The NFL Politburo

With the Browns in an off week, the BL will start a new feature we've been thinking about from some time: The NFL Politburo, a regular feature that will explore the labor issues pending in 2011 between owners and players.

NFL owners are men who in private industry made fortunes for themselves in the free market system. However when they arrive to the NFL they morph into communists, in favor of imposing central controls and limits on the free market.

Most fans feel more anger towards the players, whom are very well paid. The Brown Log with this regular feature will dig into this issue point by point, trying to help fans understand the real villians in the pending labor issue. The problem rests firmly with the owners of today's NFL teams who wish to more deeply impose communist principles onto NFL players. Apparently NFL owners simply do not trust themselves to operate in a free market. They need rookie salary limits, salary caps and exemption from free markets. Pro football can be a brutal game in which the average player's career lasts 3 years. So please don't blame the players for fighting for the free market.

The real solution to the NFL's labor issues would be to remove anti-trust protection from the NFL and let the free market rule.

This Yahoo article does a great job of summing it up.

Here is an exerpt:

Which side is better positioned to withstand a work stoppage?

The owners, based on simple economics. In theory, they could reduce their operating expenses by 50 percent (an estimated $4.4 billion) via the elimination of player salaries and benefits and the temporary layoffs or salary reductions of various other employees. Meanwhile, thanks to the terms of the extensions to the lucrative TV deals the league has with DirecTV and several broadcast networks, the owners would continue to receive payments during a lockout – though the money would eventually have to be repaid via credits for future games. Still, that’s a serious cash-flow advantage that would, again in theory, allow the owners to realize more than 50 percent of their revenues (nearly $4 billion) and, therefore, to cover their operating expenses for an entire season if necessary. Players, meanwhile, would theoretically be much more financially stressed in the short term, and the relatively short career span of NFL players would make the prospect of missing games even more unpalatable.

Bottom line: The owners are going flaunt the free market, take advantage of their monopoly position that they have thanks to their anti trust exemption and crush the players, period. In a nation built on free market principals, it's astonishing that there is not outrage over the socialist behavior of NFL owners.

Finally, here is some insight from Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, who shared his dismay after meeting NFL commish Roger Goodell. Goodell has been brilliant as the leader of the league but in the labor issue he is stuck in the unenviable position of having to cowtow to the communists he answers to, aka the NFL Politburo....

Browns QB dilemma???

While the press debate and the Brown's coaches agonize, the BL asks,
"What QB dilemma"

Colt has played better than Delhomme by a longshot and while Seneca
Wallace has played well, Colt has made fewer mistakes.
Based on what we've seen, Colt is the best QB on the Browns right now,
start him next week.

Case closed

BL Live Blog: David Bowens

Bowens second touchdown seals the win. Nice upset win and a brilliant job by Mangini and his staff. Seely's special teams were great and Rob Ryan's D kept superbowl QB Drew Brees off balance all day long.

Great win!!!!!

BL Live Blog: Shawn Rogers

The big man is working hard

BL Live Blog: hats off to Dawson

The Browns did their best to blow the field goal chance with a 6 yard loss on the run by Bell and the 5 yard penalty by Steinbach but Dawson took care of business.

Special teams have been huge. This game is almost won now.

BL Live Blog: No wide receivers?

No problem!

Throw to the quarterback. Big time trick play and gutsy call at an absolute critical moment. Nice pass by Hillis to McCoy.

This W belongs to Mangini.

BL Live Blog: nice run but...

... don't run out of bounds please!
Hillis is rumbling at the right time

BL Live Blog: Up 10

If the Browns O cannot get a scoring drive here there's still a very big risk we lose this game.

BL Live Blog: big change

Does Mangini regret throwing the review flag? He should, the Saints had their field goal team lined up and ready. The net result of Mangini's call was it gave time to Payton to realize that another review of the possession itself would give him 4th and 1 instead of 4th and 4.

BL Live Blog: onto the fourth quarter

Up at least 14. If the offense can generate at least a few first downs it really will take the pressure off the Browns defense. In any case it will probably come down to the Browns D to win this one.

