Vitamin Z

2009-11-27T23:15:00.002-08:00

10 Things I Think
1. The Browns won't beat the Bengals Sunday, but they'll make it interesting.

2. The University of Cincinnati's football team is very good, but I'm not sure its played a strong defense yet. If Pittsburgh provides it next week, look out.

3.Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday, even if the three NFL games that day are all uninspiring.

4. If I hear Steve Beuerlein say a player "does a great job" one more time...

5. V's first four episodes made for compelling television. What I liked most about it was that it didn't resort to grotesque scenes, and still got the point across.

6. Bob Dylan's video for Must Be Santa has to be seen to be believed.

7. Tiger Woods "minor car accident" doesn't seem so minor. I mean, if someone had to use a golf club to smash in a window to remove him from his car, I think it was a bit more than a scratch. The tough thing is the insurance. He may need to play a few more tournaments next year to cover it.

8. Behind Closed Doors by Charlie Rich is perhaps the best recording of the 1970s that I've heard.

9. Chuck is back in January, and I am as excited as I can be about a fictional TV show.

10. Good to see BG beat Toledo again.

2009-11-23T00:14:00.005-08:00

Some people are feeling pretty dramatic
Tony Grossi called it "one of the franchise's all-time giveaways."

I heard someone on TV say something similar. Yes, the Browns 38-37 loss to the Lions was pathetic, frustrating, irritating, annoying,and just plain bad.

But one of the worst for the franchise? Come on.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume we are separating the original Browns (back when the losses hurt so bad they had names), and just focus on the last 10 years, because in reality, this organization was born in 1999. Any connection between the two is sentimental and in some ways artificial.

I can think of five losses that were worse than this.

1. Dwayne Rudd, 2002: That year alone was odd. Rudd kicked it off by throwing his helmet when he thought the game's final play was over. He thought he'd sacked the Chiefs' Trent Green. He hadn't. The play continued, Rudd was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Kansas City kicked a field goal on an un-timed down, a field goal only made possible by 15 yards Rudd gave with his helmet.

2. That Chicago game, 2001: The Browns somehow lost a 21-7 lead in the final 1:30 of the fourth quarter at Soldier Field. Tim Couch threw a pick-6 to the Bears Mike Brown in overtime. If the Browns had won that game, they'd have been 5-2. Instead, they finished 7-9. Butch Davis' magic ended with that game.

3. That Pittsburgh playoff game, 2002: Kelly Holcomb played like Brian Sipe and the Browns led the Steelers, 24-7, before choking it away. Cleveland led by two scores with less than five minutes left, but lost.

4. That Pittsburgh regular season game, 2002: Phil Dawson misses a kick at Heinz Field in overtime that would have won it. Minutes later the Steelers attempt a kick to win the game, and it gets blocked. But the kick stays behind the line of scrimmage, and it wasn't fourth down. Re-kick. This time, Pittsburgh converts.

5. Raiders, in Oakland, 2007. I actually SAW Phil Dawson's game-winning field goal go through the uprights as time expired. But then-Raiders coach Lane Kiffin called a timeout just before the kick went off. Dawson's re-try was blocked and the Browns lost.

These losses all hurt more, I think, because the Browns were in somewhat competitive seasons when they happened. So what if the Browns won this game? Do they suddenly turn into a decent franchise? It hurt, but we've seen worse.

General thoughts on the game:

-Coach Eric Mangini's decision to pass on third and five with two minutes left made little sense to begin with. But to bring Brady Quinn out in shotgun formation, with no backs to even telegraph a run, was insane.

It's the type of playcall you make when you're a winning football team. The Browns are not that, so playing it safe was the best bet. Run Jamal Lewis, run the clock to 1:20 and punt. Leave Detroit with no timeouts and 70 or 80 yards to win.

It was a loser call for a loser team.

- The interference call was correct. Abe Elam should know that you just can't push a receiver out of bounds with the ball in the error.

- Mangini's timeout after the penalty? If given the choice of a chaotic defense against a backup quarterback who had no time to warm up, and a gritty (if injured) QB against a set defense, I pick the former. This is another case of the Browns coaching staff out-thinking itself.

- Mangini probably is done after the season. I don't blame him. I blame the owner that hired him and gave him enough power to make Alexander blush.

2009-11-22T01:44:00.002-08:00

For one day... I'm caught up
To celebrate, here's 10 things I think:

1. It's safe to say that I have disagreed with just about everything President Obama has done. I didn't vote for him though, so I can't say I'm shocked by just how liberal he is.

2. After this health care thing, I am done listening to anyone trying to tell me the Republican party needs to be more moderate. President Obama promised change, but it's same old, with just about everyone going party line on the bill that will define the first half of his presidency. If moderate means spending, then that's the last thing the party (or the country) needs.

3. Not a fan of Sarah Palin. I always will defend her against people who hate her rather than dislike her politics. But she quit on her state. The Democrats would love to see her get the nomination in 2012.

4. I didn't want a reset last year on the Browns. I thought there was too much talent to blow up the roster. Well, Mangini is doing the best job of destroying a Cleveland franchise since Ted Stepian.

5. The Browns should at least call Rich McKay.

6. Why is Rush Limbaugh not allowed to own a team, but Keith Olbermann is allowed to ramble for an hour on the league's biggest program every week?

7. I don't like Limbaugh either, but it's a double standard.

8. Great to see Sandy Alomar back home.

9. If Jim Tressel ever leaves Ohio State, Buckeye fans (even the ones who criticize him) will realize exactly what they lost in about 15 seconds.

