Leave it to my buddy Terje to call me to task. As if accountability is part of this job! (Hey … it's a JOKE!) First Terje sends an invite to visit him in Montana with my daughters and enjoy a couple libations under the big sky, an invite he may regret extending (Terje – send me an e-mail … our Yellowstone trip last year was unforgettable). The next comment he's actually pointing out something I wrote in July: "Let’s see, the Cleveland Browns are a playoff-caliber team in need of an improved pass rush."
Now, as I said, if accountability is going to be part of this gig, it may be time to dust off the resume for Home Depot. That being said, Terje is right. Those words came out of this typewriter. But I will note this: They came in July, when the hype was flying and the Browns were coming off a good season and most everyone thought they were playoff-caliber. Me included.
Guess what? I was wrong on that one. I overestimated the team's talent, and its abilities, and the professionalism of some of them.
I do believe, though, that as training camp and preseason wore on I was pounding the drum about the problems in the secondary combined with the lack of a pass rush (still MIA) combined with the lack of depth at receiver. I don't recall many others were doing that.
I'm sure there are many things I've written that have turned out to be wrong. We could all get pretty bored listing them. I freely admit that. But it's the nature of this position that that is going to happen. I'm supposed to write opinion, and we all know what an opinion is like, because everyone has one.
Perhaps it's time to explain some personal philosophy (yes, feel free to take the index finger and insert it in your throat at this point).
Does it mean I'm right because my opinion is in the newspaper? Of course not. It means that I've been blessed with a skill and the good fortune to use that skill in a job that is probably too cool for words. I'm lucky to be where I am (though given the struggles of newspapers lately I think all of us in the profession wonder how much longer we'll be doing it). I get to go to games, write an analysis, state my opinion, and go home. Everyone who reads has opinions as well, and theirs may be more valid than mine. At times, I feel like I'm blessed to be a guy who can type fast, because I'm no better than anyone else out there who studies sports.
The times I needed to be right in the paper came when I covered the Browns as the beat writer. Then I provided information, and there's nothing worse than providing the wrong or insufficient information. Trust me. I've been there. We've all been there. It was my job then to get it right, and to try to be first. But it was always, always, always better to be right than first. That's the job of the beat writer.
When the ABJ gave me Terry Pluto's column job, things changed a bit. But not completely. Because it's my very strong feeling that the best stories in a newspaper are rooted in reporting, no matter if it's news or opinion. There has to be a difference between what we do and what two guys in a bar do, and I say that with all respect to the two guys in the bar because there are times I wish were with them in the bar. There also has to be a difference between what we do and what a guy blogging in his garage does, again with all respect to the bloggers, because I cannot keep up their pace. This is my profession.
So I try to have as informed an opinion as possible. Try to talk to people who know the game, know the sports I cover. And that does not include TV broadcasters, because they're like me — part of the media, and interviewing the media to me seems like looking at my navel. Trust me, nobody wants to do that. Because I covered the NFL for so long — here and in Florida when I covered the Miami Dolphins — I've got a lot of contacts around the league. So I listen to them, because I presume they know more than I know. I also listen to those with the teams we write about who will share information, but I must confess the Browns are not the most open about sharing inside stuff. That's fine. They choose to do it that way; it just limits the information I have.
One example: I thought Josh Cribbs could handle 25 snaps a game. The coaches are not providing him that number. I think at this point there must be a reason, because whether you agree or not the Browns have smart coaches who spend a lot of time with these guys. I've dealt with too many coaches. They work too hard — everyone would be amazed at their hours — and care too much to keep a guy off the field if he can help them win. That doesn't make them perfect, but their jobs depend on winning and they're sure not going to do everything they can to wn. Same with the front office. From Phil Savage to the last scout, the goal is winning games. So I think there is some reason Cribbs isn't playing that's valid, because I don't believe the Browns have coaches who are trying to get fired.
