Who Is At Fault
Put this one squarely on the offense.
When an NFL team holds an opponent to 10 points, you should win. When the Browns hold someone to 10 points, it should be cause for celebration. Unfortunately, a loss is a loss – regardless of how you got there.
As usual, the Steelers found a way to beat Cleveland once again – that’s 10 straight and counting. This time, it involved playing close to the vest knowing the Browns were unlikely to score a touchdown unless Pittsburgh fumbled it in their own end zone and promptly ran away from the bouncing football as if avoiding the plague. Even then, the odds were 50-50 the Browns got possession before the pigskin fluttered out of bounds.
The Browns offense was so anemic, that when they got in the red zone – which was just three times by my count, on one occasion they never took a shot in the end zone, and in their final drive, decided to settle for a field goal instead of going for it on fourth down with under four minutes to play.
The logic of not trying to convert on fourth down eluded me last night.
Had they failed, they still had all their timeouts left with the Steelers pinned in their end. Even with the field goal, giving them a grand total of six points on the night, the Browns still needed to get a stop AND score a touchdown to win – something they have done just once in eighth quarters this season.
Others will focus in on that decision and try to convince you the game was lost there. Wrong. It was lost because the offense didn’t show up AGAIN.
DA
I said I would not pile on and I won’t. You all know my position on this dating back well over a year. When they (Browns) and the media figure it out, someone can call me.
Meanwhile, I just have this to say – Please DA, stop looking for timeout instructions from the sidelines during the 2-minute drill. You are the QB. You should know the situation at all times.
Secondly, NEVER throw a pass short of the goal line when you have 0:08 seconds remaining on the clock before halftime and no timeouts remaining. Had that pass been caught by a receiver instead of intercepted by Paluamalu, the defender was in position to make the stop short of the end zone. That’s not good.
Perhaps a fade would have been a better call?
To Anderson's defense, it's hard to completely judge him yet because he's had to deal with, by my count, eight drops in two weeks.
He’s Back
When a Pro-Bowl receiver has three non-descript receptions to go along with six drops after two weeks of play, it’s a story. Until he has more receptions than drops, he will once again be appropriately named “Butterfingers.”
It’s only right to do so. At least he (Edwards) takes credit for his flaws. Right.
HOF Duel
It was a pleasure watching K2 and Paluamalu go at it. Those two were locked in on each other all game long. If the pair stay healthy the rest of their careers, we will be seeing them in Canton.
Playmaker
We mentioned in the pre-season the Browns did not have one impact player on defense. Last night, nose guard Shaun Rogers was playing downhill from start to finish, disrupting the Steelers’ offense to not end. It was as good a performance as I have seen from a Browns’ defensive lineman in a long time.
Bad Trends
The Browns are the only NFL team to open with a pair of losses at home this season. Cleveland is already two games out of first after two weeks. The Browns have four of their next five on the road. They would need to go 10-4 the rest of the way to put themselves in a realistic position to make the playoffs – and that includes closing out the season week 16 at Pittsburgh.
How do things look so far?
OSU
I have been able to watch more Division I college football in the past two weeks than I have for the past 20 years. Here are my thoughts when it comes to Ohio State and its inability to beat other top programs.
The talking heads would have you believe it’s because the Buckeyes lack the overall speed and talent the SEC or Pac-10 have. Wrong.
OSU has had as many or more players reach the NFL than any other college football team in recent memory. The Buckeyes can recruit all over the country – just like USC, the Florida teams, LSU, etc… The Buckeyes have terrific talent.
Then why are they falling short against other top programs?
First, their schedule is weaker (Big 10); therefore, they are not as prepared. Secondly, the quarterbacking in the Big 10 is mediocre at best. That hurts them on the defensive end when they have to face a good QB out of a good conference who plays in a good system. And finally, the coaching is better elsewhere than in the Big 10, and I am not just talking about the head coach.
As for the loss to USC, I told my wife 10 minutes before kick-off we should have put this month’s mortgage check on the Trojans. That’s okay, had I done so, the Buckeyes would have covered. The point is it’s unfair to completely judge OSU by that loss because their best player by far (B. Wells) did not play.
The only, and I repeat, only chance they had in that game, was to have a healthy Wells carry it 35-40 times, be productive, and keep SC’s offense on the sideline. Wells is a top-5 pick in the 2008 draft if healthy. He would have made a difference. Would they have covered? I doubt it. But without him, they had no chance. No chance.
By the way, someone tell Tressel not to run the option with a non-option quarterback. That’s truly ugly to watch and fools absolutely no one.
NE – Jets
Again, I can’t stand him, but Mr. Bill is a genius. He took a QB who had not started since high school went on the road and beat a first ballot Hall of Famer in Brett Favre. That’s amazing. Meanwhile, the Browns complain about losing Sean Jones.
Vince Young
I don’t know all the facts, but one hopes Vince Young gets straightened out. When a pro athlete has a lot of time on his hands, bad things tend to happen, especially when they are injured and don’t feel like being part of the team anymore.
The locker room is the only place many of these young men feel comfortable and at ease. Take that away from them and trouble often follows. This is especially true for athletes who come from single parent homes. Here’s hoping he’s back playing soon, but more importantly, Young can learn to deal with the bumps on the road we all have to face.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
GOR, Week #2, Steelers-Browns, & Palin
Prediction
Steelers 27-24.
Yea, they’ll play better this week, but in the end, it’s hard for me to pick the Browns over a team that has had their number nine consecutive times.
What To Watch
Keep an eye on the Browns pass rush – or lack there of. Big Ben, who has never lost to the Browns, was sacked 47 times in 2007 and some 90 times in the past two years. Everyone else seems to be able to get to him except one team – the Browns. If this trend continues Sunday night, the outcome will not please Browns’ fans.
Secondly, Josh Cribbs is expected to play. As we stated in our season preview, he’s a huge part of their offense because of the positive field position he gives them on a consistent basis. Without him, the Browns special teams are average at best. With him, Cleveland wins that match-up most weeks. If he plays and is healthy, he could be a key to success in week #2.
Finally, the Browns offense has to score early and often. There is no excuse this week. The offense has to carry this team if this team expects to make the post-season.
Honeymoon Over
The national media is already jumping off the bus.
The Browns were the popular pick to be this year’s “breakout team.” After the debacle in week #1 versus the Cowboys, the media is starting to figure out this club still has major holes – especially on the defensive side of the ball. For example, you are starting to hear whispers the Browns are trying to fit a round peg into a square hole by acquiring a pair of 4-3 defensive tackles in the off-season and trying to plug them into a 3-4 set.
Of course, had Cleveland won against the Cowboys, such talk would only be whispers among player personnel folk and NFL GMs.
It will get a lot worse if the Steelers roll the Browns this week. Romeo will be under fire once again, the defense will be ridiculed to no end, and if the offense doesn’t awaken, DA’s status as the starter will once again be questioned. By the way, all three criticisms will be legitimate.
This observer stated on more than one occasion, last year’s 10-6 mark was due in large part to a soft schedule and good health. In this case, I’m from Missouri – they have to show me they are ready to move up the NFL leader. Simply stated - this corner is hoping for a split but expecting a 0-2 start.
One final thought on this week’s contest. Being competitive is not good enough. I have the Browns doing just that but finding a way to come up short – as they have numerous times against the Steelers in the recent past. You get NOTHING for keeping it close. There are no moral victories in the NFL. The hard truth is 0-2 is 0-2 regardless of the competitiveness of the contest. The organization, players and local media can spin it any way they want, but such a start would be devastating with eight road games remaining out of 14 left to play, not just a blip on the radar.
It’s not like this team has several consecutive playoff appearances to fall back on for comfort. The heat will truly be on if they lose this week, not only from media and fans locally, but from the national press that does not like to be made fools of.
Player Speak
I was able to catch several post-game interviews with Browns’ players and was concerned with what I heard. It was as though they (players) had built in excuses for losing to the Cowboys. I was hoping there was at least one player in that locker room that was truly embarrassed with that loss and said so publicly, which leads me to my point – a lack or leadership on this team.
The team looked lousy in pre-season, and they followed that up with a 28-10 opening week loss that was not even as close as the 18 point margin indicated.
Wake up gentlemen. There needs to be a sense of urgency this week and it needs to be maintained throughout the season.
Romeo Or Butch
One of the reasons I like Romeo C. is his simple, matter of fact approach with the media. He left that approach in his office when speaking to the media during his weekly press conference on Monday following the $#@-whipping by the Cowboys. Romeo stated, and I am paraphrasing here, that the game would have been much different had the Browns connected on the long drop and if the defense had come up with the interception near the Browns’ goal line on the Cowboys’ third scoring drive.
