Phil Dawson Deserves Better
On Monday, fourteen year veteran Phil Dawson signed the Cleveland Browns’ franchise tender for $3.81 million which ensures he will be back for the Orange and Brown in 2012. Phil Dawson is the only player left from the Browns’ return in 1999. He is one of my favorite players of all time. I wish he had gone elsewhere.
For over a decade, Dawson has kicked in the rain, sleet, snow, and wind that constantly attack Cleveland Browns Stadium like a biblical plague. He has been reliable as the daily paper, converting an astounding 97.6% of his extra point attempts and 83.1% of his field goals. Number 4 is directly responsible for 1,155 points. Only Lou Groza has scored more points for Cleveland in his career (1,349). He has gone out every year with a solemn façade and a workman’s attitude. If Cleveland is still a blue-collar town, then Dawson is the consummate blue-collar worker. He has been the Browns’ rock all these years, the only piece of consistency in the locker room, and we don’t deserve him.
Dawson has been as loyal as the family dog but has been treated to nothing but mediocre football his entire professional career. He turned 37 in January and only has a few years left in the NFL. With the Browns expected to rebuild (again) this upcoming season, there is little chance Dawson will be able to get another chance to kick in the playoffs. When Cleveland franchised him before the 2011 season I was happy; I figured the team was coming together and had an outside chance to make the postseason. The following 4-12 season made the team a maelstrom of uncertainty. This time however, I understand that we cannot be selfish anymore. Dawson deserves a legitimate shot to win a championship, whether it be with Dallas, Denver, New York, or parts in between.
Cleveland is always afraid of losing its favorite players. Sometimes they leave for money like Jim Thome did in 2002. Some players are simply released by the team like Omar Vizquel. Some have to be dealt like CC Sabathia to get picks or prospects. Some have a nationally televised special to commemorate their treachery. The point is we are always afraid that the men we pay to see will leave someday for one of the “cool” cities like New York or Chicago. It has left us insecure, gun-shy, and afraid to buy replica jerseys. But with Phil Dawson we cannot afford to be selfish anymore.
We should trade Phil Dawson. It breaks my heart to type it but the decent thing to do is give him a real chance to win the Lombardi Trophy. It’s not going to happen for him here. Do not get me wrong, I believe that someday the Browns will be in contention for the Super Bowl annually. But it’s not this year and honestly it’s probably not going to happen during Phil’s career. So we need to let someone else offer him the happiness we cannot provide. Sometime this season a kicker on a contending team is bound to get hurt. When that happens, Cleveland GM Tom Heckert should pick up the phone and offer Dawson for a draft pick. He is easily worth a second rounder, maybe an arm can be twisted for something earlier than that. People will write nasty tweets and radio call-in shows will talk about how mad they are about the deal. Dawson will make a statement about how his heart will always be on the North Shore, how he would not trade his time in Cleveland for anything in the world. It will be the truth, but some part of him will be happy. He deserves to be happy.
I know this reads like the Browns and Dawson are breaking up, but truth be told that’s not an unfair description. He has been nothing but faithful to this team, but he deserves more than we can offer. Maybe he can be like Thome and return to a raucous fanfare in a couple years with some jewelry in tow. But right now, he is a great kicker on a lousy team. He has earned the right to kickoff the Super Bowl and I hope that he does soon. Just not for Pittsburgh.
The Top 5 Cleveland Wins of the Past Decade
Corey Barnes
In the hallowed and oft maligned history of Cleveland sports, emphasis is always placed on the defeats. They are legion and have nifty nicknames that I will not mention here (you know what they are). But in all that mess, among the teary nights and broken hearts, the clubs that call Northeast Ohio home have won a few games from time to time. The following is a list of the top five wins for any professional Cleveland sports team in the past decade.
Rankings were determined by the following criteria: points were assigned for playoff victories, comebacks, overtime, rivalry games, and how well I remember the contest.
