Monday, May 19, 2014

Some Thoughts on a Monday Morning

The sun is just starting to peak out as I start typing this. After a long winter and a very wet spring any time the sun comes out it is a welcomed sight. It is funny how everyone's mood improves once the sun comes out. I hope this lasts a while !

Here's my Monday morning thoughts:


  • I have really cut down on my coffee consumption the past couple weeks. I have to say that it has made me feel better, both physically and mentally . I am less on edge  and my stomach has felt better as well. One or two cups a day is all I allow myself now. 
  • I have another week until I have to buckle down and start training for the Erie Marathon. I have enjoyed my runs the past couple weeks , I have just gone out and ran with no real goal in mind, but to run. This is my time to myself, time to reflect on what is going in my life, time to run off any stress that has been in my life. It is also my church, time to give thanks for all that I have in my life that is good. I have said this before , it is when I feel closer to God.
  • I have to say that a part of me is starting to get excited about Johnny Manziel being on the Cleveland Browns. I still think our best chance at success this year is with Brian Hoyer at quarterback , but there is a level of excitement that Manziel brings that my fellow Browns fans haven't felt in a VERY long time. 


  • Staying with NFL draft reaction , I am also interested in the Michael Sam . For those of you living under a rock for the past few months he is the first openly gay player to play in the NFL. I hope he is successful, but what makes me curious is why did he drop so far in the draft? Before he came out and said he was gay , he was projected as a 3rd or 4th round draft pick, then he had a bad performance at the NFL combine and he dropped on most people's draft boards. My curiosity about this is did he drop that far because of the combine or was it another reason . I think it was because of the media attention that was given to Sam. I think most NFL teams decided not to invite the media storm that follows Sam into their locker room. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, if he makes the team or not. He is listed as a defensive lineman , and the ST. Louis Rams have a lot of depth at that position already . 
  •  I really am sick of politics. I would love to live in a country where people can discuss their differences in opinion in a respectful manner, but unfortunately we don't. Politics is a place where people's hate truly comes out.

I think that is for today. Need to get out and mow my lawn and do some other things around the house (like nap)


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me if you want to respond to anything I have said.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Draft Day - 1st Round thoughts on the Browns

I really wanted Sammy Watkins, the wide receiver out of Clemson. I wanted Derrick Carr , quarterback out of Fresno State.

I did not get my wish and I am trying to wrap my head around what the Browns did in the 1st round yesterday.After sleeping on it I am much more calm now about it and see the plan. Here are my thoughts.


  • Trading the number 4 pick to the Bills- Sammy Watkins was there for the taking , he would have looked great next to Josh Gordon, but in the end the Browns won this trade in my mind. The draft is deep on receivers and with the signing of Nate Burleson and Andrew Hawkins, our receiving corp is better than last year. Now having Buffalo's first round pick next year (which I believe will be a top 10 pick) will give us 2 first rounders again. This team is building to win right now and in the future.


  • Picking Justin Gilbert , cornerback from Oklahoma St.- We moved up 1 spot to get him and I am OK with that, we didn't really give away too much. This gives us 2 really good cornerbacks for the long term (if we can sign Joe Haden to a long term deal) . 


  • Johnny Manziel- The one player I did not want was Manziel, quarterback from Texas A&M . He is a small, scrambling quarterback that is bound to get hurt in the N.F.L. Plus he is a head case and could be a huge distraction for a rookie coach and a rookie G.M. The media will be all over the Browns , very much like they were all over Tebow when he played in the league. To make this work the Browns need to put Manziel 3rd on their depth chart behind Brian Hoyer and Vince Young. They need to fight the pressure from the media and fans to play him and have him learn about the N.F.L game. Next year you promote him to the # 2 position and in year 3 give him a shot at the starting job. Hopefully by then he will have the maturity and knowledge to be an effective QB in the N.F.L.
Overall I am ok with what the Browns did yesterday and am excited to see what today's pick will bring. Hopefully a weapon for the Browns offense . One thing for sure, it will be hard to top the excitement that the Browns gave us yesterday!