Browns QB - I need a Commitment

For the most part, John Gruden gets on my nerves, but last night he said something that I cannot get out of my head.... Since 1999, the Cleveland Browns have not committed to a QB, an offensive scheme, or even coaching/front office staffers. Oy.  We all talk about continuity and the lack thereof here but it doesn't change. And that is the biggest problem I saw on the field last night in the MNF 23-24 loss to the Washington Redskins.

I'm done with the drama. I'm done with the indecisiveness. It's time for the Cleveland Browns to make a decision on who will be the 2014 Quarterback and it needs to be done now.  And frankly, I don't care who it is, they just need to make a choice already!

"A HOUSE DIVIDED CANNOT STAND." - Abraham Lincoln.

Ok, so Abe was talking about much more serious issues than football but it does apply to what I'm seeing on the field. Hoyer and Manziel are VERY different QBs. They may be running the same Play Book but they are on completely different chapters. This makes it even more difficult on the rest of the Offense... they have to learn two different schemes depending on which QB is behind center. And it's holding back the progress that this unit should be making. They should be all on the same page, learning to play together, gelling as a line, getting a feel for routes/progressions/passing tendencies, and even how the receivers like to get the ball. There are so many aspects to a well-run offense that we don't have time to work out because we are so busy dealing with the "QB Competition" drama.

Ultimately, the Browns have just one decision to make...one question to answer:

Will starting Johnny Manziel Week 1 in Pittsburgh be good or bad for his long-term development as a Quarterback.

Period. Paragraph. The End. It's just that simple. You don't draft a Heisman winning QB in the first round of the NFL draft if you don't think he will become the Franchise QB you've been waiting for. So that means, how do you get him ready to fulfill that destiny. Here's how the two answers to that question break down.

YES, JOHNNY SHOULD START WEEK 1: The offensive line is good enough and I believe that Kyle Shanahan is smart enough, that they can keep Johnny safe. They can work the Play Book in such a way that he will improve and develop as a QB at the right pace. I also think Johnny is learning quickly just how hard NFL defenses hit so he will be smarter and more careful than he has in the past about sliding and avoiding big tackles. We may not win more than 4 games but you have to start somewhere and growing pains are a part of the process...

NO, JOHNNY SHOULD NOT START WEEK 1: Then this is Brian Hoyer's team for the entire season and Johnny will wait and watch for a year. Because you simply cannot keep the Revolving Door spinning on this offense. They have to KNOW who their leader is and Brian Hoyer is more than capable of leading this team for an entire season. Yes, he's had issues this training camp but that can easily be connected to recovering from a harsh injury and learning yet another entirely new offensive system. Just commit to Hoyer, let the rest of the offense commit to Hoyer, give everyone a clear understanding of their place on this team and let's get on with it.

If you really believe that Manziel needs more time, you cannot continue with the Schizophrenic Offense that we've had for too many years. It's that simple. This team NEEDS a leader. They need TIME as a unit to come together. Look at any successful NFL team right now and what are they doing? Deciding who the 4th Running Back will be or who will take the 6th Wide Receiver spot on the 53 man roster. They are NOT arguing over QB or offensive scheme or any of that other stuff.

It's time for the Browns to get on with the business of football. Give this offense it's leader and let's move along. Give them the remaining two weeks of preseason practice to get as connected as they can before they face the flames of hell in Pittsburgh on September 7th.


Respectfully Submitted,

Cleveland Kate

Changing my mind about LeBron James

Yeah, you read that right... changing my mind about LeBron James.  I've been very clear on my unhappiness with the way LeBron James left Cleveland in 2010. I've been clear that it was absolutely his right to go play wherever he wanted and my biggest issue with him was the way he handled it. And I've also been clear that if he ever came back to Cleveland I would be done with the Cavaliers and the NBA.  Today that changed so I figured I might as well eat a bit of crow and offer up my explanation...

