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Browns vs. Colts: In-game chat and post-game show

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Join cleveland.com's live chat during the Browns vs. Colts game today at 1 p.m. Interact with cleveland.com producer Joey Morona and The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff as they describe the action on the field and post scoring updates.

Colt McCoy apJoin cleveland.com in-game chat at 1 p.m.

Join cleveland.com's live chat during the Browns vs. Colts game today at 1 p.m.  Interact with cleveland.com producer Joey Morona and The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff as they describe the action on the field and post scoring updates.

You can also get updates from The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot on Twitter and in their in-game blog.

After the game, stay tuned to listen to Manoloff and Morona break down the game and take your chat room comments and questions.

Enter your name and log onto the chat room below. Java is required to participate in the chat. Download it here

Note: To turn off audio alerts, click on round button on bottom left of chat room and click on preferences.

audio Live audio: Click on play about 10 minutes after the end of the game to listen to our live post-game show with The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff.


Cleveland Browns falling behind early, 3-0 -- Tony's take

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Colts move the ball early, but Browns defense keeps Indy out of the end zone.

collie-colts-patt-vert-ap.jpgView full sizeAustin Collie and the Colts moved the ball effectively against Dimitri Patterson and the Browns in the first quarter Sunday.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Notes, observations and some facts on the first quarter ...

• Colts come out in a measured, no-huddle. Bit of a surprise, but Kerry Collins is in no hurry. Browns defensive ends switched sides, Jayme Mitchell to right and Jabaal Sheard to left.

• Biggest play of the drive, Joe Haden interferes with Pierre Garcon on third-down incompletion. Haden also made illegal contact after beaten off the snap. The 34-yard penalty sets up Adam Vinatieri's field goal of 39 yards.

• Pat McAfee's kickoff is received 9 yards deep by Josh Cribbs. But he stays in the end zone for a touchback.

• Starting receivers are Mohamed Massaquoi and Josh Cribbs. But Brian Robiskie and Greg Little join Massaquoi after that.

• After two Peyton Hillis runs net 8 yards, Colt McCoy's sideline out pass goes through Mohamed Massaquoi's hands. Brad Maynard's first ever punt for the Browns was flawless -- 48 yards and a fair catch.

• On third down, Collins becomes a Rubin sandwich -- squashed for 7-yard sack by Ahtyba Rubin.

• Browns use two tight ends to help Peyton Hillis find some running room.

• After two first downs, Browns show two backs, two tight ends, one wideout on third-and-2 from Colts' 41. McCoy play-fakes and is annihilated on blind-side sack by Dwight Freeney, who beat Joe Thomas wide. McCoy's head snapped back on Freeney's hit.

• Collins has the Colts on the move again. He beats a Chris Gocong blitz for 19 yards to Reggie Wayne. Later, Wayne's 20-yard catch takes it inside the 20.

Colt McCoy leads a two-minute drill for score as Cleveland Browns lead at halftime, 14-9 -- Tony's take

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Browns red zone defense has forced three field goals and Colt McCoy leads two TD drives.

hillis-leap-colts-vert-ap.jpgView full sizePeyton Hillis gained 34 hard-earned yards -- and a touchdown in the final minute -- as the Browns took a halftime lead at Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Notes, observations and some facts on the second quarter ...

• Browns defense holds Adam Vinatieri to another short field goal.

• Josh Cribbs tackes the kickoff 7 yards deep and races to the left sideline. Kicker Pat McAfee knocks Cribbs out of bounds at the 45 -- a 52-yard return.

• On third-and-1, Browns line up Peyton Hillis as the fullback and Montario Hardesty behind him. Quick handoff to Hillis nets nothing.

• On fourth-and-1 from the Colts 46, Browns line up two tight ends and Hillis, then Hillis motions out of the backfield. Colt McCoy slams into the line for 2 yards on quarterback sneak.

• Third-and-7 from Colts 22: McCoy hits Mohamed Massaquoi for 8 and the first down.

• Browns commit first offensive penalty, holding on Artis Hicks.

