The Cleveland Browns have terminated the contract of LB….http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-release-two-players/37d777d8-d2b6-43ec-8ede-64ff8cc32d22
Posts Tagged ‘Cleveland Browns’
Cleveland Browns release a Wide Receiver and a Linebacker
Posted: May 3, 2016 in BrownsTags: Cleveland Browns, roster cuts, Saalim Hakim, Scott Solomon
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With the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft the Cleveland Browns…
Posted: April 2, 2016 in BrownsTags: Carson Wentz, Cleveland Browns, Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Laremy Tunsil, NFL Draft
Best player available, not best quarterback, is best option for Browns draft
Posted: March 24, 2016 in Browns, FootballTags: Calvin Johnson, Carson Wentz, Cleveland Browns, Eli Manning, Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Laremy Tunsil, Myles Jack, NFL Draft, Peyton Manning
Now that the Cleveland Browns have added RG3 to their roster, the smart thing to do is to keep both Josh McCown and Austin Davis as well. With three quarterbacks on the roster, there is no need to waste the No. 2 overall pick on any of the quarterbacks that will be available in this years draft.
I’m not saying that RG3 is going to be the franchise quarterback of the future for the Browns, maybe he will, maybe he won’t, but the better selection for this team all along has been to take the best player available.
This Browns team is lacking talent all over their roster. Laremy Tunsil, Jalen Ramsey, or Myles Jack would help this team much more then Jared Goff or Carson Wentz.
There have been 12 quarterbacks taken in the top five of the draft the last 10 years. Just one of those 12 quarterbacks has a record above .500 in the playoffs. Who is that, you ask? That would be Mark Sanchez, who is best known for this particular play and not for being remotely close to a franchise quarterback.
Also, the lone playoff appearances for Sanchez were in his first two seasons (’09-’10) as he hasn’t been back since. That’s right. 12 quarterbacks. One with a winning record in the playoffs.
Here’s another reason why the Browns would be foolish to take a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick. Of the last 10 Super Bowl winning quarterbacks, just two were taken in the top five. Those two happen to share the same last name and it doesn’t take a genius to tell that there aren’t any Manning brothers available this year. Four of the ten were not even taken in the first round!
Another position that constantly gets mentioned for the Browns by misinformed fans and media at No. 2 is wide receiver. That would be another mistake. I didn’t agree with former Browns General Manager Ray Farmer on many things, but one thing he was highly accurate about was the wide receiver position. This may be the most overrated position in terms of the type of talent that equates to helping a team win games. The best receiver in the NFL over the last ten years has been Calvin Johnson. In eight of those years, he just so happened to have a quarterback that was taken with the first pick of the draft in 2009. Can you guess how many playoff wins Johnson has? I’ll give you a hint. It’s the same number that you have. ZERO! Just to be more clear about wide receivers taken early, in the last ten years, there have been five taken in the top five, and combined they are 0-6 in the playoffs!
Make no mistake, Otto Graham is an all-time great
Posted: March 13, 2016 in Browns, FootballTags: all time great, Cleveland Browns, NFL, Otto Graham, quarterback
After Peyton Manning announced his retirement, among the most frequent questions asked was where he ranked among the all-time greatest quarterbacks. Was he better then Joe Montana? How about Brett Favre? Is he ahead or behind of John Elway, Johnny Unitas, and Terry Bradshaw? Even current players like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees often come up in these types of discussions. I’m not here to say none of the aforementioned quarterbacks weren’t or aren’t all-timers, but one player that consistently gets left out of this discussion is perhaps the GREATEST quarterback of all-time.
Cue the ESPN “30 for 30” theme. What if I told you there was a quarterback that played ten years professionally, went to ten Championship games, winning seven of them, was a first team All-Pro selection eight times, and was a three-time league MVP? And if I asked you to name that quarterback, most wouldn’t believe those stats to be real. Most would probably think that those accolades were built in “Dynasty mode” in the Madden football video game series. Well you would be wrong.
There actually was a quarterback who did ALL of those things! No it wasn’t Montana, Unitas, Elway, Bart Starr, or Joe Namath. As a matter of fact, the quarterbacks that are always mentioned as the all-time greats don’t even come close to having all of those accolades.
