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February 2006 - Posts

  • Best of the Browns: OFFENSIVE TACKLES

    Twelfth installment in a series that ranks the best Browns players at each position.

    1. Lou Groza (1946-59; 1961-67) -- 6’3" 240, Ohio State. "The Toe" didn’t just fill a spot on the line to keep busy in between placekicking duties. In the era of 33-man rosters, he was a great left tackle too, earning All-Pro honors at that position six times and being named the 1954 NFL Player of the Year. Whereas pass protection is the key priority for a modern left tackle, the running game was the thrust of an offense in Groza’s era. He wasn’t a nasty mauler type, but his superior technique more than got the job done for the bulk of 14 straight seasons. (A back injury cost him the 1960 season, and he focused on kicking thereafter.) The only Brown to block for both Marion Motley and Jim Brown, Groza proved in the trenches that his own enshrinement in Canton wasn’t just for kicks.



    2. Dick Schafrath (1959-71) -- 6’3" 253, Ohio State. If anyone could begin to fill Groza’s big shoes, it was this Canton native who was raised in Wooster, went to Ohio State, and then played 176 games, all for the Browns. Ordered by Paul Brown to gain weight, he entered eating contests all over Ohio, then tried to sneak by wearing an iron jockstrap to his weigh-in. Made six straight Pro Bowls as a blocker for four Pro Bowl backs during that period. This Cleveland Browns Legend ought to be in the Hall of Fame, but if only one Browns lineman from the ’60s can make it, I’ll root for the man who played next to him, Gene Hickerson. After all, Schafrath -- a state senator for four terms -- has already had plenty of experience being elected.


    3. Mike McCormack (1954-62) -- 6’4" 246, Kansas. After Pro Bowl rookie year with the old New York Yanks and a two-year hitch in the Army, McCormack’s Hall of Fame career came in Cleveland due to his inclusion in a 15-player trade with the Colts. In his first year here, he succeeded the great Bill Willis as the middle guard on defense, and the Browns won the title. In ’55, he settled in at right tackle and the Browns repeated as champs. With no real weakness in his game, McCormack became, in Paul Brown’s words, "the finest offensive lineman I’ve ever coached," earning Pro Bowl honors five more times. He later moved to the sidelines as an NFL coach and to the front office, where he found more success as president of the Seahawks and Panthers.


    4. Doug Dieken (1971-84) -- 6’6" 250, Illinois. A converted tight end, this sixth-round pick amazingly became even more of a fixture at left tackle than the two greats he succeeded. He played 203 games in a row, starting 194 of them, both franchise records. One of three Browns offensive lineman to make the Pro Bowl in the Kardiac Kids season of 1980. Diek was a stalwart Steeler hater during some tough times (he recovered four of his teammates fumbles during the horrid 1975 season). His resilience was a function of toughness, yes, but also of a great sense of humor, which he continues to inflict on Browns fans as their radio color man.


    5. Lou Rymkus (1946-51) -- 6’4" 231, Notre Dame. Lee Suggs is the latest Brown to wear 44. Lou Rymkus, a rough-edged Chicagoan and Frank Leahy protege, was the first. After a year protecting Sammy Baugh and a few more protecting America in the Navy, Rymkus earned his reputation for toughness keeping defenders out of Otto Graham’s face. He started for six strong seasons at right tackle, retiring after the first title game that the Browns couldn’t capture. The 1988 "old-timer" Hall of Fame nominee -- the route that got Bill Willis, Frank Gatski, and Leroy Kelly enshrined -- Rymkus, like nominee Mac Speedie in 1983, was passed over. As the first coach of the Houston Oilers, he won the AFL title in 1960 but was fired midway through 1961 and never got another chance at that level.


    6. Cody Risien (1979-83; 1985-89) -- 6’7" 269, Texas A&M. His fine Browns career started and ended in pain. His father died during his rookie training camp, and coach Sam Rutigliano had to talk him back into football. The 7th-round pick started at left guard as a rookie, then moved to right tackle during a remarkably consistent career, considering he underwent surgery ten times. When he missed the 1984 season due to a knee injury sustained in the fourth quarter of an exhibition game, it was the beginning of the end for Rutigliano, as lefty QB Paul McDonald was sacked 53 times. A two-time Pro Bowler, Risien, Clay Matthews, and Ozzie Newsome were the only 1980 Kardiac Kids to play in all three Kosar-era championship games. He deferred knee surgery to play through 1989, and when he was done, so was the string of five playoff seasons.


    7. Tony Jones (1988-95) -- 6’5" 291, Western Carolina. A raw undrafted talent, he eventually won Bill Belichick’s respect as one of the league’s best pass blockers. Jones started 96 straight games for the Browns, mostly at left tackle, and was a team captain by the time the franchise was uprooted. The Ravens’ first draft pick was his eventual replacement, Jonathan Ogden. Jones landed on his feet a year later, getting traded to Denver, where he won two Super Bowls, but he retained a fondness for Cleveland. However, his awkward flirtation with coming back to the Browns in 2001 eventually ended in his retirement.


    8. Monte Clark (1963-69) -- 6’6" 260, USC. A savvy competitor on some excellent offensive units, Clark played mostly right tackle after arriving from Dallas in exchange for All Pro guard Jim Ray Smith. He blocked for the NFL rushing leader in five of his seven seasons as a Brown. After retirement, he helped coach the Miami Dolphins’ great rushing offenses of the early ’70s. He was the runner-up for the Browns’ head coaching job in 1975, but Art Modell chose Forrest Gregg instead. Clark later got his chance with the 49ers (the team that originally drafted him) and the Lions.


    9. Paul Farren (1983-91) -- 6’5" 280, Boston U. The downfall of the Kosar era, perhaps more than anything, was the lack of a cohesive offensive line. Farren did all he could to fill in the breach. While never a great player, the 12th-round pick was certainly a great value. He played every line position except center, but most of his action came at the critical left tackle position. The athletic Rickey Bolden was a better fit for that job, but he got hurt year after year. Over slid the determined Farren, and the Browns’ record was actually better with him at LT than without.


    10. John Sandusky (1950-55) -- 6’1" 251, Villanova. The first offensive tackle taken in the 1950 draft, he bridged the years between Rymkus and McCormack on the right side and, as was typical of players in that era, also played defense. He was one of six starters on the 1954 Browns who would eventually become pro head coaches. (He’s #78 at left.)


    Sorry, not quite:
    • John Brown (1962-66)
    • Bob McKay (1970-75)
    • Barry Darrow (1974-78)
    • Ryan Tucker (2002-present)

    (Your comments are welcome as always, but please don’t even get me started on Zeus or Verba.)

    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:21 PM by Anonymous with 4 comment(s)
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  • Best of the Browns: SAFETIES

    Fifth in a series that ranks the best Browns players at each position.

    Safety has been a position of interest for the Browns of late, as their two incumbents, Earl Little and Robert Griffith, are both over 30, and an heir apparent, second-round pick Sean Jones, has already been lost due to injury.

    In looking back through Browns history, I found this a tough position to evaluate, as there are multiple responsibilities, not always quantifiable. Cornerback converts are common too. Standouts such as Tommy James, Warren Lahr, and Erich Barnes ended their careers as safeties but are most properly considered CBs. A few defensive backs played enough at both CB and safety to merit consideration on both lists.

    Longevity is difficult enough in this demanding position, but three Browns safeties have died while still active in the league. Two of them deserve mention on this list, while a third, Don Rogers, who died of a cocaine overdose after two seasons, does not.

    If past is prologue, there’s really no telling which of today’s Browns might one day emerge on this list, which features some blue-chip draft picks, but also several productive players who were either unheralded or entirely new to the position.

    1. Thom Darden (1972-4; 76-81) -- The fifth defensive back taken in the first round of the 1972 draft, this All-American from Michigan made an immediate statement, sacking the quarterback three times in his first game. The Browns’ pass defense was ranked among the league’s top 10 each of his first three years, but when he missed 1975 due to injury, it fell to 23rd. Led the NFL with 10 picks in his All Pro year of 1978, though his 1974 season may have been even better. In 1979, he broke Roger Staubach’s streak of 150 passes without an INT by running one back for a touchdown on Monday Night Football. A lifelong Brown, Darden holds franchise career records for interceptions (45), interception return yardage (820), and seasons leading the team in interceptions (6).


