Ramblin on ...

Alright ramblers, let's get ramblin ...

Joe Cleveland has some takes to spew out on a few different things going on in the world of Cleveland sports. So, instead of doing a bunch of different blogs, he's only going to do one (if I got paid by the blog, I'd probably put ones with two sentances in it every hour on the hour).

So, here goes:

<> Fausto Carmona is not who is says he is, and he's not as young as he says he is. Gee, what a surprise, a Dominican player who lied about their age to get into the country? What's really surprising is the whole alias thing.

"Fausto Carmona" is apparently really known as Roberto Hernandez Heredia. He was picked up by the Dominican government and charged with identity theft, or something like that. Apparenlty, there really is a Fausto Carmona, and the real Fausto was getting paid by the fake "Fausto" to use his name. When he stopped getting paid, the story goes, Fausto decided to out "Fausto."

It might be a while before "Fausto" comes back to America and pitches for the Tribe. That sigh of relief you heard was from fans not wanting to watch him get torched anymore and lose double-digit ball games each season.

Yes, it's happened to a lot of different teams (Leo Nunez is not who he says he is, either). Heck, it's happened to the Indians in past when Bartolo Colon was revealed to being two years older than he already was in 2002 (he was traded a few months later). But, it's yet another black mark on the Indians and the Dolan-Shapiro-Antonetti leadership chain.

The Indians, who could very easily void the contract because, after all, it's with a player who technically doesn't exist. However, they seem to be holding out hope that he comes back and pitches? Have they not been watching him pitch every year since 2007? He's not a 28-year-old with upside anymore. He's a 31-year-old clearly on the downside of his career.

In typical Tribe fashion, they replaced a loser with another loser, trading for a pitcher who was winless last season and has a last name that doesn't necessarily inspire confidence from a pitching standpoint -- Kevin Slowey. How bad will this rotation be if "Fausto" Hernandez Heredia gets cleared to play -- Slowey, NL-loss leader and over-the-hill guy Derek Lowe AND "Fausto?"

Tribe Fever, got to catch it!

<> Joe Cleveland has a Twitter account, as does the person behind "Joe Cleveland." However, neither of us rarely use Twitter. I think Tony Grossi showed us why it's best to avoid the latest social media fad.

Grossi was one the longest-standing Browns beat reporters in town with the lone Cleveland paper in town. That gives him a lot of clout and a lot of respectability nationally. When the national folks want to confirm something that's going on with the Browns, they'll tend to look to Grossi. When a Cleveland representative is needed to vote on the Hall of Fame, Grossi was the logical choice.

Yesterday, Grossi was removed from the Browns beat for what they're terming an "inadvertant Tweet" concerning Browns owner Randy Lerner.

You see, Lerner -- who rarely meets with the media and prefers a hands-off approach to running his team, unlike the guy in town before him who decided to bolt to land of crabcakes -- decided to give an interview with the Browns' flagship radio station, WTAM 1100-AM, and it's popular afternoon host, Mike Trivisonno.

During Lerner's interview, Grossi sent out a Tweet that was supposed to go to just one of his followers that said, “He is a pathetic figure, the most irrelevant billionaire in the world.” Instead, it went out to all of his followers in Twitter-ville.

Oops.

Grossi and the Plain Dealer apologized about the Tweet the next day, but Grossi remained pretty quiet. His last story, the game story from the AFC Championship game between the Ravens and the Patriots, had a very heavy Ravens slant to it (surprising, considering Grossi has led the charge against keeping a certain Judas owner out of the Hall of Fame ... although, then again, Grossi and Bill Belichick butted heads a lot during Belichick's tenure as Browns coach before the big move).

The Tweet basically confirmed what fans who have been reading his stuff had long believed -- Grossi had a bias against the Browns. He and Modell didn't get along because of some snafu that involved mislabeling Modell's not returning a call to comment into a flat-out no-comment on some story (and cost him the beat for a little while). Grossi had problems with Al Lerner, with Policy, with Butch Davis, with Phil Savage, you name it.

Grossi immediately pounced on Eric Mangini upon his hiring, supposedly saying in front of the entire media that Mangini "wasn't gonna get away with the same shit here that he did in New York." You could tell from the rip that Grossi was trying to get Mangini run out of town.

For whatever reason, Grossi didn't hit it off with Mike Holmgren, either. Holmgren's infamous "you're either with us or against us" quote was in response to Grossi, supposedly.

