Bleacher Report - Articles by Jabber Head

Brendan Shanahan Signs with New Jersey Devils

Jabber Head — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:59:25 -0400

It’s been slow around the hockey world lately. Apart from debating from Islanders' camp for funding for a new arena, there isn’t much going on before training camp starts.

But some news hit the wires today.

According to multiple sources, Brendan Shanahan has re-upped with the New Jersey Devils.

Shanahan joined the Devils about halfway through the season last year and made an immediate impact. He scored during his first game back and had a hot scoring streak for about the first month of his season. After that, his play started to tail off towards the end of the year. Shanahan ended up with six goals and eight assists in 34 games.

The contract is being reported as a one-year deal, which should come as no surprise to anyone since Shanahan is 40-years-old. But if he’s making much more than the $800,000 he made last year, the deal is a mistake.

Sure Shanahan is a legend and will probably go into the Hall of Fame after his retirement, but he just doesn’t have it anymore; he should just hang up the skates. I don’t fault the guy for wanting to play; God knows I couldn’t stop playing right now if I didn’t have the talent to play in my men's leagues.

But if he doesn’t put up numbers in NJ, then there’s no point in playing.

He’ll likely see loads of power play time along with the likes of Parise and Zajac, but the Devils really haven’t done anything this offseason except lose people. If Shanahan is relied on to score goals, I just don’t see it happening, and it may end badly for him. He’s only one year removed from a 40+ point scoring season, and in 2006-07 he had 60+ points.

Lets hope for all parties involved that this is a low risk, high reward type contract, and that Shanahan can prove that age is just a number.

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Rookie Hakeem Nicks Signs With New York Giants

Jabber Head — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:19:41 -0400

Yesterday it was announced the New York Giants signed rookie wide receiver Hakeem Nicks.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I let out the biggest sigh of relief from the news, with rookies like Michael Crabtree (still hasn’t reached a deal), Jeremy Maclin (deal could be reached soon), and Darrius Heyward-Bey (signed recently) making news of holdouts.

Regardless of the length of time in which they last, holdouts are annoying and I’m glad the Giants avoided it for the second season. Jerry Reese is making a name for himself as a GM who gets deals done for his rookies, which is a great legacy to have.

From the Associated Press:

ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York Giants will be reporting to training camp Sunday with all their draft picks, including the one they hope fills the void left by the release of troubled Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress.

First-round pick Hakeem Nicks became the last of the Giants’ nine picks to reach a deal when the North Carolina receiver signed a five-year contract on Saturday that will pay him a little less than $12.5 million.

“It was very important for Hakeem to be in training camp on time, so he can do his part to help the team win a championship,” Peter Schaffer, Nicks’ agent, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “He did not want to miss any practice time while his teammates were on the field and that was a strong impetus to get the deal done.”

Rookies who don’t show up to training camp show me things about their character from day 1. It’s disrespectful not report to work on the first day. So I’m glad the NY Giants don’t have that problem this season.

Khai is a Jabberhead and Sports Jabber Contributing Author. For more articles by Khai, visit: www.xiximag.com.

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Fantasy Biscuits: The Ugly Truth For The Upcoming NFL Fantasy Season

Jabber Head — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 22:02:28 -0400

Every year, there are sleepers and there are busts in the world of Fantasy Football.

Braylon Edwards forgets how to catch, Shaun Alexander isn’t running behind Steve Hutchinson, DeAngelo Williams remembers he is a football player, and so on and so forth.

The following list of facts (hence they have no basis, only theories need those,these are facts) will help you win your league this upcoming season. They may make you a rich individual if you let them and this same list is also free to you, The Jabberhead.

1. Pierre Thomas will be a top 10 Fantasy Running Back this season (Pierre Thomas scores enough points in a Standard one point for 10 yards and six points for a TD league).

2. Anthony Gonzalez will be a top 10 Fantasy Wide Receiver this season (Anthony Gonzalez scores enough points in a Standard one point for 10 yards and six points for a TD league).

3. Braylon Edwards will not remember how to catch this season (Braylon Edwards numbers this season are not greater than last season).

4. The Lions will win more football games this season than they did last season, but still pick in the top three of the NFL Draft next year (Detroit at least wins one game but is still one of the three worst teams by record).

5. Tony Gonzalez should have stayed in Kansas City if he wanted to make the playoffs this season (Either Atlanta doesn’t make the playoffs or Kansas City does).

6. Laveranues Coles will prove this season that he is a better wide receiver than T.J Houshmandzadeh (Coles has more Fantasy Points than TJ).

7. Mike Singletary can’t win with a player like Vernon Davis, but on the other hand, with Bear Pascoe, he can (Bear Pascoe starts by Week 10).

8. Seattle will wish they had drafted a running back this season (Seahawks will be in last place in rushing yards this season).

9. Jon Kitna will throw for more touchdowns than Tony Romo (as stated).

AND Finally..

10. Rex Grossman will have another chance to win a Super Bowl Ring this year (Texans win the AFC Championship).

I feel bad if you disagree with these facts, but if you do, please realize that they are facts and you would be incorrect to disagree with them. I know there will still be non-believers, so I challenge you to a little wager.

If you take my wager, and five or more of these (in the parentheses) are indeed facts, than a nice signature addition stating “Owned by Oblong Biscuits” will be awarded to you. If, by some miracle, less than five of these aren’t proven by the end of the season, then a signature addition will be awarded to you stating “I owned Oblong Biscuits.”

So step right up and take my wager, or better yet, use these facts to make yourselves very successful this up and coming NFL Season.

Dallas Cowboys: FOX's Team-RB Positional Power Rankings?

Jabber Head — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:03:14 -0400

FOX had some interesting things to say about the Cowboys' running backs.

Starting about the Giants: "For a team that won the Super Bowl just two seasons ago, the Giants enter '09 with some big questions—and it's not just Plaxico Burress they'll be missing on offense. Gone is RB Derrick Ward to Tampa Bay, meaning last year's fourth-quarter shot in the arm Ahmad Bradshaw must prove he can handle being Brandon Jacobs' main understudy in an enhanced role. Still, GM Jerry Reese did a fine job in landing Andre Brown in the draft to help restock what has been a position of strength in New York and the anchor of Eli Manning's offense."

FOX rated the Giants' backfield at #5 and the Cowboy backfield at #8, and then described Dallas: "Jerry Jones had big dreams last summer after watching his fellow Arkansas alum Felix Jones electrify during training camp and the preseason. But an early-season injury derailed what the owner hoped would be the ultimate backfield combination, pairing the rookie's big-play potential outside with Barber's grinding style inside. The good news from Jones' injury: Dallas found out that Tashard Choice had game, giving the 'Boys a solid No. 3 RB. The bad news: Barber wore down with the grueling punishment he created for himself, meaning Dallas lost their key fourth-quarter advantage of Barber cutting defenses down in the final 15 minutes. If Felix is healthy in '09, this backfield trio could be one of the league's best."

FOX did not use the same criteria for evaluating both teams: this year's backfields.

They pointedly took a swing at Jerry Jones and a slam at his being a GM for the Cowboys in reference to the running back's projected evaluations. They sugar coated the Giant's GM, and back-doored a slam due to Felix Jones being injured last season.

The evaluation obviously was based upon last year's total attack that only had an equal contributor depart this offseason to Tampa Bay. This didn't complete the inequitable standard of comparison.

Dallas had all three of their running backs contribute at a somewhat similar level, despite losing Felix Jones for 2/3rds of the season, and it's variable piece, Choice, prove himself quite well. The Giants now have a drafted and totally unproven piece in their 'rook'.

I would say this is a bias by FOX to discredit the Cowboys, and the Giants received their pass due to a Super Bowl two seasons ago and finishing ahead of the Cowboys this past season, using Jerry Jones again as a 'whipping boy' for their purposes.

Don't look now, but Jerry was only the GM for getting all three of the current Dallas running backs. He even played a major role in the securing of Felix Jones in the draft before last season.

If not for injuries to both Felix and Marion Barber last season, this group could have put up better numbers than the now disassembled group that were Giants last season. The numbers of a healthy Marion Barber should now be used in looking forward to this season.

Now let's apply a real picture of what occurred last season.

Giants

Brandon Jacobs: 219 att, 1089 yds, 4.97 ave
Derrick Ward: 182 att, 1025 yds, 5.63 ave
Ahmad Bradshaw: 67 att, 355 yds, 5.30 ave

Dallas

Marion Barber III: 238 att, 885 yds, 3.72 ave
Tashard Choice: 92 att, 472 yds, 5.13 ave
Felix Jones: 30 att, 266 yds, 8.87 ave

Just from looking at those breakdowns, don't tell me that the departure of Ward, who out-produced on many less carries than Brandon Jacobs, is going to have 'little' affect to that group.

Brandon Jacobs carried less than half of the Giants' running load last season. Next, he benefited from a healthy starting line across the board.

Tell me now, that a healthy Marion Barber with an equal load distribution to Jacobs, wouldn't produce at close to an identical level.

Next, try and convince me that a healthy Felix Jones over the full course of a season, wouldn't have produced at least as well as Derrick Ward did last season.

Then try and convince me that Tashard Choice isn't every bit as good as what the Giants had in Ahmad Bradshaw.

Then, you pop out of this picture, Derrick Ward for the Giants, and STILL tell me the Giants are better than the Cowboys running group?

No thanks!!

2 Utterly Useless NBA Trades To Hold You Over Until MLB Trade Deadline

Jabber Head — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:02:23 -0400

While MLB teams are teasing us with blockbuster deals, the NBA is picking up the slack by forcing useless trades down our throat.

ESPN’s Mark Stein is reporting that the Bobcats and Hornets have agreed in principle to a trade that will send Tyson Chandler to the Charlotte Bobcats and Emeka Okafor to the Hornets. Does it make either one of them contenders next year? Doubtful. But it’s something. The Hornets seem to be getting the better of the deal, but I wonder about playing Okafor and David West together.

In other utterly useless NBA trade news, Minnesota Timberwolves’ GM, David Kahn showed his affinity for point guards once again by trading Etan Thomas and two second-round drafts in next year’s draft for Chucky Atkins and Damien Wilkins. I won’t waste your time analyzing who got the better of this deal because, well, it’s a waste of time.

But thanks for the trades anyway, NBA. We appreciate the effort.

Read more of No Guts No Glory at No Guts, No Glory.

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NHL 2009/'10: Western Conference Predictions

Jabber Head — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:39:29 -0400

San Jose Sharks
The Sharks have most of the same players from last year's squad returning this year. Those who departed from the team won’t make a big enough impact to drop the Sharks down the leader board.

While the Sharks may not be able to duplicate their President Trophy winning season, on paper they should at least finish with 48+ wins, and that may just be good enough.

Devin Setoguchi will be able to build off the experience he got from playing his first full season last year, and will be called on once again to be a scoring threat.

Dan Boyle and Rob Blake will also be making their second tour with the Sharks, keeping the “D” as one of the best in the league.

If Jonathan Cheechoo, who was plagued with injuries throughout last year, can bounce back and provide 25+ goals this season, then the Sharks may just make a run for the President Trophy (and maybe even the Stanley Cup) again.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks added a huge name to their roster this year by signing Marian Hossa, a 40-goal scorer. Only one player on the Hawks roster scored over 30 goals this season, so Hossa is going to add a huge punch.

Even though only one player scored 30 goals from the Hawks last season, four players scored 20+ goals, and three of those players scored 25 or above.

If that wasn’t enough to get you excited about this team, factor in that they only have two forwards who are older then 30. The Hawks are poised to be a good team for a very long time.

Last year they made it to the the Western Conference Finals, and now they play with the confidence that they can go all the way. The only question left is how will Cristobal Huet play? Will he be the Huet who went 32-14-6 with the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals, or the Cristobal Huet who went 20-15-4 last season?

Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames looked poised to clinch the Northwest Division Title last year, but injuries, and a collapse at the end of the season, let the Vancouver Canucks come from behind and take it away.

This season the Flames added some more depth to their D by signing Swedish defenseman Staffan Kronwall, and one of the best young defenseman, Jay Bouwmeester.

After losing some forwards near the end of last season to injuries, the Flames signed some bottom-six fillers such as Jason Jaffray, Garth Murray, and Nigel Dawes.

Olli Jokinen, who was acquired at last years trade deadline, has last years playoff experience to draw from, and will benefit from playing on the same line as Jarome Iginla in his first full season with the Flames.

Detroit Red Wings

Will some key losses and age finally catch up with the Red Wings? Gone is Marian Hossa, Ty Conklin, Mikael Samuelsson, and Jiri Hudler (Hudler is in limbo right now, will he go to Europe or stay?.)

Their goalie, Chris Osgood, is 36-year-old, and statistically had one of his worse seasons last year.

Their All-Star defensemen, Nicklas Lidstrom, is 39 this year. While Lidstrom is one of the best (if not the best) defensemen in all the NHL, you have to wonder how much he has left in the tank.

First-line partners Brian Rafalski is 35, Tomas Holmstrom 36, and Draper is 38. Eventually, time catches up with everyone.

While the Wings should still post a good record this season, I don’t think we will see them in that No. 1 or No. 2 spot.

Anaheim Ducks

There will be no "barely-making-the-playoffs" this year for the Anaheim...the Ducks are going to have a secure spot.

The Ducks are a very well-rounded team with a good group of young guns (Joffrey Lupul, Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf), and some excellent older players to learn from (Teemu Selanne, Scott Niedermayer, Saku Koivu).

Young goalie Jonas Hiller is going to get some more time this year, and may even lock up the No. 1 job. If he can play like he did in the playoffs last year, Hiller may just have what it takes to bring the cup back to Anaheim.

Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks should be able to secure a playoff spot this year without Mats Sundin on their squad.

The Canucks have the young sensation Cody Hodgson who, as long as he doesn’t have a horrible camp, should make this years team. While Cody Hodgson doesn’t have the veteran experience of playing in the NHL, recent signing Mikael Samuelsson does.

Samuelsson will be called on to play as a top-six forward (perhaps even on the first line), and brings in a ton of post-season experience (something the Canucks lacked last year).

While they lost Mattias Ohlund, the Canucks have some guys (Bieska, Edler, O'Brien) who are all improving. With All-Star goaltender Roberto Luongo in net, you have to give the Canucks good odds of making the post-season.

St. Louis Blues

The Blues were one of last year's Cinderella teams. The team only had their most dangerous offensives threat, Paul Kariya, for 11 games out of the season.

When you consider the fact that they hadn’t placed higher then 10th since the '05 season, it is clear that the Blues are a rejuvenated team.

Adding Ty Conklin provides some depth in net, and the Blues are going use their experience from last year to take themselves to the post-season.

Minnesota Wild
The Wild came close to making the post-season last year. After making some changes to the front office and offense, the Wild may be ready to make it to the post-season.

Losing Gaborik was an inevitable for the Wild, so they made a deal and brought in Martin Havlat. If Havlat can stay healthy (much like Gaborik), then he can be a great player.

The Wild are also moving to a more offensive system, which should compliment players like Havlat and Koivu. The Wild are hungry, and I believe in them.

Other Notables:
LA Kings
The Kings added another scoring threat, and a good shut-down defenseman. On paper, they look like they may have a shot, but I’m not convinced. Look for them to rack up a few more wins this season, but will probably end up in 10th place.

