Why Eric Mangini Isn't the Right Coach for the Browns

Frustration. Browns fans know this feeling all too well this time of the year. Another disappointing year coming to a close (though there were a few bright spots), injuries piling up, playoffs out of the picture, and a head coach on shaky ground. The prospect of starting over is very real following inept performances against Buffalo and Cincinnati. There's lots of blame to assess. The quarterbacks? Special Teams? Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll? Coach Mangini? One thing is for sure. After the final game on Jan. 2 against the Steelers, I believe Mike Holmgren will have no other option than to fire Eric Mangini. Here's why.

It wasn't that long ago that I was pining for Mike Holmgren to exercise patience and give Mangini more time to work with this team. It's obvious that the number of playmakers on both sides of the ball are low, but the team was doing a lot of things right and seemed ready to turn the corner TOGETHER. Surprising wins over New England and New Orleans had the city excited about Sundays. A rookie quarterback was managing the game with veteran savvy. Sure the Jets game was a letdown, but we were right there, and probably should have won the game. Recent events have cast a long shadow over what once was. A 1-point win over a 1 win Carolina team at home, followed by losses at Buffalo and Cincinnati (both 2 win teams) have left fans scratching their heads. Pile on the loss at Jacksonville, a game in which the Browns forced 6 turnovers, and you have yourself some unimpressive football. With Baltimore and Pittsburgh left on the schedule, it seems the Browns are headed for a second straight 5-11 season.

To start, this team is extremely inconsistent in its game planning from week to week. Coach likes to play power football, and we've finally got a bruising running back to establish a ground game. What we get in the games where Jake Delhomme starts is a QB chucking it 35 times a game, all while throwing a few to the other team. What makes it worse is that we have a pretty solid fullback in Lawrence Vickers. The Browns have gone through long stretches where he isn't even on the field to open holes for Peyton Hillis. The game plan from week to week seems 1-dimensional and unimaginative. Teams have wisened up and are not kicking the ball to Josh Cribbs as often, and the Browns have done little to get him going in games. Less Wildcat, and few targets when he's in at receiver. Most fans want to see Brian Daboll get his walking papers, but if you all think the head coach isn't signing off on the game plans, you all need to get your heads examined. What makes it worse is that when the Browns are fighting through miserable stretches of play calling during games, Mangini, a man who has to know his job is on the line, doesn't take charge and get his coordinators on the same page.

Most of you will argue that the team is competing because they've been in almost every game this year. I'll challenge you and tell you that they are better managing situations and not necessarily competing. Butch Davis used to run a similar style to what's going on now. Don't make a mistake, keep the game close, call it ultra conservative and try to win it in the end. The defense is playing better, but they still don't get much of a pass rush, and definitely embody the strategy of "bend, but don't break". You can't get to the playoffs, let alone win Super Bowls with that type of defense, you just can't.

As for the quarterback, this style of offense restricts the quarterback. In the Buffalo game, I saw Jake Delhomme throw 6 one yard passes. The quarterbacks rarely stretch the field, and they often throw to the check downs, or throw to Peyton Hillis. Again, no creativity, no excitement, no nothing. Colt McCoy has demonstrated the ability to not fall into easy mistakes and extend plays with his legs. While he's definitely the guy moving forward, I'd like to see the coaches let him open it up a bit.

Personalities. Every football team has them, and every head coach has got to manage them. At first, I was all about cleaning house with the players we had. The "stars" weren't really stars, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. While I agree with coach's decision to get some discipline in the organization, I'm getting the impression that he's not very flexible when it comes to personalities. Everyone agrees that you need more playmakers on this team. Let's face it, star players come with baggage. They need to be managed. I'm not condoning distractions, or even suggesting that guys like Braylon Edwards or Kellen Winslow were right for this team, what I'm saying is that there are not many humble stars out there. You have to manage and grow talent. Looking at our roster, we have a lot of hard working guys, but no stars. Teams like New England have always amazed me how they get stars from other teams, players who were troubled, and they come in and get right in line. Part of that is the structure that's already in place, but part of it is also the coach. In my opinion, Mangini can't coach stars, he's just too rigid. In the end, that will keep stars from coming to Cleveland.

