Hope In Believeland
Heading into the fourth quarter I was beginning to get that sick feeling again. The Oakland Raiders had scored and were now trailing the Cleveland Browns 13-10. The Browns had pretty much dominated the game but had to settle for field goals as opposed to touchdowns and had a field goal blocked. The Raiders were poised to score the go ahead touchdown as Carson Palmer was moving his team in for a score when he attempted a pass in the direction of Sheldon Brown. The veteran positioned himself perfectly and made the interception at the Browns 6 yard line. Could the Browns finish this one out??
A 94 yard drive, highlighted by a fourth and one conversion and capped off by a Trent Richardson touchdown, put the Browns ahead 20-10 and secured a rare road victory over the Raiders 20-17. The win snapped a 12 game road losing streak and gave the Browns a two game winning streak. More than the win, what has me excited is that for the first time in a long time there is reason for hope that this team is moving in the right direction. Youth does that (Are you listening Boy Wonder Brian Cashman).
The Browns are the youngest team in the NFL. Their defense is rounding into a very formidable unit as for the third week in a row they have held their opponent to under 100 yards on the ground. Their strength is in their front seven and with Joe Haden and TJ Ward in the defensive backfield, they have some good building blocks.
The offense appears to be coming around. While it is true that Brandon Weeden made some bad throws yesterday, he also made plays when he had to particularly in that last 94 yard scoring drive. That is what you are looking for from your quarterback. The running game is in capable hands with Trent Richardson. The rookie from Alabama is the real deal. He is a tough, punishing runner and a threat every time he has his hands on the ball. The other pleasant surprise is Montario Hardesty who has become an excellent change of pace back and has excelled when he has been given carries.
The O-line has been solid, much better than last season as rookie Mitchell Schwartz has fit in well at right guard. But the group that has really improved over last year is the receiving corp. Josh Gordon appears to be the receiving threat that the Browns have lacked for years. The kid has great speed and the ability to make big plays. Greg Little has improved over last year, limiting the number of drops and made a great block yesterday that sprung Mohammad Massquoi for a long gain. Benjamin Watson provides veteran leadership at tight end and Jordan Cameron looks like a keeper at that position behind Watson.
It is unclear whether Tom Heckert and Pat Shurmur will remain with the club after this season. In my opinion, the jury is still out on Shurmur. I still have some doubts about his play-calling. But Heckert is a different story. He has overturned this roster with some talented young players who seem to be progressing in the right direction. As I have stated many times on this blog, all I'm looking for is some reason to believe that my team is getting better. Hope that there are better days ahead. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. But at least there is hope and for that Heckert should be kept within the organization.
The Browns have 4 games left: 2 at home against KC and Washington and 2 on the road against Denver and Pittsburgh. The road games will be tough and this will be another step along the learning curve for this young team. As a Browns fan there is reason for optimism and its been a long time that we have had that in Believeland.
Another Rotten Browns Loss
What has become a familiar pattern since they have come back in 1999, the Cleveland Browns did enough to keep their long suffering fans on the edge of their seats only to lose to the Dallas Cowboys 23-20 in overtime at the Palace That Jerry Jones Built. How many times have we seen this before?? I have been so conditioned to expect the worst that even at half time with the Browns ahead 13-0 I had a bad feeling. You see, the Browns had opportunities to score more than one touchdown in the first half but instead had to settle for field goals. I just knew that would come back to haunt them and in the end it did.
The Browns defensive front 7 played one helluva a game. They had Tony Romo on edge all day. The problem is that the secondary had issues, particularly the unbelievable number of defensive holding calls on Buster Skrinne. But the most damaging call was for unnecessary roughness on T.J. Ward with 63 seconds left in the game and the Browns ahead 20-17. Officials ruled that it was a helmet to helmet hit. Not sure what they were watching. Ward's helmet never hit Kevin Ogletree's helmet. It was Buster Skrinne's helmet that collided with that of Ogeltree's. The call was critical and allowed the Cowboys to be in a position to tie the game.
