When the Browns named Thad Lewis the starting quarterback for yesterday's game against the Steelers I had to do a little research. I had no clue who the guy was. To my discovery the the 25 year-old QB is a product of a predominantly basketball school in Duke.
To his credit, he didn't have a bad game through the first two quarters. He has moved the offense well with the exception of a ball thrown behind Greg Little and another into the hands of Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.
Lewis connected with WR Greg Little for his first career touchdown pass later in the game an exciting moment for Thaddeus for certain. The second half of the game did not bode well for the Browns in part due to fumbles by rookie receivers Josh Gordon and Travis Benjamin. In the end the Brownies limped to the finish line this season, finishing with a mark of 5-11. This marks the fifth straight season the Browns have amassed eleven losses.
Brandon Weeden, Colt McCoy and Trent Richardson did not see any action in the contest, all nursing injuries in the season finale. Only five months and we will see what the draft brings in April to add to this young football squad and what the 2013 campaign has in store.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
The BCS
The day after the selection of the BCS Bowl games has more than a few people scratching their heads. Everyone could have guessed that the title game would feature #1 and undefeated Notre Dame against the winner of the SEC Championship game, however, one team from a non power conference snuck in as a potential BCS buster.
A member of the Mid-American Conference, the Huskies of Northern Illinois will play in the Orange Bowl in Miami on January 1st, 2013.
The Huskies (12-1, 8-0) escaped the MAC championship game with a double OT 44-37 win over the Kent State Golden Flashes. A surprise conference for sure, the MAC will send seven teams to bowl games this postseason.
The question now is, will the Huskies stand a chance against the Seminoles of Florida State?
A member of the Mid-American Conference, the Huskies of Northern Illinois will play in the Orange Bowl in Miami on January 1st, 2013.
The Huskies (12-1, 8-0) escaped the MAC championship game with a double OT 44-37 win over the Kent State Golden Flashes. A surprise conference for sure, the MAC will send seven teams to bowl games this postseason.
The question now is, will the Huskies stand a chance against the Seminoles of Florida State?
Saturday, October 27, 2012
I Love Ohio
As a 21 year old, Ohio native and college student that has spent the last three and a half years going to school in Michigan I have learned a lot. A lot about my fan hood and that it will never waiver. My passion for Ohio sports and dislike for Michigan sports have grown.
My friends ask me why I have such a dislike for the Tigers and University of Michigan among other teams. My three pronged response is simple and gets the point across:
1. They are from Michigan
2. They are from Michigan
3. They are from Michigan
We all know that Ohio sports have had a tough go round the past five years or so, heck Ohio sports haven't had much going on since Ohio State won the national title during the 2002 season. Anyway, the Browns are 1-6, Ohio State is 9-0 (ineligible for the postseason), the Indians were terrible and I think we can agree the Cavs won't be title contenders this season.
When will it all stop? When will we catch a break and get just one title? I could care less what sport we get it in but this is ridiculous. Ohio sports are such a tease, we get all excited every season only to be let down in the end. But there is something that keeps us intrigued throughout the duration of every season. Our fanhood.
Fanhood is something that can not be taken away from you. I was born into my Ohio sports loyalty by virtue of my father, Cleveland sports fanatic and Ohio State enthusiast. Little did I know my mom, who roots for the Yankees and Steelers said to my father when I was born, "Tim you can decide which sports teams our kids root for." Thanks mom...
I have been through 21 going on 22 years of the thick and thin with Ohio sports and do not plan on jumping ship now. I'm in this for the long haul and I hope you're on board too.
My friends ask me why I have such a dislike for the Tigers and University of Michigan among other teams. My three pronged response is simple and gets the point across:
1. They are from Michigan
2. They are from Michigan
3. They are from Michigan
We all know that Ohio sports have had a tough go round the past five years or so, heck Ohio sports haven't had much going on since Ohio State won the national title during the 2002 season. Anyway, the Browns are 1-6, Ohio State is 9-0 (ineligible for the postseason), the Indians were terrible and I think we can agree the Cavs won't be title contenders this season.
When will it all stop? When will we catch a break and get just one title? I could care less what sport we get it in but this is ridiculous. Ohio sports are such a tease, we get all excited every season only to be let down in the end. But there is something that keeps us intrigued throughout the duration of every season. Our fanhood.
Fanhood is something that can not be taken away from you. I was born into my Ohio sports loyalty by virtue of my father, Cleveland sports fanatic and Ohio State enthusiast. Little did I know my mom, who roots for the Yankees and Steelers said to my father when I was born, "Tim you can decide which sports teams our kids root for." Thanks mom...
I have been through 21 going on 22 years of the thick and thin with Ohio sports and do not plan on jumping ship now. I'm in this for the long haul and I hope you're on board too.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Manny Acta Out as Tribe Manager
The Cleveland Indians and manager Manny Acta parted ways Thursday afternoon, ending Acta's three year tenure with the club.
Acta came to the Indians after two subpar seasons as manager of the Washington Nationals. Manny always seemed to get his ball clubs off to quick starts but could never seem to finish things out down the stretch. Acta amassed a record of 214-266 with the Indians, not living up to expectations.
Sandy Alomar Jr. will serve as interim manager for the remaining six games of the 2012 season. Alomar figures to be a candidate for the Tribe's managerial position in 2013, but I am certain the Indians will look around before coming to a decision. Maybe we'll find Joe Torre or Terry Francona calling the shots for the Tribe in 2013...who knows.
Just know if the team does bring on one of the three I mentioned, you heard it here first.
Acta came to the Indians after two subpar seasons as manager of the Washington Nationals. Manny always seemed to get his ball clubs off to quick starts but could never seem to finish things out down the stretch. Acta amassed a record of 214-266 with the Indians, not living up to expectations.
Sandy Alomar Jr. will serve as interim manager for the remaining six games of the 2012 season. Alomar figures to be a candidate for the Tribe's managerial position in 2013, but I am certain the Indians will look around before coming to a decision. Maybe we'll find Joe Torre or Terry Francona calling the shots for the Tribe in 2013...who knows.
Just know if the team does bring on one of the three I mentioned, you heard it here first.
