Would Jon Gruden Ever Coach The Browns?

(AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Jon Gruden is in town with ESPN for the Browns’ Monday Night Football game against the Ravens, and he hasn’t been quiet. A native of Sandusky, Ohio, Gruden is very familiar with the area. On Saturday Night, he gave a Chalk Talk to high school football players in Mentor, and he was asked questions by the local media before and after, particularly pertaining to Browns QB Johnny Manziel.

Gruden has a very strong relationship with Manziel, spending a solid amount of time with him, working him out before training camp, as well as texting him back and forth constantly throughout the season. He was not afraid to express his admiration for the 22 year old, who was recently demoted to 3rd string after lying to Browns’ officials about a video of him partying last week:

“I felt like he was in a good place,” said Gruden. “I feel he’s a lot like a lot of young people in this country that I meet. This is not college anymore. This is not the amateurs. This is the big leagues. Hopefully this awakens him; this is a dose of reality that maybe can be a turning point for him off the field.”

Gruden went on to talk about how he was disappointed, but that the Browns should be patient with Johnny and not give up on him, adding that Manziel has made tremendous strides in his life on and off the field. He is also very high on Manziel’s gameplay.

“He’s a playmaker. His improvisational skills are tremendous. He’s a legitimate dual threat. He can run or pass. He can learn quick and he’s clutch. He’s got a lot of guts.”

This got me thinking: would Jon Gruden ever want to coach Johnny Manziel and the Cleveland Browns? He does have a pretty nice gig working for Monday Night Football, traveling to all the games across the country and covering the sport he thrived in. The Browns are also the worst team in football currently (we don’t have to lead that up to records or standings either), so it would not be an easy fix.

Gruden, as mentioned above, is from Sandusky. He grew up being a diehard Cleveland Browns fan, which is only fitting for this hypothetical scenario. He sings Manziel’s praises constantly, and the Browns will most likely have a coaching vacancy after the season, seeing the Mike Pettine has lost 13 out of his last 15 games. So the situation is possible.

On whether he wants to coach again, Gruden responded, “I have a great job. I’m excited to be with the guys I work with and I haven’t lost a game in five or six years. I feel pretty good about it.” When asked about what he’d do as Manziel’s coach, he replied:

“I think they’ve got to get a running game. I don’t know if Duke Johnson dies at halftime or what happens to him. They have to play better football around him. They don’t have the biggest receivers I’ve seen. There are things they can do to certainly enhance him on the field, but forget about all that for now. The kid can play.”

Browns fans were calling for Gruden to be the coach before Pettine was hired, and they are calling for him again:

When the browns start their new coaching search Jon gruden needs to be on the top of the list! He's an ohio boy!

— J.V. 1 of 1 🏁🇯🇲🏁 (@jesshussl3) November 29, 2015

Jon Gruden to coach the Browns next year ?? #BrownsNation #wishfulthinking

— Chauncey Babbers🙏🏾 (@Jalen_Hall) November 29, 2015

https://twitter.com/LordCorey69/status/671023161023012864

Would Jon Gruden leave his solid job to do so? It is unlikely, but he would have a great opportunity to coach a QB with a ton of talent and potential, one that he knows very well. It’d be a very popular hire among the fans, but a tough catch to reel in. Gruden hasn’t coached since 2008, and he is enjoying his current life.

But never say never Browns fans. Manziel could be the bait to lure Gruden back to his hometown.

————————————————————-

Interview questions were conducted by cleveland.com

Joey Kinsley, Founder, Writer, Lake Erie Sports.

Follow me on Twitter @KinsleyLES, and our site @LakeErieSports

Lindor Finishes 2nd, But Huge Sign For Indians

The MLB just recently announced that Astros’ SS Carlos Correa has won the AL Rookie of the Year, with Indians’ SS Francisco Lindor finishes in 2nd place. Lindor was only 15 points behind Correa with 109 compared to 124 respectively.

Lindor, who just turned 22 2 days ago, had a stellar rookie season since his call up on June 14th. He had a .313 batting average with 12 home runs, 51 RBI, and 12 stolen bases in just over 4 months of baseball and 99 games for Cleveland.

Other impressive stats included 122 hits, 22 doubles, 4 triples, 50 runs, a .353 on-base percentage, and a .482 slugging percentage (fun fact, when Lindor was with the Lake County Captains in 2012 he was hit-by-pitch 11 times!).

Beyond the stat line, and despite getting 2nd place in final voting for AL Rookie of the Year, a prospect for the Indians has finally become exciting once again. Being at several Tribe games this season, you could see the energy Lindor provided on both sides of the field. He made many web gems at shortstop, and hit very well as a rookie; in fact, at one point in September, he had the 2nd highest batting average in the AL after the All-Star Break.

