Vitamin Z

2011-05-01T22:24:00.000-08:00

Bin Laden dead
This is not a victory for President Obama, President Bush, or even for just the United States of America.

It is a victory for the world. I congratulate everyone -- past and present -- who had a hand in this. The War on Terror does not end, and Usama bin Laden's death does not free the world of pain or of evil.

But it's nice, on this evening, to know bin Laden will never be responsible for another innocent's death.

2011-04-28T23:48:00.000-08:00

The Browns Draft, the INDIANS and all that other stuff
The Browns traded down, got an extra first and second round pick, and got a run-stopper from Baylor.

Yeah, I feel pretty good about this. While Phil Taylor has entered the race with Joe Smith for the most generic name in Cleveland sports (Smith still is favored).

Taylor is 6-foot-3 1/2,337 pounds. Basically, he gets weighed at truck stops. But moreso, he's a defensive tackle who can be paired with Ahtyba Rubin as part of a 4-3 allignment.

I've heard the phrase "when motivated" applied to Taylor. I was getting Gerard Warren flashbacks, but then I remembered that the Browns are now being run by professional football minds, who turned in a strong 2010 draft.

Overall, I'd call it a win. I wanted A.J. Green, the wide receiver at Georgia, but with him gone, I think the Browns gave themselves the best chance to be successful. Cleveland has nine picks in this year's draft. And unlike during the Eric Mangini years, they are not all backloaded.

- The Indians are 16-8, have won 10 straight home games, and are 4 1/2 games ahead in the Central. It might be time to start taking them seriously.

2011-04-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

Baseball, in it's most wonderful form
The Indians are 15-8, but the most impressive thing is that they've won nine consecutive home games. I'm not sure if they'll match what the 1994 squad did (18 straight home wins), but it's a start.

The Indians still are not drawing. Even with a forecast for bad weather which, as it turned out, never materialized, the Tribe still ought to be able to bring in more than 9,000 fans.

The numbers will get better, but that's not the point. I am beginning to wonder if the fans just don't like the organization for breaking up the team of the 90s, or, worse, if the economy has made this a two-sport (at best) town.

Still, the pitching has been excellent. Carlos Carrasco became the second starter to go on the DL, which makes one wonder if the Tribe can get by relying on a seventh starter for any amount of time.

Still, the team is winning right now, and that's all that matters.

2011-04-24T23:16:00.000-08:00

Casey Blake Watch
Casey Blake is one of those guys who surprises you.

Never a superstar, never really a prospect, he's a man who has made a career out of being good. He also appears to have done it out of pure willpower. From 2005-2007, I took great joy in looking for every error (defensively and otherwise) the guy would make, then ridiculing him for it.

He represented everything I hated about the Indians at the time. He was average, but management insisted on telling us he was more than that. Tom Hamilton never had enough good things to say about him. He went to the same college as Eric Wedge, the Tribe's manager, and it seemed like Wedge was going to play him no matter how bad the slump.

But Blake surprised me. In '05 and '07, he had horrible averages with runners in scoring position, but did everything else very well. He became a very good No. 2 hitter, and a better than average third baseman. By the end of '07, with the Indians in the playoffs and Blake a big part of their success, I finally admitted that Blake was a really good player.

Then he hit into a big double play and made a key error in Game 7 of that year's ALCS.

Nevertheless, Blake made a big contribution to the Indians, one that continues to this day. His trade to the Dodgers netted Carlos Santana, a future star catcher.

Blake's in LA now, hitting .333 with two homers and six RBIs. There will always be a spot for him (or guys like him) on a team. He has earned all of his success.

But no matter what, his doings on the field will always be tied to this blog in some way. He's earned that, too.

2011-04-21T00:50:00.000-08:00

Big comebacks
Down 5-0 Tuesday, the Indians get within a hit of the lead. Down 2-0 Wednesday, with no baserunners through five innings, the Indians come back, and win 7-5.

Maybe this is just a hot April. But the Indians are getting to the point where you never feel they are out of a game. This is what winning teams do.

Justin Masterson looked like he was in for a rough game. Three walks, two runs, 31 pitches in the first inning. And then ...

Five shutout innings.

I still see Cliff Lee in Masterson.

As far as everyone else... I love what Orlando Cabrera has brought to the Indians. Chris Perez is starting to remind me of Goose Gossage, a hard throwing righty who doesn't care. He makes a 3-pitch save and goes on Twitter. He grows a big beard and looks like the intimidating presence he is.

The Indians are eight games over 500, and are off to their best start since 1999, when they won the division.

No one knows where this is going.

But it sure is fun right now.

2011-04-18T23:32:00.000-08:00

The INDIANS
If this were football, the Indians would have locked up a first round bye and probably would be hosting the Packers at Progressive Field.

Sadly, it isn't. But the first 10 percent of this season has gone better than anyone could have imagined. The pitching has been better than it has been in four years. The hitting has been reasonably consistent, with Travis Hafner of all people among those leading the charge.

But Monday night in Kansas City was a big deal -- it was the first time all season that the Indians fell behind and came back to win. And the Indians bullpen, despite some control issues, got it done.

No one can talk pennant yet, but did anyone believe the Indians would be eight games over .500 at any time this season?

If the season ended today, Manny Acta would be manager of the year and Justin Masterson would get Cy Young votes. It doesn't, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy things right now.

2010-12-19T22:51:00.000-08:00

10 quick (and I mean really quick) thoughts on the Browns
1. Up 7-0, and with a fourth and two at the Bengals 40, the 5-8 Browns punt, thinking it'd be a close game. Then they manage to lose yardage at the end of the half and have to punt. Then they kick a field goal on fourth and one deep in Bengals territory down 9. If this is Eric Mangini's version of playing to win, I'd hate to see what other modes there are.

2. Hate to say it, but I hope Josh Cribbs is hurt. I'd never question his desire,his effort or his intensity, but he honestly looks a half step slower this year. He's my favorite player, but I am worried about him.

3. The Browns touchdowns went to Robert Royal and Brian Robiskie. Think about the odds of that happening.

4. The Bengals tried to give the game away late; the Browns wouldn't take it.

5. Not sure how anyone can look at a losing season that included defeats to Buffalo and Cincinnati and ascertain progress from last year.

6. Yes, I remember New Orleans and New England. But I also remember the win over Carolina.

7. You can't take away Mangini's success in October and November. He'll always have New Orleans and New England.

8. Romeo Crennel will always have the Seattle and Giants games. Butch Davis will always have Baltimore and Atlanta. Chris Palmer always has Pittsburgh.

9. Colt McCoy looks good, but I'm not ready to hand him Otto Graham's jersey yet. But yes, he should be the starter in 2011.

10. I blame LeBron James for this season being so depressing.

2010-12-13T01:30:00.000-08:00

Bills 13, Browns 6
The Browns are a team that runs the football.

The Bills have one of the worst run defenses in the league. So why did the Browns manage only a pair of field goals?

The playcalling was bizarre. The Browns would run twice, get a third and three, then pass and await disaster. This pattern happened several times.

Jake Delhomme's at the end of the road. The only thing I know for sure is that Delhomme fits in this offense poorly. So do all the receivers. The veteran probably isn't capable of being a starting quarterback anymore.

The thing is, people blame the offensive coordinator for the woes. I'm not saying Brian Daboll is Lindy Infonte, but every call runs through Eric Mangini. This is his offense, and has been for two years.

There's a chance the Browns could lose out. I think they have to win two of the team's three games left to save Mangini's job. Regardless, Daboll's done as coordinator after this year.

2010-12-08T00:38:00.001-08:00

Here we go
-Just random thoughts about sports in general...

- Eric Manginin needs to win three of the final four games to assure his spot as Cleveland's head coach next year. This is just my opinion. If he wins two games and goes 7-9, he has a shot to stay. Anything less and Mike Holmgren will be itching to either pick his own man, or take over.

I do believe the Browns are improving. But improvement can continue with a new head coach.

- I was reminded of a quote from one of my personal heroes, Chandler Bing, who once said "It's like someone wrote out my worst nightmare, and charged me $35 to see it."

I didn't suffer such an indignity, but the people of Cleveland who packed the Q less than a week ago did. The Heat destroyed the Cavaliers, and since, the Cavs have lost every game and Miami has won every one. Some believe the Heat are clicking, but I don't think anyone expected them to not make the playoffs or finish in the top four of the Eastern Conference. The test for Miami will be Boston, Orlando, Los Angeles. The Heat will be a disappointment every year they don't win the NBA title.

- The Steelers win games they shouldn't, and Sunday was an example. Baltimore was my pick to win the Super Bowl, but its defense has struck me as just OK. The Falcons, the Steelers, the Bills have all scored late to extend or win games. Is Ray Lewis slowing down? I sure hope so.

2010-11-02T23:59:00.000-08:00

10 things about the Browns
1. I feel better about Eric Mangini now as coach than I have at any time during his tenure.

2. But Mangini still needs to find a way to win one of the next two games. He will have a hard time keeping his job if the team is 2-7 through nine games.

3. What did I love most about the Saints game? Reggie Hodges' fake punt. The Saints didn't think the Browns had the guts to do it, and it changed the whole game.

4. I'm not sold on Colt McCoy as the future. The kid has a lot of poise and has had an impressive couple of games. But he hasn't been John Elway. Good start? Yes. But let's not get too excited.

5. Randy Moss? No. No... no.

6. The Browns primary needs for the upcoming draft? An impact receiver, more help in the secondary, and a linebacker who isn't a defensive lineman from Hawaii.

7. I still worry about Peyton Hillis staying healthy with his punishing style.

8. The much maligned secondary deserves credit for not allowing the big plays to the Saints.

9. Brian Daboll coached the game of his life.

10. I really don't know where this season in going. I could see 8-8, and I could see 5-11.

2010-11-02T23:49:00.000-08:00

Post election thoughts
Though I suppose it's not really post, since some elections still are being decided.

So John Kasich is in (the He Worked On Wall Street and He Worked for Lehman Brothers campaigns being mildly successful in that they made the race close)and Ted Strickland is out.

Really, I think things turned for the governor when he backed Hillary Clinton before the 2008 presidential primaries. He backed the loser in that race, and thus, had no shot to be then-candidate Obama's running mate (why he chose Joe Biden will be a question bothering historians for centuries).

Strickland then was left in Ohio, where jobs were being lost and the economy was suffering. I don't think he can be blamed for all of it, but when you are the top man in state government, that is where the blame usually falls.

I really believe he wanted to be Sen. Clinton's running mate, and honestly, with a favorable rating from gun owners, he'd have been a strong choice for her had she made it that far.

But he was left behind. He didn't have much of a record to run on. I know this because if he did, he would have. Instead, I saw one positive Stickland ad for every 20 negative Kasich ads. Hey, Kasich was just as negative. But it's easier to play that role as the challenger.

I will say one positive thing about Strickland: He looks great for 69. I don't know where he goes from here.

But I can't say I'm upset about him not going back to the state capital.

-Harry Reid won. Ugh. That guy has nine lives.

2010-11-02T00:19:00.000-08:00

10 things about the election
1. I support John Kasich for governor of Ohio.

2. My feeling on the Ted Strickland tenure has been much the same as my feelig about the Democrats right now: Too much spending, not enough restraint, not enough say from the people. In at least one case, Strickland tried to override the vote of the people. He lost my vote there.

3. I think the Republicans will win the House and close the gap in the Senate.

4. This is not a year for Republicans. It's a year of the independent voter saying they want less spending. There are not enough Republicans or right wingers (like me) to make this type of difference.

5. If I had to guess, I'd say Strickland pulls out the election. Kasich hasn't connected enough with voters, and I imagine the barrage of negative ads on Kasich's ties to Lehman Brothers will have an effect.

6. I though John Kerry would win in '04. I tend to be as negative in my political outcomes as I am in Cleveland sports. The only difference is that when it comes to Cleveland sports, I am always right.

7. I have heard Sharron Angle is a tad crazy. Which would make it all the more humorous if she STILL beats Harry Reid.

8. Linda McMahon will lose in her Connecticut Senate bid. That's obvious.

9. I am a conservative guy. I believe in small government and personal liberty. But no matter what the results of Tuesday are, it's important not to misread the mandate. The message is that Democrats have overspent. Republicans who get elected must push to cut spending,not overspend on projects THEY like.

10. I don't believe this election will mean much for 2012. Nor should it.

2010-10-07T23:24:00.000-08:00

Browns 23, Bengals 20
The Browns probably won't win many games this season. But at this point, I'll settle for some division victories and some Cincinnati Humble Pie (but please, Reds, win).

It wasn't pretty, but the Browns aren't capable of winning pretty. Most teams in the NFL are better than Cleveland. To beat most teams, the Browns will need to ugly it up, capitalize on mistakes, and plow with a strong running game.

Peyton Hillis is not Jim Brown. He may not even be Leroy Hoard. But he's effective enough, and he'll hit people. T.J Ward isn't exactly polished, and he deserved to be penalized for his hit Sunday. But I'd like to see the announcers who came down hard on him do the same to Hines Ward or Ray Lewis. Both make hits like that consistently.

Seneca Wallace isn't a starter, but he was effective enough on Sunday to win. Matt Roth isn't a superstar, but he has established himself as someone who can be counted on to make plays.

The Browns will steal some games this year, and they shouldn't have to apoligize for that. Bad teams have to win ugly. The Bengals offense tore the Cleveland D to shreds in the second half. But the Browns found a way, giving hope that maybe, just maybe, the Browns can finish.

That was a good thing to see.

2010-09-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

Ravens 24, Browns 17
Don't try and spin this game as a positive. Just don't.

Seneca Wallace flips the ball when no flip is expected.

Matt Roth jumps offsides on a third and four with the game on the line.

Stupid penalties.

Eric Wright can't cover. But why was he out there in 1-on-1s?

Rob Ryan keeps dialing up blitzes, but no one ever gets to the quarterback. The Browns have a third and two and Peyton Hillis, the Browns best player on Sunday, is off the field.

Yes, things looked better. But there are no moral victories in the NFL. The Browns have given great efforts in these games before.

You need to win to prove progress. That's it.

2010-09-23T23:40:00.000-08:00

~~Phil's~~ Zach's NFL Picks, week 3
Phil is on vacation this week, so I am filling in as best I can.

Sunday games

1 p.m.
San Francisco at Kansas City
The overachievers vs. the underachievers. I don't want to be in the 49ers locker room if they go 0-3. 49ers.

Detroit at Minnesota
People actually are wondering if Brett Favre regrets coming back. As if his return has anything to do with the team's performance. It's always about Brett, and always about prolonging his time in the spotlight. Vikings.

Cleveland at Baltimore
The Browns won't score a TD on Baltimore's defense (I don't think). Ravens.

Buffalo at New England
If a team ever wants to pull a huge upset and shock people, it's Buffalo.
Patriots.

Atlanta at New Orleans
Drew Brees strikes a blow for undersized people everywhere. Saints

Tennessee at the Giants
These teams are coming off retched performances. Eh, NY is at home. Giants.

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay
The Buccaneers magic runs out. Steelers.

Cincinnati at Carolina
Nice to see TO and Ochocinco putting football first. Bengals.

Dallas at Houston
Matt Schaub is the best QB few talk about. I like Wade Phillips, and no one seems to realize his hands are tied. Texans

4 p.m.
Washington at St. Louis
The good news for Washington is if i get a 20-point lead this week, they have a better chance of holding it. Redskins.

Philadelphia at Jacksonville
Kevin Kolb's 15 minutes are up in Philadelphia. Really, time it. Eagles.

Indianapolis at Denver
Peyton Manning against THAT defense? Yeah. Colts.

Oakland at Arizona
If Oakland is as good as they've fooled some people into thinking, they have to win games like this. Raiders.

San Diego at Seattle
The Chargers are just better here. Chargers.

8:20 p.m.
Jets at Miami
Braylon Edwards' "punishment" only gives him time to Tweet about his movie prospects. Jets.

Monday, 8:30 p.m.
Green Bay at Chicago
Lovie Smith has to feel like the luckiest guy in the world. No way Chicago is this good. It stops now. Packers.

2010-09-22T21:01:00.002-08:00

Edwards
Braylon Edwards made a very irresponsible decision, after a number of other ones. I can't help but think that unless someone (or something) steps in, Edwards could end up hurting someone with his recklessness.

But the New York Jets have really hurt themselves here. To not even try to suspend Edwards for a game sends but one clear message: No matter how badly you screw up, we will have your back.

That may breed loyalty, but it also sends a message that there will be no discipline for big mistakes.

I don't have any sympathy for the Jets for what could come from that message.

2010-09-19T22:13:00.002-08:00

Chiefs 16, Browns 14
So here's what I'm thinking.

The Browns never really improved last season. They were aided by the fact that they played sub-standard teams playing out the string.

This year, the Browns improved, but so did everyone else. The Browns went from an F to a D+, and that's not enough to beat confident teams with a singular vision.

I can't take credit for the point I'm about to express -- my brother actually made it first. Eric Mangini and Brian Daboll are running a more pass-happy offense, because that's what Mike Holmgren knows, and that's what he and Tom Heckert started building in the offseason.

But Eric Mangini's a run-first coach, and so you have a coach preaching a philosophy that isn't him. So that may be the problem.

Or at least I hope it is, because if it isn't, this is a horrid, horrid team and positives are harder to find than last season. At least then, we knew the Browns weren't good, but they were playing very good teams... the Vikings, Ravens and, at the time, the Broncos.

But the Browns just lost to the Buccaneers and Chiefs. Yes, they are each 2-0 now. But neither team is the Ravens, Steelers or Bengals caliber.

Rob Ryan's defense has played well in two games, but not well enough to cover for the offense.

- Seneca Wallace was... mediocre. No receiver help, an inconsistent offensive line and no real effort to run the ball killed any chances of winning.

And speaking of no chance of winning, the Browns are in Baltimore next week.

2010-09-19T00:14:00.002-08:00

Phil's week 2 picks
Cardinals (1-0) @ Falcons (0-1)
Struggling against the Rams suspect secondary cannot make fans in the desert very comfortable.
PICK: FALCONS
Zach's thought: Matt Ryan over DA. Falcons

Ravens (1-0) @ Bengals (0-1)
Don't bet on Cincinnati sweeping this series for a second straight year.
PICK: RAVENS
Zach's thought: I just figure Cincinnati has to be revved up here. Bengals.

Chiefs (1-0) @ Browns (0-1)
The biggest difference between these two teams is Kansas City is getting a whole lot more out of their recent draft picks.
PICK: CHIEFS
Zach's thought: Things can't be that bad in C-town. Browns

Bears (1-0) @ Cowboys (0-1)
Chicago is a play away from being 0-1 while Dallas is a play away from being 1-0.
PICK: COWBOYS
Zach's thought: Whoever plays less worse wins. Cowboys.

Eagles (0-1) @ Lions (0-1)
Both teams have quarterback issues. Taking Detroit with Stafford out of the lineup is hard to do.
PICK: EAGLES
Zach's thought: Vick whispers get louder. Eagles

Bills (0-1) @ Packers (1-0)
Losing Ryan Grant is a blow to Green Bay, but should still be able to win here rather easily.
PICK: PACKERS
Zach's thought: Trap game here, but I still like the Pack. Packers.

Steelers (1-0) @ Titans (1-0)
No Ben Roethlisberger, no chance here.
PICK: TITANS
Zach's thought: Nate Washington has something to prove. Titans.

