Vinny and the Hornless Rhino

It Would Be Nice If They Knew the Rules

2009-11-23T16:44:00.001-05:00

This morning's Plain Dealer carried a story detailing the whining that the Browns engaged in after Hank Poteat was called for pass interference. I understand how frustrating it is to lose a game like that, but I've watched the reply several times, and the refs absolutely got it right.

Hey, mistakes happen, and sometimes they cost you games, but what really boggles my mind is that both Eric Mangini and Hank Poteat appear to think they've got a legitimate beef with the call on that play. Both of these guys complained that the QB was outside of the pocket, which according to their interpretation of the rules, allowed Hank Poteat to knock the receiver out of bounds while the ball was in the air.

Sorry guys, but that ain't the rule. Mangini and Poteat are confusing an exception to the illegal contact rule with a non-existent exception to the prohibition on pass interference. Generally, a defender engages in illegal contact if he makes contact with a receiver -- before the ball is thrown -- that impedes him in any way more than five yards beyond the line of scrimmage.

This rule was put in place back in 1978 (and amped up in 2004) to open up the passing game. The illegal contact rule is probably the stupidest rule in the entire rulebook other than the Brady Rule, but that's not what's relevant to the Browns' situation. What is relevant is an exception to the illegal contact rule that applies if the QB is out of the pocket. The reason for that exception is that when the QB's scrambling, he's a potential runner, and any receiver can justifiably be regarded as a potential blocker. The NFL adopted this exception before the 2007 season.

That exception doesn't apply to pass interference. According to the NFL rule book: "It is pass interference by either team when any player movement beyond the line of scrimmage significantly hinders the progress of an eligible player of such player’s opportunity to catch the ball. Offensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is snapped until the ball is touched. Defensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is thrown until the ball is touched."

One of the things that the rule specifically says constitutes pass interference is "cutting off the path of a receiver by making contact with him without playing the ball." Check out Poteat's play (if you can stand to look at it again) and tell me if it wasn't a textbook example of pass interference.

Like I said, textbook. It doesn't matter that Stafford was out of the pocket. Once he threw the ball, the Browns couldn't have been penalized for illegal contact, and the scrambling QB exception to that penalty no longer applied. Unfortunately, the moment that the ball left Stafford's hand, the pass interference rule did apply --and the fact that Bryant Johnson wasn't the intended receiver does not matter. He was an eligible receiver, and Poteat's contact cut off his path to a ball that was not clearly uncatchable. Read the rule for yourself if you don't believe me.

Cleveland: The Best in the Business

2009-11-23T14:10:00.002-05:00

...of creating heroes.

Perhaps no city's sports teams have done a better job of creating heroes and legends than Cleveland's have. Unfortunately, rather than striding joyously into the history books adorned with a laurel wreath, Cleveland's always the raison d'etre for the newly annointed. It's always some other guy, some other team, some other victory parade, and some other bit of history that will be remembered from generation to generation. Cleveland always plays a small but significant role in the emerging legend---the vanquished, the plucky opponent, the valiant opposition. The loser.

Long-time Clevelanders tend to have a "woe is me" attitude about sports that is fueled by a sense of entitlement resulting from decades and lifetimes of suffering. They view losses in big situations as something that was done to them, to the team, to the city, to the state, and to us. In fact, I suspect that the Cleveland sports teams of the past 50 years have created far more atheists than any church scandals.

We tend to sit around wringing our hands and looking for someone or something to blame , but we forget that the winner goes away to a new life as a champion. The Catch cemented Willie Mays' reputation as a stellar fielder and gave him a World Series Ring. Red Right 88 propelled the Raiders to become the first wildcard team to win the Super Bowl. The Shot was Jordan's announcement to the world that he had entered the big stage. The Drive, for the first time in his life, made Horseface a big game winner. The Fumble cemented that reputation. Last year's Eastern Conference Finals, at Cleveland's expense, introduced Dwight Howard to everyone outside of Florida.

But not all heroes are christened on a big stage. Yesterday, #1 pick, Matt Stafford and the lowly Lions hosted the Browns in what could have been dubbed The Pathetic Loser Bowl (If only Matt Millen were still with Detroit). Both teams entered 1-8, and to say each team's QB was "embattled" would have been an understatement. Stafford and Brady Quinn have been booed and jeered, and at least in the blue collar towns that follow each franchise, their manhood has been ridiculed. In the end, Stafford walked away a winner following a come- from- behind, game- winning touchdown pass with no time left on the clock. That's a nice win for a rookie QB, but because Cleveland was the opponent, it was even bigger and better.

On the last play during regulation, Stafford chucked a pass for the end zone that was intercepted, sealing an apparent Browns' victory. Meanwhile, Stafford was stretched out on the turf with what looked like a serious arm injury. However, as the great Howard Cosell might have said, "But wait. Cleveland had failed to reckon with the steely-eyed determination of one Matthew Stafford." You know how it goes. Pass interference in the end zone puts the ball on the one with no time on the clock for one last play. But, Stafford is so shaken up, he's taken out of the game. Duante Culpepper is brought in for the final play. And then, Mangini calls time out. When play resumes, Stafford runs on the field clutching his left shoulder, calls a play, and throws a touchdown pass. It was that easy. Lions win. Browns lose, and the scribes are left to write about Stafford's gritty performance.

