Red Right 88

In Cleveland, hope dies last

05 Jan 2011

Grading the Browns Quarterbacks

Now that the Browns’ 2010 season is in the books, we thought we’d jump on the grading bandwagon and hand out grades to selected positions on the team.

Today we’ll start with the quarterbacks. Rather than just assign an arbitrary letter grade to Colt McCoy, Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, we’re going to try and see how they match up against what was statistically an average NFL quarterback this season.

Thirty-two quarterbacks played enough this year to qualify for the NFL rankings – from Tom Brady at the top to Jimmy Clausen, who narrowly beat out old friend Derek Anderson as the worst quarterback in the league.

For the 2010 season, the average NFL quarterback completed 61.5 percent of his passes (282-for-458) for 3,265 yards, 7.13 yards per attempt, 21 touchdowns and 12.5 interceptions.

If we project McCoy’s statistics over a full season, he would have completed 60.8 of his passes (270-for-444), with 3,152 yards, 7.1 yards per attempt, 12 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Those numbers would have put him right in the middle of the pack, although his touchdowns were a bit low and his interceptions a bit high. McCoy’s yardage would have put him ahead of Matt Cassell and Michael Vick, and just right behind Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez. And his yards per attempt were more than a yard better than highly-touted rookie Sam Bradford.

Not bad for a rookie quarterback who was not expected to play this season. A grade of C+ with promise for next year seems right.

Seneca Wallace showed us what he is this year – a capable backup who can fill in on a short-term basis without really harming the team.

Statistically he’s below average when it comes to yards (1,388) and touchdowns (8), but he doesn’t turn the ball over (a projected 4 interceptions) and completes an above-average percentage of his passes (63.4 percent).

We feel OK with giving Wallace a C and are comfortable having him return next year in a back-up role.

That brings us to Delhomme. Again, he came as advertised, completing an above average percentage of his passes (62.4) but was below average in yards (2,790), touchdowns (6) and interceptions (22).

We’ll give Delhomme some extra credit for the work he did helping McCoy this season which brings his grade to a C.

We’re not sure how valid our “analysis” is as they are just numbers; they don’t take into account any intangibles, the support of the running game, play calling or the talent void at the wide receiver position.

But they do confirm what we saw this year on the field: McCoy has shown enough that we want to see more; Wallace is capable as a back-up who won’t kill the team if he has to play in short stretches; and Delhomme is a veteran who is more valuable on the practice field during the week than on the field on Sundays.

The Browns quarterbacks pretty much were what we thought they would be back in July: certainly not Pro Bowlers by any stretch, but far from being the worse collection of quarterbacks in the league (that would be the Arizona Cardinals in case you were wondering).

***

It has apparently been a good NFL season for Las Vegas.

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No matter how bad it gets in Brownstown, we can always be thankful we’re not in Cincinnati.

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And speaking of things to be thankful for, the Browns were never in consideration for Jim Harbaugh.

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Finally, ex-Indians Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven were elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame today.

Posted in Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Colt McCoy, Jake Delhomme, Las Vegas, NFL, Seneca Wallace | Leave a comment
04 Jan 2011
1 Comment

Wrapping up Browns vs. Steelers

There’s really not anything left to say about the Browns’ loss to Pittsburgh to end the season on Sunday.

It’s no real surprise the Browns loss, Pittsburgh is currently the better team and had something to play for. The Browns are still a work in progress and were short-handed due to injuries and a lack of talent.

The only real surprise was the final score. For the first time all season the Browns were not competitive and picked a bad time for it. If this loss had come in Week 6 it would still have been disappointing, but would have been forgotten as the season went along. But coming in the season finality made the loss seem worse to some, and that memory is what too many will probably take from this season.

***

A day later and we’re still divided over the firing of Eric Mangini.

We were ready to give Mangini another year to see if the Browns were really improving or not. But Mike Holmgren was not and, in the end, his opinion is the one that counts.

One thing we can’t shake, however, is Holmgren saying in November that “wins and losses are not the only criteria” and that “there’s more to look at.”

We’re not sure what Holmgren saw this year to make him believe the Browns should have finished with more than 5 wins. Apparently he believed the team that beat New England and New Orleans was the true Browns team and the losses to Cincy, Buffalo and Jacksonville were not acceptable.