BL Live Blog: he was down....

No fumble by New Orleans. Maybe we ice the kicker though.

BL Live Blog: watching the clock

I noticed Sean Payton taking a look at the clock. It's starting to be an issue for New Orleans. 18:30 left in the game down 17 is tough.

BL Live Blog: battle of field position

The Browns are sluggish on offense so far in the second half but New Orleans continue to hurt themselves with penalties and therefore the Browns are winning the field position battle and eating clock.

BL Live Blog: Ben Watson finally grabs one

BL Live Blog: chain gang member hurt

It's not often we think about it but more than the players put themselves at risk on Sunday in the NFL. Gain gang member Al Nastaci took a very nasty blow and was immobilized and taken to the hospital. No further word at this time

Thoughts and prayers.

BL Live Blog: 1st and 35

BL Live Blog: first half

Browns D gets 3 intercepts.
Special team make 2 huge plays.

A+

Can't wait for the second half to start. Browns will have the ball. We need to avoid turnovers and work the clock on offense and keep playing fantastic Defense. If the Browns can do those two things we should be able to walk out of New Orleans with an unexpected W

BL Live Blog: yes!!!!!!!!

David Bowens intercept and TD. That is so huge, now the Browns can come out in the second half where they will start with the ball, and work the clock with runs and ball control passes.

BL Live Blog: special teams

Browns D has been great and our special teams have come up big. It's a worry that our big plays on special teams have yielded 6 points instead of 14. Could those 8 lost points end up being critical?

BL Live Blog: special teams again!

Fantastic fake punt. Brad Seely's special teams come up big again. We need 7 here!!

BL Live Blog: Mangini

I really like Coach Mangini's sideline demeanor today. He looks relaxed and determined which is a contrast to his usual nervousness. Players notice this

BL Live Blog: Cribbs was down

Nice steal by Sorensen just in case

BL Live Blog: Vickers dropped pass

Vickers gains at least 20 yards if he doesn't drop that pass on second down.

BL Live Blog: Knock knock

Who's there?
Yamon Figurs
Yamon Figurs who?
Yamon Figurs to sit on the bench the rest of the game...

BL Live Blog: Fujita intercept

Huge !!

BL Live Blog: end of Q1 Browns up 10-0

Browns used a zero man defensive line on the last two plays vs the Saints albeit two linebackers in two point stances lined up where the ends normally line up in three point stances.

BL Live Blog: Matt Roth

Roth is playing his heart out on D

BL Live Blog: Carlton Mitchell

Rookie and Brown Log favourite Carlton Mitchell is in uniform today and has gotten a rep at WR on O. We are hoping Mitchell steps up and makes a big play. Browns really need someone to step up at wide receiver if we are going to have a successful season.

BL Live Blog: touchdown!!

Who says Colt McCoy cannot throw long? Nice long pass to Cribbs which draws a pass interference call sets up Hillis TD. Browns up 10-0.

Browns look more prepared than the Saints.

BL Live Blog: 1 man line

1 man defensive line used by Ryan on third down vs the Saints offense. It worked but Ryan better hope the Saints don't go no huddle the next time they face that formation.

BL Live Blog: 3 points....

3 points after a big 69 yard punt return on a wonderful trick play is a bit disappointing. Something is better than nothing but a TD would've given the Browns a huge emotional lift. That said I liked Colt's poise in not forcing plays in the red zone. The Saints tried to put him under pressure and force a mistake. Give Colt credit, he made good choices.

BL Live Blog: trick play

Browns coaches must have seen something in game films. Nice big play. Let's see if Colt can get the TD

BL Predicts: Week Seven vs. the Saints

Once again, an easy game to predict as the Browns more or less have every factor possible working against them this Sunday in New Orleans. Despite serious limitations at the wide receiver position, in the defensive backfield and a lack of depth on the defensive line, the team is playing together and the coaches, in particular Rob Ryan, continue to come up with tactics that opponents have trouble with. This week, the best we can hope for is another good showing that comes up just short of the W.


