Flugel

4 hours ago, Ghoolie Always Ghoolie said:

I believe Depo gives a guideline by his statistics of what can and can't be called in every situation.

I believe that the OC will call the plays, but only from previously chosen options.

Stefanski, to me, is like Romeo Crennell was, a coffee fetcher.

Points 1 and 2 are pretty good - especially considering the Browns hired a 2nd Analytics guy as well as a Sr Offensive Assistant Bill Musgrave. My guess is DePo wanted them to see the weekly process before empowering them to hit the ground running.  What I don't know is how much DePo trusts total empowerment so he probably kept taking charge of those meetings.  Then there was the multiple QBs the Browns had to start as well as the countless starters they kept on losing at other positions.

Stefanski seems to have varied trust from our fans.  That said, he's had two 11 win seasons from 2020 to 2023 that led to 2 NFL Coach of the Year Honors for the Cleveland Browns that haven't sniffed 11 wins since Bill Belichick and Nick Saban coached this team in 1994.  Last year's 11 wins were in spite of losing the 1st and 2nd string RT, the LT, Nick Chubb, Grant Delpit, Anthony Walker and other LBers and various DL in the rotation. Winning in spite of that kind of relentless injury volume while needing to start 5 different QBs is the closest thing I've seen to a human being walking on Lake Erie.  He's improved my opinion of him when I wasn't confident he could do that.  

2 hours ago, Ghoolie Always Ghoolie said:

This board has hundreds of members, yet we seldom see new posters. It should be generating thousands of posts, yet it is only the same handful who post.

Flugel, a guy I like, Dutch Oven, and a few more are physically unable to disagree with someone without adding either a personal insult, politics, or in Flugel's case, a novel sized psychoanalysis of the poster.

I post about the stadium, and get to read about me being an altar boy. Who the fuck outside of a few people even know wtf that is about?

Some of you c*nts just don't get it. This is a fucking football board, not a bullshit, grade school trash talk forum.

 A couple years before he passed, Stan asked me and one other guy to help him and to reach out to members via e mail, who don't post and find out why.

The number one reason? Regulars turning every fucking thread into bullshit personal comments.

Younger posters don't want to join in if they are going to be attacked or ridiculed.

Two mother fucking threads I post to talk about the stadium, and two cocksukers just decide to drag their bullshit over and keep at it.

Seriously, Tom, Dutch, you two, c*nts are like Behar and Whoopie. No matter what the fucking topic, you imbeciles can't resist from addressing the poster.

Talk football, or shut your fucking pieholes. If you were on a construction crew you both would have gotten your asses severely kicked long ago.

I like you too when you take your meds.  

As for all the other unresolved feelings you have from the times you'd rather be your persona than Tom - our history has been breaking out the cyber mallets on each other. We've even had some surprising fun with it at times. You're correct that I'm better at that than pretending I'm Dr Frasier Crane. 

My initial reply to you started with I'm glad you're healthy.  I don't say anything I don't mean unless it's obvious I'm kidding (and you knew where I did that).  The rest of it all pretty much got away from us.  

I've always been here for the football appreciating the common bonds I find with others that are here for the same reason.  We're usually pretty good on the football board at trying to limit the inevitable differences of opinion from escalating to an inability to finish threads people were enjoying. However, there are some poli guys that come here to bait and troll.  For the love of God, Gorka has been begging for your attention in his 2nd screen name FY56 even before you disappeared.  Please give him some cyber fanny pats in here.  He just wants to be noticed or recognized.

We're gonna be okay. Welcome back - now let's have some FUCKING fun!

5 hours ago, Dutch Oven said:

Is Trump still falling asleep during his first of many criminal trials he's facing or does his legal team have a buzzer that goes off every time he shits his diaper? 

This is supposed to be a guy that will put America 1st when he can't even put his wives and children 1st.  He can bellyache and cry STOP THE CHEAT - but could he stop the cheating?   Best of all?  It's all Biden's fault... 🤣

[ NOTICE ]  THIS SPOT LEFT BLANK ON PURPOSE.  THANK YOU.     

