You Can't Blame Shurmur For This One

The fans have done it again. I am finally so fed up with this concussion story that I feel like I need to give my opinion on the matter.  

McCoy was injured after his throw to Hardesty when Harrison hit him.  What McCoy injured at the time, was his hand and wrist.  The trainers, two or three of them, were looking at his wrist and taping a few of his fingers together while talking to him.  These same trainers came to the conclusion that he was not showing symptoms of a concussion, therefore, no concussion tests were needed.  A concussion can show up later after a blow to the head and there are numerous examples to support that and it is not even worth going into.  That is simply what happened.

What bothers me the most is the backlash that head coach Pat Shurmur is enduring. People are on their high horses complaining that no way, no how, McCoy should have been put back into the game after that hit.  How could Shurmur have allowed such a thing?  

What people don’t realize, for some reason, is that Shurmur is trying to call plays, get formations together, and figure out what to do with Seneca Wallace.  He isn’t on the sideline to administer McCoy concussion tests or clear him to play, that’s a trainer’s job. His job is to coach the football team.  So when a player comes up to him and says, “I’m ready to roll,” the coach puts him back into the game to play because the doctors have cleared him as such.  That’s all there is to it.

People have been all over Shurmur for his play calling, how he’s handled personnel, and even what his demeanor is like on the sidelines and during press conferences.  Okay, fine.  You have the right to your own opinion (no matter how wrong I think you are for most of it).  But to take your aggravation out on Pat Shurmur for this concussion matter, when really you are just pissed off about another double-digit loss season, is stupid and illogical.

If we are going to continue to call ourselves the best football fans in football, then it’s about time we start becoming the smarter football fans. All I see is angry and bitter people trying to slam a coach for something he isn’t responsible for.  If McCoy came back in and threw the game winning touchdown pass your tunes would be a lot different, and I don’t even want to think about what some of you would’ve said if Wallace came in and threw the same interception that McCoy did.  It’s about time Browns fans pulled their head out of their asses and become informed about the way things work on an NFL sideline before they try to nail Pat Shurmur to a cross.  Pat Shurmur is a football coach, not a neurologist, and it’s about time everyone realizes that.  

The Wrong Time to Leave Your Browns

The Browns sit at 4-8 and are securely planted in the cellar this season in the AFC North.  An echoing sentiment from what I can gather from the radio, social networking, and talking to people in person, is that people are “fed up.”

I can’t help but ask, “Why now?”

Why is this the season that you are done with your Browns? Wasn’t it just a few years ago that we sat at 1-11 and there was no semblance of any playmakers on offense or defense? Mangini offenses make this one look like the Packers.  We couldn’t accidentally run into a touchdown let alone pick up a garbage score in the fourth quarter of games.  

What I really don’t understand is why we aren’t willing to give this front office and coaching staff more than a year to show us what they can really do.  Tom Heckert has given the Browns the two best consecutive drafts since the team returned in 1999.  They drafted Haden, Ward, McCoy, Hardesty, Luavo and ended up finding a great trade for Peyton Hillis in their first season.  Add to those players Taylor, Sheard, Little, Pinkston and Marecic, these are young players getting loads of experience in a season where WE WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO COMPETE. For anything.  This season was about experience, about finding what we DON’T have and then once we finally have an actual offseason, make the changes accordingly.  

And there in lies the real problem.  There were no OTAs this season.  The team wasn’t allowed to give out playbooks or even talk to players during the lockout, making it almost impossible for this team to fully grasp what Pat Shurmur wants to do on offense.  Is that an excuse that should be used in week 12? Probably not, but it definitely doesn’t get this team off to a fast start, a real theme to this season.

On offense our best pass catchers have proved to a rookie 2^nd round pick who didn’t play football last year and undrafted rookie wide receiver from Penn St.  You can say whatever you want about Colt McCoy and much of his criticism is garnered, but when you combine a kick returner, two rookies, and a very average receiver in Massaquoi as your receiving corps you don’t exactly have a recipe for success.  Combine that with the Peyton Hillis drama and how the Browns lead the league with 33 drops, I am not sure how any offense is supposed to survive that.  

McCoy has looked lost at times, has looked like he is staring down his receiver and only throwing short routes, but he can only throw to the plays that are called.  And in Shurmur’s defense, how is he supposed to call a complicated passing game with the pieces that he has? Cribbs still doesn’t know how to run routes and the other receivers have seen this offensive scheme for less than a year.  How can anyone succeed in that environment, quarterback, receiver, and lineman alike?

So why should we stick around and tune in every Sunday to watch the Browns? Seven draft picks in the first four rounds of the upcoming draft certainly is one of them.  This front office has done as well as any in recent Browns history in getting talent and there is no reason why that should stop.  There are proven veterans as well on this team in Joe Thomas, D’Qwell Jackson, Alex Mack, and the much forgotten Eric Steinback.  All I am saying, is that this is not the season to jump ship.  You can say that you have put up with this same thing for 12 years now, but guess what, this front office has been here for only one year and this is Shurmur’s first season as a head coach.  There has been improvement whether people want to see it or not, and if you “fans” really want to be angry enough to leave the Browns, call me in two years, because there is no quick fix in the NFL.  The Browns cannot be built in one day, so if you want the gratification of sticking around, rooting for your team that you grew up with and seeing them succeed, you need to wait.  If not, go root for the Steelers.

The Wrong Time to Leave Your Browns

The Browns sit at 4-8 and are securely planted in the cellar this season in the AFC North.  An echoing sentiment from what I can gather from the radio, social networking, and talking to people in person, is that people are “fed up.”

I can’t help but ask, “Why now?”

Why is this the season that you are done with your Browns? Wasn’t it just a few years ago that we sat at 1-11 and there was no semblance of any playmakers on offense or defense? Mangini offenses make this one look like the Packers.  We couldn’t accidentally run into a touchdown let alone pick up a garbage score in the fourth quarter of games.  