With Lindor, as well as Michael Brantley, Jason Kipnis, Corey Kluber, and Carlos Carrasco, the Indians have an exciting young core going into next season. They are also looking into several key acquisitions going into the 2016 season.

Correa was called up on June 8th, and finished with a .279 batting average, 22 home runs, 68 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and an OPS of .857, while helping lead to Astros to their first playoff run since 2005.

Kris Bryant, 3B for the Cubs, won NL Rookie of the Year.

————————————————

Joey Kinsley, Founder, Writer, Lake Erie Sports

Follow me on Twitter @KinsleyLES and our site @LakeErieSports.

What We Learned From Uncle Drew, Chapter 4

(above) Kyrie Irving kills it again in the 4th episode of Uncle Drew.

Today Pepsi released the fourth episode of Uncle Drew with Kyrie Irving, the first since 2 years ago. After the longly anticipated wait, Uncle Drew lived up to the standards. Bringing in Baron Davis, JB Smoove, and Ray Allen to help, Chapter 4 adds comedic genius into the classic mix of getting buckets. Here is the video below in case you missed it:

Here’s what we learned from Chapter 4:

Kyrie Irving has a future in acting/production. Kyrie co-produced this video with Pepsi, and did a very good job in doing so. He had a couple funny lines in the film, the best was probably after Skinny Walt, aka Ray Allen, asked him if he could spell H-O-R-S-E, to which he replied “I ain’t never made it past H”. Who knows, with slick one-liners like that, Kyrie could have a future after basketball with acting or producing.

Kyrie is better than Ray Allen at horse. Okay, so this film was probably staged a little bit, in terms of who was supposed to win the game of horse. Ray Allen most definitely is a better 3 point shooter than Kyrie. But Uncle Drew is definitely a better horse player than Jesus Shuttlesworth, that’s all I gotta say. All of his crafty spinning layups and trick shot 3 pointers were evident in the film, and Irving also responded to every make Allen had in the video. Staged? Most likely. But would the same outcome come about in real life? I’d say so.

Uncle Drew is too famous for surprises. Pepsi discloses to the Youtube audience, as well as the audience at the outdoor basketball court in Miami, that they are a part of a basketball documentary. They did not know Uncle Drew would be there, but once he arrived, it was hard to keep it a secret. After 3 very successful chapters, as well as Kyrie’s stock and familiarity on the NBA court increasing significantly over the past 2 years, everyone that knows basketball knows this tale. There were also a lot of Pepsi bottles in the crowd, which were probably compensation for cheering and being hyped when watching the horse game, compared to a usual 5 on 5 battle as showcased in the previous 3 chapters.

Ray Allen has the same shot every time. At first, I could not recognize who Skinny Walt was. But after watching 3 or 4 of his shots, it became clear that it was Allen, whose figure matched that of his character. Allen is known for playing Jesus Shuttlesworth in the Spike Lee film He Got Game in 1998, so Pepsi really nailed it by bringing him in to Chapter 4 as a rival of Uncle Drew.

If you didn’t know that was JB Smoove… C’mon. Even I knew that was JB Smoove. He looked exactly like himself, just 20 years older or so, playing the role of Angelo. And the fact that he sounded exactly like himself with no different tone in his voice, like Kyrie does in his Uncle Drew persona. Despite this, Smoove was funny as heck, and really brought some comedic genius into this skit.

Flashback to 2010-2011… when the Cavaliers were 19-63, and Baron Davis, aka “Louis”, was their starting point guard. He didn’t start there that season, but he was traded along with a 1st round pick from the Clippers for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon. That trade turned out to be very beneficial for the Cavs now, considering the 1st round pick ended up being Kyrie Irving, Jamario Moon is out of the league now, and Mo Williams is back with the Cavs for his 2nd stint. Irving and Davis never played with each other, but today, they were side-by-side in Chapter 4, getting buckets. Davis is also the 3rd former Cavalier to be featured in this series, next to Irving and Kevin Love, who played “Wes” in Chapter 2.

There will be a Chapter 5. Uncle Drew ended the video by not rematching Walt, but saying he has to go see “The Big Man”. I don’t know who that person is, but it sure sounds like a cliffhanger to me. Pepsi gets a lot of good promotion from these videos, and with irving no where close to his prime, I can’t see these ending for a while.

Kyrie didn’t go to Miami, but… Uncle Drew took his talents to South Beach (just saying). Not as heartbreaking this time around, though.

