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In Cleveland, hope dies last

08 Sep 2014

Browns come home with everything but a win

It was a tale of two halves for the Cleveland Browns in their opening game on Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Unfortunately this tale had an ending that is all too familiar to Browns fans.

The Browns rallied back from a 27-3 halftime deficit to tie the score, only to lose on a last-second field goal.

“I told the team afterward that this is a pass-fail league,” head coach Mike Pettine said after the game. “And we failed.”

The loss was the Browns 10th consecutive on opening day – a league record – and their 14th loss in their past 15 visits to Heinz Field.

Sticking with Pettine’s theme of Pass/Fail, here are a few things the Browns got right and few they got wrong against the Steelers.

Posted in AFC North, Cleveland Browns and tagged Cleveland Browns

07 Sep 2014

Browns vs. Steelers – 5 things to watch in Week 1

The Cleveland Browns open the 2014 NFL season today against the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

The last time the Browns opened a season in Pittsburgh, in 1989, they beat the Steelers 51-0 to start a year that saw the Browns advance to the AFC Championship Game.

It’s safe to say it has been all downhill since then for the Browns and their one-time rival.

The Browns have only beaten the Steelers twice in the past seven years, have only one win in their past 14 games at Heinz Field, and have gone 5-31 against Pittsburgh over the past 36 meetings between the two teams.

It’s not just Pittsburgh, either, as season-opening games have not been kind to the Browns since 1999.

The Browns have lost nine consecutive opening games; lose today against the Steelers and they would set an NFL record for opening-day futility.

“That’s something that’s a big part of our prep (but) understanding that that has nothing to do with us,” Browns head coach Mike Pettine said earlier this week. “That has nothing to do with this game. That has nothing to do with us moving forward. That was our message back in the spring when we said, ‘Hey, recognize the history, but break off the rear view mirror.’ This is just another way to prove that.”

As the Browns get ready to start reversing those disappointing numbers today in Pittsburgh, here are five things to watch for.

Posted in AFC North, Cleveland Browns and tagged Cleveland Browns | Leave a comment

04 Sep 2014

What does 2014 have in store for the Cleveland Browns?

The Cleveland Browns open the 2014 NFL season on Sunday in Pittsburgh, a season that will see the Browns mark the 50th anniversary of their last (and Cleveland’s last) championship.

It was quite the offseason for the team, one that we’re sure fans and team officials are ready to put behind them. We’re all familiar with those storylines by now: the shakeup of the front office, yet another coaching change, the quarterback competition that kind of really wasn’t a competition, the prolonged case of Josh Gordon that ultimately resulted in a yearlong suspension.

But once 1 p.m. hits on Sunday, the Browns have the opportunity to put all that behind them and see what they can make of the upcoming season.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged Cleveland Browns, NFL | Leave a comment

01 Sep 2014

From the editor’s notebook …

The final roster cuts have been made, the practice squad players have been signed and the Cleveland Browns have begun preparations for Sunday’s season-opening game against Pittsburgh.

We’re less than a week away from Browns football, whether anyone is ready for it or not.

The only real surprise among the player cuts was MarQueis Gray, who seemed like he might be able to help the team as a fullback. But the Browns apparently decided that if they were going with a fullback on the roster, why not have Ray Agnew – someone who has actually played the position – over trying to convert a play like Gray to the spot. It’s a radical idea, we know, but it just may be crazy enough to work.

The Browns didn’t waste any time parting ways with cornerback Leon McFadden -who was selected about three rounds too early in the 2013 NFL Draft – and guard Garrett Gilkey, leaving Barkevious Mingo and Armonty Bryant as the only players remaining from the one and only draft from Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi. So much for that duo’s continued claims that they set the team up for long-term success.

Posted in Brendan Rodgers, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Liverpool and tagged Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Liverpool | Leave a comment

27 Aug 2014

4 Comments

Josh Gordon’s suspension shows NFL has priorities out of order

Well, so much for seeing Josh Gordon in a Cleveland Browns uniform anytime soon.

“Appeals officer Harold Henderson has upheld the suspension for the 2014 NFL season of Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. The suspension is effective immediately.

