Am I the only content Browns fan?
by SipedUp on Jan 5, 2012 1:54 AM EST
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How often in years past have we watched the Browns play the Steelers or the Ravens and we would think to ourselves we really have no shot! I have watched everygame since DirecTV came out with the Sunday Ticket and I have to say that the last few games of the season I felt like we were as good as each team that we played.
I find it really hard to believe how much whining goes on about Heckert and Holmgren. Maybe this is my eternal optimism that I have had since my first season as a browns fan in 1980 when I was 8 years old. But let us take a look at what we have done draft wise. in the short time H and H have arrived. I believe we have hit some real home runs.
Joe Haden has real cover skills despite not having any interceptions this year.
TJ ward. I love Ward but he seems to really have let off the gas since getting fined for laying out Jordan Shipley. He is definietly ferocious and hopefully he continues his rep as a hard hitter.
Jabaal Sheard. Complete animal and I think he will be on of the top ends in the NFL years to come.
Phil Taylor. Hes got game. He may have evened out for a couple games but he came on strong the last few games. Seeing him run with the ball against Houston was priceless.
Greg Little also came on strong at the end. I think we needed to cut him some slack after not playing in 2 years. I think he has a bright future.
Buster Skrine was a real gem in the late rounds of last year. His 4.29 40 yd dash helped keep wallace in check that last game.
Colt McCoy. Im not sold on Colt at all but I have no problems with taking College footballs winningest QB with the 72nd pick. Not a waste of a pick by any means
I dont see any real weak links in any of their picks in the last 2 years. Injury prone Hardesty maybe, Owen Maricek maybe. Compare that to the picks of the previous couple years and we are doing really well. If we dont keep Hillis I say we draft Richardson and if we do keep Hillis I think we can take Blackmon.
And how about Chris Gocong. Since the day he signed his extension with us he has played like a monster. I dont mind our 4 and 12 record because I think we had a good year....Maybe not in the win loss column but what could you really expect. A new Offense and a New Defense, new coaches and no real training camp. I think the only thing Holmgren did wrong was keep mangini (and sign Jake Delhome) for the extra year, then again how do you fire someone on a 4 game winning streak. At least his pride didnt get in the way of letting go of DelHomme or Mangini.
We are in the toughest division in the NFL. All you haters out there talking like you know more than Holmgren or HEckert. Time takes time. It will come!
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Absolutely no to Richardson. RB was not a huge problem once Hillis got going. I think he’ll stay here. Theres probably adequate RBs later in the draft. I wouldn’t waste a 1st pick on an RB. Thats an overused statement but its true 95% of the time.
by macdowellm03 on Jan 5, 2012 2:42 AM EST via Android app reply actions
I’ll be content when 53 players I love get 53 rings on their fingers.
DBN, where I will never understand why they fired Mangini. We went 4-12.
by The New Kardiac Kids on Jan 5, 2012 8:35 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
You may well be the only content fan out there. The main problem for me right now is the fact that everyone in the organization is saying the we are close. Close to what? With a decent draft maybe a .500 team.
We are 2 years in and they (H&H) have yet to even attempt to field a winning team and the main problem is that they have yet to address the depth issue we have had for the last 11 years. That itself is a several year process. So they begin this off-season by signing 3 practice squad offensive lineman? Can they really think that our depth at those positions is acceptable? Did they watch the same O-Line I did this year? Yes we are younger now but for every player that improves with experience one falls off.
They now need to ask themselves “what do we need to do to contend for this division?” and then go out and get it done before camp opens up. The bottom line here is that they inherited a 4-12 team and this is still a 4 -12 team. what is there to be content with?
As far as the depth problem goes, you should look at the fact that all of the 2011 draft picks made the team and made some kind of contribution. If Heckert keeps doing that then the depth problem will not be an issue. One of the late round guys (like Skrine or Hagg) could turn into a really solid player or star in the next couple years. Solid drafts will solve the depth problem.
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I’m trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Ricky Henderson
Even a decent ST contributor is a hit on a 6th or 7th round pick. I have faith in his ability to draft this team out of the gutter.
Dawgs by Nature -- where Montario Hardesty, apparently, 'did some good things'.
by North Coast Flea on Jan 5, 2012 2:30 PM EST up reply actions
Gocong did indeed pull a reverse Ryan Fitzpatrick and prove that he does deserve the $$$$. Love how DQ predicted playoffs next year . . .
by Les Fleurs Du Mal on Jan 5, 2012 10:52 AM EST reply actions
Like most people, I don’t know if I would say content, but definitely optimistic. How can you not be after seeing so much defensive improvement?