These next two games will tell a great deal about the stability of this team, and the growth of Eric Mangini. It's hard to imagine the Browns winning 1 of these games, but they will probably need to win both, and I do mean win (and not have the other team lose it), to save their embattled coach. The option if Mangini is retained would certainly be that Daboll would be out, and an O-Coordinator would be brought in to run the West Coast offense. I'm not buying that to be successful in Cleveland, you have to run, run, run in late December and early January. The Patriots throw the ball just fine in the snow, and it gets plenty cold up in Foxboro. It's my opinion that the axe will fall on Eric Mangini, fair or not. I just hope the brain trust have a plan to get us a real coach.

Derek Anderson Reaction and Thoughts on Today's Athlete

A week removed from his tirade on a local reporter, Derek Anderson can't have many snaps left in his NFL career. In the closing minutes of last Monday's less than stellar performance against the San Francisco 49ers, Anderson was seen yucking it up with a fellow teammate on the bench. No one knows for sure what was talked about except for Anderson and his teammate, but one thing is for sure, they couldn't have been talking about the game. There wasn't much to smile about. Anderson came under fire not only from the broadcasters on the National telecast, but from local media as well. With yet another inconsistent season coming to a close for him, a season that was supposed to be different for him mostly due to the fact that he was on a better team than the previous year in Cleveland. This time, Anderson would legitimately have the edge as a starter coming into the season. No quarterback controversy, no fan backlash, nothing. He was starting fresh. It would be entirely in his control this time whether or not he succeeded.

As he moved to the podium to answer questions about the game, he had to know what was coming. Television cameras had caught just about the entire interaction on the bench. When Anderson was asked about what was said, he reacted the only way he knew how. He deflected all talk, calling it "his business" what was said between the two. Again, there wasn't much else to talk about in regards to the game. Anderson had played poorly, and he didn't seem too upset about it on the sidelines. Sensing irritation, a local reporter dug deeper, probing with questions and statements questioning Anderson's preparation and execution of the game plan from week to week. Aggravated at this point, Anderson snapped, saying he "takes this shit" seriously and he "studies his ass off" from week to week. The reporter kept asking what the two were talking about. Finally, Anderson said he was "done" and walked off the podium. He would later apologize for the outburst. In case you were wondering, Anderson played poorly again yesterday in a loss to the Rams. His statline- 7/20 for 93 yards. He threw 1 interception. With that type of performance, he took a lot of the shine of his preparation comment. He was later replaced by the back-up QB, who would later get hurt and the 3rd string QB played the rest of the game. That's how bad it is for DA these days in Arizona- even the 3rd stringer gets a chance before he re-enters. He probably won't be back next year.

There's a few points I'd like to make here. First, when he was asked about his conversation on the sideline, Anderson should have owned up to it. Players do this all the time in an effort to keep their spirits up, as well as the spirits of their teammates. As the quarterback, your job is to stay positive, I mean hell, Mark Sanchez is being fined by the Jets every time he displays poor body language. Back to Anderson-by taking it personally, he only compounded things. If a reporter, any reporter sees that he/she is getting a reaction from you, their job is to push the issue, all while being professional and respectful. Anderson could have easily said that it was a frustrating night all the way around, and that he wasn't happy with his performance. Simply put, he could have said, hey look, we were trying to make the best out of a bad situation and looking back now, we could have handled it differently. End of story, end of drama.

But were Anderson's sideline antics really that uncalled for? I can point to a number of instances, all within the last week, where two teams were playing a game, and the players on the losing team are smiling and talking it up not just with their teammates, but with the opponent. This is more common than you would be lead to believe in today's athlete. These guys are so rich, that the thought of competition is less important to them. Sure, they want to win, but at the end of the day, they seem to get over it pretty quick when they all meet at midfield, or center court to shake hands and make plans for the evening. It's so prominent nowadays that when opponents don't shake hands, the offender is labeled as a poor sport. Anderson has made himself a bigger target with his poor play and I do think he was unjustly made an example of. But hey, that's what happens when you're the QB. What we have here is a good old fashioned case of hipocracy.