The way he left in 2010 decimated the Cavs. DECIMATED the downtown businesses in Cleveland. And I'm not talking about the TV special, I mean leaving the Cavs hanging until the free agency period was so far gone the team became a train wreck. Yes, bad job out of Dan Gilbert for not having a Plan B but really, if he had no clue there was even a NEED for Plan B, that goes back to being on LBJ.

And frankly I've been a bit ticked (read: pissed off!) with the NBA itself for letting the Big Three happen. I felt it was bad for the sport and bad for all professional sports. Now, you know I'm absolutely totally 100% "Football Girl" so by saying I would give up being an NBA fan is no hardship on me and, frankly, no big deal to the NBA. I'm not their target audience. Been nice knowing you.  Buh bye.

And then today LeBron James released his essay on the Sports Illustrated website and so many things changed....

#1 He didn't do it on his own private website as a means of self-promotion, he used Sports Illustrated, one of the oldest and most respected sports news sources out there

#2 He understands how things must have been for us on this side, the fan side, in 2010

#3 His reasons for leaving involved championships: his reason for coming back was about family, kids and Northeast Ohio... I was also afraid that the Cavs weren't ready for his return. First time head coach from Euro Leagues? Young players? No true "Big Man?" Too many questions that he couldn't come in here and fix all by himself. But he knows how to win and he knows how to lose, and more importantly he says he understands just how hard winning is and is willing to do the work, be a mentor, here in Cleveland. Huge.

So many other things stand out in his essay but these were the biggest for me - signs that he has grown into a man I could respect. That was missing in 2010. Now, don't get all up on your high-horse and start calling me out as a "Fair weather fan" or saying that "of course I'm back because the team will be great now" or any of that other nonsense.  I'm back because LBJ has grown into someone I can Respect. And that matters to me.

As I read the part of the essay where he talks about Dan Gilbert and the fans, where he says:

Everybody makes mistakes. I’ve made mistakes as well. Who am I to hold a grudge? 

That's what got me... it sent me back in time. I used to be the best Grudge Holder in Ohio... I'm a girl and I'm Irish, so I come by that talent naturally... but I reached a point about 5 years ago where I realized I needed to let things go. Not because holding grudges is bad, but because people can and do change. I remember myself in high school and then after college and then after having kids and I am so different now from any of those women, how can I not acknowledge someone's ability to change?

And that is what I will apologize to LBJ for; not believing that time would change him, that four years at "Miami U" could be like college was for most of us, for talking and tweeting in absolutes and now allowing for the possibilities. I expected that the LBJ who eventually returned would be the Home Town "Boy" from 2010. Instead, it looks like LBJ the Man v. 2014  is coming home. My bad, so that's on me and I'll own it.

I'm not saying all is forgiven, but I can find peace with the past and you should be able to do that too.


Respectfully Submitted,

Cleveland Kate

Football 101 - for the ladies!

OK ladies... this one is for you...

Do you prefer the 3-4 defense to the 4-3?
First and Goal from the six yard line... are you rushing or passing?
How effective is the Cover 2?
Are you tired of watching games with your hubby and having no clue what is going on?
Have you asked a guy something about football and, after he took the cigar out of his mouth, talked to you like you were an idiot?

It's been my experience that football knowledge among the ladies comes in varying levels.  Some of us could answer all of those questions right off the top of our heads, while the rest of us have no clue what I'm talking about.

Whether you know more than your boyfriend about football or are a total newbie, the ladies of www.nflfemale.com are here for you.  We are putting together seminars in each of our areas designed to teach our fellow football fans about the game we love.  And to teach you newbies enough so that you can enjoy watching games with your friends and perhaps develop the same thrill for the game that I get when it's time for Kick Off.

