Unfortunately...it will be to late...if they know they are getting the money...they should be able to spend already...
Unfortunately...it will be to late...if they know they are getting the money...they should be able to spend already...
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Crisp getting dealt to the Red Sox?
I hope not...
not for either of those 2...
Crisp in the middle: Club looks to deal for OF
By Michael Silverman and Tony Massarotti/ Red Sox Notebook
Saturday, December 17, 2005 - Updated: 12:55 AM EST
The Red Sox are having ongoing discussions with the Cleveland Indians about a trade for outfielder Coco Crisp, with the pricetag expected to be either starter Bronson Arroyo or Matt Clement. The Indians are believed to have a preference for Arroyo, who is still arbitration eligible, while the Red Sox are more keen on giving away Clement, who is due $19 million the next two seasons and drew the Indians interest as a free agent last year.
A trade for Crisp would benefit the Red Sox on a number of fronts, regardless of the fate of free agent center fielder Johnny Damon and unhappy left fielder Manny Ramirez. With four years remaining before becoming eligible for free agency, the 26-year-old, switch-hitting Crisp can play center or a corner outfield position, has good speed on the basepaths, has displayed some power and has shown steady improvement in his last two full seasons with the Indians. He can bat leadoff and it is clear the Red Sox are entertaining thoughts of trading for him, especially as a fallback in case Damon does not re-sign.
Crisp made about $365,000 last season.
The Indians may not be willing to deal Crisp, however, unless they can land an outfielder themselves, and they are one of the four teams actively courting free agent Nomar Garciaparra, who would play the outfield in Cleveland. . . .
The Sox have not advanced much in their talks with free agent outfielder Juan Encarnacion, according to his agent, Eric Goldschmidt. The Sox did speak with the Mariners about outfielder Jeremy Reed, but the Mariners have little interest in Arroyo or Clement.
Cavs beat up on the Pistons at home...
now if we could translate that to some road wins...and win more consistently...but this is something to build on...
good win for the Cavaliers...
Also yesterday, there were ongoing conversations between the Sox and Indians aimed at bringing outfielder Coco Crisp to Boston. The deal, according to a major league source, probably would cost the Sox top prospect Andy Marte and probably would include multiple players changing sides.
Crisp, who hit .300 with 16 homers and 70 RBIs while making $365,000 last season, is seeking more than $3 million in arbitration. The 26-year-old has been atop the Sox' list for some time.
Well...I think Crisp is fantastic...power and speed...
but I wouldn't mind getting Marte...not a sure thing by any stretch...but certainly...a valuable commodity...
They want Coco:
The Red Sox have been persistent in their desire to get Coco Crisp to play center field since losing Johnny Damon to the Yankees. The Indians have been reluctant to part with Crisp because they don't have an outfielder to replace him.
The Red Sox reportedly have been tempting the Indians with infield prospect Andy Marte and setup man Guillermo Mota.
The Indians may have considered trading Crisp if they had been able to sign Brian Giles or Nomar Garciaparra to play the outfield. Manny Ramirez could certainly replace Crisp, but the Indians don't want to assume the last three years of Ramirez's eight-year, $160 million contract and his "Manny-being-Manny" attitude.
The Red Sox acquired Marte from Atlanta for shortstop Edgar Renteria at the winter meetings. They acquired Mota, Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell from Florida.
Marte is a third baseman, but the Red Sox talked about playing him in the outfield this year. The Indians feel Marte will have to spend this season at Class AAA regardless of his position, which doesn't do them much good if they're going to challenge Chicago in the AL Central.
Of course, a third team always could be brought into the deal to provide the outfielder the Indians need.
I agree with that, I personally think if the Indians were going after any Sox reliever, they should have gone after Tavarez, Mota is injury prone.
The AL Central will definately be tough, but the Indians should have no problem beating the Twins out for second place, after all of the talk of the Twins getting some "power" all they could come up with was Rondell White. I think the Twins need a new GM, not having a 30 HR hitter is a terrible thing, and though they signed Batista, he is a huge question mark.
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No thanks on Tavarez...we had him once...don't need him again..he's still a head case...
used to be the Indians #1 prospect...a surefire #1 starter...
lmfao...that sure worked out...
and I'm not sure why you are talking about 2nd place...the Indians offense...is as good as it gets...
and their staff is underrated...
This team will be great for years to come...
great signing...
now have VMart, Peralta and Sizemore wrapped up for 7, 5 and 5 respectively...
and have CC and Hafner as well...through 08...
and are gunning for Cliff Lee....
these six...if they stay together for a long period of time...not only will win a series...but more than one..