BL Predicts:

New Orleans Saints 23
Cleveland Browns 10

The Brown Log's season record now stands at 3-3

Miami of Ohio: The Cradle of Coaches

From an interview this week with New Orleans Coach Sean Payton talking about Miami University in Ohio. It should be a well known fact that Miami of Ohio not only produced the infamous Super Bowl QB Ben Roethlisberger, but also many excellent coaches including Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler.

Question: With Mike Shanahan coming back, Eastern Illinois now has three head coaches. Eric Mangini’s alma mater has only two. Has Eastern Illinois supplanted Wesleyan as the intellectual center of the football universe?

Payton: “We have a lot of Miami of Ohio coaches here who claim that’s still the cradle of coaching. I think more than anything else there’s some coincidence to it. If Mike Heimerdinger were to get going here he’d be the fourth head coach from Eastern. We pull for him at Tennessee. That was good learning grounds for all of us that went there and had a chance to play there and certainly advance our careers. I’m not too familiar with Wesleyan.”

Tackling: Old era vs new era

OLD NFL HIGHLIGHTS: The tackles in this film are all clean


MODERN ERA NFL HIGHLIGHTS: The tackles in this video are almost all of the "blow-up" variety, many are direct hits to the head. Beyond safety, head hits actually make a defenders job easier because when you take a head out, you effectively cut the legs out of a powerful opponent. A head hit often causes an offensive player to completely lose his bearing. That is not football, it's cheating.

Head hits are not just part of the game: Darryl Stingley

Tackling someone at head level is illegal for one reason that goes well beyond safety. It's not football. Football is about the confrontation of athletes, at the top of their abilities, and may the best men win. When you get hit in the head, all of your determination and concentration on advancing that ball and winning that play, are instantly sapped out of your body. In a flash, every ounze of your energy transforms from trying to win a football game to preserving the safety of your head and neck. I played two years of organized football when I was a teenager. I was small, not a great player, but I knew how to play the game. I can attest, it's a hell of a scary moment when somebody takes your head out. You can be the better of the two men on the field confronting each other but if your opponent tackles or hits your head, you are going down, period, end of conversation.

For a closer look at a famous head shot, watch this video of the most infamous and saddest head hit in NFL history. One hit to the head of Daryl Stingley deprived him for life of the use of his limbs and contributed to his premature death at age 55.

Vince Lombardi Teaches Football

Coach Mangini

This blog is one of many that has had a hard time accepting Coach Mangini. We've taken more than our share of shots at him. Paradoxically, yesterday left me feeling that perhaps Mangini will prove us wrong.

What is there to like from yesterday:

- His team never gave up.

- His staff had the courage to put the safety of key players like Cribbs and Massaquoi, above one game.

- Colt McCoy was prepared for a very tough game.

- The Browns have competed every game this season.

Don't get us wrong, we are likely going to slam Mangini again, but notwithstanding the loss yesterday, it appears that Mangini and his team are maturing.

comments from the NFL on helmet hits

Here is an article from Yahoo on yesterday's disgraceful helmet hits

an excerpt:

“I hadn’t heard that, but obviously suspensions would be a much bigger deal than fining guys,” said Colts center Jeff Saturday(notes), the team’s player representative. “I guess I don’t know what Goodell is going to say constitutes a suspension or not, but if guys are head-hunting out there to knock a guy out of the game, that’s the only way to take care of it.”

The Eagles’ DeSean Jackson(notes) and the Falcons’ Dunta Robinson(notes) were knocked out of their game Sunday after a frightening collision in which Robinson launched himself headfirst, while Steelers linebacker James Harrison(notes) sidelined two Browns players with head injuries after jarring hits.

Anderson wouldn’t speculate on how any players would be punished for hits from Sunday’s games.

“The fundamentally old way of wrapping up and tackling seems to have faded away,” he said. “A lot of the increase is from hits to blow guys up. That has become a more popular way of doing it. Yes, we are concerned they are getting away from the fundamentals of tackling, and maybe it has been coached that way. We’re going to have to look into talking to our coaches.”

Is the NFL going to protect players from head injuries or not?

