manbearpig Posted November 5, 2008 Report Share Posted November 5, 2008 Team shouldn't cheer until the game is won http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/33810284.html By Patrick McManamon Beacon Journal sports columnist Published on Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 BEREA: Maturity shows in a lot of ways, some direct, some subtle. In the third quarter of the game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns were ahead by 14 points. A sack of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco on second down led to a celebration worthy of a Super Bowl. Players danced, hugged and ran around the field like a playoff spot had been clinched. You were waiting for the confetti to fall, for the spotlights to swirl around the field and for the NFL to stop the game to present game balls to weepy Browns who would then thank their moms and cousins and Paul Pierce for contributing to their success. This is the trend in the NFL these days. The slightest little thing is cause celebre. But it is emblematic of the Browns, with whom it seems that the proverbial cart has been placed miles ahead of the proverbial horse. Even receiver Joe Jurevicius, who conceded Monday that he will not play this season because of a staph infection, addressed that issue when he mentioned the preseason accolades and the team's performance. ''There should be a lesson to be learned,'' Jurevicius said. That lesson deals with being professional, with approaching every game and every play as if it matters, and with not counting anything until it actually is registered in the column labeled ''W.'' It means being happy about but not excessively celebrating a second-down sack when the other team still has a third-down play. It means thinking about what to do on third down instead of running 25 yards into the end zone to point at fans. Think about the implications of that celebration on second down followed by a third-down conversion. The Browns told themselves that the sack was the be-all and end-all. If the Ravens can come back from a be-all and end-all play to convert a third down, what in the world happens on the rest of the plays? We all saw. Same thing happens when a player makes a key drop with the score tied, a la receiver Braylon Edwards. Quarterback Derek Anderson made an outstanding play to avoid the rush and to find Edwards deep down the middle. Edwards dropped it. Anderson walked off the field, hands on his head, almost as if he were saying, ''What else do I have to do?'' Perhaps it's coincidence, but the offense went in the tank after that play. One of the things coach Bill Belichick instilled in the New England Patriots is the ability to forget a play and move on to the next one. The Patriots have a bad play, they get up and go to the huddle and go on to the next play. It's called a professional approach. The Browns did not have the maturity Sunday to do that. Just like they've not had the maturity to handle success all season. Wins over the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars seemed to have the potential to lead to bigger things. The Browns followed those with losses. Stinking, embarrassing losses. Kipling wrote of meeting with triumph and disaster and treating those impostors ''just the same.'' The Browns don't treat triumph as an impostor. They cuddle with it, embrace it, hug it like it's a silly stuffed animal. They celebrate a single play as if it just ended wars on all continents. It's just too much. Late in the game, fans were chanting for Brady Quinn, as if Anderson didn't throw a perfect pass that easily could have led to a game-changing play. The chant was predictable, and it now appears the Browns are going to give Quinn a chance Thursday. Anderson shares the responsibility for the loss Sunday, but he was not the prime culprit. Benching him now might provide a different look, but it does it in a short week. Let's also consider the folks around Anderson, and their performance this season. Anderson's main receiver has a league-high 13 dropped passes. Coach Romeo Crennel basically said Monday that if he had another receiver worth squadoosh, he would play him instead of Edwards. He doesn't — unless someone is seeing something in Syndric Steptoe and Steve Sanders that I'm not. Anderson's second receiver? Donte' Stallworth was on the inactive list. Kellen Winslow had five catches but also ranted and gesticulated after every little block (a tight end is supposed to block, right?) The offensive line had a tough time with the Ravens' defense, especially when guard Eric Steinbach left with a rib injury. The reason the screen play blew up in the Browns' face late in the game was that Anderson had a guy in his face and, rather than take a sack on third down, he threw to the spot hoping running back Jason Wright would be there. There's always the possibility a new quarterback provides a spark. But changing a quarterback will not change the underlying problems holding this team back. That is an inherent lack of maturity fueled by false visions of grandeur — for the team collectively and for some of its individuals. They treat triumph with too much celebration and disaster with too little recognition. Kipling called those traits impostors. The real impostors this season are the Browns. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/. BEREA: Maturity shows in a lot of ways, some direct, some subtle. In the third quarter of the game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns were ahead by 14 points. A sack of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco on second down led to a celebration worthy of a Super Bowl. Players danced, hugged and ran around the field like a playoff spot had been clinched. You were waiting for the confetti to fall, for the spotlights to swirl around the field and for the NFL to stop the game to present game balls to weepy Browns who would then thank their moms and cousins and Paul Pierce for contributing to their success. This is the trend in the NFL these days. The slightest little thing is cause celebre. But it is emblematic of the Browns, with whom it seems that the proverbial cart has been placed miles ahead of the proverbial horse. Even receiver Joe Jurevicius, who conceded Monday that he will not play this season because of a staph infection, addressed that issue when he mentioned the preseason accolades and the team's performance. ''There should be a lesson to be learned,'' Jurevicius said. That lesson deals with being professional, with approaching every game and every play as if it matters, and with not counting anything until it actually is registered in the column labeled ''W.'' It means being happy about but not excessively celebrating a second-down sack when the other team still has a third-down play. It means thinking about what to do on third down instead of running 25 yards into the end zone to point at fans. Think about the implications of that celebration on second down followed by a third-down conversion. The Browns told themselves that the sack was the be-all and end-all. If the Ravens can come back from a be-all and end-all play to convert a third down, what in the world happens on the rest of the plays? We all saw. Same thing happens when a player makes a key drop with the score tied, a la receiver Braylon Edwards. Quarterback Derek Anderson made an outstanding play to avoid the rush and to find Edwards deep down the middle. Edwards dropped it. Anderson walked off the field, hands on his head, almost as if he were saying, ''What else do I have to do?'' Perhaps it's coincidence, but the offense went in the tank after that play. One of the things coach Bill Belichick instilled in the New England Patriots is the ability to forget a play and move on to the next one. The Patriots have a bad play, they get up and go to the huddle and go on to the next play. It's called a professional approach. The Browns did not have the maturity Sunday to do that. Just like they've not had the maturity to handle success all season. Wins over the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars seemed to have the potential to lead to bigger things. The Browns followed those with losses. Stinking, embarrassing losses. Kipling wrote of meeting with triumph and disaster and treating those impostors ''just the same.'' The Browns don't treat triumph as an impostor. They cuddle with it, embrace it, hug it like it's a silly stuffed animal. They celebrate a single play as if it just ended wars on all continents. It's just too much. Late in the game, fans were chanting for Brady Quinn, as if Anderson didn't throw a perfect pass that easily could have led to a game-changing play. The chant was predictable, and it now appears the Browns are going to give Quinn a chance Thursday. Anderson shares the responsibility for the loss Sunday, but he was not the prime culprit. Benching him now might provide a different look, but it does it in a short week. Let's also consider the folks around Anderson, and their performance this season. Anderson's main receiver has a league-high 13 dropped passes. Coach Romeo Crennel basically said Monday that if he had another receiver worth squadoosh, he would play him instead of Edwards. He doesn't — unless someone is seeing something in Syndric Steptoe and Steve Sanders that I'm not. Anderson's second receiver? Donte' Stallworth was on the inactive list. Kellen Winslow had five catches but also ranted and gesticulated after every little block (a tight end is supposed to block, right?) The offensive line had a tough time with the Ravens' defense, especially when guard Eric Steinbach left with a rib injury. The reason the screen play blew up in the Browns' face late in the game was that Anderson had a guy in his face and, rather than take a sack on third down, he threw to the spot hoping running back Jason Wright would be there. There's always the possibility a new quarterback provides a spark. But changing a quarterback will not change the underlying problems holding this team back. That is an inherent lack of maturity fueled by false visions of grandeur — for the team collectively and for some of its individuals. They treat triumph with too much celebration and disaster with too little recognition. Kipling called those traits impostors. The real impostors this season are the Browns. Forgive me if this has already been posted. I agree with a lot of what was said here. I love my Brownies but this season has been very frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furnier Posted November 5, 2008 Report Share Posted November 5, 2008 Great article and dead on. Maturity and professionalism are sorely lacking on this team. That falls on the coach. DWJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshutchins Posted November 5, 2008 Report Share Posted November 5, 2008 I couldn't have said it better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.