The week hasn't officially started yet, and Joe Cleveland is already chalking it up to being the greatest week ever.
This is what happens when Ohio State can take out Michigan and the Cleveland Browns can do the same to the Pittsburgh Steelers in back-to-back home games on back-to-back afternoons.
Joe Cleveland was fortunate enough to witness the latter in person. I was also at the 2009 Thursday night game in which the Browns sacked Ben Roethlisberger eight times and stunned the Squeelers, 13-6. This one might have been a bit better.
Sure, Consentlessberger wasn't in uniform for this one. He sat on the sidelines nursing broken ribs. Also, Troy Polamalu wasn't in uniform, but then again, he hasn't been in uniform very much this season and yet the Steelers defense came into Sunday's game ranked No. 1.
It doesn't matter.
As Pat Shurmur told the team after their 20-14 victory that was more dominating than the score actually indicated, "You rookies are now 1-0 against the Steelers."
Jimmy Haslam, who was in the other owners box for several Browns-Steelers games that went the way of the Yinzer, is now 1-0 as the Browns' owner against the team he was once affiliated with.
Shurmur is now one of just three Browns coaches since the team returned in 1999 to beat the Steelers. The other two -- Eric Mangini (2009) and Chris Palmer (1999 and 2000). Coincidentally, both Mangini and Palmer were fired after just two years on the job, and -- a win Sunday regardless -- Shurmur is still expected to be fired after this season, his second year on the job.
Brandon Weeden becomes the third Browns starting quarterback to win a game against the Steelers. Tim Couch was the starter for the wins in 1999, 2000 and 2003, while Brady Quinn started the 2009 game. Weeden also becomes just the second rookie quarterback to beat a Dick LeBeau defense while LeBeau headed up the Steeler D.
The eight turnovers forced by the Browns were the most a Steeler team committed since 1989. It was also the most the Browns forced since 1989. Coincidentally, the last time it happened for either team, they played each other in a very memorable 51-0 season-opening victory at Three Rivers Stadium (Bud Carson's finest hour).
Sure, the starting quarterback may have a 37-year-old third-stringer and one of the wideouts may have been a 35-year-old guy who was sitting on his couch this season and had missed most of the last four seasons after shooting himself in the leg at a nighclub. And, it may have only been a six-point win.
But, in the end, it was a Browns victory ... OVER THE STEELERS!!!
Hallalujah!
Last season, you could sense the Browns were right there, as far as being physical with the ever-intimidating Steelers. The Steelers won both games, 14-3 and 13-9, but the Browns made the Steelers work for both games.
The Browns injured Roethlisberger in that first game, and forced him to play the entire game in the season finale when they had hoped to jump out to a commanding lead in that season finale to prepare for the playoffs. They also took out Polamalu and running back Rashard Mendenhall during that season finale, and without them, Pittsburgh lost a Tim Tebow-led Broncos team in the first round of the playoffs.
This year, it was the Browns that were the physical team. It was the guys in brown jerseys who were intimidating. It was the Browns that delivered solid hits that forced six fumbles -- five recovered by the Browns.
Don't look now, folks, but the the balance of power in the AFC North is shifting. The Steelers are getting older and more beat up, while the Browns are younger and hungrier.
The Ravens continue to win, but they, too, are also getting older and beat up. Meanwhile, the younger Bengals made the playoffs last season and are sneaking back into the hunt after being written off by many following a 34-24 loss to Browns a few weeks ago.
Could the road to the AFC North championship be going through Cleveland and Cincinnati the next few seasons? What does this Sunday tell you?
The Browns dominated the Steelers. The Bengals dominated the Raiders. The Ravens had to rally to beat the rudderless Chargers in overtime -- a team that lost to the Browns a few weeks ago.
Haslam wisely stepped in and pulled the plug on the disasterous "white flag" promotion. They should have put those palates outside the Steelers locker room so they could take them as they left. Or, handed them out after the game to anyone wearing black and yellow and crying in their little yellow towels.
Probably the only thing better than watching the Browns beat the Steelers was watching all of those stunned Steeler fans, who so gleefully twirled their towels and tried to make Cleveland Browns Stadium Heinz Field West just a few hours earlier, walk out into the chilly Cleveland afternoon zombie-faced, like the famine just hit their village or something.
It was a beautiful thing.
Now, the Browns improve to 5-23 against those Stillers since 1999. Not a fantastic stat, but keep this one in mind.
In the years Cleveland beat Pittsburgh (1999, 2000, 2003 and 2009), the Steelers were denied a playoff berth. Sitting at 6-5 with another game with the Ravens on tap next week and not getting any healthier, 2012 could be another notch in that chain.
This week, Browns fans don't have to hear it from those front-running losers at their workplaces or in their circle of friends. Now, WE can be the ones who let them have it.
Like I said before, we haven't seen the Buckeyes and Browns score wins over their archrivals in the same weekend since 1962, so this one was a long time coming. Just imagine if the Cavs could have held on against LeQuitter's Heat Saturday night?
Speaking of the Buckeyes, you've got to congratulate them on a 12-0 season -- a season that nobody expected. Sure, some true Buckeye homers probably thought Urban Meyer would have Ohio State in the national title game in his first year, but most would have been happy with a winning record and another win over That Team Up North.
Who would have thunk it that, if not for a bowl ban, Meyer could have very well had the Buckeyes playing for a national championship in January, and against Notre Dame, even? Take that, ESPN and SEC!
Last season, this team finished a dismal 6-7 under Luke Fickell. With Meyer, that got transformed to 12-0. This is not a coincidence.
Meyer's spread offense fits Braxton Miller like a glove. Unlike Rich Rodriguez, who came to Michigan as an unpopular choice and then proceeded to force his spread down his school's throat despite not having the proper personnel (and was fired after just three seasons), Meyer knew that the Buckeyes had the pieces in place to make the transtion to the spread pretty seemless.
He was able to convince the seniors, whom he didn't recruit, to stay, even though they had the right to transfer penalty-free to another university when the NCAA sanctions were handed down.
They didn't blow the doors off their opponents, which some critics have brought up. However, the fact remains that they played in 12 games and won them all.
If Ohio State is not the preseason No. 1 next season, then something is definitely wrong.
Meyer got the rivalry back to Ohio State's side after Jim Tressel owned Michigan during his 10-year career (9-1) and the hiccup last season under Fickell. It looks like it will be there to stay for the time being.
Ohio State beating Michigan and the Browns beating the Steelers. Yes, Thanksgiving DOES mean something, after all!
***
Don't look now, but this Browns team could use the Steeler win to springboard themselves to a fanstastic finish.
The 2009 team responded from that 13-6 Steeler win to rip off four consecutive victories to end the season. The winning streak saved Mangini's job for a season under incoming team president Mike Holmgren, who was rumored to have been hired just before that Steeler game.
This season, the Browns follow up with games against Oakland on the road (3-7), Kansas City (1-10) and Washington (5-6) at home, and Denver (7-3) and the Steelers (6-5) on the road. Only the Bronco game appears to be totally unwinnable, and that could be interesting if they clinch prior to that and rest Peyton Manning and some of the starters.
The Redskins under Robert Griffin III are playing well lately, but it should be cold on Dec. 16. RG3's idea of cold growing up in Texas was 55 degrees.
The Browns could very well be 8-8 (if all the planets and stars align properly) or, at least, 6-10 when this season is all said and done.
6-10 isn't great, but it is progress from 4-12 and 5-11 over the last four seasons. If two of those six wins are against Pittsburgh, you can make a case for Shurmur to stick around for another season.
Some idiots are complaining about draft position ... ENOUGH ALREADY!! If we perennially play for the damn draft, we'll always rebuild. You need to win games, that's the bottom line. And, is there any lock-down player that you need to get in the top three or four this year? Matt Barkley, Geno Smith and Collin Klein aren't looking likc locks to be future QB studs in the NFL, and most of the high prospects appear to be on the defensive side.
So, quit bellyaching about how the Browns won or why they won. The bottom line is, THEY BEAT THE DAMN STEELERS!!! Be a true damn Browns fan and ENJOY IT for once!!!
I will say, though, that anything less than that 6-10 projection, and Shurmur is gone ... even if they can beat the Steelers again at Heinz Field in the season finale.
The Browns aren't a great team, but anyone with any knowledge of the NFL can see that this team has some interesting and intriguing pieces in place. This team has talent, and that talent was on display. That talent will only get better with more experience and with better coaching.
Football fortunes are on the rise in Ohio. Just you wait and see.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
And, PITTSBURGH SUCKS!
Showing posts with label Ohio State Buckeyes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ohio State Buckeyes. Show all posts
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
Raising the White Flag
Sometimes, Joe Cleveland wonders why he so steadfastly roots for the sports teams in this city when so many of them do dumb things.
The Indians organization, for example, it a walking nightmare. It would not surprise me to see them hand out white flags to the 8,000 fans who show up to watch a game against the Tigers or the White Sox. You would hope, however, that they would be smart enough to not do it.
Unfortunately, sometimes the Browns organization IS that dumb. Like this Sunday, for instance.
The national media and some comedians (and I'm sure Steeler fans) are having a field day over the morons in the Browns' marketing department's latest decision -- to hand out inflatable white flags to all the fans who walk into Browns Stadium Sunday morning for their huge game with the hated Stillers.
As a Browns fan, I can't even try to defend this decision. It's moronic. It's stupid.
I can only imagine how this went down:
(Browns Marketing Department meeting, late August, discussing promotions)
"Well, we need a promotion for the game on Nov. 25. Who are they playing again?"
"Ummm, that would be Pittsburgh."
"Yeah, Pittsburgh. Don't their fans bring in little yellow towels to wave whenever that does something?"
"Yeah. I think they call them 'Terrible Towels.'"
"You're darn right those things are terrible. They terribly clash with our orange seats. They're terrible to watch. We need something that will clash with that."
"How about a flag?"
"Perfect. A flag is better than a towel. What color should that flag be?"
(The closet Steeler fan working in the department, silently taking it all in, seizes his opportunity)
"Well, how about a WHITE flag? You know, because white should blind out the yellow."
"A white flag ..."
(The Steeler fan, who barely suppressed his or her laughter while saying that last word, holds his or her breath as that person's sure the suggestion will be laughed out of the room)
"... BRILLIANT! I like it. How about you, Johnson?"
"White flag sounds good. Anyone else?"
(unanimous grumbling about how a white flag sounds perfect)
"I'm sure Mr. Lerner and Mr. Holmgren will be pleased. Next game ..."
