June 19, 2013

WFNY Podcast – 2013-02-18 – Harlem Shake, Kyrie Irving, All Star Game, Ke$ha, Twitter and more

February 18, 2013 by 6 Comments

WFNY Podcast LogoTried to not get too newsy today in the WFNY podcast. Scott and I discussed the weekend’s festivities of NBA all star weekend touched on everything else going on in Cleveland sports.

  • The WFNY Harlem Shake video (that doesn’t exist yet.)
  • Carlton Mitchell’s Harlem Shake video (below)
  • Mark Shapiro and winning
  • The Indians’ off-season and if it could defy the advanced stats folks’ models
  • Jimmy Haslam and his rude awakening as it relates to the Dolan family
  • Larry and Paul Dolan’s desire to sell the team or not
  • The end of the Haslam honeymoom
  • All Star music showdown and the twitter world that despises everything
  • Alicia Keys’ halftime show vs. Beyonce’s halftime show
  • The NFL Pro Bowl and what they should do to fix it
  • The NFL skills competition showdown

Listen at Stitcher

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Subscribe on iTunes

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NFL News: Jaguars sign former Browns’ WR Carlton Mitchell

November 21, 2012 by 2 Comments

The Jacksonville Jaguars today signed WR Carlton Mitchell.

Mitchell you will remember was drafted by the Browns, but injuries and ineffectiveness kept him off the field and on the practice squad. He was always nice to us here at WFNY, and a great follow on twitter. We sincerely wish him the best.

[Related: Cowboys loss more frustrating]

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Browns Make First Cuts: WR Carlton Mitchell Among Them

August 26, 2012 by 9 Comments

The Cleveland Browns have made cuts down to 80 players. They have until August 31st to cut down to the 53 man roster.

The Browns have cut former 6th round pick WR Carlton Mitchell, who could never stay healthy enough to develop in the NFL. Mitchell is one of four wide receivers cut-

WR Carlton Mitchell

WR Bert Reed

WR Jermaine Saffold

WR Owen Spencer

OL Jake Anderson

OL Matt Cleveland

DB Emmanuel Davis

LB Jo Jo Dickson

P Spencer Lanning

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Browns select Josh Gordon with second rounder in supplemental draft

July 12, 2012 by 90 Comments

The Cleveland Browns didn’t leave anything to chance in bidding a second rounder to select former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon. It has been confirmed on NFL.com, so Cleveland will have another receiver added to Mike Holmgren’s infamous “pile” that he talks about.

Tom Heckert and company must have really liked Gordon, or they were paranoid about bidding on another receiver and losing out again. The Browns were reportedly second in line via the lottery behind the Buffalo Bills according to Jason LaCanfora on Twitter. That means that only the Bills could have jumped the Browns should they have been willing to also part with a second round pick.

Apparently, bidding a third round pick wasn’t worth the risk for the Browns.

If Josh Gordon becomes a starter, it’s terrific value. You get the guy early. If Gordon doesn’t become a starter eventually, it’s a double-whammy where the Browns won’t get any production this season and also won’t have a coveted second-round pick when the next NFL draft rolls around.

Here’s hoping the tall, fast receiver is all the Browns seemingly think he can be.

By the way, this puts popular receiver Carlton Mitchell on notice that it’s time to produce. He possesses many of the same physical characteristics of Gordon, but has yet to contribute to the team on Sundays. Mitchell was a 6th round choice, and now the Browns have added a guy with a second round pick. The pressure’s on the third-year player.