NFL, Officials Come to Terms
Late Wednesday night the NFL and league officials agreed to end a three week lockout.
The deal is expected to be signed sometime Thursday morning in preparation for the Browns vs. Ravens game Thursday evening. The two sides also agreed to establish an NFL referee developmental program. The program will instruct 21 officials and prepare them for officiating in the NFL.
The lockout is over, so hopefully we don't have to deal with this again...
The deal is expected to be signed sometime Thursday morning in preparation for the Browns vs. Ravens game Thursday evening. The two sides also agreed to establish an NFL referee developmental program. The program will instruct 21 officials and prepare them for officiating in the NFL.
The lockout is over, so hopefully we don't have to deal with this again...
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Browns Fall Short Against Bills
Another week, another loss for the Browns.
Week 3 seemed like the perfect opportunity for the team's first win of the season but in the end the Browns fell short once again.
The Brownies took on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, dropping the contest 24-14; a game I predicted the Browns to lose and unfortunately I was correct.
At the end of the first quarter the good guys trailed 14-0 thanks in part to TD hook ups from Ryan Fitzpatrick to T.J. Graham and running back C.J. Spiller. Apparently only dudes with initials as their first names were allowed to score in the first period.
Although the Bills had the upper hand at this point in the contest, bad news struck when the NFL's top rusher, C.J. Spiller exited the game with an apparent shoulder injury. Spiller could return to the practice field later this week for Buffalo.
In the second period Trent Richardson found the endzone for the third time in the past two weeks. Richardson has definitely been a glimmer of hope for a franchise that has struggled...a lot...for the past decade. The Bills took a 14-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The third quarter was highlighted by Travis Benjamin's first career NFL touchdown as the Bills tacked on three more points on a field goal by kicker, Rian Lindell. The Bills held a slim 17-14 lead at the end of the third but this was all the closer the Browns would get...
After another TD pass from Fitzpatrick, this time to Stevie Johnson, the Browns found themselves down by ten points with five minutes to go in the game. One would think five minutes would be plenty of time to get a quick score, get a three and out on defense and then score again to win the game. But let's face it, it's the Browns, and Weeden decided it would be a good idea to throw two interceptions. Nice decision making there Brandon...He has thrown six picks through three games this season, and in case you didn't know, that's bad...
Final score Bills 24 Browns 14
Game Notes:
Passing: Weeden - 27/43, 237 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Richardson - 27 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Benjamin - 44 yards, 1 TD
With the loss the Browns fell to (0-3) on the season as the Bills improved to (2-1). If the Browns aren't careful they could soon be (0-4) tomorrow night as they take to field in Baltimore for a Thursday Night Football matchup with the Ravens. Game time is 8:30 PM, NFL Network.
Prediction: Ravens 27 Browns 10
Week 3 seemed like the perfect opportunity for the team's first win of the season but in the end the Browns fell short once again.
The Brownies took on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, dropping the contest 24-14; a game I predicted the Browns to lose and unfortunately I was correct.
At the end of the first quarter the good guys trailed 14-0 thanks in part to TD hook ups from Ryan Fitzpatrick to T.J. Graham and running back C.J. Spiller. Apparently only dudes with initials as their first names were allowed to score in the first period.
Although the Bills had the upper hand at this point in the contest, bad news struck when the NFL's top rusher, C.J. Spiller exited the game with an apparent shoulder injury. Spiller could return to the practice field later this week for Buffalo.
In the second period Trent Richardson found the endzone for the third time in the past two weeks. Richardson has definitely been a glimmer of hope for a franchise that has struggled...a lot...for the past decade. The Bills took a 14-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The third quarter was highlighted by Travis Benjamin's first career NFL touchdown as the Bills tacked on three more points on a field goal by kicker, Rian Lindell. The Bills held a slim 17-14 lead at the end of the third but this was all the closer the Browns would get...
After another TD pass from Fitzpatrick, this time to Stevie Johnson, the Browns found themselves down by ten points with five minutes to go in the game. One would think five minutes would be plenty of time to get a quick score, get a three and out on defense and then score again to win the game. But let's face it, it's the Browns, and Weeden decided it would be a good idea to throw two interceptions. Nice decision making there Brandon...He has thrown six picks through three games this season, and in case you didn't know, that's bad...
Final score Bills 24 Browns 14
Game Notes:
Passing: Weeden - 27/43, 237 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Richardson - 27 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Benjamin - 44 yards, 1 TD
With the loss the Browns fell to (0-3) on the season as the Bills improved to (2-1). If the Browns aren't careful they could soon be (0-4) tomorrow night as they take to field in Baltimore for a Thursday Night Football matchup with the Ravens. Game time is 8:30 PM, NFL Network.
Prediction: Ravens 27 Browns 10
Controversy In Green Bay
As most viewers are aware, the replacement officials made an interesting call in the final play of the Monday night contest between the Packers and Seahawks. Many people are in outrage and calling for the refs throats, as what appeared to be an interception by Green Bay was called a touchdown, giving Seattle the victory. In fact, the NFL announced the following morning that the refs had made a mistake. Here is my take, and to the surprise of many, I am going to back up the refs here.
Though initially the Packer DB caught the ball, the receiver did have a hand around it, and two when the players hit the ground. The Seattle receiver, Golden Tate, clearly brought the ball close to his chest as the two were fighting for possession while in the air. By rule, if possession is shared, even if its not 50-50, the offense gets the ball. It may be a crappy rule, but the refs had to stick to it. Especially as replacements, they stuck to the book rather than making a completely judgmental call, which is the best they could have done in the given situation. The loss is on the Packers though, had the DB just batted the ball down they would have been out of there with a W. May it be noted, the replacement refs are abysmal and changing the outcome of games, but they will get crap for this they don't deserve.
The good news from this is that because of all the publicity, the NFL refs which are now very much coveted by the fans should be making a return sooner than later. But, none the less, I think they made the right call on the field.