Well, unfortunately for the nincompoops that make up the Browns marketing department, Mr. Lerner and Mr. Holmgren aren't around anymore. Mr. Lerner was barely around to begin with, and Mr. Holmgren didn't seem too concerned about any matters that weren't football related.
Now, it's Mr. Haslam and Mr. Banner. And if Mr. Haslam and Mr. Banner had any decency, even though 50,000 of these ridiculous white flags have already been ordered, they would keep those things locked away on palates and not hand out anything.
Because NOTHING is better than a national joke.
This is my third year of being a Browns season ticket holder. If someone tries to hand me one of those ridiculous things, I either throw it on the ground in front of them, or I keep walking.
Because when I think of finally beating the hated Steelers, I think of 50,000 fans waving white flags in the crow to combat the sea of yellow from the black jersey-clad Yinzers and Northeast Ohio frontrunners.
The craxy part is, this may not be an isolated incident when it comes to the Browns marketing department, and why the man who made his fortune creating multipurpose truck stops needs to run these idiots all out of town and hire his own people.
He'll be hiring all his own people to run the football team next year from the head coach on down, why stop there?
According to ESPNCleveland.com, a story has been circulating about why the marketing department didn't sell any game-day programs to the season-opening game against the Eagles.
The Browns marketing department is in charge of the editing and printing of the game day programs. A source told the radio station that just hours before kickoff, someone in the communications department noticed that on the main roster centerfold, the first page everyone opens to in the program, the head coach’s name was spelled “Pat Schurmur.”
Yes, the head coaches name was spelled wrong.
As the team was scrambling to figure out an easy fix, the marketing department had a brilliant idea. They decided they would add a separate one page insert with a corrected roster. At the top of that insert, in bold letters it said, “Please disregard the misspelling of Pat Shurmur’s name on the original roster."
You can’t make this stuff up folks. The marketing department misspelled the most important person on the roster’s name and then, to cover it up, drew more attention to the mistake.
According to the article, the communications department pushed hard and finally got all programs pulled from the game before fans arrived. If you somehow got a hold of one of those, it might be worth some money someday.
Browns players are hoping the white flags idea doesn't come to fruition.
“I try to focus on the Steelers but I’m not a fan of the white flags,” middle linebacker D’Qwell Jackson said. “That’s the simplest way I can put it. I’m not a fan of it whatsoever knowing that we’ll see the terrible towels flying and it’s just not a message I like and I’m sure other guys don’t approve of.”
“I think I’m going to let D’Qwell speak for all of us,” added long-time kicker Phil Dawson, who has (literally) seen it all when it comes to the Browns. “When your mom told you growing up if you don’t have anything good to say, probably better not to say it, I think I am going to follow those words.”
If there is one positive to that story, it's that it is never too late to pull a mistake. Let's hope Haslam (or anybody for that matter) pulls the plug on this one, too.
The Browns were able to avoid one embarassment when they were able to convince the NFL to exempt them from the league-wide mandate to have a moment of silence for Dead Judas the Theiving One prior to that Eagles game. Hopefully, they can avoid another.
***
Speaking of waving the white flag, that's exactly what Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith and president Gordon Gee decided to do when they decided to accept a berth to the Gator Bowl so their 6-6 Buckeyes with the lame-duck head coach could play Florida.
Taking that bowl game (and losing to suffer the very rare under-.500 season) allowed the NCAA to hand down a bowl ban for this season when they officially announced their sanctions agaisnt Ohio State for Tattoo-Gate.
So, a 6-6 team with a meaningless head coach and meaningless lame-duck coaching staff played in a meaningless bowl and lost, so that a potential 12-0 team with a fantastic head coach and fantastic coaching staff (except for the defense) can stay home instead of accepting a potential berth in the BCS National Championship Game.
Take a bow, Gene Smith! Take a bow!
Smith incredulously refused to believe that, had he self-imposed a bowl ban last year, the NCAA would not have given them one this year. He still maintains he did the right thing.
How this man has a high-profile job at a Division I university is one of life's great mysteries. How he didn't get run out of town along with Lord Tressel in the wake of Tattoo-Gate has baffled me ever since the scandal broke.
Then again, we have a guy working for the Cleveland Indians who traded back-to-back AL Cy Young award winners and not only got bubkiss for them, but wound up with a promotion. We have a head coach for the Cleveland Browns who was only an offensive coordinator for one season, and it was for a mediocre team. We have a marketing department that believes it is a great idea to hand out white flags to wave for a game against your most hated and bitter rival.
This is why Joe Cleveland should have his head examined for rooting for these teams. Apparently, shit does flow upstream in Ohio.
Please, for the love of God, can the Buckeyes and the Browns just do right on the field Saturday and Sunday against the teams this fanbase loves to hate? All of the above will go away, even if for just one day, week or month.
Here's hoping for some great news on ALL fronts come Monday.
O-H ... I-O!!!
Here we go, Brownies! Here we go! WOOF-WOOF!
And remember ...
We don't give a damn about the whole state of Michigan, cuz we're from Oh-Hi-O!
Finally ...
Only bitches wave little yellow towels! Beat Pittsburgh and the Three River Rednecks they brought with them!
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
The Indians organization, for example, it a walking nightmare. It would not surprise me to see them hand out white flags to the 8,000 fans who show up to watch a game against the Tigers or the White Sox. You would hope, however, that they would be smart enough to not do it.
Unfortunately, sometimes the Browns organization IS that dumb. Like this Sunday, for instance.
The national media and some comedians (and I'm sure Steeler fans) are having a field day over the morons in the Browns' marketing department's latest decision -- to hand out inflatable white flags to all the fans who walk into Browns Stadium Sunday morning for their huge game with the hated Stillers.
As a Browns fan, I can't even try to defend this decision. It's moronic. It's stupid.
I can only imagine how this went down:
(Browns Marketing Department meeting, late August, discussing promotions)
"Well, we need a promotion for the game on Nov. 25. Who are they playing again?"
"Ummm, that would be Pittsburgh."
"Yeah, Pittsburgh. Don't their fans bring in little yellow towels to wave whenever that does something?"
"Yeah. I think they call them 'Terrible Towels.'"
"You're darn right those things are terrible. They terribly clash with our orange seats. They're terrible to watch. We need something that will clash with that."
"How about a flag?"
"Perfect. A flag is better than a towel. What color should that flag be?"
(The closet Steeler fan working in the department, silently taking it all in, seizes his opportunity)
"Well, how about a WHITE flag? You know, because white should blind out the yellow."
"A white flag ..."
(The Steeler fan, who barely suppressed his or her laughter while saying that last word, holds his or her breath as that person's sure the suggestion will be laughed out of the room)
"... BRILLIANT! I like it. How about you, Johnson?"
"White flag sounds good. Anyone else?"
(unanimous grumbling about how a white flag sounds perfect)
"I'm sure Mr. Lerner and Mr. Holmgren will be pleased. Next game ..."
Well, unfortunately for the nincompoops that make up the Browns marketing department, Mr. Lerner and Mr. Holmgren aren't around anymore. Mr. Lerner was barely around to begin with, and Mr. Holmgren didn't seem too concerned about any matters that weren't football related.
Now, it's Mr. Haslam and Mr. Banner. And if Mr. Haslam and Mr. Banner had any decency, even though 50,000 of these ridiculous white flags have already been ordered, they would keep those things locked away on palates and not hand out anything.
Because NOTHING is better than a national joke.
This is my third year of being a Browns season ticket holder. If someone tries to hand me one of those ridiculous things, I either throw it on the ground in front of them, or I keep walking.
Because when I think of finally beating the hated Steelers, I think of 50,000 fans waving white flags in the crow to combat the sea of yellow from the black jersey-clad Yinzers and Northeast Ohio frontrunners.
The craxy part is, this may not be an isolated incident when it comes to the Browns marketing department, and why the man who made his fortune creating multipurpose truck stops needs to run these idiots all out of town and hire his own people.
He'll be hiring all his own people to run the football team next year from the head coach on down, why stop there?
According to ESPNCleveland.com, a story has been circulating about why the marketing department didn't sell any game-day programs to the season-opening game against the Eagles.
The Browns marketing department is in charge of the editing and printing of the game day programs. A source told the radio station that just hours before kickoff, someone in the communications department noticed that on the main roster centerfold, the first page everyone opens to in the program, the head coach’s name was spelled “Pat Schurmur.”
Yes, the head coaches name was spelled wrong.
As the team was scrambling to figure out an easy fix, the marketing department had a brilliant idea. They decided they would add a separate one page insert with a corrected roster. At the top of that insert, in bold letters it said, “Please disregard the misspelling of Pat Shurmur’s name on the original roster."
You can’t make this stuff up folks. The marketing department misspelled the most important person on the roster’s name and then, to cover it up, drew more attention to the mistake.
According to the article, the communications department pushed hard and finally got all programs pulled from the game before fans arrived. If you somehow got a hold of one of those, it might be worth some money someday.
Browns players are hoping the white flags idea doesn't come to fruition.
“I try to focus on the Steelers but I’m not a fan of the white flags,” middle linebacker D’Qwell Jackson said. “That’s the simplest way I can put it. I’m not a fan of it whatsoever knowing that we’ll see the terrible towels flying and it’s just not a message I like and I’m sure other guys don’t approve of.”
“I think I’m going to let D’Qwell speak for all of us,” added long-time kicker Phil Dawson, who has (literally) seen it all when it comes to the Browns. “When your mom told you growing up if you don’t have anything good to say, probably better not to say it, I think I am going to follow those words.”
If there is one positive to that story, it's that it is never too late to pull a mistake. Let's hope Haslam (or anybody for that matter) pulls the plug on this one, too.
The Browns were able to avoid one embarassment when they were able to convince the NFL to exempt them from the league-wide mandate to have a moment of silence for Dead Judas the Theiving One prior to that Eagles game. Hopefully, they can avoid another.
***
Speaking of waving the white flag, that's exactly what Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith and president Gordon Gee decided to do when they decided to accept a berth to the Gator Bowl so their 6-6 Buckeyes with the lame-duck head coach could play Florida.
Taking that bowl game (and losing to suffer the very rare under-.500 season) allowed the NCAA to hand down a bowl ban for this season when they officially announced their sanctions agaisnt Ohio State for Tattoo-Gate.
So, a 6-6 team with a meaningless head coach and meaningless lame-duck coaching staff played in a meaningless bowl and lost, so that a potential 12-0 team with a fantastic head coach and fantastic coaching staff (except for the defense) can stay home instead of accepting a potential berth in the BCS National Championship Game.
Take a bow, Gene Smith! Take a bow!