Very nice signing today indeed...
Cleveland locks up another youngster in SizemoreAssociated Press
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians locked up their center field position into the next decade, agreeing Wednesday to a $23.45 million, six-year contract with Grady Sizemore.
Sizemore's deal has the most guaranteed money for a player with less than two years of major-league service, $200,000 more than the Boston Red Sox guaranteed shortstop Nomar Garciaparra in a five-year deal agreed to in March 1998.
"I didn't expect it to happen this fast," Sizemore said. "Last year, I was just trying to make the team."
Sizemore's hustle and humility have made him a favorite with teammates and fans. The Indians' female fan base has taken a particular liking to him -- the team sold 200 "Mrs. Sizemore" T-shirts on the first day they were made available at Jacobs Field.
His new status as a millionaire shouldn't hurt his popularity. Sizemore gets a $1 million signing bonus and salaries of $500,000 this year, $750,000 in 2007, $3 million in 2008, $4.6 million in 2009, $5.6 million in 1010 and $7.5 million in 2011.
The agreement includes an $8.5 million club option for 2012 with a $500,000 buyout. If the option is exercised, the deal would total $31.45 million over seven seasons, and the option price could increase to $10.5 million depending on whether Sizemore is an All-Star, Gold Glove or Silver Slugger or does well in MVP voting.
If traded, the option becomes Sizemore's decision and the buyout is forfeited if he declines the option. He would alsod get a $500,000 payment if traded, and the salaries in the remaining years of the contract would increase by 10 percent.
"I'm still going to play the game the same way," Sizemore said. "I want to be here for a long time."
Sizemore has played only one full season in the majors, but the 23-year-old outfielder did enough to impress the Indians.
"He plays the game hard. He respects the game. He's a good teammate, and he's pretty good as well," team president Paul Dolan said.
Sizemore batted .289 with 22 homers and 81 RBI in 158 games last season. He also scored 111 runs, had 22 steals and became the second Indians player to record 20 doubles, 10 triples, 20 homers and 20 steals in the same season. He was the only player in the majors to reach those numbers last season.
"We are committed to building and sustaining a championship team and Grady -- as one of the most talented young players in the game today -- is the kind of player and person that can help lead us to that goal," general manager Mark Shapiro said.
The length of contract mirrors that of deals the Indians gave to shortstop Jhonny Peralta (five years, $13 million) and catcher Victor Martinez ($15.5 million for five years).
"The unprecedented length and financial guarantee of this contract clearly illustrates the Indians' sincere belief in Grady as a player and person," said Sizemore's agent, Joe Urbon.
The Indians are also trying to sign Cliff Lee, who went 18-5 last season, to a long-term deal. Cleveland also has designated hitter Travis Hafner and left-hander C.C. Sabathia under contract through 2007 with club options for 2008.
"We have a championship-caliber core in place," Dolan said.
Cleveland acquired Sizemore in 2002 from Montreal in the deal that sent ace Bartolo Colon to the Expos.
Television ratings studies by the team indicated that female viewership of Indians games increased 200 percent in 2005.
Sizemore's contract is the longest agreed to by the Indians since shortstop Omar Vizquel's six-year deal in 1995.
Brandon Phillips to be traded...
the Colon deal was HUGE for the Indians...and Phillips was the centerpiece...
who'd have thought that Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore would be twice the player this guy turned out to be so far...
I think you'll see...if he gets a shot...
Phillips turn into a damn fine player...
Shapiro expects to trade Phillips
Move won't be made until final exhibition of season is completed
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter
WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - It won't be long before the Indians wash their hands of the failed Brandon Phillips experiment.
General Manager Mark Shapiro is almost certain he can trade Phillips in the next few days, rather than lose him to a team that makes a waiver claim. Because Phillips is out of options, he would have to clear waivers before the Tribe could assign him to Buffalo again.
``We will be able to trade Brandon, definitively,'' Shapiro said Thursday. ``There is a good possibility that we could have a trade in place by the last out on Saturday.''
If the GM can't make a deal by then, he will designate Phillips for assignment and have 10 days to trade him.
Shapiro was careful to specify a time for this reason: Phillips will not be traded until the Indians complete the entire exhibition season with all players remaining healthy.
``If there's an injury (to Jhonny Peralta, Ronnie Belliard or Ramon Vazquez) in the next 27 innings, Brandon will be on the team,'' the GM said.
Shapiro also wanted to make it clear not to expect a windfall in talent for Phillips.
``We can get value for Brandon,'' Shapiro said. ``But the value would be what he is worth now (rather than his potential), and there are multiple teams interested.''
