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.
The Stew breaks down the game one pitching match-ups over the last twenty years and ranks them. Guess what? “2. 1995 — Orel Hershiser, Cleveland vs. Greg Maddux, Atlanta (141) After the strike ate the World Series in 1994, Maddux gave fans the best kind of welcome-back present, pitching a two-hit complete-game victory in a 3-2 Braves win. Hershiser gave up three runs over six innings, but struck out seven Atlanta batters.
1. 2009 — Cliff Lee, Philadelphia vs. CC Sabathia, New York (147) This game felt really special when we watched it and it turns out that it’s the best of the last 20 years. Cliff Lee struck out 10 batters and did not allow an earned run in a six-hit complete-game victory. Sabathia did his part, giving up two runs over seven. A weak four-run effort from the Yankees’ bullpen gave the Phillies a 6-1 victory and destroyed a great indicator of how good the battle of the aces really turned out to be.” [Big League Stew]
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Entitlement? I don’t think that is the problem. “Now that the Browns are 2-3 after back-to-back disappointing performances (on offense), fans are starting to question Mike Holmgren’s hire once again. Reading the various Cleveland Browns message boards on the internet, I’ve really started to become appalled by most Browns fans. Some fans have started this conspiracy that Holmgren only hired Shurmur because his uncle, Fritz, was Holmgren’s defensive coordinator in Green Bay when the Packers won the Super Bowl in ’96. Fans are even calling for Shurmur to be fired, citing his “dumfounded” expressions on the sidelines as one of the many reasons the coach should be axed.
Now, I’m a relatively young Browns fan. I remember the team right before Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore (the ’94 season specifically), but have relied on my father’s stories about how great the team use to be. The truth is the Browns haven’t tasted much success in the last 20 years or so. They’ve never reached the Super Bowl, and have a 16-20 overall record in the NFL playoffs. The Browns haven’t won a championship since 1964, and haven’t been a consistent threat to make the playoffs since the ’80s. So I ask this, where did this sense of entitlement come from Browns fans?” [Browns Gab]
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“With that said, I find I have to ask myself after Sunday’s loss to the Oakland Raiders – Is Colt McCoy regressing? Where has the accuracy and poise gone that we saw behind a supposedly less-talented and offensively archaic squad in 2010? With the exception of the Indianapolis game, McCoy has failed to consistently deliver crisp, accurate passes with the game still in question. This week there were a number of attempts well off the mark, even to his most reliable target, tight end Ben Watson.
Perhaps the most disheartening observation I had during the Raiders game was that for the first time, McCoy did not exhibit the moxie, good pocket presence, timing or elusiveness when the protection broke down that has given many fans hope. On just the second play from scrimmage McCoy failed to deliver a pass to an open Mohamed Massaquoi on the left side with pressure applied by an Oakland blitz. The young quarterback frankly looked skittish…on the second play from scrimmage? Why the happy feet all of a sudden? Passes Colt McCoy seemed to be able to complete in his sleep (namely the tight end crossing route) are suddenly behind the target, or worse.” [Campomizzi/Dawg Pound Daily]
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Um, no. Actually most fans I know thought at least 3-2 if not 4-1. “OK, Browns fans, admit it. If I came to you before the season and said the Browns would start off 2-3, you would be content with that. Most prognosticators had Cleveland as a .500 team this season, and starting 2-3 is right in that neighborhood. So why is the Dawg Pound growling so much? Well, the angst from this season isn’t about the losses. It’s about how the Browns have lost. There was the defensive gaffe in the season opener, when Cleveland wasn’t lined up and essentially gave the game-winning touchdown to the Bengals. There was the special teams slip-up this past Sunday, when the Browns weren’t prepared for a fake field goal and handed an easy touchdown to the Raiders. The unsoundness of the Browns’ play has been disturbing, especially when it’s under someone who is in his first NFL head coaching position. It’s hard to get a team to believe in a new direction when the Browns have only been able to beat two winless teams this year (the Dolphins and Colts). But the bigger problem is how the Browns have beaten themselves.” [Hensley/AFC North Blog]
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What? Really? “Marc Stein of ESPN Dallas says the Rangers wanted Nowitzki, the MVP of the NBA Finals, to repeat his effort of June 25, when he threw out the first pitch against the New York Mets. Stein says Nowitzki is a die-hard fan who has watched “every playoff game” and even attended Game 6 of the ALCS. The clincher! Check out the look on Dirk’s face in the photo from June; he’s obviously psyched. But all of the baseball owners — not just the home team — may object to who throws out first pitches in the World Series, and they don’t want to make it look like they’re crossing some kind of imaginary picket line by showcasing Nowitzki.” [Brown/Big League Stew]
