Dawg days of August (greatest Browns)
Now that we have reached that annual lull between the excitement of the start of training camp, the obligatory "only in Cleveland" devastating injury and the first game of the regular season, I thought I would take a break to do something fun.
This year, I am celebrating my 20th year as a Browns fan. And no, that doesn't mean I'm 20 years old. I'm not one of those morons that equate their amount of time on this planet with years of fandom. I obviously wasn't rooting for the Browns in between diaper changings and naps when I was a baby.
1986 was the first season I followed the Browns. Yes it was the season that culminated in "The Drive." Which means my second full season lead to "The Fumble." You think I wasn't a bitter young man?
Anyways, I thought I would come up with the top 3 Browns at each position of the last 20 years, or my fan lifetime. This way the list will only include players I actually watched play. Plus, don't tell me you don't get bored with all the Jim Brown, Otto Graham dominated lists. Those guys were great and deserve reverance, but their history is becoming ancient. Jim Brown may as well have played with a leather helmet and a sweater at this point.
Well enough babbling, lets get it started:
Quarterback:
1. Bernie Kosar
2. Vinny Testaverde
3. Tim Couch
How jarring is it that Tim Couch is the Browns' third best QB of the past two decades? Now I don't think Timmy was nearly as bad as some people, but he pretty much wins the spot by default, other candidates include: Mike Pagel, Todd Philcox, Doug Pederson, Spurgeon Wynn, Kelly Holcomb and Jeff Garcia. Thats a list of stiffs that makes the county morgue jealous.
Running Back:
1. Kevin Mack
2. Eric Metcalf
3. Earnest Byner
This category was T-U-F-F tough! I wanted to drop Byner out because he choked in one of the most significant games of my childhood, but like Earnest scoring the touchdown, I just couldn't do it. Rueben Droughns was fantastic last year, but he needs at least two seasons to make the list. Leroy Hoard was the closest to Byner, but I was surprised to discover he only really had one standout year with the Browns, rushing for 890 yards in 1994. Amazingly, Hoard scored 36 career touchdowns - he was wearing a Minnesota Vikings helmet for 23 of them. Honorable metion: Herman Fontenot
Wide Receiver:
1. Webster Slaughter
2. Kevin Johnson
3. Brian Brennan
Another tough one that I'm sure I'll receive much feedback on. Slaughter and KJ were gimmes. Johnson, if for nothing more than the fact he put up more than 900 yards and 8 touchdowns during the dreadful '99 expansion season. I chose Brennan over Mike Jackson and my personal favorite, Reggie Langhorne for different reasons. Jackson because he always suffered from the dropsies, despite his big play ability. Also, he waited until 1996, or first with the RAVENS, to have a breakout year with career highs in yards and touchdowns.
Langhorne and Brennan were both secondary options behind Slaughter, but Brennan had the best hands on the team. For any third and short passing situation, Brennan was THE guy. Guys with hands like his are valuable even in today's game.
Tight End:
1. Ozzie Newsome
2. Steve Heiden
3. Brian Kinchen
Yes you read that right, Brian Kinchen. After moving from long snapper, Kinchen actually enjoyed three respectable seasons between '93-'95. Truth is, after The Wizard, it gets pretty thin at TE. I kicked around names like Scott Galbraith and Aaron Shea, but could not, in good conscience, put then on the list. Honorable mention goes to Mark Bavaro, who was good, but played just one vaguely memorable year in Cleveland.
Offensive Lineman:
1. Mike Baab
2. Tony Jones
3. Cody Risien
You don't truly appreciate these guys until you don't have them anymore. The three above were mainstays and left gaping holes once they left. Honorable mention goes to Dan Fike and Steve Everett. The latter mainly because he wore the Browns do-rag under his Ravens helmet in 1996. Now THAT, my friends is loyalty and class.
Kicker:
1. Phil Dawson
2. Matt Bahr
3. Matt Stover
Dawson has had quite a long stint as the Browns kicker. Not only is he fairly consistent, but he has proved time and again he is actually a "football player" as well. He will readily dive into a wave of opponents to grab an onside kick or put his head down and dive across the goalline on a fake field goal. Yes, Philly does it all.
I hated to include Stover, a guy who has done so much for the Ravens, but other than those three, you are looking at Jerry Kauric and Mark Moseley?
So that is it for the offense. I will do the defense tomorrow. Now I strongly encourage anybody who disagrees to voice your opinion. Lists like these are completely subjective. I don't claim to be the authority on all things Cleveland, so please, challenge me.
This year, I am celebrating my 20th year as a Browns fan. And no, that doesn't mean I'm 20 years old. I'm not one of those morons that equate their amount of time on this planet with years of fandom. I obviously wasn't rooting for the Browns in between diaper changings and naps when I was a baby.