Number 5 - Cavs over Wizards: 2006 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Game 6
For the first time in the LeBron James Era, the Cleveland Cavaliers had reached the playoffs. Their first opponent was the Washington Wizards and their leading scorer Gilbert Arenas. A hard-fought series favored the Cavs 3-2 entering Game Six in Washington. Regulation ended with the game tied at 107 and in overtime Cleveland was down two facing their last possession of the game. The Cavs worked the clock low with a few passes. The ball was kicked to Damon Jones (jump to the 13:18 mark) in the corner who did not hesitate in launching a three-pointer. Before Cleveland could collectively scream, “You put the potential game-winning shot in an ice-cold Damon Jones’ hands?!?” the ball fell through the cylinder. The Cavs led 114-113. The Wizards quickly inbounded the ball and crossed into the frontcourt. A buzzer-beating heave from Agent Zero struck iron and the Wine and Gold celebrated the team’s first playoff series victory since 1993.
To this day I do not know what is more confounding: the fact that such an important moment came down to the self-proclaimed best shooter in the world or the fact that he delivered in the clutch despite not having played a second the whole game. The flimsy argument can be made that we should have known then that James is allergic to the fourth quarter but it was for the most part chalked up to nerves and youth. I remember going out to my driveway the day after the game, measuring the distance to an NBA corner three and serving up airballs while yelling, “Jones for 3!” That was a great game.
Number 4 - Browns over Steelers: 2003 Week 5
If asked to pick a word to describe the 2003 Cleveland Browns I would go with “underwhelming.” Expectations were high coming off the reborn franchise’s first playoff appearance the year previous but the team struggled out of the gate, dropping three of their first four games. Fans were justifiably nervous entering the nationally televised Week 5 matchup against the hated Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Browns, however, refused to be intimidated. The Orange and Brown struck early going up 10-0 in the first. The best offensive play came just before half time when quarterback Tim Couch scrambled nine yards for a touchdown punctuated by a crowd-silencing spike and flex. The Browns, clad in their glorious orange pants, led 23-10 at the half. The signature moment of the game however was Daylon McCutcheon’s 75-yard pick six at the expense of Tommy Maddox. Cleveland ran away for a 33-13 victory. Couch finished with 208 yards and two touchdowns. The team won only five games all year but this one certainly meant the most to Cuyahoga County. That was a great game.
Number 3 - Cavs over Magic: 2009 Eastern Conference Finals Game 2
2009 was supposed to be the year for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team finished 66-16, including a 39-2 home mark. The national media wanted to see the LeBron-led Cavs to square off against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. All the Wine and Gold had to do was roll through the Eastern Conference. They swept the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks back to back. Many Cavs fans (me) thought the team was lucky in that they could avoid the Boston Celtics and instead play against some tall chap named Dwight. Then the Orlando Magic inexplicably beat the Cavs 107-106 at the Q in Game 1. In Game 2 the Cavs came out hot and at one point led by 23 points. Yet the relentless shooting of Hedo Turkoglu and the three point shooting of Mickael (f***ing) Pietrus kept the Magic in the game. Turkoglu hit a late jumper that gave Orlando a one point edge with exactly one second to go. No time to dribble, no time to head-fake, just a simple catch and release. Mo Williams found James about three feet behind the three-point arc where he uncorked a line-drive-buzzer-beating-game-winning-series-tying-heart-stopping three pointer (at the 2:56 mark). The Cavs walked away with a 96-95 victory.
Few people believed the Cavs could pull this one off with so little time left. We had been burned before; we were snake bit by failure. “The NBA in Cleveland: Where Despair Happens,” you get the idea. I sat in my college dorm with friends hoping for the impossible. When that shot fell through the net everyone just lost their minds. We were a jumping, screaming maelstrom of joy. It didn’t matter that we were two hours from home; it felt like we were right there in Loudville basking in playoff victory. That was a great game.
