Browns 20, Jets 13
There's a thing about Browns wins since 1999. You have to enjoy them as much as possible, because you have no idea when the next one will come.
Cleveland did play better today, and did deserve to win. Jeff Davidson will likely get a lot of credit for the 20-point effort, and yes, the offense was better, especially for the first three quarters. Charlie Frye looked more comfortable, the offensive line, despite the loss of Joe Andruzzi and the absence of Ryan Tucker, played their best game this season. And Sean Jones led the defense, which played the bend-but-don't-break to perfection.
If Cleveland hadn't allowed the kick return, it would have been downright easy.
But it never is in this city. Still, I'll take it.

Tiger Chance
A week ago, I made the argument (on the local radio station) that if the Tigers were to lose the World Series to the Cardinals, too much rest would not be the reason.
What I was sure of, was that if you caught the Cardinals at the wrong time, they could be as tough as any team in the playoffs.
As it turned out, the St. Louis starters were awfully good, and the bullpen was even better.
In many ways, game 7 was a microcosm of the series itself.
-You had Cardinals starter Jeff Weaver going eight innings while allowing two runs.
-You had an inept Tigers' offense, with only Sean Casey providing an offensive spark.
-There was Adam Wainwright pitching out of trouble in the ninth to secure the title.
-And of course, there were the Tigers' pitchers, who never really pitched badly, but cost the team with some ridiculous defense. Some teams don't get that many pitcher-errors in a season. But it wasn't just the errors. It was the timing of them that simply couldn't have been worse.
Friday, it was Justin Verlander's error in the fourth that burned the Tigers, and the Cardinals rallied for two runs.
Five errors from pitchers in the series; eight total. If you allow eight unearned runs in five games and score 11 total, you aren't going to win.
The Tigers had a wonderful season, but you have to wonder if they can duplicate a year like this is 2007. Kenny Rogers may not find the fountain of youth again. Todd Jones may not be as effective next year. The offense, always streaky, will have to be altered in some way.
Everything fell into place for Detroit in October. As a Cleveland fan, I sympathize. Nineteen ninety-seven wasn't that long ago. We had no way of knowing then that it would be at least a decade until the Indians returned to the Fall Classic.
As great as the season was, I have a feeling many Tigers fans will look back at the Series as a great chance to win it all.
You just don't know when those chances will come around again.

Rocking is the Vote?
Call me a conservative cynic, but I have never been a big believer in the whole drive to get people to vote.
I never liked it when MTV would have drives, and I was always insulted when movie stars and musicians told me how important voting was.
I remember watching a voting special from the 1970s with John Denver and Cass Elliott. As I recall, the message was "we don't care who you vote for, just vote."
That may have been an MTV rallying cry as well.
But I always felt these forms to "rock the vote" sent entirely the wrong message. Just like college, tattoos, and spandex, voting isn't for everybody.
That came out wrong. Let me amend.
I think everyone has the right to vote. But there's also a level of responsibility that comes with it.
The message should never have been "just vote." It should have been "get educated, then vote."
Learn about the candidates. Match their beliefs to your own. Voting for someone because you think it would be cool to have a wrestler in office is your right, but it's not very good use of it.
And remember that anyone who says "I don't care who you vote for," is telling a lie.
Two years ago, a music personality had a slogan that implored people to "vote or die."
Again, wrong message. There will be certain races that I won't vote in this year. Not because I'm lazy, but because I don't like either candidate that much (see Ohio's governor race).
The point is it's important to vote. But just showing up and randomly pulling levers is not good enough.
Voting is very important. But it's not a one step process.
Rocking the vote is fine. Shocking the vote? I'm not so sure.