• On third down from the 16, McCoy ran to his left to avoid pressure. Tight end Evan Moore sneaked to the right corner of the end zone and McCoy found him for the touchdown. Hillis was also open at the goal line. Browns convert the PAT and go up, 7-6.

• Pierre Garcon is scrapping with Joe Haden, drawing another penalty before a catch.

• T.J. Ward is equal to the task of covering Dallas Clark. Disrupts a pass at the Browns' 15.

• Vinatieri hits his third field goal, from 52 yards, for 9-7 Colts lead. Each of the Colts' three field goal drives have been stopped on the ninth play.

• McCoy avoids a pick-six when cornerback Jerraud Powers fails to come down with a pass for Greg Little after jumping the route.

• McCoy converts a third-and-8 when he quickly delivers to Josh Cribbs in the slot, and Cribbs scoots 25 yards to the Colts' 36. McCoy doing the two-minute thing pretty well here.

• Massaquoi makes a good catch adjusting to McCoy's scramble to the right. McCoy fires for Massaquoi, who's covered by Jacob Lacey, and Massaquoi steals the ball at the 1.

• Peyton Hillis appears to get over the plane on second and third effort while wrapped and hit by three defenders. Officials signal TD, but play is reviewed and ruling is Hillis' left knee touched the ground before he nudged over.

• From inside the 1, Hillis finishes the job by blasting into a hole over left guard. Browns go to locker room ahead, 14-9.

Terry Pluto's halftime scribbles from Cleveland Browns-Indianapolis Colts

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Breaking down what worked and what didn't for the Browns in the first half at Indianapolis.

freeney-chase-mccoy-vert-ap.jpgView full sizeColt McCoy didn't sense the closing Dwight Freeney on this first-quarter pass play. Freeney's hit forced a fumble, which was recovered by the Browns' Joe Thomas but ended a promising drive.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Some halftime scribbles as the Browns take a 14-9 lead on the Colts.

Things I liked about the first half:

1. Phil Taylor has been a monster in the middle of the line. He batted down a pass, stopped a couple of runs. The 335-pound rookie from Baylor looks quick on this artificial turf.

2. Joshua Cribbs ran back a kick for 51 yards. He looks strong on special teams in the first two games.

3. A terrific pass off the run from Colt McCoy to Mr. Touchdown, Evan Moore -- the tight end making a superb diving grab in the corner of the end zone.

4. Veteran Brad Maynard punting like an adult, his first two boots were 48 and 42 yards with no returns.

5. Peyton Hillis running with some authority.

6. No stupid false starts or offside penalties. Nice job cleaning that up after four in Week One.

7. McCoy hooked up twice with Mohamed Massaquoi on quick strike passes for first downs.

8. A great catch by Massaquoi for 28 yards, to set up the 1-yard Hillis touchdown run at the end of the first half. Massaquoi caught the ball when covered by two defenders, but used his strength to hang on to the ball.

9. McCoy seems more comfortable and confident in the offense than last week.

10. The Browns defense allowed three field goals, but did keep the Colts out of the end zone.

Things I didn't like:

1. On their first drive, the Colts showed some of those short, quick passes that the Browns want from their offense. Then they took a shot down field, and Joe Haden was flagged for a 34-yard pass interference penalty. The drive was 10 plays, 67 yards with 34 on the penalty. But Haden was behind his receiver and clearly did drag him down with his right hand.

2. Haden also was flagged for another penalty in the second quarter -- he is having major problems covering Mount Union's Pierre Garcon, who drew both flags.

3. It was 3rd-and-2 on the Colts 41, and the Browns tried to throw long. Yes, it can be a good idea. But McCoy seemed to hold the ball a long time. Joe Thomas struggled with Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney. After a few seconds, McCoy needed to throw a short pass to someone for the two yards and keep the drive alive. Instead, he kept looking downfield -- and was belted in the back by Freeney. The result was a fumble (recovered by Thomas) and a 14-yard loss.

4. In the second quarter, the Browns had a fourth-and-inches on the Colts' 46. They ran a sneak to McCoy, who picked up the first down. But I hate that play (it came out of an empty backfield) because of the injury risk to a small quarterback such as McCoy. I do like Pat Shurmur being aggressive and going for it.