On the flip side, it’s hard to overlook Mangini’s 10-22 record and 2-10 mark in the division and that seems to be what sealed the deal in Holmgren’s eyes.

The division record points out just how far the Browns still need to go and just how difficult it is going to be to be consistently competitive.

Until they show us otherwise, we have to assume the Steelers and the Ravens are going to have double-digit wins each season, which puts the Browns squarely in the toughest division in the league. This isn’t the NFC West (which the Browns would have owned this year) and the next coach needs to get the Browns to a point where they can compete in the division if they have any hope of being a playoff contender.

Holmgren had made his decision; while we’re not 100 percent behind it, it’s done so we need to move on.

Here’s a nice, fair take on Mangini from CBSSports.com.

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Speaking of the next coach, the Browns are reportedly going to interview St. Louis offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur on Thursday.

Shurmur’s time in St. Louis appears to have been a mixed bag this season.

Shurmur has the requisite ties to Holmgren, having worked with Andy Reid in Philadelphia. But we have to wonder about him as the Rams ranked 26th in offense this year (21st in passing and 25th in rushing).

The team is also expected to interview Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.

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Finally, today is the 30th anniversary of the Browns playoff loss to Oakland in the Red Right 88 game.

That was the day we learned what it meant to be a Browns (and Cleveland) fan. We were obviously much younger then and that was the first Browns team we fell in love with.

If only Brian Sipe had thrown the ball to Dave Logan this site would exist under a different name and would possibly have a different tone to it. But that’s not the way it worked out.

If you’re in the mood, video of the final drive is here. If you want to relive that magical season, Jonathan Knight’s book, Kardiac Kids: The Story of the 1980 Cleveland Browns, is an excellent read.

Posted in Brian Sipe, Cleveland Browns, Kardiac Kids, Mike Holmgren, NFL, Red Right 88
03 Jan 2011
2 Comments

What’s the next move Mike?

We probably shouldn’t be surprised at the news that Eric Mangini has been fired as coach of the Browns, but in some ways we are.

While we expected some kind of news to come out of Berea following the team’s 5-11 record this season, we thought it would be more along the lines of the team hiring an experienced, competent offensive coordinator. We expected Mangini to return for a third year, especially with the progress the team showed this year with the new front office structure of Mike Holmgren, Tom Heckert and Mangini.

Of course, we also thought LeBron was going to resign with the Cavs, so there you go.

“I’ve said all along and I’ve tried to be true to what I’ve told you, and certainly what I’ve told Eric all along is that this season I would make any decision I had to make once the season was concluded,” Holmgren said in his press conference announcing the firing. “Let the dust settle, let me think about it. That’s how I make decisions. That’s how I made the decision to keep Eric. And then come to some sort of conclusion. I didn’t sleep very well last night. I was up a fair amount of the night thinking about this, thinking what I might have to do and then finally trying to make the correct decision. Look, it’s difficult. I’ve never had to do this before. I like the man a lot. He is a hard working, bright, caring guy. Unfortunately this business at times and even though it wasn’t the only factor, I want to win here. We want to win here in Cleveland and we did not win enough games this year.”

In November, Holmgren said his decision would not be based solely on wins and losses. But it seems from his comments that is what he did.

“I don’t know if you can separate the two (making progress vs. winning games),” Holmgren said. “I think if you look at our season it had tremendous highs and lows for me. I think when we beat New England and New Orleans, I don’t think anybody in this room could leave this room without a smile on their face. It was really something, something very special. Then as good as we finished last year, a year ago, we finished as poor this year. If you’re talking about direction or how I felt the team was going, the finish wasn’t a feel good finish. What I tried to do is not base my decision on any one game, any one play, any two games, any stretch but the body of work. As I told the players when I met with them today after Eric had talked to them I went in and talked to them briefly. I have high expectations and I’m not going to settle, I’m just not going to settle.”

So Holmgren believes the Browns should have finished with, what … 7 or 8 wins? Apparently he believes the Browns are closer to the team that beat the Patriots and Saints, rather than the one that lost to the Bengals and Bills. It’s great that he doesn’t want to settle for the same old same, but is it realistic?