Perhaps some day when he's elected to the Hall of Fame or holding a Super Bowl trophy, Stafford will reflect upon how his greatness began and think of the Cleveland Browns fondly.

What If They Win?

2009-11-20T06:46:00.004-05:00

As the Browns prepare for their upcoming game against the almost equally woeful Detroit Lions, there's a nagging fear that's beginning to creep into the back of my mind.

What if they win?

If the Browns beat the Lions, they are looking at a schedule for the remainder of the season that is chocked full of the worst teams that the NFL has to offer. While they will undoubtedly get their heads kicked in by Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and San Diego, the Browns close out the season with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oakland Raiders, and a Jacksonville Jaguars team that is much worse than its record.

The Chiefs and the Raiders are so bad that the Browns have a legitimate shot at both of those games, while the Jags will face the Browns (in Cleveland, in January) after a three week stretch in which they will have played Indianapolis, Miami and New England. So, as horrific as they are, it's just possible that the Browns might win all three of those games. Coupled with a victory against the Lions, that would make the Browns 5-11, which just might be the worst outcome imaginable.

Don't get me wrong -- if the Browns actually do improve, that's terrific. But the scenario that worries me is one in which they squeak out ugly wins against Oakland and the Chiefs in games that make the Buffalo game look like a masterpiece, and then cap that off with a season-ending "upset" against a demoralized Jaguars team that's playing out the string. In other words, without any meaningful improvement, the Browns could end up 5-11, with a .500 record in the second half of the season and a three game winning streak.

Given their bumbling, unprofessional approach to front office personnel issues, I have very little faith that the Browns are going to have an easy time finding the "serious, credible leader" they are looking for to fill the GM spot. If the Browns do struggle in their GM search, then bolstered by the team's second half "improvement," Eric Mangini might just be able to persuade the exasperated, desperate and gullible Randy Lerner that the guy he was looking for was already in the building.

If Mangini can pull this off (and under this scenario, he just might), that means that the man who gave us the 2009 draft will have the final say on who they get with the 11 draft picks the Browns have stockpiled for 2010. If that scenario doesn't scare the crap out of you, then you haven't been watching the same team that I have this season.

EA Sports: Let's Get Them In The Game

2009-11-17T10:06:00.007-05:00

Okay, I've got an idea. Let's all chip in and buy the Browns coaching staff an Xbox and a Madden NFL 10 video game. Then, instead of doing whatever it is they supposedly do to come up with an offensive game plan, they should just select the next week's opponent, play in Super-Sim mode, write down the plays that the computer calls and use that as a game plan.

Sure, that might sound like a ridiculous suggestion, but when you've got an offense that's as incompetent as a one-legged soccer player and as entertaining as Meet the Press, there are no ridiculous suggestions.

$20 says that the offense devised by the techno-geeks at EA Sports would get the Browns past the other team's 45 yard line at least once, which is more than the coaching staff accomplished last night.

Thank you sir! May I have another?

2009-11-16T07:16:00.001-05:00

Yup, I'm off to the Browns game tonight. I'm thinking of wearing no shirt, lederhosen and one of those things that they stuffed into Ving Rhames mouth in Pulp Fiction's most disturbing scene. While admittedly unconventional, I think that this kind of bondage-wear is the most appropriate attire for anyone voluntarily attending the ninth edition of the slow motion train wreck that is the Browns season.

In other words, if you show up for this one, you definitely have a thing for pain. Not only will you have to endure the coma inducing tedium interspersed with moments of slapstick comedy that Brian Daboll calls an offensive game plan, but you'll also be a participant in yet another nationally televised Cleveland joke. What fun.

I'll probably chicken out and dress like any other idiot, complete with my Bernie Kosar jersey to remind me of better days. I'll try to show up on time, if only to spite the knuckleheaded protesters, but despite the change at QB, it's not like I hold out any hope that the team is going to win, or even score an offensive touchdown. The Ravens aren't great, but they're good enough to beat the Browns. (For what it's worth, I watched the Glenville v. St. Ignatius game on Saturday night, and I think Glenville's good enough to beat the Browns.)

So that raises the question, "why show up?" Aside from the fact that I'm a season ticket holder and I've got some sunk costs, that's a question that is getting very hard to answer -- and one that an increasing number of fans are starting to answer by saying, "the hell with it -- I'm not going."

Well, I'm going, but I'm not sure why. Part of it has got to be the masochism thing, but part of the reason is likely even more unflattering -- it's probably got to do with the part of human nature that makes us slow down so that we get a good look at traffic accidents.

Maybe I'd be better off investing the money that I spend on Browns tickets on a good shrink. Maybe we all would.

How Not to Win Friends and Influence People

2009-11-11T07:01:00.002-05:00

Randy Lerner and Eric Mangini continue to amaze. In this week's edition of the Berea Follies, Lerner and Mangini went out of their way to ensure the undying enmity of every sports reporter in Northeast Ohio by feeding juicy tidbits to the national media, while tossing little more than scraps to the local yokels.

Yup, in the midst of all the turmoil that has surrounded the Browns, Lerner and Mangini have said nothing of substance to any of the people whose livelihoods depend on their ability to cover the team. Eric Mangini did his usual version of coach-speak at his weekly press conference, while Lerner deigned to provide scripted replies to a series of e-mail questions submitted by The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi.

