Dear Santa, Please Give Our Browns...

1. A quarterback that won't break when you wind him up and place him on the field.

2. A secondary that when you pull their string they just shut-up and play football.

3. A right tackle...Oh and maybe a right guard, Oh and maybe a left guard. Scratch that. How about a new set of blocks!

4. Sonic The Hedgehog action figure who will start at running back and keep his legs moving long after he hits the line of scrimmage.

5. A new "Mingo," I mean "Bingo" game!

6. An all expenses paid trip for wide-out Josh Gordon to Middlefield, where he will be able to hang out with the Amish this off season. Early to bed, early to rise!    

7. A franchise quarterback in this year's college draft. Call me greedy but maybe another QB later on in the draft...just in case! 

8. A new gift  shop in the stadium that will sell Browns jerseys with velcro letters and numbers. The perfect gift for that diehard fan.

9. A sharp looking lid for the stadium. "First Energy" would then become more energy efficient.

10. For  Browns fans everywhere.....The gift of HOPE. We seemed to have misplaced ours!     

Why The Browns Need Tim Tebow

The Browns need Tim Tebow, (Insert laugh here). The trouble is...I'm not laughing and neither should you Browns fans. Last week our beloved Browns took the field in what was our home opener. Everyone I knew felt the team was going to walk away victoriously by beating the not so exciting Dolphins from Miami. We got trounced by an aggressive Dolphin "D" who made Browns quarterback Brandon Weedon long for the days when he could throw a 90 mile an hour fastball, and not have to worry about the batter trying to rip his head off. This kid just doesn't have what it takes to be a winner. After trying his luck with baseball and now football, there's always arm wrestling, hotdog eating, and the soapbox derby. At twenty-nine years of age, he may be too old for the derby. Thus enter the incredible Mr. Tebow. So Mr. Haslam, Mr. Banner, and Mr. Lombardi, here are my ten reasons for signing Timmy...

1. THIS TOWN NEEDS SOME EXCITEMENT! After years of listening to the slap happy Pat Shurmur and now Chud the dud and Banner's bantering, let's spice things up a bit. Tebow will bring the spotlight to Cleveland. It would be the story of the year..."Castoff quarterback leads team that the NFL forgot to the playoffs."  

2. Tebow has more to prove than Brandon Weedon and is almost four years younger.

3. Tebow has almost 1,000 yards rushing in just three seasons. Weedon can't escape pressure and doesn't even know when he's being pressured.

4. Tebow has won the Heisman Trophy, a college football national championship while with the Florida Gators, and beat the Steelers in the playoffs as a member of the Denver Broncos. He's a WINNER!

5. He's passed for 17 touchdowns and ran for 12 more. He's the quarterback you want in the game inside the five yard line.

6.  He averages 5 yards per carry running the football. Trent Richardson averages 3.6 YPC.

7. He's a lot harder to game plan for. Just ask Steeler's head coach Mike Tomlin.

8. He's been playing football since he was a baby,  (Read: Tebow - Through My Eyes). Brandon Weedon is a baseball player turned football player. We're not talking Bo Jackson here people!

9. Let's hear what Jet's receiver Jeremy Kerley has to say about Tim... "Different than Mark, different than Mark," Kerley said at the NFL Pop-Up store on 41st today. "(Tebow's) ball comes out a little bit stronger, but he's accurate, he's more accurate than what I thought he was going to be. But he's a good dude, he has a great personality, he'll bring a lot of personality to the team." All in all Kerley thought Tebow was a better quarterback than Mark Sanchez, and the Browns would love to have Mark Sanchez under center.

10. If Norv Turner is the quarterback guru that everyone says he is, than Tim Tebow could be his final masterpiece.  

                                                          IT'S TEBOW TIME!

FF&B Smash...Crash...& Stash...Who To Start...Not Start...& Pick Up Before Anyone Else Does!

Smash QB. / Andrew Luck vs Raiders
* Everyone gets open in this one as Luck takes his game to the next level. 4 touchdowns!
Crash QB. / Geno Smith vs Bucs
* Like Tim Misney always says: "I'm gonna make'm pay!" Won't finish the game against an improved Buc's "D."
Stash QB. / Sam Bradford vs Cardinals
* Undrafted in a number of leagues, the light bulb finally goes on for "Sling'n Sammy!"  