13 hours ago, Dutch Oven said:

Oh yes, I remember talking to you about this before.

I have friends who live in Erie and the Oil City/Franklin areas. 

There used to be multiple Browns Backers clubs in NW PA, Western NY and as far East as Syracuse (where Jim Browns and Ernie Davis both played college ball). I'm guessing there still is; but the Sunday Ticket lessens the need to leave one's home to watch them these days.  Just so people understand, NYC was about a 6 hour ride from Rochester, NY.  However, Cleveland was only about a 4-4.5 hour drive depending upon which side of Rochester one was travelling from. A couple other variables that recruited Rochester area attention/fans to the Browns were Otto Graham playing Pro Basketball for the Rochester Royals in 1946; and of course Jim Brown and Ernie Davis playing college football nearby in Syracuse.   Most of all, my dad was addicted to Paul Brown's football program so I didn't get all adorable fictional bedtime stories other kids got.  Oh no, I got Otto Graham one night, Jim Brown another, Gary Collins another, then Marion Motley and Lou The Toe, etc...

You're probably thinking why couldn't Flugel's dad have been a Steelers' fan?  This place gets terrifying when his son thinks he knows what he's talking about in here...

12 hours ago, Dutch Oven said:

And most likely there is no end in sight either.

Baltimore is a very well-run and coached team with a QB who at the least is a great regular season producer.

Cincinnati has been a playoff caliber team for years now, as crazy as it sounds, from the Carson Palmer era to the Ginger era to the present day Joe Burrow era. The only "positive" about that is that Burrow is somewhat injury prone. 

Pittsburgh has fallen into QB purgatory, which is a sure-fire way to fall into irrelevancy, but still is a very solid team and should be for years. 

We do not get any cake division games, ever. 

Just looking at the strength of schedule rankings AP1 posted above - the 1st 3 teams on it are Cleveland, Baltimore and Pittsburgh.  Apparently, Cincy gets a few more chances to exhale this season.

12 hours ago, AP1 said:

Thought the exact same thing. 

 

Many may disagree, but we have no pushover Division games.

Imagine getting the Panthers or Saints twice a year or the Commanders or Giants twice a year, for that matter.

Well said! Even Baltimore, who had the best regular season record in the AFC, only went 3-3 in the division.  This is nothing new from the days of Cleveland, Cincy, Houston and Pittsburgh.  

3 hours ago, Dutch Oven said:

I think we are all touched by your and nicker's relationship.

Is this The Official Stefanski Stepping Aside, Allowing Dorsey to Transform Offense thread?  Or, do we have to wait until the guy who needs to announce he's wealthy re-names and re-starts it?   

15 minutes ago, TexasAg1969 said:

Look for me on Monday night football at the Denver Broncos on Dec 2. I will be the only fool who will wear JFF's Jersey #2 with binoculars around my neck. My nephew has season tickets and will be taking me to the game. I'll put a link to seat location map when we get closer to game day. Of course it is cold then so I will have to unzip a black leather jacket for you to see #2 which is a very large # on the front. I will also have on an Aggie cap protecting my ears from frostbite. 🌬️🥶     😂

You can pretend it's a Tim Couch jersey.  If the name is already on there - just put white tape on the upper back; and write the sober guy's last name with black permanent marker.  I don't know if this team has won in Denver over the last 4-5 decades.

Like others have said - this schedule looks brutal.  Ever notice how infrequently Roger wants to show the Browns on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean?   I'm totally okay with that btw; but he never gives me the impression he'll ever go out of his way for this franchise for anything.  

It looks like the Browns are facing the NFC East this year.  The last time this happened in 2020, the Browns went 11-5 and made the playoffs. They beat Washington 34-20; beat Dallas 49-38; beat Philly 22-17; and beat the Giants 20-6.   It also happened in 1994 when the Browns went 11-5 and beat Philly 26-7 and Dallas 19-14 (both were talented playoff teams). They lost 16-13 to the Giants and didn't play Washington.  None of that means anything this year; except for the reality that favored teams don't always win in a 16-17 game schedule.

