Friday, August 16, 2013

From good to bad to worse.

CLEVELAND (AP) -- A meaningless exhibition win for the Browns turned troubling, and then deeply serious.

Rookie linebacker Barkevious Mingo sustained a bruised lung, running back Dion Lewis broke his left leg and the Browns came away battered in a 24-6 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday night.
Mingo, the No. 6 overall pick in April's NFL draft, will be hospitalized in the Cleveland Clinic overnight with his injury. Browns coach Rob Chudzinski did not know how Mingo got hurt and didn't provide any other details of the young linebacker's condition.
A team spokesman said Mingo was taken to the Clinic's main campus before the game ended.
Mingo left in the first half with what the team initially reported as a rib injury. However, Chudzinski reported the bruised lung following the game and said Lewis, the team's valuable backup to starter Trent Richardson, had fractured his fibula.
''They're unfortunate,'' quarterback Brandon Weeden said of the injuries. ''It's a preseason game, guys are flying around, a lot of adrenaline and all that stuff. We just got to get those guys back as soon as we can and the guys that are right behind them have to step up.''
The Browns also lost starting right guard Jason Pinkston (sprained ankle), tight end Gary Barnidge (sprained shoulder) and rookie kicker Brandon Bogotay (groin). Pinkston left FirstEnergy Stadium wearing a walking boot and on crutches.
Lewis' injury could be especially costly for the Browns, who will be without running back Montario Hardesty for at least a month following knee surgery.
The injuries cast a pall over another solid performance by Weeden and both Cleveland's offense and defense.
''It was a tough night from an injury perspective,'' Chudzinski said. ''But we made some strides from a performance standpoint. That's the game, guys get injured and other guys get opportunities and have to step up - and that's what good teams are able to do. And that's what we'll have to do.''

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Richardson to play against Lions Tonight


Cleveland Browns running back Trent Rchardson will play during the team’s second preseason game Thursday against the Detroit Lions at FirstEnergy Stadium.

“We will play Trent, give him a couple series and then, we’ll go from there,” coach Rob Chudzinski said. “We just wanted to sit down, talk through and confirm things with the staff, with everything that we are doing. We want to be on the same page with the plan, more than anything.”

Richardson missed the preseason opener, a 27-19 win over the St. Louis Rams, last Thursday evening. He spent the early part of training camp working his way back to full strength after suffering a leg injury during organized team activities (OTAS) that cost him the opportunity to participate in minicamp.

Chudzinski informed Richardson of the decision Tuesday, and the first-year coach said he did not receive hug, but “I got a smile.”

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Browns to play Trent Richardson

BEREA, Ohio -- Trent Richardson doesn't have to wait and wonder any longer. The time has come. He's finally going to play for the Browns in an NFL preseason game. Cleveland's second-year star running back, slowed by injuries so far as a pro, was thrilled to find out he'll play in Thursday night's preseason game against the Detroit Lions. Trent Richardson will play in Thursday night's preseason game against the Detroit Lions.

Richardson was held out of last week's opener against St. Louis by coach Rob Chudzinski as a precaution because the former first-round pick was still recovering from a shin injury and the Browns didn't want to take any chances of it worsening.

But following Tuesday's practice, the Browns' final one of training camp open to the public, Richardson was told by reporters that Chudzinski plans to use him for "a couple series."

"Oh, he told you I'm playing?" Richardson said, surrounded by media members standing near the goal post. "Hey, I'm surprised like y'all and I'm happy and I can't wait to get up out there."

Richardson missed the entire preseason as a rookie a year ago while recovering from knee surgery. He had hoped to play in all four games this summer, but the Browns took the safe route last week and rested him against the Rams. Now, it's time to turn Richardson loose. He worked extensively with the starters during practice, and afterward Chudzinski announced Richardson will play this week. Not a lot, but some.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Some football history

The Dayton Triangles were an original franchise of the American Professional Football Association(now the National Football League) in 1920. 

The Triangles were based in Dayton, Ohio, and took their nickname from their home field, Triangle Park, which was located at the confluence of the Great Miami and Stillwater Rivers in north Dayton. 

They were the longest-lasting traveling team in the NFL (1920–1929), and the last such "road team" until the Dallas Texans in 1952, who, coincidentally, descended from the Dayton franchise.