Smith incredulously refused to believe that, had he self-imposed a bowl ban last year, the NCAA would not have given them one this year. He still maintains he did the right thing.
How this man has a high-profile job at a Division I university is one of life's great mysteries. How he didn't get run out of town along with Lord Tressel in the wake of Tattoo-Gate has baffled me ever since the scandal broke.
Then again, we have a guy working for the Cleveland Indians who traded back-to-back AL Cy Young award winners and not only got bubkiss for them, but wound up with a promotion. We have a head coach for the Cleveland Browns who was only an offensive coordinator for one season, and it was for a mediocre team. We have a marketing department that believes it is a great idea to hand out white flags to wave for a game against your most hated and bitter rival.
This is why Joe Cleveland should have his head examined for rooting for these teams. Apparently, shit does flow upstream in Ohio.
Please, for the love of God, can the Buckeyes and the Browns just do right on the field Saturday and Sunday against the teams this fanbase loves to hate? All of the above will go away, even if for just one day, week or month.
Here's hoping for some great news on ALL fronts come Monday.
O-H ... I-O!!!
Here we go, Brownies! Here we go! WOOF-WOOF!
And remember ...
We don't give a damn about the whole state of Michigan, cuz we're from Oh-Hi-O!
Finally ...
Only bitches wave little yellow towels! Beat Pittsburgh and the Three River Rednecks they brought with them!
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
An easy choice
Every couple of years, the planets and schedule-makers align to where, in back-to-back days on the same weekend, Ohio State is playing Michigan and the Browns are playing the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Throw in the Cavs travelling to Miami to take on LeQuit and his Heat on Saturday night, and you have the makings of a very intense weekend for a Cleveland sports fan.
One notable time you had OSU-Michgan and Browns-Steelers on the same weekend was in 2006.
No. 1 Ohio State hosted No. 2 Michigan in a game for the ages, where Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith improved to 3-0 against That Team Up North with a 316-yard, 4-touchdown performance in a 42-39 victory at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 18.
The following day, the Browns squandered leads of 10-0, 13-3 and 20-10 (in the fourth quarter), as the Steelers scored 21 fourth-quarter points and won, 24-20, at Browns Stadium.
I'm sure it's happened quite a few times in history. And I can't remember when the last time both the Buckeyes and the Browns happened to beat their archrivals in the same weekend (although I'm sure it's happened before). It surely hasn't happened within the last 35 years. On Nov. 25, 1973, the Browns beat the Steelers, 21-16, and Ohio State and Michigan tied 10-10 the day before.
Actually, according to some Joe Cleveland research just now, I did find the last time the Browns and Buckeyes won on the same weekend. On Nov. 24, 1962, Ohio State blanked Michigan, 28-0, at the Horseshoe. The following day, at the old Cleveland Stadium, the Browns handled the Steelers, 35-14, behind a big day from the great Jim Brown. So, it's been a while.
Saturday is the 109th meeting between the two flagship schools in the Big Ten. Michigan leads the series, 58-43-6, although Ohio State has won 9 of the last 11 matchups against That Team Up North (8, if you want to factor in the 2010 game was officially vacated due to NCAA sanctions against the Buckeyes).
Sunday is the 121st meeting between the two oldest franchises in the AFC, including playoffs. The Steelers lead the series, 64-56, and have won 18 of the last 19 games against our beloved Brownies.
I can remember back in 2006, someone asked me if I had to pick one team beating their rival -- Ohio State or the Browns -- which one would it be. I easily answered the Browns. Folks were shocked. Keep in mind, the Buckeyes were the No. 1 team in the country and playing for a berth in the BCS Championship Game, while the Browns were on their way to another non-descript 4-12 season.
My answer was the Browns in 2006, and my answer in 2012 remains the Browns, even though the Buckeyes are playing for an undefeated 12-0 season (their first unbeaten season since the 2002 National Championship team) and an unofficial Big Ten championship (NCAA sanctions prevent Ohio State from playing in either the Big Ten Championship Game or a bowl game this season), while the Browns are heading for another 4-12 season.
My first reason -- my name is "Joe Cleveland," not "Joe Columbus."
Sure, I love the Buckeyes and I hate That Team Up North with every fiber of my being. However, I didn't go to Ohio State. I never lived in the Columbus-area. I have a cousin that goes to Ohio State, but that's about the extent of my family ties to that great university.
Meanwhile, I've lived in Northeast Ohio my entire life. I've loved the Browns since before I could walk. And as much as I love the Browns passionately, I hate the Steelers even more passionately. I used to have a second-favorite NFL team (growing up, it was the 49ers). Now, my second-favorite NFL team is the team that happens to be playing the Steelers. And yes, that even includes those Theiving Modells from Colt-ville.
You don't see many Michigan fans around these parts anymore (most of them donated their Maize and Blue after Jim Tressel came to town and turned the rivalry on its ear. Translation -- most local Michigan fans are frontrunners, and quietly switched sides when Ohio State started winning). Meanwhile, there are Steeler fans all over the place around here (like the local Michigan fans, local Steeler fans are nothing but frontrunners who all were Browns fans during the Bernie Kosar years but switched when the Steelers started winning Super Bowls again and started dominating the Browns).
Local Steeler fans are the most annoying group of fans I've ever witnessed. They talk about the six rings. They sing praises about their rapist quarterback. They wear their Steeler gear everywhere or plaster it on their cars. You usually see them gather at a local sports bar because the Steeler game is blacked out for the Browns game. This is why I quit going to local sports bars to watch the games every Sunday -- it got too damn annoying and I really didn't want to get into any fights.
If the Steelers beat the Browns again, those front-running idiots will be out in full force, waving their little yellow towels and talking about how much their hometown team sucks and how us Browns fans are all idiots. Meanwhile, if Michigan beats the Buckeyes, sure, a couple of frontrunners will suddenly find that Desmond Howard Heisman Trophy shirt from the early 1990s up their attic in mothballs and put it on, but it's on a lesser scale.
My final reason -- Ohio State fans EXPECT to beat Michigan this Saturday. Browns fans HOPE to beat the Steelers this Sunday. There is a difference.
Sure, an Ohio State win and a Browns loss will be a nice consolation prize. There would be nothing worse than both of these teams losing to their most hated rivals within days of each other, so I'll take one over nothing. But, locally, a Browns win would trump a Buckeyes win.
On sports talk, all you'd hear during the week would be Browns fans finally talking trash to their Steeler counterparts. People would wonder if Pat Shurmur was finally turning the corner.
Eric Mangini saved his job in 2009 when his Browns upset the Steelers on a brutally cold Thursday night in Cleveland. A win over the Steelers this Sunday may not be enough for Shurmur. However, that 2009 kicked off four consecutive wins to end the season and propel some optimism (that went away late in 2010 when Mangini's team lost their last four games and he was fired). A win over a Steeler team -- even one that is down to starting their third-string quarterback -- 37-year-old Charlie Batch -- and is so banged up, they brought a 35-year-old Plaxico Burress out of quasi-retirement to play receiver -- would boost the civic pride and may propel this Browns team on a similar streak to end the season.
So, in a perfect world, Joe Cleveland wants to party like it's 1962 -- celebrating a Buckeyes win over Michigan and a Browns win over the Steelers. But, if I had to have just one, I'd choose the Browns 10 times out of 10 times.
And, if an injury-depleted Cavs team can beat LeQuit and the Heat, I'd be a very happy Joe Cleveland on this Thanksgiving weekend. But, let's not get too carried away.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Throw in the Cavs travelling to Miami to take on LeQuit and his Heat on Saturday night, and you have the makings of a very intense weekend for a Cleveland sports fan.
One notable time you had OSU-Michgan and Browns-Steelers on the same weekend was in 2006.
No. 1 Ohio State hosted No. 2 Michigan in a game for the ages, where Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith improved to 3-0 against That Team Up North with a 316-yard, 4-touchdown performance in a 42-39 victory at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 18.
The following day, the Browns squandered leads of 10-0, 13-3 and 20-10 (in the fourth quarter), as the Steelers scored 21 fourth-quarter points and won, 24-20, at Browns Stadium.
I'm sure it's happened quite a few times in history. And I can't remember when the last time both the Buckeyes and the Browns happened to beat their archrivals in the same weekend (although I'm sure it's happened before). It surely hasn't happened within the last 35 years. On Nov. 25, 1973, the Browns beat the Steelers, 21-16, and Ohio State and Michigan tied 10-10 the day before.
Actually, according to some Joe Cleveland research just now, I did find the last time the Browns and Buckeyes won on the same weekend. On Nov. 24, 1962, Ohio State blanked Michigan, 28-0, at the Horseshoe. The following day, at the old Cleveland Stadium, the Browns handled the Steelers, 35-14, behind a big day from the great Jim Brown. So, it's been a while.
Saturday is the 109th meeting between the two flagship schools in the Big Ten. Michigan leads the series, 58-43-6, although Ohio State has won 9 of the last 11 matchups against That Team Up North (8, if you want to factor in the 2010 game was officially vacated due to NCAA sanctions against the Buckeyes).
Sunday is the 121st meeting between the two oldest franchises in the AFC, including playoffs. The Steelers lead the series, 64-56, and have won 18 of the last 19 games against our beloved Brownies.
I can remember back in 2006, someone asked me if I had to pick one team beating their rival -- Ohio State or the Browns -- which one would it be. I easily answered the Browns. Folks were shocked. Keep in mind, the Buckeyes were the No. 1 team in the country and playing for a berth in the BCS Championship Game, while the Browns were on their way to another non-descript 4-12 season.
My answer was the Browns in 2006, and my answer in 2012 remains the Browns, even though the Buckeyes are playing for an undefeated 12-0 season (their first unbeaten season since the 2002 National Championship team) and an unofficial Big Ten championship (NCAA sanctions prevent Ohio State from playing in either the Big Ten Championship Game or a bowl game this season), while the Browns are heading for another 4-12 season.
My first reason -- my name is "Joe Cleveland," not "Joe Columbus."
Sure, I love the Buckeyes and I hate That Team Up North with every fiber of my being. However, I didn't go to Ohio State. I never lived in the Columbus-area. I have a cousin that goes to Ohio State, but that's about the extent of my family ties to that great university.
Meanwhile, I've lived in Northeast Ohio my entire life. I've loved the Browns since before I could walk. And as much as I love the Browns passionately, I hate the Steelers even more passionately. I used to have a second-favorite NFL team (growing up, it was the 49ers). Now, my second-favorite NFL team is the team that happens to be playing the Steelers. And yes, that even includes those Theiving Modells from Colt-ville.
