May 18, 2013

Browns thoughts on Armonty Bryant, Jimmy Haslam’s apology and Garrett Gilkey

May 8, 2013 by 1 Comment

armonty-bryant-mugjpg-487a2f287eb2968bWe’re deep into the off-season now that the draft is over, but that doesn’t mean it’s quiet now in and around the Cleveland Browns. In the case of this week and the things that are happening, quiet would be a relief. So let’s get on with it.

On Armonty Bryant…

Let’s just say that a seventh round draft pick shouldn’t be making noise in the press a week prior to showing up for rookie camp. Armonty Bryant was arrested for driving under the influence. Scott already weighed in wondering aloud where the line should be drawn on character concerns. Terry Pluto also weighed in yesterday indicating that he didn’t think there was any place for a guy like this with his troubles compounding on top of previous troubles that pushed him so very far down the draft board. [Read more...]

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Comparative Castles and Market Mispricing

April 30, 2013 by 22 Comments

Cribbs House

In a southwestern suburb of Cleveland, Ohio exists a sprawling brick colonial. A little over 5,000 square feet, the estate greets you with a two-story grand foyer where chocolate dark wood meets crisp white pillars, both of which lead to a giant staircase. Immediately to your right is a front room typical of most large, newly constructed homes—relatively unused, pristine with pops of cardinal red paint on the walls and monochrome furnishings that ooze minimalism. The rest of the home provides a palatial experience with each additional step thanks to a 400-square foot, two-story great room complete with a marble-enclosed fireplace; a library-ready office with rich wood built-in shelving and just enough character thanks to the tray ceilings; and a saltwater aquarium that would made Deuce Bigalow do a double-take. The landscaping could use some work, but hey—it’s April.

Joshua Cribbs owns multiple NFL records. The long-time Browns return man owns a house—more specifically, this house. Yet, he has no home.

[Read more...]

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NFL News: Joe Thomas and Phil Dawson named to the 2013 Pro Bowl

December 26, 2012 by 11 Comments

Cleveland Browns kicker Phil Dawson and offensive tackle Joe Thomas have been named to the 2013 AFC Pro Bowl squad, the league announced today.

In addition, Joshua Cribbs was selected as a first alternative as both a kick return specialist and as a special teamer, D’Qwell Jackson was named a first alternate at inside linebacker and Alex Mack was named a first alternate at center.

“I was happy that Phil and Joe were recognized for having Pro Bowl seasons,” said Browns Head Coach Pat Shurmur.  “Phil has been one of the most consistent kickers in the NFL throughout his career, and this year he was near-perfect, including many long-range field goals. I believe it is very appropriate that he is getting his due credit after 14 years in the league. Joe has established himself as one of the top left tackles in the game, and he has played at a very high level once again this year.  He was a big part of the improvement that I felt we made as an offense.”

Dawson is the first Browns player to be selected to the Pro Bowl as a kicker (Lou Groza was selected as tackle). Dawson’s 96.6 (28 of 29) field goal percentage this season leads the AFC and he is 6 for 6 on field goals from 50 yards or longer, which is tied for the most in the AFC. With 112 points, he extended his team-record to six 100-point seasons in his career. He also set a career-high with 29 touchbacks this season, surpassing his previous best of 12 in 2008. The longest tenured member of the Browns, Dawson owns an 84.2 career field-goal percentage, which ranks first all-time in NFL history among the 25 kickers with 300 or more field goals.

Thomas has been selected to the Pro Bowl in all six of his NFL seasons. He has not missed an offensive snap since joining the Browns as the third overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, starting all 15 contests at left tackle this season. Thomas joins Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown (1958-66) as the only Browns selected to the Pro Bowl in each of their first six seasons in the league. The last Browns player to be named to six consecutive Pro Bowls was Hall of Fame running back Leroy Kelly, who earned the honor for the 1967-72 Pro Bowls. Thomas is one of six Browns to earn Pro Bowl honors six or more times. He joins Richmond Webb (Miami Dolphins, 1991-97 Pro Bowls) as the only NFL offensive linemen to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of their first six seasons since 1970.

The 2013 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 27 in Honolulu, Hawaii, and televised by NBC in prime time at 7:00 p.m. ET.

[Related: Reggie Hodges wrote an open letter to Cleveland for Phil Dawson]

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Browns fans completely split on Steelers game

November 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We have been doing Browns fan surveys throughout the season to keep our finger on the pulse of what Browns fans are thinking heading into Browns games. While it doesn’t provide notable stats every week, this week it did. Exactly 50% of Browns fans who took our survey think the Browns will win. When you average all the scores together into a score prediction the result is a 19-19 tie. 1

Browns fans weren’t short on comments this week either. [Read more...]