    2. Ken Konz (1953-59) -- Made the Pro Bowl in the back-to-back championship seasons of ’54 and ’55. Of his 30 career interceptions, he found paydirt with four, most of any Browns safety. Secondary to his secondary work, Konz was one of the very few players to both punt and return punts. A scrappy defender listed at just 184 pounds, he intercepted a team record four passes in the playoffs.


    3. Ross Fichtner (1960-67) -- A Browns fan since childhood, he was part of the defense that blanked the heavily-favored Colts for the 1964 NFL title. Averaged an impressive 21.5 yards per return of his 27 career interceptions, the most of any Browns safety. On Oct. 23, 1966, in front of a then-record Stadium crowd of 84,721, Fichtner picked off three passes in a 30-21 win over the undefeated Dallas Cowboys.


    4. Felix Wright (1985-90) -- Undrafted out of Drake, played in Canada for several years before catching the Browns’ eye by picking off four passes in a Grey Cup game. Benefitted from a strong supporting cast, including two Pro Bowl cornerbacks, that ranked among the NFL’s top 10 pass and total defenses in the playoff years of ’87-’89. Led team in interceptions four times, including a league-high nine in 1989. Returned two picks for 108 yards and a TD in a Monday night win over the Rams in 1987. Tied Konz’ mark with four career playoff interceptions. More ball hawk than enforcer, Wright did make a memorable, picturesque hit on Buffalo’s Don Beebe in a 1990 playoff win.


    5. Cliff Lewis (1946-51) -- The Browns’ first quarterback, he soon gave way to Otto Graham and served as his backup while amassing 30 interceptions at safety, including nine in the undefeated season of 1948. "He was a team man all the way," Graham said upon Lewis’ death in 2002. And those were some pretty good teams.


    6. Eric Turner (1991-95) -- The first pick of the Bill Belichick era, this UCLA product was taken second overall, highest ever for a defensive back. "E-Rock" became a starter during his rookie year, establishing himself as a strong tackler with good ball skills as well. He was in on 8.6 tackles per game over his Browns career. Tied for NFL lead with nine interceptions (half of the Browns’ total!) -- including a 93-yard TD return -- in his All-Pro 1994 season, when the Browns’ stingy defense helped them make the playoffs. Tragically, Turner passed away from cancer at the age of 31 in 2000 while a member of the Raiders.


    7. Ernie Kellermann (1966-71) -- A great quarterback for Miami of Ohio (beating Purdue with an 88-yard TD pass as a freshman), Kellermann was drafted by the Cowboys the same year they picked Craig Morton in the first round. Upon his release, the Browns picked him up and converted him to safety, where he saw playing time right away. 17 interceptions as a Brown, including six in his 1968 Pro Bowl season.


    8. Larry Benz (1963-65) -- Led or tied for team lead in interceptions each of his three seasons. Picked off two Eddie LeBaron passes in his second pro game, a 41-24 win at Dallas in which Jim Brown rushed for 232 yards. The Cleveland Heights High School star was the first and, despite his brief career, the best player to wear #23 for the Browns. Will Adimchinobe Echemandu mount a challenge?


    9. Clarence Scott (1971-83) -- He’ll rank higher on the cornerbacks list, but he deserves mention for playing his last five years at safety, where he had 14 of his 39 career INTs. The first-round pick out of Kansas State spent his entire 13-year career as a Brown, playing in 178 straight games, most of any Browns defender.


    10. Mike Howell (1965-72) -- This Grambling star was a value find in the 8th round, racking up 27 picks, tied for sixth in team history. Began as a cornerback and moved to safety, where he started for the playoff teams of the late ’60s.


    11. Bobby Franklin (1960-66) -- A converted college QB, Franklin picked off 8 passes as a rookie, still a team record for safeties. Three of those came in a December 1960 shutout of Chicago in which he became the only Brown ever to return two picks for scores in the same game. Also the holder for placekicks.


    12. Don Fleming (1960-62) -- This Shadyside, Ohio, native stepped right into the Browns’ lineup as a rookie, tallying 10 INTs in his first three seasons. Sadly, he died from electrocution while on an off-season construction job. In tribute, the Browns retired his #46.


    13. Al Gross (1983-87) -- Led Browns with 5 interceptions each in ’84 and ’85. The ’84 team ranked second in the league in total defense and third in pass defense. His Sept. 7, 1986, fumble recovery for a touchdown was the first-ever decision made by instant replay.


    14. Stevon Moore (1992-95) -- Mostly known as a solid hitter (6.3 tackles per game), he did have a three-interception game in ’95 and the team’s second-longest fumble return, a 73-yard TD in 1992, both against the Oilers.


    Sorry, not quite: Ken Gorgal (1950, ’53-4); Junior Wren (1956-59); Walt Sumner (1969-74); Clinton Burrell (1979-84); Ray Ellis (1986-87); Thane Gash (1988-90); Earl Little (1999-present).
    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:19 PM by Anonymous with 4 comment(s)
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  • Best of the Browns: KICKERS AND PUNTERS

    Sixth in a series that ranks the best Browns players at each position.

    Some think they’re not "real" football players, but what they do is intrinsic to the game. Kickers and punters have developed into distinct specialties over the years, coinciding with expanded rosters and the emergence of soccer-style place-kicking. Though on the low end of the salary and respect scale, punters and kickers confront enormous pressure. Whether handling a high snap on a wet day in their own end zone or trotting out for a crucial field goal with a game, season, or career on the line, the men who put the foot into the football are more than window dressing: they affect outcomes, while adding to the variety of skills on display for fans of the sport.

    As the Browns head toward a training camp competition for a new punter, it’s clear to see that, over the years, we’ve been blessed with some very special special teamers.

    1. Lou Groza (1946-59, ’61-67) -- The exploits of this Hall of Fame placekicker and left tackle are legion in the memories of Browns fans and in the team’s record books: most points, most seasons played, 13 championship games (including the game-winning FG to cap the Browns’ first NFL season), scored in 107 straight contests, made 138 straight extra points (still a club record). Along with Otto Graham and Jim Brown, this nine-time Pro Bowler ranks in the very top tier of legendary all-time Browns. Field goals were not nearly as common in Groza’s era, but the strong straight-on aim of "The Toe" helped put the Browns in scoring position whenever they crossed midfield. According to this article, "From 1946 through 1949, when there was not one single field goal made in the NFL from beyond 50 yards, Groza made four from that range." Playing under different rules and conditions than today, Groza’s 58.1% career FG accuracy doesn’t seem impressive at first glance, but he excelled compared to his contemporaries, such as Bob Waterfield, Pat Summerall, and Gino Cappelletti. He made over 88% of his field goal attemps in 1953, a team record that lasted for 41 years. He remained a popular and personable figure until his death in 2000 at age 76, which just happens to be the number retired in his honor.


    2. Horace Gillom (1947-56) -- Played for Paul Brown at Massillon High School and is believed to be the first black punter (and one of the few) in NFL history. His 43.8-yard average is still best of any Brown. Led the league in ’51 and ’52, and has the two longest punts in team history: 80 and 75 yards. But Gillom was about more than just distance. Long before Ray Guy, he was known for focusing on what we now call "hang time," allowing the coverage to get downfield to minimize returns. Though fewer statistics are available from the old days, Gillom’s low rate of touchbacks, 8.8%, remains impressive evidence that he wasn’t just a strong leg. Indeed, in that era of smaller rosters, he also served as a reserve end on both defense and offense, where he caught 29 passes.


    3. Don Cockroft (1968-80) -- For over a decade, he was the Browns’ kicking game. One of the very last combination punter/place kickers, he was also one of the last straight-on kickers. His 57-yard field goal in 1972 broke a 20-year-old team record by a full five yards. Leads franchise in career punts; second to Groza in points and field goals. Just a steady, reliable player and person who somehow never made a Pro Bowl or Super Bowl. I’ll always wonder if he would have made the kick that Sam Rutigliano didn’t let him try. Of all the ways to end a career... of course, missing it might have been even worse than what happened.