[Related: Supplemental Draftee Josh Gordon Runs 4.52 40-Yard Dash]

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More on the Browns Receivers Going Into 49ers Game

October 27, 2011 by 18 Comments

In yesterday’s Browns post I got into the receivers a little bit, and wanted to expand on it a bit more.  Early on this year we (along with many other writers and fans who witnessed training camp) predicted that Brian Robiskie wasn’t going to be playing for long.  Watching Sheldon Brown brutalize him at the line of scrimmage and his passive effort in the face of that physicality, it became painfully obvious that Robo just doesn’t have “it” for the NFL game.  Even still it took a few weeks for the Browns to arrive at that conclusion for themselves as they went through the process of getting game tape on these guys in this new system.  This methodical approach continues and let’s you know why I said the Browns were trying to win this year, but only with the guys they have.

I am starting to side with those who think the Browns should have brought in a veteran receiver in order to have an experienced voice in meetings and also to aid in the development of Colt McCoy.  At this point though, I think it is too late unless some really improbable perfect candidate shows up.  I don’t know who it would be either, by the way.  I just assume that there is a guy, however improbable, that the Browns would bring in if he became available.  Anyway…

The methodical approach will hopefully continue this weekend in San Francisco.  Mohamed Massaquoi scored a concussion last weekend with the help of a poorly timed knockout pass from Colt McCoy.  Assuming that MoMass is questionable at best due to his inability to practice this week, I fully expect the Browns to get some tape on guys other than Brian Robiskie.  Carlton Mitchell will be active this week and the giant speedster will hopefully see the field. [Read more...]

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Browns Put Brandon Jackson on IR, Cut Roster

September 4, 2011 by 2 Comments

Before we even got to know Brandon Jackson as a Cleveland Browns running back, he will miss the season with turf toe.  On the one hand it is pretty devastating to find out that the premier free agent from the off-season won’t see a single down of regular season action.  On the other hand, it is better to know that the Browns won’t be able to count on him rather than playing the guessing game wondering if next week will finally be the week that he is ready to play and contribute.

Turf toe is one of those injuries that never seems to heal without complete and total rest.  It nags even the greatest athletes into submission.  Josh Cribbs didn’t have turf toe last year when he dislocated multiple toes, but you saw how important toes are to a quick, explosive player as he was hobbled.  As a result, the Browns kept Armond Smith as they cut the roster down. [Read more...]

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Browns Should Look to Stay Young This Year

August 30, 2011 by 9 Comments

You can say the Browns aren’t trying to win this year if you want.  No doubt there are some options on the free agent market that would have made the team immediately better than a few of the players currently on this roster.  In that respect, on a technicality, I wouldn’t be able to say conclusively that any fan is wrong when they say the Browns aren’t trying to win this year at all costs.  There is a method to their madness though, and as NFL teams finish their first round of cuts early this week, it is worth revisiting.  The Browns are a young team and unless a guy is under the age of 30, you should probably forget about the Browns signing him in all likelihood.

Other teams do mix and match a lot between vets and rookies, occasionally signing and trading for “hired gun” types of vets to put them over the top.  It seems that the Browns know they aren’t at that point just yet.  How could they think they are there with such a young quarterback in Colt McCoy?  How could they think that as they install a brand new offense and defense this season?  Even as Browns fans are seemingly taking Peyton Hillis and his production for granted, he has a whole lot to prove after one year of impressive play. [Read more...]

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Glass Half Full View of Browns Receivers

August 24, 2011 by 11 Comments

The most maligned position on the Cleveland Browns is clearly wide receiver.  On August 8th, I spent a lot of time talking about the position and how the Browns could have to make some tough decisions regarding it.  That doesn’t mean that the Browns are utterly doomed at receiver this year.  Sure, Mohamed Massaquoi has still yet to practice for real this pre-season.  Last time I saw him he was finally running on the field in real shoes as he heals from some kind of bone chip in his foot.  Josh Cribbs was also icing his hamstring and could miss the game against Philly tomorrow night.  So how can I possibly be optimistic with such an uphill battle at the position with the most question marks on the team?