Carthon "resigns"
Maybe it happened just like Romeo Crennel said. Maybe former Browns' offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon walked into the coach's office and said "I quit."
Maybe there were no external pressures on the Crennel from Randy Lerner, Phil Savage and even Jim Brown to fire Carthon.
But my guess is it didn't quite go down like Crennel said.
Personally, I developed a sinking feeling Monday when listening to Mike Trivisonno's radio show, and he said he talked to Lerner for "about an hour" that morning.
(Why is an owner conversing with a talk show host "off the record?" Does he honestly think Mike knows more about football than Romeo Crennel or Phil Savage? Does the fact that he's doing any of this set off alarms in anyone else's head?)
But about 20 minutes after this, Trivisonno says the Browns need a new coach. Then he bets fellow WTAM reporter Andre Knott $20 the Browns will have a new coach next year.
And he talked to the owner for an hour. Fantastic.
Crennel's press conference today was strange, as he had to rationalize a decision that probably wasn't his.
You have a lot of people saying the Browns have talent at the skill positions.That's true.
But the offensive line is a disaster, and has been so since LeCharles Bentley went down and Bob Hallen retired.
Is any of that Crennel's fault? No. But how can we blame Carthon when the defensive line gets to the ball faster than Reuben Droughns? Carthon was put in an impossible position and performed poorly.
I didn't like Carthon's play-calling, and I'm not arguing he's a great OC. But he was not the main problem. Butch Davis' drafts and lack of moves to improve the line is.
Butch is gone. But his legacy remains. Yes I wish Savage would have drafted some offensive linemen. But the system is still young.
Lets wait before we hit that button again.

Broncos 17, Browns 7
At some point in the third quarter, as I sat in Cleveland Browns Stadium, my brother looked over and mumbled about how he spent $40 to be cold and depressed.
I must confess to being irritated at the Browns play, not just today but in just about every game this season.
I read this morning about how Romeo Crennel could be fired and Jim Tressel could take his place. I was angry when I read it. The last thing this team needs is another finger on the reset button.
I just want some stability. The Browns have had four coaches in eight seasons. Two owners, three GMs.
And the result is mediocrity.
I say let GM Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel work the remainder of their contracts and see what happens. After all, how can things get much worse?
- Everyone piles on Maurice Carthon. But it's not the offensive coordinator's fault quarterback Charlie Frye has no time to throw and Reuben Droughns can't find anywhere to run.
- Some Browns fans want the offense to air it out. Did they see what happened when Frye tried? Interception, incompletions and sacks.
-No complaints with the defense. They were on the field 37 minutes, and kept the Broncos off the board in two of the four quarters.
-If Jake Plummer is a star quarterback, then the pitcher's mound is a mountain.

The great game 7
It's easy for me to be cynical and negative about baseball: steroids, revenue disparity between teams, and an incompetent commissioner that has let it all happen has made me weary of the game I love.
My interest in baseball also subsided this year because my two favorite teams, the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds, both missed the playoffs. Neither had a winning record. Baseball has had me down lately.
Thursday night's game reminded me why I love the sport so much. The National League Championship series between the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets was the first series to go seven games in two years.
There was drama in the first six games, but the final one was as memorable and nerve-racking as any I've seen in years - and I don't even care about either team that much.
But the game had everything.
What a gutsy performance by Cardinals' starter Jeff Suppan. He gave up a run in the first inning when a good pitch to David Wright was hit for an RBI single. From then on, Suppan was brilliant, escaping a horrible situation in the sixth when the Mets loaded the bases with one out thanks to an error by Scott Rolen.
Suppan finished with seven innings pitched and two hits allowed. The Mets' Oliver Perez was almost as good. Despite a 3-13 record and a 6.55 ERA during the regular season, Perez kept St. Louis to just one run over six innings.
It would have been worse, but a home-run saving catch by Endy Chavez (a leaping, snow cone grab over the left field wall) kept Perez from an L. I mentioned before that the game had everything. If you haven't seen the Chavez catch, go somewhere and watch it. At the time, it looked like it might be the momentum swing the Mets needed. But Suppan, as he had all night, kept the Mets from a rally.
When the tie broke in the top of the ninth, it was not Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen (who was robbed by Chavez) or Jim Edmunds. Instead, it was the Cardinals' catcher, Yadier Molina, who hit .216 in the regular season, who put the Cards ahead.
Six homers all season. But one swing turned Molina from a defensive catcher into a postseason titan. Molina's 2-run homer off the Mets Aaron Heilman made it 3-1, and appeared to put St. Louis in control.
The game had one last twist. Before 2006, Adam Wainwright had pitched in exactly two major league games. In the regular season, he had been good, but had recorded just three saves. Now manager Tony LaRussa called on him to record three outs to send his team to the World Series.
The 25-year old must have wondered what he was doing in this situation. It was an inning tailor made for Jason Isringhausen, an experienced, 34-year old closer with 249 career saves. But the Cardinals closer is hurt. One of the interesting things about sports is how the misfortunes of one can provide an opportunity for another.
Wainwright had a chance to be remembered by every Cardinals fan for years to come. After the first two hitters, it appeared Wainwright would be remembered - for blowing the series. He gave up back-to-back singles to Jose Valentin and Chavez.
In a curious move, Mets' manager Willie Randolph called on hobbled Cliff Floyd to pinch-hit. While Floyd had the power to win the game, he's not exactly a player who has made his reputation on bat-control. This gave the pitcher and the defense advantages - they knew Floyd wasn't up there to bunt, so they could react without much confusion.
As it was, it was Floyd who was left looking at a perfect breaking ball from Wainwright.
Wainwright then sent all of St. Louis into convulsions when he walked Paul Lo Duca to bring up Carlos Beltran with the bases loaded.
Beltran hit 41 homers and drove in 116 runs in the regular season, but it was the last pitch he saw that he will likely think about all winter. Beltran took the two-strike pitch, and the series was over. The win went to Suppan; the save to Wainwright.
With that, Shea Stadium, so loud all series, was silent. For me, it was a fitting end. But it was also a reminder. I felt at times like I was watching a drama, with a slow build to a stunning conclusion. In a fall where dramas have been cancelled faster than a Joel Zumaya fastball, it was nice to see that the best production of the season can still be brought to us by the national pastime.
Also can be read at www.blogcritics.org