16 hours ago, hoorta said:

I'll say that me and Ballpeen respectfully have different perspectives on the stadium issue. My Bucket List wanderings of seeing the Browns play in every NFL venue is at 11, so I sort of feel qualified to opine on the issue. 

Waahhhhh...  We need a dome. MHO? No we don't- and I'm as old as Ballpeen. My dome visits include Ford Field (Lions), Lucas Oil (Colts), and NRG (Texans). Nice places, but if that's the atmosphere you prefer, I suggest you stay home and watch the game on your widescreen in your living room- the ambiance is similar, and you'll save yourself a ton of money in the process.  Yeah, the amenities in the concourse are nicer- but more on that later. 

I don't want to be cold!!!  Waahhhhaaa!!! Tell that to the folks up in Green Bay (Lambeau) or Kansas City (Arrowhead) speaking of- some folks lost body parts freezing off during that Playoff game. See any news- gee we gotta build a new stadium, and have a dome there? Didn't think so. Ergo- we gotta build a new pleasure palace every 25 years to keep the owner happy is bullshit. FWIW, the Bills new stadium is going to be open air, and Buffalo weather late fall and early winter is a damnsite worse than Cleveland's. 

A disclaimer, and a couple final comments. I may not be as hardy as I was back 30- 40 years ago but you can see from my sig line I did plenty of mountaineering and cold weather camping back then. I still get out on my bike when the temperature is in the 30s, with single digit wind chills. Cold doesn't become a factor until well below zero or huge wind chills....  IF you know how to dress for it. OK a little FYI, you guys remember the Bengals Chargers froze bowl playoff game? I took a couple ski runs that day at Snowshoe in West Virginia with an air temperature of -29, and a wind chill of -78.  Yeah, now that's severe weather.   

My thoughts on remodeling First Energy?  It goes back to the way First Energy was built- with the thought they wanted to keep the "feel" of the old place. BIG mistake. That's my #1 observation & complaint with a bullet. The concourse behind the stands in Cleveland is sardine city. Visit any of the domed venues, or even the Bengals renamed Paycor... There's at LEAST triple, and maybe more breathing room behind the stands. That could be rectified the way Ohio State and the Bears did it, build a shell around the old place, and expand outward and upward.   Yeah City of Cleveland- you have some work to do besides, like rerouting the Shoreway, and building that bridge over the railroad tracks.  

PS- if Haslam really wants a Dome in Brookpark- just build it yourself- with your own money. Same way Kroenke built So Fi in LA.   For sure, with a new Dome will come increased prices, and this season ticket holder since 1999 (Section 111 Row 9) has already reached the pain threshold. With driving costs, parking, and going to the game with the wife or a friend tops $500 bucks in my case. 

I understand every point you made. Cleveland hasn't exactly been Green Bay in the Super Bowl era nor has the Chicago Bears.  Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers never even played in 1 playoff game during their entire careers with the Bears. The fact that the ONLY 2 QBs many of our fans have lasting fond memories with are Brian Sipe (13th round pick) and hometown hero Bernie Kosar (1985 SUPPLEMENTAL Draft Pick) reminds us if you can't draft and understand how to develop an NFL QB - you're not gonna make it to many Super Bowls.  Hate it or love it, I firmly believe if our 1980 Browns played the Raiders indoors - the better team would have won the playoff game that day instead of the weather.  

Now that it's an era where the league has chosen to make life easier for the passing game with the aim to score more points - we can see a QB with as many as 60 pass attempts in 1 game.  We're seeing guys throw for over 5000 yards (Jameis in TB) before the 17 game schedules.  And why?  The NFL has insatiable greed via it's NFL Ticket monopoly generating higher than ever shared revenue profits for the 32 NFL owners (that far exceed their revenues from home attendance).  We're already consumers so their primary targets are fans that are still learning the NFL game on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean and in Central/South America.

On 5/11/2024 at 9:48 PM, Orion said:

So if you were a Boston Patriots fan you would not have supported the New England Patriots.  