10. Chuck is coming back in January. V is my favorite show on right now, though.

2009-11-18T22:02:00.004-08:00

Week 9
KC 21 @ JAC 24
Taking Kansas City: (C), Aaron, Andy, Curtis
Taking Jacksonville: Zach, Vivek, Nihar, Joel

ARI 41 @ CHI 21
Taking Arizona: Zach, Nihar, Joel, Andy
Taking Chicago: Vivek, (C), Aaron, Curtis

HOU 17 @ IND 20
Taking Houston: Joel
Taking Indy: Zach, Vivek,(C), Aaron, Nihar, Andy, Curtis

BAL 7 @ CIN 17
Taking Baltimore: Zach, (C), Aaron, Nihar, Joel, Curtis
Taking Cincy: Vivek, Andy,

WAS 17 @ ATL 31
Taking Washington: (C), Aaron, Curtis
Taking Atlanta: Zach, Vivek, Nihar, Joel, Andy

MIA 17 @ NE 27
Taking Miami: Aaron, (C), Curtis
Taking New England: Zach, Vivek, Nihar, Joel, Andy

GB 28 @ TB 38
Taking Green Bay: Zach, Vivek, Nihar, Joel, Andy
Taking Tampa Bay: Aaron, (C), Curtis

CAR 20 @ NO 30
Taking Carolina: (C), Aaron, Curtis
Taking New Orleans: Zach, Vivek, Nihar, Joel, Andy

DET 20 @ SEA 32
Taking Detroit: Joel
Taking Seattle: Zach, Vivek, Aaron, (C), Nihar, Andy, Curtis

SD 21 @ NYG 20
Taking San Diego: Aaron, (C),Joel, Andy, Curtis
Taking New York: Zach, Vivek, Nihar,

TEN 34 @ SF 27
Taking Tennessee: Zach, Nihar, Andy
Taking SF: Vivek,(C), Aaron, Joel, Curtis

DAL 20 @ PHI 16
Taking Dallas: Vivek, Andy
Taking Philadelphia: Zach, Aaron, (C), Nihar, Joel, Curtis

Mon.
PIT 28 @ DEN 10
Taking Pittsburgh: Zach, Vivek, Nihar, Andy
Taking Denver: Aaron, (C), Joel, Curtis

2009-11-15T08:57:00.003-08:00

Week 10
Chicago at San Francisco
Taking Chicago: Curtis, Nihar
Taking San Francisco: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Vivek, Joel, (C), Andy,

New Orleans at St. Louis
Taking New Orleans: Zach, Aaron, Curtis, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar, (C), Andy

Tampa Bay at Miami
Taking Tampa Bay: (C), Andy
Taking Miami: Zach, Aaron, Curtis, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar

Detroit at Minnesota
Taking Detroit: (C), Andy
Taking Minnesota: Zach, Aaron, Curtis, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar

Jacksonville at NY Jets
Taking Jax: Joel, Vivek, Andy, (C)
Taking New York: Zach, Aaron, Curtis, Phil, Nihar

Buffalo at Tennessee
Taking Tennessee: Zach, Aaron, Curtis, Phil, Joel, Nihar, Vivek, (C), Andy

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Taking Cincy: Aaron, Vivek, Andy, (C)
Taking Pittsburgh: Zach, Curtis, Phil, Joel, Nihar

Denver at Washington
Taking Denver: Zach, Aaron, Curtis, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar
Taking Washington: (C), Andy

Atlanta at Carolina
Taking Atlanta: Zach, Aaron, Curtis, Phil, Vivek, Nihar
Taking Carolina: Joel, Andy, (C)

Kansas City at Oakland
Taking Kansas City: Aaron, Joel, Vivek, Nihar
Taking Oakland: Zach, Curtis, Phil, Andy, (C)

Seattle at Arizona 4:15 PM
Taking Seattle Vivek, Andy (C)
Taking Arizona: Zach, Aaron, Curtis, Nihar, Phil, Joel

Dallas at Green Bay
Taking Dallas: Zach, Curtis, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar
Taking Green Bay: Aaron, Andy, (C)

Philadelphia at San Diego
Taking Philadelphia: Aaron, Curtis, Nihar, (C), Andy
Taking San Diego: Zach, Phil, Joel, Vivek,

New England at Indianapolis
Taking New England: Zach, Phil, Vivek, Nihar
Taking Indy: Aaron, Curtis, Joel, (C), Andy

MON
Baltimore at Cleveland
Taking Baltimore: Aaron, Zach, Curtis, Phil, Vivek, Nihar
Taking Cleveland: Joel, (C), Andy

2009-11-06T23:55:00.003-08:00

Thoughts on the Browns, Mangini
Eric Mangini has been failing in Cleveland because he's not winning. It's as simple as that.

So, that's why I'm not a fan of Mangini right now. The fact that he comes across as paranoid and overprotective doesn't bother me. Great coaches can be that way. But Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick win.

Aside from the 1-7 record the Browns take into the bye week, the only other thing that makes me angry about the Mangini era is that week in and week out, we are talking about trades, firings and conspiracies. We are rarely talking actual football, because there has been so little of it.

Mangini's job was not to do anything but figure out a way to win football games. Failing that, he at least needed his team to be competitive. If all that failed, he needed to at least beat the Steelers.

He's gone 0 for 3. But the Browns are no longer about players. The Browns are about Eric Mangini and an owner who seems unable to ever get it right.

Josh Cribbs, Phil Dawson, Joe Thomas and maybe Shaun Rogers. If the ship was sinking, those would be the four to save. Of course, the team isn't a ship approaching an iceberg. It is the iceberg. Cold, slow moving and barely getting anywhere.

Mangini will be fired, of course. ANOTHER new guy with ANOTHER process that will take ANOTHER five years will come in. Then he will be fired after three years and the process starts over.

It's more fun to ponder this question.

If the 2009 Browns played the 1987 strike Browns (the Tans), who would lose?

I think Jeff Christianson would outplay Derek Anderson.

