Boys To Men

When it comes to sports, we must be careful of placing too much emphasis on one regular season game. Anything can happen on any given day. Any team can look like champions and any team can look like a disgrace, thats why they play 82 games in basketball, 162 in baseball and 16 in football, so the truly good teams are left standing at the end.

Having said that, the Cavalier victory today over the Detroit Pistons felt a little more significant than just a normal win.

First, the Cavs pretty much controlled the game from opening tip to the final buzzer, winning by 13 points.

Second, the Pistons were 24-3, 24-3!!! ESPN has already begun with the comparisons to the Bulls team that won 70. I've even heard the "greatest team ever" tag being floated. Bottomline, this team is seriously good and they have been together for awhile.

So taking into consideration how good the Pistons are, it makes you wonder how good the Cavs are, or rather a better question, how good COULD the Cavs be?

Sure its possible the Cavs just had a great day at the Q and the Pistons had their minds on New Years Rockin' Eve parties, but how many NBA teams cannot even beat the Pistons on their best day?

Is it not also possible the Cavs, with new coach and several new players on the roster, are finally starting to jel and finally realizing their true potential?

I've been very critical of this Cavs team over the last two years. I've found several creative ways to call them soft, but if they keep playing games like they did today against the Pistons. I may need to issue some apologies.

False Alarm!

Well,
now we hear Savage was NOT fired. It was all an elaborate April Fools day prank by ESPN's Chris Mortensen.....in December..?

Who exactly was Mortensen's source on this one? a disgruntled equipment manager?

Personnally, If this was all just a "rumor" as they Browns now claim, I think its time ESPN takes Mort behind the woodshed and do him Old Yeller-style.

Either way, this is just embarassing. What other organization goes through constant drama like this? What the hell is going on in Berea, its a freaking circus over there.

Yet another sad chapter in the horror story that is the "new" Cleveland Browns.

Savage gone already?!!

I must say I'm pretty stunned to hear the Browns are whacking general manager Philly Savage already.

The report says, "philosophical differences." Perhaps those differences are the Browns ownership actually intended to WIN some games this year.

I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. On one hand, its good to see them respond to a dismal season and the latest "behind the woodshed" beating delivered by the Steelers. On the other hand, no organization in sports can accomplish anything replacing front office and coaching personnel so frequently.

I'm sure there is more to the story.

Things I'm sick of..

1. Romeo Crennel’s annoyed attitude and demeanor during postgame press conferences. He reminds me of the little kid that scatters his toys all over the room, makes a big mess, then pouts in the corner when his mom says he has to clean them up if he wants a snack. Hey Romeo, you think you have it bad? Those journalists have to watch AND write about your putrid team every week.

2. The Cavaliers inability to beat a good team on the road. Did anyone expect them to beat the Nets Tuesday? I really should have logged on to one of those sports gambling sites and bet on the Nets because it was guaranteed money. Has this Cavs team ever defeated a team over .500 on the road?

3. The Indians front office spinning bargain basement free agent signings as if they landed some diamond in the rough. I mean were they even competing with anybody for Jason Johnson’s services?

4. Cleveland State basketball. Does anyone else remember when they could actually field a competitive team? This is the same school that advanced to the sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 1986 with Kenny “Mouse” McFadden and Eric Mudd, now they are dropping games to the Texaco All-stars. There is so much potential there for a competitive college basketball program: nice arena, big city, large potential fan base, yet they continue to flounder. Have they reached the point they should just dismantle the whole thing, what is the point anymore?

5. Ben Taylor.

6. Watching Zydrunas Ilgauskas watch opposing ball handlers breeze past him en route to yet another uncontested layup.

7. Hoping every year that a new Mark Price-type athlete will emerge in Cleveland, and being let down every year.

8. Having to root for Damon Jones, only because he wears a Cavalier uniform……ONLY because he wears a Cavalier uniform.

9. Watching teams from other cities that were once great, go through an entire breaking down and rebuilding process to once again find greatness after years of irrelevance, while in the same timeframe we have done nothing. (See: Detroit Pistons, Cincinnati Bengals).

10. Bill Belichick. I know, I should be over it by now and I should never use the word “hate” and I should get the oil in my vehicle changed every 3,000 miles. But I literally hate that man for what he is doing in New England and what he could not do in Cleveland. Its just so inexplicable to me. Its like Jane Campbell being elected mayor of Detroit, and promptly luring Microsoft away from Seattle, Delta Air Lines from Atlanta and Federal Express away from Memphis – all in her first term. Its like Nick Lachey finally throwing in the towel on the singing career and becoming the next Tom Hanks of Hollywood. I will never accept Bill Belichick as the “greatest coach ever”, not unless he comes back to Cleveland and wins a Super Bowl, in which case, I will assist in the contruction of a bronze statue in his honor.

