It's Finally Over

Finally, no more anguish. No more frustration. No more deep depressions on Sunday and Monday about how pathetic the team played. I feel a weird sense of relief today, as I know that there are no more games this season to further tarnish the image of the Orange and Brown. I never thought I would be excited to see the end of a Browns season, but I am. I'm glad that it's over and I can start getting excited about next season, about how we are going to be next year's Miami Dolphins, next year's Baltimore Ravens, next year's turn around team that will take the NFL by surprise.

And thank you Randy for getting the ball rolling on what I am hoping will be massive firings with the canning of Savage. Romeo, you should be next.

For now we can look forward to speculating about head coaches and a top 5 draft pick.....

How Much More Can We Handle?

Every time I check the news, there seems to be a new story about our beloved Browns, making them look more ridiculous that they already did. Yep, I thought we had pretty much already hit rock bottom, but I guess not. Now we have players punching one another. Where will it end?

One Week and Counting

I don't think that there are any words that I can possibly write that would accurately reflect my feelings on the horrendous game that I forced myself to sit through yesterday. I've decided to just forget about it and move on. At this point, it's not worth getting worked up.

Instead, I'm just counting down the days until it is over, when we can put this miserably disappointing season behind us and Randy can fire the NFL's most incompetent coach.

Dear Braylon,

Despite being frustrated by your increased tendency to drop passes this season, I've still remained a loyal fan, anxiously hoping that you would snap out of the slump. And since I'm used to supporting the Browns throughout all the hard times, I wasn't afraid or embarrassed to still don my #17 jersey with pride. Until now. After reading your most recent comments, I feel truly disappointed. As for now, the #17 jersey may just have to join my other "retired" jerseys in the back of my closest.

I'm not sure how, as a professional player, you cannot be frustrated anymore. You stated,

It's not even frustrating anymore...I mean it's been that way, we haven't
scored a touchdown in four games..which is pretty embarrassing..so for me it's
not even frustrating anymore.

Really? You can just let that slide and not be frustrated and go out there and have fun? These games aren't high school games or backyard pick-up games. This is your career, your profession. And yes, you should have fun doing your job, but you have to take it serious. The team playing the way they are playing should not be fun. Being embarrassed should not be fun.

And you really feel underapreciated? I really hope this was just your emotions getting the best of you and that you truly don't feel that way. Like I said previously, many fans are frustrated with the dropped passes this season, but they still appreciate your talent. We recognize that you are a Pro-bowl caliber player. I think that's why this season stings even more. It isn't you. It isn't what you are capable of. And as for being a "marked man coming from Michigan," give Cleveland fans a little more credit than that. Orange and Brown is what matters most to true Browns fans. Once you join the team and start wearing those sacred colors, that's it. Look at Jamal Lewis. Do we hold it against him that he used to be a Raven? No. Cowher led the Steelers to a Super Bowl win and we still want him as our coach. Like I said, once you put on the Cleveland Browns uniform, you are part of us. (I even know fans who have named their kids Braylon. That should be the ultimate form of appreciation!)

And I am truly sorry if you and your family have been ridiculed while you have been out in public. Yes, there are some jerks out there. You have that everywhere you go. And yes, they can take things too far. But they really are a small minority. As for "people in this town believ[ing] they are entitled to too much," we just believe that we are entitled to a football team that does everything in their power to try and produce a victory, a winning season, a run at a championship and that isn't happening. Browns fans, and Cleveland sports fans in general, are some of the most loyal fans out there. We continue to pour money into organizations that continually let us down. We continue to root for and support teams that don't produce. Why do we stick around? Why don't we we find a new team to support? Because we are loyal to our teams. We are die-hard fans that will continue to support our teams. All we want is something to get excited about, players that seem like they are giving it their all, coaches that care about their job. I don't think that is too much to ask, since it is your job and all.

I'm glad that you are showing some emotion, showing that you care, but it isn't coming across too well. You are sounding like a spolied brat. You said that your "biggest problem is that [you] actually give a damn." Then show it. Use that to motivate the rest of the team to go out and play. Use this so-called passion to become the leader of a team that so desperately needs one. Running your mouth to the media isn't going to do anything to help the team that you suppossedly give a damn about. All you are doing is alienating the city of Cleveland, but maybe that's what you want. Maybe you want to play for Detroit, since that is where all of your "charity efforts will be for now on?"

