Cleveland Browns

Hall-of-Fame Players Weigh in on Myles Garrett, We Should All Take a Listen

November 20, 2019

by The LCR Editor with 2 Comments Featured Sports

Perspectives are important. Last week, shortly after the unfortunate incident occurred at the end of the Browns – Steelers game, 4 NFL Hall of Famer’s weighed in on who Myles Garrett is, and what should happen to him as a result of his actions. While everyone seems to have an opinion on this fight and what should happen to Myles Garrett, very few of us can say we know him personally, and very few can say, “I’ve played in the NFL and have either experienced or seen similar situations play out.”

Well, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, and Jimmy Johnson, have a slightly different – less brash reaction than most TV pundits… because they’ve lived it and seen it before.

While we don’t have to agree with them, and maybe they are biased considering their strong affiliations with the NFL as former players or coaches, their experiences and perspectives are unique and important because they’ve been there before, and that credibility can’t be discounted or brushed aside.

Rudolph Kicks, Garrett Swings, But Only One Suspended… Why?

November 15, 2019

by The LCR Editor with No Comment Featured Sports

Last week an ugly altercation played out at the end of the Cleveland Pittsburgh game. Most people woke up to clips of Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett swinging his helmet and striking Pittsburgh Steelers QB Mason Rudolph in the head, but very few, including the media, took time to watch the entire play.

Instead, the media, pundits, and millions of fans jumped to conclusions suggesting that Garrett should be suspended for the rest of the season if not longer. Some suggested he should be banned from the NFL, and former player and MNF anchor Booger McFarland even suggested that he should charged with assault. It’s even rumored that the Cleveland Police entered the locker room after the game.

But when you look at the entire play, Mason Rudolph kicks Myles Garrett in the private area, he is clearly seen trying to yank his helmet off, and he’s going after Garrett despite his teammate separating them from their initial tussle on the ground. All this happened BEFORE Myles swung his helmet. That’s the definition of provoking someone. Did Myles overreact, absolutely. Should he be penalized, fined, suspended, absolutely. I think he would be the first person to admit that, but to suggest that he wasn’t provoked or triggered to react at all is reckless. It’s bad journalism in the least, and racist at the very worst.

Within hours, the NFL indefinitely suspended Myles Garrett (for at least the rest of the season – 6 games), Pittsburgh’s Maurice Pouncey who threw several punches and kicks at Garrett was suspended for 3 games, and Larry Ogunjobi who shoved Rudolph to the ground was suspended for 1 game.

But what about Mason Rudolph, who’s now been seen in multiple still shots kicking, attempting to yank Garrett helmet off, and even reaching to grab Garrett’s private parts, what punishment will he face for his part in all this? As of now, nothing. The man who literally started all this… gets nothing? Is that fair?

To make things worse, Myles Garrett and the other two players who were suspended are Black, and Rudolph is White.

Why were the they suspended, and not him? Race is inevitable in sports but did that play a role in the decision? Despite Rudolph’s actions, does he not deserve any punishment, a suspension, fine, etc? Whether the punishments or lack there of are warranted, it looks bad. No pun intended, but the NFL continues to drop the ball… and this is just another example.

Segregated Rosters

March 17, 2019

by Independent Texan Male with 4 Comments Featured Sports

This current NFL offseason has been arguably the most eventful in NFL history. The antics of Antonio “big chest” Brown have been the most entertaining. Brown, arguably the best all-around wide receiver in the NFL, showcased his desire to leave the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rarely seen in the NFL are players who publicly demand transactions on their behalf. Unlike in the NBA or Major League Baseball even, players in the NFL have found out all too well that the NFL is NOT a players league and only the very elite players have any leverage.

Some have tried to increase that leverage at their own personal expense.

Look no further than Antonio Brown’s former teammate, Le’Veon Bell. Bell, who sacrificed an entire season of play and salary, did so in an attempt to get running backs, in particular, bigger salaries and more guaranteed money.

His new contract with the Jets doesn’t really reflect any true success on that venture; however; the new collective bargaining between the NFL players association and the 32 owners is near, and I hope his sacrifice doesn’t go in total vain.

That was a good part of the offseason. The bad part is two-fold…

The past few days the NFL has been filled with player transactions. Either via trade or free agent signings, teams have been seen as either wanting to win or not knowing what they’re doing (cough the New York Giants).

It has to be mentioned this offseason saw the firing of five Black head coaches. All were replaced by a White head coach, shocker, except for Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins.

