Cleveland Browns: Braylon Edwards vs. the City of Cleveland...He Returns

Braylon Edwards vs The Cleveland Browns, and this time it's personal.

Just when things for the resurgent 3-5 Cleveland Browns couldn't get more interesting, one of the most reviled athletes not named LeBron James visits Cleveland in the form of former first-round pick, and current New York Jet, Braylon Edwards.

If there is a top three list of most hated sports figures in Cleveland, then former Browns owner Art Modell is the undisputed king and would be the equivalent of the Emperor from Star Wars, No. 2 is easily the man former known as "The King" and is so hated and scorned that he is the Cleveland sports equal to Harry Potter villain, Voldemort, as the mere mention of this individual sparks unreputed vile and even uttering his name is considered blasphemy.  

The former Cleveland Brown wide receiver mostly known for dropping routine catches, and hating all things Ohio, Braylon Edwards is making a claim for the No. 3 spot, which is currently held by Michael Jordan, and let's just say that Edwards isn't exactly endearing himself to Jets fan either.  

Edwards has been the subject of scorn for dropping clutch passes since being acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Brown's following a October 9 altercation with Edward Givens, a member of LeBron James's entourage.

Edwards would go on to have five catches for 64 yards and one touchdown in a 31-27 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football in his debut, and would finish with 35 receptions for 541 yards and four touchdowns.

Edwards did get his first taste of the playoffs as he caught two passes for 100 yards and one touchdown in a 30-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game.  

But it is the off-the-field drama that has fans in Cleveland and New York pulling their hairs out, whether it is skipping a team practice to go see your alma mater play in a rivalry game, and then come back late to sleeping in team meetings, or getting arrested for driving under the influence, Braylon Edwards is the classic archetype for today's modern athlete, self-absorbed, arrogant and very fickle.  

And while he may currently lead the Jets in receiving yards with 453 and is currently tied with Jets tight end Dustin Keller with five touchdowns, you have to wonder how a physically gifted individual such has Edwards has become more known for head scratching drops and running his mouth than his production on the field?  

And this is the same Braylon Edwards who won the Fred Blinetkoff Award for being the top wide receiver while at Michigan? How is it that he led the NFL in drops with 16 and was second in the league in 2007?

The main issue that Browns fans have with Edwards is not that he went to Michigan, it is his conduct off the field such as the examples mentioned above and Edwards should really choose his words more carefully as the Cleveland Browns have drafted University of Michigan players five times, and most notably former fullback Leroy Hoard, wide receiver Derrick Alexander and center Steve Everett.  

Edward's return to Cleveland is probably the second-most anticipated game in the Cleveland sports calendar year other than the Queen's return to her former court on Dec 2.    

And if the hard feelings and mutual bitter disdain between Braylon Edwards as he recently stated on ESPN and the city of Cleveland are any indication, then Sunday's game is gone to be a classic, and you can surely count on Edwards to drop the ball.  

Maybe then he could be a little more patient about leaving town.