Archive for November, 2008

There’s more. There’s always more when it comes to the Cleveland Browns.

So just when it looked like Brady going down for the rest of the season would be the last major event of the year, we get more. After all, one injured QB per team just isn’t enough!

During today’s loss (yes, loss. What did you expect?) to the Indianapolis Colts, Derek Anderson was injured and now comes news that he, too, is out for the season. His injury? A sprained MCL. Looks like Ken Dorsey is the man now. I wonder if the team is going to sign to backup. I mean, what happens if he gets injured too? Are we going to move the dynamic Josh Cribbs back to his college position? Oy vey.

Our latest coaching update comes from ESPN as well. They are reporting that their Browns sources believe that Romeo needs a miracle finish in order to keep his job. If anyone in the Cleveland Browns organization were worthy of receiving a miracle, it’s not RAC. Get him outta there.

Browns’ Quinn still pondering surgery

By TOM WITHERS – 1 hour ago Associated Press

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Browns quarterback Brady Quinn is still deciding whether to have surgery on his damaged right index finger. He didn’t get much help making up his mind while passing the turkey and mashed potatoes around the Thanksgiving table.

“I don’t have a bunch of family doctors, so they didn’t have any more insight into the situation,” he joked.

Quinn is done for the season after breaking the finger on his throwing hand, an injury he made worse by playing in Sunday’s loss to the Houston Texans.

Doctors have given the second-year QB two options: have an operation or immobilize his finger in a splint for six weeks. It’s possible even if Quinn chooses rest as his course of recovery, he may still need surgery if the injury doesn’t heal properly.

He was asked if he’s leaning in one direction.

“At this point, not really,” Quinn said Friday before watching his teammates prepare for Sunday’s game against Indianapolis. “I’ll just sound out all the different advice and make a decision once I feel confident about something.”

The medical advice he has gotten so far has been split.

“You’re always going to get mixed opinions about it,” he said. “In the end you have to do what you feel most comfortable with.”

Quinn considers himself fortunate to have never needed any surgery, and admitted having his first one is a factor in his decision. He doesn’t know exactly what the procedure will entail, but Quinn expects a pin to be inserted to stabilize the tendon and bone.

“I haven’t researched a whole lot into what exactly the surgery would be,” he said. “From my understanding, it would be a pin or a wire.”

On Wednesday, Browns coach Romeo Crennel said despite the injury and the fact the former first-round draft pick played just one game when he was healthy, Quinn will be his starter next season. The comment was both surprising and presumptive because Crennel may not be back for his fifth season unless the Browns (4-7) finish with a flurry.

Nonetheless, Quinn was pleased to receive Crennel’s endorsement.

“You have to feel very appreciative of that and you have to feel a lot of confidence when your coach is behind you, even through an injury and even through everything,” he said “But this league’s crazy. I just try to take things week to week and day to day and that’s how I’m going to continue to look at it.”

Speaking of Romeo and that AP article, here’s Cleveland.com’s take..

Crennel might not be the guy making the decision on next season’s starting quarterback.

If Crennel is fired — and signs are pointing that way — the new coach will want his say on Quinn vs. Anderson. Or — perish the thought — he may not be enamored with either.

If they land a strong-minded Super Bowl-winning coach like Bill Cowher, you can bet he’ll make the call — even though the organization has settled upon Quinn as its quarterback of the future.

On Tuesday, Browns owner Randy Lerner admitted he’s weary of the quarterback carousel and instructed the team to pick one guy and run with him. “I have said just that,” said Lerner.

So when Crennel came out Wednesday and unequivocally named Quinn his man no matter what Anderson does in the final five games, it appeared he had that edict firmly in mind.

…

Another possibility, albeit remote, is the Browns trade Quinn if the new guy likes Anderson better. (THE HORROR!)

 

So as of today, the Browns’ growing off-season to-do list includes: deciding on the head coach, deciding on the general manager and deciding on the starting quarterback.

Just a quick note to let the rest of us breathe…

Romeo Crennel said at a press conference that Brady will be back as the starter for spring training. A reporter asked, “What if Derek [Anderson] does a great job the next 5 weeks?”

