Long-time Cavalier John “Hot Rod” Williams passes away at 53
December 11, 2015R.I.P. “Hot Rod”
December 11, 2015The 2015 Cleveland Browns season has long since been completed even with four games left to play. Last Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals demonstrated the Browns have a far way to climb to even be considered playing NFL football again.
A common question this week at WFNY has been if it is more the fault of Pettine or Farmer? Someone on Reddit even created a Pettine BINGO chart.
Perhaps it is the fault of the Accidental Blue Chip players on the team. Or, perhaps the rest of the roster needs a purge.
Some things have gone right though. Johnny Manziel was re-instituted as the starting quarterback. Gary Barnidge re-signed. And, Travis Benjamin is set to re-sign. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get some stability?
So, while we will briefly discuss the upcoming game against San Francisco at the end, the more pressing concerns surround the organization itself, which is what the WFNY staff will focus on this time around.
Browns Ownership and Front Office
How much of the current mess rests on the hands of Jimmy Haslam? Looking back, what was his biggest mis-step since acquiring the Cleveland Browns?
Craig: Jimmy Haslam’s biggest mistake since taking over the Browns was firing Rob Chudzinski so quickly. That set off a chain-reaction of events that I believe imploded his reputation around the league. It was his real first impression and the one move that continues to follow him around.
Joe: A lot of the mess should be placed on Jimmy Haslam. He put the current regime in place, so if they are not working, then it’s on him. He has made the culture seem more about making money rather than winning football games. And looking back, I believe this is the biggest misstep he made. He placed Joe Banner and Alec Scheiner in charge of the team, both being business-minded people rather than player personnel-minded. The team does not have a big enough voice who is focused on the football side of things.
Michael: The lack of definition for each person’s role within the organization is alarming, and the fault for such chaos is pointed directly at Jimmy Haslam. Ray Farmer was suspended for interring with coaches on game days, Alec Scheiner is reported to be knee-deep on the football side, and Mike Pettine states he needs to go and get opinions from everybody before reaching any decision himself. Define the roles so they can fulfill their roles. Don’t make it any harder than it has to be.
Josh: All of it. He may not be so “hands on” nowadays, but Haslam was the person responsible for putting this current regime together, so he is at fault for this mess that is currently in Berea. Although other parts of the front office need to “stay in their lane” (i.e. Ray Farmer texting the coaching staff on the sideline during the game), the owner is the one at fault in all of this.
Scott: It could be said that the biggest misstep was the NFL allowing Haslam—who was about to be in the throes of a federal investigation—to purchase one of it’s 32 prized assets. From there, the entire situation has been a mess, from being packaged with Joe Banner as “C.E.O.” firing his head coach after one year and hiring an offensive coordinator in Kyle Shanahan before the next head coach was even in place. I struggle to even come up with an analogy for how perpetually backwards this entire organization has been. (( But, if an analogy is needed, then WFNY’s Michael did so earlier this year with his Peanuts post.
Will: I always have a tough time figuring out how much of dysfunction like this is on the owner, especially without knowing all of the behind-the-scenes particulars. But based on what we have heard and the nature of, you know, being the one in charge of the whole franchise, the whole flaming bag of blame has to be placed at his doorstep. One doesn’t blame a bad shift manager for a crappy Arby’s. It’s the owner’s fault for hiring said shift manager.
Richard: The fact that he’s been all over the map with personnel says it all. Paul Brown’s oft-quoted remark to the bus driver who got the team lost on the way to a game certainly applies: “I don’t blame you, I blame the man who hired you.”
What do you think Alec Scheiner’s job is with the Browns? What do you think his job should be?