The idea is to get a group of ladies together, share some food and beverages and a festive sports establishment, and learn about football. We'll talk about football basics, positions, penalties, and strategies.
The seminar will cost you $20 for which you will get membership into the Sisterhood of NFLFemale.com, a t-shirt in your preferred color combination (brown or orange I'm sure!), and a cool print out of the power point presentation I'll be using to guide you through some of the mysteries involved in football.

At this point, I'm gauging interest in the Cleveland area. I need to pick a place and I want to make sure there's plenty of room. Also, while I'd love to hold this in North Ridgeville (near my house), it might make more sense to have it somewhere more centrally located, or break the seminar into two groups.

Ultimately, you will be able to sign up on the www.nflfemale.com website but we'll get to that later.  For now, hit me up on Twitter, Facebook, or email me at katearhar@yahoo.com and let me know if this is something you'd like to do.  I'm not asking for a commitment, just an idea of who would be interested in hanging out and talking football!




Respectfully Submitted,

Cleveland Kate

The Great Browns Head Coach Search of 2014: Just Win Baby!

Rumors abound regarding who is – and ISN’T – on the list of candidates to be the new Cleveland Browns Head Coach. Fans and media members alike are speculating and there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on one guy. The front runner was Josh McDaniels, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that he’s not interested.  His loss.  We didn’t want him anyway. (Mature, I know, but that’s me).  Whether you like Denver OC Adam Gase, Seattle DC Dan Quinn, or Green Bay QB Coach Ben McAdoo, there are folks who will argue for or against your guy.

 As for me, I’m more interested in the criteria the Browns are using to find their next Head Coach. Let’s face it – how many of us outside Seattle are familiar with the defensive scheme and talents of the Seahawks?  Anyone outside of Green Bay or the Packers' organization know how much influence Ben McAdoo had on Aaron Rodger’s play or the decision to not keep Matt Flynn?  I have no clue.  Instead, it’s not the name or the experience that a guy brings, but the attitude, the philosophy that matters. Does he THINK about football the way the three guys running the Browns THINK about football… because they must be on the same page if he will have any chance of surviving past year one. 

I reached out to a few of my contacts with the Browns and asked them that very question… What qualities does the perfect candidate possess? What is most important for the team going forward?  And the answer I got was surprisingly simple... Just Win Baby.

"We’re looking for a coach who gives us confidence that we can win. We’re in search of a coach who can see our team as a group that has a strong nucleus, and work together with our personnel staff to determine how to best utilize the assets we have going into the offseason, and take us to the next level. The best individual that can help us achieve those goals is the person we’re after. “ – Zak Gilbert, Director of Communications, Cleveland Browns

Seems simple, and yet, when you look at it, that’s the beautiful part. It opens the door to a wide variety of coaches and focuses on the one thing that matters:  Winning. They are not locked onto a defensive style, offensive plan, or anything else... Just Win Baby.  And after years of listening to fans complain about terrible losses, listening to media tell me the team needs to “learn how to win,” listening to MYSELF justify personnel moves and front office decisions to other fans, all we really need is a guy to come in here and show us how to win.

And it doesn’t have to be more complicated than that. The tricky part is picking the Right Guy and that’s where the skepticism of fans will rear its head; because as much as we complain, we ALL want them to get this one RIGHT so we can Just Win Baby.

For my five takes this week, I went back through the archives (translation: searched the internet) and found my five favorite quotes from Jimmy Haslam III regarding Winning. This concept is nothing new and is a focal point in each major press conference or announcement the team has made since JH3 became the owner.  To me, that makes it believable, even if you think it’s too simplistic…

For Kate’s Five Takes – “Winning” quotes from JH3 - click this link to www.nflfemale.com

Respectfully Submitted,

Cleveland Kate

Week 17: Steelers 20 Browns FIRE COACH

In the midst of the second quarter of the worst-played game the Browns had this season, Twitter lit up with stories from national sources that they would be firing their Head Coach, Rob Chudzinski, after the game. Needless to say the game became the backstory which, considering how poorly they played, may have been a good thing.  We lost. Score doesn’t matter. Season ended.