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  1. If you take it out two decimal points the Browns have the edge 19.47 to 19.00. [back]

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Could the Browns offense benefit from contract years?

June 8, 2012 by 21 Comments

Watson celebrates (excessively) - (Photo: John Kuntz / PD)

The Browns imported quite a bit to their offense from this most recent NFL draft between Trent Richardson, Brandon Weeden and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz. Meanwhile Mike Holmgren has been on record predicting a “big jump” for the team this year. If that ever comes to pass, the rookies will certainly be a part of the equation. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Browns make a big jump without Trent Richardson being a major factor. In addition to that, it seems to me there is absolutely no way for the team to make a leap without some other breakout performances. Immediately that makes me look to a few of the guys 1 who will be working hard for their next contracts.

First up, let’s look at Benjamin Watson. Watson signed a three-year deal worth $12 million and is due $2.88 million in 2012. Despite some excessive celebration penalties, Watson’s time in Cleveland has been viewed as mostly positive. Watson had 68 catches for 763 yards in 2010 including three touchdowns over 16 games. Last season he appeared in 13 games and like the rest of the team, his production dropped off with only 37 catches for 410 yards. Watson will be 32 in December and will most likely be looking for at least one more NFL contract. [Read more...]

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  1. there are plenty of others who have incentive to work for big money like Jordan Norwood who is younger and has restricted hooks in him. I’m just focusing on three bigger names who will be real real real free agents. [back]

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POLL: Who are the Best Browns Players Since 1999? Special Teams

January 31, 2012 by 18 Comments

Whew. That exercise yesterday was difficult to say the least. I know for some of you it was just downright depressing. Well, today things get a lot easier. This is a walk in the park compared to yesterday. I figure the only really difficult question is who is the best punter and second place for pretty much every other category.

So have fun. Enjoy today’s poll. Tomorrow is going to be considerably more difficult with defense.

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Cribbs: “What we are Doing Obviously Ain’t Working.”

November 28, 2011 by 39 Comments

On Sunday afternoon, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Joshua Cribbs vacated the confines of Paul Brown Stadium just before his verbal cauldron would start to overflow with words he would soon regret.  After receiving a litany of questions surrounding the team’s recent 23-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Cribbs – with a team public relations person by his side – opted to cut his requisite post-game interview session short, citing the potential for saying something that would ultimately come back to kick the 28-year-old square in the tailbone pad.

“Words can’t describe it,” said a frustrated and upset Cribbs. “I really don’t want to go back to Cleveland and tell people we gave it our best. That’s awful. That’s not good enough. I’ve been here for a while, and that’s not good enough. Playing hard enough is not good enough. I’m sick of it.”  [Read more...]

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Browns React to Fan Reaction

November 15, 2011 by 79 Comments

The frustration is alive and well.  I would call it paramount, but this football team we root for each and every Sunday between August and early January continues to surprise us all when it comes to ways in which a team finds itself on the losing side of the outcome ledger. And with the continually evolving mediums that allow fans to voice their various levels of displeasure, the team is able to hear it. Very loud and very clear.

Following Sunday’s contest, Browns return man and wide receiver Josh Cribbs was as frustrated as anyone.  Emotionally fresh off of the defeat, he called the one-point loss “embarrassing,” questioning why the fans continue to come out each and every Sunday to support a product that continues to reach new lows. “We try to win for our fans,” he said. ”It’s hard for us to even ask [Cleveland fans] to root for us even though they do anyway. I respect them a hell of a lot more now.”

[Read more...]

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Time to Forget the Wildcat

March 28, 2011 by 14 Comments

I know it seems like I am really trying to rain on Josh Cribbs’ parade lately, what with my talk about kickoffs, etc.  I still love Josh Cribbs as a player and certainly as a Cleveland Brown off the field.  Unfortunately, I need to say that the wildcat formation is over.  You never want to be the last person sporting your “Where’s the beef?” t-shirt.  At least the wildcat fad will be able to say that it lasted longer than Charlie Sheen’s “winning” catch-phrase, right?  It was a gimmick that worked in Miami for the Dolphins and showed a bit of promise on occasion for the Browns with Josh Cribbs.  That being said, it is a gimmick for teams that have trouble moving the ball in a traditional fashion.

