Monday, July 14, 2014

SWAGGER & LOVE

Browns
Haslam free? Reported here by a station down in Knoxville Tn. 


This would be a huge win for the Browns and their reputation if this is finally the end of the whole fiasco. Was it worth it Jimmy?

Now onto more important news!

The Browns add a mascot!! Another one!
His name is "Swagger"  and he is a bull mastiff puppy.
He is going to lead the team onto the field at every home game.
Swagger is one of four real live animal mascots in the NFL.


Cavs
The big talk of the town now is about the idea of strengthing the Cavs current roster. Now we have LeBron and All-Star PG Kyrie Irving,which is a pretty good start. Here's where it becomes fun. If the Cavs were able to add another proven All-Star, the Cavs can find themselves as favorites to win a championship this next upcoming season.
The one and really only name that is being floated out there in which the cavs are interested in pairing with Kyrie and Bron is Kevin Love. 
The Loveboat is 25 yrs old, went to school at UCLA, and was traded on draft night to the T-Wolves where he currently resides. He has said to the T-Wolves organization he will NOT resign with the team after this season. Therefore this makes him a trade-able asset this season. The reason being the T-Wolves know it's a foregone conclusion he will not return, so if they were smart they could trade him sometime now or this season and recieve some compensation in players or draft picks instead of having Love just sign with another team and have nothing in return.

If you didn't know already, the Cavs drafted 19 yr old Andrew Wiggins #1 overall this past draft. Andrew has already impressed and opened some eyes in the summer league with 360 behind the back dunks and ridiculous athleticism. >> espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/11211400/andrew-wiggins-shows-cavaliers-timberwolves-fans-back-360-dunk?ex_cid=sportscenterTW 


Anywho the word is around the league the only way the Cavs could acquire Kevin Love is if we give up Andrew Wiggins and probably then some more. There are conspiracy theorists out there who suggest this deal has been in place for quite some time now and the Cavs always wanted Love (ha) and basically had Minnesota make their #1 overall pick selection for them. Ensuring Minnesota receives who they want, and so do the Cavs. 
Truthfully, I'm a firm believer in that theory. I also do not think LeBron would have committed long term here if he didn't know K Love would be shipped here too. Regardless this would be a MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR move for the Cavs and help stabilize their future. Imagine this starting lineup:

PG- Kyrie Irving
SG-Dion Waiters
SF- LeBron James
PF - Kevin Love
C- Anderson Varejao

All I can say is WOW...only time will tell

Friday, July 11, 2014

Lebron

This is starting to be ridiculous in so many way. Sports fans are not supposed to be strung along like puppets and waste their time to see what billion dollar athletes are doing. Honestly, the NBA, NFL, MLB ETC. would not even exist if it wasn’t for the fans….With that said we all can tell LeBron loves the attention and truly enjoys the world revolving around him. The reason cavs fans are going to his house and refreshing twitter every 2 min is because yes we still CARE! But what Cavs fans care about might not be what you think. No we do not care about LeBron anymore…truthfully. We care about CLEVELAND and the implications it would mean if he came back. It would help the economy in Cleveland. Local Business’, restaurants, the housing market would all boom if he came back. WE REALLY COULD CARE LESS WHAT HE DOES. OF COURSE we could forgive him and yes I would along with a good amount of cavs fans. But again what you all need to remember is that we will forgive him for the betterment of Cleveland. To say you do not want the greatest player in that particular game come and play for your team is silly.


          Now on to Dan Gilbert. Gilbert was wrong for his letter, but so was LeBron for his circus decision show. This makes no sense why this “letter” is coming up right now before he is about to make his new decision. DO NOT FORGET the press conference Miami’s Pat Riley held basically calling out LeBron by saying “have some guts”, by staying in Miami. LeBron has always done whatever LeBron wants. Not even the great Pat Riley can have great influence on LeBron. In 2010 Lebron went to Miami to play with Dwayne Wade cause he was his buddy. It has never changed and truthfully I do not believe he listens to anyone else other than his mother and himself. The ONLY way to handle this whole letter situation is to take care of it privately and make it personal. However, who are we to say that it hasn’t already happened? Even this week, people act like LeBron has never even met with the Cavs………C’mon people this is LEBRON JAMES were talking about. DO NOT FORGET back in 2010 he admitted he was in talks with Bosh and Wade a few years before the summer of 2010. So you’re really trying to tell me LeBron is just making his decision on a whim? Just stop.

