The New Browns Logos

The helmet looks fine. The dog is only suited for the puppy pound. He looks like a neutered version of the old dog logo. Why did we even get excited? We should know better.

Browns management promises us that they will get more innovative and daring when they reveal the new uniform.

The best we can hope for is Ray Farmer will text his best public relations tips to the podium during the press conference revealing the new look.

Here we go, Brownies! Here we go, again.

Money where my mouth is...Browns won't win 8 Games this year

They've won three out of four preseason games. I highly doubt that the Browns will have a  75% winning record this year. I'm so confident that I've bet a coworker that they won't win 8 game. If they win more than 7 games Alan gets a crisp Jackson.

I'm still a Browns fan, but I'm also a realist. The way I look at it, I can't lose. Either I will have two sawbills in my pocket at the end of the season or my Brownies will be watchable. WOOF! WOOF!

So you think Peyton Hillis isn't tough? I'm here to help.

I've lived in the Cleveland area for more than forty years and I've followed sports for almost as long. You can imagine I've seen and heard some pretty ridiculous stuff in that time and you would be right.

Sports fans in Cleveland like to tell ourselves and like to hear our teams say we are "the greatest fans in the country". While it is true we tend to come back year after year to see basically the same disappointing results, that does not mean we are particularly good at being fans. Bottlegate anyone?

I can honestly say one of the lowest points for Cleveland fans may have been hit these last two weeks. Peyton Hillis, the one bright spot of the Browns' season last year and Madden cover winner, is being called weak and heartless because he sat out a game because of strep throat.

Why do I feel this criticism is unfounded and unfair?

Follow my steps below:
1. Have you ever been sick? Yes? Go to 2. No? Shut up.
2. Have you ever had a job. Yes? Go to 3. No? Shut up.
3. Have you ever been so sick you couldn't work? Yes? Go to 4. No? Good for you. You have been lucky. (If you think this gives you authority to talk crap about Hills, shut up!)
4. Have you ever been a professional athlete? Yes? Go to 5. No? Me neither. Shut up.
5. Are you Peyton Hillis' physician? Yes? Feel free to say he should have played. No? Shut up.
6. Are you any one of the following; a sports writer, a radio talk show host, a blogger, a guy sitting a home reading blogs, listening to radio talkers and reading sports columnists? SHUT THE HELL UP!
7. Are you Peyton Hillis' agent. Please shut up. (This goes for all agents, actually.)
8. Are you Peyton Hillis? Keep doing what you are doing.

The rest of you clear on this? Good.

Even Tommy has figured it out...

The Browns suck

Browns Vader

The Browns need all the help they can get.

Quinn is in!

I'm watching the Browns and it looks like Anderson hurt his hand on the last possession. So we will see Brady Quinn take some snaps in the last game of the season. Kind of a perfect scenario unfolding here.

Quinn gets in during a meaningless game. The Titans win later today, and we have an instant quarterback controversy for the Cleveland writers. That will keep them going until the trucks get packed for Spring Training.

Can you believe it?

The Browns could be going down uncharted waters - something I would have never believed in a million years happen this year -- the playoffs. Yes, Sunday is a must win for the Brownies if they want to continue as some people call it "the season of dreams". Today I listened to a local radio station who each Friday has a panel of people pick who they think will win for the week in the NFL. The producer of the show who gets to make picks gave the most unique reason I think I will ever hear on to why the Browns will win. Please note the producer is male and not female. He said, that it is a battle of Lake Erie as both cities border the big lake. He continued on that the Lake like Cleveland much better than Buffalo and therefore the Browns will win. I have to agree - I believe there will be snow on Sunday but if the forecast becomes a reality could you imagine how much snow Buffalo could have during the game?? I love when the elements could ultimately have an effect on the game.

Browns Town Again?