But that doesn't mean the Dynamic Duo were completely closed-mouthed. In fact, when it came to the national media, they were downright forthcoming. Lerner gave an interview to Sports Illustrated's Peter King, while Mangini performed an extended impersonation of a human being in front of CBS Sportsline's ever credulous Clark Judge.

They ought to know better than to give preferential treatment to New York based national media at this point in time. Everybody in this town has a giant chip on their shoulders when it comes to anything related to New York, including the local media hacks. In a month during which Cleveland fans had to watch C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee duke it out in the World Series and watch the national media smugly speculate about LeBron's future --which they just know won't include Cleveland -- how smart is it to treat the local media like red-headed step-children?

Lerner and Mangini may think that things can't get worse for them in the local media, and may have decided that this kind of high-handed treatment is an appropriate punishment for real and perceived offenses against them. I guess they've never heard the expression "Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel." Smacking The Plain Dealer and the other guys around may feel good, but Lerner and Mangini, and their team, are going to pay for this decision.

I'm not shedding any crocodile tears for the Cleveland media. In fact, nobody loves a good diss of The Plain Dealer as much as I do. But the fact remains that for a team that is struggling to retain fan interest and avoid television blackouts, delivering sharp kicks to the collective groin of the local media by peddling the big news to the New York guys simply isn't good business.

It's Mangini's Planet

2009-11-09T15:14:00.005-05:00

It looks like an anxious nation will have to hold its breath a while longer. That's because Browns head coach Eric Mangini has decided that he will not announce the starting QB for the team's upcoming game against the Baltimore Ravens until Wednesday.

Mangini must think that the fact that the now affordable Brady Quinn will start the game isn't apparent to everyone or, worse, that there's some meaningful strategic advantage to be gained by keeping this obvious information from the Ravens. If that's the case, he's venturing beyond garden variety NFL coaching paranoia and into tin foil hat territory.

Nobody cares about your personnel decisions, Coach, for at least two reasons. First, you have made absolutely certain that the team possesses no offensive threats whatsoever, regardless of who starts at QB. Second, Coach Mangenius, I think it's fair to say that at this point the rest of the league thinks that you provide the Browns with the same "schematic advantage" that your fellow Belichick Coaching Academy grad, Charlie Weis, provides to the Fighting Irish. Anchors Aweigh!

I will say this for you: you don't lack self-confidence or self-esteem. In fact, some of your recent comments suggest that abject failure has actually gone to your head -- the most notable of these comments is your statement that you'll be closely involved in the selection of the guy whose job is supposed to be stopping you from killing again. Talk about chutzpah!

I guess fans should've known for a long time that this is your planet and we should be grateful that you share the air with us. After all, that's something that the Browns' rookies found out during their excellent 10 hour bus ride to Camp Mangenius, that the rest of the team has been finding out all season, and that your lifelong friend George Kokinis found out for certain last week.

Thanks for yet another reminder, Coach.

No Exit

2009-11-04T14:28:00.004-05:00

One of the most fascinating things about the reaction to the Browns' latest off-the-field antics is the seemingly limitless capacity for self-delusion among the team's fan base. An erratic and impetuous owner throws his GM in the dust bin less than a year into the new regime? Not a problem! Ernie Accorsi will race to the rescue, transform Eric Mangini into a mensch, resurrect Brady Quinn's career, get rid of the brown pants, and then gracefully turn the reigns over to Bernie Kosar, who will lead the Browns to the Super Bowl and bring unemployment down to 3.0%.

Okay, so Ernie's not interested. Again, not a problem! We'll get Marty to do it, and Bill Cowher too, and Bernie will be in there somewhere. Here we go Brownies, Here We GO! WOOF! WOOF!

I've got just one question for anybody who believes any of these scenarios.

Are you stoned?

Cleveland is not a situation that anybody with any options is going to want to get himself into. The organization is a complete disaster, and the prospects for any kind of a turnaround are not good. I mean, my God, does anybody in his right mind want to work for Randy Lerner at this point?

Let's remember how Lerner got himself into this mess, because anybody considering taking the GM or head coaching job here sure will. After getting rid of Savage and Crennel, Lerner raced through the hiring process, fell in love with a coaching candidate whose track record was questionable at best, and then let that coach dictate his choice of GM. Now, when the wheels have come off, he punts the figurehead GM out the door while looking for ways to avoid paying him, and then who does he turn to for advice? A couple of disgruntled fans looking for 15 minutes of fame.

Holy Crap. Why on earth would any "serious, credible leader" sign up for a tour of duty with this guy?

Folks, the truth is that the Browns aren't even close to being a professional organization. The team doesn't know how to deal with the media, it doesn't know how to deal with the fans, it doesn't know how to deal with the players that it has or find the ones it needs. Nobody's riding to the rescue right now, and anybody who does show up isn't going to be here because he's looking for a challenge, he's going to be here because he's looking for a regular paycheck.

The media is fueling a lot of the speculation about Mangini's future and potential saviors of the franchise. They hate Mangini's guts, so they'd like us to believe that Mangini's on thin ice. But I don't think it's reality. There is really no good alternative to Eric Mangini right now, and he was shrewd enough, and Lerner naive enough, to make darn sure that was the case when he walked in the door.