Wait until Rip Van Winkle wakes up.  Who wants to tell him that the Giants AND the Jets play in New Jersey now?  Once he starts to understand that - someone will have to tell him they're still called the New York Giants and the New York Jets.  After that, it'll be easy to tell him the Buffalo Bills play in Orchard Park.

16 minutes ago, nickers said:

It's a coaches duty to be on top of game time management in my mind.... I like a situation where the F.O. takes care of the business aspect and letting coaches do what they are paid to do.. Especially in a day and age where everything is so micro specialized to some large degree...

Good points.  My guess is because they let Stefanski call the plays as HC instead of empowering his OC to do so - those meetings were mostly to assure the owner and DePo that all the other stuff would run efficiently. I mentioned some things but they want to make sure all coaches were utilized while players could receive some coaching needed between series.

2 hours ago, TexasAg1969 said:

When will you learn the difference between Ghoolie and Tom? Hint one is a chain yanker and the other is just a wanker yanker.😁

One is really wealthy and the other lives in Memphis.  One of them can be really fun while the other wants to remain that 3rd grade kid that told a bunch of Kindergarten kids at the bus stop - there is no Santa Claus.  I still haven't gotten over that.  I almost wanted to be a 9-1-1 Operator when I got older just so I could answer his call some day with "9-1-1 Can you hold?"

8 hours ago, nickers said:

Because I believe he meddles too much... He has too much power to dictate what the coaches are allowed or not allowed to do... You know they have a weekly meeting where he gets to review and over see and dictate game plan don't you?

As much as I didn't like learning about that weekly meeting micro-management stuff a year or 2 ago.  Maybe what I should have considered was - is this his way of making sure everyone is ready to go with the film they've seen on the opponent, the practices preparing for the game, and how can Office DePo help with anything the coaching staff needed for the game.  I doubt he's teaching an experienced Coach a lot of new things on the field per say; but it could be a simple matter of making sure the communication process is ready to rock.  Some coaches gotta work with the players on the sidelines between series while others assist Coordinators viewing the opponents formations from a booth above. Why all that?  Remember when we would have too many men on the field at the worst of times?  Hindsight on some of that has me understanding why they have this meeting.  Last but not least, Stefanski has been the NFL Coach of the Year twice in his 4 years here.  I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong.  I'm just saying it may be more helpful than I gave it credit for being back when I completely agreed with your feeling above.

21 hours ago, nickers said:

For me.. Play calling was only an issue when he decided to get cute thinking he could outsmart everyone on particular downs.. Now do I think he's a bad person?.. No.. But at the same.. I don't think there's anything particular about him that makes him special.. Now granted.. He's not "Patty cakes" Murmer or Spew Jackass..... But he'll never be associated or spoken in the same breath as Lombardi or PB.....  One thing I did notice though.. As soon as Blowdell and Baker were sent packing... (That's no accident).. The locker room became more galvanized... But I don't seem him as an Elite HC ... To me.. Those are the Bill Walsh's and Tom Landry's of football past...  With Belichic'.. I put an Asterisk beside him because he was 0 before Brady and he's been 0 without him...  I still need to see more... If the ship sinks this year for whatever reason.. Im not opposed to trying someone new... And the FO will share in the blame game as well...

LOL!  Patty Cakes - we used to have fun with the nick-names didn't we?  Yeah, nothing I can argue with.  Belichick going 11-5 with a Matt Cassell that never won a starting job at USC the year Brady went down shows me he can make the playoffs without Brady.  He did that with Vinny going 11-5 (so did Parcells with the Jets); but having the elite QB to punctuate it all (Belichick needed it that as you said).