I think that this is where pro sports is starting to lose a little bit of it's luster. Everyone is so interested in the "business" of professional sports that some of the good old fashioned rivalries and the spirit of competition have diminished greatly. College sports best embodies that passion, and yet we are still robbed out of a true playoff each year- a real opportunity to showcase the spirit of competition. No strings attached. In the case of Derek Anderson and pro sports, money has become the root of all evil, and it's killing the sport. But then again, that's today's athlete, like it or not.

The Beautiful Mess in Miami

It seems LeBron James is at the center of all things dysfunctional these days in Miami. 2 days before his first game against the Cavaliers, James and his Heat teammates are in one of the craziest soap operas the sports world has ever seen. Each day there is a new story, a new "insider's" report, attempting to shed some light on the question everyone is asking in some form; "What the hell is going on down there in Miami?".

20 years from now, I'm not sure what professional sports will look like. As a fan, I've always been captivated by athletes, and what they can do. It's art. I know there's so many other people in the world that deserve my adulation more than sports figures. In the case of LeBron James, 20 years from now is going to look a whole lot different than it appeared to look 6 months ago.

There are other players in this circle, but I'm going to stick with James for the simple fact that he was supposed to be different. I've read so many articles about this guy. As an Ohio native, he's been force fed to all of us since he was 15. I remember the Plain Dealer doing a full page color spread tracing all his movements when he goes to the basket for a dunk. This was when he was a high school freshman. It should be mentioned that it didn't start there. It had started long before. We are indeed all Witnesses, as the Nike slogan for James suggests, but we are not witnessing greatness anymore, we are witnessing the destruction of a man.

James shoulders much of the blame for this. He's been equivocating from the start. From the minute he found the spotlight, he tried to tell us he was the next Michael Jordan. He wore #23 and often spoke on the phone with Jordan while in high school. Jordan was also seen at his games, giving James pointers on how to improve his all around game. James even attended his basketball camps in the summer. Now (according to his commercial), he wants no part of Jordan's legacy. Why the sudden change?

It's hard to wrap my mind around what's going on with James. It's obvious that he planned this from the time he, Wade, and Bosh all signed 3 year extensions with their teams in 2007. As a fan, that pisses me off. The thing I've come to realize with pro sports is that the fans get left out in the cold while the owners are trying to get over on the players, and the players are trying to get over on the owners. Any adoration that the athlete showers the fans with is usually insincere, and when the fans react out of anger, the athletes can't understand why they are taking it personally. But, like the girlfriend in an abusive relationship, the fans come back for more, often latching on to another savior, hoping and rationalizing that this one will be different. In the case of James, he's shown that he's totally oblivious to the damage he left not only in Cleveland, but with the national media.

Looking back, it's easy to see how James got to this point. From the time he signed his extension in 2007, justifying his reasons for inking a 3 year deal as opposed to a 6 year deal as an attempt to keep the Cavaliers organization committed to winning and giving himself the best opportunity to win each year, he was openly flirting with every team that he had interest in. He kept one eye on Cleveland, and one eye on everyone else on his 2010 radar. Then there are his friends, all of whom rode his coat tails to their meal tickets. It was obvious James wasn't strong enough to make the choice himself and check his friends. He let them take control, convincing him that it should be all about him, and no one else mattered. There would be no accountability for LeBron James. He's the best. Just ask Nike, ESPN, his friends, and all of New York City. Go on TV and crush your fans in Cleveland. Call it The Decision (no one in Cleveland will be smart enough to figure out what's coming with all the misfortune tied into things like The Drive, The Fumble, and The Shot). LeBron James flat out forgot where he came from.

We all heard the accusations after it all went down. The Cavs fired off that they had covered up so much of James and his buddies' gaffes, that it would surely come out in Miami. He wouldn't have the same protection there. Travel plans had been changed to stay extra days in cities James and his pals wanted to party in. James' friends were on payroll with the team as well. They had held the Cavaliers hostage, and like a scorned lover, they were fighting back. The national backlash was fierce, and James, along with his superfriends, was suddenly the most hated man in the NBA. James was too busy to notice. He tried to build his brand by launching a new website, opening a Twitter account, and teaming with Dr. Dre to develop new headphones. Pile that on top of the over the top rave-like introduction the 3 planned shortly after The Decision, and the transformation was complete. Promises of 7 championships and dancing on stage only fueled the fire. You could just see the arrogance in the press conferences and interviews as these guys smiled and laughed and talked how they couldn't believe this had actually happened. They had pulled it off. What no one knew was that LeBron James was about to reveal himself.