Grossi was snarky to readers who asked him questions in his "Hey Tony" mailbag. Grossi kept harping on the draft-day trade that allowed the Falcons to draft Julio Jones, even after Jones kept getting injured and dropping passes at inopportune times.

Fans were tired of him. And, a lot of them rejoiced at the news.

As a sportswriter, I respect Tony Grossi for what he brought to the table. I'm very happy he's kept Modell out of the Hall of Fame, and deservedly so. However, the bias was apparent to even the most non-partisan fan out there. It got really old.

There's doing your job, and then there's going above and beyond to show that you're the top dog in this town, and if you're not with him, you're against him.

Hopefully, there will be more objective and fair Browns reporting in the future.

<> Reports have suddenly surfaced (coincidentally, as the Cavs were about to have their first matchup with the Heat) that LeBron isn't happy in Miami -- gee, what a surprise -- and would look to opt out of his contract after three seasons in South Beach.

And, supposedly, if he were to do so, his No. 1 choice to sign with would be ... wait for it ... the Cleveland Cavaliers.

ARE YOU (BLEEPING) SERIOUS?????

It's obvious to me that his LRMR team are probably leaking this info to their confidants in the media. The LRMR team are all from the Akron area and are a giant mess. They are essentially responsible for the debacle that was "The Decision" and turning LeQuitter into one of the most hated players in today's NBA.

The word is LeQuit is not happy that he's become a social pariah in his home region. I guess growing up here didn't clue him in to how Cleveland fans respond when one of their players quits on them and stabs them in the back. Cleveland fans root for the name in the front of the jersey, not the name in the back. Even if that player was a superstar while they were here, the moment that person leaves is the moment that person becomes Public Enemy No. 1.

LeQuitter must have not paid attention to when Carlos Boozer did the same thing on a lesser scale and was reviled every single time he touched the ball during any game here. How about when Brian Grant, who played at Xavier, turned down a chance to play for Cleveland and forced a three-way tride to Miami, and Grant was suddenly always booed here.

How about Albert Belle and how Cleveland fans showered him with Monopoly money the first time he played at The Jake as a member of the Chicago White Sox. Belle didn't help himself by continually flipping off the fans on the Home Run Porch all night and cursing at them.

Perhaps, now that LeQuit is setting down with his Baby Mama after she left Miami and decided to go back to Akron, he wants to come back home and be loved again. If he doesn't win a championship this season with the Heat, you can bet the vultures will be circling around that carcass.

I don't think Dan Gilbert would bring him back. It would be his turn to tell LeBron to shove it after LeBron went on ESPN and essentially told Gilbert the same thing. Even if it meant more money and a chance to light a fire with a young nucleus of Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson and whoever the Cavs land in this year's draft.

And, how will the fans react? The fans gave Jim Thome a standing ovation when he returned to the Indians. However, that was about 8 years after he signed with the Phillies in the first place. Eight years is a long time, a long time for bygones to be bygones.

LeBron would only be gone three or four years if he decides to leave South Beach and take his talents back to the North Coast. The question is, would the North Coast allow it?

Joe Cleveland says, I hope to hell not. Let him stay out.

<> We can now say "Rest in Peace" to any chance the Indians had of winning the AL Central Division for the forseeable future, after Prince Fielder signed with his father Cecil's team, the Tigers, for nine years after our old friend Victor Martinez was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

The one saving grace for the Tribe is that MLB will be taking two Wild Card teams in the future. But, with Boston and the Yankees (and even Tampa Bay) emerging every year as a top team, will one of those berths even be out there for the Tribe to take?

Joe Cleveland's been very critical of the Indians' brain trust, especially Larry Dolan, for their inability to "keep up with the Jonses." Yes, MLB isn't set up to promote parity like the NFL is. Yes, there is no salary cap, which allows billioniares in big markets to spend to their hearts content.

However, this is the ocean that the Dolans choose to swim in. Once upon a time, the Indians were one of the winningest organizations in the Major Leagues, playing to a packed house every single night for 455 consecutive nights. That time was only 10-15 years ago.

If the ocean is becoming too deep, it's time for the Dolans to call for the life preserver to take them to shore. In other words, it's time for them to cash out and leave professional sports ownership to true businessmen capable of spending money to better the product, promote the product to the masses and show they are truly committed to winning.

