Hey, Braylon: It’s Not About Michigan.
While getting ready for the morning, WKYC formed a super group with WTAM to promote their annual “Coats for Kids” charity drive. Within the segment, Willis and Snyder (the TAM morning show) discussed recent comments made by wide receiver Braylon Edwards.
When a reporter mentioned that Edwards’ play reminded him of the “Braylon Edwards of last season,” Edwards responded with the following.
”I’m really to the point now where I’m just playing football,” Edwards said. ”I could care less about fans, media, people talking about trading me and the B.S. that’s going on with our team and the season. I’ve got a job to do. My job is to catch the football. So I cleared my mind and just played football. I’m not going to feed into whatever else is going on.”
When I first heard this audio, I thought to myself “Oh no…Here we go with another disgruntled player looking for a way out.” It wasn’t long ago that Braylon interviewed with Sports Illustrated, saying that he wanted to be traded before last season. Conveniently, after a Pro Bowl year, Cleveland turned into the Land of Oz and everyone was happy. But now that we’ve turned back into the black-and-white tornado scene…not so much.
Edwards quickly went on to clear the air for anyone that felt the same way. He said that he wants to be in Cleveland, and he wants to get back to the level that they were playing at last season. His tone was sincere as he claimed that he was well beyond frustration. “It’s embarrassing,” he claimed. And honestly, I can’t disagree with him. Individual players aside, to not be able to score touchdowns at this level of failure is unheard of.
But where I do disagree with Edwards is on his response to all of the journalistic bashing and fans booing. I call it “Romeo Crennel with a twist.”
”It is what it is. I’ve learned being here that I’m very unappreciated. Not in the organization, just in the eyes of the fans, the city. Since Day One I’ve been a marked man coming from Michigan. It’s just gone that way. Even when things are good, there’s heckles.”
I personally do not listen to WKNR’s “Munch on Sports” very often, but I do know that former Browns tight end Aaron Shea frequents the show; 
and I hope that he is on this afternoon. A former Michigan Wolverine himself, I bet there are countless fans that would love to have a (fully healthy) Shea donning the Orange and Brown. People do not despise Tom Brady because he’s from Michigan. If anything, they despise him because he continually puts up numbers that most fans will never see from a quarterback on their team. Well, that and the whole Gisele thing, but you know what I mean.
Last season, when things were going well, Edwards was embraced for his play on the field. Between the third and fourth quarter at Browns stadium, “Hang on Sloopy” is played through the loudspeakers to ring in the final frame of play. Though known an Ohio State song, it was not a rare occasion to see Edwards participating with fans. It was during these times that fans embraced Edwards for his interaction off of the field. Edwards was an is a Brown.
At no point does anyone heckle or “boo” Edwards because of the school he attended several years ago. They heckle due to the constant under performance week in and week out. Phil Savage has quickly defended his receiver, saying that he dropped double-digit passes last season, and it is just the losing that has amplified matters. And while the definition of a dropped pass can be debated until the end of time, the number of drops is not what has irked the fans for the season. Phil’s got something here – it is the losing. But it is these drops that are the cause of t
he losing. It is the fact that you can pinpoint specific drops that have in fact been of the game-changing variety.
If Edwards catches that ball against the Baltimore Ravens, this entire second half of the season would have been different. The Browns would have won the game. There is a good chance that Derek Anderson would not have been removed before the following Thursday night game in Denver. Brady Quinn, in turn, would not have been injured the following week against the Buffalo Bills. And Ken Dorsey would not be our starting quarterback at this present time, heading into two divisional games. It’s that Butterfly Effect that makes fans remember, Braylon. Not the fact that you were on a team that rivals The Ohio State University.
To not care about the “fans” is different from caring about the opinions of said “fans.” It isn’t the opinions that pay for the tickets. If anything, it’s the cruel internal longing for disappointment that ponies up the funds in the off-season. But to say that it’s unwarranted, and/or because you’re from Michigan? This charade on Monday Night Football has been even more unnerving as it makes the national media think that this season has not been as bad as the “fans” and the “media” have made it look. “Hey, look! Braylon didn’t drop that one! He’s back!” Three games of decent production will not make up for 13 dreadful ones. As Rick mentioned in an email earlier this morning, “back on track” will be something that can be determined next week when only us Ohioians are watching. Your welcome, rest of America. Go enjoy your “good” football. We’ll catch the highlights.