I will now translate – if Braylon Edwards catches that TD pass from DA and A. Davis comes up with that pick thrown right at him by Romo, Cleveland had a chance to stay in it. This may be true, but one can say that most weeks. It’s a sign of desperation.
By the way, those plays weren’t made because Edwards does not have good hands and Davis is not a playmaking LB. I just wanted to make sure we cut through the bull and understood the basics.
Remember when Cleveland’s own Jamaal Lewis was putting up Madden 2009 numbers versus the Browns several years back when he wore Raven colors?
Former Browns’ coach Butch Davis echoed similar thoughts. Something along the line of – If we had held him on those three long gains, he would not have gotten all those yards. Right.
Please Romeo, don’t go there again. It makes you look bad and insults the intelligence of the 2% of the population that “gets it.”
Palin Power
We wanted a qualified woman on the Republican ticket and McCain listened. Now she’s being hammered by the media for not being qualified. That’s a legitimate concern.
However, I haven’t seen the media ask the same question of the #1 on their favorite ticket. That’s to be expected I guess.
If Palin can stay above water during this current media blitz she’ll continue to be a huge asset and will swing some of those Hillary voters. Add the fact the left keeps taking cheap shots at her and her family, and that just drives more people to her camp – which translates into McCain votes in November.
As for the Charlie Gibson interview (Part I) – I give her a C. She looked uneasy talking about foreign policy – which is not her strength obviously. Otherwise, she held her own. As for Gibson, I don’t have any problems with his tough questions, just the condescending tone he took. He would not have done that with Obama, McCain, Hillary or Joe “I’m the smartest man in the room” Biden.
The McCain Camp just needs her to weather the storm. In other words, she’s already ahead on points as far as the majority of Americans are concerned. Palin appeals to “Wal Mart moms” because that’s what she is. They can relate.
The elite media doesn’t get that and never will. They will continue to probe for weaknesses. They don’t understand how McCain could put what they call an ideologue (in reality "pragmatic") young female governor, who earned her spurs as the mayor of a small town in Alaska, on the national ticket.
Meanwhile, many America thinks it’s a neat idea. The women is a governor, a mom and a wife, and they like that – so they’ll continue to cut her slack as long as she continues to sound like she has common sense.
You see, many American don’t care she doesn’t know who the president of Poland is. They figure McCain can handle that end until she learns the gig. Besides, what better place to learn about foreign policy from then from the #2 seat?
If I were McCain, I would declare immediately she will be in charge of domestic energy production - her strength, if their ticket wins.
Here’s my favorite part of this whole dilemma. The left and the majority of the mainstream media are focused on the fact that they believe she would be unqualified to be president because she doesn’t know a whole lot about foreign policy.
What do they think would happen if a worse-case scenario occurred and Palin had to take over the helm? Do they really think she would be making important foreign policy decisions on her own?
Of course not, but that’s what they want you to believe.
Last time I checked, a president hires the BEST OF THE BEST in all fields to give him/her informed opinions, including foreign policy.
It’s not like the conversation would go like this:
Palin: “Hey kids, gather around the kitchen table here in the West Wing – family meeting. The Russians are invading the Ukraine. What do you think we should do? I want everyone in the family to give me their thoughts – from oldest to youngest. Then when we settle this little matter, we’ll talk about our summer vacation plans.”
To date, all Palin has done is re-energized the base, allowed McCain to reach out to more female voters, confused the media elites and thrown the Obama Camp off its game. That’s pretty good work for less than two weeks on the job.
Our post-game analysis of week #2 will come on Monday.
Steelers 27-24.
Yea, they’ll play better this week, but in the end, it’s hard for me to pick the Browns over a team that has had their number nine consecutive times.
What To Watch
Keep an eye on the Browns pass rush – or lack there of. Big Ben, who has never lost to the Browns, was sacked 47 times in 2007 and some 90 times in the past two years. Everyone else seems to be able to get to him except one team – the Browns. If this trend continues Sunday night, the outcome will not please Browns’ fans.
Secondly, Josh Cribbs is expected to play. As we stated in our season preview, he’s a huge part of their offense because of the positive field position he gives them on a consistent basis. Without him, the Browns special teams are average at best. With him, Cleveland wins that match-up most weeks. If he plays and is healthy, he could be a key to success in week #2.
Finally, the Browns offense has to score early and often. There is no excuse this week. The offense has to carry this team if this team expects to make the post-season.
Honeymoon Over
The national media is already jumping off the bus.
The Browns were the popular pick to be this year’s “breakout team.” After the debacle in week #1 versus the Cowboys, the media is starting to figure out this club still has major holes – especially on the defensive side of the ball. For example, you are starting to hear whispers the Browns are trying to fit a round peg into a square hole by acquiring a pair of 4-3 defensive tackles in the off-season and trying to plug them into a 3-4 set.
Of course, had Cleveland won against the Cowboys, such talk would only be whispers among player personnel folk and NFL GMs.
It will get a lot worse if the Steelers roll the Browns this week. Romeo will be under fire once again, the defense will be ridiculed to no end, and if the offense doesn’t awaken, DA’s status as the starter will once again be questioned. By the way, all three criticisms will be legitimate.
This observer stated on more than one occasion, last year’s 10-6 mark was due in large part to a soft schedule and good health. In this case, I’m from Missouri – they have to show me they are ready to move up the NFL leader. Simply stated - this corner is hoping for a split but expecting a 0-2 start.
One final thought on this week’s contest. Being competitive is not good enough. I have the Browns doing just that but finding a way to come up short – as they have numerous times against the Steelers in the recent past. You get NOTHING for keeping it close. There are no moral victories in the NFL. The hard truth is 0-2 is 0-2 regardless of the competitiveness of the contest. The organization, players and local media can spin it any way they want, but such a start would be devastating with eight road games remaining out of 14 left to play, not just a blip on the radar.
It’s not like this team has several consecutive playoff appearances to fall back on for comfort. The heat will truly be on if they lose this week, not only from media and fans locally, but from the national press that does not like to be made fools of.
Player Speak
I was able to catch several post-game interviews with Browns’ players and was concerned with what I heard. It was as though they (players) had built in excuses for losing to the Cowboys. I was hoping there was at least one player in that locker room that was truly embarrassed with that loss and said so publicly, which leads me to my point – a lack or leadership on this team.
The team looked lousy in pre-season, and they followed that up with a 28-10 opening week loss that was not even as close as the 18 point margin indicated.
Wake up gentlemen. There needs to be a sense of urgency this week and it needs to be maintained throughout the season.
Romeo Or Butch
One of the reasons I like Romeo C. is his simple, matter of fact approach with the media. He left that approach in his office when speaking to the media during his weekly press conference on Monday following the $#@-whipping by the Cowboys. Romeo stated, and I am paraphrasing here, that the game would have been much different had the Browns connected on the long drop and if the defense had come up with the interception near the Browns’ goal line on the Cowboys’ third scoring drive.
I will now translate – if Braylon Edwards catches that TD pass from DA and A. Davis comes up with that pick thrown right at him by Romo, Cleveland had a chance to stay in it. This may be true, but one can say that most weeks. It’s a sign of desperation.
By the way, those plays weren’t made because Edwards does not have good hands and Davis is not a playmaking LB. I just wanted to make sure we cut through the bull and understood the basics.
Remember when Cleveland’s own Jamaal Lewis was putting up Madden 2009 numbers versus the Browns several years back when he wore Raven colors?
Former Browns’ coach Butch Davis echoed similar thoughts. Something along the line of – If we had held him on those three long gains, he would not have gotten all those yards. Right.
Please Romeo, don’t go there again. It makes you look bad and insults the intelligence of the 2% of the population that “gets it.”
Palin Power
We wanted a qualified woman on the Republican ticket and McCain listened. Now she’s being hammered by the media for not being qualified. That’s a legitimate concern.
However, I haven’t seen the media ask the same question of the #1 on their favorite ticket. That’s to be expected I guess.
If Palin can stay above water during this current media blitz she’ll continue to be a huge asset and will swing some of those Hillary voters. Add the fact the left keeps taking cheap shots at her and her family, and that just drives more people to her camp – which translates into McCain votes in November.
As for the Charlie Gibson interview (Part I) – I give her a C. She looked uneasy talking about foreign policy – which is not her strength obviously. Otherwise, she held her own. As for Gibson, I don’t have any problems with his tough questions, just the condescending tone he took. He would not have done that with Obama, McCain, Hillary or Joe “I’m the smartest man in the room” Biden.
The McCain Camp just needs her to weather the storm. In other words, she’s already ahead on points as far as the majority of Americans are concerned. Palin appeals to “Wal Mart moms” because that’s what she is. They can relate.
