Browns and Basketball

Mangini Declares Open Competition

Browns Coach Eric Mangini made the first move to rectify the QB position today, declaring that there will be an open competition between Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn.  I like this decision from a "keeping everybody happy" standpoint, but I'm not sure I like it from a "long term best interest" standpoint.  Derek Anderson is and always will be a third tier starting quarterback at best.  He makes too many bad decisions to move up into the upper tiers in NFL starters.  His one "good" season featured a generous (I'm talking All-Time Generous) Pro Bowl appearance, even while he threw 19 interceptions and had only an 82.5 QB rating.  Brady Quinn has the potential to be at least in the 2nd tier of starters (think Jay Cutler or Eli Manning), and he should be given every opportunity to win that starting job.  This is what I think is going on in Cleveland.  The new regime is in town, and whenever that happens they make the declaration that "everyone will have to work for their starting job."  This is of course given with a wink wink, nudge nudge approach to guys like Joe Thomas, Braylon Edwards (if he doesn't get traded), and maybe D'Qwell Jackson.  The new regime recognizes that you usually need two quarterbacks throughout any given season, so it would be a good idea to keep Derek Anderson ready in mind and body.  It also increases his trade value, since teams may see him as a potential starter, not a backup and a one-year wonder.  Brady Quinn has not proved much of anything as an NFL starter.  During his limited exposure, he has shown that he can lead an offense with success.  One thing he has not shown is an ability to stay healthy.  This is where I think the chief concern lies in the Browns front office.  For as much as Brady works out and pimps his energy/recovery drink, he should be a durable leader for the Browns.  I think the QB situation gets sorted out sometime around the draft, with either Anderson getting traded to someone for picks, or with a training camp/preseason battle declared.

Cooley Punks Browns Fans

Apparently, I missed most of this feud between Redskins TE Chris Cooley and Cleveland Browns fans.  With rumors swirling that Cooley could find himself traded to Cleveland, he posted on his blog, "I would be pissed if I got my ass shipped to Cleveland."  Obviously, Browns fans did not really care for this comment, so they do what anyone does in this technological world; they sent him hate mail.  Cooley responded on his blog with a combination kick to the nuts/punch in the throat.  You can read it here.

Basketball Madness

The NCAA Tournament got a little more interesting on days 3,4, and 5.  North Dakota State nearly upset Kansas, Siena bounced Ohio State (allowing me to be that guy at the bar that tried to give high fives to a bunch of shocked OSU fans, then declared that IT FEELS GOOD TO STILL BE IN THE TOURNAMENT!), and Gonzaga needed a buzzer beater to beat Western Kentucky.  It was more "chalk chalk chalk" from the analysts, as every seed 1-3 made it into the Sweet 16.  My Washington to the Final Four pick fizzled out very quickly, but I knew that had boom or bust potential.  Michigan lost to Oklahoma in a game that I didn't get to see.  According to anyone who saw it, it is a foul to sneeze on Blake Griffin.  Oh well, we had a good run and finally outlasted OSU in something other than "not getting in trouble with the law in epic proportions."  Ty Lawson looks healthy, which makes UNC very, very dangerous and probably the favorite to win it all.  I'll stick with my Pitt pick, just so I can keep comparing Lavance Fields to former UConn PG Khalid El-Amin in fatness.

That's all the time I have for today, never run the toss sweep.

Coach Deuce