You don't see many Michigan fans around these parts anymore (most of them donated their Maize and Blue after Jim Tressel came to town and turned the rivalry on its ear. Translation -- most local Michigan fans are frontrunners, and quietly switched sides when Ohio State started winning). Meanwhile, there are Steeler fans all over the place around here (like the local Michigan fans, local Steeler fans are nothing but frontrunners who all were Browns fans during the Bernie Kosar years but switched when the Steelers started winning Super Bowls again and started dominating the Browns).
Local Steeler fans are the most annoying group of fans I've ever witnessed. They talk about the six rings. They sing praises about their rapist quarterback. They wear their Steeler gear everywhere or plaster it on their cars. You usually see them gather at a local sports bar because the Steeler game is blacked out for the Browns game. This is why I quit going to local sports bars to watch the games every Sunday -- it got too damn annoying and I really didn't want to get into any fights.
If the Steelers beat the Browns again, those front-running idiots will be out in full force, waving their little yellow towels and talking about how much their hometown team sucks and how us Browns fans are all idiots. Meanwhile, if Michigan beats the Buckeyes, sure, a couple of frontrunners will suddenly find that Desmond Howard Heisman Trophy shirt from the early 1990s up their attic in mothballs and put it on, but it's on a lesser scale.
My final reason -- Ohio State fans EXPECT to beat Michigan this Saturday. Browns fans HOPE to beat the Steelers this Sunday. There is a difference.
Sure, an Ohio State win and a Browns loss will be a nice consolation prize. There would be nothing worse than both of these teams losing to their most hated rivals within days of each other, so I'll take one over nothing. But, locally, a Browns win would trump a Buckeyes win.
On sports talk, all you'd hear during the week would be Browns fans finally talking trash to their Steeler counterparts. People would wonder if Pat Shurmur was finally turning the corner.
Eric Mangini saved his job in 2009 when his Browns upset the Steelers on a brutally cold Thursday night in Cleveland. A win over the Steelers this Sunday may not be enough for Shurmur. However, that 2009 kicked off four consecutive wins to end the season and propel some optimism (that went away late in 2010 when Mangini's team lost their last four games and he was fired). A win over a Steeler team -- even one that is down to starting their third-string quarterback -- 37-year-old Charlie Batch -- and is so banged up, they brought a 35-year-old Plaxico Burress out of quasi-retirement to play receiver -- would boost the civic pride and may propel this Browns team on a similar streak to end the season.
So, in a perfect world, Joe Cleveland wants to party like it's 1962 -- celebrating a Buckeyes win over Michigan and a Browns win over the Steelers. But, if I had to have just one, I'd choose the Browns 10 times out of 10 times.
And, if an injury-depleted Cavs team can beat LeQuit and the Heat, I'd be a very happy Joe Cleveland on this Thanksgiving weekend. But, let's not get too carried away.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Close to the Vest
Joe Cleveland would like to take the opportunity to apologize for the long droughts between blog updates. With high school wrestling season over and girls and boys hoops not too far behind, the man behind the alter ego seems to have a bit of free time, which allows me to put on my "Joe Cleveland" hat and pontificate on the state of sports.
Joe Cleveland had to come out of hiding today, as the legend that is Jim Tressel came crashing down today when he all but admitted that he lied to the NCAA and his own bosses about e-mails that blew the whistle on his players accepting cash and tattoos for memorabilia that they won or were given as members of his Buckeyes.
Yahoo Sports blew the whistle on this story yesterday, quoting a source as saying that Tressel received e-mails from the attorney of tattoo shop owner Edward Rife back in April. Ohio State didn't find out about it until December, when a federal raid on the tattoo parlor uncovered the stuff. The school and the NCAA suspended five players, including starting QB Terrelle Pryor, for violating NCAA by-laws by accepting cash and gifts for their various awards and jersies. The school and the NCAA agreeed to let the violaters play in the Sugar Bowl -- which OSU won -- and allowed for the suspension to start with the first game of the 2011 season.
Ohio State had been appealing the suspension's length for the five players. But now that their "squeaky clean" head coach wasn't complicent himself, they might as well quit while they're ahead.
I worked with a guy who covered Ohio State for many years (both before and after Tressel's hiring) and he was convinced that the Tressel the public saw, the conservative, sweater-vest wearing disciplinarian who has done nothing but beat the tar out of Michigan and get OSU into tons of prestigious bowl games, wasn't the real Tressel. He was convinced that Tressel was shady, but he just couldn't prove it.
Red flags propped up shortly after Tressel guided the Buckeyes to a shocking National Championship in 2002. Maurice Clarett, the star freshman running back on that team, was linked to accepting improper benefits from an OSU booster. Tressel and the school claimed that they had no idea this was going on. Meanwhile, Clarett was threatening to blow the whistle on Tress and the school. Unfortunately, Clarett's credibility was shot. He was dismissed from the team and the school, tried to challenge the NFL's draft laws (and failed), was selected by the Broncos in the third round, signed an incentive-laden contract that didn't guarantee him a DIME and then was cut in training camp. Oh yeah, then he robbed someone at gunpoint in Columbus and spent some time in prison. Nice going, Maurice.
After the Clarett debacle, Troy Smith was also found to have accepted gifts from a booster. He was quickly suspended for the Alamo Bowl (this was right after he engineered a huge upset of Michigan in one of his first starts) and his first two games of the next season. He came back for a huge No. 1 vs. No. 2 clash with Texas, but Tressel kept flip-flopping between him and Justin Zwick, and the Buckeyes lost.
Following that, Smith regained his job and embarked on a remarkable career that resulted in his winning the Heisman Trophy and getting the Buckeyes back in the National Championship game. They were blown out by Florida, but Smith's legacy was secured. He's been mostly a backup QB in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, with flashes of good play here and there while more than a few Browns fans clamored for their native son to be brought back home to play for their favorite team (not gonna happen).
Tressel got off scot free from both instances with his reputation in tact. Buckeye fans lauded Tressel, sang songs about him, named their kids after him, dressed up for Haloween as him. Unfortunately, die-hard Buckeye fans can be a tad bit obnoxious, but you get the point. As long as Tressel owned "that team up North," kept churning out top recruiting classes and had the Buckeyes in the national title hunt every single year, that was all that mattered.
Until today.
Before I get in on this rant, Joe Cleveland would like everyone to know that I am, in fact, an Ohio State Buckeye fan and a Michigan hater. I don't exactly bleed Scarlet and Gray, as the Browns have always been my first true-love when it comes to football. However, when it comes to college football, I root for Ohio State first and foremost; always have, always will. That being said ...
I took a listen to sports-talk radio on my way to an assignment prior to the press conference, and you should have heard the shilling going on for "Lord Tressel." Idiots went as far as to say that the two Yahoo reporters were from Michigan and "planted" the story to make Ohio State look bad (really? Are you that delusional, Buckeye Fan?) The hosts of the program lambasted anyone who tried to speak unkind of "Lord Tressel," even going so far as suggestng to someone to go to the NCAA with their allegations of what he was up to at Youngstown State if they had the "proof."
Take off your Scarlet and Gray glasses, folks. Your "Lord" is a sham, just like every other college football coach out there.
Ohio State decided to fine Tressel and suspend him for the first two games of 2011. So, they'll be without five players for five games and without their head coach for two of them. Way to get off to a great start, Buckeyes. And, they have no one to blame but themselves.
What's amazing is that Tressel can get away with decieving his bosses and still keep his job. And, if you think Tressel is going to resign, think again. Today was the perfect opportunity for him to leave, and he sat there, stoically steadfast, barely admitting he did something wrong.
No, the only way Ohio State is going to get rid of Tressel is if they fire him. And, trust me, they don't want to fire him. Not with the way he makes money hand over fist for the university. Not with the way he's turned their college football program into one of the best in the country. Not after he turned the name "John Cooper" into an afterthought, a "who was the coach before Tressel?" afterthought.
It's amazing how much Tressel is becoming like the guy he emulated, Woody Hayes. Woody was God, Jesus and Satan all rolled into one as the head coach of the Buckeyes. Woody was a cantankerous son of a bitch who was hated by his opponents, hated by some of his players, and hated by some in the media. But, everyone respected Woody. Woody hated Michigan. Therefore, Buckeye fans LOVED Woody. Woody pushed his car from Michigan into Ohio because he didn't want to spend any money on Michigan gas, as folklore has it. Nevermind the fact that he punched an opposing player on the sidelines during his final game, which resulted in his "I guess we have to" firing. Woody is a legend.
It appears that Tressel may have his "punching the opposing player" moment if more and more comes out about his deceptions and his underhanded tactics. For some Buckeye fans, it was their "Say it ain't so, Joe" moment. You would have thought someone kicked their dog and pissed in their Cheerios with the news that Tressel actually did sit on some e-mails months before the school found out and that they had to suspend him.
There are already rumors that Urban Meyer could be a possible replacement for Tressel when, and if, Tressel quits or gets fired or mutually departs. Meyer is from Ohio originally. And, of course, the Bob Stoops rumors could be out there again, or the Jon Gruden rumors (both were rumored candidates when Tressel originally took the job over from Cooper).
Then, there was always the rumors about Tressel's interest in coaching the Cleveland Browns. Something tells me he might have better off jumping off SS Buckeye when he had the chance three years ago, when the Browns were clearly angling to get rid of Romeo Crennel and Tressel's name popped up as a possible candidate. With Holmgren running the ship, there's no way Tressel would get hired now. Maybe as some type of assistant or advisor, but not as the head coach.
Just like many Buckeye fans were ready to throw Terrelle Pryor overboard following the revolations that he sold his Gold Pants trinkets (given to Buckeyes for beating Michigan every year) and his Most Valuable Player Award from the Rose Bowl for some new ink, some are ready to wash their hands of the guy they once idolized.
Tressel still has his job, and our society is, by and large, a forgiving one, so if Tressel can get back to the business of winning football games (especially against Michigan), fans will turn a blind eye to what happened. If Tressel becomes the "Straight-arrow Gennaro" that everyone envisioned him to be after this, more power to him.
Tressel could run for Governor of Ohio and win easily if he wanted. Today, not so much. The curtain has been pulled back on the Wizard of Oz. We'll see if it's truly a horse of a different color after all.
Joe Cleveland would like to shed a tear for the Miami Heat's recent woes, but they are only tears of laughter.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Joe Cleveland had to come out of hiding today, as the legend that is Jim Tressel came crashing down today when he all but admitted that he lied to the NCAA and his own bosses about e-mails that blew the whistle on his players accepting cash and tattoos for memorabilia that they won or were given as members of his Buckeyes.
