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From the category archives:

First and 10

First and 10: Another episode of the Browns world turning

November 3, 2009

1)      I awoke to NPR this morning stating that the Browns released an "awkwardly worded statement" that General Manager George Kokinis was gone. Calling the statement awkward — it said Kokinis "is no longer actively with the organization" — would be like calling winter in Nome chilly. You read that statement and you wonder what [...]

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First and 10: The frustration grows

October 27, 2009

I'll be at the Cavs opener tonight, so this week's First and 10 arrives a little early.
1)      There were many reactions to my idea that it's time for the Browns to admit they made a mistake with Eric Mangini, that it's best to move on. Almost 90 percent of the e-mails and calls were positive. [...]

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First and 10:The Pittsburgh gap has gotten no smaller

October 20, 2009

1)      Another game, another loss to Pittsburgh. It would be nice to think after one of these games that the Browns are getting closer to Pittsburgh. But they're not. They're … just … not.
2)      Spent some time talking to Bruce Arians after the game Sunday. He's the Steelers' offensive coordinator, but he's also a former [...]

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First and 10: A true statement could be made this weekend

October 13, 2009

First and 10
1)      There are times when it seems like I'm existing in some netherworld that does not match the rest of humanity. Actually, those who know me say it's pretty much a daily occurrence. Alas, I digress. Sunday night, while driving back from Buffalo I was able to tune in to WTAM. Most of [...]

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First and 10 … sort of … with the Browns

September 29, 2009

First and 10 27 with the Browns
 1)      Well things are just peachy now, eh? It’s hard to believe the Browns could be more of a mess, and a revived Cincinnati team arrives Sunday. It’s also hard to know where to start with this team. There are only 10 items (though the name did change this [...]

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First and 10: How woeful are my brownies?

September 22, 2009

First and 10
1)     To avoid being negative … I guess we can look at the bright side, at the glass as half-full. At 0-2 the Browns are not mathematically out of the playoff race. So with 14 games left and (presumably) at least two playoff teams in the division, the Browns only have to win [...]

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First and 10: Too negative for just one loss?

September 15, 2009

First and 10
1)     A few folks who e-mailed thought I was a tad negative in Monday's Beacon Journal. That the Browns led at halftime and that they pretty much did what was expected — lose to Minnesota. This means, of course, that folks e-mailed negative thoughts about me being negative. And my first thought is [...]

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First and 10 — Pioli and McKay seem to be the options

December 30, 2008

First and 10
1)     Seems like the Scott Pioli train could move quickly. Pioli seems very interested in the Browns, and the Browns are clearly very interested in him. If the parties can agree on the details, this could be over in a hurry. I don't know when or where Pioli will interview, but it [...]

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First and 10: The season (finally) ends in Pittsburgh

December 23, 2008

First and 10
1)      Shame Tennessee ended that streak of Pittsburgh not allowing an opponent to gain 300 yards in a game last Sunday, eh? Had the Titans not topped 300, I'm sure the Browns would have gone well past that figure.
2)      The Cincinnati game did not help anyone's cause. For the Browns to go pointless [...]

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First and 10 — It's become a season that never ends

December 16, 2008

First and 10
1)      Anyone who honestly thought prior to the game that the Browns had a chance to win last night may now step into the cab that will take them to Never Never Land. There, they may join with Tinkerbell in flying to a distant galaxy far far away.
2)      The Browns with no defense [...]

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First and 10: We expected different in Tennessee?

December 9, 2008

First and 10
1)      Maybe I'm stupid … well I am stupid but that's not important right now. I don't get the uproar over the loss to Tennessee. I mean, what did anyone expect?
2)      Tennessee started the game 11-1 with the chance to clinch their division and home field advantage in the playoffs. The Browns started [...]

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First and 10: Why not Cribbs at QB?