Smash RB. / DeMarco Murray vs Giants
* He's not hurt anymore. 120 yards and a score.
Crash RB. / C.J. Spiller vs Patriots
* Not much on the ground, maybe 40 yards receiving.
Stash RB. / Giovani Bernard vs Bears
* Speedy back causes Bears nightmares. 80 yards receiving and a score.

Smash WR. / Julio Jones vs Saints
* Ryan goes up-top early and often to Jones who destroys the Saint's secondary.
Crash WR. / Danny Amendola vs Bills
* Slow start for Amendola along with the emergence of Kenbrell Thompkins.
Stash WR. / Kenbrell Thompkins vs Bills
* Undrafted free agent tore it up in pre-season and will continue to do so. 100 yards and a score.   

FFAB's NFL Predictions 2013 Season

Things have changed around the National Football League since I was a young boy. Computers, Cable TV, Twitter, and Tivo have changed the way we watch our favorite sports. For me it was "The Voice Of God," John Facenda who would run the highlight reel from the previous week's contests on Saturday mornings. Sure I could have been watching Mickey Mouse, Scooby Doo, or Looney Toons, but instead I chose to eat my Cheerios to Facenda's interpretations of what took place on, "The frozen tundra of Lambeau Field," or "Off the windy shores of Lake Erie." Afterwards my friends and I would head down to the park with our favorite pigskin and pretend we were Detroit's, tight-end, Charlie Sanders making a one handed touchdown grab towards the back of the endzone, or Viking's elusive quarterback Fran Tarkington escaping pressure and sliding for a first down, leaving the opposing team's defensive line winded and frustrated. But even as a kid, I had high hopes for the Cleveland Browns and would predict big things from them year to year. So after many disappointments and feeling winded and frustrated by my prognostications, I grew up and am more ready than ever to make my 1st Annual FFAB's NFL Predictions for the 2013 season.Sorry Brown's fans, the boys in brown & orange will remain in the cellar of the AFC North with a record of 7-9. Maybe next year..............

AFC East
Patriots 12-4
* They will get stronger as the year goes along and that's scary.

AFC North
Bengals 11-5
* Andy Dalton has more toys to play with this year.  

AFC South
Texans 11 -5
* They'll take no prisoners on defense.

AFC West
Broncos 13-3
* Manning will be the MVP of the league and the wild horses will run wild over the AFC.

Wild-Cards
Colts 11-5
* With a little "Luck" they could win that division.
Ravens 10-6
* Even after losing eight starters they back in to the playoffs.
Chiefs 10-6
* Andy Reid gets the most out of an under-achieving team.

NFC East
Cowboys 10-6
* Poised to take the division and the next step.

NFC North
Packers 12-4
* The Pack is Back and will take the wraps off of their new running game.

NFC South
Falcons 13-3
* Ryan, White, Jones, Gonzalez....& Steven Jackson? That's just not fair.

NFC West
Seahawks 11-5
* I believe in Russell Wilson...and of course that SUPERIOR defense.

Wild-Cards
49ers 11-5
* Something to prove this year.
Redskins 10-6
* Too much depending on ONE player...RG3.
Rams 10-6 
* Jeff Fisher trades punches with Carroll & Harbaugh.

AFC Champs: Denver Broncos
NFC Champs: Green Bay Packers
Super-Bowl Champs: Denver Broncos  






    

Browns Are A CUT Below!

Not that I wish to be an "Eddie Downer" on the eve of another Cleveland Brown's march towards the Lombardi Trophy but...
1. They are without a placekicker. Waste of six weeks of training camp having Bogatay and Graham battle for the starting spot vacated by Phil Dawson.
2. They picked up two running backs and two tight-ends off the junk pile. That means...They picked up four players nobody else wanted.
3. They need help at guard. And No...Oniel Cousins is not the answer.
4. They can't sustain an injury to any of the DB's especially Joe Haden or they're screwed.
5. They have a number one draft pick who's lungs are all bruised up, and may or may not play in a game until week number two.
6. They have their number one receiver Josh Gordon, sitting somewhere in the Dawg Pound for the first two games of the season because he used cough medicine.
7. They have a twenty-nine year old second year quarterback who is learning a whole new offensive system.
8. They are now playing a 3-4 defense as opposed to the 4-3 defense they played last year.
9. They brought in a new coaching staff this year.
10. They have an owner who may be indicted before the year is through, and his 83 year old father would take over the team should he end up spending time at the gray bar hotel.
Now...Are you ready for some football?