I'm not sure what to make of Brandon Weeden. There is no doubt he has a strong arm but he has a tendency to overthrow receivers at critical times, like on fourth and one when he overthrew a wide open Jordan Cameron. While I understand he is a rookie, one has to wonder how Colt McCoy would fair with a receiving corp that appears to have improved over the one that McCoy had to throw to last year. It seems forever that Browns fans have to wonder whether the guy behind center is "the guy". With 6 games remaining in the season, I want to believe that Weeden is the guy but I'm not so sure.
The only thing I am sure of is that Trent Richardson is the real deal. The rookie out of Alabama has been a standout and certainly warranted being the fourth pick in last year's draft. Richardson made some key runs and receptions that kept the Browns rolling. Montario Hardesty also looked good when he came in to give Richardson a chance to catch his breath. And it appears that Greg Little and Josh Gordon may be the two receivers that Browns fans have been waiting for.
Being a Browns fan is pure hell. While there seems to be some glimmer of hope on defense and with the young RBs and WRs, it's hard to get overly excited since we have seen this story since 1999. At some point you have to win games like the one on Sunday to build confidence. With Big Ben out for the Steelers who come to town next week, you would think that it would be a great opportunity for a big win in front of the hometown fans. I want to believe that it is possible but deep in the recesses of my brown and orange mind I know that something bad will happen. Such is life as a Browns fan.
Browns Take Richardson & Weeden
The Cleveland Browns had an interesting first round of the NFL Draft by moving up from number 4 to number 3 and selecting Alabama running back, Trent Richardson and then using their second number 1 pick to select Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden. In the second round, the Browns picked right tackle Mitchell Schwartz from California and in the third round selected defensive tackle John Hughes from Cincinnati.
The selection of Richardson made sense to me. In January, I was not in favor of drafting Richardson because I thought that the Browns should re-sign Peyton Hillis and then draft Justin Blackmon. Once Hillis went to Kansas City, I then changed my mind and felt that the Browns could get Richardson and then select a wide receiver with their second pick in the first round. This leads to Brandon Weeden.
It is evident that the Browns were not comfortable going into the 2012 season with Colt McCoy as the quarterback. Mike Holmgren and Company tried to acquire the second pick of the draft so that they could draft Robert Griffin III. When Washington out bid them, the Browns obviously started to look at Plan B. Apparently, Plan B was Brandon Weeden.
Weeden is 28 years old and has had a successful college career. He stood toe-to-toe against RGIII and Andrew Luck this past season with Weeden's Oklahoma State team defeating Baylor and Stanford. Weeden is bigger than Colt McCoy and has a stronger arm than McCoy. I have given McCoy the benefit of the doubt. By that I mean that I believed that he suffered from a lack of receivers, a lack of a consistent running game and a struggling offensive game plan. However, physically McCoy may not have the ability to compete as a starting quarterback in the NFL or at the very least as a starting quarterback on a team with many needs.
There is an opinion on the part of some that a franchise quarterback brings up the level of play of those around him. I think it's safe to say that McCoy does not have the ability to do that. The big question now is whether or not Brandon Weeden has that ability. Weeden will come in with a rookie running back as the number one guy in Trent Richardson and the selection of Schwartz would seem to mean that he will be starting at right tackle. The wide receiving corp remains the same. Weeden will not have a Justin Blackmon to throw to and instead will have Greg Little as his go-to-guy.
Whether Weeden knows it or not, the direction of this franchise will weigh heavily on his shoulders. His success or failure could also impact the future of Mike Holmgren, Tom Heckert and Pat Shurmur. Holmgren's reputation is that of an offensive guru who knows quarterbacks. The selection of McCoy was in the third round and he basically took a chance on him. But the selection of Weeden is different. He picked Weeden in the first round. He's 28 years old so he will be expected to start right away. There will be no apprenticeship.