Want more? This quarterback, who again, is frequently left out of the discussion for the greatest quarterback ever, led the league in passing yards five of his ten years, led the league in quarterback rating five times, had the most touchdown passes in a season three times, led the league in completion percentage four times, and his 9.0 yards per attempt ranks No. 1 all-time in NFL history! Oh yeah, I already mentioned he took his team to TEN straight championship games, winning seven of them, right?
The quarterback I’m referring to is none other than Otto Graham. Unfortunately, because the NFL wants its fans to believe that football didn’t exist before the advent of the Super Bowl, his name hardly gets a mention. And most media members who draw up these lists, fail to take the time to do some actual research, leaving Graham as an afterthought.
Of course, when the next all-timer retires, the lists will come out again naming the best of all-time, and again, these lists will remain a joke as long as one name doesn’t appear on them. Otto Graham.
Bakers Dozen (Thirteen things I know that you should know too)
Posted: March 6, 2016 in Boxing, Browns, Cavaliers, Football, Indians, SoccerTags: Boxing, Cleveland Browns, cleveland cavaliers, Cleveland Indians, Columbus Crew, David Price, Francisco Lindor, HBO Boxing, Josh Gordon, Korey Kluber, Lebron James, MLS, Ohio, Pernell Whitaker, Pipa Higuain, Showtime Boxing, Waterfalls, Wifred Benitez
- With all the news that made the rounds this week, the best was undoubtedly the fact that Cleveland Browns team president Alec Scheiner will be stepping down on March 31st. Scheiner was supposedly in charge of the business decisions and oversaw the recent renovations to the stadium, but for some reason he needed to be included in how to conduct film study, which was baffling to say the least. Scheiner was also one of the many behind the scene voices demanding that the undersized frat boy got on the field, regardless or not if he was ready.
- Speaking of the spoiled, undersized frat boy, he was in Vegas this weekend taking in the UFC fights and who was with him, none other than the Browns other often troubled player, wide-receiver Josh Gordon.
- Gordon, currently suspended by the NFL due to drugs, is trying to regain the Browns trust. While he hasn’t had any mishaps during his current time away, hanging with the troubled quarterback should be the last thing on his priority list. Gordon, unlike the frat boy, doesn’t come from oil money and needs NFL paychecks to live the life of luxury he so desires.
- Is anyone else growing tired of the cryptic messages Lebron James continues to tweet out?
- I mean, just say what you mean already or just stay silent. All this does is bring unwanted and unneeded attention to an underachieving team that consistently plays to the level of their opposition while finishing 2-5 against the Warriors, Spurs, and Raptors.
- Speaking of the Cavaliers and Lebron, maybe being the underdog is just what they need. Then again, they were the underdog against the Spurs in 2007 and against the Warriors last year after Kyrie went down and we all know how those series turned out, with both winning the deciding game at the Q. Ouch.
- Spring training has begun which means baseball season is right around the corner. Opening day is less than a month away as the Indians will take on the Boston Red Sox. The pitching matchup will be fantastic with former Cy Young winners facing off in Cleveland’s Korey “KluBot” Kluber taking on David Price. Sure the Tribe didn’t sign a major name to help with its lack of power in the lineup, but I, for one, am looking forward to the development of shortstop Francisco Lindor, who just missed out on being named the American League rookie of the year last season. Lindor is a future star that the city will no doubt get behind.
- It will take some longer than others when it comes to watching soccer, but it is growing significantly both in terms of involvement and television ratings. And why wouldn’t it be? With all the rule changes, player antics, as well as 2.5-3.5 hours of game time from the “Big 3” sports, soccer games last a mere 2 hours and provide plenty of excitement. Plus there is a major league team just two hours away from us. Pipo Higuain, who plays for the nearby Columbus Crew, had the early contender for goal of the year on the season’s opening day!
- Sure there was a big time UFC pay-per-view this weekend, but let’s not forget about the great knockouts that boxing provides. Here’s what this weekend brought us in the squared circle of the “sweet science.”
- Speaking of boxing, on this day, March 6th in 1976, future Hall of Famer Wilfred Benitez became the youngest World Champion in history at just 17 years old when he defeated Antonio Cervantes for the WBA Super Lightweight championship of the World.