Dolphins (1-0) @ Vikings (0-1)
The schedule makers did Miami no favors, having them open the first two weeks of the season on the road with the second game being against a Minnesota team with 10 days rest.
PICK: VIKINGS
Zach's thought: There may be something to the idea that Favre is done. Vikings.

Buccaneers (1-0) @ Panthers (0-1)
This game isn't on local TV? Oh darn.
PICK: PANTHERS
Zach's thought: Jimmy Clausen... maybe. Panthers.

Seahawks (1-0) @ Broncos (0-1)
When in doubt, pick the home team. And yes, I'm in doubt here.
PICK: BRONCOS
Zach's thought: Pete Carroll's Richard Simmons act will get old fast. Broncos.

Rams (0-1) @ Raiders (0-1)
The black hole should be able to rattle rookie QB Sam Bradford.
PICK: RAIDERS
Zach's thought: The Los Angeles Memorial Bowl goes to the Raiders.

Patriots (1-0) @ Jets (0-1)
Upset Special. I hate using the term "must win" in week 2, but New York cannot afford to open the season with two straight losses at home.
PICK: JETS
Zach's thought: For people who think the Jets are awesome... they lost to the Bills last year. Patriots.

Jaguars (1-0) @ Chargers (0-1)
Opening the season on the road, against a revved up divisional team, in lousy weather gives San Diego a Mulligan for their week 1 performance.
PICK: CHARGERS
Zach's thought: San Diego didn't look right. Chargers.

Texans (1-0) @ Redskins (1-0)
No team looked worse in victory last week than Washington.
PICK: TEXANS
Zach's thought: Good teams win these. I believe the Texans are a good team. Texans.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Giants (1-0) @ Colts (0-1)
Who are the quarterbacks for this game? I forgot....really wish the media would remind me.
PICK: COLTS
Zach's thought: Will there PLEASE be a Sony commercial where Peyton Manning beats up Justin Timberlake? Colts.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Saints (1-0) @ 49ers (0-1)
Some free advice: if you are in an eliminator/survivor pool, take New Orleans this week.
PICK: SAINTS
Zach's thought: This looked like a good idea at the time. Saints.

LAST WEEK 8-8
Z: 9-7

2010-09-15T11:01:00.002-08:00

5 things I think
1. The Reds drew 12,000 to a game this week. The first-place Cincinnati Reds, in the city where pro baseball was born, drew 12,000 to a game. All I can figure is the economy is so bad that sports fans in the city could only pay to support one team, and the Bengals seemed like the best bet for a winner when families were making out there budgets.

2. Speaking of the Bengals, Chad Ochocinco has a forgettable game Sunday against the Patriots, the Cincinnati gets smoked, and Chad is... on WWE Raw the next night. I seriously question his commitment to winning.

3. Speaking of WWE, Linda McMahon has closed the gap in the Connecticut Senate race. I'm a lifelong conservative, and 99 times out of 100, Republicans better represent my views. But this is one case where I'd vote Democrat. In the business McMahon is in, too many young men and women have died because they felt pressure to artificially enhance their bodies or because the lifestyle of a wrestler was too difficult for them to stay clean. McMahon and her husband don't hold all the blame for this, but they hold enough of it so that McMahon should not be elected senator.

4. Jake Delhomme was really hurt Sunday. If he can't play, it'll be another Cleveland season -- never sure who your quarterback is from week to week.

5. Teams have had seasons wrecked by poor special teams play. Ohio State fans need to keep that in mind.

2010-09-13T21:33:00.003-08:00

Around the NFL. 32 Thoughts, one for each team
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: The Bills are stuck in a dryer and someone keeps pressing the "mediocre" button.

Miami Dolphins: Maybe they can convince LeBron to own part of the team if they promise to quit when they reach the playoffs.

New England Patriots: Randy Moss needs to clean that San Francisco Giants hat.

New York Jets: I haven't anything more hyped with less immediate results than that guy I promised I wouldn't rip on.

AFC North
Baltimore Ravens: No one gets more excited about doing so little than Ray Lewis.

Cincinnati Bengals: Maybe Chad and Terrell were too busy tweeting to realize the regular season had started.

Cleveland Browns: Leading the league in change without difference.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger has to be wondering why he asked for a suspension reduction, since it's not like he'll be needed to beat the Browns in Week 6.

AFC South
Indianapolis Colts: They preseasoned week 1.

Houston Texans: The uniforms still are ugly.

Tennessee Titans: Beating the Raiders at home is about as challenging as changing the channel.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Well, Tebow left, so season's over.

AFC West
Oakland Raiders: Tom Cable just used scowl number 9.

San Diego Chargers: Philip Rivers just called me to whine about this post.

Kansas City Chiefs: Steve Perry just called Todd Haley to get his hairstyle back.

Denver Broncos: Brady Quinn doesn't even put Brady Quinn in while playing Madden.

NFC East
New York Giants: Looking for a new head coach because yesterday's win wasn't convincing enough.

Philadelphia Eagles: Uniforms from 1960, offense from 2001.

Dallas Cowboys: It's not Wade Phillips' fault that Tony Romo flipped the ball to a running back to get gang tackled on the last play of a half.

Washington Redskins: Washington is way ahead of other teams. They already have made 15 percent of their season win total.

NFC North
Minnesota Vikings: Brett Favre wants to watch Matlock.

Chicago Bears: Stealing a win at home against a bad team is no way to go through life.

Green Bay Packers: AJ Hawk and Brady Quinn have a lot of time to text.

Detroit Lions: Calvin Johnson wasn't allowed to catch his plane because he stopped to admire the cab ride to the airport.

NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: It's nice they brought in Jake Delhomme to mentor Josh Freeman.

Carolina Panthers: John Fox has realtors plugged into his cell.

Atlanta Falcons: Who was that guy dressed as Matt Ryan?

New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees just got a call from Philip Rivers, who whined about something.

NFC West
San Francisco 49ers: Mike Singletary hates all quarterbacks.

Seattle Seahawks: Pete Carroll just did a cartwheel after he got his mail.

Arizona Cardinals: Derek Anderson has a smile on his face that only comes when you leave the Browns.

St. Louis Rams: Fans of the Rams have been asked to be fans of the Rams.

2010-09-12T20:09:00.002-08:00

Buccaneers 17, Browns 14
This game was up, then down. Then very down. Then depressing.

Peyton Hillis looked like he'd be getting a parade with his play early in this one.

Then, he fumbled twice.

Jake Delhomme looked sharp and was smart with the ball and moved the offense.

Then he threw an interception worse than any Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn ever made.

The defense was strong, not giving Josh Freeman anything easy and keeping an anemic Browns offense in the game.

Then it blitzed a few times too many and paid the price.

Josh Cribbs was a complete non-factor, and whenever that's the case, the Browns are in trouble.

Bad player decisions, odd coaching decisions (a 62-yard field goal with a timeout and five seconds? Three timeouts in your pocket and a rushed fourth down?)and generally sloppy play turned this game into one of the more discouraging losses in some time.

I felt going in that the Browns had to go 2-0 to have any shot at a decent season. Losing to a pathetic Tampa Bay team makes me think they may not have closed as much of the gap on the good teams in the AFC North as I thought.

A loss to Kansas City next week and the voices will start up again about Eric Mangini and his future. Mike Holmgren can see the schedule as well as we can. He has to know that more efforts like the one today will sap any momentum gained by a generally positive offseason.

Hillis' fumbles had two effects -- they killed a scoring chance and they removed him from the offense. I can't fault Mangini for benching him. But he was the Browns most consistent offensive player, and the team didn't look the same without him on the field.

Delhomme has no excuse for the Ronde Barber interception. He's falling down and just needs to hold the ball or throw it away. The pass was desperation, and there was no need for it. Cleveland was up 11, it was in Bucs' territory, it was first down and the half was almost over.

Barber's pick and the ensuing TD changed the game.

It's a bad loss to a bad team, and there are few answers that would inspire fans that today was an exception and not the norm.

2010-09-12T00:39:00.002-08:00

Show of solidarity is bad taste
It's time to get something straight.

On a night in New Orleans, players on the Saints and Vikings stood on the field and raised a finger to each other.

Well, actually, not THE finger, but actually they raised their arms and made a No. 1 symbol. The meaning of this symbol will likely puzzle sociologists hundreds of years from now.

In the year 3017:

Gelbo: Then, these titans raised their fingers in salute!

Balkin: A sign to God?

Gelbo: No.

Balkin: A rememberence of the victims of tragedies?

Gelbo: No.

Balkin: A sign of peace?

Gelbo: That's two fingers.

Balkin: A sign of...

Gelbo: It was the symbol of unity between some rich guys as their labor contract was up.

Balkin: What a stupid society.

Here's my problem with this: Near the nine-year anniversary of 9-11, the five year anniversary of Katrina, we have this: something planned and organized to signify something meaningful. But labor contracts for professional athletes are not meaningful. They're boring. And to people who paid hard-earned money to see the display of greed and self-importance, I am sorry.

It'd be nice if players acted half as sincere about causes that actually mattered. It was a sign of solidarity, or it was supposed to be. But now, with thousands of Americans out of work, holding up one finger and looking serious was a sign of something else:

Six-figure (at least) professional athletes can get money, but not a clue.

2010-09-11T22:15:00.002-08:00

Phil's Week 1 picks
SUNDAY GAMES
Dolphins @ Bills
Buffalo named rookie running back CJ Spiller was named a starter, which might be the only exciting thing to watch for in the Bills offense.
PICK: DOLPHINS
Zach's thought: Bill Parcells leaving only tells me that football czars never last too long. Dolphins

Lions @ Bears
Upset special as the Bears have looked lost during the preseason games.
PICK: LIONS
Zach's thought: But are they "lose to the Lions at home" lost? Bears.

Raiders @ Titans
Dating back to last season, Chris Johnson is going for his 12th straight game with 100 yards or more in rushing.
PICK: TITANS
Zach's thought:Tiffin University's own Nate Washington starts his second season. For his sake, I thought he should have stayed in Pittsburgh. For my team's, I'm glad he bolted. Titans.

Bengals @ Patriots
The latest coming from New England is that Randy Moss is unhappy. Once a diva, always a diva.
PICK: PATRIOTS
Zach's thought: In Mike Zimmer I trust. Bengals.

Panthers @ Giants
Fast fact: Carolina is fielding the NFL's youngest team this season with the average player being 25 years old.
PICK: GIANTS
Zach's thought: Tom Coughlin is feeling heat from fans. He only pulled off the second-biggest upset in NFL history three years ago. Giants.

Falcons @ Steelers
Life without Ben Roethlisberger begins for four games.
PICK: STEELERS
Zach's thought: I despise the Steelers. Falcons.

Browns @ Buccaneers
This will be Cleveland's first time opening a season on the road since returning to the NFL in 1999.
PICK: BROWNS
Zach's thought: On paper, it should be easy. But paper is useless in week one. Browns.

Broncos @ Jaguars
Jacksonville sold this game out because fans wanted to see Tim Tebow, despite the fact he's only the backup QB.
PICK: BRONCOS
Zach's thought: Pay to see a guy hold a clipboard? A 12-4 team doesn't excite the city, but Tebow does. Jaguars.

Colts @ Texans
Peyton Manning has had issues with the new rules during the exhibition games, but the feeling here is that he'll be ok on gameday.
PICK: COLTS
Zach's thought: If the Texans don't develop into a contender this year, then the building process they've been working on for half a decade reads like a failure. Texans.

Cardinals @ Rams
Derek Anderson should be able to put up some big numbers against the Rams secondary.
PICK: CARDINALS
Zach's thought: I could put big numbers against the Rams secondary. Cardinals.

Packers @ Eagles
Green Bay's secondary is hurting, missing two starters (Atari Bigby and Al Harris) out for the six games on the PUP list.
PICK: EAGLES
Zach's thought: We each have Green Bay in the Super Bowl. I see them winning week one. Packers.

49ers @ Seahawks
Rumors that Mike Singletary is suiting up to play is completely unfounded.....for now anyway.
PICK: 49ERS
Zach's thought: Does Singletary see Troy Smith as a potential starter, or did he pick him up because he just didn't like Nate Davis? Seahawks.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Cowboys @ Redskins
I guess Donovan McNabb and Mike Shanahan make the Redskins a sexy prime time television pick. Too bad the rest of the rest is lousy.
PICK: COWBOYS
Zach's thought: This probably will be boring. Cowboys.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Ravens @ Jets
Baltimore sent a clear message with the signing of TJ Houshmandzadeh in that they are prepared to win now.
PICK: RAVENS
Zach's thought: Jets have overrated themselves. Some are buying it. Not me. Ravens.

Chargers @ Chiefs
Philip Rivers vs Matt Cassel seems to be a tad lopsided.
PICK: CHARGERS
Zach's thought: Well, it's this vs. sleep. Chargers.

2010-09-09T11:33:00.000-08:00

Phil Prusa's NFL Preview
* indicates a wildcard team

AFC EAST

1. Patriots (10-6)
It's getting thin at the wide receiver position with Randy Moss getting older and Wes Welker coming back from an ACL injury.

2. Jets (9-7)
Darrelle Revis finally signed after missing the entire training camp and preseason due to a holdout. Mark Sanchez also has to prove he can carry a team into the playoffs.

3. Dolphins (8-8)
Will Brandon Mashall be the offensive weapon that gets Miami over the hump, or does he prove to be more of a locker room distraction?

4. Bills (5-11)
At least Chan Gailey should be safe from the chopping block in his first year as Buffalo's head coach.

Division overview: Expect a three team horse race for the AFC East Title that nay not be decided until the final week of the season.

AFC NORTH

1. Ravens (12-4)
If you don't know who Ray Rice is now, you'll know him by the end of the season. Just need the secondary to be competent now.

2. Bengals (11-5) *
It's put up or shut up for Cincinnati and Carson Palmer. After wanting more offensive weapons to work with, the Bengals went out and signed Terrell Owens among others.

3. Steelers (8-8)
Ben Roethlisberger's 4 game suspension hurts, but not as much as the offensive line, which has resembled a revolving door lately.

4. Browns (6-10)
Would be a one game improvement over last year, yet may not be enough to save Eric Mangini's job. The rebuilding process is tough playing in the rugged AFC North.

Division overview: I'm not predicting it, but could we could easily have three playoff teams coming from this division in 2010.

AFC SOUTH

1. Colts (12-4)
The Colts offensive should be just as good as ever, putting them into a 12 win or higher season.

2. Texans (10-6) *
My surprise wildcard team for 2010. Houston has been so close but not quite there for several years now and it's getting time to make that next step forward. If not, the team may have to re-evaluate the direction the team is heading.

3. Titans (8-8)
Vince Young at quarterback is a big question mark as to whether or not he can be a leader for Tennessee over the course of 16 games. He shown flashes, but not sustained success.

4. Jaguars (7-9)
Do they still have a team in Jacksonville? As of this writing, not one of their home games is sold out.

Division overview: Surprise surprise, I'm taking the obvious pick in Indy. However, the Texans getting a playoff spot may not be as popular.

AFC WEST

1. Chargers (11-5)
With fewer weapons of offense this year, it seems like San Diego is a Phillip Rivers injury away from losing the season completely

2. Broncos (7-9)
Losing Elvis Dumervil for the year to the IR hurts, but losing LenDale White is a big blow as well. Who carries the rock in Denver this year?

3. Chiefs (7-9)
After giving Matt Cassel the reins on their offense, Kansas City needs to get more of a return on their investment.

4. Raiders (6-10)
Not quite "Just Win Baby," but slowly, the Raiders are taking steps to get out of the NFL gutter. Tom Cable has survived longer than I ever would have imagined as Oakland's head coach.

Division Overview: Barring disaster, the Chargers should have little trouble securing the AFC West Title.

NFC EAST

1. Cowboys (12-4)
Can they become the first team to host the Super Bowl? There's little doubt Dallas can make the playoffs, but the real issue with Tony Romo and company is their play during the month of January.

2. Giants (10-6)*
Three years removed from their Super Bowl win, New York should be able to compete for a playoff berth, if not the outright divisional title. The secondary must stay healthy for a successful year, and that has been an issue of late.

3. Eagles (8-8)
The Eagles do not miss the playoffs because Kevin Kolb is the new starting quarterback. They miss the playoffs because the offensive is unable to protect him. Andy Reid's faith in Kolb should be rewarded if Philadelphia's management is patient.

4. Redskins (5-11)
Owner Dan Synder seems to be learning from his past mistakes, but past ghosts such as Albert Haynesworth will slow progress. Mike Shanahan has a major rebuilding job in his first year as the Redskins new head coach.

Division overview: Would not be a surprise if this division came down to the last week, though don't expect much from Washington this season.

NFC NORTH

1. Packers (11-5)
Aaron Rodgers proves he is the real deal and rewards the Packers faith in him this year. Green Bay's offense should be among the best in the NFL in regards to passing.

2. Vikings (10-6)*
Brett Favre's latest retirement fiasco had everyone groaning, but his return should solidify the Vikings as a legit contender in this division

3. Bears (8-8)
Big name free agents including Julius Peppers won't be enough to get this team back to the postseason for the first time since their Super Bowl XLI appearance. Lovie Smith's seat has never been hotter.

4. Lions (7-9)
Not quite a winning season, but Lions should get a spark with rookies Ndamukong Suh and Jahvid Best. At least Detroit have will have reason to hope.

Division overview: Green Bay vs Minnesota. The Brett Favre Bowl.

NFC SOUTH

1. Saints (12-4)
Drew Brees has emerged as a legit NFL MVP player after leading New Orleans to their first ever Super Bowl title last year. Can the defense have a repeat performance from 2009?

2. Falcons (9-7)
Getting Atlanta to another winning season will be a great accomplishment, but Matt Ryan will be judged on whether on not he can lead this team to the playoffs. He may have to wait at least one more year.

3. Panthers (7-9)
Basically a reboot year for Carolina as Matt Moore is keeping the QB seat warm for rookie Jimmy Clausen. John Fox is in his final year, thus a lame duck coach.

4. Buccaneers (4-12)
One of the youngest teams in the NFL will have some growing pains in 2010. In only his second year as head Coach, Raheem Morris may face some job security issues if there is a feeling the team is uninterested once the losing begins

Division overview: Some are a lot higher on Atlanta than I am. I see it a one horse race with the Saints crossing the finish line well before anyone else.

NFC WEST

1. Cardinals (9-7)
Ken Whisenhunt's latest gamble of naming Derek Anderson is starter is not that big a gamble when one considers the division they play in. Still, if Anderson falters, there may not be a safety net since the birds only have two rookie backup quarterbacks.

2. 49ers (8-8)
Good: San Francisco may host the best defense in the NFL. Bad: Alex Smith is still their starting QB and his career is past the point of salvage at this point in the bay area.

3. Seahawks (6-10)
This is the current state of affairs in Seattle: they cut TJ Houshmandzadeh after one year basically paying him 7 million in guaranteed money to leave town. Pete Carroll has a long road ahead as the new coach.

4. Rams (2-14)
Sam Bradford was named the starter the Rams despite he's a rookie. On the bright side, he doubles their win total with 2 victories this season! Wake up St Louis fans when baseball season starts.

Division overview: Worst overall division in the NFL. Yes, worse than the AFC West.

