Best NFL Fans

ESPN just posted a story ranking the best fanbase in the NFL. As much as it pains me to see Pittsburgh as #1, i'm happy the Browns are in the top 3, thats pretty impressive considering how bad the Browns have been.

Now it's time to see some playoff success to make this fanbase happy!

Browns Prediction

i just want to go on record here before the season starts and state that if the Browns are terrible this season, it is because of Romeo Crennel.

This guy is a terrible coach. he was almost fired at the end of the 06-07 season, and then was saved only by the miracle that was Derek Anderson last season. You didn't forget that yes the Browns started Charlie Frye at the beginning of last season right. If Derek Anderson doesn't come out and shock the world, Romeo Crennel doesn't have a job. seriously, how are you going to fire a guy after the best season Cleveland has seen since they were reinstated?

on paper, the Browns are one of the best teams in the league. But after a disappointing preseason i can conclude that Romeo is holding this team back. We have a QB who has proven he can go crazy, a backup who's better than some teams starters (arizona, chicago...) an offense that can throw the ball down the field and then slam it in behind the best O-line in the league. a top-flight receiver, the best tight-end, solid running back, dependable number 2 receiver. we have a reliable special teams with a good FG kicker and the best return guy in the league.

We have an okay defense, which was improved in the offseason yet has failed to show any real improvement on the field. we have good coordinators, especially Mark Chudzinski as the offensive coordinator.

so whats left? the head coach, and he's terrible, and yet he has the final say on everything that happens. if we don't make the playoffs this year we have totally under-acheived. heck, if we don't win in our first 2-3 games i'd fire Crennel right there.

Seriously Done with the NBA

i'm not joking when i say i'm over the NBA. after Tim Donaghy brought to light that the Kings/Lakers series of 2002 was fixed, i decided that was the last straw.

i wasn't so upset about the betting scandal, i mean, you have to think that this is happening in most sports on some level. But a team i spent my young life following, loving them even when the going was bad (it was never good), and for them to finally make the playoffs was awesome! the fact that we got to the Western Conference Finals and were playing against our rivals, the Lakers, and had the series lead 3-whatever, all we needed was a win and to lose was bad enough. through all of the bad calls, Robert Horry 3's, and media bias i was heartbroken, seriously, ask anyone around me that year, Kass, Tahoe, Isaac, my dad, anyone.

but now, after all this time wondering why Bibby was called for a foul after being hit in the face by Kobe we find out that the fix was in. its too much to take. the fact that this happen to my team, in my once in a lifetime chance to go to the Finals (and be the favorite) and to find about this scandal is too much. i hate the NBA. i hate the longer season, the playoffs setup, i hate slacker players, i hate the Spurs, i hate the ego's and gangsters, and now i really hate the history. there is no way to fix this, the NBA did a permanent thing in fixing this series and Kings fans, who could lose their team any time now, also lost out on a finals berth, among a million other things.

NBA, eff you.

Bibby Knows Whats Up!

so one of my favorite players, Mike Bibby, who has been banished to the derrty south, and with a losing record has made the playoffs in the east, has been talking some mean smack about Boston fans.

and rightfully so

I don't care if rajon rondo scored more points than Bibby, or got more assists, Rondo is playing on a stacked team whereas Bibby was moved midseason and has a bunch of scrums (who are being guarded by recently crowned defensive player of the year Garnett) to support him. if Bibby gets better stats than Rondo in any game that an achievement in itself

anyway, back to the smack

here's Bibby calling the Boston fans fair weather:

(sunday's crowd)“kind of loud at the beginning, but a lot of these fans might be bandwagon jumpers. They try to get on this now. Because I played here last year, too. I didn’t see three-fourths of them so it might be that."

“I remember them having bags on their heads,” he said. “Are they the ones that had bags on their heads last year? It’s just a different look, but I guess that happens when you win.”

I love Bibby, and i think he's developed a devil-may-care attitude this year since he was betrayed by Sacramento, where he wanted to retire. I mean he's like a 10-year vet, and he's a place in his career where he's past his prime, but still very very good. now he's on a team that is very young and might not be serious contenders for another 2-3 years.

As for the smack-talk this series, why not? if the Hawks win one game in this series that'll be amazing.

Playoffs!

no, i'm not writing about how the Nuggets managed to squeeze into the playoffs this season with a mere 49 (50?) wins. ps: good luck in LA LA Land!

