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Home > Blogs > Dawging the Browns > Archives > 2008 > July
July 2008
Browns-Bengals rivalry hotter than ever
Touching on a few issues raised in the comments section in recent days:
Calling him a “moron” (as “oblong” did July 27) might be over the top, but DDN Bengals beat writer Chick Ludwig indeed has emerged as a perfect foil for Browns fans. He’s shrewdly figured out that the more he rips the team, the more responses his blog generates.
Can’t say I blame him for thinking that way. Last time I mentioned the Bengals, even though it wasn’t in a derrogatory way, I got something like 80 blog responses and we helped set a single-day record for page views on the DDN Web site as fans of both teams took aim at one another.
It all just points out how hot the rivalry is between the Browns and Bengals — on the field and on forums such as this one. It’s almost like you can’t — or shouldn’t — cover one team without covering the other, at least in this part of the state, where fans of both live side-by-side.
The DDN did a survey once and found the Dayton area to be split almost evenly between Browns and Bengals fans. There are more Bengals fans south of town, of course, but I just thought the survey results were interesting considering it’s three hours to Cleveland from Dayton.
Of course, Browns loyalties are passed down through generations, as we know.
“MAD DAWG” raises interesting questions in his comment when he writes, “Why in the hell am I reading Browns stories from the Plain Dealer, Akron Beacon Journal and AP when I click on a Browns story on DDN.com? If I am going to read other newspapers’ coverage of the Browns why not just go to their papers? Where is the DDN’s coverage?”
Here’s the short answer: The DDN has entered into a sharing agreement with papers around the state and that’s why you’re seeing the work of out-of-town writers on our Web site. Don’t know if this has been adequately explained elsewhere on this site, but smart people in high places have decided that’s the way to go when it comes to live Browns coverage, so I guess we have to get used to it, intrusive as it might seem.
AS FOR THE BENTLEY post, I didn’t mean it to sound harsh or insensitive, but it still bothers me that he walked away without telling the whole story of his falling out with the Browns. So, when you don’t tell the whole story, you’re left with speculation.
Hope LeCharles makes it back with somebody. Wish he wouldn’t have given up so quickly on making it back with the Browns because offensive linemen are like pitchers in baseball — sometimes it seems like you never have enough.
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TweetReal love for the game?
There’s a report floating around about former Browns offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley considering offers from St. Louis, San Francisco and New England.
There’s also speculation that Bentley, who never actually played for the Browns after injuring a knee on the first play of training camp in 2006, might just pack it in and retire.
It sounds like Bentley would have been better served staying with the Browns and fighting to recapture his starting job rather than requesting his release in minicamp so he could explore other opportunities.
Looking back, it seems he was afraid of the competition. Afraid he couldn’t beat out Hank Fraley. Afraid he couldn’t beat out Rex Hadnot or Ryan Tucker. Even Lennie Friedman.
And he couldn’t bear to be cut, if it came down to that, by his hometown team. At least that’s how it looks.
With the Browns, Bentley would have had considerable fan support in his comeback from the torn knee ligament and near-fatal staph infection that kept him off the field for two seasons.
Anywhere else, he’s just another guy at this point.
I know he’s been through a lot, but if Bentley retires after pronouncing himself 100 percent last month and bashing the Browns’ offensive linemen on his way out of town, you have to question whether he really wanted any more of life in the NFL in the first place.
With the Browns’ luck, he’ll probably turn up in New England and go to the Pro Bowl again. But if he’s healthy enough to play and he just walks away, what does that say about him?
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TweetMust-watch Browns show and other stuff
You might need a dish, but if you’re looking for a comprehensive report from Browns camp each night, I suggest the Sports Time Ohio (STO) show “Training Camp Daily” that airs at 10:30, or right after the Indians game
Just lively enough to keep you awake, the program provides a snapshot of what happened that day, complete with player interviews and some Sam Rutigliano commentary. Sam, the former Browns coach best remembered for presiding over the “Kardiac Kids” team that never won a playoff game, adds his own brand of wit and wisdom.
A must-watch, if you can get it.
ALSO ON STO, I recommend “All Bets Are Off.” It’s a call-in show in the afternoon hosted by veteran Cleveland personality Bruce Drennan, who is funny without even trying.
Funnier still is the name of the show, considering Drennan not long ago was incarcerated on some kind of gambling-related charge. He sometimes talks about his time behind bars and the friends he made. Priceless.
Must say, as a point of reference, I’ve been a Drennan fan ever since he hit the Cleveland airwaves with a radio talk show in the late ’70s. May 1, 1978, to be exact. He eventually took over for the great Pete Franklin.
