Football is a game, not a track meet

Here is a great article written by Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Colt McCoy. Cabot's article does a fine job of talking about the intangibles that a Colt McCoy possesses and how and why this makes him a great football player.

It really does burn me up, everytime I read about a good football player who has been undervalued because of a tape measure, a scale and a stopwatch.

Football is a game, not a track meet. A relatively slow but fundamentally sound player who has a sophisticated understanding of his opponents tendencies is far more valuable than a fast player who does not. How much time is it worth if a player is able or not able to anticipate the action? Far more than a fraction of a second, that's for damn sure. Colt may not have the exact right size and speed that scouts desire, but he is a smart football player and in any case he's 6'1" so he's not exactly a damned midget. This guy dropped to round 3 essentially because he is only as tall as Joe Montana and only as fast as Brian Sipe....

The best example I can find of football skills is this film of former Kent State great and Ohioan Jack Lambert. Lambert of course was too small and too slow for the NFL but in the video you can see how he was far ahead of other players in game skills and intangibles like having an emotional edge, yet another huge factor on the gridiron that simply cannot be measured by a scout's tape measure.

Browns post draft free agent signings

With only 7 rounds in the modern era NFL draft the import of post draft college free agent signings is magnified.

For example, here are just a few of the players drafted after round 7 back when the NFL draft lasted much longer than 7 rounds

Dwight Clark Round 10 in 1979
Brian Sipe round 13 in 1972
Ernest Byner round 10 in 1984
LC Greenwood round 10 in 1969
Bart Starr round 17 in 1956

Since the end of the draft, the Browns have been very active in free agent signings, and that is yet another great sign that our team finally is being run by professionals. There is much gold to mine from the lists of undrafted players this year.

For a full list of the free agents signed thus far by our Browns, click on this link.

One player I find particularly intriguing, if only for his size, is Canadian college offensive tackle Joel Reinders. Of course, universities in Canada play using Canadian rules, and the game is quite different so a Canadian player starts already at a disadvantage relative to a player from an American university. Worse yet, Reinders has only been playing organized football for 2 years. Still, as an athlete this young man leaps off the page at anyone. For starters, he's 6' 8" tall and weighs 320 pounds and his combine numbers on strength and speed were quite respectable. He's got a VERY LONG way to go to learn how to play football but if he can learn and grow as a player, his potential seems unlimited.



Here is some scouting combine clips of Reinders. It's very clear watching the film that Reinders is not yet a very good football player but at the same time his upside is also easy to envision given his size and strength:

Proof that NFL scouts are often fools: Brian Sipe

We've just finished yet another NFL draft. Some players went higher than expected and some lower. As the years pass we'll be able to judge the scouts on their skill in the 2010 draft but there are also decades of proof in our rear view mirror.

A good example is Brown's great Brian Sipe, who in spite of the fact that he led the nation in passing his senior year at San Diego State, was not drafted by the Browns in the 1972 NFL Draft until the 13th round. Why? Well of course, his arm wasn't good enough and he was too short and not athletic enough. Sipe of course went on to a stellar career with the Browns, registering 6 winning seasons in the 7 years he was the Browns starter. When you consider that Art Modell was the owner all of those years, it makes Sipe's winning record all the more impressive.

In the below youtube video of a Sipe led drive against Minnesota, you can witness some of the intangibles that allowed Sipe to rise about the rest of the pack. Most interesting to note is how cool and collected Sipe is in the face of Minnesota pass rushers, who in two cases annihilate Sipe after he gets the throw off.

In the book Kardiac Kids by Jonathan Knight, Browns great Doug Dieken, when asked why Paul McDonald was a failure and Sipe was a success in the NFL, gave the following answer:

"In a seven on seven drill when you're just going against defensive backs and linebackers and nobody is rushing you, isn't the same as being out there and having guys zinging by your head. That was the difference between Sipe and McDonald"

The 2010 was, on balance, a good draft for the Browns. Ironically however, it will probably be players like Joe Haden, Colt McCoy and Carlton Mitchell, all of whom had a hard time impressing the scouts, who will really contribute to the future succes of the Cleveland Browns.

