they cut Cooper today and the FB they just signed Pressley . that means the local Kid Eric Kittana gets a shot .
A farmer named Clyde had a tractor accident. In court, the trucking company's fancy hot shot lawyer, was questioning Clyde. "Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine,'?" asked the lawyer. Clyde responded, "Well, I'll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite cow, Bessie, into the..." "I didn't ask for any details", the lawyer interrupted. "Just answer the question, please. Did you, or did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'?" Clyde said, "Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer behind the tractor and I was driving down the road...." The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Your Honor, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question." By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Clyde's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favorite cow, Bessie". Clyde thanked the Judge and proceeded. "Well, as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite cow, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my John Deer Tractor right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting, real bad and didn't want to move. However, I could hear old Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans. Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning, so he went over to her. After he looked at her, and saw her fatal condition, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road, gun still in hand, looked at me, and said, "How are you feeling?" "Now tell me, what the HECK would you say?"
The Morning Kickoff ? Back to basics: When I asked Browns GM Ray Farmer to name the one player he absolutely wanted to get in the draft ? and did -- his answer spoke volumes about the direction the team?s offense is heading. ?Joel Bitonio,? Farmer said of the offensive lineman from Nevada, who is slated to play guard. Then I asked him to name a player that will surprise fans in September. ?Joel Bitonio,? he said again. ?Then if I had to take another, watch Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell at running back. I was remiss in not asking Farmer the same question regarding his free agent acquisitions. I suppose the answer would have been, ?Ben Tate.? I previously labeled Tate as potentially the most impactful player of the Browns? free agent class of 2014. You see where this is going. While everyone is obsessed with Johnny Manziel, and some are concerned with a wide receiver corps that is, to put it mildly, in transition, there is a quiet confidence building in the Browns? ranks about their running game. Their what? The Browns? running game was nuked last season when somebody in the analytics department produced a spreadsheet that showed running the football is (choose one) overrated/devalued/so 1980s. Or something to that effect. So the Browns found a sap to give up a No. 1 pick for Trent Richardson and ? away we go. What proceeded was the sorriest running game since Terry Kirby and Karim Abdul-Jabbar wore expansion Browns uniforms. Oh, but they led the league in pass attempts. The smartest things the Browns? new regime has done so far are: 1. recognizing that running the ball not only is not out of vogue but remains the only way of toughening your football team, and 2. addressing this monumental need on multiple fronts. The rundown: Bitonio was valued so highly by Farmer that he took him at No. 35 overall in the second round knowing he probably was forsaking the receiver position for the rest of the draft. Bitonio, 6-4 ? and 302 pounds, has been described in the draft services as ?nasty? and ?feisty.? He played right tackle and left tackle at Nevada and some center in high school, and was immediately positioned at guard at Browns minicamp. West is 225 pounds of muscle packed on a 5-9 ? frame, the proverbial ?bowling ball of butcher knives? with broad shoulders and over-sized calves. ?A chore to tackle,? wrote CBS.com draft analyst Dane Brugler. West didn?t qualify academically for the big schools and wound up at Towson University outside Baltimore, where he rushed for a mere 2,509 yards last year and a mere-er 41 touchdowns. Forty-one touchdowns. The Browns had all of four TDs on the ground last season. Four. Crowell, of Alabama State, was signed as an undrafted free agent. He is 5-11 and 224. Brugler described him as ?arguably the most gifted running back in this draft class with the NFL talent to be an impact starter and be as good as he wants.? What dropped Crowell to the undrafted ranks was character issues ? suspect practice habits, questionable attitude and weapons charges after his freshman player-of-the-year season at Georgia in 2011, which resulted in his dismissal from the Bulldogs. If Crowell doesn?t mature fast, it?s no loss to