Bottom line: My opinions are rooted in garnering as much information as humanly possible. And it gets difficult, because sometimes an opinion is going to hurt someone. I've had weeks when fans were tearing me a new one for defending Romeo Crennel and at the same time when a very good friend of Phil Savage was pointing out that my criticism of him hurt and came at a difficult time. I honestly don't know what to do to fix that except try my best not to make any criticism personal. That gets tough, and it's part of this job I wish did not exist. I have been surprised, though, at the increased venom and negativity to people who are doing their best. Sometimes it doesn't work, but there's no need to be so angry, or to villify a guy because he doesn't succeed. They're trying. Tony Grossi wrote a story in Wednesday's PD quoting Bob Kain discussing any possible change. Kain is the vice chairman of the Browns, and hearing him talk makes you wish he talked more. He made sense because he brought some sanity to the situation. Personally, it also was a bit disquieting at first to read personal attacks at me because of my stinking opinion. When it comes down to it, I'm a guy who grew up in Lakewood who now is trying to raise two of the greatest daughters I could find while keeping it together in this economy. I'm amazingly blessed, I like a beer and a laugh and all that … but strip it all away and I'm just like you.
It's my opinion that teams need time, and sometimes they have to ride out the downs. This season, people wanted Derek Anderson replaced after two games and Romeo Crennel fired after one. That's just knee jerk.
Over time, after watching and talking to a lot of people (mainly from outside the Browns given the way things are in Cleveland) I've come to the feeling that the Browns lack talent to compete. I stand by it, and I don't think watching them over the course of a year can lead to any other feeling. They need help. Now, does this mean they completely lack talent? Of course not. There are people to build around. Every team goes through re-tooling after every season, some more than others. But constant and complete re-tooling only keeps a team on a treadmill, and that does no good. Too, what good does it do to have talent if a player wastes it? We've seen that happen this year. We've seen guys overrated. We've seen Derek Anderson take the fall when so many around him let him down. Romeo Crennel can surely be criticized for some decisions, but unless the Browns know who they can get if they fire him, I'm also not convinced a massive overhaul would be to anyone's benefit.
It's a hard line a team walks. It must weigh whether a down year is just that, or whether a guy was overrated. Whoever winds up judging the team's personnel in the offseason has quite a few decisions to make on that front. But when a team gives up 235 yards rushing to one team (Tennessee) and gets sliced and diced by another's passing game (Denver) … well … there are problems. Especially when the team has a Pro Bowl nose tackle. There are big problems.
And when the star receiver drops so many passes and the second receiver is AWOL and the tight end is more worried about his contract and the right tackle keeps getting blown up on certain occasions … well … there are problems. Not to mention we still don't know about the quarterback. We think we do, and there are reasons to feel good about the position, but we don't know for sure. What we do know, though, is playing the third quarterback and expecting to beat a good team is just not realistic.
The Browns are not good enough. Some of their talent was overrated when the season started, and some has not played to its potential. The result is a bad team.
That's my opinion, based on observation and discussion. It doesn't make me right. It doesn't make me better than anyone. It just makes me blessed to be able to express it in the newspaper and (now) online in forums like this — even though it's starting to sound like a dadgum Sex and the City, get-in-touch-with-your-feeilngs ramble.
And Terje … hope the invite to Montana still stands!
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
hey pat, it is a standing invite. e-mail sent.
as an aside, what i enjoy about the blogs on ohio.com is the chance for everyone to say their piece. the format is simple and looks good. it's like my own column–and i don't even have to punctuate correctly or capitalize my letters!
Pat, I live in Madison Wisconsin, yet I am a die hard Browns fan and current season ticket holder. I can share that it is rather tough being surrounded by Packers fans, but my family and I still wear our Browns gear with pride. While the Packers are struggling this year, I would certainly not place their list of issues in line with the Browns. In any event, I read your column every week and tend to share your views more often than not. No need to apologize for any of your previous comments concerning the potential of the Browns. I also recall many of your articles that listed the potential problems that could be heading the team's way. While I agreed with them at the time, I was hoping we were both wrong. Here's to hoping they actually make the right moves for the future once this calamity we call a season has finally ended……..