Romeo, not too happy replied, “You know you guys are something. You hated D.A., I made Brady the starter and now you want D.A. back.”

Shaking his head, Romeo was “miffed” this time.

THIS is the news we need to hear. My blood pressure is lowering. Still some uncertainty, but this is good news.

Hear Romeo announce that Brady WILL BE THE FUTURE OF THE BROWNS here:

Let Brady tell you in his own words here:

-flyte44

Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer, citing the ever-infamous “sources” thinks so. ESPN is scrolling this as “Breaking News”.

Browns quarterback Brady Quinn is done for the year after doctors revealed that the break to his right index finger has gotten worse since he’s tried to play through the injury, sources told FOXSports.com.

Team sources said that Quinn and the team made the decision together earlier today. Sources say that not only has the break in his right index finger worsened, but it is also starting to injure the tendons as well.

Great. Just great. Brady finally gets his chance to start, gets hurt, and now has to miss the rest of the season? Now watch DA light it up the rest of the season (since he doesn’t have to keep looking over his shoulder for Brady). And watch his performance end up saving Romeo and Phil’s jobs. Then we’ll head into the off-season with the coaching staff and front office naming DA the starter for the 2009 season…again. And we’ll have to go through this allllllll over again.

I’m not sure I can take it. Can you?

This is how I feel right now:

Apparently Romeo is going to give an update at his 11AM presser. But with how things have shook out for Brady since he’s been in Cleveland, this is probably true. Boy can’t catch a break! (Pun absolutely not intended)

Sometimes “sources” are right, and sometimes they are wrong. Right now, I have a terrible feeling in my gut that this is true. Brady’s Bunch needs to mobilize and start a therapy/support group. We’ll all need it!

A chance we could be rid of this coach and/or GM? Thats the bit of news I’ve been waiting for!

Cleveland Browns owner, Randy Lerner, is aware of the turmoil in the organization and he’s put Romero Crennel and Phil Savage on notice. He gave an interview yesterday and said he would do anything to make sure this is a winning organization and that he’d wait until the end of the season to make any decisions on the matter.

“I’m going to take the issues and the concerns and the criticisms very seriously and think through things and evaluate them and deal with them in January.”

This team is such a mess, that I’m sure announcing any major changes right now would only contribute further to this team’s meltdown, so I agree with Lerner’s decision there. I just hope that he does the right thing and get rid of our sad excuse for a head coach. I’m indifferent on Phil Savage right now. We have a lot of talent, thanks to him, but wait? Isn’t he the one who hired Romeo? Ouch. Bad call, there, buddy.

It does feel like we're in Oz, doesn't it?

I guess Brady really wants to get down to it and figure out whether or not his broken finger is what caused some of his ineffectiveness in yesterday’s game. It’s also a good idea because if he needs to sit out a game or 2 and heal, it’s best the team knows sooner rather than later, so adjustments can be made.

According to reports, Brady will pay renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews a visit Tuesday to see what he thinks.

Sounds like a good move to me. He’s a quarterback in the NFL, so usage of his fingers — especially on his throwing hand — is very important.

Gus Boland wrote a parody of Van Halen’s song “Finish What Ya Started” dedicated to Brady Quinn and fans everywhere. Although maybe not on Billboard’s Top 100, it certainly is with us. Especially nice; lyrics towards the end, “One team. One dream. A Super Bowl Ring, ” and “For the love of God, please beat Pittsburgh once in my lifetime.”

Song and credits can be found by clicking the “album cover.”

Browns’ Quinn expected to play with broken finger

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn broke his right index finger in Monday night’s win over Buffalo but will try to play Sunday against the Houston Texans.

The team initially thought Quinn only bruised his hand after banging it on the helmet of a Bills player, but X-rays taken after practice Wednesday revealed a fracture on the tip of his finger. A specialist at the Cleveland Clinic cleared Quinn to play.

Making his second career start, Quinn stayed in against Buffalo and finished 14 of 36 for 185 yards.

Browns coach Romeo Crennel said Quinn, who recently took over the starting job from Derek Anderson, was able to grip the ball during practice.

The second-year QB will wear a splint when he is not on the field.