Braylon Edwards Interview: Audio [WTAM]
Braylon Keeps Digging [Cleveland Frowns]
December 16th, 2008 at 11:06 am
I don’t know if you guys saw this…but….
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcnorth/0-1-320/Edwards-wants-out-of-Cleveland-.html
December 16th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Yea, Ricky. Its the same line of quotes from the interview where Edwards said he wants to stay.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:17 am
After re-reading that, I feel like an idiot. I’ll somehow get over it
December 16th, 2008 at 11:20 am
I will glady trade Edwards at the end of this year…go drop passes somewhere else
December 16th, 2008 at 11:21 am
@ Ricky – Good. Send him home to play for the Lions. They don’t care enough to boo up there. Unfortunately Millen isn’t still there, we could have pulled a top 2nd round pick for him.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:23 am
I admit, i depised the Browns a little bit for drafting two players from the two schools i hate the most (Braylon- Mich K2- Miami). I quickly got over that when i realized how much these guys could produce on the field, and indeed they have. When they are healthy and we don’t run a DnD (Dink and Dunk) offense these guys produce. Some of you may disagree with this but i believe this offense is best run with a big arm QB (insert D.A. here) that isn’t afraid to go deep a few times a game.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:24 am
Chris, you’re right. Millen gave us Rogers for Bodden and a 3rd–we could have traded Braylon for Calvin Johnson!
December 16th, 2008 at 11:27 am
There is NO WAY we can trade him. Who is gonna be our starting WR’s? Joe J (maybe)? Stallworth (when he’s not hurt)?
This is all between the ears. I’m ticked about the drops too, but on a team that is gawd-aweful, he is by far not the biggest issue on this team. We need a coach that can whip him and K2 into shape.
Romeo has no fire. They need someone that can light that fire. I hate to say it, but I wish we had a coach like Tomlin. I am a die-hard Browns fan, but I love to watch Tomlin on the sideline, ’cause he is fired up, and it passes on to his players, and they show that on the field. They play with fire, passion, (insert any other phrase here), and there is no way any intelligent football fan can deny that.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:32 am
If we draft Crabtree we could trade him…but that would that be the difference between 4 wins and 10?
December 16th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Nice post. Thanks for the link. Think we should all let Braylon know how we feel about his comments at the game on Sunday. Would rather suffer Joe J. and Stallworth as the starting ends than have this cancer on the team any longer.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:41 am
brendon- i gotta admit that i like to watch Tomlin coach too. All in the faces of the refs and his players. I’ve never seen a more intense coach. That is why “The Chin” or “Marty-ball” need to make their way to Cleveland. Those two fight for their players. Can’t tell you how many times RAC would rather look at a ref and give them the “I’m gonna eat you look” than actually eating them with his words. Please RAC, chew out one official please? I’d even take a 15 yard drive killing penalty just to fight for an injustice.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:41 am
I think he just needs a reality check instead of this “victim” persona that he’s trying to display. I’d love to see him on the outside of our formations for years to come, assuming he catches the ball and keeps his mouth shut.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:54 am
You don’t even know if Crabtree is coming out this year
December 16th, 2008 at 11:55 am
I’m in the mindset that Brendon is in. This all comes down to poor coaching and lack of leadership. Get somebody in here that wants to whip these pansies into shape. There is a lot of talent on this team. But without proper leadership, all of it is under-utilized.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:59 am
The only other thing that really gets me yelling at my TV is seeing Willie McGinest on the field all the time. How the hell are we supposed to know what we have in Bell or Hall if this guy is eating all the minutes. This is why Romeo needs to go right now, so we can at least try to evaluate the youngsters in the last 2 games. I like McGinest, but we already know what he can do.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
At no point does anyone heckle or “boo” Edwards because of the school he attended several years ago.
Sorry, but I can’t let this statement slide, and I say it not just because I’m a Michigan fan. I haven’t been to a home game since Houston, but at that game, people are RELENTLESS in my section about how he should “go the F*** back to Michigan” and that he sucks BECAUSE he’s from Michigan.