It’s always been, and it will always be… about getting buckets.

—————————————————————————–

Joey Kinsley, Founder, Writer, Lake Erie Sports

Follow me on Twitter @KinsleyLES, and our site @LakeErieSports 

The Importance of The Hustle Duo

I have not written anything other than Johnny Manziel or Browns’ articles in a while, so hey, why not do so now while the Cavs are killing it on the court?

Six straight wins without arguably 3 starting quality players in Kyrie Irving, Iman Shumpert, and JR Smith. Crappy first halts combined with better second halves seems to be the remedy right now (hopefully that will change). The depth is unreal right now, and there are two role players brought back that are really helping the cause.

Their names are Matthew Dellavedova and Tristan Thompson, a pair I like to call The Hustle Duo.

Dellavedova is an Australian rugby player at heart, while Thompson is a Canadian also with a tough mindset. One makes less than 2 million dollars, while the other is making a little over $16 mil. But the impact they both make on the court, especially together on the court, is priceless.

The two hustle more than any duo I have ever seen. They do all the unseen dirty work that was reminiscent when Anderson Varejao wasn’t a walking piece of glass back in the late 2000s. Many people hated Delly’s play last year, and didn’t like Thompson’s contract he signed just a few weeks ago, and the holdout that came with it. However, the two really stepped up when players in front of them were injured during the 2015 playoff run (the next man up mentality David Blatt so eagerly emphasizes), and they are really succeeding right now, and keeping the Cavs alive in times where they need stops and second chances.

You cannot argue that Dellavedova’s shot looks a hell of a lot better this season than it did last season. He’s also a pretty reliable free throw shooter as well (take notes LeBron). It seems every time the Cavs need a Delly tray, he serves it up. Speaking of dishes, he has a 2nd team best 6.1 assists per game this year, a lot of those coming within the Hustle Duo. Alley-oops from Delly to Tristan are almost automatic, and like a glitch in a video game, as someone on Twitter described it. It’s exciting and a lot of fun to watch.

Both of their defensive games have been very reliable this defensive. Delly’s on the ball defense is suffocating, and there’s never a play he takes off. Tristan’s post defense is superb, and he definitely is more comfortable-looking to start this season; maybe since he no longer has to worry about a contract. Both rebound the ball very well too, or make sure they can keep the possession alive. They don’t care about the stats or the fame that comes with it. They care about doing the dirty work and getting points in the win column.

Both were definitely counted out. Delly was an unwanted and undrafted free agent out of St. Mary’s, and Tristan was an out of nowhere 4th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, which I think probably field both of them and continues to keep both hungry in games.

Without them, the Cavs would be a good team, but not a great team. The Hustle Duo are the unsung heroes on this great Cavaliers squad. LeBron has been very outspoken on wanting them both back for the 2015 season. Even when Kyrie comes back, Dellavedova will definitely still see the floor. His minutes may go down a little, but he plays with Mo Williams a lot now, and I see him being a spark off the bench the whole season.

Both definitely have not hit their ceiling, which is very exciting as a Cavs fan to see. They are both also learning from one of the greatest players of all time, which will only help them more. So before you complain or undervalue the Hustle Duo, look beyond the stat line and see the impact they really make on the court, which is one that is priceless and immeasurable.

(photo courtesy of cavstheblog.com)

Joey Kinsley, Founder, Writer, Lake Erie Sports

Follow me on Twitter @KinsleyLES, and our site @LakeErieSports

Pettine Should Be Gone Tomorrow Morning

Mike Pettine (above, courtesy of ESPN Cleveland) is really ticking me off.

So after coming back home from what was a miserable Browns game to watch at Buffalo Wild Wings in Columbus, which, if you don’t know, is divided with Browns, Bengals, and Steelers fans, I decided I was going to write an article to vent some frustration. Having no idea what I would write about, I asked Twitter:

@KinsleyLES Compare Cleveland athletes to 90's Nickelodeon cartoon characters.

— Greg Swartz (@GregSwartzBR) November 6, 2015

Greg, I will definitely do this next article.

But I decided to role with this simple one, since I figured I needed to get out some classic Browns frustration. Thanks Vince:

@KinsleyLES browns coaching

— SKRYP (@vskrzypek) November 6, 2015

So.. where to begin? Oh, yeah, that’s right. Begin by firing Mike Pettine. First thing Friday morning. Heck, I’ll take the heat for it.

I’m not usually a proponent for firing people so quickly, or in the middle of a season, or in a 2 year span, especially with a team as unstable at the head coaching position as Cleveland. But I have drawn the last straw tonight.