AFC DIVISIONAL WINNERS
Patriots
Ravens
Colts
Chargers
AFC WILDCARD TEAMS
Bengals
Texans

NFC DIVISIONAL WINNERS
Cowboys
Packers
Saints
Cardinals
NFC WILDCARD TEAMS
Giants
Vikings

SUPER BOWL XLV PREDICTION
Packers 20 Ravens 13
The monkey officially gets ripped off Aaron Rodgers back on February 6th, 2011.

2010-09-09T08:32:00.002-08:00

Montana negative on Rudy
As someone who always is hard on "inspired by a true story" films, I got a chuckle out of Joe Montana's comments regarding Rudy.

Here's the thing: Even if it was a "joke" carrying Rudy off the field, Montana seems like your typical pretty-boy star player by knocking it.

I have interviewed Rudy, and he was very honest about the fact that the movie is about the message.

Sometimes I wonder if guys like Montana ever received it.

2010-07-17T21:15:00.002-08:00

My 10 favorite Lou Brown lines
As a tribute to actor James Gammon, who died Saturday at 70. He is best known to everyone I know as Lou Brown in Major League.

I always assumed the Lou Brown character was based on Dick Williams, the Hall of Fame manager of many, many teams. Either way, Gammon breathed incredible realism into a character that was about sixth in the film's importance. These lines are from the edited for TV version. I recognize the unedited version is funnier and cooler, but I try not to swear on this blog.

1. "I don't know ... let me think it over, will ya Charlie? I got a guy on the other line about some whitewalls. I'll talk to you later."

2. "Forget about the curveball Ricky... give him a heater."

3. "Nice velocity."

4. "No, let's see how he reacts... interesting."

5. "Startin' to come together Pepper; startin' to come together."

6. "This guy hits a ton, how come nobody else picked up on him? Oh.

7. "Nice catch Hayes. Don't ever do it again."

8. "I know he hasn't done very well against this guy but I got a hunch he's due."

9. "My kind of team Charlie; it's my kind of team."

10. "Well you may run like Mays, but you hit like his sister."

Rest in peace.

2010-07-12T09:41:00.003-08:00

Dan Gilbert, THE LETTER, and Jesse Jackson
If I was working for the Cavaliers, I'd have went to owner Dan Gilbert and pleaded with him to sleep on it before sending out his open letter for Cavaliers fans.

Forget that he was going to be roasted in the national media. Forget that he was trying to answer one wrong with another.

My biggest concern would be his promise to win championships, and do it before LeBron James won one in Miami.

Satisfying as those words seemed at the time, it's a promise he simply can't, and won't keep.

I'm sure people within in the Cavaliers organization begged Gilbert not to make the letter public, or at least go for another re-write.

But at the end of the night, Gilbert is the boss. I imagine he experienced not a moment of hesitation before hitting the send button.

As ill-advised as the letter was, Gilbert was saved by Jesse Jackson, though that wasn't the latter's intention.

Jackson, who has surrendered his credibility so many times it's amazing he still gets press, actually said that Gilbert's letter was racially motivated (it wasn't), and that the Cavaliers' owner viewed LeBron as a "runaway slave."

This is an insult to James, and to those who actually were slaves, and to anyone with a degree of intelligence.

Had it been Steve Nash pulling the same act, I guarantee Gilbert would have sent the same letter. Gilbert felt betrayed, humiliated and stunned, and was responding with the letter. Most Cavs fans I talked to loved it. It wasn't a great idea long term, but it certainly showed fans that an owner was as passionate about winning as they were. It's a feeling we rarely experience in Cleveland.

As for Jackson, well, he got what he wanted. People like me are writing about him. That's the real problem.

2010-07-01T10:58:00.002-08:00

Hitchens has cancer
There are some people who I don't agree with, but I love their writing. Roger Ebert, on the occasion that he drifts into political discussion, falls into this category.

I first started reading Christopher Hitchens in 2004. I have read three of his books, countless articles, and tried to watch everytime he's on TV.

A heavy smoker for years, Hitch has been diagnosed with throat cancer. Usually in intances like this, I send thoughts and prayers. In Hitchens' case, I send only my thoughts, as I imagine the world's most famous "anti-thiest" would probably debate, if not protest, calls to God.

I had hoped to interview Hitchens someday, though I imagine that interview would come off poorly. I'm simply not in the league of Hitchens on issues, and I believe he'd let me know it.

But I hope Hitchens beats this, for him and for selfish reasons. I hate the idea of this remarkably clear voice ever being silenced or not producing.

For his family and loved ones, and of course for the man himself, I wish a speedy recovery.

2010-06-26T23:47:00.003-08:00

Branyan traded to Seattle
This is an interesting deal, if only because it has been shown in the last 20 years that when these two teams deal with each other, one side gets humiliated.

-Omar Vizquel cost the Indians Felix Fermin (out of baseball in three years) and Reggie Jefferson (who was a bench player) in December 1993.

-The Indians traded David Bell to the M's for Joey Cora, who I would imagine most casual fans don't even remember playing for the Indians.

-Asdrubal Cabrera for Eduardo Perez. Safe to say who won that one.

-Ben Broussard for Shin Soo Choo. Outright robbery.

-Of course, before last season, Indians GM Mark Shapiro felt guilty, and gave Seattle Franklin Gutierrez, while Cleveland received Joe Smith and Luis Valbuena as part of a three-way deal with the Mets. Not one of Shapiro's better moves, unless Valbuena somehow figures out how to hit big league pitching.

So this deal. The Indians have now traded Russell three times. In return, Cleveland got a couple of minor leaguers, who, at this moment, I'm too lazy to look up.

But why did Seattle, 12 games under .500, add an inkury-plagued, overpriced strikeout monster? Branyan has a $5 million option for 2011, but does anyone really see him being a steady contributor after another year of wear and tear?

Confusing. I say the Indians got the best of this.

2010-06-24T22:40:00.003-08:00

10 things about the Reds
1. Maybe the Scott Rolen trade wasn't such a bad idea, after all.

2. Dusty Baker deserves an extension. Now.

3. When Coco Cordero comes in, I feel like I have walked into a maze. I have no idea what's next, and all rational thought leaves.

4. The Reds need to take at least two of three from the Indians this weekend. The Indians have hit bottom, but they might take a game before losing five in a row. Any more than that and it's time to start worrying about a collapse again.

5. Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips are special players, and that's what makes you think the Reds could still be in the race a month from now.

6. The bullpen still is a huge, huge question mark, as is the rotation. You never know what Aaron Harang will do, and Mike Leake is going to be interesting to watch once teams get a second look at him.

7. I don't see Cincinnati adding a stud pitcher or hitter. More likely, it will look for depth, like it did with Gary Matthews.

8. Jeff Brantley is turning into a heck of a commentator.

9. Can you imagine where the Reds would be without Ramon Hernandez right now? Lots of people questioned re-signing him, but he's a clear leader, and has come up with some huge hits.

10. I don't think anyone has any idea where this season is going.

2010-06-23T23:02:00.002-08:00

10 things about the Indians
1. My guess is that the Indians will lose more than 100 games this season.

2. None of this, in my mind, is the fault of Manny Acta or his staff. He was given a horrible team, and so he churns out horrible results.

3. Travis Hafner, Jake Westbrook and Kerry Wood make up more than third of the Indians payroll. Westbrook couldn't get to the sixth, Wood blew a save, and Hafner is un-startable in National League parks like Philadelphia because he's unable to play the field. Tells you a lot about the franchise right now.

4. I think the Joe Smith-Luis Valbuena for Franklin Gutierrez deal is one of Mark Shapiro's worst.

5. Casey Blake for Carlos Santana? Maybe one of the best. Santana looks like a player. I mean, like batting title good.

6. The Toronto Blue Jays just designated Edwin Encarnacion for assignment. Hmmm. A bad defending third baseman who once had high expectations but has been deemed so inconsequential that his team just figured they'd be better off without him. Reminds me of Jhonny Peralta.

7. Fausto Carmona is under the Indians control for a few more years. No way do you trade him.

8. Wood has proven to be not just a waste of money, but also of innings. It's getting to the point where he may be better off as a setup guy. Five of eight saves isn't a way to make other teams interested.

9. Mitch Talbot, Shin-Soo Choo, Fausto Carmona and Carlos Santana have been good. Chris Perez might be too. Other than that, I am struggling to find mere decency.

10. Rafael Perez looks a lot like a lost cause.

2010-06-19T22:48:00.002-08:00

Why?
It's a summer of uncertainty. There is always a calm before the storm, or so I've been told. But I never really bought it, if only because I've never seen a storm materialize without a cloud.

Some of my friends and mentors are meat and potato writers. They don't like to paint pictures with their words; they prefer to get the facts and get it done without thinking of their space as some kind of canvas.

They often are better than me. I will continue to try to be as good as they are, even if my style is different.

I was never much for a painter; drawing a straight line has proven to be a giant challenge for me. So perhaps I can be forgiven if I choose to view my writing style as a kind of production. When I'm on my game, I want my stories to answer just one question: why?

To me, it's the most important question not only in a story, but in life. Anyone can tell you what, most can tell you how. If my stories are good, they try to answer the why.

Why did the coach call the play? Why did he squeeze? Why did the running back break inside.

Why does an athlete have a phrase written on his eye black? Why does a player spell something out in the error after making a tackle.

You can find the results, you can find the play anywhere. I want to tell you why it happened. I'd like to think that information isn't available all the time, even to someone who watched every play from the stands.

If I don't at least pose the "why" question, I'm not doing my job.

And that's why I started writing in my early 20s and have now continued into my 30s.

Maybe there's a picture there. When I ask the write question, I am only trying to paint it.

So why did I write this?

If I'm looking for answers, sometimes it's best to write out your thoughts. Then the answer comes to you. It's all because you asked the right question.

2010-06-11T21:19:00.002-08:00

My retirement gift to someone special
My mother is retiring at the end of this school year. What I have known forever, and what I now see everyone else she's come in contact has realized, is that she is very special. I have often referred to her as my "favorite person in the world."

I mean it. She and my father had the unenviable task of raising my brother and me. They have done a great job, I think. But I'm biased. She also is a wonderful teacher, a tireless worker, and someone whose heart comes out in everything she does.

Tonight I had the chance to meet some of her co-workers, who found out in the last decade what I already knew.

My mom is a wonderful person. Sometimes I am certain I'll never reach her level of decency.

But before this gets too mushy, here are the top 10 things my mother told me.

1. "Not everyone can be a jock, Zach."-- I was upset people thought I was a nerd in middle school.

2. "Some kid in New York is very happy." --everytime the Indians lost to the Yankees.

3. "You're lucky he lets you play." -- about a coach who liked to bench me for half the game.

4. "You are always resilliant." -- everytime I encounter trouble.

5."When you are famous..."--She thinks I'll be star someday. I'm not sure at what, but mom believes in me.

6. "What does that tell you?"-- After I told her commercials that aired during pro wrestling matches were for losers.

7. "Good for him." -- when someone told her I'd dropped F-bomb after F-bomb after the 1997 World Series.

8. "You're a late bloomer." --this is important to me for the same reasons as No. 5.

9. "If you ever want to feel good about yourself, go to a beach." --I LOVE this one.

10. "Take your hat off... Lou." --this one would take too long to explain.

I love you Mom.

Your grateful son.

2010-06-03T07:22:00.002-08:00

Remembering Mystery Girl
Mystery Girl is satisfying, wonderful. It's also so sad. Roy Orbison's final album, released after his death, is the best farewell album you'll ever hear. But it wasn't meant to be a farewell. It was meant to be a 'Hello, remember me? I'm still better than everyone else" album.

I first became aware of Orbison after his death. The Traveling Wilburies (Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Orbison)had released a very good rock album, and I played it continuously. Orbison's voice, even at nine, was something amazing to me. It was like no rock voice I'd ever heard.

When Orbison's Mystery Girl was released, I had just enough allowance money to purchase it. I loved the upbeat "You Got It," but didn't care for the melancholy ballads. Call it youthful ignorance.

The album sat on the shelf for nearly a decade. My father played it occasionally.

I re-discovered Mystery Girl a decade later, when I was working on an album of my own after graduating high school. I'd written some songs and wanted to record them before I left for college (a wise move, since once I got to college I didn't have the time or energy to spend five hours a day writing and practicing).

I was going to try and duplicate a "Wilburies" sound and started playing Mystery Girl again.

I was stunned.

What I had originally found boring was an amazing mix of soul and sadness. Orbison's voice was amazing for a 52-year old man -- he sounded 22. But my appreciation for ballads made me appreciate the haunting nature of Orbison's performance, something a nine year old can't understand.

"She's a Mystery to Me" quickly became one of my favorite recordings. Written by Bono and Edge, it was a song that could have been done 30 years earlier, but you weren't sacrificing much by recording in the late 80s.

Lynne, who produced the album, played to Orbison's strengths, allowing his voice to be featured and not lost behind elaborate setups. "The Only One" was a perfect example of this.

I'd like to say that listening to Orbison helped my brother, our friends Danny and Justus I produce an excellent piece of work. Curtis, Justus and Danny did their parts, but my vocal style at the time was more influenced by Petty than Orbison.

Talk about youthful ignorance. Not that I could sing like Roy anyway.

The sadness of the album is that Orbison's death was not only tragic, it became frustrating in retrospect. What could Orbison have done had he been able to ride this new wave?

More breathtaking performances.

But who cares about that. He was 52, to young to die. As for fans, he gave us years of recordings that still hold up, no matter how much time passes.

2010-05-22T23:34:00.002-08:00

Interleague Play
Can we end this farce already?

Is there anyone who wanted to see the Rays and Astros play? Is there anyone who cares when the Brewers play the Twins? The Brewers were an American League team a decade ago.

Baseball has always worked hard to find what made it special and destroy it. Playoffs to dillute the regular season? Check. Stupid rules attached to All-Star games? Check. Steroids allowed to run wild and destroy cherished records? Check.

The World Series was special. The All Star Game was special. Interleague play has hurt those things.

Time to do away with it.

2010-05-16T21:33:00.002-08:00

5 Things about Baseball
1. It was great to see Jake Westbrook pitch nine innings today in a win for the Indians over the Orioles. It's great because with a few more outings like that, GM Mark Shapiro can deal Jake for three prospects, thus unloading the remaining money on Westbrook's deal. It's the reality of this market.

2. The Reds are red-hot because of their starting pitching. With Sunday's win over the Cardinals, they have taken over first. The Reds always do this, mind you, then lose 12 in a row in June or something. But Mike Leake and Johnny Cueto are throwing well, so are Homer Bailey and Bronson Arroyo. There is hope.

3. Hard to believe, but this is the 20th anniversary of the Reds 1990 world title, the closest I've ever come to a professional world title. Cleveland will always be No. 1 team for me, but that Reds team was special. What I didn't put together until recently was that two of those players, pitchers Tim Layana and Rick Mahler, have died. All I can say is that it hits you just how much time has passed.

4. I read recently that Ken Burns wants to do a 10th inning for his Baseball. Assuming the interviews were not already done years ago, I don't think this will work. Stephen Jay Gould, Red Barber, Buck O'Neal and Shelby Foote have all died.

But also dead is John Chancellor, who narrated the series in wonderful fashion. It's why I don't think it will work.

5. Still hate the designated hitter.

2010-05-16T09:08:00.002-08:00

LeBron
This is the last thing I'll write about LeBron James in this space until he signs.

Just some points:

1. LeBron owes Cleveland and the Cavaliers nothing. He saved the franchise, and gave the city a winning team, which it would not have had otherwise.

2. That said, the Cavaliers' organization has catered to LeBron's every whim. They overspent on veterans, made big-time trades, and signed anyone they thought could help win a title.

3. The reason the fans booed at the end of Game 5 against the Celtics was because LeBron made it that way. He didn't pledge loyalty, has almost flirted with other teams, and said nothing about his future. Cavalier fans became desperate, believing this year to perhaps be their last chance at a title. Not just with the Cavs, but ever. And then LeBron, the MVP, finishes the season with back to back bad games on his home court. It was frustration, plain and simple. Any city, any fanbase, would have done the same.

4. Do I believe LeBron will sign elsewhere? Yes. I wasn't sure until the series with Boston, where he honestly looked like a different player. I will never be angry or frustrated with LeBron, because he saved the franchise. But he also became the franchise. Without LeBron, the Cavs are useless. They may never recover.

5. So starts the courting. Wake me up in July.

2010-05-11T23:06:00.002-08:00

Cavaliers
No idea what to make of that display. Safe to say, the Cavaliers aren't winning the series.

Without an advance to the finals, LeBron James probably leaves.

Without LeBron, the franchise is worthless.

All in all, a great night.

2010-05-10T23:06:00.002-08:00

Some thoughts
In order to avoid going on a Bruce Drennan inspired rant about the Cavaliers, I will again hold off on thoughts until they win again. That technically could be until October, but then, I'm sure I'll need to write something depending on what LeBron James decides.

- The Indians' attendance means something. I imagine it means most fans are angry with the Dolans for destroying the franchise, angry with Mark Shapiro for spinning the ineptitude, and angry at Manny Acta because Eric Wedge was fired, and is not available for criticism.

The Tribe is 11-18. The most discouraging thing is that their best player is Austin Kearns. Matt LaPorta is looking like Luis Medina without the power. Luis Valbuena also looks lost out there.

What happens now? Probably more losing.

- V returns tonight. It's still a must-see show, though I may be the only one who feels that way.

2010-05-09T00:27:00.003-08:00

Quick thoughts on the Cavaliers
Cleveland showed Friday night that it is, in fact, better than Boston. Boston didn't actually play badly the last three quarters, and the Cavaliers' lead kept growing.

So is the series over? Put it this way: I said at the beginning of the series that I expected the Cavaliers to win it in six games. I'm not changing my pick. I still expect Boston to win one more game. It most likely will be Sunday (only because whoever has the momentum in this series has abandoned it soon after getting it), but it could be whenever Game 5 is.

But I think LeBron James won't let the Cavs get into too much trouble. Since Cleveland got into the playoffs again in 2006, it has only lost more than one home game in a series once -- in the NBA Finals to the Spurs.

Now, if Cleveland does lose Sunday, I will want to write about how horrible it is and how the team is cursed and blah, blah, blah.

Hopefully I'll show the restraint I did after the last loss. No promises, though.

2010-05-06T13:26:00.001-08:00

30 Years, 30 Indians players
This is something of a "best of" list. Players were chosen on a criteria:
A. Play, specifically with the Indians, sometime between the period of 1980 and the present.
B. Longevity in an Indians uniform
C. Personal favoritism. No one will believe this, but I actually considered putting Casey Blake on the list.

Thanks to www.baseballreference.com -- A wonderful site.

1. Albert Belle (1989-1996): He wasn't the five-tool player that Robbie Alomar was, or even a very good outfielder. He tops my list because he had something no Indians hitter had before or after. You got the feeling other pitchers, and other teams, were actually afraid to face him. That gave the Indians an intimidation factor they lost when he signed with the White Sox. Over a three or four year period, I don't think there was a more feared hitter in baseball.

2. Roberto Alomar (1999-2001): Not here for very long, but Robbie could do anything on the baseball diamond. He was the most complete player I have ever seen in an Indians uniform, and he formed one of the most impressive double-play combinations in baseball history.