As for the firing, I won’t begin to tell you that I understand the reasons we were given by Jimmy Haslam III and Joe Banner. In fact, I don’t really believe them, let alone understand, how you decide after 16 games that, with the tools he was given, Chud wasn’t the right Head Coach for us. However, the reasons and my beliefs are irrelevant. If the men running this team want skeptical fans to believe in them, trust that they know what they are doing, then they better already have the next coach wrapped up and ready to go. You simply DON’T fire someone without a better alternative.

What bothers me the most about the firing is the way it was handled. Someone leaked the fact that Haslam, Banner, and GM Mike Lombardi were discussing Chud’s termination on Saturday. The tweets started coming on Sunday as we kicked off versus division rival Pittsburgh Steelers. While a 4-12 team versus a 5-11 team isn’t a big deal, this game MATTERED on a number of levels, and should have been the focus of the team and the fans. We had a chance to guarantee the Steelers were out of the playoffs. We had a chance to beat each of our division opponents once this season – which has never happened in the history of the AFC North (2002). And we had a chance to get rid of the bad taste losing leaves in the fans’ mouths, so that at least the offseason wouldn’t look so bleak.

Instead, national sports writers are tweeting about our coach getting fired and management completely blind-siding all of Cleveland, including our local media. This makes me wonder WHO leaked this story and WHY they would do such a thing. I understood the power of being the person to break a story 20 years ago when we all bought newspapers to get our daily sports news. Now? Who cares? In this age of instant information, if I hear something at 12:45 or 12:51, does it really matter?

WR Josh Gordon
Photo by Cleveland Browns

Sadly, someone was CLASSLESS enough to think it would be nice to give a buddy the story in time for the last game and, in the process, embarrass the team, the fans, and even the local media who, day in and day out, spend time with the team and NO ONE had even a WHIFF that there was discontent with Chud.  So, instead of going into the offseason with the hope of building for the future, learning from this season to sort through the players and plan for a deep draft in which we have 10 picks in the early rounds, we became, yet again, the joke of the NFL.

Bottom Line? Whoever leaked the story should be ASHAMED. Grownups don’t do things like this, trade favors at the cost of people’s feelings and dignity. Grownups are respectful of others. Spoiled children who are more interested in “ME” than “WE” are the ones who do this kind of thing. And as fans we have to deal with the fact that whoever this person is, s/he is involved in running my football team. And it’s that person’s judgment that I truly question. OY.

There were bright spots this season and, though we face yet another off-season of turmoil and uncertainty, we need to remember the things that give us hope for next year…

For "Kate’s Five Takes – Pro-Bowlers!" click this link to www.nflfemale.com

Respectfully Submitted,

Cleveland Kate

Week 15: Browns 31 Bears 38

Sigh. For the third week in a row, my Browns have taken a late 4th quarter lead and turned it into defeat.  I guess the bright side is that we can stop complaining about the offense. The offense is putting points on the board and playing with a bit of respectability. It’s the defense that can’t seem to play for a full 60 minutes.  Sigh.  Again.

The real kicker is that this defeat gives us yet another double-digit-loss season. I had such hopes for this year. Nothing crazy like the playoffs, but at least an 8-8 record. It would show the progress that most fans are craving. I guess we still need more time, work, and talent before we can make real progress.

For "Kate’s Five Takes" click this link to www.nflfemale.com

Respectfully Submitted,

Cleveland Kate

Week 11: Browns 20 Bengals 41

Have I told you lately how tough the AFC North has been? Well thank goodness we beat the Bengals earlier in the season, because the fates or evil spirits or cursed football gods all came alive during a wacky second quarter that saw the Browns give up 31 points and let the Bengals just run away with the victory. Sigh.

For "Kate’s Five Takes" click this link to www.nflfemale.com

Respectfully Submitted,

Cleveland Kate