Don't Knock The Mock!

What's more exciting than the number one pick in your fantasy football draft? The number ten pick in your fantasy football draft. I enjoy taking players back to back and then watching players slip to me on the next go around. So without further delay, here is my one and only mock draft, picking tenth in a standard scoring ten team league, using a snake style draft.

#1 Alfred Morris, RB. / Redskins

Reason: Best back left on the board and his rookie numbers were obscene!

#2 Peyton Manning, QB. / Broncos

Reason: Best receiving corp in the NFL and he doesn't have much of a run game.

#3 Stevan Ridley, RB. / Patriots

Reason: No Welker, No Hernandez, No Gronk, No Woodhead, More Ridley!

#4 Randall Cobb, WR. / Packers

Reason: The next GREAT wide receiver for the Packers.

#5 Jason Witten, TE. / Cowboys

Reason: Last of the elite tight ends on the board. Romo's bread and butter and he never misses a game.

#6 Darren Sproles, RB. / Saints

Reason: In PPR leagues he's #1. I'll flex him and start him at RB during bye weeks.

#7 Matthew Stafford, QB, / Lions

Reason: Will easily throw for over 5,000 yards again this season and he's got Calvin Johnson.

#8 Tavon Austin, WR. / Rams

Reason: My choice for "Rookie of the Year." Silly speed & quickness will score you points on long touchdowns.

#9 T.Y. Hilton, WR. / Colts

Reason: Sleeper pick! This kid won some folks a Fantasy Football Championship last year. 25th in fantasy scoring at the wide receiver position & Luck likes him.

#10 Giovani Bernard, RB. / Bengals

Reason: Going ahead of, "The Law Firm" in most fantasy drafts. May end up as the best back in a weak rookie class.

#11 Kendall Wright, WR. / Titans

Reason: Was the Titan's number one pick a year ago. As my 4th wide receiver I'll take 60 catches, 800 yards, and five scores. 

#12 Ben Tate, RB. / Texans

Reason: Arian Foster's handcuff has more upside than Adrian Peterson's handcuff.        

#13 Golden Tate, WR. / Seahawks

Reason: Because Percy Harvin is out for the season and this is his contract year! This concludes the run on Tate's.

#14 Brandon Pettigrew, TE. / Lions

Reason: Pettigrew will get the scraps that Calvin Johnson leaves behind. That looks to be quite a meal!

#15 Texans, DEF
Reason: Cushing is back, I LOVE new DB., D.J. Swearinger, and J.J. Watt is a one man wrecking crew. Don't forget Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips likes to bring it!

#16 Dan Bailey, K. / Cowboys
Reason: Can make all the kicks on a team that consistently moves the chains.

*My MVP will be Peyton Manning who will lead the Bronco's to the Super Bowl and my Fantasy team to a Championship!    

Under The Radar

As a police officer one of my responsibilities is to run radar. Traffic enforcement is vital in maintaining safe streets for pedestrians and drivers as well. Every once in a while someone will purchase the latest high-tech device in order to beat the laser radar detector. It happens. The cost might be high but a speeding ticket and the points that go along with it can become quite costly. In Fantasy Football those that speed under the radar may not have to pay a steep price for these valuable rising stars. So here goes...Start your engines Fantasy Football speedsters...

Quarterback...
Matthew Stafford, Lions / Not even a top ten quarterback, but he gets to throw to the best wide-receiver in football and now has Reggie Bush as a safety valve. Stafford will be slinging it in a number of high scoring affairs. He averages about 5,000 yards throwing and is a year removed from his 41 touchdown passes in 2011. Don't sleep on this Lion!