Conrad Dobler, a guard for the St. Louis Cardinals during the 1970's was openly and proudly a dirty player. It's taken years for somebody to surpass him but yesterday the mantle was passed. Pittsburgh Steeler's linebacker James Harrison is the dirtiest player the NFL has seen in decades.

Harrison used his helmet as a battering ram against the Browns Sunday. His blows to the head of Josh Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi resulted in head injuries to both players. Without any doubt Massaquoi was in a vulnerable position and a flag should have been thrown. While by definition, Cribbs as a runner was not a vulnerable player, the blow to Cribbs head was a much dirtier play. The Massaquoi hit took place at full speed and a reasonable person could believe the helmet to helmet blow was accidental. Cribbs on the other hand was practically stopped, and it appears Harrison simply teed him up and hit him with intent to maim. Why wasn't unnecessary roughness flagged??

In the end, Harrison was Pittsburgh's most valuable player yesterday and the NFL refs were his partners in crime. Harrison helped the Steelers immensely by knocking Cribbs out of the game.

Unbelievable. The Brown Log has been consistent on this issue, being critical of TJ Ward on a much lesser violation in which he used his shoulder in a hit on a vulnerable receiver. In Harrison's case, there are no excuses. The zebras didn't bother to throw the flag even once.

On the down side....

The Browns have absolutely no outside receivers capable of playing in the National Football League. It's now apparent that Browns opponents can concentrate their efforts on stopping the Browns running game and short passes and that places limits on what the Browns offense can achieve.

What is particularly discouraging about this is that the Browns, in spite of having made real improvements to the team this year, are very likely to finish with a worse record in 2010 than the disaster of a season they had in 2009. We will have to hope that the 2011 draft will yield a top flight playmaker at wide receiver and that he can hit the ground running otherwise it might be 2012 or 2013 before we have a competitive team.

.......all this of course, if the 2011 season is not destroyed by a work stoppage.

Another defeat but all is not lost

...but there were a few positives today:

- Colt McCoy looked good, throwing for 281 yards. One of his two intercepts could have been caught.

- The Browns defense almost managed to keep the Steelers and a rusty Ben Roethelisberger under control. But Big Ben got his bearings in the second half and managed to exploit openings in the Browns pass D.

- Inspite of the fact that gamer Josh Cribbs fought to continue playing, the Browns were smart enough to sit him after he suffered a nasty concussion. The team should be applauded for this.

- The Brown Log almost exactly nailed the final score, missing by 3 total points. Our prediction was Steelers 26, Browns 9 and the final was Steelers 28, Browns 10.


the Browns are now 1-5 on the season and our next loss will be on the road next Sunday against defending Super Bowl champions New Orleans.

BL Live Blog

Punter Reggie Hodges is the Browns MVP today. Down 14-3 good punts won't help any longer

BL LiveBlog

I thought Colt looked good in the first half. Calm and much improved since the preseason. We are still in this game

BL Live Blog: the NFL chess game

First time all year I've seen the Browns make a major first half adjustment. By putting a receiver in motion, faking an end around, the Browns opened holes for Hillis. They clearly noted a Steelers key and threw a wrench into it. Love it!

BL Live Blog: Cribbs

An illegal helmet to helmet hit on Cribbs

BL Live blog: 0 man defensive line

Twice on passing downs the Browns have used no down lineman.

BL Live Blog

Great play by Haden!
Playmakers win games and that was a great intercept and return

BL Live blog

Coly looked great on the 18 yard pass to Moore.
He looked like a rookie on the sack.
The intercept was actually a beautiful pass that the receiver didn't catch.
Good start.

BL Predicts: Week Six vs. the Steelers

There is no rational reason to choose anyone other than Pittsburgh to win this Sunday.
It's likely Colt's NFL debut, so the Browns go with a rookie QB going against Big Ben in his grand return.
We are on the road and have nowhere near the depth the Steelers.

Looks like a long day is in store.

BL Predicts

Steelers 26
Browns 9


BL is 2-3 so far this year, which is better than the Brownies at 1-4. We should get back to .500 this week

Think positive

Year to date, the Browns have faced the second toughest schedule in the NFL. Their opponents have a record of 16-7.