ON THE LOCAL (DAYTON) FRONT, Cincinnati-based gabber Lance McAllister leans toward the Bengals but realizes the Browns have many fans in the area and that the two teams are linked in a way that makes sense to talk about both. On Dayton’s WONE-AM (980), relative newcomer Mark Schlemmer continues to impress with his broad knowledge of sports and smooth delivery. The Browns are often a topic of conversation, as it should be in a town where the team has so many fans.
Shocking concept, I know, but I’ve always thought media outlets should figure out what readers/listeners want and then work to provide it. That said, you can’t go wrong covering the Browns this season, even in southwest Ohio. The interest is just that great.
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TweetBodden gets his deal from Lions
Leigh Bodden never struck me as a malcontent, but apparently he wasn’t entirely happy with the Browns before being traded to the Detroit Lions.
“I just wanted a long-term deal and they wanted me to wait a year,” Bodden told The Associated Press on Thursday. “I told them I thought I deserved it right now.”
Bodden, a cornerback who led the Browns with six interceptions last season, has agreed to a four-year, $27 million contract extension with the Lions, the NFL Network reported Thursday.
His current deal, signed after the 2005 season, had two more years to run, which pretty much explains why the Browns wanted to wait a year.
Ultimately, Bodden was swapped with a 2008 third-round draft pick for defensive tackle Shaun Rogers — a trade that already has drawn plenty of scrutiny and will continue to be analyzed to death if the Browns don’t pick up the pace on defense this season.
Some think the Browns weakened themselves considerably by trading their most experienced corner, one of the few in the league to win the respect of mouthy Bengals receiver Chad Johnson.
The trade, coupled with the injury to Daven Holly, did leave the Browns short at a key position. However, they were desperate for help up front and Rogers, when his mind is right and his weight is stable, can be a force.
If I’m Phil Savage, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
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TweetSome injury news to start with
First day of camp, already an injury?
It’s probably not too serious because not much was made of it, but wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth was held out of the first workout with a hamstring problem.
The Browns otherwise made two injury-related moves as camp began Wednesday, placing receiver Joe Jurevicius and offensive lineman Ryan Tucker on the active physically unable to perform list.
Neither move came as a surprise.
Jurevicius has had two operations on his right knee since the end of last season, plus the requisite staph infection that needed to be cleaned up.
He and Tucker (broken hip) can remain on the active list through the mandatory cutdown to 75 players. After that, if the team places a player on the list, he must miss the first six games of the regular season.
Reporters asked GM Phil Savage if he expected both players back for the regular season and this is what he said:
“For Ryan, we feel good about where he is. With Joe, it’s a little up in the air right now. Unfortunately, it took a turn for the worse, but we are still hopeful to have him. It could be for the first part of the season and it may be further down the line.”
One veteran receiver came available Wednesday when the San Diego Chargers released Eric Parker. With Stallworth down and Jurevicius out, the Browns may have more than a passing interest here.
Beats waiting for Chris Henry to be reinstated, that’s for sure.
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TweetThey’re all signed, with hours to spare
All five draft choices have agreed to contracts, the Browns say, meaning they can take the field Wednesday when training camp opens with a 3:30 practice.
Signing four-year deals were linebacker Beau Bell, tight end Martin Rucker, defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, wide receiver Paul Hubbard and linebacker Alex Hall.
In case you need a refresher course on any of these guys:
BELL (6-1, 250, UNLV) was a fourth-round draft choice, 104th overall. He played in 41 career games, including 26 starts and finished his career with 320 total tackles, 186 solo, 10.5 sacks for 62 yards, 27 tackles for loss, five passes defensed, four interceptions, six forced fumbles and one recovered fumble.
RUCKER (6-4, 260, Missouri) was a fourth-round draft choice, 111th overall. He started all 50 games he appeared in throughout his collegiate career and totaled 203 receptions for 2,175 yards (10.7 avg.) and 18 touchdowns. His 203 career receptions are the most ever by a Big Twelve Conference tight end and also rank eighth among receivers in conference history. Broke many of Kellen Winslow Sr.’s Missouri records.
RUBIN (6-2, 250, Iowa State) was a sixth-round draft choice, 190th overall. He played in 24 career games at Iowa State, starting 21, after transferring from Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College. Rubin finished his Iowa State career with 76 total tackles, 42 solo. Rubin was named All-Big Twelve Conference honorable mention.
HUBBARD (6-2, 225, Wisconsin) was a sixth-round draft choice. He played in 35 career games at Wisconsin, starting 21. Hubbard was a former football walk-on who was known for his track exploits when he arrived as a freshman. Hubbard recorded 53 receptions for 936 yards (17.7 avg.) and five touchdowns throughout his collegiate career.
