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But yet there is no new building without the demolition crew.

People walk by and marvel at the beauty without giving a thought to the previous structure. Then some people, like yourself, stand outside in protest... Looking for any opportunity to chastise, belittle and make fun of the demolition crew for no good reason at all. Like Sashi, they had a job to do and they did it, paving the way for the shiny and new. It's really that simple.

Yeah, it takes as much talent to tear a building down as it does to design and build a new building. It's the same thing. Sashi did have a job to do. He tore down a building. The real talent was needed to build a new building. Blowing things up isn't that difficult.

Where did I say it took as much talent? Nobody has ever said that, yet you constantly state it as fact.

The silly thing about all this back and forth is that you constantly create a narrative that doesn't exist. At the end of the day, in essence, you've spent post after post arguing with yourself!

Not really. I guess you ignore what a great job and how critical they think Sashi was when all he did was something anyone could have done if their boss told them to.

So Sashi did nothing more than Ray Farmer, could have or would have done, but,
Since he had some fancy bells and whistles system, it's somehow legendary.

That's my basic feeling on all of Analytics, and eventually it's going to come back and bite them,
So, I don't really think it's anything too special, and

I refuse to read these long winded posts about a Browns GM from 3 years ago who is no longer with the team, including this page, so I guess I'm missing the point because I don't read it.

(Nobody was ever talking about Sashi, or any GM,

until Hue, the HC. started losing 15 per year, and it's like people wanted to deflect criticism.)
Done with that stuff.

Like I said, some people don't get it...no biggie...let it go.

NRTU

Less people forget that his job 1 was to find the QB.

After Wentz and Watson had early success he was canned. They were there for the Browns to choose.

He failed at job 1.

Everything else is irrelevant.

I get the QB is the most important position in all of sports but I'm not sure "his job was to find a QB" is in any way an accurate statement. In fact, all moves indicate the exact opposite, whether you agree with the approach or not.

That said, Wentz and Watson aren't the most favorable QBs to argue for....Mahomes would have been much better to cite.

And both Brown and Haslem publicly said Hue was brought in to be the HC (obviously) and to identify the QB. That was the most egregious mistake was letting Hue have input & Sashi pulling the trigger. But then again, everyone wanted McDermott over Hue, except for Haslem. So there is that.

"Earth shook beneath my feet"-- about RG3
"Trust me"- about Kessler
Attempted coup for McCarron giving up a second and third

Do you need the video? Those were his exact words not mine.

I love videos. Send it over.

My comment still stands. You referenced Wentz and Watson. Those currently aren't the beacons of franchise QBs to knock Sashi on for not drafting, for different reasons obviously. Which is why I said Mahomes would have been a better argument. Maybe even Prescott in the 4th.

But the teams actions, or perhaps better stated, priorities weren't about getting a QB, it was about accumulation of draft capital and increasing the % of hitting on picks. It is all there right in front of you.....the proof is in the pudding, as they say.

But if he said what you claim in the video (which I'll assume to be true because I don't know it).....you were lied to. That's never happened in a press conference EVER.

No when Wentz and Watson were blowing up the league Sashi was deemed an idiot and fired.

jc

3/4 of this Team including Baker was assembled by Dorsey. Give him some love.

No doubt he played a big role. No matter if he had extra picks, he made more good ones than clunkers.

Dorsey had his problems, but picking players wasn't one of them.

Deemed an idiot? Maybe from you and others. It was stupid then just like it is stupid now.

It is nowhere near 3/4 now or last year but it was at some point.

Dorsey should get credit for selecting players like Baker, Ward, and Chubb (even if he needed the last regime's extra picks for two of them). Credit for only having to trade a 4th for Landry. Signing Hunt for $1M. Those were his more valuable moves.

he made some solid moves... then hired kitchen....

we currently have the best FO that I think we've had since returning... yes others have contributed to where we're at today.... but I have more trust in this FO than any other group we've had...