How I see the Western Confrence ending up:
1.San Jose Sharks
2.Chicago Blackhawk
3.Calgary Flames
4.Detroit Red Wings
5.Anaheim Ducks
6.Vancouver Canucks
7.St Louis Blues
8.Minnesota Wild

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Browns Camp: Group Therapy Edition (humor)

Jabber Head — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:27:00 -0400

As part of the NFL’s continuing mission to improve the public images of their players and to prevent further national embarrassment, the league has recently mandated group counseling sessions for all 32 teams.

Although the NFL’s new wellness policy prohibits the release of confidential information based on these sessions, a Cleveland Reboot intern managed to sneak a rather cumbersome 1980’s style tape recorder and microphone into Shaun Smith’s buttocks.

The following is a transcript of the session featuring several prominent Browns players.

Therapist
I am hoping that this session will benefit all of you. I want to stress that this is a safe zone...please do not feel inhibited in your responses.

Brady Quinn
Are you hitting on me?

Therapist
You must be Brady. I have heard a lot about you. Let’s start with you, Eric. You’re assuming a lot of responsibility this year. Would you like to share your feelings with the group?

Eric Mangini
(Silence)

Therapist
Eric, you must remember that this is a safe zone. There is no need to shut away your emotions here. Surely, you must have some worries regarding the upcoming season.

Eric Mangini
(Silence)

Shaun Smith
He thinks you’re wearing a wire.

Therapist
Why, I can assure all of you that what is said within these walls is strictly confidential.

Ryan Tucker
Take off your shirt and prove it.

Therapist
I don’t believe that is necessary. It is crucial to the process for us to establish trust amongst each other.

Brady Quinn
Is it pose down time? Boom!
(Quinn’s shirt flies across the room)

Ryan Tucker
(Instantly Enraged)
Take off your shirt and prove it!! I’ll take it off for you!!

Therapist
Please! This is not acceptable behavior!

(Tucker rips the therapist’s shirt off, exposing nothing but a pasty white chest.)

Brady Quinn
Dude, that’s weak.

Therapist
I am very disappointed in this display of behavior. It looks like we have some serious work to do here.

Braylon Edwards
Here’s your shirt back, Doc...

(Braylon drops the Therapist’s shirt on the floor.)

Braylon Edwards
…Oops. Here you go.

Brady Quinn
Bring a case of EAS to Gold’s Gym and I’ll get your pecs blasted in no time.

Therapist
Okay, let us put that ugly episode behind us. Now, Eric…I have proven to you that all information exchanged in this session is strictly confidential. Now, please share with the group your feelings regarding the upcoming season.

Eric Mangini
No comment.

Kamerion Wimbley
Hey, everybody. Sorry I’m late.

(Kamerion Wimbley attempts to sit in the last open chair, but instead continually runs past it.)

Therapist
What is the matter?

Shaun Smith
That’s the only way he knows.

(Eric Mangini scowls.)

Therapist
Hmmm. Eric, do Kamerion’s actions upset you?

Eric Mangini
(Silence)

Therapist
Okay, we’ll come back to you, Eric. How about you, Braylon? In the off-season, your name was being floated around in trades. How did that make you feel?

Braylon
It’s cool. It’s just a business. Plus, I –

(Braylon begins to sob.)

Therapist
It’s okay to cry, Braylon. Let it all out.

(Ryan Tucker begins to rifle through the therapist’s desk drawers.)

Therapist
Excuse me, Ryan. What is it you are looking for? I consider what you are doing as a violation of my personal space.

Ryan Tucker
(Grabbing random handfuls of sample medication)
I don’t know what these are, but they should work.

Brady Quinn
(Embraces a still crying Braylon)
It’s okay, buddy. It will be all right.

Braylon Edwards
Damn, Brady. Put your shirt back on.

(Brady begins to flex his arm muscles, but in doing so, his clench tightens. Braylon starts gasping for air.)

Braylon Edwards
You’re choking me –

(Shaun Smith leaps up from his chair and bull rushes Quinn, knocking him to the ground. Smith then proceeds to sit on Quinn. Ryan Tucker breaks down the door and exits. Kamerion Wimbley continues to repeatedly rush past his chair. Meanwhile, Eric Mangini placidly watches the events, then turns to the therapist.)

Eric Mangini
Where should I begin?

By Cleveland Reboot
Blogger/SJ Contributing Author
More…

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NHL Playoffs 2010: Eastern Conference Picks

Jabber Head — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:44:06 -0400

We here at Hockey Jabber have decided to look upon each conference and see who the real contenders in each conference are likely to be in the 2009-10 NHL season. We’ll start with the East today, and take care of the West sometime early next week!

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Stanley Cup Champions will be the favorites in the East entering the NHL 2009-10 season.

The Penguins have won the Prince of Wales trophy two years running and are the defending Stanley Cup Champions. They minimized losses this off season, their only everyday players that left being Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill.

The signings of Bill Guerin, Ruslan Fedotenko and Jay McKee all for less than market value was a great achievement by General Manager Ray Shero. He has also been able to re-sign young offensively minded defensmen Alex Goligoski who will be an every day player in the NHL for years to come.

The Penguins will look to keep hot all throughout the season, unlike the previous two where they have struggled in spurts, especially in the middle of the season. The Penguins have to be the favorite to come back to the Stanley Cup Finals out of the Eastern Conference.

Washington Capitals

The Capitals took the Penguins to seven games last year in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, and have done nothing but improved during the offseason.

The addition of Mike Knuble is exactly what the Caps needed, a veteran gritty winger that can bury some garbage in front of the net, especially if he can keep up with the speed of Alexander Ovechkin.

The Capitals, however, will have to rely on either veteran Jose Theodore or rookie Simeon Valarmov between the pipes. Both goaltenders have their pros and cons, Theodore has the experience of the NHL 82-game season and the everyday grind, however it looks like Valarmov might be one of the up and coming goalies in the NHL.

It will be very interesting to see how head coach Bruce Boudreau and GM George McPhee handle the goaltending situation in Washington, but if they can get it figured out, they will pose the best threat to the Penguins in the East.

Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins were the number one seed heading into the Eastern Conference playoffs last season, however, they suffered an early exit at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Bruins haven’t done much in the offseason, only re-signing David Krejci and Mark Recchi, but why mess with something that worked last season. The Bruins were only eliminated in Game seven by the Hurricanes, and that was in overtime.

They will return the reigning Veniza trophy award winner Tim Thomas in net. He will be a mainstay for the Bs in years to come. The Bruins will likely win the Northeast division and be one of the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference next season. They again will be a team to be reckoned with, and could manage to pull things together and start playing well in the playoffs, making a run for the Stanley Cup.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers have attempted to sure up their defense with the acquisition of defensemen Chris Pronger from Anaheim.

However they did have to give up a lot and it will absolutely hurt their secondary scoring dramatically. That's all well and good, their defense may be the best in the league now (or second, hello Calgary), but they have a joke in goal.

The Flyers made a big mistake by going to Russia to sign former Ottawa Senators goalie Ray Emery. Sure, Martin Biron was not the one that was going to get your team a Stanley Cup, but in no way is Ray Emery.

The Flyers will have a problem with their secondary scoring and in net, but players like Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne will convert their chances, and Chris Pronger will cheap shot his way around the Wachovia rink, and the Flyers will push the Penguins in the Atlantic Division this season.

Other Notables:

Carolina—They made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, and their roster seems pretty much the same. When Cam Ward is on his game he is one of the best goaltenders in the world, but when he’s not, well he’s not. I think they’ll make it into the playoffs as a five or six seed, similar to this year and maybe they can pull together another run.

NY Rangers—If, and it's a big if, Marian Gaborik can stay healthy, I will wager that he’ll have a career year in scoring. When he played in Minnesota he was always hampered by having to play a defensive style of hockey once the Wild got the lead. With Head Coach John Torterella, Gaborik will have free reign to take chances, because one of the best goalies in the world, Henrik Lundqvist, will be behind him to bail him out.

My Current Eastern Conference Playoff Seed Prediction:

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

2. Washington Capitals

3. Boston Bruins

4. Philadelphia Flyers

5. NY Rangers

6. Carolina Hurricanes

7. New Jersey Devils

8. Toronto Maple Leafs

Hockey Jabber - A SportsJabber.net Production

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Browns: As It May Stand...2010 Preview

Jabber Head — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:02:45 -0400

In an attempt to illuminate the prospects of the 2009 Browns, Cleveland Reboot has sought to entertain and occasionally inform fans through its As It Stands Again series.

The series profiled the essential positions on the Browns' roster that could ultimately determine success for the team during 2009.

Beginning with Linebackers and finishing with Defensive Backs, the series offered conflicting perspectives, predictions and puzzles related to a team that finds itself once again in transition.

Realizing this increasingly familiar scenario, it is likely that the 2009 Browns will struggle to find their footing under new coach Eric Mangini.

While I remain hopeful that the new regime will grow into a more consistent club as the season progresses, the one constant that will mark the Browns this season is change.

The team has already undergone a serious makeover under Mangini, as the Browns have added a consortium of untested youngsters and veteran roster filler.

Today, in recognizing this change, we take the series into the further reaches of prophesy, by speculating on how the future of our great organization may look this time next year.

As It May Stand - 2010 Browns Preview

Most informed Browns fans have begun to understand the rationale behind Randy Lerner's surprise hiring of Eric Mangini as head coach/defacto Team President.

Lerner's hands-off leadership style and tentative approach to management has created an almost decade-long leadership void in Berea.

The recent past of Browns management has been littered with the likes of Butch Davis, Phil Savage and John Collins, all who have assumed power within the franchise, but have not served as functioning leaders of an organization, which has floundered near the bottom of the league.

The arrival of Eric Mangini signals Lerner's desire to essentially hand over the "keys to the kingdom" to who he feels is an innovative, young, somewhat experienced Bill Belichick clone, who happens to crave the power associated with running an NFL franchise.

Or, in case you haven't been paying attention, the Browns have quickly become the sole property of Eric Mangini. Already, Mangini has stamped the team with his own likeness, and after 2009, the makeover will become even more pronounced.

Let's take a look at what the roster depth could look like this time next year.

QUARTERBACK
Brett Ratliff
Veteran Free Agent
Rookie/2nd Veteran Free Agent

I know that some readers will be shocked by the absence of Richard Bartel...or possibly the omissions of current starting QB candidates Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. The rationale here is simple. Derek Anderson is not the long-term answer at QB, based on his average intelligence, weak leadership skills and penchant for making mistakes. If DA is not traded before the 2010 season, he will likely be an offseason cap casualty.

As for Quinn, as I have suggested before, the 2009 season is basically a year-long audition for him to show Mangini that he is the quarterback of the future. Assuming the 2009 offense struggles to gel as a unit, the failure to become consistent reflects solely on Quinn. In 2010, Mangini moves onto option #3, Brett Ratliff, and/or adds another quarterback in free agency or via the draft.

RUNNING BACK
James Davis
Jamal Lewis

As for surprises, I think I stunned myself with the inclusion of Jamal Lewis. Considering Lewis' age and the uncapped 2010 season, which will include a generous amount of salary dumping moves, Jamal should not be on this list.

However, Lewis should receive plenty of carries in 2009 and the emergence of another back allows the veteran to lighten his load heading into 2010.

Although I've been skeptical of James Davis' NFL prospects, a combination of Lewis and Davis could be intriguing for Mangini heading into 2010.

As for the rest of the position, am I forgetting anyone? I don't think so.

WIDE RECEIVER
Brian Robiskie
Mohammed Massaquoi
David Patten

Now for the drama...Recent reports have indicated the Browns have had some contract talks with Braylon Edwards, but it is unlikely that Mangini makes a long-term commitment, after the mercurial wideout is constantly double-teamed in 2009, which negates his big-play ability.

Adding to this, the late-season emergence of the 2009 rookie wideouts makes Edwards a bit more expendable. It is also very likely that a team with deeper pockets makes a restricted offer to Braylon, which the Browns refuse to match.

As for David Patten, I assume he's going to play until he is 47 years old.

TIGHT END
Steve Heiden
Robert Royal

If Heiden stays healthy, he could serve under Mangini in the role he has always played, which is as a solid all-around tight end. Heiden's professionalism and work ethic should instantly win over Mangini and cement his roster status in 2010.

The addition of Royal signals Mangini's desire to remake the team in an AFC East mold. Royal should be surprisingly effective, but certainly not spectacular for the Browns in another offensively challenged campaign in 2009.

The omission of Martin Rucker suggests that the young tight end struggles to adjust in 2009, thanks to more health concerns.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Joe Thomas
Alex Mack
Floyd Womack
Rex Hadnot
Hopefully, a top flight rookie right tackle

The 2009 version of the Browns offensive line reflects the short-term strategy of roster-building that Mangini has brought to Berea. The common sense approach of adding one year veteran help, before building through the draft signals the departure of veterans Eric Steinbach, Hank Fraley and Ryan Tucker.

Using Mangini's draft strategy with the Jets as an example, he is likely to add more help up front in the early part of the 2010 draft.

DEFENSIVE LINE
Kenyon Coleman
C.J. Mosley
Shaun Rogers
One of the following: Santonio Thomas, Atyah Rubin, Louis Leonard
More ex-Jets

Back in the early months of 2009, it looked like Mangini and Shaun Rogers were going to get along like Palestinians and Israelis at a Bible study. However, heading into 2009, it looks like these two outsized personalities are on the same page.

The 2009 season should further reflect the immense value Rogers brings to the Browns defense. Coleman and Mosley should receive a ton of playing time in 2009, as both are Mangini guys.

Look for the eventual releases of Robaire and Shaun Smith, along with the greatest cap dump in recent memory in the form of Corey Williams' bloated contract.

Mangini is likely to reach back to his Jet and Patriot roots by adding more veteran lineman to play along with the above core.

LINEBACKERS

D'Quell Jackson
Kamerion Wimbley
Kaluka Maivia
David Veikune
Rookie Inside Linebacker

The linebacking situation in 2009 is a perfect representation of the traditional American social class structure...except that the upper class has lost their respective fortunes.

However, standing in the middle of this group are the likes of Jackson and Wimbley, while the 2009 rookies are feeding at the bottom.

Jackson should progress under Mangini and Rob Ryan's watch in 2009, and could excel with the arrival of a top-flight rookie linebacker in the mold of the Jets' David Harris.

Although much has been written about Wimbley's struggles over the past seasons, a shift in defensive alignments could help him progress as a pass rusher.

Also, Wimbley is likely to finish his rookie contract in Cleveland. Check back next year to see if Kamerion makes the 2011 roster....which of course, makes total sense if you follow my logic.

The rest of the roster should...or perhaps, hopefully will be rounded out by the 2009 rookies Maivia and Veikune.

Maivia could be the surprise of the Browns 2009 draft and Veikune strikes me as the kind of project that Mangini will spend a few seasons developing. Gone are the one-year gap fillers, Eric Barton and David Bowens.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Rookie Cornerback
Eric Wright
Brandon McDonald
Abe Elam
Don Carey
Veteran free agent safety

As I've suggested before, the play of Wright and McDonald will improve with the addition of a top cornerback.

If Mangini reaches back and finds a Darrele Revis type corner in the 2010 draft, Wright could blossom as an ideal No. 2 corner, while McDonald becomes more valuable as a nickel player.

