DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2013 NFL Season NFL Draft (2013) Draft apathy

Anybody else just a bit apathetic about this draft compared to others or is it just me?

I'm not sure what it is but I'm having a real hard time getting excited about this draft. It could be because I've gone through yet another year of regime change/scheme change and I'm just another year deeper into being tired of hearing about it. It could be because there aren't really any "WOW" players in this draft that I think we absolutely need to get. Sure, there are players that will make us better but none that are really exciting. It could be because we don't have a 2nd round pick so it's going to be the 1st round, then sit and wait for 48 hours.

Not sure what it is but I'm just not into looking into the numbers, watching the clips, etc like I have been in years past... is it just me?

It may be weird but I am a bit more excited about this draft compared to last year. Seems like last year there was less drama. Everyone pretty much knew how the top of the draft was going to go.

Nope... not just you DC. In my case, however, it isn't just this draft that I'm apathetic about. For the first time in my life, I'm feeling pretty numb about this entire organization. I have no faith left to give it. I'll always be a fan and I'll watch all the games, but I just don't feel like investing much of anything into it (monetarily or otherwise). I'd rather go play golf. ::shrug::

Nope, I am right there with you in Apathy Central Station, and I think that it's for all of the above reasons, but primarily (for me) the "Yet Another Regime/Scheme Change". It's the whole "I've seen this movie before, and all of its sequels have sucked.... why should I pay attention now?" thing.

I mean, if they released Friday the 13th Part XIII... would you be excited to see it? I know that I wouldn't, no matter what little plot twists are supposed to make it different and better this time. I'll wait for the real reviews to roll in, then I'll take a look.

i'm not quite as involved in it as previous years, but more due to more obligations (between work, coaching 2 little league teams, etc.)

i think the entire state of Cleveland sports presently is making it tough to get too excited about anything though.

It's hard to get excited about this one. Like the others said, new regime change = SOS. There also aren't too many players to get excited about this year. Millner maybe, but Jones, Ansah or whoever else will be there at 6 just isn't doing it for me.

I know what you mean. I gave up Sun. tkt a couple of yrs. ago and I still get to watch more than half of the games. I seem to be numb anymore to the out comes of the games. this is a good thing since I was always so down and out. Now I think my Wife worries about me since I don't act like I'm going to go postal Concerning the draft, I'll have to wait & see what happens. Lombardi scares me and I have these bad thoughts back to the Belichick years.

I don't feel that way, but possibly being a older dawg I quit getting all excited over it some time ago.


We still have a first round pick and something tells me we end up with another 2nd round pick. I say another because Gordon was our first 2nd rounder and I am pretty happy about that.


In some ways I am a bit more excited. With all the doom and gloom over the Lombardi hire, I am curious to see what we do. Is it total crap as many predict, or do they turn out wrong?


We won't know for a few years, but something tells me it is going to turn out well.


I have hung around this board for a good while. The percentages say go against the popular opinion. That isn't just this board. That is pretty much all fans and boards in general. Fans talk with their heart and little else.

Peen, You remember the '95 draft? That was one of the worst drafts I can remember. Not only in draft picks, but to watch on tv. They kept saying something was going on in the warroom and it turns out that BillyB was throwing a fit. Not a good day to be a Browns Fan.

No, it doesn't. Just hearing Lombardi brings back some not so good thoughts. Maybe enough time has passed to give these guys a chance. Here's hoping

For me, I think that it relates to our lack of a 2nd round pick. You only have to rank your top 6-10 players and you are set. Normally you would then look at who we might take in the 2nd. This moves the players you look at to about 30 (You can eliminate about 10-12 players that will be taken in the middle of the 1st round). However, we don't pick until the 3rd round and at that point there is just too much variability with who will be left when that pick comes around.

To compound things, last year we had that additional 1st round pick.

I'm not apathetic to it like I have been in recent years. I actually have a smidgeon more hope that the team will actually be better.

However, I can see the underlying foundation of apathy being built up because the game just isn't the same game as it has been in year's past. They've feminized the game (no offense intended to the ladies present) to the point where it's not nearly as recognizable as a contest between men on a battle field, but more as a boring game of checkers.

They got rid of rule that handed the Patriots win an AFC Championship (and subsequently a Super Bowl) and supplanted it with a rule where RBs can't use a natural reaction in taking on a tackler or face a penalty (and fine?) if they do and make the infraction.