HALL (6-5, 250, St. Augustine) was a seventh-round draft choice, 231st overall. He played in 30 career games at St. Augustine (Division II), starting 29. Hall finished his St. Augustine career with school records of 26 sacks for 168 yards and 51 tackles for loss.
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TweetDraft picks slow to sign
It’s a day before training camp. Do you know where your draft choices are?
The Browns are one of five NFL teams without a single draft pick signed, but it’s all expected to get done by tomorrow when the full squad takes the field to start one of the most highly anticipated summer camps in team history.
It would be hilarious if any of these Round 4-7 picks were even for a moment to contemplate missing a nanosecond of time.
Stranger things have happened. Not many, though.
The dumbest holdout in recent Browns history was staged by third-round draft choice Travis Prentice, a running back from Miami University. It’s always funny when a guy holds out and then ends up not having much of an NFL career.
You can understand a little bit better when a high pick holds out. There’s so much contract language to be ironed out, most having to do with guaranteed money.
The Browns’ top pick this year — in the fourth round — was UNLV linebacker Beau Bell, who is supposed to have an immediate impact on special teams. Not sure what the snag is, but if he’s not out there Wednesday, his agent is a blithering idiot because he has zero leverage.
Same for the rest of them.
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TweetIssues bubbling under the surface
A few thoughts with camp two days away …
Who’s on the hot seat?
Quarterback Derek Anderson, that’s who.
If the offense doesn’t function as expected, the backlash against Anderson will be great, even as the coaches take pains to say it’s not all his fault (as coaches always do when QBs struggle).
I can envision a scenario in which the Browns start 1-3. We all can. Then what happens? With Brady Quinn warming up in the bullpen and fans clamoring for a change, will Romeo Crennel find the strength to give the people what they want?
OK, that’s a negative way to look at things, but the jury really is out on Anderson (although there’s just as much reason to think he’ll be OK as there is to think last year was a fluke).
It’s great to go to training camp with no quarterback controversy for once, but you know it’s there, lurking in the background, and that’s part of the intrigue as the sweat begins dripping on Wednesday.
And on defense?
If there’s a guy on the hot seat, it’s new coordinator Mel Tucker. A fine man with a sharp mind by all accounts, but how many NFL defenses has he coordinated? Exactly none.
Which isn’t to say he’ll flop or anything, but what you want to see out of Tucker is the defensive equivalent of offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski. Be innovative. Be creative. Put people in the right spots.
Because the Browns aren’t going anywhere if the defense isn’t dramatically improved. They might be fun to watch, but you won’t be watching them in the playoffs if Tucker isn’t way more successful than his predecessor.
In short, this training camp may not be long on drama, but there are still some issues bubbling under the surface that bear monitoring
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TweetGoing camping? Watch Rogers, Williams
With due respect to Tony Grossi, the (Cleveland) Plain Dealer writer whose coverage is now wallpapering Ohio due to a sharing agreement among newspapers, I couldn’t disagree more with his “newcomers to watch.”
In his training-camp preview elsewhere on this site, Grossi lists several who fit that category.
But he misses the biggest.
That would be enormous defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, as if you could overlook him at 360 pounds or whatever he’s tipping the scales at this year.
To my way of thinking, Rogers and Corey Williams, the other defensive lineman acquired in the offseason, are Nos. 1 and 2 among all players to watch in training camp (not just newcomers), simply because so much of the defense is predicated on what they might be able to accomplish.
For Rogers, the Browns gave up Leigh Bodden, their most experienced cornerback, lest we forget. (Not to mention a third-round draft pick.) And what is their greatest concern on defense at the moment? You guessed it. Depth at cornerback.
But if Rogers and Williams (acquired from Green Bay for a second-round pick) perform as hoped, we’ll be saying “Leigh who?” by Week 3 because it all starts up front and there’s nothing better for an inexperienced secondary than some big guys on the line wreaking havoc.
Another guy on the spot, I believe, is new defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, who goes unmentioned in the Grossi preview.
Sure, the players like Tucker better than the deposed Todd Grantham, but is that because he talks to them nicer or because he actually brings more to the table schematically? Guess we’ll find out.
If Tucker can get through to safety Sean Jones (Grantham had trouble there) and keep Rogers motivated, he might earn his pay right there and the Browns will be that much better off in this season of great expectations.
What do you think?