The Browns at 4-9 still have a chance to make the playoffs! The #4 seed in the AFC playoffs!
The 0-13 Lions are the top NFC seed in the 12-team Stupor Bowl palyoffs where the 6 teams in each conference have the worst record will play in a chance to get to the world chumpionship, just like the NFL playoffs!
THE BROWNS ARE MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!! THE BROWNS ARE MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!! THE BROWNS ARE MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!! THE BROWNS ARE MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!! THE BROWNS ARE MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!! THE BROWNS ARE MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!! THE BROWNS ARE MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!! THE BROWNS ARE MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!! THE BROWNS ARE MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!! THE BROWNS ARE MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!!
Pat,
I dont think its fair to personally attack you for your opinion – just because I disagree with you. Im not here to do that.
It seems like you are blindly following the coaching staff on some issues, with no basis for it. "The coaches must have a good reason for not playing Cribbs at QB more" – " The coaches must have a good reason for noy playing Harrison more" etc.
You can blame Edwards all you want (and he has to take plenty onhis shoulders). But I do believe that part of the problem with Edwards is that he is let to run wild. He runs to the sidelines and berates teammates…and RAC does nothing. Make a statement…BENCH him for a quarter a half or a game.
If you dont think Romeo is in over his head…then I dont know what you are watching. The same mistakes over and over again in his game management is absolutely ludicrous and shows that – no matter how good a man – he just can't handle the position he is in.
Phil isn't above reproach. But there are two phases to having succesful drafts…initial evaluation and acquisition, and PLAYER DEVELOPMENT. The second of that is severly lacking – and that can only be placed on this coaching staff.
Agrees with Al regarding the coaching staff. You wrote this Pat…"One example: I thought Josh Cribbs could handle 25 snaps a game. The coaches are not providing him that number. I think at this point there must be a reason, because whether you agree or not the Browns have smart coaches who spend a lot of time with these guys." You've said similar things off and on in the past.
I don't think they have smart coaches. Going back a year, these are the same coaches who couldn't evaluate Frey/DA and had to flip a coin to pick the winner and couldn't even get that right. Same coaches who chose not to play Quinn in the meaningless game last year for eval purposes. Same coaches who don't give Jerome Harrison more touches. Same ones who continue to play McGinest w/o trying out the young guys more once the season was already lost. And these are the high profile positions…think of all the lesser positions that don't get talked about as much where evaluating of players is probably just as inconsistent.
Whether the coaches do this out of loyalty, or players having experience than their backups, its the wrong way to go about it. We have better than 4-9 talent on this team and its the coaches responsibility to coach it. I honestly honestly feel that if we had guys like Ed Reed, Polamalu, other standout players around the league, they would be half the players with this team and this coaching staff than what they currently are.
Romeo may be a good guy according to you but a good coach he is not. Just my opinion though from what I witness on TV every weekend.
Hi Pat,
I have to agree with the comments about the organization and quarterback decisions. A coin flip, a knee-jerk reaction one game into the season to trade the starting quarterback (not saying I necessarily thought Frye was the answer) just that it sure looked like an organization in disarray, which still seems to be the case.
As to Cribbs, he was Kent State's quarterback and based on his performance there it would lend credence that he does know something about "reads and routes by receivers".
Yes there have been some under performers this year. There's also the need for improvement in the secondary and the pass rush. There is a need for a better receiving corp. I think in short down situations Jamal Lewis can still be effective, but the Browns need to looking to upgrade this position.
I have to admit I wasn't actually watching at the time the tv announcers questioned why Romeo didn't throw the challenge flag on Edwards reception. You were there and said there was no doubt he was out, so I'll simply say, point made by you.
The one blog was right about Marty at least winning instead of what has been in place. My point about Marty was that for one or two years I believe Browns fans would be happy and about the time he'd go 12-4 or so and lose in the first round of the playoffs again, Browns fans would be disenchanted and start saying we've seen this broken record before and demand a change. Enough of the organization going through a change every three or four years.