First of all the new faces.  You never want to have to count on rookies for production, especially rookies that have been idle for a year, but Greg Little appears to be worth a bit of hype.  Little has fought some drops in practice, but ultimately he seems like a true gamer with the ultra-competitive intangibles.  As far as tangibles go, he seems just as fast and physical as was advertised on draft day.  I feel like I’m not telling anything that you couldn’t read from one of his agents on a one-sheet, but from watching him in camp and pre-season it makes sense. [Read more...]

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NFL Pre-season: What to Watch After Browns Starters Exit

August 12, 2011 by 18 Comments

Cleveland Browns head coach Pat Shurmur indicated that his starters will play the first quarter on Saturday when they take on the world champion Green Bay Packers.  Obviously, during that quarter, we’ll all be watching the same stuff.  How will Colt McCoy and the offense look against live action defense considering they are all learning a new offense?  How will Phil Taylor, Ahtyba Rubin, Jayme Mitchell, and Jabaal Shear perform against an opposing offensive line, QB and running attack?  Will any wide receivers step up and identify themselves from the rest of the pack, or will we be talking about tight ends all year long?

What about after the first quarter when the starters exit the game?  Here’s what I’ll be watching, amongst other things. [Read more...]

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Browns Report – 8/5/2011 – Injuries and a New Sleeper for 2011

August 5, 2011 by 10 Comments

Browns’ head coach Pat Shurmur seemed relieved before he caught himself.  The Browns had undrafted free agent Jabari Fletcher go down during linemen drills when another lineman rolled over the back of his legs.  The reports after practice were that it was a knee sprain.  Obviously the coach didn’t mean anything against Fletcher, but lately it seems like a victory for the Browns to get through a practice without multiples of injuries.

Josh Cribbs was on the field and active.  Carlton Mitchell was on the field.  Montario Hardesty was in pads, but was still limited.  The story with him is that the Browns will continue to control his reps to try and limit the risk of setbacks.  The Browns are clear to say that there haven’t been any new injuries with Hardesty.  Still just nursing the knee injury he suffered in the pre-season a year ago.

Other than that, rookie tight end Jordan Cameron was without pads along with Joe Haden and Jordan Norwood.  It didn’t sound like any of them had a serious injury.  Joe Haden, in particular, didn’t seem to be too concerned as he joked with teammates and cheered when the Browns offense had to call a timeout.  It would be hard to imagine anyone who smiles more than Joe Haden. You will also be happy to know that Jordan Cameron was healthy enough to carry Ben Watson’s gear to the locker room for him like a good rookie. [Read more...]

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Browns Practice Notes: It’s Slow Going for Offense Early, Reggie Hodges Out For Season

August 2, 2011 by 27 Comments

Coach Shurmur wouldn’t give a percentage when asked how much of the offensive playbook has been installed so far.  Rather than look at it from the 10,000 foot level, Shurmur seemed to prefer to think of it as a day-by-day process without constantly obsessing on the finish line.  Given how rough the offense is looking at times during practice, it is probably important to keep concentrating on walking before this team attempts to sprint into the regular season on September 11th against the Cincinnati Bengals.

You don’t want to look too much into the play-by-play of a single practice because it really doesn’t mean a whole heck of a lot.  Even still, it is important to point out just how difficult it was for the Browns to find any rhythm in the passing game.  D’Qwell Jackson and Buster Skrine were able to jump routes on Colt McCoy and his receivers for interceptions.  Skrine’s would have almost assuredly been a pick-6.  Even on the completions, separation was not at a premium.  Greg Little dropped at least three passes that I saw on a pretty tough day for the second round draft choice.  That’s why they invented practice, though.  He was working the jugs machine a little bit after.  No word on if it was an “opportunity drill.” [Read more...]

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Josh Cribbs Joins Cadre of Browns Pass Catchers in the Infirmary

July 31, 2011 by 9 Comments

Josh Cribbs injured his leg this morning in just the second day of training camp.  Cribbs will undergo an MRI but at this point it’s not believed to be a serious knee injury.  Cribbs characterized it as strained.  It happened when a defensive back fell on his leg during drills and kept him off the field for the rest of the day.  Cribbs downplayed the injury:

[Read more...]