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TweetTen reasons to attend training camp
It starts next Wednesday in the noisy Cleveland suburb of Berea. In this list, we’ll bypass the obvious “check out the team” stuff and try to get at the heart of what training camp is really all about:
10. The food. Not at the training facility, although I think you can satisfy a pizza craving or buy water for some outrageous sum. No, I’m talking about the slew of chain restaurants on Bagley Road, everything from Pizza Hut to Olive Garden to Damon’s (if it’s still there) to some Mexican place I can’t recall. Plenty of spots to kill time between practices if you’re planning to stay for a day or more.
9. Autographs. You should bring an appropriate writing utensil and NOT be an adult. Your chances of emerging with Braylon Edwards’ signature are greater if you satisfy those conditions. Everyone is suspicious of adults seeking autographs, just so you know.
8. Tree-lined surroundings. The facility is cut into a residential neighborhood that would be a good place to live if not for the unrelenting train traffic that must make sleeping impossible. Bored? Step outside and watch the guy across the street mow his lawn. He must have the fastest-growing grass in town because he seems to be out there every day. The Browns take pains to be good neighbors, even personally inviting folks to come over and watch practice.
7. Phil Savage sightings. The GM is not tied to a desk. If he isn’t watching practice or answering questions from the tenacious Cleveland media, he’s jogging through the neighborhood, usually accompanied by front-office lackeys. It’s safer to be out in public after last season’s 10-6 record.
6. Celebrities. It’s sad to see Jim Brown, the greatest running back of all-time, hobbling on bum knees, but he’s still Jim Brown, he still made movies with Raquel Welch and I’ll bet he could still beat Franco Harris in the 40. Expect more ESPN talking heads than ever, given how good the team is expected to be.
5. Randy Lerner sightings. The owner is less of a hermit than people think. He just doesn’t like “doing media,” as he explained once while nicely shooing me away. Funniest Lerner moment last summer was when he found himself in need of sunscreen for his exposed toes. SI.com writer Peter King happened to have a bottle clipped to his shorts. He let Lerner apply it himself, thank goodness.
4. The rope. Unless it’s been taken down, a rope hangs in the vestibule of the training facility adjacent to a note challenging all Browns employees to become “knots” in order to facilitate the team’s climb to the top. It’s a motivational gimmick by Savage and, of course, hilarious. You’ll have to work some to get a glimpse. The area is closed to the public. Look lost and maybe they’ll let you in.
3. Early-evening practices. Whoever came up with this idea was really on the ball. The humidity isn’t quite as paralyzing, much to the delight of the paramedics.
2. Watch Romeo Crennel perspire. This guy sweats more than Jim Bibby (1970s-era baseball reference). Buckets, man. Buckets.
1. Shout down hecklers. One guy spent about 20 minutes hollering at Phil Dawson last summer, saying he should board the next bus out of town. He was eventually drowned out by a mob. Dawson, of course, went on to have a magical season. Good call, idiot.
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TweetJurevicius story just gets worse
The news is not good for receiver Joe Jurevicius.
In a radio interview Thursday, GM Phil Savage said Jurevicius likely will miss the start of the regular season because of his recent knee surgery.
He’s probably headed for the dreaded physically unable to perform list, Savage said, meaning he would miss at least the first six weeks of the season.
“It’s been very frustrating for everybody because this started off as just an innocent knee scope back in January, and it’s morphed itself into multiple procedures,” Savage told the radio station.
Jurevicius, 33, was a key member of the NFL’s No. 8-ranked offense last season with 50 catches for 614 yards and three touchdowns. And he was money on third down.
So the top question heading into training camp next week becomes: Who’s going to step up and grab that No. 3 receiver spot out of a pool that includes Joshua Cribbs, Travis Wilson and other lesser-knowns.
It’s been a tough go for Juevicius lately. Following surgery in January, he contracted a staph infection, the sixth Browns player in four years to get staph. He made progress toward a return to minicamp, but his knee flared up again and he had surgery on June 30.
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TweetBrady Quinn at the ESPYs, but why?
Flipping through an ESPYs photo gallery elsewhere on this Web site moments ago, I was alarmed by several things.
First, what in the world is backup quarterback Brady Quinn doing there?
Was he up for best clipboard-holder? Or maybe most damaging contract holdout of 2007? The unidentified woman he’s with, a friend from Los Angeles, is stunning, however.
In case you don’t keep up with these things (I try not to, but every once in a while I have a relapse), Quinn apparently no longer is dating former Miami University soccer player/high school sweetheart Lindy Slinger. It seemed like they were engaged at one point, if I recall correctly.