Look at the place where it was most successful.  The Dolphins employed the wildcat in the third game of the 2008 NFL season to provide a spark to the offense with a different look.  In this case, the Dolphins were having trouble generating offense in the passing game between Chad Pennington and receivers Ted Ginn, Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, and Anthony Fasano.  It helped the Dolphins get to the playoffs where they lost in the wildcard round to the Baltimore Ravens. [Read more...]

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Maybe We Should Mock Out Our Own Teams

February 17, 2011 by 17 Comments

With the collective bargaining situations going on in the NFL and soon in the NBA, I have had a lot of interesting conversations with my friends. Lately we’ve been getting more philosophical regarding how sports are today. We’ve been talking about the three-way permutation of relationships between owners, players and fans and how dysfunctional it seems to be in all phases in every sport in Cleveland. It led to an interesting hypothesis that maybe as fans, we should mock and potentially even taunt our own players after they lose a rivalry or divisional game.

The truth is that players have more in common with each other than they ever will with fans ever again.  Culturally, experientially and economically it does make sense.  I get the sense that in “ye oldern days” when player movement wasn’t quite as rampant and communications weren’t as developed, players and fans at least had some geographical things in common.  They lived together at church and at the super market, etc.  But now that sports are big business filled with celebrities and many if not most players are changing teams multiple times in their career, the players and fans have never been further apart. [Read more...]

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Pre-Game Intel: Ravens vs. Browns

December 26, 2010 by 4 Comments

When and Where: Sunday December  26, 2010 – 1:00 PM – Cleveland Browns Stadium

Overview: The first time these two teams met, the Browns were just over 10 point underdogs.  The Browns aren’t exactly playing their best football of the season right now, but surprisingly the Browns are only 3.5 point underdogs right now.  At the time, I thought the spread was crazy because it was so high.  During that game the Browns trailed 14-10 at halftime and even had a 17-13 lead on a Seneca Wallace to Ben Watson touchdown to start the fourth quarter.  Of course the Ravens scored ten unanswered points to finish the Browns off 24-17.

The Ravens come in pretty hot.  They have won four out of their last five with the only loss coming to the Steelers.  Those same Steelers are the only ones ahead of the Ravens in the standings as we speak.  Right now the Ravens are on track for the final wildcard spot over the Jets due to tiebreaker advantage.  Of course that could all change in an instant if the Browns find a way to play spoiler.

[Read more...]

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The Browns’ Return Game

November 17, 2010 by 20 Comments

Joe Haden returned kickoffs for the Browns on Sunday after Josh Cribbs was knocked out of the game early on.  We have seen Haden return kicks a little bit here and there between the pre-season and the regular season.  It was really exciting to see some really young, fresh legs get the ball and fly around back there.  It even had me wondering if maybe it is time to retire Josh Cribbs from kick duty.  I had trouble even saying it out loud, because it seemed blasphemous to even think it let alone say it out loud.

Josh Cribbs has been an amazing returner.  He has been so good that many teams have spent the season working on ways to keep the ball away from him.  That is one of the larger reasons that Cribbs’ average return is 20.9 yards so far this season with a long of 36.  The other reason is that Josh Cribbs has taken on a whole lot more responsibility in the offense.  He is returning punts and kicks, taking snaps out of the wildcat, and also playing a lot of downs as a receiver.  On top of that, he is a physical receiver that prides himself on being able to block like crazy.  I think doing all those things has probably increased the level of soreness and nagging injury that Cribbs deals with and subsequently has reduced his explosiveness. [Read more...]

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Pre-Game Intel – Bengals vs. Browns

October 1, 2010 by 7 Comments

When and Where: Sunday October 3rd, 2010 – 1:00 PM – Cleveland Browns’ Stadium

Overview: The Battle for Ohio is on.  If this was a real battle for Ohio shouldn’t it still be Akili Smith vs. Tim Couch?  I kid.  The Bengals made the playoffs a year ago.  They swept the AFC North.  In the off-season they added Terrell Owens to the roster.  They also drafted Colt McCoy’s favorite college target Jordan Shipley who has been their third receiver all year.

The Bengals come into Sunday’s matchup with the Browns a very shaky 2-1.  Browns fans would love to see even a shaky 2-1, but people in Cincy are nervous.  Carson Palmer and the passing game aren’t working even with the additions.  Marvin Lewis is shaking his head at criticism for not winning pretty, but hopefully that means there is a possibility the Browns can win on Sunday. [Read more...]