I don't think I ever heard of anyone saying that Sashi was legendary...

j/c -

I think Sashi, Dorsey and Berry all deserve some acknowledgement and credit with regards to where the 2021 Browns are. Sashi tore the old down completely and didn't try to use band aids or half measures. He stuck to the plan regardless. He saved draft picks by not trading for AJ McCarron. Dorsey made some great picks and trades - by no means perfect, but some of his acquisitions are the corner stone of what we have. If he hadn't blundered so totally with Freddie and insisted on sticking by the blunder he may still be here, who knows. Berry by comparison seems like a surgeon and has seemingly made the most out of what he's been given, made smart moves, and has continued to acquire top talent while still keeping an eye on the future and cap management. Without each of them we wouldn't have the team we do. Anyone - like me - who believes that we are placed for a deep play off run should be thanking all 3. jmo

I was just going to say something similar. Nearly every GM of every deserves some credit for something.

I do have to admit I am drawing a blank of Ray Farmer and Dwight Clark. Maybe somebody can help to jog my memory.

Farmer took Bitonio!

There you go!

Their boss didn't tell them to. The Plan was pitched to Haslam and he bought it.

So then he approved of ripping the team to the ground. If not it never would have been done. In the end it was a "Yeah, do that." by Haslam that allowed the scorched earth policy to move forward no matter how you slice it.

Here's the article I mentioned above. I'm posting because it's the basis of my arguments on the Sashi vs Hue debates that go on, but also because it's a great piece of journalism that happens to be about my Browns. You've all read it before at least once, but personally, I don't mind coming back to it every so often.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2579...history-collide

Here's the part applicable to the teardown quoted below.



So yes, rebuilding isn't something new. But the plan was a Rebuild (with a capital R), and that was what was unique, and that what was Sashi brought to the table. No, rebuilding is not a new concept, but at the same time, no other GM had intentionally undertaken such a massive teardown. That's what makes it unique. It was pitched to Haslam, and he accepted, even with that little statement at the end.

(Browns and Analytics, thread title.)

Historically this may be one of the harder years to get to a super bowl esp. out of the AFC.

Historically, teams in less competitive divisions, seem to have a more consistent path to Super Bowl wins,

Of the 8 divisions in the NFL, which is the least competitive AFC division, and which is the least competitive NFC division, for the upcoming 2021 season.

In the AFC it's obviously the AFC South if you believe Carson Wentz is a dumpster fire, and a consistent dumpster fire, and I've felt that for a LONG WHILE.
(Personally I never saw Wentz play before Foles took his team out of his hands and won a Super Bowl, if anyone has seen absolutely anything from Wentz since then, I don't know what they've watched because he's been a consistent dumpster fire of a regular season quarterback.)

In the AFC, for competition, the Bills, have the Dolphins 'and Patriots to worry about for the East div.

The Chiefs, have the Raiders and the Chargers to worry about, Maybe even the Broncos if DeShaun Watson were sent there. For the west div.

The Steelers, have the Ravens and Browns to worry about. For the central; "North" div.

On that data point alone the Titans are the AFC representative in the SB in 2021, (historically!), but that's why they play the games.

So the NFC, Which division is the Least competitive.

In the NFC north, the Vikings will provide competition for the Packers, as the Vikings are poised for a bounce back and uptick on 7-9 from laast year with 2 positives, Vet QB Kirk Cousins is set for a rare upside year of revenge motivation and peaking career arch motivation. 2. Their defense will return D.Hunter from injury who is one player similar to top pass rushers. (And the Vikings play the AFC north)

In the NFC south, who will compete with the Buccaneers? Saints? No, No truly veteran QB. Falcons? No, Falcons are ticking downward on all tracks. Their Qb is way past their prime too. The Panthers, Sam Darnold, probably not this year. So no competition in div. for the Buccs.

NFC East, Whew. 4 times bad = competition, The Redskins... I mean, why do they hate to try and get a Quarterback, even for 50 years, What the football?
That's their name the Washington team football. It will remain a competitive bad results division.

NFC West, The 49ers, have 2 problems that will keep their division competitive, ( besides Wilson and seattles coach, and besides Arizona being (a very mirrored image in team construction of the Browns), besides those, the 2 problems in the 49ers own camp are,
1, they'll go too soon to the new QB.
2. I forget, may have been the Seattle thing. Seattles problem, where's there running game.

There are really only 3 teams in the NFC with a chance, maybe 5. The Buccs, historically are in the weakest division, and have the easiest path to represent the NFC in 2021. The Buccaneers also improved their runningbacks.

I'm not really sure how that changes anything or makes a point. The basis used in those moves were still commonly known by all.