The 2009 emergence of Don Carey could signal that this unit becomes a strength in 2010. At safety, the only 2009 player to survive is Abe Elam, who is flanked by another veteran arrival.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Ryan Pontbriand
Dave Zastudil
Parker Douglass/Veteran Free Agent

The omission of Josh Cribbs from this unit greatly saddens me. Cribbs has been among my favorite Browns players over the past few seasons, but his contract demands in 2009 and short shelf life as a special teams demon likely sours his relationship with Mangini.

The departure of Phil Dawson is natural, as he retains no leverage in his 2009 contract demands and is quickly forgotten by the Mangini regime.

And of course, Ryan Pontbriand remains the gem of Butch Davis' Browns drafts, as he cements his hold as best long-snapper in the AFC.

Perhaps my prognosticating skills are novice at best, but one conclusion that can drawn from the 2009 season, regardless of whether it has actually begun or not, is that the Browns under Eric Mangini are undergoing a serious makeover.

Whether or not this current transformation will result in the team's eventual success is another story all together.

Or another post...perhaps next week I'll explore the Browns' 2015 prospects. I can only imagine the quarterback drama, especially after the tumultuous 2014 season.

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By Cleveland Reboot
Blogger/SJ Contributing Author

Gortat Isn't All Too Happy As Magic Match Mavs' Offer Sheet

Jabber Head — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:56:50 -0400

The Orlando Magic’s offseason has been stellar. They’ve added Vince Carter, lured Brandon Bass from Dallas, and even screwed the Mavericks over by matching their offer sheet to retain Marcin Gortat. This is enough for some to crown the Magic paper champs for the upcoming season.

While some are celebrating, there’s one individual that’s not too happy about one of those moves made by the Magic. That individual is Marcin Gortat.

Gortat had his heart set on starting for the Mavericks, but that won’t happen now. The 6-foot-11, 240-pound center is visiting his native Poland, and he learned about the news in a phone conversation Monday with his agent, Guy Zucker.

Zucker said his client was “very disappointed.”

“This is nothing against Orlando,” Zucker said. “He’s not going to beat out Dwight Howard for a starting job anytime soon and not for a lack of trying. Dwight Howard, most people would agree, is the No. 1 center in the world. He’d hoped that Orlando would allow him to accept this opportunity to be able to walk his own path and discover his true potential and measure himself against the best players in the game as a starter.”

With Hedo Turkoglu gone, why can’t the Magic start Howard and Gortat together? This allows Rashard Lewis to move back to his natural position at small forward and you have more of an traditional lineup. And with two big threats in the middle, it will be very hard for teams to blanket Dwight Howard like they did this past season. This could be a win-win for both parties involved. But alas, SVG is at the helm.

Magic to match offer sheet to retain center Marcin Gortat (Orlando Sentinel)

No Guts, No Glory is a Sports Jabber Contributing Author. Read more of his works at No Guts, No Glory.

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Chronicling My Three Hours of Hell: The Home Run Derby

Jabber Head — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:06:41 -0400

I’m definitely not a baseball purist. In fact, I’m all for cutting the baseball season down to 100 games. Or 80. Or even 60, if I were able to get away with it. Yet, last night I tried to put away my impure feelings about the game of baseball and decided to take in the Home Run Derby. (Spoiler Alert - It didn’t go very well)

7:59 PM
Finishes off a Family Guy rerun (a daily ritual). Flips over to ESPN for the coverage.

8:00 PM

PA announcer at the ballpark announces, “Welcome David Cook singing, ‘Declaration’.”

8:00 PM - 8:10 PM

I continuously ask myself, “Why is David Cook on my television?” and “Is this the new National Anthem?” and “Is this a pyro show or a Home Run Derby?” and “Why is David Cook on my television?”

8:30 PM

By this time I think I’m upstairs cleaning my tub. Seems like a good time to knock out some household duties. I was fortunate enough to watch a 15-minute spectacle where Albert Pujols watched 20 balls fly right across the plate before hitting a pop up and a ground ball.

All the while, Bennett Hayes (the State Farm winner guy with a pretty strong mustache) looks on hoping that Pujols would at least get one out to the outfield. And to think, he must’ve practiced that pointing motion all week.

9:00 PM, I guess

Back downstairs in time to see Brandon Inge sucking.

Yeah, we feel the same you do about seeing you hitting pop up after pop up, Brandon. I am now on Twitter joining in on the Berman and Ball Track bashing.

Speaking of Twitter. if you aint following, you need to be.

9:30 PM, or somewhere around there.

Back to cleaning that tub I already cleaned.

10:00 PM (I’ve really lost a sense of time by now)

Is it the second round yet? Who made it? Is that one of Will Smith’s sons back there?

10:30 PM (Still don’t know what time it really is)

Walk by the television to notice that Prince Fielder is swearing profusely. Hey kids, come wipe a Prince down.

11:00 PM

Come back just in time to watch Prince Fielder crowned Home Run Derby champion for 2009. And to witness him unveil his 10x jersey skirt.

Not pictured nor discussed: Chris Berman, Steve Phillips, and Joe Morgan’s predictable commentary of the event. For obvious reasons.

*Images via Reuters and Getty

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After the Dust has Settled: UFC 100

Jabber Head — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:32:53 -0400

MikeDead and -C.B- answer a few questions before & after UFC 100.

Prior to UFC 100...

Q: The UFC has been promoting UFC 100 for quite some time now. With the fight card set in stone do you think this PPV will live up to the hype of being the "big one?"

-C.B-: I think this is one of the best fight cards in quite some time. There isn’t just one or two good fights on this card, there are five or six matches that (on paper) have me excited. But that’s the great thing about the UFC: Even a match you aren’t even giving a second thought to can turn out to be a fight of the night.

MikeDead: Great heavyweight fights like we’ll witness tonight always seem to sell, and understandably so. But outside of the Lesnar/Mir fight, and even outside of what on paper looks like a great fight between GSP & Thiago Alves, this card is by far the best in recent memory. There are at least five fights on the card tonight that could get even the casual MMA fan excited.

Q: Which specific match on the card are you looking forward to seeing?

-C.B- : This is a tough one. But being a huge Georges St-Pierre fan, I’d have to say GSP vs Thiago Alves. Thiago Alves is coming in on a seven-fight win streak; and GSP is on a five-fight win streak, including a win in the controversial “grease gate” match with BJ Penn. Thiago is hungry for this win so much so that he refers to the Welterweight belt (currently held by GSP) as “my [Thiago] belt.” Thiago is going in there focused and Georges St-Pierre is going to need to be at the top of his game.

MikeDead: I’m going to have to say Jon Jones Vs. Jake O’Brien. Jones is coming in at 8-0, but fighters have great stand-up game and are not afraid to push the fight in the direction. It’s one of those fights that could steal the show, or end in a knockout 20 seconds in.

Q: Brock Lesnar throwing Frank Mir around, but fell into the Leg Lock, the first time these two met resulting in Brock’s only loss. Presumably Brock has been working on his submission defense so this doesn’t happen again; what are Mir’s chances this time around?

-C.B- : I think that Mir has to stick with what worked for him against Brock last time and that was the submission. Brock will probably be expecting Mir to make him tap, but Mir has to just go in there and do his thing. If Brock goes in to this match swinging and hasn’t really prepared or didn’t bother to improve on his submission defence then I think that Mir has a good chance at winning this one like he did the last one.

MikeDead: Lesnar in my opinion cannot allow Mir to take this fight to the ground. Mir is a crafty and experienced fighter, and if he can manage to get Lesnar down into half guard, and work him on the ground, it’s going to be a long night for Brock Lesnar.

Q: The winner between Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping gets a title shot. Realistically do either of these guys have a shot at beating Anderson Silva?

-C.B- : The great thing about the UFC is in any fight either guy can win. Henderson has already fought against Silva before and got choked out in the second round. But before the choke out Henderson won the first round, so I think Henderson-Silva 2 would be a good rematch and I think that Henderson would have the better shot of beating Silva out of the two.

MikeDead: Anything is possible, but if I’m Henderson I can’t imagine I’d be too confident going back into the octagon to face off with Silva. And I don’t have much faith in Michael Bisping to win tonight, let alone in a fight with Silva. Realistic chance, probably not.

After UFC 100…

Q: Yoshihiro Akiyama made his UFC debut tonight [and won]. But did he impress you?

-C.B-: I think that Yoshihiro Akiyama showed some talent tonight but for how highly he’s been praised it looked like Alan Belcher really gave him a run for his money. With a questionable decision by the judges I don’t think Akiyama has firmly made a name for himself just yet.

MikeDead: I was impressed, but I don’t think Akiyama did what he needed to do in order to live up to all the hype surrounding him. At the end of the fight, I had it 2-1 Akiyama, but really that fight could have gone either way. Certainly not the dominating debut that many felt we would see.

Q: Dan Henderson delivered a thundering right hand that knocked out Michael Bisping. Does his match tonight change your opinion on a Silva vs. Henderson rematch?

-C.B- : I would love to see Silva vs. Henderson again. I think that Henderson learnt something from that first fight, and knocking out Bisping was a real confidence booster. I never said I wouldn’t like to see a rematch, so make it happen!

MikeDead: Does it change my opinion? No. I was never against a rematch in the first place. But it does raise my confidence in Henderson if a rematch were to happen. Henderson looked like a totally new fighter when he stepped into the octagon against Bisping. If he could take that approach against Silva, I think UFC would have a marquee fight on they’re hands.

Q:Georges St-Pierre dominated his match for the entire five rounds. Doing that against perhaps his toughest challenger, where does he go from here?

-C.B-: Only place for him to go is up. Who’s left in the division that hasn’t been taken out by GSP? Ultimately the decision comes down to Georges, but Anderson Silva vs. GSP? Can you say a major draw for the UFC?

MikeDead: There’s nothing left to prove at the 170 class for GSP. I think it’s time to move up in class, and the mention of a possible Silva fight last night should have MMA fans foaming at the mouth.

Q: Brock Lesnar defeated the only man he has ever lost too. Does this win snub the doubters of Brock Lesnar?

-C.B- : How can you doubt this guy? He came out, did what he said he was going to do, and beat Mir in the second round (although it was over in the first). Brock let Mir get back to his feet too, but the power and size of Brock is just so overwhelming. How can anyone still doubt Brock Lesnar?

MikeDead: I don’t think anyone will be beating Brock Lesnar for a very long time. In all honesty Brock allowed Mir to hang around in that fight much longer then he needed to, and he still dominated from beginning to end. It’s hard to doubt Lesnar after what he showed us last night.

Q: What do you think was the Fight of the Night?

-C.B- : I gotta give my fight of the night award to Georges St-Pierre vs. Thiago Alves. Perhaps GSP’s toughest opponent over his last five or so fights and he just completely dominated all five rounds. The only question that you can ask is “who’s next?” Going to give honorable mentions to Yoshihiro Akiyama and Alan Belcher for a very entertaining match.

MikeDead: Fight of the night for me had to be GSP vs. Thiago Alves. Another dominating performance by GSP, but yet it was probably the most challenging fight he’s had in recent history. The fight went the distance, we saw GSP on his back for the first time in what, two years? Dan Henderson certainly put on a show and is deserving of some mention here as well.

Q: Now that it’s over, did it [UFC 100] live up to the hype?

-C.B- : Absolutely! UFC 100 was an amazing show. Everyone came out and preformed as if they were the headliners, making for an exciting show from start to finish. If you were a new fan or casual spectator to the UFC then this show was definitely one to watch.

MikeDead: Absolutely, UFC 100 offered MMA fans a little bit of everything. You had the devastating knockout from Henderson, the debut of Akiyama. A long grueling fight from GSP. And the vicious ground and pound style of fight we expected to see from Lesnar. Last night offered everything you could possibly look for in a UFC event.

MikeDead and -C.B- are Jabberheads and Sports Jabber Contributing Authors.

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Reboot 2009 Fantasy Football Preview

Jabber Head — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:16:44 -0400

As a somewhat functioning member of the Cleveland sports blogosphere, Cleveland Reboot serves its reading public by offering analysis and commentary, providing day old news and references and hopefully sharing a mocking laugh that attempts to strangle the pretentiousness in all of us who have a voice regarding the teams and community we care about.

With such a wealth of information and opinion found online regarding the Browns and the NFL in general, we realize that it is hard to find the information and commentary you are seeking, especially when it comes to such pressing questions as:

1. Will Eric Mangini finally restore the Browns to their once great heights of success?

2. Who will emerge as the Browns' starting QB for the future?

3. Will Syndric Steptoe play a vital role again in December?

4. How old is Hank Poteat? Is he really going to be a starter?

5. Is Peyton Manning or Tom Brady the better choice for my fantasy football team?

Considering the struggles the Browns are likely to face in 2009, based on another regime change and a roster in transition, the last question is more reflective of many Browns' fans desire to divert their attention in 2009 to the realm of fantasy.

Much like the idea of the Browns' defense becoming an aggressive, vicious, attacking unit in 2009, perhaps the hopes of fans of our great organization are better placed in a world based solely on make-believe.

So, in the spirit of community awareness and mindless speculation, and as a public service to all the readers of the site, Cleveland Reboot proudly offers its 2009 Fantasy Football Preview. Consider this as your ultimate source for fantasy football.

EDITOR'S NOTE -
The staff of Cleveland Reboot thinks fantasy football is a complete waste of time and inflates the value of players based on often meaningless statistics. Although initially designed for fun and as a way to enhance the game experience, fantasy football cheapens the sport and most of its' participants become dumber in the process.

Anyway, you've sent questions and we have answers.

Reboot,
I have the first pick in my fantasy league. It's me, my cousin Rick and two guys I work with. Who should I take?
-J.R., Solon

J.R.,
Ummm...I don't know, your cousin? In building a quality team, you should start with the basics. How about an offensive tackle? I like Walter Jones, but he's starting to age. How about Joe Thomas or Ryan Clady? Oh wait, left tackles don't have any stats in fantasy football? Oh...well, screw you.

Reboot,
Should I take Adrian Peterson in the first round, or wait for a player like Matt Forte in the later rounds?
-Matt, Geneva

Matt,
I'm pretty sure Peterson and Forte have already been drafted. (I had no idea how uninformed these readers were.)

Reboot,
Does L.T. have anything left in the tank? He's been a touchdown machine before, but I'm worried about taking him high.
-Jason, Frankfort

Jason,
Based on his recent past, it appears L.T. breaks down heading into the playoffs. Wait...you say that your fantasy season ends in December? Oh, well who cares then?

Reboot,
Is Peyton Manning the greatest fantasy quarterback ever?
-Tommy, Oak Grove

Tommy,
Manning is pretty good in reality, too. But, then again, I guess it depends on what kind of fantasy you had in mind.

Reboot,
Who in Dallas loses the most now that Terrell Owens has gone to Buffalo?
-Alex, Central Station

Alex,
Probably fantasy nerds like you, who base a player's value solely on stats.

Reboot,
Is Jay Cutler worth drafting as quarterback of the Bears?
-Dennis, Springfield

Dennis,
I'm thinking it was worth it for the Bears to trade for him...you know, in reality.

Reboot,
Who is the first Browns player that should be taken in my upcoming fantasy draft?
-Rick, Parma

Rick,
I think the selection of Joe Thomas would be a good start. However, if we're dealing in fantasy, I would grab David Veikune. To think that he will smoothly transition to the NFL and contribute in his first year is pure fantasy.