Teams that appear to be Phillips pursuers are Tampa Bay, Washington and maybe Kansas City, for starters. The club that acquires him must add him to its 25-man roster or put him on waivers.
It wasn't supposed to come to this. Phillips was Shapiro's primary target when he traded Bartolo Colon to Montreal -- in a deal that also brought Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore -- in June 2002.
At that time, Phillips was considered a can't-miss prospect at shortstop (or second), someone who not only made acrobatic plays in the field, but also possessed a lethal bat. Scouts viewed him as a player who would hit line drives in the gaps, not towering fly balls over the fence.
Phillips apparently had other ideas. He kept his swing long and took overly hard hacks in case he hit the ball.
He fell in love with the idea of hitting for power. No matter how much time coaches and managers spent with him, he could not be persuaded to tighten his swing.
``This is a player we felt extremely strong about, and it didn't work out,'' Shapiro said. ``So you can't help but feel disappointed.''
The GM wasn't certain of the results of the post-mortem.
``You can talk about Brandon's (career) path,'' Shapiro said. ``Maybe we shouldn't have kept him in the big leagues as long as we did. Maybe the failure was ours, maybe it was shared.''
Shapiro's reference is to the 2003 season. Phillips won the everyday second-base job in spring training, and for more than three months he made all the plays in the field but stumbled badly at the plate. When he finally was optioned to Triple-A in mid-July, he was batting .210.
Phillips never again received an extended chance to play in the big leagues, and as Shapiro tellingly said Thursday, ``We didn't see anything different this spring than we'd seen before.''
It probably would be counterproductive to Phillips' career if Shapiro didn't make a deal for him and he cleared waivers. Phillips already has spent the better parts of four seasons at Triple-A. Another is unlikely to benefit him. Sometimes a change of scenery helps a player.
Phillips still has the potential to be successful.
``The guy is going to be a very good major-league player,'' Shapiro said. ``But the time frame didn't align with the way the team matured.''
Shapiro revealed that Einar Diaz and Steve Karsay have committed to going to Buffalo if they don't latch onto a job on a big-league roster in the next few days.
Diaz lost the backup catcher job to rookie Kelly Shoppach on Wednesday, and Danny Graves beat out Karsay, Jason Davis (and earlier, Andrew Brown) for the final bullpen berth.
``We have a long-standing relationship with both players,'' Shapiro said. ``We're not about to stand in the way if they can get big-league jobs.''
Considering the usual rate of attrition among relievers, it would be no surprise if Karsay were to earn a promotion to Cleveland within weeks.
Karsay might have claimed a spot on the roster during camp had he been a little sharper from the start. He has pitched fewer than 50 innings the past three years after undergoing shoulder surgery, however, and needs more work to regain his edge.
``I didn't think my spring was half-bad,'' Karsay said. ``It's not the best spring I ever had, but it's also not the worst. I wasn't that good early, but the last 10 days, I think I got a lot better, my last outing especially.''
Cavs win their first playoff game since 1998...
Lebron has a triple double in his first playoff game...
the start of a fantastic playoff career...
On a sidenote...and something a bit more scary...on Lebron's future...
The Cavs can sign him I think after August to a max...5 year...75 million dollar deal.
Nobody can match it...but if he says no...he can become a restricted free agent at the end of next season...
Jay Z is a good friend of Lebron's...someone Lebron calls family...
and he's a part owner of the Nets...
who are moving to Brooklyn soon...
Lebron in Brooklyn...
"The King of New York anyone?"
fuck...
:PUKES AT THE IDEA OF THAT:Originally posted by POJO_Risin
On a sidenote...and something a bit more scary...on Lebron's future...
The Cavs can sign him I think after August to a max...5 year...75 million dollar deal.
Nobody can match it...but if he says no...he can become a restricted free agent at the end of next season...
Jay Z is a good friend of Lebron's...someone Lebron calls family...
and he's a part owner of the Nets...
who are moving to Brooklyn soon...
Lebron in Brooklyn...
"The King of New York anyone?"
fuck...
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The rumblings are already there that Lebron fully intends to sign the max deal in Cleveland BEFORE he can become a free agent...
you don't normally hear rumblings like that FROM THE PLAYERS AGENT this far in advance...
Aww no Kobe and Lebron show?
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Not Until Next Year's NBA Final's when they square off against each other.Originally posted by Brett
Aww no Kobe and Lebron show?
Wow now that's a pipedream.
At least you still have a chance.
Originally posted by Brett
Wow now that's a pipedream.
At least you still have a chance.