Anyway, Quinn is one of three Browns featured in red-carpet shots. Others are tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. (his wife isn’t smiling) and receiver Braylon Edwards, who is unaccompanied (at least in the pictures).
Unlike Quinn, those guys actually did something last season. They’re huge stars who should only shine brighter this season with the Browns now nationally relevant again for the first time in, well, decades.
Compared to them, Quinn might as well be Jared the Subway guy at this point in his career.
As I continued clicking, I ran across Danica Patrick, who seemed to leave the other half of her dress at home, if you know what I mean. You won’t recognize her sans racing suit, that’s for sure. For one thing, she looks happy, although what’s up with her hair? Not to sound like Joan Rivers, but she looks like she just got out of the shower.
Way too many pictures of actor Zac Efron, whoever he is (I know, High School Musical or whatever). And who invited Jared? My goodness, is there no escaping this bozo? Someone tell him his 15 minutes are up.
No Bengals, Steelers or Ravens pictured. Browns win! Browns win!
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TweetOptimism abounds as camp nears
It never ceases to amaze me how many Browns fans can be found in the Dayton area.
And it seems they are even more attentive than ever right now with one of the more heavily anticipated training camps in team history set to open in exactly one week.
This spirit showed itself in the responses to a recent post on this blog about how Channel 7 in Dayton plans to show a couple of Browns exhibition games this summer — a first for any southwest Ohio TV station in decades.
There were about 80 responses in all, spanning the gamut from insightful to inane, and I’m told we helped set some kind of Dayton Daily News record for traffic on the Web site that day.
Wednesday, I was again reminded of the Browns’ local following when the rough equivalent of a sports-talk show broke out while I enjoyed lunch at Longhorn Steakhouse (highly recommend the Red Rock shrimp dipped in garlic butter, by the way).
Our server was from Pittsburgh and was talking intelligently (imagine that) about how the Browns are now a real threat to the Steelers’ AFC North supremacy.
I told him I was somewhat skeptical, given the tougher schedule the Browns face and how they can’t expect to have the same good luck with injuries as a year ago.
And before you dethrone the Steelers, you probably have to beat them on the field, right? And that hasn’t happened since 2003, back when Tim Couch pulled the game of his life out of his back pocket.
Just then, another diner, a Browns fan, began spouting statistics, correctly pointing out that his team had the No. 8 overall offense in the league in 2007 and how tight end Kellen Winslow, receiver Braylon Edwards, etc., are just entering the prime years of their careers.
And the defense, don’t forget, added Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams up front, and both seem motivated to prove former employers wrong.
OK, I added that last line. Swept up in the optimism, I guess.
Now watch them go 5-11.
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TweetSchedule change and QB news
In case you’re planning a trip …
There’s been a time change to the training camp schedule, the Browns announced this morning.
On days when there is one practice, it will be from 2:30-4:30 p.m., not 3:30-5:00 p.m. as noted in Wednesday’s release.
The opening practice July 23 is the only one that will take place from 3:30-5:00 p.m.
And, in case you missed it …
Two former Browns quarterbacks retired in recent days, first Kelly Holcomb, then Trent Dilfer.
Neither announcement made headlines. In fact, they barely merited a line in the “transactions” section of your local newspaper.
Both had some success in the league. Dilfer, who started for the Browns early in the Romeo Crennel era when they didn’t have anybody else, became arguably the worst QB to win a Super Bowl when the Baltimore Ravens beat the New York Giants in 2000.
Holcomb had that tremendous 2002 playoff game in Pittsburgh when he threw for 429 yards, but the defense squandered a big lead and the team lost so it mattered less in the long run. (Oh, if Dennis Northcutt had just caught that pass!)
Too bad Holcomb didn’t have the weapons at his disposal that Derek Anderson does. Might be fun to watch because here was a guy who could burn you deep, as the Steelers found out on that one memorable afternoon in the snow at Heinz Field.
That day should have propelled Holcomb to relative stardom. He was named the starter for 2003 by Butch Davis but soon hurt his leg and Tim Couch got his job back and, before you knew it, Davis was fired and new quarterbacks (including Dilfer) and coaches were arriving.
No, Holcomb won’t be named a “Browns Legend” or anything of the sort, but he was a good guy who had some good games and ran into some tough luck.
Full-time TV work likely awaits for Dilfer. Holcomb is going in that direction as well, signing on to be a sideline reporter for games involving Middle Tennessee State, his alma mater.
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TweetTraining camp schedule released
Not since the late 1980s has training camp been this hotly anticipated. A total of 28 practices are open to the public from July 23 through Aug. 16 at the Browns’ training complex in Berea, Ohio, a southwest Cleveland suburb. Don’t forget the sunscreen.