The elite media doesn’t get that and never will. They will continue to probe for weaknesses. They don’t understand how McCain could put what they call an ideologue (in reality "pragmatic") young female governor, who earned her spurs as the mayor of a small town in Alaska, on the national ticket.
Meanwhile, many America thinks it’s a neat idea. The women is a governor, a mom and a wife, and they like that – so they’ll continue to cut her slack as long as she continues to sound like she has common sense.
You see, many American don’t care she doesn’t know who the president of Poland is. They figure McCain can handle that end until she learns the gig. Besides, what better place to learn about foreign policy from then from the #2 seat?
If I were McCain, I would declare immediately she will be in charge of domestic energy production - her strength, if their ticket wins.
Here’s my favorite part of this whole dilemma. The left and the majority of the mainstream media are focused on the fact that they believe she would be unqualified to be president because she doesn’t know a whole lot about foreign policy.
What do they think would happen if a worse-case scenario occurred and Palin had to take over the helm? Do they really think she would be making important foreign policy decisions on her own?
Of course not, but that’s what they want you to believe.
Last time I checked, a president hires the BEST OF THE BEST in all fields to give him/her informed opinions, including foreign policy.
It’s not like the conversation would go like this:
Palin: “Hey kids, gather around the kitchen table here in the West Wing – family meeting. The Russians are invading the Ukraine. What do you think we should do? I want everyone in the family to give me their thoughts – from oldest to youngest. Then when we settle this little matter, we’ll talk about our summer vacation plans.”
To date, all Palin has done is re-energized the base, allowed McCain to reach out to more female voters, confused the media elites and thrown the Obama Camp off its game. That’s pretty good work for less than two weeks on the job.
Our post-game analysis of week #2 will come on Monday.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Browns Week #1 Post Mortem vs. Cowboys
We had the Cowboys reaching 30+ and winning by two scores in our previous entry. We were in the ballpark.
Dallas did what we thought they would do offensively – whatever they pleased. Unfortunately, Cleveland’s offense, outside of the first drive, was inefficient – to say the least. The Browns are headed for Miami Dolphins 2007 territory if they average 10 points per contest this fall.
Here are our game observations.
I have no idea what the Browns’ defensive brains trust was doing in the first half having their best pass rusher, K. Wimbley, constantly dropping in coverage on obvious passing downs.
They made him a first round pick to get sacks, not cover space on third and 9. Wimbley had a tough enough sophomore season getting to the quarterback. He doesn’t need the coaching staff to make his job any harder in year #3. He gets paid to sack quarterbacks. Period.
The Cowboys made an adjustment in the second quarter and put Anthony Henry on the Browns best receiver – K2. That’s seemed to work. The Browns, for some unknown reason, rarely went back to K2 after he had several grabs on their first drive – which resulted in a 2-yard TD dink from DA to Winslow.
The Browns spent the first half dropping as many as eight in coverage in an effort to protect a weak secondary.
Of course, that meant no pass rush whatsoever and Tony Romo had a field day. They came with more numbers in the second half but had limited success with it. By then, Romo was in a groove, and although they bloodied him up once, he played pitch and catch all day – regardless of what the Browns tried.
Back to the drawing board.
My son is a huge Felix Jones fan, the rookie back out of Arkansas. I can see why. He came off the bench for Dallas and ran for over 100 yards today. Of course, you have to take into account the defense he was facing.
Let’s see, week #1 is in the books and we have already seen a QB throw for over 300 yards against the Browns, a back rush for over 100 yards and a team gain nearly 500 yards of total offense. And that’s with the Cowboys putting it in neutral most of quarter #4.
We’ve said this before but it’s worth repeating. A. Davis is a good citizen and a hard worked, but he’s a mediocre NFL linebacker at best. He had a chance to pick off Romo near the Browns' goal line and stop a Dallas drive cold. Romo threw it right at him but he dropped it. You HAVE to make that play. The end result was another Cowboys’ TD soon after.
Don’t ask me to explain why Romeo C. kicked a field goal down 21 in the fourth quarter.
Every once in a while we see coaches do something really stupid to remind us they aren’t all geniuses. This was such a case. The Dawson FG cut the lead to 18 – that’s 18 as in the Browns STILL needing three more scores to overtake Dallas with less than 11 minutes to play. You would hope there was at least one assistant coach on the sideline with the guts to tell him that was a bad idea. I guess not.
It didn’t matter anyway but it sure looked bad. How bad? After the FG sailed through the uprights, I actually heard loud boos. When was the last time you heard hometown fans boo after a score? That said it all.
I saved the best for last. Braylon Edwards turned in a performance only paralleled by the infamous Dennis Northcutt Fiasco in Pittsburgh circa 2006.
Remember that one?
Dennis dropped four that night and wanted no part of the poor weather conditions or the Steelers’ physical play. It was the single worst performance I have ever seen turned in by a professional athlete in team sports in any era. Yea, that bad.
Braylon Edwards’ performance came close with four official drops of his own (although we only counted three). In fact, throw in a pair of penalties Edwards picked up today and you could argue he put on a better show than CUT did that fateful evening in Steel Town. We’ll still give the edge to CUT however, but it was close.
The network carrying the Cowboys - Browns game put up a stat indicating Edwards had the second most drops in the NFL in 2007 – 20. Only TO had more. I had Edwards with only 16 drops in ‘07. But why quibble over a handful of drops. The point is Edwards had a horrid day and no one in their right mind should excuse it to his foot injury.
QBs and NFL receivers spend more time together than with their spouses when you include all the mini-camps, the two-a-days, the pre-season, the regular season and the extra work on the side.
I expect Edwards to bounce back next week and play very well. They'll need him to if they want to be competitive. Besides, how could he be worse?
We took the "Butterfingers" label off Edwards last fall because he was turning in a Pro-Bowl season - even with all the drops. But I reserve the right to bring it back if he once again is among the league-leaders in drops.
The point is the Browns cannot afford such self-inflicted wounds on offense. They need to score 30 or more every time out if they hope to win more than they lose this fall. Their defense is poor – and that’s being nice. They know it. The fans know it. The NFL knows it.
Two suggestions for Braylon - apologize to your teammates, coaches and fans that paid $50 + to see that performance, and donate a small part of your game check to the charity of your choice. Say $10,000.
Of course that will never happen. But it would ingratiate him with many people if he did as much. It's a good PR move, and I may not be able to tar my driveway (that's for you Nick), and I barely know how to screw in a lightbulb, but I know a little something about PR.
Finally, those media member who already are on record as saying the Browns CAN afford to go 0-2 out of the gate and still make the playoffs are showing their clear hometown bias. It’s like watching MSNBC covering Obama.
Going 0-2 in your building to start the season puts you in a huge hole. That means you would realistically have to win half your road games (4-4) and win out the rest of the way at home (6-0) to secure a 10-6 record. And we found out last fall, 10-6 was not good enough.
Forget what others say or write, if they want to be playing in January, this is a MUST win for Cleveland against the Steelers – a team that has handled the Browns nine straight times.
Otherwise, this could snowball badly when you consider the competitive schedule they have in ’08 compared to the X-mas present of a schedule they had in ‘07.
Week #2 vs. Steelers prediction to come.
Dallas did what we thought they would do offensively – whatever they pleased. Unfortunately, Cleveland’s offense, outside of the first drive, was inefficient – to say the least. The Browns are headed for Miami Dolphins 2007 territory if they average 10 points per contest this fall.
Here are our game observations.
I have no idea what the Browns’ defensive brains trust was doing in the first half having their best pass rusher, K. Wimbley, constantly dropping in coverage on obvious passing downs.
They made him a first round pick to get sacks, not cover space on third and 9. Wimbley had a tough enough sophomore season getting to the quarterback. He doesn’t need the coaching staff to make his job any harder in year #3. He gets paid to sack quarterbacks. Period.
The Cowboys made an adjustment in the second quarter and put Anthony Henry on the Browns best receiver – K2. That’s seemed to work. The Browns, for some unknown reason, rarely went back to K2 after he had several grabs on their first drive – which resulted in a 2-yard TD dink from DA to Winslow.
The Browns spent the first half dropping as many as eight in coverage in an effort to protect a weak secondary.
Of course, that meant no pass rush whatsoever and Tony Romo had a field day. They came with more numbers in the second half but had limited success with it. By then, Romo was in a groove, and although they bloodied him up once, he played pitch and catch all day – regardless of what the Browns tried.
Back to the drawing board.
My son is a huge Felix Jones fan, the rookie back out of Arkansas. I can see why. He came off the bench for Dallas and ran for over 100 yards today. Of course, you have to take into account the defense he was facing.