Browns steal Carlton Mitchell

Previously profiled here on The Brown Log, the Browns grab Carlton Mitchell in round 6. Grabbing Mitchell in the 6th round is a steal of historic proportions, The Brown Log said it first, so mark our words, this guy is going to be a major contributor to our success.



Here is a scouting report on Mitchell

STRENGTHS

Mitchell has an elite combination of size and speed for the next level. Has big, strong hands. His height and long-range speed make him a legitimate deep threat. Has a ton of upside potential. Is a ferocious blocker. Will really compete for the football in traffic and isn't afraid to take a big hit.

WEAKNESSES

Mitchell is still a very raw prospect whose draft status could have improved with another year of seasoning. At this time, he's a poor route runner on short to intermediate routes. He also likes to body catch and must do a better job of attacking the football away from his frame.

The anti-Spielman: Montario Hardesty

The Browns grabbed Montario Hardesty with their second pick in round 2 of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Montario Hardesty rose in the scouting evaluations thanks to a series of off the chart results in the speed, agility and strength testing at the scouting combine. I remember when Ohio State great Chris Spielman dropped into the second round of the NFL Draft because his combine numbers were less impressive than others. How many times do NFL personnel evaluators forget to ask the question, "can this guy play football"? Worst of all, the Browns paid an extraordinarily high price for Montario, giving up three picks — 71, 134 and 146 — for the 59th overall pick.

If the NFL game were a track meet in which a team gain points for running a fast 40 yard dash, jumping rope, and running without knocking down cones, I would be celebrating the selection of Hardesty. Unfortunately, football is a match of 11 offensive players vs 11 defenders. Have a look at the below youtube "highlights" from Montario's senior year at Tennessee. At the college level this guy got by thanks to his size and strength advantages but there is not a single example in which he stands above the rest of the talent on the field. If anything he looks out of his league.

Hardesty has the size, speed and agility to become an All-Pro but have a look at the highlights, unfortunately, he's not much of a football player. He's only 22 so he can always learn and improve, but do not hold out much hope that Hardesty will actually become a decent player instead of a member of the Willis Adams club, ie...yet another example of how scouting combines only go so far in determining whether or not a player will be a success in the NFL.

2010 NFL Draft Round 2 - TJ Ward

TJ Ward ended up being our free safety consolation prize in the second round, since Eric Berry did not drop to us in round 1. Ward doesn't have Berry's football skills but he is a very hard hitter, albeit Ward is also injury prone. Looks like a nice player in any case. Let's hope he can stay healthy.

2010 NFL Draft: Round 2?

I personally hope and pray the Browns don't pick Jimmy Clausen as is speculated in this mock draft of round 2 in this link.

A much better choice might be Colt McCoy or Vladimir Ducasse.

UPDATE: The Browns grab Colt McCoy in with their first pick in round 3. I can only say "fantastic" first that such a great player dropped in our hands in round 3, and second that we actually grabbed him. Colt fits very nicely into the West Coast offense. I like his leadership, athletic skills and short passing game accuracy. The scouts say he lacks a cannon for an arm but so did Joe Montana and Brian Sipe. If this guy can dominate in the short passing game, it will give him the margin he needs to be enough of a threat long.

Here is what one scout actually has to say about Colt:

STRENGTHS
McCoy is a natural leader with high character. Played with a lot of intelligence in Texas’ system which he mastered. Was extremely productive. Possesses a quick release. Displays great accuracy in the short passing game and puts the ball in a position to set up his receivers for run after the catch. Has the foot-speed to avoid the rush and buy extra time.
WEAKNESSES
McCoy lacks a cannon for an arm. Can fit the ball into spots on intermediate routes at times but will struggle with the deep ball. Release point is a little low. Needs to improve his accuracy on long passes down the field and toward the sideline.