Yahoo Sports blew the whistle on this story yesterday, quoting a source as saying that Tressel received e-mails from the attorney of tattoo shop owner Edward Rife back in April. Ohio State didn't find out about it until December, when a federal raid on the tattoo parlor uncovered the stuff. The school and the NCAA suspended five players, including starting QB Terrelle Pryor, for violating NCAA by-laws by accepting cash and gifts for their various awards and jersies. The school and the NCAA agreeed to let the violaters play in the Sugar Bowl -- which OSU won -- and allowed for the suspension to start with the first game of the 2011 season.
Ohio State had been appealing the suspension's length for the five players. But now that their "squeaky clean" head coach wasn't complicent himself, they might as well quit while they're ahead.
I worked with a guy who covered Ohio State for many years (both before and after Tressel's hiring) and he was convinced that the Tressel the public saw, the conservative, sweater-vest wearing disciplinarian who has done nothing but beat the tar out of Michigan and get OSU into tons of prestigious bowl games, wasn't the real Tressel. He was convinced that Tressel was shady, but he just couldn't prove it.
Red flags propped up shortly after Tressel guided the Buckeyes to a shocking National Championship in 2002. Maurice Clarett, the star freshman running back on that team, was linked to accepting improper benefits from an OSU booster. Tressel and the school claimed that they had no idea this was going on. Meanwhile, Clarett was threatening to blow the whistle on Tress and the school. Unfortunately, Clarett's credibility was shot. He was dismissed from the team and the school, tried to challenge the NFL's draft laws (and failed), was selected by the Broncos in the third round, signed an incentive-laden contract that didn't guarantee him a DIME and then was cut in training camp. Oh yeah, then he robbed someone at gunpoint in Columbus and spent some time in prison. Nice going, Maurice.
After the Clarett debacle, Troy Smith was also found to have accepted gifts from a booster. He was quickly suspended for the Alamo Bowl (this was right after he engineered a huge upset of Michigan in one of his first starts) and his first two games of the next season. He came back for a huge No. 1 vs. No. 2 clash with Texas, but Tressel kept flip-flopping between him and Justin Zwick, and the Buckeyes lost.
Following that, Smith regained his job and embarked on a remarkable career that resulted in his winning the Heisman Trophy and getting the Buckeyes back in the National Championship game. They were blown out by Florida, but Smith's legacy was secured. He's been mostly a backup QB in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, with flashes of good play here and there while more than a few Browns fans clamored for their native son to be brought back home to play for their favorite team (not gonna happen).
Tressel got off scot free from both instances with his reputation in tact. Buckeye fans lauded Tressel, sang songs about him, named their kids after him, dressed up for Haloween as him. Unfortunately, die-hard Buckeye fans can be a tad bit obnoxious, but you get the point. As long as Tressel owned "that team up North," kept churning out top recruiting classes and had the Buckeyes in the national title hunt every single year, that was all that mattered.
Until today.
Before I get in on this rant, Joe Cleveland would like everyone to know that I am, in fact, an Ohio State Buckeye fan and a Michigan hater. I don't exactly bleed Scarlet and Gray, as the Browns have always been my first true-love when it comes to football. However, when it comes to college football, I root for Ohio State first and foremost; always have, always will. That being said ...
I took a listen to sports-talk radio on my way to an assignment prior to the press conference, and you should have heard the shilling going on for "Lord Tressel." Idiots went as far as to say that the two Yahoo reporters were from Michigan and "planted" the story to make Ohio State look bad (really? Are you that delusional, Buckeye Fan?) The hosts of the program lambasted anyone who tried to speak unkind of "Lord Tressel," even going so far as suggestng to someone to go to the NCAA with their allegations of what he was up to at Youngstown State if they had the "proof."
Take off your Scarlet and Gray glasses, folks. Your "Lord" is a sham, just like every other college football coach out there.
Ohio State decided to fine Tressel and suspend him for the first two games of 2011. So, they'll be without five players for five games and without their head coach for two of them. Way to get off to a great start, Buckeyes. And, they have no one to blame but themselves.
What's amazing is that Tressel can get away with decieving his bosses and still keep his job. And, if you think Tressel is going to resign, think again. Today was the perfect opportunity for him to leave, and he sat there, stoically steadfast, barely admitting he did something wrong.
No, the only way Ohio State is going to get rid of Tressel is if they fire him. And, trust me, they don't want to fire him. Not with the way he makes money hand over fist for the university. Not with the way he's turned their college football program into one of the best in the country. Not after he turned the name "John Cooper" into an afterthought, a "who was the coach before Tressel?" afterthought.
It's amazing how much Tressel is becoming like the guy he emulated, Woody Hayes. Woody was God, Jesus and Satan all rolled into one as the head coach of the Buckeyes. Woody was a cantankerous son of a bitch who was hated by his opponents, hated by some of his players, and hated by some in the media. But, everyone respected Woody. Woody hated Michigan. Therefore, Buckeye fans LOVED Woody. Woody pushed his car from Michigan into Ohio because he didn't want to spend any money on Michigan gas, as folklore has it. Nevermind the fact that he punched an opposing player on the sidelines during his final game, which resulted in his "I guess we have to" firing. Woody is a legend.
It appears that Tressel may have his "punching the opposing player" moment if more and more comes out about his deceptions and his underhanded tactics. For some Buckeye fans, it was their "Say it ain't so, Joe" moment. You would have thought someone kicked their dog and pissed in their Cheerios with the news that Tressel actually did sit on some e-mails months before the school found out and that they had to suspend him.
There are already rumors that Urban Meyer could be a possible replacement for Tressel when, and if, Tressel quits or gets fired or mutually departs. Meyer is from Ohio originally. And, of course, the Bob Stoops rumors could be out there again, or the Jon Gruden rumors (both were rumored candidates when Tressel originally took the job over from Cooper).
Then, there was always the rumors about Tressel's interest in coaching the Cleveland Browns. Something tells me he might have better off jumping off SS Buckeye when he had the chance three years ago, when the Browns were clearly angling to get rid of Romeo Crennel and Tressel's name popped up as a possible candidate. With Holmgren running the ship, there's no way Tressel would get hired now. Maybe as some type of assistant or advisor, but not as the head coach.
Just like many Buckeye fans were ready to throw Terrelle Pryor overboard following the revolations that he sold his Gold Pants trinkets (given to Buckeyes for beating Michigan every year) and his Most Valuable Player Award from the Rose Bowl for some new ink, some are ready to wash their hands of the guy they once idolized.
Tressel still has his job, and our society is, by and large, a forgiving one, so if Tressel can get back to the business of winning football games (especially against Michigan), fans will turn a blind eye to what happened. If Tressel becomes the "Straight-arrow Gennaro" that everyone envisioned him to be after this, more power to him.
Tressel could run for Governor of Ohio and win easily if he wanted. Today, not so much. The curtain has been pulled back on the Wizard of Oz. We'll see if it's truly a horse of a different color after all.
Joe Cleveland would like to shed a tear for the Miami Heat's recent woes, but they are only tears of laughter.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Monday, February 21, 2011
So, what's new?
Finally ... Joe Cleveland ... has come back ... to the blog!
I apologize for the lenghty hiatus. It's been a busy couple of weeks with the real writing career. But, with a holiday today, it was the perfect time to put back on the "Joe Cleveland" hat and pontificate on what's been going on in the world of sports.
With the Browns season over, the fans attention turned solely to Cavs ... and we watched as this team that was the best in the NBA (regular season-wise) lose a professional sports-worst 26 games in a row.
Suddenly, the "Cleveland is a loser" jokes kept reoccurring. We really needed this losing streak like a hole in the head, especially on the heels of LeQuitter and his "Decision." Then the Indians had their usual dismal season, which resulted in fans staying away in droves not seen since the 1980s, and the Browns ... well, at least they finished ahead of the Bengals, along with beating the Patriots and the Saints. Oh yeah, and Eric Mangini was sacked; the fourth time since the team has returned 12 years ago that they have fired their head coach.
The Cavs were able to avert further embarassment by holding the all-time longest losing streak in pro sports by defeating the Clippers at home in overtime (so, at least we have company with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers). And, some measure of civic pride returned when the Cavs knocked off the Lakers at home just before the All-Star break, which left ESPN's L.A. homers so flummoxed, they didn't put Christian Eyenga's huge dunk on Pau Gasol in their Top 10 plays of the day.
One thing the Cavs are assured of is not having the worst record in NBA history (9 wins, by the 1973 76ers). And, they still have a great shot at the No. 1 pick, although who that No. 1 pick will be I have no idea.
It's time for the Cavs to put the losing streak aside and get back to how they were playing basketball at the start of the year. The fact that they overcame a 55-point loss by defeating the same opponent three weeks later is HUGE for this team's confidence. The playoffs are a pipedream. However, they still have another home game with LeQuitter and his Heat, and that guy deserves some payback.
The Cavs can get just as good of a player in the college draft at No. 3 or No. 6 or even No. 9 than they can at No. 1, so forget this "ping-pong ball in the hopper" crap. The second half is a whole new season. It's time for this team to gain some momentum for the future, and that's to start being competitive night in and night out and picking up a few wins. They won 18 games the year they got the No. 1 pick for LeQuitter, so it's not going to kill them to win a few more games.
Come on, Cavs! Got to make it happen!
***
Staying with basketball, the fortunes of the two college teams that the local fans seem latched on to -- Ohio State and Cleveland State -- almost seem intertwined.
When Ohio State's unbeaten season came to a halt in Wisconsin, Cleveland State was getting beaten on the road in Detroit. When the Buckeyes had a golden opportunity to reclaim the No. 1 ranking slip through their fingers in Purdue, the Vikings were getting beaten on national TV by Old Dominion in a key BracketBuster game.
CSU is 23-5, but it only has two "quality" wins -- Valparasio and Kent State. The Vikings have been on national TV three times this season, and have lost all three times (none of the games have been close). And, Butler, their old nemisis, has easily handled them twice. Their hold on a berth in the NCAA Tournament seems to get more and more tenuous with each game. And, there's a chance that, despite their glittering record, they could be as low as the No. 4 seed in the Horizon League Tournament next week.
Ohio State is still a consensus choice to be a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, with only two losses this season. However, the Buckeyes look more and more exposed each time they lose a game. Even though they have a solid senior class, with David Lighty, Jon Diebler and Dallas Lauderdale, most experts think the only NBA player on the team is freshman Jared Sullinger (a candidate for the top pick). So, will it be enough for the team to win six consecitive games in March and April against some top competition? Will it be enough to get to the Elite 8 or the Final Four? We shall see.