Running Back...
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars / Yes...The same MJD who was the leading rusher, 1,606 yards on the ground and another 374 yards receiving in 2011. He's healed and he's back. Forget that he plays for one of the worst teams in football. His age, (28) and the fact that he's coming into his contract year should be enough for you to grab the #1 offensive weapon on a team lacking offensive weapons. Late second round early third round would be highway robbery for the team selecting MJD.

Wide Receiver...
T.Y. Hilton, Colts / I know I'm digging deep here, but I absolutely love Hilton. This second year receiver and third round pick from Florida International last year, became a favorite target of fellow rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck. T.Y. was 25th in scoring for Fantasy Football wide-receivers last year, and get this...HE STARTED ONE GAME!!! I pay close attention to average yards per catch,
and T.Y. finished up with 17.2 along with 7 scores. What's not to like. Let others draft Reggie Wayne high in their drafts, you take T.Y. in the seventh round and start him day 1!

Tight-End...
Martellus Bennett, Bears / Two words...Marc Trestman! The Canadian coaching genius will transform Bennett into an octopus with legs. Jay Cutler owes Trestman big time for signing the ex-Giant. Last year Bennett came into his own catching 55 passes from Eli manning and converting 5 of them for scores. Cutler will still look Brandon Marshall's way, but now has someone else he can trust over the middle. Look for at least 60 catches and 6-8 touchdowns for the key to Trestman's surprise offense.

Defense...
Tampa Bay, Plenty of first round talent, a strong running game, and Darrelle Revis makes the Buc's a Fantasy Football sleeper.

Kicker...
Dan Bailey, Cowboys / I have him as a top 5 kicker, others...Not so much! Bailey has a strong leg and the Cowboy offense will give him every opportunity to use it. Don't be the bonehead who takes a kicker before the final round of your draft. Bailey will compete tow to tow with any of the top booters.

Remember: Fantasy Football under the radar is good, but speed on the highways and byways kills! Slow down!!!

It's That Time!

Fantasy football draft day is at your doorstep and I have the keys to open the season. My top ten strategies are as follows...
10. Remember the days when drafting running backs was all the rage? Get your backs early and often!
9. This may be the deepest group of quarterbacks I have seen since I was a fantasy football novice some fifteen years ago. Be patient!
8. I LOVE the Ram's rookie wide out, Tavon Austin. Grab him a round too early rather than a round too late.
7. Don't sleep on the Chief's. Andy Reid is at the helm and he takes his west coast offense to KC. Jamal Charles will have a monster year.
6. Peyton Manning now has a better receiving corp than he did at Indy. Take him and any of his stud receivers. Stud #1 Demaryius Thomas, Stud #2 Eric Decker, and Stud #3 Wes Welker.
5. The Pack is Back! No Jennings...No running game...No problem. Two words...Aaron Rodgers! The "Jolly Rodgers" will put up incredible numbers and reassert himself as the #1 quarterback in fantasy land thanks to rookie running back Eddie Lacy who will take the pressure off  near the goal line, (17 touchdowns last year at Alabama). With Jennings gone, make room near the top of your fantasy roster for wide out Randall Cobb who will be collecting numerous touchdown lobs from A.R.
4. Can we finally draft a Cleveland Brown in the first round? No! How about the second round? No! OK,  maybe the third round? Even bringing in offensive guru Norv Turner and new offensive strategist head coach Rob Chudzinski, does NOT give you the right to draft a Cleveland Brown in any of the first three rounds.
3. Adrian Peterson is for real! He IS the first pick in anyone's draft.
2. Don't REACH for these fading stars...Wide Receiver, Colts, Reggie Wayne, Tight-End, Falcons, Tony Gonzalez, Running Back, Lions, Reggie Bush, Quarterback, Steelers, Ben Rothlisberger.
1. If you really like one of the top defensive teams going into the draft. Take'em! How many of you have ever lost one or two games during the season by less than five points? Waiting for the last two rounds to grab a defense could make or break your season. Picks, fumble recoveries and sacks score points, and if you do your homework and find a speed merchant on the punt and kickoff return team, your defense has the potential to score more points than your quarterback. My personal favorite...The Seahawks, especially with the addition of the always dangerous Percy Harvin returning punts and kicks.
Oh and by the way...Don't draft Ex-Patriot tight-end Aaron Hernandez. He's on the DL...Dumb (Player who gave up millions, let his team down, and squashed an NFL career) List.