3. Cliff Lee: (2002-2009):It's tempting to say that Lee is on this list because of his jaw-dropping 2008 (22-3, 2.54 ERA, Cy Young Award), but that isn't it. Sure, Cliff was a completely different pitcher in 2008, after being booed off the field the season before. But even before his Cy Young year, Lee won 14 or more games three times. I'm of the opinion that trading him to Philadelphia will go down as one of the most short-sighted and lopsided trades in Indians history.

4. CC Sabathia (2001-2008):CC never won less than 11 games in a season, won the Cy Young Award, and had an incredibly consistent 2007, where he made the seventh inning in almost every start. Sadly, he had a miserable playoffs in 2007, and didn't really learn how to win in the playoffs until he got to New York. In fairness, his best playoff start for the Indians was his first, against the Mariners in 2001. That, of course, was with an Indians team put together with the remnants of the 1990s core.

5. Omar Vizquel (1993-2004):He won eight Gold Gloves with the Indians, made three All-Star games, and had a star personality that Cleveland rarely has in anyone not named LeBron. I think it's safe to say Omar was a once-in-a-generation kind of player.

6. Manny Ramirez (1993-2000): I suppose I should talk a little about steroids here, as I've been about them as outspoken as anyone. Few listen, but that doesn't mean I haven't said what's on my mind. Manny will always be tainted by steroids. But as I looked at the list of players in my lifetime, it became apparent that the steroid era was pretty well alligned with the Indians best years. Manny was caught last year. I suspect others on this list of using, but if I dropped everyone I suspected from the list, Herb Perry might have made it. I wouldn't vote for Manny in the Hall of Fame. But I can't ignore his impact in an Indians' uniform. Manny drove in 100 runs or more five times, and had the most beautiful swing I have ever seen. It's too bad he'll be remembered for something other than that. But that's his fault.

7. Jim Thome (1991-2002):It dawned on me recently that Jim Thome's first tour with the Indians was in 1991, meaning that this season is his 20th in the bigs. Thome has 569 homers in his career, and in normal times, he'd be a lock Hall of Famer. These aren't normal times, of course. But it's very possible Thome's outstanding numbers are due to little more than brute strength and will-power, both of which he has in abundance. Thome spent the first 12 years of his career with the Indians. Seven times he hit 30 homers or more. Once he topped 50. Thome was relatively skinny when he played third base for the Indians in the early and mid-90s. I'd say if anything, the Indians waited too long to move him to first. Sometimes I wonder how Thome would have done had Charlie Manuel not been his hitting coach, since I think Manuel is a guru hitting instructor and is a World Series title away from Hall of Fame consideration himself. Thome drove me crazy at times, because he seemed to think that hitting 500-foot homers counted for more than 340-foot shots to right. It was Manuel, by then the manager, who publicly called out Thome to shorten his swing, telling him the homers would come regardless. Everyone knew this, and it's not like Thome became a different hitter, but he remained a powerful force for years after he left the Tribe.

8. Kenny Lofton (1992-1996; 1996-2001; 2007):When you look at the career of Kenny Lofton, it's an interesting case of a guy who was always good enough to be wanted by a better team. Had he simply retired after 2001, he'd be remembered as one of the best leadoff hitters and center fielders of his era. But Lofton kept going. That wasn't what hurt him. What hurt him was that he kept changing teams. He went from team-to-team, to the point that they made a humerous commercial over his travels. Lofton was a pretty good player at that point. For nine years in an Indians uniform, he was one of the best. For five years with the Indians, he hit better than .300. Four times he stole at least 60 bases. He also rivaled Kenny Griffey Jr. for some of the most stunning catches of the era. He goes into the Indians Hall of Fame this summer.

9. Joe Carter (1984-1989): Because he usually played on bad teams in Cleveland, I'm not sure people really ever appreciated how special Carter was. In four straight seasons, he drove in at least 98 runs. It's important to remember that this was pre-steroid era, and that Carter had little protection in the Tribe lineup much of the time. Carter's biggest contribution to the Indians may be what Cleveland got back in his trade, which began the rebuilding process that turned the team into a winner.

10. Grady Sizemore (2003-present): In truth, I'm surprised I've placed him this high. He's not the best hitter of the 2002-on era (that's Victor Martinez). He doesn't have the most power (Travis Hafner) and he's not a torrid basestealer (38's a career-best). But when he's healthy, he does everything well. Only Robbie Alomar is a more complete player, though he didn't have quite the power. I really feel like former manager Eric Wedge hurt him in recent years by having him lead off. He hit 33 homers in 2008 and didn't drive in 100 runs, because many of those homers were solo shots. New manager Manny Acta has him batting second now, but I want to see him third.

11. Doug Jones (1986-1991, 1998): Leave it to the Indians to find a closer who hadn't even pitched in the bigs in four seasons. Jones wasn't overpowering and he wasn't a gimmick or a character like some closers. He just got people out. Over a three year period, Jones collected 112 saves and made the All-Star team three times. He made a return to the Indians during the glory years, but was at the end of his career. Of course, that's what teams thought in 1986.

12. Julio Franco (1983-1988, 1996-1997): The first Indians game I was at, I remember asking my mother about Julio Franco, since I noticed his stance was different than anyone else's. He also held his bat way over his head. The phrase "professional hitter" was invented for Franco. Despite the struggles of the 1980s, the Indians had some really talented players. Most were hitters. Franco was traded to Texas for Pete O'Brien, Jerry Browne and Oddibe McDowell before the 1989 season. Why? I don't know. Hank Peters was a wonderful baseball man. It's not so much that he traded Franco, who hit over .300 in three consecutive seasons. Jerry Browne was decent for a couple of seasons, but O'Brien's career was ending and McDowell only lasted a few months before going to Atlanta for the infamous Dion James. Franco went on to hit, and hit, and hit. I was only five when I went to my first game. Franco was a veteran THEN, having been in the league four seasons. He was still in the league when I was 27. Franco did return to the Indians during the glory years. He was released in 1997 because the Indians may have thought he was finished. Ha.

13. Sandy Alomar (1990-2000): If it were my favorite people with the Indians, Alomar would be at the top. Injuries hurt his career, but he still was a damn good catcher. He made six All-Star teams (though two were because he had a great rookie year and fans remembered him until Pudge Rodriguez came along). His 1997 season was nearly magical. He hit a game-winning homer in that year's All-Star Game at Jacobs Field, one of the most thrilling games I've ever seen. It's great to have him back with the team, though given the Indians' catching situation, I wish Alomar was playing.

14. Victor Martinez (2002-2009): We started hearing about Martinez in the late 1990s. We heard he was hitting the cover off the ball. We heard he was learning to be a catcher. When he came up, the Indians were in pure re-building mode. When he got to Cleveland, he hit and drove in runs. He never was the greatest defensive catcher, but he became a leader and an outstanding money player. He drove in 108 runs in 2004 and 114 runs in 2007. His trade signaled the end of the Eric Wedge era, two months before he was fired. Despite all the great hitters of the 1990s, I think only Albert Belle and Manny Ramirez were better pure hitters. I miss Martinez, and wish he didn't play for my second-least favorite team now.

15. Andre Thornton (1977-1987): So we arrive at the first Indian on this list to arrive in Cleveland before I was born. Thornton's best year (in my lifetime, anyway) was in 1982, when he hit 32 homers and drove in 116 runs. He hit 33 homers in 1984. I started following the Indians in 1986, when Thornton was at the end of his career. But for much of the 1980s, he was the man in Cleveland.

16. Carlos Baerga (1990-1996, 1999): Carlos Baerga is an interesting case where a player may have been hurt more by his era than anything else. Four straight seasons where he hit over .300 and hit at least 15 homers. He would have had three consecutive seasons of more than 20 shots if not for the 1994 baseball strike. It's interesting to note that Baerga's best seasons came while the Indians rebuilt. In 1992, when the Tribe was still slugging it out at Cleveland Stadium with 86 losses, Baerga had more than 200 hits, hit .312, smacked 20 homers and drove in 104 runs. The next season, Baerga was an absolute machine: a career-best .321 batting average, 21 homers, and 114 RBIs. The Indians were again mediocre. Baerga's production at that point was staggering, but he was overshadowed because the 1990s were a great time for second basemen. Namely, Robbie Alomar and Craig Biggio. And despite his hitting prowess, Baerga was never a complete player. He was average at best at second and was not fast. As the Indians emerged as a power in 1995, Baerga's star was already falling, and by 1996 he was pretty much done as an everyday player. In a shocking move at the time, the Indians unloaded the still super-popular Baerga to the Mets for Jose Vizcaino and Jeff Kent, then traded those two to get Matt Williams, then traded him for Travis Fryman. What happened to Baerga? Who knows. He was only 27 when the Indians ditched him, but he never regained his form. But for a five-year period, he was a rock in the Indians lineup, and that's why he is where he is.

17. Charles Nagy (1990-2002): Eight times Nagy had 10 wins or more in a season. He won 129 games for the Indians, made three All-Star teams (starting the 1996 game)mostly while pitching through pain. His best game, in my mind, was Game 6 of the 1997 ALCS, when he threw seven shutout innings against a tough Orioles lineup. A week or so later, he drove me crazy by nibbling just a little too much against the Marlins. I never thought he was ever as good at any one time as some of the names that will come later, but his constistancy and his longevity make him a must-have on a list like this.

18. David Justice (1997-2000): Justice will not be remembered by most as an Indian. But he had an impact on the organization that continues to this day. Before ever arriving in Cleveland, he hit a two-run homer off Jim Poole in Game 6 of the 1995 World Series that sent the Braves to the title. Eighteen months later he was traded to Cleveland, along with Marquis Grissom, for Kenny Lofton. Then, after three productive seasons here, he was traded to New York for, among others, Jake Westbrook. In 1997 Justice hit 33 homers, drove in 101 runs and hit .329. The following seasons his production dropped a bit, but he still was a crucial part of a team that won three consecutive AL Central titles.

19. Travis Fryman (1998-2002): Looking at his numbers, I'm tempted bet that Fryman never took any steroids in his career. He was overshadowed by the gigantic production of his contemperaries, and there's no question his best years were in Detroit. But he had a few really good seasons with the Indians after arriving in a deal with Arizona for Matt Williams. Fryman hit 28 homers in 1998, and hit better than .320 and drove in 106 runs in 2000. He played excellent defense throughout his tenure, and continues to work in the Indians organization, as a minor league manager.

20. Travis Hafner (2002-present): One of the great questions of the last three seasons has been, "what happened to Travis Hafner?" On April 21, after Hafner homered in Minnesota, Twins announcer (and former star pitcher and Indians farmer) Jack Morris said this: "I'm not accusing him of anything, but he got a lot smaller last year and had a bad year." Actually, Hafner's decline started two years before that, when he went from one of the most feared hitters in the American League to one of the most puzzling questions. So why is Hafner here? Because for four straight seasons, he drove in at least 100 runs. For three of those years, he got MVP votes. And he hit and hit and hit. The Indians rewarded the DH-only with a huge contract, not seeming to take into account that Hafner was approaching 30 and since he only wore a glove in front of an oven, he was virtually untradeable. So now the Indians are stuck with a slow, injury-prone, overpaid DH. If the Indians can take comfort in anything, it's that Boston is going through the same thing right now with David Ortiz.

21. Eddie Murray (1994-1996): It was reported that Murray challenged Albert Belle to a fight during the 1995 playoffs when Belle decided to sit out a game. All I know for sure is that Murray took Belle's spot in the order and hit a two-run homer in the first inning. The Indians beat the Mariners in that game and in the series. That always struck me as leadership at its best. Murray was a favorite of mine, because he came through so many times in the early days of Jacobs Field. At the tail-end of his career, Murray became the powerful bat to protect Albert Belle and turn him into a superstar for a superstar-laden team. Eddie hit .321 with 21 homers in 1995, and spent considerable time on the DL that year. But in 1995 he also did something very memorable -- he reached 3,000 hits. To this day, I wonder what would have happened if the Indians hadn't dealt Murray to Baltimore in 1996 for Kent Merker. GM John Hart sure was trigger-happy in 1996, and I think the constant changes threw everything into disarray. Or maybe they didn't have enough pitching.

22. Bartolo Colon (1997-2002): Bartolo Colon was always almost an ace, almost what the Indians needed to win the World Series. He won 10 games or more five consecutive years, including a terrific 1999, with 18 wins and a 3.95 earned run average. Still, I'd argue that consistent greatness always stayed out of reach until 2002. Then, in a hilarious bit of timing, Colon became one of baseball's top starters, and the Indians stopped winning. He was 10-4 with a 2.55 earned run average when GM Mark Shapiro traded him to Montreal. At the time, I was furious. Colon still had a year left on his deal. That the package included three future all stars, and a future Cy Young winner, has been reason for some to hail Shapiro's brilliance. Except that Montreal was going out of business and had nothing to lose, found themselves contending, and sold the farm to the Indians. Besides, Brandon Phillips was given away to Cincinnati. Colon did win the Cy Young -- with the Angels in 2005. He makes this list because even though he wasn't always great, he was pretty good for a long time.

23. Dennis Martinez (1994-1996): As the years have passed, I feel like Martinez never quite got his due for what he did in Cleveland. He was the first big-name free agent John Hart signed, and, even at 39, helped transform the Indians pitching staff from a joke to a powerful force. For two seasons, Martinez was the ace of the staff. In 1994 he went 11-6 with a 3.52 ERA, likely losing some wins because of a retched bullpen. The next year, at 40, he made the all-star team, anchoring an improved staff. He was overshadowed in the 1995 playoffs by Orel Hersheiser, but it was Martinez who out-pitched Randy Johnson in the Kingdome in Game 6 of the ALCS, throwing seven shutout innings. It was the most important start for the Tribe in 40 years, and Martinez delivered. Big time.

24. Orel Hersheiser (1995-1997): His numbers weren't fantastic, but Bulldog is here because he was a big-game pitcher who pitched like an ace in the 1995 playoffs. He went 4-1 in the 1995 postseason, losing only to Greg Maddux in Game 1 of the World Series. And Hersheiser avenged that loss in Game 5. He was very good in that regular season, going 16-6 with a 3.87 ERA. He was never quite as good after that, though he won 29 games over the next two seasons. But he's largely here because of his run in October of 1995.

25. Brooke Jacoby (1984-1991, 1992): A good player on some bad teams, Jacoby manned the hot corner admirably, making a pair of all star teams and being something almost no Indian ever was at the time -- consistent. Never a great run-producer, Jacoby seemed to always hit for average. He had seasons of power, clobbering 32 homers on a 100-loss Indians team in 1987. He actually wasn't totally unlike Casey Blake, in that he was always had some power, but was never feared like many of his contemporaries like Wade Boggs or George Brett. The amazing thing about his 1987 season was that he hit 32 homers, but drove in only 69 runs. But he was good (a .270 lifetime average) for a long time. The Indians actually dealt him to Oakland in 1991 for Apolinar Garcia and Lee Tinsley. Tinsley actually did have a halfway decent career, but not with Cleveland. Jacoby signed back with the Indians in 1992, but was primarily a reserve player at that time, giving way to a raw rookie who showed potential but struggled in the field -- Jim Thome.

26. Bob Wickman (2000-2006): Bob Wickman was not a dominating closer. He didn't have an overpowering fastball or ridiculous command. He was not dominant, and usually left fans reaching for Rolaids. But he had 45 saves in 2005, and had 20 saves or more three times with the Indians. Drove me crazy, but I can't argue with the results.

27. Len Barker (1979-1983): I'm not even going to pretend he's on here for any other event than one I wasn't old enough to remember. It was May 15, 1981, and I barely was a year old. Barker set 27 batters down in a row, for a perfect game. It's one of the 800 reasons why baseball is the greatest game, because amazing can happen, even between two horrible teams on a rainy night in front of 1,800 people. Barker wasn't just one great game. He won 19 games in 1980, made the All-Star team in 1981, and twice led the American League in strikeouts. Plus, the trade of him to Atlanta brought the Indians Brooke Jacoby and Brett Butler.

28. Mike Hargrove (1979-1985): Yes, he managed the Indians to five division titles and two World Series appearances. Yes, he's always struck me as a great guy. And yes, I wish he'd left Mike Jackson in for the ninth inning against Florida in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. But before he became the most decorated Indians manager of the last 50 years, he was a pretty good player. Hargrove never would make it as a first baseman today -- he hit 80 homers over 12 seasons in the bigs -- but he certainly was consistent, racking up a league best .424 on base percentage in the strike-shortened 1981. Five times he hit .285 or better for the Tribe, which in the pre-steroid era, was quite the mark.

29. Pat Tabler (1983-1988): My first favorite player, Tabler hit better than .290 four times with the Indians,and made the All-Star team in 1987. Not a homer or RBI guy, which was interesting because he usually played first base. In 1987, he drove in 86 runs. Of course, this was a very offensive year, and Tabler never came close to that production before or after. In 1988, when he was traded, I felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach. Of course, the deal was a very good one, as the Indians received Bud Black, who had three good seasons before being traded to the Blue Jays. Tabler ended up there at the end of his career -- and won a world title in 1992, along with past Indians Joe Carter and Candy Maldonado, and future Indians Pat Borders, Robbie Alomar, Jack Morris and ... Candy Maldonado.

30. Jose Mesa (1992-1998): He will be remembered for giving up the lead in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. I'd imagine Mesa would be much higher on this list, and beloved in Cleveland today, if he'd gotten those last two outs. He didn't and so he's at the bottom of this list rather than the top. Mesa came to the Indians as a starter, and actually won 10 games in that role in 1993. He was moved to the bullpen, and with a vicious fastball, had a decent season as a setup guy in 1994. But the Tribe needed someone to set up for, and it was a bit of a surprise when Mike Hargrove inserted Mesa in the spot. Most figured he'd go with Paul Shuey (who had great stuff but not the mental makeup), or wait for the right trade. Instead, Mesa delivered one of the best seasons for a reliever in baseball history. He had 48 save opportunities, converting 46. A 1.13 earned run average. He had 58 strikeouts in 64 innings. He was almost unhittable. He also never was the same again, though he did record 38 saves in 1996 and had some pretty impressive save totals with Philadelphia. Sadly for him (and Tribe fans), his career will be best remembered for about 10 minutes in 1997.

2010-05-06T00:41:00.001-08:00

Cavaliers
The Cavaliers remove my ability to write rationally. I'll check in with my thoughts when they win again.

Which could be a while.

2010-05-01T22:53:00.002-08:00

10 random thoughts
1. I watched the Kentucky Derby... it's the only horse racing I'll watch this year.

2. I had no idea which horse was which, didn't have any money on the winner, and was still entertained.

3. V still is my favorite show on TV. Too bad the ratings are bad and cancellation appears a star landing away.

4. If Coke Zero really tastes like Coke, what would be the point of Coke?

5. Why do I imagine Mark Shapiro thinking: "How may single A prospects can I get for Austin Kearns in July?"

6. The Reds are getting decent starting pitching. I still don't think they can win playing 81 games in that band box of theirs.

7. Mark Lewis was a bad draft pick.

8. LeBron James has no reason to ever leave Cleveland. Doesn't mean he won't.

9. Vin Scully is still one of the top 5 broadcasters in baseball.

10. My totally unresearched pick of the Browns 2010 record: 6-10.

2010-05-01T22:21:00.001-08:00

Cavaliers and Celtics
LeBron just took over in the fourth quarter, and it seemed like the Cavaliers tired out the Celtics in the final minutes of Game 1.

I'm never an optimist, but I really feel like the Cavaliers will win this series, in no more than six games.

But we'll see.

