|
No, it wasn’t for lousy play. From ESPN-
Browns quarterback Brady Quinn has been fined by the NFL for his chop block on Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs.
A league source tells ESPN’s Michael Smith that an MRI exam showed Suggs suffered a severe MCL sprain from Quinn’s chop block on Monday night. There is no definitive timetable for Suggs’ return, but he is expected to miss at least the next couple weeks, the source said.
Quinn said he received a letter from the league on Wednesday but would not disclose the size of his fine, saying only that it was “a good amount.” Quinn insists he was not trying to hurt Suggs and has apologized to him and the Ravens.
The Ravens were fuming over the hit, during the Ravens’ 16-0 win on Monday night, as it could cost Suggs significant playing time while Baltimore attempts to remain in playoff contention.
IMHO, the Ravens are justified in being angry about Quinn’s block. It was a chop block and he deserves to be fined for it.
I think you will agree with me when I say- This has been a flat out awful year for the Cleveland Browns.
Would you believe this was the defensively Baltimore’s first shutout since 2006. From AP-
For 30 minutes, the Ravens were inefficient, unproductive and disorganized.
In 17 seconds, they changed all that.
Ray Rice scored on a 13-yard run on Baltimore’s first possession of the third quarter and safety Dawan Landry returned an interception of Quinn 48 yards for a touchdown on Cleveland’s next play as the Ravens overcame a horrendous start and routed the lowly Browns.
Baltimore’s second PAT attempt was blocked. They scored a field goal later in the game.
The Browns continue to be a horrendous offensive team. They have scored SIX offensive touchdowns over their last 15 games. Whether it’s Derek Anderson of the sub-40 passer rating or the hugely disappointing Brady Quinn(Don’t Cam Cameron look like a genius now for passing on Quinn in 2007), Cleveland can’t do anything offensively. The team is 1-8 so far for 2009 and any prediction for two wins at year end is looking overly optimistic.
He may play in this weekend’s game. From AP-
Browns cornerback Eric Wright was back at practice hours after flipping his car on a wet highway entrance ramp. He may play Sunday against Green Bay.
Wright rolled his car early Friday when his vehicle slid on wet pavement. He was examined and released at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. The Browns sent him for more tests and Wright was back at the team’s training facility in Berea, Ohio, in time for practice.
Coach Eric Mangini was hopeful Wright would be able to play in Sunday’s home game against the Packers.
Wright rode a stationary bike during the 30-minute period he was observed by reporters. The Browns listed him as questionable for Sunday with a shoulder injury.
Wright felt fortunate to suffer no significant injury. I concur, he was more than lucky.
He was the team’s leading tackler. From AP-
Cleveland Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson will miss the rest of the season because of a shoulder injury.
Cleveland placed its leading tackler on injured reserve Tuesday, two days after he damaged his shoulder during the first half of a 27-14 loss at Pittsburgh.
“It’s disappointing any time you lose a player for the season, and this is especially true with someone like D’Qwell, who has proven to be an outstanding leader for us both on and off the field,” Browns coach Eric Mangini said in a statement.
Jackson got hurt in the second quarter on Sunday. He faces possible surgery.
Though undersized at 6-foot, 240 pounds, Jackson has been one of Cleveland’s best defenders over the past three-plus seasons.
Jackson led the NFL with 188 tackles last season and was chosen as a Pro Bowl alternate.
He is eligible for free agency after this season. The loss of Jackson is another blow for the Browns. Will Eric Mangini still be head coach when the 2010 season rolls around?
Are the Jets now the AFC favorite to make the next Super Bowl? From USA Today-
The Browns have traded receiver Braylon Edwards to the Jets for a package of players.
Cleveland will receive WR Chansi Stuckey, LB Jason Trusnik and undisclosed draft picks from New York.
Former Jets and Chiefs coach Herm Edwards, now an ESPN analyst, said the acquisition could benefit Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez.
“Now all of a sudden Sanchez has a guy who can play outside the numbers, a guy that is big and physical that can catch the ball when he’s contested,” Edwards said on the network this morning.
The trade comes just two days after a Cleveland man accused Edwards of assault outside a nightclub in the city. The man is a friend of Cavs star LeBron James, who said Edwards’ alleged assault was motivated by “jealousy.”
The NFL is investigating the incident.
No question this is a big move for the Jets. Don Banks at Sports Illustrated writes-
In taking the Braylon Edwards problem off the Browns’ hands Wednesday, the New York Jets have made another bold move to win now and win big in the AFC East in the first year of the Rex Ryan era.
Edwards is an undeniable talent at receiver, but Cleveland’s 2005 first-round pick has had just one season so far (2007) that was worthy of his No. 3 overall draft slot. Whether or not New York can find a way to mine Edwards’ potential is a calculated risk that at first glance doesn’t appear to have a huge downside for the Jets.
*****
Edwards has been plagued by both dropped passes and off-field maturity issues since his Pro Bowl season of 2007, but the Jets believe they know his warts and can foster an atmosphere that brings out the best in the enigmatic former University of Michigan star. New York is counting on Edwards being happier away from the losing climate that prevailed in Cleveland, and the hope is that offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer can quickly mold a significant role for him, with rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez feeding him the ball and keeping him interested.
The knock on Edwards in Cleveland has been that he’s not a player who lives and breaths the game as much as he enjoys the fame and lifestyle of an NFL star. Playing in the New York might only end up accentuating that pattern, but the Jets are counting on Edwards to work harder at his craft than he did in Cleveland, and to get on board with a winning program that could potentially showcase his receiving talents.