I don't realistically think the Browns could get Ozzie Newsome from the Ravens, but that would be an excellent choice. I think a realistic opportunity is there, however, to go after Scott Pioli or Floyd Reese as president/gm. Lets give high consideration to them. The job Josh McDaniels has done at New England this year is nothing less than stellar with their offense. Along with Josh, I think Steve Spagnuolo and Jim Schwarz ought to be highly considered for the head coaching position.
A tandem of, for example, say Piolo as pres/gm and (your choice) of one the above three as head coach would put a leadership team in place for one would hope 12-15 years bringing long needed continuity to the Browns.
There seem to be many comments by those who want Marty to come back in an executive capacity. I'm not convinced that an established, respected coach such as Cowher would want second fidde to Marty in authority. A less esablished man yes.
Your point about injuries and how they can affect a season is right on. A good case is Jeff Fisher. One can live with a tough season if they've seen the coach have consistently good results such as Fisher has had at Tennessee.
I digress back to the quarterback situation which is where I started all this. They gave up a lot to get Quinn. They signed Anderson to a big contract. It just makes one say: "huh?". If this isn't a mixed signal by an organization I don't know what is. Frey the starter one day, Quinn the first round draft choice the next day, Anderson the big contract the third day so to speak. It cries out for leadership at he top of the organization
As for all of the jerks that spew venom at Pat for DOING HIS JOB…you know that they read this, and apparently, they must respect his work, because that venom is nowhere to be found.
People should show their anger by STAYING AWAY FROM THE STADIUM, not taking it out on sportswriters and each other!
That is the only way to show your frustration to the team: don't give them a penny of your money.
Two points, only one of which has anything remotely to do with the Browns:
1) Look, I know the NBA and every other professional sports league is trying to make a killing by selling those "retro" uniforms, but jeez, shouldn't they at least be a carbon copy of the original? If it's not the same, then it's not "retro," because it never existed in the first place. Those "original" Cavaliers uniforms they're wearing tonight are sort of similar with the jersey, but the shorts aren't even remotely close. I have an old pair of underpants that comes much closer to what they really wore. Maybe they should sell my underpants, because right now they're duping folks.
2) I have to bring to light an egregious falsehood expressed in the First and Ten post from the other day:
"The carpet guy was working at the house as I wrote this, and he mentioned what a huge Browns fan he is. I asked if he'd fire the coach. You can learn a lot from a talkative carpet guy you know. And he said, "Well they're still playing hard for him and that's half the battle." He then gave a position-by-position rundown on the team and concluded by calling this Browns 10-year venture the "decade of excrement." Carpet guys often have great insights."
I have a beef with Pat's inability to write the truth. Specifically, when he wrote that the carpet guy purportedly referred to the Browns' 10-year venture as the "decade of excrement." Everybody knows that the carpet guy was actually referring to Pat's carpet.
Pat's lie made me so mad, I couldn't even cut-and-paste the First and Ten correctly.
"The carpet guy was working at the house as I wrote this, and he mentioned what a huge Browns fan he is. I asked if he'd fire the coach. You can learn a lot from a talkative carpet guy you know. And he said, "Well they're still playing hard for him and that's half the battle." He then gave a position-by-position rundown on the team and concluded by calling this Browns 10-year venture the "decade of excrement." Carpet guys often have great insights."
I have a beef with Pat's inability to write the truth. Specifically, when he wrote that the carpet guy purportedly referred to the Browns' 10-year venture as the "decade of excrement." Everybody knows that the carpet guy was actually referring to Pat's carpet.
Can we read a post that's even more depressing than the Browns? For example, how is that egomaniac Bernie Kosar going to survive now that the Arena Football League is being declared dead? That guy has spent the last 15 years doing nothing but fighting and clawing for a shred of Northeast Ohio attention, and just when he thinks he's finally gotten his shred, he's tossed back out of the building. I'm afraid he'll now jump off of one.