Mangini's in charge of the team, and he's likely to be for the next couple of years at least. You may think he's a creep. So what? The Browns just don't have a lot of options. You may think that Randy Lerner's incompetent and should sell the team. Who cares? It's his team, not yours. Unless you're willing to hit him hard in the wallet -- which 10 years of experience tells him you aren't -- he isn't going to sell this team until he's good and ready.

So, about all you can do is hope -- against all evidence -- that Mangini will use the picks that he's stockpiled effectively and begin to build the nucleus of a team that can compete in two or three years. That's it.

Sorry guys, but there's just no exit from this mess.

MLB Player Draft

2009-06-10T00:50:00.005-04:00

MLB completed three rounds of the draft, or as it's been known in Cleveland for the last decade, an utter waste of time. This year may be a little different. I'm pretty happy with the first three picks as a whole.

In the first round, the Indians surprised no one. They took a college pitcher. UNC rhp, Alex White, fell 6-8 spots lower than expected, and the Indians grabbed him. White has good size and throws 90-94 pretty consistently. He looks like he can be a strikeout pitcher. His problems...and you knew he had to have some, are that he walks a lot of batters and he really throws only two pitches well. Starters need to have at least 3 solid major league offerings if they're going to prosper. Both of these problems can be fixed, but they require good coaching. In my mind, that's been a deficiency of the organization. If the Indians fix themselves, they'll fix White. If they can't, he may be able to scuffle along and have a solid career. Some baseball people and analysts think that White can pitch in the majors this year. I think those people are nuts.

In the second round, the Indians pounced on Jason Kipnis, an outfielder from baseball factory, Arizona State. Kipnis was a very good college hitter, who controlled the strike zone pretty well. At ASU, he was an on-base machine. That's something that the Tribe has traditionally lacked. He's got moderate power and moderate speed. If this were basketball, he's the kind of guy announcers like to describe as a "gym rat." He hustles his ass off and plays beyond his abilities. His negatives are that he's a little undersized ( 5'11" and 175), doesn't really have the power to play a corner outfield spot, and isn't a classic centerfielder, even though he can play the spot. I'd heard a week or so ago that the Indians had been looking hard at him, but I really don't know why. They must be convinced his on-base ability will translate to the bigs. He looks like a guy with limited upside but who could be a solid part-time role player. I hope I'm wrong. If he can continue to get on base and the Tribe can develop a bopper at some other position, he can help the team.

In the third round, the Indians went pitching again. That was a good move because they took Joseph Gardner, a rhp from UC Santa Barbara. He's a big guy who throws between 89-94. His pitches are all solid, but like White, Gardner throws too many balls. Walks have killed him this year. He needs to work on his control. But, the bottom line is the guy has some talent. He just needs to refine his mechanics.

In sum, I like the draft ok. They took two pitchers who throw hard. For some reason, the Tribe could never figure that out and their drafting in the early rounds has been abysmal. The outfielder is ok and could perhaps develop into a player. Personally, I think his upside is Ben Francisco with better on-base, but if the pitching pans out, I'm ok with that. I'm just thrilled that they didn't draft another slow, one dimensional first baseman/left fielder/DH. Historically, the organization has LOVED those guys. Even though the Indians have been almost barren of any middle infielders or centerfielders of any note in the minors since Jhonny Peralta graduated, the Tribe's deep thinkers never felt it was necessary to waste draft picks on them. Perhaps that's why they're gone. This is a new group picking for the Tribe, and so far (last year and these first three rounds), I'm satisfied.

Since I'll likely know nothing about the guys picked tomorrow, I'm done on this topic.

Basketball Inquiry

2009-05-23T21:48:00.001-04:00

Is it just me or does Stan Van Gundy look like Ron Jeremy with combed hair?

Baseball Update

2009-05-22T06:53:00.002-04:00

The Indians are better than the Nationals.

That's it. End of update.

The dust has cleared.

2009-04-27T21:48:00.003-04:00

The second day of the draft wasn't as suspenseful or strange as the first one.

In the fourth round (pick 104), the Browns went defense again taking 6'0," 230 pound USC linebacker, Kaluka Maiava. Don't get excited. The elite defensive talent was gone at that point. Maiava's impressive but undersized. His likely role will be to be a special teams demon. He'll get a few snaps each game in the linebacker rotation, but I don't see him ever winning a starting job.

In the sixth, the Browns made good use of their three picks. With the first (177), the Browns grabbed CB, Don Carey. He's 6'1," 180 pounds and played at Norfolk State. Carey is a good solid cornerback who's never played against top competition. It will be interesting to see if he can use his considerable talent to develop into the kind of corner who can cover big-time receivers.

With pick 191, the Browns made what looks to be a terrific late round pick---Coyie Francies of San Jose State. He's 6'0" and 185 pounds with the speed and athleticism to cover almost anyone in the league. I was surprised that he was still on the board in the sixth. Francies is talented but a little undisciplined. A good secondary coach could help this kid turn into a strong DB. He's worth watching.

With pick 195, the Browns picked another guy who I was surprised to see still on the board---James Davis, RB of Clemson. He's 5'11" and 218 pounds. Most importantly, he's a strong runner who doesn't give up the ball. He can also block. There's a chance Davis can develop into a feature back or at least a strong back-up.