2009-11-01T09:49:00.003-08:00

The Panel, week 8
SUN, NOV 1
Houston at Buffalo 1:00 PM
Taking Houston: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Joel, Nihar
Taking Buffalo: Curtis, Vivek, (C)

Cleveland at Chicago 1:00 PM
Taking Chicago: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Joel, Curtis, Vivek, (C), Nihar

Seattle at Dallas 1:00 PM
Taking Seattle: Curtis, Vivek, (C)
Taking Dallas: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Joel, Nihar

St. Louis at Detroit 1:00 PM
Taking St. Louis: Zach, Curtis, Vivek, (C), Nihar
Taking Detroit: Aaron, Phil, Andy, Joel

Denver at Baltimore 1:00 PM
Taking Baltimore: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Joel, Curtis, Vivek, (C), Nihar

San Francisco at Indianapolis 1:00 PM
Taking San Francisco: Andy, (C), Curtis, Vivek
Taking Indianapolis: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Joel, Nihar

Miami at NY Jets 1:00 PM
Taking Miami: Aaron, Andy, Joel
Taking New York: Zach, Phil, Curtis, Vivek (C), Nihar

NY Giants at Philadelphia 1:00 PM
Taking New York: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Nihar
Taking Philadelphia: Curtis, Vivek, (C), Joel

Jacksonville at Tennessee 4:05 PM
Taking Jacksonville: Aaron, Andy, Phil, Curtis, Vivek, (C), Joel
Taking Tennessee: Zach, Nihar

Oakland at San Diego 4:05 PM
Taking San Diego: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Joel, Curtis, Vivek (C), Nihar

Carolina at Arizona 4:15
Taking Arizona: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Joel, Curtis, Vivek, (C), Nihar

Minnesota at Green Bay 4:15 PM
Taking Green Bay: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Joel, Curtis, Vivek, (C), Nihar

MON, 8:30 p.m.
Atlanta at New Orleans 8:30 PM
Taking New Orleans: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Joel, Curtis, Vivek, (C), Nihar

2009-10-31T23:38:00.002-08:00

10 questions I'd ask Randy Lerner
If I got to talk to the Browns' owner, here's what I'd want to know:

1. What do you think of the team Eric Mangini has assembled?

2. What were your expectations coming into this season?

3. Has Mangini met those expectations?

4. What has been your best decision since taking over the Browns in 2002?

5. What has been your biggest mistake?

6. What did you learn from your father about owning an NFL team?

7. Did you learn anything from Art Modell?

8. How much football do you watch that isn't the Browns?

9. Do you expect to be owning this franchise in five years?

10. What have the last seven years taught you about being an owner?

2009-10-25T05:54:00.004-08:00

The Panel: Week 7
Yeah... It's really late. My high school teacher is taking five points off.

Green Bay at Cleveland 1:00 PM
Taking Green Bay: Zach, Aaron, Joel, Phil, Andy, (C), Vivek, Curtis, Nihar

San Diego at Kansas City 1:00 PM
Taking San Diego:Zach, Aaron, Joel, Phil, Andy Vivek, Curtis, Nihar
Taking Kansas City: (C)

Indianapolis at St. Louis 1:00 PM
Taking Indianapolis: Zach, Aaron, Joel, Phil, Andy, Nihar (C), Vivek, Curtis

Minnesota at Pittsburgh 1:00 PM FOX
Taking Minnesota: Aaron, Joel, (C), Vivek, Nihar
Taking Pittsburgh: Zach, Phil, Andy, Curtis

New England at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
Taking New England: Zach, Aaron, Andy, Joel, Phil, Nihar (C), Vivek, Curtis

San Francisco at Houston 1:00 PM
Taking San Francisco: Aaron, Andy, (C), Vivek
Taking Houston: Zach, Joel, Phil, Curtis, Nihar

Buffalo at Carolina 4:05 PM
Taking Buffalo: Aaron, Andy, (C)
Taking Carolina: Zach, Joel, Phil, Vivek, Curtis, Nihar

NY Jets at Oakland 4:05 PM
Taking New York: Zach, Joel, Phil, Andy, Nihar Vivek, Curtis
Taking Oakland: Aaron, (C)

Atlanta at Dallas 4:15 PM
Taking Atlanta: Aaron, Joel, Phil, Andy, Vivek, Curtis
Taking Dallas: Zach, (C), Nihar

Chicago at Cincinnati 4:15 PM
Taking Chicago: Joel, Vivek, Nihar
Taking Cincinnati: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, (C), Curtis

New Orleans at Miami 4:15 PM
Taking New Orleans: Zach, Aaron, Joel, Phil, Andy, (C), Vivek, Nihar
Taking Miami: Curtis

Arizona at NY Giants 8:20 PM
Taking Arizona: Phil, Andy, (C)
Taking New York: Zach, Aaron, Joel, Vivek, Nihar, Curtis

MON, 8:30 P.M.
Philadelphia at Washington
Taking Philadelphia: Zach, Aaron, Joel, Phil, Andy, (C), Vivek, Curtis, Nihar

2009-10-18T13:50:00.003-08:00

Steelers 27, Browns 14
No one can tell me this was a step forward. The Browns were kind of, sort of, maybe competitive, though the game itself reminded me of the last time the team went to New England. The score wasn't bad, but there was never a time when I thought the Browns could win.

Hey, it could be worse. I just watched Tom Brady throw five touchdowns in a quarter against the Titans, who are dressed like the Oilers, in an October blizzard in New England.

The Browns are 1-5. The receivers can't catch. The secondary can't cover or tackle. The pass rush was a non-factor after one quarter.

Even the officials seemed hell-bent to humiliate the Browns. It sure looked like the Browns had made a fourth down stop. The camera even showed the ball was short of the chain. But the refs gave the Steelers the first down anyway, and they tacked on a field goal.

It didn't matter. The Browns have lost to the Steelers 12 straight times. This isn't a rivalry. It's a bye week.

2009-10-17T23:34:00.003-08:00

The Panel: Week 6
Aaron Rund: Dateline Washington
Andy Barch: Dateline somewhere in West Virginia
Joel Hammond: Dateline Clevelandish
Nihar Vasavada: Dateline wherever LeBron is
Phil Prusa: Dateline Tempe, AZ
Vivek Vasavada: Dateline WCW Special Forces
Curtis A: Dateline: Akron St. Rob Ryan
Zach: Dateline Northwest Ohio Mancave

Houston at Cincinnati 1:00 PM
Taking Cincinnati: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Joel,Vivek, Nihar, Andy, Curtis, (C)
Comment: Kroger had to buy tickets to show this game on TV in Cincinnati. Wonder if you need a Kroger Card to see the game.