Further, I can remember the day he blew his knee out back in his rookie year. I was sitting in lower Dawg Pound; Edwards was writhing on the field in pain not more than 40 yards from where we were sitting. People down there WERE MAKING FUN OF HIM FOR BEING FROM MICHIGAN THAT DAY. I heard it with my own ears. Seriously. In fact, I actually snapped at a couple of people to the effect of “he plays for the Browns now, you s. You know if that was Ted Ginn out there (Ginn was still in school at the time) you’d all be crying your eyes out. Have some ing class!”
Now, before I get killed here, let me reiterate: His comments are totally out of line and (I’m guessing) born of frustration about the team’s play and his own play (I guess I’m glad to know he’s frustrated about being sucky this year, but seriously… reporters exist to get you to say stupid things like this. USE YOUR HEAD!!), and his remarks were poorly timed at best. (There. Now that that’s out of the way…)
But, none of us truly knows what all he hears during the games, and unless my section of CBS stadium is somehow NOT indicative of the average Browns/OSU fan, there is a tiny shred of truth there.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
There is no way Crabtree gets past the Raiders and seahawks
I think we need to draft in the rank of:
1) Rey Maualuga
2) Beanie
3) Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB Texas
4) malcolm jenkins
December 16th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Sorry, should read: “he plays for the Browns now, you [bleep]s. You know if that was Ted Ginn out there (Ginn was still in school at the time) you’d all be crying your eyes out. Have some [Blogojevich-bleep]ing class!” Stupid HTML.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
He sure plays a mean air guitar though….
December 16th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
As depleted as the Browns are at WR i don’t think wasting….i mean using…our top 10 draft pick on one. I’d much rather see it spent on a decent corner that can play some nickel until B-Mac or Eric Wright get too big for their pants (bring on Malcom Jenkins!!)
December 16th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I could care less which school Braylon, or anyone else for that matter went to. I am not a big OSU honk anyway. I care about the fact he drops a lot of passes. But I don’t see how we get rid of him. Who else would we have? I would rather could Stallworth and call a do over. Besides I have an Edwards jersey I routinely drop every time I pull it out of the drawer. Yes it is a lame joke, and no one else sees me do it, but I laugh. What would I do next year? Put on my Winslow jersey and jump on a motorcycle?
I do think Edwards can be salvaged, with a coach who cares, and with another receiver opposite him. I don’t know if Crabtree is coming out either, but there are some other guys we could get, including some veterans. I would rather be drafting pass rushers. Our corners might actually have some skill if they didn’t have to cover a receiver for 10 minutes on every play.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Brendon, I agree 100% about Rey Maualuga. Granted, he is probably best suited for a 4-3, but lets be honest so is the rest of our defense. Jackson is pretty good, and probably would not do well as an OLB, but Maualuga is a better athlete and much better in pass rush
Although I’m pretty confident Crabtree will come out. What else could he possibly do in college? Plus, his QB is graduating. But my point about that was we wouldn’t be any better with Crabtree than Braylon, especially considering that Braylon has to be better than what we are seeing this year, he is just too talented.
DP, I actually refused to buy a Braylon Edwards jersey because he is from Michigan, so that might work to your point just a bit. I still wear a #85 Kevin Johnson jersey because there hasn’t been that one Brown who I could 1000% get behind and knew wasn’t going anywhere, and also wasn’t from Michigan
December 16th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Brendon — think your’e too high on Beanie. Would throw USC’s Taylor Mays in above him and Jenkins for sure. Kid looks like Ronnie Lott.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
DP: So anyone that comes from Michigan is set up to fail in Cleveland?
I guess I can’t speak as if I’ve heard every fan in the history of home games. But I do think that some fans just think of anything they can to yell – I mean, it’s the same fanbase that threw shoes at referees for reversing a call against the Jags.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
He was known for dropping balls at Michigan. Anyone that is surprised that he continues to do it as a pro is living with their head in the sand. I screamed at the TV when they drafted him, and I continue to scream every time he drops another ball. He’s a prima donna looking out for himself.
Michigan sucks, and so does Braylon.
Please don’t ruin the career of a Buckeye by drafting him to play in Cleveland or Cincinnati.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Scott: That’s exactly right. Fans scream Michigan stuff at him because he drops passes, and that’s the first thing that pops into their heads. Stop styling, Braylon, lose the alligator arms and Cleveland fans will love you even if you are the biggest horse’s behind in team history. Because, well, that’s just what we do. For example, see Belle, Albert.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
…and lose the alligator shoes as well.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
hes given a lot of money back to the community. i go to ohio state so the michigan thing bothers me but not so much that i didnt buy his jersey last year. i still like him as a person, but dc is right, he dropped passes in college too. he will make the crazy catch, but the easy ones, well, they arent so easy for him
December 16th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
“I think he just needs a reality check instead of this “victim” persona that he’s trying to display.”