5. The Browns blitzed twice with Chris Gocong, and both times Collins completed passes to the vacated area. He really is not a strong pass rusher because of his lack of quickness.

6. After Collins was knocked around and sacked three times at Tennessee, the Browns were not able to get much pressure on him.

Tribe sends $20K to Twins to complete Thome deal: Indians Chatter

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Travis Hafner showing better speed, Jeanmar Gomez impressing.

thome-dugout-tribe-2011-cc.jpgView full sizeThe Indians paid a small price to acquire Jim Thome in the final weeks of the season.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Clubhouse confidential: What price Jim Thome?

The Indians completed the trade for Thome on Sunday by sending the Twins $20,000. When the Indians acquired Thome on Aug. 25, it was for cash or a player to be named.

"We talked about a number of different things with the Twins and this is what we came up with," said GM Chris Antonetti.

Just guessing, but it seems as if Thome has increased the Indians ticket sales by at least $20,000 since the trade.

On the run: In the second inning Saturday, Travis Hafner walked and scored from first on Matt LaPorta's double into the right field corner. Hafner has been playing on a sore right foot since the end of April. In August it put him on the disabled list.

"It's been a while since I've done that," said Hafner. "Probably since April. That's as fast as I can run right now."

Stat of the day: Jeanmar Gomez, since his Aug. 30th recall from Class AAA Columbus, is 4-0 with a 1.88 ERA (five earned runs in 24 innings).

Cleveland Indians trail Twins, 1-0, after 3 innings

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The Twins, with Carl Pavano on the mound, scratch out a 1-0 lead on a ground out in the second inning.

carl-pavano-ap.JPGView full sizeCarl Pavano was looking to continue his history of success against his old team as the Indians go for the sweep Sunday at Target Field.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The Twins lead the Indians, 1-0, Sunday at Target Field after three innings.

Rookie Joe Benson drove in his first run in the big leagues with a ground out to third to score another rookie, Luke Hughes, from third in the second inning. Hughes opened the second with a single off Justin Masterson to end an 0-for-11 slump. Brian Dinkelman, yet another rookie, sent Hughes to third with a single through the right side.

Carl Pavano started for the Twins and held the Indians to two runs through the first three innings. Lou Marson opened the third with an infield hit. He went to second on Kosuke Fukudome's ground out, but Pavano retired the next two batters.

Masterson entered the game with at 0-4 career record against the Twins. Pavano was 3-2 lifetime against the Indians.

A light mist fell through the first three innings.

Cleveland Browns holding on as Colts can't find end zone -- Tony's take

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Peyton Hillis' fumble ends one drive. Browns defense toughens again inside red zone.

mccoy-scramble-squ-colts-2011-ap.jpgView full sizeColt McCoy's ability to scramble and buy time for his receivers directly led to both of the Browns' first two touchdowns Sunday against the Colts.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Notes, observations and some facts on the third quarter ...

• On third-down incompletion for Greg Little, linebacker Nate Triplett is flagged for pass interference.

• A long drive here could make the Colts real nervous.

• Colt McCoy scrambles for nine yards for a first down at the Colts' 44-yard line. Peyton Hillis runs with handoff. Defensive tackle Antonio Johnson strips the ball. Safety Antoine Bethea recovers at the Colts' 40.

• Now it's the Joseph Addai show. Eight yards with a catch, five on a run, 15 on a run, and then seven more.

• Delone Carter gives Addai a rest and runs for 12 to the Browns' 13.

• A Jabaal Sheard sighting. Reads the handoff and drags Carter for 5-yard loss.

• For the fourth time, Kerry Collins fails to take the ball into the end zone. Linebacker Chris Gocong and safety T.J. Ward had breakups on second and third down. Adam Vinatieri's fourth field goal, from 36 yards, closes Browns' lead to 14-12.

• You just feel another Browns score will put the Colts away. Let's see. McCoy gets two first downs on passes to Greg Little and Alex Smith. Ball at the 50 with third quarter winding down.

