More Trouble on the Buckeye Front?
December 12, 2008Larry Hughes Equals Fail (Again)
December 12, 2008
The 12 Days of a Cleveland Fan Christmas is like Mark Price at the free throw line- you can count on it to deliver! The winner of yesterday’s giveaway was Lyon, who picks up a new Cleveland Browns Mini-Helmet! Congrats Lyon! And thanks to all 34 of you who submitted answers to the question. (The contest will continue tomorrow, and will take Sunday off. Unlike Mark Price. He doesn’t take days off.)
So on the third day of the giveaway we remind you of the qualifications to enter:
Each day of the contest, we will ask a question for you to answer. Respond to the giveaway post with a comment formatted like this- restate the question, then answer it in EXACTLY 64 words. (Last year of a major Cleveland championship.)
– You may only enter once each day. You are free to comment on each otherâs answers, however.
– The winner will be chosen at random from the qualifying entries. Winners will be notified the following day by email (make sure the email address you registered to comment with is a real one!) You must be at least 18 years old to win, and only one winner per household during this giveaway please.
The prizes range from tickets to the Tribe home opener, to books, to jerseys, and even a few WFNY items thrown in there too. (Yes, shameless self-promotion!) No complaining about which prize you win, those have been randomly selected for specific days of the contest. Sound good? Hey itâs free stuff, how picky can you get?! All answers have to be submitted by midnight, Cleveland time. Donât worry about having the same answer as someone else, just put it in your own words. It isnât a contest to see who is a better writer. Remember thoughâŠEXACTLY 64 words!
With that saidâŠHereâs todayâs question to respond to:
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
39 Comments
Please, someone write 64 words on Alvaro Espinoza!
Ha! I e-mailed Rick and told him that’s who I would pick, were I allowed to answer. I didn’t want to spoil it in the comments (ahem, Scott). Horse out of barn.
i dont know if its allowed, but i gotta repeat my answer from yesterday as an answer to this question….
“Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?”
Easily Jason Michaels. Jason Michaels was the best platoon outfielder the Indians have ever had. He is also a great bench asset. If a bench clearing brawl were to occur, you know Michaels would be there kicking an ass or two. Just ask the cop in Philly whom Jason knocked on his ass. Pronkville? Yeah right. They should have made Jason Michaelsville in left-field.
Mine goes to Darnell Dinkins. Anytime I watch a Browns Kickoff or Punt, and the refs throw a penalty flag, I can always be assured that the first words out of my mouth will be âWhat did Dinkins do this time?â and sure enough ⊠he always finds a way to come through for me in the clutch with a block in the back.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Harold Miner. Baby Jordan. Alright, so this dude was cursed from the beginning with the next Jordan label, but wasn’t him coming to Cleveland the nail in the coffin? I loved that we signed him, but it was at the end of his career when everyone knew he sucked but we took that last chance he was good. A four year NBA career, congrats.
You want Ălvaro Alberto Espinoza? You got it!
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Ălvaro, Ălvaro, what a man.
In 1984, his illustrious career began.
He first spent time with the Twins and the Yankees.
This made John Hart jealous and cranky.
So, in Cleveland, Espinoza made his third stop.
For Hart didnât care about Ălvaroâs flattop.
He went on to bat .252 with the Tribe.
But his effect on us Clevelanders is more than words can describe.
Yes!
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Kelly Shoppach. This was a no brainer. The guy is the man, and fills in great when Victor has a day off. The only thing that would make him better is if he had a mustache like Scott Player (Browns about three game punter). Really, having Kelly allows the tribe never to worry about the catcher, because they have 2 that could start.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Again, I have to go with a recent one, Boobie Gibson. Just the way he came alive in the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals really excited me and a lot of other fans. It also didn’t hurt that the week after the Cavs beat the Pistons, I met Boobie and got his autograph. He was a class act. He was so nice to me. Unforgettable.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
This is a tough one, primarily due to its vagueness… never started, ever? Was primarily a backup? Would someone who was a backup but graduated to starter at a later date count, if you’re only considering their backup time? Hey, Bernie was a backup for a while in ’93, right? I’ll choose.. scab receiver Perry Kemp, from ’87. Wait, was he a *starting* scab?
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Brant Boyer is the answer for me, the former special teams ace of the Cleveland Browns. He was for the expansion Browns on special teams what Josh Cribbs is now, minus the epic return skills. He seemed to be in every pileup, and when he finally did get to crack the linebackers rotation, he was great! Injuries derailed his sure to be great career
@Brick- very nice!
@Alex- don’t forget to restate the question…helps us to determine which are entries and which are just comments…
@Tapin- sorry for the vagueness!
@Rick — no worries, wasn’t a complaint, just an excuse as to why my answer was likely to be rather poor đ
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
This is pretty tough. So many favorites, canât pick just one. GOT ONE! The Indians fine middle infielder of the early 2000sâŠJohn McDonald. The guy was a whiz with the glove and made more web gems than any reserve in Baseball Tonight than I could ever remember. He still flashes the leather up north in Toronto. Much love for JMac. Honorable mention: Jolbert Cabrera.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
I canât believe no one has mentioned Brady Quinn; he spent a long time as the second string quarterback for the Browns. After a season and a half of anticipation I got to see him play a game and break his finger. He manned up for a second game but that ended his season. Now Iâm waiting for next year to see him again.
