The Cleveland Browns are clearly focused on their head coaching search and it seems to me that they are on a very narrow track. This is a narrow track with respect to whom they will hire as Head Coach and whom they will draft first this year. Also, being a very narrow track, it is much easier to derail. That is the part that concerns me the most.
If it is true that it is only a matter of time before the Cleveland brain trust hires Josh McDaniels and then pairs him with Johnny Manziel, we are going to be starting the 2014 season rocking on that narrow track. Both McDaniels and Manziel are known for their flairs for the dramatic. They seem to have egos that at least match their talent levels. Manziel seems to think he can beat his fellow offensive players into submission with fire and brimstone speeches on the sidelines. It seems to work fairly well on a college stage. Not so sure how it will translate to professional players. McDaniels, not to be outdone, has created some fireworks of his own based on his volatile time in Denver.
On the positive side, both seem to be very talented and accomplished in their methods. They seem to produce results. It is very true that the Browns do not need to have choir boys leading them to victory and that volatile egos with a burning desire to win can work. But if those same egos clash, well that would lead to an explosion off the tracks.
So, for the Browns fans that are so psyched about this magical combo please be aware that this will be an interesting and possibly rocky ride until things smooth out. There is legitimate hope that McDaniels has learned some lessons from his checkered Denver experience. And it is also true that he will not be a General Manager so some of the pressure will be taken off. This could translate into a much improved final product. It is also possible that cooler heads will prevail with Manziel and he will come in with fire but not the kind that burns his teammates or himself.
Now the problems with Manziel’s size, reckless style play, throwing off the back foot and other issues may not be as easy to tame or control. So it remains to be seen what the results will be. My hope is that Hoyer can win the job and Manziel (or anyone else we pick for that matter) can sit back and watch awhile until they are thrown out there. If people think Manziel (or any of the quarterback prospects this year) is a finished product that is simply not the case.
Of course I would be extremely pleased if there is a real Head Coach search and that Malzahn from Auburn is a legitimate target. He is innovative and supports an up-tempo offense similar to Chip Kelly. But, because he is less hyped, I think he might even be a better choice than Kelly was last year.
I also hope that the Browns brain trust has not settled on a quarterback to target as of yet and a true analysis is ongoing. There are many ways to go with this and I really don’t think any of the quarterbacks this year come close to Andrew Luck or even RGIII for that matter. So to trade up and lose valuable additional assets to “get their guy” might not be the best strategy this year. However, I think it is exactly the strategy they will employ. I am fearful that the Rams will insist, at the least, on both first round picks and that would be a shame given all of the needs we have. Remember, there are only three picks before 4. There I said it. Thank you Captain Obvious.
Little did I know when I wrote my last post about the Browns unmitigated disaster that Luca was waiting around the corner from the Browns locker room after the Steelers game. He struck quickly and with little warning and Chud was no more. It does fit the arrogance and ruthlessness of our senior management, but it was still a bit surprising. Now I did predict long ago that Chud would have a short leash with the management and the fans. I guess the fans were a bit more tolerant than the management but I said that if Banner decides to nail the coffin “Browns fans won’t have enough energy to pry open the lid”. That was certainly a true statement.
Now, in my past approach, I would have argued the merits or lack of merit in firing a first time head coach after one year. But, as I implied in my recent post and at the time of my Chud article in the spring, the focus now will be on results. Chud did not produce results and, even though I disagree with the move, I am willing to accept this unceremonious execution with one provision ….. THAT THE BROWNS START WINNING NEXT YEAR!! There are no more three to five year plans. There are no two year plans. There is only a ONE YEAR plan. That plan is to reach the playoffs in the 2014 season! Fans need to finally hold the Browns accountable just as the current management has held Coach Chud accountable. We need to stand firm and not accept failure again. Now that is a hard thing to say as I have season tickets with a close and dear friend and I won’t let him down, but we need to stand up for success and not accept continued failure. If we accept continued losing and just moan and groan about it, we deserve what we get.