Here’s the schedule released by the team Wednesday:
July 23: 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
July 24: 8:45 - 10:45 a.m.; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
July 25: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
July 26: 8:45 - 10:45 a.m.; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
July 27: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
July 28: 8:45 - 10:45 a.m.; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
July 29: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
July 30: 8:45 - 10:45 a.m.; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
July 31: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 1: 7 p.m. (Family Night at Cleveland Browns Stadium)
Aug. 3: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 4: 8:45 - 10:45 a.m.; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 5: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 9: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 10: 8:45 - 10:45 a.m.; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 12: 8:45 - 10:45 a.m.; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 13: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 14: 8:45 - 10:45 a.m.; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 15: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 16: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
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TweetFewer wins, but playoff spot?
In a story in the Portland (Ore.) Tribune on Tuesday, quarterback Derek Anderson allowed for the possibility that the Browns would win fewer games than last season.
“We’re shooting for 10-6 or better, but I don’t know if we’ll win as many,” Anderson told the newspaper. “If it’s nine wins, or whatever gets us in the playoffs and gives us a shot at a ring - that’s all I care about.”
As we know, the Browns missed the playoffs last season by one game despite going 10-6. Only a few teams have missed the postseason with that kind of record.
Trouble is, they won’t be sneaking up on anybody after that showing, and the schedule, at least as the opponents look now, is brutal.
Anderson, who threw for 3,787 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first year starting, is the team’s unquestioned leader going into training camp later this month after signing a three-year, $26 million contract with $14.5 million guaranteed.
He’s in Oregon this week helping run a football camp at his high school and also to be the best man at the wedding of his best friend, former Oregon State teammate Bill Swancutt (who, for some reason, Anderson chose not to identify when the subject arose in minicamp).
“The playoffs is the only thing I’ve got in my head,” Anderson told the newspaper. “It doesn’t matter how many games we win; I just want to go to the playoffs.”
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TweetMust be some Browns fans in Dayton
We already knew there were plenty of Browns fans in Dayton and the surrounding area, but local TV station WHIO (Channel 7) confirmed it Monday, announcing plans to air at least two Browns preseason games, Aug. 7 (Jets) and Aug. 28 (Bears).
It marks the first time in decades that a Dayton television station will carry the Browns — another indication of how high the interest level is, even way down here in what supposedly is Bengals country.
Harry Delaney, the station’s vice president and general manager, had this to say:
“Cleveland Browns fans are some of the league’s most loyal and we are thrilled to bring these preseason games to the Orange and Brown faithful throughout the Miami Valley. We look forward to a long relationship with the Browns organization and to many more years of preseason games on Channel 7.”
The TV games are the first and last of the four-game preseason slate. The station is hoping to add a third game.
“This is great news,” said Randy Dodson, hard-working president of the Browns Backers of Greater Dayton. “Dayton has a lot of Browns fans, and it hasn’t always been easy to see all the games. We’re thankful that Channel 7 was able to make it happen.”
Browns fans in the Miami Valley like to think they are more numerous and, in fact, more loyal, than Bengals fans. They cite the various bars in the area that cater to Browns fans and point to the Browns Backers dinner organized by Dodson that draws upwards of 200 people annually to a local hotel ballroom.
What do you think? Are there more Browns fans than Bengals fans in the Miami Valley, or does it just depend on who’s winning?
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TweetFive unsung players to track
Any team with designs on the Super Bowl needs considerable depth. Here are five largely unung players who could make meaningful contributions this season if all goes as hoped:
Shantee Orr, LB. Kind of an under-the-radar acquisition, he’s a 27-year-old University of Michigan product who can get to the quarterback, as evidenced by his seven sacks for the Houston Texans in 2005. He spent last season with Jacksonville and has started 25 NFL games in five-year career. Could be a special teams stalwart and situational pass rusher.
Jerome Harrison, RB. It’s probably nearing make-or-break time for this guy, so there’s a school of thought that he’ll improve his blocking and special-teams play enough to at least dress for some games. And then, who knows? He’s the quickest running back on the roster and that should count for something. Throw him a screen pass once in a while and see what happens.
Louis Leonard. He’s a 6-foot-4, 330-pound defensive lineman entering his second season and possibly ticketed for backup duty at nose tackle. At least he looks the part. Your studs up front are Shaun Rogers, Corey Williams, Robaire Smith and Shaun Smith. Leonard, who had been with San Diego and St. Louis before the Browns claimed him last October, is seen as a guy who could amount to something if he stays focused.