What I really don’t understand is why we aren’t willing to give this front office and coaching staff more than a year to show us what they can really do.  Tom Heckert has given the Browns the two best consecutive drafts since the team returned in 1999.  They drafted Haden, Ward, McCoy, Hardesty, Luavo and ended up finding a great trade for Peyton Hillis in their first season.  Add to those players Taylor, Sheard, Little, Pinkston and Marecic, these are young players getting loads of experience in a season where WE WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO COMPETE. For anything.  This season was about experience, about finding what we DON’T have and then once we finally have an actual offseason, make the changes accordingly.  

And there in lies the real problem.  There were no OTAs this season.  The team wasn’t allowed to give out playbooks or even talk to players during the lockout, making it almost impossible for this team to fully grasp what Pat Shurmur wants to do on offense.  Is that an excuse that should be used in week 12? Probably not, but it definitely doesn’t get this team off to a fast start, a real theme to this season.

On offense our best pass catchers have proved to a rookie 2^nd round pick who didn’t play football last year and undrafted rookie wide receiver from Penn St.  You can say whatever you want about Colt McCoy and much of his criticism is garnered, but when you combine a kick returner, two rookies, and a very average receiver in Massaquoi as your receiving corps you don’t exactly have a recipe for success.  Combine that with the Peyton Hillis drama and how the Browns lead the league with 33 drops, I am not sure how any offense is supposed to survive that.  

McCoy has looked lost at times, has looked like he is staring down his receiver and only throwing short routes, but he can only throw to the plays that are called.  And in Shurmur’s defense, how is he supposed to call a complicated passing game with the pieces that he has? Cribbs still doesn’t know how to run routes and the other receivers have seen this offensive scheme for less than a year.  How can anyone succeed in that environment, quarterback, receiver, and lineman alike?

So why should we stick around and tune in every Sunday to watch the Browns? Seven draft picks in the first four rounds of the upcoming draft certainly is one of them.  This front office has done as well as any in recent Browns history in getting talent and there is no reason why that should stop.  There are proven veterans as well on this team in Joe Thomas, D’Qwell Jackson, Alex Mack, and the much forgotten Eric Steinback.  All I am saying, is that this is not the season to jump ship.  You can say that you have put up with this same thing for 12 years now, but guess what, this front office has been here for only one year and this is Shurmur’s first season as a head coach.  There has been improvement whether people want to see it or not, and if you “fans” really want to be angry enough to leave the Browns, call me in two years, because there is no quick fix in the NFL.  The Browns cannot be built in one day, so if you want the gratification of sticking around, rooting for your team that you grew up with and seeing them succeed, you need to wait.  If not, go root for the Steelers.

The Sky Is Not Falling - NBA Draft 2011

I have to admit, I was at a bar/grille (they don't serve food at Ohio University, the "grille" part is just for show) and I was a bit upset with what transpired during the draft last night, but after waking up this morning with a slight headache, I realized something: We did good.  


Kyrie Irving is the only player in this draft that people think can be an All-Star.  It's that simple. We got the best player in the draft and our best player on the team, Baron Davis, is excited to teach him. Davis is still a top 10 point guard in this league when he wants to be, and I am more than happy to hear that he is on board.  


Irving can shoot it from everywhere and has natural point guard instincts.  He will see time next to Davis in the back court right away, and that is where we will see that he is a much better scorer than advertised at.  He will be a double digit scorer right off the bat if he receives the amount of minutes necessary.


The #4 pick is where things started to get a bit blurry. I had been hearing for most of the last two days that Tristan Thompson was being considered at 4, and after a late push from Dan Gilbert, the Texas power forward was the next selection.  People, let's calm on this.  


No one was all that excited to see Jonas Valanciunas, don't try to give me the b.s. that you wanted him here. The only reason why I was okay with it was the fact that we could suck next year while he got better in Europe. I'd much rather have Thompson.  Besides, I think we all are forgetting our own Euro center, Semih Erdin. I think he's going to start at some point next year and contribute big time. That being said...


The south paw from Toronto does not have a polished inside game, but he seems to do the two things that the Cavaliers could not do at all last year: rebound and protect the rim.  He will rebound right away as well as get garbage dunks and put backs from our bevy of shooters (I didn't say makers).  We needed a guy who will play defense, run the floor, and clean the boards. He's better than Samuels, trust me.  


So let's all calm down a tad, we still have time to make moves, get free agents, and use the TPE. There is time, and it's not like we have a gun to our heads to win the title next year, LeBron is gone, we can do this the right way. In Chris Grant I trust-- because we won this draft the day we traded for Baron Davis and the 1st pick, not last night.  (Do I really need to talk about the 2nd round? No. We can sign everyone's precious David Lighty as a FA. I would.)