Now to Miami. Things couldn't be worse for James right now. South Beach got its hooks in him right away. Rumors of a romance with Kim Kardashian were just the start. James quickly lashed out on Twitter, but the damage was being done. The team stands at 10-8, far below expectations, and suddenly the coach is on thin ice (mostly due to a shaky relationship with James). LeBron only adds ammunition to his detractors. Instead of letting his game do the talking, he often contradicts himself in interviews, and has a comment for just about every situation. In attempting to get his claws more in the pie, he's opened himself up to an avalanche of criticism. The one thing that matters, the thing he's being paid 110 million dollars to grow, his basketball game-it's never looked worse. Maybe LeBron should have signed a 3 year contract to give himself more flexibility if this whole thing goes wrong, which it looks like it might. As for his buddies, they can't get out of their own way. Chris Bosh said that they need more time to "chill", and suddenly Dwayne Wade is distancing himself from the coach after saying he was the right guy for the job b/c he "understands today's player". All that changed in a mere 18 games. The problem here is James.

As for the struggles, don't blame LeBron, none of its his fault. Just ask him. First he's playing too many minutes and he's not fresh at the end of games, then the offense is too simplistic and predictable. He's not having as much fun this year as he did last year. Are you kidding me? Where's Pat Riley? The grand master, who sold the million dollar pitch, is nowhere to be found. Let's not take accountability for our own actions, let's blame the coaches. After all, isn't that why Cleveland couldn't win the NBA title the last 2 years despite having the best record in the league? It's not LeBron's fault. No sir. Not one bit. And what of Game 5 against Boston? What happened that night? The problematic elbow? What these guys (Wade/Bosh/James) didn't consider is that while they might be good players, they aren't good teammates. After Monday's win over Washington, Wade stated that they may have found their identity. LeBron would take over the first half, and Wade would take over the second half. Does anyone understand how idiotic that sounds? So every night, Heat fans are going to be treated to one half each from their mega stars. Don't expect them to play a complete game. 4 quarters. Especially when the playoffs come around.

No one really knows what to expect on Thursday night when James comes to town, including James. One thing is for sure, Cavs fans aren't going to see the same player that put on a virtuoso performance against Detroit in the '07 East Finals. What they are going to see is a man who hides behind everything but basketball. I was reading today that we are starting to get a peek into LeBron James' soul, and it's covered in mirrors. In order to help James see what he's become, maybe Cavs fans should hold up mirrors. On December 3rd, Cavs fans will move on from LeBron, but he'll still be fighting for his life in the beautiful mess he created.

Sunday's Scuttle Butt

Things on my mind as the weekend draws to a close:

Ohio State football is overrated. Before all of Columbus gets in their cars and drives up here to kill me to kick off Michigan week, hear me out. Is it true that OSU has an elite program?Absolutely. Does OSU have elite talent? Sure. Do they have elite coaching? Absolutely not. I don't care what numbers you throw at me, there are two problems I see with this OSU football team...Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor. Let's start with Pryor. I really wanted to like this guy when he committed to Ohio State. I was even willing to give him a pass as he struggled as a true freshman, playing in front of 100,000 fans each week. That would be a little intimidating. Now a junior, I can't think of a bigger disappointment in college football. The talent around Pryor is staggering. Fast wideouts, good offensive line, improved running attack, and a monster defense that can score points for you. Yet I still see this guy throwing passes behind receivers, not running through plays and avoiding contact (even though he's the biggest and fastest player on the field almost every snap), and displaying one of the lowest football IQ's I've seen in recent memory. Forget about reading defenses. It might be safe to say that Pryor may have peaked in last year's Rose Bowl win over Oregon. Then came his tweet after the Iowa game on Saturday (that has since been removed). It was directed at Pryor's "haters" out there, saying talk is cheap, and that they all couldn't fill his shoes while wearing 10 pair of socks. Really? Nice. He came to OSU to get them "over the hump". Well, he's only got one year left to do it.