Let’s see, week #1 is in the books and we have already seen a QB throw for over 300 yards against the Browns, a back rush for over 100 yards and a team gain nearly 500 yards of total offense. And that’s with the Cowboys putting it in neutral most of quarter #4.
We’ve said this before but it’s worth repeating. A. Davis is a good citizen and a hard worked, but he’s a mediocre NFL linebacker at best. He had a chance to pick off Romo near the Browns' goal line and stop a Dallas drive cold. Romo threw it right at him but he dropped it. You HAVE to make that play. The end result was another Cowboys’ TD soon after.
Don’t ask me to explain why Romeo C. kicked a field goal down 21 in the fourth quarter.
Every once in a while we see coaches do something really stupid to remind us they aren’t all geniuses. This was such a case. The Dawson FG cut the lead to 18 – that’s 18 as in the Browns STILL needing three more scores to overtake Dallas with less than 11 minutes to play. You would hope there was at least one assistant coach on the sideline with the guts to tell him that was a bad idea. I guess not.
It didn’t matter anyway but it sure looked bad. How bad? After the FG sailed through the uprights, I actually heard loud boos. When was the last time you heard hometown fans boo after a score? That said it all.
I saved the best for last. Braylon Edwards turned in a performance only paralleled by the infamous Dennis Northcutt Fiasco in Pittsburgh circa 2006.
Remember that one?
Dennis dropped four that night and wanted no part of the poor weather conditions or the Steelers’ physical play. It was the single worst performance I have ever seen turned in by a professional athlete in team sports in any era. Yea, that bad.
Braylon Edwards’ performance came close with four official drops of his own (although we only counted three). In fact, throw in a pair of penalties Edwards picked up today and you could argue he put on a better show than CUT did that fateful evening in Steel Town. We’ll still give the edge to CUT however, but it was close.
The network carrying the Cowboys - Browns game put up a stat indicating Edwards had the second most drops in the NFL in 2007 – 20. Only TO had more. I had Edwards with only 16 drops in ‘07. But why quibble over a handful of drops. The point is Edwards had a horrid day and no one in their right mind should excuse it to his foot injury.
QBs and NFL receivers spend more time together than with their spouses when you include all the mini-camps, the two-a-days, the pre-season, the regular season and the extra work on the side.
I expect Edwards to bounce back next week and play very well. They'll need him to if they want to be competitive. Besides, how could he be worse?
We took the "Butterfingers" label off Edwards last fall because he was turning in a Pro-Bowl season - even with all the drops. But I reserve the right to bring it back if he once again is among the league-leaders in drops.
The point is the Browns cannot afford such self-inflicted wounds on offense. They need to score 30 or more every time out if they hope to win more than they lose this fall. Their defense is poor – and that’s being nice. They know it. The fans know it. The NFL knows it.
Two suggestions for Braylon - apologize to your teammates, coaches and fans that paid $50 + to see that performance, and donate a small part of your game check to the charity of your choice. Say $10,000.
Of course that will never happen. But it would ingratiate him with many people if he did as much. It's a good PR move, and I may not be able to tar my driveway (that's for you Nick), and I barely know how to screw in a lightbulb, but I know a little something about PR.
Finally, those media member who already are on record as saying the Browns CAN afford to go 0-2 out of the gate and still make the playoffs are showing their clear hometown bias. It’s like watching MSNBC covering Obama.
Going 0-2 in your building to start the season puts you in a huge hole. That means you would realistically have to win half your road games (4-4) and win out the rest of the way at home (6-0) to secure a 10-6 record. And we found out last fall, 10-6 was not good enough.
Forget what others say or write, if they want to be playing in January, this is a MUST win for Cleveland against the Steelers – a team that has handled the Browns nine straight times.
Otherwise, this could snowball badly when you consider the competitive schedule they have in ’08 compared to the X-mas present of a schedule they had in ‘07.
Week #2 vs. Steelers prediction to come.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
GOR, Cowboys/Browns Pick, W1
GOR/Week #1 – vs. Dallas
Coaching
The coaching match-up is a wash. Neither is entering the Hall anytime soon.
Offense
Both offensive units are equally capable of putting up a 30 spot against a subpar defense. Jamaal Lewis not being 100% could hurt the Browns dearly – especially if the Cowboys are able to pin their ears backs and go after a rusty DA. Remember, the Browns’ “O” line, the team’s strongest unit in 2007, struggled in this pre-season.
Defense
The Cowboys have a solid defensive unit while the Browns come off a season that had them rank #30 overall in the NFL – advantage America’s Team.
Special Teams
Cribbs may not play – bad news for the Brownies.
Summary
It’s shaping up to be a “first team to 30” type of game with both QBs expected to make a ton of plays. It’s not a “manage the game” match-up looming.
The Cowboys' trigger-man, Tony Romo, is healthy, athletic and should have plenty of time to throw and thus have a field day against a porous Browns’ pass defense.
Derek Anderson is coming off a concussion, hasn’t played in two weeks, and much more likely to have one of those 2 TDs/3 INT performances. Look for Anthony Henry and PacMan Jones to jump some routes.
Final Score
It's very hard to rationalize the Browns winning this one unless Romo has a terrible day. That's not likely with the weapons he has around him and the defense he's facing. Thus, we like the BOYS – 34-24.
Coaching
The coaching match-up is a wash. Neither is entering the Hall anytime soon.
Offense
Both offensive units are equally capable of putting up a 30 spot against a subpar defense. Jamaal Lewis not being 100% could hurt the Browns dearly – especially if the Cowboys are able to pin their ears backs and go after a rusty DA. Remember, the Browns’ “O” line, the team’s strongest unit in 2007, struggled in this pre-season.
Defense
The Cowboys have a solid defensive unit while the Browns come off a season that had them rank #30 overall in the NFL – advantage America’s Team.
Special Teams
Cribbs may not play – bad news for the Brownies.
Summary
It’s shaping up to be a “first team to 30” type of game with both QBs expected to make a ton of plays. It’s not a “manage the game” match-up looming.
The Cowboys' trigger-man, Tony Romo, is healthy, athletic and should have plenty of time to throw and thus have a field day against a porous Browns’ pass defense.
Derek Anderson is coming off a concussion, hasn’t played in two weeks, and much more likely to have one of those 2 TDs/3 INT performances. Look for Anthony Henry and PacMan Jones to jump some routes.
Final Score
It's very hard to rationalize the Browns winning this one unless Romo has a terrible day. That's not likely with the weapons he has around him and the defense he's facing. Thus, we like the BOYS – 34-24.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
GOR, Aug. 31, '08
Browns In 2008
I’ve got them finishing 9-7 – no better, no worse. Why?
Their defense ranked 30th overall in the NFL in 2007. Name me one impact player on that side of the ball heading into '08? Get the point?
Yes, they added a pair of 300 pounders up front in the off-season. The hope is that will help them against the run – especially on first down holding teams to second and 8 instead of second and 5.
But even if they improve against the run – which is likely – I don’t see the Browns defense consistently getting to the quarterback and getting off the field on third down.
They also have NO established, quality NFL corner on the roster. That’s a recipe for disaster – a weak pass rush and kid corners. A quality NFL QB and a good WR should once again be able to play pitch and catch against this team this fall.
Secondly, the Browns won’t be facing nearly as many cupcakes and back-up quarterbacks as they faced last fall. The schedule is more difficult, and since they are the trendy pick this year to be much-improved, no one will take them lightly.
The Browns will be featured on national television several times this fall based on expectations coming off a 10-win ’07 campaign. Their play in pre-season did nothing to indicate this is an improved football team.
Third, the Brownies made it through the 2007 season without suffering key injuries. We haven’t reached Labor Day yet and Cleveland already has run into trouble on the injury front this time around. That's part of the reason the team struggled in August and the odds they can just flick the switch and turn it on come September is wishful thinking.
In order for the Browns to make the playoffs this fall, they will need to outscore teams once again. But that is likely to be a more difficult task in 2008 due to the uncertainty of the special teams heading into week #1.
Josh Cribbs is not healthy. The team relied heavily on him to make plays on special teams last season. He gave the offense tremendous field position in ’07. If he does not repeat that performance this season, the Browns will be weak in two of the three phases of the game – defense and special teams. That will put even more heat on the offense – from farther out.
So let’s recap. The 2008 Browns should win more than they lose. But a lack of talent on defense, a more difficult schedule and the uncertainty of Cribbs’ health heading into September makes them likely to take a small step backwards instead of moving forward.
Ofcourse I've been wrong before - like when I picked the Broncos to reach the Super Bowl last fall.
