Prediction: Browns vs Bengals, welcome to the underworld

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner

The Browns (4-10) will face Cincinnati (2-11-1) on Sunday December 21, in Cleveland.

Hell: An endless place of suffering; inflicting pain and punishment.

I think this adequately describes the professional football situation in Ohio. While the Browns are having a season to forget, Cincinnati has not had the season they had hoped for either.

The Bengals lost star quarterback Carson Palmer earlier in the season to injury. Chad Johnson has had an abysmal season with only 540 yards receiving, while the quiet T.J Houshmanzadeh has been their only bright spot.

Here is the good news: The all-time series is tied between the two franchises is 35-35. So, at
least there is something to play for besides for "the worst team in the NFL" competition.

The Browns have reduced expectations looking to get snaps off timely and produce positive offensive yards. The brown and orange have a goal to score an offensive touchdown by the end of the season. With some luck and some holiday magic this may happen against the Bengals.

If the Browns don't score this weekend, it may be their last opportunity.

Next week they play the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That should be a fun experience.

Prediction:
The Browns will have a decent day rushing the football-- Jamal Lewis has his best day of the year.

Cleveland wins an ugly one.

Browns 10 Cincinnati 9

Browns receiver Stallworth fined $5,000

From www.examiner.com/cleveland


The AP is reporting that Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth is being fined $5,000 for unnecessary roughness spearing an a member of the opposition after an interception.
Wait, is Donte Stallworth in the NFL? Oh yeah, he plays for the Cleveland Browns. You may have missed him this season because he hasn't played that much. Actually to be specific he has played in 8 games and started in six of them. He has 14 receptions for 141 yards and 1 touchdown. No, that's not for one game, that's his stats for the whole season.
Stallworth has been hampered most of the season with a quad strain. The injury that occurred during warm-ups against the Cowboys on week 1 of the NFL season. An injury, mind you, that Stallworth admits could have been prevented if he only warmed up properly on opening day.
Based on his latest hit maybe the Browns should have signed him to play cornerback.
His current contract is for 7 years with a base of 33 million dollars and 10 million guaranteed.
This is what I call a great investment. I'm guessing the Browns management thought Stallworth would try and warm up properly before games.
Either way, I was never in favor of such a long term deal because if you play fantasy football, you know this guy is injured all the time. I looks like fantasy has become reality for the Browns.

Football players and guns

From Examiner.com/cleveland, by Cleveland Browns Examiner

My fellow Examiner David Codrea wrote an article that referenced the recent "shooting drama" involving Plaxico Burress and himself.

I don't claim to have the knowledge or expertise in gun rights that Mr. Codrea has. What I think I can do is give a regular football fans perspective on the whole situation.

Personally, I have never been one to carry a gun. That's just a personal choice, and I believe it's important that people have the right to make that choice. Moreover, at some point in my life I may choose to carry a gun for protection. Carrying a firearm is important to a lot of citizens in this Country and, If done responsibly, can be a great thing.

I have lived and worked in many places that could be considered dangerous. Washington D.C, New York City, Cleveland, and Newark New Jersey at times can be considered dangerous places depending where you are and what you're doing.

I think the point that many fans are trying to make when they complain about athletes such as Plaxico Burress, is not the fact that they carry guns, it's the choices they make.

For instance, If you carry a gun you probably should make sure it's properly licensed. Also, If you carry a gun, it may be a good idea to have some training to prevent accidents. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but I'm guessing Plaxico didn't mean to shoot himself. Furthermore, if he shot himself in the leg then it's a possibility he could have hurt someone else by accident.

I don't know what it's like to be a pro-football player. I don't know where some of the athletes grew up or the sort of life they lived. Additionally, I think it is imperative to understand that the NFL is diverse and has players who grew up both rich and poor, in good neighborhoods and bad.

NFL linebacker Joey Porter maintains that it's important for players to protect themselves because they are targets.

I agree with Mr. Porter, if you make a lot of money and live in big houses you could be considered a target for crime. I'm actually in favor of athletes' rights to carry firearms for protection, but it's also important that the players use common sense.

For example, if I knew I would using the subway late night in NYC I would try my best to dress casual. I know this sounds silly to some people, it's just that I felt if I was wearing something more flashy it would invite more attention. I didn't change my lifestyle or sacrifice my identity, I just adapted to circumstances. Circumstances never change in our existence. We may want them to, they just never will.

Crime exists and it usually happens at night. I don't have numbers or stats, just my instinct. Yes, crime happens anywhere and anytime I just feel that it's more likely to occur in a dark subway, alone, with an expensive watch, sneakers, and on my way to Queens at 4 in the morning. Don't get me wrong, I think the subway system is safe to use, it's not the same system the "Warriors" were using in 1979. I think just think it is important to plan ahead to try and prevent "accidents".

So, like Romeo Crennel mentioned, there are ways to carry a firearm responsibly and lawfully. In turn, there are also some things you can do so you don't have to use your firearm. Some really elementary examples might be: live more modestly, don't hang out in poor areas and wear flashy clothes or jewelry, and don't go out to places that make you vulnerable.

Why should pro athletes live by different standards than most?

Because they do live by different standards than most.

They are rich, famous, and popular. With great power comes great responsibility.

But as Mr. Codrea states, "sometimes the wolf comes to your door anyway."

In that case, you have to protect yourself.

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner

For the second week in a row I find it pointless to even write a summary of the Browns game. The Browns lost, again, and it wasn't even close. I predicted the game final to be 30-9 and the actual score had the Browns on the losing end against the Tennessee Titans 28-9.

For a third straight week the Browns failed to score a touchdown, while Romeo Crennel failed again to show any class.

The feeble coach passed up many opportunities to "go for it" on fourth down. I guess "going for it" would be displaying too much pride and urgency for the bumbling Browns. It would mean that the coach was interested in showing a sense of pride rather than politics on the field of play. This was further illustrated by kicking a field goal when the Browns were losing 21-6. Don't forget Crennel not challenging a late Braylon Edwards catch that appeared in bounds. This is just a taste of Romeo Crennel's brilliant head coaching skills.

The Browns also failed to get Josh Cribbs the ball more than 13 times, and as Bill Livingston points out, six of those touches were on kick returns. They continued to stick with a inept Ken Dorsey as he put up Derek Anderson-like numbers.

The failure to improvise and give Cribbs a chance summarizes Crennel's entire coaching career in Cleveland. As a head coach in Cleveland, Romeo Crennel was a coward. This is a harsh thing to say but on the field of play he hasn't proved otherwise.

I just finished watching the Pittsburgh Steelers game (I admit it) and was witness to the sort of character their team has. On fourth and goal, down thirteen points, head coach Mike Tomlin went for it. The Steelers should have kicked a field goal in this situation but the Steelers don't play pee-wee football. Pittsburgh ended up botching the attempt but winning the game.

Nonetheless, the Pittsburgh Steelers, "play to win the game". They have guts, and win or lose, the coaching staff and players lay it all out on the line. They risked losing the game in order to win it. They cared more about winning rather than delivering the status quo.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said of Crennel and the Browns.

I still can't understand why Randy Lerner hasn't pulled Crennel from his position immediately. The players have stopped playing for him and he continues to commit fundamental coaching follies. There is a draft coming and the Browns have to stop living in denial; the Romeo Crennel era is over.

If they are going to establish new leadership, the earlier the better. Even if a head coach has not been decided on, the Browns need to end their relationship with Crennel. To not do so perpetuates an era of cultural losing and acceptance of failure. As Mike Singletary would say, "we can't do it".

Now that's a coach with some passion and who has his team on the right track.

Passion and intensity = desire and results.

Just a thought

Head Coach: A Cleveland Browns job that requires no experience

From Examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner

I recently received a comment from a reader on my article, "Bruce Gradkowski signs with Browns, Plain Dealer writer Terry Pluto: 'Browns fans were wrong'.