On to Tressel. For a while, this guy had me as his biggest cheerleader. Clean cut guy, motivator, big into school spirit and tradition, and he beats Michigan...a lot. All great things. The more I see of this guy, the more I hate his coaching style. This year's OSU team looks two different ways. At home, they smash teams, opening up the playbook a little and score points at will. On the road, they play tentative, and the play calling is downright conservative. During Saturday's game against Iowa, OSU was trailing 7-0 and had moved the ball to the Iowa 1 yard line. It was fourth and goal, and Tressel burned a timeout to decide on kicking a field goal. He later said he wanted the points, feeling it was important to get something on that drive. You know what, that's flat out crap. You're Ohio State. You have one of the biggest O-lines in football, a power back in Boom Herron, and a running QB in Terrelle Pryor. You're telling me you can't get 1 yard? 3 whole feet? give me a break. I've seen this a number of times in games against USC, Texas, LSU, and Oregon. All big games, all conservative play calls. It's like Tressel tries to protect his team on the road, opting for field position and field goals. He let's his defense try to win the games for him. The problem I have with that is that you have a pretty damn good offense too. I think coach is good for this team, but he needs an offensive coordinator.

I caught the 4th quarter of today's Browns game. Another close game that we just couldn't seem to put the finishing touches on. At this point in the season, it's time for the fans to stop deluding themselves from the truth. This team is just too banged up to win football games. We're not just banged up, we're banged up at key positions. We're not a deep team, which compounds the injuries. We've found some nice pieces this year with Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis. Josh Cribbs will be back, Joe Thomas is solid, and Joe Haden looks like a smart draft pick right now. The team is competing, staying in every game, but they just aren't very creative on offense (minus a few trick plays here and there). The game plan will be simple from here on out; pound the ball to Peyton Hillis, short passes from Colt McCoy to minimize the risk, and maybe a little wildcat if and when Cribbs comes back. Today was a classic example of what's going on with this team. Injuries to the O-line had McCoy taking big shots most of the game. Peyton Hillis couldn't run, mostly due to the deficiencies on the offensive line, and we couldn't win a game in which we forced 6 turnovers. 6! The offense was atrocious. No excuses. The team is headed in the right direction, but please let's temper the playoff talk, ok?

Something needs to give in the Floyd Mayweather/Manny Pacqauio drama. I'm not sure what's being said behind closed doors, but these two guys need to find a way to fight, and fast. After Pacqauio destroyed his most recent opponent, winning his 8th title, it's clear that there aren't many guys left for him to dominate. Mayweather has never lost, and I think he might be a little afraid of Manny, despite what he says. I know this, Floyd is fast, but Manny is tough. He'll hit Floyd, and hit him a lot. I'm not sure Mayweather wants any part of that. Don't hide behind alleged steroid testing disputes. Put up or shut up. The fans of boxing are being robbed b/c one guy doesn't want his perfect record and pretty face to get messed up.

Tonight's Colts/Patriots game was awesome. Once again, Bill Belicheck and company did just enough to slow down and unsettle Peyton Manning, winning 31-28. Tom Brady was flawless again, completing 76% of his passes, but he mixed the run in much better than his counterpart did. Brady continues to destroy defenses, seemingly whenever he wants. Last week he put on a passing clinic at Pittsburgh, shredding their defense to pieces. This week, he managed the game better, mixing in run with pass, short with intermediate routes. He has his Pats steaming towards a rematch with Rex Ryan's Jets later this season. For anyone who knows me, TB is my pick for league MVP. Now go home and enjoy that victory with Gisele! See you all after Thanksgiving.

Early Season Report Card for the Cavaliers

Post LeBron James basketball has arrived in Cleveland. While most experts had the Cavs pegged for 12-25 wins, the team stands at 3-3 after 6 games and is tied for first place in their division. While it's still early, there are some good and bad observations I've had about this team already. Here is the early (really early) season report card for our Cavaliers.