Though initially the Packer DB caught the ball, the receiver did have a hand around it, and two when the players hit the ground. The Seattle receiver, Golden Tate, clearly brought the ball close to his chest as the two were fighting for possession while in the air. By rule, if possession is shared, even if its not 50-50, the offense gets the ball. It may be a crappy rule, but the refs had to stick to it. Especially as replacements, they stuck to the book rather than making a completely judgmental call, which is the best they could have done in the given situation. The loss is on the Packers though, had the DB just batted the ball down they would have been out of there with a W. May it be noted, the replacement refs are abysmal and changing the outcome of games, but they will get crap for this they don't deserve.
The good news from this is that because of all the publicity, the NFL refs which are now very much coveted by the fans should be making a return sooner than later. But, none the less, I think they made the right call on the field.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Bengals Outlast Browns
Week two has come and gone and the Browns remain without a victory. The team dropped this week's game to the Cincinnati Bengals 34-27.
The game didn't start off too hot for the Brownies giving up a punt return for touchdown to Adam Pacman Jones. The TD gave the Bengals an early 7-0 lead and a lead that they would never relinquish.
The Bengals were led offensively by the ginger ninja, Andy Dalton. Dalton completed 24 of 31 passes, slinging 3 TDs and 1 INT. He picked apart the Browns' defense like it was nothing. Joe Haden was suspended by the NFL and his absence was evident. The Browns only gave up 17 points in week one as opposed to 34 in week two. Brandon Tate, AJ Green and Andre Hawkins hauled in Dalton's 3 touchdown passes.
Dalton's counterpart, Brandon Weeden, who struggled in week one had a much better showing in week two. The rookie quarterback looked much more comfortable in the pocket and did not throw a single interception. Weeden completed 26 of 37 passess for 322 yards and tossed two touchdowns in the process.
Another bright spot for the Browns was rookie running back Trent Richardson. One word for you Browns fans...STUD. Richardson rushed for 109 yards and one touchdown and averaged 5.7 yards per carry. Not to mention he had a receiving touchdown as well...
The Browns will head back out on to the field in week three at home against the Bills (1-1). Game time is 1 pm.
Prediction: Browns 24 Bills 27
Go Browns...
The game didn't start off too hot for the Brownies giving up a punt return for touchdown to Adam Pacman Jones. The TD gave the Bengals an early 7-0 lead and a lead that they would never relinquish.
The Bengals were led offensively by the ginger ninja, Andy Dalton. Dalton completed 24 of 31 passes, slinging 3 TDs and 1 INT. He picked apart the Browns' defense like it was nothing. Joe Haden was suspended by the NFL and his absence was evident. The Browns only gave up 17 points in week one as opposed to 34 in week two. Brandon Tate, AJ Green and Andre Hawkins hauled in Dalton's 3 touchdown passes.
Dalton's counterpart, Brandon Weeden, who struggled in week one had a much better showing in week two. The rookie quarterback looked much more comfortable in the pocket and did not throw a single interception. Weeden completed 26 of 37 passess for 322 yards and tossed two touchdowns in the process.
Another bright spot for the Browns was rookie running back Trent Richardson. One word for you Browns fans...STUD. Richardson rushed for 109 yards and one touchdown and averaged 5.7 yards per carry. Not to mention he had a receiving touchdown as well...
The Browns will head back out on to the field in week three at home against the Bills (1-1). Game time is 1 pm.
Prediction: Browns 24 Bills 27
Go Browns...
Monday, September 10, 2012
Haden Suspended
Joe Haden played yesterday but won't be playing for the next four weeks. The top corner for the Browns tested positive for Adderall in the offseason which is a banned substance per NFL rules. Haden will not be eligible to return to the field for the team until October 8th against the New York Football Giants.
Haden played a very important role in yesterday's 17-16 loss to the Eagles. It will be interesting to see if Buster Skrine, Sheldon Brown, Trevin Wade and Dimitri Patterson will be able to fill the void left by Haden during the suspension. This is definitely a large loss for a team that relies so heavily on their defense.
The Browns play next, this Sunday, September 16th at 1 pm in Cincinnati against the Bengals (0-0). The game will be broadcast on CBS.
Haden played a very important role in yesterday's 17-16 loss to the Eagles. It will be interesting to see if Buster Skrine, Sheldon Brown, Trevin Wade and Dimitri Patterson will be able to fill the void left by Haden during the suspension. This is definitely a large loss for a team that relies so heavily on their defense.
The Browns play next, this Sunday, September 16th at 1 pm in Cincinnati against the Bengals (0-0). The game will be broadcast on CBS.
Browns Drop Heartbreaker to Eagles
A new season and renewed hope...well at least until the end of the fourth quarter of game one on the sesaon we had hope...
The second quarter was a bit of a different story. Weeden, who made poor decisions the entire game, threw the first two of his four picks on the day. These turnovers led to 10 points for the bad guys, coming off a field goal and an 18 yard TD pass for Michael Vick to Jeremy Maclin. Eagles led 10-3 at the half.
The third quarter began a string of terrible coaching decisions made by Pat Shurmur. If Shurmur keeps up at this rate, he be out of work by week four. If you didn't watch the game all you need to know is that Shurmur is stupid.
3rd Quarter Summary:
Weeden Pick
Vick Pick
Browns FG
Shurmur lost challenge...DUMB
Haden INT
And by the way...Pat Shurmur is dumb.
The Browns inched closer on another field goal by Dawson, closing the gap to 10-6 at the end of the third quarter.
It was evident at the start of the fourth quarter that the Browns would not score an offensive touchdown and if the team was going to win the game, the defense would have to come through. They did exactly that. D'Qwell Jackson intercepted Vick (his 4th INT) and took it back 9 yards to the house for a Browns touchdown. After the PAT, the Brownies led 16-10. But...it's the Browns...
Vick led the Eagles on a drive the resulted in a touchdown pass to Clay Harbor giving the Eagles a 17-16 lead with just over a minute remaining in the contest.
Take a look at the picture below and you can probably guess what happened next...read from the bottom up.
Weeden threw his fourth interception of the game and that's all folks.