But that would be the Best NBA Final in years. It'd be on the level of Magic Vs. Bird. The lakers are really starting to become my Favorite West Coast Team for some reason.
They are? Well there's something you don't hear everyday anymore.
Actually yes I think it would be quite a Finals, you might see it one day, both teams do need a few more pieces.
I don't think both teams need a "few" pieces...
The Cavs...
They need a more athletic center...unless they plan on putting Varejao and Z together...or using Varejao and dealing Z for someone else...
Not a scoring center...but an athletic center...in the mold of Ben Wallace...someone who can be a defensive and fast break threat...
They need Larry Hughes for a full, healthy year...
They need a point guard...or to just decide Lebron's the point-forward...and move on...
having a guy like Eric Snow and Damon Jones on the floor is not a good thing...
The Lakers?
Odom and Kobe are a good start...
I think Kwame is the athletic center they need if he learns how to move in the post...
Bynum...he's far away...but enticing...
If you acquire another big man (most people think they are going to go after...maybe...Garnett...which I just can't see at this point) to play the power forward spot...say a Carlos Boozer type player...that they wouldn't have to give up the farm for...
and get yourself a distributer and have Parker off the bench...
You've got something...in the triangle...you'd have Kwame at the top...Boozer at the bottom...Kobe playing two...Odom playing three...and say...a distributing point...that can maybe shoot some threes...maybe a guy like Brevin Knight....then you have something...
I think the big man is more key...some muscle...that can perhaps take the pressure off Brown underneath...
I could see the Lakers going after both those guys...
I could also see the Cavs going after Knight...who played with them early in his career...
Okay Folks, My Favorite Pro Team of all time doesn't have its own thread? Yes Folks I love the Browns. We have 8 NFL Titles, Compared to the 5 the Steelers Have, We also have the overall series lead in the Rivalry as well. Now, The Browns have been down ever since Uncle Scum moved us, But not to worry, Thanks to us Acquiring Phil Savage and a Monterous Off-season We shallt be better.
So in the Spirit of Jim Brown lets kick this thread off.
I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that I may be on Social Security before the Browns win the Super Bowl...
It's only 20 years....
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Yes, But I have to keep Optimistic thats all I have left is OPTIMISIM, Am I crazy? Yes, But you never know with the NFL, I mean how many times have we seen a time that NO one gave a shot to make it back to glory.Originally posted by Va Beach VH Fan
I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that I may be on Social Security before the Browns win the Super Bowl...
It's only 20 years....
I'll use the steelers as an example, who would've thought that in his First Season Roethlisberger would lead his team to an almost undefeated record and Almost a Super Bowl berth.
So you really never know VA.
Hi! O-HI-O for Cleveland, for the greatest team in the land,
We raise our voices--in one great chorus, just to make them understand,
We're proud they come from Cleveland, where we play the best football,
Hi! O-HI-O for Cleveland, to the greatest pro team of all
The Browns new Uniforms, Going back to our Roots I guess, Last time we had Gray Face Masks The NFL and AFL had just merged.
Sure, you never know...
But at the same time, one could argue that the Browns have actually REGRESSED rather than improved since it's reincarnation....
From 1999-2001, (2002 Not counting since we auctually made the playoffs that year.) and 2003-2004, Sure we really sucked then. But last season we really were showing signs of improvement (Us beating the Dolphins 22-0.), Sure we had bumps in the road (41-0, Man I am never going to live that down.), But we are starting to advance, Hell, the games against you guys could auctually be close this yearOriginally posted by Va Beach VH Fan
Sure, you never know...
But at the same time, one could argue that the Browns have actually REGRESSED rather than improved since it's reincarnation....
BTW, Bro they have the Highlights of The Choke of us in '02 on dawged.net against you guys (Goddamn Prevent Defense!, Davis was a fucking moron.) It's under Wildcard on there.
Savage draws rave reviews
By Steve King, Staff Writer
May 25, 2006
He literally took the bat out of his hands by being there, making himself over an hour late for a softball game for Browns employees back in Berea.
But general manager Phil Savage still hit a home run Wednesday, doing so while serving as the guest speaker for the monthly luncheon series at Ohio Prestwick Country Club in Green to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio.
He drew rave reviews in the suburban Akron city for his candid and insightful comments on a variety of topics concerning the Browns. But the biggest hit with the crowd of about 100, made up mostly of local businessmen who also looked to be husbands and fathers - and the subject on which he spent the most time - was the philosophy he said he's using to rebuild the club.
"The goal of the Cleveland Browns is to build a championship-caliber organization on and off the field that will represent Northeast Ohio well," he said.