Reboot,
Who is primed for a big bounce-back year?
-Janice, Bloomfield

Janice,
It was reported that Isaac Sowells fell the other day in his basement. That could be something worth looking into.

Reboot,
Who is a safer pick: Tom Brady or Matt Cassell?
-Buddy, New Haven

Buddy,
A safer pick to do what? Play quarterback in the NFL? Do you even watch football?

Reboot,
In my keeper league, I hold the rights to Brett Favre, but I'm concerned about his prospects in going to Minnesota. What should I do?
-Peter, Connecticut

Peter,
What the hell are you talking about? Are you Favre's agent or something?

Reboot,
Which team's players will benefit most from an easy schedule?
-Barbershop, Elyria

Barbershop,
Wouldn't the teams be the ones who benefit from an easy schedule?

Reboot,
Any tips on sleeper picks in 2009?
-Carlos, Mansfield

Carlos,
I hear Derek Anderson is a fan of the occasional power nap.

Reboot,
I am torn and I need help. I really want to take Brandon Marshall, but I'm worried about his contract situation and off the field issues. Help!
-Teddy, Omaha

Teddy,
Calm down, kid. Perhaps you should consider joining a Fantasy Malcontent League. In such an environment, I would trade up to grab Marshall. Is Plaxico still in the league? Take him, too.

Reboot,
What veteran has flown under the radar and could be a good value pick?
-Mason, Columbia

Mason,
I can list dozens of quality veterans around the league, but unfortunately, they're all linemen and it's doubtful you have heard of them.

Reboot,
Who is the best pick for a backup quarterback?
-Glenn, Cincinnati

Glenn,
The one who doesn't have to play.

Reboot,
I have serious concerns about Brett Favre going to Minnesota. I'm worried that his legacy will be tarnished.
-Peter, Connecticut

Peter,
Although it's a Favre question, this is one that is somewhat football related. Wait a minute, is this Peter King? Oh, grow up.

Reboot,
Who is the best long-shot wide receiver?
-Syndric, Berea

Syndric,
Considering the Browns' depth at WR this year, this is your time to shine.

Reboot,
Stop stealing my stuff. The mailbag is the only thing I have left.
-Tony G., Cleveland

Tony,
You are the best and you inspire me everyday.

Well, I hope that helped. If your question was not answered, feel free to email Cleveland Reboot here .

Check back next April for Cleveland Reboot's 2010 Mock Draft and as always, good luck with your teams in 2009. Oh, and if you get the opportunity, try actually watching an entire NFL game this year, instead of just the highlights.

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By Cleveland Reboot
Blogger/SJ Contributing Author

Browns Sunday Roundup: Falling for the Same Joke Edition

Jabber Head — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:36:52 -0400

Terry’s Talkin

Great stuff from every Browns fan’s favorite mythical uncle, Terry Pluto. I’ve been reading Pluto for years and unlike a lot of other aging print sportswriters, he has demonstrated a wonderful humility in presenting his material.

Pluto’s even-handed approach, genuine appreciation for the game and wonderful sense of history brings a much needed balance to the often cynical beast that is the Cleveland sports media.

Reading Pluto on a Sunday morning is a true highlight, especially in the dark days of July. His take, which is hopefully the last one, on Donte Stallworth strays from being overly judgmental (we get it: Stallworth is a bum and/or has some bad luck), and focuses on bad decisions of another sort, i.e., the Browns’ rationale for signing and then retaining the enigmatic wideout.

What the Browns can learn from the Donte Stallworth mess…

1. When Donte Stallworth was signed in the spring of 2008, they were desperate to add a veteran receiver. Joe Jurevicius had informed the team that his knee was becoming a problem, and he was not sure if he could start.

The roster for receivers suddenly looked thin with Braylon Edwards, then a dropoff to the likes of Syndric Steptoe. They had traded their top three draft choices in 2008 for deals involving Brady Quinn, Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers.

I think both fans and the Phil Savage-led front office were still basking in the glow of the surprise 2007 offensive outbreak before it became apparent that, much like in 2009, the Browns’ receiver corps were dangerously thin.

Although when the Stallworth signing was announced, the popular sentiment was that this was a move that was going to push the Browns over the top. And most of us bought it.

Think of the possibilities that were going through your mind this time last year. Braylon and Donte stretching the defense on the outside, K2 and JJ down the middle. Syndric not playing….

3. When the Browns were considering Stallworth in the spring of 2008, they knew the following: a) He had been on three different teams in the previous three years; b) There were media reports that he was in the NFL substance abuse program; c) While he had appeared in all 16 games in three of the previous four seasons, he was known as somewhat fragile, prone to pulled leg muscles; and d) He was the 13th pick in the 2002 draft, and had not lived up to his potential.

It seems Savage was blinded by his desire to win now, based on the 2007 near-playoff results. I can never fault Savage for wanting to win, and based on his maverick trading record with the organization, it is apparent that he gave a great effort.

But the Stallworth signing is representative of his narrow-mindedness when it came to building a team for the future.

Of course, the Browns were not the only team who fell for Stallworth, or more correctly, his greatest asset—blinding speed.

Much like teams fall in love with a quarterback’s arm strength while ignoring more important intangibles (sound familiar?), Savage essentially had Al Davis-esque visions of DA throwing 60-yard bombs to Stallworth.

Of course, one pulled muscle later, and those dreams were extinguished.

5. It’s hard to know exactly what other teams were bidding for Stallworth, but it seems the Browns at some point were bidding against themselves.

For a guy in the NFL substance abuse program who has looking for a new team—again—they wrote a check for $4.5 million as a signing bonus.

They guaranteed him $10 million on a contract announced as $35 million over seven years. The Browns’ deal is not one to keep a player with a questionable attitude motivated.

There was one team who was certainly not in the bidding—the Patriots. Although Stallworth blossomed in the Patriots’ historic offense of 2007, much of his success was due to New England’s incredibly deep set of weapons surrounding him.

Plugging Stallworth into a system with Randy Moss and Wes Welker helped to inflate his value heading into free agency. Putting Stallworth with Braylon Edwards and not much else brought him back to reality.

6. When the front office and coaching staff was relieved after the 2008 season, the new regime faced their own decision on Stallworth. He was due a $4.5 million roster bonus on March 13.

They didn’t like Stallworth as a player (too soft and injury prone), and they also had doubts about his character. Stallworth caught only 17 passes in 11 games in 2008, averaging 10.0 yards per catch.

Even when healthy, he showed little reason to keep him around. But the new regime also was desperate for receivers, and decided to pay him the $4.5 million bonus.

They also feared cap problems, because even if they cut Stallworth, he still counted for $6.4 million on the salary cap.

Throwing out the unfortunate mess that Stallworth created for himself in March, this has to be considered one of the initial missteps of the new Mangini regime. The team was gutting some of Savage’s additions earlier in the year, and it seemed logical that Stallworth would be the next to go.

However, based on the incredibly thin depth at the position, thanks to Savage and the injury situation of Jurevicius, Mangini couldn’t pull the trigger.

Now, an indefinite suspension, two draft picks and two aging veterans later, the Browns find themselves almost where they started from.

7. Obviously, there was no way to know that Stallworth would end up in this type of legal trouble, suspended indefinitely by the league and destined to be cut by the Browns once they resolve some salary cap issues with this contract.

But both regimes compromised by overpaying for underachieving player with character problems because they hoped to squeeze something out of him — and they thought they had no other alternatives.

I have to wonder if the Browns draft day moves would have looked different if Stallworth had not become entangled in such a tragic situation.

While I’m confident that Mangini would have taken a wideout fairly high in the draft, I’m curious if he would have grabbed a second player, like he did with Mohammed Massaquoi.

It is likely that a second wideout would have been taken, but the pick could have come much later in the draft.

If you buy into the theory that the lack of depth at wide receiver forced the Browns hand on two different occasions, first with his initial signing and then by paying him a roster bonus a few months ago, it is quite remarkable to think that a fairly marginal talent has helped to dictate the team’s direction.

Going a step further, if the Browns’ draft day strategy was also affected by Stallworth’s tenuous status, one has to think that the presence of this player has created one of the most starcrossed situations in recent memory.

All this for a guy who runs fast.

And in other news…speaking of more projections….

Browns Sign James Davis

The Browns have reported signed sixth-round pick RB James Davis (Clemson) to a four-year deal, according to Pro Football Talk.

According to Aaron Wilson of Ravens Insider and Pro Football Talk, the Cleveland Browns have signed RB James Davis to a four-year contract worth $1.85 million.

Davis has made a favorable impression early on in his rookie season, leading one AFC North front office exec to proclaim that the Browns got a “steal” in drafting him in the sixth round. While Davis struggled in a weak Clemson offense in 2008, he was widely considered to be a first-day pick going into that season.

I have been skeptical of the hype surrounding James Davis for two reasons:

1. Browns fans tend to soar to hyperbolic heights regarding the potential of running backs.

At different times in the past, Madre Hill was a unearthed gem, Ben Gay was the second coming, Lee Suggs was the new Leroy Kelly, William Green was a stable human being, Jerome Harrison is the new Leon Washington, and so it goes…

The arrival of James Davis reaches similar parallels.

2. Davis is a sixth-round draft pick.

However, considering the depth at the position, which has been largely untouched since the arrival of Jamal Lewis in 2007, it is possible that Davis can make the roster as a rookie, and could contribute in 2009.

His only real competition seems to be special teams veteran Noah Herron. As for his future with the team, signing a four-year contract seems to suggest that he has indeed shown some promise during the offseason.

And on an unrelated note, something that struck me as funny….

Donte Whitner Doesn’t Like Pro Football Talk.com

I learned while perusing Twitter that Bills safety Donte Whitner isn’t happy with us.

“Profootballtalk is a non credible site….me lose my job lol don’t u guys have better things to write about?” Whitner tweeted.

Whitner was responding to an item posted by Gregg Rosenthal regarding the possibility that Whitner could lose his starting job.

But what Whitner didn’t realize is that Gregg was merely citing a report from FOXSports.com.

Instead, then, Whitner should have tweeted is this: “FOXSports.com is a non credible site.”

Let’s see if he rectifies his error.

I’ve always admired the play of Donte Whitner and his recent tweet (I feel so dirty) blasting PFT.com further elevates his worth in my eyes. While I greatly enjoy the gonzo-rumor mongering tendencies of PFT.com, even they have to admit that they are not exactly a beacon of sports journalism.

One of PFT.com’s strategies in “breaking news” is to suggest that something is going to happen (a.k.a., throw it against the wall…), then if it sticks, great. If not, oh well. This strategy can be effective, but PFT’s success rate is eerily similar to a weak hitting shortstop’s batting average.

As for Whitner “rectifying” the situation, perhaps PFT should take the initial step and add a “rumor clarification” section to their fancy new NBC website. This way, no one’s feelings will be hurt.

More…

By Cleveland Reboot, Blogger/SJ Contributing Author

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Mariner Maniacs name Fearon Wright Player of the Year!

Jabber Head — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:35:28 -0400

On July 8 at the Nest in Baltimore, Mariner Maniacs President Ed Jowanowitch named Baltimore Mariner LB/DL Fearon Wright the Mariner Maniacs Player of the Year for 2009. How valuable was Fearon Wright on defense? Just ask Mariner Maniacs President Ed Jowanowitch.

”He led the defense in sacks and had a very game changing sack on Readings QB Rob Flowers. When you see Fearon on the field, you could tell he was the leader, some say he is the Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Mariners,” Jowanowitch said.

I asked Fearon Wright, how does it feel to be named Mariner Maniacs Player of the Year for 2009?

”It was a great honor to be named Player of the Year. I acknowledge that many factors have to be considered when choosing who to give this award to, and I am humbled and grateful that the Mariner Maniacs saw these attributes in me” Wright said.

And Fearon was quick to point that his success on the team this past season, would not have been possible without the leadership and support that he recieved from the Mariners coaching staff and his teammates.

At 6'4" and 245 lbs. Fearon Wright is one of the AIFA’s most dominant defensive players. He is a force often being double teamed by opposing offensive lineman.

“The thing that outshone him over other’s was his Leadership and how he would get the defense going,” Jowanowitch said. Fearon says there is no better place to play arena football then for the Baltimore Mariners.

“One of the most important factors in choosing a team for which to play is the support of the fans, and I have to say that the Mariner Maniac fans are truly loyal to the team," Wright said.

All of the Mariner Maniacs voted for the Player of the Year. Not to many clubs issue awards in there first year of operation. ”Its a goal we set in the beginning and plan to continue it for years to come,” Jowanowitch said. Ed also thinks that with the new ownership the Baltimore Mariners have, and there caliber of players they had in 2009, that the future looks like a fantastic year for the team in 2010!

And last but not least, I had to ask the 2009 Mariner Maniacs Player of the Year, how good can this defense be in 2010? “Defense wins Championships!! That's how good were going to be!” Wright said. When Fearon Wright says there going to win a championship, then you better start making plans for the big game right now Baltimore! Fearon Wright now has a Player of the Year plaque for his wall….next season he will have a Championship Ring for his finger!!

Tim Lumber is a Jabberhead & Sports Jabber Contributing Author. You can read more of his work at National Sports Review.

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The World Anti-Doping Agency Thinks It's Time For MLB To Man Up

Jabber Head — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:38:06 -0400

The MLB drug policy has come a long way. It has been rewritten three times, each time having stiffer penalties. Currently a player is suspended for 50 games without pay for the first positive test, 100 games for a second, and a lifetime ban if you’re a big enough idiot to keep doing PED’s after being caught twice. Pretty stiff, right?

Not in the eyes of the head honcho of the WADA.

The World Anti-Doping Association urged Major League Baseball on Wednesday to adopt its stricter policy of a two-year suspension if any player tests positively for the first time for using performance-enhancing drugs.

WADA, which rules over such tournaments as the World Baseball Classic and the Olympic baseball tournament, specifies a lifetime ban for a second offense.

“MLB, the players and all those involved in the league need to clearly demonstrate that they are committed to ridding their sport from doping,” WADA president John Fahey said in a statement Wednesday. “With recent cases, investigations and revelations, including in recently published books, the evidence is indisputable that doping remains an entrenched issue in baseball.”

And of course, MLB still doesn’t want to concede this point.

MLB Executive VP for Labor Relations Rob Manfred respectfully disagreed with the criticism.

“It is absurd to suggest that ‘recently published books’ — which allege steroid use that occurred years ago — have any relevance to our current program,” Manfred told the Associated Press. “As demonstrated by recent events, when a player tests positive, the penalty is public and severe.”

It seems that Mr. Manfred has failed to realize that those “public and severe” penalties aren’t really working. Yes, the number of failed tests are down (or at least the number that are reported). Yes, the athletes get a week of public ridicule and lose a lil cash. And yes, they have to play in the minors before their suspension is even up. But even with all that, it’s not truly working because players are still trying to beat the system. And not just any ole players. Stars are still trying to get away with using banned substances

In my opinion, if you really want to rid the game of PED’s, you adopt something like this. No one, if they’re smart, will risk being suspended for 2 years on their first drug test. Two years away from the game is almost a death sentence for a career. Should MLB care if they could possibly be ending the careers of some of it’s biggest stars? I say no. The game is and will always be bigger than its stars.

WADA head urges MLB to adopt its code (MLB.com)

No Guts, No Glory is a Sports Jabber Contributing Author.