The three guys taken in the 6th all have a chance to be starters or primary back-ups. That's due in equal parts to their talent but also due to the Browns' extreme needs at CB and RB. Each of the three will be given huge opportunities to contribute to the team.

So, in the end, here's what happened.

In exchange for Mark Sanchez, the Browns receive a starting center ( Alex Mack), a project at outside linebacker (David Veikune), sixth round prospects, Coyie Francies (CB) and James Davis (RB), a starting defensive end (Kenyon Coleman), a starting safety (Abram Elam), and a third string quarterback (Brett Ratliff). That's not a bad haul, but it's not very exciting.

The rest of the draft added a starting possession receiver (Brian Robiskie), a back-up receiver (Mohamed Mossaquoi), a special teams player who can help out at inside linebacker (Kaluka Maiava), and another CB with some potential to play (Don Carey).

All of that manuevering gave the Browns one difference maker---Mack. The rest of the guys are filler and depth, which teams need but which won't raise the Browns to a playoff contender. The wild card---the one pick that will likely make or break this draft ---is David Veikune. If he can play OLB and provide a pass rush, it will be a good to great draft. If, on the other hand, Veikune ends up solely as a special teamer, it was a mediocre draft because a huge need---the ability to stop offenses---went unaddressed.

First Day Grade: Gentlemen's C

2009-04-26T07:53:00.005-04:00

Well, "Super Bowl" Saturday came and went, and much like if the Browns ever made it to the real big game, the good people of Cleveland were left with sick feelings in their stomachs.

For years, those in the know have pleaded with the Browns to trade down and load up on guys to play in the trenches. Sitting pretty at # 5 and watching Mark Sanchez's momentum build, it looked like the Browns were finally going to be the ones fleecing someone on draft day. Then the news came---pick # 5 to the Jets for pick # 17, pick #52 (second round) and three guys, Kenyon Coleman (DE), Abram Elam (S) and Brett Ratliff (QB). In terms of picks, Coleman is probably worth a 4th or 5th. As the back-up safety, Elam's probably worth a late 5th or 6th. Ratliff is just a guy.

When pick #17 rolled around, the Browns traded again. This time #17 went to Tampa Bay in exchange for pick # 19 and pick # 161 (sixth round). Here's where I started getting nervous. I suspected that the Browns were considering linebacker and bad man, Rey Maualuga, and I just wanted them to make the pick. In my mind, the additional 6th wasn't that big of a deal because most of the time, a 6th round pick turns out to be a cut or special teams player.

Well, pick # 19 came with Maualuga still on the board, and the Browns traded down again. They sent pick #19 to Philly for picks #21 and #195 (sixth round again). Maualuga survived to 21.

This time the Browns picked...Alex Mack, center from California. Judging by talk radio commentary, most people hated this pick. I didn't. In fact, at Thursday afternoon's Tribe game, I told the Hornless Rhino that I'd love for the Browns to grab Mack or another center, Max Unger, in the 2nd. Let's face it. The O line regressed last year, and part of the blame fell on Fraley for failing to seal the middle. Mack should be able to do that. He's a big, strong guy. He's 6'4" and weighs 311 pounds. In college, he just pounded the middle of the defensive line and punished defenders. He won't dominate tackles like that in the pros, but he immediately upgrades the line. He could be the kind of center the Browns thought they were getting when they signed LeCharles Bentley. He's that good. I'm very happy that the Browns grabbed him. I just think they took him too high. I think there was a strong possibility that he'd be there at 36, and even if he hadn't been, Unger was. The Browns passed on some good defensive talent to get Mack. But, this was a solid need pick, and I think Mack will be around for years manning the pivot. Great ballplayer. Good not great value at pick # 21.

When pick #36 rolled around, there were still stud defenders on the board. In addition to Maualuga, cornerbacks, Alphonso Smith, Darius Butler and Jairus Bird, and outside linebackers, Everette Brown, Clint Sintim and Connor Barwin, were available. Most of those guys were given first round grades by various analysts. More importantly, the Browns sucked at stopping other teams' offenses. This is when the draft went very wrong for me. The Browns picked 6'3", 209 pound, wide receiver from Ohio State, Brian Robiskie. I was utterly stunned. Sure, the Browns need a receiver, even if Braylon Edwards is still on the roster, but I didn't want to use this pick on one, and certainly not on a guy who'll more likely be viewed as a possession receiver rather than a # 1 guy. He doesn't have big-time speed and won't be the guy to "stretch defenses." He will, however, catch the ball when it's thrown his way.

Pick #50. This was the one received for Kellen Winslow. Most of the elite defensive talent was gone, but there was one guy who I liked---Paul Kruger, DE of Utah. He's a big boy who has a knack....
Nevermind. The Browns didn't get him. They took another friggin' receiver, Mohamed Massaquoi of Georgia. He's 6'2" and 198 pounds, is pretty good at hauling in passes, and will be a good target for the QB. Like Robiskie, he lacks the kind of speed to pressure a secondary. He'll be good at working seams and catching slants.