Can they stop screwing with the game and let them just play some football? I know, lawsuits and all that crap. Just put flags on the uniforms and we can go back to making the relatively rough sport of baseball the most popular sport in the country again.

I'm not nearly as into the draft as previous years. To be fair last year we were looking at RG3 , RB, WR. This year we are looking atCB, OG,LB. Not quite as sexy. Ofcourse I have no faith at all in Lombardi & Banner. They might take Geno for Gods sake.

I'm kind of excited to see how the draft all plays out. What SF does with their 14 picks.

Am I excited about the Browns?

If I were to pin one word down it'd be "scared" or "worried".

I don't want to be watching a Matt Barkley press conference.

I really don't.

j/c

Yeah, the regime change is a real turnoff.

I will so miss trading away picks to move up w/a team that had zero intention of drafting TRich.

I'll miss drafting an old, dumb qb in the first round.

I'll miss double drafting at QB, RB, and WR high in the draft.

I'll miss the 14 and 34 record.

With that said, this group of players aren't that exciting. I really want Dee Milliner, but other than him......I don't like any of the guys at the top. I like Sherrif, but we won't be drafting an interior D'lineman that high.

There is some value later, but overall, it's a pedestrian group of players. And most have plenty of question marks.

^ Thanks for the agenda BS. Now that we've purged that nonsense out of our system.....

I've noticed this a bit too...I think it is a combo of two things.

1. I think the talent already here from the past couple of drafts lessens the drastic need to focus everything on our draft selections in the early rounds. We're showing legitimate return on those investments.

2. As much as I despise free agency, I cannot argue with what has been done so far this offseason. We switched defenses and added the necessary pieces to leverage the change while adding depth like all teams do. And we didn't spend all that much relative what we needed to spend....I still hope a portion of our cap goes to guys drafted in the past couple rounds before they hit the market in 2014.

Personally, I think the combo of these two factors makes us less dependent on our first round pick, thus less consumed with who we are targeting. Let's be honest, with all the rebuilds we've had and coaching changes, are we all that worried about the amount of holes to fill this year compared to previous years?

I feel like the reason I'm not overly excited is because I don't feel there's any player in this draft to be overly excited about.

Last year, we were looking for a QB. There was intrigue at the top of the draft with RGIII. Richardson was an exciting player. And, I had my mancrush on Blackmon.

This year, I just feel like there's no one to get super pumped up about.

I'll still watch every second of the draft, don't get me wrong. I juts don't feel as amped as I have in the past.

Yeah, it's only agenda if you knock the previous regime. Yet, you never say a word when guys rip the current regime.

Nope, no agenda there.

First time posting on this site. I think part of the reason for not being pumped up as much as in past years is knowing right now that we don't have a second round pick. Kinda takes a little away this year. Maybe if we trade down and still get a highly needed player in the first plus a 2nd rounder back might but a little spice back in the draft for us.

Equal opportunity in your offensive posts and now a bad case of apathy.You maybe should see a doctor.

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But unfortunately, you find one phrase, sentence, or word from a poster and turn it into the biggest bash fest you can find.

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He sho do.

I'm not excited about it at all.

I am not sure if it's the new FO, the fact that we don't have a second pick, maybe it's that I'm sick of not seeing a decent product on the field, maybe it's that there isn't any super stars in the draft (in comparison to last year) maybe I don't think that even with a good draft we will at be a .500 team.

Who knows... but I do know that I almost don't even care who we draft because they won't be enough to fix the mess we have this off season.

I have become apathetic to all things Browns. I've grown weary of the regime changes and the losing. My dad, one of the biggest Browns fans ever, died without a Superbowl appearance and all these many years later I fear that may be my fate as well. Two generations of devoting a lifetime of fanaticism for what, this?!

A big part of me died when the team moved. It came back to life when we returned. I found this message board back in '01 and it has been a daily stopping place for me to scour for information on my Browns ever since. Those of us who do that are fanatics to the Nth degree.

I used to post daily, get into great debates, arguments and I surely had my opinions of which I'd pontificate endlessly. (Vers, you gave me that word, which I had to look up, when describing one of my posts about 5-6 years back. Actually, I loved the observation and it carried with it an awaking as it did change my style a bit after that. )

Yet, the past couple of years has found my interest waning.

I have rarely posted the past two years. Less this year than last. My opinions are not as strong as they used to be and I lack the burning desire to voice them. In regards to posting hope and faith how could one guy be so wrong?!

Regime changes, system changes and losing has taken somewhat of a toll on this old dawg's patience.