On 5/11/2024 at 12:57 PM, Dutch Oven said:

It's the dead time of the Browns season... post-draft but months before training camp... thought it would be a good time for a quick questionnaire

1. When was your first Browns game you attended in person? What do you remember from it?  October 10th 1976 was the 1st time I saw them play in Cleveland. The Browns beat Pittsburgh 18-16 on the day most remembered for Joe Turkey Jones body slamming Terry Bradshaw.  The thing I remember most was Jerry Sherk and Walter Johnson dominating he line of scrimmage. Meanwhile little known QB David Mays was the fill-in starter and winning QB for the Browns that day. We had Standing Room Only tickets and I don't think I'll ever beat that experience as outrageous as it sounds. The Browns were 1-3 heading into that game and that win turned their season around.  They finished 9-5.  As usual, that division was so competitive it was only good enough for 3rd place. 

2. When was your last Browns game you attended in person? Any good/funny anecdotes from it? The last game I saw in Cleveland was with Zombo when the Browns got beat bad enough by Pittsburgh I forgot the score and year attended forever. 2 good memories:  Dennis Northcutt returned a punt for a TD and I think the Browns won the coin toss decisively. The strange thing was Cowher, once treated well by our fanbase as a player and throughout his 1st NFL Coaching experience, decided he wanted to run the score up.  It just seemed weird that the 1 franchise that gave him his 1st chance as a player and more as an assistant coach - he really wanted to do something like that.  I get needing to beat a rival but that thing was over fast.  1 other funny memory. Zombo complaining to Atenears about the line to get into Panini's (?) was way too long for the power squirt he was trying to hold hostage.  Atenears said "REAL Men don't wait in line." About 20 minutes later Zombo returned to the tailgate.  Stan asked where the Hell were you?  Zombo pulled out his ticket for following Stan's advice saying "I got your REAL MEN lecture right here."   The tailgate was fun.  As always, it was great to meet and see the people you post with.

3. First favorite Browns player? Tie: Leroy Kelly and Jerry Sherk. Who was the Browns player you first really liked? Greg Pruitt. 

4. Last (current) favorite Browns player not named Nick Chubb? 😁 Tie: Joel Bitonio on offense and Myles Garrett on defense. 

5. First Browns jersey you owned? #34 Who was the player? Greg Pruitt.  Unfortunately, we didn't live in the Cleveland market.  We were 60 miles east of Buffalo; so getting jerseys began to get easier as I got older.

6. Last Browns jersey you owned? Who? Heaven help me... It was a present from my wife, #2 - Johnny Manziel.  

7. If you could go back in time and see any Browns game in person, what game would you go to?  Any/all of the 7 Pro Football Championships Otto Graham and his teammates won in his 10 year career.  If I had to narrow those down to 3 - it would be the 3 his teams won in the NFL.  I'd also like to see the one the Browns won with Jim Brown in 1964.

8. If you could put any current NFL player on the Browns, THAT DOESN'T PLAY QUARTERBACK, who would it be? Baltimore Safety Kyle Hamilton at 6-4 221 lbs. All those years of Ed Reed wasn't enough?  Now we gotta deal with this guy?  

 

3 hours ago, tiamat63 said:

 

His film is VERY rough.  He's going to struggle in space and likely in the passing game.  Tackling isn't his issue when the play comes his way, but beyond that?  He's got athletic limitations I question his mind will overcome.

I'm not sure this was the year to draft a LBe; so I guess I could say I liked where we got him in round 6.  Believe it or not, he was the AP SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a 3rd Team All American for whatever that's worth. In 2022, he finished 2nd in the SEC with 113 tackles. In 2023, he had 137 tackles with 13 of those for a loss and 10 sacks.  I'm curious if the majority of those were at the point of attack/at the line of scrimmage.  Lindy's said range will be a concern so that agrees with your assessment above. 

5 hours ago, nickers said:

You'll get there by natural selection and due process!!😂

Hopefully!  😆

4 minutes ago, syd said:

I mean it make's sense. But for one I have no problem at all with Stefanski's play calling. Second Do you think he really give up play calling duties ? cause as I remember that is why he was hired in the first place.

Good point about having no problem with the play calling.  When you need to use 5 different QBs with varied strengths and skill-sets and you have to get up to speed as soon as 1 of them (that isn't the starter) takes the field - that play calling hits the ground running.  Winning 11 games in spite of that, says a lot about how well the play calling was. 

