Cops want to knock me, D.A. wants to box me in But somehow I beat them charges like Rocky H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A Not guilty, he who does not feel me Is not real to me, therefore he doesn’t exist So poof! — vamoose, son of a bitch!
-Johnny Manziel
Look, this was the move the coaching staff needed to make. At 2-8 there’s no point in salvaging the season by playing the 36 year old who might give the team the “best chance to win.” Let’s see what the kid’s got. If he falls flat on his face then your decision becomes very easy. Cut him and move on.
BUT, if he shows something, then the organization has a major decision on their hands. Personally I don’t want to draft another quarterback in the first round and and sit through his rookie season. This team has about a BILLION other needs and if quarterback isn’t one of them, that’s a good thing.
(I also want the 1st pick in the draft so I’ll be rooting for Johnny and the Browns to drop 35 points a game but also to give up 40. Sorry.)
Let me take you back. Back to a time when Kellen Winslow was your first round draft pick; Back to a time when you beat the Baltimore Ravens 20-3 in your season opener; Back to a time when Butch Davis resigned during the season & Terry Robiskie took over as head coach; Jeff Garcia, Luke McCown, and Kelly Holcomb were your quarterbacks; Lee Suggs was your leading rusher and Dennis Northcutt was your leading receiver….
The year is 2004 and the Cleveland Browns are navigating their way through another losing season.
Thankfully for us, someone (GIBI Productions) documented Cleveland fans as they trudged through the Fall on the way to a 4-12 record.
Before you watch this video, just know that this was filmed more than TEN YEARS AGO. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
“I don’t want a winner, I just wanna be fuckin competitive”
Welp, buddy, a decade later and we’re neither a winner nor competitive.
This guy is literally every one of us as we watch the Browns on TV every Sunday in the fall.
Don’t tell him that in the year 2015 he’ll still be watching a McCown under center.
“YOU GOTTA BE FUCKING KIDDING ME”
“Let me ask any human being that’s out there, have you ever had 4 or 5 years when things didn’t go your way?
-TRY 15 YEARS WORTH, PAL
“You get up in the morning and you’re like ‘they could win today’ and you start, ya know, thinking about it and you’re like ‘ya know, they could win’ …and then the game starts and you’re just like ‘we can’t win this game”
This happens Every. Single. Sunday.
“I’m a Browns fan, we’re not going to the Super Bowl anytime soon.”
LOOK AT HIS FACE! LOOK AT IT! That’s the face of a broken man. Don’t worry buddy, it only gets worse! I have to think that by now this guy has either renounced his Browns fanhood, developed a massive drinking problem, or the Browns literally drove him insane.
“It’s just something you deal with when you’re from Cleveland.”
“Please save my soul.”
I truly genuinely hope this guy is still alive and that the Browns didn’t kill him.
“They’ll be down by 17 with 4 minutes left and you’re like ‘theoretically we have the ball right now, we can score on one play, get an onside kick, score again, get an onside kick, and kick a field goal”
The thoughts of every person when they’re watching a game that they bet on and the team they picked isn’t covering.
“It doesn’t take much to get a Browns fan excited. Get a first down and we’re ready to go”
I can gladly say that a full decade later, the bar is still set at this same standard.
“I wanna see a consistent, winning team”
Me too.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
PS- I know that we’re prisoners of the moment and think this current 2015 team is the worst Browns team ever… but just look at our fucking starters from the 2004 season. (At least the D-line got sacks though)
PPS- If anyone knows any of the guys in the video, have them get in touch with me. I’d love to know how they currently feel.
Big h/t to Nick for bringing this video to my attention
If you think about it, the Browns lost this game when they injured Landry Jones, which was the biggest play of the game. The Browns literally lost the game by playing defense too well. That’s a new one.
Manziel looked improved and dare I say “good.” 1 TD run that the refs botched and a couple dropped TD passes in the end zone. He’s improving and I won’t have this argument if you think otherwise. Manziel made plays inside of the pocket and outside of the pocket. After a game like yesterday, he was the team’s lone bright spot, and if you can’t admit that just admit you don’t like the guy.
Danny Shelton actually did some things. Maybe he’s improving and learning the pro game? Nah, I’d rather judge him by his first 7 games as a rookie in the NFL.
A reminder that Manziel threw for 372 yards @ Pittsburgh in his 5th career start.
Doing these after a Browns loss is painful so expect something different in the future.
See you for MNF.
Also, #97 from OSU looks pretty good in the Brown and Orange
Bottlegate 