Cleveland State Takes Two: Keeps Pace in Horizon League
January 24, 2011The NFL, Injuries, Cutler and Cribbs
January 24, 2011
Last week, in my Still WFNY piece on Cleveland.com, I mentioned that Alex Mack was one of the better centers in the game. Strangely, I was lit up left and right by commenters for that statement.
Well, his peers have spoken in my defense.
With Pittsburgh Center Maurkice Pouncey heading to the Super Bowl (and nursing an injury),The NFL announced today that Mack, the Browns former first-round pick, has been named to the AFC Pro Bowl team to replace Pouncey.
The second-year player out of California has been a rock in the middle of the Browns line, and has yet to miss an offensive snap since being named the starter before Week one in 2009.
Meanwhile, how classic is this photo of Mack on draft day? Yes, that is the one and only George Kokinis standing next to him with that gigantic grin. Little did he know that he was going to be out of a job a few months later.
But I digress.
Kudos to Mack for making his first Pro Bowl.
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photo via Lynn Ishay/Plain Dealer
15 Comments
Who’s the dude on the left? haha
I don’t see what any of this has to do with Clay Matthews. Good job Alex!
One day Clay Matthews the fans will Clay Matthews look at the ’09 draft Clay Matthews and see that Clay Matthews it cannot be considered the total Clay Matthews bust we all assume it to Clay Matthews be if it produced Clay Matthews a pro bowler.
Just Clay Matthews kidding. It sucked. Derek Clay Matthews Anderson was a pro bowl substitute, too.
Derek “Clay Matthews” Anderson, huh?
Peter King of SI named Mack to his first-string All-Pro team. That means something.
From what I’ve read, Mack actually replaced Nick Mangold on the roster; Pouncey was replaced by the Colts Jeff Saturday.
In any event, the honor is deserved, Mack has been very solid. While I would trade Mark Sanchez’s 2 playoff births for Mack’s Pro Bowl bid, at least when we traded down the Browns ended up with a Pro Bowler.
Congrats to Mack!
Reminds me of Mo Williams making the All-Star team after the three guys ahead of him couldn’t play for various reasons. But hey at least the Browns got someone on the roster for whatever it’s worth.
Harv 21, very funny.
Alex Mack, congrats. Well deserved. I remember how up and down your first few weeks of training camp were as a rookie, nice to know you figured it out. I still can’t tell when you are doing a good job or not and I never hear your name…which I guess means you are doing a good job.
Looks like the Browns have hit on their last 2 first rounders (Haden, Mack) and are 3 of 4 if you go back to 2007 (Thomas, Mack, Haden with Quinn as a bust).
“But hey at least the Browns got someone on the roster for whatever it’s worth.”
Joe Thomas already being on it doesn’t count?
@10 You posted the story about Mack before Thomas right? Anyways pardon me two Pro Bowlers. Now the season wasn’t as bad as I thought.
Honestly, Mack had a better year than Mangold or Pouncey. They got in the first place because their teams were winning while ours was not.
Pouncey might end up better in the long run, but he made a bunch of mental mistakes. Mangold had a rough year for whatever reason.
@9 – I don’t think Quinn was “technically” a bust. After all, we got Hillis for him. Can’t we just count Hillis as our 1st rounder that year and forget we ever draft Brady?
Well deserved for Mack. Wasn’t a sexy draft pick, but it continues to look better and better..
“You posted the story about Mack before Thomas right?”
The Thomas story was related to his All-Pro award, not the Pro Bowl. The Thomas Pro Bowl story was posted weeks ago. Solid pre-troll diligence.