The Dolans are not that description at all, and fans know it. Fans aren't going to spend their hard-earned money on a team that's not committed to winning. Fans aren't going to spend their hard-earned money on an atmosphere that, quite frankly, isn't very entertaining. Fans don't like being accused of being part of the perceived "problem" with decreasing payroll, which both Dolans and Shapiro have done over the course of a few seasons.

Another set of Dolans are running the New York Knicks into the ground as we speak. Two once proud franchises owned by people in the same family. One meddles too much and throws his money at the wrong things. The other overspent for his team and can't afford to spend any more money.

Either way, they both need to be put out to pasture ... and I hate the Knicks.

<> Finally, Joe Cleveland was so ecstatic to see the Thieving Bastards get there cumuppance last weekend with Billy Cundiff's missed chip-shot field goal that would have sent the AFC Championship game into overtime and Lee Evans' dropped TD pass that would have given them the win.

If ever a team and a fan base deserved to be shown how it felt to live thorugh The Drive and The Fumble, it's those crabcake-eating, Modell-apologizing theiving bastards, the Baltimorans ... with the exception of the Steelers.

The Steelers got theirs from Tebow. The Ravens got theirs probably even worse.

Both are at home watching the Super Bowl, just like Joe Cleveland is. And, Joe Cleveland is perfectly fine with that ... for now.

Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!

Drive for 25

As Joe Cleveland celebrated and rejoiced Sunday, watching Tim Tebow shread the "vaunted" Pittspuke Squeelers defense for 316 yards (and a 31.6-yard average per completion, how odd is that), visions of the Broncos from many years ago with a young quarterback danced in my head.

Tebow and Broncos put the final nail in the Stoolers' coffin with a stunning 80-yard touchdown pass to Demariyus Thomas, ending the overtime in just 11 seconds and giving the Broncos a huge 29-23 upset in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Almost immediately, Stooler fans had to attempt to crash Browns fans parties by reminding them about what the Broncos did to our beloved Browns 25 years ago.

Oh sure, you remember, as any tried-and-true, Brown-and-Orange-bleeding Browns fan remembers Jan. 11, 1987. You remember where you were and who you were with when you saw the Browns come, arguably, the closest they've ever come to a Super Bowl berth.

The plastic was over the Browns lockers and the AFC Lamar Hunt Trophy was in the Browns locker room when Bernie Kosar found Brian Brennan for a 48-yard touchdown pass with a little over five minutes remaining in the AFC Championship Game at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Pandamonium Palace was at full-throttle then, and on the subsequent Mark Moseley kickoff, when a guy named Ken Bell misjudged the knuckleball kick and had to fall on it at his own 2-yard line.

98 yards and five minutes seperated the Browns from that elusive Super Bowl berth and a date with the New York Giants at the Rose Bowl in Pasedena. But, we all remember what happened next.

I had just turned 13 years old a few weeks prior to that and I was watching the game in our den with my parents, siblings and other aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. My parents hosted a party, and everyone was invited to watch history be made.

Oh we saw history, just not the history we wanted to see.

While it only took Tebow one play and 11 seconds to cover 80 yards, it took John Elway most of those five minutes and 15 plays to cover the 98 he needed to tie the game and send it into overtime. Marty Schottenheimer's "Prevent" defense, which was supposed to prevent big plays, allowed Elway to dink and dunk and scramble his way methodically down the field, and was capped by a five-yard touchdown pass to Mark Jackson on third-and-2 with 37 seconds left.

I remember being stunned, but I wasn't worried. The Browns OWNED overtime in the 1986 season. They were 3-0 in OT games during a 12-4 regular season (other than a 14-0 year in 1948, this is the most regular season wins the Browns have ever had) and had just won a thrilling 23-20 double overtime playoff game with the Jets one week ago. A game that the Browns trailed by 10 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining, and yet somehow tied up and sent into OT. A game that Moseley missed a chip shot OT field goal, but had a second-chance in the double OT and made this one count.

A game that was the Browns' first playoff victory since 1968. A game that had Browns fans believing that 1986 was the season of destiny.

So, the Browns proceeded to go 3-and-out with the first OT possession, and Elway went to work again. This time, Rich Karlis set up for a 37-yard field goal to win the game.

I maintained 25 years ago with my 13-year-old eyes and I still maintain every time I see the replay and from hearing eyewitness accounts that Karlis' kick was wide left. They should still be playing that game.

But, the refs raised their hands and called the kick good, and it was Denver that went to the Super Bowl.