I am in no position to fire Pettine (literally), but I’d pull the plug on this horrid nightmare. I’ll give you one very good reason why, and it is because of some of his remarks he made at halftime:

Here's Pettine's interview from halftime. pic.twitter.com/ENFwc2E0Ro

— Dan Labbe (@dan_labbe) November 6, 2015

Now, if you look closely, you can see that he is a fool.

On a serious note, how the hell does your head coach not realize the biggest plays of the first half Manziel made were out of the pocket? When the offensive line broke down (as they did a lot tonight), Johnny was able to do things McCown couldn’t do, which is keep the play alive with his feet. In the pocket, Manziel wasn’t bad, but was less successful. Fact of the matter is, having a dual threat with a strong arm and quick legs makes it harder for teams to cover the Browns receivers, who are sub-par at best, other than Barnidge.

Keeping him in the pocket hinders that unique ability, duh.

Secondly, calm him down?! The only people you should worry about calming down are us Browns fans after hearing those insane remarks. That was easily Manziel’s best half of football in his NFL career. He looked very composed, relaxed, especially in the midst of pressure. On the run, he made excellent decisions and throws, despite his receivers not bailing him out on occasion (particularly Taylor Gabriel). In addition, the running game was very strong. The problem lied in the defense, who couldn’t cover Tyler Eifert all game to save their lives.

Not once did Mike Pettine put in a valuable adjustment in the 2nd half. In the past 3 games, the Browns have been outscored 55-3 in the latter half, which is absurd. In fact, Pettine made an adjustment, which was to keep Johnny Manziel in the pocket. And we all know how that worked out for the Browns.

Look, I know Johnny isn’t perfect. I’m very high on him, that’s no secret. I also like McCown too. But Pettine seems like he cares way too much about not being wrong. And here’s why:

Great coaches cater offensive schemes to their players’ talents. They get the ball into playmakers’ hands and let them do the work. That’s why the Patriots have been so good. Great organizations have stability, particularly at the QB position.

The Browns have none of those things.

Pettine wants Josh McCown to be the starter, and he does not seem to be in favor of Manziel at all. I guarantee he starts Josh next week, no offense to him.

Either Pettine doesn’t want to be wrong about Manziel not being the starter now, or he’s so oblivious to the fact of what worked in the first half compared to the second half that he’s incompetent to make the right adjustments and decisions in the 2nd half. Either way, he needs to go, first thing Friday morning.

I don’t think Ray Farmer needs to go at all. I actually believe he’s drafted decent talent. After all, these players have excelled in college. It’s about the development process, and how awful the Browns organization is at developing players. Check Dion Lewis for example, who is thriving in a great Patriots’ system. Sure he was injured here, but he was really never given a chance.

Look at Willie Snead thriving in New Orleans. You know where he was at the beginning of the season? On the Browns preseason squad.

The fact of the matter is that the Browns have no stability, schemes that they hope work instead of being tailored to their playmakers, and a coach who fails to make the right adjustments and leave what is working. Marshall Faulk ripped Mike Pettine after the game on NFL Network, particularly on his halftime interview, and I can’t disagree with him:

Can Marshall Faulk be our HC? pic.twitter.com/JO13rYkKOv

— Bottlegate (@Bottlegate) November 6, 2015

Geeze. At least we got the Cavs. Go Cavs.

Joey Kinsley, Founder, Writer, Lake Erie Sports

Follow me on Twitter @KinsleyLES, and our site @LakeErieSports.

Preview of the Battle of Ohio: Browns vs. Bengals

We are hours away from kickoff, as the Browns and Bengals enter a rematch for the Battle of Ohio on Thursday Night in Cincinnati.

The previous matchup, a 24-3 Browns victory, gave the Browns 1st place in the AFC North division before the late November collapse. Bengals runningback Jeremy Hill said the performance from the Browns convinced him that they were worse than he thought.

In retrospect, Hill may have been right.

Brian Hoyer was nothing special that game, as his task was simply not to screw up. This game was really more about the implosion of Andy Dalton. Dalton finished 10 of 33 for 86 yards, 3 interceptions, and a 2.0 passer rating, in easily the worst game of his roller coaster career. His decision making in that game was at an all-time low, as he constantly forced dangerous passes, missed on every side of the field, and further damaged his reputation.

A year later, Dalton and the Bengals are 7-0, and the talent this year is healthy, as Giovanni Bernard, Tyler Eifert (arguably the 2nd best tight end in the league), Andre Smith, and Vontaze Burflict are all back. The talent has masked Dalton’s flaws thus far, and he’s been able to play well this year.