• Drive fizzles when Antoine Bethea tackles Hillis for loss of 1 after an ill-advised play-action pass and breaks up a hanging ball for Mohamed Massaquoi.

• Joe Haden, who's already been called for three penalties, gets lucky when the official swallows his whistle on long incompletion for Pierre Garcon. Haden was all over him and knocked him down.

• On the next play, Reggie Wayne appeared to be dragged down by T.J. Ward on another long incompletion. The big scoreboards give a pretty good view of it. Crowd is miffed.

• Jason Pinkston false start. First one of those today.

• McCoy's third-down pass on the run goes off Mohamed Massaquoi's shoulder. Massaquoi was on his knees and in position, but a defender was bearing on him.

Miami deals Ohio State (and its fans) a heavy dose of realism: National College Football Insider

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If you're fuming about Ohio State's loss at Miami, it's because your expectations for this team, in this situation, were unrealistic.

osu-bauserman-pressure-miami-squ-mct.jpgView full sizeJoe Bauserman (left) and the Ohio State offense appeared overmatched for most of Saturday night's loss to Adewale Ojomo and the Miami Hurricanes. The obvious weaknesses of the 2011 Buckeyes are something die-hard fans will have to accept, says Doug Lesmerises.

MIAMI, Fla. -- Ohio State fans who didn't believe a first-year starting quarterback and a first-year head coach could conspire to cost the Buckeyes a game or two this season were hoping against hope.

Neither position is easy. No other positions do more to determine the fate of a team. One can save the other at times, but not when neither has been there before.

The OSU fans most frustrated right now are probably those who predicted a 10- or 11-win regular season for the Buckeyes based on the familiar winning elixir: the uniforms, a talent edge and the relative inability of opponents to make Ohio State pay for its imperfections.

Laundry is laundry. But the talent has been sapped to the point where any team among the best 50 or so in the country has a crack at the Buckeyes right now. The guess here is that the 24-6 loss to Miami isn't the first step toward a 6-6 season any more than the 42-0 win over Akron was the first step toward 12-0.

It can't get much worse. A defense can't give up more than 14 points on the first two drives of the game, and an offense can't throw 22 passes for fewer than 35 yards unless receivers start running backwards.

"You can't really win big games, especially playing great teams like Miami, doing things like that," OSU right tackle J.B. Shugarts said.

The problem is that with Michigan State (which did stumble through a loss to Notre Dame), Nebraska, Illinois and Wisconsin, the Buckeyes' next four games after their upcoming contest with Colorado are all against teams probably better than Miami.

Quarterback question: The guess at what the Buckeyes will do at quarterback next week is also what I think they should do: play both Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller, but start Miller. Something like a rotation of two series for Miller, then one for Bauserman, sounds about right.

Ohio State shouldn't kick Bauserman to the curb, because he may be needed. Miller is, understandably, going to commit some turnovers, and with his running ability, he's going to take some hits and could be forced out of the game by some minor injuries.

But, obviously, the rotation Saturday night wasn't properly balanced. Bauserman took 37 snaps, and the Ohio State offense gained 94 yards, a 2.5-yard average. Miller took 18 snaps, and the Ohio State offense gained 115 yards, a 6.4-yard average. But Miller also fumbled twice, losing one, and threw an interception. Bauserman didn't have a turnover. But more Miller is clearly needed.

Run it: Down, 17-6, and with the ball for the first time in the second half on their own 43-yardline, the Buckeyes were in a situation Saturday night to run, run, run.

"I felt like me and Jordan [Hall] were doing a great job on the run game, so I felt we should have just come out and ran at them," tailback Carlos Hyde said. "We should have manned up and ran straight at them, see if they could stop us.

"I think it would have worked. I mean, to me, I don't think they were stopping us on the run, so I feel like it probably would have worked."

For three plays it did work, at least a bit. Hyde gained seven yards, followed by two and one on three carries for a first down. Then the Buckeyes called three straight passes and punted. After those three runs, they ran nine more plays in the third quarter, seven passes and two runs for a total of minus-4 yards.