Detroit at Green Bay 1:00 PM
Taking Green Bay: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar, Andy, (C), Curtis
Comment:Detroit is on the road, meaning we have to get it on TV.

Baltimore at Minnesota 1:00 PM
Taking Baltimore: Zach, Andy
Taking Minnesota: Aaron, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar, (C)
Comment: Ray Lewis and Brett Favre-- which one of these has-beens has had their legend prolonged more by talent around them?

NY Giants at New Orleans 1:00 PM
Taking New York: Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar
Taking New Orleans: Zach, Aaron, Andy, Curtis, (C)
Comment: Yes, we get the Lions here instead of this.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh 1:00 PM
Taking Cleveland: Joel, Curtis, (C)
Taking Pittsburgh: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Vivek, Nihar, Andy
Comment: The Browns are not allowed to beat the Steelers under the latest Obama stimulus plan. Not that it'd make a difference.

Carolina at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
Taking Carolina: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar, Andy, (C),Curtis
Comment: "Good news Kellen, we traded you. Bad news, we actually found a team worse than us to take you. Think about that the next time you go on a tirade."

Kansas City at Washington 1:00 PM
Taking Kansas City: Aaron, Nihar
Taking Washington: Zach, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Andy, Curtis (C)
Comment: Bet this win won't stop hatred towards Jim Zorn. Tim Tebow just texted me and said he hates him.

St. Louis at Jacksonville 1:00 PM
Taking St. Louis: Andy, (C) Curtis
Taking Jacksonville: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar
Comment: Lost in the Rush Limbaugh discussion-- his ownership of the Rams could never be as embarrassing as the team's play.

Arizona at Seattle 4:05 PM
Taking Arizona: Aaron, Vivek, Nihar, Andy
Taking Seattle: Zach, Phil, Joel, (C), Curtis
Comment:Will these teams just decide if they'll be good already?

Philadelphia at Oakland 4:05 PM
Taking Philadelphia: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar, Andy, Curtis, (C)
Comment: Really, I'm surprised Tom Cable hasn't punched out more assistants. And players.

Tennessee at New England 4:15 PM
Taking New England: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar, Andy, Curtis (C)
Comment: Jevon Kearse would rather spend time with his family than watch his team lose 31-9. Jerk.

Buffalo at NY Jets 4:15 PM
Taking New York:Zach, Aaron, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar, Andy, Curtis (C)
Comment: Braylon Edwards catches 13 passes and Jon Gruden spends 3 hours praising him to an audience of a television and a couch. The couch desperately tries to turn off the TV, before realizing that it won't shut Gruden up, because he isn't on TV. But the couch realizes long before Gruden does.

Chicago at Atlanta 8:20 PM
Taking Chicago: Aaron, Curtis (C)
Taking Atlanta: Zach, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar, Andy
Comment: I bet 2 1/2 minutes until the first Michael Vick reference.

MON, OCT 19 TIM
Denver at San Diego
Taking Denver: Aaron, Phil, Nihar, Curtis, (C)
Taking San Diego: Zach, Joel, Vivek, Andy
Comment: Josh McDaniels' celebration last week reminded me of watching that Saved By The Bell episode where the cast raps to Snow White.

2009-10-16T22:45:00.002-08:00

Interview with NFL expert Andy Barch
1. What's been the biggest surprise so far?

It’s a toss up between the Titans starting 0-5 and the Bengals starting 4-1. I figured there would be a drop off for the Titans without Albert Haynesworth in the middle to stop the run, but I never thought they’d go 0-5. They look inept offensively and the play calling has been so vanilla offensively that they’ve become all too predictable.

As for the Bengals, not only are they 4-1 and all by themselves in first place, but they’ve beaten some very good teams along the way, and they’re just a fluke play away from being 5-0. They’ve defeated the Packers in Lambeau, and the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. They also cured their home curse against the Steelers. One cant help but be impressed with their incredible start, and their 3-0 record in their division. After watching the HBO Special “Hard Knocks” on this team, I never saw this coming. That special revealed a lot of interesting things to me, which at the time re-assured my thoughts on the way that team runs their business. After watching a few episodes, I thought sure that team would be 1-4 or 0-5 at this point.

2. The Braylon Edwards trade: Your thoughts?

He had to go. It just wasn’t going to work in Cleveland. As a third overall pick, especially at that position, there is a lot to live up to. He has dropped way too many passes, he’s scored just a few touchdowns since that incredible 2007 season, and he quickly became a cancer in a locker room full of tumors. The fact that they were able to get a special teams player, a half decent receiver and a pair of draft picks for him is pretty impressive. They were probably going to lose him via free agency next year anyways. That team is in need of some bodies, and some hungry players looking for opportunities to thrive.

3. Do you expect Eric Mangini to last in Cleveland?

In the short term, yes. I don’t know what people expect from Mangini. He inherited a group that was completely awful a year ago, and found lightning in a bottle in 2007. He’s trying to change the culture of that team, and so far, it just hasn’t worked. He’s not going to make this thing work overnight, though I know Cleveland fans are expecting that to happen because they’ve been waiting so long for it, and are growing impatient, which is understandable. I think folks don’t buy the excuse that he cant make it happen overnight because they’ve seen other teams go from worst to first a few times over the last five years. However, that kind of stuff doesn’t happen to Cleveland, because it’s a snake bitten city when it comes to sports.