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Mohamed Massaquoi Doesn’t Want to Become a Distraction

September 30, 2010 by 22 Comments

Two weeks ago, Browns receiver Joshua Cribbs gave a politically correct answer when asked about not getting the ball as often as he would like.  The next game, he received several touches, leading all wide receivers with five catches for 58 yards. 

Cribbs’ five receptions were, in fact, the only receptions made by a wide receiver in the 24-17 loss to Baltimore.  Naturally, the media turned to second-year receiver Mohamed Massaquoi to see how he felt about not recording a single statistic in the Week 3 game.

“It’s still my job to go out there every play,” said Massaquoi.  “Every play, youve got to go out there and be focused, locked in, knowing that it’s going to come with time.”

[Read more...]

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While We’re Waiting – We Are LeBron, Metcalf v. Cribbs, Doing better, and Running a Long, Long Way

May 15, 2010 by 11 Comments

While We’re Waiting is a daily web-roundup where we round up the web in this web internet post about other posts around the web that we round up. If you have web sites that you’d like to see in our roundups send them on to tips@waitingfornextyear.com and maybe you’ll see them in this here round up of the web on our internet web page.

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This video is absurd. How do I know? Slider is totally lipsynching. [Read more...]

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WFNY Interviews Josh Cribbs

April 26, 2010 by 26 Comments

On Friday, I went to Medina High School to catch up with Josh Cribbs for a few minutes. Cribbs was on hand on behalf of Gatorade who was running a trial of their new G Series products with student athletes. Gatorade Recover 03 is a three product system designed to help athletes perform and stay hydrated while performing in their sport. More about that after the interview.

[Read more...]

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While We’re Waiting: New Browns Jerseys, Wall v. Turner, Fred Nance, and the Cavs without LeBron

March 28, 2010 by 11 Comments

While We’re Waiting is a place where we find ourselves in times of trouble. We link up to other people speaking words of wisdom, and let it be. Anything to share? Send it our way – tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

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Josh Cribbs modeling the new Browns jerseys: [Twitpic]

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A couple of solid pieces from Doug Lesmerises on the OSU hoops team – one regarding Tennessee’s players weighing in on player of the year (Wall or Turner), and the other a 4-point reflection on the season. [Plain Dealer]

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NFL Free Agency: Browns start slowly

March 6, 2010 by 14 Comments

cleveland_browns_helmet-logo

(Editor’s Note: Rick will be on ESPN Lima 93.1 The Fan at 11:15 this morning talking Browns, Cavs, and Tribe. Be sure to check it out the stream- LINK.)

With the start of NFL Free Agency yesterday, there have been a flurry of moves made around the league. Although there have been no big signings thus far by the Browns, there has indeed been movement by the organization.

At this point, we know that the Browns received a fifth round-pick as compensation for Corey Williams, cut Hank Fraley, and D’Qwell Jackson wants to make that paper. The Browns have also decided to place a second-round tender on LB Matt Roth and have not tendered CB Brodney Pool. Additionally, the brass reached a contract restructuring Joshua Cribbs’ deal. Last night, the team announced that it has signed safety Ray Ventrone to a 3 year, $2.2 million contract. Ventrone was under contract with the team starting this past September. [Read more...]

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While We’re Waiting is Wearing a Greenman Costume

March 6, 2010 by 8 Comments

Greenman at the Cavs game 3/5While We’re Waiting is a place where we share links, and generally hang out in awe of Green Man, who was in attendance at last night’s game, and got ample screen time (apparently) on FSNOhio. If you see anything around the web you think we’d like to see, send it our way.

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The Tribe came out swinging against the Reds in their first spring training game yesterday. Castrovince has your details, including a big’ol honkin’ bit on starting pitcher Justin Masterson. [Castrovince, MLB.com]

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A whole article about snuggies. Don’t say I’ve never given you anything worthwhile. [Plain Dealer]

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Browns vs. Jaguars Open Thread

January 3, 2010 by 40 Comments

brownsjagsThe Cleveland Football Browns close out the 2009 campaign today (1 PM, WTAM 1100, CBS) with a game at Cleveland Browns stadium against the visiting Jacksonville Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguars. The Browns have momentum going into this game, playing hard for embattled coach Eric Mangini. Meanwhile, the Jaguars come limping in with a slight chance to get into the playoffs with a win and some help. For keys to the game, see our BWWI post from Thursday.

As the Browns look to finish out the season, it will be interesting to see whether the Browns continue to work as hard as they have thus far. Enjoy the last game of the season folks, as we’ve got plenty of off-the-field drama and (possible) movement ahead in the coming weeks. Footbaww!

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