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.

Drumming up support?

I'm asking anyone who may have been in a marching unit...oh...perhaps even a pipe band...what to make of the story embedded below. I think there is more to the suspension of this drum major (or is he a pipe major?) than a wink and a nod.

Come to think of it, why are the anchors supporting this guy for such a harmless gesture? Wasn't Sarah Palin regarded as a ditzy yokel because of a wink and a nod? Could these reports be biased? You betcha!

Update: Check out the comments for an authoritative analysis.

Anybody Remember This?

A friend on Facebook linked to this YouTube channel. This person (Dan -or- videoholic50sthru70s) has made it his mission to collect, and now share, video for 50's through the 70's. Remember Mona Scott and Doug Adair? You can go to the channel and find Blizzard of 77 footage and many other blasts from the past.

Browns Vader

The Browns need all the help they can get.

Light The Night at Progressive Field

The Tribe decided to light the night with fireworks on the field and in the air. Fausto landed a couple punches, even, but this is a different topic.

I am raising money with my friends at work for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as a participant in their Light The Night Walk September 27 at Progressive Field. We are inspired by our colleague Kurt who exhibited amazing fortitude, an incredibly positive attitude and a crazy work ethic this year. (He has a t-shirt that says "I made cancer my bitch" to prove it!)

Donation helps accelerate cures for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma and brings hope to the patients and families who are on the front lines of the battle against these diseases.

If you feel inclined to help, please use the link below to donate online.

http://www.active.com/donate/ltnClevel/2486_MattKeough

If you'd like to learn more about the Light The Night Walk, please visit http://www.lightthenight.org

The lovely Joyce K and the Boys on WKYC

The lovely Joyce K and her handsome sons appear in this story on our local NBC affiliate WKYC- TV (yes John, in HD)

Tribe Looking Better

I know it is a long season, so forgive me if I got a little depressed about how my Tribe was playing. I'm still not convinced that they are the AL Central favorites, but the last few days have been fun.

Today the weather was in the 80's - the blimp was overhead and my Cleveland Indians beat the Yankees, even with Paul Byrd on the mound. John asked me "Why does Uncle Drew think Paul Byrd is bad?" and Paul promptly served up his second homer of the night to Giambi. "That's why son, that's why!"

The June Swoon Came Too Soon

Cleveland Indians fans are used to the Tribe getting our hopes up early, only to dash them by the All Star Break. Can't say they are setting the bar too high this year. As a matter of fact, a petition was posted at my workplace Tuesday and amended today.

Kucinich Won't Be Our Next President

Why did Dennis drop out now? Are there no more windmills? Are our peace-loving alien friends on to another galaxy far, far away? Perhaps.

I have posted three comments critical of him in recent days. I can only say that the Representative who sometimes resides in the 10th Congressional District might have been feeling the heat coming off the Stop Me When I Am Lying blog universe!

Today's photo caption

I could go so many places with this. So here are a few off the top of my head:

Vote for my husband - for president, congressman - I don't care just vote for him!

Please vote for me or my wife will leave me!

I really think I can make a difference even though I'm an idiot

I will be there for you Cleveland - when I'm not living in my fantasy world of trying to get elected to the White House.

I am an important person!

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.

A poll for Cavs fans

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.

Baseball - the off season

Some random thoughts I have about what has happened in the "off season" of baseball. The baseball season ended just 4 days ago but so much has happened. Joe Giradi is now the skipper of the Yankees - good luck with that and Joe Torre is now going to lead the Dodgers. I'm happy for Joe. Maybe he will finally get the credit he deserves without the owner second guessing him in the media.

Today, I read about Barry Bonds playing "hardball" with the Hall of Fame. Here is a link to the article - http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3090631. He said if the hall displays his record breaking ball with an asterisk he will never be in the hall of fame. So if he is elected he won't show up for the ceremony. I think it's rather bold for him to think he is an automatic bid. Look at Mark McGuire. I believe last year he was his first year of eligibility and he did not get enough votes.

I guess the good news is the Curt Schilling has the Indians on his list of teams he would like to play for in the future. I'm impressed because the list included cities that were good enough to raise a family - schools/neighborhoods. I wonder what 'hood' he would live in if he became an Indian. My question is do we dish Byrd and go after Schilling? Then you can let Lee/Laffey/Miller battle it out.

A-rod will no longer be a Yankee. Ok - who is going to sign him to the big contract he will demand? I don't think the Indians will but it would be interesting to throw him in our lineup and put him at 3rd base. I don't think the Indians will do this because of the money and the choke artist that he is in the playoffs.

Stay tuned as who knows what week 2 in the off season will bring!

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.