The Browns, with a 2 game winning streak on Thursday Night Football, are without Joe Haden, as he has been ruled out. With the defense struggling this year, I don’t see the Bengals holding back on the vertical passing game. And Cleveland’s weak rush attack will give plenty of opportunities for Bernard and Jeremy Hill to score, as the offensive line is top quality.

If the Browns want any shot of winning this game, Johnny Manziel has to continue off the promise he showed against the Titans. The Browns offensive line is one of the best in the league, and this offers an anticipated matchup against Cincinnati’s front 7. I would also like to see Duke Johnson get more opportunities as well. Johnson is a talented back that has shown plenty of promise as a yards-after-the-catch receiver and a runner, but only recorded 1 carry last week. Gary Barnidge has fit the system well, but expect Manziel to give more targets to Travis Benjamin, who’s having a surprisingly good year.

All in all, this shouldn’t be close, but I expect a better performance from Manziel against Cincinnati. Bengals win this one.

Final Score: Cincinnati 28, Cleveland 13

Johnny Kinsley, Browns Beat Writer

Follow me on Twitter @BrickWallBlitz and our site @LakeErieSports.

The Double Standard of Johnny Manziel and JT Barrett

(above) Browns Johnny Manziel (top) and Buckeyes’ JT Barrett (bottom) have been in similar controversies recently.

Johnny Manziel and JT Barrett are two people that are distinctively unique, but very similar at the same time. Both are idolized by the Northeast Ohio region. Both are young, mobile quarterbacks. Both have had great success in college football. Both have been backups for most of this current season.

Both have also had controversies recently involving alcohol behind the wheel. But yet, the two situations are distinctively unique.

Johnny Manziel, on October 12th, was pulled over for a domestic dispute with his girlfriend Colleen Crowley, which involved him swerving while driving his white Nissan GTR in Avon while trying to prevent Crowley, who was intoxicated, from leaving the car while moving (Check out my video for it below).

Manziel, in addition, was cooperative with police, unlike his girlfriend, whose stories on the scene changed from “he hit me” to “he didn’t do anything wrong”. The Browns QB also had two drinks, which is a controversy that I disputed in the video above. After hearing the 911 calls, reading the police report, and seeing the police dash cam video, I decided to call this a non-story. The NFL agreed.

JT Barrett, on the other hand, was driving near Ohio State campus early Saturday, when he observed a DUI checkpoint. He had several drinks in him. According to CBS Sports’ Bruce Feldman, the 225 pounder would’ve only needed to have 7 beers in 2 hours to blow a .08 BAC level. So Barrett tried to avoid the DUI checkpoint, which led to his arrest.

Cops then breathalyzed the 20 year old, who turns 21 on January 23rd. And boy was he lucky that he was not 21. Barrett blew a .099 BAC reportedly, which is above the legal limit in the state of Ohio, which resulted in him to just be cited for an OVI (Operating a Vehicle Intoxicated), which is the same thing as a DUI in the Buckeye State.

Barrett has been suspended for a week by Buckeyes’ Athletic Director Gene Smith and this Saturday’s game against Minnesota, eligible to return against Illinois next week. JT, who just got the job back from Cardale Jones, does not look good as a leader in the locker room right now, especially after a bye week.

So let me ask this question: why is JT Barrett not getting slammed for this incident, but Johnny Manziel is getting ridiculed for his non-incident?

It’s a double standard that I truly do not understand. As much as I love both of these guys, they certainly have messed up, Manziel more so in his past than Barrett with this one incident. I believe both are capable of bouncing back from their bad past decisions.

The sad part is that Johnny Manziel drove a vehicle with only 2 drinks in his system (which were consumed 4-5 hours before the incident in downtown Cleveland), and JT Barrett was legally intoxicated behind a motor vehicle. That is very scary for any 20 year old kid, let alone the current starting quarterback of the #1 team in the country.

Barrett broke the law, and was lucky the incident did not happen 3 months later. Manziel had an argument with his intoxicated girlfriend, which, if you’ve ever tried communicating common sense to an intoxicated person, you would understand.

But what if Crowley were driving the car, and not Manziel? What if she left the car? Just another reason to scrutinize Manziel. Crowley was probably more drunk than Barrett was this past weekend, but nonetheless, alcohol affects the way you drive and perceive objects, and for JT to take that matter into his own hands, when he has a multitude of resources and people who would drive for him, is absurd.