THANK YOU! This is what I’ve been saying all year long. There’s no accountability in this franchise WHATSOEVER. Braylon was frustrated, and I get that, but he needs to be VERY careful. When you are saying that you had fun out there tonight getting killed 30-10 just because you personally caught a few balls, that’s a red flag.
Braylon is a victim of nothing. Fans do not treat any player poorly based on where they went to school or whatever. I would gladly take a team full of guys who went to Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida State, Florida, and USC if I knew they were going to win games and be in the playoffs.
December 16th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Cleveland Frowns – Yeah I like Mays a lot too. Hell, give me anyone off of USC. lol
December 16th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I found a site that has them taking jenkins in the 1st, and javon ringer in the 2nd. I’d be happy with that.
http://www.drafttek.com/round12009.asp
December 16th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
wow – I was under the impression that it was a week year for offensive linemen. isn’t that why boone stayed? three in the top 10 is pretty crazy, but i guess it goes to show what needs improvement on DET/STL than the qb situation…
December 16th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
That mock draft is 1. ridiculously early, and assuming a lot about underclassmen. 2. Really, really off on some positions. Matt Stafford the first QB chosen? Really? Over Bradford and Tebow?
December 16th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
#24 Scott:
Of course, you’re right about people having that be their first impression. My point isn’t to say that all y’all OSU fans are hating on him because he’s from Michigan. A better example than Shea would be LeRoy Hoard, just to name one. Steve Everitt is another. I’ve also documented my dislike of, “Hey, let’s draft all Ohio State guys!” thinking, too, and I think those two things tend to go hand in hand with some types of Browns fans (not all, obviously).
Thus… no, I don’t think all Michigan players are set up to fail, but you have to admit that any player that comes from there already has one or two strikes against him: as soon as one bad thing happens, the horse tends to be out of the barn.
My point I guess is that it seemed a bit of a blanket statement to say that NO ONE hates him because simply because he’s from Michigan. And, I was not trying to say that he’s RIGHT in saying that ALL of his problems with the fans are BECAUSE he went there; I was disagreeing with the one statement from your post that no one boos him because he’s from that school.
FWIW, leading up to the draft, I tried to be as objective as possible: he was my favorite player at Michigan, but he had a knack for dropping key passes (4th down @ OSU his senior year) just as much as he did for taking over games (MSU game his senior year).
That said, I was happy they drafted him, in part because he was my favorite collegiate player. I’ve tried to give him the benefit of the doubt throughout his career. But, I can’t defend what he’s done this year, lest you think that my motivation in these comments is sticking up for him purely because I root for Michigan football. It’s not.
I guess I just think that there is a lot of unnecessary hatred of all-things Michigan, even at points when it shouldn’t be an issue anymore (umm, he hasn’t played there in four years). Example: when ANYONE ON OUR TEAM drops a pass, the first thing that pops into my head is not “Hmm, what school did he go to? Do I hate that school?” but is instead, “CATCH THE [BLEEP]ING BALL!!!”
December 16th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Tebow is going 2nd-3rd round
December 16th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Personally, I’m more resentful of his God-awful 5-Hour Energy commercials. I would rather fans mock him for those than anything else….
I’m as big an OSU fan as anybody and I couldn’t care less that he went to Um, but fans are going to use that as soon as they want to get under his skin…and it appears it’s working. I can’t remember despising a player more than K2 in college, but Browns fans have had no problem embracing him because he plays hard and doesn’t make excuses for himself.
December 16th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Tebow is the only player I could think of off the top of my head that if the Browns drafted him I would simply REFUSE to root for him, regardless of what he did on the field.
December 16th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
DP : even if he circumcised your Indonesian boys on the sidelines in his spare time?
December 16th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Haha i’m right with DP. I think Tim Tebow is soley a COLLEGE QUARTERBACK in a system that only works in grades 9 through lets go with 16 (4 years of college).
December 16th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I meant young, but the word your also has humor in it. It can stay.