If there is one positive that we can take away from this game however, it has to be the Browns' defensive. With the exception of allowing a TD late in the 4th quarter the defense played stellar all game long. The Browns forced five turnovers and converted one of them into a touchdown, while only allowing 17 points. If the team can get things figured out on the offensive side of the ball, they'll have a decent squad and could surprise a few people.
Notes: The Browns rookie #3 overall pick Trent Richardson carried the ball 19 times for 39 yards.
The Browns take to the road next week and head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals (0-0). Kickoff is scheduled for 1 pm and the game will be broadcast on CBS.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Buckeyes Roll Over the Redhawks
To the disappointment of many, the team started out uncharacteristically slow. The men of scarlet and gray struggled to muster up only a few first downs in the first quarter of play, while Miami moved the ball with little trouble, primarily through the air. They drove down the field and created 2 first and goal opportunities, but were only able to come up with 3 points (2 field goal attempts, 1 missed). Surely a 14-0 deficit would have put the crowd in shock.
As the final score indicates, the game was all OSU after the 1st quarter. Touchdown after touchdown, primarily through effective passing. Ohio State's Devin Smith made potentially the catch of the year with an incredibly athletic one handed grab in the endzone for OSU's first score. When all was said and done, and after a controversial score with 44 seconds left in the game, OSU rolled. 56-10 was the final with running up the score. Urban made his statement, that this is our conference and we will play hard football from start to finish, and made it well.
In terms of player performance, Braxton was so so. Many of his throws were flat and did not have good rotation. In blunt terms, it looked like a freak athlete with a middle school arm was on the field at many points in the game. Granted, with the athleticism of this OSU team, all most of our receivers need is a lobbed pass for them to have a good chance at making a catch. He ended up completing about 50% of his passes, but was more than efficient on the ground with 161 yards rushing.
The defense as a whole was solid. CB Christian Bryant was burned a few times early in the game, but played shut down D for 3 quarters. John Simon and the burly D line allowed for -1 rushing yards the entire game- Wow! Schaizer and Roby have great speed, this should be a fun team to watch.
The Buckeyes will take the field next 9/8 against UCF, many expect to see another blow out. Let's just hope the Bucks show up for a full 4 quarters in this one.
Browns 2012 Season Preview
Well Browns fans, it's a brand new season and we've got a brand new signal caller under center. What else is new in Cleveland though right? Regardless of fans who believe Colt McCoy deserved one more shot this season, myself included, Brandon Weeden is the dude who will trot onto the field this Sunday against the Eagles.
Let's take a second to remember how great the Browns were last season...Okay moving on now to 2012. The Browns have a tough schedule this year and if they are not careful could end up with a similar win loss record to 2011. The team will take on the Giants, Chargers, Cowboys and a Denver squad led by Peyton Manning this year in addition to two contests each with the Ravens and Steelers. If you ask me, those match ups could get a little sloppy.
Call me a pessimist if you so choose but I've come to realize with Cleveland sports you must be a realist. There is no sense in sugar coating a group of traditionally subpar professional sports teams seeking their first title since 1948. However, there is one positive we can look forward to this season and it rhymes with Brent Trichardson.
That's right, you guessed it the Browns will look to their 21 year-old, father of two, Trent Richardson, to provide some hope for a successful season; and by successful I mean a season with 5 or more wins. Anything that is an improvement over last season would be just dandy, baby steps right?
Richardson is coming off of knee surgery, which may lead some to question his durability in the league, and he did not play a single down for the team during the preseason. He had a stellar career at Alabama, leading the Crimson Tide to the 2012 National Championship and was drafted #4 overall by the Browns in this year's NFL Draft. On the defensive side of the ball look for third year players Joe Haden and TJ Ward to lead the way. If both can remain healthy and if Haden can avoid a 4 game suspension for substance abuse the Browns' secondary may be an improvement over last season.
The Browns will look to bring the heat on defense and try to take down the elusive Michael Vick. Vick will be wearing a kevlar vest to protect a tender midsection when the game begins on Sunday at 1 pm. A couple solid hits on Vick and he could be knocked out of the game.
Expect Richardson and Weeden to find the endzone at least once and how could we forget Phil Dawson. He'll chip in at least one field goal before the clock hits triple zeroes.
Week 1 Prediction: Eagles 24 Browns 17
Let's take a second to remember how great the Browns were last season...Okay moving on now to 2012. The Browns have a tough schedule this year and if they are not careful could end up with a similar win loss record to 2011. The team will take on the Giants, Chargers, Cowboys and a Denver squad led by Peyton Manning this year in addition to two contests each with the Ravens and Steelers. If you ask me, those match ups could get a little sloppy.
Call me a pessimist if you so choose but I've come to realize with Cleveland sports you must be a realist. There is no sense in sugar coating a group of traditionally subpar professional sports teams seeking their first title since 1948. However, there is one positive we can look forward to this season and it rhymes with Brent Trichardson.
That's right, you guessed it the Browns will look to their 21 year-old, father of two, Trent Richardson, to provide some hope for a successful season; and by successful I mean a season with 5 or more wins. Anything that is an improvement over last season would be just dandy, baby steps right?
Richardson is coming off of knee surgery, which may lead some to question his durability in the league, and he did not play a single down for the team during the preseason. He had a stellar career at Alabama, leading the Crimson Tide to the 2012 National Championship and was drafted #4 overall by the Browns in this year's NFL Draft. On the defensive side of the ball look for third year players Joe Haden and TJ Ward to lead the way. If both can remain healthy and if Haden can avoid a 4 game suspension for substance abuse the Browns' secondary may be an improvement over last season.
The Browns will look to bring the heat on defense and try to take down the elusive Michael Vick. Vick will be wearing a kevlar vest to protect a tender midsection when the game begins on Sunday at 1 pm. A couple solid hits on Vick and he could be knocked out of the game.
Expect Richardson and Weeden to find the endzone at least once and how could we forget Phil Dawson. He'll chip in at least one field goal before the clock hits triple zeroes.
Week 1 Prediction: Eagles 24 Browns 17
Monday, August 13, 2012
Lowe Finds a Home
Derek Lowe was signed this afternoon by the team that can sign anyone...the New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers plan to use him out of the pen for the remainder of the season. The Indians designated Lowe for assignment earlier this month on August 2nd and released the 39 year-old right-hander on August 10th.