2011 NBA Lottery Mock Draft

1	Cleveland	Kyrie Irving PG Duke- The best player in the draft. He can shoot the 3 (46%), free throws (91%) and has the size + feel to really start the franchise over again. Easy choice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3pbLyHCOCo
2	Minnesota	Derrick Williams F Arizona- I don’t think they hold onto him, but taking Williams maximizes their value at this spot whether they trade him or Beasley. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_y-SW_q2E8&feature=fvst
3	Utah	Enes Kanter C/PF Kentucky- The first “surprise” of the draft. I don’t think they hold onto him either, with the Wizards hot for the little-tested Turk. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YzbhAQGPqk
4	Cleveland	Jonas Valanciunas C/PF Lithuania- If there was ever a year to stash a player over seas, it’s this one.  With labor issues almost guaranteeing a lockout, he can still develop and allow the Cavs to pick high in the lottery again next year. Trading the pick is a high possibility as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLa5yFCF6Go
5	Toronto	Kemba Walker PG UConn- Toronto needs an identity as well as backcourt help.  Even if he isn’t a true point guard, his scoring will be a welcomed addition next to Bargnani and Derozan.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVNIB8dOkn8
6	Washington	Alec Burks SG Colorado- Washington needs another backcourt mate for Wall, and while Jordan Crawford came on late last season, but his size is probably better suited coming off the bench. Burks’ combo of size and scoring ability will make Washington’s backcourt one to be reckoned with. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfxRkrUFRI0
7	Sacramento	Jimmer Fredette PG BYU- This would allow Evans to move to the off guard and have a spot up shooter next to him when he becomes the primary ball handler late in games. Very underrated strength and ability to get to the hoop as well as his leadership qualities. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OgKn8VGHas
8	Detroit	Bismack Biyombo PF The Congo- Seems to me like a match made in Heaven.  Wilcox and Maxiell are both tough energy players but neither have the rare combination of size and athleticism that Biyombo garnishes.  Explosive dunker who wants to crush everything. Has time to develop a move or two in the post. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_SB-ZKAhGM
9	Charlotte	Brandon Knight PG Kentucky- There’s really no way that Knight falls this far, someone will most definitely trade up to get him around the 4-6th picks, but if by some magical draft day miracle happens, Jordan will pounce on the big shooter at point guard from Kentucky. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR9x8alen3I
10	Milwaukee	Tristan Thompson PF Texas- Playing next to Bogut will allow Thompson the opportunity to get a good amount of garbage baskets while he develops his offensive game more, and he will continue to solidify Milwaukie’s already stout interior defense.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRskSXbkRSM
11	Golden St.	Marcus Morris F Kansas- With new coach Mark Jackson size and versatility will be at a premium and maybe no player outside the top ten will be ready to make an impact on both sides of the ball like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9GhIQZoa14
12	Utah	Jan Vesely F Czech Republic- Dubbed the “dunking ninja” on YouTube, the Czech forward is as long and athletic as they come with a promising outside game that could allow the 6-11 forward to play some small forward at the next level. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zlB5w08_Es
13	Phoenix	Jordan Hamilton SG/SF Texas- Phoenix tried to bring Josh Childress back to the States along with Pietrus in the trade with the Magic, and neither really took hold of the starting 3 spot.  Hamilton’s offensive game on the wing is one of the most complete in the draft, while his shot selection and defensive effort may be in question, the Suns would be thrilled to see him fall this far. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9J0MgiIh74
14	Houston	Chris Singleton F Florida State- Trading away Shane Battier and not having another guy to guard other small forwards is a problem, and while Singleton showed some offensive ability this season at FSU, his defense will remain his calling card and get him picked in the lottery. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfRDj_HHfFE
15	Indiana	Klay Thompson SG Washington State- This may be a best case scenario for the Pacers as they need scoring and shooting from the off guard position to put next to emerging point guard Darren Collison.  His shot may be as good as anyone’s in the draft and his athleticism is better than first thought.  Can even run the offense with the second team right off the bat for the Pacers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w2ekvQS-Xs

Is Camp Colt Really Worth It?

Camp Colt has been getting a lot of press from the media, as well as all these other little “mini camps” that teams have been putting on.  Even more media attention is paid to the players who don’t show up to these little weekend getaways.  The Cleveland media attacked rookie wide receiver Greg Little for not attending Camp Colt the first time, but he finally found his way to Austin, along with fellow rookie, tight end Jordan Cameron.  What I don’t understand is what can really be gained from running routes on a high school field somewhere when players aren’t “allowed” to even have the playbooks yet.  

I’m not so naive to think that Colt doesn’t have some version of Shurmur’s playbook somewhere tightly tucked into his saddle somewhere, but what I really am unsure of, is whether or not these camps are worth the risk that players are putting out there.  

Greg Little and Jordan Cameron have not signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns.  They are not being paid, they are owed no money, and technically, the only connection they have to the organization is that they were picked by the Browns and have all of their rights in order to negotiate a contract.  What if Little tears his ACL at one of these camps? What leverage does he have to ask for even 3^rd round pick money?  These rookies are getting a lot of pressure from teammates, and especially the media, to risk their first real money as a professional, so they can jog around on a field and catch passes from Colt or Wallace.  

I am also in the wagon of people that thinks these little camps are nothing more than a stick to the NFL, saying, “Hey we don’t need the NFL to get together to run mini camps or OTAs, we can do it on our own.”  These players attending these camps are the same exact players that complain EVERY YEAR those OTAs and mini camps are too long, and that the NFL doesn’t have a long enough offseason.  At least in mini camp and OTAs people are getting paid, players are receiving a salary.  

Which camp has gotten the most plug so far? Oh yeah, that’s right, the Drew Brees camp, doesn’t that make anyone wonder when he is by far the most vocal player in these labor disputes? I for one am surprised he has enough time on his hands to do either these camps or dispute labor problems when at the age of 32 he is still in New Orleans bars starting chants and other weird stuff that he learned to do at Purdue.  

Maybe I am cynical, but I just don’t think these camps are doing much of anything for the players, and that the risk these younger players are putting them through, just really isn’t worth it.  Joe Thomas recently just said he is enjoying his time off, and that the offseason is really way too long in the first place. I’m gonna go ahead and listen to our captain and best football player since the Browns came back in 1999, and not worry about the offseason workouts. 

Why Derrick Williams at #1 Would Be A Mistake

This NBA season allowed my inner draft geek to get off for the Cavs like I haven’t been able to in sometime.  We were terrible, and with a terrible team it allowed me to start looking at players for the Cavs around… well, January.  I am a draft geek. I love watching YouTube videos and I love looking at mock drafts.  This season having two top five selections it has allowed me to look at just about every draft website known to man, scouring many mock drafts, and picking the brains of any scout or reporter that I could.  This year it was very easy for me to realize which sites had any brains in their operations.

How in the world could the Cavs NOT take Kyrie Irving number one overall?  The thought of them passing up on someone who scouts talked about as the best player in college when he was healthy all year, for a guy who snuck into the minds of many draft gurus during the NCAA tournament, blows my mind.  People want to talk about Derrick Williams and how versatile he is, and how he can play the small forward position in the NBA, but I have three major issues with what everyone gushes over him about.  