Playing pro sports in New York City isn’t anything like doing the same in Cleveland. The pressure of fans and the media is incredible, there are also increased temptations for an athlete. All of this could exacerbate Edwards maturity issues rather see them decrease because he is now playing for Super Bowl contender. I wouldn’t call the Jets a successful NFL team. How many times have they been to the conference championship game after winning Super Bowl III? Twice.
The Browns have only scored 29 points in 3 games so far this season. From ESPN-
Derek Anderson will replace Brady Quinn and start at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday against Cincinnati.
Coach Eric Mangini has decided to go with Anderson, a Pro Bowler in 2007, over Quinn, a former first-round draft pick who opened the season as Cleveland’s starter, but was benched at halftime last Sunday in Baltimore.
Mangini believes the Browns have a better chance to move the ball with Anderson.
“I’m excited about the opportunity,” Anderson said. “We’re all competitors, we all want to play. I’m ready to go.”
Mangini spent the entire training camp deciding on a quarterback before picking Quinn over Anderson. But after Quinn threw an interception on the Browns’ first possession Sunday, Mangini benched him after just 10 quarters this season and inserted Anderson.
Anderson had more success moving Cleveland’s offense, but threw three picks in the 34-3 loss to the Ravens.
The Browns are hapless with both Quinn and Anderson behind center. I don’t see this franchise turning around in 2009.
Quinn has been terrible so far in his short NFL career. Is it too early to label him a draft bust?
He was also one of Don Shula’s assistants during their undefeated season.The AP article fails to note that Clark was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for one season. This isn’t the first such omission involving AP’s sports obituaries in recent history. Does the wire service ever think about checking a football reference book or wikipedia? RIP Coach Clark.
Former Detroit Lions coach Monte Clark has died at 72.
The Lions said Clark died Wednesday night at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. He had a bone marrow malignancy associated with lung and liver disease.
Clark coached the Lions for seven seasons and was an assistant on the Miami Dolphins team that went 17-0 in 1972. He was the coach of Detroit from 1978 to 1984 and had a 63-61-1 record in the regular season.
He led the Lions to the playoffs in 1982 and 1983, the first time the club made consecutive postseason appearances since its three straight playoff runs from 1952 to 1954.
He was a tackle who spent 11 years in the league with San Francisco, Dallas and Cleveland. His last season as a player was 1969.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell handed down his ruling this morning. Stallworth should be in jail right now. He was DUI and speeding when he struck and killed Mario Reyes last March 14th. The 30 day sentence given to Stallworth was a travesty of justice. You tell me if a regular middle class person would get such preferential treatment? No we wouldn’t, instead we would have our ass in a jail for well over a year and the time would be deserved. Oh yes Stallworth is serving house arrest for two years, but that’s a joke too. The Miami-Dade Judge recently ruled Stallworth could train outside his home. House arrest is turning into a joke, the court system in South Florida is a well known joke to most of the residents of the area. That includes myself.
Click here if you want to read the details of Stallworth’s suspension.
Is life cheap? From AP-
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth took full responsibility for killing a pedestrian while driving drunk in Florida and began serving a 30-day jail sentence Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter.
Stallworth also reached a confidential financial settlement to avoid a potential lawsuit from the family of 59-year-old Mario Reyes, according to Stallworth attorney Christopher Lyons. Reyes was struck and killed March 14 by Stallworth, who was driving his black 2005 Bentley after a night drinking at a swanky hotel bar.
Stallworth, 28, told Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy that he hopes to get involved in drunken driving education programs.
“I accept full responsibility for this horrible tragedy,” said Stallworth, who was accompanied at the hearing by his parents, siblings and other supporters. “I will bear this burden for the rest of my life.”
Stallworth faced 15 years in prison. After his release from jail, Stallworth must serve two years of house arrest and spend eight years on probation.
Stallworth took a life, to me the sentence he got for the crime is really ridiculous. Even if the victim’s family agreed to it. People serve longer time in jail for penny ante stuff like angering a judge by not showing up for jury duty. When you compare stories like that and Stallworth’s, you can’t help think that the US justice system is either 1) Totally broken or 2) There is two different levels of justice in this country, depending on what a person does for socieity.
He was a starter for the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. RIP.
Pio Sagapolutele, a defensive lineman who played five years for Cleveland and started in the 1997 Super Bowl for New England, has died. He was 39.
His death was confirmed by the Patriots on Tuesday. The Plain Dealer of Cleveland said he died Saturday of an aneurysm in Chandler, Ariz., where he lived.
Sagapolutele also played for New Orleans during a seven-year NFL career. The Patriots lost to Green Bay 35-21 in his Super Bowl start. He played 97 games in the NFL, starting 34.
Sagapolutele was drafted by the Browns in the fourth round in 1991 from San Diego State. He played defensive end and tackle for a team coached by current Patriots coach Bill Belichick. He signed with the Patriots in 1996, where Belichick went as an assistant. His final season was 1997 with the Saints.
Sagapolutele was selected as part of Cleveland’s first draft class.
“We saw a tough, hardworking, dependable player and that is exactly what Pio brought to his teams on a daily and yearly basis,” Belichick said in a statement released by the Patriots. “He was a quiet leader and a significant contributor.”
Sagapolutele, who was born in American Samoa, is survived by his wife and four children.
|
|