If you trade down you get future picks. If you cut high paid players you acquire salary cap for the future. Those are all known by anyone in the NFL and any fans that know anything about the game.

Even by your own quote it gave examples of how this strategy had been used before. It wasn't some new concept. The only thing different was it hadn't been used in the NFL. But the blueprint for this strategy already existed. And without the go ahead from Haslam none of it would have happened.

Forget it. He just doesn't get it. It's no biggie.

Oh I get it and I've explained it. It's not me who thinks a guy who couldn't keep his job, who simply copied a model that had already been used in other sports is some kind of innovator.

It's a great article. Nuggets of information galore.

Browns Broadening Analytics Department:

The Cleveland Browns continue to fortify their embrace of football analytics. The front office led by GM Andrew Berry and chief strategist Paul DePodesta has added more innovative analytical minds to the fold.

The team officially added Udit Ranasaria as a football research analyst, part of several new hires to the front office earlier this month. Ransaria is noted for his physics-based models on the passing game and player projections.

Per his Twitter account, Rishav Dutta is also joining the Browns this fall. Dutta will be a research assistant for the team. He is part of the NFL ScrapR analytical movement and a Carnegie Mellon computer scientist as well. A sampling of his unique football research work is available on his website.

It’s a broadening of viewpoints and creative analytical applications of football.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/browns-continue-broaden-football-analytics-105326844.html

So far it's serving us well IMHO.

Perfect lmao

Like Purp's sig: "Fear us, for we have Rishav Dutta!"
Just not feeling it yet. I'll come around.

I do not care who wins us games.

Go, Browns!

Rishav Dutta has done a lot of work to "add the 3rd dimension to data tracking". It's actually pretty fascinating and could pay dividends with a QB like Mayfield that seems to favor rifling every pass and leaves you saying "damn, if he'd had just put a little touch on that" way too often... Could also be helpful in determining best velocity, launch angles, etc, for ease of tracking long passes by receivers.

I like it.








Looks like poor Jimmy G has a noodle arm.

When I read, "His unique analytics approach sample is available on his web site."
I feel like,
Isn't that sort of like the My Pillow guy and his "Patented fill" approach to pillow guts.

It's not a heartwarming thought to worry about a future where this leads to the Browns adding something as dumb as that 10 year old who could pitch in MLB after his arm was reconstructed,
in that fictional Disney Movie!

Stupid they're going to add a guy out of Valdosta state, but his hands are 16 inches wide.

If they need a computer to see a football player when one is in front of them, they're done.

I was also reading yesterday about another hire to the data department from January... Ella Papanek "A Harvard Chess Whiz"

https://www.sportico.com/personalities/p...rch-1234619829/

We plucked this one off the tree at 21 years old. Seems like our main strategy for hiring to the analytics dept is "early and often".


Upside: Besides the vast amount of data accrued in so many categories, the more talent we "hoard" the less there is to go around. Thinking of the hundreds of millions it takes to run an NFL team, it makes sense to spend a very small percentage on keeping elite talent in house, a drop in the bucket in the big scheme of things no matter how large the department becomes.

Downside: Too Much Information! The most important job becomes navigating and directing information and it's actual function on gameday. I remember reading John Naisbitt's "Megatrends" back in the day (prophetic!). He talked about information overload. For example, there came a time in the 70s where the scientific community realized that although an experiment had probably already been done to solve almost any problem, it was easier to conduct your own than dig through mountains of information to get the results. Very much like today's search engines and the fact that many times you feel like you have to try to "trick them" into giving you the info you're searching for, no matter how simple and mundane.

It's almost as if the person who decides "who, what, where, when, how" the data applies is much more important than the genius who presents it.

I wonder if her chess abilities are part of the hire, or just an incidental on the resume.

Either way, they all sound like pretty good hires. Anything that helps us tune our game and potentially give us a leg up is welcomed.

Probably more of an icing on the cake type deal. I would guess that it helps answer the "high-intellect" and "capable of critical thought" questions though. In other words, not just another geek that can manipulate models and work with physics equations that have already been created by others.

Hmmmm. Seems Baker's arm strength is in the elite category. Who were the detractors that started off saying he had a noodle arm and eventually moved on to claim it was merely average. . . . that has zero correlation to his ability to play the position, read defenses, lead receivers or his accuracy ... but his arm strength was certainly mentioned by many who didn't like his selection.