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Save Me NFL – You’re My Only Hope

June 27, 2011 by 16 Comments

I am a big sports fan.  We all are big sports fans, for the most part.  Ask my wife though.  I am extended well beyond the simple bounds of what Cleveland sports teams have to offer.  This weekend I watched the Tribe drop three in San Francisco.  I watched the U.S. Men’s National Team blow a 2-0 lead in the Gold Cup, losing to Mexico 4-2.  Even the entertaining UFC event that I watched last night had a pall cast over it as Nate Marquardt “failed his medical” and couldn’t fight in the main event.  Point being, I need the NFL to go ahead and use that positive progress, sign their deal and start free agency.

Regardless of what the Browns do in season, they have largely been entertaining to follow in the draft and free agency.  The Browns can’t lose any games during free agency.  We just get to plug holes in the roster in our minds as our total win predictions climb in our dreams every night.  Last year when the Browns brought in guys like Sheldon Brown, Scott Fujita, Chris Gocong and even Tony Pashos, the roster never looked better than it did before a game was played.  Nobody ever imagines for a second that the player that was just signed to an NFL contract will be unable to play at his highest level during the year.  When NFL free agency is taking place, they aren’t real people.  They’re more like the Madden version of themselves with injuries turned off. [Read more...]

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While We’re Waiting…Browns vs. Jaguars Edition

November 21, 2010 by 2 Comments

While 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.

Positional breakdown of today’s game, including how to replace Cribbs:  “With Cribbs out, I read an article in the Plain Dealer that it would remove about 20 plays from the playbook that Brian Daboll has handy to use that involves either the Wildcat or the trick/end-around type plays. Later in the article, it was noted that the Browns could try to use Seneca Wallace in the role Cribbs fulfilled. It’s an interesting thought, because on certain run plays, Cribbs is just used as a decoy. However, you lose any threat of Wallace throwing a serious block. You also gain the threat of him having the ball in his hands and throwing it.  If not Wallace, then what about Carlton Mitchell? First off, I’m not sure the Jaguars’ coaching staff has focused much of their attention on him. Second, Mitchell was the recipient of several end-arounds in the preseason, so the staff must like utilizing him in that formation. Mitchell wouldn’t line up from Wildcat, but the Browns could find ways to not completely chuck the “Cribbs” section of the playbook.” [Chris Pokorny/Dawgs by Nature]

[Read more...]

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Browns vs. Bears – What We’re Watching For…

September 2, 2010 by 11 Comments

We’re turning that final corner. Rounding third and heading home. Just trying to escape this post with no major injuries (with the speed at which Scott types, a hand injury is always a concern). Seriously, though, this game is all about one thing: STAYING HEALTHY.

brownsbears

It’s going to be tough to really go deep on things we want to see, as we can’t really expect a ton of playing time for the starters in this game, and I suspect most people will be more interested in what the gentlemen wearing scarlet shirts and gray helmets will be doing. But, that doesn’t mean this game will be devoid of things to watch for. So what are we, your intrepid WFNY commentators, watching for tonight? Let’s find out.

What We’re Watching For:

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Browns Lose “The GLC”

August 29, 2010 by 16 Comments

The Browns dropped the Great Lakes Classic to the Detroit Lions 35-27.  The GLC is the only battle the Browns could engage in where the opposing team has been worse off over the last decade or so.  The good news is that both teams are improving, it seems.  Finally.  Yet, the Browns came out on the losing end of their “dress rehearsal” pre-season game.  If the Browns can’t even beat the Lions in a pre-season game then what in the world does it mean for this season?  Let’s just say that the sky isn’t falling.  If you want to look at this game from the Browns and turn it into a sign of a really bad season, you could find a way to do it.