- Also on this day in boxing history, Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker became the WBC Welterweight Champion of the World after defeating James Buddy McGirt in 1993.
- Speaking of Pernell Whitaker, he will be one of many retired boxers that will be in attendance during the Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend June 9th thru the 12th. If you have never been, I recommend taking the easy drive to Canastota, NY. You can find all the information you need here: http://www.ibhof.com/index.html
- Living in northeast Ohio, I try to take advantage of every clear and warm day. I came across this waterfall right by my house in South Lorain just last week. Never knew one was so close.
Browns musings
Posted: February 29, 2016 in Browns, FootballTags: Cleveland Browns, Harvard, Jalen Ramsey, Joey Bosa, Josh McCown, Kevin Hogan, Myles Jack, NFL
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Many clueless Cleveland media members as well as fans think the Browns should take a quarterback with the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NFL draft. The problem is there isn’t a franchise quarterback available in this years draft and by taking a quarterback at this spot, the Browns will again be reaching, just like they did when they took the undersized frat boy in 2014, Brandon Weeden in 2012, Brady Quinn in 2007, and Tim Couch in 1999. No matter how many years certain media members have covered this team, some just aren’t smart enough to realize this. Just like Tony Grossi from ESPN Cleveland. Here he is spitting his pitiful rhetoric.
http://espn.go.com/espnradio/playPopup?id=14870258
Here’s one from Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto. Another clueless observation, but at least he is smart enough to agree with me about Joey Bosa.
http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2016/02/cleveland_browns_should_pass_o_1.html
The Browns decision makers are Harvard educated, but let me tell you this. It doesn’t take a Harvard education to know that there are so many holes on the roster, the smart thing to do would be to trade down and accumulate talent. I know that’s not what Browns fans want to hear, but take your emotion out of the thought process, and you will realize that’s the best route to take.
I know that Josh McCown is not the long term solution for the Browns, but did you know that in the games he started & finished, the Browns averaged 25.8 ppg, which would’ve ranked No. 8 in the NFL? That goes to show what a veteran quarterback that understands the game can bring. Oh yeah, the games that the undersized frat boy started & finished, the Browns averaged 16.2 ppg, which would’ve ranked No. 31 in the league. If the Browns do select a quarterback in the draft (hopefully later on), the offense can still be well above average under McCown, who will also double as a phenomenal mentor to the future starter.
The main issue with the Browns is their defense, and that is the side of the ball that they should focus on in the draft. They finished No. 29 in the league, allowing 27.0 ppg. Oakland had their highest offensive yard output of the season against them. Both the Cardinals and Broncos had their 3rd most yards gained on the season, while the Titans & Chargers had their 4th best offensive yard output against them. In all, seven of the Browns 16 opponents had top 5 offensive yardage performances against the Browns.
Let me say, I’m a HUGE Ohio State Buckeye fan. That said, I also keep it real. If not a quarterback, the other player that mostly comes up at No. 2 for the Browns is Joey Bosa. This would be another reach of a pick. Bosa is a 265 pound defensive end. That’s great for a team that runs a 4-3 defense. The Browns, however, run a 3-4 that utilizes defensive ends that are closer to 300 pounds. Bosa would have to play outside linebacker, a position he never played in college and it would make no sense to use the No. 2 overall pick on a player that the Browns would have to move to a new position. A pick that high needs to contribute right away and Bosa would be learning a new position that he might never even excel at. If the Browns ran a 4-3 defense, I would like them to take him in a heartbeat, but he just doesn’t fit into their scheme.
Let me tell you why bad NFL teams/organizations struggle. They reach for players based on need in the draft, instead of choosing the best player available. Good to great teams that are only a piece or two away can get away with reaching, but bad teams that need help at multiple positions/units would be better served at improving their overall roster. Time and time again, however, teams like the Browns draft based on need, often times reaching for a player that isn’t as good as many still on the board, and time and time again, the results are poor & regimes are turned over once every two to three years. It’s mindboggling that NFL General Managers haven’t figured out this simple concept.