Number one: If he is a small forward, why didn’t he play it in college? This parallels what my dad hates more than anything in the world, the defensive end you take in college football that’s supposed to stand up and play linebacker in the NFL.  Why would you take a chance on changing a guy’s position at the FIRST PICK in the draft? That doesn’t seem logical to me when there is a point guard who comes from an elite program that will be ready to play meaningful minutes at the position he has played his entire life, not to mention the most important position on the court.  I for one am not picking a project linebacker over the best quarterback in the draft.

Number two: He will take away minutes from the only position the Cavs have decent talent at.  Even if one day Williams can play the 3 spot, he is going to have to play 4 right away in order to get him onto the court and appease fans for taking him number one overall anyways.  The issue? J.J. Hickson grew into his own by the end of the season, averaging almost 17 points and 11 rebounds over his last 23 games.  Why would we want to stifle the growth of what is probably the Cavaliers best young player going into his all-important fourth season? Along with Antawn Jamison and Anderson Varejao, it seems the Cavs could use more help at the center position, not another player to throw into the mix at the 4.  

Number three:  Something about Williams, when I hear him talk or I read his tweets, gets to me.  I can’t put my finger on it, but this #23 has a little bit of a cockiness to him that seems to go a little further than just confidence in his game.  And maybe this is just me, but a guy who supported LeBron vehemently all season until the Cavaliers got the number one pick just doesn’t sit well with me.  Maybe I am just gun shy, but this guy to me looks like he wants a little bit more from his NBA experience than living in Cleveland.  

All of my concerns may change however, if we are able to get the both of them, which is more and more looking like something the Cavaleirs are trying to do.  If we could make this a tandem of Irving and Williams, I think that the Cavs would have taken a very quick first step into rebuilding on the fly.  Together these two would be great building blocks to start the franchise back up with, but I would rather have Irving and then whoever else we can get, instead of Williams and whoever is left at 4. We will find out on June 23^rd just what the Cavs have been up to since they won the lottery.  

Not In First, But Not Out Of It Yet

This is the first time in 68 games that Indians are not at the top of AL Central, and while this may have been coming for a few weeks or so, I think this is as good of time as any to relay an important message to the Cleveland faithful.  

The Indians are 35-30, much better than just about anyone can say they expected without having their fingers crossed behind their backs.  The pitching, which many people expected to be their downfall, has been a strength for them all season.  Masterson has gone without a win since June, but still has posted a very good 3.15 ERA this season, Tomlin has 7 wins midway through June, and Carrasco has allowed 0 runs in his last 15 innings pitched which were both 1-0 victories for the Indians.  

Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner, and rookie Alex White are all missing time this season, contributing to the fact that this is the hardest stretch that the Tribe has gone through all year.  Combine that with series against the Rangers, Twins, Yankees, and Tigers, its no surprise to the average baseball fan that the Indians have started to hit the skids at this point in the season, but is it time to panic?

There are two different ways to panic at this juncture in the season, and I will tell you why we should do neither of those.  First, people are screaming for the Dolans to “make a move.”  I am no fan of the Dolan family’s “come to the ballpark and show us you can win and we’ll spend money” philosophy, while at the same time I am evenly upset with the fans that scream “spend more money and I will show up to root.”  Neither this chicken nor this egg is going to budge, so I think everyone should take a deep breathe and calm down. Grab a Faygo. 

The other spastic approach people are taking to this team is what my friend, who will remain nameless (it’s Pat Blackley), wants to do, and that is to bring up all the youngsters.  If I had to pick a camp to make my lodgings in, it would probably be this one, however dumping all of our veterans already, before we are even out of the race seems a bit reckless to me.  Yes, we could stand to see Austin Kearns and Adam Everett hit greener pastures, but we aren’t with this club everyday to see what they bring to the ballclub behind the scenes.  Kearns and Everett are vets who still can help younger guys through the everyday rigors, but at some point they will either have to start contributing on the field or they will be gone too. But not yet.

Why do I have hope? Why am I willing to stay put right now and wait it out? Well how about the fact that this is the same exact team that went 30-15?  Can we please wait for Travis Hafner to come off of the DL to solidify and perhaps anchor this lineup like he is capable of? One month is all I am asking. We are still over .500 and can be right back in first place with a win over the Tigers tonight.  We have been waiting since 2007 to watch meaningful baseball again, or at least I have, and I am not so ready to just blow everything back up.  

Cavs Beat Heat

Enough said. Cleveland is on top tonight. Let's play some ping pong. Sheer focused energy on one goal can accomplish some crazy stuff. Go Cavs.

Warning! Doppelgangers on the Loose in Cleveland

I really am confused after the first half of this basketball game.  The team in white, who claim to be the Cavaliers, are playing as hard as they have all season.  They are throwing elbows, wrapping people up in the air, and overall bullying the Heat in every opportunity.  Ryan Hollins has been replaced by a robot who doesn't mind contact, but he's of the Liquid T-1000's who is looking to make life hell for everyone else.  

Ryan Hollins is for once not the one catching

It has become rather obvious that this is now Baron Davis' team.  He made his first start of the season for the Wine and Gold tonight and he came up ready to play.  Hitting a three that bounced four times on the rim for our first basket was the perfect tone setter for the way that the Cavs were going to go at it tonight.  By any means possible. One half does not win a game, but we can finally put a check next to the box "Does this team have a heartbeat?" Check. Now, does this team have what it takes to win.  We'll find out in the next 24 minutes.   

Is There a Window Open, Because I Feel a Draft

Just as I get done talking about consistency, this is probably as good time as any to address what Holmgren has continued to say about the draft’s quarterback class.  Holmgren is used to taking a quartback most every season.  Drafting quarterbacks allow you to develop guys that can fill in at anytime without losing a whole lot of continuity from the offense (Matt Flynn, Kevin Kolb), or trade them for much more than you drafted them for.  I think it would be the biggest surprise of the first round if the Browns decide to take a quarterback at 6, even though Cam Newton is coming in for a work out. 