4. Is Jim Zorn really as incompetent as everyone says?

I don’t think so. As you said on your blog a while ago, they are 2-3, and there are a lot of teams that look a lot worse. I think people lost their minds when the ‘Skins lost to Detroit. Look, Detroit was bound to win at some point, and it just happened to be against the Redskins. There are 13 teams who have a similar record or worse than the Redskins at this point. What I’d also like to know, is what has changed so drastically over the past year? Where there that many people lobbying for his departure last season? If so, I don’t remember that. I think people expect more out of this offense, and they just aren’t getting it. They don’t have a lot of explosive playmakers and Clinton Portis is nearing the end of an incredible run.

5. What coaches are in trouble?

Dick Jauron is the first name that comes to mind. They’re extremely conservative on offense, the offensive coordinator he fired after training camp claimed that Jauron wanted him to reduce the number of formations and plays in his playbook, and ultimately the failure to do so is what got him fired by Jauron. Jauron doesn’t have any more scapegoats, and this team has done NOTHING under him since he got the job.
Tom Cable is on the hot seat, not because of the way the Raiders have played (which has been surprisingly competitive and somewhat respectable), but because of these allegations that he injured an assistant coach and threatened to f’ng kill him.
John Fox, for all the obvious reasons. They did a lot things in the off-season to try and keep themselves at the top of the NFC South, but they are treading water at this point and are dangerously close to falling out of the playoff race. He’s been on the hot seat down there for a few years it seems, and I think its about time to turn the page on Jake Delhomme. That’s the kind of decision he’ll have to make here relatively soon if he’s going to keep these guys competitive. A bold move that gets this team back in contention.
Wade Philips-The pressure is there every year in Dallas, and they still haven’t won a playoff game in well over a decade. The way they are playing right now, they might miss the post season for the second year in a row. Jerry Jones doesn’t just want to brag about his new stadium, he wants to brag about the team that calls it home. This team is way too talented to be a .500 team, and that’s what they’ve been for far too long now. If they don’t make some significant strides soon, Phillips is gone.

2009-10-12T21:48:00.002-08:00

Panel Standings (Through 4 weeks)
Phil 11-3 (45-17)
Zach 11-3 (45-17)
Curtis 11-3 (35-27)
Vivek 11-3 (41-21)
Joel 10-4 (44-28)
Aaron 9-5 (45-17)
Andy 9-5 (39-25)
Nihar 8-6 (45-17)
Coin 6-8 (30-32)

2009-10-11T07:12:00.003-08:00

The Panel
The coin is a 1988 nickel. Ah, the Reagan years.

SUN, OCT 11
Cleveland at Buffalo
Taking Buffalo: Zach, Vivek, Curtis, Joel, (C)
Taking Cleveland: Nihar, Andy, Aaron

Dallas at Kansas City
Taking Dallas: Zach, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Andy, Aaron, Joel, (C)

Minnesota at St. Louis
Taking Minnesota: Zach, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Andy, Aaron, Joel (C)

Oakland at NY Giants
Taking New York: Zach, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Andy, Aaron, Joel (C)

Tampa Bay at Philadelphia
Taking Philadelphia: Zach, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Andy, Aaron, Joel, (C)

Pittsburgh at Detroit
Taking Pittsburgh: Zach, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Andy, Aaron
Taking Detroit: Joel, (C)

Washington at Carolina
Taking Washington: Aaron, Joel, (C)
Taking Carolina: Zach, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Andy,

Cincinnati at Baltimore
Taking Cincinnati: Aaron
Taking Baltimore: Zach, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Andy, Joel, (C)

Atlanta at San Francisco
Taking Atlanta: Nihar, Andy
Taking San Francisco: Zach, Vivek, Curtis, Aaron, Joel, (C)

Jacksonville at Seattle
Taking Jacksonville: Zach, Vivek, Curtis, Joel (C)
Taking Seattle: Nihar, Andy, Aaron

Houston at Arizona
Taking Houston: Joel, (C)
Taking Arizona: Zach, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Andy, Aaron

New England at Denver
Taking New England: Zach, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Andy, Joel, (C)
Taking Denver: Aaron

Indianapolis at Tennessee
Taking Indianapolis: Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Andy, Aaron
Taking Tennessee: Zach, Joel, (C)

NY Jets at Miami 8:30 PM
Taking the Jets: Zach, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis
Taking the Dolphins: Andy, Aaron, Joel (C)

2009-10-09T10:11:00.002-08:00

Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
Look at who has won it. Yes, there are great people on there, like Martin Luther King. But in recent years, Al Gore has won it, as has Jimmy Carter and Kofi Annan.

Henry Kissinger even has a "peace" prize.

The point is, this award means less in practice than in theory. President Obama winning it doesn't bother me at all.

2009-10-08T22:32:00.002-08:00

UFL opener, Las Vegas v. California --TIVO Blog
California coach Dennis Green gives a speech in the first scene of the UFL. His players are ... not really listening. One guy is listening to headphones, another is drinking Gatorade and waundering around.

In the second quarter, after Cory Ross scores a TD to put California up 14-3, Green tells his players to keep "pounding the sh**" out of them. See, this is why players and coaches can't be mic'd. Though I'm not sure Green was... still heard it, though.

UFL commissioner Michael Huyghue joins Dave Sims and Doug Flutie in the booth, and says there are 1,500 people in the stands. I'd wager 1,500, but whatever. Huyghue also says he wants to expand next year. Hey, Cleveland doesn't have a pro team, expand there and play at The Prog. I'm only 10 percent joking. I wish the league well, because I have learned I can NEVER have enough football.

-Even in this league, J.P Losman looks overmatched.

-Ex-Brown alert: California punter Derrick Frost, a Butch Davis find who I think went to Washington after that.

-Versus has done a good job making its coverage professional. Much better production and fewer rough spots than in the XFL debut in 2001.

-Even though it's a new league on a network I never watch, I STILL can't avoid the Progressive commercials with Flo, who reminds me of a broken answering machine -- never informative, always annoying. She is only slightly less problematic than Chad and the Alltel cellphone guys.

-Dede Dorsey catches a TD pass in the closing seconds of the first half for Las Vegas. Wasn't he in a supporting role on Hard Knocks?