For the sake of God, is it too much to ask to at least be not pathetic and embarrassing?

I remember when the Steelers were our bitches.

So, for me, it has gotten to the point where I don't look forward to the draft as in years past. Bad draft after bad draft, loss after loss, regime after regime is getting to wear on me.

I used to get into each new season, even each new regime, each new coach, each new scheme change, each new draft pick with high hopes and faith that we'll turn this thing around.

With the introduction of the H & H regime I slipped into a "wait and see" mode but still with great hope even if my undying faith was not there.

Now, with yet another regime change I'm "wait and see" with little or no hope and even less faith. It's not because of who they are or what they've done so far but rather that this old dawg has been kicked so often he shies away.

So, another regime, another draft. Is this the turnaround, is this the new beginning? Maybe. Is it more of the same? Maybe. Will I read the board? Every day. Do I look forward to each new bit of news and information? Yes. Am I looking forward to the upcoming season and will I watch with intense interest? Yes.

Do I have any expectations good or bad?

Not really.

For most people, the draft is the first 3 rounds. Without a pick in the second round, images of 2008 with Beau Bell being the benchmark for discussion becomes the focus.

Beyond that, the names become a mix of the unknown and questionable. I still wonder about Hughes.., although he may have been worth the selection.

It is a weak draft coming up. We are likely going to pick a defense position. We are heading into the season with huge questions at QB and aren't likely to make the playoffs, much less the superbowl. The FO is kind of smarmy but the coaches are fantastic.

Sort of a mixed bag coming forward.

If it is comforting to anyone.. Being a guy in my mid twenties the first game I can remember watching... Eric Zeier was the QB. I may have caught one with Vinny as well. At least many of you can remember the 70's and 80's. I've got nothing.

I am fond of Chud. If he pulls a miracle with Weeden (not completely unlikely) we may have something here. Otherwise I look forward to next season when we'll have a chance at an elite QB (all that matters in this league). And maybe then we will win some games.

But looking forward to drafting questionable CB and OLB talent in round one isn't very exciting.

I'm all but apathetic because for me this draft will tell us a lot about this new FO.

They're coming up to bat with the bases loaded and no outs and I'm like "just don't strike out please"...my expectation level is low though. I'd take a sac fly, which would be a good pick at 6 or mid 1st after trade down and lots of "cringe picks" the rest of the way. I just don't want them to mess up the 6th overall value, that's all. With the rest they can surprise me.

I'm going into the draft with a negative mindset just to protect myself from the kind of frustration I experienced in the 2009 draft. I keep telling me that it can't get worse

How do you go from no second round pick to "bases loaded with no outs"?

The "bases loaded" was an analogy for the WHOLE situation they inherited: the young foundation, coupled with a wealthy cap sitation and most probably sitting in a pretty spot to do whatever they want to do at 6 overall. While they don't have a 2nd a 6th overall is worth more than a mid 1st and a mid 2nd, that's why I keep stressing that whatever they do and get out of that value is obviously most important and the only real "pressure". They're in the driver's seat (hitting with bases loaded), as teams will come calling for the pick or a some pretty good talent will be there to choose from....they just have to avoid the strikeout (picking a G or slot WR or DL and trade one of Rubin/Taylor)

They don't have a 2nd, but they have a WR-talent already with one year of experience who is worth more than that now, so that's hardly a "loss". They have "no outs" because there's little pressure from the top yet. They just started and it's their first offseason and they can go whatever direction they like.

Better?

The bottom line is that this team has been a 4-5 win team for each of the past 4 seasons.

The QB, even though I think that he can become a good one, is still a question mark.

What I don't get is this ..... you say that the bases are loaded ..... which would indicate that you like most of the team .... and expect that a player or 2 could turn this team into something special (?) ........ but then you complain that we haven't brought in enough borderline players like McClain? (at least that's what a team having the bases loaded with no one out means to me)

To me, a team that has the bases loaded with no one out has proven talent everywhere. We do have talent, but much of it is still unproved. Given the results of the past few years, I would say that we have a solid single, with a potential base stealer on. We certainly don't have home run hitters yet. We have a lot of singles hitters who might become doubles hitters ..... or maybe might even become a home run threat. Then again, they might strike out. Joe Thomas, if an OL can be a home run threat, would be one. Mack might be a little behind. The rest are really still question marks. On defense, maybe a few of our defensive linemen might qualify as doubles hitters. We have questions elsewhere. Even DQ was a question, even if we'd stayed in the 3-4. He started off last year strong, but quickly faded. He was an impact player early on, then stopped making impact plays.