Glaring Needs Breaking Camp
The Brows clearly still need a cover corner. So I will continue to bang the Ty Law drum until he signs with someone. The team also badly needs another WR (i.e Joe Horn). A legitimate pass rusher would also help a great deal. Those guys are like gold however - very hard to find, especially on the waiver wire.
Super Bowl Picks
I like the Pats beating the Cowboys come next February. The Patriots were clearly the best team in football in ’07. And it wasn’t even close. Unfortunately, they ran into a hot team with a good pass rush in the Super Bowl and came up short.
No one in their right mind would pick a low seed from an inferior conference to take the Pats had it been a five-game series. But football does not work that way. It’s truly one-and-out in the post-season. The Pats found out the hard way.
Therefore, I’ll go with the team that played the best from beginning to nearly the end last fall. This isn’t college. New England didn’t lose any letter winners to graduation. Brady and company are still present and accounted for. Yes, their defense is aging, but I see atleast one more run in that group.
As for picking the Cowboys, that’s just a guess. They seem solid on both sides of the ball, and if Romo is as good as the media makes him out to be, he has enough talent around him to advance out of that conference.
Pats 30
Cowboys 20
I’ve got them finishing 9-7 – no better, no worse. Why?
Their defense ranked 30th overall in the NFL in 2007. Name me one impact player on that side of the ball heading into '08? Get the point?
Yes, they added a pair of 300 pounders up front in the off-season. The hope is that will help them against the run – especially on first down holding teams to second and 8 instead of second and 5.
But even if they improve against the run – which is likely – I don’t see the Browns defense consistently getting to the quarterback and getting off the field on third down.
They also have NO established, quality NFL corner on the roster. That’s a recipe for disaster – a weak pass rush and kid corners. A quality NFL QB and a good WR should once again be able to play pitch and catch against this team this fall.
Secondly, the Browns won’t be facing nearly as many cupcakes and back-up quarterbacks as they faced last fall. The schedule is more difficult, and since they are the trendy pick this year to be much-improved, no one will take them lightly.
The Browns will be featured on national television several times this fall based on expectations coming off a 10-win ’07 campaign. Their play in pre-season did nothing to indicate this is an improved football team.
Third, the Brownies made it through the 2007 season without suffering key injuries. We haven’t reached Labor Day yet and Cleveland already has run into trouble on the injury front this time around. That's part of the reason the team struggled in August and the odds they can just flick the switch and turn it on come September is wishful thinking.
In order for the Browns to make the playoffs this fall, they will need to outscore teams once again. But that is likely to be a more difficult task in 2008 due to the uncertainty of the special teams heading into week #1.
Josh Cribbs is not healthy. The team relied heavily on him to make plays on special teams last season. He gave the offense tremendous field position in ’07. If he does not repeat that performance this season, the Browns will be weak in two of the three phases of the game – defense and special teams. That will put even more heat on the offense – from farther out.
So let’s recap. The 2008 Browns should win more than they lose. But a lack of talent on defense, a more difficult schedule and the uncertainty of Cribbs’ health heading into September makes them likely to take a small step backwards instead of moving forward.
Ofcourse I've been wrong before - like when I picked the Broncos to reach the Super Bowl last fall.
Glaring Needs Breaking Camp
The Brows clearly still need a cover corner. So I will continue to bang the Ty Law drum until he signs with someone. The team also badly needs another WR (i.e Joe Horn). A legitimate pass rusher would also help a great deal. Those guys are like gold however - very hard to find, especially on the waiver wire.
Super Bowl Picks
I like the Pats beating the Cowboys come next February. The Patriots were clearly the best team in football in ’07. And it wasn’t even close. Unfortunately, they ran into a hot team with a good pass rush in the Super Bowl and came up short.
No one in their right mind would pick a low seed from an inferior conference to take the Pats had it been a five-game series. But football does not work that way. It’s truly one-and-out in the post-season. The Pats found out the hard way.
Therefore, I’ll go with the team that played the best from beginning to nearly the end last fall. This isn’t college. New England didn’t lose any letter winners to graduation. Brady and company are still present and accounted for. Yes, their defense is aging, but I see atleast one more run in that group.
As for picking the Cowboys, that’s just a guess. They seem solid on both sides of the ball, and if Romo is as good as the media makes him out to be, he has enough talent around him to advance out of that conference.
Pats 30
Cowboys 20
Sunday, August 24, 2008
GOR/Aug 24, '08
Browns' O-Line Woes
After three pre-season games, the most disturbing aspect of Browns' camp isn't the injury list - all the key characters are expected to be healthy when the bell rings in September. The most distressing aspect of camp has been the horrid play of the first unit offensive line.
In the last two weeks, Derek Anderson suffered a concussion against the Giants following a blind-side hit, and Brady Quinn was hit early and often by the Lions.
The Browns can't excuse this to injuries. The line is healthy. It's just not performing well. Check that - it's performing poorly.
Coach Crennel needs to light a fire under what was the strongest unit on the team just one year ago. Otherwise, it will be a long season. Remember, in 2007, DA rarely got his jersey dirty because of the OL.
Defense
There does not seem to be any improvement on defense so far this camp. There has been no pass rush and the secondary has been torched by just about everyone who has been under center against them in the first three pre-season games. And I haven't even mentioned the linebackers - who don't scare anyone.
Needs
The Browns are still a work in progress but it's clear the team needs another quality receiver and a legitimate cover corner (I keep repeating myself with the CB needs, I know). We begged them to sign Ty Law weeks ago. I cannot imagine them opening the season with this secondary and expect to be successful getting off the field on third down - especially when you combine the talent level in the secondary with the lack of pass rush up front. That's a nasty stew waiting to happen.
As for the receiving group - when Edwards is out, the team lacks a true #1 wideout and the ability to get YAC yards (yards after the catch). It was ugly watching the Browns' wide receivers try to get separation against the Lions' secondary this past Thursday. Either the Lions have an oustanding secondary or the Browns' WRs are clearly less than average by NFL standards with Braylon and Joe J. out.
Good News & pre-season week #4
The good news is these games don't count -whether you are 0-4 or 4-0. The final pre-season game takes on added meaning however. With so many starters out in pre-season game #3, the coaching staff may want to play the starters at least one half in the final tune-up to get everyone on the same page. Most teams take their starters out early in pre-season game #4 to avoid injuries. Cleveland may not be able to afford that luxury since their #1s - especially on offense - have not played much or well to date.
Cliff Lee
CLiff Lee is quietly having the best season I have ever witnessed from an Indians' starter.
I go back to the early 70s and Gaylord Perry - so we are talking nearly 40 years. He's 18-2 and has an ERA in the 2s on a bad club. Imagine where they would be without him - perhaps looking at a 100 loss campaign. Lee isn't overpowering hitters - even though his strikeouts are up. He's throwing a ton of first pitch strikes, then challenging hitters with his best stuff. It's a simple formula but one that works - get ahead then trust your stuff!
Jensen Lewis.
He's 5-for-5 as a closer. If he finishes strong, it may give the Indians' deep thinkers second thoughts about acquiring a veteran closer in the off-season. I would still pursue a true closer - depending on the asking price of course.
Redeem Team
Good for them - they won the gold. The best news for Cavs' fans is that 23 did not get hurt. Several media members covering the Olympics got to see James up close and personal the past few weeks. Most came to the conclusion that 23 established himself as the best player on the planet. We already knew as much.
Obama & McCain
Joe Biden is a solid VP choice for B. Obama. He brings to the ticket what Obama lacks - foreign policy credentials and 30+ years of Wshington D.C. experience. However, there clearly was a better choice if Team Obama wanted its best chance of winning - choosing Hillary Clinton to be VP. Althought she carries a ton of baggage and then some (Bill Clinton), she would have energized and united the democratic party. Biden was probably the best of the next best choices but it might not be enough.
This gives John McCain a clear opening to get a good percentage of Hillary's 18 million voters. Polls consistently show that as many as 20% may either not vote or vote for McCain - that's between 3-4 million voters. That's a lot of voters folks, and it could be the difference in a close race.
McCain should pick a strong women to run with him - remember Condi Rice was our first choice for McCain months ago. We see no reason to change that view. If he does not want Rice because she's from Bush's team, then KB Hutchinson out of Texas woud be a good fit.
For those of you who have no idea who I am talking about - relax. She's more than qualified and would be solid in a debate versus Biden - who loves to hear himself speak.
The point is there are clearly several qualified female republicans who would bring with them the group republicans have trouble getting on election day - women. Older women (40+) especially are there for the taking this time around. McCain needs to be bold (think out of the box) and go with a qualified female to attract disgruntled Hillary voters.