The comment was from a reader going by the alias wgP. He pointed out a statistic that I found shocking, and honestly, had never realized.

Year after year, Browns fans have been searching for leadership from a coach that has the tools to take them to the Super Bowl. Yet, there might be a reason why we haven't found that leadership.

Did you know that of all the Browns head coaches throughout the years, only two (Nick Skorich and Terry Robiskie as an interim coach for the Redskins) touted NFL head coaching experience? That means from 1946 until the present all but two of our coaches have been rookies.

Experience and identity is what the Browns franchise needs. In that case, maybe it's time to bring in a coach with some actual NFL coaching experience.

Just a thought.

---

Here are the numbers:

Paul Brown 1946-1962

Blanton Collier 1963-1970

Nick Skorich 1971-1974

Forrest Greg 1975-1977

Dick Modzelewski 1977(interim)

Sam Rutigliano 1978-1984

Marty Schottenheimer 1984-1988

Bud Carson 1989- 1990

Jim Shofner 1990 (interim)

Bill Belichick 1991-1995

Chris Palmer 1999-2000

Butch Davis 2001-2004

Terry Robiskie 2004 (interim)

Romeo Crennel 2005-present

---

Thanks wgP for the facts!

From Examiner.com, Cleveland Browns Examiner


Brady Quinn told Cleveland reporters late Wednesday that his surgery on his index finger was successful.

Quinn said about his finger, "I'll have full function of it again".

Quinn is planning to return to the Browns and be with them when they face the Tennessee Titans this Sunday at 1 pm et..

---

Phil Savage recently stated in a press conference, '"I got four years left on a contract, I'd love to be able to finish that out".

So, basically he's saying 'wait til next year'. This is a phrase that Cleveland fans have been hearing for an obscene amount of years.

Savages' comments address more scrutiny that his job may be in jeopardy.

I've always have been a Phil Savage supporter, and even with some of the weird behavior, it's still too early to fire him.

I do not, however, think the same about Romeo Crennel. I have been clear about this over the last couple of months. Savage has put a lot of talent on the field for the Cleveland Browns and they have underperformed. Whether it was the players who choked or the coaches who didn't prepare them to win, the record for Romeo Crennel is not flattering.

The most stunning stat in his four seasons is that Romeo Crennel has never beat the Steelers. Not once has he beat the Browns most hated rival. That is like Jim Tressel losing every game to Michigan. That alone should set off an alarm in your head.

How can you compete in the AFC north if you can't beat the Steelers? In fact, Romeo can't seem to prepare his team to win any clutch game. The only example of his team winning a 'big' game is on Monday Night Football this year against the New York Giants. He then followed up this game by choking in Washington D.C. to the Redskins.

The point is, the Browns have talented players on their team. Those player have been put there by Phil Savage. Of course there have been mistakes like the signing of Donte' Stallworth, Braylon's Drops, and injuries with Joe Jurevicius. Nonetheless, Phil Savage has put talent on the field and they are not being put in the position to win. Phil Savage should be given a shot to complete his tenure and see what sort of results he gets with a new coaching staff in place.

The new question is if Bill Cowher comes to town, does that mean the end for Phil Savage? Could they come to a compromise and form a dangerous duo?

I guess we'll have to 'wait til next year' to find out.

Cowher09.com closing in on 10,000 signatures

From Examiner.com, Cleveland Browns Examiner

If you have not heard of http://www.cowher09.com/ than you're probably in the minority. The site is a living and breathing petition to Browns owner Randy Lerner to get Bill Cowher into Cleveland and reignite a winning tradition.
The website that started out as a sort of cult following for disgruntled Browns fans is now starting to be a sort of powerhouse. If you attend any Browns game, read any forum, or watch the Brownies on television, you will most likely hear the chants or see the T-shirts.
If you go to the site you'll see that it is closing in on 10,000 signatures and growing.
We'll see if the wishes of so many comes true with the hiring of Bill Cowher. Nonetheless, you can give credit to Cowher09.com for keeping the cause relevant and pressing.

From Examiner.com, Cleveland Browns Examiner

If you have not heard of www.cowher09.com than you're probably in the minority. The site is a living and breathing petition to Browns owner Randy Lerner to get Bill Cowher into Cleveland and reignite a winning tradition.
The website that started out as a sort of cult following for disgruntled Browns fans is now starting to be a sort of powerhouse. If you attend any Browns game, read any forum, or watch the Brownies on television, you will most likely hear the chants or see the T-shirts.
If you go to the site you'll see that it is closing in on 10,000 signatures and growing.
We'll see if the wishes of so many comes true with the hiring of Bill Cowher. Nonetheless, you can give credit to Cowher09.com for keeping the cause relevant and pressing.

Bruce Gradkowski signs with Browns,Plain Dealer writer Terry Pluto: 'Browns fans were wrong'

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner

Update: The Akron Beacon Journal reports former Toledo Rockets quarterback Bruce Gradkowski was signed by the Cleveland Browns today. He will most likely be the third string QB.

This news seems to be secondary on the minds of Cleveland fans. There is still a lot of talk about the "Derek Anderson Incident".

In my last article "Cleveland Browns fans hate Derek Anderson'" I explored the episode of Derek Anderson being booed by some fans at Cleveland Stadium after he went down with a knee injury against the Colts.

Of course it was not "right"' for those few fans to boo an injury, but that's assuming that fans were cheering Anderson being hurt. Could it be a possibility that his injury was just the climax to one of the biggest "let down" seasons in Browns history? Could it be that fans were disgusted with the effort from a team that has the talent to compete for an AFC title? These are just a few ideas to think about before the media and sports fans turn this into a "Cleveland Witch-hunt".

After reading Terry Pluto's most recent article, I was surprised that he didn't ask any of these questions. I'm surprised he didn't question the reason for the fans apparent anger at Anderson. He did, however, publish an e-mail from a fan condemning the actions of the booing fans. The comment validates the "nice guy" attitude that Cleveland strives to be known for. Unfortunately, it could be this very same attitude among the organization, city, and fans that perpetuates a losing culture.

I have my theory on the social and cultural foundation that drives Cleveland fans, but reading some of the comments made on Pluto's' online page I found something interesting. A radically critical but honest illustration of the parallel between the city of Cleveland and its' sports teams.

This particular comment was made by "The Lifer", and whether you agree with it or not, you can't ignore the truthful anger and honesty that it exudes. I'm publishing his/her comment because I wanted to illustrate a different and possibly more realistic vision of the Cleveland sport identity.

---

Here it is:

TheLifer,

I feel bad for DA but seriously, who cares. The NATION laughs at our fair city and it has been "injured" for 30 years. We have no jobs, no economic backbone, or hope to fix it. All we have are our lousy sports teams that do little for us but take our money and break our hearts. So, sorry DA I don't care what you think or how you feel. Take your money, get the he|| out and don't forget to tell everyone how awful it was and how badly you were treated when you go.

Yes it is wrong to boo an injury, but until these fool players/coaches/fans acknowledge this is about something bigger than them, bigger than the money and bigger than the coach (I know that's hard), it's about pride. The pride our Browns used to give us when there is nothing to cheer for.

We don't have socal weather or Florida weather. We don't have jobs like the Carolina's or baseball, football and basketball champs like New England. We don't have factories that run like Philly or Pittsburgh. Matter of fact, sometimes it seems like the Browns are all we do have, and I don't know if we even have that anymore.

That was our team, it was woven into the fabric of our existence. I say was because it isn't our team anymore. It belongs to corporate thugs that only care about entertaining a client, it belongs to overpaid immature thugs interested only in pillaging the city for their own glory and gain, it belongs to personnel managers that don't know what they're doing, coaches that don't coach, fans that go only for the booze...and so on

So, sorry if I don't shed a tear for you DA, but I very seriously doubt you'll shed any for the city you stole from, for the fans and kids that believed in you, from the teammates that actually try (Sean Rogers-I appreciate you greatly), and I doubt you'll cry for the opportunity YOU lost last year by costing us the playoffs.