December 2, 2008

First and 10
1)      Derek Anderson asked if we were on crack when someone suggested to him that Josh Cribbs play quarterback for the Browns this Sunday in Tennessee. Ahem. For the record, crack has never once been the drug of choice on my kitchen table. And to be quite frank, anyone who followed Kent State [...]

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First and 10: Good for Dawson's finish to a not-so-perfect game

November 18, 2008

First and 10
1)      A reporter is supposed to be objective in this job. You know, be fair and balanced, not root … that kind of thing. But there are times when you can't help but be happy for certain individuals. So it is for Phil Dawson, who deserves every bit of praise and respect sent [...]

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First and 10: How much more can the Browns ask of fans?

November 11, 2008

Please excuse this brief interlude …
Somehow today I have a vision of Herb Score, watching all the greats play a pickup game on a real field of dreams. Score has a microphone, of course, and he looks out and says: "Tris Speaker on deck … swinging that bat with the lead donut on it."
Herb just [...]

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First and 10: Brady Quinn to start against Denver

November 4, 2008

First and 10
1)      Good luck Brady Quinn. You get to lead a team that … may or may not have its No. 2 receiver … does have a No. 1 receiver who continually drops passes that can make or break your future … has an offensive line underperforming, especially compared to a year ago … [...]

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First and 10: Wisdom (?) from a taxi driver

October 28, 2008

First and 10 …
Written from Boston where I will view the Cavs season opener … (HEY … it's a business trip!)
1)      So I'm walking to the car in Jacksonville after the game on Sunday and I run across Chris Gardocki, the team's former punter who attended the game. He was out in the parking lot [...]

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First and 10: Topsy has become turvy, or something like that

October 21, 2008

First and 10
1)      I think I've got this season figured out. This Sunday in Jacksonville the Browns come up with a stirring win. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh loses to the Giants and lo and behold the Browns are two back heading back home and the fans are back on the hook until the next painfully loss. The [...]

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First and 10: Oh what a win

October 14, 2008

First, a personal note: The Akron Beacon Journal taketh away and the Akron Beacon Journal giveth. I was informed this week that the layoff notice presented a few weeks ago has been rescinded. Thus I will stay with the Beacon Journal, at least until they get this layoff bug up their hind end again.
This may [...]

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First and 10: Those friendly and helpful Bengals!

September 29, 2008

First and 10
1)      Perspective is an amazing thing. Driving North on I-71 Sunday night, the Cincinnati talk shows were abuzz about the Bengals falling to 0-4. The feeling: How in the world could they lose to the Browns? One announcer said, "I know we had the backup quarterback playing, but we should have beat that [...]

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First and 10: Expect Anderson to start

September 23, 2008

First and 10
1)      I'm of the understanding that Derek Anderson starts Sunday's game in Cincinnati. Not a lot of thought at all to starting Brady Quinn. I don't know what the leanings are if Anderson falters, so we'll see what happens. But the Browns aren't really going into this game with the idea that Anderson [...]

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First and 10: The Giants started 0-2 last season

September 16, 2008

First and 10
1)      Got an e-mail from a friend who said the best thing that happened Sunday night was that his power went out. He said that enabled him to a) get a good night's sleep and b) not be forced to watch the Browns lose to Pittsburgh. Again.
2)      It's gotten to the point that [...]

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First and 10: Are we overreacting, or should we be alarmed?

September 9, 2008

First and 10
1)      Nobody wants to overreact to one loss. Dallas is a good team. A very good team. Tony Romo seems to have matured greatly as a quarterback, and he has some very talented targets running around out there. He also has a massive offensive line that dominates the line of scrimmage. That being [...]

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First and 10: How not to play a preseason game

August 19, 2008

First and 10 with the Browns –
1) Exhibition games aren’t really about results. The fact that the Browns cut a Giant deficit to a 37-34 final doesn’t really matter. These games are about impressions, approach and, for those trying to make the team, the chance to play. The Browns made a terrible impression in their [...]

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