Craig: I think Alec Scheiner is really very knowledgable and good at his job on the business side of things. The Browns have excelled in terms of gameday hospitality and redoing restaurants and decor in the stadium. I’m sure he’s very good at countless other business-related things that we don’t see. Whether he’s involved in the football side and to what extent, it’s a very bad look. There’s a lot of paranoia that he’s doing things he’s not qualified to be doing. That may or may not be the case, and regardless, I’m sure whatever he does he’s trying to help make the Browns better. That said, the Browns either needed a GM who was capable of balancing that out or a football president to stem the tide of paranoia related to just what it is that Scheiner is doing for the Browns related to football.
Joe: I think Alec Scheiner is an excellent businessman and knows how to make the business and fan experience side of football better. But his current job seems to be more than that. He seems to be too much into the football side of things and that is not his area of expertise. He should stay on the business end because he is really good at that area.
Michael: Scheiner is either a genius businessman or a deluded one. The Dawg Pound branding for the fanbase lies at his feet. The uniform changes lie at his feet. Swagger, wiener dog races, and more are things that tangentially might make money and help the team. But, is the businessman not at least partially at fault for the furthest disconnect the Cleveland Browns have ever had with their fans? Sure, the losing is the biggest component, but Scheiner might have underestimated the effects of his changes too.
Josh: People may question Alec Scheiner’s uniform and logo changes, but on the business side of the Browns (renovations, etc.), he has done pretty well for himself. But that’s the good side, the bad side begins the second he steps on the football side of things. He is in charge of business operations for a reason and should honestly not be involved with the actual football side of the team whatsoever.
Scott: I’m all for Scheiner having say in anything that doesn’t involve the game of football. If he wants to renovate the stadium and improve the fan experience and crunch some numbers on how to make the Browns a better place to work for all of the employees we don’t even know exist, that’s great. If he wants to watch film or be in the draft room or anything that involves any of the 53 men who get a chance to play every Sunday, I’m changing the locks that day.
Will: I was as high on Scheiner as anyone when he was hired. He came in with a sterling reputation as a smart guy who gets the business of sports. He was with the Dallas Cowboys for nearly a decade and played a big role in the construction of JerryWorld. Bill Simmons endorsed him. A friend of mine saw him speak at the Sloan Sports Conference and couldn’t have been more impressed. That’s why it was so disappointing to hear the rumblings of his meddling in the football side of things. If he sticks to business — a fun twist on the ol’ “stick to sports!” comments — then I still have (some) faith in him.
Richard: I’m guessing that Mr. Scheiner did not come up through the ranks of the game, but rather the business of the game. This is neither the time nor the place for a crash course in player evaluation or coaching X’s and O’s. Fine if he wants to be familiar with the entire operation, so long as he doesn’t get a vote on draft day.
What are your current thoughts on Ray Farmer?
Craig: I don’t have any. Ray Farmer has a lot of bad work on his resume, but drafting and personnel are systems with multiple people that ends up getting heaped on whoever is ranked the highest. I don’t know if “Ray Farmer has to go,” but even if he does, it’s indicative of the department he’s built and their inability to continuously improve and the lack of belief by Jimmy Haslam that they can do so.
Joe: I had backed Ray Farmer for a lot of his career with the Browns, but his continual misses in the early rounds of the draft, along with other issues, has lost me. He has been solid in the mid- to late-round picks, but his first-round picks have all been disasters so far. Beyond that, his lack of free agency activity has really confused me especially with all the holes on the team and all the money the team has available. He seems to focus on just some areas of the team and think that some holes are not that big of a deal, like receiver. Farmer should be gone by the end of the year because of these misfires.
Michael: I wish I didn’t have any. I believe he made draft picks that were lauded at the time. His free agent moves have been less praised. Nearly all of his moves have ended in disaster thus far. In addition, his comments about not needing a franchise quarterback or playmakers on offense both match up with the team we have and scare me moving forward.
Then again, on Thursday, Gary Barnidge re-signed and Travis Benjamin was near re-signing himself, so Ray Farmer (and by extension Mike Pettine) is doing something correct. I want whoever crafted the message to those guys to be my lawyer if I ever need one.