Cameron Newton

Whether you believe Newton or not about his NCAA scandals or whatever, no one can tell me that he wasn’t the best single player in college football last season.  He ran over or past anyone he played (did you see him turn on the after burners and just toast Patrick Peterson? Do you want to? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOi2hj_sjyY) and also threw the ball deep as well as anyone in college football.  I am aware that he is a one-year, flash in the pan (ala Akili Smith), but he also won the Heisman and the national championship.  It’s possible that this was simply the culmination of a season a long time in the making. His accuracy issues worry me a little bit as well, but some guys just make football plays when the pads are on, and I think this may be the case with Newton.   I think he goes either 1 to Carolina, 4 to the Bengals, or 10 to the Redskins.

Blaine Gabbert

Gabbert has the prototypical size and arm strength that scouts love to talk about.  He can “make all the throws”, but people question the system he came out of in Missiouri which put him almost as far back as a punter in the shotgun, but I am beginning to poo poo all of these so called experts’ hesitations.  Any NFL system is going to be more complicated than the college one they ran, that’s just the nature of the sport, so as long as you can throw a ball through a wall and see over the line I think you have a chance.  Most of the noise I have heard about his interviews is that he has impressed many with his football smarts and demeanor on and off the field.  Probably goes 1 or 4, but doesn’t get past Arizona at 5. 

Christian Ponder

The former Florida State quarterback gave scouts a lot to… ponder (LOL I KNOW!) after his Senior Bowl performance and the combine.  His size isn’t elite but his accuracy and leadership qualities are.  I think he may be a little fragile as he was hurt at one point in every season he played.  Some scouts feel like he could be traded up for in the first round and is definitely a second round quarterback to most.  

Ryan Mallet

See Derek Anderson on drugs. Seriously.

He called my friend an "ass-clown" on Twitter, so that's cool

Jake Locker

Matt Leinart can sleep safe knowing that another quarterback passed up the opportunity to be the first pick in the draft the previous year only to drop way down in the draft the next year.  Locker may find that he lost close to (drum roll please) 40 MILLION dollars with that decision, but I think it may be best for his football career.   I think Locker is definitely going to need some work before being a starter in the NFL and when you get drafted #1 these days, people want to see you play.  Maybe slipping out of the first completely is the best thing for Locker who has to work immensely on his pocket presence, footwork, and overall mechanics that cause accuracy issues. No one can deny his athletics though, as he was drafted by the Angles in last years MLB draft.  It’s difficult to say exactly where Locker may go, but if it’s in the first I could see 15 to the Dolphins, 16 to the Jags, or Seattle at 25.  

Ricky Stanzi

This may be the quarterback that I like most in the entire draft.  He is tall and rangy with room to fill out.  His arm strength is as good as anyone’s in the draft and at the very least he can make all of the throws with above average zip and accuracy.  I hate to make such ridiculous comparisons, but he really reminds me of a young Tom Brady.  Really.  His height, tight mechanics, and propensity to lead his team on great drives at the end of games or whenever a score was needed all really impressed me while at Iowa.  Coincidently enough, the Patriots are bringing Stanzi in for a work out as well. I think he could be picked anywhere from round 2-3.  Some team will be very impressed with what they are getting in the young Hawkeye.

Andy Dalton

TCU’s ginger quarterback is tough as nails.  Good size and adequate arm strength makes him perfect for a West Coast offense as well as a run first pro-style.  He also ran quite a bit in college, but mostly to keep the defenses honest.  A four year college quarterback, Dalton has won big games and none bigger than the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin.  Something about him really interests me, and it’s more than just the fact that he wears one hell of a number.  I really think someone is going to fall in love with the leadership, toughness, and accuracy of Dalton and take him in the 2^nd round.  

#14 is soo legit

Colin Kaepernick

I watched him beat Boise and I was impressed with the way that he willed them to win.  There wasn’t much pressure, but I have to say that he won the biggest game in Nevada football history (eh… that sounded better in my head, whatever) on a prime time stage.  He also impressed many scouts in Indy at the combine with his arm strength, athleticism and size.  He ran a lot at Nevada, but with such a strong arm many feel like he is just going to take a little while to mold into a capable quarterback and not just a thrower.  He is definitely a project but is quietly making a push towards the end of round 1 and definitely a 2^nd round pick.

The State of the Browns' Offense - Quarterback

Let’s get right to it.  Eleven losses two seasons in a row was simply unacceptable for Holmgren, and while there were obvious improvements from year one to year two of Mangini’s tenure the Big Show felt change was necessary.  The hiring of Pat Shurmur was exactly the type of hire I was hoping for.  Young coordinators are the new darlings of the NFL (Sean Payton, Steve Spagnuolo, Mike Munchak, Todd Haley), and if Holmgren is running the show I want to see what he can do when he has a staff full of “his guys”.

Everyone knew that at the beginning of the year that Colt McCoy would not play this season.  By the end of it, we all knew he was our best shot at winning.  His first games against some of the NFL’s best (Pittsburgh, New England, New Orleans, New York) were surprisingly efficient.  Beating the Patriots and the Saints were undoubtedly the best parts of the season (unless you enjoyed listening to Jake mumble about gumbo after games as much as I did). 

The organization has given the starting job to McColt, as my mother called him one time, but they haven’t exactly said that he is the end-all be-all “franchise quarterback” yet.  Holmgren and Shurmur both seem genuinely excited to see what McCoy can do in the West Coast offense, and giving McCoy something to still compete for (the “franchise guy”) is a smart move by the organization as well. 

His Name is Colt McCoy for God’s Sake

When you hear McCoy talk, see him talk on the sidelines, and command the huddle you realize that this man was born to play quarterback. Colt McCoy from Texas, the most winning quarterback in the history of the NCAA, husband to one of the hottest girls I have ever seen (yeah, that is important to playing quarterback – details in the future, “Why Getting Hot Women Makes You Better at Quarterback” I’ll probably win a Pulitzer for that), I mean this guy was just supposed to be an NFL quarterback. 