Do everyone a favor and fade quietly into obscurity.

---

This may be written out of anger, but it seems to capture a certain universal frusteration amongst Cleveland fans. Many fans seem to be measuring their actions against other cities or comparing themselves to other cities. I think we need to just worry about winning football games.

Romeo Crennel says Browns gave a great effort this past Sunday, DA confirmed out for season (view)

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner

Derek Anderson is out for the season with a torn knee ligament. It was already assumed DA would miss time but an MRI on Monday confirmed it would be season-ending. Kellen Winslow is also out at least a week with a high ankle sprain. More bad breaks for the Browns but it wasn't as disturbing as recent comments made by Romeo Crennel.

When you read some of Romeo Crennel's comments about his team, you have to wonder if he is exists on the same plane of reality as the rest of us.

Plain Dealer writer Mary Kay Cabot published an article this evening in which Romeo Crennel said he was satisfied with the teams' effort versus the Colts last Sunday.

"As a coach, you want your players to play hard, to give great effort and do the things that they need to do to give themselves a chance to win. I thought our team did that Sunday", commented Crennel.

It seems Crennel was watching a different game this Sunday, because actually, the effort they gave wasn't enough. The Browns lost 10-6 in a game that was winnable. Crennel continues to amaze the people of Cleveland with his post-game brilliance. When referencing to what it will take to beat the Titans next week Crennel said, "If they play hard, they'll have a chance."

Right, when teams play hard, they sometimes have a chance to succeed. Okay, so Crennel is being payed millions for this sort of analysis?

You know that "spider sense" alarm that goes off in your head when you're in a bad situation? Like when you feel danger, if you are lost in a bad neighborhood, or when running into people from high-school that you despised?

That's the same feeling Randy Lerner should be getting when Romeo makes comments like this.

What's next? Are the Browns going to start giving out gold stars after every loss? Will they implement the "Almost Touchdown Emmy" for all the players who almost got in?

Crennel acknowledges he understands the NFL is a game of winning and losing.

"That's the nature of the business and I've said that all along", protested Crennel.

I think Cleveland fans understand the majority of the players are performing and trying to win. What they want to hear from Crennel is that how he prepares and coaches the team isn't good enough. That he takes the blame for not having his team prepared week after week. They want to hear that Crennel has a passion for winning, and that he will accept nothing less than that. However, Browns fans are not hearing that. Instead, they are being told by Crennel that last Sunday's effort was good enough for them.

Let's be clear, it wasn't.

Browns linebacker Willie McGinest remarked,

"We're behind Romeo 100%". He also went on to say that, "It doesn't matter if you got Vince Lombardi out there coaching you. If you don't execute, if you're not consistent, you don't win."

This quote reminds me of something Romeo Crennel would say. Dare I say it sounds like an excuse?

Just a thought, it may matter a little if Vince Lombardi is your head coach. I'm guessingn a Vince Lombardi team wouldn't be in this situation year after year.

Now, bring on the Titans?

From www.examiner.com/cleveland by Cleveland Browns Examiner


As Derek Anderson was carried off the field after hurting his knee, Cleveland Browns fans cheered.

"They were cheering the fact that I was hurt. They don't like me. That's well known", commented Anderson after the game.

Yes, the fans were cheering a sarcastic cheer after Sundays game, but was it the right thing to do?

Before the "Cleveland has no class" comments poor in, let's try and give some perspective to the situation.

No, most Cleveland fans do not like Anderson but I think the cheers were more to do with the frustration over an abysmal season. Of course it wasn't right, but were talking about a crowd mentality here. I'm guessing the fans were probably pretty plastered by this point seeing as how the offense put up a total of two field goals.

Some of the Browns players felt that the jeers for Anderson were wrong.

"We love our fans, but that just wasn't needed", said Josh Cribbs after the game.

Well, the Browns seem to show their love in an awkward way when they take the field.

They play poorly and lose.

I'm not trying to justify the fact that Anderson was jeered, it's just that the players need to know that booing is the only outlet the fans have. In this case, it may have been wrong, but I understand why it happened. Angry crowds are not usually "right" about complex human emotions and social situations.

Another man that has been a target of the fans wrath is Romeo Crennel.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen stated before the Browns game that "it would take a miracle finish" for Romeo Crennel to save his job. Well Romeo, you said you didn't believe in curses when you came here, how do ya like them apples?

It is going to be tough going for Crennel now that Ken Dorsey will be starting at quarterback. Now the question is, with the Browns luck, who will be his backup?

It will most likely be Josh Cribbs. Cribbs was a former quarterback in college for the Kent State Golden Flashes. I remember he would always come Bowling Green State University and give the BG Falcons a run for our money. Now he may be taking his first serious reps as an NFL quarterback. Derek Anderson seemed to have different thoughts about that possible scenario.

"Were not putting Josh in. You guys are smoking crack. Because we're playing bad doesn't mean we're going to put a receiver at quarterback", said Anderson.

Okay, so now Derek Anderson is making coaching decisions from the locker room? What's the worst thing that could happen? The Browns could lose?

In the words of Charles Barkley, "shut the hell up" and play. I'm not sure I would take quarterback advice from a guy who posts one of the worst qb ratings in the NFL.

Another scary option might include a phone call to one Vinny Testaverde. Oh yeah, you know broseph is always available to give a helpless team a 15-35 255yards 1td and 3 int stat-line.

What about Romeo?

With all this speculation, who will be the next coach of the Cleveland Browns?

Browns defeated 10-6, lose Derek Anderson for the season

From www.examiner.com/cleveland By Cleveland Browns Examiner

The Browns lost more than just their pride this Sunday versus the colts, they lost Derek Anderson for the rest of the season. As ESPN's James Walker reports it could also kill any potential market value for Anderson during the off-season.
Anderson was sacked in the final minutes of an ugly contest and blew out his knee in the process. Anderson suffered a sprain to his knee ligament. The Browns lost 10-6.
This is another major blow to the Browns franchise which is now becoming a comedy relief show for all the league to laugh at.
Sunday the Browns lost another winnable game because they could not execute on the offensive side of the ball.Manning threw two interceptions and zero touchdowns as the Browns could only muster up six points. The defense finally stepped up while the offense could not execute and was, again, not aggressive enough at the end of the game.
This has Browns fans asking, can anything else go wrong?

Are Browns fans going to watch football this Sunday?

From www.exminer.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner


The feeling among most Browns fans is that of disillusionment. A season that once had a ray of hope has now turned into a free-fall into mediocrity. Yes, most die-hard fans will watch the game, but there may be some empty armchairs across America this Sunday.

Nonetheless, the Browns (4-7) now go onto face the Colts(7-4) Sunday at 1et, and hope to keep from falling into a deeper hole.

I was going to analyze this game but I feel we are far from analysis. You don't have to be an expert to know the Browns aren't favored. They are going to face Peyton Manning, one of the best quarterbacks in the game. Indianapolis' offense is starting to re-emerge with Joseph Addai getting healthy and Peyton getting back on track with his core receivers.

The Browns defense has the task of facing an offense that puts up close to 350 yards in the last four games. Watching the Browns the last three weeks or so, one can see that is about how much they give up per game.

The Browns Offense is another mess. These guys, as Colin Cowherd would put it, "are dumpster fire". Quinn is out of the lineup for the year, Therefore, we will all witness the legend of Derek Anderson as he resumes his starting role. Jamal Lewis doesn't feel he gets the ball enough, Winslow is complaining about the officiating, and Braylon Edwards has not demonstrated he can make three catches in a row. To say the least, things are looking awesome for the Brownies!

