Stuff from all over today, as I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the Ringless contest entries, but first – like a gift from the email Gods on a slow news day, two Reboot readers delivered the goods. 

First, from Kirk Reynolds comes a most welcome, if not foreign topic – an item regarding those suddenly resurgent Browns. 

Longtime NFL scout Dave Razzano has some kind words for our beloved franchise – and manages to avoid tripping over clumsy cliches such as “long suffering”, “LeBron James” and “Eric Mangini on the hot seat.”

But first, you may be asking yourself – just who is Dave Razzano?

Take a look:  Dave Razzano’s NFL Background     

With a bit more publicity, Razzano could steal Mike Lombardi’s job.  Meaning Lombardi’s NFL Network gig and not that front office position with the Jets he so covets.

Anyway, here’s Razzano’s take on the Browns…

Dave Razzano’s Browns Preview

The Browns are talented in certain spots. I’d say they’re as talented as they’ve been in, gosh, 11 years. This team has more talent than all of last decade.

I think the Browns are going to be a solid 8-8 team. They’ll be very competitive. Their defense is on the rise. Getting Jake Delhomme will help them. It will help them with the efficiency of their offense. It’ll help them in the locker room….

…They have a really good offensive line, a seasoned quarterback, and I think the running game and short passing game will keep them in games, and I think their defense is going to win some games for them….

…I think they’re going to play hard, they’ll play solid, they’ll surprise some people, but at the end of the season I don’t think they’re going to contend in the division they’re in. But they’re going to be competitive and play a lot of close games this year….

What’s the word I’m searching for here?  The one I’ve mentioned about a thousand times over the last six months?

Oh, right – progress.

Although it’s very early to make such statements, I tend to agree that this is the most talented – if not the deepest roster the Browns have had since their expansion return. 

Some may argue that the 2007 roster was a bit more star-laden, in some pseudo-sense of the phrase – but perhaps for the first time in a decade, the Browns finally feature some quality depth across the roster.

Except of course at wide receiver….and along the right side of the offensive line….and across the defensive line.

But enough about that.

While so many are employing tunnel vision by pointing only at Jake Delhomme, the Browns’ offense will no doubt feature its best line and core of running backs in nearly two decades.  Obviously, a steady Delhomme brings another level of intrigue to the offensive attack, along with some still developing wideouts and a decent tight end in Ben Watson.

Defensively, Razzano nails down what so many quickly dismiss regarding a Mangini-coached team: that is, that the Browns played hard in every single game in 2009.  There is no reason to suggest that this will be any different in 2010 – and considering the upgrades made at linebacker and throughout the secondary, the defense is poised to make a small leap this coming season.

While 8-8 is still a lofty projection, considering the quality of opponents the Browns will face, it is becoming obvious that finally this franchise has been turned in the right direction.

Now, just don’t tell anybody.  It will be our little secret.

As for an item that is way out in the open – much like Brandon McDonald on a proverbial island, here’s this…

Dave:  I may be totally off course here but something I have noticed, more in the NFL than in college, is that CBs seem to be taught to only watch the receiver they are covering and not the ball, which is why so often a DB is in perfect position to make an interception but it becomes a completion because the ball zips right past the DBs head because he isn’t looking for the ball.

When Brandon McDonald broke in, he was the ONLY DB on the Browns that looked for the ball and he immediately picked off some balls. Each year since I have noticed he has looked less and less for the ball and more and more just watched his man and has gotten beat like a drum. Am I way off here or do you see this happening throughout the NFL?

Geoff Klein
Naples, FL

Great question – one that is equal parts rational and difficult to answer. 

Although I’ve given McDonald a fair share of abuse on these pages, I think we all can admit that he was a late-round, rookie gem in 2007.  Of course, it’s worth noting that McDonald played behind the likes of Leigh Bodden, Daven Holly and Eric Wright in 2007.  McDonald broke out as a dime back against Houston midway through the season and played effectively on passing downs.

Speaking of which, am I the only one who misses Leigh Bodden around here?  Or, even Daven Holly?

Anyway…McDonald’s struggles began when he assumed a starting role in 2008, as his responsibilities multiplied from playing in the slot to taking on a receiver on the outside.  Along with these increased coverage duties, McDonald also was relied on in run defense – which is exactly where his career meltdown began.

As Geoff Klein points out, McDonald was clearly a student of the game – albeit a raw one.  Certainly, he did play the ball as a rookie, since he was matched up with smaller wideouts.  As his competition grew – literally – McDonald became completely focused on merely “keeping up” with his assigned player.  Such a strategy led to McDonald being completely out of place on the field – both in coverage and against the run.

And after getting rolled by multiple open-field ballcarriers, McDonald’s mental funk was accompanied by a case of nervous feet.

As for other corners to use as a comparison – I think Bodden’s name has to be mentioned again, along with the league’s more physical prototypes, such as Antoine Winfield and Darrelle Revis – players who are skilled at using their bodies in coverage. 