Josh: Although I am impressed with his re-signing of Gary Barnidge Thursday, it doesn’t make up for his mishaps over the past few seasons. Whether it his on draft day. him giving Dwayne Bowe a (basically) free 9 million dollars, or him texting down to the sideline to put Johnny in the game, Farmer has had his fair share of ugliness. Honestly, I’m surprised he still has a job. To say that he hasn’t drafted the correct players would be putting it lightly, and I think he will be out of the Browns organization by the time the 2016 draft rolls around.
Scott: The weird thing is, despite his horrible and mind-blowingly inept drafting history and recent track record with free agents, I still think he’s a capable GM from a roster construction standpoint. Mike Pettine wanted a big, phyiscal defensive back with the first pick last season, and he got one. Jimmy Haslam was enamored with Johnny Manziel and he got him. Danny Shelton was graded out as being the best nose tackle—who would’ve known he’d be so slow to develop? Cam Erving—well, I got nothing there. All of his moves have made sense, but somewhat bizarrely, none of them have panned out. I’m still on the fence.
Will: I suppose I’m more confused than anything. Farmer is another guy who came in with a strong reputation as a football guy and talent evaluator, and yet: Dwayne Bowe; texting the sidelines; Justin and Johnny. The softie in me thinks that he’s learned his lessons in terms of draft prep, but the cynic in me thinks the softie in me is a moron. I wouldn’t be thrilled or infuriated if he sticks around or if he’s shown the door.
Richard: If you only judge Ray Farmer by the final decisions that have come out of his office to date, it isn’t a pretty picture. But for fans, there are lots of unknowns because there’s so much he cannot say, that is until he writes his memoirs after retirement. I wonder, for instance, are Farmer’s personnel moves all vetted by the owner? Are the Browns’ personnel decisions truly collaborative? Is a solid majority of the scouting staff on board with the draft picks or is there serious disagreement about the picks which Ray Farmer settles by casting the deciding vote? Is healthy debate encouraged or discouraged? Is there a faction of personnel people who feel like, if they had listened to us, look who we could have obtained/retained? All of which takes us back to that first question about the owner.
Browns coaching staff
Is there a reasonable argument for Mike Pettine keeping his job? Do you think he should?
Craig: It honestly depends on what Mike Pettine says he wants to do to fix the problems. He needs to show some control over the last four games and have a hell of a plan to improve next season. Can he identify specific things that failed on his end that he can improve going into next year? What is his plan?
Joe: I do not think there is a reasonable argument for Mike Pettine to keep his job. He is 9-19 overall and in his last 17 games he is 2-15. Pettine came to the team as a defensive coach, but all he has done with the Browns is have a horrific defense. He has not shown any sort of tough and physical defense he was supposed to bring to the Browns. So these two facts, to me, give him no great argument to keep his job. I believe he should be out the door just like Farmer should be at the end of the year.
Michael: A tough argument to make, but I’m always up for a challenge. Here’s the most reasonable argument I can muster:
Mike Pettine started 7-4 for the Browns. One does not win seven of 11 games without knowing how to coach. He also has a history prior to Cleveland of knowing how to coach. Now, his defense has been a disaster, the running game has been a disaster. So, he will need to be willing to accept new help on his coaching staff moving forward. However, not having a coach last more than two years since Romeo Crennel was fired in 2008 is the single biggest reason for the team’s current situation. The mere mirage of stability is better than the alternative to this point.
Josh: I love Mike Pettine, don’t get me wrong. But he was brought in to turn the defense around because of the fact that he was a defensive coordinator previously. Now, the Browns, who have the highest paid defense in the league, also own the worst defense in the league. Yes, they have dealt with plenty of injuries this season, including to All-Pro Joe Haden, but having the highest paid defense and worst defense is inexcusable. The management may not have given him the best roster, but Pettine must do better. So in short, no, there isn’t really an argument to keep Pettine around.