In other news, Johnny Damon, also released by the Tribe remains without a ball club and most recently the team parted ways with INF Jose Lopez yesterday afternoon.
In other news, Johnny Damon, also released by the Tribe remains without a ball club and most recently the team parted ways with INF Jose Lopez yesterday afternoon.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Cleveland...
Why do you do this to us Cleveland? WHY? Every year it's the same old story.
"This is our year."
"This is the year we win it all."
Womp womp womp. WRONG.
Being a Cleveland sports fan is perhaps the most frustrating in the world. Somehow every year Cleveland manages to give us hope for a championship, but seem to come up short year in and year out. I think we can all agree that we need to focus on putting our hope in having a record of .500 or better and keeping our expectations realistic.
The Indians are losers of 8 straight. Damon and Lowe DFA. Sizemore still on the DL, but what else is new. Starting pitching...bad, the lowest ERA of an Indians starting pitcher...4.98, awful.
Carlos Santana has started to play like he can but has underperformed for the majority of the season. Travis Hafer has been non-existent. The only real positive in my opinion this season has been the development of Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis. Two great young players with a ton of upside, but two guys aren't going to get your team to the promise land.
Every year the Indians seem to be content with staying put at the trade deadline. When they do add a "big name" player it never seems to work out. Obviously this season Brent Lillibridge was the missing piece to the puzzle...
The Indians aren't mathematically out of the pennant race but sitting at eight and a half games out of first place in the AL Central, it doesn't appear as if the Tribe will make the playoffs...yet again.
So Tribe fans, just wait for next year, 2013. Where the vicious cycle will start all over again. Where we are saying:
"This is our year"
Now just scroll back up the page and start reading this post all over again and you'll know how 2013 will play out.
"This is our year."
"This is the year we win it all."
Womp womp womp. WRONG.
Being a Cleveland sports fan is perhaps the most frustrating in the world. Somehow every year Cleveland manages to give us hope for a championship, but seem to come up short year in and year out. I think we can all agree that we need to focus on putting our hope in having a record of .500 or better and keeping our expectations realistic.
The Indians are losers of 8 straight. Damon and Lowe DFA. Sizemore still on the DL, but what else is new. Starting pitching...bad, the lowest ERA of an Indians starting pitcher...4.98, awful.
Carlos Santana has started to play like he can but has underperformed for the majority of the season. Travis Hafer has been non-existent. The only real positive in my opinion this season has been the development of Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis. Two great young players with a ton of upside, but two guys aren't going to get your team to the promise land.
Every year the Indians seem to be content with staying put at the trade deadline. When they do add a "big name" player it never seems to work out. Obviously this season Brent Lillibridge was the missing piece to the puzzle...
The Indians aren't mathematically out of the pennant race but sitting at eight and a half games out of first place in the AL Central, it doesn't appear as if the Tribe will make the playoffs...yet again.
So Tribe fans, just wait for next year, 2013. Where the vicious cycle will start all over again. Where we are saying:
"This is our year"
Now just scroll back up the page and start reading this post all over again and you'll know how 2013 will play out.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
How 'Bout Them Cavs?
I had the oh so amazing pleasure of being in attendance for last night's beat down of the Cavs at the Palace. I don't even know where to begin. I was one of two Cavalier fans in attendance...the other being a mid-40s business man sporting a JJ Hickson wine colored jersey. By the way business guy you did an excellent job supporting your team, thanks for sitting quietly the entire game. At least everyone within four sections could hear me...
Everything fell for the Pistons and everything didn't for the Cavs, that really is all there is to it. Jamison 0-10 from the field...yikes. It got to the point where all I could do was laugh at how bad we were. You have to think if Kyrie, Andy and Boobie were all healthy, and Gee played (not sure why he didn't play) it would have been a whole different basketball game.
Then there was the lady sitting two seats to my left. Who knew every song the Pistons dance team danced to, as well as the halftime show. She sang along and danced to every song...Oh but wait it gets better. She looks at my retro Cavs Hardwood Classics shirt I had on and asks, "Are you rooting for the Cavs?" No lady I'm actually rooting for the Columbus Crush, our professional women's football team...of course I'm rooting for the Cavs.
So then she goes on, "So do you like LeBron?" This woman was just full of stupid questions. "No I don't...I hate him." And she comes back with the best thing I've ever heard, "You MEANIE!"
At this point I was just trying to keep a straight face, do you know what he did to us lady? "You seem a little bitter? And did you see that they were burning jerseys in Cleveland when he left?"
No woman I hadn't noticed...
Needless to say I had a great time at the game, regardless of anything that happened. I paid $6 for a ticket with a face value of 30 bucks so it was definitely worth it.
Well...Cleveland sports are bad.
This pretty much sums it up:
But we're used to it.
Everything fell for the Pistons and everything didn't for the Cavs, that really is all there is to it. Jamison 0-10 from the field...yikes. It got to the point where all I could do was laugh at how bad we were. You have to think if Kyrie, Andy and Boobie were all healthy, and Gee played (not sure why he didn't play) it would have been a whole different basketball game.
Then there was the lady sitting two seats to my left. Who knew every song the Pistons dance team danced to, as well as the halftime show. She sang along and danced to every song...Oh but wait it gets better. She looks at my retro Cavs Hardwood Classics shirt I had on and asks, "Are you rooting for the Cavs?" No lady I'm actually rooting for the Columbus Crush, our professional women's football team...of course I'm rooting for the Cavs.
So then she goes on, "So do you like LeBron?" This woman was just full of stupid questions. "No I don't...I hate him." And she comes back with the best thing I've ever heard, "You MEANIE!"
At this point I was just trying to keep a straight face, do you know what he did to us lady? "You seem a little bitter? And did you see that they were burning jerseys in Cleveland when he left?"
No woman I hadn't noticed...
Needless to say I had a great time at the game, regardless of anything that happened. I paid $6 for a ticket with a face value of 30 bucks so it was definitely worth it.
Well...Cleveland sports are bad.