    4. Matt Bahr (1981-89) -- After Cockroft retired, the Browns went with a rookie named Dave Jacobs, who promptly missed eight of his first 12 field goal tries. The Browns brought in the diminutive Bahr, who had failed to stick with two other teams, and thus found themselves yet another long-lasting kicker. Released after the 1989 season, when he missed two field goals in overtime games the Browns lost. His playoff statistics: 46 points and 80% FG accuracy -- rank second in Browns history. Of course, he’s probably prouder of the Super Bowl rings he won before and after his time in Cleveland.


    5. Chris Gardocki (1999-2003) -- If you had to pick an overall MVP from the reborn Browns’ first five seasons, sad to say, but you could make a decent case for Gardocki, a solid punter and holder. Ranks second to Gillom in gross punting average, with the same low touchback rate. Never had a punt blocked, never botched a snap that I can recall. Not quite sure why he didn’t handle kickoff duties too; his career average is a yard longer than Phil Dawson’s. No matter now; he belongs to the Steelers, the same team he flipped off in 2001.


    6. Matt Stover (1991-95) -- Holds team records for most FGs in a season (29 in 1995), most consecutive FGs (23), and FG accuracy (81.2%). Other noteworthy accomplishments preceding his long tenure as a dreaded Raven: four field goals of 50 or more yards, averaged better than one touchback per game over his first three seasons, two-for-two in having onsides kicks recovered. Here he is (in a Baltimore Sun photo) demonstrating his tackling technique on Ben Gay in 2001:


    7. Phil Dawson (1999-present) -- He seemed a little suspect in the beginning, but he started to win me over by beating Pittsburgh in 1999 on a last-ditch kick with the clock running (listen here). One of the last remnants of the 1999 Browns team, Dawson has proven his consistency and range. He’s four-of-five from 50 yards or longer. Second to Stover in FG percentage (81.6%) and consecutive FGs made (21). He’s not just some prissy kicker either. He’s recovered his own onsides kick, run for a touchdown and a critical first down (shown below; listen here) on fake FGs, and made nine tackles.


    8. Gary Collins (1962-71) -- I ranked him as the Browns’ third-best wide receiver, but, lest we forget, he was also the regular punter for his first six seasons. Led the league with a 46.69 average in 1965.


    Sorry, not quite: Sam Baker (1960-61); Mark Moseley (1986); Steve Cox (1981-84), whose only two field goals as a Brown are also -- at 60 and 58 yards -- the team’s longest; Jeff Gossett (1983, 1985-87), Brian Hansen (1991-93), Tom Tupa (1993-95).
    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:19 PM by Anonymous with 1 comment(s)
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  • Best of the Browns: TIGHT ENDS

    With this post I’m beginning a new off-season diversion. I’m on a mission to scour the all-time Browns roster and rank the best players at each position. Today, I’ll start with the tight ends, since I already did my research in coming up with this post. On an irregular basis over the coming weeks, I’ll tackle the tackles, stack up the backs, lay the ends end to end, line up the linebackers, and so on.

    A word about my criteria: I’m not a talent scout or a statistical analyst. I won’t speculate how an old-timer might fare in today’s NFL. I will consider the demands of the position and determine who best met them while wearing Browns’ colors. Who made the strongest, deepest positive impact, during his own time, in helping the team succeed and in approaching my ideal vision of a Cleveland Brown?

    The number of players I list will vary with each position. I’m sure I’ll want to recognize more running backs than punters. My brief commentary on each player is not meant to provide my full reasoning for his ranking. In the comments section, you can debate my findings and/or add your own player appreciations. I may change my mind or elaborate further.

    ALL-TIME BROWNS TIGHT ENDS

    1. Ozzie Newsome (1978-90) -- Easy choice. A Hall of Fame combination of talent, durability, and character.


    2. Milt Morin (1966-75) -- Three-time Pro Bowler. 250-pounder averaged more than 15 yards per catch.


    3. Johnny Brewer (1961-67) -- Helped pioneer the position. Moved to LB upon Morin’s arrival and made the Pro Bowl.


    4. Oscar Roan (1975-78) -- Never improved on 41-catch rookie season.

    5. Chip Glass (1969-73) -- Solid back-up on some very good teams. 78-yard TD against Oilers helped break three-game losing streak in 1970.


    6. Harry Holt (1983-86) -- With Ozzie in 1983, Browns TEs had more catches than their top four WRs combined. His 48-yard TD beat the Chargers in overtime that year.

    7. Brian Kinchen (1991-1995) -- 73 catches, 795 yards and a long-snapper extraordinaire.

    Sorry, not quite: Ralph Smith, Gary Parris, Scott Galbraith, Mark Bavaro, Aaron Shea.

    Obviously, Kellen Winslow Jr. brings with him the promise of excitement and productivity that has not been seen from Browns tight ends since the young Ozzie graced the Stadium two decades ago. If he can start his career without missing a hitch, it’s possible Winslow could vault as high as #3 on this list after his rookie year.
    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:19 PM by Anonymous with 5 comment(s)
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  • Best of the Browns: QUARTERBACKS

    Second in a series that ranks the best Browns players at each position. See this post for the series introduction.

    1. Otto Graham (1946-1955) -- The first, the best. 105-17-4 record, plus 9-3 post-season. Ten seasons, ten title games. Rushed for 44 TDs, more than Fran Tarkenton, John Elway, or Steve Young. Also returned 23 punts, averaging 11 yards, and made seven interceptions on defense. A true leader who set an enviable standard as a quarterback, teammate, and man. (Pictured below wearing the face mask designed by Paul Brown.)


    2. Bernie Kosar (1985-93) -- An extremely accurate sidearm passer, as intelligent as he was unorthodox. Especially beloved as a hometown product who wanted to play for the Browns. Holds NFL record of 308 consecutive passes without an interception. After just two playoff games in 12 years, the Browns made post-season appearances in each of Kosar’s first five seasons. At age 23, threw for 489 yards in the classic playoff win over the Jets in 1987.


    3. Frank Ryan (1962-68) -- Three-time Pro Bowler. The only man other than Graham to quarterback the Browns to the league championship. Relied more on savvy and grit than physical gifts. Not the gaudiest stats, but under Ryan, a Ph.D. in math, the Browns always figured to have a winning record.


    4. Brian Sipe (1973-83) -- Another personal favorite (until he bolted for Donald Trump’s USFL team), this undersized 13th-round draft pick eventually replaced an underachieving first-rounder, Mike Phipps, and became the Browns’ all-time leader in completions, yards, and TD passes. In his prime, Sipe led a fantastic offense, throwing for 3,500-plus yards four times. Named NFL MVP for the magical Kardiac Kids season of 1980, when he led numerous thrilling comeback wins while throwing for 4,132 yards and 30 TDs.


    5. Milt Plum (1957-61) -- His 110.4 pass rating for 1960 stood as an NFL record for 29 years, and it’s still third all-time. How do you get a rating that high? It helps to throw for 21 TDs with only 5 INTs. With Jim Brown in the backfield and targets like Ray Renfro and Bobby Mitchell, Plum had two Pro Bowl seasons, keeping future Hall of Famer Len Dawson on the bench. But when Plum criticized Coach Brown to the press, off to Detroit he went in a six-player deal that brought DE Bill Glass to town. Plum’s career had already reached its peak ripeness.


    6. Bill Nelsen (1968-72) -- Picked up from Steelers and took over for Ryan, leading a potent Browns offense for two seasons in which they beat Dallas in the playoffs but failed to win a Super Bowl berth in the NFL title game. During an eight-game win streak in 1968, the Browns averaged 36 points per game. Outdueled Joe Namath in the first Monday Night Football game. Sadly, the Browns traded away his Hall of Fame receiver, Paul Warfield, for the first-round pick used to draft his eventual successor, Phipps, in 1970.


