From Worst to First: The Cleveland Browns' Story

"HOW THE BROWNS CREATED THEIR OWN CINDERELLA"

"Cleveland is full of factory workers and crazy Wahoo maniacs, but who would have guessed that among the mess of steel and smog that a Cinderella would emerge from the chaos people call Cleveland."

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When the Browns were removed from their rightful place in Cleveland, many were devastated, but remained faithful and hoped that, one day, the team would someday return to the glory they knew—the Cleveland Browns.

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Well the Browns returned all right, but not the way people thought they would, with their first pick, Tim Couch, an up-and-coming quarterback from Western Kentucky, so QB was out of the way, and the next year, they had the first overall pick, Courtney Brown. 

So now that they had two cornerstones to build on, the rest of the team could take form, correct?  Wrong. Unbeknowest to Browns fans, Cleveland never had a chance.  Couch choked and Brown was constantly on IR.  

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Well, this mess the Browns called a team continued until the resignation of Butch Davis and the release of Couch that prompted a return, or even a great awakening.  

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The Browns started by buying a winner by means of coach. They selected Romeo Crenell, the defensive-minded defensive coordinator from the Super Bowl winning Patriots and placed him at the helm. 

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Next, find a new QB to build around. Well, the thought was to put Charlie Frye, a local boy, right out of Akron, under center and hope he would set things straight for the offense, but, yet again, the Browns failed to find the right QB, and, again, they were getting nowhere and fast.

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The Browns then had nowhere else to turn but around to back-up QB Derek Anderson, who had shown signs of promise but failed to follow through in the clutch.  The experiment worked like magic.  Anderson found a promising future with the Browns when he signed a three-year deal just this off season.

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But the hunt for a new QB began in the 2007 draft, when the Cleveland Browns selected Brady Quinn 22nd overall.  Quinn, who has shown nothing but promise at the position, is in the hunt for a starting role.  The fact is, the Browns can’t lose at the quarterback position with either choice.

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The next change had to come by means of defense and confronting one of the worst D-lines in the game.  The Browns seemed to jump on every opportunity that arose. 

When Corey Williams was cut by the Green Bay Packers due to money issues, Cleveland snatched him up. When the Bengals couldn’t follow through on a deal for Lions' lineman Sean Rogers, Cleveland jumped on it and made the trade.

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Although the Browns have lost most of this year’s draft picks to trades or other deals, a 10-6 season looks almost too easy for this team.   

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Players Added:

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Derek Anderson QB

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Jamal Lewis RB

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Gary Baxter CB

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Donte’ Stallworth WR

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Corey Williams DT

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Sean Rogers DT

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Shantee Orr LB

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Nick Sorenseen S

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Lennie Freidman G

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Rex Hadnot C

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2007 Record: 10-6

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Coach: Romeo Crennel, third year, 20-28 as Browns Coach

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