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Thursday Roundup: Cleveland Browns' Potential and Breakouts Edition

Jabber Head — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:05:38 -0400

As the long weeks leading up to training camp slowly begin to dissipate, and much like the legitimacy of a Phil Dawson holdout, prognosticators are beginning to unsheathe their sharp knives, readying for the possible realities that lie ahead.

Or, in other words, the suspense is killing me. What is this team going to look like in 2009?

On the surface, the Browns are entering another regime change and have questions at almost every position among the roster. Although the arrival of Eric Mangini signals that this often directionless franchise headquartered in Berea finally has some much-needed order and stability, it is impossible to predict what kind of success the team will experience in 2009.

The most ideal scenario for the Browns would parallel Mangini’s initial success with the Jets in 2006, when the littlest version of Bill Parcells led his team to a surprise playoff appearance. Mangini brought a change in culture to New York, replacing the more cuddly Herman Edwards and installing more accountability to the Jet franchise.

Let’s hope that Mangini can have similar success in Cleveland, as he replaces the loveable Uncle Romeo and puts his own unique and pesky stamp on the Browns.

As is often the case in sports and life, success will ultimately be determined by the level of talent on the field. For the Browns in 2009, there is a strange pot brewing, as the untested will be lumped into a framework of battle-tested veterans, along with a diminishing base of core players.

The on-field result is impossible to predict, especially during the second week of July. But in the meantime, one lingering question will remain heading into training camp and beyond: Who will emerge in 2009 as a key player as we dive into yet anoter new chapter of rebirth?

AFC North’s Breakout Players

In a division filled with quality defenses, it was only fitting that a young, up-and-coming linebacker caught the most attention of his AFC North peers.

In the closest vote of the entire player survey, Cincinnati Bengals second-year linebacker Keith Rivers edged linebacker Lawrence Timmons of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn by one vote to become the 2009 pick for breakout player.

Not to belittle Quinn, but obviously, if he wins the starting quarterback job in Cleveland, he is destined for a breakout year merely based on the volume of playing time he will receive. Production aside, Quinn’s 2009 season could be evaluated more in terms of survival and avoiding disaster, rather than by completion percentage or yardage.

As I have stated before, Quinn is essentially auditioning to be the quarterback not just in 2009, but for the remainder of Eric Mangini’s tenure in Cleveland. Unfortunately for Quinn, the talent surrounding him on offense will make this extended interview a difficult environment to succeed in.

AFC North Breakout Player

As voted by 32 anonymous players in the division:
Player Pos. Team Votes

1. Keith Rivers LB Bengals 6
(Tie) 2. Lawrence Timmons LB Steelers 5
Brady Quinn QB Browns 5
4. Brian Robiskie WR Browns 3
(Tie) 5. D’Qwell Jackson LB Browns 2
Chris Henry WR Bengals 2
Joe Flacco QB Ravens 2
(tie) 8. Cedric Benson RB Bengals 1
Limas Sweed WR Steelers 1
Eric Wright CB Browns 1
Rey Maualuga LB Bengals 1
Carey Davis FB Steelers 1
Santonio Holmes WR Steelers 1
Syndric Steptoe WR Browns 1
* Note: Players surveyed could not vote for themselves or teammates.

I think the same case could be made for rookie wideout Brian Robiskie. Although historically, rookie wide receivers not named Randy Moss tend to struggle in their introduction to the NFL, Robiskie will benefit from the alarmingly thin depth at the position in Cleveland.

Much like Quinn will benefit from merely getting snaps, it is not a stretch to suggest that Robiskie could contribute 30-40 catches to the offense in 2009.

Said one future opponent of the rookie Robiskie: “He’s a polished receiver and his dad [Terry] being a coach will help his learning process.”

Again, it’s a stretch to suggest that a rookie receiver is already “polished.” Robiskie still has a steep learning curve, although the popular sentiment is that his pedigree should help him succeed. Let’s hope so.

If not Robiskie, then who?

Oh right, Syndric Steptoe. Really? Syndric? An “anonymous” player voted for Syndric? I’m guessing Syndric ran under the Libertarian party. Or perhaps Bruce Gradkowski was polled before he signed on with Oakland? Either way, one of the wonderful freedoms we have in this great democracy is the right to waste your vote.

Getting back to the traditional two-party system, the names of Eric Wright and D’Quell Jackson as breakout players are encouraging signs for a defense that will likely have to carry the team in 2009. Although I view both players as complementary to the defense, meaning that they will blossom only when better talent surrounds them, I am still encouraged that both could progress under new defensive leadership.

Although Eric Barton is merely a one-year fix at inside linebacker, he is probably an upgrade over Andra Davis. This move alone could help Jackson to improve on his already impressive tackle totals of the past two seasons.

Much like other smaller and athletic linebackers, Jackson needs a bullish inside linebacker partner who can take on blocks and allow him to roam the field. Hopefully, Barton can provide these services in 2009, before better quality help is added in the coming seasons.

As for Wright, he does not have much help around him. As it stands now, Wright is the most talented of the Browns’ defensive backs and will be counted on to guard the opposing team’s best receiver. As much as I love Wright’s instincts and determination, I do not see him becoming a true No. 1 corner. Much like Jackson, the best hope for Wright developing into a premier player lies in the addition of a worthy partner at cornerback.

And in speaking of the defense, most of the initial reports regarding the arrival of new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan have been complimentary. There seems to be a wealth of excitement being generated regarding the potential of the Browns' defense, which could be generously characterized as “long suffering.”

But then again, we are still dwelling in July potential and idealism. The OBR’s Rich Passan offers a more realistic slant.

Rich Passan’s Take on the Browns Defense

News: New Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan promises the Browns will stop the run this season. “My whole life I’ve stopped the run and you can look that up,” he told the media. “We’ll get it done here.”

Views: Well, we looked it up and we didn’t like what we saw. At least during the last five seasons.

In those five seasons with Oakland (2004-2008), the Raiders’ defense ranked 22nd, 25th, 25th, 31st and 31st, respectively, against the run in the 32-team National Football League. The Browns, meanwhile, ranked 32nd, 25th, 25th, 27th and 28th. The Raiders permitted 138.7 yards a game in that span. The Browns yielded 141.6 a contest.

If that’s stopping the run, let’s redefine the term.

Well, that’s depressing. Even for a realist like myself.

Certainly, Ryan seems to be an upgrade over Todd Grantham and Mel Tucker. While Grantham brought some good energy to the position and Tucker worked wonders with the secondary before 2008, Ryan has more NFL experience and offers a familiarity with different schemes that should benefit the defense in 2009.

Although much like the offense, Ryan doesn’t have a whole lot to work with.

However, the presence of Shaun Rogers is a good starting point. While the defense beyond Rogers is not exactly inspiring, the defensive line rotation could be surprisingly deep, with the arrivals of Kenyon Coleman and C.J. Mosley, along with the return of Robaire Smith.

Eric Barton could help out in the run defense, as his primary role could be take on second level blockers, freeing up the likes of Jackson to make tackles.

The Wild Card in terms of stuffing the run could be the play of Abe Elam at safety. While Elam is not a great pass defender, he is an upgrade in terms of run support over the departed Sean Jones. Playing Elam closer to the line on running downs could bring a slight upgrade to a run defense that has proven to cause immense frustration for Browns fans.

While a dramatic improvement in the run defense is still a lofty goal for the Browns, it is very possible that Ryan will slightly upgrade the team’s biggest weakness in 2009. The first challenge is changing the defenders’ mentality regarding defense. For any improvement to happen, the Browns’ identity on defense has to change towards a more aggressive style and mindset, which Ryan seems eager to help deliver.

Again, much like several other areas on the roster, it’s a work in progress.

2005 Draft Contracts

The agents for Merriman, Edwards and White are among several who have expressed interest in doing long-term contracts, but have gotten little response from teams.

Everyone in Cleveland knows the story of Braylon Edwards. He's tremendously talented, physically gifted, the son of a former NFL athlete, emotionally insecure, and a possible accomplice.

Basically, the organization and fans have no earthly idea what they’re going to get out of Braylon, other than intrigue.

And considering recent information regarding Edwards, his financial future could be another mystery. So, Browns fans have yet another mystery to unravel in trying to figure out everyone’s favorite Lakefront enigma.

However, despite some of these qualities, the Browns could have done a lot worse in the 2005 draft. Considering their position at the top of the draft, Phil Savage could have missed badly. Looking at the names surrounding Edwards, it turns out (as it often does) that 2005 was not the year to draft a running back, which is always a possibility in Cleveland.

Hindsight being what it is, the Browns could have grabbed either Shawne Merriman or DeMarcus Ware much later in the round, or taken the safer pick with Logan Mankins. And of course, potential being what it is, would you rather have Braylon or one of the true 3-4 pass rushing outside linebackers on the roster now?

Unlike most of the other questions being asked now, this one may have a more definitive answer.

Cleveland Reboot is a Sports Jabber Contributing Author. Read more of his work at Cleveland Reboot.

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All-Felony Team: Athletes or Criminals?

Jabber Head — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:59:30 -0400

Below I’ve listed athletes who, despite having everything that one could ask for, (fame, fortune and great careers), insisted on making horrendous decisions that altered their lives and the lives of others.

Before reading, I must warn you that O.J. Simpson is not on this list. He’s been the scapegoat of this category too long. Nor is Michael Vick. Dogs are animals, get over it.

This list could have included 50 or more athletes, but for the sake of brevity I only included six.

Rae Carruth

Carruth was a first-round draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in 1997. After a promising rookie season, followed by a injury filled sophomore campaign, Carruth’s career was over. No doubt Carruth hired a hit man to shoot his pregnant girlfriend Cherica Adams in November 1999.

Adams later died, but her child, Chancellor Adams, survived a C-section, though has Cerebral Palsy. Carruth is serving a 19-year, 11-month sentence. He’s scheduled to be released on Oct. 22, 2018.

Tonya Harding

This criminal act is an oldie, but still ranks near the top of my “what were you thinking?” moments. Instead of planning and executing a rigorous training regime, Harding chose to hire someone to injure the competition, an unsuspecting Nancy Kerrigan.

After conspiring to harm Kerrigan at the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Harding’s career has tanked. Since being banned from the USFSA, Harding has appeared on reality shows, appeared in a sex tape, and tried her hand at boxing. What waste of talent, she was actually a great skater.

Donte’ Stallworth

What can I say about Donte’ Stallworth? Currently he’s suspended indefinitely from the NFL after pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter in April. After a night out on the town, filled with drinking, Stallworth struck and killed 59-year-old Mario Reyes in Miami on March 14.

Stallworth only received 30 days in jail, probation, and other useless forms of punishment. A man is dead and he is free, gotta love our judicial system.

Ray Lewis

I like to call him ‘Killer Lewis’, though Lewis was acquitted of murder in June 2000. Lewis was involved, but later viewed as an alleged peacemaker in a Super Bowl scuffle in January of 2000 in Atlanta. During the fight, Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar were killed. No other suspects were arrested.

The thing I find interesting is that Lewis paid settlements to both the Baker and Lollar families. An odd thing to do if he was really a peacemaker during the altercation. Can you say guilt?

J.R. Smith

Another speeding, rich, arrogant idiot. This time, a friend was killed. Yes, his own friend Andre Bell was the victim of his stupidity, driving 67 mph in a 35 mph zone.

The accident occurred June 9, 2007 in New Jersey. After running a stop sign, both Smith and Bell were ejected from the vehicle. Neither was wearing a seat belt. Bell died two days later. As for Smith’s punishment, 30 days in jail and 500 hours community service. You get the picture. A slap on the wrist.

Smith’s license has been suspended eight times, and he has had two tickets and three suspensions since the incident. It seems as if money amends the laws of our nation. It's sad, but true.

Maurice Clarett

After leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to the 2002 National Championship, its been a downward spiral for Clarett. Then a freshman, Clarett challenged the NFL’s rule that a player must have been out of high school for three years before entering the NFL Draft.

Following several failed attempts to make a NFL squad, Clarett has failed to play in one NFL game and is now in jail on charges of robbery, carrying a concealed weapon and resisting arrest. Clarett maintains a blog while in prison called "The Mind of Maurice Clarett." I’m sure the blog is very enlightening.

No Guts, No Glory is a Sports Jabber Contributing Author.

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Why Roy Halladay Must Be Acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies

Jabber Head — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:54:31 -0400

Roy Halladay could be on the move.

Ken Rosenthal first reported yesterday that the Toronto Blue Jays will listen to offers about their stud ace Halladay. Speculation started to fly around the sports world as if Brett Favre was considering a comeback.

ESPN picked it up and ran with it, and Comcast SportsNet ran with it as well. Just about every source for baseball did as well, like they did last season with CC Sabathia.

This time last season, Sabathia was already traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. However, for weeks prior to the blockbuster between the Cleveland Indians and the Brew Crew, there were rumors that he would land in one of eight different cities.

The Philadelphia Phillies were one of those teams and were believed to be the front runners for his services for a long period of time. But they lacked major league-ready prospects to offer to Cleveland.

Sabathia was eventually dealt to Milwaukee for Matt LaPorta, Rob Bryson, Taylor Green, and Zach Jackson.

This year, for the longest time, it looked like there weren’t going to be any big-name, bona fide aces on the market like a Sabathia.

The names thrown out there were guys like Erik Bedard and Roy Oswalt. While both are terrific pitchers in their own way, one is a free agent after the season, and the other has a no-trade clause.

But they weren’t good enough to really give up one of your top prospects to get.

In Bedard’s case, he’s often injured and has a bad attitude. While he’s a great talent and is having a tremendous season for the Seattle Mariners, he’s not worth a top prospect.

Oswalt’s case is a much different story. First, there’s no way he gets traded if owner Drayton McLane has a say in it. Second, Oswalt determines where he would want to go. Who knows if he’d accept a deal to Philly anyway?

Now, the best pitcher in all of baseball in many people’s minds is on the market, and the Phillies are believed to be the front runners as of right now.

Ed Price of MLB Fanhouse says a source told him that “[the] Phillies are the leaders at this point.” Buster Olney also thinks the Phils are the early favorites to land Halladay. Joel Sherman of the New York Post also believes they are in the lead for the right-handed pitcher.

The thing with rumors is that if it keeps getting thrown out there, there has to be some truth to it. Last year, there were rumors that the Phils were talking trade with Toronto about Halladay. In fact, Rosenthal wrote they have repeatedly asked about Halladay over the past two years.

Jim Salisbury, who is a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, reported in his latest column that one Phillies person told him that they are “serious” about acquiring Halladay.

Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki for MLB.com posted in his blog what general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said today when he spoke to reporters.

Amaro said that he does have some untouchables in the organization. Although not giving names, those are pretty much common knowledge by now. Those players are Kyle Drabek, Jason Knapp, and Dominic Brown.

But Doc is a different animal.

Roy Halladay is the type of pitcher that you give up a couple of your top prospects for. He’s been the best pitcher in the majors for a while, and yet he doesn’t get much praise because he’s not a Yankee or a Red Sox.

He’s 10-2 with a 2.79 earned run average and 98 strikeouts this season for the Blue Jays. Already, he has three complete games.

If they call Joe Blanton an “inning eater,” then what do you call Doc?

The guy has thrown over 200 innings in each of the last three seasons and racked up 20 complete games in that time span. That’s an old-time baseball pitcher.