It's possible to be a success in both areas, he said. In fact, it's a necessity if the Browns are ever going to return to prominence and gain that elusive Super Bowl berth.
"When I was working under Bill Belichick with the Browns in the early 1990s, he wanted players who were in condition, knew what to do and played hard," Savage recalled. "It didn't take too much physically for a player to do those things.
"Then about 1998 or '99 when I was working with the Baltimore Ravens, I started trying to figure out what kind of lifestyle off the field was most conducive to a player being successful. What were the common off-the field traits of the players who made it in the NFL and had substantial (four years and longer) careers?"
But is it really possible, in this day and age when so many athletes in all sports at all levels seem to have questionable values, for a playoff-type team to have good players who are also good people?
Yes, of course, Savage said.
"I've often referred to the old Woody Hayes saying of, You win with people,'" he said, "But more and more, I'm starting to believe a philosophy from a book I read where it says you win with the right people."
Does it mean the Browns will automatically bypass a talented player who has off-the-field issues?
"No, we're trying to find good football players," Savage said. "But our goal is to find guys who are both. We're not always successful, but we try."
But Savage is determined to be successful in this search more often than not. He's determined to make it work here in Cleveland.
Doubt his chances? Keep in mind that this is a man who, as a boy growing up in Mobile, Ala., came home from an overnight church lock-in event with the skin rubbed off his face after trying to win a race in which contestants had to roll a potato along the floor with their nose.
"I'm very competitive," Savage said.
He said only about 15 players remain from the group he inherited when he was hired in early January 2005.
He's also overhauled other areas of the organization to establish what he said was a sorely-needed "culture of winning."
He said Crennel is "the right coach for the right time. He's the authority figure for the team. The players like him."
"Last year, we had $24 million of dead money on the salary cap (players getting paid but no longer with the club)," he said. "Since 1993 when the salary cap went into existence, teams with more than $20 million of dead money averaged only five wins. So we exceeded that by one (with a 6-10 season in 2005).
"Other than that time on Christmas Eve (a 41-0 loss to Pittsburgh), we were in every game. It was hard for teams to beat us. They didn't just roll over us."
All this after he came home from the Browns' 27-13 season-opening loss to Cincinnati and dejectedly lamented to his wife, Dorothy, "I'm not sure we're going to win a game. This looks like it's going to be a long season."
The Browns used the year to get their program implemented and for all the new players and coaches to learn to work together. Now, after what the Browns deem to have been a successful offseason involving a productive free-agency signing period and draft, they're ready to see if it can translate to continued improvement on the field.
And off the field as well.
Explained Savage, "If we can get enough people working together, we can not only win, but win the right way - the way the Browns fans want, with dignity, class and true professionalism."
Browns: List of starters already forming PDF Print E-mail
Written by Steve Doerschuk REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER
Thursday, 25 May 2006
Romeo CrennelBEREA - NFL signifies Not For Long in a cryptic job-security sense. Still, you look at the Browns and wonder. Shouldnt it be longer than that?
General Manager Phil Savage and Head Coach Romeo Crennel head into spring practice with a nucleus of players they want to keep for years. Forging that nucleus, though, is the result of an overhaul that is stunning even within the context of regime change.
The latest makeover goes in motion with the start of spring practice next week. By the end of a June 16-18 minicamp, expect Crennel to reveal clues as to likely starters for the 2006 opener against the Saints on Sept. 10. Already, the teams run through free agency and the draft makes it fairly clear who most of those starters will be.
Based on one projection, expect:
n Six starters on offense who either werent starters on opening day 2005 or were on some other team.
n Six new starters on defense.
n Seventeen starters who werent starters at the close of 2004, nine on offense, eight on defense. The only exceptions are right tackle Ryan Tucker, fullback Terrelle Smith, defensive end Orpheus Roye, linebacker Andra Davis and cornerback Daylon McCutcheon.
Radical change was logical because the Butch Davis regime went 9-23 in its last two years. Fans seem to be embracing Savages massive fix-it attempt.
Outside pressure is building. A recent USA Today Sports Weekly article said, This years surprise team could be Cleveland ... the Browns might be ready to turn their opponents black and blue.
The purple haze of turnover, though, is one reason optimism should be tempered, at least until it becomes apparent that these guys can play together.
IN YOUR FACE
Spring practice will be a mesh-fest. Special drills that started Tuesday focus on new center LeCharles Bentley and under-the-gun quarterback Charlie Frye working on exchanges. This was a problem that factored into the demise of Trent Dilfer and Jeff Faine.