Is this crazy? The Browns have won five straight at home this season? I cannot BELIEVE it! Wearing a throwback uni (just one digit off from a legend) Jamal Lewis ran past, over and through the Texans. Lewis has a stiff arm from circa 1949. Given the fact that my Indians far exceeded my expectations, I am starting to think the "P" word might be spoken. And I may be wrong, but this might be the first time in my lifetime the Indians and the Browns were in the playoffs in the same year. I KNOW the Indians, Browns and Cavs have never been to the post-season in the same year. Could we, should we dream?

Here is the really fun part. My four year old son is begging me to skip nap time so he can see the Browns. Now, maybe he just wants to skip his nap. However, it is still cool that I am watching the Brownies with my son, and it is not punishment.

The photo is borrowed from a slideshow at www.ClevelandBrowns.com

That Was Close! Browns Making It Interesting

Last week they SHOULD have beat the Stillers. Just a field goal away. As the lovely Joyce lamented, "How could that exact thing happen two weeks in a row? HOW?" Only because it is a Cleveland sports team. That is how it could happen. All is well that ends well. But now it REALLY hurts the the Brownies didn't get it done last week.

Do you think the ref looked at the tape before they had further discussions? Do you suppose Baltimore sports talkers are crying in their crab cakes about the reversed call. If they are, it gladdens my heart. I hate the Ravens.

That Was Painful...Better With Time

The "Stop Me When I Am Lying" crew must have all gone into the same disbelieving funk that I did. How could the Tribe just fall apart like that? The sting is still there, but seeing Colorado get swept ended the season mercifully.

What are we going to post about now? The Browns won back-to-back games. That is something. The presidential elections are less just about a year away. "Dancing with the Stars" has been entertaining.

I look at the search queries to see how people find this blog. During the Indians run in the post season, there was traffic related to "rally pie" and "it's Tribe Time now".

Today there was a new query that brought us a visitor - "how to stop our annoying brother from annoying us". OK - given that my brothers post here, I better be careful. But if you want my advise on the subject, here it goes. I am making an assumption that the annoying brother is a younger brother. They usually are the annoying ones. Wait twenty years or so. He may be just as annoying, but there is a chance that he will have moved far enough away that you won't be subjected to his pure annoying-ness as often. If you can't wait that long, fink on him to your parents.

It's a sad day

The mourning begins - another baseball season is over for the Indians. So what do we have to look forward to in the Sports World? The Cavaliers will try to defend their Eastern League title and the Browns are 3-3 and will try and have a respectable season. It's going to be a long winter.

Cheating in the NFL

Ok – look who is apologizing now. I just saw on ESPN.com that before his regularly scheduled press conference that Bill Belichick issued an apology to his team on Wednesday and confirmed that he has spoken to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about his "interpretation" of league rules that ban videotaping of the opposing sideline.

Here was his statement:
"At this point, we have not been notified of the league's ruling," Belichick said in a statement. "Although it remains a league matter, I want to apologize to everyone who has been affected, most of all ownership, staff and players. Following the league's decision, I will have further comment."

Does that sound like they are guilty or what??!!

This was an interesting side story on the same page:
In August, ESPN.com ran a comprehensive package on cheating in sports. Jeffri Chadiha wrote the NFL portion of the package. Among the ways NFL coaches try to gain an advantage was trying to descramble signals sent from coach to player: "When Marty Schottenheimer coached the Cleveland Browns in the late 1980s, he routinely sent a scout to watch the signals opposing teams used to relay messages from coaches to players. When the scout returned, Schottenheimer's staff would watch the game film and match the signals to the plays that followed. "[Herm] Edwards said the same is true today. It's common for coaches to watch standard game tapes (which include shots from the press box and end zone angles), sideline tapes (which usually wind up on highlight shows and include footage of players and coaches talking on the sidelines) and even the television shows of opposing coaches for tips."

Maybe the Browns should start stealing some signals again. Better yet we should get a new coach!

A change at QB

I just read online that Charlie Frye is going to Seattle for a 6th Round Pick. The Browns are to sign Dorsey - who Seattle worked out last week and didn't want. 1) Hello Browns - we gave up our 1st Round pick to get Quinn - can we try and get at least a 2nd Round pick for Frye? 2) How bad is Frye that we only got a 6th Round pick? 3) We still stink even if they start Dorsey this week. Maybe we will luck out because the Bengals have a short week b/c they played last night.