My patience with Holmgren & Company is wearing thin. I think they have made plenty of mistakes and I did not appreciate the comments made by Holmgren when he said that we as fans just need to get over what happened in the past. Sorry Mike, as a fan the past does matter particularly when last season we saw no hope. Instead what we saw was an offense that was worse than the Brian Daboll-led one in 2010. I can take losing if I see some progress. If I see some young players who give you the belief that things will get better. The Browns have some of those type of players on defense. But in today's NFL, it's all about being able to score. That's why there will be plenty riding on Brandon Weeden. If Weeden does not succeed, this franchise will go backwards for another 5 years and Holmgren, Heckert & Shurmur won't be long for Cleveland, Ohio.
Has Anyone Seen Tom Heckert??
As teams augment their rosters via free agency (ex.-Washington) and trades (ex.-Chicago), the Cleveland Browns have signed DE Frostee Rucker and cut Tony Pashos and Eric Steinbach while also letting Peyton Hillis go to the Kansas City Chiefs. This is a period where teams try to augment their rosters with established players which then sets their needs for the upcoming draft. But the way the Holmgren/Heckert regime is operating, the Browns will need multiple picks through every round to meet this team's needs.
Here are the needs: quarterback - is Colt McCoy the answer or do the Browns need to draft a quarterback?, running back - is Montario Hardesty the answer or do the Browns use a high pick to draft a running back?, wide receiver - the Browns do not have a number one wide receiver. Will they use a top pick to draft one?, offensive line - Steinbach anchored the left guard position and now he is gone, Right tacle is a problem area. So what's the plan??, linebacker - the Browns have limited depth and this will be magnified if Scott Fujita is suspended for his role in the Saints bounty situation.
Tom Heckert has indicated that he would not be opposed to trading down to get additional picks. With Hillis gone, I can see Heckert moving down a few slots from number four and drafting Trent Richardson. I'm not all that sold on Richardson. The Browns created a need by letting Hillis walk. They were competitive against the Steelers and Ravens this past season with him in the lineup. With so many other needs on offense, this made no sense. Hillis signed a one year contract for $3 million. The Browns didn't even make an offer. They couldn't have made a similar offer for one year??? It could have bought them some time and allowed them to address other needs on offense.
The only thing that makes sense with the release of Steinbach is if the Browns had some questions about his health. But with the Browns medical staff's track record it makes you wonder. The Browns had a pretty solid left side of the O-line with Steinbach and Joe Thomas. The situation with Tony Pashos is interesting. There is no question that Pashos has been injured as often as he has been able to play. But according to reports, he played injured for most of last year when most guys would have bailed on the season. It would have been easy to bail since the team was going nowhere. For his dedication Pashos was cut.
With all of these needs and no committment to add any more pieces through free agency, the Holmgren/Heckert regime better be right on all of their draft picks, particularly those two first round picks. One thing that appears to be certain, it's going to be another long year on the Lakefront for long-suffering Browns fans. Almost makes me consider dropping the NFL Sunday Ticket.
Browns Lose Out On RGIII: Now What??
The Washington Redskins made a bold move by trading away multiple future draft picks, including their 2013 and 2014 first round draft picks, to the St.Louis Rams in order to move up to the second pick overall in this year's draft to select Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Robert Griffin III. It has been reported by multiple sources that the Cleveland Browns tried to make a deal with the Rams but were not willing to give up future first round picks. So the question is: Now What??
Browns General Manager Tom Heckert has indicated that he will not go after a veteran quarterback in free agency and in general the team will not go crazy in free agency. As a result, what the Browns do in this year's draft will be critical in detrmining the future of this football team. While I have been impressed with RGIII, I think the Browns were right in not mortgaging their future to get him. But there are two statements that Heckert has made which bother me.
The Browns GM has indicated that he would be willing to trade down from the fourth pick in order to get additional picks. Haven't we heard this story before??? Isn't this team devoid of playmakers??? With the fourth pick overall the Browns would most certainly be able to select Justin Blackmon which would fill a critical need at wide receiver.