Great moments in political discussion
When talking about Bush's Axis of Evil speech on Real Time with Bill Maher, political scientist Ben Affleck fired off this gem:
"They became more evil after that statement was made."
I honestly don't know why he doesn't run for office.
Update
Finally, Bill had the guts to put a conservative on the show who was willing to fight back. And Danielle Platka won by a knockout.
Here's a biased account from a conservative site.

Brown takes lead, and the lamest quote ever
So Sherrod Brown is leading in the senate race. But poller Peter Brown has made what I believe is one of the most pathetic lines in history:
“Sherrod Brown had a good month," said Quinnipiac's assistant polling director, Peter Brown, in a statement. "He may not be as popular as the Buckeyes, but his lead reflects gains in virtually all demographic categories. If he keeps the support he has assembled, he too will be number one."
Lame!

Sunday's gone
Finally, I'm in front of a keyboard and want to write.
Here we go:
Politics
This will shock no one, but I'm supporting Mike DeWine for senate. The commercials by Sherrod Brown are vague, simplistic and besides ... I wouldn't vote for him anyway, even if his commercials were produced by David Zucker.

-I cannot support Ken Blackwell because of some comments he has made. I cannot support Ted Strickland because he and I pretty much agree on nothing. So I may vote libertarian, or skip this one.

Browns
The Browns have played one team with a losing record, and they beat them. They have also played one team with five wins, two teams with four wins, and a team with three. And who'd have guessed the Saints would be the best team, record-wise, on the schedule so far?
My point is the Browns are not that bad. I think, in fact they are better than last year. But last year the schedule was easier, and that's while things were just a bit more rosy this time last season.
I don't like Maurice Carthon's playcalling much, but he's not the biggest problem the Browns have. If the offensive line was even barely competent, Cleveland would have at least one more win. That's not an offensive coordinator's fault.
So next week, the Broncos. The Broncos defense is strong, but the offense is not. Could Denver have three-consecutive 13-3 wins?

Tigers
Congratulations to Detroit on it's first American League title since Ronald Reagan was about to trounce Walter Mondale.
I want to point out that thr Tigers payroll is $82 million this season, so I'm not sure the underdog label fits as well as some would like.
Still, it's peanuts compared to what the Yankees ($194 million),Red Sox ($120 million), Angels ($103 million White Sox ($102 million) and Mets ($101 million) are spending.
Actually, the Tigers are an underdog with that payroll. Sorry, it's just following a team with a $55 million list has jaded me.

Indians
Market.