My brother went to Steele High School in Dayton, graduated in 1939. Their teams had to practice at Triangle Park, as the school was located in downtown Dayton and they only had a gym at the school. I have been to Triangle Park on many occasions to watch games and practices. I have heard many stories about the old football team. I knew players, some were patients of my Dads, and knew team doctors who traveled with them.

Weeden, Browns look sharp in opener vs. Rams

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Browns coach Rob Chudzinski looked calm, cool and crisp in his NFL exhibition debut. So did his team, especially his starting quarterback.

With Brandon Weeden moving Cleveland's offense on two scoring drives, the Browns jumped to a 17-0 lead against the Rams' starters and rolled to a 27-19 win over St. Louis on Thursday night.Weeden, coming off a so-so rookie season, may have silenced some critics with his solid performance in which he spread the ball all over FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Browns were better in all three phases, and only a late TD by the Rams' backups made the score look more respectable.

Monday, August 12, 2013

The Coach

Born on May 12, 1968, Chudzinski attended Toledo St. John’s High School. He and his wife, Sheila, have two sons, Kaelan and Rian, and one daughter, Margaret.

Chudzinski played tight end at Miami from 1986-90 and was a three-year starter and a member of two national championship teams (1987 and 1989). He graduated with a B.A. in business administration in 1990 and went on to earn his MBA in 1996.

At Miami, Chudzinski tutored Kellen Winslow, who won the John Mackey Award in 2003 as the nation’s top collegiate tight end, while he also helped to develop two other All-America tight ends in Bubba Franks (1999) and Jeremy Shockey (2001). All three players went on to be first-round NFL draft picks.

In 2001, the ‘Canes went 12-0 and defeated Nebraska to win the National Championship. In 2002, Miami’s offense set school records for points (527), total yards (6,074) and rushing touchdowns (33). They averaged 40.5 points per game, 284.2 passing yards per game and 183.0 rushing yards per contest. The Hurricanes went 12-1 in 2002, with their only defeat coming in overtime against Ohio State in the National Championship game. In 2003, Miami finished with an 11-2 record, including a 16-14 victory over Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

Chudzinski began his pro coaching career in 2004 as the Browns’ tight ends coach, where he worked with first-round draft choice, Kellen Winslow. During that season, Chudzinski was elevated to offensive coordinator for the final five games following Butch Davis’ resignation as head coach.

1994-95 University of Miami (Fla.), graduate assistant coach
1996-2000 University of Miami (Fla.), tight ends coach
2001-03 University of Miami (Fla.), offensive coordinator/tight ends coach
2004 Cleveland Browns, tight ends coach/interim offensive coordinator (5 games)
2005-06 San Diego Chargers, tight ends coach
2007-08 Cleveland Browns, offensive coordinator
2009-10 San Diego Chargers, assistant head coach/tight ends
2011-12 Carolina Panthers. offensive coordinator
2013- Cleveland Browns, head coach
.

August 21, 1999

If memory serves me, and believe me, that night my memory was REALLY bad. August 21, 1999, the first game played in the new stadium was with the Vikings. A group of Newark Browns Backers had tickets to the game. We had a motel some distance from the stadium. We started early, had breakfast and started partying shortly thereafter. Our motel sold Bud Lite. We partied a bit. We had some tickets to an upcoming game and traded them for another room. Walked to the stadium and found our seats. I left at halftime, for a reason that I cannot remember and started walking toward our motel. That weekend, in Cleveland, downtown, the NAACP was having a convention. The KKK was having a convention or meeting of some kind. All had demonstrations going on downtown. I somehow got to the motel, carrying a few cups of liquids, some souvenirs and other items, walked through both demonstrations and a parade of those cars doing those jump, jump things. How, I will never know. Oh, the game, what game?

Tradition is such an important part of the Browns, so it's important to note that ever since they were born in 1946, they have played on the same site on the shores of Lake Erie. From 1946-95, their home was Cleveland Municipal Stadium. The Browns won all eight of their league championships there and hosted 17 postseason games. It is also where 16 men -- 15 players and one coach - built careers that eventually landed them in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

On that same footprint is FirstEnergy Stadium, Home of the Cleveland Browns, which was opened in 1999. To keep that tradition going, the playing field at FirstEnergy Stadium runs east to west, just like it did before, and the Dawg Pound can still be found on the east side of the stadium.
But that tradition has been tweaked and enhanced with a myriad of modern amenities and conveniences that give FirstEnergy Stadium the look and feel of a 21st century facility. It fits right in with its modern neighbors, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center.