Since 2005, Halladay has gone the distance 28 times. In his career he has completed what he started 43 times.

His ground ball-to-fly ball ratio is exactly what the Phils would love to get for their hitter-friendly ballpark. This year, he has a 1.28 ground ball-to-fly ball ratio. He has a deadly sinker, something that Bedard and Oswalt don't have.

While he’s a strikeout pitcher as well, Halladay is the total package.

Plus, he’s under team control for the 2010 season as well. He makes a lot of money, but that shouldn’t be a factor because Brett Myers, Adam Eaton, and Geoff Jenkins will come of the payroll after this season.

Halladay does have a no-trade clause. However, according to Jon Heyman, one of his friends said, “He’s shy, but thinks he would approve a trade to New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.”

That takes me to my next point: Why would Toronto trade him to their divisional rivals, the Yankees or the Sox? One of the reasons they are open to trading him is because of the division they play in.

The AL East is one tough division to crack with the Yanks and Sox in there. The Rays and the Jays are unlikely to win the division with the team they have now.

Sherman has ruled out the Yankees on his Twitter account, stating a Yankee official told him there is “zero chance” they trade for Halladay for the same reasons they didn’t get Johan Santana.

The Phils have what it takes to get Halladay; it’s just a matter of them putting together the right package to get him in Philly and not giving up way too much.

One of the aforementioned Drabek, Brown, or Knapp would likely have to be in the package, although that’s not a given. Toronto is looking for a top shortstop prospect, and the Phillies have that in Jason Donald.

Something along the lines of Brown, Donald, and Carlos Carrasco with another prospect is likely what the package would have to look like.

I’m in the boat that I don’t care what it takes, as long as it doesn’t hurt the big league club this year or next (i.e. trading J.A. Happ or Jayson Werth).

With the addition of Halladay, Philadelphia would win the NL East by default and be the favorites to repeat.

He’s that kind of pitcher.

Tom Dougherty is a Sports Jabber Contributing Author. Read more of his work at 2 Minutes to Midnight Green.

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Rebutting the Rebuttal: Broken Crayons Edition

Jabber Head — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:10:49 -0400

The blindingly gorgeous prospects of an early July allow us all to parade around the bandwidths of public opinion, emerging as gridiron prophets and caretakers of the endless optimism that surrounds a sun-drenched Berea.

For in July, it really doesn’t matter that the 2009 Browns are entering yet another first year of a new coaching regime, or that the current collection of talent on the roster appears to be riddled with questions and concerns worthy of volumes of elegant prose.

Because as it stands now, the Browns’ odds to compete for a Super Bowl championship are as good as any other team in the league.

Why not?

If you allow yourself to embrace the Zen-like philosophy of “we shall see,” then every move made in Berea over the past six months is leading to a perfect destination…or not.

Perhaps we should all embrace this feeling for as long as it continues to penetrate our hardened, Northeast Ohio sports fan shells.

But then again, what fun is that?

So, in the spirit of both debate and its sister, contrarianism, as well as in a gesture of goodwill toward accurate, grammatical bliss, let us offer a counter argument to the sunshine streaming through the Internet in recent days.

Or, perhaps in a more correct phrasing, allow me to retort.

Rebuttal to Reboot

I just want to start out and say I have read and always enjoyed the Cleveland Reboot blog. It’s a very intelligent and clever blog about the greatest franchise in football, The Cleveland Browns. I just believe that his recent post about our offense struggling this season to “find” an identity and whichever quarterback that starts not playing well needs a rebuttal.

First things first, thanks for the plug. I also enjoy the stylings of one Cleveland Reboot. And as for the objective of a rebuttal, I admit that I argue with myself constantly. Unflinchingly and stubbornly maintaining the same outlook is self-destructive.

Debate is healthy.

Our offense will not struggle in 2009. They may not be top five or top 10, but we will score points. Let’s start with identity. The team has one…it is balanced. If you watched the Jets, and I have to tell you I watched many of their games because I am a Brett Farve fan, Leon Washington was used in the short passing game more than he was as a running back.

The Browns are installing a new offense, with a largely untested quarterback, an older featured running back, very few playmakers and a revamped offense line. However hopeful I am for the offense to acheive success in 2009, as a realist, I have to think that this unit will struggle in 2009.

Having said this, I admit that the offense will gradually improve throughout the year, but this is a huge work in progress for the team moving forward.

As for an identity of being “balanced,” again, let’s wait and see. However, in viewing the current roster shortcomings, I’m not sure how this team will acheive this kind of benchmark. The only parallel we have now, other than player analysis, is to look at the 2008 Jets.

The flaw in using that logic is that the Browns are not the 2008 Jets.

Isolating the running back position, it is obvious that Jamal Lewis is not Thomas Jones and Jerome Harrison is not Leon Washington.

In reality, these comparisons are not so easy.

Cleveland Reboot goes on to say the browns have “an aging featured running back in Jamal Lewis.” Lewis is younger than Thomas Jones and he can break tackles much more often. So if Jones can flourish in Mangini’s offense, then so can Jamal. The Browns even have their very own Leon Washington…Jerome Harrison. We all complained about the lack of use we saw out of Harrison; well in 2009 prepare to see him used EXACTLY like Washington. Expect to see his best this season.

Technically, Lewis is a half-year younger than Jones, but in terms of NFL mileage, Jones is relatively fresh compared to the more experienced Lewis. Jones bounced around the league for three or four seasons before contributing with Chicago a few seasons ago.

Compare this with Lewis, who has been a workhorse back in the league since the 2000 season.

And as much as I would love to see Harrison finally break through in 2009, comparing him to Washington is a bit of a stretch at the moment.

As for seeing Harrison’s “best” in 2009? I would hope so, considering he hasn’t contributed much in the league so far in his career.

I wouldn’t think he could get any worse.

Our wide receivers (even with the rookies) will be more prepared this year Week 1 than we ever saw them last year. These guys are all fighting for playing time. Our “one playmaker,” as Reboot refers to him, Braylon Edwards, is in a contract year so he will be at the top of his game (which could be 80 Catches 1289 yds and 16 TDs).

Last year we experienced so many injuries at WR. Joe Jurevicious, K2, Braylon, and Stallworth were all injured for a period of time. We are coming in with a very deep squad.

Having 10 wide receivers on the current roster does not necessarily equate to having depth.

My main point in analyzing the current collection of receivers is that after Braylon, there is no dynamic player who can be relied upon to step up. Although I view Robiskie and Massaquoi as intriguing rookies, they are just that—rookies.

With the exception of playing quarterback, rookie wide receivers historically have a very difficult time transitioning to the NFL.

“… the Browns offense is going to be pretty weak. Much like in the early days of the reborn franchise.” (exact quote from Reboot post).

Wow, I thought my prediction of a top 15 defense is bold. Why would this offense struggle so bad? What is so wrong with this offense line?

As many of you have read and commented on before our offensive line is in great shape. They possess pro-bowlers, veterans, youth, and size.

Again, the offense will rely on several untested players. As for the offensive line, I like the addition of Alex Mack, and Joe Thomas is solid at left tackle. While Eric Steinbach should give the Browns one more year of consistent play in 2009, the right side of the line has some question marks.

Who are the starters at right guard and right tackle? Or, a better question could be: Who are the starters when Ryan Tucker gets injured?

Whoever the quarterback may be this year, I do believe will have a good season…not to be confused with great, though. In no way do I think the QB will continuously struggle. I think they ARE surrounded with enough talent to succeed. There are enough playmakers all over this offense to put up the points of 2007.

We have seen greatness out of Jamal Lewis, Braylon Edwards, Joe Thomas, Josh Cribbs, and Derek Anderson (I’m still trying to find more articles about this “awkward throwing motion”), all of who are still on this team and are all currently healthy.

I think Brady Quinn has the talent to be great. I love the rookies we got in Mack, Robiskie, Massaquai, and Davies.

The Browns have talent among the roster; the point to remember is that the team is again in the first year of a regime change. To expect success so quickly is a little misguided. And using a term like “Greatness” is an explosion of hyperbolic fancy, which does not accurately describe the blip of success the Browns experienced in 2007.

The last time “greatness” and Derek Anderson were found in the same room, DA was likely reminiscing about his afternoon nap.

While I don’t claim to be an NFL analyst steeped in the experience and knowledge of a long-time scout or coach, my eyes usually don’t deceive me.

Derek Anderson holds the ball at an awkward angle and when he releases, his passes tend to sail on him. While this may be an admirable trait for a deep-ball passer, DA’s motion leads to inaccurate throws.

Witness the Cincinnati game from late 2007.

PREDICTION: 23.8 pts/game..not bad…
~ The Optimist

If the Browns scored 23.8 points per game, that would place them 12th in the league, based on 2008 numbers. Not exactly scientific, but pretty convenient.

Hopefully I didn’t offend Cleveland Reboot in any way, again I recommend his page to anyone who loves the Browns. I love to debate football, especially the Browns, so hopefully no offense was taken.

It takes a lot to offend someone who was long ago delivered into the world as a Browns fan. It’s not like anyone took the name of Webster Slaughter in vain. The only offense that myself or anyone else should take would result from continuing to not stray from a formulaic, simple and often destructive philosophy of commentary.

In this sense, debate should always be a permanent fixture in any variety of media, because without it, we all become merely receivers and cheerleaders.

Without real debate and opinions, the wonderful gift of a public forum to authentically challenge the status quo and each other is wasted.

Can we do it?

We shall see.

http://www.clevelandreboot.com/2009/07/rebutting-rebuttal-broken-crayons.html

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Reflective, Reactionary and Revolutionary Friday

Jabber Head — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:05:19 -0400

Here’s a couple little pieces that offer some reflection on the Browns’ recent past, but also are relevant for the team heading into 2009 and beyond. So, let’s take a look at some different aspects of power in Berea before we celebrate America’s independence by buying hundreds of dollars worth of Chinese made fireworks. Of course, I’m not referring to economic independence. Emerging economic superpower? Whatever, China. Not if we’re broke.

And speaking of broken (and lame transitions), the great folks at TheOBR.com, via Sports Radio Interviews.com have found the first full-length interview given by former Browns coach and alleged “good guy” Romeo Crennel. So far, it appears that new coach Eric Mangini is the polar opposite of Crennel - which seems to be a natural evolution for a struggling team to shift from a “player coach” to “disciplinarian.”

Romeo Crennel Speaks

On if current head coach Eric Mangini ever talked to Crennel about staying in Cleveland to work on his staff:

“Eric talked to me about staying and I told him what my concerns were - particularly my hip, I wanted to get that taken care of. And then I felt like for Eric, it’s his show now. He has to be the guy in charge and he has to run it the way he wants to run it and he doesn’t need anybody looking over his shoulder.”

I know a lot of fans were eager to see Crennel retained in some sort of fashion, as most of the blame for last season’s collapse has been attributed to Phil Savage. While Savage did miss on several draft picks and free agents, ultimately he did improve the team. However, I’m of the opinion that Crennel was overwhelmed at times during his Browns’ tenure and also never really seemed to rise up the emotional expectations that being an NFL coach requires. Or, in other words, Crennel often seemed out of it.

As for a future role with the Browns, what exactly would that entail? If you view the Crennel-coached teams of the past four years, the most striking detail about them was the plain, toothless defense that existed solely to react to the opposing offense. Having said this, it would seem unlikely that Crennel, despite his extensive coaching resume, would be suitable in a defensive coaching role under Belichick. So, if Crennel is not helping out on defense, what exactly would he be doing in Berea?

On his disappointment about how things shook out for him and the Browns during his tenure there:

“Well you know we had a tough year last year. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong. But the nature of this beast is you have to win and we didn’t win. So they decided to make the change and that’s in the past so we’ve got to go forward.”

Again, let’s throw out the cliche - “Romeo is a good guy.” Great. Whatever. But Crennel’s response to this question was pretty much his standard answer throughout his Browns tenure. It always baffled me that Crennel never showed any real emotion during his time in Cleveland, with the slight exception of challenging some media members regarding the QB situation midway through 2008. Although many factors that led to losses were completely out of Crennel’s control, as a spokesman for the franchise, Crennel was less than inspiring.

On the Browns having to sign a 4th string quarterback by season’s end due to injuries to their top three guys:

“We were [disappointed], particularly with the expectations going in, but you learn that this game, it’s not a forgiving game, you know. The things that happen in the game happen and you have to deal with them.”

You have to feel for Crennel here. He went from Ken Dorsey to Bruce Gradkowski, with Syndric Steptoe as a starting wide receiver. Perhaps this is why Crennel gave such unimaginative, sterile answers to the media. How could you not be stunned stupid after having to rely on these types of players to close out your year?

On if he thinks that he lost his team in terms of effort:

“No, I didn’t feel like I lost the team because like I said, I thought that they were still trying and still playing but when you go from a first string quarterback to a fourth string quarterback, there is a difference in talent and ability. So generally, that fourth stringer, he’s not as good as the first stringer.”

The last month or so of the season is where true Browns fans discovered who the really valuable players are on the roster. Considering how hopeless the last several games turned out to be for the Browns, it was almost inspiring to watch players like Shaun Rogers, Josh Cribbs, Jamal Lewis and D’Quell Jackson give great efforts, despite the situation they were facing. Although I criticize one and all when it comes to players, based solely on effort, these four are among the jewels of the current roster.

And in looking back again…which brings us back to the same spot…

Temperature Keeps Rising for Tannenbaum

And if success is determined by whether the Jets made it to the playoffs, the various moves from a season ago fairly can be regarded as a massive failure.

Tannenbaum, however, didn’t shoulder the blame for the misadventures. Instead, coach Eric Mangini was fired, after only three years on the job.

The next time owner Woody Johnson decides change is needed, Tannenbaum likely won’t be quite so lucky.

In the wake of Mangini’s departure, Tannenbaum has continued to throw the ball deep. This year, he traded up 12 spots in the first round of the draft, via a deal with Mangini’s new team, to land quarterback Mark Sanchez.

But serious potential problems remain.

For all the Browns fans who seriously think that Mangini has softened in his dictatorial approach to running a team, think again. After losing to GM Mike Tannenbaum in the off season front office power struggle, Mangini should be more determined than ever to not lose his grip of power during his time in Cleveland. Obviously, the hiring of George Kokonis was a shining example of Mangini fully asserting total control over the franchise.

It should be interesting to keep an eye on the Jets’ fortunes in 2009 and beyond, both on the field and in the front office. If the Jets struggle this coming season, which is a possibility considering they may start a rookie quarterback who has few offensive weapons (sound familiar?), then GM Mike Tannenbaum may be on his way out of New York. Why does this matter for a Browns fan? You could view Tannenbaum’s dismissal as a bit of validation for Eric Mangini. And also, if the Browns can surprise in 2009, then possibly the Jets may begin to reevaluate their past decisions.

And then finally, a team other than the Browns can live in the past…at least for a while.

Posted by DK

CLEVELAND REBOOT

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Hey, Trevor Ariza…How Does My ARTEST Taste?

Jabber Head — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:43:25 -0400

As a Lakers fan, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Trevor Ariza for two reasons: 1) He played a significant role in the Lakers winning the NBA Championship, and 2) He just played an even more significant role in better positioning the Lakers for a repeat in 2010.

For all intents and puposes, Ariza just traded himself to Houston in exchange for Ron Artest. Okay, so it was twin free agent moves and not a trade, but it worked out the same way.