The Panel: Week 5 picks
Aaron Rund
Carolina over Browns
Kansas City over Arizona
New York Jets over Jacksonville
Washington over Giants
Minnesota over Detroit

Andy Barch (C)
Panthers over Browns
Bears over Bills
Steelers over Chargers
Miami over New England
Philadelphia over Dallas

Joel Hammond (C)
Panthers over Browns
Bears over Bills
Steelers over Chargers
Miami over New England
Philadelphia over Dallas

Nihar Vasavada
Carolina over Cleveland
St. Louis over Green Bay
Indianapolis over Tennessee
Chicago over Buffalo
Philadelphia over Dallas

Phil Prusa
Panthers over Browns
Colts over Texans
Jaguars over Jets
Saints over Buccaneers
Bears over Bills

Vivek Vasavada
Carolina over Cleveland
Minnesota over Detroit
Chicago over Buffalo
St. Louis over Green Bay
Philadelphia over Dallas

Curtis A.
Panthers over Browns
Bills over Bears
Steelers over San Diego
New England over Miami
Philadelphia over Dallas

Zach
Panthers over Browns
Bears over Bills
San Diego over Steelers
New England over Miami
Philadelphia over Dallas

The biggest mistake I've ever seen on ESPN
Today, I was watching a segment on Outside the Lines First Report. The story was on big football schools having small-college opponents in non-conference games, and the money it brings in. The example given was Auburn taking on Buffalo, a Mid-American Conference team.
The story was one thing.
Buffalo originally had West Virginia and Rutgers, but changed the schedule in March for Auburn and Wisconsin.
The story in itself was fine enough, but then something strange happened.
Buffalo head coach Turner Gill said the move was made to "have enough resources to be competitive in the Mid-American Conference. (emphasis mine)"
OK. A few minutes later, when describing a schedule switch, ESPN reporter Kelly Naqi said this "Mid-Atlantic Conference commissioner Rick Chryst says he suggested the schedule changes to Buffalo."
Now, wait a minute. It's one thing to call a conference by the wrong name. It's a pretty big mistake for the World Wide Leader in sports. But to call the conference by the wrong name, within a report in which the correct name was said earlier, is borderline insane.
Bob Ley, the host, did not correct the mistake when the show came back to the studio.
I'll come clean. I went to a MAC school, graduated from a MAC school, and covered MAC schools. I have always been proud of that, and proud of the sports programs, and the recent success they have had. So I'm insulted by the mistake, probably more than most.
And I understand that no matter how much research and work is done, mistakes will be made, even on a media giant like ESPN.
But given that the piece was a recorded package, and the right name was said before the wrong one within the story, it makes me wonder about all sorts of things. Why didn't someone notice the error? Why wasn't it corrected by Ley?
It's by far the biggest mistake I have ever seen on ESPN.

Playoff Notes: Day 4
Yeah, this is late.
Had it not been for a quick swing from Johnny Damon's bat, New York's vaunted lineup could be looking at 18 consecutive scoreless innings.
Instead, those of us who detest the Yankees and the endless hype bestowed upon them will have to take solace in the Tigers' 6-0 victory in Game 3, putting them one loss away from going home for the winter.
The hardest part of writing today's notes section, however, is writing something nice about Kenny Rogers. It was not that long ago he was a thug, taking his anger out on some unsuspecting cameramen.
Watching this man walk off the mound in the eighth inning getting applause from 43,000-plus is just a little hard to take, especially considering Rogers never really apologized for his actions.
Still, give the man credit: he was masterful tonight on the mound. Actually, don't give the man credit. Appreciate his performance. I always hate it when someone acts like play on the field could or should overshadow off the field issues.
Regardless, the Tigers can put the Yankees away with a win Thursday. If that happens, it will be 1972 revisited in the American League Championship Series.
&bull How can the Minnesota Twins scratch, claw, and work just to win the American League Central, then show up in the playoffs and make the equivalent of a Hitchcock cameo?
It's disappointing, especially since I thought Minnesota would make the World Series. If that doesn't look stupid enough, consider I also picked the Padres.
&bull In closing, I want to pass along condolences to the family and friends of Buck O'Neil, who died Friday. Some months ago, I wrote a column advocating O'Neil's enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame. I'm convinced the day will come for O'Neil. It's just too bad he will not be around to see it.
O'Neil was a great voice for baseball's past, and for baseball's future. He will be missed, but never forgotten.
Also can be read at www.blogcritics.org

