Vintage Browns: 1979 Monday Night Football vs. the Dallas Cowboys

Those of us who watched this game will never forget it. Monday evening September 24 1979 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium vs "America's Team", the Dallas Cowboys. Staubach and company came to town and conventional wisdom was that the Cowboys would manhandle the unproven Browns, who despite the fact that they were 3-0, had not convinced the experts that they were for real.

The series in the Youtube video is culminated by a long touchdown pass from Sipe to Ozzie Newsome. It's classic Kardiac Kids. On third and one, the Browns decide to break tendency and pass. Sipe manages to avoid a sack and spots Ozzie who gets open deep behind the Dallas zone. The result is a long touchdown and a 13-0 Browns lead in the first quarter. The blow out was on and the Browns won the game 26-7, giving Browns fans an absolutely unforgettable evening.

This game was our first sign that the Browns of that era were legit. Specifically it shows how important Ozzie Newsome was to the success of the Browns in that era. Ozzie was frequently able to capitalise on his speed and get deep behind a zone. It's surprising, but it really did take NFL teams over 3 years to adjust to the fact that Browns tight end Ozzie Newsone had blazing speed.

The 1979 Browns gave us many thrills. Of course as the season wore on, the lack of depth caused primarily by Art Modell's not so deep pockets, proved costly, but on Monday September 24, 1979, Brian Sipe, Ozzie Newsone and company let Browns fans dream just a little.

Brown's history: Otto Graham

Otto Graham played 10 seasons of professional football for the Cleveland Browns.
In his 10 seasons, the Browns played in the Championship game 10 times and won 7 titles.
Nothing more needs to be said.

Why we love the Browns

In the 1990's, after Art Modell cut Bernie Kosar, I found myself questioning why I was a Browns fan when the owner of the team was a man whose values were the complete opposite of my own.

The fact today remains that when we honor the Cleveland Browns, we honor the legacy of it's founder, Hall of Famer and Ohioan Paul Brown. No matter how horrible a scar Art Modell left on the Browns, no matter the fact that we have doubts about the current leadership, nothing can stain the legacy of Paul Brown.

Why we love the Browns

In spite of everything, the Cleveland Browns have the most loyal fans of any sports team in any league. Only one example is the fact that there are Browns Backers clubs around the world. Why are Browns fans so passionate...? Over the coming weeks, "Why we love the Browns" will be a regular feature of The Brown Log. Using photos and words we shall express the infinite number of reasons that the Cleveland Browns have the most "rabid" fans of any sports team on planet earth.

Today: The Dawg Pound

Loyalty: Bernie Kosar

There is a lot of negative talk about Brown's great Bernie Kosar lately as he has demonstrated himself to be a human being, not a God in the last few months. For Brown's fans, the only conclusion we can make is to express our solidarity with this truly great man and warrior. I like to talk about what makes an Ohioan, and of all the qualities we believe in loyalty tops the list. Nobody has been more loyal to the Browns and Cleveland fans than Bernie Kosar. What has he gotten in return for his loyalty? Art Modell cut Bernie Kosar to save money. "Friends" or better stated, hangers on, took advantage of Kosar's generosity but one thing is for sure. Kosar is a winner and in the game of life, it's only halftime. Bernie will come out on top.

Here is a video of Bernie leading the Dallas Cowboys on a touchdown drive in the 1993 NFC Championship game. After winning this game, the Cowboys went on to win the Super Bowl, giving Bernie the Super Bowl ring he could have never gotten under the incompetent ownership of Art Modell.

The REAL reason Mangini's staying

NFL owners will very likely lock out NFL players, risking some or all of the 2011 season. Why? Because years ago NFL owners negotiated a non free market system of salary caps but this socialist system of market control does not permit enough profit for owners.  Lerner must have considered this likelihood when the decision to retain Mangini for 2010 was taken. Why pay out to Mangini for firing him when 2011 might be a washout season in any event.

Brown's history: Milt Morin

Before Ozzie Newsome changed the tight end position, the typical NFL tight end was a big bruising blocker with good hands but rarely used like Newsome was as a long range threat. Tight ends like John Mackey and Mike Ditka typified the position. Milt Morin was Cleveland's tight end in the late sixties and early seventies. He was a consistent presence who could block and was always a threat to catch a short pass and gain 10 - 15 yards while bowling over some poor defensive back.