As far as Gordon, we got our 2nd rounder early ..... but he's still already on the team and we don't have the ability to add another player in the 2nd round of this coming draft. We are still limited in that regard. We have only 1 pick in the 1st 2 rounds. It's harder to make a major improvement to a team when that is the case.

I bet that there is pressure from Haslam, even if it' not to win it all this year. I bet that he has laid out his expectations for the year, next couple of years, and so on. I bet that going backwards isn't anywhere on that agenda.

YTown, I didn't say "the team has the bases loaded"...I said with regards to the draft and WHOLE situation this FO has inherited that it is such a situation. The "team" and results are still up in the air

How many runs (= good, contending team) has a baseball team scored in such a situation? Exactly, NONE yet...and that's where we are imho as a team and with our cap situation...the count is 2-2 for me after a good start in FA to go ahead 2-0 so to speak and then they swung and missed on Grimes (and CB) and took the next pitch for the 2-2 count (doing nothing at other need positions), thus the next pitch (which will be our next big opportunity to get a starter) is the 6th overall and it will be a CRUCIAL one, as I've been stressing. If we trade down, we better our count to 3-2 by gaining extra pick, better situation...the options then for me are: WALK and score one run = take a safe G or slot WR (Austin obv), hit a line drive that can become a double, homer run or can be caught (= Rhodes, Trufant etc) or swing and miss (for me thats J.Jones, Vaccaro and some others, everybody has their own guys for this scenario).

I hope I made myself perfectly clear now. A team with the bases loaded hasn't scored yet, but has the POTENTIAL to score big, thus it's NOT a team that "has proven talent everywhere"....that's actually what we should LOOK to add in such a situation and would qualify as a hit (if we landed another starter or two in FA or draft at positions of need)


As for Gordo, if we didn't have him, but have a 2nd rounder sintead, we'd have a gaping hole at the WR depth chart too...you can't have everything and it's imho silly to dispute he wasn't worth it so far. Heckert inherited Robo, Massa and a bag of chips at WR and after 3 years left this FO with Gordon, Little and Benjamin (and Norwood), 3-4 young and much more promising options that have actually produced

I don't think YTBF was arguing about Gordon, as in he would rather have the pick.

Anyway, I understand your bases loaded comment, even though I get the feeling you are stacking the deck against mangini and Banner in that no matter what they do they will blow it.....but that's just my opinion.


You are right on the value at #6....we have to get good value there. The problem I see is we know a few players will be gone. Millner brings the value we need, but if he is gone we are left with several prospects that can boom or bust. My hope is one of the tackles is there and somebody wants him. That gives us the option of moving back if Millner is indeed gone.

The ideal is we only drop a couple of spots where we could take Rhodes and not have it look so much like a reach.

I don't know what we could get to drop 2-3 slots....2nd rounder? Probably but we would probably have to give up a 4th or something like that.

In the end, I want Millner there. Drop a few slots and take Rhodes. If we have to drop back a little further, say to 10-12, take Warmack. I'd say Warmack and a 2nd would be solid value. So would Rhodes and a leveraged 2nd rounder.

Just to chime in, I pretty much agree with this bases loaded analogy. While we all will have our own players/scenarios plugged into the analogy, it does make sense.

This draft is HUGE for our team's future. I think my dream scenario would be to trade back a few slots to gain a 2nd Round pick. And then draft some combination of CB/S/OG/TE.

From my perspective, having to "settle" for a boom/bust type of player at #6 (Ansah, Jordan) or any of the QBs will be a big time risk and probable strikeout.

j/c
Wow!!! ...what a great thread. It really is bringing to the surface some of our innermost thoughts...

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Please. Go. Away.

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Go away? I could have sworn you insulted me first. I don't recall even addressing you until after you replied to me.

And for the record, I don't think what I said was BS. I did not like the TRich pick. I did not like the Weeden pick. I hated our drafts. I hated our philosophy under H and H. I hated our record. I hated that we couldn't improve our record after 3 full years.

I am so glad they are gone. I don't know if the new guys will be good or not, but in my opinion--they can't be any worse. The only real problem here is that I hold a minority opinion and a lot of people have a hard time w/people who don't agree w/the majority, so they post things like "Agenda BS!" and call someone a "troll." Sounds like bullying to me.

I could care less if you like me or not. I have renewed hope because H and H are gone. That isn't going to change.