Pat,
I have no problem with your writing opinion pieces. Whose opinions should you be delivering if they are not yours? I do have a problem with both Savage and Crennel. Savage has a pretty good eye for talent, but his role in the Winslow fiasco, his acting like a teenager w/criticism, have made me wonder about his overall maturity. Crennel has done little to develop his younger players and is altogether too timid in his decision making. The fans also should shoulder some of the blame. Anderson demonstrated that he is incredibly sensitive, and hearing all those jeers and reading all the comments about Quinn can't have done much for his confidence. I have serious doubts about Quinn's arm and accuracy. No doubt his training and coaching have been excellent, but… can all those teams that passed on him in the draft have been wrong?
If there is going to be a house cleaning after the season, I would hope that the first priority would be to get a GM such as Pioli. I certainly wouldn't look forward to Schottenheimer making personnel decisions and would rather get a young energetic coach than an older one.
Regards, HB
Hey Pat
Until recently, I think Savage has gotten a free pass from most members of the media. I looked up his 4 drafts with the Browns and here is what I came up with…
Not including this year, in 3 Savage drafts totaling 25 players, an incredible 13 are OUT OF FOOTBALL or on practice squads!!! Of course this year isn't looking much better! Also, next year we have just 4 picks because Savage traded 3 of them away for (are you ready) Travis Daniels (1 defensive play) our supposed "depth" at cb, Paul Hubbard (cut at end of training camp, resigned and spent entire year on practice squad) and Martin Rucker (1 reception).
What impact players has he drafted?? Joe Thomas and then what…
Remember D'Qwell was the 2nd player taken in Round 2 so he was almost like a #1 pick and we traded up to get him.
His best late round picks have been Vickers (6th) Harrison (5th) and McDonald (5th). Hardly players to build a franchise around. By camparison, the Giants 3 running backs alone, Jacobs (4th) Ward (7th) and Bradshaw (7th), are all late round picks.
We constantly have to spend money on free agents to fill holes because of failed picks on the DL (Ohinowo, Hoffman, Purcell and Pittman) and the OL (Dunn, Sowells). And I haven't even mentioned Travis Wilson, Leon Williams, Antonio Perkins and Charlie Frye – all taken in the 4th Round or higher.
Now we are going to have to do the same thing at OLB, RB and WR. And of course our OL isn't getting any younger and we need more depth at DL….It just goes to show how important drafting is, and the continued bad drafts just kill this organization…
Has the talent improved somewhat over the past 4 years? Yes, but not nearly as much as needed.
Who cares when Anderson was picked in the draft. It's irrelevant. Mike Phipps was selected in the 1st round as the 3rd pick, Brian Sipe was selected in the 13th round as the 330th pick. Which one was a better pro quarterback?
And blaming fans for anything on the field is just plain silly. Unless there are thousands of Northeast Ohio's finest Elton John look-alikes in the stands.
http://www.strangesports.com/images/content/105193.jpg
http://blog.cleveland.com/browns_impact/2008/08/bottlesmf.jpg
Odd. The only person to comport themselves in a professional manner seems to be Romeo. He is and will be the fall guy. Too bad surrounded by strong talent, I think he would be fine.
In my feeble opinion, Savage must go. He has been derisive and unprofessional, which you can get away with if you are a huge talent. He is not.
The largest administrative ego in this organization is Savage. I find of the people that I supervise the truly talented ones tend to have self depricating humor. They know they are good and don't have to give anyone a laundry list telling others their attributes.
A tremendous piece followed by wonderful feedback. Great stuff. Thanks, everyone.
To Alan T. with regard to Kosar:
As long as the networks keep him off TV as the (attempted) color man for Browns pre-season games, he can do whatever he likes.
Look at it this way Pat. If people take the time to habitually comment on your stories both positively and negatively, it means they actually go to your stories first and read them. I call that ratings. On a separate note, what is a typewriter?