Heckert has also indicated that he really likes Brandon Weeden, the 28 year old quarterback from Oklahoma State. What I found most troubling was that Heckert stated if he could get 5 years out of Weeden that would be great because he (Heckert) might not be around by then. Wow, what a statement!!!
Last season the Mike Holmgren regime took a major hit in my eyes as a result of their unbridled trust in Pat Shurmur's ability to run an offense and the total mishandling of the Colt McCoy concussion situation. In addition, Holmgren's assertion that he doesn't care about what has happened in the past and that "you are either with us or against us" was a slap in the face to long-suffering Browns fans. Moreover, last season was a step backwards as the Browns looked worse than they did in Eric Mangini's last season.
As far as I'm concerned, the honeymoon is over for Holmgren and Heckert. It's time to give Browns fans some hope. I'm not expecting to make the playoffs next year but I am expecting an exciting team, one that can do more than kicking field goals to score points. The next two months will set the stage for the Browns 2012 season and determine if Holmgren & Company will live up to the hype that surrounded his hiring as team president a few years ago.
Browns Organization Continues To Be A Joke
As many of you know I have been a Browns fan for my entire life going back to the early 60's. I remember their last NFL Championship in 1964. Since then there have been plenty of disappointments. The 1965, 1968 and 1969 losses in the NFL Championship games. Red-Right 88 in the 1981 playoff game loss against the Oakland Raiders. The Drive. The Fumble. Another 1989 AFC Championship loss. And then the team moving to Baltimore after the 1995 season.
In 1999, the Browns were back and it has been a series of missteps. When the Browns hired Mike Holmgren to be President of the team it was believed that for the first time Randy Lerner had someone who had a football background to lead the team, Carmen Policy notwithstanding. However, Holmgren's regime has provided enough fodder to make one wonder if this organization will ever get out of its own way and continue to be nothing more than a joke. Let's look at the record.
When Holmgren came in he elected to keep Eric Mangini on as head coach, even though we knew that Holmgren and Mangini were not on the same page philosophically. Then, he hires Pat Shurmur who has had no head coaching experience but we are told that he has an offensive mind. Really!!! Not sure we saw much difference between Shurmur's offense and Brian Daboll's, even though one can make the argument that Colt McCoy played better under Daboll.
Of course, under Daboll, McCoy had a running game led by Peyton Hillis. The same Peyton Hillis who the Browns have in essence run out of town and by doing so have created another hole that needs to be filled. So a team devoid of playmakers loses another one. Speaking of McCoy, the whole mishandling of the concussion he received in Pittsburgh was a huge black eye. Holmgren's ridiculous and totally unbelieveable explanation that no one saw the viciousness of the hit was a joke. The fact that this kid was allowed back on the field was a disgrace. And if my memory serves me correctly, Holmgren went after Browns fans basically saying you are either with us or against us.
This season's end of the year press conference with Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert was also disturbing. Holmgren told us that we need to have faith in him and his management team. He further said that Pat Shurmur was going to be a head coach here for a long time. Shurmur's performance this year was borderline sophomoric. To assist the offense, the Browns yesterday announced the hiring of Brad Childress as Offensive Coordinator. The same Childress whose offense was questioned consistently while he was head coach in Minnesota, even though he had Adrian Peterson and for a brief time Brett Farve.
In keeping with this "your either with us or against us" attitude, it was announced that long-time Cleveland Plain Dealer Browns beat reporter Tony Grossi was being relieved of his duties covering the team because of a message that he inadvertently posted on twitter. Grossi posted the following: "He's a pathetic figure, the most irrelevant billionaire in the world." Grossi apologized but it wasn't enough. It has been reported that the Browns contacted the Plain Dealer to voice their disapproval. So much for a free press. The fact of the matter is that the only constant for the Browns is Randy Lerner and as a result Tony Grossi is right.
Grossi is an excellent reporter. He is objective. He calls it the way he sees it. I don't always agree with him but I respect his opinion. What I also respect is his willigness to call the Browns out when necessary. He's more than a cheerleader. But obviously he did not demonstrate that he was "with them" so he must be "against them."