Scott: In most situations, I think Pettine would get to see things through. In this one, however, with a well-paid defense that is easily one of the worst in the league and a slew of veterans who have all but cleared out their lockers for the year, and it’s tough to see how he hangs on. I will say that I would be in support if Haslam decides to keep him, but won’t be surprised if (when?) he’s shown the door. Keep an eye on his daughter’s Twitter account.
Will: The most reasonable argument I can make for keeping him is that I don’t know who would want to coach this team. Is there a hot coordinator prospect du jour? No one actually buys the Urban Meyer rumors, right? Perhaps it’s better to trust the devil you know than the bird in a bush, or however that goes.
Richard: Well, Will, his hair isn’t much of an asset is it? I guess I have a clearer sense of Mike Pettine’s influence on the team because his product is out there on the field each week on display. If he was in his eighth year as head coach and had been down this path with another team or two, I would have to say that much of this stuff is totally unacceptable, especially the performance of the defense. But since this is obviously a team in rebuild mode and since he’s only in his second season and most (all?) of his assistants are newcomers as well, I have the patience to keep going with him. The best argument for Pettine keeping his job is that he seems bright, principled and thorough and there are no clearly superior alternatives to be had.
If the Browns go through another reboot on the coaching staff, then which current coaches do you think the team should consider keeping?
Craig: Chris Tabor, right? He’s got alligator’s blood. (I have no idea.)
Joe: I think the Browns should keep John DeFilippo and that’s it. He has been the only real bright spot on the coaching staff. He has made a bunch of average level quarterbacks play pretty well this season. The offense has been far from the problem this year. Even without a true big time playmaker, the Browns offense has had to carry the team this season. All these points can be attributed to the coaching of DeFilippo. He has done a lot with not much.
Michael: All the quarterbacks seem to have had large portions of games where they played to their (minimal) strengths. So, either DeFilippo or Kevin O’Connell should get some credit there. Then there’s Joker Phillips. Not sure what more anyone could have gotten out of the hand he was dealt. Finally, Jeff Hafley and Bobby Babich did a fantastic job with the secondary last year and have had to play guys like Pierre Desir and Johnson Bademosi this season.
Josh: Coaches, we talkin’ bout coaches? I honestly don’t know what coaches should stay, but most of them need to go due to the fact that the Browns are the worst team in the NFL.
Scott: If Pettine’s gone, I can’t see any of them hanging on though I would consider Flip or KOC given the way the quarterback position has improved year-over-year. Or is it decade-over-year? The entire defensive side, however, needs to go regardless of Pettine’s future.
Will: Joker Phillips has a cool name. Good enough for me.
Richard: With a young second-year coach in Mike Pettine, wouldn’t it be nice to have a wise old coot of a defensive coordinator? Someone like Dick LeBeau with Mike Tomlin? But again, what are the alternatives? Obviously the defense has been the biggest disappointment (to put it mildly). And yet that’s also supposed to be Pettine’s specialty. If Pettine goes into the off-season without a specific plan for major improvement, he may not survive either.
Upcoming San Francisco game
Will the presence of Johnny Manziel at starting quarterback be enough of a reason for more fans to show up than the nearly vacant home game against the Cincinnati Bengals?
Craig: Nah. This is the third time Johnny Manziel has been named starter this year. Manziel is exciting to watch, but the way this team mailed it in against Cincy, it’s hard to believe they’re not going to roll over for the 49ers as well.
Joe: I think there will be a few more people at the game who are Manziel fans, but overall this team is still 2-10 and hard to watch. The attendance will be better, but it will still be a sparse crowd to watch two bad teams play.
Michael: I believe more people will tune into the game than would have with another week of Austin Davis, but it appears most have given up on dragging themselves up to the North coast. I cannot blame them for not making the Cleveland Browns their entire Sunday.