1986 was the first season I followed the Browns. Yes it was the season that culminated in "The Drive." Which means my second full season lead to "The Fumble." You think I wasn't a bitter young man?
Anyways, I thought I would come up with the top 3 Browns at each position of the last 20 years, or my fan lifetime. This way the list will only include players I actually watched play. Plus, don't tell me you don't get bored with all the Jim Brown, Otto Graham dominated lists. Those guys were great and deserve reverance, but their history is becoming ancient. Jim Brown may as well have played with a leather helmet and a sweater at this point.
Well enough babbling, lets get it started:
Quarterback:
1. Bernie Kosar
2. Vinny Testaverde
3. Tim Couch
How jarring is it that Tim Couch is the Browns' third best QB of the past two decades? Now I don't think Timmy was nearly as bad as some people, but he pretty much wins the spot by default, other candidates include: Mike Pagel, Todd Philcox, Doug Pederson, Spurgeon Wynn, Kelly Holcomb and Jeff Garcia. Thats a list of stiffs that makes the county morgue jealous.
Running Back:
1. Kevin Mack
2. Eric Metcalf
3. Earnest Byner
This category was T-U-F-F tough! I wanted to drop Byner out because he choked in one of the most significant games of my childhood, but like Earnest scoring the touchdown, I just couldn't do it. Rueben Droughns was fantastic last year, but he needs at least two seasons to make the list. Leroy Hoard was the closest to Byner, but I was surprised to discover he only really had one standout year with the Browns, rushing for 890 yards in 1994. Amazingly, Hoard scored 36 career touchdowns - he was wearing a Minnesota Vikings helmet for 23 of them. Honorable metion: Herman Fontenot
Wide Receiver:
1. Webster Slaughter
2. Kevin Johnson
3. Brian Brennan
Another tough one that I'm sure I'll receive much feedback on. Slaughter and KJ were gimmes. Johnson, if for nothing more than the fact he put up more than 900 yards and 8 touchdowns during the dreadful '99 expansion season. I chose Brennan over Mike Jackson and my personal favorite, Reggie Langhorne for different reasons. Jackson because he always suffered from the dropsies, despite his big play ability. Also, he waited until 1996, or first with the RAVENS, to have a breakout year with career highs in yards and touchdowns.
Langhorne and Brennan were both secondary options behind Slaughter, but Brennan had the best hands on the team. For any third and short passing situation, Brennan was THE guy. Guys with hands like his are valuable even in today's game.
Tight End:
1. Ozzie Newsome
2. Steve Heiden
3. Brian Kinchen
Yes you read that right, Brian Kinchen. After moving from long snapper, Kinchen actually enjoyed three respectable seasons between '93-'95. Truth is, after The Wizard, it gets pretty thin at TE. I kicked around names like Scott Galbraith and Aaron Shea, but could not, in good conscience, put then on the list. Honorable mention goes to Mark Bavaro, who was good, but played just one vaguely memorable year in Cleveland.
Offensive Lineman:
1. Mike Baab
2. Tony Jones
3. Cody Risien
You don't truly appreciate these guys until you don't have them anymore. The three above were mainstays and left gaping holes once they left. Honorable mention goes to Dan Fike and Steve Everett. The latter mainly because he wore the Browns do-rag under his Ravens helmet in 1996. Now THAT, my friends is loyalty and class.
Kicker:
1. Phil Dawson
2. Matt Bahr
3. Matt Stover
Dawson has had quite a long stint as the Browns kicker. Not only is he fairly consistent, but he has proved time and again he is actually a "football player" as well. He will readily dive into a wave of opponents to grab an onside kick or put his head down and dive across the goalline on a fake field goal. Yes, Philly does it all.
I hated to include Stover, a guy who has done so much for the Ravens, but other than those three, you are looking at Jerry Kauric and Mark Moseley?
So that is it for the offense. I will do the defense tomorrow. Now I strongly encourage anybody who disagrees to voice your opinion. Lists like these are completely subjective. I don't claim to be the authority on all things Cleveland, so please, challenge me.
posted by Jon Sladek at 4:04 PM
3 Comments:
Love the list. Personally, I think Brian Brennan and Matt Stover should be higher. And was Brian Sipe pre-1986? I forget.
Yes, Gary Danielson was actually the QB in 1985 and got injured, opening the door for Bernie. Sipe was retired by then.
you cat honestly blame byner for that fumble... Webster Slaughter missed the block on the linebacker that caused the fumble... not to mention the only reason that the Browns were in the game was because of Byner (187 total yards and 2 TDs). Not to mention the #2 "Dawg Defense" gave up 38 points??? Give Byner a break...
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