Hitting Rock Bottom

Does anyone remember the Browns first game back in 1999? It was a magical September night when the new Cleveland Browns Stadium was officially opened to a national television audience as the Browns triumphantly charged onto the field for the first time since 1995.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, however, played the role of party pooper as well as they possibly could, thrashing the Browns 43-0. At the time, while we all hated that final score but understood it would take some time to mold a competitive football team from scratch.

Well here we are more than six years later, and I DON'T understand anymore! Head coach Romeo Crennel does not get a pass for what transpired on the football field Christmas Eve. The Steelers 41-0 drubbing over an uninspired Browns squad was not only infuriating, but spoke volumes on the guy the Browns chose to lead this team back to respectiblility.

For all the apologists, lets look at the Miami Dolphins. Last year, both the Browns and Dolphins went 4-12. Both teams replaced their head coach with a rookie NFL head coach. When the two teams met this season, the Browns even defeated the 'Phins 22-0! So what has happened since?

One team has showed admirable progress and improvement from week to week while playing their hearts out for the rookie coach. The other has regressed to the point of losing the fan base and allowing a bitter division rival to walk into their own building and dominate from opening kickoff to final whistle, all the while shaming the home team's fans by waiving yellow towels throughout the contest.

The Dolphins have won five straight and are finishing the season strong at 8-7, giving their fans something to feel optimistic about for next year. The Browns are limping towards the finish line with seemingly little interest anymore. The Pittsburgh Steelers, having already disgraced the Browns on ESPN earlier in the year, came into the Stadium and smacked the Browns right in the mouth. And when the Browns failed to retaliate, they smacked them again, just for good measure, and then walked off hand in hand with the Browns' girlfriend.

My fellow Browns fans, there have been several times since 1999 when we were sure we had bottomed out and could get no lower. I want to believe it cannot get any worse than it is right now, we must go up from here.

Maybe if I say it a few more times I'll start to believe it.

M.I.A.

My apologies to my loyal readers, I have been traveling recently and was unable to post anything new. I have been following the Cleveland sports scene, as usual, and here are some thoughts of recent doings:

The Browns won U-G-L-Y Sunday over a disgusting Raiders team. Yeah it sucks they are blowing their top ten draft pick, but you do not want to end the season on a six-game losing streak, trust me. Losing is contagious, like a virus. Having said that, I'm not ready make plans to attend Charlie Frye's Hall of Fame induction ceremony just yet. Yes, he's the best option the Browns have, but lets see what he does next year.

Also, I know its not the Browns style, but we SERIOUSLY need to address both lines. The D-line is non-existent. I'm not even sure they all make it to the field each series. The O-line has been better than years past, but still really inconsistent. ADDRESS THIS IN THE DRAFT, FOR ONCE!! Football games are won and lost on the line of scrimmage, its that simple.

The Indians have just wrapped up "Welcome Home Week" with the signings of Danny Graves and Steve Karsay(two guys who are about 32 going on 50) following the Tim Laker (re)signing earlier in the week. I don't know how long this trend is going to last, but if I see Robby Alomar or Kenny Lofton lumbering around in a Tribe uniform next year, I may go off the deep end.

One guy I REALLY want on the Indians is Reggie Sanders. Lets go and get this freaking guy, he's clearly the best option for a right fielder out there. Yes, I know he's 38, but just two years ago he cracked 31 dongs and drove in 87 runs for the Pirates, no less. Rondell White, though five years younger, has not eclipsed the 20-homer mark since 1999.

Pineapple Tidbits

- If the Celtics can have a player named Gerald Green, then the Cavs need a player named Wynan Gold.

- The funniest thing in sports right now is Trent Dilfer's bitter, surly attitude about being benched in favor of rookie Chuck Frye. Not only has Touchdown(less) Trent not been able to move the ball this year, but he really has not moved the ball for any team at any other point of his career. Its like a bus driver filing a grievance for being fired after two accidents and three DUIs on the job.

- You know, I tore my ACL in my left knee in high school. Does this mean I am a potential first round draft pick for the Browns next year? I'm just asking, because I'm not really in football shape.