This is just a guess on my part - but I think Dorsey was brought here to do the play calling.  One thing to remember about that, Stefanski will probably have a lot of input on the offensive game plans and what he wants his OC to do against opponents in various situations, downs and distances.  He'll get all that info at the beginning of the week so they can practice it throughout the week.  This should help Dorsey's choices in every situation during the game.  Nothing you probably didn't already know.

On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to give Dorsey the same role they gave Van Pelt on game day.

3 hours ago, nickers said:

LOL I don't drive due to poor vision and being profoundly hearing impaired...

We're not that smart yet in Florida Nicks.

On 5/10/2024 at 8:59 PM, Dutch Oven said:

I'm not sure what is funnier about this whole situation.

The fact that some other person on this board hates you so much that they stumbled upon this photo YOU posted on this message board's Poliboard, downloaded it and sent it to me via private messaging because "this is too good for you not to see" or the fact that nickers actually judges other men on their worthiness to be referred to as an "alpha", or that the original poster got all up in his feelings solely because I pointed the irony that the guy calling people pussies who are fine with the team playing literally across the street from the Cleveland city limits or in a dome no longer lives anywhere near either in a part of the country that has far better climate than NE Ohio. 

Good shit here. 

I remember when you and me weren't seeing eye to eye about something - you were the one that stepped up and prevented things from escalating.  You did it with class despite what some people want to think about you.  If you want to see absolute hatred in action - go look at how the 4-5 guys with a difference of opinion on the poli board get treated.  If ANY of them are your biggest critic/critics - they've got no legs to stand on my man.  

We didn't seem to have very many spats in here at all the last few months until late this week for some reason.  Gee, what changed? 

Oh yeah, someone started a new topic about stadiums when there was already an existing topic about the same thing.  Only this version wasn't really about stadiums but it was a great excuse to call people pussies for refusing to pretend it's still the era of football played in the 70s and 80s. 

10 hours ago, Ghoolie Always Ghoolie said:

Tom, vo pasz your fucking high school notes somewhere else. Or better yet, start a psychological/historian page where you can analyze people.

You are the queen of mental masturbation. Grow the fuck up.

Says the persona who called Dutch a sociopath.  As for me, I was once challenged to a fight in front of our entire board by the same persona and the persona never showed up to the weekend in Nashville just a 2 hour ride from his home in Memphis.  Then I read our new and improved persona (an alleged great guy today that's seen the light) talking about the time he kissed Rich on the cheek after running his mouth about what he'd do to Rich in person.   You can take your tough guy bullshit where people will believe it.  

As I've posted to @nickers on this board more than once, he's never dis-respected me and he's even had my back when he didn't have to. I've never forgotten that. I'm a golden rule kind of guy.  I DID bust his balls about sharing a picture of his mom but I doubt he would have laughed at my reply if I disrespected her.  If someone comes from the poli board that always gangs up on the the 4 or 5 differences of opinion on that board - I'll confess to not being quite as patient with Poor Cal.  Here's the thing, I've never come to this board because I need friends.  Having said that, I DO appreciate the efforts of those that consistently want to talk about the Browns, relevant football topics and make this a comfortable place to do that.  A persona that pretends he's a bigger Steelers' fan than a Browns' fan for about a 5 year period in here for the purpose of just being an asshole - isn't ever going to have @Zombo considering him a friend.  Being a nice guy at a tailgate where people can see how out of shape you keep yourself - doesn't make up for how you've treated them unprovoked.  But it sure saved you the humiliation of Rich kicking your ass despite being outweighed by about 100 pounds.  Isn't that what really expedited the about face from you?   

In summary, Fuck you!   

10 hours ago, Ghoolie Always Ghoolie said:

Sorry Tom, I don't need an analysis. This Dutch Oven guy is a sociopath. Now he is searching the guy's Facebook page?

Please, tell me by what perverted reality you don't find that fucked up?

I don't give a fuck if you respond to me or not, my friend.

I'll start another thread about the stadium, and leave this one to the counts (sp) who want to play among themselves.