2010-04-29T00:10:00.002-08:00

Hapless Hafner
So, what happened to Travis Hafner? I don't know. Maybe in the post-steroid era, one needs to accept the fact that bat-speed starts to go in a player's early 30s.

I shook my head every time (and they have come several times in the past few seasons) I read a story about how Hafner is going to come back, going to return to the monster he was in 2006.

When Hafner was hit in the foot on an oh-and-2 count with the bases loaded today, I breathed a sigh of relief. At least the at-bat wasn't going to end in a strikeout or double play.

He's hitting .197 with two homers and five RBIs. He is coming off another injury-plagued year, where he hit .272 with 16 homers and 49 RBIs.

He's 33 now, and he's making eight figures. He's also under contract for a few more seasons. At this point, you have to wonder if a Jake Westbrook and Hafner could have bought us one CC Sabathia, or Cliff Lee.

Yes, it's hindsight. At the time Hafner signed, I wrote positive things about the contract.

But now it looks like a big black hole. That hole might be in Hafner's swing.

2010-04-27T23:16:00.002-08:00

Through round one
Here's what I'm thinking right now:

I remember the last time Chicago came to Cleveland for a Game 5. I remember the shot. I remember the red and black uniforms.

I also remember it was the first round.

But more than that, the Cavaliers had a really good team in the late 1980s and early '90s. But Michael Jordan and the Bulls always stood in the way.

Well, now the roles are somewhat reversed. It feels good to be a fan of the other side now.

2010-04-23T22:02:00.002-08:00

Draft thoughts
In retrospect, I think I got a little caught up in things Wednesday night when I predicted the Steelers would trade Ben Reothlisberger. Just throw it on the pile of stupid things I've written on this blog over the last three years. It'll be big enough to create quite the bonfire.

Now to the Browns...

- Joe Haden would not have even been my third choice. The Browns need to create pressure on the quarterback to make the defensive backs mean anything. My first choice was Eric Berry, also a DB, but that was because I viewed him as a freak of nature who could make an Eric Turner-like impact.

Which is not to say Haden will be a bad pick. But I still wonder where the pressure is going to come from.

- The T.J. Ward pick didn't make much sense to me. Again, I really wanted a pass rusher (though there weren't may at that point) or a receiver. Instead, the Browns draft another DB. You have to hope this will be a strength for the Browns next year. The real reason the pick bothered me was that the Browns seemingly could have taken Ward in a later round. But after watching the experts be wrong for two days, maybe that wasn't the case.

- Monterio Hardesty is a running back with knee problems. This was confusing because the Browns traded away a few picks to get this guy. The Browns haven't exactly had good luck drafting backs since they've been back; it's probably why I am negative.

- Did anyone else see the "oh great, there goes my career" look on Colt McCoy's face when the Browns took him? I like McCoy. He's a winner, and seems to be a smart kid. But drafted QBs haven't done well here either. Remember Tim Couch, Spergon Wynn, Luke McCown, Charlie Frye and Brady Quinn?

-Not a Browns thought, but Tim Tebow going in the first round is crazy. Sometimes I wonder if Broncos coach Josh McDaniels has Eric Mangini-like power issues.

2010-04-21T23:47:00.002-08:00

Big Ben and the top 10
It's been reported the Steelers are willing to rid themselves of 28-year old, two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He can be had, so it has been said, for a top-10 pick.

The Browns don't have a top-flight quarterback, but they do own such a pick: a No. 7.

Could the Browns trade for Roethlisberger?

Sure.

Should they?

God, no.

One can't doubt Roethlisberger's talent, his guts on the field, his ability to win. One also can't doubt that when it comes to judgement, Roethlisberger has about as much as a squirrel that crosses a four lane highway.

Riding a motorcycle without a helmet. Acting irresponsibly at college bars.

Having a really bad haircut.

Roethlisberger is no longer a 22-year old phenom, as he was at Miami University. He's a Super Bowl winning quarterback, a six-year veteran.

He should be a leader in the locker room and in the community. He isn't. His actions prove it.

Most teams in the top 10 would love to have a QB with the resume of Big Ben. But acquiring him for a high draft pick would be a big gamble.

What message would it send not only the fans, but the community. A player whose actions were deemed so inappropriate by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell that he slapped a stronger-than-steroids ban on the guy.

A player who obviously has not matured, and who, if traded, likely will be sent a message that acting the way he did cost him only a city and a third-of-the year paycheck.

No, as a Browns fan, I don't want this guy as the face of my team.

It should be mentioned that a trade to a division rival is rare, but possible, as the Eagles and Redskins showed this offseason.

Roethlisberger, it has to be said, plays for one of the best run and most talented franchises in professional sports. Is he a product of their system? I don't think so. But even so, he has taken a physical pounding in recent years, and some quarterbacks start to lose it a little as they creep closer to 30.

Having said all that, I still expect a top-10 drafting team to take the bait tomorrow. We shall see.

2010-04-21T22:43:00.001-08:00

Draft day predictions
1. The Rams will draft Sam Bradford.

2. Ben Roethlisberger will not be a Steeler by night's end.

3. The Browns will trade down.

4. Mel Kiper's hair won't move.

2010-04-17T22:27:00.002-08:00

Random Saturday night thoughts
Despite the fact that the Cavs got lazy and let their lead drop to seven, winning is all that matters now. Chicago looked overmatched in the first game, even with Cleveland giving it every opportunity to make it interesting.

- Starting pitching will make any team competitive. The Indians have gotten great performances for three straight games. If it keeps happening, the Indians will be a contender for much of this year. If not, well, last year.

- It's nights like tonight when I wonder if the Reds will ever be good again. Francisco Cordero walks three guys and almost walks a fourth. Cincinnati loses.

2010-04-17T22:25:00.001-08:00

Song quote of the day
I'm an innocent bystander
and somehow I got stuck
between a rock and a hardplace
and I'm down on my luck-- Warren Zevon

2010-04-16T22:37:00.002-08:00

Cavaliers-Bulls thoughts
The Cavaliers are not going to lose this series. Because of rust, they might come out sluggish tomorrow, and the Cavs might lose a game somewhere along the way.

But the Cavaliers are too talented for the Bulls to keep up. Everyone remembers the 1989 series with the Bulls, when the Cavaliers lost despite having a better record.

Main difference is that the Cavaliers were playing without Mark Price for much of that series. And it was best of five.

LeBron is healthy, Shaq is back, and I expect Cleveland to clean up here.

2010-04-15T23:21:00.002-08:00

Should the Browns trade for the No. 1 pick?
No. First-round quarterbacks don't do well in Cleveland. But more than that, what was the point of signing Jake Delhomme? What was the point of trading for Seneca Wallace? OK, I know, those points are meaningless.

But more than that, do the Browns really want to pay for a No. 1 pick, even in a capless year?

I'd rather the Browns continue to draft players instead of trade picks.

2010-04-14T23:15:00.002-08:00

The Indians a week and a half in
The Good: Fausto Carmona has two starts,including an eight-inning gem Tuesday. Of course, the Indians lost. Justin Masterson and David Huff have also been pretty good. In reality, I'd say starting pitching as a whole is good.

The Bad: Travis Hafner still looks hurt. Grady is hurt. The bullpen is a mess. And the team isn't hitting.

The Ugly: The attendance tonight -- just a shade over 10,000. And the weather was good. I don't blame the fans though. They have to save their money for LeBron merchandise.

2010-04-14T00:22:00.002-08:00

Watching the Reds...
I'll say this for Cincinnati so far this season: they find ways to make it interesting.

Up 6-1, Bronson Arroyo gives up four runs in an inning. Reds score two runs, Logan Ondrusek gives up a three-run homer.

Luckily, Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips were there to bail them out.

2010-04-13T23:57:00.002-08:00

John May Lives, Georgie dies, and I hate being right sometimes
Talking about V to people who don't watch it is difficult. The draw of this show, for me, is not the story of spaceships and aliens, but the characters and the performances that drive them.

A week ago, I wrote that I thought that Georgie (played brilliantly by David Richmond-Peck) would die and die soon. It disappointed me, because I thought his character was the most interesting.

But Georgie's sendoff was outstanding, as he essentially gives his life to protect the resistance movement. When he asks for Father Jack, and tells Ryan it's over, it was a powerful scene.

So where does V go now?

Erika's son now has turned on her for not telling him his father may not be his father. If this meansI won't have to watch scenes with Tyler anymore, well, it's a tradeoff I'm willing to make. Nothing against Logan Huffman's perfomance; I just don't care for Tyler's character.

-Val (Lourdes Benedicto) is challenging Elizabeth Mitchell for the Queen of the Facial Expressions. She found out that Ryan was not who he said he was. Whether she knows he's a V isn't clear yet. But she does know something's up with her pregnancy, so, well, the plot thickens there.

-No real Jack (Joel Gretsch)-and-Erika moments this week, aside from her confiding in him about the Tyler-thing. Not too much for Jack to do this week -- I think he was in the room with Ryan (Morris Chestnut) talking to John May's son, that they just wanted to make sure they gave him something else to do since he wasn't forgotten about completely.

-With Georgie gone, the top performance might go to Charles Mesure as Kyle Hobbes. Pretty cool mercenary.

Too much stuff going on to list it all. But I think this was the biggest example of a show I just didn't want to end.

2010-04-11T20:25:00.003-08:00

Masters
No one will be able to convince me that Phil Mickelson had it easier than Tiger Woods this weekend, or any weekend in the past year.

While Woods was dealing with sexual addiction and not playing because he didn't want to, Mickelson's family has its own problems.

Mickelson's wife is battling breast cancer. So is his mother. Every day has to have been a challenge for his family, and they likely will continue to be for some time.

Mickelson was at his best today, taking a lead about midway through Sunday's round, then making some brilliant shots and holding on for his third green jacket.

With the win, Mickelson has established himself as one of the greats of this generation. Like John Elway, Mickelson had to fight the label of never winning the big one for years, only to finally be rewarded.

I imagine Mickelson would trade all his jackets for his wife to be healthy. In the context of life and family, golf titles probably don't rate high to him right now.

Still, Mickelson is playing the best golf of his life during what has to be his most trying time. When I watched today, all I could imagine was that every golfer out on the course had a story, a pain, a stress. Everyone has some issue. But it seemed all some wanted to talk about was Tiger.

Tiger did play really well. But I fail to see why that surprised anyone. He's been the best golfer in the world for 12 years. Even with his personal issues, he wasn't going to forget how to golf.

He probably will win many big events before his career ends. On this day, though, it was Mickelson who triumphed under adversity.

2010-04-11T00:27:00.002-08:00

LeBron going, or not going
The truth is LeBron James doesn't owe Cleveland anything. He doesn't owe the Cavaliers anything.

On that summer night in 2003 when the draft lottery took place, my friends and I went crazy. We didn't know how good James would be. We certainly didn't use the word "championship." What LeBron James meant was the transformation of a franchise.

Before LeBron, the Cavaliers had been a mess. When Mark Price, Brad Daugherty and Larry Nance left, so did many of the fans. The last five years before James were mediocre at best, wretched at worst.

But LeBron gave the Cavaliers something they hadn't had since the early 1990s -- hope.

It was James that made Gund Arena a place to go for something other than WWE. It was James who made the Cavaliers competitive, exciting and fun. It was James' presence that made Dan Gilbert buy the team. It was James who made Gilbert attack the challenge of building a contender like a long-time Cleveland fan -- not a Detroit businessman.

The Cavaliers are one of the top three contenders for the NBA title. If they win it, great. LeBron may stay, and he may go. If they lose, that might not change anything.

I just hope that should LeBron go to New York, New Jersey, Miami or Detroit, that fans don't turn on him. He's done more for the franchise than anyone, save maybe Nick Miletti.

It was pure luck that Cleveland got to have LeBron James. The fans didn't earn him or deserve him. It was just a ping-pong ball bouncing the right way.

Whatever James does this summer, I hope everyone realizes that he's already done plenty for the franchise, for the fans, for the city.

Still, I really hope he stays. I don't want to read any Mike Lupica columns about how he was destined for The Big Apple. Ugh.

2010-04-10T00:44:00.002-08:00

Six Things I think
1. After four games, the worst Indians starter has been Jake Westbrook. That's actually a good sign.

2. My guess is that Mike Brown resting starters for the final games of the regular season won't be a positive or a negative for the postseason.

3. Marty Brennaman listing his top moments with the Reds, and including the day Jim Bowden was fired, was hilarious.

4. Him including the time Randy Savage came up to the booth was unexpected.

5. I'm not rooting for Tiger Woods this weekend, but it's not like I would have had he not had his recent issues. I always pull for the underdogs.

6. Albert Pujols is reaching Bonds-like levels of respect from pitchers.

2010-04-08T23:30:00.003-08:00

Bones
Sometimes TV shows remind you of moments in your life. Tonight's Bones was a very good episode, especially for the last five minutes, when Booth finally told Brennan how he felt. He even kissed her.

The show often runs hot and cold for me, but tonight's show was big, because it reminded me of a time in my life when I should have taken a chance. There were plenty of reasons not to, just as there were plenty of reasons for Brennan to say no when Booth told her he wanted to date her.

But in the end, Brennan's logic won out. In my situation, logic won out as well. I didn't take the chance.

In TV, the scripts get written, the characters placed together. Booth and Brennan will be together eventually, if only because Sweeps will dictate it.

In real life, there is usually one moment, one chance to get it right. Sometimes asking for a girl's number blows up, because once a line is crossed, you can never go back.

But if you never step outside of what you perceive to be safe, you'll be left with questions, which in some ways are worse than the initial frustration of something failing.

Just to soften this up a little bit, let's go realistic with other TV shows:

The Office: Pam lets Jim leave after denying him after the kiss at the end of season 2. Jim goes on to another girl and never, ever returns to Scranton. This would have meant Jim and Pam never would have gotten together, which would have meant I'd still be watching The Office today instead of avoiding it because I can't take another "Jim and Pam are the love of the century" subplot.

Saved By The Bell: Slater refuses to ever speak to Kelly after she picks Zack for the prom. But Slater does resurface to rough up Jeff's pretty face after Zack recruits him to beat up Jeff as revenge after Kelly breaks up with him. Meanwhile, Jessie and Kelly stop talking after Jessie goes out with Slater. And Lisa finally files a restraining order on Screech.

Friends: Rachel decides she's way too attractive for Ross. Ross goes on to be boring in new and unexciting ways.

Cheers : Speaking of boring, Sam decides to fire Diane, sell the bar and become an angry doctor on a show that only gets good ratings because it's after Raymond.

Chuck: In real life, Casey'd have killed Chuck after the second episode.

Bones: After Bones broke his heart, Booth would have realized the error of his ways and gone back to ask out Buffy.

2010-04-07T21:43:00.002-08:00

The mystery of Fausto Carmona
Fausto Carmona's talent has never been in question. His ability to harness that talent and turn it to results is less than certain.

Tonight, Carmona was good and bad. He allowed one hit. But he also had little control. I will give Indians manager Manny Acta credit for this much: he's trying to give Carmona the best possible situation to work with. He gave him one catcher -- Mike Redmond. He gave him a sure spot in the rotation. And he didn't pull Carmona early on when it looked like he was a big hit away from disaster.

The offense remains suspect, but at least Indians fans didn't have to wait a week for a win. The 5-3 victory was as much about Carmona as anything. But hey, a win's a win.

2010-04-06T23:55:00.003-08:00

V
After the pilot episode, I was hooked on V. I've never been a huge fan of sci-fi, but the performances and the characters in the ABC series got me into it.

The first four episodes were excellent, but then the show went off the air for five months.

Since the return, I've come to a few conclusions about the show:

1. After six episodes, I really think David Richmond-Peck's performance as the desperate and unstable Georgie to be the best of the series. Richmond-Peck isn't even listed as a main actor on the show's Wikipedia page, and after tonight, I'm not certain Georgie will live to see the eighth episode. Too bad.

2. Father Jack and Erika have a romantic tension that in some episodes is obvious, and in others not even hinted at. I think Joel Gretsch is very good in this role, much better than he was a villain in Burn Notice. Then again, I saw V before I saw that episode, so that's probably why I didn't like that turn. Elizabeth Mitchell has outstanding facial expressions, and the appearance of Erika's ex should provide some interesting moments with Jack. Of course, Jack being a priest would complicate any romance. But it's TV, so who cares.

3. I've met many people in my line of work who remind me of Chad Decker (Scott Wolf). When I heard the Party of Five actor was in this series, I was less than excited. But Wolf has performed his role with gusto, and it has worked. The problem of balancing your integrity with a big break is a real battle in the news-industry.

4. Some have seen some connections between the character of Anna (Morena Baccarin) and President Barack Obama. They were way more noticable in the first two episodes, and I believe there was an intention early on to satire him. Of course, I would argue than Anna has proved WAY more competent than the president, but that may just be the right-winger in me talking. And joking, of course.

5. My brother made this point to me, and I think he's right on. The character of Tyler is very much like Kim Bauer in the early seasons of 24. I see the value and importance of Tyler's (Logan Huffman's) character, but I don't care much about him.

6. Morris Chestnut represents one of the main differences between this series and the original 1983 show, and it's an important difference. In the old versions, the aliens came to earth at once, and their voices made them easy to detect. In this version, V's gradually snuck into the world, posing as humans. In this series, aren't able to tell who is a V and who is not. Chestnut's Ryan is key to this, because he, more than any other character, represents prospects for a final peace in the show. He's been very good.

V has surpassed Chuck as my favorite show. Maybe that's because I feel Chuck is destined to be canceled. Ah well, it's been a good run.

But if V gets axed, I'm down to Castle.

2010-04-05T23:19:00.002-08:00

Opening Day
In the interest of being positive, I can say this year's opener wasn't as bad as last year's, in Texas.

It sure didn't look like Jake Westbrook was even close to back. Four wild pitches tied a team record. What's impressive is he wasn't in very long.

I'm not sure why people think this group of hitters will score runs. Lou Marson, Luis Valbuena, Johnny Peralta and a bunch of streak hitters won't make this group strong.

But it was one game.

2010-04-04T22:14:00.002-08:00

MLB Predictions
Usually my predictions are dead wrong. Probably even more so this year since I tuned out during the offseason because I was so sick of the Yankees winning and the Indians trading away their talent.

With that said:

AL East
1. Yankees
2. Rays*
3. Red Sox
4. Blue Jays
5. Orioles

AL Central
1. White Sox
2. Tigers
3. Twins
4. Indians
5. Royals

AL West
1. Angels
2. Rangers
3. Mariners
4. Athletics

NL East
1. Phillies
2. Braves
3. Marlins
4. Mets
5. Nationals

NL Central
1. Cardinals
2. Cubs
3. Reds
4. Brewers
5. Astros
6. Pirates

NL West
1. Rockies
2. Dodgers*
3. Diamondbacks
4. Giants
5. Padres

* Wild Card

AL Champions: Yankees
NL Champions: Cardinals

Yankees over Cardinals in World Series

2010-04-03T22:17:00.002-08:00

Chris Kanyon dead
Pro wrestlers keep dying. Wellness policy or no wellness policy. Chris Kanyon's real name was Chris Klucsaritis. He was only 40, and he's dead. He apparently committed suicide.
I've seen some refer to Kanyon as a "WWE star", but he hadn't been in the big time for many years. He had a few matches for TNA, but had his biggest run in WCW in the late 1990s, teaming with Raven and the also now-deceased Bam Bam Bigelow as a member of the triad.

