Well, this is a first for me.
The big NFL news today is that Jamal Lewis has signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns.
This is going to be interesting, no?
I can't recall a Cleveland team signing somebody that most of the league hates - and/or is considered a bad apple. No, Albert Belle doesn't count, since he grew up an Indian - hell, I remember rooting for him when he was Joey Belle! And the same rule applies to Kellen Winslow. Those guys were homegrown, and us Cleveland fans loves/d them while no other fans did.
Now - unless there was a Mark Carreon hate club out there that I missed - we have signed someone who is talented, but is hated by most of the league, mostly due to his significant drug conviction. (I have called him "8-ball" Lewis multiple times.)
How do I feel about this? Honestly, I have no idea.
Look - I'm not naive enough to wish that all the players on my team were 100% clean. But gees - I don't know how many times I called Baltimore "Crackmore" over the past few years...and here we are with Jamal.
Talent wise, is this a good signing? I guess. This is like a Billy Beane signing - a risk with lots of upside potential. (I'm sure Derek will violently correct me on this statement). Do I think his best years are behind him? I do. But he is only - only! - 27. So I very easily could be wrong.
It's going to be awfully hard to root for him in September. However, once he scores a touchdown, I think I will be over it and will buy his jersey the next day.
(That reminds me - his number was #31 in Baltimore, right? I'm sure he can have #31 in Cleveland - the same number as Willie Green! I just need to rip off the "Green" and put "Lewis" on my jersey - ta da!)
Will I hate myself for loving him? Yes, unless the wins pile up next year. Then it will be easy. But that's a big if.
3 comments:
"we have signed someone who is talented"
By "talented" do you mean:
a.) Is good at bartering a carton of cigarettes for steroids
b.) Can outrun my 5.2 40, at the same height and 1.5 times the weight
c.) Was smart enough to sign with Cleveland, as it qualified as completion of his 500 hours of community service
I can't imagine JL being successful behind the porous Cleveland OL. What does it mean Baltimore slow-played JL, knowing he would sign with a team in their division?
Well, it was a 1-year contract, so it's not like we EXPECT him to be a long-term answer....
maybe he and Adrian Peterson willm ake a good combo in the backfield.
rrd - yes, all those facts worry me. If he is good, why would Bal let him go like that?
Bal seriosuly thinks that McGahee >> Jamal, and that could be right.
I know I wasn't that scared of him this year........
maybe Phil knows he's still recovering from an injury and has room for improvement.
First, I don't remember you getting this upset when Roberto Alomar or Dwight Gooden joined the Inidans. Both came with a shitload of luggage and you liked them just fine. And now you are upset about Jamal? Whatever.
With that being said though, I know that I told you that I would stop cheering for the A's if they signed Bonds.
Secondly, I do think this is a Beane move. But a Beane move doesn't make sense in the NFL. Beane needs to find ways to compete with teams that have larger salary base then the A's. The NFL doesn't work that way.
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