Indians and Michael Brantley close to signing four-year extension
February 10, 2014Pitchers and Catchers Report! Wahoo!
February 11, 2014Cleveland sports fans are waiting. Thus, while we’re all waiting, the WFNY editors thought you might enjoy reading. Because you never know how long we might be waiting. So here are assorted reading goodies for you to enjoy. Send more good links for tomorrow’s edition to tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
“A man swings a stick at a ball and then runs around in a circle. A group of men run into another group of men while another man either attempts to run through or around them, or throw a dead animal over them. Five people toss a piece of rubber in a bucket by bouncing it on the ground. None of those activities make a lick of sense without context. They would look, to an alien, completely stupid. We only attach importance to them because we’ve been watching them our whole lives. They are normal to us only because they are ours.
So you and I are laughing at curling, but this is only because you and I watch it every four years and therefore only notice its eccentricities. Why are they on ice but not wearing skates? Why are the bagpipes played before every match? Is this the only sport ever invented in which the primary object used in play has a handle? And sweet mother of mercy, what is with all the brooms?” [Leitch/Sports on Earth]
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“Best-case offseason scenario: With seven picks in the first four rounds, the Browns can get a lot of help right away. It would help the team to retain at least Ward, a really good safety who just turned 27, maybe Mack as well and figure out a restructured deal for linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, a good player whose $4.1 million roster bonus in March might be a bit pricey. An underrated position of need is running back, where the Browns don’t have anyone resembling an NFL starter. Perhaps their extra third- or fourth-round pick can be used on one. And, of course, it would be great for the franchise to finally land a quarterback that can lead this team to the playoffs at some point.” [Schwab/Shutdown Corner]
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“After an injury to Adolphus Washington, Bosa got his first start against Cal. Against the Golden Bears he notched two tackles for loss and never looked back. The kid was a force to be reckoned with and finished the season with 39 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. Who’s to say what those numbers would have looked like had he seen the field sooner.
Bosa’s a hard-nosed guy who’s grit was on display during the Orange Bowl. The freshman was clearly hurt but continued to go back out and give it his all. He’s an amazing player who is only going to get better. Be afraid B1G. Be very afraid.” [Beck/Eleven Warriors]
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“Gritty, hard-nosed and a winning attitude are good attributes to have in a ball player. Toss in above average speed, a rocket throwing arm and growing power and you have the Cleveland Indians’ Tyler Naquin. The Tribe’s first round pick in the 2012 First Year Player Draft is a spring invitee to the Indians’ major league camp this spring and one of the top prospects in their organization.
While Naquin will see time with the big league roster in spring training, the Indians #5 prospect according to MLB.com will likely start the season at Double-A Akron. For some fans, this spring may be their first look at the Tribe’s potential future center fielder. Naquin explains his style of play and compares himself in a way most Indians fans can understand. His play is very much like the small town, southern, determined attitude he learned growing in Spring, Texas.” [Brandyberry/DTTWLN]
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Our own Ben Cox was a guest on the More Than a Fan podcast. [MTAF]
22 Comments
the only best case scenario I want to see is the draft going: Manziel, Matthews, Bortles
if that happens, then I’ll be ecstatic.
You won’t be ecstatic if they say the Browns traded with Houston…!!!!
If Bridgewater goes prior to #4 maybe they’ll do the sensical thing and draft BPA (which I would assume would be someone like Watkins or Clowney). After watching the disasters we’ve had behind center for the past many years it would really hurt not to get a potential franchise QB, but I guess not as much as wasting a pick on somebody who’s not.
For the record, I am a Michigan fan, and yet I think it would be a good idea for the Browns to draft Guiton if he’s still hanging around in the 6th, even if they draft someone higher (I still think its going to be Mettenberger).
Whatever they do, I hope they don’t trade up from 4 for anybody. If Mike Sam falls to our second third rounder, that’d be swell (come on good ole boy network, you owe us one).
So, to recap: NO TRADING UP, get lucky with Mike Sam (no pun intended, I swear), and Guiton in 6th or later. Oh, and please bolster the offensive line with more than one player.
You can’t roll the dice at #4. You’ve got to grab the sure thing, and that’s Watkins. If we have a chance to get a likely impact player, we gotta draft him. We don’t have the luxury of risking high picks on a hope-and-a-prayer QB (let alone TWO, mg!).
/Out of bad metaphors for now.
yep, if they determine the other guys are not. my worst fear is that the draft goes: Bridgewater, Manziel, Bortles. That would leave us with Carr or BPA. I’d want to shop Clowney around and go from there at that point, but we may just try to fix QB, which would be a reach at that point IMO. sigh.
honestly, I secretly still want to hear Goodell say:
With the first pick in the NFL draft, the Houston Texans select D.Carr, Fresno State
I think Guiton will be an UDFA. I don’t think he’d be a bad guy to get but he’s a fringe QB3 at this point who will need a ton of work (and, for a backup college QB I think that is actually high praise).
kudos on breaking the rivalry for the good of the Browns (I try to do the same when evaluating M players, but it’s hard 🙂 ).
Ok, so the Browns just broke Twitter, and the actual actual best case scenario apparently just happened.
Great googelly moogelly!!!!!!!
well, you know my preferred offensive system has multiple people running, throwing from multiple sets (with a main QB at the helm). It’s the next and obvious evolution of the spread. But, it’ll likely happen at HS/college first sadly.
anyways, Campbell is gone (cap savings!!!) and I suspect Weeden is as well (for the good of fan morale), so we still need 2 QBs. Bridgewater would be ideal, but then I’m okay with a Connor Shaw in the 6th. Might as well try to fix the spot we haven’t been able to fix. and, only once since ’99 have we used a top10 pick on a QB despite all the top10 picks we have had and the absence of a QB.
all that said, I love Sammy Watkins too. great talent.
thought you meant we traded with Houston initially.
no Mike Lombardi? I guess the downside is less easy jokes? the upside is better talent evaluation 🙂
no Banner? I honestly don’t know what to say there other than Haslam has officially taken the team by the throat (for better or for worse).
The mocks don’t even have him (Kenny G) drafted, but would deff spend a pick on him late.
C-H-E-F-S
Yes!
Sammy Freakin’ Watkins.
Watkins + Gordon + Cameron = Unstoppable air assault.
We have 10 picks. Use them ALL.
Screw Bannermetics.
UPDATE: We won’t have to worry about Lombanner anymore!!!!
See ya!!
Not if you don’t have bullets
they are the bullets. they just don’t help if you don’t have the gun/QB.
If that happens, we should get Matthews, then the MSU cb with our 2nd 1st rounder and Garappolo with our 1st in the 2nd round. I don’t think any of the qb’s are franchise, and Garappolo has a very quick release, a strong arm and size.
RT at #4? I do not agree and it’s not just because our RT is far from our weakest link.
No problem. Watkins, or the UCLA lb would also look good at #4.
I love Farmer already – KTB: Know Trust Believe! I also loved when asked why he didn’t take the Miami job how he spoke of himself in the third person, “That job wasn’t right for Ray Farmer!”