    7. Tim Couch (1999-2003) -- Though he failed to validate being the first overall pick of the reborn franchise, The Deuce had a few coups: pair of Hail Mary wins, a pair of Titanic combacks over Tennessee, a sweep of the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens in 2001. Franchise leader in career completion percentage. Ill-served by two coaching regimes and plagued by injuries, Couch proved maddeningly inconsistent. Still, he deserves credit for being a game competitor during some trying times and squeaking the team into the playoffs in the thrilling 2002 season.


    8. Vinny Testaverde (1993-95) -- After six years in Tampa Bay, displaced hometown hero and college teammate Bernie Kosar in 1993, the first year his TDs outnumbered his INTs. Behind center for the Browns’ only playoff win in the last 14 years.


    9. George Ratterman (1952-56) -- I’m too young to remember him, but by all accounts, he added levity to squads ruled by the dour Paul Brown, and he was an exciting, all-or-nothing kind of quarterback. One of the best non-Browns in the AAFC, Ratterman later performed quite well in his limited chances as Graham’s understudy (61% completion rate, 14 TDs versus 8 INTs). Upon Otto’s retirement, the Cincinnati native and Notre Damer finally took the helm in 1956. He went 14-for-17 passing (82%) to beat the Steelers, but a knee injury early that year ended his career. His colorful life later included a stint as a county sheriff in Kentucky.


    10. Don Strock (1988) -- Another whimsical choice perhaps, as he only played in five games, but his brief time in Cleveland was memorable indeed. Retired after 14 years in Miami, the 38-year-old career back-up answered the Browns’ call during a bizarre season in which injuries knocked Bernie Kosar, Mike Pagel, and Gary Danielson out of action. Strock darn near beat his old team one Monday night, throwing two fourth-quarter TDs in relief of Kosar to tie the game, until Dan Marino worked his last-minute magic. The next week, with the playoffs on the line in a snowy season finale, the Browns were down 16 points to the Oilers in the third quarter. Strock rallied the team to an improbable 28-23 win, throwing for 326 yards. The teams had a rematch the next week in the wild-card game, but this time Strock’s right wrist forced him to the sidelines, and the Browns fell a point short.

    Sorry, not quite: Jim Ninowski, Paul McDonald, Mike Phipps, Kelly Holcomb.

    Never before have the Browns brought in a quarterback with the NFL credentials of three-time Pro Bowler Jeff Garcia. There were surely other veterans with serious experience as starters -- Testaverde, Ninowski, Mike Pagel, Mike Tomczak, Gary Danielson, Ty Detmer, and Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien among them -- but Garcia has a unique opportunity (and a very fat contract) to bring a new style of play to a franchise whose QBs have typically been smart and gutsy, but not much of a threat to leave the pocket.

    At age 34, how much upside does Garcia offer? It would be disappointing if he didn’t end up at least seventh on this list by the end of his time as a Brown. But while he’s no threat to knock Graham from his pedestal as the epitome of a Browns quarterback, I’m not going to limit his potential any further than that. If Garcia can help bring the Lombardi trophy to Cleveland, he’ll rapidly earn a cherished and lofty place in Browns history, and he’ll miraculously cure much of the heartbreak that has been the sorry lot of we fans who have rooted for his predecessors.
    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:19 PM by Anonymous with 5 comment(s)
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  • Best of the Browns: RUNNING BACKS

    Eleventh installment in a series that ranks the best Browns players at each position.

    It’s the marquee skill position in football, even predating the emergence of the quarterback as we know it. And the Browns are known for their tradition of excellence at running back, from big bruising fullbacks to nifty little scatbacks. Over the years, the team has used its first draft pick on an RB about a quarter of the time.

    Statistics don’t tell all, but I ran across a handy new site, Pro Football Encyclopedia, from which I’m including a few key measurables for each back on this list: rushing yards; yards per carry; receiving yards; yards per reception; and total touchdowns. They don’t include the playoffs, but they do include AAFC games (which the official records don’t). And of course, the only stats that count are those earned as a Brown.

    Running backs these days are expected to have good hands for catching screen passes or safety-valve dump-offs, and they’d best be able to block well enough to save their quarterback’s hide. But the benchmark for success is the 1,000-yard season. And it’s been a long, long 19 years since any Brown has done that -- a dryer drought than any other team. Either Lee Suggs or William Green could top that mark this year. Maybe both could, ala Mack and Byner in ’85. But I won’t fret if this streak gets extended as a result of these two backs splitting reps fairly evenly. In fact, I’m glad that egos don’t seem to have gotten in the way of the Browns’ drive to establish a strong and deep running game. Aside from James Jackson, that is.

    1. Jim Brown (1957-65) -- Syracuse; 6’2" 228; 12,312 rush yds.; 5.2 ave.; 2,499 rec. yds.; 9.5 ave.; 126 TDs
    As if topping a list on this blog weren’t honor enough, just this year he headed three ESPN lists: best all-around athlete of all time, best rookie RB in NFL history and greatest all-time NFL player. That says plenty. Yes, I wish he had played longer, as his legend was such that, at age 47, a comeback flirtation made the cover of Sports Illustrated. Yes, I wish his off-the-field reputation was a bit purer, though I definitely honor his positive contributions to society and to the Browns as well. Cleveland fans in the second half of their lifetimes can surely find solace that they were alive to appreciate Brown’s unsurpassed greatness. Despite retiring after just nine seasons (all Pro Bowl) of 12 and 14 games, several of his NFL records endure, including most seasons leading the league in rushing (8, twice as many as anyone else) and rushing TDs (5), and highest career rushing average for a running back. He was smart enough to find the right avenue of attack, strong enough to punish defenders, swift enough to break away from the pack, and durable enough to have never missed a game.


    2. Marion Motley (1946-53) -- Nevada; 6’1" 232; 4720 rush yds.; 5.7 ave.; 1107 rec. yds.; 13.0 ave.; 39 TDs
    Is it possible for a Hall of Fame player and member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team to be underrated? Not here, at least. Motley was, quite simply, an amazing player. He had a much higher career rushing average than Brown and was a far superior blocker. Whereas Brown called it quits at age 30, Motley’s career was just starting at 26. Brown is rightfully proud of his record on behalf of racial equality, but it was Motley, along with three others, who broke pro football’s color barrier, one year before Jackie Robinson did it in baseball, and became the first black player enshrined in Canton. Along with Otto Graham, he may have been the most vital member of those early championship teams. He’ll also make my upcoming list of great Browns linebackers. A powerful fullback who would be considered a big back even today, Motley was at least on a par with the team’s offensive linemen in weight, but combine that with a sprinter’s speed, and it’s easy to see how intimidating he must have been to potential tacklers.


    3. Leroy Kelly (1964-73) -- Morgan State; 6’ 199; 7274 rush yds.; 4.2 ave.; 2281 rec. yds.; 12.0 ave.; 90 TDs
    If there was one beneficiary of Jim Brown’s sudden retirement, it was this former 8th-round draft pick, who spent most of his first two seasons on special teams returning and covering kicks. He immediately produced three straight phenomenal seasons, leading the league in rushing TDs each year, in rushing yards twice, and in yards per carry twice. He was a different breed than the powerful Brown and Motley, a fine all-purpose back with great acceleration, the ability to avoid direct hits, and balance, excelling on muddy fields. By the time he retired, he ranked fourth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. The six-time Pro Bowler was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.


    4. Greg Pruitt (1973-81) -- Oklahoma; 5’10" 190; 5496 rush yds.; 4.7 ave.; 3022 rec. yds.; 9.4 ave.; 43 TDs
    This exciting scatback helped make Browns football fun to watch during some otherwise mediocre years. The 2nd-round pick led the team in rushing five straight seasons, including 1,000-yard totals in ’75, ’76, and ’77. Speedy and elusive, he was also fine receiver and kick returner. He gained 304 all-purpose yards (second in franchise history) in a 1975 game against the Bengals. He was also quite a weapon with the option pass, throwing for six touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl four times. A knee injury, the emergence of fullback Mike Pruitt (no relation), and the drafting of Charles White combined to reduce his role in later years (he had more receptions than carries in the Kardiac Kids season of 1980 and in 1981). Though he ended his career a Raider, he lives in the Cleveland area and was among the first players inducted into the team’s Legends club.