- Well, we asked for it and by golly the Indians delivered. We wanted a big-name free agent, and ladies and gentlemen I present you.......LOU MERLONI!! So who else has already pre-ordered their 2006 World Series Champions DVD?? (crickets..)

- If there was ever a time I wish I could be a fly on the wall, its when Indians GM Mark Shapiro approaches owner Larry "tightpockets" Dolan about a potential free agent signing.

Shapiro: Hey boss, we think we may have found the answer to our woes in right field.

Dolan: (aggitated) How much?

Shapiro: We are probably looking at $5 million per year.

Dolan: (abruptly) No

Shapiro: Sir, I think we should discuss thi..

Dolan: NO

Shapiro: Its just we are so close

Dolan: (pressing button on phone) SECURITY!

- Somebody posted something similar to this on a Cavs message board and got me thinking. Has an individual ever singlehandedly destroyed a single professional sports franchise as a player AND a general manager the way Danny Ferry seems to be doing? And yes, I'm referring to the Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Damon Jones signings.

- Listening to the extremely enthusiastic Cavaliers game announcer Ronnie Duncan, I now have a new fantasy. Just once, I'd love to hear him wail, "Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaay GUIDINGER!" You know, just for fun.

- Speaking of Guidinger, here's some audience participation. I would like all of you to email me your favorite "bad" athlete of all-time and why. For example, my friend Shnydes and I love Jay Guidinger because he was the Original White Stiff. He was the white stiff by which all future white stiffs are judged. Submissions can be posted here or sent to me, thanks!

RIP Bud Carson

Former Browns head coach Bud Carson died yesterday at age 74.

While reading the news release about Carson, I was reminded of how brief his stint in Cleveland was, he did not complete his second season.

The amazing thing is, Carson went 9-6-1 in his first season in Cleveland in 1989. Not only did he win the AFC Central division, but advanced to the AFC Championship before falling to the Denver Broncos. The next season, The Browns dropped seven of their first nine contests, and Carson was unceremoniously dismissed.

Its a stunning commentary on the stark differences in philosophy between the old Browns (Ravens) and the current Browns. Mediocrity was simply not tolerated. Imagine if Carson had coached these Browns. We would be told his 2-7 record was deceiving and urged to be patient. The front office and even some of the myopic fans would plead the team's case, claiming it takes several years to build a champion, it doesn't happen overnite.

That is why we are still bitter about Art Modell moving our team to Baltimore. Those Ravens, OUR Browns, won a Super Bowl in 2000, and we have been supplied with Arizona Cardinals-East, a perenially losing franchise that makes 8 mistakes for every good move. Faces and names of coaches and general managers continuously change, however the ineptitude remains constant.

The old Browns were proud and competitive. Fans still mention names of players like Kevin Mack, Clay Matthews and Ozzie Newsome only in hushed tones. They literally lived for Sundays in the fall, when the orange and brown was playing.

That franchise is gone, however. Just like the fun football used to provide for Clevelanders.

Fiesta!

So the Bowl Championship Series did the right thing and matched THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY with Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, January 2.

This is clearly the best matchup, despite claims from several sportswriters that the Oregon Ducks, who finished 10-1, were snubbed.

First of all, who, outside of Oregon, actually knows or cares about the Ducks? Guess what Daffy fans, ratings matter because they translate into dollars, and that is all the BCS is concerned with anyway right?

The Ducks went 10-1 playing in the Pac 10 conference. Which is like a prosecuting attorney getting excited about putting Robert Downey Jr. away on possession charges, WOO HOO!

Isn't the Pac 10 just USC and "teams USC practices against en route to the Rose Bowl" or whatever the national championship bowl may be that year?

Finally, what really destroyed Oregon's chances was probably the BCS committee's reluctance to accept a team coached by a guy who supports murderers. Not too mention those retina searing uniforms!

Brainwashed fans

I logged in to the clevelandbrowns.com message board after yet another Browns defeat today, expecting to read a myriad of angry, bitter fans unleashing their scathing diatribes upon the pathetic organization that is the Cleveland Browns.

Amazingly, I didn't find much anger, but rather vivid rays of sunshine showering a serene dandelion covered field of optimism. I'll paraphrase the most common comments posted:

Hey, Charlie (Frye) looked great today in the first half!

It was good to see Droughns get over 1000 yards for the season.

The refs really hosed us on that one call, otherwise we are RIGHT THERE!

and the most common, We didn't really expect anything this year anyways, lets give Crennel a few years to turn it around!