Honestly, even as I write I know that it really doesn't matter who wins or loses, it's how the Browns perform. Cleveland has to show the fans they have some sense of pride. Losing to the Colts isn't a far stretch but, again, it's how you play the game that matters.This sounds cliche' because it is usually true.

There are five games left in the season. The city and franchise needs momentum for next seasons sake. I hate to start talking about next year but I have to. These next five games may be a bigger factor in determining the future of the Browns franchise than the first eleven were. Will the coach stay? where will DA go? Is Phil Savage going to make it? Can the real Randy Lerner please stand-up?

These are all questions that will be answered with time, wins, and losses. Winning always makes things look better. The Browns are known for winning when they aren't supposed to and losing when they aren't supposed to. This could make for an interesting Sunday afternoon of pigskin.

Now, Brownies don't hurt yourselves.

Derek Anderson gets ready for return

From www.clevelandexaminer.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner


Mr. Anderson may be the happiest man in Cleveland. The once benched quarterback is now starting in place of Brady Quinn this Sunday versus the Colts. This occurred after Quinn found out he damaged his broken his broken finger during the Texans debacle.

Derek Anderson also may be the healthiest quarterback in the history of football(the guy just doesn't get hurt).

Cleveland fans unfortunately won't be able to see Quinn develop, at least this season. It will, however, be an opportunity for Anderson to redeem himself.

The strong-armed qb may be able do what the economy can't seem to do, get better. In doing so, he also could uplift his own stock for other teams in the NFL to see. Most feel that Quinn will be the face of the franchise starting next year leaving Anderson in the shadow.

The question is, will Anderson be on the field enough to even make a difference this Sunday? And will the Browns defense make some sort of effort to pressure Peyton Manning? Giving up over 500 yards of offense to the pass-happy Broncos a few weeks back is making a lot of Cleveland fans queasy.

All this and more on Sunday at 1:00 pm.

Brady Quinn is out for the season, welcome to Cleveland!

Breaking News from www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner

In a fitting story to the Cleveland Browns season, FoxSports.com just reported that Browns quarterback, Brady Quinn, is out for the year.

The quarterback is not sure whether he will have surgery or not but it looks like his season is 100% over.

Dr. James Andrews, who gave Quinn a second opinion on his broken index finger, found out that the break had become worse and actually could further damage the tendons in the finger.

Well, Romeo Crennel got his holiday wish! His favorite player, Derek Anderson, will start against the Colts this coming Sunday.

This is the most recent tragedy in a Cleveland Browns season that could be pitched as a viable script for a gory Hollywood blockbuster .

As the great Marlon Brando once put it,"the horror, the horror"

Browns owner Randy Lerner speaks out about major changes ahead

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner

Cleveland.com's Tony Grossi reports Browns owner Randy Lerner is disappointed with the teams' performance this year.

When asked in an interview about the future of GM Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel, Lerner responded:

"That is at the core of the analysis. What happened? How do you go 10-6, play good football, have the NFL generally excited, get six prime-time appearances...how does all that happen and you struggle this way?"

Lerner also said that watching the Browns lose an awful game to the Houston Texans 16-6, in front of the home crowd, was "sickening".

He wasn't clear on whether he was going bring Savage or Crennel back for another stab at Browns success, but really didn't seem too elated with their progress this year either.

Mr. Lerner also denied rumors that he was selling the Cleveland Browns.

"I totally care about the team. I feel totally engaged. I will stay committed and focused. I have no plans to sell the team. I'm not prepared to throw in the towel at the age of 46 and say I can't get the job done."

Well, it's good to finally hear from the main man, who has been very reluctant to speak in the recent months. He is obviously upset and hopefully he can make some meaningful changes to a club that was expected to make a playoff run this year.

Here is another important question:

Who else, besides coaching, the GM, and players should be held accountable for the Browns failure? Could it be that Lerner himself will take a huge hit for his decisions?

Let the debate begin.

Now, we look forward to next year

Romeo Crennel not worried about his job, Cowher09.com thinks differently

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner.

The AP reports that Browns head coach Romeo Crennel isn't worried about his future with the Cleveland Browns.

That's funny, because he should be. If he is not, then there is something to say for Cleveland Browns management.

In my most recent column, I received many important and frustrated comments from Browns observers. Some agree with me and think Crennel should be gone, while others feel that the Browns problems go deeper than the head coach. Then there are the Cowher09.com chants from fans that want to see pride and fire brought back to Cleveland.

I want to clarify something that I had written after the game about Romeo Crennel. I don't just want the coached axed, I think his decisions have been so poor throughout the year, his firing shouldn't even be a question.

I was inspired to write that critical article after seeing Crennel bench Brady Quinn because of his poor performance. I believe it was a severe misjudgment by Romeo and it should be the final mistake that leads to his coaching termination . Some do not see it that way, but I must protest.

Giving Quinn the starting job, like it or not, was a very big decision for the Cleveland Browns. It meant starting over at the position and giving the leadership role to the new 'face' of the franchise. It was also a good business decision for the Browns because it kept people who aren't rabid fans interested in the Browns. It also kept butts in the stadium seats on Sunday.

For Crennel to "give up", and I mean literally give up on Quinn, clearly identifies that Crennel doesn't have the decision making skills of a head ball coach.

Crennel stated he was "looking for a spark".

Looking for a spark? From a guy (Anderson) who barely took reps during the week?

In turn, Crennel confused Quinn because he was not permitted to finish a game that was winnable. How relaxed will Quinn play next week knowing that he could be pulled anytime he makes a "rookie" mistake? I hope people see how detrimental this move was for our young Quarterback and our team. Now, nobody on the squad has any idea who the leader is and what to expect game to game. Whether you like Quinn or not, Crennel's decision making is "childlike".

Here is an example of terrible coaching observation:

The Browns are 11-1 (thank-you John) when Jamal Lewis carries the ball 20 or more times. Or course, Rod Chudsinki is the offensive coordinator but Crennel has the final say.

Think about it, if you saw that stat, would you at least try to feed Jamal the ball more than twenty times?

He's not a great back but just look at the numbers (11-1). It's just one more example of the lack of recognition by a Crennel led coaching staff. The same staff that finally realized that Quinn, Cribbs, and Harrison should be more involved in the offense more than halfway through the season.

The Cowher09.com crew is seen by some critics as radical, but maybe they see something that many people don't. Good coaches, like Bill Cowher, can change the culture of a football team.

Maybe it's time for that sort of change in Cleveland.

Now, bring on Bill Cowher?

Browns fans are on fire, Romeo must go!

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner


This Sundays game may have been the worst display of football from the Cleveland Browns all year. After a big momentum win in Buffalo last week, Crennel and his Browns were not prepared to play this Sunday--again. The Browns defense allowed almost 400 yards of offense against the"mighty" Sage Rosenfels and the Texans.

Brady Quinn, who played with a broken finger had his first "bad" performance and threw two interceptions.That wasn't all, Jamal Lewis had a costly fumble, Braylon Edwards had 5 drops, and Phil Dawson even shanked a field goal.

Edwards is obviously struggling and was probably the worst player on the field Sunday. His routes were not crisp and he gave up on plays. Many Browns fans, including me, think he should be bench for his awful performances.Yet, Braylon is just the tip of the iceberg for your 2008 Cleveland Browns.

Romeo Crennel in one of the worst coaching moves in Browns history, benched new starter Brady Quinn. Quinn had thrown two interceptions and was struggling and Crennel brought in his "man-crush", Derek Anderson.

Crennel said in his post-game comments, "I knew Brady was working through a finger issue, so I decided to make the change for a spark."

No Romeo, you made the move to save your job. You sir, compromised the confidence of a young quarterback for selfish reasons. You chose to play Quinn three weeks ago and that means he is your quarterback. Shame on Mr. Crennel.

The fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium booed Derek Anderson because they are smart fans. They knew, no matter how badly Quinn performed, it was wrong to bench him. Crennel will continue to blame Quinn's injury and won't ever say what he really means. He has disliked Quinn from the beginning.

Unless Quinn begged to come out of the game, there is no reason Crennel should have benched him. I don't care if he threw 10 interceptions, you don't bench him. Brady is a young quarterback who needs the support of his coaches. He is the same player who played his heart out his first appearance, while Crennel and "his" defense gave up 500 yards of total offense and left Quinn out to dry. Now, this is the sort of treatment Quinn gets?

Cleveland fans are sick and tired of Romeo Crennel and his lack of professionalism. Players, games, wins, losses, preparation, play-calling, all part of the coaches responsibility. Sorry big guy, that's the name of the game!

If Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer won't say it, than I will say what 99 percent of Cleveland Browns fans are thinking. Romeo Crennel should be fired.

Week after week Romeo and his team come out and under-perform. The worst part of this season is that we have a team that is capable of winning 11 or 12 games, and we are far from that. Yes, the players have to perform but this team doesn't lack talented players. It lacks a coach who can inspire that talent to play at a championship level.

You want proof of players and coaches being prepared to win football games?

The Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are 5-1 at home.

This team was left in shambles after the Michael Vick scandal and look how this organization bounced back. They started a rookie quarterback and are competing for the playoffs. Trust me, the Browns are just that bad. Cleveland fans are right to be angry. The Browns effort this Sunday was pathetic. They lost to a team that hasn't won a road game since November 4th 2007. The Browns are now 1-5 this year at home!

Phil Savage has been stern with everybody including rabid fans. Now is the time to flex his muscle and end the Browns relationship with Crennel.

Now, It is time for a change.

Is Phil Savage losing it?

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner:

In the most recent chapter of "Savage Existence",the story of the 2008 Cleveland Browns, Phil Savage has apologized to the fan to whom he sent a profanity riddled e-mail.

"Go root for Buffalo. F*** you.", wrote the Browns General Manager.

He since has made a public apology and is ready to move on from the incident.

"There had been previous e-mails from him over the months and enough was enough. We have both apologized to each other since", Savage explained.

Now, I have been a Savage supporter from the beginning--but this is just crazy. Why on earth is our General Manager responding to e-mails from crazy fans? Just think about it, he is corresponding with "Joe Blow" the angry Browns fan! This is supposed to be a professional sports team.

I understand a fan writing him a coherent contention on why he thinks Phil Savage or the Browns are bad. There is no reason, however, for him to respond to harassing e-mails consisting of statements calling Savage, "the worst GM in the NFL". Does he not have an assistant to filter through emails and documents? Sort of like an actor that has an agent who sifts through scripts, e-mails, and fan-mail.

If he does not, then I will go ahead and ask Mr. Savage personally, could you employ me to do that? Just let me know and I will send my resume to you.

By the way, don't be surprised if he actually responds to this column!

And what is with our head coach Romeo Crennel giving his two cents on the matter? Why is he giving explanations about how Savage handles his business? He should figuring out why his defense can't tackle. If they cannot, then Steve Slaton could slaughter the Browns this Sunday.

No matter what, if you are a Browns fan, this should be alarming. Every week this organization is becoming a punch-line for the NFL. I'm starting to wonder is Savage is losing it. As a professional, you just can't act like that.

Now, bring on the Texans!

Browns GM Phil Savage uses big 'F' bomb at angry Browns fan

From Examiner.com/cleveland


Word in C town is that Browns GM Phil Savage has a potty mouth.

Well, that's not all. Savage was responding to an angry fans email when he replied using the big "F" word. The profane response was reported at deadspin.com

Apparently a fan who had earlier appeared on the popular WKNR Tony Rizzo radio show, had emailed Savage during Monday evening when the Browns beat the Buffalo Bills 29-27.

Apparently Savage's last response to the fan was "Go root for Buffalo. F*** you."

Wow, a little fire from the front office. Well, if it takes a rabid fan to get this sort of excitment from somebody besides Brady Quinn, it's a good thing. Maybe he can take some of that anger and use it on an under-performing defense and a lackluster headcoach? Just a thought.
Never a dull moment in Cleveland
Now, bring on the Texans!

'Wide Right': Browns beat Buffalo Bills 29-27 in a Monday night thriller

From Examiner.com

Monday night ended with luck finally going the way of the Cleveland Browns. The Browns defeated the Buffalo Bills 29-27 at Ralph Wilson stadium on national television. They won on a Phil "awesome" Dawson field goal from 56 yards out.

The Bills Ryan Lindell missed a 47 yard potential game winner that went "wide right" and reminded Bills fans that Scott Norwood is alive and well. Trust me, Bilsl fan. You're not the only team with ghosts in your closet. You can look west along the shore of Lake Erie to find some comfort.

Cleveland had big plays from Jerome Harrison (yeah, the guy I've been hyping all year), Shaun Rogers, and of course Phil Dawson.

The Brownies had terrible performances from the rest of the Browns defense (see over a million missed tackles) and the special teams unit. After Harrison ran for a 71-yard touchdown the Browns gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown the very next play.

While the Browns defense did force four turnovers, they killed themselves with bad tackling and poor angles all game, allowing almost 200 yards rushing from Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. Both running backs averaged 5 yards a carry.

Enough of the bad and more with the good.

Brady Quinn gets his first win as a Browns starter and played very efficient. He did what he was supposed to do in a poor offensive effort -- he managed the game. He went 14/36 for 185 yards and most importantly threw zero interceptions while moving the ball down the field to give Dawson a chance for the win. Dawson, one of the best kickers in football history, made this one count.

I have never been a big Phil Dawson fan, until tonight. His accuracy and clutch kicking has convinced me that he is one of the game's most consistent kickers. Dawson made five field goals Monday night and was the Browns MVP.

Jerome Harrison is a player that I have been talking about all year. He has been lobbying for more playing time and I can't understand what the Browns coaching staff is thinking.

As I commented in one of my first articles,"I have been raving about Jerome Harrison since the beginning of the season. He is an incredible change-of-pace back with, dare I say, Reggie-Bush-like game-breaking skills."

You heard it here first, folks.

Tonight, Harrison had three rushes for 80 yards and a touchdown. He had over 100 yards of total offense on only four touches! Imagine if you gave him the ball ten 10 or 15 times a game. If Cleveland could have utilized both Lewis and Harrison all year, Brady Quinn might not be the starter right now.

Attention Browns coaches! It's called giving your offensive attack a "dynamic."

The Browns have a lot of athletes that can can make our offense very dangerous but only until now do we see more touches for Harrison, Cribbs, and Quinn. This lack of talent evaluation should not be overlooked in light of this win. If I can see it and Harrison can see it, why can't professional coaches see it?

Cleveland improves to 4-6 and looks to possibly make a wild card playoff run. Most importantly, Cleveland came together as a team and won a game with Quinn as the leader. Now, they can take each game as a step forward to the future.

No matter what happens for the rest of the season, this could be a game the Browns build upon.

Now, bring on the Texans!

ESPN Ron Jaworski says Browns quit

From www.examiner.com/cleveland

In a new development in the Browns "quitting saga", ESPN's analyst and former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski put his two cents in about the Browns.

When "Jaws" was asked after watching game film if he saw anyone quit. He responded,

"Yes.If you want to get players attention, mention the word quit. I saw it mentioned by some of the Browns players, so I looked at it very carefully. I don't ever use the word. I just say 'lack of enthusiasm to play the game".

"I'm not going to names because it's not my place to do that--but there were some guys that lacked enthusiasm play-in and play-out."

Jaworski went on to say he was going to have an eagle eye on the Browns this Monday night to see if there is any improvement.