The mindset of the team: Losing the 2-time league MVP left a ton of questions about this team. Which player(s) would step up and fill the scoring void left in the wake of James' departure? Was there anyone of value on the roster to fill a leadership role? Who would take and make big shots late in games? It was a scary thought that after 7 exciting years of Cavs basketball, the days of Shawn Kemp, Ricky Davis, and Lamond Murray could be right around the corner again. Early on, the team has found a 1-2 scoring punch of J.J. Hickson and Mo Williams. With the exception of the second game of the season in Toronto versus an underrated Raptors team, the Cavs have been in every game. Coach Scott has them focused hustling, and they seem to be embracing the underdog role as the "Non-LeBrons". Early Grade: B.

Coach Byron Scott: None of us were really sure if he took the job under the impression that James would be back, or if he's just using Cleveland as a practice ground until the Lakers come calling for his services. So far, I like what I see from Coach. His offense implores ball movement, something we only saw glimpses of under Mike Brown. While complex, the players have demonstrated an understanding of how it works. I've also noticed plenty of in game adjustments. Coach Scott isn't afraid, as he demonstrated opening night against Boston by calling a timeout just 3 minutes into the game, to give his guys an earful if they aren't producing. Compare that to how Mike Brown used to try and let his guys play through rough spots during the game, and we have a world of difference. The team is young, and Coach Scott doesn't seem like he's going to let many teachable moments pass by, especially for his guards. Early Grade: B+.

Team Offense and Defense: Ok, here's the good, the bad, and the ugly. The thing to remember here is that both these factors need to work together to produce the best results. The team's defense will help fuel it's offense. By that I mean if the Cavs can get stops and turnovers, they will always try to turn those into runouts. The tempo is going to be fast, fast, fast. This is one of the reasons Coach puts a big emphasis on conditioning. However, on the other side of that, if they don't get stops, and are forced to play a half court game, things change drastically, at least at this point they have. We have a quick set of guards and they need to be pushing the ball up court, not walking it up. Combine that with the fact that we really don't have much of an inside presence, and the early result has been a lot of jump shots off motion. We've been able to knock down a high percentage, but that certainly won't continue when we start facing the league's elite. So far, the offense has been surprising, averaging just under 100 pts. per game, with a high of 126 points against Philadelphia. The defense is giving up 102 pts. per game. Surely that recipe will need to work itself out more if this team wants to win more games and play in May. Early Grades: Offense: B-, Defense: C-.

In Game Concentration: As expected, the early games have been a tale of two halves. The Cavs have pushed the needle into the red a few times with over 60 pt. first halves in games vs. Sacramento, Philadelphia, and Washington. The third quarter continues to kill this team. As in the past, big leads at the half have vanished in minutes with uninspired play in the third quarter. Under Mike Brown, this was always a problem, and early on, Coach Scott and his staff haven't figured out a way to cure it. There have been plenty of wasted possessions where players are dribbling the ball around, and taking shots early in the shot clock without finding the open man. The team has been able to dig deep and pull itself out of some double digit deficits against Boston and Atlanta (winning just the Boston game), which is a credit to their mental toughness and past experiences in big games. While the schedule hasn't been tough, with winnable games against, Sacramento, Philly, Washington, and now a back to back with the Nets, the margin for error is going to shrink in matchups with Miami, Orlando, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Milwaukee, along with the top teams in the West. Execution at both ends will be a must if this team wants to survive. Early Grade: C-.

The Fanbase: One of the biggest keys to this season will be fan support for this team. While they are searching for their identity, there are going to be plenty of ups and downs. This team will certainly be better at home than on the road, and a big part of that will be the fans. On opening night, the crowd definitely helped will the Cavs to a comeback win over the Celtics, and it will no doubt be insane when Miami comes to town on Dec. 2. Coach Scott is surely preaching team basketball to his young players along with "family" and helping each other. The fans are going to need to be part of the fiber of this team. While basketball in this city is in a fragile state, it's still got plenty of talent to be excited about. To this point, the fans have been awesome, and they'll need to be all the way through the season. Early Grade: A+.

Early Season Surprises: Top of the list; J.J. Hickson. He's hitting the mid-range jumper, and slashing to the basket. I always worry about his lapses in concentration, but so far, he's been great. It makes me wonder how he couldn't crack Mike Brown's playoff rotation last year, after starting 72 games and nearly getting traded. Daniel Gibson has thrived in the new offense. He's been right in the thick of some big rallies early on, but sometimes his shot selection is questionable. Nevertheless, he's re-emerged after becoming the forgotten man the last few years, and he's in the best shape of his career.