The Shaft Of The Draft

My thoughts on the draft after putting in endless hours reading, YouTubing, and watching Mel Kiper's hair get bigger and bigger and bigger.

The Cleveland Browns
Ho Hum! Cleveland took the wait till next year approach to the draft. The late George Allen who coached the Washington Redskins to their first SuperBowl in the early 70's once said..."The future is now." Fast forward to the present and you could hear Brown's GM Michael Lombardi mumble, "What's the rush?" Other than LSU outside linebacker hopeful, Barkevious Mingo, who was selected with the sixth pick overall, the team of Banner and Lombardi phoned it in.

More On Mingo
I like Mingo's skill set and the many ways Browns Defensive Coordinator Ray Horton will use him. Although he registered only four and a half sacks last year at LSU, he's led the team in quarterback pressures the last two seasons. I don't think there was much difference between Mingo and Dion Jordan who went to the Dolphins with the number three pick.

What Could Have Been
The tandem of Joe Haden and Alabama's Dee Milliner at the corners would have been fun to watch. Not since "Mighty Minni" (Frank Minnifield) and "Top Dawg" (Hanford Dixon) have the Browns had two solid cornerbacks. The Browns failure to bring in a top flight cornerback in free agency made that position priority one in my eyes. By not having a second round pick and selecting "Little Leon McFadden" from San Diego State with the third pick gave the team absolutely no wiggle room in this draft. McFadden is a nickleback just like "Bitty Buster Skrine." Who's going to cover Cincy's receivers when they line up Tyler Effert at 6'5", A.J. Green at 6'4", and Germaine Gresham at 6'5"?

Never Trade Within Your Division
Two words...Haloti Ngata

The Winners
Those of you who are watching, "The Vikings" on the "History channel will take note that when they come at you, they come at you hard and ferociously. The Norsemen then clean up and take anything that's not anchored down. That pretty much described the Vikings of Minnesota in the "Land of Goodell." The Vikings came out of Thursday night with Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes, and Tennessee wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, all of whom could step in and start as rookies. Kudos to the team's President of Player Personnel, Rick Spielman for positioning his team to not only conquer the division but to challenge for this year's championship.

Character Matters
In his book, "You Play To Win The Game," former N.Y. Jets and Kansas City Chiefs coach Herm Edwards descibes character as, "What you do when the lights go out." For the Browns seventh round draft pick  Armonty Bryant, defensive end out of East Central who sold marijuana to an undercover police officer twice while with the team, let's hope coach Chud, "Leaves the light on!"

 

    
    

The Perfect Browns Draft

"May I have the envelope please...". With the sixth overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, Browns GM Mike Lombardi and CEO Joe Banner have an opportunity to right the team's ship. If they heed this fan's advise it will be full steam ahead.

1st Round - If they can obtain an additional pick in the second round...DO IT! If not, the logical choice would be to grab Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner. This would give the team the best set of corners in the AFC Central. Not since Dixon and Minnifield have the Browns had that kind of talent at such a critical position. Fall Back Pick - Tavon Austin / Wide Receiver / West Virginia.

2nd Round - Should they obtain this pick, D.J. Swearinger, South Carolina's hard hitting safety would add much needed POP to an otherwise soft secondary. According to Pro Football Weekly Draft 2013, "Swearinger plays with a tough hard-nosed old school swagger and brings an intimidating presence to the middle of the field." The team never addressed the secondary in free agency so I believe this pick would allow "D - Coordinator" Ray Horton to be creative in certain blitz packages. Fall Back Pick - E.J. Manuel / Quarterback / Florida State.

3rd Round - Gavin Escobar the 6'6' tight-end from San Diego State would eliminate a competition at that position. He reminds me of Aaron Hernandez of the Patriots. Another weapon for whoever tosses the rock.    
Fall Back Pick - Brian Winters / Guard / Kent State.

4th Round - Tyler Bray / Quarterback / Tennessee...A hunch here that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam whispers in Joe Banner's ear and grabs the fellow Volunteer. Fall Back Pick - Nico Johnson / Inside Linebacker / Alabama.