The problem was Hall, who was running well, was out with cramps and didn't play in the third quarter.

"It was very frustrating," Hall said after the loss. "I'm still frustrated."

So Hyde, Jaamal Berry or Rod Smith were the options. But compared to the OSU passing game, which resembled throwing against a brick wall, any running was a better choice.

"I feel like we tried to run the ball as well as we could," center Mike Brewster said. "I thought we had some success. But you can only run so often."

For the game, Ohio State ran 37 times for 190 yards and threw 18 passes and completed four for 35 yards. That's twice as many runs as throws, but in the end, even 18 passes may have been too many.

Position questions: Quarterback isn't the only position to examine this week. A few battles among the other 22 starters might be warranted.

Among them:

• Receiver (Keep Verlon Reed and Chris Fields as the starters if Corey "Philly" Brown remains out, or use more of freshmen Devin Smith and Evan Spencer?)

• Safety (Retain starter Orhian Johnson or use more of Christian Bryant, who, as we wrote in the preseason, is likely one of the Buckeyes' best 11 defenders?)

• Right guard (Marcus Hall or Corey Linsley?)

• Running back (Is a rotation of Hall and Hyde the way to go, or should the rotation expand to include Berry or Smith, or even contract, to focus more on Hall?)


Buckeye leaves: News, notes and leftover tidbits after Ohio State-Miami

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Ohio State dropped out of the AP top 25 for the first time since 2004, ending the longest streak in the nation of top 25 appearances.

osu-hall-scoreboard-miami-horiz-ap.jpgView full sizeJordan Hall appeared to not believe his eyes as he checked out the scoreboard in the late moments of Saturday's loss to Miami.

MIAMI -- Ohio State dropped out of the AP top 25 for the first time since 2004, ending the longest streak in the nation of top 25 appearances. The Buckeyes had been ranked for 103 straight weeks. The Buckeyes still got some votes, and were 26th in the coaches poll and 32nd in the AP. ...

Braxton Miller did say he felt like he let down Buckeye Nation after the loss to Miami, but he was matter-of-fact when he said it. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor needed assistant coach Nick Siciliano to pat him on the back and tell him it wasn't his fault after Pryor's first loss as a freshman starter against Penn State in 2008. This wasn't anything like that. ...

Ohio State is ninth in the Big Ten and 96th in the nation in passing yardage, averaging 173 yards per game. ...

Redshirt freshman cornerback Bradley Roby picked off Miami quarterback Jacory Harris when he continued to sink back in coverage and made a nice play, but he also allowed the Hurricanes' second touchdown when he was beaten on a 3-yard fade to the end zone that wasn't thrown all that well.

"I was in press-man and I should have looked back for the ball," Roby said. "He kind of got me off the line and I should have looked back for the ball, but I didn't. It was just a stupid mistake." ...

The Buckeyes are still No. 14 in the nation and third in the Big Ten in total defense, giving up 264 yards per game. ...

Ohio State senior quarterback Joe Bauserman looks like he can be too careful at times, reluctant to squeeze a pass into any kind of coverage. "Some of the things I didn't like and I didn't want to force it," Bauserman said. "You don't want to turn the ball over, especially to a team like that."

By the way, as for the troubles in the passing game, Bauserman said it wasn't because the defense was confusing him. "We didn't see a ton of crazy defenses or a bunch of blitzes," he said. "We just didn't execute." ... Bauserman is 69th in the nation in passing efficiency. He had been No. 3 after the first week of the season. ...

Punter Ben Buchanan may have had the best game of any Buckeye. He averaged 46.5 yards on six punts. He pinned Miami at the 4, 10 and 12 yard lines, and the punt to the 4 was a 60-yarder that followed a penalty that wiped out his first punt to the 7. ...

All four Ohio State completions were to running backs. Jordan Hall, Carlos Hyde, Jaamal Berry and Rod Smith each had one catch.

Big Ten Bits

What was looking like a potentially rough week wound up at 9-3 for the league, but it could have been much worse.