Frye also needs to get a feel for new left tackle Kevin Shaffer, who protected mobile quarterback Michael Vick in Atlanta and now must get the hang of Fryes improvisation.
Spring practice wont completely address the huge issue of phasing in Kellen Winslow Jr. and Braylon Edwards as impact receivers. Coming off knee surgery, Winslow is scheduled to be up and running in some spring drills. Edwards, coming off a later knee surgery, will be present at but not active in spring sessions.
Chemistry among Frye and new wideouts Joe Jurevicius and Travis Wilson will be monitored. Jurevicius is a veteran who can work through Fryes growing pains. Wilson is a rookie whose route-running needs work.
Offensive Coordinator Mo Carthon needs to have a good spring. The Browns ranked last in the NFL with 232 points, roughly half the 452 points racked up by Jurevicius former team, Seattle.
Mos an in-your-face type of guy, and hell say what it is, black or white, in his opinion, Savage said recently. Some players respond to it and other players dont ... some of our guys probably get along with Mo and other guys dont.
For the good of the team, everyone has to be on the same page.
PROVE IT OR SIT
The defense had a promising first chapter under coordinator Todd Grantham, but hell have a busy spring, too.
On the three-man line, incumbent ends Orpheus Roye and Alvin McKinley are working with a new nose tackle, Ted Washington. Rookie nose man Baba Oshinowo is trying to emerge.
The best talent at outside linebacker is in new bodies, veteran Willie McGinest and Round 1 pick Kamerion Wimbley. Crennel and Grantham must decide what to do with Chaun Thompson, who made strides in 2005 and is signed through 2007.
In theory, 2006 Round 2 pick DQwell Jackson can plug in alongside veteran Andra Davis to form a strong duo of inside linebackers. In fact, Jackson must prove hes a better option than veterans Matt Stewart or Thompson.
The Browns drafted Wimbley and Jackson to be starters sooner rather than later.
In last years draft, Crennel said, we were kind of shooting in the dark. We really didnt know exactly what we needed. We were able to identify our needs this time.
If they prove they can win the job, they will play. If they dont win the job, they sit with me for a while.
Brodney Pool, a Round 2 pick in 2005, sat as a rookie. Savage thinks Pool can be an impact safety, but he must beat out Brian Russell and Sean Jones for one of two openings.
Gary Baxter was supposed to stand out at corner last year. He sat out 11 games with a pectoral tear and must prove he can rebound.
Leigh Bodden and Daylon McCutcheon enter one of the teams hottest position battles, for the starting cornerback job opposite Baxter.
These are some of the issues the Browns face as they attempt to turn overhaul into up and running.
Busy in Berea
Whats going on with the Browns:
Most players are participating in offseason conditioning at the team complex.
On Tuesday, the first of three special training sessions among centers and quarterbacks was conducted.
The first of 10 spring practices will be June 1.
A full-squad minicamp is set June 16-18, to be followed by summer break.
Training camp is tentatively set to start the last weekend in July.
The Browns have absolutely regressed...
but I do think that Savage and that fat fucking head coach of theirs...is a step in the right direction...
and they've done well in the offseason...
that being said...they are still some ways away...
I think the Steelers will have a chip on their shoulder by the way...because NOBODY will be picking them to repeat...
and damn if pissing of Porter and that D is the wrong thing to do...
That's OK, I'll be in Vegas in July, keep them odds high....Originally posted by POJO_Risin
I think the Steelers will have a chip on their shoulder by the way...because NOBODY will be picking them to repeat...
and damn if pissing of Porter and that D is the wrong thing to do...
lmfao...well...there you go...
Still 9-1 as of right now....
I'll take that bet...
Personally I'm thinking it's going to be a Patriots Vs. 'Boys Super Bowl, With the Pats winning their Fourth and truly becoming the team of the decade. I think the Steelers winning it was a Fluke, Of Course I am Bias.
But I digress, The Browns will be better this year, The Bengals will be Back (You guys seemed to forget about them.) and then the team in Black and Yellow will be back as well. I think this Divison will be a damn hard one to play in, It's not going to be an easy Feat for the Steelers to repeat.
Oh, hell no...
It's like Pitino said in Boston a few years ago, I'll paraphrase it for this conversation...
"Troy Aikman is not walking through that door, neither is Emmitt Smith or Michael Irvin"....
And please spare me the "Parcells" excuse....
Ya'll know my anti-coaches rant....
Problem is, I couldn't think of the NFC opponent, I just picked the Cowboys for some reason. The NFC is weak as fuck, If the Browns were in the North they would have been contending for a playoff.Originally posted by Va Beach VH Fan
Oh, hell no...