the Browns. If he does mature fast, he would add to the mix of a suddenly potentially awesome running game ? perhaps the most improved facet of the Browns? offense, pending Manziel?s coronation as the next ? whatever. Tate, 5-11 and 220, was earmarked to be the Houston Texans? feature back in 2010 but broke his ankle in training camp, falling to the back of the depth chart and resurfacing as permanent backup to NFL rushing champion Arian Foster. Durability issues aside, Tate has averaged 4.7 yards a carry in 40 NFL games. That?s Ring of Honor material in Cleveland in the expansion era. Commitment to toughness: Prior to the draft, this is how offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan described his running game, which has not gone out of style since his dad, Mike, used it to get John Elway two Super Bowl rings in the 1990s after three humiliating defeats in the ?80s: ?You want a guy that can press holes so that he can get downhill, always get good yards per carry, not always looking for the home run, not a guy that has to get a 60-yard run to average 4 yards,? Shanahan said. ?It?d be nice to keep feeding a guy and his longest run of the game might be 10 yards, but still at the end of the game his average might be 4.2 per carry. ?I just want a consistent running game, (so that) you?re never in third and long. So the defense can never tee off on the run or the pass. It?s really tough to block those guys when they know what you?re doing.? The great Browns teams always sported a physical running game with a tough runner -- Marion Motley, Jim Brown, Leroy Kelly, Kevin Mack/Earnest Byner. The two winning teams in the expansion era had William Green (in his best year as a rookie) and Jamal Lewis. Running the ball is alive and well in the NFL. Thankfully, the simplest act of toughness on the football field has been exhumed by the new Browns? regime. Music to this old Dawgs ears
Bernie Kosar's jersey number 19 has not been retired by the Browns. Only one player has worn that jersey number since Bernie was released - Frishman Jackson in 2004. Jackson wore #88 during his first years with the Browns and switched to #19 for the 2004 season. The Browns then switched him back to #88 for the 2005 season (without giving him a reason). Fast forward to 2014. The Browns signed free agent WR Miles Austin. Austin wore the Cowboys #19 starting in the 2007 season and kept that number for his duration with Dallas. Although Bernie has absolutely nothing to do with jersey number assignments with the Browns, Austin aaledgedly texted (or emailed) Kosar asking for Bernie's permission to wear the #19 jersey. I wonder if it worked ? ? ? *SCRATCH*
In a development that is catching plenty of attention but has implications that aren?t immediately clear, the billion-dollar truck-stop company owned by Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has parted ways with president Mark Hazelwood. Per multiple reports, Pilot Flying J employees were informed of the move on Monday via internal memo. It?s possible (emphasis on ?possible?) that Hazelwood has left the company in advance of the announcement of a plea bargain with federal officials. Hazelwood is the highest-ranking employee of the company whose voice was captured on microphone by an informant who worked with federal officials to compile incriminating evidence. Since an out-of-the-blue raid of company facilities in April 2013, the federal government has procedure multiple guilty pleas from Pilot Flying J employees. Each have agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Hazelwood becomes the latest key employee who has departed a company run by Haslam in the last two years. It remains to be seen whether the door keeps revolving at a high rate of speed at either or both of his companies. sounds like this might get resolved sooner rather than later . that's one step from Jimmy H .
it would be cool if he did . but like you said Kosars # is not retired . #14 #32 #45 #46 #76 are all retired Browns jersey #
this Browns team may resemble the 85 Browns .. pound the football ..beat the hell out of the other team ..take your shots down the field when they load the box . can Manziel take a QB snap from under center ..has he ever took a snap from under center ? Hoyer will start and keep the kid on the pine where his ass belongs .
Browns General Manager Ray Farmer is beefing up his personnel staff, and hiring a guy whose team-issed gear is now personalized. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Browns have hired former Redskins director of pro personnel Morocco Brown to be Farmer?s second-in-command. Brown spent six years with the Redskins, and has had a number of interviews for other jobs in recent years. This is the time of year for other scouting moves, but adding Brown gives the Browns another set of eyes on the personnel side.