This pretty much sums it up:
But we're used to it.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Ohio State Football Open Practice: Recap
As a student lucky enough to witness the practice first hand, I must say Urban did not show much. He demonstrated traditional offensive sets and special team scenarios. Nothing flashy, nothing extreme; just trying to improve how his players execute. The speed of Braxton Miller was evident, and it was noteworthy that he did not make many if any careless passes. Carlos Hyde in the backfield looked powerful, but most noteworthy was the defense. Very quick off the line and always rushing the quarterback, it was a good sight to see. Look out for John Simon, Bradley Roby, and Ryan Shazier to put up big numbers this season. In terms of backup players, a dark horse candidate is surely defensive back Adam Griffin, son of Archie, who packed a major punch for only being 5'9-5'10.
All in all, look for the Buckeyes to impress in 2012.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Seven Run First Sparks Tribe Win
KANSAS CITY -- Derek Lowe (2-0) didn't have to throw a pitch and he was already a happy man on Friday. The Indians' offense exploded for seven runs in the first inning off of Kansas City Royals starter Luke Hochevar (1-1). Michael Brantley led the charge with two hits in the inning after only managing one hit this season through his first 17 plate appearances. The Tribe sent eleven men to the plate in the first inning and amassed eight hits and seven runs over that span.
Derek Lowe took the hill and had another stellar performance as the Indians' number three starter. Lowe tossed six and two-thirds of an inning of three run baseball. The Tribe will look for Jeanmar Gomez (0-0) to post a similar performance this evening when he takes on Jonathon Sanchez (0-0) of the Royals at 7:10 PM.
With the win the Indians improved to 2-4 on the season and sent the Royals to a mark of 3-4.
Game Notes: Hochevar left the game in the 4th inning after a line drive off the bat of Carlos Santana hit Hochevar in the left ankle. X-rays came back negative and Hochevar has been diagnosed with and ankle contusion.
POG: Asdrubal Cabrera: 2-5, 2 R, 1 RBI
Derek Lowe took the hill and had another stellar performance as the Indians' number three starter. Lowe tossed six and two-thirds of an inning of three run baseball. The Tribe will look for Jeanmar Gomez (0-0) to post a similar performance this evening when he takes on Jonathon Sanchez (0-0) of the Royals at 7:10 PM.
With the win the Indians improved to 2-4 on the season and sent the Royals to a mark of 3-4.
Game Notes: Hochevar left the game in the 4th inning after a line drive off the bat of Carlos Santana hit Hochevar in the left ankle. X-rays came back negative and Hochevar has been diagnosed with and ankle contusion.
POG: Asdrubal Cabrera: 2-5, 2 R, 1 RBI
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Indians Reach Deal With Cooperstown Hopeful Damon
The Tribe has reportedly agreed to bring veteran outfielder Johnny Damon to Cleveland for the 2012 season. Damon, 38 years old, is coming off a season where he batted .261 and drove in 73 runs for the Tampa Bay Rays, including 16 homers. The deal has a base pay of $1.25 million and an additional $1.4 million in performance based incentives. Also included is an opt-out for Damon if and when a healthy Grady Sizemore returns to take the role Damon is filling.
Damon is approaching 3,000 hits, and a moderately successful 2012 and 2013 season should ensure him this mark, making him a potential Hall of Fame candidate. Damon reached a career high in batting average in 2000 with Kansas City posting a mark of .327. Johnny also belted a career high in homers in 2006 ans 2009 as a member of the New York Yankees with 24 dingers each season. He is a former world champion and surely still has some juice left in the tank.
All in all, this is a win win situation for the Tribe. Damon is an obvious offensive step up from outfielder Aaron Cunningham, and a proven clubhouse leader. He is exactly the kind of player the Indians need to make a playoff run and to give the fans something to cheer about. Perhaps his addition will produce more than a few thousand fans in attendance for upcoming home games. Even if Damon ends up being a bust, which seems unlikely, the Indians are risking next to nothing.
This move further shows that management wants to win now. Damon's numbers from last season would have made him the 3rd most productive hitter on the roster in terms of RBIs and batting average, including being 2nd in total hits. In the words of Damon, "Like I said, I've kept myself in pretty good shape, and I'm just excited that Cleveland is giving me this opportunity to see what I can do and also go help out a young team and provide some leadership to them."
Let's improve on this 1-4 start with a solid series against Kansas City. Roll Tribe.
Damon is approaching 3,000 hits, and a moderately successful 2012 and 2013 season should ensure him this mark, making him a potential Hall of Fame candidate. Damon reached a career high in batting average in 2000 with Kansas City posting a mark of .327. Johnny also belted a career high in homers in 2006 ans 2009 as a member of the New York Yankees with 24 dingers each season. He is a former world champion and surely still has some juice left in the tank.
All in all, this is a win win situation for the Tribe. Damon is an obvious offensive step up from outfielder Aaron Cunningham, and a proven clubhouse leader. He is exactly the kind of player the Indians need to make a playoff run and to give the fans something to cheer about. Perhaps his addition will produce more than a few thousand fans in attendance for upcoming home games. Even if Damon ends up being a bust, which seems unlikely, the Indians are risking next to nothing.
This move further shows that management wants to win now. Damon's numbers from last season would have made him the 3rd most productive hitter on the roster in terms of RBIs and batting average, including being 2nd in total hits. In the words of Damon, "Like I said, I've kept myself in pretty good shape, and I'm just excited that Cleveland is giving me this opportunity to see what I can do and also go help out a young team and provide some leadership to them."
Let's improve on this 1-4 start with a solid series against Kansas City. Roll Tribe.
Indians' Comeback Falls Short
CLEVELAND -- The Tribe dug themselves a hole early against the White Sox on Wednesday afternoon. Opening Day starter Justin Masterson took the mound for the Indians in an effort to avoid a sweep by the Chicago White Sox. Masterson gave up four runs in the first and the Sox never looked back. The Indians answered with one run in the bottom of the first, making the score 4-1.
Masterson seemed to settle in for the next few innings surrendering only one additional run before he was relieved by Dan Wheeler. The Tribe narrowed the gap to a one run deficit, trailing 5-4 after five innings, but it was all downhill from there.