Ariza balked at the $5.6 million mid-level exception offer to stay with the Lakers. Then, “Mr Insulted” agrees to sign with the Rockets for $5.8 million per year…HUH???.

In doing so, he allowed Ron Artest to happily step in and take essentially the same deal (actually it’s $6 Mil/year, but what’s a few hundred grand among NBA friends?).

THANK YOU, TREVOR…for playing hard ball with Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak!

Ariza, very all of a sudden, became a good, versatile, starting role player at the 3-spot, both offensively and defensively. I was hoping the Lakers could hold on to him.

Ariza is an exceptional defender on the perimeter, but Artest is an exceptional defender all over the court. Ariza recently developed a strong, consistent three-point shot and is deadly going to the hole on fast breaks. Artest, however, can score from anywhere on the floor.

THANK YOU, TREVOR…for playing hard ball with Lakers GM, Mitch Kupchak!

So, for virtually the same money, the Lakers get an All-Star-caliber player who’s the same height, 50 lbs heavier (but just as athletic), more experienced (but only 29 years old), averaged last season almost twice as many points/game (17.1 vs 8.9) & assists/game (3.3 vs 1.8), about the same number of rebounds per game, is more versatile, and is, by an order of magnitude, a lot tougher.

They also get a player who has no rings and is therefore a whole lot hungrier.

THANK YOU, TREVOR…for playing hard ball with Lakers GM, Mitch Kupchak!

Speaking of tougher, think about it…In two years, with Gasol getting stronger, attitudinally and physically, Odom doing so attitudinally (assuming he stays), Bynum at least working on it…sorta, and now the addition of Ron “I Be’z From Da Hood” Artest, the Lakers will have evolved from one of the wimpiest teams…especially re: their “Bigs”…in the league, to one of the toughest.

THANK YOU, TREVOR…for playing hard ball with Lakers GM, Mitch Kupchak!

Several contending teams…Cavs, Magic, Spurs, Celtics et al have made and/or are in the process of making solid moves to improve.

The 2009-10 season is shaping up to be a war. For the Lakers to have a strong shot at repeating, they had also had to improv—and they have—assuming that they can re-sign Odom…but if they can’t, with the addition of Artest, they’ll still be among the elite teams.

THANK YOU, TREVOR…for playing hard ball with Lakers GM, Mitch Kupchak!

The acquisition of Artest is also a sign—at least in my mind—that Phil Jackson will be back. I say that because not just any coach can handle the volatile Artest—and surely the Lakers’ management knows thit—and I’d bet that Phil’s girlfriend, Ms. Buss, checked with Phil before Kupchak & her dad “did da do” with Artest.

Phil won his second three-peat with the Bulls while integrating the Ultimate Looney Toon, Dennis Rodman, in with MJ and Pipp—the former of which accurately viewed Rodman as a goof ball and latter of which hated Rodman’s gutt—justifiably after Rodman had mentally and physically abused Pippen when Rodman was with the Pistons.

Surely, “The Zen Master” can get Ron and Kobe to “play nice” together since they actually respect each other and only hate each other when competing.

THANK YOU, TREVOR…uhh…never mind…but I do want to ask you, Trevor…HOW DOES MY ARTEST TASTE?

Reg DeVone is a Sports Jabber Contributing Author.

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Sit Down Juan Pierre, Manny's Back

Jabber Head — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:36:32 -0400

All you folks who have been hanging on for dear life to Manny Ramirez, waiting patiently for his return to your fantasy roster while the rest of your outfield pretty much sucked... You can breathe easy once again.

Those 50 games he was forced to sit out after testing positive for stupidity are finally over, as he’ll be back in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup Friday against Chad Gaudin and the San Diego Padres.

Manny is batting a career .455 (5-for-11) against the right-hander, with two homers, three RBI and two walks. Not bad.

The Dodgers didn’t miss a beat with Ramirez away, though, and their 50-29 record shows it. In fact, they managed to go 29-21 in his absence. The defending NL West champs got off to a hot 21-8 start to the season and were enjoying a seven-game winning streak with a 6.5-game division lead when the troubled slugger was busted.

Then, they lost four of their next five games before going on a 12-3 run to spike their division lead to a season-best 9.5 games in the first week of June. They’ve since cooled off, playing a little better than .500 baseball since then (13-11) but still have a six-game choke-hold over the San Francisco Giants.

LA played its final game without him on Wednesday, beating the Colorado Rockies, 1-0. They haven’t exactly been smashing the ball all over town recently either, having scored only eight runs over their last five games, but they’re getting the job done. And really, Manny is only going to add to their production.

Before he violated MLB’s drug policy by shadily ingesting female fertility drugs, Ramirez was batting .348 with six bombs and 20 RBI. That means your fantasy team has possibly missed out on an extra 15 longballs and 40 runs batted in, give or take a few crappy games, unless you had a good substitute.

Like Juan Pierre, for instance.

The guy has come to work every single game in left field since ManRam took a hike. Now, he has to go back to being a part-time bench warmer, despite hitting .318 with 21 RBI, 31 runs scored, 15 walks, and 21 stolen bases in that time.

No, he hasn’t hit any homers, but he gets on base (and then snags them) and is a nice left-handed bat to have in the lineup. And don’t even get me started on that 1.000 fielding percentage and 98 put-outs from left.

If you ask me, the Dodgers, or anyone with a slightest grasp on the game of baseball, he has a ton to do with the position the club is in right now. That position, considering they’re the first team to 50 victories, is the very top—the best in baseball, by a slim margin.

But that, as my Grandmother would say, is life in the big city. Thanks for your hard work, Pierre. See you next time Manny does something brilliant.

(To all you Juan Pierre fantasy owners? I’d hang onto him if you have room, just in case Manny does manage to screw up again.)

Sooze is a Sports Jabber Contributor. Read more of her works at Babes Love Baseball

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Venus & Serena: “Sistahs” Are Doin' It For Themselves

Jabber Head — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:01:06 -0400

July 4 will be Independence Day here in “the colonies," while in England, it will be Williams “Sistahs” Day. That’s the day the two dominant siblings go at each other for the Wimbledon Ladies Singles Champion title.

“Dominant?" Do I really need to explain that term as applied to “Da Sistahs?"

Okay…They hold 17 Grand Slam titles between them. Just at Wimbledon, Serena holds two titles, while big sister holds five. One or the other has won seven of the last nine titles at Wimbledon. This will be Serena’s fourth Wimbledon Singles Finals appearance and Venus’ eighth. If Venus wins this one, she will become the first woman since Steffi Graf, in 1991-93, to win Wimbledon three years in a row. Then, of course, there are all of those doubles titles that they hold…TOGETHER.

What fascinates me most about “Da Sistahs,” beyond their incredible skills, is their ability to flip the switch between rooting for each other as loving siblings and trying to destroy each other when competing against each other. They’re so close as siblings that it spawned silly rumors in their early pro years…that continues in some hater circles today, that they and their dad were predetermining who would win when they played each other. It was and is a silly rumor because anyone who watches these two “fire cats” play can see that switch as it gets turned on (when they play each other) and off (when they spectate), as appropriate.

I’ve also been fascinated with the amount of hate that they get…each for different absurd…nee…GOOFY reasons. Some folks hate on Venus because she isn’t deemed as being pretty…by certain standards. Some hate on Serena because she dares to do other things besides play & think about tennis 24/7/365, IE. running her own fashion design company, modeling, acting and writing tele/screenplays….all while still kicking booty on the courts. Some even hate her because she’s powerfully built. They call her “Serena Man” etc. Personally, I think she’s hot. Given the opportunity…that will never come, I’d hit it…and so would most of her haters.

Who will win? Although I think Serena is the better player, Venus is "DA Sistah" on grass. Venus just destroyed No. 1 Sarafini like she caught her stealing chickens...from Serena.

In conclusion…If you’re a fan of both “sistahs”, as I am, you’re already ecstatic. If you’re a fan of one and a hater of the other, you have a 50 percent chance at joy on Saturday. But if you hate both…well…you’re already miserable and I’m THRILLED that you are!

Venus and Serena….You GO Girls!!!

Reg DeVone is a JABBERHEAD!

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Beltran's Wounded Knee Won't Need Amputation

Jabber Head — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:56:00 -0400

The New York Mets have finally received some good news. The second opinion (from Dr. Richard Steadman) on Carlos Beltran’s hurt knee was the same as the Mets’ medical staff: no surgery required.

The Gold Glove center fielder will be re-evaluated later on this week and will most likely still be resting the bone bruise through the All-Star break. Beltran had been playing through the pain most of the season before landing on the 15-day disabled list last week, batting .336 with eight bombs, 20 doubles, 40 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Not bad for wincing.

New York has been destroyed by injuries so far this season. Aside from Beltran, they’re missing J.J. Putz’s right elbow, Jose Reyes’ calf and hamstring, Carlos Delgado’s hip, Oliver Perez’s right knee, and John Maine’s right shoulder. Ouch!

And it shows.

The Mets lost 6-3 to the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday night for their fifth straight loss, dropping to 37-39—one and-a-half games behind the Florida Marlins in the NL East, but just three games behind the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies.

“We just want to survive and then hope we’ve got reinforcements. We have a lot of things now that we think we can look forward to,” said manager Jerry Manuel. “The real key is that we survive and that they have no setbacks, then we will be getting somewhere.”

Whatever that means.

Sooze is an SJ Contributing Author.

Read more of her work at Babes Love Baseball

Where will they go? A NHL Free Agency Prediction Game

Jabber Head — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:47:06 -0400

I’ve decided to try to predict where I think the top players in the NHL Free Agent market will end up. When the clock strikes midnight tonight, NHL Free Agency starts and unrestricted free agents from all 30 teams will be free to sign with whomever they would like.

So lets get right into it, using The Fourth Period’s top 30 chart I’ll look at the top five (not already re-signed) players and predict where they’ll end up.

1. Jay Bouwmeester (FLA/CAL)

This will be the last you see of Bouwmeester in a Panthers uniform

Jay Bouwmeester is the hot commodity of the free agent period this summer. He’s an offensive minded puck moving defensmen that can also shut down dangerous opposing forwards. At the draft, the Panthers dealt his exclusive negotiating rights to the Calgary Flames. He’s originally from Alberta so I think he’ll want to play on the west coast somewhere.

Where He’ll End up: Edmonton—He’s originally from Edmonton, currently negotiating based out of Edmonton and they have the salary cap room to sign him. It just seems too easy.

Other Places He Could Go: Calgary, Montreal, Toronto

2. Marian Hossa (DET)

Hossa will look to make a better decision this year

Its well known that Hossa spurned the Pittsburgh Penguins to sign a oned year deal with the Detroit Red Wings to win a championship...didn’t turn out so well for him. That being said, he’s an all world offensive and defensive forward. He will bring 40 plus goals wherever he ends up.

He would like to stay with Detroit, but unless he’s willing to take a $3 million pay cut, its not going to happen.

Where He’ll End Up: LA Kings—they have the cap room, and they are looking to be major players in Free Agency. If you put Hossa out there with Anze Kopitar and some of their other top young talent like Frolov, you have yourself a pretty formidable lineup.

Other Places He Could Go: Edmonton (made a $9 mil offer for him last summer), Vancouver

3. Marian Gaborik (MIN)

Marian Gaborik might need to take less money because of health issues

When healthy, Gaborik can rack up the points with the best of them. The problem? He’s never healthy. He has only played in a handful of games this year (a fantasy owners nightmare), but when he did, even in a trapping defensive scheme, he still had 23 points in only 17 games.

Gaborik has made it known that he would like to play with best friend Marian Hossa and if the stars align correctly it just could happen. Gaborik may have to take a bit less money than he would like, and probably a shorter contract than his ideal situation because of his health issues.

Where He’ll End Up: Vancouver—He has been reported to have bought a house in the Vancouver area within the past two weeks and the Canucks will need to replace the other players on our list.

Other Places He Could Go: Edmonton, LA Kings, NY Rangers, Washington

4. Henrik and Daniel Sedin (VAN)

The twins will play together again next season, the question is where?

Henrik and Daniel Sedin are a package deal, the identical twin brothers who have been and probably always will be. They have given identical offers to the Vancouver Canucks, but it's looking like they’ll head to free agency at midnight tonight. They are both very talented players that deserve somewhere in the ballpark of $6 million each.

Where They’ll End Up: Toronto, they’ll be matched back up with the general manager who gave up a lot to draft both of them when they were drafted in Vancouver, Brian Burke.

Other Places They Could Go: Vancouver, NY Islanders, Montreal

5. Martin Havlat (CHI)

Martin Havlat has expressed his desire to stay in Chicago

Havlat is another one who is frequently injured, but when he’s healthy man is he dangerous. He has expressed his desire to stay in Chicago. The Blackhawks have offered him a one year deal, but it doesn’t look like he will take that. I’m not positive he’ll go to July 1 as a free agent but if he does, he could be a hot commodity especially when the big names go off the board before him.

Where He’ll End Up: Chicago—even if he doesn’t resign before July 1, I think he’ll give Chicago a chance to match any offer he gets, and they will

Other Places He Could Go: Pittsburgh—he would be a great addition next to Sydney Crosby or Malkin, but they would have to shed some salary in order to do that (I’m looking your way Pascal Dupuis.)

More…

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Reacting to the Reactors: Terry's Talkin' Edition

Jabber Head — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:01:51 -0400

The always-great Terry Pluto delivers some much-needed Browns' talking points on this late June, very much non-football related Sunday.

Pluto focuses his attention on the Browns' defense, which has received a lot of attention recently, thanks to the presence of new coordinator Rob Ryan, who has revealed that he wants to run multiple formations in an attempt to pressure opposing offenses.

Pluto's emphasis on the defensive reconstruction in Berea further highlights the need for the unit to essentially carry the team in 2009.

Terry Pluto - Terry's Talkin"

1. It was fun to hear new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan say: "We want to be multiple [defenses] and we want to have multiple players who can play different spots and cause confusion." That was his reputation as the defensive coordinator in Oakland, and the Browns need some creativity. Playing the bland, passive 3-4 seems to leave the defense on the field forever and does nothing to stop the run.

As a Browns fan who has watched Romeo Crennel's static defenses the past four years, which involve no pass rush, very few blitzes, and a frustrating reliance on deep zone coverage, I welcome any changes made by Rob Ryan for 2009.

I don't care which alignments the Browns use, although considering their personnel, it would make sense to use more four-man fronts, as long as the defense can actually pressure the opposing offense into making some mistakes.

For too long, the Browns' defense has solely reacted to what the opposing offense is doing. The Romeo Crennel era was an exercise in being two steps behind the opponent, which led to the team being among the worst defenses in the league, if not in terms of stats, then measured by ineffectiveness.

2. Will Ryan actually do that? The Sporting News rated the top 20 defensive coordinators based on interviews with scouts. They had Ryan at No. 18 with these comments: "He uses a fair amount of formations to keep opponents guessing. Look for a lot of different formations and movement within the Browns' 3-4 scheme, which will look a lot like brother Rex's hybrid scheme made famous in Baltimore. We will see a lot of press coverage by the cornerbacks and be aggressive, mostly using man-to-man. It is a fairly simple defense that relies on the guys up front to apply pressure while the back seven concentrates on coverage."

Well, that is the question. Regarding press coverage, are the Browns' cornerbacks capable of playing a more physical style?