I remember first really seeing Chris on a WCW pay per view in 1998 against Perry Saturn. My first impression of his was that he was doing some moves that I had never seen before, and honestly, I haven't seen them since.

When WCW was going under at the turn of the century, Kanyon got something of a push as a DDP-wannabe. Vince Russo was writing then. In may of 2000, Mike Awesome (who committed suicide a few years ago) threw him off the top of a steel cage in Kansas City. The bump looked just as impressive as some that Mick Foley took that helped make him a star, but WCW didn't seem to have much interest in making him a star. Then again, maybe it did, but had no idea how to do it.

When WCW was bought by WWF in 2001, Kanyon went north and teamed with DDP, who was probably the biggest star from WCW that jumped right after the sale.

Yet despite his stature, WWE seemed intent on destroying Page, for reasons I've never completely understood. Paige and Kanyon did hold the tag belts (I think WWF, but I'm not really sure since there were 81 belts circling the promotion at the time), but were destroyed by Undertaker and Kane at Summerslam, and Kanyon (who actually held the US title at one point) never really recovered to the point where he was pushed as a star.

Of course, you could say that about most ex-WCW wrestlers that came to the WWF at that time.

With Kanyon, I can say I was a fan of his, but he never became the star I thought he would be a decade ago. But it's not like baseball. Talent doesn't always get one to the top.

He continued with his career (he wrestled as an openly gay character, then came out as gay in real life), and he was part of a lawsuit filed with Scott Levy (Raven) and Mike Sanders against WWE just recently, regarding talent being classified as independent contractors. From what I read, I thought they had a point, but it was thrown out.

Kanyon obviously had issues, and Vince McMahon and WWE may not have had anything to do with them. But at the end of the day, he's another young man who was a wrestler who died to young. He'll be added to a list that grows and grows.

It makes one sad for so many reasons. Put it this way: I like wrestling, and have been a fan for a long time. But if someone I cared about wanted to get in the business, I'd do almost anything to dissuade them.

Maybe the business is not to blame for Kanyon's death. But so many have died, and sadly, I think so many will follow.

2010-04-02T23:28:00.002-08:00

30 years, 30 bands
Here are my favorite 30 bands/performers, in preparation for my 30th birthday. I figure if ESPN can do it, I can too.

1. The Beatles
2. Bob Dylan
3. Van Morrison
4. The Rolling Stones
5. The Band
7. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
8. The Beach Boys
9. Led Zepplin
10. Patsy Cline
11. Eric Clapton
12. Bruce Springsteen
13. Marvin Gaye
14. David Bowie
15. Elvis
16. Prince
17. The Who
18. Peter Gabriel
19. The Four Tops
20. Jim Croce
21. Warren Zevon
22. John Denver
23. The Temptations
24. Bee Gees
25. Steve Winwood
26. Grateful Dead
27. Stevie Ray Vaughan
28. Garth Brooks
29. Clint Black
30. Grass Roots

2010-04-02T01:07:00.003-08:00

Indians preview thing
(Warning: This is really negative.)

The Indians spent all of $2.8 million dollars this offseason on free agents. That mainly brought them Russell Branyan, the only guy hurt enough to think signing with the Indians was a good idea.

Then again, maybe that was a smart move on his part, since he hasn't so much as taken an at-bat with the big club in Spring Training. Better to have a job and be hurt than have an injury with no checks coming in.

Honestly, I'm not sure why the Indians signed Branyan when they could have brought back Ryan Garko, who is younger, a right-handed bat (which the left-handed heavy Tribe needs) and most of all, cheaper.

But regardless, let's assume Branyan won't play anytime soon. The defense looks like this...

Catcher: A question mark. Mike Redmond and Lou Marson, who may be slightly less talented than a broken wrench, are likely the two with the big club.

First base: Matt LaPorta and Andy Marte. Apparently LaPorta is too hurt to play first base every day. Yeah, first base, which was DH in the American League until 1973. I like what Marte did in limited time last year, but it's not like he's gonna get much of a shot.

Second base: Luis Valbuena has had a poor spring, but it's not like playing poorly has ever stopped the Indians from sticking guys in the lineup before. Unless your Josh Barfield.

Shortstop: Asdrubal Cabrera. Imagine where the Indians would have been had they made the move of Cabrera to short at the beginning of last year. Probably the same place, but at least we wouldn't have had to watch Jhonny Peralta at short. Footage of that has been shown to audiences at Accidently on Purpose tapings, because after watching Jhonny play, ANYTHING would seem entertaining, even that show.

Third base: Jhonny Peralta. Goes good year/bad year. In theory, this would be a good year. Of course, we said that about Eric Wedge's managing, and look where he is now.

Left field: Michael Brantley. He's so talented the Phillies are already assembling four useless prospects to trade for him in two years.

Center field: Grady Sizemore. No longer contractually obligated to leadoff and possibly healthy, Sizemore begins his season-and-a-half farewell tour with the Indians organization.

Right field: Shin Soo Choo. Great player, but the Indians are trying to sign him to an extension. That means he'll either walk, or sign and his shoulder will fall off three weeks later.

DH: Travis "he's coming around" Hafner. He's coming around, they tell me. Everyone says he will be back in form before too long.

2007: "When will he come around?"
"Before too long."

Pitchers.
Jake Westbrook (hurt), Fausto Carmona (hasn't had a good game in three years), David Huff (won 11 games last year. Or so I'm told.), Justin Masterson (they figure he won't be quite as bad as a starter) and Mitch Talbot (Indians got him for Kelly Shoppach, so he can't be good).

Kerry Wood is hurt; Chris Perez is the closer. It's not like they're going to have many leads late anyway.

Manager: Manny Acta. He's not Wedge. Really. He's not Wedge.

Final prediction: Indians go 72-90. The Indians draw what a Loverboy concert would most nights. People start talking about LeBron leaving by the third inning of opening day.

2010-04-01T23:04:00.002-08:00

Earliest April Fools memory
When I was a little kid, I had blond hair. More than that, I was proud of my blond hair. Loved that it was light, and if my mother had let me, I would have bleached it to get it lighter.

My father was aware of this. And so came April 1, 1985.

"Zach!," he said in a shocked and serious tone that would have pleased any acting coach, "your hair is jet black!"

I was petrified, and took off for the bathroom to look in the mirror. When I saw my hair was as blond as before, I was relieved, if confused.

"April Fools!," my dad said, laughing.

And thus, I was had. Since then, I have hated April Fools day.

2010-03-29T23:49:00.003-08:00

10 Things I think
1. Chuck is still a good show, but it's missing something. The first two seasons had a real spark and energy to them, and this season (probably the final one) is coming off a little ... flat. I still will watch and hope it gets renewed for a fourth season, but I'm not too hopeful of that.

2. The Indians' signing of Russell Branyan? Genius.

3. After last season, I'm not going to predict the Cavs will win the NBA title. I really thought last season was the year to do it. The Cavaliers probably are better than a year ago. But I keep thinking the window is shutting for good after this season, and something will stop a title. Cleveland curse? I try not to believe. But after last season ...

4. I don't see Evan Turner sticking around for another season in Columbus, nor should he. One injury and his career and payday could be over. But he's a top 3 pick right now. He'll go. Anyone in the same position would, except maybe Tim Duncan.

5. My best friend asked me who I thought was smarter -- Harry Reid or Sarah Palin. I gave him an answer and he told me I was crazy. I reminded him there were only two choices and I picked one. And I'm not sure I was right.

6. V returns tonight, and not a moment too soon. It was the best show on TV in November. Assuming it picks up where it left off, it will be an exciting couple of weeks.

7. Didn't watch Wrestlemania this year. It's only the second one I haven't ordered or seen at a bar in 12 years. I think wrestling is a funny business, interesting in many ways, and certainly tragic. But without Rock, Ric Flair, Brock Lesnar, Eddy Guerrero, Kurt Angle and others I enjoyed watching, it just isn't worth it anymore. And $60? I'd like to know if Linda McMahon will be buying commercial time with that money.

8. I don't care who the Browns draft, as long as they don't take a quarterback in the first round.

9. Syfy is showing episodes of the original V series in the 1980s. Was camp required then or something?

10. I have to feel for the Xavier basketball teams right now.

2010-03-28T23:35:00.002-08:00

The Desert Fox
The film was on one of the movie channels, and I was able to record it. It was the first time I had seen James Mason since Lolita.

I would imagine the take on Rommel was perhaps too sympathetic. However, Mason's acting in the film was fantastic, as was much of the acting in the film.

His wife was played by Jessica Tandy, and I must confess it's the first film I have seen Tandy where she wasn't an old woman.

Not sure about the historical accuracy, though I am still amazed that Hollywood would make a sympathetic film about a Nazi general six years after the conclusion of the war.

The Desert Fox is certainly worth seeing, at least for Mason's effort.

2010-03-28T01:05:00.002-08:00

Commercial thought
The guy in that Viagra commercial who talks to the reflection of himself got me thinking. If the guy is having conversations with himself, he has a few bigger problems than erectile dysfunction.

2010-03-27T01:02:00.003-08:00

Geoff Sindelar dead at 62
Geoff was not only the voice of the Cleveland sports fan in the 1990s, but he his presence on WKNR made the all-sports station a force in the early part of the decade.

Knowledgable, interesting, but always about sports. Sindelar's show was rarely a soapbox like so many who are on the air today. I had no idea who he voted for, or where he stood on the issues.

But I did know how he felt about what the Indians would do, could do and should do.

I called on his show twice. Hope those tapes don't exist anymore.

It used to be him, then Herb Score and the Indians on 1220. It's sad that Geoff died so young. My thoughts are with his friends and family.

2010-03-26T01:29:00.003-08:00

My Top 10 Wrestlers (updated, 2010)
A week into this blog, I posted a list of my 10 favorite wrestlers of all time. That was around six years ago.

Then I started taking myself seriously.

Well, no one reads this anymore, so what the hell? Here is an updated list.

1. Ric Flair: I wish he'd retire and go back to WWE and do work for Linda McMahon's campaign or something. It beats seeing him in TNA. I know Ric needs the money now, but I can't help but think that he will eventually regret going to TNA. Still, the best promo ever, and one of the best workers, if not the best. I'm not sure fans now really get how great he was. I didn't until I started watching the DVDs and the old matches. I still probably don't get it like those who grew up in the Mid-Atlantic days do.

2. The Rock: Rock was the last wrestler I remember really cheering for, even when he was a heel in 1998. Duane Johnson is a successful actor now. Some seem to resent that he doesn't wrestle anymore. Having seen the mortality rate of wrestlers jump in the last 15 years, I'm glad he's out of the business. Hollywood is screwed up in its own ways, but it seems like a safe haven compared to the wrestling industry.

3. Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton/Stan Lane): Put them with Jim Cornette, and you have a combination that is the best of what wrestling can be. If you haven't seen the Midnights vs. Southern Boys from 1990... well, as bad as the documentary is, get Rise and Fall of WCW. I know Dennis Condrey is just as associated with the Midnights, but I prefer the Stan Lane version.

4. Ted Dibiase: Somewhat lost in the Million Dollar Man character is that Dibiase was a superstar before even coming to the WWF in 1987. If you see some of his matches from Mid-South, you see a guy who was a bump machine, with a charisma that made him work as a heel or a face. He enters the WWE Hall of Fame this weekend. As silly as I think that HOF is at times, I'm glad he's getting recognition. I just fear WWE will act like he didn't have a career before it branded him.

5. Randy Savage: Blackballed from WWE for something that has to be really, really bad (think of how many people Vince has brought back), Macho Man is probably one of the five biggest names of the modern era. He never had to re-invent himself, because his character was so unique, and his personality was so strong. Few can claim such things.

6. Curt Hennig: The death of Curt Hennig is second only to Owen Hart's for me in terms of sadness (Eddy's is close; Chris Benoit's is a different thing altogether) Hennig was one of the few heels I really was a fan of when I was 11. I just thought he was so cool.

7. Sting: The biggest modern star never to work in WWF. Here's the interesting thing about Sting. He was never much of a promo in WCW. He even had a character that didn't talk for more than a year. But then he goes to TNA, and starts cutting the best promos of his career. At one point last year, I'd put him up there among the top five interviews in the business. He's one of the few guys who I think has actually improved his legacy in TNA.

8. Kurt Angle: Should have been 100 times bigger than he was in WWF. An Olympic gold medal winner who could work and talk, he was saddled with a comedic character for his first two years in the big time. I think certain people saw him as a threat. They should have, because he was better than them and is probably one of the top 20 ever.

9. Hulk Hogan: Huge fan of his until 1999, when I realized that his presence was helping to kill WCW. I'm glad he got a farewell run in 2002. Sadly, that was eight years ago. Hogan is in TNA, and I am pretty sure he'll regret that move soon enough. Still, he's perhaps the biggest wrestling star America has ever had. Steve Austin was more popular and may have drawn more, but his run was shorter. Rock is another contender, but his run also was relatively short. Hogan's been a star for almost 30 years.

10. Vader: An amazing worker for a big man, Vader was a monster in WCW. He went over Sting in 1992, and was a star from then on here. More of a personal favorite for me, because his run in WCW was so different than most heel pushes I'd seen to that point.

2010-03-25T00:04:00.002-08:00

Dwight Gooden and the power of addiction
If the police report is true, Dwight Gooden was on drugs before 9 a.m., driving, and had his five year old son with him.

This is bad. It's depressing, but most of all, it shows just how strong the power of addiction is.

Had it not been for Gooden's well-know struggles with drugs and alcohol, he could have been one of the greatest pitchers ever.

But I also remember in 1999, when Gooden was pitching with the Indians, and had one bad outing after another. Finally, he pitched well. He gave up two runs through 6 innings. When then-Indians manager Mike Hargrove returned to the dugout, he grabbed Gooden by the face and embraced him.

After the game, Hargrove went on about what a "good guy" Gooden was.

He might be a good guy. But his apparent need for drugs has made him make some horrible decisions, ones that could have had dire consequences for others.

You hope Gooden can get his life on track. But that's been written before. Addiction has been called a disease, and it appears to have ravaged a man who at one time was destined for the Hall of Fame.

2010-03-21T22:59:00.002-08:00

Health care bill
Anyone who has read this blog for any amount of time can guess what I think of this.

But for all the anger, the threats and the marches, I keep coming back to one thing.

This is what happens when Democrats control the House, Senate and the Oval Office. If you don't like it, vote Republican next time. That's how the country works.

President Obama has his health care bill. So do Democrats in the House and Senate. They own it.

For better, or worse.

2010-03-20T22:14:00.002-08:00

Brackets
Mine is shot after Kansas and Villanova went down. Not doing as well as the President. I don't fault President Obama for filling out brackets. I do fault the media for treating it like it's a story.

2010-03-19T22:59:00.002-08:00

B-W Please
Not to knock the restaurant B-W 3's; I spent many hours there watching football and wrestling pay-per views when I was in college.

But the commercials that are playing endlessly during the NCAA Tournament are an insult to everyone's intelligence.

In the commercials, the rowdy crowd at a B-W 3's is enjoying a game too much, and wants it to continue. So a guy at the bar pages someone at the game to create a scenerio that will send the game into overtime.

The crowd at the restaurant is overjoyed.

But there are some majors issues with this:

How many people watch a game without a rooting interest? Even if you aren't a fan, there's a good chance (if you're at a sports bar with the game package) that you have some money on said game. And if BW-3's had such power, wouldn't a fan (or a compulsive gambler) want to use it to DECIDE the outcome, not prolong the contest?

Sorry, but these ads have been bugging me for months.

2010-03-18T23:37:00.002-08:00

Bracket Blister
Thursday was a great day of basketball. Almost every game was exciting, or at least interesting for a while.

And yet, my favorite game of the day was perhaps the least exciting game, aat least in terms of how competitive it was.

As a graduate of a Mid-American Conference university, I pull for those teams come tourney time. Usually, I take the MAC school in the first round, just out of loyalty.

This year, I didn't. Georgetown just looked too strong for the Ohio, who won the MAC tournament despite going 7-9 in conference play.

A No. 14 seed had not beaten a No. 3 seed since 2006.

And Ohio came out and press-slammed the Hoyas.

For the record, my bracket had Georgetown beating Ohio State and making it to the Elite Eight.

Well, so much for that. Still, I took joy in Ohio's win, thinking that maybe, just maybe, the "experts" will notice how good MAC teams are.

Oh, who am I kidding.

2010-03-17T22:41:00.002-08:00

Ron Washington
Texas Rangers' manager Ron Washington seems like a good man. He made a horrible mistake, he went to his superiors and confessed, fully expecting to be fired.

Washington failed a cocaine test in July of last year. Had many other baseball executives been in charge of the Rangers, he would have been.

I want to believe Washington's story, that he has never used hard drugs before that one night last July.

But what makes a man, 57-years old, try cocaine? Washington played in the 1980s, when cocaine use in MLB was, if not heavy, certainly prevalent.

Not many players have had public problems with cocaine in recent seasons. One of the few that has, Josh Hamilton, plays for Washington and the Rangers.

I just can't figure out why Washington would allow himself to be put in the position of trying an illegal drug for the first time, when it could cost him everything.

Which brings up another question: Was Washington's drug use the result of the stress of the job? If he resorts to illegal drugs in those situations, that's a problem, because with this out, there are plenty to be more.

Washington played for the Indians in 1988. I made him a write-in vote in what was my first All-Star ballot. In the years since, I've often thought about how strange that vote was. If nothing else, the memory made me follow Washington as a coach, and then a manager.

We haven't seen major league managers or coaches with drug problems. We have seen coaches and managers who have been pulled over for DUIs, which in reality is worse than what Washington did.

Washington's handling of this today was impressive. I do believe he's a good man, and I hope he makes the most of what becomes a second chance.

But there will always be questions now, and I doubt he will ever have good answers.

2010-03-17T00:03:00.002-08:00

St. Patrick's day
St. Patrick's Day has always had more meaning for me in the fictional world.

-The St. Patrick's Day parade in The Fugitive where Harrison Ford (the movie was made in 1993. I think he was just 81 then)escapes Tommy Lee Jones' grasp by joining the Parade.

- The Simpsons' episode where Bart gets drunk and Springfield discovers a long-lost law of prohibition. Two great lines here:

Homer: "Prohibition. They tried that in the movies and it didn't work."

and

Cop after being given a bribe: "I don't know why people are always bad-mouthing the Mafia."

-Then there's Boondock Saints, where a barfight on St. Patrick's Day sets up the whole film.

I'm not really sure if I'm Irish or not. If I am, it's not much. My biggest memory of the day is when I had a horrid migrane in seventh grade and needed to leave school, but my classmates thought I was faking to go to the parade.

I protested my innocence. At least I think I did. This happened 16 years ago and I don't remember much other than my head hurt. Thing is, it was only a year earlier when I HAD skipped on school to go to the Indians' Opening Day.

Priorities.

Anyway, to all my Irish friends, and those who are faking it to escape school and work, be safe. Happy St. Patrick's Day.

2010-03-15T22:02:00.004-08:00

Erin Andrews/DWTS
I just read Don Ohlmeyer's latest Omsbudsman piece on ESPN.com (OK, that's not accurate. I skimmed it. I let my eyes pass over it. I... OK, fine. Zach reads column in full.)