    5. Mike Pruitt (1976-84) -- Purdue; 6’ 225; 6540 rush yds.; 4.1 ave.; 1761 rec. yds.; 6.9 ave.; 52 TDs
    The Browns laid several seeds for their prolific Kardiac Kids-era offense in the 1976 draft, choosing Pruitt first, WR Dave Logan in the third round, and OL Henry Sheppard in the fifth. At first, Pruitt was underwhelming, with five fumbles and just one touchdown in his first two seasons. But upon Sam Rutigliano’s arrival, he began proving himself as a rugged straight-ahead power runner, a workhorse who kept defenses honest up the middle while Brian Sipe scanned the field for the likes of Rucker, Logan, Newsome, and Greg Pruitt. And his hands improved too: he caught more passes than any other Brown during Sipe’s MVP season. His 1,294-yard season in 1979 is the most by any Brown not named Brown. He remains the franchise’s third-leading rusher of all time.


    6. Bobby Mitchell (1958-61) -- Illinois; 6’ 192; 2297 rush yds.; 5.4 ave.; 1462 rec. yds.; 11.4 ave.; 38 TDs
    Before Green and Suggs, before Mack and Byner, before the Pruitts, the Browns actually had two future Hall of Famers in the same backfield. Mitchell, a college track star, was an absolute steal in the 7th-round. While Jim Brown’s power game wore defenses out, Mitchell faked them out. He had at least 500 rushing yards each of his four seasons here, with eight 100-yard games, including 232 at Washington in 1958. He had more receptions than any other Brown during his time in Cleveland. And he was an absolutely sensational kick returner (six TDs in just 116 attempts). But the Pro Bowler and Rookie of the Year honoree (Sporting News) was traded to the Redskins, thus integrating the last team to field an African American. He moved from halfback to flanker and led the league in receiving in the first of many great seasons in Washington. The Browns surrendered Mitchell plus the rights to first-round pick (#11 overall) Leroy Jackson in order to get the rights to the first overall pick, Ernie Davis. Davis, of course, was Jim Brown’s protege at Syracuse and the first black Heisman Trophy winner. Soon was diagnosed with leukemia, Davis died at age 23 without ever playing a down in the NFL.


    7. Kevin Mack (1985-93) -- Clemson; 6’ 224; 5123 rush yds.; 4.0 ave.; 1602 rec. yds.; 8.1 ave.; 54 TDs
    If the new Browns had a player like Mack, they wouldn’t have been running reverses from the one-yard line. This two-time Pro Bowler was a hard-charging fullback with a nose for the goal line. He ranks third among all Browns backs in total TDs. Acquired in the same supplemental draft of USFL players that also netted linebacker Mike Johnson and kick returner Gerald "Ice Cube" McNeil, Mack made an immediate splash in ’85, running for 1,104 yards at five yards per carry. The Browns won the division for three straight years, with Mack as the leading rusher each season. In November of ’86, the Browns won two straight overtime games against division foes, and Mack ran for over 100 yards each time. But his most important contribution may have been his 1989 comeback from injury and a cocaine conviction. In three straight games, Mack was absolutely crucial: an overtime win against Minnesota, a successful comeback at Houston, and the 34-30 playoff victory against the Bills. Mack proceeded to lead the team in rushing the next three seasons.


    8. Ernie Green (1962-68) -- Louisville; 6’2" 205; 3204 rush yds.; 4.8 ave.; 2036 rec. yds.; 10.4 ave.; 35 TDs
    When Paul Brown traded away Bobby Mitchell to get the bigger Ernie Davis, he hoped to establish a powerful one-two punch ala the Packers’ Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung. Ironically, when Davis got sick, Brown turned to Green Bay and traded for a different Ernie, a 14th-round draft pick. Brown lasted just one more year, but Green thrived as the unselfish, versatile backfield partner of Brown and Kelly. His rushing and receiving stats are impressive, but his excellent blocking was no less important. The Browns had only winning records during Green’s seven-year career, which included two Pro Bowl appearances. The ultimate team player, Green now presides over a very successful automotive supplier, Dayton-based EGI.


    9. Earnest Byner (1984-88; 1994-95) -- East Carolina; 5’10" 215; 3364 rush yds.; 3.9 ave.; 2630 rec. yds.; 9.5 ave.; 38 TDs
    This 10th-round draft pick established himself right away, averaging 5.9 yards per carry as a rookie, while neither Boyce Green, Mike Pruitt, nor Charles White exceeded 3.3. Only Byner remained with the Browns the next year, when they began their playoff run. He and Mack each had 1,000-yard seasons in ’85, as rookie QB Bernie Kosar was kept on a short leash. Hurt much of 1986, Byner returned with a fine 1987 season, scoring 10 times and leading the team with 52 receptions. On January 17, 1988, he was inches from greatness. After two touchdowns and a team playoff record 187 yards from scrimmage, Byner failed to culminate a great comeback and earn the Browns their first Super Bowl berth when he fumbled just short of the goal line in the game’s final moments. A year later, he was traded to the Redskins for the forgettable Mike Oliphant. Byner amassed two more 1,000-yard seasons and got his Super Bowl ring in Washington. He then returned to the Browns for two more years before the treacherous move to Baltimore. Though a productive and versatile back, Byner left a bittersweet legacy in Browns Town.


    10. Eric Metcalf (1989-94) -- Texas; 5’10" 187; 2229 rush yds.; 3.8 ave.; 2732 rec. yds.; 9.2 ave.; 33 TDs
    The Browns traded up with Denver to draft this son of another NFL great with the 13th overall pick. The slight speedster stunned defenders with some electrifying moves, but for the most part he was misused by the coaching staff. The phrase "Metcalf up the middle" springs to mind. Nonetheless, he ranks second among all Browns backs in career receiving yards, and he returned seven kicks for TDs as a Brown, including two in the memorable 28-23 win over Pittsburgh in 1993. After their 1994 playoff season, the Browns traded Metcalf to Atlanta to move up in the first round, then traded that pick to the 49ers to move down. The trade was for the birds: the Ravens got the extra first-round pick they used on Ray Lewis, and the Falcons switched Metcalf to WR, where he caught 104 passes for 1189 yards in ’95. He then bounced around the league, playing for five other teams.


    11. Leroy Hoard (1990-95) -- Michigan; 5’11" 223; 2203 rush yds.; 4.0 ave.; 1849 rec. yds.; 10.4 ave.; 24 TDs
    For the second straight year, the Browns took a back in the first round. This time, they got a rugged but rough-edged rambler, one who gave great second effort but was also prone to concentration lapses (27 fumbles). Surprisingly for a big back, he scored more often as a receiver, including nine of his 11 TDs in 1991. It wasn’t enough to stop the Browns from drafting another big back, Tommy Vardell, with their first pick in ’92. Hoard, despite inconsistency, continued to develop, and he led the team in rushing in both ’94 and ’95.


    12. Edgar "Special Delivery" Jones (1946-49) -- Pittsburgh; 5’10" 193; 1509 rush yds.; 5.2 ave.; 635 rec. yds.; 19.8 ave.; 29 TDs
    An excellent overall athlete, Jones was overshadowed by the great Motley, but he was no minor contributor to the Browns’ dominance of the All-America Football Conference. Ten of his 29 touchdowns came in the team’s perfect 1948 season, plus two more in the championship game that year. He also led the league in yards per carry with 6.4 in 1947.


    13. Cleo Miller (1975-82) -- Arkansas-Pine Bluff; 5’11" 207; 2286 rush yds.; 4.2 ave.; 1026 rec. yds.; 8.1 ave.; 17 TDs
    Not as spectacular as Greg Pruitt nor as powerful as Mike, Miller nonetheless enjoyed a fairly lengthy career with the Browns, starting for two of the years that Greg Pruitt gained 1,000 yards, then filling in effectively when needed. Though primarily a blocking back, his per-carry average ranks fifth in the Browns record book among runners with at least 500 carries.