Eric Wright seems built to play such a style, but the rest of the depth at the position is pretty weak heading into 2009. As long as the defense can generate some pass rush (easier said then done in Cleveland), then look for Ryan to have some flexibility in scheming.

Otherwise, he will have no choice but to resort to the Crennel style tactics of read and react defense.

3. For me people have said it's up to Ryan to revive the career of Kamerion Wimbley. Well, Ryan said they will move the outside linebacker to different spots, not just having him line up directly over the tackle as was the case last season. Former GM Phil Savage begged the coaches to be more creative with Wimbley, who is not a power-rusher. But the Browns didn't see to have any idea of how best to use the speed that helped Wimbley get 11 sacks as a rookie in 2006. In the past two seasons, he dropped to 5.0 sacks, then 4.0. His total tackles are up, but he has not been the pass rusher the Browns need.

Much like the fates of so many players throughout the roster, including Brady Quinn, Eric Steinbach, Jerome Harrison, Brodney Pool and others, this is truly Kamerion Wimbley's best shot at establishing himself in the NFL.

Let's hope that someone on the coaching staff helps Wimbley develop some techniques that allow him to take advantage of his solid speed and flexibility. Otherwise, everything that was previously stated will come true, as fans should prepare themselves for an entire season of watching David Bowens and Alex Hall.

6. Ryan on Rogers: "He is a tremendous physical specimen. He is so athletic for a big man. I've been around the best in football. I've been around Warren Sapp in college. . . . I coached Jamal Williams and Kevin Williams, a couple of decent All-Pro defensive tackles. . . . Shaun Rogers is tremendous. Absolutely tremendous. Any system that he plays in, he is going to be dominant."

Do the Browns currently have a "face of the franchise"? Who would the ideal candidates be?

As of now, I can only think of Joe Thomas, Braylon Edwards and Brady Quinn.

Although left tackle is an immensely key position for an NFL franchise, it is hard to suggest that Thomas is the face of the Browns. Braylon is Braylon—although in 2007, he was among the most dynamic players in the league. And of course, Brady Quinn has started exactly three games so far in his NFL career.

Could the face of the franchise be Shaun Rogers? Clearly, he is the most dominant player on the Browns roster. Also, he was probably the hardest working and most productive player throughout the lost 2008 season.

Looking ahead to 2009, all of the changes that Mangini and Rob Ryan are looking to make on defense will be established by the play of Rogers along the line. If the new coaching staff can further exploit Rogers' immense talent, the Browns' defense could be surprisingly improved.

8. There are real concerns about Corey Williams, who had trouble switching from the 4-3 in Green Bay to the 3-4 with the Browns last season. Ryan said: "It's hard to evaluate. I'd like to answer your question, but I can't at this time. I don't know the young man well enough to say how he's going to do...I'd like to tell you more about Corey Williams, but I don't want to lie."

As great as the Shaun Rogers trade appears to be for the Browns, the Corey Williams move represents the "swing-and-miss" mentality that ultimately cost Phil Savage his job in Cleveland.

And, of course, the unfortunate email exchanges with Buffalo fans...the frustration in running a 3-4 alignment is that most of the players who appear to fit in the system are mere projections. So far, it looks like Williams is not a good fit.

As for the massive contract he carries...let's hope that uncapped 2010 season becomes a reality. This is a mulligan the Browns should have no problems taking next year.

9. Along with wanting an upgrade at inside linebacker over Andra Davis, the Browns also signed Eric Barton to teach D'Qwell Jackson the nuances of the position. Both played at Maryland. Barton is 31, Jackson is 25. Jackson watched and admired how Barton played in college. They are connecting, and the new defense stresses leadership and "mental toughness" from the inside linebackers.

As much as Rogers is key to the Browns' defensive fortunes in 2009, Eric Barton is also a vital piece.

In making that claim, I have to shudder a bit, considering his age. If the Browns can get any sort of reliable contribution from Barton, then the linebacking corps could be elevated to an average status for 2009. If Barton gets hurt, or further shows his age, then D'Qwell Jackson will again lead the conference in tackles...which is not necessarily a good thing.

And perhaps a final word on the Braylon situation...

Braylon: I Never Took it Personally

Despite a rocky offseason where his name was perpetually linked to trade rumors, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards apparently wasn’t offended by the constant speculation about his future.

In the wake of not being traded to the New York Giants following a season where he led the NFL in dropped passes, Edwards says he’s not looking for a ticket out of Cleveland, according to Calvin Watkins of AOL Sports FanHouse.

“I never said I wanted to go,” Edwards told FanHouse. “The Browns tried to put a trade out there. It’s always about progress in any level of sport. It will always be business.

“Trades happen, releases happen, I never took it personal. They thought highly enough of me to ask for a lot and in doing so, the Giants couldn’t give the Browns what they wanted. It’s a business.”

If ever the Browns needed an emotionally healthy Braylon, this is the time.

As I've stated before, "as Braylon goes, so goes the offense." Considering that the Browns will feature a largely untested quarterback and several receivers who are either declining or brand new to the league, Braylon's play in 2009 will be key to the Browns' offensive fortunes.

I hate to sound like the doomsday prophet from the shores of Lake Erie, but this could be a boom or bust year for the Browns offense.

And by "boom", I'm setting the ceiling at "moderately adequate" and "bust" directly compares to the last 6 games of the 2008 season.

Now...let us pray.

By Cleveland Reboot
Blogger/SJ Contributing Author

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Ranking NBA Decades By No.One Draft Picks

Jabber Head — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:48:01 -0400

Now that the dust has kinda settled from this year’s NBA draft, we can finally get into the debate of which decade has had the best No. One draft picks. Of course, some haven’t had the time to really make their case and we’re completely aware of this fact (so no need to bring it up), but that isn’t gonna deter us from giving our opinion on which decade has the best players. And I’m sure it won’t deter you either.

1) 1980’s

1980 - Joe Barry Carroll
1981 - Mark Aguirre
1982 - James Worthy
1983 - Ralph Sampson
1984 - Akeem Olajuwon
1985 - Patrick Ewing
1986 - Brad Daugherty
1987 - David Robinson
1988 - Danny Manning
1989 - Pervis Ellison

It’s hard to argue against Worthy, Olajuwon, Ewing, Daugherty, and Robinson. Sampson and Aguirre weren’t slouches either.

2) 1970’s

1970 - Bob Lanier
1971 - Austin Carr
1972 - LaRue Martin
1973 - Doug Collins
1974 - Bill Walton
1975 - David Thompson
1976 - John Lucas
1977 - Kent Benson
1978 - Mychal Thompson
1979 - Earvin Johnson

Magic, Lanier, and Thompson head up the 1970’s class with Walton, Lucas, and Carr not far behind.

3) 1960’s

1960 - Oscar Robertson
1961 - Walt Bellamy
1962 - Bill McGill
1963 - Art Heyman
1964 - Jim Barnes
1965 - Fred Hetzel
1966 - Cazzie Russell
1967 - Jimmy Walker
1968 - Elvin Hayes
1969 - Lew Alcindor

“The Big O” and “The Captain” anchor the 60’s. Add Elvin Hayes and Walt Bellamy and you have very strong decade that is just behind the 70’s.

4) 2000’s

2000 - Kenyon Martin
2001 - Kwame Brown
2002 - Yao Ming
2003 - LeBron James
2004 - Dwight Howard
2005 - Andrew Bogut
2006 - Andrea Bargnani
2007 - Greg Oden
2008 - Derrick Rose
2009 - Blake Griffin

This is where things get sticky. Here, we’re gonna go with the 2000’s on the strength of Yao, LeBron, D-Ho, and Rose. We know none of them have actually won anything, but this is based on what we expect them to do down the line.

5) 1990’s

1990 - Derrick Coleman
1991 - Larry Johnson
1992 - Shaquille O’Neal
1993 - Chris Webber
1994 - Glenn Robinson
1995 - Joe Smith
1996 - Allen Iverson
1997 - Tim Duncan
1998 - Michael Olowokandi
1999 - Elton Brand

The 90’s get the bottom spot because while the players of the 90’s were good, besides O’Neal, Iverson and Duncan, they underachieved in my opinion. Out of the 10 players from the 90’s, I count three Hall of Famers. Which could easily end up being the least of any decade listed..

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Of Salary Dumps and Slander: Saturday Edition

Jabber Head — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:13:16 -0400

We have finally reached the purest sense of the NFL offseason, as the dark days and weeks leading up to training camp seem like an eternal crawl.

To pass the time, since bloggers and traditional media types lack the means to create real news and analysis, we must rely on the time-honored traditions of hearsay and innuendo, perhaps combined with a little outrage sprinkled with a touch of irony.

Like so…

Paul Alexander Pulls a Mangini

We recently pointed out that Bengals rookie tackle Andre Smith got his Bloomingtons confused, and consequently he showed up very late for a youth football camp in Illinois.

But in our effort to apply a verbal purple nurple to the man who’ll never outlive his shirtless 40-yard-dash, we overlooked another salient point.

As a media source has pointed out to us, Smith was attending the camp because Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander is one of the co-directors.

As Randy Kindred of the Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph explains, “Alexander has made it a tradition for Bengals rookies to work the camp.”

It’s no different than Browns coach Eric Mangini’s magic bus to Hartford.

Wait a minute, Pro Football Talk.com - where’s the mock outrage here!!?? Eric Mangini was crucified by the likes of sites such as PFT.com for taking his rookies to Connecticut, yet the Bengals essentially get a free pass? And if the Bengals have “traditionally” made rookies work Paul Alexander’s camp, then wouldn’t the following headline be more appropriate:

“Alexander Pulls an Alexander”

Or the one from a few weeks ago:

“Mangini Pulls an Alexander”

Or the everyday variety:

“Mangini as Scapegoat Makes for Good Headlines”

“Pro Football Talk.com Just Makes Stuff Up”

I fully understand we’re in the doldrums of the offseason, but PFT.com has just gone overboard in the past several months trying to make Mangini into a scapegoat.

Now, I further understand that Mangini has some rough edges, but PFT really needs to get over itself. Just how many shots can you take at the same target in an attempt to fill space? Reboot doesn’t stoop to these depths.

In other league news…

Uncapped 2010 Ramifications

This is a story that is just starting to create attention around the league. The ramifications of an uncapped 2010 NFL leads to natural speculation regarding how much money wealthy teams such as the Cowboys and Redskins are going to spend on free agents.

However, if you view the situation from the opposite perspective, it’s apparant that lower-volume teams will take advantage of not having a cap bottom in 2010. Basically, a lot of players are going to be released from their contracts and their teams will not have to suffer any cap penalities.

Have you noticed the number of one-year deals that players have signed this year? On one hand, the players might think that they’ll be getting a crack at unrestricted free agency in the uncapped year. On the other hand, the teams will be wiping the salary commitments to these players off the books, just in time for the commencement of a league year that has no salary cap — and no salary floor.

Though the individual minimum salaries for 2010 will still apply, the maximum required payout will be $855,000. But that’s for a player with ten years of service; those guys would have a better shot at getting a job on Wall Street.

And so a team can choose to fill its roster with younger players, whose minimum salaries for 2010 range from $545,000 for a fourth-year player and $320,000 for a rookie.

Thus, with a salary floor of $111 million in 2009, a team could (if it chooses) spend under $50 million in 2010 on player costs.

But what about the big-name players with high-end multi-year deals? Well, those players can be dumped (and thus their salaries avoided) with no salary cap consequences at all, because there will be no salary cap.

This will be a fascinating situation to watch unfold, as it is likely that there will be a salary cap dumping carnage never before seen in the league.

The obvious victims will be players signed to longer-term deals, most of whom are veterans entering their late 20’s. However, there should also be a great number of quality players who teams cannot resist dumping in this once-in-a-lifetime financial frenzy.

For example, can you truly imagine Eric Steinbach, in the middle of a $50 million deal, playing for the Browns in 2010, when the team can dump him without penalty? The same could be said for Corey Williams, Donte Stallworth or Derek Anderson.

Although Mangini has brought in several veterans to fill out the roster for 2009, it is unlikely that any of them, with the exceptions of younger players like Abe Elam and Kenyon Coleman, will remain with the team in 2010.

If you weren’t fully convinced that yet another youth movement/rebuilding phase was underway in Cleveland, pay attention to the labor situation in the coming months. The emerging frenzy will look more like a fantasy football draft than a normal period of free agency.

You have to imagine that several teams will perform reboots of epic proportions. As for our team, there is a good chance that the Browns could field one of the youngest rosters in the league in 2010.

Of course, this all hinges on David Patten’s roster status for 2010. As of now, my beloved 49-year-old Patten is really screwing up the team’s average age.

By Cleveland Reboot
Blogger/SJ Contributing Author

CLEVELAND REBOOT

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Tavares Goes No. 1, Pronger Traded to Flyers

Jabber Head — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:57:28 -0400

With the first pick of the 2009 entry draft the New York Islanders selected John Tavares from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.

It was no real surprise, but it was suspensful, as Islanders GM Garth Snow was very secretive about who he was planning on choosing with the first pick, although he had previously stated that he knew who he was taking from the moment he knew he had the first pick.

Tavares will be the marquee star on the Island next year. With a few complementary players via free agency, the Islanders could have a decent shot at a playoff seed, even though they play in arguably the toughest division in hockey.

The biggest story of the day however may not have been that Tavares went No. 1. It just may have been the acquisition of Chris Pronger by the Philadelphia Flyers. Pronger is a physical, experienced defensemen with a Stanley Cup Championship on his resume. He has been voted by the players as the dirtiest player in the NHL (so he should fit in perfect with the Flyers).

However, a player of Prongers caliber does not come cheap.

The Flyers had to give up Joffery Lupul, Lucas Sbisa, two first round picks and a conditional third round pick. That's a lot to give up for a guy that only has one more year left on his contract, although I’m sure the Flyers front office will work hard to get him extended.

When I first saw this, I immediately thought to myself “how?”

I didn’t think the Flyers had any cap space available, sure Lupul makes pretty good money but Prongers contract is a big one. Lupul’s contract has a cap hit of $4.25 million and Sbisa only has 0.875 cap hit which equals out to a total of $5.125 million cap hit going to the Ducks and Prongers cap hit is $6.25 (he was the highest paid player on the Ducks). So the Flyers only added $1.125 million onto their cap, and before the weekend they had about $5 million available.

This signing likely means the end of the road in Philadelphia for Mike Knuble.

The Flyers still need to sign another goalie, and Knuble will field some solid offers in free agency (the Penguins are reportedly interested). I like the trade a lot for the Ducks and a little bit less for the Flyers.

The Flyers really gave up a lot for a one year contract, and if they can re-sign him and he plays at a high level for a few years then it may come back to be a great trade, but he is 34-years-old, and the Flyers did mortgage the future for what seems to be a win now mentality.

I’m just afraid it will cripple the Flyers cap situation.

More big news out of Day Two of the draft is that the Panthers have traded Jay Boumeester to the Calgary Flames for a third round pick and Jordan Leopold. Both Boumeester and Leopold are going to be free agents on July 1 unless they reach an agreement with their new teams before the free agent period begins.

After the draft, the Atlantic Division got a lot more interesting.

Pronger will look to be able to shut down Crosby, Malkin, Parise, Tavares and whoever from the Rangers and Tavares will look to be the goal scoring machine that the Islanders desperately need.

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