Rachel McCoy (just so you know, I probably would)

Questions about McCoy’s strength, both in his throwing arm and his overall structure (who wants 18 games?!?!?), are concerns worth taking into account.  No one is saying he has to be slinging the ball 70 yards down the field (not that we have a receiver capable of running that far), but he has to keep defensive coordinators aware of the fact that he can beat you over the top if given the opportunity.  Daboll actually did a decent job of allowing deep passes to be called so McCoy could attempt to beat safeties that moved up in press coverage.  Hopefully McCoy can still get stronger to throw passes through the stiff Lake Erie winds because Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu are rather adept at intercepting squirrely ducks.  

Another problem I started noticing was McCoy’s tendency to force some passes when the offense was becoming stagnant.  Colt isn’t used to three and outs, let alone losing double digit games, so he needs to realize that sometimes it’s better to punt (Hodges is a boss by the way) and play the field position game rather than trying to fit something in down the field.  If McCoy can get a few burners on the outside you will see his 6-yard slants turn into 40-yard gains, which will open up running lanes for Hillis and friends.  McCoy has the right pedigree, look, leadership qualities, wife, and name (his name is Colt McCoy. Seriously) to become one of the NFL’s poster boys for a city and team that is craving some sort of consistency at the position.

In all seriousness, why would you ever agree to this? (it was my Facebook profile picture a long time, so)

Well, What Else We Got?

Seneca Wallace did exactly what he was traded for to do.   Wallace filled in when needed, and I must admit that if he didn’t get hurt against Atlanta, we may not have seen McCoy much this season.  Wallace didn’t seem very interested in returning to Cleveland at the end of the season as he was not happy Delhomleleela (does it really matter?) got the starting nod after McCoy got the dreaded high ankle sprain that seemed to spread faster than herpes in a sorority house.  But once the offseason settled, and the blazing demand for a 30-something-would-be-first-time starter sizzled, Wallace came to his senses and resigned for three more years.  Good, solid move by The Big Show.  Jake, pack yo bags homie, go enjoy the Bayou with Dave Mathews (FYI, I hope they both get lost in a swamp somewhere) since you love it so much.

In Review…

The quarterback position is McCoy’s for the taking.  He can really establish himself as the Brown’s franchise quarterback this season and we could finally have someone under center that exudes confidence to our fans.  I really do think McCoy is the guy fit for the job, even with Holmgren’s admission that a quarterback will most likely be drafted in April (in depth look coming real soon).  

The State of the Indians - Part 1

Ah, the beginning of spring is here.  You can almost smell the pine tar, feel the rosin bag (Rowengartner and his damn hidden ball trick), and hear the crack of the bat during batting practice.  This truly is one of the best times of the year.  Now I don’t understand why young people these days don’t appreciate baseball, maybe their parents were too intent on pushing their kids to the slopes or lacrosse (don’t get me started on “lax”), but baseball will always hold a special place in my life.  The boys of summer are soon approaching, and that means Tribe Time is right around the corner. 

Spring training is about to be wrapped up, and except for a few spots here and there, the major league roster has basically taken shape.  If you know me, then you shouldn't be surprised that my optimism is about as high as it possibly could be after losing 90+ games the last two seasons.  The way the pitching staff more than handled their business after the All-Star break last season, combined with the fact that our line up resembled Columbus’ opening day roster, I saw some very encouraging things. This will be the first segment of a three part series before the season begins.  Starting off with the strength of our team, how about we talk about the pen? Hey you groaning in the back of the group, take a hike. Seriously, get lost. 

Purple Gatorade On Me!

The bullpen struggled during the beginning of last year and through most of the summer.  The addition of Kerry Wood as the closer was supposed to solidify a spot that remained one the most perplexing since Bob Wickman was led onto greener pastures. If someone mentions Joe Borowski please hit the backspace on your keyboard and go surf the web elsewhere.  Whether it was Betancourt, Fernando Cabreara (I swear to you I thought he was the guy), Jenny Lewis, Raffy Perez, or Sipp, when you have a bullpen by committee there is little hope. 

Chris Perez’s debut for the Cleveland Indians couldn’t have been any worse, even if Ke$ha tried to write a song about it.  The first two batters the hard-throwing reliever faced were plunked.  Not even close. I remember a few sailing behind the White Sox batters before even getting hit.  The stat line of .2 innings, 4 runs, 2 hits given up, 2 HBP, and a BB makes even John Rocker snicker a little.  Perez did however show his great velocity, reaching the upper to mid-90’s on a regular occasion.  His slider was so wicked for awhile even he had no idea where it was ending up. 

Over the past season as he was acclimated to the closer’s role Perez worked diligently on keeping his slider tight, his fastball in on lefties, and more importantly keeping his emotions in check.  A closer needs to have the ever talked about “closer’s mentality” and while Perez had been a closer at the University of Miami (the Florida one, not the pansy preppy kids in Oxford. Yeah I said it) he still had some maturing to do on the mound.

Fast-forward a year and now Chris Perez is anchoring a bullpen that boasted the third best ERA for the American League last season, and they even added an arm.  Not to be overlooked is the acquisition of Chad Durbin.  Durbin’s homecoming back to Cleveland surprised me quite a bit, I didn’t understand why no one wanted to give a major league contract to a guy who had pitched on World Series teams the past few seasons, but I tend to not question the seldom times we as Clevelanders catch a break (I’m looking at you Peyton. Thanks again Brady).  Durbin, who tops out at 89-91 mph won’t be blowing anyone away, but his experience and knack for pitching his way out of jams will be asset for this team (or the Yankees or Red Sox come fall).  The rest of the bullpen will fall into place behind these two with any sort of combination of Sipp, Raffy Perez, Hermann, Jess Todd, Vinne Pestano, and the injured Joe Smith (where have you heard that one before?).

