Filed under: Ohio,Pittsburgh,Sports | Tags: brownies, impending disaster, pro football
I have no advice as to what the Stillers should do with their douchebag quarterback. I’m not a Stillers fan; it’s not my place.
But if this were to ever happen? I’d never be a Browns fan again.
Filed under: Ohio,Sports | Tags: brownies, now i'm reeeeaallly mad, pro football, team up north
Of all the boneheaded things the Browns did in 2009, the one I had no problem with was getting rid of Braylon Edwards.
Yeah, sure, the team got just about nothing for him. But I’d argue that “nothing” is pretty much close to what Braylon is worth.
Our favorite ex-Wolverine took some time before the start of the playoffs to rip the Browns; he also explained that in the Jets’ offense, he’s in a much better position to showcase his world-class receiving skillz, something he never had the chance to do when he was leading the league in dropped passes in Cleveland:
When you’re supposed to be this big-name receiver and you’re only getting two or three balls a game and you’re losing, it frustrates you … Here, they’re committed to winning football games and everything else is secondary. They don’t worry about petty things here at the Jets organization.
Hm. According to the stats, Braylon caught 55 balls for the Browns in 2008, for 873 yards and three touchdowns. So his assessment of his final full season in Cleveland is dead-on: mediocre at best.
He played four games with the Browns in 2009 before the trade sent him to New York, so it would stand to reason — in Braylon’s mind, anyway — he would have been much more productive in 2009. The regular-season stats: 45 catches, 680 yards, four touchdowns.
Wow. Pro Bowl numbers for sure.
As was the case during the regular season, the Jets apparently didn’t need much help from Braylon while they pretty much beat the Bengals senseless over the weekend. And that’s probably a good thing, given that all Braylon did was show he’s consistent at one thing and one thing only:
Whoops. Nice catch, butterfingers. Enjoy being a non-factor in the playoffs.
Filed under: Ohio,Pittsburgh,Sports | Tags: brownies, hopeless cleveland sports, pixburke, pro football, woo-hoo
This doesn’t solve all the problems.
It doesn’t answer all the questions.
We have the same owner, the same coach and the same players who have led us to a 2-11 season to this point, and a string of unbearable seasons before that. And that’s not going away anytime soon.
But for tonight, for the next 10 days, I’m not going to worry about it. I’m not going to feel like cursing when I see a picture of Mangini. And I’m not going to politely smile and shrug when my Pittsburgh friends want to talk about pro football.
I’m going to enjoy the hell out of this for a while. Because I deserve it.
Filed under: Ohio,Sports | Tags: bleh, brownies, hopeless cleveland sports, pro football
Shot in Erie by my buddy Bobbo, who couldn’t wait to email it to me.
Filed under: Ohio,Sports | Tags: brownies, hopeless cleveland sports, now i'm reeeeaallly mad, pro football
In the week prior to Ohio State’s game against Toledo in Cleveland Browns Stadium, there were plenty of jokes about how the best football team in the state was finally going to make an appearance in Cleveland.
After watching a bit of Sunday’s game between the Browns and the Ravens, I’m actually wondering if that assessment is closer to the truth than anyone thought.
After the completion of last year’s NFL season, I made my feelings about the Browns fairly plain: I was disgusted. With the ownership, with the management, with the coaching and, with the exception of maybe a half-dozen actual professionals on the roster, each and every one of the players. The Browns had a weak running game, two quarterbacks who hadn’t proved they could be consistent in the NFL and a defense that didn’t defend.
At the start of this season, I hoped to see signs of improvement, even little ones — a couple indicators that things were moving in the right direction would have made me happy. Instead, I saw a team that would struggle in the Big Ten get waxed by the Ravens, a pathetic performance that came on the heels to two second-half collapses in the previous games.
0-3 isn’t necessarily a surprise. But seeing a team that appears to have uninterested, under-talented and unprepared players is a shock. If what I saw on Sunday is the norm, I’m not going to be investing a lot of time or energy in the Browns this year.
Back in January, I wrote one simple thing to Browns owner Randy Lerner about what I needed to see from the team:
Randy? Give me a reason to care. Anything. And do it in 2009. Or you may lose me forever.
Randy? That still applies. And the clock is ticking.
UPDATE, Tuesday: How serious am I? This column, in today’s Dispatch, makes a lot of sense.
Filed under: I Have No Idea | Tags: beeeeer, brownies, college football, even more sports, pixburke, tribe, winter obsession, yum
As I mentioned in my Facebook post a while back, I can be a sucker for memes, especially if one comes up when I’m stuck for a blog topic. My buddy Bobby Cherry tagged me for this one, and I’m happy to respond.
Keep in mind my rules. I’m not tagging anyone specifically, but if you’re looking for something to do and want to give it a try, consider yourself tagged.
THREE NAMES I GO BY
- My first name usually works pretty well.
- Uncle Crappy. I’ve been surprised by the number of people who have approached me recently and asked: “Are you Uncle Crappy?”
- Pounder. College nickname. A play on my last name and a long-ago brief-but-intense attraction to 16-ounce cans of Old Milwaukee. If Mrs. Crappy really wants my attention, this is the one she uses.
THREE JOBS I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE
- Newspaper reporter. I hope to keep this one for a while, but I dunno…
- Cook, Bagel Buggy in Athens. For just one day a week, for one quarter late in my college career. Could be the most fun I’ve ever had working.
- Armor crewman, U.S. Army. Those M-1 tanks you see on the news? I can drive ‘em, load ‘em and shoot ‘em.
THREE PLACES I HAVE LIVED
- Pittsburgh, Pa. I’ve always grumbled about being here, especially during football season. So the natural thing was to buy a house here and stay, right?
- Athens, Ohio. As close to a spiritual home as I’m ever going to get. Doesn’t matter how long I’ve been away; when I return, I am instantly comfortable.
- Columbus, Ohio. The place o’ my birth.
THREE TV SHOWS THAT I WATCH
- The Weather Channel. I’m still not sure if this counts as a “show,” but this is on my TV more than anything.
- Food TV. I love eating. I love cooking. Too many shows to list.
- “College Football Gameday,” ESPN. C’mon. You know me, right? If you do, you wont find this surprising…
THREE PLACES I HAVE BEEN
- Kauai. Twice, on a family vacation and on our honeymoon. As close to perfect as I may ever find.
- Minocqua, Wisc. I spent many summers here with the family of Dr. History. Best time of my life.
- Ohio Stadium. In section 14C, specifically.
THREE OF MY FAVORITE FOODS
- White Castle.
- Donatos pizza.
- My father’s spaghetti. I make it too, but it’s awfully nice to have it made for you.
THREE THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
- Summer.
- Skiing.
- The next Michigan game.
THREE FAVORITE BANDS/ARTISTS
These change frequently, depending on who I’m listening to and/or what shows are coming up.
- Grateful Dead.
- Phish.
- Wilco.
THREE FAVORITE TEAMS TO WATCH
- Ohio State football.
- Cleveland Indians baseball.
- Pittsburgh Angels rugby. OK, sure, I’ve been to only one game. We had a great time, though…
(Cleveland Browns? Nope. They’re kind of on probation with me at the moment.)
THREE FAVORITE DRINKS
- East End’s Homewood Imperial Stout.
- A bourbon Manhattan.
- Water.