So that brings me to another reality check point. If I feel this way, there are likely many other Browns fans that feel similarly. If that is true, then the Browns have finally reached the OK Corral. After all of this tolerance and acceptance of 3-5 year plan after 3-5 year plan, I think the fans have finally reached a breaking point. We will have that “shoot out” with the team if they don’t produce. Generally fans lose these battles miserably but Browns fans are a curious bunch. Never know what might happen if we get pushed too far. Maybe we will actually be able to walk away with our wallets and our dignity.
I actually think the Browns ownership and management sense this growing dissatisfaction and this partially led them to the conclusion they must fire Chud and move on now. Sooner than later. Faster than slower. More ruthless than accepting. Now what they may not have anticipated is that the fans were galvanized by the move to ax Chud after one year. It made me realize, and I suspect others, that the Browns must win now. The ownership would not have made this move if they didn’t feel the pressure to produce fast. And Banner actually said some things similar today at the presser. Haslam did as well. I think they firmly feel that they cannot afford another three year plan. The word “patience” was not used much or at all at the presser. The media was aggressive and asked tough questions that were not as easy to answer as many in the past. Haslam was visibly upset at some of the implications about his leadership and credibility. I am firmly convinced after today’s press conference that they know the score. And the score is they had better hire a good coach that will produce NOW and win.
So as opposed to being more distressed by this disaster that is the Cleveland Browns organization, I am actually much more accepting of their methods. What has led me to this acceptance is that I am now taking control of what I can actually control. And that is my support or lack of support for the Browns. All of the pressure has fallen on them. None of the pressure is on the fans. They must produce a solid coach and coaching staff, a great draft that includes a quarterback to groom, use a ton of cap space to improve the quality of the players on the field, and then go out and win next year. Even just making the playoffs next year will likely be enough to move the fans strongly in their direction. Even a one game and out would return credibility to the organization and allow them to proceed to a championship caliber team in the following years. Anything less and I am not sure what will happen. Only witnessing the improvement will allow me to even think of the consequences.
If they decide to go with McDaniels and Manziel, a combination I previously have feared, I am Ok with it. Because my judgement will be from the production on the field. I will not prejudge the outcome but watch the results. That doesn’t mean I won’t blog about it or have an opinion. It simply means that I expect the Browns to win. Anything else is unacceptable.
Before the basketball season began there was a reasonable sense of optimism about the direction of the Cavs and the upcoming season. The expectations were that the Cavs might approach a .500 record and, with the pathetic Eastern Conference teams, likely sneak into the playoffs. No expectations beyond that and many even tempered the playoff speculation by believing they would just miss. But almost no one doubted that the Cavs would be improved in terms of competitiveness and wins/losses. Of course, it didn’t take much to improve on last season but what the heck. Many were hopeful that the signing of Jarrett Jack and Andrew Bynum would move the Cavs to the next level. Few liked or cared about the signing of Earl Clark but the Bynum and Jack moves were believed positive.
The draft led to the “head scratching” pick of UNLV power forward Anthony Bennett, but even that did not deter the Cleveland faithful. Most agreed that there was no consensus number one player in this draft. The Cavs would have been better served to pick from 3rd to 5th and the Bennett pick would not have given us all a head rash. Does anyone think that Bennett would not have been there at pick 5? Plus, the Cavs “Go Deep” ability had resulted in the pretty solid picks of Irving, Waiters and Thompson so I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
I had no expectations of Andrew Bynum myself as I had been adamantly opposed to all the fan hyperbole about Bynum. Twitter went berserk when there was speculation we might trade for Bynum before the ill-fated Philadelphia trade that turned out to be an abomination for the 76ers. I was much calmer about the eventual free agent deal that led to a club friendly contract and flexibility. My “over/under” on Bynum was 20 games and I was betting the under. I would have lost my bet but not for the reason I suspected. I believed (and still do) that Bynum’s knees will make it impossible for him to really mount a comeback. But I did see enough to believe he can still help certain teams that don’t depend on him.