The Browns received pick #52 in their trade with the Jets, and with it, they finally took a defensive player, David Veikune. He's a 6'2", 257 pound defensive end from Hawaii, who the Browns will ask to switch to outside linebacker. He had 16.5 tackles for loss and 9 sacks last year. Unlike Kamerion Wimbley, this kid is strong. Real strong. I don't think he'll get shoved around when he's rushing the passer. I just don't know how good he'll be making the switch to outside linebacker. There's part of me that likes this pick very much, but I'm terribly disappointed that the Browns passed on more reliable outside linebackers. Veikune is a project in the same sense that Wimbley was. He'll play in his first year. We'll just have to see how he adapts.

After the first day, here are my thoughts. I'm thrilled with Alex Mack, but wish they had drafted him later. I'm scratching my head about Robiskie and Massaquoi. They're both nice receivers, but neither is a game-breaker. And I'm pretty damn sure neither is going to tackle anyone. I like Veikune a lot but would have really preferred a few other guys who were taken earlier. I think the Browns didn't get enough for the # 5 pick. If you look at the pick value chart, the Browns should have gotten # 17 and next year's first from the Jets. They received a late second and a few players. Mangini must love getting Kenyon Coleman to play defensive end. I guess he thinks Coleman will be a difference maker on the defensive line. He'd better be considering the defensive talent that they let pass.

I think this is clear. Mangini will want to run the ball a lot. Jamal Lewis will run left behind Thomas, Steinbach and now Mack. He'll play a possession game with steady but unspectacular receivers, who will catch the ball in traffic and hang on to it. That means that Brady Quinn is probably the QB. Drafting two receivers really has me puzzled. After all Braylon Edwards is still a Brown, and two rounds of picks are gone. That means if he's going to be traded, it's going to be for next year's picks or a significant player. I'd been hoping that that player was going to be defensive end, Mathias Kiwanuka . He was allegedly the Braylon Edwards deal breaker from the Giants perspective. Anyway, that's probably not the case now that Mangini has his boy, Kenyon Coleman. Maybe Braylon's not going anywhere. That's why Mangini picked two complementary receivers rather than a deep threat. Maybe Mangini believes the Browns can win this year.

Stay tuned for day two of the draft. The Browns don't have a third, fifth or seventh, but they've got a fourth (104) and three sixths (177, 191 and 195). Maybe they'll grab a receiver.

Here comes the draft...

2009-04-20T19:18:00.002-04:00

This Saturday is, and for 10 years has been, the Cleveland Browns' version of the Super Bowl. It's the NFL draft. Each year, the good people of Cleveland pray that the guy the genius of the month selects will put an end to decades of futility. It's never happened. Rather than the Super Bowl, the draft has been more like Waterloo for the Browns. In my lifetime, the Browns have never, never been good drafting players. Never.

Sure, they've grabbed a few mediocrities and role players who've become fan favorites, but they've never drafted a true stud (with perhaps the exceptions of Ozzie Newsome, Clay Matthews and Joe Thomas). The saying is that victory is the son of many fathers, but defeat is an orphan. In the case of the Browns, it's the other way around. Disaster and incompetence had numerous architects and co-conspirators. The faces and titles have changed over the years, but the inability to select talent never has. Even during the blessed days of the Kardiac Kids and Bernie, Bernie and the Dawgs, the Browns won in spite of their drafts, not because of them.

So, what do we do with 45 years of consistent failure in preparing for this Saturday's draft? Perhaps, as the French philosophes suggested, we should ignore the past and strive for the perfectibility of man. That sounds pretty sweet, but really, Kokinis needs to pull his head out of his ass, quit jacking around with the league-wide smoke screen about the fifth pick, and take a stud.

That's easy.

I'm worn out.

2009-03-22T17:32:00.004-04:00

I just read the story that Alex Rodriguez allegedly has been diddling around with Kristin Davis, who used to be Eliot Spitzer's favorite madam.

I guess I find it mildly amusing, but I'm really worn out by hearing about Rodriguez's antics. Plus, this sounds like another case where he got all creepy and solicitous. while patheticly falling all over some other hooch. Following Alex's steroid mea culpa, this is gonna play really well with the media. The best part is that Madam Kristin is poised to violate the milleniums-old hooker's code and is going to name names in her upcoming "book."

I could really care less about Rodriguez's paid sex games. Like I said, I'm pretty worn out hearing about this guy. And with respect to Ms. Davis, yeah, the massive jugs are pretty impressive, but she looks a little mannish to me.

Beware the ides of March.

2009-03-15T18:16:00.002-04:00

Remember March, the ides of March remember:

Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?

What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,

And not for justice?

What, shall one of us

That struck the foremost man of all this world

But for supporting robbers, shall we now

Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,

And sell the mighty space of our large honours

For so much trash as may be grasped thus?

