Cleveland Sports Perspective

 

Eric Mangini’s first year as head coach of the Cleveland Browns has not exactly been a walk in the park.  His football team has regressed from a 4-12 record last season to arguably the worst team in the NFL.  His handpicked GM, George Kokinis, left the organization less than a year after he was hired.

 

He has been in trouble with the NFL about hiding the injuries of Brett Favre while the pair was with the New York Jets last season, and supposedly the NFLPA has received complaints about tough practices, injuries to practice players, and over the top fines for such things as not paying for bottled water in a hotel.

 

I’m trying to think of something positive about what he has done to this football team, and I suppose the only thing I can think of is instilling discipline on the field.  No longer does this team pick up all kinds of dumb penalties, the pass interference penalty on Hank Poteat notwithstanding.

 

That’s about it.

 

Yesterday, he whined to the media about the Lions faking injuries to slow down the Browns as they were using the no huddle offense.  Even if the coach really believes this, to complain about it in the press just seems to be in poor taste. 

 

His team lost.  He should deal with it.  His football team had a 21-point lead, and blew it.  And one reason is the coaching staff went conservative when they had the lead even though three quarters of the game remained.  Perhaps he is diverting attention from this fact with his accusations. 

 

Maybe Lions' coach Jim Schwartz stretched the rules, maybe he didn't.  But he doesn't look like a jerk, Mangini does.

 

That’s part of what you get with this guy.  He’s a public relations nightmare.  No one thinks the coach should be a stand up comedian, but unless you have the resume of Bill Parcells or Bill Belichick, speaking to your fan base and the media in monotones and being totally secretive doesn’t work.

 

Football fans in this city want to support the coach of the team.  However, Mangini gives them no reason to.

 

He's hasn't shown to be a brilliant strategist, and his first draft is shaping up as a huge disappointment.  He can't get along with difficult players, trading Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow, and having an initial problem with Shaun Rogers. 

 

However, the most inexcusable error in Mangini’s tenure was turning the asset of having two starting quality quarterbacks and making them little more than waiver wire pick ups.

 

I’m exaggerating about the waiver thing, but in May, most people thought you could get if not a first round draft pick, at least a second round pick for either Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson, whoever didn’t win the starting job this season.  It was a great asset for a team that needs more talent to contend for the playoffs.

 

Now you would be lucky to get a 4^th or 5^th round pick for either guy.  That’s his biggest crime since becoming head coach of this team.  Fox’ Jimmy Johnson has commented that Quinn and Anderson’s value decreases every time they take a snap.  That will ultimately be his legacy.

 

The public support of this head coach is at an all-time low.  Most fans are hoping that whomever Randy Lerner hires as the head of football operations makes getting rid of Mangini his first order of business.  There is no question the team’s record adds to the disgust.  But the coach is equally to blame.  He gives the public no reason to like him.

 

JD

 

It is said that good teams find a way to win, and bad teams find a way to lose.  Yesterday's 38-37 loss to the Detroit Lions should eliminate any doubt that people may have had that the Cleveland Browns are a bad football team. 

 

The Browns had a 24-3 lead in the first quarter and still dropped to 1-9 with a loss on the last play of the game.  The defense had been playing hard and had been semi-productive, but rookie QB Matthew Stafford shreded them like tissue paper, firing an NFL rookie record five touchdowns in the contest.

 

It was an indictment of Eric Mangini's draft legacy that two of his second round picks were inactive for the game (Brian Robiskie and David Veikune) and so was one of six round picks, CB Coye Francies.  Mangini went in favor of experience against Detroit, and of course, it came back to bite him when veteran DB Hank Poteat interfered with Brent Johnson in the end zone on what should have been the last play of a win. 

 

Poteat should be released today for this incredible mistake.  In fact, why did Poteat have his back to the play considering Johnson was in the back of the end zone?  He couldn't have gone any deeper.  The pass was not even close to him.  It was such a bad play that the official couldn't overlook it.  If a young player had made this error, it would be a little understandable, but Poteat has been around for a while. 

 

At what point will people lose their jobs with this football team?  Brandon McDonald didn't start after he turned a short pass into a big play last week, but he played anyway.

 

Also inactive was RB Jerome Harrison, who rushed for 100 yards this season in a game against Cincinnati.  The coach wants to look at rookie Chris Jennings, but why take carries away from Harrison, who is one of the few players the team has on offense who can make plays?  Jamal Lewis has been a great player, but it's time for the coaching staff to look at guys who might be with the team next season. 

 

As for the game, Brady Quinn played well, but remember he was playing against a team that has won just two games in their last 26 contests.  He did throw the ball downfield which has been one of the raps against him.  He also didn't make any mistakes, throwing no interceptions on the day.  He needs to show he can play this way against better teams, but the play calling has to be a little more aggressive against better teams.   