This certainly looks airbrushed or something

Sipp and Raffy Perez are the only two left-handers we have in the bullpen now that Laffey has been sent to Seattle to reunite with good old Wedgie (yeah, they actually called Wedge, “Wedgie”).  Sipp, a converted outfielder, is more of a setup guy who can hit the low 90s on his fastball.  He struggles from time to time with his control and his breaking ball, which is a newer pitch for him.  When Sipp is pitching well his fastball hits the spot and his change up keeps the righties off balance. Perez is more of a match up lefty whose sweeping lefty slider just disappears into the right-hander’s batter’s box.  Control and consistency has also been the bugaboo for Perez, but just like Sipp, he seems to have figured out the control aspect of his game and these two could really help against the heavy hitting left-handers that riddle the AL Central (Morneau, Thome, and the newly acquired Dunn for the Sox).

Turn Up the Heat, Or At Least Turn It On

Nothing made me feel like more of a piece of crap for not being a major leaguer than watching the likes of Jeremy Sowers, and Aaron Laffey toe the rubber every now and again.  Not only do the two look like Eric Foreman, I’m pretty sure I can out bench them as well. That’s rather pathetic.  I know Shapiro was into the whole “seasoned college pitcher who throws strikes” sort of thing, but what happens when he throws in the low 80’s with a change up in the high 70’s? Balls fly far.  These were the two pitchers who actually made it to the big leagues, and I am not even considering the multitude of pitchers we drafted in this mold that failed before even reaching Cleveland. 

Pretty Cool Guy (PCG), but no baseball player

If you hadn’t noticed, when David Huff won 11 games two seasons ago (with like a 7.89 ERA to be fair. Sarcasm intended people) it was the first time an Indians home grown pitcher had won double digit games since Carston Charles himself was wearing Chief Wahoo.  Ever wonder where all of our draft picks were going? Nowhere, that’s where.

Once the dismantling of the 2007 Indians began, stock piling hard throwing pitchers has been at a premium (YAY!).  Whether it’s been the back of the bullpen, or at the top of our draft boards, power arms have been acquired and some have even made it to the 216.  Chris Perez, Jess Todd, Masterson, and even Frank Hermann have showed what a little bit of life on your fastball can do.  Personal favorites of mine that still haven’t gotten to the big leagues yet, but may in the next 24 months would be, Hector Rondon, Nick Hagadone, Josh Judy, Bryce Stowell, and Rob Bryson.  All of these pitchers probably translate to late inning bullpen help, and if you have ever heard a manager or front office guy talk about pitching you know they always want more arms. 

In Review…

It’s easy to see that once a soft spot in the Indians organization, the bullpen has now become one of their strengths.  Of course they could go out and start blowing a bunch of leads (lets worry about getting leads first shall we?) and make us pull our hair out, but I have more confidence in the pen than I can ever remember.  The Indians organization finally realized a way that they as a small market team can compete with the big guys in one aspect.  With strict pitch counts and ever looming injuries, middle relievers and back of the bullpen personnel are incredibly vital to a team’s success.  The fact that our bullpen at the major league level looks promising, and that we have a vast amount of backup should someone get hurt or falter, makes me excited for the 7^th to 9^th innings for the first time since it was Wicky Time with Bob. Go Tribe.

The State of the Cavaliers

No, this isn't not an obituary. The Cavs suck, there's no point in trying to dispute that. I'll allow a pause so all of you from Cincinnati can get your ribbing in. Are you done? Can we move on? Thanks.


Now that the season is basically over (Just in time for the Indians! Another day for that though), I think it would be appropriate for us to take a more in depth look as to why the Cavaliers reside in the NBA cellar. 

I won't be missing these shenanigans 

Missing Much More Than LeBron


The Cavaliers didn't have the luxury of just being the worst team in the NBA. Teams like the Nets, Golden State, Sacramento, etc., can all just be terrible in anonymity because, well, no one gives a shit.  "The Decision" made it all so interesting for ESPN to constantly check up on just how bad the Cavaliers were doing.  I don't even have to go into the losing streak. Unless you lived under a rock (Where are these people who live under rocks anyways? How do you watch Degrassi while tightly nestled under some igneous rock? Whatever, not important), you know all about it (#thelasttimethecavswon).  People love to talk about how "we suck without LeBron", but it goes much deeper than that. 


The roster as it stands right now has five players on it that played in the playoffs for the Cavs last season. You can barely count Jamison part of that team because he was here for a cup of coffee before being forced into the playoffs. And not to be forgotten is the fact that we have had the services of Varejao for only 31 games this season too.  This isn't just last year's team with out James on it. The turnover on this team as far as contributers were James, Shaq, Z, Delonte, (the recently traded) Mo, and I suppose Jawad, for Baron Davis, Sessions, Joey Graham, Ryan Hollins and five rookies, three of which were undrafted.  Does that seem a bit lopsided? It should.  


The lack of size on this team is even bigger reason as to why this team struggles, even more so than the loss of James.  The fact that we constantly have a front court of J.J. Hickson and Samardo Samuels or Ryan Hollins should be enough to completely explain my point.  Watching Dwight laugh his ass off while these undersized power forwards and the wimpiest seven footer in the league try to guard him makes me cringe. Even wet my pants a little.  No team in the NBA can even pretend to compete while starting a 6'9'' center. Impossible.  I do see some sort of light at the end of this tunnel though. I promise, I'm not kidding.



Chris Grant Grants My Wish


I could write a seven page paper on how Christ Grant saved the Cavaliers from having the worst 12-month period of any NBA franchise until he did some wheeling and dealing on the trade deadline.  I'd get an A on it too, but that's besides the point. The Clippers, an organization that makes the Cavs look like the NBA's Brady Bunch, was up to their old tricks again.  The acquisition of Baron Davis and 1st rounder (UNPROTECTED??) for an obviously disinterested Mo Williams and Jamario "If he shoots one more time I'm going to throw a brick through my roommates television" Moon is just short of stealing.  I would pay my sister the rest of Davis' contract just to get another 1st rounder, so acquiring an actual basketball player along with it makes me confident in our front office, especially Grant.  The rookie GM didn't just stop there though.

