Defensive tackles haven’t been a source of pride in Cleveland, but the Browns have still had some decent players at the spot. The list is top heavy, it seems in that respect. [Read more...]
NFL Trade News: Brodrick Bunkley, Browns, Broncos, and Bewilderment
August 2, 2011 by 5 Comments
How’s that for alliteration?
The Browns thought they acquired Brodrick Bunkley who is/was a defensive lineman, and 2006 first round draft pick disappointment for the Philadelphia Eagles. The defensive lineman-starved Cleveland Browns thought they had added some depth and experience to a line that lacks in both categories. Then Monday, Bunkley’s mysterious absence was explained. In an act of apparent revenge for the Peyton Hillis deal, the Denver Broncos appropriated the 6-2 295 pounder.
It is an odd path to be sure. Usually defensive linemen have to play for the Browns before they end up in Denver like Gerard Warren, Courtney Brown, Ebenezer Ekuban and Michael Myers. [Read more...]
NFL Draft Busts Could Be a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
April 5, 2010 by 7 Comments
I have spent a lot of time on these pages talking about the need for a rookie wage scale in the NFL draft. As a Browns fan, how could I not be obsessed with it? The only first round pick that seems to be worth the money they have been paid is Joe Thomas and potentially Alex Mack. I am also not the type of guy to make excuses for guys who became instantaneous millionaires after being drafted out of their colleges. At the same time, I wonder if the giant rookie contracts aren’t something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Think of it this way. Would Josh Cribbs be the guy he is today if he had been drafted in the top five and “made it” financially before he played even a down of football?
Some guys have football running through their veins, and I get the feeling that these players only think about their money in the off-season. They love the game and the minute they get a chance to play, they put every single ounce of whatever they have into it. For every one of those guys though, there are probably three that like football, but don’t like all the aches and pains that are associated with it. If guys like that have already made giant amounts of money, is there much incentive for them to outperform their gaudy rookie contracts or are they going to be content to simply ride it out? In business school they would have called this a lack of goal congruence between the NFL team and the rookie players. [Read more...]
Was Drafting Kellen Winslow Wrong?
February 4, 2009 by 20 Comments
I’m notcing that a lot is being made of the 2004 NFL Draft. After all, the last two quarterbacks to win the Super Bowl were drafted in the first round of 2004. Eli Manning made the most news that year by saying that he did not want to play for the San Diego Chargers, who then had the top selection. But not long after he was traded to the New York Giants, another trade went down that saw the Browns add their second-round selection to their first-rounder in order to move up one slot to grab tight end Kellen Winslow, Jr. out of Miami.
Five selections later, the Pittsburgh Steelers took Ohio native Ben Roethlisberger. Five years later, Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl rings and Winslow has entering his second coaching regime.
Sean McClelland from the Dayton Daily News says that the Browns are now being haunted by the “Curse of Big Ben.” I am not sure that I agree. [Read more...]
Does Ted Sundquist Want Us More Than We Want Him?
January 16, 2009 by 24 Comments
If we have learned anything through this whole circus of finding a new head coach and general manager for the Cleveland Browns, it is that Randy Lerner is focused. Maybe even to a fault, Lerner appears to have had his sites set on certain individuals, and then fixates on them until they either turn us down (Cowher), sign with us (Mangini), or sign elsewhere (Pioli).
Lately, he’s been hot on the trail of Baltimore’s George Kokinis. And while we have heard rumors of other possible general managers like Chris Polian and Ted Sundquist, I think it speaks volumes towards these “rumors” when certain individuals have not even been considered for an interview. And even worse is when said individuals are actually lobbying to get a shot.
“I feel like I’ve got a lot of experience to offer a club and I’d love the opportunity to get back to running a team again,” said Sundquist. “It’s a very intriguing opportunity.”
Bitter Towards Butch?
November 13, 2008 by 17 Comments
The Butch Davis era was one that most Browns fans would love to forget. Sure, he lead the team to a 7-9 record during his first year as the head coach, and then improved that to a 9-7 mark with a spot in the playoffs. PLAYOFFS!?
We then had our first taste of a quarterback controversy with Timmy Tears and Kelly Holcomb; Holcomb ultimately won the starting gig. In 2003, that 9-7 record turned into a 5-11 with trouble brewing. The year 2004 rolled around and Davis signed the “savior” Jeff Garcia, cut our former first overall selection, and threw in the towel after a 3-8 start. He wound up with a Cleveland career record of 24-35, and left Cleveland with some other formidable memories.
Catching “The Express?”
September 16, 2008 by 4 Comments
By now, you all know the drill. Browns use a high draft pick on a star collegiate athlete. Athlete never gets to maximize his potential for the city of Cleveland. Now that I think about it, on the cover, it looks like this movie could be about Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, Gerard Warren or William Green. But unlike the four aforementioned, Ernie Davis was the sure thing, can’t miss Heisman winner. He overcame adversity, all before falling victim to Leukemia at 23-years of age.
But with that said, we’re being quite inundated with the movie trailer forThe Express, and likely for good reason. There are ties back to Cleveland, Davis was a historical player, and frankly, it looks like a pretty damn good movie.
What are all of your thoughts on the movie? It comes out in less than a month. Will you all be checking it out? I know I will…
