I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving, as I'm sure most of you pretty much stayed off the Internet on Thursday while others of you were camped out at Best Buy or Circuit City waiting to get an HDTV or a brand new computer. There were some interesting tidbits involving the Browns yesterday, so let me recap them:
- Barclay Gone: We loved Chris Barclay on kick and punt returns in the preseason, but with how well Joshua Cribbs is doing there is no need to worry about that position. Barclay has been on the Browns' practice squad all season, but the Tennessee Titans decided to sign him to their active roster on Thanksgiving. With third-string running back Chris Henry out due to a four-game suspension, it wouldn't be too surprising if Barclay's stay with the team wasn't an extended one. However, there's a solid chance that he will serve as the team's primary kick returner or punt returner starting this week.
- Short Practice: The Browns didn't have too long of a practice session in preparation for Thanksgiving, but right tackle Kevin Shaffer did participate, according to the OBR. Ethan Kelley, who is nursing a groin injury, did not practice.
- Love for Dawson: Major props to the Plain Dealer for what I feel is one of the most "touching" stories I have read regarding the Browns. It involves Phil Dawson, the life-threatening situation his wife suffered last year, and the emotion the family went through over the past year, culminating in his miraculous 51-yard field goal and then the game-winner in overtime this past Sunday against the Ravens.
- Throwback Sunday: Remember when the Browns wore their throwback uniforms last season? With the numbers on the helmets and the variations in stripes on the uniforms? In honor of Thanksgiving and the team's history, the team will be wearing those uniforms against the Houston Texans this Sunday. Hopefully we play better in them this year than we did last year, when we lost to the Cincinnati Bengal 30-0.