The Colt Era

Nobody imagined the Browns would be 1-4 after 5 games and that Colt McCoy would be a starter by game 6 vs the Steelers. In all likelihood Colt will answer the call this Sinday (Roethlisberger returns for the Steelers, hence 'Sin'day). Let's hope it's the beginning of the Colt era, and not yet another false start.

BL Predicts: Week Five vs. the Falcons

Sometimes it's useless to think too much. The fact is that the Browns have almost always kicked the Falcons asses (Browns are 10-2 lifetime vs the Falcons) and this years matchup will be played at home.

BL Predicts

Browns 27
Falcons 21

BL year to date prediction record 2-2

TJ Ward's hit on Shipley

There has already been plenty of discussion about the blow to the head of Bengal's wideout Jordan Shipley delivered by Cleveland's T J Ward this past Sunday. Some people say it was a good hit and some folks disagree. I've been following NFL football, and more specifically, Ohio football at all levels, for well over 30 years and I think that historical perspective is a must to form a correct conclusion on what constitutes a good tackle and more importantly, how to encourage a game that is both entertaining and not unnecessarily creating physical risk for it's players.

Once upon a time, the tackling skills practiced by players at all levels were the very sound techniques that Vince Lombardi surely taught. Get your body in position, arms ready, head up, put your shoulder into the ball carrier roughly at belt level, wrap him up and drive him down. When I think back to when this started to change, Ohio State's Jack Tatum comes to mind as the first defensive back who consciously tried to make more intimidating tackles, using body leverage and speed to deliver a shoulder level blow to a vulnerable receiver. The result is often spectacular and today this very "unfundamental" tackling method is commonplace in the NFL. This style of tacking is also extraordinarily dangerous. A tackler looking to deliver a showtime tackle at shoulder level to an offensive player running at full speed, instead often ends up delivering a blow to the vulnerable player's head. One only need recall the name Darryl Stingley to remember what can happen when this all goes wrong. I think it's clear that the NFL looked the other way on this issue for 30 years, frankly speaking, because this style of hitting puts fans in the seats.

However, over time, as more data have become available about the long term health impact of head injuries, the NFL has had to face this issue. Too many people are getting hurt because the game was not being played safely. The new rules that protect vulnerable players are absolutely necessary. Football is by it's nature a violent game that carries a certain amount of physical risk. It is however unacceptable to deliver violent high speed blows to the head of vulnerable players. Obviously the game is played a very high speed and these kinds of hits can never be completely eliminated. The new rules will however assure that football players use more fundamental tackling methods in the heat of battle, and that will surely reduce concussions and neck injuries.

I think the world of T J Ward as a safety, and an aggresive intimidator on a defense is a must for a winning team, but his hit on Jordan Shipley was wrong, and I expect that the NFL should and will fine him. The great game of football doesn't need it's players to risk being maimed to be great.

BL Live Blog: Browns save Mangini's job

Nice win! The BL is glad to be wrong this week.

Hillis was major as was Fujita's FG block.

Finally, Browns win!!

BL Live Blog: Bengals have momentum

Once again, running the ball to eat clock is almost always a mistake.
The Browns O now risks to be out of sync in a critical moment. They
need to move the ball on this drive and score if they are going to win
this game.

BL Live Blog: TJ Ward's blow to Shipley's head

This hit was not a penalty in the past however I fully agree with the
new rules that protect vulnerable players from blows to the head.

BL live Blog: eat clock in the 3rd quarter with a 10 point lead?

who wants to bet that the Browns are going to eat clock the rest of
the game??

BL Live Blog: The NFL Poker game

I thought the Bengals had a very interesting reaction to the Browns
going with their 2 man defensive line. The Bengals immediately went
to a no-huddle offense, forcing the Browns to use the 2 man line for
the next few plays, most of them situations in which the 2 man line
was not suitable and the Bengals did move the ball.

The gimmick didn't work on that drive. but still I love how Ryan works
to put the opposing team off balance.

