So What - Myles Goes Fast

 

I’ve never quite understood why people get so worked up over Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett’s speeding tickets. Yes, he once had an auto accident. It happens. But in a country where I routinely see motorcyclists riding without helmets, weaving through traffic, and blasting past speed limits, it feels like Garrett is getting an outsized level of scrutiny. At least he was inside a car, wearing his seatbelt, and taking his chances in a controlled environment. To me, that should earn him something of a mulligan.

Now, I’ll admit something: maybe I’m biased because of my own history behind the wheel.

I lived in Europe for 12 years. One of my first company cars was an Audi A4, and I spent many weeks traveling the A1 from Milan to the Veneto region. It didn’t take me long to realize that Italians drive fast. Really fast. And not just on special occasions—fast is the standard.

In the U.S., I had never pushed a car much past 90 mph. Frankly, American cars back then made it difficult. Once you hit 80, the whole frame rattled, the engine roared, and the car felt like it was about to fall apart. But my Audi was different. Smooth, steady, and safe even at high speeds. Every week I crept up a little more, curious to see what the car could handle. One day I hit 205 km/h, about 130 mph, and felt completely in control.

That’s when I understood: European cars are built for this. European drivers are, too. They respect the rules of the road. The passing lane is for passing, and if you’re fast, you stay in it. It’s not unusual to see cars cruising comfortably at 200 km/h.

Of course, not everything is without risk. One afternoon, as I was heading back toward Milan, a Fiat Panda slipped into the passing lane without seeing me. I was flying. I slammed the brakes, laid on the horn, and narrowly avoided disaster. After that, I dialed it back to around 150 km/h (just under 100 mph) still fast by American standards, but enough to feel safe.

So when I hear about Garrett hitting 100 mph and people act like it’s the end of the world, I shake my head. To me, that’s just a European highway cruise. Garrett can afford the best cars, designed to handle those speeds. If he’s on an open highway, wearing his seatbelt, and not endangering a pack of minivans, I say let him enjoy the ride.

That said, there’s one bit of advice I’d give him: install deer whistles. They work, they scare the creatures off, and they might just save him from the unexpected. Or maybe he should just move to Europe, where driving fast isn’t a scandal it’s a way of life.

Does the Ground in Berea Contribute to Browns’ Injuries?

Every year at Browns training camp, it feels like déjà vu. A couple of weeks in, we start hearing the same headlines: “soft-tissue injury,” “hamstring tightness,” “out for precautionary reasons.” In 2025, both quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel went down with hamstring issues before the preseason even got rolling.

Now, I know injuries in football come from everywhere: conditioning, workload, biomechanics, sometimes just plain bad luck. But I can’t help wondering if there’s something else lurking under the surface. Literally.

Here’s where the speculation begins (and I stress: this is just speculation). Berea, where the Browns train, sits on land historically shaped by glaciers, full of sandstone and compacted glacial till. In other words: hard ground. NFL practice fields are engineered with sand bases, drainage, and shock-absorbing layers, but if those layers are shallow or overly compacted, the field could feel a lot less forgiving than, say, the sandy fields of Florida or the loamy soil in California.

There’s science to back up why this matters. Runners and factory workers who spend long hours on hard surfaces like concrete, cement, compacted turf, develop higher rates of foot, ankle, and knee problems. Plantar fasciitis. Shin splints. Stress fractures. If everyday people like me feel those effects working on concrete floors or deep cement foundations, why couldn’t professional athletes, pounding out sprints and drills in August heat, experience the same stress in the form of recurring injuries?

I don’t claim to know how deep or well-cushioned the Browns’ practice fields really are. But given the steady drumbeat of leg injuries every camp, it seems fair to at least ask: is the ground in Berea part of the problem?

Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s coincidence. Or maybe, just maybe, the roots of the Browns’ training camp injury woes go deeper than anyone thinks.

Entertainment vs Competition

Just my personal opinion here but I find Touchdown passes and big plays much more entertaining than Pick 6's and fumbles.

A Very Good Day for the Browns

Other than to note the usual mismanagement of the PR elements (Bond revealing he is signing with Cleveland before the Browns could get in front of the narrative) related to the pending Isaiah Bond signing, I am not going down the obvious road of being critical about the Browns adding him to the roster.

Why not?

Two reasons why not.

1.  I honestly believe Jimmy Haslam is fed up enough with the issues the Browns have seen over character to have assured in the case of Isaiah Bond, that the Browns had him visit a shrink for an assessment and they have a solid professional input that the young man has sufficient positive potential to take the risk.  I am ok with that.

2. Isaiah Bond is going to be a significant contributor to the Browns.   I like to compare him to Amon Ra St Brown with one major plus for Bond vis a vis St Brown.  He's fast and he can make defenders stop because he's twitchy.

Good day for the Browns signing Bond.  Very good day. 

Preseason Game 1 vs Carolina - Observations

I know it's preseason but....

Carson Schwesinger - Stud!  Jim Schwartz has to be thrilled, this guy is a best case scenario, he already looks super comfortable.

Mason Graham - Stud!   Yes, Graham had plenty of rookie moments.  I saw him get pushed off the line of scrimmage quite a few times, however, he never gave up and he almost always got off the block and usually made an impact even on plays where he started off badly.  He's strong and he fights off blocks. He got double teamed a few times and handled it fine.   By the time the season starts he is going to be fine, he's going to be a problem for opposing offenses.

Shedeur Sanders - Stud!   OK I know, DTR looked good in the preseason.   But I know a good QB when I see one and Shedeur was facing Carolina's first team D out there and he looked fine.   What i liked the most is Shedeur was looking off free safety's like an old pro, like Joe Flacco!  And once he moved the safety he got the ball where it needed to go.  He's super accurate, his calmness is noteworthy, it brings back memories of Brian Sipe and it's obvious his teammates love him.   Did he make a few small mistakes, sure but he made a couple huge plays too and the Browns gave him almost no reps in practice yet he played clean, great football.