Number 2 - Tribe over Yankees: 2007 American League Division Series Game 2
Home field advantage is always more pronounced in baseball than any other sport. The rules naturally favor the hosting team and players have more experience with the unique nooks and crannies of their park. This advantage was taken to new limits during Game 2 of the 2007 American League Divisional Series. The Indians led the New York Yankees one game to none entering a battle of pitching studs: New York’s Andy Pettite and Cleveland’s Fausto Carmona (at least that’s what we called him back then). The Pinstripers took a 1-0 lead on a Miguel Cabrera homerun and the Tribe was stifled most of the night by lockdown Yankee pitching. The Yankees led 1-0 entering the bottom of the 8th with Joba Chamberlin on the bump for the visitors. Right about then the Fourth Plague of the Cuyahoga arrived. Midges swarmed the field tormenting the players, most significantly Chamberlin. The Yankees asked the Indians for some bug spray and were given what I can only assume was the last can on the retail shelf. It was not very effective. Grady Sizemore stood on third with two outs and Victor Martinez at the plate. Chamberlin continued to be pestered by the …. y’know….pests which resulted in his second wild pitch of the inning allowing Sizemore to score the equalizer. The game was tied and headed to extra innings.
Kenny Lofton walked to open the bottom of the 11th. Franklin Gutierrez singled and the runners advanced on Casey Blake’s sac bunt. Grady Sizemore was intentionally walked and rookie supreme Asdrubal Carbera popped out. Travis Hafner stepped up to the plate and delivered a walk-off single to right for the Indians. That was a great game. Plus two games later the Indians eliminated the Yankees and led to the creation of this musical gem.
Number 1 - Cavs over Pistons: 2007 Eastern Conference Finals Game 6
The number one win should not come as a surprise to anyone as this was the victory that got a Cleveland team to the title series. Coming off LeBron James’ superhuman 48 point performance in the Palace, the Cavs knew the Detroit Pistons’ defense would focus on the guy from Akron. Someone else would have to stand up. It turns out someone else wears number one. Rookie Daniel “Boobie” Gibson went off during Game 6, scoring 31 points including a perfect five for five from range. The game was tight for the first half and the teams entered intermission tied at 48. Cleveland led by one after three periods but simply out-shot the Pistons the rest of the way outscoring the visitors 31-16 in the final period. The noise level kept increasing with every shot as the Q started to realize that there would be no infamous “The ___” phrase associated with this game except maybe “The Conference Title.” The final horn sounded and confetti fell on Cleveland’s 98-82 win.
I realize that fondly remembering this game may be difficult. I know what happened in the NBA Finals in 2007; I know what was on ESPN on July 8, 2010; and I know how many games we lost last year. But I did not know that then. When the Cavs won the conference I was a 17-year-old kid who finally got to enjoy a significant playoff win. We as a city had to wait a long time for a team that good, and we loved it and everyone on it. Everyone. The memory is perhaps more bittersweet in retrospect, but I still remember driving home to see the end of the game while listening to Joe Tait go hoarse from calling Gibson’s name all night. No matter what has happened since then, on June 2, 2007 the Cleveland Cavaliers were the toast of the sports world. That was a great game.
Was I right? Was I way off? What did I forget? Tweet at me, bro @Corey_Barnes
In 1987 the Cleveland Browns won the AFC’s Central Division.
Cleveland Literature
“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”
This oft-quoted line was written by Charles Dickens in his classic novel A Tale of Two Cities. Clearly Mr. Dickens was not a Browns fan. If he was, he would have known that all he needed was the second half of that sentence.
Doubtless, these are dark days for the Cleveland sports faithful. Despite the Indians’ surprising success this past season, Cleveland is about to conclude the first year without a playoff run in any sport since 2005. (While I acknowledge the Lake Erie Monsters’ postseason appearance this spring, it seriously undercuts my admittedly whiney argument so for the moment I will ignore it.) I am also momentarily omitting Ohio State teams, and focusing on the three big teams on the lakefront. To get some perspective on the outlooks for the respective clubs, I turn to classic literature.
“These are the times that try men’s souls.”
Thomas Paine originally wrote these words and contrary to popular belief, The Crisis he was describing actually did not concern what to do with the West Coast offense. Mr. Paine’s words resonate with all the citizens of Cuyahoga County every Sunday. The Browns have been nearly unwatchable this year. This is not the team’s worst run in recent memory – remember the 1-11 start in 2009? … On second thought, don’t remember it. The odd thing is that the defense is not that horrific: the team is ranked ninth in the league in points allowed per game with 19.6. The Browns are the definition of inept on offense and are shooting themselves in the foot in new and imaginative ways. Remember that time our Pro Bowl center shifted his leg to the right and adjusted the flight of the ball from our Pro Bowl long snapper that ruined the concentration of our Hall of Fame kicker? Yeah it haunts me too. As I have mentioned previously, I want to believe in Colt McCoy. However, as I watch him compete every week, that faith is being shaken time and again. Soon however, the Browns will shuffle into the sunset as they do at the end of every December and Ohioans will turn their attention to the hardwood. They will find little relief.