Here are some other takes on Twitter:

Manziel 22, Barrett 20. One is held to an extremely high standard and the other is the only 1 of the 2 ever charged with a crime. #Twitter

— Jon (@justavictim1182) October 31, 2015

How did JT Barrett get a DUI before Manziel 😐😐

— Does it Matter (@Ushould_follow) October 31, 2015

Please for the love of God! Stop comparing Manziel to Barrett! Anyone seen Manziels history? Rehab, all kinds of shit!

— BeardedUltraRunner (@BeardedTrailRNR) October 31, 2015

It's interesting that a lot of the people minimizing JT Barrett's DUI are the same one's that say the Browns need to cut Manziel (0 arrests)

— James Thomas (@NeverBeenProy) October 31, 2015

And here was my original take:

https://twitter.com/KinsleyLES/status/661316069622198272

And a solid response:

https://twitter.com/The_Brown_Log/status/661418291492057088

The fact of the matter is that Johnny Manziel has had a rough alcoholic past, and he is under a magnifying glass bigger than even LeBron James. JT Barrett has just scratched the surface of being a nationwide celebrity. But his actions this past weekend are very nerve-wracking, especially for Urban Meyer (who does he start next week?)

It’s unfair to Manziel to be scrutinized more than Barrett currently, but it is also unfair for people to say Barrett is now a liability. As of now, he has only made one big mistake. A big one, but just one.

Manziel has the possibility of starting this Thursday. Barrett does not. Manziel has never been arrested for an OVI. Barrett has. JT Barrett is getting a pass for this incident. Manziel has never gotten a pass. And to me, that is uniquely absurd.

Joey Kinsley, Founder & Reporter, Lake Erie Sports

Follow me on Twitter @KinsleyLES and our site @LakeErieSports.

Another Manziel Off The Field Incident That Should Be Off The Record

(above) This should be another Johnny Manziel off the field incident that should be off the record.

Josh McCown had one of the best QB performances in Browns history last Sunday, but the talk this weekend is about his backup QB: Johnny Manziel. And it’s not from something he’s been doing on the field.

Another off-the-field story came out last night when Johnny Manziel and his girlfriend Colleen Crowley were pulled over in Avon after having a heated argument in their car, and from multiple eyewitnesses, were seen swerving somewhat recklessly (funny enough, I was at the same place Manziel was a half hour before the incident). According to the police report, Manziel admitted to having a couple of drinks in downtown Cleveland earlier in the day on Monday, while Crowley appeared to be intoxicated and bloodshot.

In addition to this, Crowley was shouting Manziel hit her and slammed her head against a window. After the two calmed down, both the police and Crowley determined to not press charges, and the couple was allowed to leave the scene without any further actions.

This is a non-story. That’s right, I’m writing a story about a non-story (got to love the media, right?).

After reading multiple articles, reports, and opinions on this matter, I think it’s a non-story. Crowley was intoxicated and shouting absurd things because she was in the midst of a heated argument, as well as being intoxicated. She tried exiting a moving car, and Manziel, being sober, tried to prevent her from exiting the car, which in the process he may have grabbed her arm or headlocked her to prevent her from doing so. This most likely caused Manziel to swerve, seeing as it is tough to focus on both at the same time.

Manziel had a couple of drinks (maybe he had more, but police believed he was sober at the time), so what? Yes, he was in rehab for his alcohol and mental concerns, but being in control of your drinking can also mean you are content with just having a couple of drinks. That’s not alcoholism or a problem; that is just drinking responsibly.

I wasn’t at the scene, nor were any of the reporters or people on Twitter who act like they were. But Johnny always has a magnifying glass over his entire life, and that will never change as long as he is in the NFL. But he is 22 years old, and yes, he’s not ready to be the Browns QB, as hard as it is for me to say that right now. He’s not. Yes, this is a non-story, but it’s another non-story. He’s always under a magnifying glass, but he isn’t helping his cause.

However, I can say that he is definitely a hell of a lot better than he was a year ago from today at this point.

Johnny also responded maturely on Twitter to try and alleviate this situation:

Colleen and I got into a dumb public argument on the way home Monday afternoon.  It probably looked more interesting than it was and…

— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) October 16, 2015

I know I would stop and check if I saw a couple arguing on the side of the road.  It was embarrassing but not serious…

— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) October 16, 2015

and when we talked to the police and they realized everything was alright and I was sober, we went home together and everything is fine.

— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) October 16, 2015

So did Colleen on Instagram (link has since been taken down)

https://instagram.com/p/86jZOzlA-y/?taken-by=coll_crowley

Believe what you want. That’s the beauty of being an American. But I think Manziel is fine, and this is just another argument between a couple where one person is intoxicated and one is not. As Crowley and Manziel stated, it was a private argument, it was resolved, and it should stay that way.