Good, but not Great: Mo Williams has been solid since returning from a pulled groin, but I still need to see a little more from the guy who contemplated retiring after LeBron left. I worry about his toughness in crunch time. He seems more serious this year though. Andy Varejao continues to be the energy man. He's been active on the defensive end out on the perimeter, which has caused him to disrupt some passing lanes. He needs to stay healthy for us to do well. Not sure about him squaring up for jump shots though.

No Man's Land: Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, Ramon Sessions, and Ryan Hollins. All have flashed some signs of brilliance, but all still have much to prove and a lot of work to do.

Incomplete: Leon Powe. Year 2 off knee surgery, we haven't seen a lot of him. I like his toughness, but I'm not sure he's in this team's future. Antawn Jamison. Thought to be the final championship piece last year, knee soreness has kept him to limited action this year. If things go South for this team, he'll be the first to be traded because of his huge contract. He wasn't the same player we saw in Washington.

Biggest Disappointment: Jawad Williams. Not sure what is going with him, but he looks awkward on the court. He seems to be struggling to find his place in Coach Scott's new system, as well as his rotation. If you ask me, he's on borrowed time with this team.

Overall Team Grade: C+. I could have been more generous, but it's early, and I've seen typical ups and downs with a young team in a new system with a new coach. I think they can contend in the Eastern Conference, probably no higher than a #7 seed, but in the first year without LeBron, a playoff appearance would be higher than most expected.

My Open Letter to Mike Holmgren

Dear Mr. Holmgren-

To start, Cleveland hasn't had a football mind like yours in its organization since Paul Brown. Few people in the history of the NFL can boast a resume as deep as yours. You've been to Super Bowls, discovered talent that would eventually become among the league's elite, developed head and assistant coaches, most of whom have gone on to be successful in the NFL, and you've even had some success in the administrative side of football. All that considered, I found your comments regarding your "itch to coach" to be selfish and ill-timed.

The last few weeks have been some of the most exciting in Browns football since the team returned in 1999. Beating two teams of the Saints and Patriots caliber isn't a fluke at all. A lot of people deserve credit, from the players, to the coaches, GM Tom Heckertt, even yourself and Randy Lerner. This week's game with the Jets has people excited, really excited. And it's only Monday. From a fan's perspective, it feels like things are finally headed in the right direction.

I can honestly say I wasn't surprised when I read your comments. When it was reported that you would be coming to Cleveland, I think the general consensus was that it would only be a matter of time before you would come down from the press box and coach this team. Last year, when the team was 1-11, we all felt that Eric Mangini was in way over his head. He had too much responsibility. He needed structure, to be controlled. In our mind, it was only a matter of time before he would be fired. He was swinging the big stick and cleaning the country club atmosphere up that Coach Crennel had left behind. There were some glimpses of progress, but none that showed up in the win column. The clock was ticking on Coach Mangini.

Then something strange happened. The Browns won 4 games in a row. Then Mike Holmgren was coming to town. Tom Heckertt wasn't far behind. Things were looking up from an executive standpoint. You did your due diligence, said all the right things in the press conferences, and you were going to talk to Eric Mangini himself. Certainly you would convince him that he needed to keep the focus on the X's and O's, while softening his personality a bit. We signed a few vets, had a good draft (thanks to everyone involved), and pulled off the Peyton Hillis trade. Even Coach Mangini seemed a little more relaxed, cracking jokes at his weekly press conferences.

The new season started rough. 1-5, top two quarterbacks hurt, a secondary that looked like Mayfield High School's, and the rookie Colt McCoy starting. We hadn't been blown out in any game, and certainly the record was deceiving. We could have easily been 3-3 or 4-2. Now, we had a stretch of games against the Saints, Patriots, and Jets. 1-8 was staring us in the face, and Mangini looked like a goner. As you know, we would win the next two games, and suddenly, people are talking playoffs. Crazy. I guess that's why they play the games.