People do not be naive. I guarantee that LeBron has planned whatever it is he wants to do for quite some time now. Go back and look at his reactions to the last finals game and press conference. Looks like a guy tapped out and a man who knows his time there was done. (trust me I’ve seen that look before) When he was answering the question about what his plans were this summer, his reaction seems so uncomfortable, and FAKE. He seemed as if he knew EXACTLY what he was doing and was trying to diverge the attention on him and his plans. Even Dwayne Wade looks directly at him before answering, basically looking at him like “Yeah I want to know what you’re doing too”. This is not hard to see. With all of this said, that has been why it’s been my gut feeling he will come back. All of this other noise seems like smoke screens and just twitter bs. Social media is fun and whimsical, but when it needs to be serious it doesn’t follow suit.

Folks please remember were all going to go back to our miserable lives (Lebron said that in 2010) regardless what happens. Yes I would root for the Cavs and Lebron if he comes back, but not because he’s the “king” or the “chosen one”. It’s all because Cleveland is the reason. Cleveland is a thick skinned, blue collar, strong minded city. Some forgive and forget, and still some don’t. Either way, playing with or without Lebron isn’t life or death. However watching the Browns is, and always will be. That’ s one thing LeBron can’t decide for the rest of us.

 

          If he comes back or not….do not overreact do not be overjoyed simply be CLEVELAND and move on to tomorrow…it’s what we do

 


 

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

2014 Cleveland Browns Draft Guide



Cleveland Browns 2014 NFL Draft Guide:

Vince Chiuchiarelli










Who they might be thinking about.

Who they better be thinking about.

Who they should have been thinking about.
(like 12 months ago)




2014 Draft Prospects
2014 NFL Draft starts Thursday and the Browns have 10 picks (most of any team)

Within those 10 picks, the Browns have half of those picks in the first three rounds (which is VERY VERY rare and opportunistic for our front office)

Now for the youngsters! A major part of being a Cleveland Browns fan is getting excited for that particular season’s upcoming draft (yay!! It’s cause we suck every single year) History tells us in previous drafts where teams own a boatload of picks in one draft, (such as the Browns) that particular team will tend not to use all of them. In that case the most likely scenario would be where a few of those picks will be used as ammunition to trade up in the draft (in regards to trading picks, future picks ranging from rounds 1-7, can be traded at any time and used as ammunition also)

 Since the Browns have so many picks, let's try and focus on their first 5 selections, which happen to be within rounds 1-3 (out of 7) .
The Browns have many needs on both offense and defense. However, after review of their current roster I have narrowed it down to 5 "must need" additions the Browns need to make at key positions in order to be very successful next season. (I didn’t include lineman because Mike Pettine said it wasn’t a pressing need, not to mention we picked up some in the offseason)

Lists have top 5 players at each position of need with the #1 player being “best for business”. In this case the business is your Cleveland Browns.        (Just stole a line from the C.O.O. of WWE)
**MY RANKINGS ARE NOT BEST 5 PLAYERS AT THAT POSITION**

Browns 2014 Position Needs
1.) QB
2.) CB
3.) LB
4.) RB
5.) WR
Need #1-Quarterback
       As of right now, Brian Hoyer is the only QB the Browns will keep from last year. The Browns recently signed veteran QB’s Vince Young, and Tyler Thigpen. Again, the coaches and front office are stressing competition. They have also said they will be drafting a QB in this years draft. Remember, the Browns will not pass nearly as much compared to last season. Not to mention the addition of Ben Tate and having Kyle Shanahan as your offensive coordinator help strengthen that statement. Therefore, here are the prospects I believe would be the best for the Browns.



1. Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M) (6’ft 207lbs)
NFL Comparison: Brett Favre
Browns: He is the Evil Knievel of football. Instant Pandemonium in Cleveland. Ready to win right now. Not much needs to be said, he’ll be the franchise QB and set the world on fire.



2. Jimmy Garoppolo(Eastern Illinois)(6’2 226lbs)
NFL Comparison: Drew Brees
Browns: Learn behind Hoyer until he’s ready. Best footwork of all QB’s, and very intelligent doesn’t take sacks. Lightning quick release (honestly reminds me of a young Aaron Rodgers, but needs to get stronger to live up to it.



3. Tom Savage (Pittsburgh) (6’5 228lbs)
NFL Comparison: Jay Cutler
Browns: My favorite release, quick and very strong. Might rely too much on arm strength and needs to move better within the pocket. Tall and thick build, a perfect combo for the AFC North.


4. Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech) (6’6 250lbs)
NFL Comparison: Colin Kaepernick
Browns: Guy is a physical freak. Struggles with accuracy, but if coached up he will be a superstar and would resemble a mix between Big Ben and Colin Kaepernick. Lookout.


5. Aaron Murray  (Georgia) (6ft1 207lbs)
NFL Comparison: Russell Wilson
Browns: Reminds me of a stronger/better Kirk Cousions with best intangibles outside of Johnny Manziel.  


Need #2-Cornerback
       Joe Haden needs a better more talented corner across of him. Plain and simple, the Browns need to add depth and more size in their secondary to take pressure off Joe Haden. Im tired of watching our secondary give up so many long TD’s.



1. Kyle Fuller (Virginia Tech) (lbs)
NFL Comparison: Charles Woodson (Yeah I know, but seriously watch his tape)
Browns: He is smooth as the other side of the pillow. I love his athletic ability and his fluid hips. He brings good tackling skills, and will be a force on special teams. Joe Haden would love to work side by side with this guy.



2. Bradley Roby (Ohio State) (5’11 195lbs)
NFL Comparison: Sam Shields
Browns: Probably the best overall skill at this position in the                             draft. Can be lazy at times, but also flash amazing speed and quickness. Very solid tackler, and helps  support stopping the run. Very fluid and has soft hands. Needs to bulk up in order to be full time starter.


3.Rashaad Reynolds (Oregon State) (5’10 189lbs)
NFL Comparison: Brent Grimes
Browns: Reynolds Looks the part of an NFL corner. He is slight of frame but still brings hard hits and quick feet. Would start day 1 for Browns, and would pair very nice with Joe Haden.


4. Justin Verrett (TCU) (5’9 190lbs)
NFL Comparison: Ladarius Webb
Browns: Verrett reminds me of a young scrapper. Needs to sharpen his mechanics a little more. Still brings great athleticism. Could start day 1 at corner.


5. Pierre Desir  (Lindenwood) (6’1 198lbs)
NFL Comparison: Prince Amukamara
Browns: Playing at such a lower level than most D1 prospects                             may be a disadvantage for Desir when competing with other D1 CB prospects all with hopes of starting this season. However, the tape shows a big strong guy                             with great speed and toughness. Absolutely he can translate to the NFL, question is when.       


Need#3-Inside Linebacker
     Linebackers are a huge part of Mike Pettine’s defense. Speedy and good tacklers are required, and the Browns can use all the ones they can get their hands on.


1. Khalil Mack (Buffalo) (6’2 240lbs)
NFL Comparison: Willie McGinest
Browns Tape is enough evidence - upgrade on defense?.....YES



2. C.J. Mosley (Alabama) 6’2 232 lbs
NFL Comparison: Navarro Bowman
Browns It would be as if Haley’s comet came right through                             Cleveland if Mosley was still available for the Browns at pick #26. Mosley has range, size, and speed. He has great vision and instincts. He has the potential to be a franchise middle linebacker.