OK, first off, Ohlmeyer is best known to most people as the guy who helped get Norm MacDonald removed from Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update. No disrespect to him, but I'd prefer journalists being media critics, not guys with entertainment backgrounds.

But my main concern is that while Ohlmeyer touched on Tony Kornheiser's suspension, Olympics coverage, Tiger Woods and web-premium content, he DIDN'T address something that, as a journalist, rubbed me the wrong way.

That was the news earlier this month that Erin Andrews would appear as a contestant on ABC's Dancing With the Stars.

Andrews is a popular sideline reporter for ESPN. She has done baseball, basketball and football, and appears to be well-liked by most in that role.

But my understanding is that by working in a news capacity makes you a journalist, not a celebrity. I also was annoyed when I saw Andrews on a Sony commercial earlier this year with Peyton Manning and Justin Timberlake.

This is not an Andrews issue. CBS' James Brown appeared in the Sony commercials last year, and Kenny Mayne was a contestent on DWTS a few years ago.

ESPN and ABC are owned by Disney. Maybe there's intentional cross-promotion with Andrews -- certainly an attractive woman-- being on the show, maybe not.

But the fact that Andrews would agree to it, that there wasn't a flatout rejection by ESPN of the idea, and that the question wasn't even raised in Ohlmeyer's column, is concerning.

How does one appear on commercials and dancing programs and still maintain credibility when giving information?

It's a question few seem to want to answer.

2010-03-15T20:03:00.002-08:00

Indians thoughts
Surprising enough as it is, I am being sucked in again by the allure of baseball. Games every night, warmer weather and longer days always provide me with optimism.

The Indians have always been my No. 1 team, but the last two years have been like getting kicked in the stomach. Not only did the Indians follow up a mediocre 2008 with a horrible 2009, they also traded everything they didn't have control of for more than two years.

This is just rehashing, I know. The Indians have a new manager, new coaching staff, new lineup and a new... eh, who knows.

Russ Branyan is back with the Indians for the 24th time. He hit 32 homers last year in Seattle, but his back has kept him out of Spring Training games thus far. It'd be disappointing until you realize that Branyan's well-known back problems are why the Indians were able to sign him in the first place.

But baseball is baseball. Bring on April.

2010-03-14T23:28:00.002-08:00

Thoughts on TNA Impact's first Monday show
Ric Flair is my favorite wrestler of all time. When he returned to the WWF in 2001, I jumped around my dorm room at Bowling Green, cutting a mock Ric Flair promo.

That was before WWE (WWF has to pretend it was always WWE. I don't.) put out Flair DVDs and classic Flair matches. The guy delivered more often than anyone in the modern era.

I also was impressed two years ago, when Flair retired from WWE, and the company gave him a touching sendoff, which included three of the original Four Horsemen, Harley Race, Greg Valentine, Ricky Steamboat and Dean Malenko.

It almost made me like HHH (who was the emcee of ceremony, and he did a great job) for 30 seconds.

You knew, even then, that Flair would come back. I just hoped it would be in WWE. For as much as I don't like WWE or Vince McMahon at times, they do represent the major leagues of wrestling. McMahon used Flair at last year's Wrestlemania, and did so effectively, in a manager's role.

Less than a year later, Flair was back in the ring with Hulk Hogan. I tried to watch the match, but it was too sad. Flair, now north of 60, just doesn't have it anymore in the ring, nor could anyone expect him to.

The fact that Flair and Hogan, approaching 120 years old combined, were in the situation spoke to how poorly TNA has conceived its Monday night show.

In 1995, when Eric Bischoff began the first Nitro, he started with a cruiserweight match. It was two young guys (Jushin Thunder Liger and the late Brian Pillman) wrestling a fast-paced, exciting match.

Buschoff was sending a message: We're bringing the fans something new.

As much as I love Flair, as much as I respect what Hogan has done for the business, that message was not sent on Bischoff's Monday show some 15 years later.

But that was one problem. Among the others:

Sting comes out five minutes into the show and inexplicably turns heel. You know what Flair thinks about this; he's said it 100 times in interviews:

"Sting isn't a heel. He can't be a heel."

This, however, is typical of TNA writer Vince Russo. He loves to take top babyfaces and turn them heel. It worked in 1997, when he was on the WWF writing team and they turned Bret Hart. Since then, teams that Russo have been on have turned:

Bret Hart, WCW, 1999.
Bill Goldberg, WCW, 2000 (Remember the Big Surprise? No? Don't worry about it)
Ricky Steamboat, TNA, 2002
Sting, TNA, 2008, 2010.
A.J. Styles a few times, despite being one of the few homegrown wrestlers the company has and therefore as close to a "franchise" wrestler as the company has.

Sting is a great performer. His interviews in the last year are by far the best in his career, and made him, stunningly, one of the best talkers TNA had. But you get the sense Steve Borden really can't get into a heel character. Nor, after 22 years of playing babyface, should he be expected to.

- The biggest crowd reaction I've heard in TNA all year came when Rob Van Dam came out. He beat an unsuspecting Sting in eight seconds (and, like a true face, got him from behind), and then got beaten to a pulp by his opponent after the match. That's right, it took a minute for TNA's top new act to look weak. Not only that, but RVD was laying on his back for a minute after Sting beat him up.

- RVD, Jeff Hardy and Sting are on your show. Think you want to tell anyone? TNA wants to surprise the viewer, who, strangely, wasn't watching because he or she didn't know the three would be on, and therefore wasn't a "viewer" to begin with.

-Hall, Nash and Waltman are all pretty played out. Nothing against them as performers, but the acts haven't really changed in 13 years. Hall didn't look good.

-I did like some things about Monday. The atmosphere -- which my close friend Joe was a part of -- was electric and felt fresh. There was a really good X-Division match that could have used 5 more minutes. But in the end, it was a microcosm of what TNA has been for much of its existence -- potential, but not much delivered.

2010-03-14T20:47:00.002-08:00

Quinn, Wimbley out
When the Browns signed Jake Delhomme Saturday, it was clear that the Brady Quinn era in Cleveland was over.

So when Quinn was traded Sunday, I wasn't surprised.

When linebacker Kamerion Wimbley was dealt that same day, I was surprised.

The Quinn deal was a clear message from Browns boss Mike Holmgren. It was "Brady's not good, and I wasn't in the mood to wait around to see if he'd get good."

I have no problem with that line of thinking.

The Wimbley deal is different. He was one of the few guys who benefitted from Eric Mangini, and had his best season since his outstanding rookie year.

Left to protect his interests, I'm confident Mangini would not have made this deal. But Mangini's not in charge anymore. The trade with the Raiders (for a third-round pick)says what I think we know: Mangini is the head coach but has no power in front office decisions. After 11 years of watching this franchise, I don't know if that's good or bad, since any system, run the right way, can bring success.

But I wouldn't have traded Wimbley.

As for Quinn, his story is that of a new car that came off the assembly line, looking like a great ride, but the shift was stuck in neutral. He never got a real chance, but sometimes that's the way it works in professional sports. He certainly had a better chance to make it than most (how many quarterbacks in NFL camps never start?) I hope he finds success, since he seems like a decent guy. But football is an impatient business. If he doesn't cut it in Denver, he may end up in the UFL.

As a journalist, I see troubling signs in the new regime. As a fan, I keep telling myself Holmgren knows what he's doing.

The fan is winning the argument -- for now.

2010-03-07T23:16:00.002-08:00

Monday Night Wars
One of the great things about neglecting this blog for weeks on end is that, with my readership down to two people a day who stumble upon this on accident, I can write about mundane things and there's no one to care.

Not quite as cool three years ago (when I was averaging more than 20 hits a day-- small time, but consistent), but it's amusing in its own way.

In a way, this blog is kind of like the returning Monday Night Wars in professional wrestling, that return tonight when TNA Impact begins a run on Monday nights against WWE's falgship, Raw.

It will have its moments, but they will be on a small scale.

TNA is trying to make itself like WCW Nitro, which ran on TNT from 1995-2001. In those days, the program would score ratings in the low 3s and the high 2s, and be laughed at as a massive failure. Should TNA reach a 1.5 for tomorrow night's debut, it likely would be trumpeted as a major success.

Meanwhile, RAW, in its Wrestlemania push, will register a high 3 rating. Not great when compared to the early part of this decade, but reasonable given that much of the audience that made the "wars" seem important are either grown up or watching MMA.

TNA is like WCW. Many of the faces from that program are in TNA now. Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Sting, Eric Bischoff and Kevin Nash are all big parts of the program.

I enjoy all those performers to a degree (Well, maybe not Nash. Flair is my all time favorite wrestler). It's easy to say that TNA is relying on stars of the past. But its also relying on a system from the past. Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara are on the writing team. Bischoff has power.

Russo and Ferrara and Bischoff all played major roles in the success of Monday Night Wrestling 12 years ago. But their strength came from creating television in a different time. Russo is the creator of "Crash TV," which usually means short matches, 1,000 angles crammed into two hours, and playing main event angles for comedy.

It worked in it's day. The WWF was extremely popular in 1998, and Russo deserves credit for much of that success.

But 12 years later, Russo's version of wrestling doesn't really work. He can, at times, create compelling television. But he's never been the greatest at creating angles that create Pay Per View buys.

I don't blame Russo for this. He's like Hootie and the Blowfish. At one time, the band was one of the most popular acts in music. I'm sure if you went to see a performance from them now, it would still be entertaining, but it wouldn't draw like it did in 1996.

But a band only knows how to play its style of music. If Russo is your writer or booker, he's going to produce television that he knows. That means Crash TV. It also means it won't sell like it once did.

Bischoff is another interesting case. He's, without a doubt, one of the best performers in the business. He also doesn't wrestle, which means he can't be used to sell a pay per view.

In his first show back on the job, Scott Hall and Nash were featured. Like Russo, Bischoff's greatest success came in the 1990s, when the Outsiders were one of the hippest acts in wrestling.

But neither one means much now. But since Bischoff had success with the act then, he goes back to it now.

TNA's problem is that it has always needed to create new stars, its own stars. Its biggest stars are still ones WWE fired or were content to let walk.

Kurt Angle is fantastic, but he's still most known as a former WWE guy. Mick Foley is the same. The company has some really talented guys -- AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Chris Daniels -- but I'd venture to say that 80 percent of the viewing audience from WWE has no idea who they are. That's not those guys' fault. It's the promotion's for not showcasing them as the new age of wrestling.

My point is that TNA is heading into a battle with WWE its ill-equipped for. It's not providing anything new. New is what it needs.

I need to add that I haven't watched WWE TV in more than a year. Bret Hart is back in WWE, but I have no interest in that. The truth is that WWE has been stale for years, but at least it knows how to be successful. At least WWE can, when it wants to, create its own stars, like Batista and John Cena. Those guys weren't stars during the Monday Night Wars, but they are now.

I'm not sure TNA could create its own star if it wanted to.

That's why I'm not optimistic about its chances or its future.

2010-02-12T23:20:00.002-08:00

The Post-Super Bowl Andy Barch Interview
A chat with my good friend, NFL expert Andy Barch.

1. Will the pick-6 Peyton Manning threw have a lasting negative impact on his legacy as one of the greats?

AB:Not in my mind. Manning's pick-6 will be looked at as the icing on the cake, the final straw that broke the camel's back, but it was the onside kick that really turned the game around. That was one of the gutsiest (if thats actually a word) calls I've seen in a long time, and it lit a fire under the Saints. I can't say enough about that call, and how Sean Payton really changed the game by pulling the trigger on it. It was also very well executed. Manning will always be viewed as one of the best, I'll never see him as anything different. Just because he was on the losing team in a Super Bowl, and threw a pick-6 in the fourth quarter, doesn't mean he's any less immortal than he was before.

2. Where do you rank the Saints among the teams that won Super Bowls this decade?

AB: This has been an unusual decade for Super Bowl teams, with so many underdogs and wild card teams emerging. I'd say they are right up there with some of the best, only because they could score with anybody, and while their defense wasn't the best, they were very opportunistic, and they made some HUGE plays. I think that this is the best STORY of any Super Bowl Champion this decade. It's not as big of an upset as the Giants-Patriots, but the fact that the Saints, and that entire city that was destroyed four and a half years ago has something to celebrate again, is what makes this such an incredibly uplifting story. Unless you live in Indy, or if you root for another team in the NFC South, there has to be at least a small part of you that is happy for a city like that, which now has something to celebrate, after rebuilding from the ground up after Katrina.

3. Where will Donte Stallworth go from here?
Who knows? He's extremely overrated, he always has been. For some reason, teams keep throwing money at him. Not only does he have this legal issue, but the guy ALWAYS seems to be hurt. He's made little to no impact ANYWHERE along the way in his NFL career. As far as I'm concerned, he's no longer relevant in the NFL.

4. Right now, do you see a lockout in the near future?
It's really hard for me to see that happening. The players union, the owners, and the other parties involved need to understand that the appetite for this league is at an all-time high, and it could really come crashing down if there is some sort of work stoppage. This kind of work stoppage could be as destructive to this league, as the '94 strike was to baseball. It took a while for baseball to get back, and even when it did, the NFL had taken over as the "Don Mega" in the realm of sports in american enterprise. Take the Super Bowl for example..it was the HIGHEST RATED TELEVISION PROGRAM OF ALL TIME!!! These guys couldn't possibly be that stupid. This league is a goldmine right now, and you're an idiot if you own one of these teams and you lose money. Owners have the fans on their side, in that, people dont care how much these players make, until they start to complain about how much they make, especially when their paychecks dwarf that of the average american. Something will be done, even though right now, people are panicking and they are saying it won't happen.

5. Favorite SB commercial?
I didnt find the commercials to be all that entertaining. There were two that stood out to me. The first was the Doritos one where the little kid says "Two things, first, don't touch my mama, and second, keep your hands of my doritos!!" The second was that Budweiser commercial where the folks in the bar had to lay down and build a bridge so that the Bud truck could get across. Perhaps I could get with you next year, and we can put together the best 3.5 million dollar commercial in the history of the Super Bowl for the blog???

Z: At this point I'm lucky if I get 3.5 readers a day.

2010-02-07T00:13:00.003-08:00

The Indians 2010
It's hard to admit this, but after the Indians dealt away Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez, Ryan Garko, Rafael Betancourt and probably a few more I have since forgotten, I pretty much stopped paying attention to the Indians.

There was a seven year period in my life when I thought about hardly anything else. Ask my friends in high school. Every conversation that didn't involve how poorly I was doing in math and science (usually started by my parents, and/or teacher) was about how the team was doing, what it was doing and why it was doing it.

That focus had a lot to do with why I write about sports for a living. I not only accepted that tunnel vision that kept me from falling in love and falling into trouble, I relished it and honed it.

But a decade later, I had trouble remembering what players would fit where in Manny Acta's first season as Tribe skipper. Don't get me wrong. Firing Eric Wedge was the right move, and hiring Acta was a strong a decision as the Tribe could have made given their situation.

So what will the lineup look like? No idea. I hope Acta scraps Grady Sizemore from the leadoff spot, since he's probably the only Indian capable of hitting 40 homers, and needs to be put in a position to drive in other runners doing it.

Assuming the Indians don't bring back Russell Branyan for the eighth time, here's the lineup I want to see.

1. Michael Brantley, left field: He's the best option the Tribe has, and has the most potential. Put him there and leave him there.

2. Asdrubal Cabrera, shortstop: An all-star caliber player, I would resist the urge to hit him third.

3. Grady Sizemore, centerfield: Put him in coach, he's ready to play. He should have been batting third for the last three years, but Wedge was married to concepts that worked once.

4. Shin Soo-Choo, right field: A proven run-producer, and the Indians have two healthy ones.

5. Travis Hafner/Andy Marte/Austin Kearns, designated hitter: Let's be realistic. If Hafner plays 90 games before his shoulder falls off again, the Indians will be lucky. Or maybe unlucky, since it means insurance won't pick up the tab if he's off the DL.

6. Jhonny Peralta, third base: Dead weight. Should have started at third at the beginning of last year, but, see No. 3. Would love to see him anywhere else (not position, but city), but hopefully he'll be motivated for two months and the Indians can trade him for another injured 19 year old.

7. Luis Valbuena, second base: Impressed me with his defense, but I'm not sure if he can hit. But there's 20 guys in the Indians system who fit that bill.

8. Matt LaPorta, first base: Start him here until he produces, then move him up. Remember, Grady started as a No. 9 hitter.

9. Carlos Santana, catcher: Sandy's here. I want him near Sandy.

Pitchers.
Fausto Carmona, Jake Westbrook, and three other guys I don't care about.

2010-02-06T23:55:00.002-08:00

10 things I think
1. The Colts will beat the Saints in the Super Bowl. Pointless to give a score since I have only seen one person guess correctly in the history of my watching football. That was back in 1994, when Joe Gibbs picked the Browns to beat the Colts 21-14 on and NBC pregame show, and then the Browns did. I know the idea of the Browns beating the Colts sounds more shocking than anything.

2. Best Super Bowl? Giants-Patriots, 2007 season.

3. Worst Super Bowl ever? Tie between the last two Steelers' wins and the Ravens winning for 2000.

4. Art Modell didn't make the Hall again. I've forgiven Art for the move, since it isn't healthy to hold grudges in general, let alone sports. But I will always ask this question to those who want him in: If he wasn't good enough before the move, why would he be after?

5. Two of the four members of The Who does not constitute a Who halftime performance.

6. Paul McCartney, Tom Petty and Prince were the best halftime performances.

7. Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice might be my favorite recording of his.

8. Not really believing that Global Warming thing anymore. I never really did, actually.

9. Burn Notice is a great show I only recently discovered.

10. Everyone needs to watch Chuck.

2010-02-06T23:53:00.001-08:00

Song Quote of the Day
You went your way and I stayed behind
we both knew it was just a matter of time--Stevie Ray Vaughan

2010-02-01T12:35:00.002-08:00

Pro Bowl
They moved it up two weeks. They put it in the continental United States. They insisted players who are involved in next week's Super Bowl at least show up.

And you know what? The Pro Bowl was still a gigantic, boring waste of time.

The score was close, but the game was boring. The truth is, you can't make this game exciting. No one wants to go all out, and no one can blame them. Football is dangerous enough to add a meaningless game. At least in the preseason, guys are playing for spots.

My advice? Have a Pro Bowl roster, but no game. Put on the AFL documentary instead.

2010-01-03T22:22:00.002-08:00

Top 10 Browns of the Decade (1-4)
As promised.... from the responses I received, as well as personal power.

1. Josh Cribbs- After the Chiefs game, I concluded Josh Cribbs was not only the best player since Cleveland returned to the NFL in 1999, but he's one of the best Browns period.

My reasoning is rather simple: If you pick any Browns win from the last five seasons, it's likely the former Kent State QB was in the middle of it. The Browns have a very rich history, but I can see Cribbs reaching the top 15 all time.

Plus, this season he became the team's undisputed MVP, doing whatever was asked of him and playing hard regardless of his team's record.

2. Phil Dawson- He's the only player who has been here all 11 seasons since the re-birth. But Dawson's run is remarkable considering he's a cold weather kicker, and he appears to be improving as he gets older.

Like Cribbs, he's all over whatever Browns highlights there have been in recent years; it's amazing to me that he has never made the Pro Bowl.

3. Joe Thomas- Three seasons, three Pro Bowls. He plays the game quietly, but despite all the Browns problems since he arrived, you rarely hear that he missed a block or he was beat.