2010 NFL Draft: Joe Haden

Eric Berry didn't drop into our hands, so the Browns took Florida CB Joe Haden. I have to admit my surprise as Haden's stock appeared to drop with his slow 40 yard dash time at the combine. I'm the first to state that football is a lot more than a 40 yard dash, so only time will tell if we have a guy who will help the Browns get to the Super Bowl.

2010 NFL Draft: Today is round 1

The NFL draft starts today. Looks like the Browns won't move up to get Sam Bradford Let's hope that Eric Berry lasts til number 7, as he will be an instant contributor in 2010.

Brown's 2010 schedule released

Vintage Browns: vs. Packers 1969

Memories: Rocky Belk

When we were in college back in the 80s, we formed a football team in the Ohio State Intramural flag football league. The Schwansies as we were called, nearly won it all that year. We made it to the semi finals where we played some sissy frat boy group that certainly did unspeakable things like practicing... The only practicing the Schwansies did involved 12 ounze curls, probably before, not after the game. In the end, we lost that semi-final game by less than a touchdown. We were from the Cleveland area so I guess that helped us all move on, but I still have a tough time thinking about that loss.

This squad was led by the brilliant Bill Jingo at QB and his brother, the hard driving (another way to say extremely bad tempered) David Jingo. Other members of this squad included our center and main pass-rusher Craig Vretas, and the infamous Mike Abel. As I recall, occasionally the derelict Nathan Davenport would show up to play, beyond that I can't remember who else took the field of play but I am sure that I've named nearly all of the guys that won the games for us.

So why do I mention Rocky Belk?? Well... I too was on that squad and I caught 3 passes all season long, all for very long touchdowns. When I found this video, I now recall, that Mike and Dave used to call me Rocky Belk. Why? Because Belk caught 5 passes in his entire NFL career, 2 of them for long scores.

watch this video to witness one of Rocky Belk's career touchdowns......

2010 NFL Draft: Interview with Holmgren and Heckert

Here is an excellent interview with Holmgren and Heckert by Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Some inside view into their draft strategies and opinions on certain key players. I think it's clear from reading between the lines that Jimmy Clausen is not in the Browns future.

Here is an excerpt of one Holmgren answer that I found particularly insightful regarding how Holmgren analyzes a young quarterback:

Mike Holmgren (On what he looks for in a quarterback)- “Over the years I have kind of tried to break it down. First of all, their ability to pass the ball, just the physical ability of passing the ball. If they can’t do that more often than not I don’t even get to step two. Then if they can do that, I want to see their football intelligence, some of the intangibles. Is he coachable? Just a feeling for the young man. Is he bright eyed? Does he exhibit some leadership qualities and things like that. The third thing is getting back more into the physical part of it, his movement ability. I’m not talking about running, necessarily, but his movement in the pocket. The ability maybe to get a first down if you have to, those types of things. If I go much beyond that then all of a sudden, this is me, I found that you are accumulating a lot of information, a lot of facts and figures that kind of muddies the waters just a little bit. That’s the first step and the next step is I like to see them in person, up close. You see film, you see how he plays and you see all that kind of stuff. I like to get up close and watch him deliver the ball and watch him do those things. My way is kind of simple over the years with how I have looked at it.”

He took it out

Yet another ruthless woman comes out of the woodwork to heap accusations against Super Bowl hero Ben Roethlisberger.
Shall we believe Ben's handlers and accept that there is a massive conspiracy of ruthless women out to destroy him?

Browns history: The Ice Cube

2010 NFL Draft: More Sam Bradford rumors...

click on this link to get the latest affirmation that the Browns are trying to get the top pick in the draft...

When I watch film of Bradford, I see Joe Namath's arm and Bernie Kosar's accuracy. Just look at his stats, 88 TD passes and 16 interceptions in little more than 2 years. It's just remarkable. Durability....? Cross your fingers on this one if we make this trade but sometimes in life you just gotta take your shot and hope for the best. The upside on Bradford is 3 super bowl rings, I say "go for it"...!

Browns history: Robert L. Jackson

His career was ended prematurely due to severe knee problems but in the short time he played, he was the baddest mother fucker on the planet. Robert L. Jackson loved to hit and he was a key player on the 1980 Browns.