After watching last night’s game, if you wanted to sound the alarm, you would probably do so starting with the defense.  The Browns gave up 68 yards and a touchdown in three plays on the Lions’ first drive.  Rookie running back Jahvid Best did an absolute number on the team’s linebackers and secondary as he scrambled 51 yards before Eric Wright was able to bring him down.  Another 10 yard reception by Best and a quick 7 yard touchdown strike to Bryant Johnson and Detroit took the 7-3 lead.  For Browns fans who just can’t forget their nightmares, it was looking like a Jamal Lewis record-setting day for Best in the making if it had been a regular season game. [Read more...]

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WFNY talks with Browns WR Carlton Mitchell

July 30, 2010 by 10 Comments

I had the privilege to speak with Carlton Mitchell. Here are pieces of that conversation. Carlton was drafted in the 6th round out of South Florida. He gave up his Senior season to enter the draft. At USF he ran the 400 meters for the track team. He is the son of a professional basketball player, as his father Carl played in Europe. His mother is no stranger to sports either, but we’ll let Carlton tell you about that.

“My mother is a nurse and an anesthesiologist. And she’s a cut-woman for Antonio Tarver. She also manages a fighter. She works with the Buccaneer Swashbucklers, the cheerleaders. In the fifth grade I actually did some stuff on the sidelines with them. I was actually there when Keyshawn (Johnson) scored his first touchdown.”

On sports growing up-

“I did football, basketball and track. But baseball was my first sport. I did pitcher, first base and third. Actually, that was my first love, baseball, but my friends all went out for football, so I went out with them. Then I fell in love with that sport and stopped playing baseball altogether.”

[Read more...]

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Cleveland Athlete Twitter Tourney: Final 4

July 29, 2010 by 9 Comments

Two days of voting down. We’ve whittled our field of 16 down to 4. Two very close races yesterday. Mo Williams edged Eric Wright by a narrow margin (perhaps vindication for my original top ten?) and Shaun Rogers gave rookie WR Carlton Mitchell a run for his money. Over 1,300 votes were cast propelling our top 4.

So let’s get right to it. In our first semi-final match-up we have the #1 seed Josh Cribbs (@JoshCribbs16) taking on the 4 seed rookie CB Joe Haden (@joehaden23).

Our second semi-final features the only non-Brown to make it out of round 1, Mo Williams (@mogotti2) who was the #3 seed taking on WR Carlton Mitchell (@clmitch18).

Ready…set…vote! [Read more...]

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The Cleveland Athlete Twitter Tourney: Round 2

July 28, 2010 by 12 Comments

Thanks to Scott for helping with our technical issues yesterday. To see the voting results from round one click here. To see the Top Ten list that started it all click here.

Today we move on to the second round. One thing we learned from round one – it’s good to be a Cleveland Brown. The only non-Brown Twitter user to move on was Cavs guard Mo Williams, and he’ll face stiff competition this round from Eric Wright.

Remember, the contest isn’t about production on the field. This contest is purely based on who has the better Twitter account.

Here are your second round match-ups: [Read more...]

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While We’re Waiting… Eying Eyenga, Examining the O-Line and C-Mitch’s Strobe Light

July 15, 2010 by 13 Comments

While 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

Chattin’ with the coach: “When I asked Byron Scott why New Orleans didn’t play at a fast pace when he played there, he said they didn’t have enough athletic wings to make it work. Chris Paul was pushing the ball, but there was nobody there to run with him except for Tyson Chandler. With Cleveland, Scott thinks that wing players like Jamario Moon, Danny Green, and Eyenga will help the Cavs run, and that JJ Hickson will be a huge asset in the up-tempo game. 

When I asked him if Eyenga would be on the roster or not, Scott called him a “work in progress,” but said he loved the way Eyenga had progressed. He wants Eyenga on the weak-side a little more, which would be a great way to utilize Eyenga’s athleticism.” [Cavs the Blog]

[Read more...]

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