5th Round - Kapron Lewis-Moore / Defensive End / Notre Dame...Perfect size, speed, and motor for the 3-4 defense. Team captain on a pretty good Irish team. Fall Back Pick - Jared Smith / Defensive End / New Hampshre

5th Round - Jelani Jenkins / Outside Linebacker / Florida...Browns need a linebacker who can cover a running back who slips out of the backfield. Jelani's your man. Although undersized has the speed to come in on third and long situations.Fall Back Pick - Nick Kasa / Tight End / Colorado

7th Round - Zach Boren / Fullback / Ohio State...Official escort for Trent Richardson. Great late people mover pick! Fall Back Pick - Onterrio McCalebb / Running Back / Auburn

7th Round - Caleb Sturgis / Kicker / Florida...Joe Banner likes to draft replacement kickers. Accurate from beyond 40 yards. Phil who? Fall Back Pick - Jordan Rodgers / Quarterback / Vanderbilt

 



    

Never Pick A Brown

I have one rule when it comes to our fantasy football draft..."Never pick a Cleveland Brown." This strategy has worked for me going on sixteen years. In that time I have won a number of league championships, scored the most points that year, or backed into the playoffs. I can think of maybe two or three years when enjoying my favorite hobby landed me on the outside looking in. As an avid Browns fan, I have suffered like many of you since the teams return in 1999. The Browns road to success has been like a woolly mammoth sloshing through the La Brea Tar Pits. Long ago I asked myself this question..."Why suffer twice when I only have to suffer once?" No longer would the names Charlie Frye, Kelly Holcomb, Lee Suggs, William Green, Chansi Stuckey, and the great Brian Robiskie roll off my tongue on fantasy draft night. My passion for winning overtook the urge to trade for a red hot Derrick Anderson or pick up fan favorite Peyton Hillis off the waiver wire. I could still root for them, wear their jerseys on game day, even beg for their autograph at the Cleveland RV Show, but by no means would I be plugging them into my starting lineup that week. What has helped me ease the temptation of selecting one of our beloved Brownies over the years is being in the league with, "Cleveland Brown Guy." If you're lucky you may have experienced CBG in one of your leagues. He's the guy that will select the first Browns player on the board. He will reach round after round to secure a team of brown and orange. He'll even name his team something like..."Browns Town" or "The Big Dawgs," only to find himself in the dog house by years end. When CBG has a huge week, that means the other nine teams players were all on a bye. It could be that Phil Dawson kicked six field goals and that the Browns defense scored on a Josh Cribbs kickoff return. Does all that mean CBG is a better Browns fan than I? Not really. It means that in the words of former New York Jets coach and ESPN football annalist Herm Edwards, "You Play To Win The Game." The game is fantasy football and I'm in it to win it. Even if I do pass on Mohamed Massaquoi.              

Browns Attack Free Agency

The Browns opened a large can of kick-ass this week by plucking Ravens linebacker Paul Kruger and Raiders nose tackle Desmond Bryant from their AFC opponents. Those of you who think Browns owner Jimmy Haslam overpaid for the 581 lbs. of free agent, think again. In the words of former 49er's head coach Mike Singletary, "I want winners!" That's exactly what they got in their new pass rusher extraordinaire Kruger. Ask Colts rookie quarterback Andrew Luck if he still has nightmares of Kruger beating him down in the AFC wild-card game to the tune of, 2 1/2 sacks, 5 hurries, and a forced fumble. His teammates need to go no further than to check out his ring finger to see that at 27 years old Kruger knows what it takes to be a champion. Browns Defensive guru Ray Horton now has his big fast guy who can disrupt AFC North backfields this year. Browns fans will immediately fall in love with their new star by sporting his jersey starting with training camp in Berea this summer. In Bryant, the Browns have another wide body who can assert pressure up the middle. According to Pro Football Focus, Bryant was the 6th best defensive tackle in the league last year and 4th best at rushing the quarterback. We're not talking Frostee Rucker here people! Sure Bryant was recently arrested for criminal mischief but that could be anything from toilet papering his neighbor's tree to placing a banana in the tailpipe of one his Harvard professor's automobiles. Let's hope Bryant saves some of his mischievousness on unsuspecting offensive linemen this season. My sources tell me that tackle Phil Taylor may be on his way out. He doesn't fit Horton's defensive scheme and may be used to acquire a much needed second round pick that the team could use to fill another hole. Just a hunch, but if the Browns still wish to snag Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett, Taylor may be the kind of player Bill Belichick covets to help repair last year's swiss cheese defense. I give the team of Joe Banner and Michael Lombardi an A in their initial splash into the free agency pool. Like our new pass rush, Banner and Lombardi need to stay on the attack and force another turnover. A starting cornerback or hard hitting safety would be fine thank you!          http://www.profootballfocus.com/

