Anything happen in the sports world this week?
Well, that was a nice wakeup call on Thursday morning...It's a 4 day holiday weekend here, I leisurely wakeup, have a coffee - and see several texts on my phone.....Did the market go up 200 points? (Well, it did...)
I'm still trying to process the trade. Yes, it was a shock. But I think we really have to forget about the short term effect here and think long term. And net, I think this is a long term positive for the Browns (but there's a big if).
Here are some of the arguments:
1. They just drafted him last year! What's wrong with the Browns' front office - getting rid of a first round draft pick from last year!
Um, this is the dumbest argument I have heard. This is like saying "We had Rumsfeld as our Defense Secretary in 2008 - and now we have a new one in 2009!" Why is that?
Because there was a little event called an election in November 2008.....
Same thing here....there was a regime change last year. New Owners, new front office - and I think they got fair value for Richardson. So the new leadership had no ties to the past.
2. How can you throw in the towel on the season on September 18th??
Did you watch the first two games? Even Eric "Pollyanna" Zahn was disappointed. After the loss to Miami, it was clear my estimate of 8-8 was a bit....um....inflated. And then we score 6 points vs. teh Ravens. We're throwing in the towel on the season when the best case was....6-10? Oh dear, how will I survive?
3. The Family Guy "Mystery Box" argument.
I saw this on Deadspin...and it's convincing! I love this episode. Required viewing before we go on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir-s3Cn52FU
We're stockpiling draft picks! We could even turn them into a all-star stud RB!
I'm 98% sure we will be drafting a QB with these first round picks next year - but we somehow we draft a RB, Banner/Lombardi should be sent on a ship to Lake Erie.
4. Your GM drafted Jamarcus Russell #1 overall one year.
OK, it's not confirmed that Lombardi pulled the final trigger on that one...but yes, he was part of the staff that drafted Russell......I can't defend that.
Arguments for the trade:
1. How long will we plod along, doing the same thing, over and over, until we finally blow it up (and mean it)?
This is where Einstein comes in. I use this quote at work a lot: "Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, and expexcting different results".
The last few regimes were trying to do the same thing - get talent on the team - somehow get the QB through free agency (Anderson, Delhomme) or a later round draft pick (McCoy, Frye, Quinn to some extent, Weeden to more of an extent) and home the talent lifts the QB up.
I think it is safe to say that has not worked in the past 8-10 years.
This strategy has given us one winning season in the past 10; one playoff season in the past 15.
In the past 10 years, our 2nd best season - OUR SECOND BEST SEASON - is 6-10.
2. This is a passing league.
Can any of you doubt this? Running backs seem to be going out of style. It is not necessary to have a great RB on your team to be championship caliber. This was not the case 10-15 years ago; it certainly is now. Trent is not going to lift this team up to 8-9 wins - he just isn't, not in the league today. So trade him while we can get value. And I think his trade value would have decreased.
3. The QB is of utmost importance - so you have to get one.
Getting the QB is paramount to success in the league nowadays. It's clear to me (now), and was clear to Banner/Lombardi from day 1 when they took over.
They have a plan, and are going to execute it.
I am in favor of this plan now, going forward. We needed a radical change to get out of this rut. The key, of course, is getting the right QB - whcih is no guarantee.
My advise is to draft a QB at every pick we have in the first 3 rounds - so we have 4 rookies on the roster. One of them has GOT to work out, right? And there is precedence for this - look at the Redskins last year. they drafted RG III, and then drafted Kirk Cousins later (who beat us and others down the stretch). Why not draft 2 or 3 to see if one of them is the star?
So those that will "quit the Browns" now - *cough*Don*cough* - fine. This is like sticking to your driver that you constantly hit out of bounds, but are too stubborn to change...so you keep swinging "harder" and steer it more - but it just makes things worse. Get the new driver and get on with life....there will be growing pains, yes....(like a 2-14 season this year)....but the payoff down the road could be fantastic.
Well, that was a nice wakeup call on Thursday morning...It's a 4 day holiday weekend here, I leisurely wakeup, have a coffee - and see several texts on my phone.....Did the market go up 200 points? (Well, it did...)
I'm still trying to process the trade. Yes, it was a shock. But I think we really have to forget about the short term effect here and think long term. And net, I think this is a long term positive for the Browns (but there's a big if).
Here are some of the arguments:
1. They just drafted him last year! What's wrong with the Browns' front office - getting rid of a first round draft pick from last year!
Um, this is the dumbest argument I have heard. This is like saying "We had Rumsfeld as our Defense Secretary in 2008 - and now we have a new one in 2009!" Why is that?