 

And I don't need a lecture on behavioral etiquette from a 70 year old Bart Simpson reducing himself to potty-mouth Shakespeare. 

Before we go any further on your accusations for Dutch - have you shared with the rest of our readers which guy in this discussion needed to be quarantined to posting in just 1 thread a week for his inability to play well with others?  Zombo gave you your own little play pen; because of your sociopathic tendencies to prevent further headaches.  This had an adorable little warning that said enter at your own risk.  It was kind of like Florida where they have to put up signs stating PLEASE DON'T FEED THE ALLIGATORS...  That's a grown man's trophy case everyone should be envious of... 🙄

13 hours ago, Orion said:

A couple (or a few now) years ago the New Orleans Saints came to play us in one of the coldest football games on record.  Watson had 3 TD passes go by the boards because they either slid right through frozen fingers or the receiver slipped and fell as the ball was just about to get to him.  The Saints had a crippled offense and had to run the Wild Cat about half the time...but that southern dome team beat us...in OUR house...in what was supposed to be OUR weather...and killed our playoff chances.

It is NOT a home field advantage.  The human beings playing on our team hate it as much as the human beings on other teams.  Anthony Walker told his agent to find him somewhere warm to play because he's sick of playing in the Cleveland weather.  And you know darned well that he's not the only player telling his agent that they don't want to play in Cleveland's weather.  

Watson was about to become a Falcon or a Saint.  Cleveland was stated as OUT of the running for Watson.  So Halsem had to guarantee him a quarter billion dollars to come to us.  

Here's an idea, build a dome, but enclose one small section and pump in COLD, SNOW & RAIN so the numb-nuts who want to sit in that weather can enjoy the games their way.  🤣🤣❄️❄️

👍 👍  Loved that take.  Before I get to that - I gotta a kick out of Anthony Walker's issue.  When was he ever healthy enough to play in Cleveland?   Tell you what, if you're on the field playing long enough whether it's in snow, rain/mud or cold temperatures - it has a tendency to turn up the body's furnace.  If you're just sitting on the sidelines all the time like Anthony did watching his teammates play - maybe weather shouldn't be his biggest concern. Too many moons ago, I played football for 10 years right near Lake Ontario.  My parents/family that had to sit and watch in the elements (just like Anthony Walker) were a lot less comfortable with the temperatures than all of us kids on the field running around.  That's probably why guys like Joe Thomas and Joel Bitonio (guys that weren't injured all the time) never complained they wanted to play football in the tropics. 

I used to love the game back when it wasn't uncommon to hear the phrase "Defenses Win Championships."  Having said that I could never resist adding "especially when opposing offenses cooperate."   In that era, balanced offensive attacks were tougher to defend.  This way a Jeff Hostetler could beat Jim Kelly on Super Bowl Sunday.  The Giants had a Super Bowl record time of possession of 40 minutes and 33 seconds.  They strung together 14 and 21 play scoring drives with draining 6 minutes and 15 seconds and 7 minutes and 30 seconds. 33 year old Ottis Anderson woke up from a longer nap than Rip Van Winkle to re-emerge in the NFL before he rushed for 102 yards on 21 carries against the Bills.

Since the Shared Revenue of Owners from NFL Ticket Monopoly is the major source of Profit for owners (way more than home attendance).  A few years ago I read 95% of of owner profits was from this.  Today?  The goal isn't to please and increase fans on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean to sell more of these Sunday Tickets.  The league is doing all it can to promote more scoring via the pass game.  At times, we've seen as many as 60 pass attempts in 1 game.  This now presents a major challenge to Great Lake climates with winds and wet/slippery footballs.  The year the Browns had an MVP QB - the wind chills well below zero grounded our offense much like that AFC Playoff game when the Cincy Bengals grounded Dan Fouts' high powered passing attack with record cold wind chills below zero there.  