Josh: It’s clear that most of Cleveland loves Johnny. Whether it was the “John-ny” chants when he was on the sidelines or almost everyone saying that he should be the starter, fans will show up to FirstEnergy Stadium solely due to the fact that he is now the starting quarterback. By the way, I think that’s part of the reason why he was named the starter as well, because that half-empty stadium against Cincinnati was embarrassing.
Scott: I actually think Johnny coupled with the near-70-degree temperatures and a 1.5-point favorite Browns team will make the game a little more attended by Browns fans this week than last, but all of those Cincy fans were the wild card.
Will: I am so, so, so excited to see what the crowd looks like Sunday. Even with Bengal fans flooding the gates last week, any attendance estimates over 45,000 would be charitable. I’m not expecting too many folks from the Bay Area to hop on a plane to see a battle between two teams with six wins between them. Johnny will juice the numbers a little bit, but this feels like it will be the most sadly attended game in ages. Everyone’s going to be so surly. I can’t wait. (If anyone is looking to give away a ticket, holler at me. Free ticket season is the best.)
Richard: Johnny Manziel fans are more likely to show up, but I don’t think there are enough of the Manziel-faithful to make a noticeable difference.
Eric Mangini is currently the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers and there is a small undercurrent of Browns fans that would like to rehire him here. What are your thoughts on Mangini?
Craig: Eric Mangini is a really smart football guy. He’s got plenty of flaws that he’s shown in the past, but I have no idea who he is today. The idea that the Browns should rehire him might be alright, but it also might be more of the same of what happened the last time he was here. Mangini has the ability to gameplan and outcoach opponents at times, which is what you want. That being said, his history of losing players and not treating players like men weighs heavily.
Joe: Eric Mangini was one of the best coaches the Browns have had since 1999, but that is not saying much. The team should have a higher goal than to hire the average level coach Mangini is. I have no interest in rehiring him. He is a defensive-minded coach, which I like, but his dealings with quarterbacks is a complete disaster. We need to move on from the past.
Michael: I both respect the coaching mind of Eric Mangini and think no coach in the history of the Browns has benefited more from two upsets (New England and New Orleans) than Mangini. He was horrific on the personnel side, and refused to even consider dealing with talented players who were headaches. I wish him well, but don’t wish him upon us again.
Josh: Although I have seen him on my television over the past few years, whether it was on NFL Countdown or the NFL Network, I honestly don’t know much about him these days. The only thing I know is that there was a reason why he was fired in the first place, so why bring him back?
Scott: I think that “undercurrent” is largely stemmed in him being one of the least bad to have traipsed through Berea. Let’s not forget that despite his being a stickler for rules and making guys run laps and all that, his decisions set this team back roughly five years. What’s David Veikune up to these days?
Will: This all strikes me as awfully Mike Brown-y.
Richard: If the Browns were to offer Mangini anything, what do you think his response would be? Go take a mile-long walk down the Ninth Street pier? Can this Browns organization attract anyone of major stature? Until something serious is in the air, I think I’ll just smile and say, “No comment at this time.”
Phil Dawson is coming home. I do not even have a question, just appreciation for the greatest post-1999 Browns player (except for Joe Thomas) to be in FirstEnergy Stadium again. Yes, it is sort of sad I can say a kicker achieved such status. Open spot to throw down your Dawson thoughts.
Craig: I like Phil Dawson. It makes me sad that we spend so much time talking about Phil Dawson. It’s not his fault, but it’s indicative of just how bad things have been.
Joe: Phil Dawson is definitely the second best Brown to play for the Browns since 1999. He was clutch and near-perfect through seasons where not many parts of the team were that. He was a professional guy, who loved Cleveland and the fans. His ability to figure out the wild weather of Cleveland was simply remarkable. The Browns have still not found a guy to come close to filling his shoes.
Michael: Part of me wants to edit Craig’s first line to say “I love Phil Dawson.” I hope Dawson receives a wildly loud cheer the first time he lines up for a field goal and I hope he banks it home off the Dawson bar. But, I also hope he takes the cross-country flight with a loss to think over.