Much like when Dan Gilbert fired Mike Brown, the easy part is over for Holmgren. He must get this hiring correct because, if he doesn’t, it will be on him, not on Mangini. The good thing is Holmgren isn’t going into this alone and it sounds like he’s not in a rush to make a decision.

“I don’t want to do this again,” he said. “I think historically if you look at teams that don’t have to do this very much, they’ve been successful. They’ve been successful it’s just like which came first the chicken or the egg? Are they successful because they haven’t done it? You go through some bumps in the road if you think you have the right guy and the right system and all those things. That’s part of it. It’s very, very important that we get this right.”

One of the more interesting points Holmgren made was how people outside of Cleveland view the team, versus the way the long-suffering fanbase does.

“You guys have been here a long time, most of you and you’ve lived through the really tough things,” he said. “I think you have a tendency to view things just a little differently than perhaps I did when I came in or someone from outside coming in and looking at it. This is one of the great jobs. There are 32 jobs, this is one of the great jobs in the country. You’re a head coach in the National Football League, if you are a football coach that’s what you want to be. Another part of that is I would use the same technique that I used with Tom Heckert, Bryan Wiedmeier, Mark Schiefelbein, Jim Ross, Matt Thomas, all the guys now that are manning the offices upstairs that came from great football places but they came here to be with me to try and get something special done that hadn’t been done. There’s a challenge there that I think appeals to men in this business. That’s what I’ll be talking to the person about.”

The best part, perhaps, was Holmgren saying he won’t force a particular system on his new coach.

“I don’t think I can do that,” Holmgren said. “In what I tried to do with Eric (Mangini) this year and we talked about it this morning. I said, ‘I wish I could have helped you out more,’ and we had one of those things where we were kind of talking to each other that way. If I hire a coach, I’m hiring a coach. He’s going to run what he runs, what he’s comfortable with, what he knows. Now will it be part of the consideration in the process? Absolutely, but I am not going to interfere that way as a president. I did not do it this year, I’m not going to do it next year and I’m not going to do it ever. That’s not fair. Is it a consideration in this process? I think it is though. Maybe not the ‘system’ exactly but certainly something that I think allows the quarterback in this case in one of our quarterbacks to be successful.”

As for Mangini, on some level its hard to argue that the Browns should have kept a coach who was 10-22 with the team, and is 33-47 in five years as a head coach. After making the playoffs in his first year as Jets coach with Herm Edwards’ players, Mangini was only 23-41 in his next four years. Those numbers are hard to overlook.

And if we were told the four-game winning streak to end the 2009 season was a sign of progress, what should we make of this year’s four-game season-ending losing streak?

Having said that, we just can’t shake the feeling that another year of Mangini working with Holmgren and Heckert would have been a positive for the team. The team played hard this year; unfortunately the lasting memory will be the final loss against Pittsburgh.

Despite his record, Mangini is the best coach the Browns have had since returning in 1999. We know that’s not saying much, but it’s saying something. He’s probably the fourth-best coach we’ve seen since becoming a Browns’ fan, which dates back to the days of Forrest Gregg as coach.

“The experience coaching the Cleveland Browns the past two years has been tremendous,” Mangini said in a statement. “I appreciate the opportunity that the Lerner family gave me. I have a deep respect for the players that I have coached the past two years and how they have made a profound difference in changing the culture — a tougher, smarter, more competitive, selfless team that never gave up.

“Our goal was to build a team for long-term success. The core characteristics we were dedicated to, I believe, will help achieve that goal, and have provided a strong identity for this football team and have helped to create a positive foundation upon which the organization can continue to build.”

A new coach won’t make the defensive line younger or improve the linebackers. A new coach will still be looking at a team without a single wide receiver who would start for any other team in the league and a right side of the offensive line that is a mess.

But the new coach will be coming to a team with the No. 6 pick in the upcoming draft, young talent in Joe Haden, T.J. Ward, Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis. Plus the new coach better be able to continue the tough, competitive nature of the team that Mangini put in over the past two years.

One additional thing we have going for us is, unlike the past coaching changes, this one doesn’t involve a complete overhaul of the front office as well. While Mangini is gone, Holmgren and Heckert remain. So the team, for once, isn’t really starting over from scratch.