    14. Calvin Hill (1978-81) -- Yale; 6’3" 228; 516 rush yds.; 3.7 ave.; 1248 rec. yds.; 11.7 ave.; 18 TDs
    The father of hoops great Grant Hill was himself a fantastic pro athlete. His career included some superb years with the Cowboys and ended with four seasons in Cleveland, where he had an uncanny knack as a third-down pass receiving back. A big target with a veteran’s savvy, he helped keep many a drive alive for Brian Sipe and the Kardiac Kids.


    15. Bo Scott (1969-74) -- OSU; 6’3" 213; 2124 rush yds.; 3.8 ave.; 826 rec. yds.; 7.4 ave.; 24 TDs
    The Browns drafted him in the third round of the 1965 draft, despite a backfield already stocked with Brown, Green and Kelly. So Scott played in Canada for four years, then signed with Cleveland and largely blocked for Kelly during several playoff seasons. His best year was 1970, when he scored 11 TDs, led the team with 40 catches, and averaged 4.1 yards per carry on a team that otherwise averaged just 3.1.


    16. Ken Carpenter (1950-53) -- Oregon State; 6’ 195; 1186 rush yds.; 5.0 ave.; 473 rec. yds.; 11.3 ave.; 17 TDs
    The Browns’ first ever NFL draft pick, Carpenter was overshadowed by the likes of Motley, Dub Jones, and Dante Lavelli, but he still put up decent numbers for those prolific Browns offenses. He earned Pro Bowl honors for the 1951 season, in which he gained 954 all-purpose yards. He served in the Korean Conflict, then played in Canada and even spent a season with the AFL’s Denver Broncos in 1960.


    Sorry, not quite:

    • Harry Jagade (1951-53) -- Indiana; 747; 5.0; 396; 13.7; 7
    • Maurice "Mo" Bassett (1954-56) -- Langston; 891; 4.0; 317; 9.6; 11
    • Fred "Curley" Morrison (1954-56) -- OSU; 1395; 4.8; 295; 10.9; 7
    • Ed "Big Mo" Modzelewski (1955-59) -- Maryland; 1097; 3.5; 168; 6.2; 11
    • Ken Brown (1970-75) -- no college; 1193; 3.4; 468; 8.1; 9
    • Boyce Green (1983-85) -- Carson-Newman; 1170; 3.8; 291; 7.9; 5
    • Jamel White (2000-03) -- South Dakota; 1324; 3.8; 1273; 7.7; 11
    • William Green (2002-present) -- Boston College; 1446; 3.8; 163; 6.3; 7.
    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:19 PM by Anonymous with 1 comment(s)
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  • NOT WORTH THE WAIT

    My habit for Browns games is to watch the screen while listening to Jim Donovan, Doug Dieken, and Casey Coleman on the radio. The TV announcers are usually so banal that I’m sure I’m not missing anything. The only down side: sometimes the TV and radio are not in synch. It’s not so bad to see a play a few seconds before Jim describes it, but hearing about it first takes some of the excitement away.

    Anyway, I like Dieken the best of the three, mainly for his sense of humor. As quoted in the Canton Repository today:

    On greeting Art Modell last year during the Browns final game against the now-retired former Browns owner: “Art said, ‘Oh, so you’ve come to see me before you can pee on my grave?’ I told him, ‘Art, I’ve lived a long time and played a lot of years. I refuse to stand in line to do anything anymore.’ ”


    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:19 PM by Anonymous with 2 comment(s)
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  • Best of the Browns: CENTERS

    Third in a series that ranks the best Browns players at each position.

    1. Frank "Gunner" Gatski (1946-56) -- As with the TE and QB picks, this choice is a snap: go for the only Hall of Famer in the category. Gatski, the strong, silent type, was a four-time All-NFL selection. Among the remarkable facts from his Canton bio: he never missed a game or practice in high school, college or pro football. Can you imagine that kind of durability in a lineman today? And consider he weighed just 233 pounds!


    2. Tom DeLeone (1974-84) -- This former OSU Buckeye was drafted by the Bengals, but upon arriving in Cleveland, he settled into the middle of the line that gave Brian Sipe time to throw and room for the Pruitts to go for most of a decade. Two-time Pro Bowler turned U.S. Customs special agent.


    3. John Morrow (1960-66) -- Paul Brown traded away Pro Bowl center Art Hunter to get this one-time 28th-round draft pick from the Rams. The former Wolverine developed into a two-time Pro Bowler himself, starting seven seasons on an exceptional Browns offense.


    4. Fred Hoaglin (1966-72) -- The Alliance, Ohio, native was picked in the 6th round of the 1966 draft out of Pittsburgh and soon worked his way into the lineup, making 69 straight starts for those playoff teams of the late ’60s. Won Pro Bowl honors for his 1969 season.


    5. Mike Baab (1982-87, 1990-91) -- This cattle-fed Texan was a tough guy in the trenches, once coming back to practice only two days after having his knee scoped. The Browns unwisely dealt him to New England, but then signed him as a free agent two years later. Now competes in those Scottish games competitions you may have seen on ESPN.


    6. Art Hunter (1956-59) -- Notre Dame alum succeeded the great Gatski and had one Pro Bowl season under Paul Brown before going to the Rams in exchange for Morrow.


    7. Steve Everitt (1993-95) -- Bill Belichick drafted this Wolverine in the first round and immediately plugged him into the middle of an offense in transition. This long-haired artist combined brawn and brain. When the Browns left town, Everitt could tolerate only one season as a Raven, earning a fine and the eternal admiration of Browns fans for sporting a Browns bandana during a game.


    8. Dave Wohlabaugh (1999-2002) -- The rest of the reborn Browns offensive line was in continuous churn, but this veteran technician started 55 games in four years, lending a semblance of stability to a subpar unit.


    Sorry, not quite: Bob DeMarco, Gregg Rakoczy, Jay Hilgenberg (the 1992 starter, acquired for a fourth-round pick, and the son of Jerry, another Iowa center, on whom the Browns spent their fourth-round pick in 1954).

    In researching this position, I was surprised to find that the Browns have had five Pro Bowlers in the middle of their O-lines over the years. I’ll be more surprised if Jeff Faine, last year’s first-round pick out of Notre Dame, does not eventually join those ranks. With a little good fortune, Faine might one day climb to as high as #2 on this list.
    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:19 PM by Anonymous with 1 comment(s)
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  • Best of the Browns: WIDE RECEIVERS

    Fourth in a series that ranks the best Browns players at each position. Today’s installment on WRs also includes players considered offensive ends and flankers.

    1. Dante Lavelli (1946-56) -- "Glue Fingers" was the favorite target of a legendary quarterback on some of the greatest football teams ever assembled. If you include AAFC stats, this Buckeye from Hudson caught more passes (386) for more yards (6,488) than any other Brown except for TE Ozzie Newsome, despite playing in the more run-oriented offenses of that era. Fresh from a three-year Army hitch, he beat out more heralded players and became the top AAFC receiver as a rookie. In the Browns’ first NFL championship game, the epic 30-28 comeback over the Rams in 1950, he caught 11 passes for 128 yards and 2 TDs. A Hall of Famer, a lifelong Brown, and still active in the community.


    2. Mac Speedie (1946-52) -- Overcame a crippling childhood disability to become the AAFC’s all-time leading receiver and appear in seven championship games in seven seasons as a Brown. More receiving yards than any other Brown except Lavelli and Newsome. Career highlights include scoring the first TD in AAFC history, holding the Browns’ single-season reception record for 34 years, and rambling for a 99-yard TD on a screen pass. Read more about him here, and see him in action here.


    3. Gary Collins (1962-71) -- A reliable 6’4" possession receiver and the all-time team leader in receiving TDs (70). Best known for scoring three times -- the game’s only touchdowns -- in the 1964 championship game after publicly predicting that win over the favored Colts (five years before Joe Namath did something similar). Less known: he beat out future Boston Celtics legend John Havlicek to make the team after the Browns drafted both in 1962. Also the regular punter for six seasons. Despite spending his entire NFL career as a Brown, scoring ten or more TDs four times, and making the Pro Bowl twice, he’s not yet among the Cleveland Brown Legends.


