Archive for February, 2009

That’s the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program, to be exact. It’s an annual event held at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University from March 1 – 4. The program was created to help prepare business-minded players for lives after the NFL. Here’s a little more info:

During the four-day session, Kellogg School professors will teach sessions on relevant business topics, including investing, business leadership, negotiations and marketing.

Sounds perfect for Brady, a man who double majored in Finance and Political Science. Love that he has such a thirst for more knowledge!

Other NFL players confirmed to attend include Benjamin Watson, Rick Mirer, Ryan Diem, Andrew Studebaker, and Rob Ninkovich.

Was it Kelly Pavlik’s hometown crowd that helped him win his boxing match against Marco Rubio last Saturday night in Youngstown, Ohio? Maybe it was Kelly’s hand speed and blow after blow on a dazed and confused Rubio? Could it have been the 7,228 fans creating the largest crowd ever at the Chevrolet Center? 

Or perhaps it was one special guest sitting a few rows back from center ring with bulging muscles beneath a flannel lumberjack shirt? This is one equation that’s sure to make anyone float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

Seriously Kelly, congratulations on defending your middleweight title.

We’re sure you were properly motivated.

More from the Cleveland Plain Dealer. This time they published a Q&A with ESPN’s Tom Jackson. Pretty short, but there was a Browns related question that left me looking like so:

Q: What do you think of the Browns hiring of Eric Mangini and George Kokinis?

A: Anytime you take over a team that’s not doing well, it’s a difficult task. Coach Mangini had some success early on with the Jets, and I’m hoping he has that same kind of success with the Cleveland Browns early on. I don’t think anybody can know what’s going to happen. … I think they’ve settled on Brady [Quinn as quarterback.] I think he’s a good kid. He’s got some talent. If they build around him, I think they’ve got a chance to be successful. I certainly wish Coach Mangini the best.

ORLY?

Is Tom just talking out his you know what, or does he know something we don’t know?

Note: As you all can see, I pretty much post anything positive that I can; no matter the source. It helps me cope with the realization that I will be very stressed out this spring. Please let me live in temporary denial. Thanks!

The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s latest edition of “Hey, Tony!” had a little nugget in it that Brady Quinn fans should enjoy:

Hey, Tony: Given the facts the Jets run the same vertical offense as the Browns and both the Jets and Ravens passed on Brady Quinn in the draft, why is it assumed Brady is the starter and not D.A.? — Mike Gedeon, Hudson

Hey, Mike: A couple of clarifications: 1. The Jets ran the same vertical offense as the Browns under coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. He stayed in New York and Eric Mangini appointed Brian Daboll as Browns offensive coordinator. Daboll intends to run the New England offense, which Quinn was schooled under by Charlie Weis at Notre Dame. 2. The Ravens tried to trade up in the 2007 draft to select Quinn but the Browns beat them to the punch. I can turn around your logic and point out that the Ravens elected to release Derek Anderson while George Kokinis was their pro personnel director. Kokinis is now Browns GM.

Now, by no means is Tony Grossi’s word to be considered the “gospel”, but when you’re actively searching for some favorable news, this is a good start!

It is just way too early for this. I don’t have enough Xanax to carry me through to the final round. It’s one thing to remind myself that technically Brady is not the starting quarterback, but it’s entirely another to hear it from someone OFFICIALLY. 

INDIANAPOLIS — General manager George Kokinis said Friday that the Cleveland Browns are in no hurry to get rid of Derek Anderson and were willing to let Anderson battle Brady Quinn for the starting quarterback job.

Kokinis was in Indianapolis for the annual NFL scouting combine.

There has been speculation that the Browns wanted to get rid of Anderson because of his $5 million roster bonus, due next month.

Neither Anderson nor Quinn finished last season because of injuries.

And more wonderfully cryptic inklings can be found here:  Now with 25% more indecisiveness!

With the luck we’ve been experiencing with Brady: long time bench warmer / clipboard boy, previously named starter, getting yanked out of a game, breaking finger, surgery, forgetting me on Valentine’s Day, yada yada; the Derek Anderson from 2007 will make an appearance for “the battle” and put me in coma. Oy! What’s a boy to do?

Oh well. For those of you regular to the Brady Bunch message board, I give you Derek “Crazy Squirrel” Anderson in this corner…

Future STARTING quarterback, Brady Quinn, speaks to a WKYC reporter about the yearly event.

Today was a day to honor the special Olympians of Northeast Ohio.