Fans lawsuit against the NFL and New England Pats moves forward

Many believe that there was more than meets the eye to the New England Patroits cheating scandal. The NFL would like to erase this episode from our memories but it apparently won't go away. A fan lawsuit that the NFL desperately tried to get dismissed, is going to be heard by a Pennsylvania Appeals Court.

New England head coach Bill Belichick's staff for several of the cheating years in question included our own coach Eric Mangini. The NFL clearly found Belichick did cheat but once they fined him they also worked to sweep the issue under the rug. But the public thank goodness won't let the issue disappear.

I've always felt that if the NFL were truly interested in defending the integrity of their game, considering that they believed that Belichick cheated, they should have stripped the Patroits of at least one Super Bowl title and suspended Belichick and possibly some of his coaching staff for life. Instead the NFL took what in retrospect was clearly a public relations driven action. It's now up to the American justice system to defend the integrity of the game.

here are a few excerpts from the article which you fully review by clicking on this link.

The NFL fined Belichick $500,000, and the Patriots were ordered to pay $250,000. Mayer wants ticket holders to get a triple refund for all eight games played between the Patriots and the Jets in Giants stadium from 2000 through 2007.

The Pats and the NFL, through their attorneys, have begged the court to toss the case. Their opinion?

"Frivolous." "Mockery of the judicial process." "The NFL respectfully submits that allowing this case to continue any longer would only waste more time, money and judicial resources," the lawyers said in court filings.

Even when Mayer and colleague Bruce Afran, both Princeton lawyers, twice missed filing deadlines - technically a reason to toss the case - the appeals court rejected pleas for a dismissal.

"We're like Lazarus. We won't go away," said Mayer.

Apparently someone on the court finds the legal issues intriguing.

2010 NFL Draft: Browns plan of attack

click on this link to website draftseason.com for a very well done analysis of the Brown's draft strategy and likely options in the first three rounds.

Ben Roethlisberger will not face criminal charges

There is no need to wait for today's 2PM press conference, because the DA has already leaked his decision to ESPN. As The Brown Log correctly predicted days ago before nearly every source in the traditional media, Ben Roethlisberger will not be prosecuted for sexual assault.

UPDATE LIVE STREAM OF PRESS CONFERENCE
The DA is visibly nervous as he announces his decision live. You can watch the stream below.

2010 NFL Draft: The Browns are trying to move up!

The St. Louis press is speculating that a trade is in the offing that would allow the Browns to move up to the number 1 pick and choose highly touted QB Sam Bradford. If these rumors were not coming out of St. Louis I wouldn't give much weight to them but consider too that the writer of the article is Howard Balzer, a very well connected gentleman....

This might sound like typical pre-draft hyperbole, but consider that Mike Holmgren is really sold on Bradford and the reason is that Bradford has an arm like Elway with Bernie Kosar like accuracy. That is one helluva combination that has Super Bowl written all over it (watch the highlight film below to get a feeling for how far and how accurately Bradford can wing it). The only question mark with Bradford, and it's a major one, is whether or not he will be durable enough for the NFL. Watching the highlight film it's clear that this guy has a Hall of Fame arm, but he lost most of his senior year to an injury and that's not a great sign that the kid can take the beating an NFL quarterback must endure.

The rumor mill should keep getting hotter as 20 April nears, look to The Brown Log to keep yourself well connected to Draft 2010.

Vintage Browns: 1970 Monday Night Football

The first Monday Night Football game ever broadcast, was in 1970 in Cleveland, Ohio's Municipal Stadium.

Here is a classic highlight from that game, the kickoff return at the start of the second half, in which the Browns Homer Jones goes all the way for a touchdown. It's fun to hear Frank Gifford and Don Meredith, "all those years ago"!

Is Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid in the Browns future?

By clicking on this link, you will find a very interesting article by sportswriter Mark Eckel in the Times of Trenton NJ. The article speculates that Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid, will eventually replace Browns head coach Eric Mangini, and it gives quite a reasonable set of rationale to support that hypothesis. Here's an excerpt

All right, let's review our beliefs and speculate a bit on the 2010 season.