Because there was a little event called an election in November 2008.....
Same thing here....there was a regime change last year. New Owners, new front office - and I think they got fair value for Richardson. So the new leadership had no ties to the past.
2. How can you throw in the towel on the season on September 18th??
Did you watch the first two games? Even Eric "Pollyanna" Zahn was disappointed. After the loss to Miami, it was clear my estimate of 8-8 was a bit....um....inflated. And then we score 6 points vs. teh Ravens. We're throwing in the towel on the season when the best case was....6-10? Oh dear, how will I survive?
3. The Family Guy "Mystery Box" argument.
I saw this on Deadspin...and it's convincing! I love this episode. Required viewing before we go on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir-s3Cn52FU
We're stockpiling draft picks! We could even turn them into a all-star stud RB!
I'm 98% sure we will be drafting a QB with these first round picks next year - but we somehow we draft a RB, Banner/Lombardi should be sent on a ship to Lake Erie.
4. Your GM drafted Jamarcus Russell #1 overall one year.
OK, it's not confirmed that Lombardi pulled the final trigger on that one...but yes, he was part of the staff that drafted Russell......I can't defend that.
Arguments for the trade:
1. How long will we plod along, doing the same thing, over and over, until we finally blow it up (and mean it)?This is where Einstein comes in. I use this quote at work a lot: "Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, and expexcting different results".
The last few regimes were trying to do the same thing - get talent on the team - somehow get the QB through free agency (Anderson, Delhomme) or a later round draft pick (McCoy, Frye, Quinn to some extent, Weeden to more of an extent) and home the talent lifts the QB up.
I think it is safe to say that has not worked in the past 8-10 years.
This strategy has given us one winning season in the past 10; one playoff season in the past 15.
In the past 10 years, our 2nd best season - OUR SECOND BEST SEASON - is 6-10.
2. This is a passing league.
Can any of you doubt this? Running backs seem to be going out of style. It is not necessary to have a great RB on your team to be championship caliber. This was not the case 10-15 years ago; it certainly is now. Trent is not going to lift this team up to 8-9 wins - he just isn't, not in the league today. So trade him while we can get value. And I think his trade value would have decreased.
3. The QB is of utmost importance - so you have to get one.
Getting the QB is paramount to success in the league nowadays. It's clear to me (now), and was clear to Banner/Lombardi from day 1 when they took over.
They have a plan, and are going to execute it.
I am in favor of this plan now, going forward. We needed a radical change to get out of this rut. The key, of course, is getting the right QB - whcih is no guarantee.
My advise is to draft a QB at every pick we have in the first 3 rounds - so we have 4 rookies on the roster. One of them has GOT to work out, right? And there is precedence for this - look at the Redskins last year. they drafted RG III, and then drafted Kirk Cousins later (who beat us and others down the stretch). Why not draft 2 or 3 to see if one of them is the star?
So those that will "quit the Browns" now - *cough*Don*cough* - fine. This is like sticking to your driver that you constantly hit out of bounds, but are too stubborn to change...so you keep swinging "harder" and steer it more - but it just makes things worse. Get the new driver and get on with life....there will be growing pains, yes....(like a 2-14 season this year)....but the payoff down the road could be fantastic.
1 comment:
I was not going to comment on this article, until, well, I got called out.
As the newest member of Packer Nation (yes, my application was accept) let me add the following…
1) The Browns trade a running back that can, and will, start for other NFL teams. Outside of Thomas and Mack, who else on the offense fits that description?
2) On the up side, the Browns are really deep at running back and can afford to replace TRich with, um, Willis McGahee? IF he passes his physical? (ed. note, I have no idea if this went thru, as a member of Packer Nation, I no longer care)
3) The Browns now have another hole on offense, RB, that they will attempt to fill with what? A draft pick. Talk about insanity!!! How has that worked out the past 14 years? And the current group of pickers, 1 word, Russell.
4) Just exactly what did the front office do with all its cap room this year to improve the offense? It’s a shame there weren’t any QBs on the market this past off season (cough, KC, cough) And a side note, the Browns still have cap room.
5) I cannot wait to see the Browns “franchise” QB get destroyed next year. How many season do you think, Brady, Rodgers, Brees or the Mannings would last behind the Browns front line? 2 Games into the season and what, 11 sacks and counting? And what about the QB’s mental state with all the dropped passes, and now, no running game.
Yikes, 2 games into the season, the front office has tanked this season and has the fan base “excited” about next year’s draft. Please, what a joke.
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