But this is probably Holmgren’s one and only chance to get it right when it comes to hiring a coach.

Let’s hope he knows what his next move is.

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No surprise that there is plenty of talk about Holmgren’s decision:

Mike Holmgren talks about Eric Mangini: Waiting for Next Year

Mike Holmgren, Eric Mangini and a Question with No Good Answers: Cleveland Frowns

And the Circle of Suck Continues: Two One Six Sports

Don’t Coach Mike: Terry Pluto

Mike Holmgren did the right thing: Bud Shaw

Holmgren needs younger version of himself: Marla Ridenour

ESPN celebrates Eric Mangini’s firing: Cleveland Leader

Mike Holmgren is best choice for Browns: James Walker

Posted in Cleveland Browns, Eric Mangini, Mike Holmgren, NFL
02 Jan 2011

Browns go out with a whimper

The Browns ended the 2010 season on Sunday in much the same way they have ended several seasons in the past decade – getting abused at the hands of the opponent.

It really isn’t a surprise the Browns lost to Pittsburgh on Sunday – the Steelers are better and healthier – but more the way they lost in the 41-9 debacle.

A Browns team that has been competitive all year long seemed to have the fight go out in them early, as Colt McCoy was intercepted on a tipped pass on the first possession and, before you knew it, the Steelers were up 14-0.

Maybe the players were following the lead of the coaching staff. After falling behind 14-0, McCoy drove the Browns 85 yards to the Pittsburgh two-yard-line. The Browns targeted Robert Royal twice in the end zone (the guy who came into the game with 5 receptions and 4 drops on the year) but both passes were incomplete.

Facing fourth down the Browns opted to kick a field goal, just like the did early in the Buffalo game. Why is anyone’s guess. Maybe coach Eric Mangini wanted to spotlight kicker Phil Dawson in what could have been his last game in a Cleveland uniform.

You are 5-10, you are on the other team’s two-yard-line, why not go for it? There is nothing to lose there. At least when they faced the Bills they were going against one of the worst defenses in the league and could expect more scoring opportunities. That clearly is not the case against the Steelers.

Obviously when you give up 41 points those lost points don’t really make a difference, but if the Browns would have punched it in who knows how things would have played out the rest of the half?

The defense had a horrible day. Coming into the game the Browns were the only team in the league that had not given up 30 points this season. The Steelers took care of that in the first half as they took a 31-3 lead into the locker room.

Pittsburgh scored on its first five possessions and rolled up 418 yards in offense.

Perhaps defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who will reportedly interview for the head coaching job in Carolina, was already making dinner plans for The Pit and couldn’t be bothered to put together a solid defensive game plan.

“I thought we got beat in all three phases,” Mangini said in published reports. “They had a better plan than we did and when that happens against a team like this, you have a day like today. It’s difficult to feel any positives in the wake of what happened.”

We certainly echo that sentiment.

So in a season where the Browns were once 5-7 and dreaming of a .500 finish, the Browns instead finish 5-11 for the second year in a row and are now 2-10 under Mangini in the division.

Unfortunately the team had its worst performance by far in the last game of the season. Right or wrong, the memory of today’s game will linger with people more than the wins earlier in the year against New Orleans and New England.

And if the four-game winning streak to end last season was supposed to be a sign of progress under Mangini, what are we to make of the four-game losing streak to end this season? Was the losing streak a function of a tougher schedule – much like last year’s was built against teams with nothing to play for? Should one weigh more heavily than the other in determining the fate of Mangini and the coaching staff?

“I’m sure everybody thinks there is a possibility [of a coaching change],” left tackle Joe Thomas told The Plain Dealer. “We knew that was the way it was going to be coming into the season, so I don’t think anything was different.”

We’ve all seen this before. Chris Palmer’s final game was a 24-0 loss to the Titans in 2000, the last in a five-game losing streak. Romeo Crennel finished his final season with a six-game losing streak in 2008 that ended with a 31-0 loss to Pittsburgh.

As discouraging and disappointing as today’s game was, we really don’t relish the thought of starting over again with a new coach. A lot of what was wrong with this season can be fixed with improved talent and by bringing in an experienced coordinator on offense.