In the end, it's true - people vote for the presidential candidate, not the running mate. However, such a unique pick by McCain would indicate he is willing to roll the dice. And who doesn't like a gambler?
No, we don't like Mitt Romney - the odds-on favorite to be his VP pick. He and Romney dislike each other. Trying to sell him as your #2 after you spent the better part of the primary knifing each other will not sell with the voting public. Plus, Romney's hair is too perfect. I always worry about model-looking types with perfect hair. Although qualified, Romney looks too much like someone you would see inside an LL Bean catalog.
Finally, we don't believe Obama giving his acceptance speech in a large stadium front of 75,000 people is a bit too much. Americans are not electing a rock star. They are electing a president. His speech in front of 200,000 people in Germany did not go over well in the U.S. The acceptance speech site is also a risk. For example, what happens if it rains?
Till next time.
After three pre-season games, the most disturbing aspect of Browns' camp isn't the injury list - all the key characters are expected to be healthy when the bell rings in September. The most distressing aspect of camp has been the horrid play of the first unit offensive line.
In the last two weeks, Derek Anderson suffered a concussion against the Giants following a blind-side hit, and Brady Quinn was hit early and often by the Lions.
The Browns can't excuse this to injuries. The line is healthy. It's just not performing well. Check that - it's performing poorly.
Coach Crennel needs to light a fire under what was the strongest unit on the team just one year ago. Otherwise, it will be a long season. Remember, in 2007, DA rarely got his jersey dirty because of the OL.
Defense
There does not seem to be any improvement on defense so far this camp. There has been no pass rush and the secondary has been torched by just about everyone who has been under center against them in the first three pre-season games. And I haven't even mentioned the linebackers - who don't scare anyone.
Needs
The Browns are still a work in progress but it's clear the team needs another quality receiver and a legitimate cover corner (I keep repeating myself with the CB needs, I know). We begged them to sign Ty Law weeks ago. I cannot imagine them opening the season with this secondary and expect to be successful getting off the field on third down - especially when you combine the talent level in the secondary with the lack of pass rush up front. That's a nasty stew waiting to happen.
As for the receiving group - when Edwards is out, the team lacks a true #1 wideout and the ability to get YAC yards (yards after the catch). It was ugly watching the Browns' wide receivers try to get separation against the Lions' secondary this past Thursday. Either the Lions have an oustanding secondary or the Browns' WRs are clearly less than average by NFL standards with Braylon and Joe J. out.
Good News & pre-season week #4
The good news is these games don't count -whether you are 0-4 or 4-0. The final pre-season game takes on added meaning however. With so many starters out in pre-season game #3, the coaching staff may want to play the starters at least one half in the final tune-up to get everyone on the same page. Most teams take their starters out early in pre-season game #4 to avoid injuries. Cleveland may not be able to afford that luxury since their #1s - especially on offense - have not played much or well to date.
Cliff Lee
CLiff Lee is quietly having the best season I have ever witnessed from an Indians' starter.
I go back to the early 70s and Gaylord Perry - so we are talking nearly 40 years. He's 18-2 and has an ERA in the 2s on a bad club. Imagine where they would be without him - perhaps looking at a 100 loss campaign. Lee isn't overpowering hitters - even though his strikeouts are up. He's throwing a ton of first pitch strikes, then challenging hitters with his best stuff. It's a simple formula but one that works - get ahead then trust your stuff!
Jensen Lewis.
He's 5-for-5 as a closer. If he finishes strong, it may give the Indians' deep thinkers second thoughts about acquiring a veteran closer in the off-season. I would still pursue a true closer - depending on the asking price of course.
Redeem Team
Good for them - they won the gold. The best news for Cavs' fans is that 23 did not get hurt. Several media members covering the Olympics got to see James up close and personal the past few weeks. Most came to the conclusion that 23 established himself as the best player on the planet. We already knew as much.
Obama & McCain
Joe Biden is a solid VP choice for B. Obama. He brings to the ticket what Obama lacks - foreign policy credentials and 30+ years of Wshington D.C. experience. However, there clearly was a better choice if Team Obama wanted its best chance of winning - choosing Hillary Clinton to be VP. Althought she carries a ton of baggage and then some (Bill Clinton), she would have energized and united the democratic party. Biden was probably the best of the next best choices but it might not be enough.
This gives John McCain a clear opening to get a good percentage of Hillary's 18 million voters. Polls consistently show that as many as 20% may either not vote or vote for McCain - that's between 3-4 million voters. That's a lot of voters folks, and it could be the difference in a close race.
McCain should pick a strong women to run with him - remember Condi Rice was our first choice for McCain months ago. We see no reason to change that view. If he does not want Rice because she's from Bush's team, then KB Hutchinson out of Texas woud be a good fit.
For those of you who have no idea who I am talking about - relax. She's more than qualified and would be solid in a debate versus Biden - who loves to hear himself speak.
The point is there are clearly several qualified female republicans who would bring with them the group republicans have trouble getting on election day - women. Older women (40+) especially are there for the taking this time around. McCain needs to be bold (think out of the box) and go with a qualified female to attract disgruntled Hillary voters.
In the end, it's true - people vote for the presidential candidate, not the running mate. However, such a unique pick by McCain would indicate he is willing to roll the dice. And who doesn't like a gambler?
No, we don't like Mitt Romney - the odds-on favorite to be his VP pick. He and Romney dislike each other. Trying to sell him as your #2 after you spent the better part of the primary knifing each other will not sell with the voting public. Plus, Romney's hair is too perfect. I always worry about model-looking types with perfect hair. Although qualified, Romney looks too much like someone you would see inside an LL Bean catalog.
Finally, we don't believe Obama giving his acceptance speech in a large stadium front of 75,000 people is a bit too much. Americans are not electing a rock star. They are electing a president. His speech in front of 200,000 people in Germany did not go over well in the U.S. The acceptance speech site is also a risk. For example, what happens if it rains?
Till next time.
Friday, August 15, 2008
GOR/8-15-08
Maurice Williams
The Cavaliers have not had a point guard average 17 points a game since Mark Price did it some 15 years ago. The addition of Maurice Williams is clearly an upgrade over anything the Cavaliers have had at that position since Andre Miller – Jim Paxson’s best draft choice during his less than illustrious run as Cavs’ GM.
What people are missing is the fact that Williams’ ability and tendency to think shoot first and pass second as a point guard is just what the team needs – not something to be afraid of like some local fans and media types are already groaning about.
They have it backwards – as usual.
Any player that can score on his own without 23s help is a big addition to this roster. The Cavaliers do not need any more complementary players. They need a couple players who can “get theirs” without help. That will allow James to take a few offensive possessions off from time to time. This is a luxury he did not have last year, or the year before, etc.
Remember, early in James' career with the Cavaliers, he had Z who could still be counted on to get some easy post possession baskets. With each passing season however, Z has floated more and more away from the basket – needing James’ pick and roll game or 23’s penetration and kick to get the bulk of his points now.
For those who are still worried Williams will hog the ball - Relax.
Come the fourth quarter, James will be in charge and Williams will take a back seat when necessary. Overall however, having a player who can take some pressure off James on some occasional offensive possessions will allow 23 to stay stronger longer.
Remember - you want to reduce his (23s) workload as much as possible during the 82-game regular season grind.
Understand this – I have only seen Williams play a handful of times and have not made a complete judgment on his abilities – at either end of the floor. But facts don't lie - his numbers have improved each of the past three seasons and he led all Eastern Conference point guards in points per game in 2007-08 while shooting 48% from the field. That’s impressive.
I will be focusing on two things when he takes the floor for the Cavs this fall – his basketball IQ and his ability to defend penetration.
Yes, I now he played in Milwaukee last season – where they were out of it early and played very little defense, either as individuals or as a team. But 17 points and six assists from a 25-year old point guard is nothing to sneeze at. Besides, he’ll be playing next to 23 in 2008-09. That should help his game even more.
Good move Danny.
Obviously, this move was also made because the Cavaliers felt they could trade Joe Smith and not lose much off the bench. Remember, Smith is a pro’s pro who has a high basketball IQ, and who at this point in his career, is a solid role player off the bench – something he provided for the Cavaliers during his short stay in Cleveland last season.
JJ Hickson’s summer league performance most likely convinced the Cavaliers’ front office the rookie first round pick would be ready for some minutes off the bench this fall in the front court– thus making Smith expendable.
I hope they are right. I am looking forward to seeing the youngster play along with watching Williams fit in.
Indians Fire Sale
As we predicted in an early summer posting, CC, Casey Blake and Paul Bird were all likely to leave town prior to the end of the season. Obviously, it’s impossible to judge the deals because prospects take time to develop. We are glad however the team kept shortstop J. Peralta and did not listen to some of the media and fans who wanted Peralta banished.