I have questioned many times over the last few years if I would have been better off if the Browns never came back. The more I see what continues to go on with this franchise under the leadership of Randy Lerner, I think I know the answer.
January 11, 1987: A Day Of Infamy For Browns Fans
Thirty-five years ago yesterday, the AFC Championship Game was held at the venerable Cleveland Municipal Stadium. (great atmosphere even though it was decrepit) The Cleveland Browns led 20-13 with 5:32 left in the game and they had just pinned the Denver Broncos back on their own 2 yard line. The old Stadium sensed that their team could be punching a ticket to the Super Bowl. I remember my whole family was gathered at my parents for Sunday dinner. Dinner was over and we were all huddled around the TV set. Even the ladies were in on it. My mother, who has endured the trials and tribulations of the Browns since I was five years old, knew that this was something big.
I was guarding against thinking ahead but remember thinking about what it would be like getting ready for the Super Bowl with the Browns in it for the first time. All they had to do was hold the Broncos one more time and they would move on. It was not to be. John Elway, who to this day when I see him I boil with rage, brought the Broncos to the Cleveland 40 yard line with 2 minutes left in the game. First and 10 from the Cleveland 40. On first down, Elway attempts a pass that goes incomplete. Second and 10 and Browns defensive tackle Dave Puzzuoli sacked Elway for an 8 yard loss. I was fighting not to think about the Browns Super Bowl shirts and hats I might be looking to buy. Stop them here and this one is over.
Third and 18, 1:52 left in the game. 1:52 to the Browns first Super Bowl. It was not to be. Elway hit Mark Jackson for a 20 yard pass. First and 10 from the Cleveland 28 yard line with 1:19 left. After an incomplete pass, Elway hit Steve Sewell for a 14 yard gain and brought the ball to the Cleveland 14. On first down, an incomplete pass brought second down when John Elway scrambled for a 9 yard gain. After a first down, it became third and one from the Browns 5 yard line with 39 seconds left in the game. I was pleading for them to stop them. The house was eerily quiet but I think everyone had a feeling if this didn't turn out well who knows what could happen. I remember back-up linebacker Brad Van Pelt running onto the field late and I was going nuts. What the hell is going on??? And then Elway hit Mark Jackson for a touchdown. The extra point was good and we were heading to overtime.
The Browns won the toss and got the ball first. They got to their own 36 yard line. It was third and 2 and they called for a running play to back-up running back Herman Fontenot. Are you kidding me?? What the hell are you thinking Marty?? (Schottenheimer). The Browns were forced to punt and Denver got the ball on their own 7. Once again, the Browns defense couldn't stop Elway. It was third and 12 from the 50 yard line. I'm thinking, stop them here and we''ll get the ball back. But no. Elway hit Steve Watson for a 28 yard gain. I knew it was over. 2 plays later Rich Karlis kicked a 33 yard field goal and Denver was going to the Super Bowl.
I remember going into a bedroom, grabbing a pillow and screaming into it. I was devastated and pissed off at the same time. How many more times will they get this close?? (the following year, The Fumble which I maintain was even harder for me to swallow). My wife, son and I left my Mom's. I was boiling. Our Christmas tree was still in the house and needed to be put out for the trash on Monday. While my wife was looking after my son, I bull rushed the tree out the front door and slammed it to the ground falling on top of it. I laid their on top of it, swearing and weeping at the same time. To this day when the highlights from this game are on TV I look away. Just can relive the pain.
Holmgren Doesn’t Get it
Last week, Cleveland Browns President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert held an end-of-the year press conference to discuss the team's season and what lies ahead. What was apparent is that Mike Holmgren doesn't understand what he needs to do as team president: Give the fans hope that things will turn around. The press conference didn't do that for me. The Double H boys want Browns fans to have hope that things will turn around because they say so. Really???