The Eagles, with a first-time starter at quarterback, a new-look offensive line (hopefully) and a rebuilt defense, playing in a very-tough NFC East go 8-8 or so and miss the playoffs.

That's not a stretch by any means. Could the Eagles be good next year? Sure, anything is possible. But it is not outlandish to suggest with all the changes the team has made there are going to be struggles.

Cleveland, also undergoing some change, finishes 5-11 or 6-10 and remains mired behind Baltimore, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in an also very difficult NFC North.

Now, the fun starts.
Holmgren and Heckert decide head coach Eric Mangini, whom they inherited, is not the right man to turn around the Browns' fortunes and fire him.

Again, that is not so hard to imagine.

As Cleveland's brain trust searches for a replacement, their guy is not getting along so well in Philadelphia.

Let's backtrack a bit here for a second.

Reid's mentor and best friend in the league is Holmgren. He gave him his first job in Green Bay, taught him the right way to do things, and the two have remained close in the now 11 years they have been apart.

Anyone who regularly follows The Brown Log knows that this blog has no love lost for Eric Mangini. We think he is simply not capable to lead a team to the Super Bowl. It's also an obvious fact that the Brown Log strongly support our new President Mike Holmgren in spite of the fact that he decided to hang onto Mangini for the time being. While we accept the premise that Mangini, a young coach, might mature under the guidance of Holmgren, it would be a lot easier to digest the idea that Holmgren is simply biding time, waiting for his man.

2010 NFL Draft: Vladimir Ducasse OL UMass

One interesting prospect that the Browns are looking at as a potential 3rd round pick is Vladimir Ducasse, an offensive lineman from Haiti who played tackle at UMass. His personal character is strong and he has the prototype size and strength for a modern offensive tackle. He could anchor the left side of any offensive line for a long time

Here is a well done profile on Ducasse:

Big Ben decision due Monday

The Brown Log has been following the Ben Roethlisberg case very closely and a decision is set to be announced Monday on whether or not criminal charges will be filed in the investigation into sexual assault allegations against Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

It doesn't take a large leap in logic to conclude already that Big Ben once again will manage to walk between the raindrops and he will not face a criminal prosecution. The signs all point in that direction. Since the incident took place nearly one month ago, Roetlisberger has hired a top criminal attorney and private eye to work behind the scenes and these highly paid gents are there to produce results. Surely they have not been sitting inactively these last four weeks. Furthermore statements from the DA in Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit in Georgia would indicate that the DA is very carefully trying to position himself politically for the aftermath of a non prosecution. Finally a request for Roethlisberger's DNA was withdrawn and a second interview with the Georgia police never took place which would indicate the DA didn't see any need to try to snare Roethlisberger in any contradictions.

Ben's not going to have to face a trial, that's pretty clear, but in assessing his character just look at what people close to him say (these bold quotes have been excerpted from an article in the Toronto Star, the complete article which you can read by clicking on this link:

Some who made the bar scene that night described Roethlisberger as a "good guy," although at least one woman found his attitude distasteful, telling a Pittsburgh newspaper he referred to her and her friends as "bitches." (That language doesn't make him a rarity. But, sadly, sexual assaults are hardly rare, either.)

One long-time member of the Pittsburgh media, John Steigerwald, wrote in Sunday's editions of The Valley News Dispatch: "Ben's a bad guy. I don't know him and he's never done anything to me to make me dislike him, but there are just too many stories out there about how he mistreats people and expects special treatment himself.

"In 33 years of covering (Pittsburgh) sports, I've never come across a player who generated more unsolicited, `Why is that guy such a jackass' questions. No player comes close. I've seen his teammates roll their eyes at the mention of his name.

"I had one guy, who covers the team on a daily basis, tell me that his teammates `despise' him. And he used capital letters. That was the summer before he led them to their last Super Bowl win. So, he may be a little more popular in the locker room now."

Something is wrong with this guy.
in any event, Let's see what happens Monday.