Flacco's Deal & The Chief's Steal

Hey Brown's fan...Be honest...Did you really think Raven's quarterback Joe Flacco was going to fly the coop? Why would the dirty birds in Baltimore let their franchise thrower leave without saying goodbye? "The Wizard of OZ," Raven's CEO Ozzie Newsome worked his magic again, by making "Super Joe" Flacco the highest paid quarterback in football. But wait...Alex Smith, 49ers back-up quarterback was still out there and could be had without giving up a first round pick. The Browns were once again a day late and a dollar short as Andy Reed and the Kansas City Chiefs scooped him up for what looks to be a couple of second round draft picks. My gut tells me that Smith will execute Reed's offense to perfection and help lead the Chiefs back to the playoffs. Where does all that leave our beloved Brownies? Well here are our options...

1. Trade for an experienced quarterback...Remember Jake Delhomme and Jeff Garcia? Do you really want to see Arizona's Kevin Kolb, or Seattle's one game wonder Matt Flynn take the helm? My sources tell me Miami's Matt Moore is a likely candidate to not compete, but hold the clipboard for the Brown and Orange this season. 
2. Draft a QB in the upcoming NFL draft...Can you say The University of West Virginia's Geno Smith? Before you applaud this one, young Geno could play like a couple other Smith's I remember not so long ago, Troy or worse yet Akili Smith. Last year at this time we were willing to play like malarkey for Barkley. This year the So. Cal. QB will be lucky to be chosen in the second round.   
3. Stay with our second year 29 year old signal caller Brandon Weeden... We stayed with Colt McCoy a second season which proved to be a disaster. Sure a new head coach, new offense, and new OC, could be just what the doctor ordered for our geriatric field general, but on the other hand, shouldn't a new head coach with an offensive mind be able to select a quarterback that he personally is comfortable with? 

Flacco, or to a lesser extent Smith would have given the Browns instant respect and credibility within our division. The ground game would have opened up and our young receivers would have had an opportunity to catch the ball from a successful quarterback with playoff experience. I'm afraid that until the team gets the quarterback position correct, they will continue to watch the Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals fight it out for dominance in the the AFC's Central Division. When it comes to throwing in Cleveland...lets hope this year it's not just the towel!     

Hello Goodbye

"You say "yes," I say "no," you say "stop," and I say "go, go, go." These lyrics from the Beatles song "Hello Goodbye" describe the Cleveland Browns dilemma as they go into free agency. Let's start with goodbyes. Phil Dawson perennial good guy who has had the pleasure of kicking in the swirling winds coming off Lake Erie since the team revived in 1999, needs to pack up his collection of kicking tees. Why the Browns continue to franchise him and think that they'll never win five games without him, I'll never know. The Ravens won a Championship with a rookie kicker and the team they beat cut their kicker late in the season,then brought him back later on. Not that I'm picking on the team's special teams but it's time for Josh to find a new crib! I like the way he covers kickoffs, but when was the last time Josh Cribbs ran one back? Browns fans are getting a little tired of his mid-season meltdowns as well. Colt McCoy fans, all three of them, will be disappointed when the Browns cut ties with the often injured backup quarterback. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner will be looking hard at the quarterback position and that means McCoy as well as Brandon Weeden could be on the chopping block. If Weeden stays, let's hope the Browns use all that extra salary cap money on a quality wide receiver and tight-end. Say hello to the Steelers Mike Wallace and the Giants Martellus Bennett. Head coach Rob Chudzinski played and knows tight-ends, and Bennett who was on the receiving end of Eli Manning's lobs would fit the bill nicely. Wallace would be greeted with the respect he deserves from a wide receiver corp that has lacked leadership and impact players for years. Drafting Alabama's 6'1" cornerback Dee Millner at #6 in the first round of the NFL draft, would solidify that position and allow "D" coordinator Ray Horton to blitz at will while the tandem of Haden and Millner play more one on one against opposing wide receivers. Those three moves could take the Jimmy Haslam owned Cleveland Browns football team to the playoffs this year. If not, fans of the orange and brown will be saying, "Goodbye" by the end of November.