“Gordon’s eligibility for reinstatement will be determined following the 2014 season.”

With those 46 words in an NFL-issued statement, the last sliver of hope among team officials and fans that Gordon would somehow be available this season was shot down. Gordon is gone – maybe never to return – and the Browns are left to pick up the pieces.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged Cleveland Browns, Josh Gordon

25 Aug 2014

2 Comments

We may have a problem here, Coach Pettine

Is there any way the Cleveland Browns can petition the league office to move back the start of the NFL season?

Or maybe ask to have their bye week switched to opening day?

We ask because in a little less than two weeks the Browns are going to take the field in Pittsburgh and, judging by what we have all seen through three weeks of the preseason, the Browns are not even close to being ready.

And we fear that things are going to get worse before they get any better.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged Cleveland Browns, Mike Pettine

21 Aug 2014

Liverpool solves one problem, but have they created another?

Exciting (and mildly surprising) news out of Anfield today as Liverpool has reportedly completed a £16 million transfer of talented (but controversial) striker Mario Balotelli.

The 24-year-old Balotelli will join the club from AC Milan and, if everything goes according to plan, could be on the bench for Monday’s showdown with Manchester City – the team that beat Liverpool for the Premier League title last season and Balotelli’s former club.

Despite saying just a few weeks ago that he had no interest in the Italian international, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has obviously decided that Balotelli’s ability to find the back of the net – 34 goals in 50 games at AC Milan – is just what the club needs to fill in the gap on offense left by Luis Suárez.

Posted in Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool and tagged Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool, Mario Balotelli | Leave a comment

20 Aug 2014

From the editor’s notebook …

Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine made if official earlier today, naming Brian Hoyer as the team’s starting quarterback.

The decision ends what we can only hope was not an ill-fated quarterback competition between Hoyer and rookie Johnny Manziel. Now Hoyer can work exclusively to get not only himself but the offense ready for the season-opener on Sept. 7 against Pittsburgh.

“(Brian) was the clear leader from the beginning,” Pettine said in announcing the decision. “We’ve maintained all along that if it was close, I would prefer to go with the more experienced player. Brian has done a great job in the meeting rooms and with his teammates on the practice field and in the locker room.”

Pettine probably made the right call (we’re pretty sure he did, but we won’t know until the season starts). Even though it is only a few games, Hoyer has more experience running an NFL offense than Manziel. Hopefully having him play most of Saturday’s preseason friendly against St. Louis, combined with giving him all the first-team reps in practice from here on out, will help him shake off the rust from not having played since injuring his knee last October.

Posted in Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Kent State and tagged Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Kent State | Leave a comment

19 Aug 2014

Browns once again find themselves in a QB quandry

It is only preseason. It is only preseason. It is only preseason.

We have to keep reminding ourselves of that after watching the Cleveland Browns on Monday night against Washington.

The running game didn’t look all that bad, as Ben Tate and Terrance West combined to average 4.5 yards per carry, which compared to last season’s baggy pants farce is Pro Bowl-caliber work.

The defense had three interceptions and was active all over the field – at least when the officials weren’t throwing a flag. (The Browns were penalized 10 times).

Other than that, nothing much went right, especially with quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel.

And that, Browns fans, leaves the team with a major problem on its hands.

Posted in bad quarterback play, Cleveland Browns and tagged Brian Hoyer, Cleveland Browns, Johnny Manziel | Leave a comment

16 Aug 2014

Liverpool ready to kick off Premier League title chase

Three months after seeing their title chase slip away, Liverpool return to action on Sunday against Southampton for the start of the 2014-15 Premier League season.

While a new season always brings fresh hope for the 20 clubs in England’s top flight, Liverpool has legitimate reasons to believe the upcoming season will be a good one after finishing in second place last year, just two points off the pace of Manchester City.

As Liverpool kicks-off the nine-month marathon that is the Premier League season, let’s do a quick Thumbs up/Thumbs down about the club.

Posted in Brendan Rodgers, EPL, Liverpool and tagged Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool, Premier League | Leave a comment

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