My sister or Baron Davis, I don't care

The less talked about trade that Grant somehow weaseled out of the Celtics made me refresh my twitter like, seven times probably (my teacher was not too happy with my furious key strokes, but he got over it).  A second rounder for Semih Erden and Luke Harangody is exactly the type of deal that this team needed. Erden, a 7-footer from Turkey will eventually start to remind people of a taller, stronger Anderson Varejoa when he first got into the league.  He might be even more offensively challenged than Andy (did anyone think that was possible circa 2007?) at the same age, but what he lacks in offensive moves he can more than make up for in size and his tendency to try and dunk everything. I like dunks. 


Harangody was a personal favorite of mine coming out of Notre Dame, and while there will always be people who will want to laugh at the unorthodox way in which Luke goes about his business on the basketball court, he will always be able to hold up the plaques (trophy? a medal? a voice mail on his Mom's answering machine?) that he earned as the Big East Player of the Year and 1st team All-American.  Those are rather prestigious, you can't be a scrub and get those kind of accolades in what many consider the NCAA's best conference.  He won't be a dynamic scorer in this league, but we have already seen flashes of what he can do when given playing time.  He will work his ass off.  He will get rebounds over many back up forwards in the NBA with his effort, and he will hit the j (sorry Luke, but my sister has better form) even as far back as the 3-point line.  If Matt Bonner can play on the Spurs, who have had the best record for most of the season, then so can Harangody. 


So in review, Grant has turned Mo Williams, Jamario Moon, and a 2nd round pick from Miami, into Baron Davis, a 1st rounder (DID I MENTION IT'S UNPROTECTED??) and two bigs who can be in the rotation for the next few years at least.  I don't think I could have written down my dreams any more vividly then what happened on the deadline day.  My hat goes off to you Grant, well not my hat, I look like a major douche in a hat (if I ever start to think about wearing one again, please, someone remind me of this admission), but you get a round of applause and two thumbs up.  Maybe even a hug.

Hope Amidst the Garbage

The Cavs' roster looks something like a summer league roster at the moment (an in depth look coming soon), with some pretty bad "veterans" sprinkled admits the young guns.  

Let's make this easy.

Keepers: Anderson, Hickson, Eyenga, Harris, Gee, Samuels, Erden, and Harangody. None of these players are going to be your best player.  Only J.J. and maybe Andy really translate into starters in this league, but finally there is some sort of core of young players that could become significant contributers on a good basketball team.  We all know what we are going to get from Andy who was averaging almost a double-double before he was hurt.  J.J. continues to go through lapses on the defensive side as well as consistently rebounding.  He also sprinkles in a few turnovers a game that make you change the channel completely.  He would be a senior in college this season, so there is time still.  His talent is undeniable, but if he wants to really be considered a good NBA player he needs to start taking his job more seriously.  Eyenga, Harris, and Gee have infused the roster with some actual athleticism on the wing that even LeBron didn't get to play with.  They are young, and a bit spacey at times, but there is actual talent there, now its up to them to take the next step.  Samuels has really impressed me with his effort, and it's a bit easier to see why he was such a highly regarded prospect coming out of high school.  He can finish with the dunk, and has a nice drop step from either side of the rim.  He can be a rotational big if he continues to focus on playing defense, rebounding, and hitting that 10-15 jumper.  I already talked about the other two bigs, so you know, scroll up if you weren't paying attention.

Do I really need an excuse to put this bad boy up?

No Choice: Boobie, Jamison, Baron Davis (sorta).  Boobie has been a good soldier through everything, always repping the Cavs on his twitter, but something in me is just too cynical to allow him to keep missing five games every month.  He is either not very tough, not very intersted, or both.  The organization loves him though, and in public seems to be in it for the long haul.  Jamison was almost traded away ( I really would have wet my pants. Seriously) to Golden State, and may be once the season ends, but his near 20 points a game have been missed ever since the injury. We could do worse than having Jamison start again next year. As I said before, the way Davis plays out the rest of this contract will be up to him. Who knows, he could even get another contract if he gives it his all. Maybe even 90%. Please, Baron?

Good Riddance: Hollins, Parker,  Graham.  I am not going to even waste the space on the never ending avenue that is the internet to discuss these three. They shouldn't be here next year, and hopefully I will be able to forget Hollins was even a Cavalier to begin with.  I just wish the nightmares of him falling down and averaging TWO rebounds a game will go away. Please Lord, make them stop.... 

I Have No Idea: Sessions. Quite the enigma.  You seem him split the double team some times and then crush a two handed dunk. He makes me talk to myself. "Ramon, if you just gave a flying fart every once in a while then you could be good." He makes the most bone-headed turnovers sometimes, and doesn't give much, if any interest towards guarding his man.  He's got good size, athleticism, and an improving jumper, but as my Dad always says, he's a "mental midget."  I am not sold on the fact that Ramon will be on this team next year, it all depends on who these two first round picks will be. If I was Ramon, I know I wouldn't want to be on my fourth NBA team in my first three seasons.

In Review...

This season has been painful. It's obviously no fun going from competing for NBA Championships to being the butt of every joke in the league, but I think we are on the right path.  Five or six guys to start putting high impact pieces around, especially with the two lottery picks we have coming this summer.  People say this class is weak, or at the very least, not top heavy, but there are players in every draft.  Grant will have his work cut out for him as the worst we could do today is the 4th and 11th picks.  There are players coming out that could really put this team only a few players away from competing for the playoffs again.  I think this is exactly where the organization hoped to be at this point once LeBron left, and while we are extremely far from finished, there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Not to mention Dan Gilbert is bat-shit crazy and will do everything he can to make sure LeBron is crying to 60 Minuets in 2020 about how he made such a big mistake. Let's hope. No, let's believe. It's all we have, and its what makes Cleveland the best sports city in the country. Go Cavs.