Unfortunately the Bynum experiment hurt the Cavs greatly and I now know I shouldn’t have been as calm about the signing as I was. I had believed that he would be physically unable to play and the team and teammates would see that. If he didn’t make it, it would have been no major loss. Plus, if he was unable to play physically, he wouldn’t have hurt the growth of the other players whose minutes he stole. In my view the worst case scenario developed because Bynum played, took minutes, and didn’t help us win. Even worse, Kyrie Irving and Jarrett Jack looked on him as a big part of the team. Their comments after the suspension proved that. Kyrie “It’s just a terrible situation internally with our team. Coaches decision, came from management. That’s kind of where it stays with management.” Jack proved to be much more diplomatic but still indicated Bynum was not disruptive and he hoped the team would “return to full strength” (implying with Bynum, not without him).
So now a Cavs reality check is in order. The team has NOT performed with fight and intensity consistently and that comes from the top player down. As I said in an earlier post, when Kyrie plays hard and defends, the team seems to follow. A great example of that was the end of the recent Boston game. We made a real run at them and Kyrie was all over the place going for rebounds, steals, and pushing the action. But what happened in the first three quarters of that game? More of the same lackluster effort Cavs fans have come to know and love in this 2013-2014 season. Looks pretty similar to how we looked under another coach last year. But the Cavs are much closer to an impending disaster this season then they ever were before during the Kyrie Irving era. Let me explain.
Despite some rumors to the contrary, there was little doubt that Irving respected his “basketball father” Byron Scott. Sadly, he did not perform for him the way he should have but I believe he respected and admired him. There is little known about what Kyrie feels about Mike Brown even though he has tried to follow his coach’s lead. Now, with the soon to be released Andrew Bynum saga, there is evidence that Kyrie might not be on board with management or the coaching staff. Jack might feel similarly privately. This is a disaster waiting to blow up in the Cavs faces. As usual, the Cavs fans will feel the explosion as well with a team in disarray and locker room lost to Mike Brown. This will simply pile on the losses and the heartache. It will also lead to an early departure for Irving from Cleveland along with another coaching turnover. Even before that, there might be a GM turnover because Chris Grant is clearly in the crosshairs.
So, as you can see, this “little” Bynum incident might be the tip of the iceberg ripping a whole right through the fabric of the Cavs. It places everyone at risk and everyone under scrutiny. It keeps that fan base nervous and less tolerant. It makes winning more difficult UNLESS THEY START WINNING.
And that is the only possible silver lining in this disaster that is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Winning will fix all of this and the team will actually come closer together than ever before under Mike Brown. The loss of Bynum will be an opportunity for Anthony Bennett and Tyler Zeller. That opportunity could pay dividends now and for the future.
The Cavs do have a reasonable chance to avert this disastrous conclusion. They simply need to come together and realize that the stretch this season where they looked like a playoff team was not a fluke. It took consistent effort and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win. It took a team full of players and no one player to define them. As silly as it sounds, if they just followed their motto they would be fine. A team fighting as a team with a collective will to win. The Cavs do have it in them. We have all seen it this season in a short stretch.
Without Bynum, if they do not have the mega collapse that could be triggered by his release, they will come to realize that management was right cutting ties sooner than later. That allowing Bennett and Zeller to develop is in the best interest of the team and will actually make them more likely to win than with Bynum. Those players provide an improved ability to run the floor and get back on defense. They will allow the offense to flow without the slugging down of trying to feed the post. In another team, Bynum is a far superior weapon than either of those young players. But for the Cavs, I think they will be happy if they give them minutes.
Am I optimistic that a renewed effort and intensity will lead to winning? That would be pretty hard for me to swallow given what I have heard thus far. But I do recognize that it is possible and frankly hope I start to see it tonight against a superior team in Golden State. Just a solid effort would be a fantastic start.