So who should the Browns draft if they keep the No. 2 pick? I’d go with either cornerback Jalen Ramsey from Florida State or inside linebacker Myles Jack from UCLA. The Browns missed badly on Justin Gilbert two years ago, and still need a consistent player opposite Joe Haden, and Ramsey maybe the best overall player in the draft. All-Pro linebacker Khalil Mack was available for the Browns in 2014, but they chose instead to trade down and ended up with one of their worst top 10 picks in franchise history. Jack definitely has All-Pro level talent and also plays a position the Browns desperately need a playmaker at.
The next big “season” in the NFL off-season is the free agent signing period. While the Browns, like every other team will no doubt add players to their roster, there is no need to spend major money and earn the good graces of many unknowledgeable media members. Teams that end up making huge news during this period, don’t end up making news at the end of the season, unless it’s that they are firing their head coach and/or general manager.
Ok, back to quarterbacks. There’s one in this years draft that intrigues me. His name? Kevin Hogan from Stanford. He’s big and surprisingly mobile for his size and extremely smart. Stanford runs a pro-style offense and Hogan could be ready after a year on the bench. He could last until the third round and if he does, I wouldn’t be mad at the Browns for taking him.
Baker’s Dozen (Thirteen things I know that you should know too)
Posted: April 30, 2015 in Boxing, Browns, Cavaliers, College football, Football, Indians, SoccerTags: Boxing, Boxing shoes, Cavs, Cleveland Browns, cleveland cavaliers, Cleveland Indians, college football, Columbus Crew, Corey Kluber, Danny Shelton, Floyd Mayweather, Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Kei Kamara, Kelly Olynyk, Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Love, Manny Pacquiao, Marcus Marriota, Phil Steele, Shane Ray, smoking, Summer of Brisket, Todd Gurley
1. In last week’s column I wrote that the Cavaliers would bring the city Cleveland its first championship in 50 years. I should of prefaced that by adding, ‘barring injury.’ Now that Kevin Love is done for what appears to be the remainder of the season, the Cavs will more than likely get beaten by the Chicago Bulls in the next round (Yes, the Bulls will get by the Bucks). Fans and media alike have ‘loved’ to pile on Love this season unnecessarily, as those that truly understand the game of basketball were aware of his importance and what his role was with this team. In his absence, the Cavaliers won’t be able to space the floor as they had been doing, and the open lanes that LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had been accustomed to will be gone. Tristan Thompson was valuable in his role coming off the bench, but his flaws will become much more glaring now that he will be forced to play more minutes. To use a phrase that my former colleague Kenny Roda coined long ago, OIC (only in Cleveland).
2. It’s truly a shame that Kevin Love was taken out by a dude that cannot even grow facial hair, instead opting for the peach fuzz look. In hockey there’s a term for mediocre players that are just put on the ice to get physical with the opposition. They’re called a goon. That’s exactly what Kelly Olynyk is. There’s a difference between setting a hard screen with a push like what Kendrick Perkins did to Jae Crowder and putting a guy in an arm bar and pulling his shoulder out of its socket. Truly a bush league play.
3. For those that are worried about reigning American League Cy Young award winner, Corey Kluber, don’t be. Kluber AKA Klubot will be just fine. Here is a look at his numbers from last April compared to this April.
2014: 2 W, 3 L, 37 IP, 35 K, 10 BB, 2 HR allowed, 4.14 ERA, 1.51 WHIP
2015: 0 W, 3 L, 34 IP, 36 K, 7 BB, 2 HR allowed, 4.24 ERA, 1.26 WHIP
Nearly an identical start from last season, look for Kluber to start dominating hitters in the near future and hopefully the Tribe will start giving him some run support.
4. One player who could help the Indians with their hitting woes is their top prospect, Francisco Lindor. Current starting shortstop Jose Ramirez is hitting a paltry .186 and the Indians as a team are hitting just .234 which is third worst in the American League. Lindor recently went on a 10-16 stretch and appears to have come out of his own early season slump. He’s hit safely in 10 of his last 14 games. The time is right for Lindor to get promoted to the ‘Big Show.’