Besides Ohio State's loss to Miami, Michigan State fell to Notre Dame and Northwestern went down to Army. But without the biggest comeback in Iowa history, with the Hawkeyes edging Pitt, 31-27, and Penn State managing to finally dispense with Temple in a 14-10 victory, a lot of potential Big Ten contenders would have wound up on the wrong side of the scoreboard.

Wisconsin has looked like the conference's best team, by far, and Nebraska is No. 2. But who's third best? Illinois would get this vote for now, though Michigan is higher in both polls and the coaches, inexplicably, ranked 2-1 Michigan State but left the Illini unranked. ...

The three leading rushers in the conference are quarterbacks: Michigan's Denard Robinson, Nebraska's Taylor Martinez and Minnesota's MarQueis Gray. They are all over 100 rushing yards per game. No Big Ten running back is. ... Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson is No. 2 in the nation in passing efficiency and Illinois' Nathan Scheelhaase is sixth. ...

B.J. Cunningham of Michigan State leads the conference with 120 receiving yards per game. The highest-ranked Buckeye is Devin Smith at No. 21, averaging 40. ...

Only two teams are among the top 30 in the nation is scoring: Wisconsin is 11th, averaging 45 points, and Nebraska is 13th, averaging 44.3. ... In three wins, Wisconsin has forced only one turnover, the fewest in the league. Iowa and Illinois have both forced eight turnovers. ...

The Illini lead the way with 3.7 sacks per game, while Ohio State is second, averaging three per game.

Cleveland Browns P.M. links: What's being said about Browns' 27-19 win over the Colts at Indianapolis

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Browns got contributions from virtually all position groups to even their record. Links to numerous Browns stories.

kerry-collins-ahtyba-rubin.jpgBrowns defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin sacks Colts quarterback Kerry Collins during Cleveland's 27-19 win at Indianapolis.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns get a 27-19 win over the Colts in Indianapolis, thus avoiding an 0-2 start to yet another season.

The Browns play the Miami Dolphins (1-1) next Sunday at Browns Stadium.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Tony Grossi's game story on the Browns' win over the Colts; Mary Kay Cabot's Browns Insider, highlighting the big plays of Browns kickoff-punt returner Josh Cribbs; Cabot's story that Browns tailback Peyton Hillis wanted to make up for a lost fumble, and did with a key touchdown run; Jodie Valade's story on the solid games by Browns defensive ends Jabaal Sheard and Jayme Mitchell; Terry Pluto's observations on the Browns' win over the Colts; and, much more.

Browns links   

Browns quarterback Colt McCoy, along with players such as rookie defensive linemen Phil Taylor and Jabaal Sheard, helped the Browns get their first win. By Daniel Wolf for the National Football Authority.

Comments on the Browns' game by Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.

Instant Browns vs. Colts recap, on the Dawgs By Nature blog.

The defense did as needed, by Don Delco for Scout.com's Orange and Brown Report.

Switching defensive ends pays off, and other Browns notes, by Jeff Schudel for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Jounral.

The Browns are happy with any win, Steve Doerschuk writes for the Canton Repository.

Colt McCoy got things going after a hit from Colts star defensive end Dwight Freeney, writes Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Sticking with the run pays off, and other Browns notes by Fred Greetham for Scout.com's Orange and Brown Report.

Browns notebook, highlighting the team's clutch defense, by Stephanie Storm for the Akron Beacon Journal.

Browns notes by Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.

Browns-Colts in-game analysis by Phillip B. Wilson for the Indianapolis Star.

 

 

Breaking down the win: Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot's analysis

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eyton Hillis, Colt McCoy and the Browns defense combined to give Pat Shurmur his first win as a NFL head coach, 27-19 over the Colts in Indianapolis. The Browns are 1-1, in a four-way tie atop the AFC North. Click on the video to the right for video analysis from The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot in the pressbox at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Watch video

Peyton Hillis, Colt McCoy and the Browns defense combined to give Pat Shurmur his first win as a NFL head coach, 27-19 over the Colts in Indianapolis. The Browns are 1-1, in a four-way tie atop the AFC North. Click on the video to the right for video analysis from The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot in the pressbox at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Browns Fan Chat: Talk about the win in our live chat room

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Did the Browns do enough against the Colts for you to climb off the ledge after the Week 1 debacle against the Bengals? Are you a Colt McCoy believer again? How did Pat Shurmur do in his second week as a NFL head coach? Talk about these topics and whatever you like with other fans in our open Browns Fan Chat room.

