DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum The View from Pluto

Yeah Bentley needs surgery to repair the damage done by the infection and that can't happen until the infection is completely healed which is expected to be sometime in July or August.

We may have playmakers on the offense but we won't know until we get a line in front of them. Only after we've taken care of the play in the trenches will we get a clear picture of what our skill players can bring to the table.

I hope you had a Merry Christmas too.

I get what you're saying ... I don't disagree that we need to upgrade on OL and DL, but I think we can do it in the draft and in free agency and still take an important step for the future by drafting Troy Smith in the 2nd, if he's still around - which I think he might be.

Guards like Eric Steinbach and Toniu Fonoti are UFA's ... LT Joe Thomas is apparently going to be there for us, barring an unforeseen win in Houston by an offense featuring the incomparable Dorsey brothers - as starters.

Mel Kiper's top 25 features 11 D-Linemen, so I have to believe this is a deep draft for DL. DE's like Vonnie Holliday and Justin Smith are UFA's. We have heard that the Browns have enough under the cap for 3-4 major signings.

Regarding Bentley, that is bad news, but I'm not suicidal about having Hank Fraley around at C again. I think he's pretty solid and would be even better if we upgrade both RG and LG with guys that have some wheels. So I'll hope for the best there. Bonus if Bentley returns next year at all.

Anyhoo, glad you had a nice Christmas, Lama. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The only condition that Fonoti would be acceptable is if he is under 340 lbs and not over 400 lbs. Fonoti could be had as a FA.

Fonoti has weight and mental issues should not even be put in the same sentence as Steinbach.

Just Clicking...

Does anyone else when thinking of our needs, like having to draft/sign in FA a solid corner, probably a running back who actually gets through holes quick enough, at least 3 or 4 offensive linemen and basically an entire defensive line get a MASSIVE headache like me? This is going to take more than one year to fix... ARGGGHHH!

can Tim Couch come back?? lol... now that would be a TRUE COMEBACK FAIRYTALE!! lmao...

And people think I'm crazy when I say that I don't see the evidence that Savage has made progress. <img src="/images/graemlins/saywhat.gif" alt="" />

You have to be able to run the ball and stop the run. Our current lines prohibit that. Savage has refused to draft offensive and defensive linemen on the first day. This concerns me because it just puts us another couple of years behind.

Folks.........it's going to get uglier before it gets prettier.

Owner can be thankful for fans, but not team
By Terry Pluto


CLEVELAND - Exactly what are the paying customers supposed to think of their Cleveland Browns?

And Randy Lerner should know that.

His family may own the team, but it belongs to the fans -- who keep buying enough tickets for every game to be a sellout since the team returned in 1999.

The story wasn't that there were perhaps 20,000 no-shows at the game, but that about 50,000 still showed up on Christmas Eve -- even if some wore bags over their heads.

What are the fans supposed to think after watching the Browns lose 22-7 to Tampa Bay? The Bucs entered the day at 3-11 and had lost 7-of-8.
They saw Braylon Edwards benched at the start of the game -- ``Coach's decision,'' said Romeo Crennel, who made the decision.

But during the television broadcast of the game, the announcers reported several times that Edwards had a dislocated right thumb. The Browns said this was news to them. Crennel added that his No. 1 draft choice from 2005 didn't miss a practice.

Apparently, Edwards delivered this diagnosis to a member of the TV crew before the game. Whatever the real story, it seemed like the Browns were not in control of the situation. When Edwards did enter the game in the second quarter, he dropped a couple of passes. Fans booed. The frustration level rose.

The benching may have been because Edwards missed at least part of a team meeting -- or finally, Crennel just had enough of his self-absorbed receiver. You just wonder why this didn't happen a few weeks ago when he was late for a meeting before the Pittsburgh game, and also said some things about teammates that made no sense.

There's a sense of too little, too late.
The same with Crennel chewing out Kellen Winslow on the sidelines.

Oops, the coach said he was ``encouraging'' the tight end, after Winslow gestured and screamed at quarterback Derek Anderson, who failed to get him the ball.

Don't you wish Crennel had done some of this stuff sooner? In fact, the most disturbing part of the season isn't the 4-11 record (and that's awful), it's that Crennel has sometimes struggled with some of his young headstrong players. It seemed one thing he would be able to do is keep order.

The front office continues to say Crennel will return. Perhaps that's true, but the way the team seemed overwhelmed by another underachieving, losing team on its home field has to be very discouraging. It also does not reflect well on Crennel.

Clearly, coaching is just a piece of a very big, bitter tasting mud pie of what are your 2006 Cleveland Browns. The team has been savaged by injuries. But Tampa was on its No. 3 quarterback. Starting running back Cadillac Williams was out.

Both teams were beat up and playing for nothing. One showed more character and discipline, and it was not the guys in orange helmets. The players keep saying they like Crennel and want to work for him -- but many of them sure don't show it.

That has to bother the fans, and it has to lead to some serious soul-searching after the season by the front office.

As the Browns head into their final game, next Sunday at Houston, they'll be on their third quarterback. Ken Dorsey will start because Anderson was crushed by a Tampa rush and separated his right shoulder.

Doesn't that sound painful?

Not just the injury to Anderson, but that another Browns quarterback is hurt. Over and over, fans hear that story.

Last year, it was Trent Dilfer's knee. This year, it was Charlie Frye's wrist. A few years ago, Jeff Garcia broke a leg. Kelly Holcomb broke a leg. Holcomb also had fractured ribs. Tim Couch had several different injuries. Ty Detmer blew an Achilles.

This is not meant to defend a rattled Anderson, who threw four interceptions and had an embarrassing 12.3 rating, but the team can't protect any quarterback for long, regardless of who is in the pocket.

Nor will the Browns ever be able to develop a quarterback until the offensive line is upgraded, because the quarterback won't stay healthy enough to gain the experience required.

The latest version of the Browns has been around for eight years. In the last four seasons, the home record is 11-21, including 2-6 in 2006.

Yet, the fans still care -- even those who write e-mails, call talk shows and tell friends that they are sick of the team.

[img][image]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/thepitdog/topdawg.jpg[/img][/image]

Jesus! Does it ever end w/this guy? Even I can't believe what an ass he is. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

...well, we didn't expect him to say "Coach told me I gotta sit in the corner for a while." did we? You've heard of 'coach speak'...well, that's 'player speak'.

Rac can always have the trainer wrap his mouth up along with the thumb <img src="/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif" alt="" />