Who's who with the Brownies

Cleveland Browns staff
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
 
Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning

The Old Stadium

CLEVELAND MUNICIPAL STADIUM, constructed on reclaimed land on the city's lakefront, was completed in 1931; at that time it boasted the largest individual seating capacity (78,189) of any outdoor arena in the world.

The demolition of Cleveland Municipal Stadium officially began in November 1996 and was complete by the following spring. In the fall of 1995, Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell decided to move the city's football team to Baltimore. Angry fans began the demolition process themselves during the Browns' final home game in 1995, tearing out seats and taking other pieces of Municipal Stadium with them as souvenirs, knowing it might be their last time in the stadium. 

Part of Mayor Michael White's deal with the National Football League to bring an expansion team to the city included the building of a new stadium. The old stadium would be torn down to make way for a new lakefront facility. Coincidentally, Cleveland's Osborn Engineering Company, which, along with architectural firm Walker and Weeks, had been the main designer of Municipal Stadium, oversaw the demolition of the stadium that it had so proudly helped build more than 65 years earlier.

I saw a few Browns games here in the 40's, not sure who or when. Also saw a few of their last games. The memories that stand out the most ......... C  O  L  D   so cold. My last game was with my son Brad and a friend of his whose Mom had gotten us tickets, so cold. I remember listening on the radio to the Browns since they started. Forget the announcers.

More History

Paul Brown

On November 6, 1995, Art Modell, who had purchased the Browns in 1961, announced he was relocating the franchise to Baltimore, Maryland after the season. Baltimore had been without an NFL franchise since the Colts' controversial relocation to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1984.

Modell had signed an agreement to lease Cleveland Municipal Stadium from the city for 25 years and assumed its operating expenses. Stadium Corporation was founded for this purpose.

But by the 1990's, Modell insisted he was deep in debt, and that the rent he lost when Major League Baseball (MLB's) Cleveland Indians moved into the new Jacobs Field after the 1993 season only exacerbated his financial difficulties. He also claimed that he'd been denied a new stadium from the city and county. However, shortly after Modell's death at age 87 on September 6, 2012, it was revealed that he actually was offered a new stadium long before he made the decision to relocate.

The reaction was immediate and profound. Numerous lawsuits, notably a breach of contract suit concerning Modell violating the terms of his stadium lease, were filed in an attempt to halt the relocation. Ultimately, an unprecedented compromise was reached whereby Modell was allowed to relocate the Cleveland Browns, but he relinquished rights to the Browns' name, colors, logos, and history; they were kept in trust for a new future Browns team — either an expansion team or an existing team which would relocate to Cleveland — and the Browns' operations were suspended for three seasons.

During this period, Cleveland Municipal Stadium was demolished and Cleveland Browns Stadium (now FirstEnergy Stadium) was built on the site. The late Al Lerner, a former friend and former business partner of Art Modell's, was approved as owner. Modell's franchise was named the Baltimore Ravens.

Some History


The Chicago Bears were the champions the year I was born, 1932.

The Cleveland Browns were founded in 1945 by businessman Arthur B. “Mickey” McBride as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), which began play the following year. They were named for their first head coach, Paul Brown. The Browns dominated the AAFC, compiling a 47-4-3 record over its four active seasons and winning the championship in each of them. Following the AAFC's demise after the 1949 season, the Cleveland Browns were one of three franchises invited to join the NFL (the others were the San Francisco 49ers and the original Baltimore Colts). The Browns won a championship in their inaugural NFL season, as well as in the 1954, 1955, and 1964 seasons. From 1965 to 1995, they made the playoffs 14 times, but to date, have never won another championship and have never appeared in a Super Bowl.