Like I said, I've been a fan up until you started running your mouth. And I'm not disowning you, just waiting for a different Braylon to show up.

For Your Enjoyment . . .

Check out the link below. The writers over at No Logo Needed have come up with a great list of presents to buy for some of the Browns players this year. Great stuff.

http://www.nologoneeded.com/no_logo_needed/2008/12/professor-z-hands-out-christmas-gifts.html

Enjoy!

Just When You Think It Can't Get Any Worse

I never thought that I would get to this point, but I can barely stomach watching the Browns. That doesn't mean that I'm going to abandon them the final two games of the season, but it will be hard to watch. Yes, I know that my passion for the team does make me a little disillusioned at times, but I really never thought, going into this season, that the team would look this bad.


What makes it hard to watch is that it just appears that everyone has given up. This becomes a major problem when we have no head coach to help motivate them to play. (Attention Romeo - this is the NFL. If nothing else, convince these guys to play for pride. They are quickly becoming the laughing stocks of the NFL and further tarnishing the image of the Browns organization!)

And now we approach the Cincinnati game, a game that should be an easy win, and easy win if the Browns were playing as the team they were supposed to be. Mike Brown has turned the Bengals into one of the biggest jokes of a football team in the NFL and the antics of players like Chad Ocho-Cinco Johnson and Chris Henry, have only helped to secure their joke punchline status. I had been looking forward to this game, certain that it would secure us another victory. Now, I am dreading it.

Just think about how bad it is going to look if we lose, at home, to a team that is as terrible as the Bengals. And as game day is approaching, it keeps looking more and more like something that is going to happen. What a way to end the season of the most disappointing team in the NFL!

I bet the Lions are upset that they don't have us on their schedule the last two weeks of the season.

10 in a Row . . . .

Even though it wasn't by double digits like their previous nine victories, the Cavs kept their win streak alive last night with an eight point victory over Philly. Finally, Cleveland has a sports team that is giving us something to cheer about and showing us some consistency. Both the Browns and Indians have provided us with good seasons here and there, but not season after season. Actually, they have both been pretty good at having a great season, getting us fans all hyped up about the next season, then tanking. The Cavs, thankfully, are not following this trend, and are giving us fans something to be excited about, a team we can watch and cheer for without being depressed about the final outcome of the game.

19-3, 12-0 at home, winning by an average of over 13 . . . Keep it up guys!

Looking Forward to . . .

The season that was supposed to be full of wins and a potential playoff run is finally nearing its end. Four more games to suffer through and then we can start watching to see what, if anything, that Lerner decides to do with the crumbling organization, we can start contemplating draft picks, and we can start making predictions about next year. But like I said, we have to make it through four more games first, hopefully that last four games of the Crennel-era Browns.

So what do these last four games have in store for us? If the rest of the season is an indicator, it will be probably be disappointment, but I'm trying to be optimistic here. I'm hoping for some Christmas miracles. Here's what I'm looking forward to in the remaining games of the season...

Browns @ Titans: Josh Cribbs
Cribbs is, by far, one of my favorite players right now. No matter how dismal the game may be, I still get excited every time he catches the ball and begins a punt return/kick return. And now, with our current quarterback situation, we will hopefully see more of Cribbs. According to Cribbs, he's "been taking a lot of snaps and going over a lot of plays." He went on to say, "Yeah, to spice things up and keep things going, there will be more opportunities for me. The coaches are going to call it at their discretion, so it's not like a definite thing, but I will have a significant role in this game." I like the sound of that.

Browns @ Eagles: Monday Night Football
In the regular season this year, we are 2-0 on MNF. Hopefully this trend will continue. And if the same Eagles team shows up that showed up in Cincinnati, we just might have a chance.