This observation goes directly against what Romeo Crennel claimed to have seen this past Thursday against Denver. He even went on to say specifically that his players, "didn't quit".

So, now the question is, If Ron Jaworski can see some Browns potentially quit from his television screen, what the heck is Romeo Crennel looking at? You don't need an HD television to see how clearly dysfunctional the Browns coaching staff is.

Now, on to Monday night.

Top 5 Cleveland Browns QBs

To make this list, the quarterback has to have played at least three seasons as a Cleveland Brown. Wins, yards, interceptions, rating, and playoff appearances were all taken into consideration.

1. Otto Graham
From the years 1946 to 1955 the Cleveland Browns appeared in the Championship game every single year. Otto Graham was the quarterback every single one of those seasons. He led the Browns to 7 Championships in those 10 years. There has never been a Brown to win more Championships than Mr. Graham. Though his career numbers are not as fancy as some modern day quarterbacks, you have to take in consideration he played in a run first league. There is also the fact that he played before the Super Bowl was founded, so sometimes his impact on football is often forgotten. Graham posted a professional winning record of 105-17-4. He surprisingly won a championship as a professional basketball player with the Rochester Royals (Sacramento Kings) as well. Graham could be considered one of greatest winners in sports history.

NFL (AAFC) Career:

Passing yards: 23,584

Passing touchdowns: 174

Passing interceptions: 135

Rating: 86.6

Wins/losses: 107 (57 NFL)- 17 (13 NFL)- (1 tie NFL)

Championships/Super Bowls: 7 (1946, 47', 48', 49', 50', 54', 55' Cleveland Browns)

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Sports Illustrated

2. Bernie Kosar

Bernie Kosar is the most loved athlete in Cleveland sports history. Here is a guy who went to college at Miami , FL, then manipulated the college draft system so he could come back and play for his hometown team. Kosar, a local Ohio kid, led the Browns to five straight playoff appearances from 1985 to 1989. This included three Conference Championships, which were all lost in tragic fashion. Bernie performed brilliantly in two of the three contested games against the Denver Broncos. The Broncos had John Elway and his brother luck on their side. Kosar was treated terribly by new coach Bill Belichick and eventually was cut in 1993. That same year, Kosar won his first Super Bowl ring with the Dallas Cowboys. Bernie signed with the team to fill in for an injured Troy Aikman. During the 1993 NFC Championship game, Kosar replaced an injured Aikman, leading the Cowboys to their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. Though he never won a Super Bowl with Cleveland, he is still considered of one the greatest Browns quarterbacks.

"Bernie, Bernie...Super Bowl!"

NFL Career:

Passing yards: 23,301 (21,904 as a Brown)

Passing touchdowns: 124 (116 as a Brown)

Passing Interceptions: 87 ( 81 as a Brown)

Rating: 81.8 (81.6 as a Brown)

Wins/losses: 53-54 -1 tie) (53-51-1 tie as a Brown)

Championships/Super Bowls: 1 (with 1993 Dallas Cowboys)

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I

3. Frank Ryan

Frank Ryan's numbers are not as flashy as some modern day quarterbacks but he was a winner. This was most likely because he was handing the ball off to a guy named Jim Brown. Ryan played for Cleveland from 1962 until 1968. He led the Browns to their last Championship in 1964. They also made the Championship the following year, only to lose to the Green Bay Packers. The next year 1966 the Super Bowl was created, an event no Browns team has ever experienced. Ryan's rating and Championship win put him third on my board.

NFL Career:

Passing yards: 16,042 (13,361 as a Brown)

Passing touchdowns: 149 (134 as a Brown)

Passing Interceptions: 111 ( 88 as a Brown)

Rating: 77.6 (81.4 as a Brown)

Wins/losses: 57-24 -3 (52-22-2 tie as a Brown)

Championships/Super Bowl: 1 (with 1964 Cleveland Browns)

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4. Brian Sipe

Brian Sipe played for the Browns his entire career, which lasted from 1974 to 1983. He was named to the Pro Bowl one time in 1980, the same year he led the Browns to his only playoff appearance. The Browns were called the "Kardiac Kids" that year and Sipe was a fan favorite. Unfortunately, he was also an inconsistent quarterback. He is still the Browns all-time passing yardage leader but threw almost as many interceptions as touchdowns. He threw three such interceptions in the 1980 divisional playoffs against the Raiders, in the infamous "Red Right 88" game".

NFL Career:

Passing yards: 23,713

Passing touchdowns: 154

Passing interceptions: 149

Rating: 74.8

Wins/losses: 57-55-0

Championships/Super Bowls: 0

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5. Bill Nelson

After the first four quarterbacks, there aren't many left to choose from. I debated between four players to place as my number five pick, Vinny Testaverde (awful), Milt Plum, Tim Couch (look at the stats), and Bill Nelson. I picked Nelson for a couple of reasons. In his five seasons with the Browns he posted a convincing winning record. He also led the Brownies to three playoff appearances in 1968, '69, and '71, two of which ('68 and '69), were conference championships. Nelson rounds out the top five NFL quarterbacks in Browns history.

Who's next?

NFL Career:

Passing yards: 14,165 (9,725 as a Brown)

Passing touchdowns: 98 (71 as a Brown)

Passing interceptions: 101 (71 as a Brown)

Rating: 70.2 (72.1 as a Brown)

Wins/losses: 40-31-3 (34-16-1 as a Brown)

Championships/Super Bowls: 0

The race to the whitehouse with Joe the plumber

Wednesday night our two presidential candidates were supposed to enlighten us one final time. They would explain how each would change the course of American politics. Moreover, they were supposed to stoke the flames of the independent voters and give Americans hope for the future. America listened. America heard one name mentioned repeatedly. Was it George Bush? No. Was it Nancy Pelosi? No. Was it even Sarah Palin? No. It was “Joe the plumber”.

Joe the plumber (Ohio) was the key element in the presidential debate. He may be the most popular repairperson in America. I wonder what he was thinking watching television during the debate. He probably has been fielding phone calls from all of Northwest Ohio seeking his autograph. It was silly to think I would not hear something new and game changing from Obama and McCain. Boy was I wrong, because when I heard Joe’s story it changed my life. It gave me insight into the political system and how it works.

For instance, if I wanted to run for office, I now know how to carry a sophisticated debate on policy. I would mention Joe the plumber! Conversely, I would hope that my opponent would publicly address Joe so we could have an internationally televised, thoughtful, three-way way conference call in front of the American people. When and if the topic changes, it does not matter because I will just cut and paste the “Joe the plumber” story. It’s like when you’re on the computer and you don’t feel like taking the time to type in someone’s email address. Just cut and paste. I think I have it now!

Is Joe the plumber real? I know he is actually a real person but at whose expense? The name Joe and the fact that he is a plumber is too convenient. It 's almost as if he being a plumber, forces the viewers to endow him with a certain caste. Is he overweight and unhappy? He may be now after hearing tonight’s debate. Nonetheless, this debate confirmed that we are in trouble. We have two politicians that would rather massacre a person’s individuality in order to mold him into a political plaything. As if either of them really know this gentleman or know the first thing about plumbing. Joe and I have something in common. We are both affected by the politics of this country, and neither candidate knows who we are.

Cleveland Browns have case of the Mondays!

As I gazed at the television Monday night, I was not sure if I was hallucinating. I asked myself a series of questions to try to grasp some sense of football reality. Was that Jamal Lewis running for eight yards and a first down against the football Giants? Did Braylon Edwards just make a catch? Are the Cleveland Browns on the verge of beating, or should I say pummeling, the (ESPN proclaimed) best team in football? The answer was no, I was not hallucinating and yes the Brownies were playing the sort of football that Clevelanders fell in love with last season.