Thomas has been a great pick for this franchise, and hopefully he'll get some help on the other side of the line.

4. Jamir Miller- To this day, I wonder two things about Miller, who played in only two seasons of this past decade for the Browns:

1. How did Dwight Clark get him?

2. How might Butch Davis' tenure in Cleveland been different had Miller's career not ended in a 2002 preseason game?

Miller was a monster on the field in 2001. He had 13 sacks and made the Pro Bowl. He had five sacks in 2000, under Chris Palmer.

It just seemed that in 2001, the Browns defense was aggressive and tough. In 2002, it seemed the defense regressed. Miller was the major piece missing in 2002.

Miller was a type of energy on the field, the type of impact player the Browns defense didn't have again until Shaun Rogers arrived in 2008.

2009-12-27T22:24:00.002-08:00

Sen. Max Baucus' argument
Some are suggesting the senator is drunk in this video. I don't know. But he was certainly ranting and making the argument about the need for bipartisanship. That Republicans got scared and saw a chance to gain by opposing health care.

This is a rather ridiculous argument, because it makes the mistake of thinking that "reform" is about something more than itself. President Obama and his friends in congress wanted a public option. Republicans would not support a public option.

As a libertarian on spending, not only was I against the various healthcare proposals, but I wouldn't have voted for any congressman who supported any of them.

But Democrats have the edge in congress right now, so they could pass something liberal. Those on the left of the party wouldn't have tolerated less.

So it's the Republicans fault? Believe me, I have not been happy with Republicans for a while, and see myself as more of a libertarian now than anything else. But anyone who ran as a Republican couldn't support the health care plan and still be a Republican.

The Republican party is supposed to be one of small government. The members of congress who voted against the bill did the right thing, in my view.

Was Baucus drunk? I don't know.

http://www.inquisitr.com/54123/max-baucus-drunk-video/

2009-12-25T21:27:00.003-08:00

Top 10 Browns players of the decade (the candidates)
Everyone can leave their suggestions (or votes) in the comment section or through email. I will start doing bios and commentaries next week on the winners.

From this list, I'll pick 10, based on what everyone thinks.

The Candidates
Tim Couch, Josh Cribbs, Kellen Winslow, Braylon Edwards, Phil Dawson, Joe Thomas, Dennis Northcutt, Kevin Johnson, Ryan Tucker, Jamir Miller, Lawrence Vickers, Jamal Lewis, Andra Davis, Kamerion Wimbley, Ryan Pontbriand, Leigh Bodden, Sean Jones, Shaun Rogers,Eric Steinbach, Derek Anderson.

Is their anyone I'm forgetting (bracing for sarcastic picks like ... well, everyone not listed above)?

Actually, in most NFL organizations, some of these picks WOULD be sarcastic.

2009-12-16T15:39:00.003-08:00

Interview with college football expert Joel Hammond

1. Did Brian Kelly make the right decision leaving Cincinnati?

No doubt about it. All those who claim “you can’t win in college football today with those academic standards” miss Weis’ brilliant recruiting in his tenure: You don’t get Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, Michael Floyd and the linebacker from Hawaii by accident.

Weis’ problem came in bravado, an inattention to defense and, plain and simply, poor coaching.

I didn’t see Kelly’s introductory news conference, but I’ve read snippets and reaction from fans. It instantly re-energized that program; hell, I wanted to drive over to South Bend and suit up. He’s already established in Ohio, and clearly recruited well to Cincinnati, a basketball school. What’s to stop him from continuing recruiting well at Notre Dame, with the mystique in place?
Kelly will be the man to turn that program around.

2. A MAC guy, Turner Gill, is taking over at Kansas. Do you think the MAC will always be a minor league training ground for big-time programs?

Undoubtedly. Like it or not, small schools, like Bowling Green, Northern Illinois and Central Michigan, to name a few, are unable to generate the amount of revenue necessary these days to compete in college football. I mention those three specifically because they’ve been the most successful MAC schools, and they’re still at the bottom of the food chain, paying their coaches some of the lowest salaries in the FBS. Without significantly more revenue, how can they compete?

If Turner Gill likes Buffalo (it’s really, really snowy there, so why he would I don’t know), he’d likely stay there if he was offered a job with a $10,000 raise. While I haven’t seen what Kansas is paying him, you can bet it’s a significant raise over what he was making at UB, and who could turn that down? Add in the egos that all these guys have — not always a bad thing, mind you — and you have a perfect storm: a better chance to make a national name for yourself and more money with which to do it. Who wouldn’t make the move?

That’s why I was confused by Urban Meyer’s move to Utah, at the time at least. I didn’t see the step up in that move, but he apparently saw something there — and give him credit, because he was right — that was going to offer him a better opportunity to establish himself than he did at Bowling Green. You’re not going to see BG or NIU or CMU coaches make lateral moves, but there always will be bigger schools with more cash looking for the next big thing.

3. Does Cincinnati have a shot at Florida?

There’s too much working against the Bearcats, I fear. Meyer has too much pride (and too big an ego) to become the next Oklahoma or Alabama, BCS schools disappointed to be in the bowl in which they played and subsequently lost to a lesser opponent. Add in Kelly leaving UC — though, admittedly, there is potential of a “see what you’re missing?!” performance from the Bearcats — and Tim Tebow’s last game, and I suspect this one won’t be close.

4. Who do you like in the title game?
I’m not breaking any news here, but this one could be a laugher. Texas has played exceedingly poorly lately, and given Alabama’s performance in big games against top opponents, I can’t imagine a scenario where the Crimson Tide loses. The wild card is the Colt McCoy/Jordan Shipley offensive combination: What happens if the Longhorns can jump ahead early? I don’t think Nick Saban wants to have to put the ball in Greg McElroy’s hands, though McElroy has played better as the season has gone on. But Saban most likely wants to ride Heisman winner Mark Ingram to the title, and he may have to abandon that if McCoy/Shipley catch fire early.

5. Of all the Heisman candidates, who has the best shot in the NFL?

Ndamukong (I had to look it up) Suh likely will go in the top three, so it’s him, but given the increased focus on running back depth in the NFL — the Redskins are on starter No. 5, who ruined one of my fantasy football playoff games this weekend — Toby Gerhart and Ingram could have a future. The questions, though: Is Gerhart even interested? He’s a good baseball player, smart as heck and might simply bypass the NFL to not risk injury. Has Ingram peaked too early? Just a sophomore, there’s a natural fear about too much tread on those tires.
Tebow will have a cup of coffee, and McCoy has a chance, but his stock is dropping and could even further if he plays poorly in the title game.
So it’s Suh, because he’s good but also be default.

2009-12-16T15:13:00.002-08:00

Andy Barch NFL Interview
He used to be of the West Virginia Power, now he's of Notre Dame College. Congratulations on the new job, AB.

1. As of right now, the top pick in next year's draft likely is to be ...
Ndamukong Suh out of Nebraska. If you havent seen this guy play, then do yourself a favor and check him out in Nebraska's bowl game against Arizona on December 30th. He's different than a lot of other defensive linemen that have gotten all the hype and been selected in the top five, and become busts. His versatility is what makes him so special. Not only is he big, and quick, but he can drop back in a zone blitz package and bat passes down 5-10 yards behind the line of scrimmage. He's got an endless motor, he's constantly in pursuit to the ball, and ontop of all that, he's EXTREMELY smart. He's got the instincts you just cant teach. He can be great as a tackle in a 4-3, and he'd be a great end in a 3-4 defense. Personally, I dont see how any team drafting first overall could overlook him. I think it's a no brainer.

2. Between the Saints and Colts, who is more likely to go undefeated?
Indy has Jacksonville, the Jets, and the Bills left on their slate while the Saints entertain the Cowboys, Bucs and Carolina. Indy's road is a little bit tougher, but for both teams, this isnt exactly a tough stretch. However, the Saints are hosting the Cowboys this coming week, and we all know just how great the Cowboys are in December. Jacksonville always seems to give Indy a tough game, and the Jaguars are fighting for their playoff lives right now. I think the Jags are going to give Indy an extremely tough test this Thursday, and the Jets aren't out of the playoff picture either. I'll go with the Saints for the time being. It also appears as though the Saints want that undefeated accomplishment more, as they've discussed it a little and talked about how they do not want to rest any of their starters in the coming weeks.

3. Am I crazy, or are the Chargers maybe better than the Colts right now?
I dont see that right now. I think the Chargers are very good, but they're not as good as the Colts. The Colts have been stout on defense, even with out the remarkable Bob Sanders. Offensively, I'll take Manning over Rivers any day of the week. Dallas Clark has a slight edge on Antonio Gates, and I think Indy's receivers are a little better than San Diego's. Defensively, their numbers are pretty close across the board. However, Indy is 13-0, and they've won both blowouts, and close games. Both teams are battle tested, and I'd have a hard time picking anyone over these two to compete in the AFC Championship, even though that game is over a month away.

4. Mangini: Do you expect him to be back? Should he?
I expect Eric Mangini to be back. I think he'll have an extremely short leash once Randy Lerner hires a GM, who obviously will want his guy, or guys in place, however, you cant expect a guy to come in and change things in one year. Especially not in Cleveland where nothing ever seems to go right in the football world. This team caught lightning in a bottle in 2007, and that year, they played a lot better than they actually were. Call it a mirage, or whatever you'd like, but they played over their heads that season. What I'm getting at is that the cupboard wasn't bare, but it was close when Mangini took over. He has a lot of draft picks to play with in 2010, and I think we need to see what he does with those picks. Personally, I like Mangini as a head coach, but not as a personnel guy. They need to find an identity for that offense though. Whenever they have the ball its tough for me to watch. I'd rather watch paint dry or watch poker on TV....they're essentially the same thing.

5. What can Tim Tebow do in the NFL?
He can be a good special teams player and he can be a big part of somebody's wildcat formation. Other than that, I dont see him doing a whole lot. I dont want to bash the guy, he's one of the greatest college quarterbacks of all time, and like him or hate him, you have to admit, he was a lot of fun to watch. I think he can be the holder for field goals (which always presents that element of surprise) and the up-back in a punt formation (see my last statement). He's a guy that plays with a lot of emotion, and he's a gifted athlete. However, I think he's strictly a situational player at the next level, not an every down threat.

2009-12-14T22:58:00.002-08:00

A short Christmas story
No one knew what it was like to be Santa Claus.

That's what the man himself thought when he read the headlines about how his operation -- the one he'd been running successfully for centuries, was under investigation by the United States' new president's administration.

The President had promised --during his campaign -- to investigate Santa Claus. Why had the man never paid taxes to any country he'd visited? Why was he -- and only he-- allowed to sneak around people's houses late at night.

And finally, why had rich kids been getting better toys than poor ones for the last hundreds of years?

The man, who had been alive forever and never really aged past 60, shook his head at the stories he was reading. He knew the answers to these questions, and he also knew answers to questions people refused to ask.

It wasn't enough that he could visit every home in one night, or that he could make reindeer fly, or that he had managed to live in the North Pole all these years (the cold air made the take offs and landings on Christmas Eve a real hastle).

The truth was so simple. Rich kids got better presents because Santa was bribed by their parents. If the poor kids didn't like it, well, then they could freeze 12 months a year and live with hundreds of malcontent midgets that the press had lovingly labeled "elves."

Elves were part of the deal. Santa had rescued them centuries ago and given them a place to stay, even given them the gift of immortality. True, they were paid less than union scale, and also were thrown out if talk of forming unions got back to the boss.

But so what? This is how the game is played. Santa Claus had cornered the market on supernatural holiday gift-givers in recent years.

The Easter Bunny was in hiding. The Tooth Fairy was finished after pictures of her with a prominent golfer surfaced.

Santa had elves, but he also had helpers. The Santa Clauses at your local mall don't just take orders from children, they take orders from The Man. These men made sure that the Easter Bunny never eclipsed Santa's popularity, by pressuring malls to stop allowing giant bunnys to greet kids. That's for Santa.

Yes, Santa thought as he looked into the daily paper, he was not perfect. But what about the concessions he made? He gave up his pipe after the anti-smoking groups complained. He even promised to start working out so as not to convey to kids that obesity was OK.

Some gratitude, the old man thought.

Now here's the President, asking me to "spread the wealth around"? He's Santa Claus, not Alan Greenspan.

In truth, the man was thinking of scaling back. Government intervention was no way to make his job easier. Maybe he could outsource the elves. Maybe he could hire a lawyer to help cut a deal with the government where at least he'd be home for the holiday.

Maybe...

"It's no use," Santa said to himself. "Maybe I need to reform."

He could stop taking bribes. He could allow the elves to unionize. He could even let the reindeer hire a backup crew to ease their pressures.

Santa got optimistic.

"Maybe I can finally live up to Miracle on 34th Street," he told his wife, who mentally dismissed it as something she'd heard before.

Mrs. Claus knew her man wasn't a saint, despite his name. But people needed her man. She had helped keep the business afloat during the 1970s, when Santa was out of favor with the general public. She'd made deals with TV stations to keep playing the movies about him, to keep him visible in the public eye.

She'd had to do this, because Santa was always busy with the elves, who were always talking about forming a competitive group to run against Santa.

Mrs. Claus knew that was a pipe dream. The elves frightened people, and they had no connections. For now, Santa was the only game in town come Christmas.

But Santa got so excited he headed for the door. He would change. He would re-invent himself. He would ...

He opened his garage and saw his sleigh had been vandalized.

"Stay home, fat boy!" it said in big black letters.

"The world doesn't deserve a better Santa Claus!" he concluded, shut the door and went about his day.

2009-12-11T01:47:00.003-08:00

Browns beat the Steelers
Can one game save a coach?

Before Thursday, I would have said no. But then, I forgot how much I hate the Steelers.

Brady Quinn looks more like a ski instructor that an NFL quarterback. He was AWFUL. But at least he didn't throw an interception.

I'm still not entirely certain who some of the Browns were who recorded sacks Thursday. We had a Corey Williams sighting. Marcus Benard (who?) was borderline dominant. And Josh Cribbs is simply the best player of the new era, and frankly becoming one of the best players in frachise history.

The Browns could very well have spent their might. They may not win again until next season.

But the Browns did something this season that seemed crazy even before this ridiculous train ride. They beat the rival.

Mangini? I wanted him gone. Maybe it's the "beat the Steelers!" buzz talking, but now I'm not entirely against him staying on.

This feels really good.

2009-12-09T00:08:00.002-08:00

30 things being a Browns fan has taught me
1. Just because your team has a lead and there is no time left on the fourth quarter clock, you still may lose.

2. Loyalty means little, but it means enough to keep it.

3. Brown and orange are beautiful together.

4. Bernie Kosar was meant for Cleveland Stadium.

5. Don't be fooled: John Elway is a villan.

6. Cheering for the Steelers in Cleveland is kind of like being a communist in the 1950s.

7. Cleveland is a football town, and things have to be beyond hopeless for fans to stop coming.

8. The 2009 Browns are beyond hopeless.

9. Just because someone can talk a good game doesn't mean the game they know about is football.

10. At the end of the day, you appreciate being on the doorstep of greatness after you've been kicked to the curb of mediocrity and forced to stay there for 20 years.

11. Being a Browns fan isn't a tragedy. But being a Browns fan can teach you about tragedy. Don Rogers, Eric Turner, Eddie Johnson and Lyle Alzado are reminders of real tragedy.

12. It's wrong to hate an owner for moving a football team.

13. It's wrong not to forgive an owner for moving a football team.

14. It's wrong to forget that a greedy owner moved your football team.

15. Even mentioning the name "Mike Phipps" makes my father cringe.

16. No matter its classy look and expensive price tag, Cleveland Browns Stadium is a cheap imitation.

17. Writing about the past often is a tool to keep you from writing about the present.

18. Bill Belichick really is a great coach.

19. I only root for him when his team plays Pittsburgh.

20. A Browns win brightens a whole Sunday.

21. A loss can ruin a whole week.

22. Romeo Crennel wasn't a great head coach.

23. But boy does Mangini make him look good.

24. I'd love it if I could get Martin Mull, Drew Carey, Kenny Chesney, Condoleezza Rice and maybe Hank Aaron together to watch a Browns game, and talk (or sing) about nothing but football.

25. Al Lerner was a good man.

26. Randy Lerner probably also is a good man.

27. But I'm starting to think we'd be better off if anyone else had won the team.

28. I will always remember the Browns of my youth: Kosar, Slaughter, Mike Johnson, Matthews, Metcalf, Mack, Byner, Perry, Langhorne -- as the real Browns.

29. Joe Thomas, Josh Cribbs and Phil Dawson are real Browns.

30. I still hope real Browns will emerge out of this mess, but that hope is fading like a Cleveland fall.

2009-12-07T23:38:00.004-08:00

Randy Lerner's 12 days of Christmas
Sing along. It's more fun.

On the first day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: an inept coach Mangini.

On the second day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

On the third day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 3 fired directors 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

On the fourth day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 4 fired coaches, 3 fired directors, 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

On the fifth day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 5 talking heads! 4 fired coaches, 3 fired directors, 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

On the sixth day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 6 division losses, 5 talking heads! 4 fired coaches, 3 fired directors, 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

On the seventh day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 7 years of waiting, 6 division losses, 5 talking heads, 4 fired coaches 3 fired directors, 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

On the eighth day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 8 Belichick clones, 7 years of waiting, 6 division losses, 5 talking heads. 4 fired coaches, 3 fired directors, 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

On the ninth day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 9 Ex-Jets,8 Belichick clones, 7 years of waiting, 6 division losses, 5 talking heads! 4 fired coaches 3 fired directors, 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

On the 10th day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 10 clueless players *, 9 ex-Jets, 8 Belichick clones, 7 years of waiting, 6 division losses, 5 talking heads! 4 fired coaches, 3 fired directors, 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

On the 11th day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 11 straight losses to the Steelers, 10 clueless players, 9 ex-Jets, 8 Belichick clones, 7 years of waiting, 6 division losses, 5 talking heads! 4 fired coaches, 3 fired directors, 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

On the 12th day of Christmas Randy Lerner gave to me: 12 men on the field, 11 straight losses to the Steelers, 10 clueless players, 9 ex-Jets, 8 Belichick clones, 7 years of waiting, 6 division losses, 5 talking heads!, 4 fired coaches, 3 fired directors, 2 winning seasons and an inept coach Mangini.

That was WAY too easy to write.

* except for Josh Cribbs.

2009-11-27T23:15:00.002-08:00

10 Things I Think
1. The Browns won't beat the Bengals Sunday, but they'll make it interesting.

2. The University of Cincinnati's football team is very good, but I'm not sure its played a strong defense yet. If Pittsburgh provides it next week, look out.

3.Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday, even if the three NFL games that day are all uninspiring.

4. If I hear Steve Beuerlein say a player "does a great job" one more time...

5. V's first four episodes made for compelling television. What I liked most about it was that it didn't resort to grotesque scenes, and still got the point across.

6. Bob Dylan's video for Must Be Santa has to be seen to be believed.

7. Tiger Woods "minor car accident" doesn't seem so minor. I mean, if someone had to use a golf club to smash in a window to remove him from his car, I think it was a bit more than a scratch. The tough thing is the insurance. He may need to play a few more tournaments next year to cover it.

8. Behind Closed Doors by Charlie Rich is perhaps the best recording of the 1970s that I've heard.

9. Chuck is back in January, and I am as excited as I can be about a fictional TV show.

10. Good to see BG beat Toledo again.