Ok.........WHAT?!! Let me dust off my megaphone here, THEY LOST! THEY ARE PERHAPS THE MOST PATHETIC SPORTS FRANCHISE IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW!

And you know what is fueling that disturbing trend? The brainwashed fans that continue to accept mediocrity. Actually, mediocrity is a compliment to these guys.

Do you realize the Browns are 34-74 since the return in '99? That is a record that makes even the Washington Generals cringe. Whats worse, unless the Browns miraculously win three+ of their final four games this season, they will have a double digit loss total for three consecutive years for the first time in the history of the Cleveland Browns. Read that sentence again, I'm not just talking about this team, I'm talking about ALL Cleveland Browns.

The Indianapolis Colts have won 12 football games this year. The Browns have won 13 games THE LAST THREE SEASONS!

My point is this, as long as these fans continue to flock to the stadium like sheep to support the garbage on the field, nothing will change. We will continue to hear coaches attempt to convince us the team "made great strides" and "played their guts out" following a 24-3 loss. We will continue to gush over rookie quarterbacks from the University of Akron, of all places, instead of rooting for proven commodities that can actually win football games. (Not saying Frye won't be good someday, just that there should have been a better veteran option than Trent freakin Dilfer for gosh sakes. I think I'd take Doug Flutie over Dilfer, at least he has a cereal!)

The only way to make a statement to a professional sports franchise is to hit them the only place it hurts - in the wallet. The Indians won 93 games this year and they are still trying to figure out how to get attendance back to where it was in the mid 90's.

If the Browns are going to continue this perpetual rebuilding process for the upcoming years, decades, centuries, and are not offering ticket discounts until they are ready to compete, then sit at home and WATCH the games for free until the product on the field is worth paying for.

Its a lot warmer anyways and the traffic is much more manageable...

Cavalier _ _ fense

The "De" was left out in the title because when the Cavs are playing, there simply is NO "De". But there is a fense, or fence, and that fence is old and rusty and not keeping anything out of the yard, or in this case the paint.

Yes, LeBron is loaded with offensive skills. Yes Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall can get hot and drain some 3's. And yes, Larry Hughes takes some of the heat off LeBron. But the sad truth is, until this team either learns or decides to play some semblance of defense, they just won't be a dominant basketball team.

Any old-school NBA fans may remember when the Golden State Warriors had "Run TMC"in the mid to late 80's; Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. Those Warrior teams could light up the scoreboard and pretty much run all the lower-tier NBA teams out of the arena. Not unlike these Cavs, however, the Warriors weren't much interested in rolling up the sleaves to actually stop the opposition from scoring. The result, you could expect 46-52 wins out of them every year, and an anticlimactic first or second round exit from the playoffs.

Until something changes in Cleveland, don't expect any more than that out of LeBron's Cavs anytime soon.

Email me.

Any readers can email me questions, comments or concerns at northeast39@yahoo.com. Hopefully when i receive enough response, I will run a "mailbag" type column.

But I must ask, please no marriage proposals and I do not provide astrological advice (once Miss Cleo got pinched, we all got out of the bidness!).

DeSagana Flop

While watching the Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs game last night, I couldn't help but notice one of the Mavericks players. He was a lean, mean rebounding machine, grabbing boards as if they were winning lottery tickets. He was also extremely active on the defensive end, something Mavericks fans aren't used to seeing from their players.

So who was this up-and-comer? It was none other than Cavalier castoff DeSagana Diop (pronounced "jop" for those who failed to pick up on the genius of this post title).

You may remember Diop as the high schooler the Cavs drafted in 2001 who spent most of his three seasons in Cleveland looking more lost than a Republican at an ACLU headquarters. He was fat, slow, uncoordinated and patented several unflattering moves such as the "line drive jump shot that smacks the front of the rim so hard the referee has to stop play to make sure he didn't inadvertantly knock it off-center" and the "attempt to set a pick but accidentally tripping your teammate causing him to fall and get whistled for traveling."

Now the TNT broadcasters were raving about Diop's presence and how he dropped 60 pounds during the offseason. A quick check of the stats shows the Lasagna man (I call him that because his first name looks like Lasagna) actually posted a 16 rebound, six block game against the Nuggets two weeks ago! I'm not sure he had 16 rebounds total in his years in Cleveland, now he's the next Dennis Rodman?

I guess we can cut Diop some slack, afterall weren't we all 19 once and did we all not potentially blow multimillion dollar opportunities because we were fat, lazy and unmotivated to improve at our jobs? I thought so.

Oh the joy of being a Cleveland fan, it just gets better and better.