Credit: AP/Tony Dejak
Well, following probably the most hyped build up of any NFL draft I can ever remember, the Browns managed to pull off their greatest draft on paper since the re-incarnation of the franchise in 1999.
It was a Saturday long over due to Browns Backers everywhere. Even the most pessimistic of fans were probably expecting the team to blow their first couple rounds on say...another wide receiver followed by a safety in round two or something. Hey, don't blame those negative fans, they've been conditioned by previous regimes to expect that kind of inept fan cruelty on draft day. I don't think even the most optimistic of fans expected the turn of events that transpired instead.
What took place was GM Phil Savage managing to address arguably the team's three biggest draft day needs within the first 53 picks. Left tackle (Joe Thomas...3rd overall), Quarterback (Brady Quinn...22nd overall), and a potential starter at Cornerback (Eric Wright...53rd) being those needs of course. In other words, the best possible scenario actually took shape for a change.
I won't bore you by re-capping information every Browns fan knows about these guys by now. By now everyone knows the stories of Brady Quinn's free fall, Joe Thomas' fishing trip, and Eric Wright's rap sheet. Shit, with the high Cleveland fans are on right now, even Eazy-E's off the field record is music to fans ears the rest of this week. The latter, of course, is now fine by me while he's wearing an orange helmet. Hey, what's wrong with a little ecstacy anyway?
Strangely, the only other days I can possibly compare this to in the new era of the Brown and Orange could be last year's signing day of LaCharles Bentley, Kevin Schaeffer, and Joe Jurevicious. Another nominee could be the Browns victory over Atlanta in the season's final week of 2001 to clinch a playoff birth. Yup, that's the best two I could come up with in the new era. Got any better?
Hmm...not exactly memories comparable to the Paul Brown or even the Marty Schottenhiemer eras we're talking here.
Who knows? Now with a legit quarterback as well as the first tackle selected by this franchise in the first round since before the Reagan administration, this team may finally be on the right track.
Welcome to the NFL fellas. Next stop: a home date with Shittsburgh this September.
Read the complete post at http://kidcleveland.blogspot.com/2007/04/phil-savage-shocks-and-awes-dawg-pound.html