It's like Pitino said in Boston a few years ago, I'll paraphrase it for this conversation...
"Troy Aikman is not walking through that door, neither is Emmitt Smith or Michael Irvin"....
And please spare me the "Parcells" excuse....
Ya'll know my anti-coaches rant....
The Pats will be back next year though, and then Bow out Gracefully.
Originally posted by Unchainme
Personally I'm thinking it's going to be a Patriots Vs. 'Boys Super Bowl, With the Pats winning their Fourth and truly becoming the team of the decade.
Here's the thing...the Pats have no depth...and now...their coaching staff is certainly suspect. I think the Pats will be okay...but I'm really looking at a team like Miami to surprise people. They have some talent there...and now...a coach who I think has a staff that many can't compare too. The depth is what made the Pats tough to beat...and now...particularly on the defensive side...they have none...
as for the Cowboys...well...with TO on that team...they could be very good...or even worse. Of course...I don't think anyone can make Bledsoe good again...
It wasn't easy for them to win in the first place. 1. The Browns will certainly be better...how could they not be. I still think the Steelers are head and shoulders above them. The only question-mark to me is whether or not they have that big bruising consistent back. Staley is good...but he hasn't been healthy in...well...2 years...I still think the potential for that offense led by a seasons Roeth, 2 great receivers, a great O-Line (see why the patriots aren't the same), and a defense that may be better than last year, can have a season BETTER than last seasons. Remember a couple of things here. When they lost to the Bengals...they were dealing with injuries...in particular...to Roeth...who wasn't right after the San Diego game...and the hammy issues. Don't forget...earlier in the year...it was the Steelers, when healthy, that laid one on the Bungles, and many had them rated as the #1 team in the league at that point. Injuries brought the Bungles to the top of the heap. Palmer...at this point as well...is still a question mark. I haven't forgotten the Bungles...I just think you have to have a defense, to match the offense...and they've done nothing to make me think that will change.Originally posted by Unchainme
But I digress, The Browns will be better this year, The Bengals will be Back (You guys seemed to forget about them.) and then the team in Black and Yellow will be back as well. I think this Divison will be a damn hard one to play in, It's not going to be an easy Feat for the Steelers to repeat.
Browns go on offensive PDF Print E-mail
Written by Terry Pluto, Ohio.com
Sunday, 28 May 2006
LeCharles BentleyIt has been awhile since I've written about the Browns, so this View is all about them -- something for fans wishing the NFL had spring football
General Manager Phil Savage is doing the only thing that he can do when trying to rebuild the Browns -- start by changing the offensive line.
``People love to talk about quarterbacks,'' Savage said. ``The quarterback is important, but I didn't see how we could get an impact quarterback right away. I didn't want to draft someone like Alex Smith and wait 3-4 years for him to develop. I wanted to turn over the offensive line.''
Consider that only 17 of the 53 players whom Savage inherited after the 2004 season remain. Only two are offensive linemen, starting right tackle Ryan Tucker and backup tackle Kirk Chambers.
Here was the usual offensive line in 2004: Ross Verba, Enoch DeMar, Jeff Faine, Kelvin Garmon and Tucker with Joaquin Gonzalez as the backup.
This season, it will be: Kevin Shaffer, Cosey Coleman, Joe Andruzzi, LeCharles Bentley andTucker, with veteran Bob Hallen as the key backup.
Bentley has been to the Pro Bowl. Coleman and Andruzzi have started for Super Bowl teams. Tucker has been the best offensive lineman since the Browns returned. Shaffer started 39 games for the Atlanta Falcons at left tackle. Hallen has played nine seasons with 47 career starts and is a major upgrade over Mike Pucillo.
``San Diego wanted to keep Hallen,'' Savage said. ``I have a friend in their front office, but he told me that Bob (a Kent State product) always wanted to play for the Browns. That gave us the inside track.''
Adding Bentley and Shaffer is critical, because both are 26 and entering their prime years. Tucker turns 31 in June and remains in good shape. The only long-term question marks are Coleman and Andruzzi.
Coleman, 27, will be a free agent at the end of 2006. He played with a very sore knee. Andruzzi, 30, has dealt with several injuries in the past few years. He missed three games last season. Part of the reason the New England Patriots decided against re-signing him before the 2005 season was a concern that his body is older than his age.
What the Browns discovered last season was even with Coleman and Andruzzi battling injuries, they were a major improvement over DeMar and Garmon. They are two veterans who know what they're doing, and they blocked for Reuben Droughns (1,232 yards), who became the team's first 1,000-yard rusher since 1985.