I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,

Than such a Roman.

~~~ Brutus, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

I'm troubled.

2008-11-13T18:28:00.003-05:00

I have that weird feeling you get when you're out somewhere and one of your paisans is trying to hard to impress a hot chick and starts to do goofy stuff. The kind of stuff that sort of taints you in the eyes of anyone who knows you're with him. The kind of stuff that he would never want anyone to mention again, ever. The kind of stuff that every single regular guy he knows will bust his grapes about every time they're together with drinks in their hands.

It's pretty funny after the fact, but it's damn strange and somehow pathetic when it's happening. That's why it causes the people around it so much discomfort. Well, that's how I feel after reading the quote: "He has the heart of a poet trapped inside an insanely gorgeous body."

That wasn't said by any of the attractive women who know me or the Rhino. No. That's what the Material Girl said about Alex Rodriguez. Apparently, he's been writing her long rambling love letters and occasional missives about his feelings.

Ok. Ok. I concede that Ms. Ciccione probably has some mad skills when it comes to keeping a guy pretty happy. But, as Tony Soprano lamented on more than a few occasions, "whatever happened to the strong silent type--- Gary Cooper?" Why's Rodriguez got to get all mushy, especially when he should be learning how to hit in the clutch?

Then again, maybe it's just his master plan to hook up with every woman Jose Canseco has had, no matter the cost. After all, Canseco tried to out him about steroids (but that never gained any traction) and bitched about Rodriguez trying to bag the then-Mrs. Canseco. Maybe this is just pure revenge. If that's the case, do you think that, during sex with Madonna, Rodriguez is thinking about Canseco?

I'd appreciate your insights.

And so it begins...

2008-11-04T08:09:00.002-05:00

On this election day, the Browns elected to try a new starting QB. So, much to the glee of 70,000 chanting fans and young girls throughout the state, it looks like the Brady Quinn era dawns in Cleveland. Maybe it's more accurate to say that Brady gets his shot. He'll obviously have to produce. Because if he doesn't, someone will wake Romeo up from his nap to tell him to send Quinn back to the bench.

Why the sarcasm? It sounds like Romeo didn't know about the change. Either that or that sly old dog was just faking us all out.

Well, buckle up and watch the kid play.

Fields of Dreams

2008-10-21T06:44:00.003-04:00

ESPN.com has posted its list of the 14 best high school stadiums in the nation. Ohio is the only state with two stadiums on the list: Canton's Fawcett Stadium, and -- of course -- Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. These are both great facilities and worthy representatives of The Buckeye State's proud tradition of high school football.

Of course, when it comes to Ohio high school stadiums, the real problem is narrowing the list of classic venues down to only one or two. We are blessed with some of the greatest high school football stadiums in the nation, and many of those can give Fawcett and Massillion -- as well as the rest of the stadiums that ESPN selected -- a real run for their money.

For example, I think ESPN overlooked what just may be the crown jewel of Ohio high school gridirons -- Steubenville's Reno Saccoccia Field at Harding Stadium, better known as "Death Valley." If you want even better views of Death Valley, go to this website, then click on "Death Valley" on the menu, and then click again on the photo of the stadium. (Yeah, the website designer could've done a better job with navigation, but his photos are worth the effort.)

ESPN also bypassed Cincinnati's Elder Stadium, better known as "The Pit." Home of the legendary Elder Panthers, The Pit was rated one of the nation's top ten high school venues by USA Today.

ESPN selected one field in an urban setting, San Francisco's George White Field. I've seen this place, and it's more quirky than anything else. It is carved into a very small spot of land in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood and its goal posts are only a few feet from the street. You want a first rate urban stadium? Try St. Vincent-St. Mary's John Cistone Field at Green Street Stadium in Akron, or Toledo Central Catholic's Gallagher Stadium.

There are other gems scattered throughout the state. For example, there's Martin's Ferry's haunting Alumni Stadium, where you can almost hear the poet James Wright's lines as you look out at the field; Dover's Crater Stadium, Lima's Lima Stadium, Toledo-Waite's Jack Mollenkopf Stadium, and Chagrin Falls' C.S. Harris Stadium (which looks like it was designed by Norman Rockwell).

There are other states with some spectacular high school venues, and the list that ESPN has compiled is worth a look. Nevertheless, there's no reason to plan a trip out of state to take any of them in -- there are plenty of fields of dreams right here at home.

Things only get better.

2008-10-20T09:58:00.005-04:00

Next week the Browns go to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars at 4:05 pm. The Jags are 3-3 but I think they'll be tough to beat.

The former expansion teams, Jacksonville and Carolina, have been able to assemble some impressive talent. Here's an example of the type of athlete Carolina can run out on the field (LEFT).

How the hell are the Browns supposed to compete with that?

Nuff' said.

O Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore art thou Romeo?

2008-10-20T08:37:00.004-04:00

The Browns lost another one yesterday. With six games in the books, they're 2-4. That means that, to get to a ten-win mark, the Browns have to go 8-2 the rest of the way. Ain't gonna happen.

I'm not going to waste time this morning writing about how Braylon dropped a couple more balls; how D.A. just sucked; or how I'm tired of K2 looking for a flag every single time he doesn't catch the ball. I'm more pissed off about the way this team just doesn't seem ready for the season, even though they're seven weeks into it.