Vintage Browns: 1979 OT win vs Jets

This 3 play sequence in 1979 vs the New York Jets is fun to watch. With only 34 seconds left on the clock in OT and the Jets with the ball on 3rd down in their own territory, the game is almost over and it seems that the best the Browns can hope for is a tie but in a matter of a few seconds, everything changes:

1. A terrible pass by the Jet's Matt Robinson is intercepted by Oliver Davis who makes a nice return.
2. A calm and cool Brian Sipe steps up and hits Dave Logan at the Jets 10
3. Don Cockroft punches the ball through the uprights for the game winning field goal

Eric Berry visits the Browns today!

Eric Berry came to Cleveland to visit the Browns brass today. The idea that Berry will be on the board by the time the Browns pick comes up at number 7 in round 1 to me is pure fantasy, but what the hell, let's dream a bit....

Berry is generally regarded as the best defensive back in the upcoming NFL draft. He has all the scouts drooling over his speed and strength but what really convinces me about Berry is his attitude. All you have to do is watch this guy on the field to see he loves to play football and that he is a great leader. Every team needs a guy in the huddle who is fearless and confident. Football players are human beings and football is a very emotional game. Players like Eric Berry make everyone else raise their game, simply because confidence is contagious! Think Chris Spielman, think Ronnie Lott and you have the same kind of intangibles Eric Berry brings to a team. Berry is a winner. If the Browns have Eric Berry in the free safety spot next year, they become an immediate playoff contender.

2010 NFL Draft: Carlton Mitchell WR USF

Mike Holmgren has been delightfully methodical in analyzing, quantifying and resolving the talent issues faced by the Cleveland Browns. First he cleaned up the quarterback position, then he set his sights on the defense and now it appears he is looking for solutions to the lack of talent at the wide receiver position. Rumor has it that the Browns are studying USF wide receiver Carlton Mitchell as a possible second round choice. Mitchell possesses blazing speed and would help the Browns open up the field, benefitting all aspects of our offense.

Have a look at some highlights of Mitchell from the 2010 NFL Draft combine



Here is one of Mitchell's highlight reel plays at USF

I forgot....

In another bit of excellent news, our political prisoner, Shaun Rogers was finally released from the big house today. We are still waiting on the NRA to release a statement in support of this great warrior but in the meantime his lawyer is busily setting the path to defend Rogers by use of an incredibly innovative and sophisticated legal manoevre. Get this, Roger's lawyer has declared his client is not guilty because....."he forgot he packed his loaded gun". Whilst I still favor that Roger's defender uses a more direct constitutional confrontation, fighting for his right to bear arms, I must confess that the "I forgot" strategy is nothing short of pure genius.

Browns shore up their defense

Mike Holmgren continues to move the Browns in the right direction with a trade today that moves the Browns one more step towards having a very improved team in 2010. Today's trade with the Eagles. brings two experienced and talented veterans, LB Chris Cocong and DB Sheldon Brown. This trade would indicate the Brownies are not sold on Florida CB Joe Haden and wanted therefore to solidify the defensive cornerback position with a veteran. What does that mean in terms of the probable first round selection in April's upcoming draft? I am still hoping that a miracle takes place and Tennessee free safety Eric Berry drops into our hands.

Shaun Rogers: Political Prisoner

In a nation in which school shootings don't make the front page news anymore, but it IS front page news in Newark, NJ that for the first month in 44 months there wasn't a murder, who can blame Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers (pictured below) for packing a little heat?

I only hope the National Rifle Association will stand up and defend this great American hero and patriot, so that he will be free during the entire 2010 NFL season to shoot first and ask questions later for our Cleveland Browns.

Browns acquire Roethlisberger from Pittsburgh

The Cleveland Browns today traded for troubled Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. In a move sure to provoke endless controversy, the Browns in any case have added a young QB who has two Super Bowl Rings. When asked to comment, new President Mike Holmgren stated, "we like Ben's aggresiveness, and think he can lead us to score much more frequently".

Brown's coach Eric Mangini then added.... "he said "score",huh huh huh huh....."