Denver went to the Super Bowl three times in a four-year span -- all with AFC Championship wins over the Browns. All of them were close games in the fourth quarter, but two of them ended in truly heartbreaking fashion for Browns fans like me (the 1989 team just simply ran out of gas in the fourth quarter and lost, 37-21. They were aging and, quite frankly, lucky to be playing in the AFC title game that year. They haven't been back there since).

Stooler fans immediately brought up The Drive as a way to try to take Browns fans down a peg.

Joe Cleveland's response -- Well, at least you know how it feels, doesn't it.

Joe Cleveland's second response -- Elway took 15 plays, Tebow only took one.

Joe Cleveland's third response -- My hatred for the Broncos essentially died with Elway -- who I referred to as a "horse-toothed jackass" during the 1989 AFC title game and did not get grounded for it by my parents -- and his retirement in the late 1990s. However, I found myself rooting for them in the 1998 Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons -- I could not stand that stupid Dirty Bird dance.

My hatred for the Steelers will never die.

Elway and the Broncos broke my heart that day 25 years ago, and broke it two more times. And, I'm sure next year, we'll all be going through this again with the 25th anniversary of The Fumble. But, Joe Cleveland will deal with that next year.

The only thing better than watching the Stoolers lose in the Super Bowl is watching a Super Bowl that doesn't have the Stoolers in it.

Actually, I can think of one thing that would be better, but it's never happened. Joe Cleveland believes that it will happen, and will happen in the near future.

The Steelers literally limped into the playoffs and were banged up, courtesy of the two games against the Browns -- the team that's "not even a rivalry anymore" in the eyes of Steeler fans. Instead of being intimidated by them, the Browns stood up to them, took their best shot, and hit them right back square in the mouth.

They lost both games, but both games were at least close. The last one, as snow swirled in the night-time sky on New Year's Day, came down to the final play of the game, with the Browns possessing the ball on the Pittsburgh 24-yard line. Seneca Wallace's Hail Mary pass fell incomplete, and the Steelers escaped with a 13-9 victory. But, the long-term damage was done.

Mike Holmgren believes the Browns are closing the gap on the AFC North foes, despite going 0-6 for only the second time since the division took its current shape back in 2001. And, I believe him.

The Browns could have concievably won both games with the Bengals. A colossal defensive brain fart back in the season opener cost the Browns that first game, and the Browns squandered a 10-point lead in the second game, giving up a huge pass to A.J. Green on third down that set up the game-winning field goal.

The only truly lop-sided game was the Browns home game against the Thieving Bastards, and that was only 24-10. The Browns rallied by running a healthy Peyton Hillis right down Ray Lewis' throat and lost by six, thanks to another Pat Shurmur coaching blunder in a season that was rife with them.

The Steelers and Ravens aren't getting any younger and have question marks. The Bengals, while also in a good position with some young talent at QB and WR and an extra first-round pick (like the Browns) in next year's draft, also backed into the playoff by beating nine non-playoff teams and were smacked down by a Houston team that was starting a rookie third-string quarterback.

This isn't saying the Browns don't have their own work cut out for them. They certainly do. But this offseason will be a huge one, determining the fate of this franchise for the next few seasons to come.

Will Shurmur find a reliable offensive coordinator to make his job easier? Will a true offseason benefit him, and will he learn from his countless mistakes in a rough rookie year?

Will the Browns go back to Colt McCoy? Will they try to land Matt Flynn or Kevin Kolb via trade or free agency? Or, do they try to acquire Heisman winner Robert Griffin III or Andrew Luck in this year's draft?

And, the draft -- the Browns have the fourth and 22nd pick in this year's first round. Do they go offense? Defense? Best available?

Many questions to be answered with this year's Browns. Hopefully, they can answer quite a few of them correctly these next few months and get this franchise back where it belongs -- consistantly winning and in the playoffs and (dare Joe Cleveland says it) a championship.

Once upon a time, the Browns were considered the "New York Yankees of football." In a feat that never happened before and will likely never happen again, the Browns reached 10 consecutive championship games in their first 10 years as a franchise, winning seven of those. They are one of four teams in the curent NFL (although the Browns and Lions are the only two who existed prior to 1995) who have never even played in a Super Bowl, much less won one.

This franchise and these fans deserve a winner. We can bemoan things like The Drive all we want and lament how close we were then. I relish the time when we can truly celebrate a Browns championship or two, and I believe it will happen.

Oh, and Pittsburgh still sucks!

Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!