While We’re Waiting… Substitute Teacher Edition
February 10, 2009The 5-Hole, CBJ News and Notes – 2/10/09
February 10, 2009
Though I’m a few days late on this, MJD over at Yahoo!’s Shutdown Corner had an excellent idea with which to replace the Pro Bowl: Flag Football.
Instead of drawing flags for illegal formations or false starts, the Browns would get to lock horns while donning a waistband full of plastic pieces hanging towards their knees. Each team sends five guys. Maybe with an alternate. All teams have to send a quarterback. The others can be any non-lineman types. I would definitely watch this. I was a fairly lethal flag football player in college – it would be sort of reminiscent. Yet entertaining at the same time. Which got me thinking…
Who would represent the Browns?
First things first. I would do my best to see if Josh Cribbs was eligible for our quarterback. He took a few direct snaps, so that should count.
However, if we have to send an actual quarterback, I would choose Derek Anderson. Two main reasons here. One, he seems like he’d rather play flag football than regular football. And anything that he can do to increase his draft stock, I say go for it.
Cribbs would still be a lock on this team. He could wind up being the MVP of the whole tournament. Tell me that theres another more well-rounded player in the league with his speed. Heck, we could bring D.A. and just play the “alternate” the entire time. But I digress.
Secondly, Kellen Winslow would get the nod as the sure-handed guy that you need in clutch short-yardage situations. He creates space and is simply too big to be covered by opposing teams’ wide receivers and defensive backs. Pure mismatch for opposing teams. Plus, he wanted to play defense during his rookie year as well. Sign him up!
You don’t run the ball in flag football. You do not need a bruiser back that can pick up the blitz. For this reason, I would be hard-pressed to not bring Jerome Harrison along. He’s electric, can catch passes, and is a solid home run threat every time. He’s fourth.
And for the fifth and final spot, I know that we may want to simply load up on offense. But for some reason, I think Eric Wright would flourish as a defender in flag football. Josh Cribbs has already shown his defensive abilities on special teams. Adding another quick defensive-minded guy with the ability for a pick-six seems reasonable to me. Primetime.
Others that I would consider:
Braylon Edwards. Based on talent alone, he may have to take Harrison’s spot. Or if we could just leave D.A. at home, all the better.
Brodney Pool. Eric Wright, but with more command of the entire field. He would be the last line of defense, and would do very well at it. I just like Wright’s closing speed a bit more.
Brady Quinn. Because I think we need a third guy whose name starts with a “Br.” If you disagree with my thoughts on Anderson, Quinn is more than acceptable as a replacement.
This could be fun; and I think something that the Browns could actually flourish at! So, what say you, Browns fans? List your five below.
23 Comments
Pontbriand, obviously. With all these Browns playing, they would certainly need a long snapper for punting situations.
Somehow I have a hard seeing you dominating flag football Scott.
Either way, my 5 would be:
Quinn (you need touch on your passes in flag football), KWII, Cribbs, Harrison and Braylon
“Somehow I have a hard seeing you dominating flag football Scott.”
We had the ability to blitz without a count. It was great….
Also, can you imagine Anderson playing any kind of defense? At least Quinn can run, and he’d probably enjoy grabbing at other guys’ waists…
Sorry, had to throw that one in there.
@ Scott: I have seen your pics up here buddy…not a chance you’re getting to the QB even if you got to blitz without a count
I would watch this, it seems like it could be interesting, maybe with a few tweaks to the idea. Like, bring a QB, but also be able to bring another defensive guy, so we dont have Quinn, or Manning or whatever QB running around like a fool. if that would be the case then Here would be the 6 guys I bring:
Quinn, Cribbs, Stallworth, K2, Jones, and Wright.
Jones would be just defense, and Quinn just O. Stallworth because maybe we can get to see him play on some field in a browns uni., plus he is fast, and thats what flag football is about.
The idea is brilliant.
I read this and right off the top of my head I realized we didn’t need to send Quinn or Anderson. List Cribbs as a QB and we don’t have to worry about DA or Quinn throwing picks. As for the remaining team?
Well my team of five with one alt would be
Cribbs, Harrison, Defensive Wright (has played WR before), Rucker and Jones. Joe J would be the alternate.
Sorry, until K2 or Edwards start catching balls on a regular basis they’re out.
Terry Cousin, Dennis Northcutt, Terry Kirby, Quincy Morgan, and Tim Couch.
“Terry Cousin, Dennis Northcutt, Terry Kirby, Quincy Morgan, and Tim Couch.”
I wouldn’t count out Northcutt getting the nod for Jacksonville…
I’d prefer a “Battle of the Network Stars” style battle… mix in a little dodgeball….
@#9
I was thinking Kareem Abdul Jabaar or Ben Gay for the RB spot.
Best Brown ever at flag football would have been … Eric Metcalf.
I keep reading that you guys want Wright. If Lorenzen Wright can’t play significant minutes for the Cavs, I think it’s a great idea to try him out in another sport!
“Braylon Edwards. Based on talent alone, he may have to take Harrison’s spot.”
So being able to catch isn’t a requirement for flag football.
Darren Chiaverini and anyone off of the street, we win it all.
When I read this, all I could think of was how devastating the Arizona Cardinals would have been this year….
Warner
Fitzgerald
Boldin
Adrian Wilson
Karlos Dansby (as the wreak havoc guy every flag football team needs)
As for the Browns….Quinn and DA are both hurt and we cut/waived Dorsey and Bruce, so we could use that as an excuse to send Cribbs.
Cribbs
Harrison
KWII
Wright
Shaun Rogers – no true QB means he can sit on the DL on defense. Also, he can “create” space on offense to get the short passes. Can you imagine Shaun Rogers not being good at anything football?
I can testify to Scott’s two-hand-touch football playing abilities. Dude wreaks havoc all over the field.
He also stuffs newspaper in his cleats so that they maintain their form.
A lot of people seem to be forgetting that you need guys who can grab the other teams’ flags, too. That excludes Edwards (he can’t hang on to a ball, you think he can grab a flag!?), Harrison (who can’t get in the way of people who are trying to grab a QB), and either DA or Quinn, unless you can have an alternate for defense.
I think it’s gotta be:
Cribbs
KWII
E. Wright
MacDonald (sure he can’t actually tackle, but he at least grabs the guy for a second before being run over, which is all you need in flag)
Hard to decide between Stallworth, Pool, or Adams for the last spot.
Alternate: Shaun Rogers. I mean, seriously. On D you have a guy who literally blocks half the field, is unblockable, and all he needs to do is grab a flag off a guy running by him.
If the Cardinals had the team someone wrote above, plus Rodgers-Cromartie as an alternate… wow.
All-time team that would be entertaining to watch: Kosar (only if he can sit on D!) or Graham, Brown or Lavelli, Metcalf, Cribbs, Newsome, Warfield.
Robert Edwards thinks flag football at the Pro Bowl is a fantastic idea.
This is the best idea since sliced bread, and then some
#21, in fairness, his knee got shredded because some dimwit thought it would be a good idea to have professional athletes running full speed in deep dry sand.