Josh: Wow, completely forgot Phil Dawson was on the Niners. Outside of Joe Thomas being introduced, Phil will by far have the loudest ovation Sunday afternoon in FirstEnergy Stadium. He brought so much to the Browns, even though he was only a kicker. I wish him nothing but the best and hope he says the record for the most field goals made in a game against the Browns on Sunday.
Scott: Loved Phil. He was put in a rough spot because the fans loved him and he couldn’t have gotten out soon enough. Like Craig, I wish we didn’t have to talk about him, but it’s all we have.
Will: Phil Dawson is a hero, a patriot, and a great American. If the presidential race keeps up like it has, there’s a strong chance I write in his name come November.
Richard: The Browns just extended Gary Barnidge, emphasizing his contributions both on the field and off the field. Same goes for Phil Dawson as a Brown. On the field and off the field! Isn’t that a refreshing change?
28 Comments
Too much time talking about Phil Dawson? No way. We’re not like some crazy obsessed with an ex or something. I’m sure Phil Dawson will help a sick kitten and cure cancer on the way to the stadium only to kick an 80 yarder for his 3rd miracle. Let’s just cut to the chase and make him a saint and build a statue for him already.
PS. Someday soon, you’re going to feel pretty silly Ray Ray with a drawer full of bright orange socks.
That is one scary photograph! I just broke out in sweats and it has nothing to do with it being 60 degrees in Cleveland on 12/11!!!
The thing about the Haslam regime is how damn tone-deaf they are — that is, if they’re even listening at all. By wading in here and making a whole lot of changes without regard for longstanding traditions and relationships smacks of cold-blooded, naked greed. Some examples:
1. The uniform debacle. Enough’s been said about that disaster.
2. Dumping local legend and excellent analyst BK for Solomon Wilcots — SOLOMON FRICKING WILCOTS!, possibly the worst hack ever to wear TV makeup.
3. Trashing a long-standing partnership with the Cleveland Clinic because they could wring some extra dollars out of University Hospitals. “Cleveland Clinic is the best! What’s that, UH will give us more money? We’ll take it! Screw the Clinic, UH is the best!” (I wonder if UH rues that deal during every waking moment.)
4. Dumping Channel 3 for Channel 5 — same thing.
Loyalties and other quaint notions mean nothing to them. Yeah, I know it’s a businessman’s job to make money, but this all seems so ruthless and cynical. The Browns are more than a business. It’s a civic treasure. But these out-of-towners don’t care about that.
You guys devote too much time to this sad franchise.
The next nine months…
http://rack.2.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEyLzEyLzIwL2JkL1RoaXMyMGlzMjBiLjlhZDgyLmdpZgpwCXRodW1iCTg1MHg4NTA-CmUJanBn/5281da48/29d/This%2520is%2520basically%2520me%2520when%2520Twitter%2520was%2520down.jpg
Pettine’s defense is inexcusable. There needs to be change on that side of the ball if he hopes to keep his job. Also, I wouldn’t complain if we got someone who could fix our O-Line/Running Backs. They are not super right now.
My issues with Farmer have less to do with blowing 4 first round draft picks and more to do with his apparent thought process: skill position players don’t matter. nick marshall can be a good QB. lets draft a lineman in the first round who we hope plays next year. ignoring character in most his y1 picks. pro days are dumb. doing your homework is dumb.