3. Ryan Shazier (Ohio State)
NFL Comparison:
Browns Shazier is not the biggest linebacker, but man does he                             pack a punch. He was the leader on his defense in college, and although he is undersized, he should continue to grow more. He is intimidating though (I had Kiswahili class at OSU with him….I never looked at him once in fear)


4. Lamin Barrow (LSU) (6-3 236lbs)
NFL Comparison: Jarvis Jones
Browns Browns could snag him in a later, giving them                                    good value and depth at the position


5. Chris Borland (Wisconsin) (5’10 200 lbs)
NFL Comparison: Kiko Alonso
Browns Mike Pettine could totally make Borland into a starter and contributor to our defense next year. Rough and tough are the only ways to describe him.



Need #4-Running Back
      The running back situation in Cleveland this past season was pretty dismal. Starting with the early injury to Dion Lewis, to the signing of the aging Willis McGahee, the Browns never seemed to have a running game all year. In order to be successful in the playoffs you will have to run the ball. The Browns do not have a great running back on the team as it stands. Yes Dion Lewis adds a good dynamic to an offense, but we need a running back that will pound the rock in the tough AFC North. Let us look at some choices!


1. Jeremy Hill (LSU) (6’1 233lbs)
NFL Comparison: Arian Foster
Browns: Just watch the tape


2. Carlos Hyde (Ohio State) (6ft 230lbs)
Game Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLHW_fZ_tF4
NFL Comparison: Matt Forte
Browns Carlos Hyde is one of the best running back in the                                    class. The combination of power, speed, and vision  what makes him great. The number one thing I will always remember about Carlos from                                           watching his at OSU is that he was always moving forward, never once did I ever see him get knocked backwards. Stability and balance for such a big back make him special.



3. Isiah Crowell (Alabama State) (5’11 224 lbs)
NFL Comparison: Giovanni Bernard
Browns: Honestly, if his off the field issues check out, this kid would be a steal in the later mid-late rounds in the draft. His tape speaks for itself. He can catch the ball great out of the backfield and he has a 3rd gear you can see easily. He has good size and can pack a punch.



4. Terrance West (Townson) (5’0 225lbs)
NFL Comparison: Frank Gore
Browns: This guy can play. He can block, run hard, and get downhill quick. He is tough and does not shy away from contact.


5. Dri Archer (Kent State) (5’8 175lbs)
NFL Comparison: Chris Johnson
 Browns: Archer really is the wildcard of all the running                             backs. He could be a truly electric player in the right offense on the right team. He can catch very well out of the backfield, almost making him another receiver.



Need #5-Wide Receiver
       Let's look for the Browns to draft a so-called #2 receiver to pair up with Josh Gordon in the draft. We already have a #1 in Gordon so now we need to build around him. The Browns added Andrew Hawkins and Nate Burleson in free agency. I don’t see this to be a pressing need, but they sure could draft one in the middle rounds and develop him into being a starter.


1. Kelvin Benjamin (Florida State) (- lbs)
NFL Comparison: Alshon Jeffery
Browns: Won a national championship last year, and made                                    the play of the game. He is a huge receiver that if can learn how to run better routes, will be a force to be reckon with.


2. Cody Latimer (Indiana) (6’2 215lbs)
NFL Comparison: Reggie Wayne
Browns: Credit to him, he had horrific QB play at Indiana. He will thrive in a better-structured offense and will be a starter in the NFL. Book it.



3.  Allen Robinson (Penn State) (6’2 220lbs)
NFL Comparison: Anquan Bolden
Browns: Robinson brings a big body and great hands. His leaping ability is what impresses me and he is fearless on the field. Not to mention he is the best run blocker out of all the WR’s.


4. Jarvis Landry (LSU) (5’11 205lbs)
NFL Comparison: Brian Hartline
Browns: Best hands in draft, and the guy is a straight playmaker and competitor. Possession receiver that is not afraid to go over the middle.



5. Kevin Norwood (Alabama) (6’2 200lbs)
NFL Comparison: Pierre Garcon
Browns: Norwood is the definition of consistency and clutch. At Alabama he was their #1 receiver and made every single big catch and came alive when they needed him most. I love his ability and love his ball skills.                    





-    If the browns come away with any of      these players, you should be very happy!

Thanks for reading

WOOF WOOF