As for the relationship between watching the ball and watching the player, an example like Bodden shows the value of knowing an opponent’s tendencies.  Although Bodden would get beat occasionally, he possessed the kind of awareness that players like McDonald have not developed.

Speaking of awareness, let’s take a closer look at the three Ringless entries – from three fans who are completely aware of what Cleveland fandom represents.

Brian Heise

“The Decision” wasn’t a murder.  It was a suicide.  Lebron James, through his own actions, killed his legacy, reputation, and home town ties.  This only hurts so much because we loved him so dearly.  We didn’t want him to do it, but he did it anyway.  The week of his free agent meetings we tried to save him from himself, but some people are beyond saving.  So on “The Decision” Lebron picked up the knife and plunged it deep into himself, not the backs and hearts of Clevelanders everywhere.  In front of millions on national television, Lebron James ended his legacy as the greatest basketball player of all time and Cleveland’s chosen one.  Worst yet, we are left picking up the pieces and wondering why since the bastard didn’t have the decency to write a note.  We’re angry, we’re bitter, and we want answers.  Unfortunately those answers won’t come, at least not in the near future. 

It’s going to be difficult to ignore the wall to wall coverage of the Miami Heat this coming season.  It’s probably a safe bet to suggest that most of the Cavaliers’ national TV spots will be handed over to the Heat for the coming season.  Add this to ESPN’s anchors who will no doubt channel their inner lovestruck pre-teen girl at a Twilight sequel – and the level of disgust in Northeast Ohio will be thicker than lake effect cloud cover.

However, as Brian Heise suggests, the “suicide” of LeBron James’ character represents perhaps the cleanest break Cleveland sports fans may have ever experienced.  In so many ways, the “LeBron we thought we knew”, or even the “Akron LeBron” is dead and buried.

Granted, the sting will linger for a while – but in terms of legacies, it’s become obvious in the past few weeks that the one LeBron built in Cleveland has been forever extinguished.  Whatever he does in Miami will really have no impact on Cleveland – as he is no longer…and can never be….a part of the city’s character and fabric.

In this sense, LeBron’s exit has proven two truths about sports.

First, American sports fans are fickle and filled with resentment.  In Miami, they should manage to fill an entire arena and will likely celebrate what will be an ultimately empty championship or two.  However, once the initial frenzy fades, or the winning subsides, what will be left? 

Second, under no circumstances will Cleveland ever be defeated as a sports town.  Considering that we’re going on close to fifty years without a major sports championship – yet still possess the most rabid and diehard fans in all of sports – tells you something about the pride and character of the city. 

If this city hasn’t folded up under four decades of constant heartbreak, it never will.

Keith Vlasak

It’s Rutigliano wanting to know if Ozzie had a big ass, so he could convert him to tight end.  It’s even Bill Cowher, special teams coach, being so upset an opposing punt returner signaled fair catch and then ran with the ball that Schottenheimer had to keep sending him away from yelling at the officials who threatened 15 yards if Marty couldn’t keep that “nut” away from them.  It’s Bernie drawing plays in the dirt, too — and both the hail mary pass the Browns lost on to Minnesota and the one Couch threw to Kevin Johnson against New Orleans for their first expansion team win.

Considering everything I stated in response to Brian Heise’s piece, the idea of being a Cleveland fan is found in the details.  Speaking of which, Keith Vlasak delivers the goods in his entry.

The Rutigliano line is classic Browns’ folklore, along the lines of “Love ya, Brian” and Marty’s “see the gleam” – both uttered either before or after a playoff defeat.  Both – although framed in losses – are part of a tradition that no other American sports city could ever understand.

For me, it was my Dad warning me to “watch where you step” when entering the old Stadium’s bathroom, or watching Ray Ellis live and die with every playoff defeat – experiencing the exact same level of heartbreak that we as fans were suffering. 

For us, it’s about memories – the way we frame our own individual fandom.

For others – it’s about entitlement.  I love a Philadelphia crowd, but could never fathom the level of hatred Eagles’ fans had for Donovan McNabb…or the sheer apathy found in another lost Bengals’ season….or the way an entire city can turn on a franchise based solely on their own heightened expectations.

If anything, the LeBron exit has awoken a huge mass of this city – one that was becoming entitled – or even “spoiled” by the last few years of playoff success.  To this end, can you only imagine how much more worthy an eventual champion will become in this city?   Or how cherished that team will be until the end of time? 

In the immediate, we return to our struggles – the things that ultimately define us in a sense that is equally uncomfortable and unfair.  However, the payoff – whenever it arrives, and in whatever form – will be worth it – and will be distinctly ours.

And always, if building character is not your thing, just take GW’s age-old advice….

GW

Proudly wearing your Indians & Browns gear to other cities and suffering the slings and arrows of abuse from the unwashed and ill-informed that inhabit them.  It means being proud of your city and your teams even if our river did catch fire and not letting a front running, narcissistic 25 year old punk who dumped on the whole city upset you.

Exactly.