5. The NFL draft is here which means it’s the time of year that the Cleveland Browns usually waste their picks on garbage players. There’s a report that the Browns are attempting to move up in the draft to take Oregon quarterback Marcus Marriota. That would be a mistake. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner was a great college quarterback, but his talents favor that game, not of the NFL variety. Marriota ran an up-tempo, no huddle, spread option offense taking snaps from the shotgun in college. In the NFL he will be huddling every play, taking snaps from under center, and won’t be able to leave the pocket as frequently as he did at Oregon. He was also injury prone, and while he was never hurt in a major way, that’s sure to change when he’s hit game in and game out by NFL players. This guy has bust written all over him.
6. A lot of Browns fans want to take a wide receiver in the first round. This is another foolish option. The rules in the NFL so highly favor receivers now that an average receiver can be a good receiver while a good receiver can become a great receiver. This was proven just last year when two of the Browns undersized receivers (Andrew Hawkins & Taylor Gabriel) both had successful seasons and proved that they could make plays despite their physical appearance. There are an abundance of receivers in the college game nowadays that enter the NFL much more ready than previously due to the spread offenses that are being run. The Browns shouldn’t take a receiver in the first or second round when they can still find value in that position later in the draft. It would be a waste of a pick to do so early. Besides, take a look at this years Super Bowl combatants. Neither the Patriots nor the Seahawks have what you would call a playmaking wide receiver. The fact is, you don’t need one to succeed in this day’s NFL. If the Browns are smart (a HUGE if there) and stay where they’re currently sloted to pick in the first round (numbers 12 and 19) they should get NT Danny Shelton, who should be there for them at twelve and if DE Shane Ray falls to them at 19, they should run to the podium and take him.
7. Speaking of Shane Ray, yeah I know he just got pulled over and the officer found weed on him. So what? Marijuana is now legal in over 30 states and will soon be legal in all 50. The majority of NFL players smoke it and it’s really not a big deal. Hell, I’m sure more than half the people reading this column are doing so while puffing on a joint right now. If Ray were a QB, that would be different. You don’t want your quarterback smoking out. But a defensive player that partakes is fine by me. There have been plenty of NFL players that were busted for weed that were among the games elite. Ray has the talent to be among the best DE’s in the league and if other GM’s are afraid to draft him, hopefully Browns GM Ray Farmer won’t be.
8. Another name being thrown out there for the Browns is running back Todd Gurley. That is an absolute joke. If the Browns would draft him, or any other RB in the first or second round, I would seriously consider jumping off the 480 bridge. The NFL is a passing league. The rules are set up for the quarterbacks and receivers to succeed. Running backs are a dime a dozen. There are no ‘featured’ backs anymore with the exception of maybe a few guys. Nearly every team has a RB by committee approach and the Browns should be no different. Why should the browns take a RB that may carry the ball 10-15 times a game in the first or second round? That makes absolutely no sense! And I didn’t even get into the fact that Gurley was hurt twice getting hit by pimple faced college kids. What’s going to happen when he gets hit by grown men? I’ll pass on that option. Besides, the Browns already have two young running backs that complement each other very well.
9. It’s fight week for one of the most anticipated boxing matches in years. Floyd Mayweather is taking on Manny Pacquiao in a fight that is five years in the making. Some people are discouraged that the fight took so long to take place but the fact of the matter is that the fight will be much more competitive and entertaining now then it would have been had they fought five years ago. Mayweather is a defensive wizard, and he’s spent the majority of his career as a ‘hit and not get hit’ defensive minded fighter. Many of his fights have been lackluster due to the fact that he has simply outboxed his foes with tremendous hand speed and perfect foot work to escape without taking any real damage. Mayweather would have taken Pacquiao to school five years ago. Now though, Mayweather isn’t as fleet a foot as he once was and has taken more and more punches in the ring over the last two years. Pacquiao still has that blazing hand speed and with his non stop aggression and constant punches coming from a variety of angles, has a chance to land some shots on Mayweather. I don’t anticipate an upset here (Mayweather is a heavy betting favorite in Vegas) but I do think these two will offer an entertaining fight that will give the fans their money’s worth ($99 on PPV).
10. My dude Casey Kulas has made it official. It’s the ‘Summer of Brisket!’
I’m up for the challenge. If you start to smell the smoke in South Lorain, just follow your nose to La Casa De Castro. I’ll probably have enough to share.