Kevin Kasper, WR. Think Brian Brennan, but a bit taller and less accomplished. This journeyman has good hands, runs precise routes and can return kickoffs in a pinch. The latest Joe Jurevicius surgery potentially opens a roster spot for a receiver who stands out during training camp, whether it be Kasper, Steve Sanders, Efrem Hill, draftee Paul Hubbard or someone else.
A.J. Davis, CB. Until Ty Law or some other veteran is signed or otherwise acquired, this second-year player from North Carolina State is in the mix for a spot in the secondary. He spent most of last season on the practice squad after being waived by the Detroit Lions, who drafted him in the fourth round. Best case, he sees the field as an extra DB.
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TweetOn the other side of Rushmore …
Let me first say I agree with the comment about why the sports-talk show on Dayton radio station WONE-AM (980) would bring disgraced Bengals receiver Chris Henry on as a guest. Obviously, it was a ratings grab, although I can’t imagine why anyone cares what this miscreant has to say, especially since he never says much of anything.
What you can’t do is submit questions in advance for approval, as if the repeat offender Henry, of all people, had somehow earned the right to a concession that is seldom, if ever, granted by reputable news services.
OK, that’s over, and it’s a pretty good sports-talk show for the most part, well worth a listen on your way home from work or over the Internet if you’re out of town.
TODAY’S TOPIC: Since Dayton Daily News Bengals reporter Chick Ludwig treated us to the Browns’ “Mount Rushmore,” let’s see what’s on the other side. Who have been the top 10 disappointments in team history? I know, it’s pretty easy, but indulge me.
To save time, we’ll limit this to individuals as opposed to moments such as “Red Right 88,” “The Drive,” “The Fumble” and Art Modell selling Browns fans down the river.
1. Carmen Policy. Best thing about this former co-owner was that he talked a lot. He was a lawyer, so he thought he could weasel out of any situation with a few well-chosen words. My favorite line came after fans threw beer bottles and other stuff on the field in response to a bad call against Jacksonville. “Those plastic bottles,” he said, “don’t pack much of a wallop.” Of course, some of them were filled and, let me tell you, they seemed to pack a wallop when they hit the ground a few feet from where I was standing. After five years, Policy cashed in his shares and ducked into retirement, not a minute too soon.
2. Willis Adams. This fast wide receiver was a first-round draft choice in 1979 but never made much of an impact. You knew something was up when the laces of the football caused an injury to his hands. Somehow that never happened to Ozzie Newsome or Dave Logan.
3. Mike Junkin. The first clue should have been that he was a linebacker from DUKE, which isn’t exactly Linebacker U. Marty Schottenheimer saw this guy under a pile of weights and decided he must become the No. 5 pick of the 1987 draft. Scout Dom Anile carved a permanent niche in Browns lore by using the phrase “Mad Dog in a Meat Market” to describe Junkin in action. Turned out to be more like “Playful Kitten in a Meadow.”
4. Clifford Charlton. Undaunted, the Browns tried again the next year with a linebacker in the first round as quarterback Bernie Kosar, hoping for an offensive upgrade, silently seethed. Hard to imagine two bigger mistakes by one team at the same position in back-to-back years. Just devastating.
5. Mike Phipps. Modell fancied himself a football man, so it made sense to him to trade future Hall of Famer Paul Warfield for the right to draft this Purdue quarterback in 1970. Of all the fine Purdue quarterbacks (Griese, Dawson, even Jim “Don’t Call Me Chris” Everett), the Browns end up with this guy. Of course, they had Dawson and let him go, so maybe this was cosmic payback.
6. Tim Couch. First overall pick in 1999, the quarterback became the face of the new franchise, for better or worse. Though not all his fault, it was mostly worse.
7. William Green. Running backs often have short shelf lives, but this guy’s career expired in record time. Last I heard he was attempting a comeback but wasn’t exactly being besieged with offers.
8. Butch Davis. He wasn’t supposed to be a “college coach.” He was supposed to be, as John Madden put it, an “NFL coach who had coached in college.” His rah-rah act soon wore thin as the losses mounted following some early success. What he needed was a personnel department that went beyond longtime bobo Pete Garcia.
9. Courtney Brown. Injuries ruined the Penn State defensive end, but even when healthy, there was something slightly off-kilter about “The Quiet Storm.” As cornerback Corey Fuller put it, “It’s good to be quiet, but we need killers.” Brown was never a killer.
10. Bill Belichick. Did a competent job as head coach, leading a playoff run in ‘94. But considering what he went on to become in New England, Spygate aside, Browns fans are right to feel cheated.