“Now is the winter of our discontent.”
William Shakespeare died in 1616, 275 years before Dr. James Naismith set up a pair of peach baskets in a gymnasium in Massachusetts. Therefore we have no way of knowing if The Bard would have enjoyed basketball, though I maintain that he would have made a terrific color commentator:
“Sure was a great pass, huh Bill?”
“Upon my soul, against the towering quintet Irving navigated the sphere to his brother’s hand as a ship amidst stormy seas is led to the safety of harbor”
“…Yeah…”
So when Shakespeare wrote the above line for Richard III he had no idea how appropriate it would be to describe the Cleveland Cavaliers 2011-12 season. The Cavaliers are rich in potential but little else. The club has more questions than answers. How quickly will newcomers Tristan Thompson and Kyrie Irving adjust to the NBA? Is Anderson Varejão fully healed? Will JJ Hickson be missed? Is Omri Casspi the long term answer at small forward? How much will Baron Davis weigh when camp opens? I doubt the team will struggle as mightily as the 29 game losing streak last year but do not expect a return to postseason basketball anytime soon. Honestly the best news for Cavs fans right now may be that the season is only 66 games long.
“Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never Is, but always To be blest:
The soul, uneasy and confin’d from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.”
If Alexander Pope were alive today, I believe he would be an Indians season ticket holder because he has the right attitude. Not only does hope spring eternal, but also the best time for hope in the future is the spring. The Tribe turned heads, dropped jaws, and relocated other body parts by starting the 2011 campaign a surprising 30-15 before leveling off and finishing in second place in the AL Central at 80-82. The “window of contention” should be open starting on Opening Day 2012. The Tribe bolstered their starting rotation by signing veteran hurler Derek Lowe and retaining Fausto Carmona. Grady Sizemore is back from his tour of free agency and will be an inexpensive gamble. If the Indians can supplement the team with a veteran backup infielder and sign a slugging first baseman (I hear that Albert fellow from St. Louis is a free agent) then the team might be in good shape in the Central. The bullpen is a major strength and the team has a several up and comers. This no doubt is where hopes should be pinned.
The hard part of course is getting to the spring. We still have five poorly-played football games to look forward to and a whole season of bad basketball. My diagnosis: go check out the Lake Erie Monsters. Hockey is much better in person than on TV. If that does not intrigue you, there is always Ohio State basketball. As long as Jared Sullinger is suiting up for the Scarlet and Gray, the Bucks will be in the National Title hunt. It just goes to show what literary giant Woody Hayes always said, “A guy from Ohio can make it in life if he works hard enough.”
Thoughts? Comments? Criticisms? The author can be reached on the Twitter @Corey_Barnes
Coach Frost
Recently, I have found myself spending a disproportionate amount of time reading about/watching sports. In an effort to diversify my personal portfolio (and get my mind away from the Browns’ kick-in-the-balls loss on Sunday) I decided to read some poetry, specifically Robert Frost. I’ve read some of his work before and enjoyed it. Additionally, I assumed that there was little to no chance that his 19th century New England poems would mention the benefits of the shotgun formation versus a five step drop. And yet I found myself relating a piece of Frost’s poetry directly to fanhood (especially Cleveland fanhood). In “The Black Cottage” he wrote these lines:
“… why abandon a belief
Merely because it ceases to be true.
Cling to it long enough, and not a doubt
It will turn true again, for so it goes.
Most of the change we think we see in life
Is due to truths being in and out of favour.”
Isn’t that perfect for Northeast Ohio? Isn’t that why we keep going back to that Factory of Sadness on the Lakefront? We do not abandon a belief (that the Browns may accidentally win on Sunday) despite the fact that it has not been regularly true since the Reagan Administration. We hang on because deep down we just KNOW that soon it will turn around. Eventually it will be our turn. Two trades, a draft pick, a couple free agents… We rationalize it all day, that maybe we are closer than we think.