I realized after I did it that I didn’t restate it… but I couldn’t go back and fix it so it is my official entry
i was gonna mention any back-up QB in general on the browns honestly…
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Its got to be Damon Jones! The Mohawk, the trash talking on the court, the controversy with the Wizards, the occasional 3 pointer to win a game, this guy was most charisma you could get out of a guy who gets like 5 minutes of playing time a game, if that. How could you not pick “the best shooter in the league”? He was the man.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
It has to be the infamous Cleveland Browns backup tight end, Chad Mustard. His career with the Browns was short-lived, but the man was the size of a small building and destroyed defensive ends and linebackers on goal line sets. I don’t know if he ever recorded a catch, but I know I loved screaming Mustard! everytime he was sent into the game.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Without a doubt it has to be Bob âGet Your Heart Medicine Readyâ Wickman. Every time he came barreling out of the pen, you knew were about to witness a train wreck that we would somehow survive. He would use the magic of the gruffy beard, chewing tobacco, and the magic shorter finger to lock the game down. He was better than Joe Boroswski.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Even though he only played 42 games for the Cavs, Earl Boykins is my favorite non-starting Cleveland athlete. He was a foot shorter than everybody else, but he seemed to provide a spark whenever he entered the game. I’m still upset they let him go–he could have done well for some bad Cavs teams. He’d have been better than Bimbo Coles, right?
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
You cannot pronounce his name. You cannot spell his name. However, there is no denying the impact this players hustle and energy has on the team. After all, how many role players in sports have their own âNight.â Next to LeBron James bobblehead, Wig night is the most sought after promotion. I am talking about Sideshow Bob, the Wild-Thing, Clevelandâs own Brazilian, Anderson Varejao.
@danwise- Great pick! Maybe if you win you’ll get the Andy T-shirt!! It would be the right thing to do.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
I was going to use former pitcher Kazuhito Tadano for comedic reasons, but that’s way too easy. Lets go with everbody’s favorite backup tight end, Steve Heiden. It seems to me that the Browns could get themselves some headlines with a Brady/Winslow/Heiden feud like the Cowboys are having right now. As for why he’s my favorite, he keeps his mouth shut and makes plays.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Jerome Harrison. Always an unappreciated back, even as a Wazzu Cougar. Despite leading NCAA Division I in rushing yards with 1,900, he was passed 144 times before being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2006. Since then, Harrison is still trying to prove that he is starting material. Despite averaging nearly 8 yards per carry, Jerome continues to ride the pine thanks to RAC.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
JJ Hickson is my current favorite player that hasn’t started. Did you expect me to say Steve Kerr? I was one of those people who on draft day said, “Who the heck is JJ Hickson?” He had to earn my admiration because he didn’t come with any of the hype earlier draft picks had. But hey, the dude dunks hard, and i like that.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
I will have to answer by pointing out one particular player who embodied both meanings of the word ânon-starter:â Damon Jones. For one, the man could not play enough defense to climb his way up Mike Brownâs depth chart when we didnât even have a starting point guard. For another, I cringed every time he touched the ball. Damon Jones: the definition of ânon-starter.â
Darn; didn’t notice that Eli already said Damon . . .
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Has to be the immortal Chris MaGruder, Indians outfielder! My favorite memories include trying to write him into the All-Star game, he also broke up Jeff Weavers No-Hit bid in 2003 with a double in his first Ab as an Indian. Today I read on Wikipedia that he was nicknamed McGriddle in, you guessed it, Milwaukee, he’s also cousins with Jon Kitna…How Fitting.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
My favorite non-starter has got to be Terry Cousin. I often enjoy Sundayâs, Thursdayâs, and Mondayâs watching Terry âTheir running a slant over the middleâ Cousin get burned by every teams slot receiver. I mean he is obviously the best option around and provides that veteran leadership that this club needs. I would also like to give Stallworth and mention here, he never starts!!!
Cleveland’s favorite non-starter has to be the Browns back up quarterback.
/Good God, that’s Bruce Gradkowski’s music!!!
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
It has to none other than Joe Jurevicius. It stinks that he has been unable to recover from what should be a relatively simple procedure. I hope that he will be able to play next season under (another hope) Bill Cowher in Cleveland! Not only is it great that Joe is a hometown boy, but also because he is an all around great guy.
@Bobby O’Brien- Didn’t McGriddle blast a walk off granny against Mo Rivera or was it a solo walkoff HR?
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Wally Szczerbiak. Although he’s not really a historic figure in Cleveland sports, I love watching him play. He’s gotten a lot more playing time as of late, and always comes in at the clutch to nail a 3 pointer. He’s also willing to take a hit or give a foul when necessary. He might as well be a starter, though, he gets enough minutes.
Coming straight out of Washington State, it is Jerome Harrison hands down this year. The Waiting for Next Year staff continually pointed out that Jerome would come in rack up about 10 yards on one play, and be sat back down when Romeo’s short attention span relapsed, and he forgot about coaching and more about when McDonald’s was going to bring back the McRib.
I know Ill date myself with this answer but my favorite non starter has to be Gomer Hodge from the Indians. I remember when he went 2 for 2 and insisted he was batting 2000! If I recall correctly, he was genuine in a time where others werent. May Indians fever smile on you whereever you are big guy! If only he could manage!
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
Simon Fraser. I don’t think anyone can fully appreciate his awesomeness until you see him spin around in a chair yelling “boner, boner, boner…” for a history of art performance art piece. Plus he would’ve single handedly won us a game twice at one point, even if he single handedly lost more than that. I was known to randomly yell Simon Fraser during games.
Who is your favorite non-starter in Cleveland sports history?
For me, it is Wally Szczerbiak. Heâs the man. As a current Miami Redhawk, I loved seeing Wally get traded to the Cavs last season. I can not wait for the playoffs this season so Wally can hit a game winning 3 for a victory. I hope we do not trade him later this year. Love and honor to Miami, forever and a day!
[…] 12 Days of a Cleveland Fan Christmas continues! Great responses to yesterday’s question, and the randomly selected winner was Bobby O’Brien! Congrats Bobby! He’ll be sporting […]