    4. Paul Warfield (1964-69, 76-77) -- If not for the infamous trade that sent him to Miami for many of his prime years, this local star (Warren native & OSU) and Hall of Famer likely would have topped this list. Still, he ranks second in Browns history in receiving TDs and yards per catch. Holds team career record for most receiving yards in NFL playoff games. Rare combination of athletic talents: a deep threat with dependable hands and excellent blocking skills. Led a championship team in receiving as a rookie. First Browns receiver to notch a 1,000-yard season.


    5. Ray Renfro (1952-63) -- In 12 NFL seasons, all as a Brown, this speedy flanker averaged a team-record 19.6 yards per catch. Second in receiving yards (5,508), third in receiving TDs (50). Scored twice in the 1954 championship game win over Detroit. Pretty good value from a fourth-round draft pick.


    6. Reggie Rucker (1975-81) -- Combined with Newsome and Dave Logan to give Brian Sipe plenty of potent options in the Kardiac Kids’ offense. After starting in a Super Bowl as a rookie and playing several years as a Patriot, Rucker led all NFL wide receivers in receptions in his first year in Cleveland. Led team in catches three years, in yardage four times. An interesting life story too.


    7. Webster Slaughter (1986-91) -- A nifty little speedster who led the Kosar-era Browns in receptions and yards three straight years, including a franchise record 1,236 yards in his Pro Bowl 1989 season. The sole 1986 Browns draftee to make the even slightest impact on the NFL. Racked up 114 yards on just three catches -- two of them for scores -- in the dramatic 34-30 playoff win over Buffalo in 1990.


    8. Dub Jones (1948-55) -- A 6’4" flanker, Jones amassed 4,665 yards from scrimmage as part of the Browns’ powerhouse offense. Scored the team’s first NFL touchdown on a 59-yard pass from Otto Graham in the 1950 trouncing of the league champion Eagles. Best known for scoring six TDs in a 1951 game against the only team, the Bears, to equal that feat, in the persons of Ernie Nevers and Gale Sayers. Neither of them sired an NFL quarterback though.


    9. Darrel "Pete" Brewster (1952-58) -- Led Browns in receptions and yards three straight years (1955-57). Hauled in seven passes for 182 yards and 3 TDs in a 62-14 win over the Giants in 1953.


    10. Brian Brennan (1984-91) -- A steady, professional receiver who excelled as the third-down/possession complement to Slaughter and Reggie Langhorne. Good hands (he held for placekicks), good character, good under pressure. Career passing stats: 2-for-2, 68 yards, 1 TD.


    11. Dave Logan (1976-83) -- Athletic enough to be drafted in three sports, Logan used his 6’5" height to good effect, not only on offense, but to defend Hail Mary passes on occasion, as I recall. He now does the play-by-play for Broncos games.


    12. Reggie Langhorne (1985-91) -- As Bernie Kosar wrote last year for this site, "Webster could stretch the field; Brian had the guts to catch the ball over the middle; and Reggie could do both." A 7th-round pick from a small school, Langhorne was a solid starter for the playoff teams of the late ’80s, racking up 261 catches for 3,597 yards and 15 TDs.


    13. Kevin Johnson (1999-2003) -- Plenty of impressive statistics from his time in Browns Town, though we all know there’s more to the game than numbers. Not particularly big or fast, he nonetheless provided some of the best highlights for the reborn Browns -- the Hail Mary catch in the Superdome for their first win (shown below), the entertaining experiment behind center against the Eagles for the QB-depleted 2000 team, the go-ahead TD in the crucial 2002 win against the Falcons, and the 83-yard catch-and-run that opened the wild playoff game in Pittsburgh the next week. As I wrote upon his release last season, KJ was the most reliable and productive receiver on teams that otherwise could barely move the ball.


    14. Michael Jackson (1991-95) -- The Browns found a playmaker in the 6th round with his combination of size and speed. Ranks 8th in Browns history with 26 receiving TDs. Caught seven passes for 122 yards to help Bill Belichick beat his mentor, Bill Parcells, in the 1994 playoffs.


    Sorry, not quite: Preston Carpenter (1956-59), Rich Kreitling (1959-63), Gern Nagler (1960-61), Fair Hooker (1969-74), Frank Pitts (1971-73), Ricky Feacher (1976-84), Keenan McCardell (1992-95), Dennis Northcutt (2000-present), Quincy Morgan (2001-present).
    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:19 PM by Anonymous with 8 comment(s)
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  • Best of the Browns: DEFENSIVE ENDS

    Seventh in a series that ranks the best Browns players at each position.

    1. Len Ford (1950-57) -- The former Michigan Wolverine and Los Angeles Don (AAFC) beefed up to focus on defense upon his arrival in Cleveland. Recovering from a wicked facial injury just in time for the famous 1950 title game, he became a dominant pass rusher, the centerpiece of the league’s stingiest defense, and the reason the 4-3 defense was invented. Won all-NFL honors five times. Recovered 20 fumbles in his career, an NFL record at the time. If only they kept statistics on QB sacks back then! Intercepted two passes in the 56-10 championship game romp over the Lions in 1954. A heart attack claimed him at age 46, four years before being inducted into the Hall of Fame.


    2. Bill Glass (1962-68) -- The next end after Ford to wear #80 was Jim Marshall, but he was traded to the Vikings after just one year of what became a Hall of Fame career. To the rescue came Glass, the former Baylor All-American, in a trade with Detroit involving QB Milt Plum. The clean-cut Christian became a key member of the defense that held Johnny Unitas to 95 passing yards in the 1964 championship game shutout. The durable Glass earned Pro Bowl honors in four of his seven years in Cleveland, primarily for his blind-side pass rushing. Browns’ single-season sack leader with 14.5 in 1965. In 1966, he had sacks in seven straight games. One friend recalled, "Quarterbacks told the story on Bill that he would come charging in on you, knock you down, then reach down to pick you up and say, ‘Bless you, brother.’ ” Off-season seminary studies led to writing several books during his playing career and later founding his own successful ministry, now known as Champions for Life.


    3. Paul Wiggin (1957-67) -- Can you imagine any of today’s players earning an advanced degree from Stanford during their off-seasons and actually teaching anything other than football during their playing careers? That’s what Wiggin did off the field. On it, he played in 146 straight games, recovering 18 fumbles (second most in Browns history) and earning two Pro Bowl starts. After his final season, he was named Cleveland Pro Athlete of the Year. He’s enjoyed a long and successful career as a coach and administrator, now with the Vikings.


    4. Carl Hairston (1984-89) -- His nickname "Big Daddy" tells you exactly what he meant to the fledgling Browns defenses of the ’80s. He brought leadership and Super Bowl experience with him from Philadelphia, where he proved to be a 7th-round steal for Dick Vermeil. Somehow the Browns got him for a 9th rounder. A fine tackler with a nose for the ball carrier, Hairston tallied 1,141 tackles and 94 sacks in his 15-year career. During the legendary double-overtime playoff win over the Jets, though eclipsed by Bernie Kosar’s 489 passing yards, Hairston led a stout defense with three sacks and seven solo tackles. (I couldn’t find a decent picture of him during his Browns days, but this Real Player audio clip from 1987 is classic.)

    5. Jack Gregory (1967-71, 1979) -- An outstanding combination of size (6’5", 250 pounds) and speed, this Mississippian made the Pro Bowl in the successful 1969 season. His 14 sacks (including one of Joe Namath, the first in Monday Night Football history) in 1970 is tied for second on the all-time Browns single season list, but he was equally adept against the run. He reportedly clashed with coach Nick Skorich and was traded to the Giants (the Browns used one of those draft picks on Greg Pruitt). Gregory had even more outstanding years in New York before returning for one last hurrah in 1979.