Day III Playoff notes
From watching the commercials during the American League Division Series, I have come to a few conclusions:
• Black Sabbath’s Iron Man can get annoying if they never let you hear the whole song.
• Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Richard Nixon all would have wanted us to buy Chevy trucks.Beyond that, I’d like to thank Justin Verlander, Joel Zumaya, Jamie Walker, and Todd Jones for shutting down the vaunted Yankees’ lineup, and more importantly, shutting up the announcers.Yes, the Yankees have a great lineup. But while the media has pounced on that part of the story, it conveniently doesn’t mention why the Yankees have a great lineup: because they can afford it. It’s one of the perks of having a payroll of greater than $194 million.Another thing that annoyed me today was Bonnie Bernstein calling Mike Mussina “Moose” and Mariano Rivera “Mo” during her reports. Does she hang with them? Does she talk trash with them while playing NBA Live? I don’t know if she does, but the rest of us don’t. It’s almost as annoying as impartial announcers calling David Ortiz “Big Papi.”Anyway, the series is tied. I think it will go five games, but am not sure who will win.
• Note to the San Diego Padres: The series started Wednesday. Wake up your bats. I’m not sure if the St. Louis’ pitching is that good, but regardless, I don’t see how San Diego can win three straight. Of course, I picked San Diego to win the National League.
• Nomar Garciaparra could miss Game 3 of the series against the Mets. It doesn’t look good for the Dodgers, unless you consider that they probably won’t let Tim Robbins into the broadcast booth. And that’s a good thing.
Also can be read at www.blogcritics.org

MLB Playoffs, Day II
The Minnesota Twins had the Oakland A’s where they wanted them — tied 2-2 in the top of the seventh. Mark Kotsay changed the course of the game — and perhaps the series — by hitting what looked to be a 2-out single with a man on first. Twins’ centerfielder Torii Hunter goes after the ball, but misplays it, allowing the ball to get past him and go for an inside-the-park 2-run homer.
Hunter should have conceded a single, in retrospect. It was an easy mistake to make, but it may just doom the Twins in the series. Minnesota can come back, but its prospects turned dramatically after the loss.
* Guillermo Mota continued the “amazing moments from former Indians week” by looking unhittable in the sixth inning of the Mets-Dodgers game. Mota was dreadful with the Indians this season, but looked like a different pitcher in the sixth.
Apparently thinking it has struck gold last week with Spike Lee [who appeared on Monday Night Football in New Orleans], ESPN continued its celebrity-crazed month by letting terrific actor and glorified windbag Tim Robbins into the booth for the seventh. Robbins took time to profess his love for the Mets, but more importantly, plug his new movie. I can’t even convey how much this annoys me. It’s 4-1 Mets at this point, but forget that.This is not Entertainment Tonight; this is not Access Hollywood. This is the Major League Baseball playoffs. It’s the pinnacle of seven months of baseball. And in a critical moment of a playoff game, ESPN talks with Tim Robbins. Disgraceful.
At least the Dodgers came back to tie the game with three runs in the inning. Thanks for stopping by, Tim.
The Mets shake off the Robbins Curse, and score two runs in the bottom of the inning. Carlos Delgado was the MVP, collecting four hits in the game.
In a truly dramatic moment, Billy Wagner closed the game by striking out Nomar Garciaparra to end the game with the tying run on second. This was a great game and hopefully just the first act in what I assume will be an outstanding series.
* The Tigers-Yankees game is postponed due to rain. So my thoughts on that will have to wait.
Also can be read at www.blogcritics.org

MLB Playoff notes: Day 1
Amazingly, I took time out of my Cleveland Browns celebration (a 3-point win over the worst team in football is still something worth celebrating) to watch the baseball playoffs.
Here are some notes from a day of watching baseball:
* I picked the Twins to win the World Series, and I am not changing my pick just yet. Yes, the Athletics managed to beat Johan Santana, but since Oakland hasn’t made an American League Championship Series appearance since 1992, I’m not ready to hand them the ticket just yet.
The A’s are starting Esteban Loaiza in Game 2, which is another reason for the Twins to be confident.
* In the most amazing thing I’ve seen since Two and a Half Men became a hit, Russell Branyan hit a triple for the Padres in their loss to St. Louis. Branyan was an Indians’ prospect who never really learned to shorten his swing. He has amazing power, if he makes contact. So I thought a triple for him was impossible.
Actually, the Padres roster reads like Cleveland Indians-West. The Padres have Branyan, Alan Embree, Rudy Seanez, Josh Bard, Brian Giles and Dave Roberts — all former Indians. The Cardinals have Ronnie Belliard. I guess that makes St. Louis the favorite.
As bad as the Cardinals played in the closing weeks of the season, I still think they’re dangerous. Chris Carpenter pitched like a No. 1 starter is supposed to, and Albert Pujols is still the most dangerous hitter in baseball.
* What on earth was Fox Baseball host Jeannie Zelasko wearing tonight? Murphy Brown called, she wants her look back. Then again, her outfits are almost always interesting. At the 2005 All Star game, she looked like a waitress at Oktoberfest.
* Not being from New York, and having friends who are Tigers’ fans, I must admit to pulling for Detroit in its series. But it was frustrating tonight.
The Tigers seemed to have runners on in almost every inning, but couldn’t capitalize. That’s six-straight losses for the Tigers. I’m still not sold on New York. The Yankees probably will win this series, but it’s thin pitching ought to cost it in the next round.
Also can be read at www.blogcritics.org