Browns beat the Colts, 27-19Pat Shurmur got his first win as a NFL head coach on Sunday.

Did the Browns do enough against the Colts for you to climb off the ledge after the Week 1 debacle against the Bengals? Are you a Colt McCoy believer again? How did Pat Shurmur do in his second week as a NFL head coach?

Talk about these topics and whatever you like with other fans in our open Browns Fan Chat room. Just remember to play nice with others.

Then at noon, listen and fire away with your questions for Tony Grossi as he'll join us for an audio chat. You can also stick around and listen to cleveland.com's new fan show where we'll feature your chat room comments and questions.

Tony Grossi chat will begin at noon followed by our fan show until 1 p.m.

Note: To turn off audio alerts, click on round button on bottom left of chat room and click on preferences.

Never enough former NFLers to get ESPN through the day

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Cable sports giant employs 26 ex-NFL players and coaches to chatter, babble, jabber, yammer, blather, prattle and rattle on during its never-ending NFL gab fests. Seems like a lot, doesn't it?

AX097_6CAB_9.JPGEric Mangini exchanged his coach's headset for a microphone, analyzing the NFL on ESPN this season.

Now, I understand that ESPN broadcasts around the clock, and there is a big family of ESPN networks, and all of those ESPNs cover the NFL 24/7/365. What I don’t understand, I guess, is why ESPN needs to employ 26 — 26! — ex-NFL players and coaches to chatter, babble, jabber, yammer, blather, prattle and rattle on during its never-ending NFL gab fests.

Uh, 26?

If it were up to me, I’d just bring in Artie Donovan and call it a day.

Best I can tell, ESPN is just about the only place in America hiring right now. The U.S. economy is bust, the ESPN economy is Boomtown. Heck, if Suzy Kolber were the First Lady, maybe there’d be no federal deficit.

(How much money does ESPN have? It just extended its “Monday Night Football” deal at the cost of $1.9 billion a year. This means two things: Hank Williams Jr. doesn’t have to look for work until 2021, and your cable bill is about to go up again.)

ESPN’s stable of NFL analysts is so large, it could fill an NFL roster. In fact, it strikes me that ESPN is the NFL’s de facto 33rd franchise, except it never loses, and there are no luxury boxes in Bristol, Conn.

Ex-jocks used to open car dealerships. Now they just drive to ESPN and go to wardrobe.

ESPN even has an annual preseason training camp for its NFL analysts. Of course, they were locked out this year until ESPN successfully negotiated its “MNF” extension.

Here is the unofficial list of ESPN ex-NFL talking heads:

Eric Allen, Lomas Brown, Tedy Bruschi, Cris Carter, Trent Dilfer, Mike Ditka, Hugh Douglas, Herm Edwards, Mike Golic, Jon Gruden, Tim Hasselbeck, Merril Hoge, Tom Jackson, Ron Jaworski, Keyshawn Johnson, Eric Mangini, Bill Parcells, Antonio Pierce, Jerry Rice, Jon Ritchie, Mark Schlereth, Kordell Stewart, Marcellus Wiley, Darren Woodson, Damien Woody and Steve Young.

There are five former coaches — Ditka, Edwards, Gruden, Mangini and Parcells. To be honest, I didn’t even know Eric Mangini had ever spoken publicly. This is Parcells’ 17th or 18th stint in Bristol — he is a serial ESPN recidivist.

There are also five former quarterbacks, if you include Hasselbeck.

(I went to ESPN MediaZone — a place so large, you can get lost in there, like in the Brazilian rain forest or at Caesars Palace — to research the worldwide leader’s NFL workforce. I nearly died making that journey. Sure, you say, it’s just an online site. Please. Ever see “The Princess Bride”? The MediaZone is the Fire Swamp of the Internet; at any given point, you can be swallowed up by quicksand or confronted by Rodents of Unusual Size, which, oddly enough, is frighteningly similar to running into “SportsCenter” anchors at the mall.)

