent businessman? Banner is a Carmen Policy redux? Neither memorized Alec Baldwin's speech in "Glengarry Glen Ross" about coffee being for closers? We don't know what we're worried about anymore, but we'll be happy as long as we find some reason to wring our hands. This is Cleveland, after all.

That's not to say one shouldn't be circumspect about the new ownership group. The Rob Chudzinski hire was oddly timed and I still don't quite understand what the Browns saw in Chud to sign him up as quickly as they reportedly did. What's more, the secretive nature of the coaching search led the media to come up with their own reasons why the Browns couldn't land the big fish they were casting for. This perceived failure only added to the undercurrent of anxiety that seems to underlie the new regime's short tenure.

Still, there's no call for using loaded words like "spurned" when it comes to Kelly or for that matter Nick Saban, Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden. The latter three coaches turning down the Browns is not a reflection on team management - these are men happy where they are and not a one of them has had a single interview with another NFL team. Anyone asking Saban to leave Alabama would likely have received the same answer.

Instead, we have WKNR's Kenny Roda practically begging ESPN's Chris Mortensen to admit that Chud was near the bottom of the Browns' list of coaching candidates (Mortensen, to his credit, did not rise to the bait). We have people complaining about Haslam selling naming rights to the stadium or talking about uniform changes instead of resurrecting Vince Lombardi to coach up this roster.

The NFL's free agency period is six weeks away; the draft is not for months. Yet, the blush is already off the rose for Browns' leadership. Perhaps it's understandable, as fans and media no longer want to hear the tiresome buzzwords of "process" or "patience" or heaven forbid, "rebuild." I don't want to hear those words, either. But Cleveland needs to chill out, sit back and let the new ownership get to work on making the Browns relevant again. There's no cause - at least not yet - to believe they aren't up to the task.

Vox Lox: Hello, Goodbye

2013-01-12T14:29:00.001-05:00

Cleveland knows press conferences. Don't know much about playoff seeding and parades, but, dear God, we know how to roll out a new coach. And with Twitter, the whole process is much more fun than it was ever meant to be. In fact, the whole damaged NE Ohio sports fan persona has found itself inside social media. We have to be the only fan base in America that happily makes fun of its own football team...while said team is playing, no less! Interestingly enough, on those rare occasions when the Browns are dominating, things get quiet. We don't know how to react, other than a tweet about how funny it will be when we blow this lead. Just like our beloved franchise, we haven't learned how to win yet either. But we are very adept at mocking our ownership, players, coaching staff, subsequent coaching searches, and media (specifically Tony Grossi and Mark Kay Cabot- both solid reporters that seem to catch more venom than a Pat Shurmur-progress-play for five yards on 3rd & 9). So, here we are "welcoming" yet another coach while worrying that farewell is coming faster than you can say 2015. You say Goodbye, Chud says Hello!!

Packers (+3) over San Francisco, 3 dimes
Ravens (+9.5) over Denver, 2 dimes

Patriots (-9.5) over Houston, 2 dimes

Falcons (-2.5) over Seattle, 1 dime

Last Week: 2-2 (+4 dimes)

Season: 5-5 (+9 dimes)

Vox Lox: Wild Card Weekend 2013

2013-01-05T16:31:00.000-05:00

Been thinking about perfection all week with 2013 in its infancy, the ten year anniversary of Ohio's State's 14-0 season, and my annual dream of picking eleven NFL playoff winners starting in a few minutes. You make any new year's resolutions, dog? Chances are, you're still perfect. No way you smoked a Marlboro Red yet. I'll give you till Martin Luther King Day, maximum. And I'm sure you're still at the gym, going Curt Hennig until, minimum, the first snow storm. Me? I'll be happy enough to escape the next 28 hours without a blemish. Four incredibly tight lines, Three first-year QBs, Two AFC North rivals, and ONE impossibly inspirational motif called ChuckStrong. The networks are flexed and determined to beat the living drama out of every moment, and successfully marry it to their zealous advertisers. You'll stay tuned for the climax, but you better buy an iPhone, hit your local Ford dealership, or, at the very least, stream six ways to Sunday with AT&T U-Verse and Generation Z. Me? I'm only here for the action. The results will be the first time I actually feel something in 2013. And for 360 more days, I'll chase down any fucking W I can get my small, half-Jewish hands on. Those wins will be wide-ranging, from wild-card weekend to Words with Friends. From my Tuesday night pick-up games to your neighborhood 5k. I cover the spread, and therefor I am.

Seattle (-3) over Redskins, 4 dimes
Packers (-8) over Vikings, 3 dimes
Bengals (+4) over Houston, 2 dimes
Colts (+7) over Ravens, 1 dime

Season: 3-3 (+5 dimes)

If Chip Kelly thinks with his stomach, he will be the next Browns coach

2013-01-03T11:34:00.000-05:00

The old adage is that the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and Michael Symon is apparently a subscriber to that theory, making the plea to Chip Kelly today to come to Cleveland in return for a personally cooked dinner.

I'm not going to lie, I think that if Chip can negotiate two dinners out of Mr. Symon, the deal is closed. Hell, I'll take almost any job for a free dinner at Lola...