Mike Holmgren has never built a Super Bowl winning team. He coached two teams in the Super Bowl: Green Bay (won) and Seattle (lost). When he had general manager responsibilities in Seattle, the Seahawks did not do all that well and he was forced out of that role. With respect to Heckert, none of his Philadelphia Eagle teams won the Super Bowl. Based on the record, it's hard to buy what Holmgren is selling when he lectures us that we need to have faith in him.
While I agree that the Browns need to have continuity and stop the coaching carousel, what I have a problem with is how the Double H boys seemed to have ceded the decision about having an offensive coordinator to their rookie coach, Pat Shurmur. It appears that Holmgren likes to deal with his coaches the way he would like to be dealt with as a coach. The problem is that he is no longer a coach. He is a team executive who has years of experience in the NFL and needs to use that experience to assist his young first-time head coach. They hired an experienced NFL defensive coordinator (and former head coach) in Dick Jauron and the defensive unit had a fairly good year. The same cannot be said for the offense which stumbled and bumbled under the guidance of an overwhelmed rookie head coach. The same can be said for special teams, which went from a team strength to a team weakness that cost them at least two games. By the way the guy they got rid of, Brad Seely, coaches the San Francisco 49er special teams which won the NFC Western Division.
Holmgren made a point of saying that this was actually the first year of the Browns rebuild. Hmmmmmm. I can understand why he said that but he has been in Cleveland for two years and allowed his first year to be wasted by holding on to Eric Mangini. Again, this was a case where Holmgren acted as a coach as opposed to an executive. I remember him saying that it wasn't fair to Mangini to just come in and fire him. Really??? It was the first big decision that Holmgren had to make and it was a bust as he set the rebuild back a year.
As far as I'm concerned, the Double H boys do not deserve a pass. I'm not saying that I was expecting a playoff appearance this year. I'm also not saying that I expected an 8-8 record. But another double digit loss season with an offense that was putrid after hiring an offensive-minded head coach who was calling his own plays is totally unacceptable. Their handling of Colt McCoy also leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, I will say that McCoy has regressed. The whole concussion issue was badly mishandled and now the revelation from Seneca Wallace that he did not help McCoy in learning the new offensive scheme is an indictment on Holmgren because Wallace is Holmgren's guy. At the press conference he waxed glowingly about Seneca. Yet, the career back-up admitted that he didn't help McCoy because he wanted the starting job. If I were Colt McCoy, I wouldn't want to play another down for the Cleveland Browns.
The thing with McCoy is that Holmgren drafted him. He sold him as their guy. He believed that he could be the guy who would lead the Browns to the playoffs. Yet, Seneca Wallace refuses to help the kid quarterback out??? The same Seneca Wallace who played for Holmgren in Seattle and who Holmgren spoke so glowingly of last week. If McCoy is not the guy, and I don't believe he is, then Holmgren has set the rebuild back another year which makes this year's off season critical.
It is apparent that the Browns need to acquire playmakers, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. If they can't move up to get Andrew Luck then they need to acquire someone like Kyle Orton. With their two first round picks they need to draft players who can make a difference. Justin Blackmon would be a no-brainer if he is available with their first pick in the first round. If they can't get him, maybe they move down a couple of spots where they would draft either Ashton Jeffries or Michael Floyd plus pick up another draft pick. With that second first round pick, they need to take someone who can make a difference on either side of the ball. By acquiring someone like Orton, the Browns can have a chance to improve offensively while setting themselves up to be able to draft a quarterback in 2013. They could also use a third or fourth round pick this year to draft someone like Kellen Moore.
The Double H boys need to make the right moves this off season. Their first two major decisions have not panned out and in baseball its three strikes and your out.
2011 NFL Picks
Well, the NFL regular season is over and after a very slow start with my NFL Picks, I closed out the season in Week 17 going 3-0 in convincing fashion with Atlanta (-12), Baltimore (-2) and the NY Giants (-3). For the season I was 30-22 but over the last 12 weeks I was 26-12. NFL Playoffs begin on Saturday and I will have picks tomorrow.