11. There are just 126 days until the college football season begins! Pre-order the Phil Steele College Football Preview aka the College football Bible here:
https://www.philsteele.com/store/
12. Shoe pick of the week. I don’t have these but word on the street is these are the shoes that Manny Pacquiao will be wearing during the Mayweather fight.
13. I know most of you reading this don’t like soccer but so what. This is my column and I do. The Columbus Crew are on fire as they’ve outscored their last two opponents by a 7-1 margin! That’s like 118-3 if you were watching football lol. Oh and Kei Kamara is tied for the lead with the most goals in the MLS this season!
Browns need a better draft from Ray Farmer
Posted: April 28, 2015 in Browns, FootballTags: Cleveland Browns, Danny Shelton, Johnny Manziel, Justin Gilbert, NFL Draft, Ray Farmer
Click the link below to see this story about the Browns and GM Ray Farmer
http://vocerolatinonews.com/browns-need-a-better-draft-from-ray-farmer/
The way too early Browns schedule game
Posted: April 26, 2015 in Browns, FootballTags: Cleveland Browns, NFL, NFL schedule
Last week after the NFL released the schedule for the Cleveland Browns, I did a quick analysis on each game. click the link below to see how I project the Browns to do.
http://vocerolatinonews.com/the-way-too-early-schedule-game/
Bakers Dozen (Thirteen things I know that you should know to)
Posted: April 1, 2015 in Boxing, Browns, Cavaliers, College football, Football, Indians, VikingsTags: Adonis Stevenson, Artur Beterbiev, Boxing, Broad City, CBS Sports, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Cleveland State Vikings, Denis Shafikov, ESPN2, Fresh off the Boat, Gabriel Campillo, Garfield Heights, Kyrie Irving, Lebron James, Louisville Cardinals, McDonalds All American game, mean tweets, Mickey Bey, nba, Ray Farmer, Russell Wilson, Sakio Bika, Shaker Heights, SI cover jinx, sneakerhead, Sneakers, Sonny Johnson, Terry Rozier, Transfer, Trey Lewis, Zach McAlister
1. The Cleveland Indians were featured on one of the regional covers of the Sports Illustrated MLB preview edition. Naturally, Cleveland fans panicked and brought up the dreaded SI cover jinx. Relax folks. There have been plenty of examples that defunct that so called jinx. Here’s one such example.
2. Speaking of the Tribe, they’ve announced their starting rotation. Taking the mound for the home opener next Friday will be Zach McAlister, who earned the number 4 spot. So far this Spring McAlister has a 3.32 ERA in 19 innings pitched with 24 strikeouts and just four walks. While McAlister had a 5.23 ERA in 2014, he did finish strong, posting just a 2.84 ERA in 19 innings in the month of September.
3. The best marketing department among the Cleveland professional sports teams easily belongs to the Indians. Their latest “Mean Tweets” video is priceless. If you haven’t seen it by now, check it out!
4. We are down to the Final four in college hoops. The baseball season is about to start. The two month long NBA playoff season is about to start. But you know what I’m really excited about? The start of college football season! Yes, I’m aware we’re still about five months away but I get the privilege to work on the “Bible” of college football. Of course I’m talking about Phil Steele’s College Football Preview. The official “on sale” date is July 1st, but there is a way to get it three weeks sooner! How, you ask? We are accepting pre-orders right now by clicking the link below.
https://www.philsteele.com/store/
5. Speaking of College Football, spring practices are underway. Want to get a heads up on the season? Well we at the lovely offices of Phil Steele have put together our annual Spring Preview and it’s available for free.
http://philsteele.com/Pdf/SpringGuide/2015/2015_Spring_Guide1.pdf
6. Time to recognize some Cleveland hoop stars doing big things. Former Shaker Heights High standout & current Louisville Cardinals point guard Terry Rozier has announced his decision to turn pro after two seasons in the college game. The 6-1 Rozier led the Cardinals in scoring, averaging 17.1 points/game. He is projected as a late first round/early second round pick. Hmmm. I know of a particular pro team that plays its home games at Quicken Loans arena in Cleveland that could use a backup point guard.
Louisville may not have to look that far for a replacement as former Garfield Heights High star and current Cleveland State Viking guard Trey Lewis is exploring his options as a graduate transfer and the Cardinals, among many others, have shown interest according to his high school coach and former Ohio Mr. Basketball winner Sonny Johnson.