Look, the Cleveland Browns organization is on to something here. For the first time in a long time, we the fans feel like everyone is in their right spot, including YOU. Listen, the prospect of you coaching this team is exciting, just not now. Not ever. Coaching is a grind. Long days, longer nights, and you have to have the energy. You had that energy once. At this stage of your career, your mind is your greatest asset. You are in a position to mentor Coach Mangini, much like you already have. We notice the differences!

Despite the record, this team is playing the most disciplined football since its return to the NFL. Fewer penalties and mental mistakes. Some creative play calling, and the coaching staff has passion! Rob Ryan is great. You have to admit, Coach Mangini has these player's attention and they're buying in. Since starting 1-11, we've gone 7-5. We've done this while using 5 different quarterbacks. That's a recipe for disaster for any team, but we've been winning. Now it looks like we've got our QB. We currently have the toughest schedule to this point in the NFL. Our opponents have .651 winning percentage. Coach is doing a good job.

In closing, a coaching change at this point would really set the franchise back. We need stability. This fan base has waited too long for this team to be relevant again. We're competing. Look at the progress through the first season and a half under Coach. It's a 3 year turnaround. Year one, clear out the riff raft and "me" first guys and start remaking the roster. Year two, start to compete and win some games you aren't supposed to. Year three, win more than you lose. The team is growing, and Cleveland is proud of everyone's efforts. We need to stay the course, and be comfortable in our roles.

Regards-

Tom Rudar (Lifelong Browns fan)

Cleveland. Pride. Heart.

It's not easy to be a professional athlete in the city of Cleveland. We don't have bright lights, celebrity hot spots, an average temperature in the 70's, and the ocean to sell you. Big business? Nope, don't have much of that either. Promises of endless wealth? World Class ownership? Depends on who you ask. We should warn you- there have been others that have come before you. Self proclaimed stars and leaders of teams. Record holders and hard workers (according to their agents). So why doesn't it all carry over? You want to play pro sports in Cleveland? Wait, you want bring and develop a culture of winning here in Cleveland? We have some advice for you.

Look, we all get it, you're gifted, blessed, whatever you want to call it. But let's face it, for the most part, you've been spoiled. Don't like that word, how's pampered? Catered to? From the moment you played the game, from the moment people have seen you play, someone has been looking for a way to exploit you. It's a tough business, and make no mistake, it's a business. Decisions won't be easy, everyone will have an opinion, but the one that will matter the most is yours.

Cleveland. We're a blue collar town. Hard working people who give everything to their job, and then some more to their families when they go home. We don't take many vacations, we rarely get to fly first class, or eat at 5-start restaurants. We balance our checkbooks. We're savers. We wear our emotions on our sleeves, and we live and die with our sports teams. This is a working man's town, and we are all proud of our city. Don't believe me? My friend Wolf has the word "Cleveland" tattooed on the inside of his arm. He wants to add the skyline behind it.

Back to you. The city of Cleveland has had some of the greatest athletes in the history of sports. Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Bob Feller, Austin Carr, Bernie Kosar, even LeBron James to name a few. Some played their entire career here, while some just passed through. Ultimately, the ones that leave Cleveland have all made the same mistake; they don't understand the culture.

Fans in this city are smart. We couldn't care less about how much money you think you should be making, or about how you want to build your brand. All we care about is taking care of business on the field. We're starving for a winner. I've been in other cities and listened to call in shows, but none have ever had the passion or the fire that the ones in Cleveland do. We spend all day preparing for the game, we watch the game, and then we want to spend all night talking to you about the game. Win or lose, we have observations. The best part about it all, not even the star player is above criticism. We tell it like it is.

I've never been a pro athlete, so I don't understand all the demands that are put on athletes today. I've never walked into a restaurant, or a mall, and had to worry about being able to enjoy my privacy. I've never been a target for the paparazzi. Then again, I've never had the opportunity to make millions of dollars to play a GAME. Fame has it price, and athletes today in my opinion, don't want to pay that price for the money they make. You can enjoy the pleasures that await you behind the velvet rope of celebrity, but you're going to have to deal with the backlash as well.

For a pro athlete to succeed in Cleveland, and enjoy his/her success here, they have to start with the fans. Form a relationship, put in the extra time, let your guard down a bit. Show loyalty. Don't get caught up in the promises game, just work hard and lead by example. This city has some of the best fans in the world, and just once, we deserve better.