This is becoming a yearly request with Peralta bashers. It's ass though it's his fault when things go south for the Tribe. Morons.
No, he's not Cal Ripken. However, there is nothing wrong with a POST STEROIDS ERA middle infielder who hits 20+ home runs, drives in 70-80 runs and hits .270 on a regular basis. No, Peralta is not a good defensive shortstop. We were the first to call for Cabrera to move to SS a year ago. However, a consistent middle of the infield power bat is hard to find these days.
Peralta lacks certain non-verbals that lead local fans and scribes to judge him as being lackadaisical. No, he doesn’t do back flips like Ozzie Smith when running out to his position, nor does he always have a smile on his face like Omar did. But don’t mistake that for lack of talent.
Consistency should NEVER be taken for granted. Managers and head coaches know this better than anyone. Bat him sixth or seventh in your line-up and give him 600 at bats and hell put up solid numbers - year in year out. That is, unless you can do better there. Right now, I don't see anyone better on the horizon.
Think about it, the Indians don’t have a clue who will be starting a first base in 2009, nor who will be at third base in next season, or if Cabrera’s sophomore slump at the plate was a one-year occurrence or a sign of things to come. Why unload, or unload on, the one infielder who has given you good numbers every year but one - 2006?
Kelly Shoppach
Last year, we suggested the Indians sign Kelly Shoppach to a long-term deal and give him more playing time behind the plate while moving Victor Martinez around between catching, playing first and the DH role.
After watching Shoppach on an everyday basis since Martinez went down in 2008, it is clear to this observer we were right in our early appraisal that Shoppach could be a solid everyday receiver. No, he won’t ever come close to hitting .300 like Victor, but he has 20+ home run and 80+ RBI potential while having very good defensive skills. There are only a handful of big league catchers out there today who are better than Shoppach behind the dish and can produce better power numbers.
When he returns, I would like to see Martinez play the bulk of the time at first base while Shoppach handles the work behind the plate. Call it an audition for next year. If the Indians can get his pre-2008 offensive numbers from Martinez at first base and Shoppach can keep producing at the plate, the team is stronger for it.
Brett Favre
You all know where I stood on the Brett Favre – Packers melodrama. It seems Vegas agreed with me. I’m told the Jets’ chances of winning the Super Bowl this season improved dramatically with the Favre acquisition while the Packers odds went down. Geez, that’s a surprise.
Michael Phelps
I was asked to comment on Michael Phelps in terms of where swimming rates comparing it to other sports. Understand this – I just learned to swim last summer so I REALLY have no idea what he does and how he does it.
I will say this however. I have tuned in to watch his races and marveled at his dominance. It’s not like he’s competing against the best swimmers in the county, state or country. The guy is going up against the world and taking names every time out.
As to where swimming is in terms of sport – here’s my list and accompanying explanations. Please do not take offense if you play one of these sports that I rate near or at the bottom of the pack. Remember – it’s just one man’s opinion.
Let’s first give you my general parameters.
SPORTS DEFINITION: If you can do it well while drinking heavily - it’s not a sport. If you don’t sweat while doing it – it’s not a sport. If you don’t move at all – it’s not a sport. And finally, if you can dominate while approaching 50 (without performance-enhancing drugs), it’s not a sport.
With that – we are off and running.
1. Basketball – I believe basketball players are the best athletes in the world. As a group, they possess great physical stamina, outstanding hand-eye coordination, quickness, strength, balance, etc…They’ve got the whole package. It’s not hard to imagine NBA players playing other sports and playing them at a high level (i.e. Antonio Gates).
2. Football – The average NFL defensive back ranks right up there with basketball players in my book. Wide receivers are a close second. As a group, they obviously possess better hand-eye coordination than defensive backs but lack the toughness their counterparts possess. There are exceptions of course.
3. Baseball - Yes, I know. Some pitchers look like they are having a heart attack running from first to third. On the whole however, most baseball players were very good all-around athletes growing up – especially those in the middle of the diamond.
4. Decathlon Athletes – These guys aren’t just running in circles. They have to be able to do it all.
5. Soccer – Yes, it’s the world’s sport. Being originally from Europe, I enjoy, understand and appreciate a 1-0 soccer game between two outstanding international teams. This observer watched the World Cup from start to finish recently. Now, here’s the bad news for soccer – it’s a very soft sport culturally. Guys go down like they have been shot with an UZI to get fouls called. I can’t place the sport any higher on the list just because of what I call its “natural softness.” Could you imagine Ronnie Lott faking an injury? Enough said.
6. Hockey – These guys are much tougher than soccer players. However, we have them below soccer just because soccer is the world’s game. So out of respect – we place “football” first and hockey second.
7. Rugby - If we were judging on toughness alone, we would place rugby at or near the top. We have rugby seventh – just ahead of boxing. These guys constantly crash into each other without any protective gear on. That’s sick. They also have to be able to run and use their feet as well. I loved watching Australian Rules Football back in the early 80s during ESPN’s infancy. That’s probably why I rate it above other more recognized sports.
8. Boxing – These guys are built, in great physical shape and I would probably want one of them with me – over any other type of athlete – if I were walking down a dark alley at night. However, I place boxers eighth because I can’t think of two many boxers who would be studs elsewhere – with the exception of my favorite recent college football player, now turned pro - (ZIBBY out of ND).
9. Sprinters – Great quickness, speed and body development. One-dimensional
or they would be higher.
10. Wrestling – These guys work their ass off and get very little attention. It’s somewhat of a specialized sport. You don’t see wrestlers elsewhere often except on on the offensive and defensive lines. I have tremendous respect for the work put in, but I can’t go any higher than #9.
Swimming – The BEST sport available in terms of getting in shape. However, it doesn’t crack the top-10. Much like wrestling, it’s another specialized sport where you do not see a lot of cross-over in terms of the athlete potentially playing other sports at a high level.
I’ll stop at top-10. From here on out, it gets rough.
For example, I can’t rate golfers or tennis players because I do not recognize any sport where the audience MUST remain silent. That just goes against everything that sports is all about. If you put a gun to my head and made me choose, I would put tennis above golf. I’m sorry. I can’t get over the fact that in golf the athlete STANDS STILL when he performs.
I realize it may be harder to get a PGA card than hit a ML fastball, but I keep thinking about John Daly being liquored up and being competitive in his sport. I can’t imagine someone drinking a fifth of Jack Daniels and hitting a 90+ mile per hour fastball from a ML pitcher, or nailing a 20-foot jumper over a 6-6 NBA player, or catching a pass 30 yards downfield with a 220 pound safety coming at you.
La Crosse – Rich kid sport.
Car Racing – Great hand-eye coordination needed along with lots of guts and a special type of stamina, but you AIN’T moving. Sorry.
Horse Racing – This one is simple. If there’s an animal in tow, it AIN’T no sport! That also eliminates dog-fighting. Sorry Michael.
Bowling – Already covered above in terms of drinking and being effective. Add smoking a pack of camels and you have bowling.
Distance Running – Please.
I know I have probably forgotten one or two legitimate sports. However, I did not want to drag this on forever. Therefore, I left out pool, darts, dwarf tossing, etc… You get the point.
Again, don’t be mad if you were the best frisbee player in your high school and I didn’t even give it a mention.
The Cavaliers have not had a point guard average 17 points a game since Mark Price did it some 15 years ago. The addition of Maurice Williams is clearly an upgrade over anything the Cavaliers have had at that position since Andre Miller – Jim Paxson’s best draft choice during his less than illustrious run as Cavs’ GM.
What people are missing is the fact that Williams’ ability and tendency to think shoot first and pass second as a point guard is just what the team needs – not something to be afraid of like some local fans and media types are already groaning about.
They have it backwards – as usual.
Any player that can score on his own without 23s help is a big addition to this roster. The Cavaliers do not need any more complementary players. They need a couple players who can “get theirs” without help. That will allow James to take a few offensive possessions off from time to time. This is a luxury he did not have last year, or the year before, etc.
Remember, early in James' career with the Cavaliers, he had Z who could still be counted on to get some easy post possession baskets. With each passing season however, Z has floated more and more away from the basket – needing James’ pick and roll game or 23’s penetration and kick to get the bulk of his points now.
For those who are still worried Williams will hog the ball - Relax.
Come the fourth quarter, James will be in charge and Williams will take a back seat when necessary. Overall however, having a player who can take some pressure off James on some occasional offensive possessions will allow 23 to stay stronger longer.
Remember - you want to reduce his (23s) workload as much as possible during the 82-game regular season grind.