My favorite part of the excerpt is the word “cling” because it creates the correct mental image: A weathered fan wearing a faded Tim Couch jersey while hanging precipitously from a vertical rock face. So many of us are at the brink of letting go, burning our jerseys, and giving that whole hockey thing a genuine try. But we don’t because we are from Cleveland, and we believe that even though we are down now those good old days “will turn true again.”
Listen to Coach Frost, Cleveland; keep the faith.
“Should be just a chip shot”
Hey guys, remember that time our Pro Bowl center slid his right leg over to interrupt the snap from our Pro Bowl long snapper which shot the concentration of our Hall of Fame kicker? Yeah, it haunts me too.
Come on ScoreCenter, I know it was bad but let’s get real.
Playing the (Football) Field
Part 2
I am a Browns fan; that is my cross to bear. This is my team for better or worse, till death do us part, until the end of the world next December. Their play of late (pretty much everything since 2003), however, has inspired me to investigate adopting a secondary team. A Lower Tier of Loyalty if you will. In order to justify this selection, I am focusing on teams with prominent Ohio State alumni on the active roster (Brian Robiskie is omitted since he is already with the Browns).
Part 1 is here.
Minnesota Vikings: (1-5)
Argument for: I.) Michael Jenkins (2001-03). Jenkins caught seventeen touchdowns in his collegiate career and was a main part of the 2002 National Championship team. This season with the Vikings he has caught 24 passes including two touchdowns. II.) Antoine Winfield (1997-98). Winfield has had a successful pro career on a series of unsuccessful teams. A three-time Pro Bowler, the Akron native has played for years on underperforming Bills teams and underwhelming Vikings teams. Despite turning 34 in June, Winfield has continued to excel in Minnesota. This season he has 35 total tackles plus an interception and forced fumble.
Argument against: While I hold no personal grudge against the Vikings staff or personnel, I believe the Metrodome is an affront against nature. The Twins may have returned outside, but the Vikings’ presence in the Twin Cities keeps that dreaded structure in use. I still have bitter memories of baseballs screaming across a carpet that turns a seeing-eye single into a triple. Every time a hit bounced off a catwalk Tris Speaker convulsed in his grave. When the ‘Dome finally gives up the ghost I might give the Vikes another chance, but until then they get 4 out of 10.
New Orleans Saints: (4-2)
Argument for: I.) Malcolm Jenkins (2005-08). Jenkins was a four year starter at Ohio State. His play as a defensive back was a critical part of two national championship runner-up teams. He saw some work on special teams as well returning punts and kicks. Jenkins was both an All-American and the Jim Thorpe Award winner his senior year. He was drafted 14th overall by the Saints and his timing could not have been better because New Orleans won that year’s Super Bowl. Jenkins has done a fine job in the Crescent City this year recording four pass deflections and 31 total tackles. II.) Will Smith (2000-03). Smith was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2003 and was a member of the ’02 ‘ship team. He has played his whole career with the Saints and has the distinction of winning a title both as a collegian and a professional. Smith is holding up well; this year he has 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and twelve total tackles.
Argument against: The Saints have lost some of that Cinderella luster. While I greatly respect all the work the people of New Orleans have done in the wake of the Hurricane, I do not know if this year’s team can replicate the magic of two seasons past. I did however root for the Saints in the Super Bowl when they played the Colts so some of that residual support lingers. 6 out of 10.
New York Jets: (3-3)
Argument for: I.) Nick Mangold (2003-05). Mangold started at center for the Buckeyes for three years and earned several distinctions- as a junior and senior he was named to the All-Big Ten team. Drafted in the first round by the Jets, Mangold has proven himself to be a worthwhile investment. He started every game his first five years though he has had some injury trouble this season. The Centerville native went to the Pro Bowl the past three seasons and was a First Team All-Pro in 2009 and 2010. II.) Santonio Holmes (2003-05). In three seasons wearing Scarlet and Gray, Holmes scored 26 total touchdowns and was an impact player. Holmes played in the NFL for four years in western Pennsylvania where he won a Super Bowl and received the game’s MVP award. He has scored three touchdowns this season.