Here's hoping that both teams make the tournament, CSU can win a game or two and be competitive, and OSU can make a run to the title game (and hopefully win it).
***
The Indians have begun spring training out in Arizona this week. As I look outside and see another winter storm, it amazes me that, six weeks from now, the Indians will be playing meaningful baseball games.
The common denominator with their recent string of failures has been the slow April. Eric Wedge patented the slow April all but two seasons. One of those seasons, the Tribe was one game away from the World Series. Coincidence? It's a big reason why Wedge is managing in Seattle now and why CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez are all wearing different uniforms.
Manny Acta is brimming with optimism. Not bad for a guy who should be looking over his shoulder since the team brought back popular ex-manager Mike Hargrove to be a "special advisor." Another slow srart and the team could make a PR move by dumping Acta and brining Hargrove back the bench.
Don't think they will? This is a team that was DEAD LAST in overall attendance last season. This franchise once prided itself on the longest home sellout streak in MLB and boasted about the "best fans in baseball." Those fans have spoken loud and clear about the direction of the franchise. They won't want to pay big league prices for a bush league team.
The fan base is very jaded, and deservedly so. Larry Dolan came in talking about "winning multiple World Series' titles," and since then, he's done nothing but perpetualy order rebuilding efforts and slash payroll. They once claimed they would "spend when the time was right," but that time may have come and gone.
It also doesn't help PR efforts when Dolan and Son proclaim that the reason they can't sign more players is because the fans don't come out to the ballpark. Fans don't want to hear that. Fans don't want to hear about baseball economics and the fact that teams in big markets can spend as much money as they can, thereby making it hard to compete. Fans hear that, and then look at the Minnesota Twins, the Tampa Bay Rays and the San Francisco Giants -- teams that have slashed payroll -- all field winning teams.
Fans look at the recent draft history and wonder why a team that knows it has to build internally to compete would continually waste draft picks. They wonder about the so-called "genius" of Mark Shapiro, who made one great trade and a host of other terrible ones during his stint as the Tribe's GM. They see a team that lost over 90 games and turned off most of their fanbase PROMOTE everyone within the organization. And, the Dolans wonder why they are having trouble selling season tickets?
A friend of mine purchased Indians season tickets this year. Mostly, because they gave him a free loge to use for one game this season. With the price of the loge, the ticket package actually paid for itself. This is what they have to do to get more asses in the seats.
However, what they really need to do is win ballgames. With the Browns on the verge of blowing everything up and starting over again and the Cavs an NBA embarassment, this city is desperate for a winner, ANY winner. If the Indians truly want to win back their angry fans, the only way to do it is to win.
Now, can they win? With this roster? I don't think so. That's where PR-moves like the potential Hargrove one comes into play.
***
Pat Shurmur has announced that he will not hire an offensive coordinator this season and serve as his own. He finished hiring his coaching staff, and, by and large, it is getting high marks from others around the league.
Dick Jauron and Ray Rhodes running the defense will be tremendous in helping transform this unit into something great. They had spurts of greatness under the bombastic Rob Ryan, but that greatness was never sustained. It's why he didn't get a head coaching job and why he's now in Dallas.
Shurmer seems like he has committed to Colt McCoy as his QB, and that should be good news for Browns fans. It's about time the Browns get a QB and then build around him and committ to him. They failed with Tim Couch, failed with Kelly Holcomb, failed with Jeff Garcia, failed with Charlie Frye, failed with Derek Anderson (although, Anderson failed them) and failed with Brady Quinn. The team will now have an offensive identity, something that's been lacking for a long time around these parts.
The one thing that could derail this train is the NFL's labor troubles. A prolonged lockout will hurt the Browns as they try to input the new offensive and defensive philosophies and try to find players to fit those philosophies. In fact, the one team that could be hurt the most by a lockout is the Browns, because of massive undertaking they are trying to do.
With a federal mediator stepping in, I have a feeling that a new agreement will be made. It probably won't be made until the final days before the current agreement ends (an 11th-hour deal, as some call it), but a deal will be made.
My prediction: Get ready for an 18-game regular season. You don't think NASCAR moved the Daytona 500 a week later next year for no particular reason, do you?
***
Thanks for reading. Joe Cleveland has now taken his act to Twitter. Follow him @JoeCleveBlog. I will post all of these blogs to my Twitter account, and throw in a Tweet from time to time.
And, there won't be as long of a gap between Joe Cleveland's next appearance ... hopefully.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
I apologize for the lenghty hiatus. It's been a busy couple of weeks with the real writing career. But, with a holiday today, it was the perfect time to put back on the "Joe Cleveland" hat and pontificate on what's been going on in the world of sports.
With the Browns season over, the fans attention turned solely to Cavs ... and we watched as this team that was the best in the NBA (regular season-wise) lose a professional sports-worst 26 games in a row.
Suddenly, the "Cleveland is a loser" jokes kept reoccurring. We really needed this losing streak like a hole in the head, especially on the heels of LeQuitter and his "Decision." Then the Indians had their usual dismal season, which resulted in fans staying away in droves not seen since the 1980s, and the Browns ... well, at least they finished ahead of the Bengals, along with beating the Patriots and the Saints. Oh yeah, and Eric Mangini was sacked; the fourth time since the team has returned 12 years ago that they have fired their head coach.
The Cavs were able to avert further embarassment by holding the all-time longest losing streak in pro sports by defeating the Clippers at home in overtime (so, at least we have company with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers). And, some measure of civic pride returned when the Cavs knocked off the Lakers at home just before the All-Star break, which left ESPN's L.A. homers so flummoxed, they didn't put Christian Eyenga's huge dunk on Pau Gasol in their Top 10 plays of the day.
One thing the Cavs are assured of is not having the worst record in NBA history (9 wins, by the 1973 76ers). And, they still have a great shot at the No. 1 pick, although who that No. 1 pick will be I have no idea.
It's time for the Cavs to put the losing streak aside and get back to how they were playing basketball at the start of the year. The fact that they overcame a 55-point loss by defeating the same opponent three weeks later is HUGE for this team's confidence. The playoffs are a pipedream. However, they still have another home game with LeQuitter and his Heat, and that guy deserves some payback.
The Cavs can get just as good of a player in the college draft at No. 3 or No. 6 or even No. 9 than they can at No. 1, so forget this "ping-pong ball in the hopper" crap. The second half is a whole new season. It's time for this team to gain some momentum for the future, and that's to start being competitive night in and night out and picking up a few wins. They won 18 games the year they got the No. 1 pick for LeQuitter, so it's not going to kill them to win a few more games.
Come on, Cavs! Got to make it happen!
***
Staying with basketball, the fortunes of the two college teams that the local fans seem latched on to -- Ohio State and Cleveland State -- almost seem intertwined.
When Ohio State's unbeaten season came to a halt in Wisconsin, Cleveland State was getting beaten on the road in Detroit. When the Buckeyes had a golden opportunity to reclaim the No. 1 ranking slip through their fingers in Purdue, the Vikings were getting beaten on national TV by Old Dominion in a key BracketBuster game.
CSU is 23-5, but it only has two "quality" wins -- Valparasio and Kent State. The Vikings have been on national TV three times this season, and have lost all three times (none of the games have been close). And, Butler, their old nemisis, has easily handled them twice. Their hold on a berth in the NCAA Tournament seems to get more and more tenuous with each game. And, there's a chance that, despite their glittering record, they could be as low as the No. 4 seed in the Horizon League Tournament next week.
Ohio State is still a consensus choice to be a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, with only two losses this season. However, the Buckeyes look more and more exposed each time they lose a game. Even though they have a solid senior class, with David Lighty, Jon Diebler and Dallas Lauderdale, most experts think the only NBA player on the team is freshman Jared Sullinger (a candidate for the top pick). So, will it be enough for the team to win six consecitive games in March and April against some top competition? Will it be enough to get to the Elite 8 or the Final Four? We shall see.
Here's hoping that both teams make the tournament, CSU can win a game or two and be competitive, and OSU can make a run to the title game (and hopefully win it).
***
The Indians have begun spring training out in Arizona this week. As I look outside and see another winter storm, it amazes me that, six weeks from now, the Indians will be playing meaningful baseball games.
The common denominator with their recent string of failures has been the slow April. Eric Wedge patented the slow April all but two seasons. One of those seasons, the Tribe was one game away from the World Series. Coincidence? It's a big reason why Wedge is managing in Seattle now and why CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez are all wearing different uniforms.
Manny Acta is brimming with optimism. Not bad for a guy who should be looking over his shoulder since the team brought back popular ex-manager Mike Hargrove to be a "special advisor." Another slow srart and the team could make a PR move by dumping Acta and brining Hargrove back the bench.
Don't think they will? This is a team that was DEAD LAST in overall attendance last season. This franchise once prided itself on the longest home sellout streak in MLB and boasted about the "best fans in baseball." Those fans have spoken loud and clear about the direction of the franchise. They won't want to pay big league prices for a bush league team.
The fan base is very jaded, and deservedly so. Larry Dolan came in talking about "winning multiple World Series' titles," and since then, he's done nothing but perpetualy order rebuilding efforts and slash payroll. They once claimed they would "spend when the time was right," but that time may have come and gone.
It also doesn't help PR efforts when Dolan and Son proclaim that the reason they can't sign more players is because the fans don't come out to the ballpark. Fans don't want to hear that. Fans don't want to hear about baseball economics and the fact that teams in big markets can spend as much money as they can, thereby making it hard to compete. Fans hear that, and then look at the Minnesota Twins, the Tampa Bay Rays and the San Francisco Giants -- teams that have slashed payroll -- all field winning teams.
Fans look at the recent draft history and wonder why a team that knows it has to build internally to compete would continually waste draft picks. They wonder about the so-called "genius" of Mark Shapiro, who made one great trade and a host of other terrible ones during his stint as the Tribe's GM. They see a team that lost over 90 games and turned off most of their fanbase PROMOTE everyone within the organization. And, the Dolans wonder why they are having trouble selling season tickets?
A friend of mine purchased Indians season tickets this year. Mostly, because they gave him a free loge to use for one game this season. With the price of the loge, the ticket package actually paid for itself. This is what they have to do to get more asses in the seats.
However, what they really need to do is win ballgames. With the Browns on the verge of blowing everything up and starting over again and the Cavs an NBA embarassment, this city is desperate for a winner, ANY winner. If the Indians truly want to win back their angry fans, the only way to do it is to win.
