A previous post hopped around with observations from the first part of practice. We pick it up at a quarter ?til 6, with about 45 minutes left ... ? When Chud lights up about ?competition,? he must be talking about plays like a red-zone scrum in the end zone. Swift cornerback Buster Skrine was wearing Davone Bess like a shrunken T-shirt near the left pylon. Brandon Weeden took a chance, anyway, that Bess could come up with his best shot. I don?t know if it would have been called interference in a game, but Skrine was draped on Bess either when or a split second before the ball arrived. Bess reached for and secured the ball with one hand while absorbing the contact. Both players laid out, in such a way that Bess had to try to hang on to the ball while pulling it in with Skrine hitting him and then rolling over him. He didn?t quite make the catch, but the episode drew one of the biggest cheers of the day.
Still getting used to seeing one wide receiver number and thinking of its former owner. No. 11 (Mo Massaquoi) is David Nelson. No. 18 (Josh Gordon) is Greg Little. Gordon is in No. 12 now. Now 15 (Little) is Davone Bess. No. 10 (Jordaan Norwood) is still Jordan Norwood. He wore it rather well yesterday. ? Norwood led the 2012 Browns in receiving yards per game, 68.5. Unfortunately for the team and for him, that covered only two games. He caught four passes for 56 yards at Baltimore and nine for 81 yards at New York (Giants). He was a reason the Browns were in both games. He spent some time with the Eagles (Joe B) before landing with the Browns. Tom Heckert was almost smug about the way he assured people the 5-foot-11 Norwood can play. ? We could see why Owen Marecic is still around on one stretch play. The 240-pound fullback?s assignment was to neutralize 245-pound linebacker Justin Staples. This was a no-tackle day, but blocking-shedding scrums were live, full go. Staples did all he could to repel Marecic?s attack, but Marecic engaged him almost squarely, with a slight angle to create a wall for the ball carrier, and gradually moved him backward. Staples was completely removed from the play. ? The Browns worked a lot in individual drills on goal-line passes sending the running back on a beeline to the corner of the end zone ... a 45-degree angle from the point of attack. In 11-on-11s, Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson produced a touchdown on just such a route.
Veteran free agency pick-up Chris Owens is a feisty cuss who practices on the edge. I would imagine he was too feisty for Josh Cooper?s tastes on one play. Cooper, the intriguing possession receiver who spent his college years with Brandon Weeden, went after a little sideline pass. Owens pushed him from behind. As Cooper fell and rolled over the left sideline, Cooper fell squarely on top of him. It seemed a matter of Owens using a teammate to break his own fall, at Cooper?s peril. Had I been coaching, I?ve had said something to Owens about it. Maybe he could have talked his way out of it, but I?d have asked. Maybe the coaches want Owens to practice on the edge, seeing as how he?ll be covering Dolphins and Ravens soon enough. ? ? ? Thanks for dialing up our stories on http://www.cantonrep.com, and thanks for stopping by at http://twitter.com/sdoerschukREP
BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns will have a live, 45-minute look-in at their training camp practice Monday. BEREA, Ohio -- For those who cannot make it to the Cleveland Browns? Monday afternoon training camp practice, fear not because ClevelandBrowns.com has the fans covered. Starting at 4 p.m./ET today, as well as Aug. 5 and Aug. 12, ClevelandBrowns.com will provide fans with a live, 45-minute look in at practice, where they will see some of the on-field drills and hear analysis from the radio team of Vic Carucci and Nathan Zegura from ?Cleveland Browns Daily, Driven By Liberty Ford.? ?Fans clamor for more access all the time, and for us, this is just another way to give them access that they didn?t have before, and we?ll keep trying things like this,? said Browns president Alec Scheiner. ?The technology is great, but what?s even better is the cooperation from the football guys here, the coaches and the scouts and everyone?s in favor of this. Without their support, we couldn?t do it. That?s probably the most important thing for us.? Providing the live look-in at the Browns? practice is another example of the front office listening to the fans and enhancing their experience. ?We really have two mandates here, support the football team -- make the product on the field better -- and then, enhance our fan experience,? Scheiner said. ?Almost everything we do, we?re thinking about it from a fan?s lens. Things like this, the live look-ins or making training camp more accessible, bringing fans closer to the field, food trucks, we?re thinking, ?If I was a fan, what would I like