Argument against: New York fans can be really obnoxious. The sense of entitlement and general abrasive attitude does not at all work with my style of watching sporting events. Also, Jets fans like to complain that they have not won a Super Bowl since Broadway Joe was under center as if that were the only team in town. Nevermind that since “The Guarantee” the Yankees have won seven World Series, the Mets two; the Giants earned three Lombardi trophies; the Knicks scored two NBA titles; the Islanders have raised four Stanley Cups, and the Rangers one. No, the whole Jets thing really is a shame though; someone should take up a collection. 4 out of 10.
Philadelphia Eagles (2-4)
Argument for: Kurt Coleman (2006-09). Coleman played as a defensive back for four years in the Horseshoe. Though his career started slowly, his junior and senior years saw him snag four and five interceptions respectively. His senior year he was both first team All-Big Ten and All-American. He was drafted by the Eagles in the seventh round in 2010. Though he started only two games his rookie campaign, he managed a pick and 27 total tackles. Coleman has started at safety all six games for Philly this year and last week alone he grabbed three interceptions in an Eagles win.
Argument against: Before the season began, Philadelphia was hailed as the “Dream Team” and the club was projected to go deep in the playoffs. Their start has been incredibly underwhelming on all sides of the ball. Michael Vick is struggling to live up to his hundred million dollar contract and the key additions are not producing on the field as people thought they would. While I am a fan of DeSean Jackson and his “Miracle at the New Meadowlands” heroics last year, I am not sure how this team’s season will end up. 5 out of 10.
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
Argument for: Will Allen (2001-03). It honestly does not matter who plays for the Steelers, it’s just never going to happen. 0 out of 10.
St. Louis Rams (0-5)
Argument for: James Laurinaitis (2005-08). If the alumni ever decided to hold a vote for the best linebacker of the past decade, there is a good chance Laurinaitis would win. Despite having a hard last name to spell, you can see it engraved on the 2006 Bronko Nagurski Award, 2007 Dick Butkus Award, and 2008 Ronnie Lott Trophy. Oh, and he was also a three time consensus All-American (06, 07 & 08) as well as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year his junior and senior seasons. He tackled a lot of people is what I’m trying to say. In two plus years with the Rams, Laurinaitis has accumulated over 250 tackles.
Argument against: The Rams are having a lousy season. During the preseason many pundits felt that this year would be quarterback Sam Bradford’s coming out party and the return of “The Greatest Show on Turf.” Instead, the Rams have yet to win a game and are averaging a comatose 9.8 points per game. While I respect Laurinaitis and wish him lots of luck, I do not know if he is enough to pull this team back from the depths of mediocrity. 1 out of 10.
San Diego Chargers (4-1)
Argument for: Na’il Diggs (1997-99). While with the Buckeyes, Diggs split time between defensive end and linebacker. He recorded 202 tackles in his career including 18 sacks. He has been in the NFL for a while now and the Chargers are his fourth total team. The 33-year-old may be starting to show his age, he has recorded only one tackle this year with four assists.
Argument against: While San Diego is a good team, claiming them because an aging journeyman linebacker (whose name I did not recognize when I first saw it on the list) is on it does not seem quite right to me. 3 out of 10.
San Francisco 49ers (5-1)
Argument for: I.) Ted Ginn Jr. (2004-06). Ginn was a jack-of-all-trades with Ohio State. He caught fifteen touchdowns through the air, ran in three on the ground, and scored eight on special teams. His freshman year, 2004, Ginn led the nation in punt return yards per with 25.6. He averaged a quarter of the field per return. Originally drafted by the Dolphins, Ginn joined the 49ers before the 2010 season. He has been electric this year with 687 total yards off returns as well as a pair of touchdowns. II.) Larry Grant (2006-07). Grant transferred to OSU from City College of San Francisco before his junior year. He played in 25 games as a Buckeye including starting every contest his senior year. He was a key role player on two teams that played for the BCS title. This year with the Niners, however, he has struggled recording only three tackles. III.) Donte Whitner (2003-05). Whitner, like Ginn Jr., graduated from Glennville High School in Cleveland. In three years as a defensive back for the Bucks, Whitner won three bowl games and played well enough to be drafted eighth overall by the Buffalo Bills. He went to San Fran this past offseason. Whitner has intercepted one pass, deflected five others, and has 21 tackles on the year.