This is no longer the league our fathers got us interested in and hooked on.  It isn't. They're just starting to tap audiences in England that will watch a 3 hour 0-0 soccer game thinking it was exciting while we compare that to watching paint dry.  That reminds me of what I named my fantasy football team: Noah Fence.  That said, the NFL Commish wants them treated to a lot of scoring so he's been reluctant to get the Browns over there right?  As much as the tradition that reeled us in seems to be disintegrating - those that don't adapt to the changes will surrender to them.

On 5/9/2024 at 2:18 AM, Ghoolie Always Ghoolie said:

Bro,

I wrote the book on pissing people off and causing consternation. The error I made eary on, here, is that a lot of the newer guys didn't know that "Ghoolie", like my personal friend Ernie-lardi, was shtick.

When I met Rich 4 Eagle for the first time, at the 1999 rebirth tailgate, he was photographed clenching his fist think my approach to kiss him on the cheek might have been a physical threat. We of course have grown to be very close.

The difference between you, and me, is that you are just not a nice person. Your venom is personal, persistent, and without any detectable sign of sarcasm, self-deprecation, or humor.

I like the people here. I have friends here. I see people I would like to meet, God willing and my health keeps improving.

You, on the other hand, are often uncomfortable, ill-fitted, but always relentlessly self-absorbed.

Your disgusting attack on Nick Costa's Mom remains the most vile and despicable thing I have seen on this board.

I went out of my way to meet Stan in Vegas to apologize for going over the top. We became the best of friends and despite my friends Hoorta and Zombo trying to boot me, he stood by me.

Many times, I have been an inconsiderste asshole. But again, the difference between you and me, is that  upsetting people to the extremes bothered me.

I have a lot of friends here and it is because despite my old, narcissistic ways, they accepted my apology and saw through Ghoolie, to Tom.

I don't think many here like you because your venom is not schtick. There is no difference between Dutch Oven and the real you. You genuinely don't like people.

If that doesn't bother you, I feel bad for you.

I posted what I think is an important post, especially given what we went through in 1995.

Instead of adding to the conversation, you instead decided to attack me.

You shouldn't say things here that you wouldn't say to a man's face. And please, don't tell me how tough you are. 

You owe Nick Costa.....not Nickers, but Nick Costa, an apology.

Do better, Dutch. Do better.

Glad you're okay and enjoying life.  

Dutch busted Nicks' balls but it didn't happen quite like you described.  He never said anything bad about  Nicks' mom believe it or not.  He said something like "Jesus Christ Nickers you just shared a picture of your mom and told everyone you want to do her. What the Hell is wrong with you?"   Nicks and Dutch have the same kind of exchanges you and Rich used to back in the day.  

Not for nothing, after Nicks posted that picture of his mom - she grounded his ass.  She said something along the line of "ever since you posted that picture I can't keep your buddy Ghoolie away from here.  I also had to change my phone number because that sick bastard had me on speed dial." Nicks tried to set her straight with "Oh Stop!  Ghoolie grew up in the church and he was an Altar Boy forever mom."   Before he could say another word she said  "THAT AIN'T NO ALTAR BOY!" 

Shifting gears - the NFL we once knew has become all about passing, scoring more points and protecting passers.  We're probably only about a few years away from 2 hand touch on QBs or the league making it flag football on passers only.  The OLD SCHOOL football I miss ended in the 90s.  In order to be successful in this era - you need weather controlled stadiums. Let me ask you a question - when is the last time you went to/wanted to watch a game in Cleveland late in the season?  When is the last time, or perhaps the 1st time, the team in the Windy City (Chicago) ever had a passing game their fans have wanted to come out and watch in November, December or January?   The climate there has perpetuated a bad passing game while the Lions just made it to the playoffs...  That's why you see people wanting domes in places today's players wouldn't otherwise want to play in. That said, more domes = more artificial turfs (that might lead to more injuries).

8 minutes ago, Dutch Oven said:

It's hard to believe how long Myles, Bitonio, Chubb and Njoku have been here.

We went so long drafting players that weren't worth contract extensions. 

I know.  Those guys have been a good nucleus for younger guys to learn from. It'll be interesting to see how our next few drafts go...