I agree, the H&H bashers need can it for a bit, its getting old and they seem to expect them to snap their fingers and be a playoff team. They complain about how they didn’t get enough free agents, as if that’s going to solve all our problems. I think we’re a couple of key players away from being really really good.
by HenryDawg on Jan 5, 2012 12:26 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Constructive criticism of the regime until we start winning is perfectly warranted.
by Roger Dorn on Jan 5, 2012 4:59 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
I agree except for one glaring problem, the people here calling for H&H to be fired. Impatience and stupidity is all I can say to the naysayers. H&H have a plan and a philosophy they are going to adhere to regardless of what we say here. Personally, after listening to their media conference today, I agree with their approach. Not that I like having to bear so many losses, but long term, this is the answer. I have been a Browns fan since the early 60’s (YES, THE EARLY 60’s) and believe me when I say this, there are NO quick fixes. Look at the successful franchises around the league and they have a philosophy of building through the draft. It’s high time we had a FO that has a similar philosophy.
Constructive being the key word, all I hear is Shurmur sucks and Holmgren has an ego and we failed in free agency. It gets old. I’m all for people giving an opinion of what they would have done differently but its too early to run these guys out of town for some mistakes and a bad record.
by HenryDawg on Jan 5, 2012 11:03 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
its too early to run these guys out of town for some mistakes and a bad record
Completely agree. There is an epidemic of impatience around here right now, and IMO that includes the situation at QB. That said, I’d give the QB critics more of a pass.
This is Shurmur’s first year and he had no offseason to prepare. And yes, this is Holmgren’s “3rd 1st year”, whether people want to admit it or not. And the “he bought himself an extra year conspiracy theory” is preposterous IMO.
That was my understanding.
by burntorangeandbrown on Jan 6, 2012 8:35 AM EST up reply actions
And yes, this is Holmgren’s "3rd 1st year", whether people want to admit it or not. And the "he bought himself an extra year conspiracy theory" is preposterous IMO.
This is precisely the argument though and one that I feel like you are contradicting yourself with here. The fact that he has a “third first year” is kind of a joke. It’s his third year, we need to see improvement next year or else there is a legitimate reason to question whether he can do this or not. By nature of you calling it a third first year, makes it decidedly not preposterous that he bought himself another year.
by Roger Dorn on Jan 6, 2012 9:13 AM EST up reply actions 5 recs
My thing with the QB now is that if this years QB class was like last years (not knowing Cam or Red would be that good) I would stick with Colt. Since the 2 QBs this year are really better than anything I’ve seen in awhile and Barkley and Jones seem average at best is the reason I want to take RG3 this year. I still think Colt should start the season and if he lights it up, then trade RG3.
They complain about how they didn’t get enough free agents, as if that’s going to solve all our problems.
That is not our complaint one bit.
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway
Well it may not be yours, and I’ve never seen you complain about it, but I’ve seen many people here and at other blogs still complain about it.
I can see the complaints that Shurmurs in over his head and he should have had an OC. But what I like about this crew was that even just a few weeks into the season they realized that was a problem and said they would fix it. I like that they’re not as rigid as people make them out to be. I wish they knew that before hand but oh well. I guess that was Shurmur’s call and he made the wrong one. At least they learn from their mistakes, so they’ll get better rather than just keeping their heads stuck in the sand.
I’m not content with losing, but I’m content and optimistic with the progress on defense. The D is going to be super tough. If the BPAs in the draft are on offense then we will see improvement. I have no doubt about it. If not, then they pick defensive players and the D will go from super tough to MONSTER!
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I’m trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Ricky Henderson
It doesn’t matter how many threads you say this on, it’ll never be acceptable.
Resident Tim Couch Apologist.
by Dawg Nuts on Jan 5, 2012 4:33 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
SipedUp, you call yourself a Browns fan. How do you explain the poodle painted up as a steeler as your avatar?
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I’m trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Ricky Henderson
I can see the wit and parallels in that. LOL.
DBN, where I will never understand why they fired Mangini. We went 4-12.
by The New Kardiac Kids on Jan 6, 2012 10:27 AM EST up reply actions
Yes. Next question?
"I love Seneca Wallace" --- Mike Holmgren, 1/5/2011
by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Jan 6, 2012 4:20 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
im not the least bit content with a
4 and 12 season. What I am content with is the caliber of player that heckert has been putting on the team. I think if our offense gets the same attention our defense got that we will be contenders sooner than you think. Our division is only getting tougher though. Dalton and green and 2 first rounders!
the tides are turning….both monster defenses of PIT and BAL are only getting older and more expensive. i think Heckert finishes the defense in 2012 with at least one jackpot offensive playmaker. Then Holmgren appeases everybody since then we’re in the position to start spending big $$ on multi-year FA contracts.
November 6, 1995 is unforgiveable.
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