Short & Quick

College
I don’t even know the kid’s name, but the Auburn quarterback looks like a poor man’s Vince Young to me. I saw the kid play over the weekend and was impressed by his size, speed and demeanor. And for those of you who still hate on my boy Vince, he’s still winning two of every three starts, and now that he actually has some weapons at WR, his passing numbers should get better.

I watched the Ohio State game over the weekend and was stunned by how bad Tressel’s special teams are. I’m told this has been an on-going problem all year. Of course, when you play Thiel (aka YSU), it doesn’t matter. This guy is as an “old-school” coach if there ever was one. For his ST units to be so bad must drive the dude crazy.

Watched five minutes of the Oregon game last night and realized they are using the fast paced offensive system I have always wanted to see employed. It’s basically a two minute offense being used for 40 minutes. For years, we heard you can’t run the hurry-up for the whole game because it will also tire your players (the offense). Oregon is showing teams it can be done.

In other for it to work, you have to have the talent (as always), depth (to keep people fresh) and be in great shape. They seem to have all three. I’m sure in a copycat world, everyone will be going to it in the coming years, especially if Oregon wins big this year (i.e. National Title).

Pros
The Colts basically do it at the pro level with Manning and company. Yet, my Browns are headed in the other direction with a 1970 approach of having Ed Potolak (look him up) as their main runner and receiver.

The irony is amazing to me. In the age of spreading the field, making defenses cover sideline to sideline/tackle in space, and getting off as many plays (mostly passing) as possible, Cleveland is back in the Dark Ages.

I know better than anyone that it’s their best chance to keep it close, but it doesn’t make it right. Boy do they have work to do in terms of upgrading their talent.

Memo to the Browns, here’s a second round wide receiver who can play – the Caucasian Buckeye wide out with the long name. I’ve seen the kid play 3x now and I don’t need to see more. He’s better than the garbage Cleveland puts out there now.

If Brett Favre sent unsolicited pictures of his schlong to a female Jets’ co-worker, he should be called on the carpet. If all he did was leave a phone message asking some slim-waisted, big-breasted 20 something year-old if she wanted to come over, then there’s no “there” there.

There’s a real line between harassment and some childlike mid-aged jock acting foolish. If it’s just a call, she can say $#@off. If he did more than that, he has bigger problems than a league fine and the NOW wenches who are unhappy with what nature gave them picketing his workplace. His old lady will unload on him and take half of what he’s worth.

Yea, Colt McCoy handled his first start well. No, I’m not ready to crown him king like some moron fans/media are right now in town. These are the same folks who would be ridiculing the organization for taking him had he gone 10-for-29 with three picks.

Obviously, he should be the starter from here on out. There’s absolutely nothing to lose – assuming you can keep him upright. Just like we said with Brady Quinn, the more experience you can get a young player (QB) the better. Unfortunately, they didn’t listen with Quinn. Hopefully, the Walrus will step in and make sure Mangini does the right thing.

One final note on McCoy – he needs to know where he is on the field. In the third quarter, he took a sack on third down that knocked them out of potential field goal range. There's no escuse for that - at any level. No one mentioned it on the broadcast, so I figured I’d do it.

Overall, the kid looks accurate and mobile. And I was impressed he got them in and out of the huddle without drawing flags. That’s also a good thing. Let’s see more of him now.

I just found out last Friday the Browns traded my boy Jerome Harrison. Here’s a guy who saves Mangini’s bacon last year. So Mangini turns around and rewards him by bringing in another back (Hillis) to take his place, then trades Harrison. Nice.

Loyalty works both ways in sports/business folks. If he didn't like him as their lead back, which was obviously the case, he should have done it before the season started when the kid’s value was higher. And, it would have given Harrison an opportunity to perhaps earn serious playing time with his new team. Now, the kid is back on the bench with his head spinning. He simply deserved better for saving Mangini’s job.

Yea, we almost nailed the Steelers’ score dead on - 27-10. See, I can be right sometimes.

When you lose the turnover battle 3-1 to a better team and you give up 5 sacks while registering none yourself, you have the makings of a bloodbath. Fortunately, it wasn’t a total embarrassment except for one thing – for the second straight week, the Browns were manhandled, beaten up, bullied. You choose the adjective. And this coach preaches toughness. Right!

There is absolutely no team identity with this bunch yet. After two years on the job, that’s another indictment of the head coach added to a horrid winning percentage.

So not only do we have a 1-5, bad, slow, under-talented team, but they are relatively soft compared to teams they've played. Nice. The only Browns’ player I see flying around causing havoc is #43. Check that - Josh Cribbs is mentally and physically tough as well.

Some other thoughts follow.

How much longer are they going to sit Haden on the bench on first and seconds down? Come on!

The Harrison hit on M. Ali deserved a flag. I’m not sure there is a clear solution to this mess but here’s my angle - go back to leather helmets. I’m not kidding.

If you wear a leather helmet (or a 21st century facsimile thereof ) you won’t lead with the head – ever, unless you are nuts. Everything else will follow – i.e. how tackling is taught).

No one asked me, but I would have neurologists, engineers and ex-players working together on head gear that’s light, still protects the athlete and simple. What they are wearing now looks like a weapon to me. And it's often used that way unfortunately.

I’m glad to see the Browns decided to change the snap count on occasion in the second quarter. The Steelers were getting a running start at McCoy until then.

Mangini elected to go into the locker room down 7-3 at halftime against the Steelers without even attempting to move the ball forward on the team’s last possession before the break. Doesn’t he know his players view that as a lack of faith in them? At least try a draw or screen.

Then he uses his timeouts with Steelers pinned back deep in their end prior to halftime, but DOESN’T attempt to rush the punter on fourth down with seconds remaining on the clock. What the hell is that?

New Orleans 34 Cleveland 17.

Till next time.