SPORTS DAILY: About Browns QBs and the Dayton Flyers

You know the names and have suffered the heartache of rooting for them. Now it’s up to you, Browns fans. Rank your team’s starting quarterbacks since 1999. The count is up to 24.

A pre-combine dead period in the NFL schedule, coupled with Johnny Manziel's career implosion, led cleveland.com to focus attention on this issue, and the ballot can be found here.

Here’s my top 10:

1. Tim Couch. Talented, competitive, battered, he took the Browns to the playoffs in 2002, the only time they've been there in the expansion era.

2. Kelly Holcomb. Stepped in for an injured Couch and would have pulled off a playoff upset in Pittsburgh if not for a dropped pass by Dennis Northcutt.

3. Derek Anderson. Led the Browns to their most recent winning season, 10-6 in 2007. Now Cam Newton's backup with the Carolina Panthers and, as such, rarely sees the field.

4. Brian Hoyer. Cleveland St. Ignatius High School graduate had the Browns rolling at 7-4 in 2014 when the wheels fell off and the organization soured on him.

5. Josh McCown. Put up prolific numbers last season that were overshadowed by his injuries, Manziel's drama and the team's general incompetence.

6. Johnny Manziel. Robert De Niro said it best in the 1993 movie A Bronx Tale: "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent." Flashed potential, but ultimately a huge bust in so many ways as a first-round draft pick, No. 22 overall.

7. Brady Quinn. Remember how excited fans were when he was drafted No. 22 overall in 2007? Notre Dame sensation who grew up a Browns fan surely would save the franchise. He's a broadcaster now.

8. Charlie Frye. Quasi-local guy who played at Akron and didn't have a clue. No, he was not the next Bernie Kosar.

9. Brandon Weeden. Yet another first-round disaster. He could spin it, but that's about all he could do. Now with his third team.

10. Trent Dilfer. Kept the seat warm for Frye toward the end of his career. Great interview, as you might expect from his TV work.

MORE MANZIEL: Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas gave an interview at a flower show about his future. He also opened up about Manziel and where the Browns go from here.

Thomas, shockingly, said he’s not looking for a way out of Cleveland.

The perennial Pro Bowl selection used the word “sad” in relation to Manziel, whose NFL career is all but over.

He thinks the Browns are a quarterback away from a big turnaround.

FLYERS REVERSE CURSE: The Dayton Flyers always seem to struggle against Rhode Island and certainly Friday night's 68-66 win in Kingston was no walk in the park, achieved on a 3-pointer by Darrell Davis with seconds left.

The Flyers had not won a basketball game at Rhode Island in 11 years, going 0-6 against the Rams in that span.

And it's not like they've had URI's number at UD Arena, either. The image of Dustin Hellenga hitting a game-winning 3-pointer in March 2004 lingers in the memories of Flyer fans who witnessed it.

But at least the Flyers and their faithful no longer have to hear about the Kingston curse.

About the Author