Frank: Irving and Gee “Kicked Our Tail”
February 22, 2012
The Best Browns Since 1999 – Linebackers
February 22, 2012While 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.
“Asked by one reporter if the team could go back and analyze that 30-15 start to find out what was working for the club, Acta cut off the question and replied: “We’re talented. We have some talent here. It wasn’t anything different that we did in Spring Training or anything like that. Our focus is to win and when you’re in a rebuilding process you can see it from year to year. We’re talented. It’s not a fluke when you spend as long as we did in first place.”
Injuries or not — and that certainly took a toll on the Tribe in 2011 — Acta would’ve preferred to see more consistency over the course of the entire season. That is what the manager is hoping to witness in 2012. “Everybody would like to win right off the bat,” Acta said. “It’s what comes after that. How many teams start 30-15? You’re not going to see that very often. We’d still like to have a goodstart — that sets the tone. But it’s such a long season. That’s why we downplayed allthat all the time. It’s 162 games.” [Bastian/MLB.com]
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“While we are still intrigued by the idea of the Browns weakening Pittsburgh by signing restricted free agent Mike Wallace, we have to admit to having some reservations after reading Ed Bouchette’s latest in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Bouchette points out that Wallace caught 43 passes for 800 yards in the first eight games of last season, but only had 29 receptions for 393 yards in the final eight games. He closed out the year with three receptions for 26 yards in the Steelers playoff loss to Denver. Was that just a slump or did defenses figure something out?” [Red Right 88]
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No surprises here- “A half-century later, Brown’s devastating combination of speed and power remains arguably the best in NFL history. For his career, Brown averaged 5.2 yards per carry, and his 12,312 career yards in just 118 career games still ranks ninth all-time (as of the end of the 2011 season). Remember, the NFL regular season was only 12 GAMES for four of Brown’s nine years.
In all Brown only carried the ball 2,359 times while all-time leader Emmitt Smith had 4,409 carries, and Brown is the only runner to AVERAGE 100 yards per game during a career. Retiring for good at just age 29, Brown is ranked No. 1 on the Pro Football Reference EloRater, No. 2 on the NFL Network’s list of the top 100 players ever, and No. 4 on ESPN’s SportsCentury list (all athletes) in 1999.” [Allen/Midwest Sports Fan]
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“So what has happened? While points were certainly hard to come by in the loss to Michigan State, Buford had 4 points in 36 minutes, shooting 2-12 from the field. In the loss to Michigan on Saturday he had 6 points in 40 minutes, shooting 3-12 from the field. Yes, these are just a couple of select and alarming stats but it does help put into perspective what this team faces when he struggles. Personally, the only thing that I can see from a fan standpoint is that he rushes shots all too often, but the same can be said about the entire Ohio State offense. He tends to have a bad shot selection and, coupled with that, he oftentimes shoots very early into the shot clock instead of letting plays develop and come to him. We can be spoiled because, when he hits those shots and gets hot, all is forgiven as it is a thing of beauty to watch and see develop. Unfortunately, those games seem to be far a few between for one reason or another this season as he’s averaging less than 9 points per game against the top four B1G teams.” [Buckeye Battle Cry]
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“On a cinder-block wall adjacent to the front entrance of the Indians’ training complex, a large script “I” has been replaced this year by a block “C,” which, of course, stands for Cleveland. The Indians would like to believe it also symbolizes that they’re contenders.
However, just being in the hunt or near the top won’t be enough for closer Chris Perez, sporting a full beard and longer hair this spring. He’s done with rebuilding, second-place and any talk about waiting until next year. Perez wants more for the Indians in 2012.” [Withers/Yahoo.com]
13 Comments
You can be assured that if the Steelers let Wallace sign within their division, the Browns are making a bad decision and the Steelers are not.
Sad to see that Perez hates WFNY. What did we do?
I see what you did there
RR88 doesn’t take into consideration the Steelers offense as a whole struggled the 2nd half and a large part of that had to do with injuries?
I’m not expecting Mike Wallace to sign here though. Would love if he joined Arizona though. Old Pitt coaching staff guys and weakens Pitt (plus Fitz + Wallace would just be fun).
Adam Schefter was on Mike and Mike this morning talking about how a team could make life tough for the Steelers by giving Wallace a big signing bonus that the Steelers either could not or would not want to match. If the Steelers had to cut 3 other guys just to match an offer to Wallace, they might choose to let him go.
Unfortunately, the Steelers gave Wallace the high tender offer, so if we were to try and sign him, we’d have to give up a first round pick (I am unclear on the rules as to whether that’d be this year or next?). I don’t think I’d give up the #4 and all of our cap space for Mike Wallace
But if some other team wants to take him from the Steelers? I’ll send ’em a fruit basket
I know, Roethlisberger’s injury hurt in the second half of the season, but Antonio Brown’s receiving yards went up in the second half.
Wallace’s numbers may not mean anything, but it did give me pause.
It’s going to be very difficult for the Steelers to keep Wallace, and with the Browns needing a deep threat he is an interesting target, although any damage they would put on Pittsburgh by signing him away would be offset by having to give up a first-round draft pick.
Let them keep Wallace. I’d rather steal Brown from them next year.
that’s fair, but really the only reason Brown’s numbers went up was the first game against us where we committed extra resources to Wallace and let Brown burn us.
Brown did remain more consistent
first 8 games 34 catches 431yds 1 TD (1 game over 100yds)
last 8 games 35 catches 677yds 1 TD (2 games over 100yds)
one interesting note is that he only had 2 games over 6 catches in the first half, but no games like that in the second half.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrowAn04/gamelog/2011/
in my opinion, from watching them, Brown received the CB2 more often and also benefited from the safety help usually shifted to Wallace’s side (because of the fear for his speed downfield). also, of note, that Brown is not a good red zone target.
I’d rather have Blackmon, K-Wright, Floyd, or Sanu than Brown without questions, so I do not think he is worth a 1st round pick (now if the Steelers put a lower tender on him next year, we can debate that).
if you have 2 1st round picks, then you have to give up your original 1st round pick. that’s why NE would only give up #31, but, yes, we would have to give up pick #4. not gonna happen.
but: AZ and their ex-Pitt coaching staff could sign Mike Wallace to try to entice Peyton Manning some more. Hey Peyton, wanna throw to Larry and Mike and play in the NFC West?
My hope is that we manage to get a WR1 in here (draft or FA–more likely FA. Don’t think Blackmon is worth it at 4) this year to pair with Little. If so, next year Brown would be a terrific piece to add…for the right price, of course. Not giving up a top-10 pick for him, but I don’t know that they would tender him that high either.
And yes, that was mention of the 2013 draft. Just what this place needs.
actually, the 2014 draft as I believe the tender gives them the pick in the next draft, not the current one.
I’m getting dizzy