*********************************************************************************************************
This morning at 11am Cleveland Browns President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert will hold a season ending press conference. I am really looking forward to hear what these two have to say as it relates to the quarterback situation, Peyton Hillis, free agency and the 2012 draft. The last time Holmgren addressed the media was after the McCoy concussion fiasco. At that time he scolded fans about being patient along with giving a Nixonian explanation about how they handled Colt McCoy after the James Harrison hit. Should be interesting.
Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering if any of the remaining Buffalo Bills games will be sold out, here's what is on my mind this morning:
* The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to snap a two game losing streak when they take on the struggling Carolina Hurricanes tonight at the ACC. Had to laugh yesterday listening to Toronto sports radio as the big issues were: should Jonas Gustavsson replace James Reimer in goal and is it panic time for Leaf fans. As far as the first issue goes, Reimer is the Leafs starting goaltender. Are you going to blame Reimer for taking 6 penalties against the Washington Capitals??? I can't recall since Reimer's return a weak goal being allowed. It is ridiculous to believe that this kid was going to be in mid-season shape after having been out since October 22. Reimer is your guy and Gustavsson will certainly be in the nets over the weekend since the Leafs have back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday. With respect to the second issue, I'm not panicking yet. I think it is unrealistic to have thought that the Leafs were going to be a top 4 team in the Easstern Conference. They will be in a fight to land somewhere between 6th and 8th. They also are getting players back from injury so chemistry needs to be developed. However, the Leafs need to establish a better record at home. They have not played well recently at the Air Canada Center. With a number of home games coming up, it is imperative that they get things going on home ice. Tonight is a game that they need to win with tough contests coming up against the Sabres and Canucks on the weekend.
* The NFL today may rule on a suspension for James Harrison as a result of his hit on Colt McCoy Thursday night. My opinion is that Harrison should be fined and suspended. Having watched the hit over 10 times in slow motion, Harrison led with his head and McCoy was in a defenseless position. This was not similar to the hit Harrison made on Joshua Cribbs last year as Cribbs was not in a defenseless position as a runner. But along with Harrison, the Cleveland Browns should be fined for not following established league protocols. Along with that, the hit on McCoy should lead the NFL to adopt a policy that makes it mandatory for a player to be evaluated immediately by an independent physician after a hit to the head. The evaluation should be done off the field. This is similar to what is done in the NHL. If Commissioner Goodell is serious about player safety then this type of policy needs to be established and implemented immdeiately and the Players Union should be pushing for it.
* Where is Mike Holmgren??? With the organization he heads being questioned about its actions involving McCoy we have heard nothing from Holmgren. Just another reason for me to begin to doubt whether this guy can lead the Browns back to respectability.
* Listened to Cleveland Browns Daily that is hosted by Vic Carucci and he had on as a guest Michael Reghi who is a Cleveland sportscaster. Reghi was telling Browns fans that they need to be patient because Holmgren and Tom Heckert inherited a team that was old and devoid of talent. Well, I'm not going to dispute that. But what I take issue with is Reghi's call for fans to be patient. Are you kidding me???? 12 years with one playoff appearance and only 2 winning seasons in those 12 years!! My problem is that Holmgren and Heckert are selling that you have to build through the draft. But the Browns are so lacking in playmakers that they must augment these draft picks with free agents. Without the signing of quality free agents, we are looking at a 5 year rebuilding plan. 5 years from today!!!!!
* It was 47 years ago yesterday that the Browns clinched the Eastern Division title with a 52-20 rout of the New York Giants on a Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. I remember it like it was yesterday. Two weeks later they would go on to upset the favored Baltimore Colts 27-0 to win their last NFL Championship.
* Todd Haley and Tony Sparano were fired yesterday as was Terry Murray the head coach of the LA Kings. I have a feeling their may be more firings in the NFL as one has to wonder how long Steve Spagnulo can last along with wondering about the job status of Raheem Morris. In the NHL, you have to wonder about Jack Capuano with the Islanders.