Before the football season began there was a reasonable sense of optimism about the direction of the Browns and the upcoming season. No one really predicted a playoff run but a boost to 7-9 or 8-8 was very possible. The coaching staff although new was exciting and a true Browns fan was running the show (Coach Chud) with very experienced O and D coordinators to support him. The players on defense had been upgraded significantly and the hope was an aggressive attacking defense that made opposing teams uncomfortable. The Steelers were on the decline and had little chance of sniffing playoffs based on their roster and anemic start to the season. All was good in Browns land. Browns fans had reasonable expectations and an improved competitive team. Everyone hated the quarterback, but that was not new for Browns fans. We haven’t liked a quarterback that starts since our return to the league. Now we do love backups but that is a fleeting fancy.
And now we reach the final game of the season and a reality check. The Steelers are again in the playoff race and a victory over the Browns is important for them. The Browns are again “racing” for a high draft pick that is unlikely to right the franchise (as evidenced by the many high picks that have gone before). The Browns have a pathetic record, still no quarterback, can’t close out games as evidenced by many fourth quarter meltdowns, an expensive defense that is highly overrated in our minds and can’t stop a team at the end of a game and can’t get off the field on third down, and a front office that can’t even let the General Manager speak for fear of what he will say. Does that sound like a recipe for success to you? Please challenge me if I am misstating the facts here? I don’t think I am even exaggerating a bit.
And then comes the Browns vaunted fan base. We complain about our starters (primarily at quarterback but everywhere else at times). Boo when the team is down and our players are down. Fatalistically expect to lose and then boo more when the team meets our expectations. We have become the same losers our teams have become. That isn’t a value judgment because I join in with the chorus myself on many occasions. It is simply a statement of fact and reflects the performance on the field of being unable to close out games and be a winner. Be honest with yourself. Isn’t it true that every time a game gets close in the fourth quarter you visualize another loss instead of a stunning win? Well do you think the team is any different? Free agent and rookie players come here and marvel at the improbable ways the team finds to lose games. They almost are in stunned silence. Listen to Kruger interviews since the losing. The poor guy doesn’t know what hit him.
Despite all of this gloom and doom next year hope will spring eternal again. The fans will have a new quarterback to boo and maybe this time they will learn their lesson. I can always pray that the fans will realize that a rookie quarterback will not carry the Browns to the Promised Land (and neither will Hoyer). This team needs to keep its draft picks in their pocket and improve the team at every turn. I have no problem picking a quarterback with their first pick; just do not trade up to get him. Ask Washington how that is turning out? There are no Andrew Lucks in this draft and probably no RG3s either. Let’s get the best available and move from there.
The Browns must sign Mack and Ward to avoid creating two gaping new holes they must fill. They have enough holes already. With a good draft and a mental makeover of the team and the fans, the Browns have something to work with. We might have the most dynamic receiver in the league thanks to Tom Heckert. Just remember that this front office basically ripped Heckert for that move. If he stays clean, he can get even better. That is a great star to build with on offense.
Yes, I have said that the Browns are a disaster. And who can really challenge me on that? They have an unproven front office that needs a bunch of home runs in the draft and strategic signings to move the team forward. I am hopeful that they will listen to reason and use their cap money and draft picks aggressively this year to vault the team forward. The assets are there but it takes precise execution to move out of the abyss.
In addition, it will take some luck and success on the field to break through the culture of losing both for the fans and the team. Even with that early, I have seen Cleveland teams crash and burn when the expectations begin to rise. It makes no sense, but it happens. One team will need to rise above. One team will have to go from disaster to success. Will it be the Browns? Will the Browns fans drop their losing mentality and support the team with thunderous cheers instead of dysfunctional boos? Can we avoid being fickle and support the quarterback through the tough times as well as the good times? There are only so many superstar quarterbacks out there you know. We may not get one. But, look at it this way; anything will look like an upgrade over Weeden.
Am I optimistic? Well, I am a Cleveland fan so that counts on the negative side. I will say this, if the front office executes this off-season, I will remain positive unless the record proves me wrong at the end of next year. I want a winner and acting like a loser does not lead to winning. So I vow to change my approach and hope it helps. Fairy tale … maybe. But, after looking at this Browns season, I have little choice other than giving up. I choose not to give up.