    6. George Young (1946-53) -- George the Georgian (not the Giants’ legendary executive of the same name) started for Paul Brown’s first seven Browns teams. That alone proves his bona fides. Of those great teams, only once did they allow over 200 points in a season, while always tallying at least 300 of their own.


    7. Rob Burnett (1990-95) -- A great value as a fifth-round draft pick, this Syracuse product had 40.5 sacks and seven fumble recoveries as a Brown. One of six Browns to make the 1994 Pro Bowl.


    8. "Turkey" Joe Jones (1970-71, 1973, 1975-8) -- Tall and talented, Jones was drafted out of Tennessee State higher than Jerry Sherk, who turned out to be an even better defensive lineman. As Sherk wrote: "He was about 6 foot 8 and he ran about a 4.5, 4.6 40 yard dash. At times he was a great pass rusher, at other times he didn’t live up to his great potential. Joe was a kind hearted person, though. You couldn’t help but really like him." His nickname stems from a Browns Thanksgiving tradition, a practical joke that survives to this day thanks to gullible new players. Jones is best known, though, for a particularly punishing piledriver of a sack of the Steelers’ Terry Bradshaw in 1976.


    9. John Yonakor (1946-49) -- The leading receiver on Frank Leahy’s 1943 national champion Notre Dame team, he won All-American recognition. The Browns featured Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie on offense, so the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Yonakor settled in nicely on defense. He is considered among the best AAFC players at his position.


    Sorry, not quite:
    • Doug Atkins (1953-54), whose 17-year Hall of Fame career really took off after being traded to Chicago;
    • Willie Davis (1958-59), another future Hall of Famer whose career began under Paul Brown but only blossomed after a trade;
    • Ron Snidow (1968-72), who added a veteran presence to playoff teams;
    • Nick Roman (1972-74), the former OSU Buckeye;
    • Bob Briggs (1971-73), the late Heidelberg star;
    • Lyle Alzado (1979-81), the late wild man who twice led the team in sacks;
    • Sam Clancy (1985-88), the former NBA draft pick who excelled despite never playing college football;
    • Al "Bubba" Baker (1987; 1989-90), a great pass rusher turned barbequer;
    • Anthony Pleasant (1990-95) like "Turkey" Joe, hailed from Division II Tennessee State; in on 297 tackles in Cleveland
    Sorry, not quite yet:
    • Courtney Brown (2000-present)
    • Kenard Lang (2002-present).
    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:19 PM by Anonymous with no comments
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  • Best of the Browns: GUARDS

    Eighth in a series that ranks the best Browns players at each position.

    1. Gene Hickerson (1958-60; 1962-73) -- Is there any eligible former player more deserving of a Hall of Fame induction? This Legend from Ole Miss made the Pro Bowl six times, blocking for three running backs who have already been enshrined. He made the NFL’s 1960s All-Decade Team. He ranks near the top of the Browns’ longevity records despite missing one year with a broken leg. For all the sweeps he led, maybe fans can help sweep him into Canton.


    2. Jim Ray Smith (1956-62) -- As former Dallas personnel guru Gil Brandt recalled, "He was a 218-pound defensive end and built himself into a five-time Pro Bowl 245-pound guard." And in the inimitable vernacular of Topps sports cards, "Jim has surprising speed for a fellow of his tonnage."


    3. Abe Gibron (1950-56) -- Considered one of the best guards not in the Hall of Fame: at 5’11" and 255 pounds, "The roly-poly Gibron became one of the Browns’ ’messenger guards,’ linemen who alternated in taking each play called by the coach into the quarterback. Eventually, he was deemed too valuable to play part time and stayed in the lineup while the ’other’ guards ran messages." The Purdue product made the Pro Bowl four straight times. He later had a long coaching career, including three terrible years as the Chicago Bears’ head coach.


    4. John Wooten (1959-67) -- After filling in during Hickerson’s injured year, the former 5th-round pick from Colorado settled into the left guard slot for nothing but winning teams, including the 1964 champs. During his two Pro Bowl years, the Browns had Pro Bowlers at both guard spots and at left tackle (Dick Schafrath). Can we modern-day Browns fans even imagine?!


    5. Joe DeLamielleure (1980-84) -- In exchange for second- and third-round draft picks, the Browns received a big-time Bill: a future Hall of Fame lineman coming off his fifth straight Pro Bowl appearance. He kept that string alive with an All-Pro Kardiac Kids season. Upon Joe D.’s arrival, quarterback Brian Sipe went from 26 interceptions down to 14, from 43 times sacked down to 23. It’s a correlation that’s no mere coincidence.


    6. Lin Houston (1946-53) -- One of Paul Brown’s favorites from Massillon and OSU, Houston, who doubled as a defensive lineman in those five-man fronts, was the first Brown to wear #32. He was also the big brother of Jim Houston, who will rank among the very best linebackers when I get to that position.


    7. Robert E. Jackson (1975-85) -- An April Fool’s baby and an undrafted free agent out of Duke, the 6’5" Jackson needed to beef up just to tip the scales at 245. With the makings of a good pulling guard, he cracked the starting lineup as a rookie. He was pretty much a fixture for a decade, helping each of the Pruitts become multiple-time 1,000-yard backs.


    8. John DeMarie (1967-75) -- LSU product was a solid 6th-round find, playing several positions along the offensive line. He succeeded Wooten at left guard, where he contributed to the prolific offenses of the late ’60s playoff teams. He later switched sides with the aging Hickerson. He also saw significant playing time at right tackle and center.


    Sorry, not quite:
    • Ed Ulinski (1946-49) Marshall, who later became a Browns assistant coach and the team’s film director
    • Chuck Noll (1953-59) Dayton, also a linebacker, who I guess has a few things in common with Bill Cowher
    • Henry Sheppard (1976-81) SMU
    • Dan Fike (1985-92) Florida
    • Bob Dahl (1992-95) Notre Dame
    And a few notes left over from my research:

    Most mystifying -- Despite being stocked with Hickerson and Wooten, in 1963 the Browns surrendered their 1965 first-round draft pick to San Francisco in exchange for 30-something guard Ted Connolly. Connolly played one forgettable season in Cleveland before his career came to an end. Then, in the 1964 draft, the Browns used four of their picks on guards, none of whom amounted to anything much.

    DeTail -- Past Browns offensive linemen have been named DeLamielleure, DeLeone, DeMarco, DeMarie, and DeVries. So maybe this Enoch DeMar is a keeper. Or maybe we’re just an injury or two away from another DeMinus year. (No, fear not, I’m not really that DeFeatist on the upcoming season.)

    Guard down -- Here’s a rapid-fire rundown of the 15 players to start at guard since the Browns’ rebirth just five years ago: Pyne, Rehberg, Bundren, Zahursky, Lindsay, Verba, O’Hara, Johnson, McKinney, Bedell, Stokes, Fowler, Beasley, DeMar, Zukauskas. Welcome, Kelvin Garmon, Mr. Sweet Sixteen!
    Posted Feb 27 2006, 04:19 PM by Anonymous with no comments
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  • Best of the Browns: DEFENSIVE TACKLES

    Ninth in a series that ranks the best Browns players at each position.

    1. Jerry Sherk (1970-81) -- The saving grace of the Browns’ 1970 draft was this second-round pick out of Oklahoma State, where he also excelled in the Cowboys’ renowned wrestling program. Sherk earned four consecutive Pro Bowl appearances, from 1973 through 1976 -- perhaps his best season -- when he was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. His wrestler’s sense of leverage, combined with great quickness and persistence, made him an excellent pass rusher and tackler in pursuit. His 69 career sacks are second only to Clay Matthews on the Browns’ career list. Had four sacks in a 1976 win over the Eagles, a Browns’ single-game record tied only last season by Andra Davis. Unfortunately, the next time those two teams met, in 1979, Sherk scraped his arm on the Veterans Stadium astroturf, and a resulting staph infection endangered life and limb and shortened his career. Despite playing on some dismal teams, Sherk is rightfully proud that he is a lifelong Cleveland Brown.


    2. Walter Johnson (1965-76) -- Powerful, durable, explosive, and tall (6’5"), this second-round pick was a fixt