We actually go inside the locker room, with the Redwoods offensive coordinator Mike Kruczek actually actually giving away his plan in the second half, which boils down to... throw the ball.

Las Vegas coach Jim Fassel (who'd be coaching the Browns if I were in charge) does the same, telling his guys that the defense hasn't really stopped them.

A lot of this stuff is hardcore football talk, stuff most (including me) will have trouble getting, when they discuss specific plays with code names. But the UFL does appear to be football for football fans, which I'm a huge proponent of.

- Adam Bergen catches a TD pass from Losman to give Las Vegas a 17-14 edge. Losman looked really good on that drive.

-Denzel Washington's son, John David, is in the game for California. He's a running back who played for St. Louis in the NFL. The cynic in me says he's only there so Kordell Stewart can interview Denzel. Hey, big get. As the interview ends, John David goes off the field.

- An old usher asks to see Denzel's ticket. Tickets are $20. I think he can afford it.

-With less than a minute left in the third quarter, it's 20-17, Las Vegas.

- Las Vegas moves to midfield, then there's three consecutive procedure penalties. I don't even think Derek Anderson's offenses have ever done that.

-In the end, Las Vegas wins, 30-17.

Here are some observations:

-It wasn't nearly as sloppy as I expected, and I think that might be because of the quality of the players involved. Many of these guys are former NFLers who are in season shape -- some just got cut a month ago. That's an advantage of running in the fall.

-Sims and Flutie were decent.

- Not a fan of the uniforms, since they all have similar schemes to them. What was worse was that California wore white and the Locos gray, which made it hard to differentiate at times.

- I still wonder if four teams will be enough to hook a fan, since they will essentially see the same teams every week. For people in unused markets, this could be an issue.

-Overall, I enjoyed it. Not sure if it's a good idea to start planning expansion before the league knows if it can sustain itself. The XFL honchos talked expansion too after first week.

2009-10-07T17:45:00.002-08:00

Bengals 23, Browns 20
How a few days can change things.

For a few hours, it appeared Browns fans would finally be able to talk about football. The conversation wouldn't be about Eric Mangini fining players, or whether he was the worst NFL hire of the last 25 years.

The Browns could lick the wounds of a competitive loss to the Bengals and focus on Buffalo.

Then Braylon Edwards allegedly punched someone.

Then the NFL and the police said they'd look into it.

Than Braylon was traded to the Jets.

Isn't being a Browns fan fun?

More Mangini talking, more moves, more adjustments. What does it mean?

It means Sunday's game against the Bills will be about more or less than football again. That's been the norm here.

The loss to the Jets had bright spots. Jerome Harrison rushed for more than 100 yards. Mohammed Massaquoi went way over 100 yards receiving. Shaun Rogers blocked two kicks, and the defense was strong.

But here we are three days later, talking about the trade of the No. 1 receiver. Chansi Stuckey, who the Browns received in the deal, doesn't have Edwards' talent, though he'll be less of a headache.

The Browns also received Jason Trusnik, who I got to cover when he was at Ohio Northern in 2004. At that time, Trusnik was a beast who overmatched everyone. In the NFL, he's a gritty special teams' player.

Two years ago, the Browns offense was high-octane and fun to watch. But Kellen Winslow was traded, Edwards was traded, Joe Jurevicius got hurt and was released, and Jamal Lewis is hurt.

What was so promising has become a memory.

The trade probably was a good move. The Browns got value for a guy who wasn't going to re-sign, and picked up two decent players and draft picks.

But we're starting over again.

2009-10-03T23:10:00.003-08:00

The Panel: Week 4
The coin is a 1996 dime... well, it was until I flipped it too far and lost it. It's now a 1998

SUN, OCT 4
Detroit at Chicago
Taking Chicago: Zach, Andy, Curtis, Joel, (C), Nihar, Vivek, Aaron

Cincinnati at Cleveland
Taking Cincinnati: Zach, Andy, Phil, Joel, Vivek, Nihar, Aaron
Taking Cleveland: Curtis, (C)

Seattle at Indianapolis
Taking Seattle: (C)
Taking Indianapolis: Zach, Andy, Phil, Curtis, Joel, Nihar, Vivek, Aaron

NY Giants at Kansas City
Taking New York: Zach, Andy, Phil, Curtis, Joel, Nihar, Vivek, Aaron
Taking Kansas City: (C)

Baltimore at New England
Taking Baltimore: Zach, Andy, Phil, Joel, Nihar, Vivek, Aaron
Taking New England: Curtis, (C)

Tampa Bay at Washington
Taking Tampa Bay: Joel, (C)
Taking Washington: Zach, Andy, Phil, Curtis, Nihar, Vivek, Aaron

Tennessee at Jacksonville
Taking Tennessee: Zach, Andy, Phil, Curtis, Joel, (C), Nihar, Vivek, Aaron

Oakland at Houston
Taking Houston: Zach, Andy, Phil, Curtis, Joel, (C), Nihar, Vivek, Aaron

NY Jets at New Orleans
Taking the Jets: Vivek
Taking New Orleans: Zach, Andy, Phil, Curtis, Joel,(C), Nihar, Aaron

Buffalo at Miami
Taking Buffalo: Phil, Curtis, Joel, (C), Nihar, Aaron
Taking Miami: Zach, Andy, Vivek

St. Louis at San Francisco
Taking St. Louis: Andy
Taking San Francisco: Zach, Phil, Curtis, Joel, (C), Nihar, Vivek, Aaron

Dallas at Denver
Taking Dallas: Andy, Joel, Nihar, Vivek, Aaron
Taking Denver: Zach, Phil, Curtis, (C)

San Diego at Pittsburgh
Taking San Diego: (C),Nihar
Taking Pittsburgh: Zach, Andy, Phil, Curtis, Joel,Vivek, Aaron

MON, OCT 5
Green Bay at Minnesota
Taking Green Bay: Zach, Andy, (C), Nihar, Aaron
Taking Minnesota: Joel, Phil, Curtis,Vivek

2009-09-30T11:52:00.002-08:00

Weird day in my hometown
So Eric Wedge has been fired, and Brady Quinn has been demoted. Well, actually, Wedge's firing isn't really a firing, in the sense that he has to GO AWAY for it to mean anything, and he's still going to manage for six games.