Understand this – I have only seen Williams play a handful of times and have not made a complete judgment on his abilities – at either end of the floor. But facts don't lie - his numbers have improved each of the past three seasons and he led all Eastern Conference point guards in points per game in 2007-08 while shooting 48% from the field. That’s impressive.
I will be focusing on two things when he takes the floor for the Cavs this fall – his basketball IQ and his ability to defend penetration.
Yes, I now he played in Milwaukee last season – where they were out of it early and played very little defense, either as individuals or as a team. But 17 points and six assists from a 25-year old point guard is nothing to sneeze at. Besides, he’ll be playing next to 23 in 2008-09. That should help his game even more.
Good move Danny.
Obviously, this move was also made because the Cavaliers felt they could trade Joe Smith and not lose much off the bench. Remember, Smith is a pro’s pro who has a high basketball IQ, and who at this point in his career, is a solid role player off the bench – something he provided for the Cavaliers during his short stay in Cleveland last season.
JJ Hickson’s summer league performance most likely convinced the Cavaliers’ front office the rookie first round pick would be ready for some minutes off the bench this fall in the front court– thus making Smith expendable.
I hope they are right. I am looking forward to seeing the youngster play along with watching Williams fit in.
Indians Fire Sale
As we predicted in an early summer posting, CC, Casey Blake and Paul Bird were all likely to leave town prior to the end of the season. Obviously, it’s impossible to judge the deals because prospects take time to develop. We are glad however the team kept shortstop J. Peralta and did not listen to some of the media and fans who wanted Peralta banished.
This is becoming a yearly request with Peralta bashers. It's ass though it's his fault when things go south for the Tribe. Morons.
No, he's not Cal Ripken. However, there is nothing wrong with a POST STEROIDS ERA middle infielder who hits 20+ home runs, drives in 70-80 runs and hits .270 on a regular basis. No, Peralta is not a good defensive shortstop. We were the first to call for Cabrera to move to SS a year ago. However, a consistent middle of the infield power bat is hard to find these days.
Peralta lacks certain non-verbals that lead local fans and scribes to judge him as being lackadaisical. No, he doesn’t do back flips like Ozzie Smith when running out to his position, nor does he always have a smile on his face like Omar did. But don’t mistake that for lack of talent.
Consistency should NEVER be taken for granted. Managers and head coaches know this better than anyone. Bat him sixth or seventh in your line-up and give him 600 at bats and hell put up solid numbers - year in year out. That is, unless you can do better there. Right now, I don't see anyone better on the horizon.
Think about it, the Indians don’t have a clue who will be starting a first base in 2009, nor who will be at third base in next season, or if Cabrera’s sophomore slump at the plate was a one-year occurrence or a sign of things to come. Why unload, or unload on, the one infielder who has given you good numbers every year but one - 2006?
Kelly Shoppach
Last year, we suggested the Indians sign Kelly Shoppach to a long-term deal and give him more playing time behind the plate while moving Victor Martinez around between catching, playing first and the DH role.
After watching Shoppach on an everyday basis since Martinez went down in 2008, it is clear to this observer we were right in our early appraisal that Shoppach could be a solid everyday receiver. No, he won’t ever come close to hitting .300 like Victor, but he has 20+ home run and 80+ RBI potential while having very good defensive skills. There are only a handful of big league catchers out there today who are better than Shoppach behind the dish and can produce better power numbers.
When he returns, I would like to see Martinez play the bulk of the time at first base while Shoppach handles the work behind the plate. Call it an audition for next year. If the Indians can get his pre-2008 offensive numbers from Martinez at first base and Shoppach can keep producing at the plate, the team is stronger for it.
Brett Favre
You all know where I stood on the Brett Favre – Packers melodrama. It seems Vegas agreed with me. I’m told the Jets’ chances of winning the Super Bowl this season improved dramatically with the Favre acquisition while the Packers odds went down. Geez, that’s a surprise.
Michael Phelps
I was asked to comment on Michael Phelps in terms of where swimming rates comparing it to other sports. Understand this – I just learned to swim last summer so I REALLY have no idea what he does and how he does it.
I will say this however. I have tuned in to watch his races and marveled at his dominance. It’s not like he’s competing against the best swimmers in the county, state or country. The guy is going up against the world and taking names every time out.
As to where swimming is in terms of sport – here’s my list and accompanying explanations. Please do not take offense if you play one of these sports that I rate near or at the bottom of the pack. Remember – it’s just one man’s opinion.
Let’s first give you my general parameters.
SPORTS DEFINITION: If you can do it well while drinking heavily - it’s not a sport. If you don’t sweat while doing it – it’s not a sport. If you don’t move at all – it’s not a sport. And finally, if you can dominate while approaching 50 (without performance-enhancing drugs), it’s not a sport.
With that – we are off and running.
1. Basketball – I believe basketball players are the best athletes in the world. As a group, they possess great physical stamina, outstanding hand-eye coordination, quickness, strength, balance, etc…They’ve got the whole package. It’s not hard to imagine NBA players playing other sports and playing them at a high level (i.e. Antonio Gates).
2. Football – The average NFL defensive back ranks right up there with basketball players in my book. Wide receivers are a close second. As a group, they obviously possess better hand-eye coordination than defensive backs but lack the toughness their counterparts possess. There are exceptions of course.
3. Baseball - Yes, I know. Some pitchers look like they are having a heart attack running from first to third. On the whole however, most baseball players were very good all-around athletes growing up – especially those in the middle of the diamond.
4. Decathlon Athletes – These guys aren’t just running in circles. They have to be able to do it all.
5. Soccer – Yes, it’s the world’s sport. Being originally from Europe, I enjoy, understand and appreciate a 1-0 soccer game between two outstanding international teams. This observer watched the World Cup from start to finish recently. Now, here’s the bad news for soccer – it’s a very soft sport culturally. Guys go down like they have been shot with an UZI to get fouls called. I can’t place the sport any higher on the list just because of what I call its “natural softness.” Could you imagine Ronnie Lott faking an injury? Enough said.
6. Hockey – These guys are much tougher than soccer players. However, we have them below soccer just because soccer is the world’s game. So out of respect – we place “football” first and hockey second.
7. Rugby - If we were judging on toughness alone, we would place rugby at or near the top. We have rugby seventh – just ahead of boxing. These guys constantly crash into each other without any protective gear on. That’s sick. They also have to be able to run and use their feet as well. I loved watching Australian Rules Football back in the early 80s during ESPN’s infancy. That’s probably why I rate it above other more recognized sports.
8. Boxing – These guys are built, in great physical shape and I would probably want one of them with me – over any other type of athlete – if I were walking down a dark alley at night. However, I place boxers eighth because I can’t think of two many boxers who would be studs elsewhere – with the exception of my favorite recent college football player, now turned pro - (ZIBBY out of ND).
9. Sprinters – Great quickness, speed and body development. One-dimensional
or they would be higher.
10. Wrestling – These guys work their ass off and get very little attention. It’s somewhat of a specialized sport. You don’t see wrestlers elsewhere often except on on the offensive and defensive lines. I have tremendous respect for the work put in, but I can’t go any higher than #9.
Swimming – The BEST sport available in terms of getting in shape. However, it doesn’t crack the top-10. Much like wrestling, it’s another specialized sport where you do not see a lot of cross-over in terms of the athlete potentially playing other sports at a high level.
I’ll stop at top-10. From here on out, it gets rough.
For example, I can’t rate golfers or tennis players because I do not recognize any sport where the audience MUST remain silent. That just goes against everything that sports is all about. If you put a gun to my head and made me choose, I would put tennis above golf. I’m sorry. I can’t get over the fact that in golf the athlete STANDS STILL when he performs.
I realize it may be harder to get a PGA card than hit a ML fastball, but I keep thinking about John Daly being liquored up and being competitive in his sport. I can’t imagine someone drinking a fifth of Jack Daniels and hitting a 90+ mile per hour fastball from a ML pitcher, or nailing a 20-foot jumper over a 6-6 NBA player, or catching a pass 30 yards downfield with a 220 pound safety coming at you.
La Crosse – Rich kid sport.
Car Racing – Great hand-eye coordination needed along with lots of guts and a special type of stamina, but you AIN’T moving. Sorry.
Horse Racing – This one is simple. If there’s an animal in tow, it AIN’T no sport! That also eliminates dog-fighting. Sorry Michael.
Bowling – Already covered above in terms of drinking and being effective. Add smoking a pack of camels and you have bowling.
Distance Running – Please.
I know I have probably forgotten one or two legitimate sports. However, I did not want to drag this on forever. Therefore, I left out pool, darts, dwarf tossing, etc… You get the point.
Again, don’t be mad if you were the best frisbee player in your high school and I didn’t even give it a mention.
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