Watching big nose tackles such as the Pittsburgh Steelers' Casey Hampton manhandle center Jeff Faine led Savage to sign Bentley, making him one of the highest paid offensive linemen in the NFL.
``Our goal is to protect Charlie Frye and not put him in position where he feels he has to win games all the time,'' said Savage. ``We have spent money and put an emphasis on the line. We have some depth with Hallen, and I really think (Isaac) Sowells can develop into a starting guard in time. He was a left tackle at Indiana, so he can play there, too.''
Sowells was the fourth-round draft pick, acquired with the choice obtained in the Chris Crocker deal with the Falcons.
Catching the ball . . .
Savage believes that the Browns can help Frye in another way -- with two new receivers in Kellen Winslow and Joe Jurevicius. Winslow is healthy and should be ready for the opener. He has played only two games in two years, but he was a great college tight end at the University of Miami. He has bonded with Frye. The two of them work out together several days a week in Berea and have attended Cavs games and other sporting events.
``When Charlie gets in trouble, he can dump a little pass off to Kellen,'' Savage said. ``Kellen has the kind of talent to take a 4-yard pass and turn it into a 15- to 25-yard gain. Having a guy like that is a tremendous help to a quarterback.''
Jurevicius is a sure-handed veteran receiver who caught 53 passes with the Seattle Seahawks. Just think of how many key passes that Browns receivers have dropped the past few years. Other than the early years of Kevin Johnson, when was the last time they had a truly dependable wide receiver?
Jurevicius is a big target (6-foot-5, 230 pounds). He's not fast but can catch a ball in traffic. He knows not to run a 5-yard pattern when you need eight yards for a first down. Here's a revealing statistic: Of his 53 catches, 38 went for first downs, nine for touchdowns.
Then there's Edwards, who connected with Frye for some superb passes in the exhibition season. The Browns are cautious about saying when they expect him back from reconstructive knee surgery. The safe bet is October, and it's hard to know when he'll be 100 percent.
Dennis Northcutt is back, but the past few years have demonstrated that he's not a prime-time receiver. Savage said the Browns will take a serious look at Brandon Rideau, an undrafted free agent from Kansas who was on the roster last year but didn't play in the regular season. He had some good moments catching the ball in exhibition games.
More Browns . . .
In their worst case scenario, the Browns expect Kamerion Wimbley to be on the field in passing situations to use his talent rushing the quarterback. He will have to learn to switch from defensive end at Florida State to an outside linebacker with the Browns. They don't imagine him having major adjustment problems.
If you have to guess which rookie will start immediately, bet on second-rounder D'Qwell Jackson, a linebacker. He's only 6 feet tall and not exceptionally fast. Some scouts didn't rate him highly despite his leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in tackles the past two years. Savage picked him ``because he's just a very good football player. He's smart and tough and picks things up quickly. He'll play inside linebacker for us, his natural position. We're high on him.''
The Browns hope Jackson can combine with Andra Davis for the two inside linebacker spots. They have Willie McGinest on the outside. Chaun Thompson also might play some outside linebacker. Matt Stewart can play inside or outside. They are hoping David McMillan (fifth-round pick in 2005) can be in the mix somewhere. He played very little last season.
Savage said the Browns are content with Ken Dorsey as the backup quarterback. They don't want to sign an aging quarterback just to have a name better known to fans. Dorsey has started 10 games and thrown 316 passes in his career. His passer rating is 63.7, with eight touchdowns compared with 11 interceptions. Not great numbers, but hardly an embarrassment. He also has a fair amount of experience for a quarterback who is only 25.
No matter what the Browns say, it's hard to imagine Lee Suggs with the team by next season. They are loaded at running back. In addition to Droughns, they have William Green and fifth-rounder Jerome Harrison, a fascinating prospect because he gained 1,900 yards, caught 24 passes and scored 16 touchdowns at Washington State. The Browns also like Jason Wright a bit. They appreciate Suggs' talent, but he has an extensive injury history dating to his college career.
I expect Suggs to be elsewhere. Green might stick because he's very good on special teams and his off-the-field problems have ceased to be an issue. Harrison and Wright would supply depth, with Harrison possibly being a pass-catching back on third-down situations. As for Wright, Savage said: ``The coaches like him because he knows exactly what to do. He's one of the classiest people on the team. He's the kind of player who can surprise you.''
It's hard to know what to make of Droughns' domestic-violence case. Supposedly, his wife doesn't want charges filed. These things are always messy. The Browns are saying nothing without more details, and that's probably the wisest course.
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