An open letter to the Cleveland Browns’ fans…

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We are kindred spirits.

I know that sounds odd, being that I am a college football fanatic, but stay with me on this one.

Both of our teams had high level success (Browns actually won championships) back in the good old days. The Browns even won a championship as recently as the 60′s.

But in the modern era, both of our teams have struggled to maintain high levels of play. We have lived and died with our team’s failures, and come back every season hoping for the best.

Heartbreak is a regular visitor.

I won’t bore you with the multiple stories of OSU’s near success. For Browns’ fans, I think mentioning ”The Drive,” ”The Fumble,” or “The Moving Van” will trigger vivid memories. UPDATE…Thanks to James from Cleveland, who was kind enough to remind me of “Red Right.” I actually remember this, as my father was yelling at the TV since he was NOT rooting for the Raiders.

For OSU, we blamed these miseries on an evil sports god named “Squinky.” Don’t know if the Browns have a similar villain.

We thought we would NEVER see the sunny side of any kind of championship.

Then, on November 19, 2009, with the greatest QB in OSU history out with an injury, and the designated backup completing more passes to Colorado than to his own team, an unknown 26 yr old 3rd string walk-on QB who hadn’t played a down of competitive football in over 6 years stepped into the huddle at the start of the 3rd quarter and said, “Protect me, and we will win this game.”

He makes his first appearance as #4 at the 1:53 mark. It’s just a handoff…for a TD. But the magic is at 2:39. OSU football history would never be the same.

Don’t get me wrong…he will make mistakes. But he will come right back and lead you on the game winning/tying drive. I would liken him to a cross between Brett Favre/John Elway. Only time will tell if he can be that good, but he has the physical and mental tools necessary. He will work harder than anyone to be whatever the Browns need him to be in order to win. And don’t forget, his football body is younger than his actual age. Protect him, and he’s got a lot of football life left in the tank. And he has a little bit of the “magic.”

He shared some of that magic with Oklahoma State football.

Get behind him, be patient, and he will share some of that magic with you.

And maybe, just maybe, he will lead the Browns to the promised land of professional football.

And a lot of new Cleveland fans will be happy to come along for the ride.

GO BROWNS!!!

For OSU, three is definitely a crowd.

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The battle for starting QB, filling the biggest shoes ever worn at the position for OSU, is over.

At least for now.

And now we wait for the fallout.

So much for my poll. Most who voted (60%) thought Walsh would be the starter. From the press to pundits galore, most had Walsh starting with Lunt redshirting. My own opinion, as meaningless as it is, was the same.

But I do have this opinion that I think will hold true…one of the other two leftovers will transfer, without question.

Who will that be? My money is on Walsh. Chelf is a serviceable backup, experienced and knowledgeable. Walsh is a born leader, and I don’t think he sits around as a backup, waiting for an opportunity, or the occasional “Walsh-a-roney” package designed for his skill set. Some writers think it’s the reverse, but we will see.

Meanwhile, Gundy has gone from the oldest QB to ever play for OSU to the youngest. Wow.

If you think we were a little spoiled having Brandon Weeden, just wait until Lunt looks like a bad James Bond martini…shaken AND stirred…and be assured that he most definitely will have that moment. But don’t misunderstand me…while I might not have done it that way, I agree with the choice. If Lunt is already able to compete with the others, and he’s younger AND less experienced in the Cowboy’s system, then he should be the man.

Part of the problem for us as OSU fans is that we aren’t used to having multiple potential starters who are all good. Just look at the RB’s…any one of them would be a starter in his own right at almost ANY Div 1 school. How we kept both Sims and Roland is beyond me.

But this is the world we have to live in now that the Cowboys are considered, if not elite, at least a top tier Div 1 football program. Winning attracts talent. Consistent winning attracts lots of talent, because most kids still want to be a part of a big winner. Players look at a program that has progressively improved its position over the last 7 years. That’s a powerful statement. Throw in high profile players getting drafted in the NFL, and you have a program that offers the chance to be a champion, and maybe develop you into a pro and a larger individual payday.

That kind of atmosphere and reputation is going to attract multiple potential starters at one position. Like the RB’s, OSU may be entering an era where our backup QB is as good, or better, than the starter in years past.

For now, I’m must prepare for the doldrums of summer. The passing of this announcement, and the NFL draft, will render our football news quite meaningless…no offense to the writers, it’s just there really won’t be much to talk about.

August can’t come soon enough.

GO POKES!!!

The “perfect storm” for Brandon Weeden.

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Wow…what a day for OSU football. If only hoops could generate this kind of buzz….

Wes Lunt…I think Dickie V’s “diaper dandy” comment would be appropriate…enrolled early to compete for the opportunity to take the job Weeden vacated, and low and behold he did. I have a separate post on that.

All of the predictions, save a few, had Weeden most likely going in the 2nd round of the NFL draft. Some folks thought there was a slight chance, depending on how the draft went, that he would slip into the late 1st round. I tweeted in agreement yesterday afternoon. Too many folks agreed that he had not just 1st round talent, but top 5 talent. The only thing in the way was his age. If his talent is that highly regarded, somebody was going to take a shot.

The Cleveland Browns stepped up at #22.

Some say Cleveland opted for Weeden when WR Kendall Wright came off the board. Based on what I’ve read, I think Cleveland knew who they were going to take, and it wasn’t going to be the player from a team that got absolutely steam-rolled by Weeden & Company.

Rookie salary caps, the trade up to get Richardson, and comments from the Brown’s brass indicate to me that they knew exactly what they wanted. I don’t care that they told McCoy that he was their man, and that they would bring in talent around him. The fact that they decided to spend a 1st round pick on him says they weren’t willing to take a chance that he would be gone before their 2nd round pick at 37.

They all admittedly fell in love with Weeden, and saw an opportunity to get a new, mature, grounded leader, who BTW is one of the most accurate passers to come out of college, and he improved his accuracy while throwing LESS to the BEST WR in college football.

All the right ingredients came together at the right time. The Browns made a move to win sooner than later.

Running backs have a short life span in the NFL. If Weeden stays healthy, he’ll likely have a longer career than Trent Richardson.

While the Browns don’t have any big name WR’s, that didn’t really matter since their current QB, Colt McCoy, can’t throw accurately enough to hit them. Weeden’s proven accuracy (clay pigeons quiver at the sound of his name) will make the receivers better just by giving them more balls to catch. He’s a proven leader AND playmaker in crunch time.

Yep…the minute the Cleveland crew met Weeden, all promises to McCoy went up in smoke.

And now I have to become a remote member of the “Dog Pound.”

Yes, I’m also happy for Justin Blackmon. Jacksonville has some tools, although QB is questionable. But like Weeden, Blackmon should make their QB better by giving him a confident place to throw the ball. I just don’t think the Jaguars are headed anywhere soon. I hope his career doesn’t get buried carrying a losing organization on his back (see Barry Sanders in Detroit).

For a college football fanatic who paid moderate attention to the NFL (wouldn’t change my Sunday plans to watch games), I will definitely be well aware of the Browns’ and Jaguars’ schedules. May even have to make an overnight to Cleveland (8 hrs from CT).

Not to mention there are several other Cowboys who will get their opportunities. I’ll cross my fingers that they all have some success.

But my focus will be Weeden and Blackmon.

And my prediction…if Cleveland makes the right moves, and nobody suffers untimely injuries…is Weeden will lead them to the playoffs by next season.

Weeden helped lift many curses from the OSU fans’ collective backs.

Maybe, just maybe, he can do the same for the Browns.

GO BROWNS…I mean POKES!!!