Now, can they win? With this roster? I don't think so. That's where PR-moves like the potential Hargrove one comes into play.
***
Pat Shurmur has announced that he will not hire an offensive coordinator this season and serve as his own. He finished hiring his coaching staff, and, by and large, it is getting high marks from others around the league.
Dick Jauron and Ray Rhodes running the defense will be tremendous in helping transform this unit into something great. They had spurts of greatness under the bombastic Rob Ryan, but that greatness was never sustained. It's why he didn't get a head coaching job and why he's now in Dallas.
Shurmer seems like he has committed to Colt McCoy as his QB, and that should be good news for Browns fans. It's about time the Browns get a QB and then build around him and committ to him. They failed with Tim Couch, failed with Kelly Holcomb, failed with Jeff Garcia, failed with Charlie Frye, failed with Derek Anderson (although, Anderson failed them) and failed with Brady Quinn. The team will now have an offensive identity, something that's been lacking for a long time around these parts.
The one thing that could derail this train is the NFL's labor troubles. A prolonged lockout will hurt the Browns as they try to input the new offensive and defensive philosophies and try to find players to fit those philosophies. In fact, the one team that could be hurt the most by a lockout is the Browns, because of massive undertaking they are trying to do.
With a federal mediator stepping in, I have a feeling that a new agreement will be made. It probably won't be made until the final days before the current agreement ends (an 11th-hour deal, as some call it), but a deal will be made.
My prediction: Get ready for an 18-game regular season. You don't think NASCAR moved the Daytona 500 a week later next year for no particular reason, do you?
***
Thanks for reading. Joe Cleveland has now taken his act to Twitter. Follow him @JoeCleveBlog. I will post all of these blogs to my Twitter account, and throw in a Tweet from time to time.
And, there won't be as long of a gap between Joe Cleveland's next appearance ... hopefully.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Soapbox time
Joe Cleveland is sick and tired of all the national pundits out there who have a bias against Cleveland..
What exactly did we do to deserve this type of treatment? We're like the lepers of professional sports, especially in the eyes of the so-called *eye-rolling* "Worldwide Leader of Sports," ESPN.
Check out this latest drivel by one of the schleps ESPN employs to write stories on their Web site:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove10/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=6007562
The lead itself is so typical of everything ESPN. Let's compare Cleveland to Boston. Boston, which is near Bristol, Conn., and where every staffer appears to be from and be a huge fan of their teams. Let's turn David Ortiz into a superstar, when he did the same exact stuff with Minnesota and other teams he played for. But, because he's wearing the sacred Red Sox uniform, let's highlight him on ESPN all the time. Let's try to sweep it under the rug when Ortiz is linked to PEDs but we'll blow it up when Manny is because Boston gave up on him.
Yes, Boston teams are winning. Boston also forgets that they went through a lot of heartache before that winning happened. Remember that so-called Curse of the Bambino that caused the Red Sox to go 80 years without a World Series title? Yeah, because they won two World Series titles within the last 10 years, and they continue to contend for playoff berths thanks to a flawed MLB system where rich owners in big markets can overpay for free agents while poor owners in small markets have to cut corners (like our good "friends" Paul and Larry Cheapass ... err ... Dolan), that's all forgotten about. Ancient history, right Boston?
How about the Patriots? Remember when they were best known for being the punching bag for the 85 Bears in Super Bowl 25? Remember when they were 0-2 in Super Bowls, thanks to Brett Favre and Desmond Howard? And, how they couldn't win a Super Bowl, even with the great Bill Parcells as their coach? Remember how upset their fanbase was when they gave up draft picks for Bill Belichick, who was a terrible coach in Cleveland, and how they were ready to lynch him when he benched their beloved Drew Bledsoe for some mediocre Michigan low-round draft pick named Tom Brady? Of course, Boston Fan doesn't remember all of that. Now, Belichick is a "genius" and Brady is "the best QB in the NFL." And, chances are they'll probably get back to the Super Bowl and win another one, and that's a credit to Belichick and his system. He's, apparently, the only one who can perfect his system, since so many of his disciples go on to other outposts and fail as head coaches (and, Browns fans know that all too well, since we had two of them). But, like I said, recent history is all that matters, and the Patriots have won 3-of-4 Super Bowls in the last 10 years and lost the other one on a "fluke catch by a journeyman receiver."
Remember when the Celtics were coached by Rick Pitino? Remember how Boston fans ran him out of town and back to the college ranks because his teams were so terrible? Remember when Paul Pierce was a selfish player on some bad teams? Yeah, Boston Fan like to point to those 17 championship banners, but only one of those banners have been won in the last 25 years. But, that's OK, they manipulated the system to get Garnett and Ray Allen (just like Miami did with LeBron, Wade and Bosh this year), and it helped with the development of Rajon Rondo. Like I said, it's what have you done with me lately, and Boston will enjoy their 2008 title and their berth in the 2010 Finals (even though they lost to the "hated" Lakers).
I'd like to hear from Boston Fan when things go South (and they will). I like how everyone points to the fact that Cleveland sports teams haven't won a championship since 1964 and forget that the Indians reached two World Series in the 1990s (and eliminated their beloved Red Sox and Yankees to get there in various years) and the Cavs reached an NBA Finals in 2007. They forget that in 2007, to go along with the Cavs finals berth, the Indians had a 3-1 ALCS lead on their beloved Red Sox and the Browns were a tiebreaker away from clinching a playoff berth. But, today, all three of those teams "suck," and that's all that matter.
Joe Cleveland "loves" when a network is televising a Cleveland game and they continually roll out highlights of The Drive, The Fumble, The Blown Save, Red Right 88 ... really? Hell, they even mention the Cuyahoga River catching fire, and that happened in 19-freaking-69!! Most of those idiots at ESPN weren't even born when that happened, but they gleefully talk about it like it was yesterday.
It makes Joe Cleveland wonder if the dregs at ESPN, who look through their rose-colored Boston/New York/LeBron glasses, would be happy if folks like me and the other hard-working, loyal folks in Northeast Ohio start being front-runners like they are? Sure, we've got enough Steelers fans around these parts to nauseate folks, but seriously? The tone of that article almost makes it a shame to be a fan of Cleveland sports teams. Yeah, they're down on their luck right now. LeBron leaving the Cavs hurt more than anyone really wanted to believe and may have set this franchise back a few years. The Indians continue to cut payroll, make lopsided trade and alienate their fanbase by spending more money to turn the stadium into a Winter Wonderland park instead of on the on-field product. And, the Browns are looking for their fifth full-time head coach since they came back 12 years ago, during which time they've only made the playoffs once, had a winning season twice and beat the Steelers 4 times.
But, the name on the front of those jersies and in front of those nicknames are "Cleveland." Cleveland is where we live. Yeah, we're frustrated by the lack of winning and aren't ashamed to admit it and bash ownership, coaches or even players if we feel they're not doing enough to reverse that trend. But that's what loyal fans do. The Red Sox may have had loyal fans, but that was before they started winning and EVERYONE became a Red Sox fan. Have they been loyal to the Patriots or the Celtics? How about the Bruins, who haven't won squat? Loyalty is easy when your team is winning. When the team (or teams, in our case) are down on their luck, that's when loyalty is proven.
Cleveland fans complain a lot, but they're loyal. And, if your teams haven't won a championship in 46 years and counting, wouldn't you be a little bit frustrated and complain a lot, too?
I believe that one day a Cleveland team will win a championship (my money is on the Browns at this point, because the NFL is set up for a team to come out of nowhere and win and sustain winning when it happens. And, Mike Holmgren seems to know what he's doing). And if doesn't happen, so what? Sports teams are a distraction from everyday life. It just so happens to be Joe Cleveland's living to watch and write about sports, but so be it.
Even though ESPN wants you to be (as they gleefully run every single stat LeBron garners as the Heat keep winning), don't be ashamed to be a Cleveland Sports Fan. Remember, it's always darkest before the dawn, and every cloud has a silver lining.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
What exactly did we do to deserve this type of treatment? We're like the lepers of professional sports, especially in the eyes of the so-called *eye-rolling* "Worldwide Leader of Sports," ESPN.
Check out this latest drivel by one of the schleps ESPN employs to write stories on their Web site:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove10/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=6007562
The lead itself is so typical of everything ESPN. Let's compare Cleveland to Boston. Boston, which is near Bristol, Conn., and where every staffer appears to be from and be a huge fan of their teams. Let's turn David Ortiz into a superstar, when he did the same exact stuff with Minnesota and other teams he played for. But, because he's wearing the sacred Red Sox uniform, let's highlight him on ESPN all the time. Let's try to sweep it under the rug when Ortiz is linked to PEDs but we'll blow it up when Manny is because Boston gave up on him.
Yes, Boston teams are winning. Boston also forgets that they went through a lot of heartache before that winning happened. Remember that so-called Curse of the Bambino that caused the Red Sox to go 80 years without a World Series title? Yeah, because they won two World Series titles within the last 10 years, and they continue to contend for playoff berths thanks to a flawed MLB system where rich owners in big markets can overpay for free agents while poor owners in small markets have to cut corners (like our good "friends" Paul and Larry Cheapass ... err ... Dolan), that's all forgotten about. Ancient history, right Boston?
How about the Patriots? Remember when they were best known for being the punching bag for the 85 Bears in Super Bowl 25? Remember when they were 0-2 in Super Bowls, thanks to Brett Favre and Desmond Howard? And, how they couldn't win a Super Bowl, even with the great Bill Parcells as their coach? Remember how upset their fanbase was when they gave up draft picks for Bill Belichick, who was a terrible coach in Cleveland, and how they were ready to lynch him when he benched their beloved Drew Bledsoe for some mediocre Michigan low-round draft pick named Tom Brady? Of course, Boston Fan doesn't remember all of that. Now, Belichick is a "genius" and Brady is "the best QB in the NFL." And, chances are they'll probably get back to the Super Bowl and win another one, and that's a credit to Belichick and his system. He's, apparently, the only one who can perfect his system, since so many of his disciples go on to other outposts and fail as head coaches (and, Browns fans know that all too well, since we had two of them). But, like I said, recent history is all that matters, and the Patriots have won 3-of-4 Super Bowls in the last 10 years and lost the other one on a "fluke catch by a journeyman receiver."
Remember when the Celtics were coached by Rick Pitino? Remember how Boston fans ran him out of town and back to the college ranks because his teams were so terrible? Remember when Paul Pierce was a selfish player on some bad teams? Yeah, Boston Fan like to point to those 17 championship banners, but only one of those banners have been won in the last 25 years. But, that's OK, they manipulated the system to get Garnett and Ray Allen (just like Miami did with LeBron, Wade and Bosh this year), and it helped with the development of Rajon Rondo. Like I said, it's what have you done with me lately, and Boston will enjoy their 2008 title and their berth in the 2010 Finals (even though they lost to the "hated" Lakers).