* One NHL city where there should be some question of coaching competency is Buffalo. Lindy Ruff is one of the longest tenured coaches in the NHL. The Sabres are playing like a listless hockey club and Ruff doesn't seem to have any answers. It could be that Ruff's act has gone stale with many of the veterans. The problem is that as long as Darcy Reiger is in charge Ruff isn't going anywhere. Maybe both should go. If Mr. Pegula is serious about winning a Stanley Cup, these two must be shown the door.
* Interesting how I haven't heard the radio loudmouths on WGR550 clamoring for Jonas Enroth anymore. Prior to Ryan Miller's injury, there was all kinds of calls for Enroth to play more games with Jeremy White saying that goaltending doesn't matter. Well, Enroth is what we thought he is: a good back-up to Ryan Miller. His comments after the Ranger game were disturbing and if they were made by Miller they would have been considered selfish.
* The announcement that Sidney Crosby will have to sit out games due to concussion like symptoms is really unfortunate. Crosby is the best player in the game and its a shame that he may be out for awhile. You have to wonder if this kid is heading down the path of Eric Lindros.
* It's been reported in both NY dailies that the Yankees will bid on Yu Darvish but they will not go all out to get him. It is reported that the posting fee and contract for Darvish will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $125 million. The Yankees are reported to make an offer that will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $60-80 million. Not sure what Brian Cashman is doing. Maybe he's going to go the low end route and sign Joe Saunders who has been non-tenered by the Diamondbacks. I'm going to say one last time: I don't think Cashman is going to do anything. Hopefully, I am wrong.
* Had WGR550 on yesterday morning and it was typical GR. Not sure if its Jeremy White who does the sports updates but whoever it was led off the spot by saying that the Bills lost to the lowly Chargers. Really??? Look who is calling the kettle black. Maybe the better description would be the under-achieving Chargers. Would you rather have Philip Rivers or Ryan Fitzpatrick?? How about Scott Chandler or Antonio Gates??? Stevie Johnson or Vincent Jackson??
* I was laughing out loud listening to White and Howard Simon lamenting about the success of Aaron Maybin. They were questioning the Bills coaches for not getting the most out of its players and that they were tired of fans saying that if the Bills had Tom Brady he would be nothing because Brady has more weapons in New England. First of all, Simon has been bashing Maybin for years. If he is such a football wizard, why wasn't he saying that the Bills coaches weren't utilizing him better when he was here??? Instead he was blasting the general manager who selected him. With respect to their criticism of the fans, what do you expect from people who spend their hard earned money to go see a team that these losers on GR build up in July, August and September instead of being honest about the team's prospects. Simon had these guys in the playoffs after 6 games. They overrated the team's start. They didn't acknowledge the fact that they were living off turnovers. They weren't dominating teams. Now they cry and lament and blast the fans.
* I like Rob Gronkowski. The tight end position is my favorite in football. Guys with size who can run. Gronkowski is having a great season and I'm happy for him as he is from WNY. But, proclaiming that he is going to the Hall of Fame?? Well, that's what White blasted off on Twitter on Sunday and repeated yesterday on the radio. And you want to know why White is such a joke.
* Finally, this week my NFL Picks will be made on Wednesday as I will not be posting after Wednesday until Monday December 19th. Tomorrow, recap of Leafs-Hurricane game.
Eklund’s Hockey Buzz
Pro Football Talk
Post Archive
- December 2013 (2)
- September 2013 (1)
- August 2013 (3)
- July 2013 (1)
- May 2013 (4)
- April 2013 (6)
- March 2013 (8)
- February 2013 (14)
- January 2013 (20)
- December 2012 (17)
- November 2012 (14)
- July 2012 (6)
- May 2012 (2)
- April 2012 (19)
- March 2012 (20)
- February 2012 (22)
- January 2012 (25)
- December 2011 (22)
- November 2011 (26)
- October 2011 (29)
- September 2011 (25)
- August 2011 (28)
- July 2011 (31)
- June 2011 (29)
- May 2011 (30)
- April 2011 (24)
- March 2011 (36)
- February 2011 (13)