And remember all the hoopla with Tony Romo and a broken pinkie?  All I can say is, “What a guy!”

From the Browns’ themselves:

Thursday also brought news that Brady Quinn suffered a small fracture on his right index finger when he hit it on another player’s helmet.

But the Browns don’t seem overly alarmed. Quinn was a full participant in Thursday’s practice and Romeo Crennel said he’ll play Sunday against the Texans.

“He finished the game and played with it, but it was still sore yesterday,” Crennel said. “On the X-ray it showed he has a small fracture on the tip of his index finger on his throwing hand. He will wear a splint at the times he’s not practicing and not playing.

“He made it through practice OK (Wednesday). The hand specialist said because it’s a fracture the soreness is the thing he’ll have to deal with the most this week. After this week it should die down.”

Quinn said his finger “is a little sore” and that he and team are taking precautions “to make sure it’s all right.”

Browns won a squeaker in Buffalo by a final score of 29-27. Actually, I feel like it’s more that the Bills lost this game (kinda like the Jags), but that’s just semantics, isn’t it? All I know is that we won and it’s about time. A big thank you goes out to Rian Lindell for missing that game-winning field goal. Check’s in the mail, playa.

I’m thisclose to wanting to have Phil Dawson’s babies. He is so money. I wonder if he even knows it…

Brady played a clean game with some freakish athletic plays that no other QB on the roster could make. Key stat: ZERO turnovers. There were some close ones, but almost doesn’t count in football. He finished 14/36 for 185 yds. He even contributed 18 yards to the rushing game. That first play from scrimmage was beautiful.

Off the top of my head:
1. Jerome Harrison needs more snaps. Do the right thing, coach!
2. It wasn’t Braylon’s worse game, but if he doesn’t start pulling in well-thrown balls, I’m going to lose it.
3. Seriously. WTF is up with the defense (minus Shaun Rogers). They suck!
4. Specials teams also gets a “FAIL” from me today.
5. We won the turnover head-to-head, but still almost lost the game. Unacceptable.
6. Phil Dawson’s agent needs to start demanding a new contract with mo’ $$$. Just sayin’.

ETA: Brady’s postgame interview

by flyte44

The second of three ESPN Monday Night Football appearances by the Browns kicks off at 8:30PM November 17th. Hats, scarves, snow, and hot cocoa come to mind the last time the Browns were there – victoriously mind you. Television networks, dismayed at the Brown’s record thus far, are happily plugging Brady’s picture on every advertisement and commercial; they’re now getting their money’s worth and fans are getting rejuvenated with a shot of Vitamin B – Vitamin B. Quinn, of course.

“Experts” are predicting a Buffalo win this time around and have the numbers to prove it (5-4) compared to Cleveland’s (3-6). Brady Quinn and Trent Edwards were both picked from the 2007 draft – one with fanfare and television shots every 15 agonizing seconds [22nd overall pick], the other with less notifiable pageantry [92nd overall pick]. This is the first time these two QBs are squaring off. Playing in his own stadium for the first time gave Quinn the win (from sports writers about his debut – Cleveland SHOULD have won that game), but will playing in Edwards’ prove just as successful? Trent has more games under his knitted cap and is pretty successful playing in Ralph Wilson Stadium – a mere 2.5 miles from the Great Lake causing the forecasted snow.

• Let’s hope Cleveland’s defense shows some improvement.
• Many have written that Kellen Winslow is Brady’s favorite target – let’s hope the K2 curse is gone with him losing the last couple games he’s been in.
• Never a dull moment with Josh Cribbs

Weather will be a factor here. Below freezing temps and light snow is forecast. Don’t take my word for it….

If, for some strange reason, you don’t have your Brady Quinn #10 jersey yet, you can get one 25% off from NFL Shop today and tomorrow.

It’s their “Friends & Family Sale” and if you enter NFLFF25 or NFLFFBLOG when you checkout, you’ll receive the discount for your entire order. Not bad, huh? So pick up that home and road jersey while you’re there.

But hurry, because tomorrow’s the last day for this sale!

It’s no conicidence that Brady’s jersey is a featured item on the front page of the Women’s section, now is it? Best seller in the house!