Wedge should have been fired three months ago. Maybe the Indians wouldn't have turned into the Rockies (Jim Tracy has made them playoff caliber after taking over for Clint Hurdle), but it's hard to see how they'd be any worse.

Wedge will land somewhere, learn from his mistakes and probably manage again. The Indians are another story. If it's true that the Indians are interested in John Farrell, it only confirms the belief that the team is uncomfortable with a different voice. Farrell was in the organization for years before bolting for Boston.

I think a new man (perhaps who has managed before, and is maybe foreign to the Indians' organization of the past 10 years) would be best. Anything else is just a new name.

As for the Browns, they'll lose no matter who quarterbacks. It's best if Brady just bolts and doesn't look back. He'll be better off away from this mess. The Browns won't be better until Mangini is gone and the team hires actual football people to do football jobs.

2009-09-28T20:03:00.002-08:00

Panel Standings, post week 3
Phil Prusa 14-2 (34-14)
Vivek Vasavada 14-2 (30-18)
Zach 13-3 (34-14)
Nihar Vasavada 12-4 (37-11)
Aaron Rund 10-6 (36-12)
Joel Hammond 8-8 (34-14)
Andy Barch 8-8 (28-20)
Curtis A. 8-8 (24-24)
Coin 8-8 (24-24)

Thought: I wonder how well Vivek would be doing if he'd not taken the coin for two weeks. Usually the coin is under .500, but there's always the possibility of an awful, standing-killing week. Hasn't happened yet.

2009-09-28T10:26:00.003-08:00

Ravens 34, Browns 3
Sunday's game was the type of game that gets coaches fired. The good news for coach Eric Mangini is we're only three games in, and even the most ardent critic would have to think that firing him now would be hasty.

But this football team is playing badly, and getting worse by the week. The Browns had no chance to win at Baltimore, but they did have a chance to extract some moments of joy from the game -- if not for themselves, then for their fans.

There is no way Brady Quinn is this bad. His 2007 performance against San Francisco, his start last year against Denver, were steady performances. The offensive line (that of three first-round picks) hasn't protected him, and when he does have time, he looks terrified of making a mistake.

Any football player, any level, will tell you the game can't be played that way.

Quinn doesn't throw downfield, probably because there's hardly anyone to throw to. Braylon Edwards (who is no doubt counting down the days to free agency)is the only receiver defenders respect. So enter Derek Anderson. He will throw downfield, but also throw three interceptions.

It doesn't matter who the quarterback is, though Mangini probably will act like it does. The defense has looked gassed in every second half, but this week, it started the trend a half early. Yes, the Ravens have a strong offense, but even strong offenses can be stopped a few times.

Nationally, the Browns have replaced the Lions as the laughingstock of the league. The question is no longer how many games the team will win, but when they will win. Look at the schedule. The Bengals are primed to go 3-1 next week. The Packers and the Bills are better than Cleveland. So is Chicago and (obviously) Pittsburgh. The Browns could go 0-8, and then, what do they do?

Eric Mangini is owner Randy Lerner's guy, which is to say that he probably was a bad hire. If the organization wasn't broken at the end of last season (and I honestly didn't think it was, so much as it needed adjustments) it sure is now. Again.

Mangini is apparently too busy keeping secrets and levying fines to notice that his football team is a mess, and he's largely to blame for the magnitude of that mess. We might have Butch Davis here, without the coaching talent.

I believe this team has played the worst football after three weeks of any Browns team since they they returned. Chris Palmer and his gang of misfits at least were hungry, and actually more competitive.

These Browns look like they're tired and want to end the season, and they're three weeks in.

Not a good start for Mangini.

2009-09-27T21:49:00.002-08:00

Phil's NFL Picks: Week 3
Redskins (1-1) @ Lions (0-2)
Upset Special - Detroit fans celebrate their first win in 20 football games!
PICK: LIONS
Zach's thought: I really feel good for what Lions' fans are left. No team or fanbase deserves to go winless.

Packers (1-1) @ Rams (0-2)
St Louis is completing with Cleveland for the title of NFL's worst team right now.
PICK: PACKERS
Zach's thought: At least St. Louis was competitive in week 2.

49ers (2-0) @ Vikings (2-0)
Don't get too cocky Minnesota fans. Wins against the Browns and Lions hardly classify you as a powerhouse team yet.
PICK: VIKINGS
Zach's thought: Favre's throw will be replayed again, and again. I bet Madden wishes he hadn't retired so he could talk about it for the rest of the season on TV.

Chiefs (0-2) @ Eagles (1-1)
Good thing Kansas City spent all those millions to give Matt Cassel a long term deal eh?
PICK: EAGLES
Zach's thought: Kansas City really is a mess. But at least they have some structure.

Falcons (2-0) @ Patriots (1-1)
Atlanta plays four of their next five games on the road.
PICK: PATRIOTS
Zach's thought: Give New England credit: They just don't lose back-to-back games.

Titans (0-2) @ Jets (2-0)
Good: Tennessee is the best 0-2 team in the NFL right now. Bad: They are still 0-2.
PICK: JETS
Zach's thought:Why did it take so long for Rex Ryan to get a head coaching job?

Giants (2-0) @ Buccaneers (0-2)
New York's defense takes a hit with Safety Kenny Phillips missing the rest of the season after being placed on IR.
PICK: GIANTS
Zach's thought: The Buccaneers don't seem to have much going for them. Luckily the orange uniforms will be out soon.

Browns (0-2) @ Ravens (2-0)
Baltimore should be a popular Survivor pool pick this week.
PICK: RAVENS
Zach's thought: What exactly did the Browns do this offseason? Was Mangini to busy looking to see if someone bugged his office to focus on crafting a roster?