I must agree with the Browns that something had to happen because you can't release the bad punter that bailed you out last week because your regular punter has a bad back and keep 3 mediocre QB's.

Different Season - Same Clowns - I mean Browns

They said they made improvements in the offseason but I don't think they showed up yesterday. I will admit I did not watch the whole game but from what I saw they still stink. I hope the tailgaiters had a good meal! I don't think Quinn should be played yet - I think cut Frye or Anderson and let Dorsey play.

I do think this - if we played everybody's 3rd string we would be Super Bowl Bound!

Super Bowl XVI

Not to jump on the bandwagon or anything, but it is good to see Manning get to "the big game". Don't you laugh when you hear your local pizza joint or electronics store talk about "The Big Game"? They are afraid the jackbooted thugs from the NFL will shut them down if they actually say Super Bowl© ™? They may be right. I do not doubt the NFL's lawyers monitor 100 Watt AM radio stations, poised to slap a strongly worded letter together and post with next day delivery.

Where was I? Oh, right, Manning shook that monkey off his back. It may have been a gorilla, I heard that analogy also. Maybe it was a chimpanzee. I am old fashioned enough to enjoy the thought that two teams from the Midwest will meet for..um..you know...THAT game.

However, I am also practical enough to recognize the fact that the Colts moved from Baltimore rather underhandedly. Being a fan of the Browns, that makes me sensitive. The Bears are OK, but they remind me of the Cubs. Which is better than reminding me of the White Sox. Oops! The just reminded me of the White Sox.

I guess I'll just settle for enjoying the commercials until the Browns play in the Super Bowl© ™. Don't let me down, Madison Avenue!

Browns, football, tv, Super Bowl

Never too soon to talk baseball

I just watched a good NFL playoff game. "Good" because it was a back and forth affair that came down to the last play of the game. But I am a Browns fan (I sometimes deny this), so pro football does not grab me by the lapels and hold my attention.

I want to talk baseball. Major League Baseball. Cleveland Indians baseball. I know that the Indians have all sorts of things to work on this Spring. Last season was disappointing. But the great thing about being and Indians fan is that you always hold hope for next year. (This optimism does not seep through to the Browns fan portion of my being.)

So, does the Tribe have a shot at something good this year? Will first base and right field be a mess? Will the bullpen solidify? What about Victor Martinez? CC? Can Hafner continue his growth?

When do pitchers and catchers report?

Browns Win! Browns Win! Browns Win!

The amazing thing about yesterday's Browns victory over the Chiefs is not that they beat a playoff bound team. It isn't even amazing that the backup quarterback played his heart out and literally went the extra yard. I think the most amazing thing is that there were actually Browns fans in the stands. If I had tickets, I would have had reservations about using them. Do you recall what happened the week before against the Bengals? Would YOU have wanted to see a repeat of that?

Anyway, the Brownies take on the Stillers Thursday night. Go Browns!!

Fans should sue for fraud!

The Cleveland Browns fans should sue the Lerner Family for fraud. The teams that have been put on the field have turned out to be an imposter! After yesterdays pitiful loss it is clear to me more than ever the Browns fans should be asking for a discount on next year and a refund for previous year's PSL's. This an NFL team in name only. The guys sometimes act as professionals but the quality is awful. The sad things is there are too many leaks to fix in one off season. If the Lerner's won't open up their wallets to the fans, then maybe they should open them up to quality players so we can have at least one winning season to give the old faithful something to cheer about.

The Browns are going to stink

I still predict the Browns are going to stink. When they can't find a guy who has the ability to play center and they try to trade away a running back and the trade is voided because he failed the physical - you know you are in trouble. I am still in awe that the guy who actually might help us in the Center position and is being suspended for 4 games for failing the NFL drug policy will not apologize to his teams and the fans. How arrogant can you be?? How long until Spring Training?