New Coaches in 2010 and 2011

Just for some perspective on Pat Shurmer, here are some records of new coaches in the NFL in 2011 and in 2010.  I know its painful Browns' fans, but it way too hard to judge after 5 games.

New Coaches 2010:   thru 6 wks      Final record     thru 6 wks 2011
Buffalo                        0-5                 4-12                       4-2                      
Oakland                      2-4                 8-8                        4-2
St. Louis                     3-3                 7-9                         0-5 (they lost pat shurmer on offense)
Detroit                        1-5                 6-10                       5-1
Washington                 3-3                 6-10                       3-2
Tampa Bay                 3-2                 10-6                        4-2
Seattle                        3-2                 7-9                         2-3

New Coaches 2011:  thru 6 wks
San Francisco             5-1
Dallas                         2-3
Minnesota                  1-5
Carolina                     1-5
Tennessee                   3-2
Denver                       1-4
Cleveland                   2-3

So, after all this, to me its clear that you just can't judge after 5 games in the first season.  Look at Buffalo and Detroit; they didn't jump ship after last year's bad start and they were rewarded for it.  Yes, a San Francisco will always break the rules by having a great start in the first year...but that by far is always the exception and not the rule.  Everyone wanted to compare St. Louis's turnaround last year to the Browns and show what a 'franchise' QB can do for a team.  Well, they lost their offensive mind in Pat Shurmer, and they are 0-5 this year with an anemic offense.  Even with the 'franchise' QB.

We just have to give it some more time.  I'm as frustrated as anyone watching Peyton Hillis stand on the sidelines, but lets just have this all play out before we carry our torches to 76 Lou Groza Blvd.

How to Fix the NBA Lockout

The NBA has about 450 players. 30 of them are really good. 15 of them are really really good. 5 of them are absolutely super-humanly good. So that leaves 400 good players. Is there THAT much of a difference between that 400 and the next 400..? I bet there's not....

So.. I propose the following steps to the owners to immediately end this lockout:

1) "Freeze" all existing contracts. None of them count on the books, none of them are to be paid any further. They will just pause. None of these players will count towards your rosters.

2) Hold open tryouts to get 15 new players on each team. Pay them the money that the "real" NBA players should be getting.

3) Give the "real" NBA players the middle finger.

4) Lower ticket prices drastically (You're paying the players much less now anyways) and start the season as soon as possible.

5) Create a new structure where the NBA is the true "Boss" and all the players will be "Employees" just like the rest of the world. Each "Owner" can become a "Regional Manager-Like" figure who can do whatever they want with their team. And whenever one of the players is ready to return to reality, they can join the new system and resume their contract.

6) Give the "real" NBA players the middle finger.

7) Wait for the "real" players to come crawling back.

8) Problem Solved.

Nobody gives a shit about this article

http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/7098577/lebron-james-attend-first-liverpool-match-saturday-manchester-united

Dear ESPN,
This article is the epitome of what is wrong with your current strategy. Nobody gives a shit about what Lebron does on his off time.  Stop pushing this shit on real sports fans. You're really pushing the limits on how long I will pay attention to you given this crap and the recent scandal you're involved with. (rumored that ESPN was instructing the ACC on what college football teams to add to their conference)

Please go back to simply reporting on sports and giving 'expert' opinions.  Stop telling me when Lebron takes a shit.

Best Regards,
Mike

NBA Lockout

So let me get this straight. You're one of about 450 people on Earth who has the privilege to get paid, playing the game of basketball for the most popular basketball organization on Earth?

You're just playing a game, guys!! You get paid, 100,000s of dollars to play a game, and you're complaining?!?! You guys get to play a game.. You don't think you make enough money to PLAY A GAME?!

You know how much I would love to play xbox for a living? That's MY game, that's what I'M good at.. You guys are good at Basketball. And you're lucky enough to be good at a game that you get paid to play. No one is going to pay me shit to play xbox, and if they do it would be near-minimum wage as a tester. You guys make more than I'll probably ever see in my life to play a game.

I have to use my mind to work....to write computer programs and solve problems. You guys get to use physical talents...to play a game.

If you don't think you get paid enough, do what the rest of the world does and try to find a better job, assholes. If you don't think you get paid enough to PLAY A GAME, you're a f*cking dick. All of you, shut the f*ck up and get back to work.

Browns Lost to Titans

I was at this game, and man was it frustrating. But honestly, it seems like in this game they were just experimenting on Offense. I don't know WHAT the defense was doing, but the Offense was just trying things. It seemed like they were testing out plays in a live environment as opposed to running plays they had a good idea would work. On 4th and 1, is that the time to try the mis-direction toss to Smith? The guy who has had two carries so far this season? Was this game their test to see how well Hardesty would do if given plenty of opportunities?

It never felt like they were really trying to win it, but rather testing themselves out. Again though, I don't know what that defense was doing. T.J. Ward is better than letting a TE get 10 yards ahead of him for a wide open endzone toss. Usama Young is better than trying to tackle a TE when a simple shove out of bounds would've sufficed. Joe Haden didn't seem to do much, but maybe that's because QBs are already throwing to the opposite side of the field.

BUT.. on the other hand, Colt McCoy set both the completions and attempts record for a Browns QB. That's nice.


Revised Season Prediction: 6-10. Possibly tied for last with Pittsburgh??