The team lacks urgency, organization and discipline. Other than that, Romeo and his staff are doing a helluva job. Actually, RAC, as the players refer to him, must be doing at least one thing right---the guys love him. Through all the false starts, dropped passes, bad passes, poor clock management, and dumb coaching decisions, every single player continues to praise him. That's 'cause RAC has their backs. And I don't mean that he's holding them by the shoulders and sticking a boot in their asses. In RAC's rosy world it seems there's never any fault to go around. One of his favorite post-defeat phrases is "we just didn't get it done." Really? No shit. I thought you did and that the scoreboard just got it wrong.

In light of the high expectations for his team, Savage went out and acquired defensive playmakers and Donte Stallworth for this year...to win it all this year. Although mathematically speaking, the Browns' playoff hopes are still alive, even the most rabid fan has to admit that, other than for four glorious quarters against the Giants, this team hasn't remotely looked like a playoff team, nevermind a champion.

At some point, Savage is going to intervene, call the season a loss, instruct RAC or the interim coach to play Quinn, and start manuevering for April's draft.

It's heartbreaking.

Same Ol' CC

2008-10-03T08:40:00.003-04:00

Well, I guess it's fair to say that CC Sabathia is in post season form. He got lit up last night by the Phillies. In 3.2 innings, he gave up 6 hits, 4 walks and 5 earned runs, including a 2nd inning bomb from Shane Victorino.

Fans of the Brewers have to be bummed. After all, the guy pitched like Superman after they acquired him from the Indians. Maybe 252 regular season innings were too many for the big fella.

I'm just glad that he got them to the playoffs. I've always liked the Brewers, even though Proud to Be Your Bud Selig was one of the worst owners in baseball. I like them even more now that he's not around and now that their drafting and player development are both, as Judge Elihu Smails would say, "top notch, top notch!" More importantly, I'm happy the Brewers made the playoffs because it improves Cleveland's choice of minor leaguers for the PTBNL ("player to be named later") from the deal. If Milwaukee hadn't made the playoffs, it would have chosen who the Indians received. Since they're in, the Indians get the choice. The top two candidates are Michael Brantley and Taylor Green. You can read about them here. I suspect they'll grab Brantley; stick him in LF; and let him leadoff.

Now what?

2008-09-25T14:45:00.002-04:00

As bad as the Browns have been organizationally since their return, fans could console themselves with the thought that it could be worse. They could be fans of the Detroit Lions. You could bet that each year the Lions would do something truly idiotic and destructive. They made horrible draft choices, bad trades, hired the wrong coaching personnel, and generally meandered around with no idea of how to run a football franchise. All lot of the credit for that consistent crappiness goes to the guy who was running the show---their GM, Matt Millen.

Well, the Ford family had finally had enough, and Millen won't be at the controls in April when the Lions are on the clock. I know Lions' fans are thrilled, but what's that mean for the devoted followers of the pumpkin heads?

It means that there's now plenty of room at the bottom.

CLICK !

2008-09-22T11:53:00.002-04:00

That was the sound of a few hundred thousand TV's getting switched away from Sunday's debacle against the Rat-birds. I can't believe that many fans of the Browns toughed it out to watch the end of that one. I didn't. There was nothing to watch. More importantly and more tragically, there was nothing to care about.

For too many people, each Sunday's game is a reason to get out of bed; to be excited; to plan their entire day around the kick-off; to cheer with friends; to plan parties; and to live and die with every play. Not now. As B.B. King sang, "The thrill is gone. The thrill is gone away. The thrill is gone baby. The thrill is gone away. You know you done me wrong baby. And you'll be sorry someday."

I get the feeling that I'm not alone in my indifference to this team. The Rhino, Chocolate Starfish and I went to the Steelers' game together. Afterward, we walked over the bridge that's painted like a football field as Steelers' fans taunted fans of the toothless puppies. No one said anything in response. How could they? If beating the tar out of your so-called rival just about every time you play them doesn't earn you the right to jaw at their fans, what does? The Browns' fans around me just sighed wearily and shuffled on in the unforgiving post-game night. That was all that the Browns had left to them.

Since their schedule is one of the toughest in the NFL this year, the Browns won't have the opportunities they had last year to right the ship against patsies. This year, it looks like the Browns are the patsies. That means that it's going to be a long year with a lot of long, cold post-game walks back to the parking lots.

The fans' rides home won't be much better. After the Steelers' game, I listened to one caller rip unmercifully into Syndric Steptoe. Syndric Steptoe??? You've got to be shitting me. That guy had about as much to do with the outcome of the game as I did. It's not his fault that he's there or that he's asked far too often to block a linebacker in a running play. It's also not his fault that he was on the field for more plays than Kellen Winslow. Who do you think makes those decisions?

It's time for one of the marketing geeks in Berea to take the long walk down to Phil's office to tell him that it's time for the usual cosmetic change to mollify the fans. That means Romeo's ass. In this case, it's probably deserved. Sure, he's a great chum to the players, and that matters if it means the guys play hard for you. But winning matters too, and when you're the head coach, that's more important than being somebody's pal. My impression is that Romeo's just there. "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin."

That's our guy. He never seems to have answers, but he neither toils nor spins.

Olympics update: Don't miss the javelin.

2008-08-14T09:18:00.003-04:00

I'm usually pretty interested in the track & field events in the summer games, but this year, you don't want to miss the women's javelin event on August 18th at 9:00 pm. I have no idea who will win, but I'm rooting for one plucky contestant from Paraguay---Leryn Franco. She ended up 42nd in the 2004 games, but she's poised to rocket up the leader board to, at least, the mid-30's. She's 5'8", 119 pounds, and 26 years old.

I've included her photo so you won't miss her.

I'm not sure, but I suspect she's pondering her next throw.