Just look at the Chiefs this year as an example: they brought in Charlie Weiss as offensive coordinator and the team improved from 25th to 9th in offense. Romeo took over the 30th ranked defense and improved them to 11th this year.

There’s little reason to believe the same can’t happen here in Cleveland with another strong draft, a little patience and more experience in the offensive coordinator position.

Here’s hoping Mike Holmgren sees things the same way.

We may find out soon enough.

Posted in Cleveland Browns, disappointment, Eric Mangini, frustration, NFL | Leave a comment
02 Jan 2011

Week 17 Picks

We’re still kicking ourselves for not going with the anti-Big 10 theme we had planned on for this week’s picks in the 2010 Cheddar Bay Invitational at Cleveland Frowns. Oh well.

We hit the college pick yesterday as TCU failed to cover. It’s a tough this week in the NFL as it’s hard to know who’s going to play hard and who is going to lay down.

Kansas City (-3.5) vs. Oakland

NY Giants (-4) vs. Washington

Money pick: New Orleans (-7.5) vs. Tampa Bay

Posted in Cheddar Bay, NFL, point spreads | Leave a comment
02 Jan 2011

Browns vs. Steelers – Week 17

Sixteen weeks after they lined-up for the season opener in Tampa, the Browns close out the regular season today against Pittsburgh.

The Opposition

Pittsburgh: 11-4
Offensive rank: 15th overall/16th passing/9th rushing
Defensive rank: 2nd overall/14th passing/1st rushing
All-time record: Browns trail 61-56, but lead the series 35-22 at home. The Browns broke an eight-game home losing streak to the Steelers with last year’s 13-6 win.
The line: Browns +5.5

What to Watch For

How Colt McCoy looks in his second chance against the Steelers. In the first game in Week 6, McCoy threw for 281 yards and had a QB rating of 80.5. Now that he knows what to expect from the Pittsburgh defense.

Of course, the Steelers have tape on McCoy as well and, as well as McCoy played the first time, he did throw two interceptions and was sacked six times.

And that was with a healthy Peyton Hillis in the backfield. Hillis may be out – or limited – today with a rib injury, which would put Mike Bell (oh boy) and a (hopefully healthy) Josh Cribbs as the focus of the running game against Pittsburgh’s top-rated rush defense.

Defensively the Browns need to get pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. After sacking Roethlisberger eight times in their win last season, the Browns couldn’t get to him this year in Pittsburgh.

The Best Browns vs. Steelers Game I’ve Seen

There have been a lot to choose from: Turkey Jones stuffing Terry Bradshaw, David Mays coming off the bench to beat the Steelers, the overtime win in 1986. But the one that stands out is the 1983 game, Brian Sipe’s last in a Cleveland uniform, which the Browns won 30-17 in the season’s final game.

Video clips are here, here, here, here, here and here. No surprise that in the clips the Steelers are called for multiple personal fouls. The more things change …

The Plain Dealer‘s game story is here.

The Prediction

Once again, it’s hard to see the Browns winning today. The Steelers need this game to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs and the Browns are too injured to realistically expect an upset.

Sadly, after a long season of marked improvement, the Browns will end the year with the same record as last year, but will enter the off-season with a four-game losing streak, rather than a winning streak.

And tomorrow morning the jackals will descend on Berea hoping to pick over Eric Mangini’s carcass. Will Mike Holmgren leave them disappointed?

Record picking the Browns (using the point spread) this year: 3-11-1.

Posted in Cleveland Browns, Colt McCoy, Eric Mangini, NFL, Week 17 | Leave a comment
02 Jan 2011

Big 10 a Big Joke

Boy, what a New Year’s Day for the Big 10 as the conference was once again exposed as the most over-rated football conference in the nation.

Texas Tech handed Northwestern its eighth consecutive bowl loss in something called the TicketCity Bowl. (What happened to the Cotton Bowl?)

Alabama held Michigan State to minus 48 yards rushing in a 49-7 beating the Capitol One Bowl.

Mississippi State scored 52 points on Michigan in the Gator Bowl, the most points the Wolverines have ever given up in a bowl game.

Florida intercepted Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin five times as the Gators won the Outback Bowl.