Besides a number of miscues by the offensive line, the Browns with remarkable play calling by Rob Chudzinski and Mel Tucker were able to put together their best game of the season. This is the sort of game that football fans call a momentum game. The sort of game that we here in Browns town haven’t seen since the classic goal-line stand against the Atlanta Falcons in 2002. The dynamic talents of Jerome Harrison, Josh Cribbs, and the underrated Steve Heiden were finally utilized. The defensive line put pressure on Eli Manning, while the corners had a field day(see Eric Wright’s Neon Deion impression). Anderson was accurate and protected while Jamal tapped danced over and through the egos of the Giant’s defense.

For the fan who gives up his hard-earned money to sit in Cleveland Browns stadium, Monday’s game was everything he or she could have dreamt. I know who Cleveland fans are. They are loyal followers who only expect a few things. They expect their team to execute plays with professionalism and they expect their team to represent the city of Cleveland by playing with heart. Winning is a symptom of these principals. It is precisely these principals that have been missing from the “new” Browns era. Monday’s win was incredibly significant because it gave birth to hope. It also proved the Browns have the type of athletes who can compete with the best in the NFL.

Here are the final questions that I will let the Browns answer. These are the questions, that if you know the recent history of Browns football, you should be asking. Can Romeo and the crew sustain the same effort next week against the Redskins? Will we look like the team we saw on Monday Night? Or, will we revert back to the shadow of the first three games? Let us hope for better days ahead. At least for a Monday Night in Cleveland, Ohio we all saw something that made us dream. I’m am reminded of a quote from the mouth of one Marty Schottenheimer, which if you listen, will ignite flame in your football soul. “There’s a Gleam Men. There’s a Gleam! Let’s get that gleam!”

Kenny Lofton, The Most Cursed Player In Baseball? (An Article for Sport Statistic Junkies)

Chances are, if you lived in Cleveland or have a major league team that plays professional baseball, you've heard of Kenny Lofton. He has played for eleven major league clubs including ten years with the Cleveland Indians. Lofton in his prime was one of the top five leadoff hitters and base stealers in his decade (the 90s). He has a career .300 batting average(.299 let's give him a break)and is also ranked 15th on the all time stolen base list for his career with 622. It's really remarkable, while the Yankees were praised for making 13 straight post season appearances up until this year, it has been Lofton who has played on playoff teams for 11 of the last 13 seasons. In all, he has been to 11 divisional series, 7 championship series, and 2 world series. He has never won a world series ring.

Lofton has never won the "big ring" and has seemed to suffer the most heartbreaking defeats with his respective clubs over the past decade. First, let's track his teams. In order, Lofton has played for 6 playoff bound teams including three stints with the Cleveland Indians. They are: The Cleveland Indians(1995' 96' 98' 99' 01' 07'), Atlanta Braves (1997), SanFransico Giants (2002), Chicago Cubs (2003), New York Yankees (2004), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006).

In 1994 Kenny was part of an Indians club that many say would have reached the World Series and most likely won it. Of course, that is the year major league baseball players went on strike. In 1995 he was part of an Indians club that should have crushed the Atlanta Braves in the world series and ended up losing in six games. After his 1996 season with the Indians, who lost to the Baltimore Orioles in the divisional series, Lofton was traded to the Atlanta Braves for Marquis Grissom and David Justice. The Atlanta Braves made it to the National League Championship Series in 1997 only to lose to the Florida Marlins in six games. The same Florida Marlins team that in turn defeated the Indians in seven games during one of the most tragic postseason chokes in Cleveland sports history(it gets better).

The 1997 Allstar game was held in Cleveland and during his introduction Kenny Lofton was greeted with a standing ovation. This obviously had an affect on him as he decided to return with the Indians for a second stint in 1998. Kenny played four more seasons with the Indians (1998-2001) and reached the post season three out of those four years. This included another American League championship defeat to the hated New York Yankees in six games. In 2002 Lofton again played for the National League, with the Barry Bond's led San Fransico Giants. Kenny and San Fran reached a grueling game seven in the World Series only to lose to the Anaheim Angels.

In 2003 the Chicago Cubs entered the post season as one of the National League's hottest teams. The Cubbies reached the NLCS and were in reach of their first world series since 1908! Yet, Cubs fans found out two things that would destroy their world series chances. One, the infamous Steve Bartman, a fan who knocked a foul ball, and a certain out, from the clutches of Moises Alou of the Chicago Cubs. This event changed the course of the series. Two, believe it or not Kenny Lofton was a member of the 2003 Chicago Cubs who went on to choke against the Florida Marlins in the NLCS.

If this wasn't enough the following year, 2004, Lofton played center field for a powerhouse New York Yankees team that went on to win over one hundred games. They met the world series straved Boston Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS and went up three games to none. Lofton and the Yankees then suffered what may be called the biggest playoff collapse in sports history. Losing four games in a row to the hated Red Sox. The Sox went on to win the World Series that year.

We finally return home for the 2007 season. The Cleveland Indians picked up a 40 year old Lofton mid-season from the Texas Rangers. When he joined the Indians Lofton sparked the Tribe's offense. Cleveland won ninety-six games that season as well as battering the Yankees in the ALDS. Cleveland went up three games to one against the Red Sox and in typical fasion lost three straight in the ALCS. Lofton's chances for a World Series ring went up in smoke and Cleveland still hasn't won a World Series since 1948.

I'm not sure, but I don't know of any other player with this much playoff experience and yet so much heartbreak. To be on eleven playoff teams and never win a World Series ring has to be like having a thirst never to be quenched. Good luck Kenny, Cleveland loves you.

To learn more about Kenny Lofton or gain access to any Major Leauge Baseball statistic, Go to http://www.baseballreference.com/

How To Shop Like Buddha

We have all seen them. Whether you do your shopping at Wegmans, Shoprite, Tops, Giant Eagle, Walmart or Whole Foods. It doesn't matter the venue because they're still there. Walking like sad zombies who are lost in a labyrinth of confusion. Some resemble old war vets with one-thousand yard stares that could bore a hole in your soul. They are men. They are men trying to shop. They are men trying to shop with lists written by women.

We live in dangerous times and the sight of a man trying to navigate his way through the frozen food section paints a lame picture. They stand almost drooling, peering at one section of low fat yogurt not knowing what to do. Do they choose the low-fat blueberry? Or the berry delight with mixed peanuts? What can they do? The list doesn't specify which type of legumes should accompany the cool yogurt. You can observe them sweating and realizing that shortly following their mission, they will face certain doom at home.

I have been one of those men. So I have a deep understanding of their pain. All of us men have gone shopping for a female at least once in our lives. It could be your wife, girlfriend, mother, step-mother, aunt, or female guardian. You hear the voice during halftime of the NBA playoffs(or insert critical sporting or entertainment event here). "Honey? Can you go to the store and pick up some things for me?" Oh no! It's over right?

It is a certain truth that as a male, you will miss or forget at least one item that is either on or off the list given to you. It is just a fact. It could be yogurt or a specific brand of bacon bits that are supposed to be on sale. Men have been going to grocery stores for years and have failed miserably. Even if all the right questions about the list are asked before the journey, we are somehow forced to play jazz and improvise at least once or twice on critical "list items". We go home knowing we didn't get the right dog food, or gravy mix. We go home stressed, upset, and as failures.

Here are some conclusions that I think could bring our sex inner peace while grocery shopping.
1. You are a good person for trying to go out and complete a task to the best of your ability.
Not all people would be willing to leave the sofa to go get olive oil and pie crust for your mother or girlfriend.
2. The list will NEVER be 100% accurate.
It is actually created this way on purpose by loving females, who deep down, enjoy watching us shop in peril. It's imperative to comprehend this.
3. The lists contain items that have never existed in the history of grocery stores.
There are items that women will swear up and down are "right down the isle" or are "right next to the tuna fish". Understand this, they don't exist. Accept this and you have almost reached enlightenment.
4.Learn to take risks and go with your gut.
It is my belief the more risks you take and gut choices you make, the more likely you will screw it up. This could actually be beneficial because you may not be asked to go to the store anymore! You failing could possibly have an affect on how females will trust you with their shopping needs. Which ultimately means retirement from grocery shopping! It also may force or change how females construct their shopping lists. They could possibly add more detail or options (like plan B if they are out of baby carrots).