Observations, notes, quotes and some facts on Day 5 of Browns training camp ? * Receiver Josh Gordon was held out after individual drills. There seemed to be a disagreement about Gordon?s effort in finishing plays. At one point in individuals, a coach screamed to Gordon to ?finish!? and Gordon gave off some undesirable body language. Soon after, when the team drills began, Gordon was pulled out. Gordon spent the rest of the practice watching from the sideline. A scheduled interview with Gordon after practice on ?Training Camp Daily? on SportsTime Ohio then was canceled by the Browns? media relations department. Coach Rob Chudzinski began his post-practice remarks with a report on Gordon. ?Josh Gordon had some patellar tendinitis, so he started out, tried to push through it and we pulled him and sat him down for the rest of practice. Not concerned about it. Shouldn?t be too big a deal,? the coach said. Asked if there was an incident that caused the injury, Chudzinski said, ?It just had been bothering him. He went through a little bit through the individual (period) and it was bothering him enough that we stopped him.? Travis Benjamin took Gordon?s place with the first team. In a two-minute drill later in the practice, Benjamin joined Greg Little and Davone Bess in three-receiver formations. It was the first indication of how the Browns might compensate for Gordon during his two-game suspension to start the season. ?I did good,? said Benjamin, who has caught the ball well in his second training camp. ?We?ve been rotating every day. He?ll take a couple reps, I?ll take a couple reps. It?s just a (good) feeling of going with the ones and making progress with it.? * The offenses executed two-minute situations for the first time. Results were ?mixed,? as Chudzinski put it. In the first set of drills, the offenses were aiming to set up a field goal with 50 seconds on the clock at the 40-yard line. A Brandon Weeden completion of 16 yards set up the first field goal, made from 42 yards by Shayne Graham. Jason Campbell threw a touchdown to Jordan Norwood over defensive back Josh Aubrey, who didn?t look for the ball, with the No. 2 unit. Coaches then sent in Brandon Bogotay to try a field goal from 47 yards, and he made it. The No. 1 offense came back on with 52 seconds on the clock to try for a touchdown. Weeden got the offense to the 7-yard line, and then a third-down pass on the run intended for Bess was intercepted by Chris Owens. Brian Hoyer then got his shot with the second team. Josh Cooper made a good sideline catch, getting both feet down just in time, at the 14. But on the next play, Hoyer threw high into the middle of the field. The ball was deflected and intercepted by defensive back Kent Richardson. ? We?ll continue to work on those situations,? said Chudzinski. * For the second day in a row, running back Montario Hardesty (hamstring) was among the players not practicing. * For the first time, nose tackle Phil Taylor took a few reps in team drills. * When the first team offense deployed a fullback, Chris Ogbonnaya filled the role. * Players are off on Tuesday, so there is no practice. Chudzinski said the team would be in full pads on Wednesday. * Team President Alec Scheiner outline enhancements being made on game days. They include: 20 new turnstiles and 44 new security screening chutes to speed entrance into FirstEnergy Stadium, upgraded cell phone service, an improved team store plus new merchandise kiosks throughout, new player introductions, a DJ on the field to play music before the game and one in a stadium booth to take over during the game, a drumline to stir up excitement, and more than 100 televisions to fan areas inside the stadium. Scheiner said there also will be surprises that will not be unveiled until the season opener on Sept. 8.
