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The culture of mediocrity, your 2008 Cleveland Browns
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AP Photo/Tony Dejak
Analyzing the Browns performance this Sunday is like pulling off your own fingernails. Obviously, the horror of this past Halloween carried over to the lakefront when the Browns lost an excruciating game against the rival Baltimore Ravens. If you haven't followed the Browns in the past 10 years then you wouldn't understand why this game was so frustrating.
Since the Browns came back to Cleveland, it has been Halloween night every waking hour for this city. From blinded players to deadly staph infections, Cleveland has incurred a wrath that can only be described as unholy.
Well guess what? The people of Cleveland can handle the unholy wrath thing. What they cannot handle is this losing culture, which has penetrated deep into the unconscious of our players, coaches, and front office.
Here is the situation: Sunday, the Browns are up by 14 points going into the final stretch in the second half and actually lose to the Ravens. Led by an emotional Ray Lewis, the purple people eaters scored 24 unanswered points and defeated the Browns 37-27 (see 2002 wildcard vs. Pittsburgh Steelers).
Here is why: The Browns, when up by 14 points, decided to "play not to lose." Conservative play calling and lack of fundamental aggression cost them dearly. Inability to execute in key situations and a paper-thin defensive secondary left the Brownies shell-shocked.
Here is the truth: If you are an NFL team that cannot close a game out when up 14 points, at home, against your rivals, you are not a good NFL team.
As I have said before, Romeo Crennel's Browns aren't prepared to win football games. Sure, they are talented and have the ability to win, but they aren't, at all, prepared to win. They are not prepared to execute an NFL offense with four minutes left in regulation. They are not prepared to produce 20 offensive yards and give the team a chance to tie. They are not prepared to take advantage of a sparse Ravens secondary. They are not prepared to make good screen passes and run an aggressive offense. They aren't prepared to stop a rookie quarterback and running back, who now have ensured themselves a contract extension courtesy of the Browns (see Dee Brown vs. Cleveland Browns circa 2002).
Let's make this clear: A rookie quarterback from Division II Delaware comes into Browns stadium and lights Cleveland up in front of the hometown fans.
Watching the Browns trying to execute their offense with the lead was like watching a young man trying to unhook his first bra strap. He just does not know what to do! He is frightened and confused because he hasn't been in this situation before. Sort of like what the Browns felt when they were winning this football game. They didn’t know what to do.
This is what I mean by being prepared to win. It means that you play to win even when you are winning. Get it, Romeo? Get it, Chud? Get it, Derek?
It means throwing a bomb when you should run the ball. It means blitzing when you should play prevent defense. It means putting a hit on Ray Lewis so he can't open up his jaw to speak. That is called football, folks. Am I just old school, or is this how teams have been playing football for years? Football the Browns of old used to play on Sundays.
In a candid conversion with Baldwin Wallace assistant track and cross-country coach Eric Schmuhl, he mentioned something that I feel is very important. He stated, "the Browns have a culture of mediocrity." His point is illustrated with Cleveland's love affair with Derek Anderson.
Anderson played football at a high level until the end of last season. Since then, his play has been inconsistent and lackluster (with the help of the league's leading pass-dropper Braylon Edwards). Any organization that is in the business of winning would hold him accountable for his poor play. Yet, because Derek did his job last season, the organization has made some ridiculous commitment to him. This isn't a marriage, it's football. He is supposed to do his job. Why should we treat it as some sort of luxury? When he stops performing at his job, move on to someone else. It's not brain surgery.
The Green Bay Packers let go of Brett Favre in order to plan for the future. I will say it again; they essentially gave Favre the boot because they felt Aaron Rogers gave them a better chance of winning long term. Whether you agree with this or not, it reveals that the Packers are interested in winning. Yet, Cleveland's fans seem to be the only people interested in seeing Brady Quinn on the field. It's not because Quinn is the guaranteed savior of this city. It's because he may give us a better chance to win football games long term. You see, the fans are interested in winning; Romeo and crew are interested in politics. The fans want to honor the draft pick in Brady Quinn by putting him on the field.
Critics will ask, "How will Quinn handle the pressure of the NFL?" I will answer that for them; ask Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, Felix Jones, and Chris Johnson how they are handling it. None of those athletes played at Notre Dame with national television coverage every week either. They are rookies who have more game experience than Quinn. What is wrong with this picture?
Here is the answer: We are a losing football team that needs to re-evaluate our coaching and players. We need to take the temperature of our locker room and see who is here for a vacation and who is here to win football games. I think Romeo, Anderson, and Edwards have been fundamental to our losing season.
A winning approach isn't something the people of Cleveland should be thankful for, it is something they deserve. So far, The Browns haven't fulfilled their end of the bargain. The fans show up week after week, with money that isn't so easy to come by these days, and this is the performance they get?
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe football is like a relationship. If it is, then Cleveland Brown fans are in an abusive relationship with this organization.