I'd like to hear from Boston Fan when things go South (and they will). I like how everyone points to the fact that Cleveland sports teams haven't won a championship since 1964 and forget that the Indians reached two World Series in the 1990s (and eliminated their beloved Red Sox and Yankees to get there in various years) and the Cavs reached an NBA Finals in 2007. They forget that in 2007, to go along with the Cavs finals berth, the Indians had a 3-1 ALCS lead on their beloved Red Sox and the Browns were a tiebreaker away from clinching a playoff berth. But, today, all three of those teams "suck," and that's all that matter.
Joe Cleveland "loves" when a network is televising a Cleveland game and they continually roll out highlights of The Drive, The Fumble, The Blown Save, Red Right 88 ... really? Hell, they even mention the Cuyahoga River catching fire, and that happened in 19-freaking-69!! Most of those idiots at ESPN weren't even born when that happened, but they gleefully talk about it like it was yesterday.
It makes Joe Cleveland wonder if the dregs at ESPN, who look through their rose-colored Boston/New York/LeBron glasses, would be happy if folks like me and the other hard-working, loyal folks in Northeast Ohio start being front-runners like they are? Sure, we've got enough Steelers fans around these parts to nauseate folks, but seriously? The tone of that article almost makes it a shame to be a fan of Cleveland sports teams. Yeah, they're down on their luck right now. LeBron leaving the Cavs hurt more than anyone really wanted to believe and may have set this franchise back a few years. The Indians continue to cut payroll, make lopsided trade and alienate their fanbase by spending more money to turn the stadium into a Winter Wonderland park instead of on the on-field product. And, the Browns are looking for their fifth full-time head coach since they came back 12 years ago, during which time they've only made the playoffs once, had a winning season twice and beat the Steelers 4 times.
But, the name on the front of those jersies and in front of those nicknames are "Cleveland." Cleveland is where we live. Yeah, we're frustrated by the lack of winning and aren't ashamed to admit it and bash ownership, coaches or even players if we feel they're not doing enough to reverse that trend. But that's what loyal fans do. The Red Sox may have had loyal fans, but that was before they started winning and EVERYONE became a Red Sox fan. Have they been loyal to the Patriots or the Celtics? How about the Bruins, who haven't won squat? Loyalty is easy when your team is winning. When the team (or teams, in our case) are down on their luck, that's when loyalty is proven.
Cleveland fans complain a lot, but they're loyal. And, if your teams haven't won a championship in 46 years and counting, wouldn't you be a little bit frustrated and complain a lot, too?
I believe that one day a Cleveland team will win a championship (my money is on the Browns at this point, because the NFL is set up for a team to come out of nowhere and win and sustain winning when it happens. And, Mike Holmgren seems to know what he's doing). And if doesn't happen, so what? Sports teams are a distraction from everyday life. It just so happens to be Joe Cleveland's living to watch and write about sports, but so be it.
Even though ESPN wants you to be (as they gleefully run every single stat LeBron garners as the Heat keep winning), don't be ashamed to be a Cleveland Sports Fan. Remember, it's always darkest before the dawn, and every cloud has a silver lining.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
O-H ... UH-OH!
So, Joe Cleveland missed the first half of tonight's Sugar Bowl because of his real job, which is fine. He had friends giving him text updates while he plugged away on stories about high school basketball. And, judging by those texts, Ohio State was looking really good.
Then, I decided to watch the game, and just like that, their luck took a turn for the worse. Coincidence?
Seriously, I was pleasently surprised that Ohio State jumped on Arkansas as great as they did in the first half. I was worried that the tattoo controversy surrounding Terrelle Pryor and his junior co-horts would prove to be a distraction. Instead, it almost seemed like it served as motivation. They looked unstoppable.
But, in typical Tressel fashion, the Buckeyes went away from what was working in the first half in the second half. They allowed Arkansas to get back into it and steal the momentum. And, even though Ohio State was making some plays in the fourth quarter offensively, it didn't look like it was going to be enough.
Special teams have been a thorn in Ohio State's side all season long, and I always felt that, if they didn't correct those issues, it would come back to bite them in the ass when it counted. That blocked punt sure looked like it was going to lead to a game-winning touchdown, didn't it?
The walls in my house reverberated from Joe Cleveland's swearing at his TV. How do they let a punt get blocked? Especially in that situation.
Fortunately, college football has a rule that says, once a runner's knee is down, the play is blown dead. The Arkansas player couldn't scoop it up and run with it; he had to fall on it. Had this been the NFL, that would have been a touchdown and the game would have been over. But, it's not the NFL.
I don't know, but Ryan Mallett looked overrated to me. This is a "can't-miss" NFL prospect? He reminds me of Jake Locker, who all the draft pundits love but hasn't done jack in games. Mallett didn't wow me when he was at Michigan, and he certainly didn't wow me tonight. Sure, his receivers dropped a lot of passes, but come on. A true winner at QB wouldn't have made that terrible of a throw in that situation. It was great coverage by Solomon Thomas, but if Mallett was all that, he would have known better to not make that throw. I don't know, that's just Joe Cleveland's opinion.
I do feel that, even though OSU almost melted down in the second half, they helped put some of those pro-SEC, anti-Ohio State stereotypes to bed. Remember that Ohio State isn't quick enough to play with teams from the SEC. Remember that the Big Ten is an archaic conference that can't hold a candle to the SEC, and that Ohio State would be mediocre if they played in the SEC. I think they proved that they can play with the SEC's best and beat them. Sure, they're still 1-9 vs. the SEC in bowl games, but it's that one win that counts.
Joe Cleveland, however, was a bit conflicted about cheering for the Buckeyes in this one. He was not a happy person with Pryor and his buddies for selling their memorabilia (especially their gold pants trinkets they get for beating Michigan) for free tattoos. He almost wished Tressel would suspend all of those players for the bowl game, even though it would have meant a certain loss. He almost hoped Pryor would have a terrible game as a result. However, I'm an Ohio State fan first and foremost. I rooted for the Browns, Indians and Cavs in the past even though there were players on those teams I didn't care for, so why should this be different?
I would not be surprised, however, to see Pryor and Herron reneg on their "word" to Tressel that they will return for their senior years and go out for the draft. For Pryor, however, it's almost worth it to suck it up, take his suspension, and try to establish himself as a QB afterward. As of now, the NFL sees him more as a receiver and gimmick player instead of a bonafide QB, and that would likely mean a lower draft status and less money.
In the end, though, it's always good to see ESPN look bad. They love the SEC and hate the Big Ten, so it was good to see (and funny to see Mark May get booed when he tried to interview Cameron Heyward. He's such a hater.)
Joe Cleveland will enjoy this Buckeye bowl victory and hope that the SEC gets theirs later in the week when Auburn plays Oregon (Go Ducks!) And, now, he can turn his attention back to that Browns coaching search ...
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Then, I decided to watch the game, and just like that, their luck took a turn for the worse. Coincidence?
Seriously, I was pleasently surprised that Ohio State jumped on Arkansas as great as they did in the first half. I was worried that the tattoo controversy surrounding Terrelle Pryor and his junior co-horts would prove to be a distraction. Instead, it almost seemed like it served as motivation. They looked unstoppable.
But, in typical Tressel fashion, the Buckeyes went away from what was working in the first half in the second half. They allowed Arkansas to get back into it and steal the momentum. And, even though Ohio State was making some plays in the fourth quarter offensively, it didn't look like it was going to be enough.
Special teams have been a thorn in Ohio State's side all season long, and I always felt that, if they didn't correct those issues, it would come back to bite them in the ass when it counted. That blocked punt sure looked like it was going to lead to a game-winning touchdown, didn't it?
The walls in my house reverberated from Joe Cleveland's swearing at his TV. How do they let a punt get blocked? Especially in that situation.
Fortunately, college football has a rule that says, once a runner's knee is down, the play is blown dead. The Arkansas player couldn't scoop it up and run with it; he had to fall on it. Had this been the NFL, that would have been a touchdown and the game would have been over. But, it's not the NFL.
I don't know, but Ryan Mallett looked overrated to me. This is a "can't-miss" NFL prospect? He reminds me of Jake Locker, who all the draft pundits love but hasn't done jack in games. Mallett didn't wow me when he was at Michigan, and he certainly didn't wow me tonight. Sure, his receivers dropped a lot of passes, but come on. A true winner at QB wouldn't have made that terrible of a throw in that situation. It was great coverage by Solomon Thomas, but if Mallett was all that, he would have known better to not make that throw. I don't know, that's just Joe Cleveland's opinion.
I do feel that, even though OSU almost melted down in the second half, they helped put some of those pro-SEC, anti-Ohio State stereotypes to bed. Remember that Ohio State isn't quick enough to play with teams from the SEC. Remember that the Big Ten is an archaic conference that can't hold a candle to the SEC, and that Ohio State would be mediocre if they played in the SEC. I think they proved that they can play with the SEC's best and beat them. Sure, they're still 1-9 vs. the SEC in bowl games, but it's that one win that counts.
Joe Cleveland, however, was a bit conflicted about cheering for the Buckeyes in this one. He was not a happy person with Pryor and his buddies for selling their memorabilia (especially their gold pants trinkets they get for beating Michigan) for free tattoos. He almost wished Tressel would suspend all of those players for the bowl game, even though it would have meant a certain loss. He almost hoped Pryor would have a terrible game as a result. However, I'm an Ohio State fan first and foremost. I rooted for the Browns, Indians and Cavs in the past even though there were players on those teams I didn't care for, so why should this be different?
I would not be surprised, however, to see Pryor and Herron reneg on their "word" to Tressel that they will return for their senior years and go out for the draft. For Pryor, however, it's almost worth it to suck it up, take his suspension, and try to establish himself as a QB afterward. As of now, the NFL sees him more as a receiver and gimmick player instead of a bonafide QB, and that would likely mean a lower draft status and less money.
In the end, though, it's always good to see ESPN look bad. They love the SEC and hate the Big Ten, so it was good to see (and funny to see Mark May get booed when he tried to interview Cameron Heyward. He's such a hater.)
Joe Cleveland will enjoy this Buckeye bowl victory and hope that the SEC gets theirs later in the week when Auburn plays Oregon (Go Ducks!) And, now, he can turn his attention back to that Browns coaching search ...
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
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