Argument against: It’s hard to poke holes in this one. There are three Buckeyes on one team. A team, by the way, that is taking the world by storm with their unexpected 5-1 record. The days of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice are long gone so this is a new group looking to reestablish itself in a wide open NFC West. I could get behind that. 9 out of 10.
Washington Redskins (3-2)
Argument for: Darrion Sco- Actually I think I am ready to make up my mind. Thanks but no thanks, Washington. 2 out of 10.
Let’s tabulate the results:
San Francisco 49ers 9
Green Bay Packers 8
Cincinnati Bengals 7
Arizona Cardinals 6
New Orleans Saints 6
Chicago Bears 5
Carolina Panthers 5
Philadelphia Eagles 5
Detroit Lions 4
Kansas City Chiefs 4
Minnesota Vikings 4
New York Jets 4
Miami Dolphins 3
San Diego Chargers 3
Washington Redskins 2
St. Louis Rams 1
Pittsburgh Steelers 0
So the winner is the San Francisco 49ers! I think it’s a good call: three Buckeyes on the team, winning record, and even cool uniforms. And the best part is the Niners don’t play Cleveland this seas-. Oh…it seems the Browns travel to San Fran on October 30th. Well this might be awkward. Still, when push comes to shove, I know where I am from.
Playing the (Football) Field
Part 1
I am a Browns fan; that is my cross to bear. This is my team for better or worse, till death do us part, until the end of the world next December. Their play of late (pretty much everything since 2003), however, has inspired me to investigate adopting a secondary team. A Lower Tier of Loyalty if you will. In order to justify this selection, I am focusing on teams with prominent Ohio State alumni on the active roster (Brian Robiskie is omitted since he is already with the Browns).
Arizona Cardinals: (1-4)
Argument for: Chris “Beanie” Wells (2006-08). Beanie played in Columbus for three seasons including my freshman year. He amassed 3,466 yards; 30 touchdowns; and three Big Ten titles. This year Wells is having a great year in the desert as he currently leads in the NFL in rushing touchdowns (6). In addition he is averaging 95.2 yards per game.
Argument against: The rest of the Cardinals. The team is only 1-4, though they were thoroughly mugged by the New York Giants and the on duty referees in Week 4. The team is on a four game losing skid and faces a tough upcoming schedule. Let’s give them 6 out of 10.
Carolina Panthers: (1-5)
Argument for: I.)Chris Gamble (2001-03). Gamble was a terrific player with the Buckeyes who saw time on offense, defense, and special teams. Also he was part of the National Championship team in 2002 (in the Fiesta Bowl he caught two balls for 69 yards). While Gamble played well his first few years in the league, he is not shining as brightly this season with only four passes defended and eleven total tackles. II.) Ben Hartsock (2000-03). Hartsock also played for the ’02 championship team. The Panthers are his fifth career team and he has yet to record a catch this year.
Argument against: Cam Newton. While I respect his raw ability, the controversy surrounding his father allegedly shopping Cam like a used car never sat well with me. I also chafe at the thought that Newton fled for the NFL and never faced the music for his allegedly illicit signing. They get 5 out of 10.
Chicago Bears: (2-3)
Argument for: Dane Sanzenbacher (2007-2010). Sanzenbacher was a major target for #2 last year with the Bucks, catching eleven touchdowns. In his collegiate career, Sanzy crossed the goal line 19 times. Dane’s is really an underdog story. He went undrafted this past year but the Bears took him on a whim. He has performed for them big time with seventeen receptions and three touchdowns.
Argument against: Rooting for the Bears is a tricky business. I appreciate the hard-nose defense Da Bears employ but do not care for the fuss Chicagoans make about the “droughts” with the Cubs and Bears. After all Coach Ditka led the team to a Super Bowl in the 80s and they did have a fella by the name of Michael Jordan for a few years. Call it 5 out of 10.