Wheeler and Rafael Perez combined to give up five runs in the sixth inning pushing Chicago's lead to 10-4. The final Tribe runs were scored on a two run homer by Shelley Duncan in the seventh inning.
With the loss the Indians fell to 1-4 on the season and with the win Chicago improved to 3-2.
This post marks the beginning of the "B Bow and The Slot Machine Player of the Game" (POG)
Game Notes: W: J. Danks (1-1), L: J. Masterson (0-1), POG: Travis Hafner 2-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI
Masterson seemed to settle in for the next few innings surrendering only one additional run before he was relieved by Dan Wheeler. The Tribe narrowed the gap to a one run deficit, trailing 5-4 after five innings, but it was all downhill from there.
Wheeler and Rafael Perez combined to give up five runs in the sixth inning pushing Chicago's lead to 10-4. The final Tribe runs were scored on a two run homer by Shelley Duncan in the seventh inning.
With the loss the Indians fell to 1-4 on the season and with the win Chicago improved to 3-2.
This post marks the beginning of the "B Bow and The Slot Machine Player of the Game" (POG)
Game Notes: W: J. Danks (1-1), L: J. Masterson (0-1), POG: Travis Hafner 2-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI
Damon Deal in the Works
A deal between Johnny Damon and the Indians is on the horizon. A reported 1 year deal with an "out clause" for the 38 year-old free agent is being discussed.
The "out clause" would allow Damon to leave the Indians upon the return of center fielder Grady Sizemore from the disabled list. No official announcement of the deal has been made, but consider it done within the next 48 hours.
The "out clause" would allow Damon to leave the Indians upon the return of center fielder Grady Sizemore from the disabled list. No official announcement of the deal has been made, but consider it done within the next 48 hours.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
4/10 Ballgame Postponed
The second game of the series between the Tribe and the White Sox has been put on hold due to winter weather conditions, giving Indians fans an unexpected 3 hours of free time for their Tuesday evening. As all Clevelanders know by now, it's not April baseball without some hindering weather conditions, so we should be thankful that we are not dealing with a week long blizzard shutting everything down.
Next game will start off in a matter of minutes as first pitch is scheduled for 12:05 on 4/11. The Tribe will look to improve their record to 2-3 as they send ace Justin Masterson up against John Danks of the Sox.
Next game will start off in a matter of minutes as first pitch is scheduled for 12:05 on 4/11. The Tribe will look to improve their record to 2-3 as they send ace Justin Masterson up against John Danks of the Sox.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Santana Inks Extension
Monday the Indians decided 26 year-old catcher Carlos Santana will factor into the team's future plans. Santana and the Tribe agreed to a multi-year extension; details will be released later today.
Santana is batting .250 so far this season and has clubbed two homers. The Tribe will be back in action tonight when they take on the Chicago White Sox at 7:05 PM.
4:09 PM -- Santana's extension: 5 years, $21 M with a club option for 2017.
Santana is batting .250 so far this season and has clubbed two homers. The Tribe will be back in action tonight when they take on the Chicago White Sox at 7:05 PM.
4:09 PM -- Santana's extension: 5 years, $21 M with a club option for 2017.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Indians vs. White Sox -- April 9th
CLEVELAND -- Turns out changing the opponent had no effect on the Tribe's lack-luster offense so far this season. The Indians dropped a 4-2 decision against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night, falling to 1-3 on the season; with the win the Sox improve to 2-2.
The Tribe sent Josh Tomlin (0-1) to the bump, allowing all 3 runs in the first and another in the fifth. A combined effort from Acardo Ascencio, Dan Wheeler and Rafael Perez held the Sox scoreless the remaining four innings.
Manager Manny Acta used a lineup that included Lou Marson, Jason Donald, Jose Lopez and Aaron Cunningham to take on Chris Sale (1-0). The Tribe will look to rebound in the second game of a three game set with the White Sox. First pitch is slated for 7:05 PM, with the Tribe sending Jeanmar Gomez (0-0) to the mound to take on Phillip Humbar (0-0).
Game Notes: Shin-Soo Choo was hit by a pitch on the same hand that ended his season last year. Preliminary tests indicate no damage.
The Tribe sent Josh Tomlin (0-1) to the bump, allowing all 3 runs in the first and another in the fifth. A combined effort from Acardo Ascencio, Dan Wheeler and Rafael Perez held the Sox scoreless the remaining four innings.
Manager Manny Acta used a lineup that included Lou Marson, Jason Donald, Jose Lopez and Aaron Cunningham to take on Chris Sale (1-0). The Tribe will look to rebound in the second game of a three game set with the White Sox. First pitch is slated for 7:05 PM, with the Tribe sending Jeanmar Gomez (0-0) to the mound to take on Phillip Humbar (0-0).
Game Notes: Shin-Soo Choo was hit by a pitch on the same hand that ended his season last year. Preliminary tests indicate no damage.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Tribe Earns First Win
After back to back extra inning affairs to open up the season with the Tribe falling in disgusting fashion, the Indians squeaked by with a 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Today the birthday boy came through, as now 26-year-old catcher Carlos Santana belted his first 2 home runs of the season to account for 3 of the Tribe's runs. The W was also marked by 7 solid innings by veteran Derek Lowe, giving up no earned runs, and a gutsy effort by recently inconsistent closer Chris Perez to seal the deal. The Jays left 2 men on in the 9th. Following a rare Asdrubal Cabrera error, Toronto slugger Jose Bautista sent an infield blooper into the glove of Cabrera to send the few thousand left in the crowd home happy.
This hard fought W puts the Tribe at 1-2 on the season, just as they started out last year preceding an 8 game win streak. The Tribe will continue this early home stand tomorrow as Josh Tomlin will take the mound against the Chicago White Sox (1-2). The Tribe will look to spark some April magic once again after what all fans would agree was an overall disappointing first series.