Now let’s focus on the QB who will be on the field for Cleveland tomorrow against the Broncos. Go Browns.

Follow me on Twitter @KinsleyLES and our site @LakeErieSports.

(pic via Fox Sports)

Did Pettine Make The Wrong Move In Starting McCown Over Manziel?

Mike Pettine announced early Wednesday that Josh McCown passed concussion protocol, being cleared by an independent neurologist, and that he will start Sunday at home against the Oakland Raiders. This, to the dismay of many Browns fans on social media, came more of a shock from externally to the organization than so internally.

In my most recent article, I addressed the quote where Pettine referred to Manziel as a “used car”. I also learned in school a few days ago that one should not “leave the Ferrari in the garage”, referring to getting a project or an idea out there and not reserving it. Now, Manziel might not be a Ferrari, or even a Mercedes-Benz, but he’s certainly not going up against Aaron Rodgers or Ben Roethlisberger. It’s Josh McCown he’s going up against. (I’d drive the Ferrari every time though.)

In any case, I am not the coach, and I am not the coach for a reason. Pettine is the coach because of his qualifications in these situations, and the organization sees both QB’s play every single day. The Browns definitely believe Manziel has a future with the Browns, and seems as if McCown is a plug for now until Manziel is truly ready. But why the hell is organization whose motto screams “there’s always next year” waiting more?

Patience is a virtue, but not in Cleveland. Last year Browns fans were asked to be patient. After a decent showing against the Titans, Manziel becomes the backup again to a guy who has lost 18 more starts than wins in his backup career. He had one good year in Chicago with an incredible receiving core. Manziel might not be proven, but you certainly cannot say the latter is either.

Granted, McCown played very well in his first and only drive against the Jets, which I witnessed first-hand at Metlife Stadium. Eventually, he coughed up the ball before crossing the endzone, but both QB’s seem to have a ball security issue anyways. Point being, the Jets are probably the top defense in the NFL right now, so his drive was impressive. But it’s the same thing as Brian Hoyer talk in the past, or any of the other QB’s after 1999: limited ceiling and talent.

I am not one to boo Josh on Sunday, nor boo Pettine for starting him. These are my Browns, and I will root for them for life. My passion for this team is undeniable. Which is why I am showing my frustration here: it’s the same remedy over and over again.

The most important position in football is the QB position, where the Browns have had no stability since ’99. The reason the Browns are the Browns is because they never take risks, and they never pull the trigger for now, but for “next year”. Pettine says he wants to win now, and maybe Josh will get you more wins, I don’t know. But who is gonna get you more excitement on the field, the stands, and a better chance to extend plays and be your future QB? Johnny.

Whether you like it or not, Manziel is the future QB of the organization. The future is now, and if the Browns want to swallow the same pill since ’99, then go ahead and stick with McCown. They have absolutely nothing to lose in giving Johnny the ball, seeing they can go into a very stocked QB draft next season and start over again if they have to.

But McCown has a limited future in the NFL, let alone after this season in Cleveland. Prove me wrong, but Johnny is the guy the fans want, and the players are seeing a completely different QB than last year in Manziel.

Same old Browns? Or is it the right move? Fans have reason to be skeptical.

Joey Kinsley, Founder, Lake Erie Sports

Follow me on Twitter @KinsleyLES

Follow our site @LakeErieSports

Taking A Chance on Johnny Football

(Photo courtesy of Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

In front of a 70,000+ crowd at First Energy Stadium in Cleveland, the Browns thrived at times, and were stagnant at times. But at all times, if you were a Browns fan, you were on the edge of your seat, anticipating what the leader of the offense would do next.

Johnny Manziel is one of the most unpredictable quarterbacks to ever play the game, but his ability to excite a crowd and extend plays with his feet is exactly what a depleted Browns fan base needs.

Flashback to 71 weeks ago when the 2014 NFL Draft commenced. Browns fans had the hopes of taking a possible franchise player, possibly Manziel, but they would have to trade up for him, according to experts. After avoiding him in the top 10, the Browns at the 22nd spot, took the flashy and hyped QB, to the excitement of Browns fans, and myself (my reaction below)

https://instagram.com/p/nxA8QlNour/?taken-by=siryacht

After a disappointing 2014 season with only 2 starts, and a season-ending hamstring injury, Manziel went to rehab to focus more on football and get the negative externalities he produced out of his system. He came to training camp a quiet man, and a man devoted to the sport he thrived at in college.

Veterans including Joe Thomas and Joe Haden noticed a change in Manziel. Even Mike Pettine saw a change. However, Josh McCown did enough in camp with his veteran experience to earn the job, with the help of a nagging elbow injury for Manziel.