Cincinnati Bengals: (4-2)
Argument for: I.) Mike Nugent (2001-2004). C’mon it’s NUUUUUUUGE. Two time All-American (2002 and 2004), Lou Groza award winner (2004), and another member of the ’02 team. He kicked for 352 total points wearing Scarlet and Gray which is remarkable considering he could only score one or three at a time. He is also having a fine year for the Bengals nailing 13 of 14 attempted field goals and going twelve of thirteen on extra points. II.) Nate Clements (1998-2000). Clements had a respectable career with Ohio State as a kick returner and defensive back. He has deflected seven passes this year and recorded 22 tackles so far for the Bengals as well as forcing and recovering a fumble.
Argument against: Old habits are hard to break. While I have friends who are Bengals fans, I have been cheering against them a long time. I also think their record is deceiving. When all is said and done they will still be the Bengals which means they will disappoint which I already have. Still, they are an Ohio team so that is worth something. We’ll go with 7 out of 10.
Detroit Lions: (5-1)
Argument for: I.) Bobby Carpenter (2002-05). A four year starter, Carpenter was part of a fearsome linebacker corps with AJ Hawk and Anthony Schlegal. I still remember him playing one down against Michigan his senior year with a broken leg. He wanted to play in that game so bad he was willing to risk serious injury and jog out on a busted bone. He has recorded eight solo tackles this year as well as an interception returned for six. Carpenter is part of a resurgent Lions team that is quickly becoming the face of NFL’s Cinderella Class of 2011. II.) Rob Sims (?-2005). I had some trouble finding information on Rob Sims but that is to be expected when you are an offensive guard. He started every game for Detroit last year and this year has recovered a fumble. Those it would seem are his only claims to fame.
Argument against: It’s Detroit. Home of the Pistons, Tigers, and poverty. While I can theoretically get on board with the whole “Midwestern city comes back from being down on its luck to reclaiming the spotlight it held fifty years ago” vibe I would much rather that story be about Cleveland. Jealousy is definitely a factor in this one. 4 out of 10.
Green Bay Packers: (6-0)
Argument for: I.) AJ Hawk (2002-05). Hawk had a full trophy shelf before he left Columbus. He was a two time All-American (’04 and ’05), 2005 Big Ten Player of the Year, and won the 2005 Vince Lombardi Award. Fun fact: Hawk finished 6th in the Heisman Award vote back in 2005. After being drafted fifth overall by the Pack, Hawk has not disappointed. He has played in every game on Green Bay’s schedule since then and won the Super Bowl in February. Not to mention his Samson-like hair. II.) Ryan Pickett (1998-2000). Another Super Bowl champ, Pickett has recorded six tackles this season and is proving to be a serviceable defensive end.
Argument against: Total bandwagon move. If I added the Packers it would make me the kind of fan I despise – a homer who only pulls for a good team. The Packers did knock off the Steelers during the Super Bowl though… and everyone does love a winner… and they are undefeated… 8 out of 10. (Don’t judge me)
Kansas City Chiefs: (2-3)
Argument for: Donald Washington (2005-08). Washington was a four year starter for Ohio State as a defensive back. He totaled 103 tackles in his collegiate career and played in two national championship games. Taken in the fourth round by the Chiefs, Washington has played sparingly over three seasons though he is playing well this year with a forced fumble and twelve total tackles.
Argument against: Honestly the Washington connection feels tenuous. If I asked you to name a player on the 2006 team, during which hour would you mention him? Additionally, Kansas City is underperforming prodigiously. After claiming an unexpected division title last year, the Chiefs are scuffling like an old man this season. I am not really in the market for underperformance. 4 out of 10.
Miami Dolphins: (0-4)
Argument for: I.) Brian Hartline (2006-08). During three years as a wide receiver in the Horseshoe Hartline caught twelve touchdowns. He was drafted by Miami in the fourth round of the 2009 Draft. In four games this season the North Canton native has caught thirteen passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. II.) Austin Spitler (2006-09). Spitler played for the Bucks for four years as a linebacker recording 82 total tackles. He has generally been an afterthought in Miami marking a mere six tackles over two seasons.
Argument against: The NBA may not be in season but spite never goes out of style. Miami = The Player Who Left = No thanks. I like Brian and Austin fine but they’ll have to play this year without my secondary support. I am sure they’ll be crushed. Who wants to break the news to them? 3 out of 10.