The Cleveland Browns hosted 800 or so special needs students from Cleveland Schools, in their training facility in Berea Thursday afternoon. The kids got to throw the ball around, get some autographs from Browns’ legends and rub shoulders with some current players [sigh].

Quarterback Brady Quinn said, 

“I had a great time here and hopefully the kids had a better time, and that’s kind of what it’s all about.”

This was an annual event run between the Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Public Schools.

Well, maybe not spend, as the actual holiday falls on the 17th. I’m really talking about celebrating it and supporting a very good cause as well. I’m pretty sure you’re interested! Too bad money doesn’t grow on trees, huh?

On March 12, the Hannah and Friends charity will hold a St. Patrick’s Day benefit dinner in New York City. Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis will serve as the host while live music will be provided by Jon Bon Jovi.

In addition to BQ, Bill Belichick, Antonio Pierce, Jesse Armstead, Mark Bavaro, Sean Landeta, John Carlson, Anthony Fasano, and Tom Zbikowski are expected to attend, as well as other former Notre Dame and NFL players.

Individual tickets are $1,000.

Here is a quick summation of what inspired the creation of the charity:

Notre Dame’s Head Coach and former New England Patriots Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis and his wife Maura founded Hannah & Friends in recognition of their daughter Hannah, who has been affected by developmental disorders.

Many have said it before, but it truly is wonderful how Brady makes charity work, and giving back to the community, such a priority in his life. So refreshing!

John already shared the good news that Brady had the pins removed from his finger, is continuing to rehab, and already throwing a little. That was good news.

Now, it’s time for some great news. As Brady continues to toss the pigskin around, he says it “feels great!” The Cleveland Plain Dealer has even more.

“It’s amazing. This is what I was born to do and it feels great to be throwing again. I’m pain-free and everything was 100 percent successful.”

Nice, huh? Brady also thinks he’ll be ready to go, come mid-March, for the team’s off-season workouts. Translation: he’ll be ready to fight for that starting job!

“I think I’m right back to where I want to be. I wouldn’t say I’m 100 percent, but I’m definitely almost there.”

It sucks that we’re going to have to go through another offseason of “QB drama”, but it is what it is. All I hope for, this time around, is that the team and front office will actually allow it to be an open competition. This means not prematurely naming someone the starter without giving others a chance to compete for the spot. That crap Savage and RAC pulled last year pissed me off! Of course I have no problems being a hypocrite. If the team names our Brady the starter, there will be no complaints from the peanut gallery.

I thought it was high time that we got with the times around here, and started Twittering.

So, I am proud to introduce you to Brady Quinn Fan on Twitter. Check it out and be sure to follow!

And if you don’t have a Twitter account, I highly recommend you sign up and join the fun!

by flyte44

However you say it, Donald says it best…Roster move, terminated, fired, unemployed, laid off, dismissed, given the slip, the boot, or their marching orders; they are no longer on the roster and have joined the ranks of another 11 million Americans without jobs. Misery loves company.

PS: Derek and Brady? Still on. [see previous entry]

by flyte44

Yeah, you really thought that there would NOT be any more drama in Cleveland with the firing of the dysfunctional duo? Of course not, the ‘drama detox’ is going to have to be extended until further notice. Keep the methadone coming.

In case you forgot…. our QB controversy story goes back to Draft Day 2007…

Part 1: Notre Dame Golden Boy, Brady Quinn, was front and center for the 2007 draft. Dreams of the anxious sugar-coated QB was televised for almost 5 hours resplendent with childhood pictures of a BQ tot in a Bernie Kosar uniform.  Finally, Cleveland worked around to getting him after they obtained Joe Thomas. (Let’s face it, Joe Thomas was, and has proven to be, the best, most important pick for them. Pains me to say that.) But hey, Brady is going to be quarterback right? I mean Charlie Frye, what has he done? Let the controversy begin!

Part 2: Well well, what have we here? That Quinn guy was really good 2007 pre-season. Make him starter? No. We’ll stay with Frye.

Part 3: Ok. We got rid of Frye, but we have to give the QB position to Derek Anderson because we are still sore that Brady stood us up for more dough.

Part 4: Derek is doing a great job getting the Browns some positive attention, and the camera likes cutie pie Brady on the bench, but why are we paying him a maximum 30 million for 5 years to hold a clipboard? Is it time to put him in?

Part 5: Nope. Really got your hopes up though when Brady was sent in to play December 2007 because Derek hurt his finger. [Flash forward where Brady plays with a BROKEN finger.]
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