Lewis set the Viking single season three point record with 93 while averaging a team high 16.3 points/game en route to being named to the Horizon League first team. He played two seasons at CSU after transferring from Penn State after his freshman year following a coaching change there. He will be eligible to play right away because he will have graduated already. To clear up any confusion, it’s the exact same thing Russell Wilson did when he transferred to Wisconsin from NC State for his final year of college eligibility. I have no issue with Lewis transferring at all. I wish him the best. If you never went down to the Wolstein Center to see him play, shame on you.
7. Speaking of amateur hoops, anyone catch the McDonalds All American skills challenge on ESPN? Note to girls that think they belong in a dunk contest with a bunch of dudes. Stop it. Just stop it. I may sound like a chauvinist here, but so what. These are my thoughts and I’m surely not alone in thinking this. This girl for some reason thought it was a good idea to enter the dunk contest and proceeded to miss EVERY SINGLE one of her attempts. I can’t make this up. Every time I see girls on the basketball court I think of this greatly thought about video game concept.
8. Those of you who know me or even those of you who don’t but are among the privileged to be among my Facebook friends (I’m being sarcastic here folks, relax, I really don’t take myself that seriously) are aware of my dislike for one Lebron James AKA ‘LeQuit’. That being said, there is no doubt whatsoever that he is the MVP this season. He won’t win it, which is a disgrace, but can you name another player in the NBA that can make his team among the elite in the game, leave and the aforementioned team sucks so bad that they win the draft lottery THREE times while failing to make the playoffs for four straight years, then come back to make the same team among the elite once again? No you cannot. Also remember, the MVP is a regular season award, so you can bet come crunch time in the playoffs or NBA finals, something will come up with LeQuit that will cost the Cavaliers a championship. Mark it down. It WILL happen.
9. The Browns were of course in the news again this week but the news wasn’t that bad for fans of the team. The NFL handed down its punishment from the result of GM Ray Farmer sending text messages to coaches during games. The team wasn’t docked any draft picks, but Farmer will be suspended for the first four games of the season and the team was hit with a $250K fine. The punishment was fair. They shouldn’t have lost any draft picks. What Farmer did had absolutely no bearing on the outcome of any games. Now let’s hope the team can get some solid contributors in the draft. Here’s a hint. GO INTERIOR DL WITH YOUR FIRST PICK!
10. Boxing is once again on Free network TV this weekend! This time it will be on CBS. Like the March 7th NBC telecast that featured some of the top fighters in the world, this weekend will be no different. The Light Heavyweight division will be the focal point as the main event features the lineal Light Heavyweight Champion of the World, Adonis Stevenson against Sakio Bika. The opening bout will be between a battle of legit top 10 contenders in the same division as Ring Magazine #9 ranked Gabriel Campillo takes on #10 ranked Artur Beterbiev. Don’t miss it as there will surly be fireworks. The broadcast starts at 3PM ET.
11. Speaking of boxing, Cleveland’s Mickey Bey, the IBF World Lightweight titlist, is making the first defense of his title on April 30th in Las Vegas against Denis Shafikov in a fight that will be televised on ESPN2. Bey is a former US Olympian and is a slick boxer with great footwork and defense to go along with excellent hand speed. He is rated as the #4 Lightweight in the world by The Ring and is a member of Floyd Mayweather’s famed TMT.
***Update 4/3. The fight is now off as the two promoters, Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank couldn’t compromise. Instead the fight will be promoted by the highest bidder. Stay tuned for more details.
12. Okay enough about sports. When I do find time to relax and watch something on TV non sports related, it usually consists of something comedy related. I’ll admit, I am a bit of a sitcom guy. Right now there are two shows that I am extremely enjoying. Broad City and Fresh off the Boat. If you enjoy laughing and want to take the edge off, I suggest these two silly shows. Below is the trailer for one of the shows.
13. And finally I’m a bit of a sneaker head. Don’t judge me. Picked up a fresh pair of Kyrie 1’s last week. If you want to be cool like me go cop yourself a pair as well.
My new Kyrie’s
Castro's Kingdom 