This hard fought W puts the Tribe at 1-2 on the season, just as they started out last year preceding an 8 game win streak. The Tribe will continue this early home stand tomorrow as Josh Tomlin will take the mound against the Chicago White Sox (1-2). The Tribe will look to spark some April magic once again after what all fans would agree was an overall disappointing first series.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Opening Day History
CLEVELAND, OH -- What a better way to start the 2012 season then to be a part of Major League Baseball history right? Well in the case of the Cleveland Indians, as most of us probably could have expected, they came up on the wrong side of that history.
The Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays engaged in a 16 inning, 5 hour and 14 minute Opening Day affair. The game included 3 home runs, a 14 inning scoreless streak by the Tribe and bench clearing brawl in the bottom of the 15th inning.
The Indians entered the 9th inning with a 4-1 lead over the visiting Jays after an outstanding pitching performance by starter Justin Masterson. Masterson logged 8 innings of one-hit ball, with 10 strikeouts using only 91 pitches. Manager Manny Acta elected to bring on Chris Perez (0-1) for what seemed like an easy save. However, a few base runners and a double by Edwin Encarnacion later and it was a whole new ballgame. Tied at four, the Indians came to bat in the bottom of the 9th.
The Indians had countless opportunities to win in walk off fashion. The first opportunity for the Tribe came in the bottom of the 9th with a runner on third and one out. Two ground outs later and it was on to extra innings. Then in the bottom of the 12th the Indians loaded the bases and Asdrubal Cabrera stepped to the plate. The Blue Jays brought on Omar Vizquel as a fifth infielder to prevent any ball from leaving the infield. With the bases loaded and one out Cabrera swung at the first pitch, grounding into a 6-4-3 double play, ending the threat.
Toronto took the lead in the top of the 16th inning 7-4 on a three-run homer by J.P. Arencibia. Luis Perez (1-0) combined with Sergio Santos put away the Tribe in the bottom of the 16th ending the longest MLB game in Opening Day history.
With the loss the Indians fall to (0-1) on the season. They will look to rebound on Saturday against the Blue Jays (1-0), and will send Ubaldo Jimenez to the hill. Jimenez, who received a 5 game suspension from the MLB, is currently appealing his suspension and will not miss his scheduled start on Saturday.
The Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays engaged in a 16 inning, 5 hour and 14 minute Opening Day affair. The game included 3 home runs, a 14 inning scoreless streak by the Tribe and bench clearing brawl in the bottom of the 15th inning.
The Indians entered the 9th inning with a 4-1 lead over the visiting Jays after an outstanding pitching performance by starter Justin Masterson. Masterson logged 8 innings of one-hit ball, with 10 strikeouts using only 91 pitches. Manager Manny Acta elected to bring on Chris Perez (0-1) for what seemed like an easy save. However, a few base runners and a double by Edwin Encarnacion later and it was a whole new ballgame. Tied at four, the Indians came to bat in the bottom of the 9th.
The Indians had countless opportunities to win in walk off fashion. The first opportunity for the Tribe came in the bottom of the 9th with a runner on third and one out. Two ground outs later and it was on to extra innings. Then in the bottom of the 12th the Indians loaded the bases and Asdrubal Cabrera stepped to the plate. The Blue Jays brought on Omar Vizquel as a fifth infielder to prevent any ball from leaving the infield. With the bases loaded and one out Cabrera swung at the first pitch, grounding into a 6-4-3 double play, ending the threat.
Toronto took the lead in the top of the 16th inning 7-4 on a three-run homer by J.P. Arencibia. Luis Perez (1-0) combined with Sergio Santos put away the Tribe in the bottom of the 16th ending the longest MLB game in Opening Day history.
With the loss the Indians fall to (0-1) on the season. They will look to rebound on Saturday against the Blue Jays (1-0), and will send Ubaldo Jimenez to the hill. Jimenez, who received a 5 game suspension from the MLB, is currently appealing his suspension and will not miss his scheduled start on Saturday.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Cleveland Browns -- Season Review
Well...4-11, what else needs to be said. Another disappointing year for the Cleveland Browns. Hillis was stricken by the "Madden Curse", Colt McCoy was average at best, our receivers couldn't catch passes, the list goes on and on and on. The only bright spot we can take from this year is the defense, allowing the 5th least number of points during the 2011 season, but a stellar defense will only go so far when your offense is not producing on the other side of the ball. Hopefully with the help of two first round draft picks and a full off season the Browns will be able to be a respectable team in 2012. Colt McCoy has had to learn two different offenses the past two seasons and has sub-par receivers around him that can't catch simple passes. This is not to say the balls he throws that aren't anywhere near a receiver are the receivers' fault because the fault here definitely falls on McCoy. The 2012 season will be Colt's last shot at proving himself as the QB of the future for the Browns...if he fails then my jersey purchase last season will be all for nothing. Needless to say my McCoy jersey will end up in the same corner of the closet as my Tim Couch jersey...
Looking forward with two first round picks in 2012 look for the Browns to draft either Justin Blackmon or Trent Richardson with the #4 overall pick. Either one of these players will be an impact player as a rookie and provide offensive firepower the Browns have being lacking for the past few years. With the first round pick acquired from the Falcons look for the Browns to draft a player on the defensive side of the ball. The linebacking core for the Browns is adequate for now but Gocong, Jackson and Fujita aren't getting any younger.
I predicted at the end of last season that the Browns would go 11-5 in 2011 and we all see how that turned out. I've come back down to Earth and predict that the Browns will go 6-10 in 2012...sorry guys, we have a lot of holes to fill and one off season isn't gonna get it done. It's a process.
Looking forward with two first round picks in 2012 look for the Browns to draft either Justin Blackmon or Trent Richardson with the #4 overall pick. Either one of these players will be an impact player as a rookie and provide offensive firepower the Browns have being lacking for the past few years. With the first round pick acquired from the Falcons look for the Browns to draft a player on the defensive side of the ball. The linebacking core for the Browns is adequate for now but Gocong, Jackson and Fujita aren't getting any younger.
I predicted at the end of last season that the Browns would go 11-5 in 2011 and we all see how that turned out. I've come back down to Earth and predict that the Browns will go 6-10 in 2012...sorry guys, we have a lot of holes to fill and one off season isn't gonna get it done. It's a process.
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