Finally, TCU stood up for all the small schools who never get a chance, knocking off Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

Five bowl games, five losses on the day.

And we still have Ohio State and its 0-9 record in bowl games against the superior SEC waiting to take on Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night.

Jim Tressel may want to suspend himself for that game.

Posted in big joke, Big Ten, Bowl Games | Leave a comment
31 Dec 2010
1 Comment

A Look Back at 2010

It was certainly interesting around here in 2010.

After earning the top seed in the playoffs for the second consecutive year, the Cavs became the first team in NBA history to post back-to-back 60-win seasons and not win an NBA title.

The early exit led to major changes, as owner Dan Gilbert fired coach Mike Brown and GM Danny Ferry decided not to remain with the team.

The biggest change, of course, was LeBron James’ decision to leave the team in free agency, which left the Cavs scrambling to decide how to rebuild the franchise.

The Indians have become the Indians of the 1970s again, and there seems to be little hope that they will be able to fix things.

The World Cup helped take our mind off the Cavs and filled in the gap until the Browns started training camp. Judging by the TV ratings, we weren’t the only ones entertained.

The U.S. team provided some great moments, starting with its opening tie against England, to its last-minute win on Landon Donovan’s goal against Algeria. The fun came to an end, though, in extra time against Ghana. And Spain came through in the end, just as we predicted.

We learned Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard is the anti-LeBron and finally saw Tom Hicks and George Gillett exit Anfield, leaving the team in pieces.

Then there were the Browns.

Owner Randy Lerner finally put together a qualified management team in president Mike Holmgren, general manager Tom Heckert and coach Eric Mangini. With all three having clearly defined roles, the team is finally set up for success.

After nailing their first draft, the Browns prepared for a season that would ultimately have them playing one of the toughest schedules in the NFL.

That schedule has certainly contributed to the team’s struggles this year, but clear progress has been made as wins against the Saints and Patriots show.

Now we’re just left to wait out stupid time until Holmgren makes the announcement that Mangini is obviously returning next season.

One more thing: we finally learned the real reason Brady Quinn failed as quarterback of the Browns.

Finally, we launched this site in 2010.

While we had to deal with a few bumps at first with some people who think the Internet is run like a playground and they can call “firsties,” things have gone pretty well.

The guys at Waiting for Next Year have been good to us, as has Cleveland Frowns. And we are grateful for that.

We’ve also had the opportunity to meet a few new fans online, including jimkanicki, chris from Two One Six Sports, Malcolm Mathers, Believelander and others who have all helped expand our knowledge base and made us think before we post.

We’re still working to find our voice and figure out exactly what we want to be as a site, but overall it has been a positive experience. We’re looking forward to what 2011 has in store for us and for Cleveland fans everywhere.

Happy New Year everyone.

Posted in Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Indians, Liverpool, NFL, World Cup
30 Dec 2010

That will show them!

Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel apparently consulted The First Grader’s Guide to Playground Etiquette when he made the six players suspended for five games next season pinkie-swear that they will return to the Buckeyes if they are allowed to play next week in the Sugar Bowl.

Yeah, that will teach the players.

In addition Tressel won’t bench any of the players or punish the players in any way for the Sugar Bowl.

“We told them they would have to make the decision on the NFL prior to leaving for the bowl game,” Tressel said at his first Sugar Bowl news conference. “It wouldn’t be fair to not face the consequences down the road.”

What a joke.

How will Tressel enforce the promise if any of the players decide to leave? That’s right, he can’t.

It was silly enough that the NCAA penalized the players in the first place; the items they sold belonged to them, they should be able to do what they want. But Tressel’s comments made him sound as clueless as Joe Paterno.

“A number of people reached out as we’ve been dealing with this thing maybe to calm my thinking or whatever, and one thing said was, ‘Keep in mind, Coach, you’re dealing with a different generation,” Tressel said. “Back when you were growing up one guy got a trophy, maybe, and now you’re dealing with a generation that if you were on the team and you were 7 years old, everyone got a trophy. Maybe this generation doesn’t understand the value of awards like we did,’ “

Sorry to break it to you coach, but players don’t go out to the Malt Shop with their high school sweethearts after the game anymore.

