While We’re Waiting… Running Back-Up, Vacating Wins and Missing Vickers

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com

Pluto with a good Sunday notes piece, including this on the Browns’ plans for the RB position- “4. I hear the Browns will look for another running back once free agency begins. The new coaches absolutely love what they saw of Montario Hardesty on film from his days at Tennessee. And Hardesty is supposed to be fully recovered from his knee surgery. But he does have a history of injuries and surgeries. The Browns don’t want to risk him being hurt again and Peyton Hillis being worn down as he was at the end of last season.

5. They won’t spend huge money on a running back, but they will look for someone with experience who can be a decent backup. They also plan to shop the list of undrafted college free agents for a back — and they may sign between 10 and 15 players who were passed over in the last draft.” [Pluto/Cleveland.com]

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Something to chew on, I’ll have more on this later- “The rings stay, but the trophy will go. Smith said it will be taken off display at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, but he wasn’t certain it would be returned to the Big Ten. The same goes for the Sugar Bowl trophy. It also remains unclear whether players will receive the gold pants charms traditionally given for beating Michigan. Last year’s seniors had prepared for this, Browning said.

“It definitely is disappointing to see it happening but, at the same time, with the things that were happening with the NCAA, we kind of knew something like this was coming,” he said. “We understand why the university had to do those things, working forward and looking to Ohio State’s future.” [May/Dispatch]

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“While Vickers doesn’t know what uniform he’ll be in this coming season, he’s certainly established himself as one of the better fullbacks in the league. Vickers has had the opportunity to open up holes for Jamal Lewis (back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons), Jerome Harrison (286 yards against the Chiefs), and Peyton Hillis (Madden ’12 cover winner). He loves his position, and absolutely loves the players he’s had the opportunity to block for.

“I’ve enjoyed blocking for all of them. (Lewis, Harrison, Hillis). They each have their own style, and I’ve had to adjust my game to theirs. Jamal was a different back than Harrison and Hillis and vice versa. It hasn’t always been about me gaining yards. I think, in the NFL, it’s better to give than to receive. So when Peyton Hillis was named to the cover of Madden ’12, that was my gift as well. All those yards those guys have gained, I truly feel like they’re my yards as well.” [McQuaid/Browns Gab]

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“What I do strongly believe, however, is that there is no city that collectively demonstrates how traditional and non-traditional media can best co-exist and complement each other in the coverage of sports than Cleveland currently does. I’d put our blogging community here up against anybody’s from anywhere else in the country. From the Browns, to the Indians, and to guys like you here at DDG with the Cavaliers, it’s a mutual admiration society as far as I’m concerned. In addition to that, I also think that Cleveland has some of the most open-minded and engaging traditional journalists around as well. The totality of that that makes this an exciting town to cover sports in, and I also think Cleveland serves as an example of how media across all spectrums can best evolve together.

Maybe it’s a complimentary tweet from a guy like John Telich, a shout-out from guys like T.J. Zuppe or Will Burge on the radio, a re-tweet from people like Sam Amico or Zak Jackson, a word of encouragement from Bob Finnan or Scott Raab, or an email from whoever else, but just about every blogger I know has a story about somebody like that offering a kind word or constructive advice in one capacity or another. That goes a long way, for both sides I think, and it’s that mutual respect for passionate coverage that makes covering sports in this town both fun and unique in my opinion.” [Brendan Bowers/Dear Dan Gilbert]

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Cavs the Blog with a unique goodbye picture for JJ Hickson.