 

The Browns ran for 131 yards yesterday, and Lewis gained 75 of them although it took him 24 carries to do so.  Lewis shows no ability to bounce runs to the outside and can't accelerate through holes anymore.  At this point in his career he is more of a fullback than running back.  This should be the last game he receives this many carries in a game.

 

Defensively, after several games the unit spent keeping the brown and orange in the game, Rob Ryan's guys were a sieve.  Stafford threw for 416 yards, and did so even though the Lions couldn't run the ball, getting just 57 yards on the ground.  On Detroit's first play, he threw a screen pass to RB Kevin Smith, who had no one within 20 yards of him when he caught the ball.  On a screen pass!  The play went for 64 yards and set up a field goal.  It didn't get any better from there.

 

DB's Eric Wright and Brodney Pool made good plays to get interceptions, but those plays were few and far between.  When Ryan dialed up the blitz, Stafford found the hot receiver.  They had a 21 point lead in the first quarter, and blew it before halftime.  They played a little better in the second half, even recording a safety, but they gave up the big game at the end of the game.  The offense finally scored some points, and the defense let the team down.

 

Mangini is being criticized for throwing the ball on 3rd and five on the team's last possession, but it wasn't the wrong decision to me.  If the pass is completed, the game is over.  I wish the coaching staff showed this kind of aggressiveness on offense more often. 

 

However, what was the coach thinking at the end of the first half.  He was lucky that Phil Dawson kicked the field goal to give the Browns a three point lead, because Mangini eschewed a 47 yard attempt to go for it on fourth down, which they converted, and then had Dawson pass for a first down later in the drive.  Had either move backfired, Cleveland would have had nothing to show for the drive. 

 

Maybe Dawson's leg is still bothering him a bit and that's why they didn't attempt the first field goal.  But the pass by the kicker was a reckless move.  They were in the kickers' range and the Browns were lucky Mike Furrey got out of bounds to stop the clock.

 

Next week, the Browns will play a team likely headed for the playoffs in the Cincinnati Bengals.  If the offense shows life again, there will be some optimism, and certainly the defense has to play better than they did yesterday.  It's good that the Browns scored points yesterday, just remember that the Lions are a team who ranks in the bottom five in the league, just like the Browns.

 

JD

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some stuff on sports in the beautiful city of Cleveland—

 

·          Much was made of LeBron James’ comments that money wasn’t the only factor he is considering in regards to his potential free agency.  Most people figured since the Cavaliers can offer him the most money, James was sending a signal that he was kissing the franchise goodbye at the end of the year. 

 

However, I took it just the opposite.  I think LBJ was saying that the Knicks and Nets do not have a chance to compete for a title in the next couple of seasons, and the fact he could make more cash from endorsements, etc. in those cities doesn’t override the fact he has a better chance to win in Cleveland. 

 

·          I like C.C. Sabathia, but if he really wanted to thank the fans of Cleveland, he would stop commenting on James’ impending free agency.  He said winning in New York is special. 

 

First, Sabathia never dealt with a super negative Big Apple media because his season went rather smoothly with his huge contract.  If he were getting lit up, it wouldn’t have been such a great atmosphere for him.  Imagine the New York Post headlines about his weight if he was losing.

 

Also, Sabathia doesn’t know what winning a world championship is like.  James would be remembered fifty years from now if the Cavs win the first title for this city since 1964.  In fact, all of the Cavs would be.  Think about how fans still revere the Indians who played in the 1990’s.  Ending the now 45 year drought would have those players never having to buy a drink in this area for the rest of their lives.

 

·          Seriously, Brian Daboll is still the Browns’ offensive coordinator?

 

·          I applaud the Indians adding Sandy Alomar Jr. to their coaching staff.  It’s not going to make a significant difference in the win/loss record, but why not have someone on the staff that was part of a winning tradition in Cleveland.  Other teams do the same thing.  Alomar was one of the best pitch blockers I’ve seen, and he will be a good tutor to the Tribe’s young catchers, particularly Carlos Santana.

 

·          Hopefully, the Cavs’ defense will get better as the new players get used to their new teammates.  The team is currently 12^th in the NBA in points allowed, and 12^th in field goal percentage against.  Both rankings are far below what Mike Brown would like.  Those numbers need to improve if the Cavs are going to be as successful as they want to be.

 

MW

 

 

If you are old enough to remember what the Cleveland Browns franchise was in the 1960’s and early 70’s, watching a game like the 16-0 defeat against the Baltimore Ravens isn’t disgusting, it’s sad.  A team, who the greatest running back ever to play the sport, Jim Brown, now struggles to get first downs. 

 

The team which had one of the greatest wide receivers in pro football history in Paul Warfield, now can’t complete a pass over ten yards.  They couldn’t get past their opponents’ 40-yard line on Monday.