Cavs have two options… Which will they take? As anyone who has read this blog the past few days knows, I have not exactly been complementary of the Cavs performances on the court. It would seem kind of silly for me to change positive after that spanking the Cavs endured against the TWolves. Understandably then, I will not be making that positive attitude adjustment in this commentary. I have watched closely each of the past 4 straight losses to the Bobcats. Two of those were in the preseason but the games were all similar in my eyes.
The Bobcats were more athletic, had a vastly superior will to win, Walker broke down Irving at will and created havoc for our defense, and almost every single player played harder and faster than their Cavalier counterpart. This resulted in 4 Bobcat wins despite the fact that the Cavs are a more skilled team by far and have superior basketball talent. In Friday’s game, the Cavs will face the best Charlotte roster by far than any they have faced before. The reason is one player, Al Jefferson. In his limited time (he did not play vs the Cavs), he is leading the team in points per game and rebounds per game. He also has 2.3 assists per game vs only .33 turnovers per game. He is a force to be reckoned with in any game and will be a very steadying influence on this young team. I was one of the few that wanted Jefferson for the Cavs and admittedly the argument that he is somewhat overpaid seems reasonable. That being said, the Cavs would be a far better team in my opinion having Jefferson on the court for 14 million vs Bynum for 12 million. But that ship has sailed and I am in the minute minority on this point anyway.
The interesting thing about this improved Bobcat team is that it might work in the Cavs favor in Friday’s game. Jefferson, although in my opinion a very good player, somewhat slows the offense and defense down. Given that the Cavs have been out quicked by the Cats in each loss, slowing them down even a touch helps our defense. The flip side of that is the skill advantage we enjoyed in each of those losses has been narrowed. So time will tell which factor affects the game more.
None of this matters, however, if the Cavs continue to play lethargic uninspired basketball and Irving does not come to play on both ends of the floor. If Irving is broken down at will, then the results will seem similar. If you haven’t noticed by now, each and every point guard that plays the Cavs is out to put an Irving notch on their belt. They come at him full force and expose his weaknesses (which is generally subpar defensive foot speed and poor intensity). This causes a variety of defensive challenges for the Cavs and makes it harder for Kyrie to play offense. It is a well known fact that one of the best ways to slow down an elite offensive player is to make him play defense. Since Irving struggles so much with that at times, it makes him an easy target for that strategy. And I have news for Kyrie, the only one that can stop that from happening is Kyrie. No defensive scheme can adequately protect the point guard.
So, if you want to know what will happen in the Charlotte game, it all will depend on the Cavaliers in my mind. I am 100% certain that Charlotte will come to play. They smell blood in the Cavs ocean and will dive for every loose ball, go full speed and all out on every possession, and try to embarrass the Cavs in front of their home fans. Walker will again use that monster chip on his shoulder to try and outplay and outhustle Irving. The only counter for this, and I mean the ONLY counter, is to play hard and never back down. To come at them as fast as they come at us. To beat them down the floor in transition and attack with maximum intensity. To lay back and run the offense in slow motion as they have been will result in run out after run out just like against the TWolves.
If the Cavs do not play with high intensity for 48 minutes, the lowly Bobcats will win on our home floor by 15 plus points. Instead of being evidence that the TWolves game was a wake up call, it will be evidence that the TWolves game is a sign of things to come.
It is impossible for me to fathom that the Cavs will not come out and fight with 100% effort. Last year I kept saying that and the poor results kept coming while the effort stayed flat. So this year I am taking a different path, I unhappily believe the Cavs will get spanked by 15 plus points at the Q. I keep waiting for evidence they are going to stand up and fight for every possession. Until I see it, I will continue to look on the dark side of the possibilities. As always, I will be looking for any signs of life.
The Cleveland Browns are clearly focused on their head coaching search and it seems to me that they are on a very narrow track. This is a narrow track with respect to whom they will hire as Head Coach and whom they will draft first this year. Also, being a very narrow track, it is much easier to derail. That is the part that concerns me the most. 