Jaguars (0-2) @ Texans (1-1)
Here's hoping that shutout loss in Week 1 was a wake-up call for Houston.
PICK: TEXANS
Zach's thought: Texans deserve to lose for dressing up like blood.

Bears (1-1) @ Seahawks (1-1)
Without Matt Hasselbeck, it's going to be 2008 all over again for Seattle.
PICK: BEARS
Zach's thought: Game was ugly for the Seahawks -- and that was just in the uniforms.

Saints (2-0) @ Bills (1-1)
Trap game warning. Saints play the Jets next week and can't get caught looking ahead to that matchup.
PICK: SAINTS
Zach's thought: The Bills have actually trademarked the phrase "slightly below average." They have owned it for a decade.

Steelers (1-1) @ Bengals (1-1)
Fast Fact: Pittsburgh has not lost in Cincinnati since 2002.
PICK: STEELERS
Zach's thought: So much for "Big Ben hasn't lost in Ohio in the NFL."

Broncos (2-0) @ Raiders (1-1)
Denver's smoke and mirror team keeps the act going for one more week.
PICK: BRONCOS
Zach's thought: Denver has beaten some shaky teams, but what I wouldn't give for my team to beat a shaky team rather than be one.

Dolphins (0-2) @ Chargers (1-1)
The NFL did Miami no favors by scheduling them to play across country after their Monday night game last week.
PICK: CHARGERS
Zach's thought: The carriage has become a pumpkin for Miami.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Colts (2-0) @ Cardinals (1-1)
A win against Jacksonville is not enough to sell me on Arizona yet.
PICK: COLTS
Zach's thought: Arizona delivers the first boring primetime game this year.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Panthers (0-2) @ Cowboys (1-1)
I'm already sick of seeing Dallas in primetime games this year.
PICK: COWBOYS
Zach's thought: I write this on Sunday night... one coach will be in trouble after this one.

LAST WEEK: 7-9
OVERALL: 20-12

2009-09-27T21:34:00.002-08:00

Panel Standings, week 2
Aaron: 13-3 (26-6)
Joel: 12-4 (26-6)
Nihar 11-5 (25-7)
Andy 9-7 (20-12)
Zach: 8-8 (21-11)
Phil: 7-9 (20-12)
Vivek 7-9 (16-16)
Coin 7-9 (16-16)
Curtis: 6-10 (16-16)

2009-09-27T20:40:00.003-08:00

The Panel
The coin is a 2007 penny. Two are using it

Cleveland at Baltimore
Taking Cleveland:Curtis, Joel, (C)
Taking Baltimore: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Nihar, Vivek

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
Taking Pittsburgh:Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Nihar, Vivek
Taking Cincinnati: Curtis, Joel,(C)

Kansas City at Philadelphia
Taking Philadelphia: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Joel, (C)

Giants at Tampa Bay
Taking New York: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Joel, (C)
Taking Tampa Bay:

Jacksonville at Houston
Taking Jacksonville: Andy, Curtis, Joel, (C)
Taking Houston:Zach, Aaron, Phil, Nihar, Vivek

Miami at San Diego
Taking San Diego:Zach, Aaron, Phil, Aaron, Andy, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Joel, (C)

San Francisco at Minnesota
Taking San Francisco: Aaron, Andy, Curtis, Joel, (C)
Taking Minnesota:Zach, Phil, Nihar, Vivek

Denver at Oakland
Taking Denver:Zach, Aaron, Phil, Nihar, Vivek
Taking Oakland:Andy, Curtis, Joel, (C)

Green Bay at St. Louis
Taking Green Bay:Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Nihar, Vivek
Taking St. Louis:Curtis, Joel, (C)

Tennessee at Jets
Taking Tennessee:Aaron, Andy, Nihar, Curtis, Joel, (C)
Taking New York:Zach, Phil, Vivek

New Orleans at Buffalo
Taking New Orleans:Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Joel, (C)
Taking Buffalo:

Atlanta at New England
Taking Atlanta:Andy, Curtis, Joel, (C)
Taking New England: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Nihar, Vivek

Washington at Detroit
Taking Washington:Zach, Aaron, Andy, Nihar
Taking Detroit:Phil, Vivek, Curtis, Joel, (C)

Chicago at Seattle
Taking Chicago: Zach, Aaron, Phil, Nihar, Vivek
Taking Seattle: Andy, Curtis, Joel, (C)

Indianapolis at Arizona
Taking Indianapolis:Zach, Aaron, Phil, Andy, Nihar, Vivek
Taking Arizona:Curtis, Joel, (C)

Carolina at Dallas
Taking Carolina:Andy
Taking Dallas: Zach, Aaron, Phil Nihar, Vivek, Curtis, Joel, (C)

2009-09-23T21:44:00.002-08:00

Week 2's three up, three down
New feature from Phil and I.

Phil's ups:
1. 49ers
Already 2-0 with both wins coming in their division.

2. Jets.
Mark Sanchez is proving his week 1 performance was no fluke

3. Saints
Drew Brees is putting up video game stats so far.

Zach's ups
1. Giants
Two wins in one of football's toughest divisions.

2. Ravens: An early Super Bowl favorite looked strong in 100 degree heat Sunday.

3. Bears: Almost a must win, and delivered it against Super Bowl champs.

THREE DOWN

Phil's downs

1. Titans
Last year's 10-0 seems like a long time ago.

2. Browns
Cleveland knew this would be a rebuilding year, but the fans still have to wonder if this is it.

3. Patriots
Did their Super Bowl window finally close after the 2007 season?

Zach's downs
1. Packers
Bengals are certainly better than people think, but Green Bay gave this game away when it allowed a third-and-34 conversion in the second quarter. Without that (and the TD that followed), Packers are 2-0.

2. Browns
Might be the worst showing after two games I have ever seen from my favorite team. In 1999 they at least showed life in week 2.

3. Buccaneers
Good thing they fired Jon Gruden.