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TweetBrowns’ radio affiliate drops the ball
Shame on WONE-AM 980, the Browns’ affiliate in Dayton, for giving disgraced former Bengals receiver Chris Henry a forum Wednesday to spew the usual nonsense about what a good guy he is.
And double shame on the radio station for caving in to the Henry camp’s demands and submitting questions in advance for approval, as Dayton Daily News Bengals beat writer Chick Ludwig revealed in his “Ludwig at Large” blog.
Henry, as if reading from a script, says the same things every time someone is dumb enough to put him on the air. And Wednesday was no exception as he blathered on about how he’ll never get in trouble again and how, if only we all could get to know him better, we’d all be more inclined to give him a break.
How many arrests are you up to now, Chris? Poor baby. Go away.
My favorite part of the interview was when Henry referred to the latest assault charge against him as “a little incident,” which is exactly how he phrased it on Sporting News Radio a couple of months ago, shortly after the Bengals kicked him off the team.
You can’t blame Henry for wanting to plead his case so he can get back to the NFL one of these days. But you can blame a radio station for putting him on the air and letting him call the shots.
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TweetMore surgery for Jurevicius
Remember those optimistic forecasts about Joe Jurevicius being ready for training camp?
Well, an obstacle has arisen: More knee surgery.
The Browns issued this statement about a half hour ago:
“In the process of his recovery and preparation for the upcoming season, wide receiver Joe Jurevicius has had ongoing swelling and discomfort in his knee. Joe had a further clean out to help him in his recovery and control his symptoms. The procedure was performed late yesterday at the Cleveland Clinic. No determination has been made on Joe’s status for training camp, which opens July 23.”
Time to fire up those Eric Parker-to-the-Browns rumors again, I guess.
Wonder if Jurevicius was having “ongoing swelling and discomfort” at minicamp when he called everyone over and pledged to be ready for training camp, to say nothing of the Sept. 7 season opener against the Cowboys.
A published report around that time suggested there was a chance Jurevicius would not be ready for either training camp or the opener.
That story caused the Browns to fly into an organizational frenzy that included a stern lecture to the media by head coach Romeo Crennel about how veteran players deserve the benefit of the doubt when it comes to these matters.
Best of luck to Joe, of course. You won’t find a better guy in any NFL locker room.
But it looks like that report wasn’t far from the truth.
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TweetWhere’s the love for Joe Thomas?
At long last we enter the month in which training camp starts.
It’s 23 days away for the Browns and it can’t get here soon enough, frankly.
You just want to see how it all plays out and whether this team truly can be a Super Bowl contender. Training camp doesn’t give you the whole story, but it does offer some clues.
And as if to whet appetites further, Pete Prisco of CBSsportsline.com released his annual “NFL Top 50” last week.
Two Browns made it — Braylon Edwards at No. 34 and Kellen Winslow at No. 44.
This guy rates Edwards the No. 8 receiver, behind Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Steve Smith, Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, Chad Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald.
You can live with that, although Edwards did catch 16 touchdown passes last season, let’s not forget.
Winslow, interestingly enough, is the No. 2 tight end on the list behind only Antonio Gates. In the overall ratings, Winslow is two spots ahead of perennial Pro Bowler Tony Gonzalez.
Again, pretty much what you would expect.
But where’s Joe Thomas?
He’s not even listed in the honorable mention category, where Prisco dumps a bunch of guys who theoretically came close to cracking the top 50.
Like Edwards and Winslow, Thomas made the Pro Bowl. And he did it as a rookie. OK, he got in as an alternate, but he still got to Hawaii on the league’s dime.
It’s easy to overlook offensive linemen, but let’s not forget the impact Thomas and left guard Eric Steinbach made on the offense last season. Let’s not forget how they kept quarterback Derek Anderson clean, opened holes in the running game for Jamal Lewis and generally performed better on the left side than anything the Browns have had over there since the late 1980s.
Two tackles are listed in the top 50. Walter Jones of Seattle, widely considered the best at the position, checks in at No. 16 and Jason Peters of Buffalo is No. 27.
You don’t hear much about Jones because, well, he plays tackle and he plays it in Seattle. Nobody’s trying to say Thomas is better than Jones or on par with him — yet.
Peters, who was voted to the Pro Bowl before backing out with an injury that allowed Thomas to get there, is also a well-kept secret. Offensive tackle plus Buffalo, let’s face it, equals obscurity.
All I’m saying is that if Peters is good enough to be considered the 27th-best NFL player, Thomas is easily good enough to be in the top 50.
And I’m also saying that if you polled every NFL scouting director, I’m betting at least half would take Thomas over Peters.
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