We Don't Get Fooled Again

Mangini still the coach? Josh Cribbs demanding a trade? The Who sum it up the best with slightly revised lyrics.

We'll be dancing in the stands
With our beers in our hands
And the stiffs that we worship will be gone
And the men who brought us shame
Now play in UFL games
They really sucked and hated us fans

I'll tip my hat to the new czar of football
Take heed next year, we will surely win ‘em all
Smile and grin at the change all around
Raise my foam finger and cheer
Just like yesteryear
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again

The change, it had to come
We knew it all along
We were liberated from 4 wins, that's all
And the standings look the same
And history ain't changed
'Cause Coach Mangini’s still here

I'll tip my hat to the new czar of football
Take heed next year, we will surely win ‘em all
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my beer and drink
Browns in the playoffs, I think
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
No, no!

I hope Josh Cribbs will still be on our side
He gets his cash and smiles at the sky
If the Browns happened not to lie
I know you can pay the man, yes you can
Can’t ya?

There's nothing on the field
Looks any different to me
And the stiffs are replaced, by more stiffs
And the holding on the left
Is now holding on the right
And the future does not look near as bright

I'll tip my hat to the new czar of football
Take heed next year, we will win ‘em all
Smile and grin at the change all around
Raise my foam finger and cheer
Just like yesteryear
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
No, no!

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

You're fired!

Mike Holmgren has arrived to the Brown's headquarters and according to various sources he plans to speak to the press tomorrow. I know one phrase that most fans hope Holmgren says to our coach tomorrow....

A sure bet?

The Browns are pick em vs Jacksonville tomorrow. With the Browns on a roll and at home, and Jacksonville playing badly, is taking the Browns a sure bet to win?

Who knows? Last year at this time, with the Jets fighting for their playoff lives, our leader, the Coach "forgot" to follow NFL rules and neglected to report that Brett Favre was seriously injured. Mangini was later fined $25,000 for this violation.

Character or competence? Does it really matter?

Coaching Trees

So far, Bill Belichick disciples have not exactly caught the world on fire. Their combined record as head coaches is 94-109. Message to Mike Holmgren: Please stay away from the Belichick tree!








Charlie Weiss: Notre Dame - 2005-2009: 35-27
Fired after the 2009 season

Romeo Crennel: Cleveland Browns – 2005-2008: 24-40
Fired after the 2008 season

Josh McDaniels: Denver Broncos – 2009: 8-6

Eric Mangini: New York Jets – 2006-2008: 23-25
Fired after the 2008 season
Cleveland Browns – 2009: 4-11
Fired after the 2009 season???

The Browns are heading in the right direction

Nice defense for the third straight week together with the continuing
emergence of Jerome Harrison garnered our Browns their third straight win vs Oakland. But if we are trying to drop forever the heavy burden of losing, we have only just started the journey.

Brown's history: Paul Warfield

Who was the greatest Ohio born player in Cleveland Browns history? One could argue for several notable players like Bernie Kosar, Thom Darden, Dante Lavelli, Bill Willis or others. My choice would be Warren, Ohio and Ohio State great Paul Warfield. A student of the game and a great athlete, Warfield knew how to get into the endzone. The deciding factor for me is that Warfield was a member of the last Cleveland franchise to win a championship, the 1964 Browns.

Unfortunately Warfield spent only 8 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Browns because Art Modell in his infinite wisdom saw fit to trade Warfield, in the prime of his career, to Miami for Mike Phipps. Warfield was a key playmaker on the Dolphins, where he won 2 Super Bowl championships, including the undefeated 1972 team.

Thank you Randy Lerner

USA Today summed it up best in an article today. The Browns have hired a proven winner and taken a critical first step in moving this franchise towards it's first Super Bowl. A Merry Christmas to all!

The Playmaker: Josh Cribbs

Hats off to Josh Cribbs for an NFL record breaking performance and the Browns for a fantastic show yesterday. It's playmakers that win games in the NFL and rarely has that been more on display than yesterday.