If you understand and practice these conclusions/methods, you have reached Nirvana. Knowing this can have you shopping like Buddha.

Ready...Set...Debate!

I rushed home from my job on the eve of the debates to watch Govenor Sarah Palin(a.k.a Brett Hull) and Joe Biden (a.k.a Skeletor) duke it out. These two fought back and forth, both trying to bolster support for their running mates and pushing their respective agendas. As for me, I finished watching the heavyweight fight and did three things. One, I itched my feet. I did this because I had been standing all day and the base of my heels were very irritated. Two, I made a glass of chocolate milk. This occurred because I happen to think chocolate milk is one of the most refreshing and underrated beverages of all time. Third, I tried to remember if anything that either candidate had said, actually caused me to have a rational thought. Or perhaps one of these two politicians had caused me to re-evaluate my position on an issue that I cared deeply about? I'm sure that if any of the aforementioned possibilities took place I likely would have still itched my feet, but would have thought twice about pouring my self that chocolate milk.

A "Debate" as defined by Webster's dictionary is : A discussion, as of a public question in an assembly, involving opposing viewpoints. What Webster forgets to mention is that it's imperative to support these opposing viewpoints with researched effort and supporting argument. That, for example, when you contend "Bernie Kosar is the greatest quarterback to play the game of football", You had better have some convincing arguments and facts that at least makes this case plausible. It's not appropriate to just say "just because" or "because he is from Cleveland". Just like it isn't appropriate to use contentions like "Because I'm from Scranton Pennsylvania", therefore I understand the peril of the entire American working class. Nor is it appropriate to boast of selling a private jet on Ebay as evidence of the sort of moral character I may or may not posses.

We as Americans and consumers for too long have accepted this sort of infantile behavior from our public servants. We allow politicians to " Fight Evildoers" or "Put America First" without really demanding of these servants to service us with some concrete information. It seems to me that a frightening amounts of people are satisfied with voting public servants into office without knowing whom or why they vote for them. When asked why? they respond with a slogans like "Because he/she is going to shake up Washington" or "Because he/she it going to bring about change". Are you serious? Maybe the American people as well as our politicians are feeding into a bigger system that we may not be aware of. Our television, media sources, and their content are shaping the way we gather information. It also may be polluting our political and democratic system. (This may be equivalent to throwing trash on a sidewalk in downtown Newark, NJ) Nonetheless it's still dangerous.

Here is what I'm trying to get at. It doesn't matter what your political stance is! (really!) The majority of American's have her interest at heart. Yet, when watching these debates we should all be aware that we are being fed a commodity. We are eating "dis-information". The Humanist writer Neil Postman in his Book "Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business" elaborates on this phenomenon. He states "Disinformation does not mean false information. It means misleading information-misplaced, irrelevant, fragmented or superficial information-information that creates the illusion of knowing something but in fact leads one away from knowing." This theory is based on the premise, as Postman explains, that information has been turned into a commodity throughout the new age of telegraphy and television. That information and even understanding of truth is mutated in order to make it entertaining and therefore easy to sell. That in essence we'd rather be entertained voters rather than informed voters.

The Vice-Presidential Debates were over and Postman's ideas seemed to really ring true. Even at the beginning of this story I referred to the debate as a heavyweight match. Somehow our debates have become fodder that competes with The WWE (formerly WWF). I'm not kidding, many people including me, watched this debate like we would watch a pay-per-view match between pro wrestlers Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. What they actually were saying became secondary. The debates are set up by the television medium to be a platform for candidates to say as little as possible without making a mistake. Actually elaborating or having passion for a topic hurts chances of being understood or liked. As a candidate, if you say as little as possible without any missteps, while looking good doing it. You have most likely won the hearts of the American people.

Seeing how this election process has gone, it seems very clear that Postman was on to something. As we talk about Sarah Palin's new hair-do or her latest interview. Know this, we are all at the troff of the information buffet and the t.v networks are all Burger-king's, Macdonald's, and Taco Bell's giving us cheap unhealthy food that tastes good but in the long run will kill us. Put down the Burger America! Go to the market and cook at home. Think about what you eat and what it does to your health. Let's make an educated choice!. Let's not"run for the border" or "have it our way" this election. If we continue, Postman argues that "we are losing our sense of what it means to be well informed. Ignorance is always correctable. But what shall we do if we take ignorance to be knowledge? Well Mr. Postman, we wouldn't comprehend certain truths of this world. Feet itch, chocolate milk is inconceivably good, and Bernie Kosar is the greatest quarterback to play football. Hey! just because he's from Cleveland.

What Happened to "Boo-Berry" ?

America as we know it is in shambles. The economy is at a standstill and our leaders can't seem to put on their Velcro shoes on in the morning. So there I am in the middle of an important conversation about how I can help solve America's woes and something even greater overcomes me. A question that I'm sure thousands of Clevelander's and people who grew up in the 90s all over the nation are asking. What ever happened to "Boo Berry" cereal?

One of the things that brightened my day growing up was going to the market with my mother and cereal shopping. Walking down that long isle with the warm shimmer of cereal boxes gracing my cheek bones. Light sprung from the various titles that colored the boxes of wholesome goodness. "Golden Crisp" (a classic ) "Coco Puffs" (slightly overrated because of obvious aftertaste) "Fruit Loops" (a colorful choice) "Lucky Charms" (purchased solely for marshmallow goodness) "Trix" (this was bought because I had empathy for that rabbit). Now, there were the three cereals that all mothers saw as the bane of breakfast and health. You would shoot one look towards the direction of this cereal and your mother said "No way". "Do you want your teeth to rot?". Yes we did. For the pleasure of ingesting General Mill's "Count Chocula", "Frankenberry", and the elusive "Booberry".

Now this is interesting because "Count Chocula" is the most popular of the three because he is obviously favored in the marketing scheme. Also, Chocolate flavor seems to be more popular in America over "Berry-Like" themes or flavors. So, obviously "Frankenberry" and Boo have a disadvantage. I admit that Chocula tastes the best but feel that "BooBerry" has a charisma that is unlike any other. He is by nature sad. Look at him on the cover of the cereal box. He lacks confidence even next to a mediocre "Frakenberry". The cereal doesn't taste great either. What is supposed to be a subtle blueberry taste comes across as a brash wash of muddled flavors. Yet even with this disadvantage, the mere sight of the cereal-box always made me think twice. And the fact that "Booberry" cereal would appear and re-appear on store shelves made it an enigmatic cereal choice. A choice of someone who really kept a watchful eye on the breakfast shelves. Since I have been a kid I've shopped the long cereal isle. There are moments I see a faint blue glow beckoning me. At times I go to it.

(Interesing facts)
Researching the history of these cereals I found out that "Booberry" isn't discontinued as I once thought. Nor is the over-eager "Frankenberry" (which is an exaggerated mosh-pit of fruity flavors) . They are now scarcely marketed and used during holidays like Halloween and Christmas. I also found that "Frakenberry" was originally made in the 70s with a dye that the human body couldn't break down(no joke). So the feces of the children who ate this cereal would be bright pink. This condition was sometimes named "Franken-stool".
There are also two rogue cereals from the same General Mill's family of Chocula, Fraken, and Boo. They are called "Fruit Brute" produced from (1975-1983) and what supposed to be Brute's replacement "Yummy Mummy" produced from (1987-1993).