BL Live Blog: Peyton Hillis has done some damage

I am re-reading Jerry Kramer's classic book Instant Replay. The
Green Bay Packers roster in 1967 is listed and most lineman weighed
250 or so pounds. Peyton Hillis weighs 250 pounds. Today's
defensive backs like to make very aggresive "highlight film" tackles
and it's been fun to watch them bounce off of Hillis today. You
cannot tackle a 250 man with this showtime crap, ask Roy Williams.

BL Live Blog: Just keep running it!!

BL Live Blog: Massaquoi CAUGHT A PASS!!!!!

BL Live Blog: 7 Browns blitz, one Bengal scores........

The Bengals connected deep with Owens on a play where the Browns had 7
men rushing the passer exposing Brown to one on one coverage and Owens
burned him

BL Live Blog: Bengals blitzing

Bengals D is blitzing more frequently and the Browns O cannot handle
it right now. Need to adjust, especially Hillis needs to stay aware,
he blew 2 blitz pick ups on that possession

BL Live Blog

Wright gets burned for a long one by Owens on this drive but salvages
something at the end by batting down a pass that could have been a
touchdown.

BL Live Blog: Beautiful throw on the TD by Wallace

BL Live Blog: Ben Watson blocking

on first and 5, on an off tackle run by Hillis, Ben Watson destroyed
his man, blocking him 5 yards off the play.
nicest block I've seen by a TE in ages.

BL Live Blog

Don't the Browns have access to TV? Watson dropped that ball, anybody
can see that. Why waste a challenge???

BL Live Blog

Corner blitz causes the Bensen fumble. Browns need a break and get one.

BL live blog: Zone blitz ineffective

Browns D is zone blitzing on every play and Carson Palmer is managing
it beautifully

Kosar on the Brown's wide receivers

Bernie Kosar sounds off in this linked article, about the Browns main problem, their wideouts.

Here is a key snippet from the article:

"Of all the guys, Josh [Cribbs] is probably doing the best job at receiver," said Kosar. "He is making a lot of progress. He's using his hands to get open. He doesn't get shoved off his routes."
What is happening to the offense in the second half?
"I don't think it's so much our lack of adjustments," said Kosar. "Eric [Mangini] and his staff are starting games with some really good schemes. The other teams adjust to us, and then it comes down to talent -- man-on-man. You can't out-scheme the other team for the entire game."

BL Predicts: Week Four vs the Bengals

Predicting NFL games is a mechanical exercise. Each week we consider and add up the following factors:

- the home team wins 57% of the games in the NFL, that's worth about 3 points

- compare the talent of the team's healthy players and their ability to play and execute the game as a team.

- Look for emotional factors that might give advantage to one team or the other.

Week 4 against Cincinnati stacks up as follows

- Browns are at home so they start with 3 points in the bag
- The Bengals are a balanced and talented team, capable of executing well at each position. The Browns have no talent at WR, a weak right side of the offensive line, a good TE, good QB's and average running backs. On D, the Browns appear highly motivated behind the creative leadership of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, albeit the Browns lack depth and talent on the defensive line. On talent let's give the Bengals a 7 point advantage on the Brownies.
- Emotionally, there is a bad sign for Cleveland. This week, Running back Jerome Harrison publicly expressed displeasure with Coach Mangini. A veteran player like Harrison won't normally openly rebel against the coach unless other players on the team share his opinion. Harrison's complaint may indeed be indicative of internal dissension in the Browns clubhouse. So far the Browns have played well in 2010 every game, right up until the moment that they have a gut check, and then they fall apart. Teams have a collective character, and the Browns offensive character is, well, offensive. Gauging this factor is very difficult and that's why not too many people get rich betting on NFL games. The best we can do is look at the clues and this week it looks gloomy. In football more than any sport, one man can lift an entire team out of the abyss with great effort, but the Browns only playmaker is Josh Cribbs and so far this season teams are doing everything they can to assure that Cribbs doesn't have the opportunity to lift the Browns spirits. Give the Bengals another 5 points for the emotional edge factor.

I hate to say it, but all signs point to an 0-4 start for the Browns. Once again I hope we are wrong.......

BL Predicts:
Bengals 21
Browns 12