In case you were wondering, money and fame are not always enough. And in a profession as glamorous as the NFL, some days you have to get up and punch the clock. That?s why Browns left tackle Joe Thomas is hoping the latest Browns incarnation is successful, so he might know what it?s like to not be watching the playoffs every year. ?It?d be hard,? Thomas said of never getting that chance, via Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. ?I grew up playing football since I was 12 years old. At every level, I?ve been on winning teams. I never experienced a losing season [until] my second year in the NFL. ?Obviously, that would be a huge disappointment, just because it?s no fun playing in the NFL when you?re going 4-12 every year. It?s drudgery. It?s like covering a team that?s 4-12. It sucks.? Thomas has been one of the bright spots from a franchise that has gone 33-63 during his time there. The team record is awful (especially considering they were 10-6 his rookie season), but he?s been to six Pro Bowls in six seasons, hasn?t missed a snap, is the highest-paid tackle in the league and was a finalist for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award last year. You?d think that would satisfy a man, but Thomas dreams of running into his home stadium for a postseason game, his city energized the way it was when they had a pertinent basketball team. ?When the Cavs went to the finals, that was cool, but this is such a football town, it would mean so much to everybody. It would be unbelievable,? Thomas said. ?That?s one of those things that I try to talk to the young guys about and let them understand how important this team is to this city. ?We could be legends if we bring this organization back to where it was a couple decades ago, or even win a Super Bowl. You?d never buy another drink, you?d never buy another dinner the rest of your life if you won a Super Bowl here.? Having won 23 games the last five seasons, Thomas should hope for the playoffs first, take the legend-building a step at a time.
WR Josh Gordon came up lame following a little verbal confrontation with a member of the coaching staff, after the player wasn?t giving full effort. Now, Gordon is said to be suffering from patellar tendinitis and is working individually. Gordon?s history of issues has pushed the Browns organization to the brink and this latest incident is being watched very closely
Montario Hardesty has worked diligently to be a factor in training camp and become the primary backup to Richardson, but again injury has slowed the RB in his tracks. Hardesty is nursing a hamstring strain which has provides additional reps for the likes of Lewis, Ogbonnaya and veteran Brandon Jackson. The clock is ticking on Hardesty
*DANCE* HAPPY HUMP DAY LOUNGE HOUNDZ *YAHOO* Been a bit quiet around here so I thought I?d try and liven the place up a bit. Kicks Juke Box? [:} [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-ew6JyxS4I[/video] [:} Duff time for another shot of Kool-Aid? *DRINK* Now I know why Bluez doesn?t like going to home games any more? :-X She sure had her charm? Admittedly I have a growing concern about Gordon? *HELP* I fear that he?s becoming a BE 2.0 or worse. I certainly hope he pull his head out and gets with the program? %) *CRAZY* I do like what I?m hearing about Little though and hope he continues to progress in a positive direction. *BRAVO* I?m w/ Bluez on Hardontsty? For some reason this guy CANNOT stay healthy. I say we keep Lewis, Jackson, and Maysonet with Ogibananna as the FB? First preseason game vs the Goat squad in 9-days? *DRINK*
An old woman came into her doctor's office and confessed to an embarrassing problem. "I fart all the time, Doctor Johnson, but they're soundless, and they have no odor. In fact, since I've been here, I've farted no less than twenty times. What can I do?" "Here's a prescription, Mrs. Harris. Take these pills three times a day for seven days and come back and see me in a week." ... Next week an upset Mrs. Harris marched into Dr. Johnson's office. "Doctor, I don't know what was in those pills, but the problem is worse! I'm farting just as much, but now they smell terrible! What do you have to say for yourself?". "Calm down, Mrs.Harris," said the doctor soothingly. "Now that we've fixed your sinuses, we'll work on your hearing."
Now I know why Bluez doesn?t like going to home games any more? quite the charm .unlike the new one where ya get the boot for standing & cheering . like jail ..i ain't going back again *STOP*
Suspended WR Josh Gordon has reportedly continued to practice lackadaisically at Browns camp, and is now battling "patellar tendonitis." Beat writer Will Burge concedes Gordon was "dominant" early in camp, but on Monday was scolded by coaches for "not finishing plays" and failing to run after the catch. Burge reports Gordon is "frequently the last receiver into position drills" and has never worked with Brandon Weeden and Greg Little after practice. Gordon's talent is right where it needs to be. His work ethic just isn't. I hope Gordon straightens up here .if not kick his inmature ass to the curb . looks like his off the field screw ups are following him on the field .not a good thing . i dont care how talented a player is . if your a knucklehead either straighten up or go screw up someone elses locker room .ungrat %) eful IDIOT