In conjunction with the firing of Black coaches has been a frenzy of free agent signings and trades.

Specifically, take a look at the Jets and Browns who both have made major moves this off-season. Each netting a top player at key positions. It’s important to note: those same moves and transactions were not made when they had Black head coaches. In other words, Black head coaches were given terrible rosters, yet expected to win. However, their White coaching replacements have been given day one rosters with Pro Bowl talent, which puts them in a much better position to win and be successful immediately.

Sounds like segregated payrolls to me and possibly a more sinister motive in the making.

The NY Jets General Manager of the past four years, Mike Maccagnan, kept his job. Despite voiding the Jets roster of a true pass rusher, running back, wide receiver, and of course a quarterback.

The Browns started to give Hue Jackson players this past season, and success soon followed while under his watch. However, nothing compared in what the Browns have recently done this offseason, including getting Odell Beckham Jr.

So what gives?

Why are Black coaches given little to no effort under their respective watch with proper rosters, yet as soon as they’re fired, the front office magically begins constructing a team capable of something.

I’m just waiting for the Dolphins to be as advertised, terrible, and fire Brian Flores sometime January 2020. And then sign Patrick Maholmes, Zeke Elliot, and Julio Jones March 2020, of course beforehand hire some random young White college coach who had coffee with Sean McVay and liked a picture of Baker Mayfield on Instagram. Because you know, that’s the growing credentials these days for NFL head coaches. ?

What the Giants Trade Says About the Black Athlete

March 12, 2019

by The LCR Editor with 4 Comments Featured Sports

In a blockbuster deal, the New York Giants traded star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr (OBJ) to the Cleveland Browns for 1st and 3rd round picks, and starting Safety Jabrill Peppers. Analysts argue whether or not OBJ was as explosive this season as he was prior to the injury. Nonetheless, the fact still remains, despite Saquon Barkley in the backfield, OBJ still demanded the attention of every Defensive Coordinator and their top Cornerback. Not to mention, just last year the Giants resigned him to a 5-year $90 million contract with $65 million guaranteed. And let’s just say their starting quarterback, Eli Manning, is on the decline… not necessarily playing at 2007 or 2011 peak playoff levels, which is somewhat expected… he just finished his 15th season with a depleted offensive line. In fact, most mock drafts have them drafting a quarterback in the first round.

So why trade arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, when you just drafted a great every-down running back in Saquon Barkley, and your 15-year quarterback is playing like he should’ve stopped playing at year 13?

Make it make sense. You can’t, because it doesn’t.

You decide to ship OBJ out of town… your dancing-loud-playmaker, yet arguably the best wide receiver in the league. And you decide to keep your over-the-hill quiet quarterback who, let’s face it, isn’t going to win you any games in his 16th season, and now he just lost his best weapon on the outside? You’d think this was the Cleveland Browns or the Detroit Lions making such personnel decisions, and not a storied franchise like the New York Giants.

Sure, you can make the argument that the Giants need to free up cap space to fill holes on the defense and other key positions… aka rebuild. But there’s not enough rebuilding in the world worth trading the best wide receiver in the league.

We’ve seen the NFL jeopardize winning over and over in order to make a point. The entire NFL did it with Colin Kaepernick. The Steelers did it with Le’Veon Bell, despite him statistically being the best running back over the past few seasons. You can make the argument that James Connor had a great season as his starting replacement, but ultimately they didn’t make the playoffs, and it’s hard to imagine them missing the playoffs with Bell on the field. And OBJ, vocal during the season about Eli’s play and not getting the ball, and other comments throughout his career as a Giant, sent him packing. Black athletes make plays, but whenever they question the front office and make legitimate demands regarding social justice (Kap), their salary (Bell), or who’s throwing them the ball (OBJ), both good and bad teams, are willing to lose in order to make a point. The Giants are willing to change their entire roster, literally, and likely have several losing seasons in a row to prove a point.

So we look ahead, and from a distance, the pastures appear to be pretty green for OBJ as a Cleveland Brown. He reunites with one of his best friends and former LSU teammate Jarvis Landry. He also reconnects with his former LSU and Giants wide receiver coach Adam Henry. If Baker Mayfield can continue to progress with now the best 1-2 punch on the outside in OBJ and Landry, not forgetting the Kareem Hunt pick up, it’ll be hard for Cleveland not to win the division and be a force in the playoffs.