 

A franchise, which counts among its alumni guys like Otto Graham and Bernie Kosar, has reduced its passing attack to arguably the worst the league has seen in the last 20 years. 

 

When you think back to a time when the Browns were the flagship team of the NFL at that time, it makes you long for the days when you expected the brown and orange to win every Sunday.  Now, you just hope they don’t embarrass themselves. 

 

And you get disappointed when they do.

 

Last night, the defense played hard and played well, holding the Ravens to just 274 yards of offense, and limiting them to just ten points, and those were the result of turnovers.  They had one huge breakdown; CB Brandon McDonald whiffed on a tackle turning an 8-yard gain into a 30-yard gain. 

 

You feel for guys like Shaun Rogers, Robaire Smith, and rookie Kaluka Maiava who played hard, leaving everything on the field.  However, the best the defense can hope for is a scoreless tie, because they offense is so inept.

 

The Browns gained 160 yards of total offense, an amateurish performance.  They have scored five offensive touchdowns in the last 15 games, an abysmal rate.  Somehow, Brian Daboll continues to have the authority to call plays, which is mind-boggling. 

 

The offensive line provided no time for Brady Quinn to throw the ball, and when the quarterback did throw, several passes were badly off target.  When Quinn hit the target, the receivers dropped the ball.  The mistakes keep mounting.

 

The play calling on first down is vanilla, most likely a run.  After ripping off a 13-yard on his first carry, Jamal Lewis gained just 23 yards on his other nine carries.  What’s wrong with throwing a five or six yard pass on first down?  We certainly know the team has these plays in their playbook, because they seem to use them on 3^rd and long.

 

What is the offense trying to do?  Are they trying to run the ball?  The play calling is disjointed at best.  Both Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden pointed out that there is no rhythm to the offense, and it has been that way the entire season.  There is one solution that is so obvious, and that is to have someone else call the plays. 

 

If you throw on first down, you might have a chance to get the throw off and go downfield a little bit.  Every pass seems to be a screen pass.  When was the last time you saw a Browns’ receiver run a crossing route?  That seems to be a staple throughout the league. 

 

Right now, no one remembers how good the Cleveland Browns used to be.  Football fans watch a game like last night’s and see an offense that is an embarrassment.  Does the team need more talent?  Of course, it does.  However, there seems to be no plan to make the best use of the players they do have. 

 

That’s what coaching is all about.  You can draw your own conclusion.

 

JD

 

Last week, we wrote about the concern we had about the start the Cleveland Cavaliers had.  They were sitting at 4-3, and with tough games against Orlando, Miami, and Utah, they were staring at going 5-5 through the first ten games.

 

Is it too late to erase those comments?

 

Quite frankly, the wine and gold went down to Florida and took care of business, sweeping all three of the games (including Saturday's home win against the Jazz), and now sit at 7-3, with wins in seven of their last eight contests.  By the way, the trio of triumphs were also done with Delonte West. 

 

Very, very impressive.

 

In Orlando, Shaquille O'Neal got Dwight Howard in foul trouble early, and Mo Williams played like the all star he was last season in the win.  That was followed up by LeBron James out-dueling Dwyane Wade in Miami.  Yes, Wade had a huge dunk on Anderson Varajao in the first half, but I loved James' comments at halftime about it.  He basically said, yeah, it was a great dunk, but we're winning by five on the road.

 

The Cavs finished the three game set off with a win at The Q against Utah.  O'Neal took the night off, but the home team built a 16 point lead that they squandered before LBJ saved them with eight points in the last few minutes.  Suddenly, the Cavs sit at 7-3, just a 1/2 game behind the team said to be their main competition in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics, who, by the way, started out 5-0. 

 

It just shows that it's a long season in the NBA.

 

Coach Mike Brown made some adjustments in his rotation after the loss a little over a week ago against Chicago at home.  We shelved the "twin tower" experiment, put J.J. Hickson into the starting lineup and started giving Jamario Moon more playing time.  These three moves give the Cavs more athleticism, and they used it to score over 100 points in all four contests.

 

Hickson had back-to-back career highs in points with 18 against the Heat, and then 20 against the Jazz.  Yes, he still needs work on defense and rebounding, but it seems the coaching staff knows they will need him to contribute come playoff time.  His defense will get better with more practice time and more game experience, but the second year man is certainly showing some ability.

 

As for Moon, the more I watch him play, the more I like what he gives this team.  He can defend and rebound, and can shoot the ball reasonably well.  Quite frankly, he can jump through the roof.  He does a great job keeping the ball alive for offensive rebounds.  He probably is best used in short spurts, but when he is in the game, good things happen.

 

The state of the Cavaliers is much better than it was a week ago.  They showed a sense of urgency in winning two tough road games, and re-established themselves as a title contender.  Although for some reason, they are flying under the radar from the national media.

 

JK