Browns vs. Bengals: Battle of Ohio
How can you not get excited about this game? Two absolutely terrible teams, playing for bragging rights, with absolutely nothing to lose. I think this game could end up being a pretty exciting match up. Back-up quarterbacks, cold weather, teams desperate for a win - it could be a shoot-out like we saw in Cleveland last year!

Browns @ Steelers: Romeo's Last Game
So maybe there really isn't a whole lot about about the actual game itself to look forward to. Maybe we'll be able to pull off the big upset, beating the Steelers on their home turf? Maybe the game will be a must win situation for the Steelers and we can beat them and ruin their season? But hopefully, fingers crossed, this will be our last game dealing with Romeo and crew.

Big East Champions and BCS Bound

"Defensive end Connor Barwin raised the gold-topped trophy above his head, then walked through hundreds of Cincinnati fans who got on their tiptoes and reached as high as they could, hoping to touch the keepsake with their fingertips. There's never been a day quite like this in Cincinnati. The 16th-ranked Bearcats beat Syracuse 30-10 Saturday, then gathered in the end zone amid tightly-packed fans to hoist the trophy that represents their first Big East title during their fourth season in the league."

How about those Bearcats? Yes, the game on Saturday didn't really make a difference (Thank you Pitt!) But, it was still important for the Cats to pull off the victory. The media would have eaten them alive for losing to Syracuse, fueling the fire that Big East isn't strong enough to win an automatic BCS bid. Whatever the media may think, the Bearcats have gone from not being ranked in the preseason, to being ranked #13 in the nation. They have gone from being pretty much nonexistent in the world of college football to playing in a BCS bowl game. Not too bad. The victory also ensured Brian Kelly of his second straight 10-win season. Congrats Brian Kelly, players, and fellow Bearcat fans.

And in case anyone is interested, I now know what I would like for Christmas - a round trip plane ticket and a ticket to the game. I've been good; I think I deserve it.

Giving Thanks . . .

For us Browns fans, the past few days (ok, really the past season) has been a little rough. I've complained and whined about it, felt sorry for myself and my fellow fans, and finally become apathetic to the whole situation. I'm ready to move on. I didn't say ready to give up being a Browns fan, just ready to focus on some positives.

So in honor of Thanksgiving, I wanted to just mention a few sports related items that I'm thankful for . . .

* Lebron James and the Rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers: 12-3 overall record, 8-0 at home. A 2 1/2 game lead over the Pistons. LBJ leading the NBA in ppg with an impressive 28.9 average.

* Cincinnati Bearcat Football: On their way to earning their first ever conference title in football. On their way to playing in their first BCS bowl game.

* Kurt Warner, Clinton Portis, Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Turner, the Buccaneers Defense, Calvin Johnson, Greg Jennings, Tony Gonzalez, Phil Dawson, and my various other backup fantasy players: Yes, this is actually my fantasy football team this year. Pretty dominating, huh? Especially since I'm the only girl in the league. I'm pretty sure that they aren't inviting me to join next year, so I better enjoy it while I can.

* Cincinnati Bearcat Basketball: Off to a 4-0 start. And yes, I do know that they haven't played anyone that matters and that they aren't going to be able to remain undefeated and that they will probably struggle in the Big East, but it's a great start, so I'm still thankful for them right now.

* OSU Beating Michigan: This one really doesn't need any explanation.

* The Browns are NOT in Last Place in the AFC North: There isn't much to be thankful for with the Browns, but we are not as bad as the Bengals, so that has to count for something.

* Kenny Mayne's Mayne Street: If this guy doesn't make you laugh, then something is wrong with you.

* Warren Sapp Coming in Second on DWTS: He may not have been the best dancer, but he was pretty entertaining. I can't stand the show, but I did DVR it each week so I could fast forward to his dance. Great stuff.

* Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore: Cy Young awards, Golden Gloves, hopefully a strong season next year.....

* USC is NOT Ranked #1 or #2 in the BCS Standings, LSU is NOT Ranked at all: I don't really have a good reason why I'm thankful for this - I just don't like these teams. Sorry.

* Bill Cohwer Becoming the Next Coach of the Cleveland Browns: Ok, I know this hasn't happened, but a girl has to remain optimistic.

Happy Thanksgiving!