Now, I was at Metlife Stadium for the season opener, sitting in a car for over 24 hours in the span of 3 days to see my first road Browns game ever, in the hostile Jets crowd:

After Helicopter Down McCown fumbled in the endzone, to the dismay of myself and the Browns fans behind me, I was very confused and sad for the veteran QB who became concussed after a courageous effort to sacrifice his body for 6 points on the scoreboard. On another hand, I became excited to realize Manziel would be given a chance to make his mark. As the Patriots live and die by: next man up, and do your job.

The first drive Johnny led was incredible, topped off with a huge 54 TD pass to Travis Benjamin on a 3rd and 19 (man, could that duo be a thing or what?). There was silence, except for the hundreds of Browns fans screaming their heads off while dispersed amongst the New York faithful.

3 turnovers later for the 2nd year QB, and his start was as anti-climatic or “Cleveland” as possible. It left the starter job in question once again, assuming McCown could pass concussion protocol. Pettine wanted to role with him too:

Don't know why radio making big deal about report on #Browns quarterback situation. McCown is starter, Pettine made that clear all week

— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) September 20, 2015

But McCown was not cleared to play Sunday, possibly due to the increasing concern of concussions on long-term longevity in the lives of retirees. So Manziel was given the opportunity to start again: and boy, was it a thriller.

After a first scoring drive involving a 60 yard bomb from Manziel to Benjamin, Isaiah Crowell ran it in 6 minutes later to give the Browns a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Benjamin returned a 78 yard punt, making it 21-0 Browns at half.

After conservative play calling and the offense being stagnant due to poor running and inconsistencies from Manziel, the Browns coughed up a lead and it became a one score game. The defense was tired, the offense was confused, and Browns fans were in shock.

Then came a 3rd and 6 opportunity with 3 minutes left to go in the game, and Manziel struck Benjamin again with a beautiful spin move, avoiding rushers and throwing a 50 yard bomb among the birds and into the endzone.

Flash forward again. Was Manziel’s performance superb? If you look strictly at his QBR, then yes. It was the highest since Derek Anderson’s in 2007 at 133.9. However, he only threw 15 passes, completing 8, including two TD passes for 110 yards. He was completely stagnant in the 3rd quarter, but that was due to the conservative play calling once again.

So if you ask me, Manziel did a pretty damn good job yesterday. Should he be the starter against Oakland next week? 100% yes.

Even if the Browns would’ve lost this week, it still would’ve been a yes. Why? Because yes, you can choose a veteran that’s average enough to get you to where you were last season, or slightly below, and not be good enough to make the playoffs, or bad enough to get a top 10 draft pick. Or you could take a shot on an improving QB that has a much higher ceiling for the future.

Ignore the hype. Ignore the college statistics. Ignore the Heisman Trophy. Throw all of those out the window. Look at the list of Browns QB’s since 1999. What did they all have in common? They were average. Good, in some cases, but just decent. There was nothing standout about any of them. Some of them got more help than others, but they sure didn’t help their own cases either.

Manziel hasn’t proved very much, except for the fact that his arm strength, pocket presence, and decision making has all improved (minus his ball security, which is still an issue). What Mike Pettine needs to realize is that the Browns are the Browns because there were no risks taken.

Why not take a risk? Seriously, what is there to lose? If it fails, the Browns are back where they have always been since their franchise returned to Lake Erie. If it works, or works enough to where there is some stability in that position, then the city would erupt, and the team would take off. It would keep the defense off the field more, giving them rest and allowing them to play harder and better. It would give life to an organization and a city that so desperately needs it. But most importantly, it would give the fans another week to enjoy a Manziel Sunday.

Mike Pettine has a decision to make this week, assuming McCown is cleared to play. Based on what I saw on the tape this week, it is clear Manziel is the starter of this franchise. I just do not know what a stern Pettine will think after this, although his opinion has steered middle more than towards McCown:

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it” -Mike Pettine on if Manziel will remain the starter when McCown is cleared.

— Dustin Fox (@DustinFox37) September 20, 2015

I learned in entrepreneurship the other day to never “leave the Ferrari in the garage”. Manziel is the Ferrari, and Pettine did describe McCown once as a “used car”.

I don’t know about you, but if I had the chance to either drive a Ferrari that has the perception of being awesome, or a used car that has an average track record, I’d take the Ferrari every single time.

(courtesy of Pro Football Talk and Albert Breer)

Joey Kinsley, Founder of Lake Erie Sports.

Follow me on Twitter @KinsleyLES, and our site @LakeErieSports.