If Tressel was serious about wanting to punish the players, he would suspend them for the game. But that would just increase the odds of the Buckeyes being embarrassed again by an SEC team, so you know he never even considered that.

Suspensions aren’t realistic, we get that. There’s too much money involved for that. But for a school and a coach that thinks they are better than everyone else, and for the apologists who believe Tressel can do no wrong just because he beats Michigan, this just shows that OSU is like everyone else in big-time college football.

We’re just surprised OSU president Gordon Gee didn’t find a way to blame all this on Boise State.

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Is Mike Holmgren ready to coach the Browns? Doubtful.

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Are the Steelers worried about Sunday’s game with the Browns? Certainly.

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Scott Rabb weighs in on Eric Magnini at Cleveland Frowns

Posted in big joke, Cleveland Browns, NFL, Ohio State | Leave a comment
29 Dec 2010

Should the Browns have more Pro Bowlers?

We know it is hard to think of a 5- (possibly 6-) win team having multiple Pro Bowl players, but it’s worth asking: are the Browns are under-represented this year?

Winning teams are always going to have more players, which makes sense, and you’ll always have players like Ed Reed or Ray Lewis making it on reputation, but it seems as if the Browns should have received a little more love on the offensive side.

Peyton Hillis easily could have taken the place of Maurice Jones-Drew. Hillis only trails Jones-Drew by 160 rushing yards, but has scored 11 rushing touchdowns to five for the Jacksonville back. When you put in the receiving numbers, Jones-Drew only has three more yards from scrimmage than Hillis, while Hillis also doubles Jones-Drew in touchdowns – 13 to seven.

We think Lawrence Vickers should have made the team over Houston’s Vonta Leach. While the Texans’ Arian Foster leads the league in rushing, Houston has only gained less than 200 yards more on the season than the Browns rushing attack. And with an offense that includes wide receiver Andre Johnson and quarterback Matt Schaub, it is certainly easier to run the ball as the defense has to worry about the passing game.

Can’t say the same about the Browns’ attack.

Finally, it’s irrelevant how good Pittsburgh’s Maurkice Pouncey may be, there’s no way he’s better than Alex Mack as a center; Mack should have been the back-up to Nick Mangold.

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Here is someone else who gets it in regards to the Browns and coach Eric Mangini.

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No love for the Cavs new court design.

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Marla Ridenour at The Beacon-Journal ponders some questions while waiting for the inevitable return of Eric Mangini as Browns coach.

No need to wait for Holmgren to answer these next week, we can figure this one out no sweat:

1. Can Holmgren foster the kind of atmosphere he wants in his organization when he and Mangini seem to be such different personalities? Of course.

2. Will Mangini eventually come around to Holmgren’s pass-first mentality and give up on a Neanderthal running attack when the Browns have more offensive weapons? Why wouldn’t he?

3. Would Mangini accept an ultimatum from Holmgren on Daboll, possibly with Holmgren picking the next offensive coordinator? See No. 2.

4. Can the Browns get an experienced offensive coordinator to work with Mangini other than Gil Haskell, already on the payroll as Holmgren’s senior advisor? Would that pairing work? What would stop them?

5. Is the fact that the Browns lost seven games by seven points or less and three games by three points or less a sign of progress or a sign of the staff’s weak game-day adjustments? A clear sign of progress, especially in light of question No. 7

6. How will losses to two-win teams Cincinnati and Buffalo and a near-loss to one-win Carolina be weighed? The same as wins against New England & New Orleans, as well as a “near-loss” to the Jets.

7. How hamstrung were the Browns by a lack of talent? There are many holes to fill, including right tackle, defensive end, backup running back, No. 1 receiver and pass-rushing outside linebacker. You just answered your own question: if there are “many holes to fill” how can the team be expected to win consistently?

8. Can Mangini succeed next year if the front seven is upgraded? No, better talent does not equal better results.

9. Can Mangini be given a pass for his 2009 second-round draft picks — Brian Robiskie, Mohamed Massaquoi and David Veikune? Veikune is no longer on the team. Irrelevant as Mangini doesn’t make the draft picks any more.

10. Is Mangini still growing into the job? He turns 40 on Jan. 19. Yes

See how easy that was?

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