3 wins in 2009 assure that the Browns likely will not finish with the worst record in the NFL this year however the goal of all Browns fans is not to avoid complete humiliation, it is to return Northern Ohio's NFL franchise to a level of football that honors our football tradition. Our expectations are to win our first Super Bowl championship. This won't happen in 2009 but as we march forward, the Browns have to put more playmakers on the field. That logically will require leadership in the front office and on the sideline. The rumors of Mike Holmgren's arrival are a reassuring sign, as he is a proven leader and winner. Let's cross our fingers..

Brown's history: Brian Sipe

Ask a Brown's fan who grew up in the 1970's their favorite Brown's player and you are quite likely to hear the name Brian Sipe. Compared to that era's best QB's like Dan Fouts, Terry Bradshaw and Roger Staubach, Sipe was relatively small in stature and while Sipe had great velocity on his throws and was accurate, he certainly couldn't wing it 70 yards like Bradshaw. Instead what made Sipe a consistent producer were his leadership skills, a lion's heart and his ability to read defenses as well as any quarterback of his generation. In few words, Sipe was a playmaker and a winner.

Is Archie Bunker running the Browns?

Most Browns fans grew up in northern Ohio working class towns. Values like hard work, common sense, sacrifice and honesty form the core of an Ohioan, and football is one of the favorite ways by which we express those beliefs.

Years ago, I was in a bar in New York City and had a sport conversation with a gent who believed that the only reason Joe Namath was successful in the NFL was that he often took a 7 or more step drop when going back to pass. It was with complete certitude that this old man explained how Namath's success in the NFL was soley due to the fact that the dumbass defensive linemen of that era, when pass rushing, would count to 5 steps and stop. This rather intoxicated New York bore strongly resembled the 70's sitcom character Archie Bunker and I still laugh as I recall that conversation.

In the NFL you score points with playmakers. With the exception of Josh Cribbs, today's Browns are completely lacking in playmakers and one has to wonder if players like Kellen Winslow that have been traded away, were dismissed with the same twisted logic that the great Archie Bunker might have come up with, over a beer or two.

I would like to give the benefit of the doubt to the right kind gentleman from Brooklyn who owns our Cleveland Browns though it is unthinkable to forgive his boss, the "Coach" from Connecticut who in fact runs our team. We are still with you Mr. Lerner but this January when you start the searching for the next coach and general manager of the Browns, please search for a person who brings a little bit of Ohio common sense to the table. Study the thought process of our next leader and avoid going for the all show no substance types that so commonly litter the East Coast of our great nation. It might make sense to go have a beer with each candidate because it's amazing what we reveal about ourselves once we've pounded a brew or two.

Maiden Voyage of The Brown Log

Welcome to my first ever blog. This blog will be all about the Cleveland Browns and how completely and unbelievably inept the franchise has become. I started this thing not because I hate the Browns, but because I love the Browns! Hell,my DNA strands are orange with white and brown stripes. I just think we fans deserve much better. Like many fans I inherited this passion from my Dad. He grew up on the Browns and imparted to me the proud history of the team. Paul Brown, Jim Brown, Otto Graham. They were the New York Yankees of the NFL, the model franchise. Fast forward 45 years later and what happened? They are now the laughing stock of the league and arguably the worst franchise in the NFL. Matt Taibbi of the Rolling Stone thinks so. Matt usually warns us of the greedy bastards on Wall Street or the war pigs that get us into all kinds of trouble around the world. But in the current issue of Rolling Stone he felt compelled to deviate from his usual geopolitical themes to let the world know that Coach Eric Mangini has taken our beloved Brownies to new depths. Rock on Matt!
At first, I tried venting my frustrations by writing letters to Randy Lerner. I have written three. He never wrote back. I cannot believe it! That one-way correspondence was not cathartic at all for me. My hope with this blog is that we Browns fans can create a loud enough voice to be heard. We can tell Lerner and Mangini and whoever else screws up the Browns that we are mad as hell and we are not going to take it anymore! I will post after every game and any other time Browns news is made. Hopefully I will occassionally have something positive to comment on. So go Browns! Beat the Packers! Or at least keep the Green Bay offense to under 500 yards.