Roster


#NAMEPOS.HT.WT.AGEEXP.COLLEGE
63Adams, AaronOL6-530524REastern Kentucky
65Adams, KendrickDL6-5250241Louisiana State
78Alford, DominicOL6-3320251Minnesota
37Aubrey, JoshDB5-1020022RStephen F. Austin
34Auguste, AkeemDB5-1018523RSouth Carolina
24Bademosi, JohnsonDB6-0200232Stanford
82Barnidge, GaryTE6-5250276Louisville
80Benjamin, TravisWR5-10175232Miami (Fla.)
15Bess, DavoneWR5-10190276Hawaii
8Bogotay, BrandonK6-320724RGeorgia
38Bolen, BrockFB6-0232284Louisville
95Bryant, ArmontyDL6-426523REast Central (OK) University
92Bryant, DesmondDT6-6310275Harvard
79Butler, RashadOL6-4310308Miami (Fla.)
84Cameron, JordanTE6-5245253USC
17Campbell, JasonQB6-5230319Auburn
59Carder, TankLB6-2235242Texas Christian
68Cave, BraxstonOL6-330524RNotre Dame
41Cole, JustinLB6-3242254San Jose State
2Conley, T.J.P6-3215272Idaho
88Cooper, JoshWR5-10190242Oklahoma State
75Cousins, OnielOL6-4315296Texas-El Paso
89Croom, DominiqueWR6-219022RCentral Arkansas
91Davis, HallDL6-4270261Louisiana-Lafayette
81Davis, KellenTE6-7265276Michigan State
86Edwards, MikeWR5-1120023RUTEP
70Faulk, ChrisOL6-633023RLouisiana State
58Fort, L.J.LB6-0230232Northern Iowa
65Gilkey, GarrettOL6-632023RChadron State
39Gipson, TashaunDB5-11205232Wyoming
12Gordon, JoshWR6-3225222Baylor
7Graham, ShayneK6-02103512Virginia Tech
77Greco, JohnOL6-4315286Toledo
87Gronkowski, DanTE6-5255283Maryland
54Groves, QuentinLB6-3265296Auburn
9Gurley, ToriWR6-4230251South Carolina
23Haden, JoeDB5-11190244Florida
20Hardesty, MontarioRB6-0225264Tennessee
61Hauptmann, CaylinOL6-330022RFlorida International
6Hoyer, BrianQB6-2215275Michigan State
93Hughes, JohnDT6-2320252Cincinnati
27Jackson, BrandonRB5-10216276Nebraska
52Jackson, D'QwellLB6-0240298Maryland
94Jean-Baptiste, NicolasDL6-1330241Baylor
50Johnson, James-MichaelLB6-1240232Nevada
40Kanneh, AbdulDB5-1018522RNew Mexico-Highlands
31Kearney, VernonDB6-218524RLane College
67Kitchen, Ishmaa'ilyDL6-1330242Kent State
69Kruger, DaveDL6-528523RUtah
99Kruger, PaulLB6-4270275Utah
5Lanning, SpencerP5-11200251South Carolina
66Lauvao, ShawnOL6-3315254Arizona State
28Lewis, DionRB5-8195223Pittsburgh
18Little, GregWR6-2220243North Carolina
55Mack, AlexOL6-4311275California
48Marecic, OwenFB6-0245243Stanford
35Maysonet, MiguelRB5-1021023RStony Brook
29McFadden, LeonDB5-919522RSan Diego State
60Miller, RyanOL6-7320242Colorado
51Mingo, BarkeviousLB6-424022RLSU
11Nelson, DavidWR6-5214264Florida
10Norwood, JordanWR5-11180263Penn State
25Ogbonnaya, ChrisRB6-0225274Texas
21Owens, ChrisDB5-9180265San Jose State
62Pinkston, JasonOL6-4305253Pittsburgh
38Richardson, KentDB5-1120026RWest Virginia
33Richardson, TrentRB5-9230232Alabama
83Roberson, CordellWR6-420522RStephen F. Austin
53Robertson, CraigLB6-1234252North Texas
85Roosevelt, NaamanWR6-0200253Buffalo
71Rubin, AhtybaDL6-2330276Iowa State
70Sanford, BrianDL6-2280253Temple
72Schwartz, MitchellOL6-5320242California
74Shaw, JarrodOL6-3316252Tennessee
97Sheard, JabaalLB6-2255243Pittsburgh
22Skrine, BusterDB5-9185243Tennessee-Chattanooga
30Slaughter, JamorisDB6-019023RNotre Dame
47Smelley, BradTE6-2235241Alabama
42Smith, TommyLB6-124022RBoise State
44Staples, JustinDL6-424523RIllinois
49Tannahill, TravisTE6-425523RKansas State
98Taylor, PhilDL6-3335253Baylor
73Thomas, JoeOL6-6312287Wisconsin
26Wade, TrevinDB5-10190242Arizona
36Walker, KenronteDB6-021023RMissouri
64Wallace, MartinOL6-630523RTemple
43Ward, T. J.DB5-10200264Oregon
3Weeden, BrandonQB6-3220292Oklahoma State
90Winn, BillyDL6-4295242Boise State
57Yount, ChristianLS6-1256253UCLA