Super Bowl XLVII...The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Rooting for no one in particular, I sat down in my favorite easy chair along with my four year old grandson Robert and watched this year's Super Bowl contest between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. Just prior to the big game I learned that Robert's favorite color was gold, therefor he was going to cheer on the 49ers. The Ravens already had one Super Bowl trophy and were looking to add another one against the young gold prospectors from San Fran.The team who the ageless Tony Bennett refers to as, "The City by the Bay," were looking to add a ring to their other hand. You see, they already owned five precious championship rings thanks to guys like Montana, Young, Rice, Craig, Lott, and a pretty good coach named Bill Walsh, and were preparing to be sized up for another. Breaking down the game I felt the MVP trophy should have gone to the Raven's "Jack of all trades," Jacoby Jones. His two electrifying plays that went for touchdowns broke the backs of the 49ers and sent them reeling. The Houston Texan's castoff played lights out! After his 107 yard scamper to begin the second half, I could hear the late "Dandy Don" Meredith singing..."Turn out the lights...The parties over." Shortly thereafter the lights did go out in the not so Super-Dome. I'm not saying quarterback Joe Flacco didn't have a great game, but it was Jones that 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh had no answer for. I felt that another receiver, Randy Moss who's playing days were over awhile ago, gathered more moss than footballs. He just couldn't get open. Randy was just being Randy, unaggressive for balls that were not served up to him on a gold platter. I don't expect him to be back next year for the 49ers, but he may show up at next year's Superbowl doing commercials for "PAM" nonstick cooking spray. The referring in this game was pretty ugly. Of course, isn't that the way the season started? No calls, bad calls, cat calls. Where were the replacement referees when you need them?  Kudos go out to the women of Super Bowl XLVII. Jennifer Hudson accompanied by the children from Sandy Hook Elementary School brought a tear to my eye with their rendition of, "America The Beautiful." Alecia Keyes played and sang a most respectful "National Anthem." And then there was Beyonce. I was delighted not to have to watch another "Geritol" group the likes of...The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, or Aerosmith. She hit the field at halftime harder than an Ed Reed blast on poor 49ers' tight-end Vernon Davis. Upon watching the snowstorm of purple and yellow confetti at the conclusion of the game, and seeing Raven's players creating snow angels in the mess, Robert advised me, "My new favorite color is purple grandpa." With that, we proceeded to finish off our bag of "Rolled-Gold pretzels!                                

The Lombardi Trophy

Undeniably, Vincent Thomas Lombardi was the greatest football coach ever! This Sunday in front of millions of viewers who will assault their bodies with beer, chicken wings, and chip dip, one team will be presented with the trophy honoring his name. The other...Well, maybe someone will toss'em a string of beads as they make their way from the Superdome in New-Orleans to the airport. By that time we will have already tweeted and blogged about whether or not Beyonce fumbled the halftime show, voted for the most ridiculous commercial, and sent the MVP of the game to Disney World. Lombardi, who led the Green Bay Packers to five championships including the first two Super Bowls ever played, could give a rat's behind about all the hoopla that the game has become today. Repetition and the pursuit of perfection was Coach Lombardi's secret to winning. His teams would out condition you, frustrate you, and eventually break you down mentally and physically. Lombardi once said, “People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.”  Pro-football and our society in general could learn a thing or two from the man in the trench coat, large bifocals, and funny hat who roamed the sidelines from 1947 at his alma mater, Fordham University, until he stepped down as the head honcho for the Washington Redskins in 1969. He never had a losing season while coaching in the pros. His players loved him and hated him all at the same time. He demanded more of them than they demanded of themselves. With that in mind, this year's trophy will go to the team that best exemplifies the Lombardi rules...  "I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – Victorious." Ravens 24 - 49ers 20...Now pass the wings!