. Browns add Kuharich as front office executive . By TOM WITHERS (AP Sports Writer) 3 hours ago AP - Sports . . .. . . CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Browns have added longtime NFL executive Bill Kuharich to their front office. Kuharich, who previously worked for New Orleans and Kansas City, has been hired as an executive chief of staff in Cleveland. He worked with Browns general manager Ray Farmer as a consultant for this year's draft. Kuharich will have a pivotal role in personnel and aid Farmer with personnel moves. Farmer said he wanted to expand Kuraich's role. Farmer credited Kuharich with getting him his start with the Chiefs and considers him ''more than mentor. He's helped me become better at scouting players, better at being a father, and better at living life.'' Kuharich is the son of the late Joe Kuharich, a longtime college and NFL head coach and executive. At one point in his career, Kuharich served as the Saints president, general manager and chief operating officer.
Browns signed LB Larry Grant. A six-year veteran, Grant was suspended for the first four games of 2013 for violating the league's PED policy. He ended up appearing in two games for the Bears before getting waived. Still only 29, Grant could crack the Browns' 53-man roster as a core special teamer, but is a long-shot.
I am hearing through the grapevine that Gordon will get 6- 8 games suspended . he will miss both Steeler games if that is the case
Manziel should sit and learn the schemes and speed of the NFL. But Hoyer is a career backup. He wishes and preys he has the ability of Manziel. I dont remember this type of fan fair when we signed Hoyer. I dont remember fans going out and buying 2500 season tickets after we signed him. The QB position, all 20 of them have been pitiful. Hoyer actually looked like Otto Graham after just 3 wins. You have a loaded gun, you are in trouble, so shoot the MFer. The Browns schedule looks tough to start the season. But if they go 1-3 or 0-4 the fans will start calling for Johnny Football. I believe that Haslem still owes Lerner some money. Those 2500 seats he just sold and jerseys he will sell will help in paying for that. I also dont remember Hoyer being on the cover of SI. I'm saying that if its business as usual here in Cleveland by the bye week then the Browns will have no choice but to play Johnny. The fan base here is already feed up with this team. Plus if Manziel plays we will get some national TV time.
Actually, it was greeted with either indifference or contempt (mostly due to Mike Lombardi making the move) by the fans around here. When I suggested before the 2013 season that Hoyer was a threat to Weeden's starting position, I was nearly crucified. These are the same fans who now think he's the next coming of Christ and will keep the dynamic Johnny Manziel on the bench. Yeah, maybe for a game or two. :/
For the record: I literally didn't know anything about Brian Hoyer when the Browns signed him (other than I thought at the time that he might be the son or grandson of a childhood friend of mine - - - he isn't) . So I guess I fell into the "indifferent" category. Should I assume you're talking about me? Again . . . for the record: I don't think for a second that Hoyer will be able to hold off Johnny Manziel for the starting job this year. Contrary to what you may think of my opinion, I agree that Manziel is an extremely talented player who enjoyed great success at the collegiate level. His style of play is, no doubt, exciting and it was responsible for the success he enjoyed. I have nothing personal against Johnny. I simply have the opinion that his style of play will not translate well to the NFL and I have doubts that, if he changes his style of play in order to survive, then he won't be nearly as exciting or dynamic as he was in college. The best case scenario is that we end up with TWO competent QB's. Worst case is we end up with none. OTWT (? GMiller 2006)
you guys are gushing over Manziel like school girls at a Justin Bieber concert need to temper your enthusiasm . I hope he turns out as good as some of you think he will . I really really hope they don't screw Hoyer in doing so . make the kid earn it then I wont have a beef and hope he turns out as good as some of you think he will . I have my doubts .
Actually, Lyman, no. I know you're more of the "wait and see" guy and neither of those comments were directed at you. I think we agree here, so I'm sorry if you felt I was condemning your opinion in any way. My consternation today is that the same people who either didn't know a thing about Hoyer or didn't like the signing are suddenly treating him like solidified starter with Pro Bowl potential. The same folks who told me Weeden would "blow up in [this] offense" are the same ones saying it about Hoyer now.