What we think will happen today vs. the Steelers (Week 17)

2012-12-30T12:30:00.000-05:00

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers (Week 17)

December 30, 2012

Brian	Steelers 16 Browns 13	A real minor league barnburner with no historical significance whatsoever, except for yet another Browns regime change afterwards.
Tom	Steelers 24 Browns 9	The season and Pat Shurmur's career as the Browns head coach ends in a dud. Let the offseason begin.
Doug	Steelers 27 Browns 6	Why does every Browns season end with half the roster injured, a regime change on the way, and a game against Pittsburgh? It's the definition of insanity I tells ya.
SamVox	Browns __ Steelers __	I don't care and that's the best thing about it.
Kevin	Steelers 24 Browns 9	Signing a never-has-been/never-will-be QB to back up our practice squad QB who's getting the start for our injured first and second string QB: Just your typical Game #16 for the Browns.
Ryan	Steelers 20 Browns 6	The only chance the Browns have is if Pittsburgh has already started their offseason. I think we are looking at a replay of 2008 with Thad Lewis playing the part of Bruce Gradkowski.
Sean	Browns 20 Steelers 17	Hodges plants two punts inside the 5 and Dawson puts up the game winner as the Browns somehow pull one out.

What we think will happen today vs. the Broncos (Week 16)

2012-12-23T12:30:00.000-05:00

Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos (Week 16)

December 23, 2012

Brian	Broncos 31 Browns 13	All the air got let out last week. Win that and I could have seen the Browns winning out.
Tom	Broncos 34 Browns 14	Peyton Manning at home against a beat-up secondary. It's going to a long day in the Mile High City.
Doug	Broncos 30 Browns 14	Only two more weeks until we get to discuss another Browns front office change. The whip cream on that sundae will be four months of nonstop NFL draft talk. It's gonna be great!
SamVox	Broncos 27 Browns 17	Nick Swisher should suit up today and rush Peyton Manning the way he sprints around the bases after a HR. After all, for $54 mill, shouldn't you have to do more than hit .250 lifetime?
Kevin	Broncos 31 Browns 20	I get the shakes every time I see those ugly-ass uniforms (past or present) opposite the Brown and Orange, as I relive some of my most traumatic childhood memories.
Ryan	Broncos 30 Browns 20	I don't expect to win but we need to keep it respectable to get back some of the confidence that got kicked out of us last week.
Sean	Broncos 23 Browns 20 in OT	The ghost of Christmas past haunts us. Manning with a late-game drive to push the contest into overtime. Broncos with a bullshit field goal to win it.

Browns fail to seize the moment in loss against 'Skins

2012-12-16T21:33:00.000-05:00

No amount of ass-kissing will save you now, Pat.

The Cleveland Browns had a chance to turn a corner today. The team had a three-game win streak in its pocket and a home game against a pretty good Redskins' team missing its franchise quarterback.

This was a statement-making game; the kind that shouts "seize the moment!!" to a fanbase that hasn't had a reason to be this excited in a long time. As is their wont, the Browns did not seize the moment - in fact the moment eluded Cleveland's grasp like an opposing quarterback running the same damned play-action bootleg again and again.

The 38-21 defeat was just so typical of this franchise: Give your fans a glimmer of hope that you're finally climbing out of your deep hole of non-contention, then promptly dash those hopes like candle in a hurricane. If the Browns are adept at anything, it's sucking the life out of their supporters.

If nothing else, today's game will provide a moment of clarity for Jimmy Haslam and the new ownership group. They may see the previous three wins not as signs of progress but as an illusion created by two really bad teams and another absent its Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

Indeed, the embarrassing defeat may be the final spark that ignites the wholesale changes rumored to be swirling about this team since Haslam handed the check to previous owner Randy Lerner. Right now, our quarterback, general manager and coaching staff are about as safe as a promiscuous camp counselor in a slasher flick. Haslam might sweep the lot of them out the door.

It's a shame, because the last three weeks in Browns Town have had that elusive quality known as "fun." Fans dropped the cynicism they wear like a protective suit of armor, espousing dewy-eyed, crazy-in-love dreams about Coach Pat Shurmur finally "getting it" and other such beautiful nonsense.

The Redskins scotched those hopes this afternoon in what Shurmur called a "team loss." It's likely that today's goose egg will result in this team's front office looking very different come 2013.

Originally posted on examiner.com

What we think will happen today vs. the Redskins (Week 15)

2012-12-16T12:55:00.000-05:00

Cleveland Browns vs. Washington Redskins (Week 15)

December 16, 2012

Brian	Browns 23 Redskins 20	I constantly watch RG3 and mourn that the Browns couldn't pull off a trade for the magnificent QB. However, I truly don't know if his body will hold out longer than Brandon Weeden's. Oh well, RG3 or not, I am as excited for this Browns game more than I have been for a while.
Tom	Browns 34 Redskins 14	A four-game winning streak, a chance for the playoffs, and it's 55 degrees on December 16. Is this bizarro world?
Doug	Browns 24 Redskins 16	RGII may be out for the 'Skins as the Browns go for their 4th straight victory. This is the type of game the "old" Browns would lose, what with expectations high and a star player missing for the opposing team. Time to put a stranglehold on fan cynicism, Brownies!
SamVox	No pick	No pick.
Kevin	Browns 28 Redskins 14	This glass-half-empty Clevelander is drinking the Kool-Aid. I'd gladly lead the "Keep Tom Heckert" march in Berea. For God's sake, we finally have something here.
Ryan	Browns 27 Redskins 13	The winning streak continues. I would prefer to face RGIII, but I'll take the W over Kirk Cousins.
Sean	Browns 21 Redskins 20	At least we're not talkin' draft position

Kyrie Irving broke his face?

2012-12-15T14:40:00.001-05:00

Man. Kyrie Irving just can't catch a break. Bad choice of words, perhaps, because he will be wearing a mask tonight versus the Knicks because of a "small" fracture to his jaw. I am not sure if that feels less painful than a "big fracture" of your jaw. Looking into it.

I know football is a quite different sport, but the spectacular effort given by RG3 that seems to absolutely be leading to a shorter career for the undersized QB is suddenly manifesting itself (in my mind, at least) in the injuries that Irving keeps sustaining. Amazing players when they're healthy. But can they stay that way?