December 16th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
@Rick: Tebow will be lucky to be a first-day draft pick…
December 16th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Thanks for clarifying, IRB. I was confused, to say the least!
December 16th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Interesting stuff about Braylon. I grew up in Ohio and have plenty of friends who are Ohio State fans. There is no doubt in my mind that many fans hold the fact that Edwards went to Michigan against him. But I still agree with the point of this article, which is that Edwards needs to just shut up and catch the ball… even Ohio State diehards will cheer hard for Edwards if he would quit dropping the ball.
I still want Brian Orakpo from Texas as the Browns’ number one pick. We can pick up a CB in the later rounds… the reason we got killed in the passing game against the Eagles last night is because we couldn’t pressure the quarterback. Watching Corey Williams and Sean Smith try to get to the quarterback is laughable. Philly would just double team Rogers, go one-on-one with Williams/Smith/Leonard/whoever else tried to fill that DE spot, then they would double Wimbley with a chip by the RB or the TE. Philly picked up our blitzes like they knew exactly what was coming. Maybe that’s on Mel Tucker though… who knows. I just know that we need a DE/pass rusher over Jenkins, Beanie, or any other OSU favorite. We might even be able to pick up VT’s Victor “Macho” Harris in the 2nd round, which would be an absolute steal.
December 16th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I agree with the other few people that mentioned Tomlin as a pleasure to watch. I don’t see many west coast games but I also like what Mike Singletary is doing out in San Francisco. In a few short weeks he’s completely turned around the mentality of that team.
What kind of leadership has this team had since it came back? Palmer, Davis, Robiskie and now Romeo? I love to hate Pittsburgh but I can’t help but respect their two most recent coaches. Our coaches…not so much.
December 16th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
As a Browns/OSU fan, I could care less if Braylon went to Michigan. Just catch the ball when it’s thrown your way, Braylon; most people have a much tougher job and get paid a lot less money.
These quotes from Braylon just make me respect him less. Instead of owning the fact that he’s had a terrible season, he’s blaming the fans and the media? Gimme a break. We all know that if Braylon was doing what he was supposed to be doing (ie: catching the ball), none of this would even be a topic of discussion.
December 16th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
You know what DP, that typo makes me laugh every time I see it. I think I like it better with the word “your” in there.
December 16th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
DP was just shocked to find out that we’re all on to his Indonesian boys
December 16th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Indonesian boys isn’t code or gangster slang for anything else is it?
December 16th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Scott, speak for your self but I am in no way “on to his Indonesian boys”.
December 16th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I use Indonesian boys as slang for black market computer parts.
(No I don’t.)
My only addition to this is that people don’t hate Braylon because he is from Michigan. Cleveland fans go to the lowest common denominator to get under someone’s skin when they are let down. It is no different than other cities.
Remember Wil Cordero? He had a pretty good career in Boston, but the minute he stopped hitting they chanted “wife beater” at him. I don’t know why other cities can do this stuff and it is just part of who they are but in Cleveland we want our fans to be respectful and nice when they are incapable. Philly fans don’t really have to apologize for the brutal people that they are. Stop expecting more of a group of fans whose culture it is to get completely OBLITERATED in close proximity to their VEHICLES prior to game time.
Ok? Ok.
December 16th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Do DP’s Indonesian boys hate Braylon? This is obviously the most important question.
December 17th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Indonesian Boys NK.
Seriously, if this thread were a record playing in a movie, the needle would have just scratched off and everyone would have stopped what they were doing and looked at us.
December 17th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Craig,
I’m not saying that EVERYONE hates him because of that. But some people DO hold it against him. That’s my only point.
December 17th, 2008 at 11:09 am
DP, I almost choked on the water I was NKing when I read the IB NK comment. Very well played.
If it wasn’t the scratching record, these comments would be discussed at a loud party, where you have to yell to each other to be able to hear over the music. We’d say the IB comments right when the song ends, but still be yelling them, and again everyone would stare.
December 17th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
[...] able to play for this team ever again after this year. After exploding into the blogosphere with vitriolic comments following Monday night’s latest orange and brown debacle, Braylon decided this hit single [...]
December 17th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Tebow is gonna be a sleeper in the later rounds. Perfect QB to grind it out in cold weather. Unorthodox throwing style but man he can he motivate a team.