I'm writing about the release of the NFL schedule! BAM! Cleveland Browns with 5 PRIMETIME GAMES:

9/14 vs Sunday vs Pittsburgh
10/13 Monday vs New York Giants
11/6 Thurs vs Denver Broncos
11/17 Monday at Buffalo Bills
12/15 Monday at Philly

Ah yea

It's time to get on the band wagon if you're a Bronco's fan, or any other team for that matter. and now you'll see why. its about time we got the spotlight. i just know (hope) that we'll be awesome and people will become Browns fans!

Kansas v Memphis recap

this is a post of anger/passion, so forgive me if the details are a little off

Last nights NCAA championship game got a little more interesting than i had anticipated. in what has been my best year ever in picking the tourney, it came down to the championship game, and coincidentally enough, me versus my wife, i having memphis.

So lets just recap what happened last night.

I had picked North Carolina over Memphis in the final, and could win the title if anyone but Kansas won, so suffice to say, the last few games have been brutal.

Last nights game was great. but everyone is wrong about why Memphis lost. Memphis point guard, Rose, was great, he was playing through a stomach ailment and was pretty much invisible through the first 3 quarters of the game. About midway through the second half, he decided to take over and that was when Memphis pulled away to get about a 10 point cushion the rest of the way.

As the game was coming to a close, highly touted memphis small forward, CDR, 1st team all-american, all-conference, all everything, decided to choke worst than anyone ever. People want to tak about Rose's desperation shot that was changed from a 3-point basket to a 2-point basket as the changing point in the game, but those were free points afterall. there's no way that shot shoould have gone in, so basically memphis got a break, whether it was 2 or 3 points. 2 plays later CDR misses an open layup, talk about that?

or how about with 15 seconds to go in the game, about this time, Kass realizes that she could beat me in the bracket contest if Kansas wins. so now not only am i frustrated with how the game is going, but kass has become quite vocal in her new-found love for the Jayhawks. In her diehard passion for Kansas she decides to invoke the "Mercer Curse", which if you don't know what that is, see Robert Horry 3 pointer to beat kings in conference finals, or Dennis Northcutt drop on 3rd down for the Browns, or...

so back to 15 seconds to go, Mercer Curse is on, and Memphis' lead had dwindled to 2 points after multiple blown offensive possessions. Trying to kill the clock, having the ball, memphis begins to pass the ball around, making Kansas chase. The ball gets to CDR, who could pass, but would rather pad his own points and hold it so he can shoot free-throws. so with 15 seconds to go, a 2 point lead, and your supposedly best player at the line, this game is over

nope, he misses both. but wait, somehow, the memphis tigers are given yet another chance to seal the game by getting the rebound from the missed free-throw and killing 5 more seconds before Rose is fouled and sent to the line. now Rose also appears to fold under the pressure and only makes 1 of 2 shots, pushing the lead to 3 and allowing Kansas to come down and sink a pressure-filled clutch 3 pointer and send the game into overtime.

This game is over before overtime starts. CDR hadn't made a basket in 20 minutes, memphis big man Dorsey fouled out before regulation, and Kansas has the momentum. woohoo. my dad and i find more misery yet again.

at least the NFL Draft is in like 2 weeks.

Rapids 4, Gals 0

Yes, the opening day that everyone is talking about: MLS!





The Footy Crew and I went to the Rapids opening day game against the LA Galaxy at the Dick, and it was awesome! The place was sold out, including standing room only tickets, and we had 8 seats near midfield, we got to see a ton of action.





The Rapids looked great, Terry Cooke (ex-Man United) played solid with 1 goal and 2 assists, Bouna Time had a great game in goal and Christian Gomez, the Rapids big name signing this summer, played good in the midfield and scored a goal, which totals 4 goals for the night!





as for the Gals? Beckham looked alright, but he has seriously no help. he's like a QB with no receivers or running backs. Landon Donovan was terrible, he had chances to show us that he's good but he failed. Ruiz was invisible all night, except near the end of the game when we were front row to an almost-brawl





Abel Xavi, the Galaxy high-profile, over-the-hill defender was burned all night. apparently he got fed-up and told the ref how he felt about it, resulting in a dismissal from the match. a few minutes later, (90 minute mark), Rapids rookie Ciaran O'Brien decided to wipe out Carlos Ruiz from behind. the tackle was bad, but not meriting the red card ejection that O'Brien got (Beckham later said he thought it was worthy of yellow, but not red). The situation was calm and fine until Little Landon ran across the field and tried to pick a fight. nobody picks on little kids so no fight happened.





anyway, the game was great, loved the atmosphere, the seats are great, and the Rapids came through. now just if we can get Rapidman back we'll be alright.





oh, and we were commenting on how everyone was booing David Beckham, and my lovely wife input that yes, they are booing while taking his picture. that pretty much sums that up!


Beckham, #23, frustrated after a 4th goal against