Mark Shapiro and the dreaded "M" word
Indians general manager Mark Shapiro is a very good general manager. But boy, does he ever annoy me sometimes.
With the 2006 season officially over (thank goodness), Shapiro made a few concessions.
* Trading Brandon Phillips was a mistake. Whoa, newsflash.
"We probably erred on the side of [trying] to win now instead of what was best for the future of the franchise."
Apparently Ramon Vasquez was part of the "win-now" approach. That explanation still doesn't make sense when you see what the Indians got back for Phillips -- a single A pitcher.
But if watching the Indians was not frustrating enough, Shapiro still managed to work in his favorite word:
"Had we not traded him, we're looking at [an] 82-, 84- or 85-win season. That would have been a positive outcome for this market."
Market. Market, Market, Market.
Forget winning. It's winning in perspective. Condescending perspective. Positive outcome means just being OK.
Gotta love being an Indians fan.

Poor Tigers fans
Geez, all the Tigers had to do was win one more game. It's Cleveland 2005 all over again. Of course, the Tigers can come back by beating the all great and ever-powerful Yankees. The national media appears to believe the Yankees will win the World title, and thus, refuse to even consider a Tigers' series win.
All the more reason to cheer for Detroit starting tomorrow.
Still, I had to go over and check Matt Sussman's site, just to make sure it hadn't been destroyed out of frustration. Lucky for those of us who appreciate the witty and their exploits, my friend and his blog are alive and kicking.
I still have yet to be convinced the Wild Card is in any way good for the game, but at least it's a life preserver for the Tigers and their fans.
I like the Twins and Mets in the World Series, though.

Browns 24, Raiders 21
I had pronounced the game over when it was 21-3. I still was unconvinced when a touchdown pass to Darnell Dinkins made it 21-10 just before the half.
The second half was another matter entirely. A key fourth-and-8 completion to Kellen Winslow Jr. (who was out on many third downs in the first half for some unknown reason) seemed to set the tone, and the Browns capitalized with another Charlie Frye-to-Winslow completion, this one for a touchdown.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Winslow is the Browns' best player. Period. Keep him on the field as much as possible. From there, the game was over. The Browns had the game won, because Winslow, Frye, Joe Jurevicius and Reuben Droughns were willing to go all out.
The Raiders and Randy Moss were not.
Now for the notes:
* Kamerion Wimbley is so good it's scary. By far the best pick the Browns have made in the first round since they've been back, although K2 is making his case.
* Charlie Frye, God bless him, needs to throw the ball away. He's a terrific leader and has stepped up as a solid QB. But the throw he made from the Raiders' 6, on second down, was as ridiculous a throw as I've seen an NFL quarterback make. Charlie's better than that, and he knows it.
* Jurevicius' TD catch was the best catch made by a Brown this year. Droughns finally looked like Droughns again.
* The difference between 1-3 and 3-1? Six points.
* Leigh Bodden's injury scares the heck out of me.
* Why do the Browns do playaction on third and long? Because every now and then Maurice Carthon calls a draw to Droughns for 1 yard. So there.
* Joshua Cribbs, who I have been a fan of since his days at Kent State, is proving to be one of the most dangerous special teams' players in the league. Combined with Dennis Northcutt and punter Dave Zastudil, not to mention Phil Dawson, the Browns have one of the best squads in the NFL.