Those things, like pettine’s defense, are inexcusable. (Although, to be fair, it appears he’s learned his lesson re: player character.)
hi JM … somebody has to do it.
hi MG … you already know i’m going to defend farmer. has he been good … no. but , don’t you think pettine has been in his ear on many of these early round picks the last 2 years ?
the other thing is , farmer brings in guys like dion lewis , willie snead, s.draughn & bowe … it’s funny how these guys can’t even make this roster & then they go on to star & start with other teams … is this farmer or pettine ? and as far as bowe , i am pretty sure if he would’ve seen the field every game we could’ve at least got what we’re getting from gabriel and/or hartline … pettine won’t play him. so ray has to take the hit for blowing $9 million.
watch what draughn does to us this weekend.
our uniforms are cute ! … *smile*
… sorry , d.lewis was brought in in 2013, but was cut in august 2014.
define kerfuffle … or do i have to look it up ? *smile*
hi TRS … you know what haslam is saying to farmer in that photo , don’t you ? … “those are some really nice socks , Ray … and don’t worry , you’ll be here next year & i promise pettine & i will stay out of your way & let you do your job.”
I’m just not sure about who shares more blame between Farmer and Pettine.
Initially I wanted to give most of the blame to Farmers personnel decisions. It’s easy to point at Gilbert, Bowe, Manziel, and Erving and say he whiffed.
On the other hand. with few exceptions the entire team looks much worse this year: The offense that stated out impressive last year has fallen precipitously even with the decent QB play. The defense was shaky last year has become nothing short of abysmal. Production of individual players like Haden (when he was in the game) and Kruger has dropped way off. You can’t say that the drop off in their play is Farmers fault because we’ve seen that they can play well, or at least not as bad as they are now.
So I wonder, are Farmer’s picks legitimately terrible personnel moves, were they decent picks that are suffering the consequences of terrible coaching schemes and gameday decisions, or a catastrophic combination of the two?
Dion Lewis – injured his tenure in CLE, injured now
Shaun Draughn – 3.3 YPC for SF
Willie Snead – did nothing last year, worked and maybe himself a useful end of rotation WR for NO. Good for him, but no star.
general commotion
thanks … makes sense.
lewis was the patriots best RB this year hands-down … snead is a STARTER for the saints & their high-volume passing attack , he got off to a super hot start , but has been hurt the last so many weeks. i thought he would’ve made the team & gabriel wouldn’t … maybe he was too tall.
again , watch draughn this weekend …
good post RTP …
No NFL RB should be judged for what they can do against the Browns D.
And, again, Snead wasn’t ready last year (when we cut him). He didn’t play. He’s had a couple good games this year (though disagree he started hot – good games in middle), but doesn’t change he wasn’t ready last year when we cut him.
No one ever doubted Dion’s ability to play. It was his ability to stay healthy.
As we reflect on Hot Rod, there is another late, great NBA player that comes to mind here, Darryl Dawkins:
When it’s all said and done, there is nothing left to say or do……
In all fairness to Pettine that high-priced D had several key injuries (particularly Haden in and out of the lineup) that exposed some depth issues at critical spots. The complete whiff on Gilbert and not retaining Skrine really exposed them there.
Also the revolving door at QB isn’t necessarily his fault either…the play has been OK all things considered however it’s tough sledding when you are shuffling week to week like that.
I’m sure the standard call is to can Pettine, but I can’t seem to muster any outrage. There isn’t a coach in this league making the playoffs with this roster and these issues. I say give him another year and see what a little continuity can bring.
I know I’m in the vast minority, but I totally dig the new unis.
Said JM85 to Cleveland
I also think Snead benefits from playing with a hall of famer in Brees.
No the Browns. Granted they are always the talk of the town because for some insane reason it’s still a football town. I give the guys credit for doing it.
I think the like/dislike majority line depends on age demographics greatly.
I don’t mind them. I don’t really see them as all that different, honestly.
Thanks for the time recommendation advice!
PS. Are you the Shamrock’s burner account or just a disciple sharing the same logo?
PPS. I hope neither is true. Would having another account on a CLE sports blog be the saddest thing ever?
I guarantee Shamrock is not using two accounts. His logo is not the same as mine. He also rips the teams far worse than I do. I can support the Indians and Cavs because they have at least finished over .500 recently. This franchise? It’s hard to be positive.