Friday, February 22, 2013

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.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

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!