To accommodate all the extra bodies, ESPN has expanded its “Sunday NFL Countdown” pregame show to three hours. And — call me crazy — something tells me they won’t stop at three hours.

Frankly, at this point I would just attach a webcam to Chris Berman and follow him Sunday to Sunday, recording every waking thought he has about football and hoping he lives, breathes and eats (at Applebee’s) the NFL so much, he actually recites fantasy stats while talking in his sleep.

(Incidentally, intrepid “NFL Live” host Trey Wingo hasn’t been out of the studio since 2008. All his doctor and dental appointments are in studio; he even proposed to his wife in studio, using a TelePrompter. When he passes away, he has asked to be interred next to the craft-services table. Note: Wingo’s most recent vacation was in June 2005 — he went to Biosphere 2.)

Trust me, if ESPN were around when we put a man on the moon, there would have been three studios full of ex-NASA scientists and spacewalkers analyzing Apollo 11’s every move, with John Glenn debating Keyshawn Johnson on why Neil Armstrong took his first step with his left foot.

I also would have gotten a kick out of listening to, say, Matt Millen break down ESPN’s Total Astronaut Rating.

Ask The Slouch!

Q: Since Blake Griffin won the NBA Rookie of the Year award after being injured for an entire season, does that mean Greg Oden is the odds-on favorite for Rookie of the Year for the 2011-12 season? – Josh Brady, Milwaukee

A: I don't know why you would assume Greg Oden will ever play again (or that there will be a 2011-12 NBA season).

Q: If your alma mater is paying Ralph Friedgen to not coach, how much do we have to pay to get another alumnus to not write a column? – Andy Gefen, Bethesda, Md.

A: Make me an offer. (Make sure it includes Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk.)

Q: Can you identify the “.1 percent of germs” that cannot be killed by most hand sanitizers? – Keith Szafran, Wheeling, Ill.

A: Piers Morgan and Nancy Grace.

Q: Now that Tiger Woods appears to be a non-entity on the weekends of majors, do you think he'll start wearing his signature power-red shirts on Fridays next year in an effort to make the cut? – Don Dellinger, Vienna, Va.

A: Pay the man, Shirley.

You, too, can enter the $1.25 Ask The Slouch Cash Giveaway. Just e-mail asktheslouch@aol.com and, if your question is used, you win $1.25 in cash!

Norman Chad is a freelance writer in Los Angeles.


Cleveland Browns: Who were you most impressed with? Poll

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Who was the most impressive in the Cleveland Browns' victory over the Colts?

Browns camp 2011 Day 2Mike Holmgren and Cleveland Browns head coach Pat Shurmur.

The Cleveland Browns rebounded from a disappointing loss against the Cincinnati Bungals Bengals with an impressive victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Sure, the Colts played without Peyton Manning, but a win is still a win. There were plenty of good things that led to the Browns' victory, but what was most impressive?

Was it Peyton Hillis who regrouped after a fumble and closed the game out behind a 24-yard touchdown run? Or how about rookie end Jabaal Sheard who had a sack, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble? Josh Cribbs sparked the offense with a long kickoff return to spark a touchdown. T.J. Ward played well defensively, and new punter Brad Maynard was also impressive.

Cleveland Browns A.M. Links: Coach Pat Shurmur should get used to critical fans; all is well because the Browns won; Browns were stuck in the mud

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For now, all is well because the Cleveland Browns defeated the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. And for now, fans won't call for Pat Shurmur to get fired. Marla Ridenour of Ohio.com writes how after the Browns’ season-opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, emailers and radio talk show callers virtually screamed in unison that Pat Shurmur got outcoached. Talk like that...

peyton hillis 2.JPGPeyton Hillis

For now, all is well because the Cleveland Browns defeated the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. And for now, fans won't call for Pat Shurmur to get fired.

Marla Ridenour of Ohio.com writes how after the Browns’ season-opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, emailers and radio talk show callers virtually screamed in unison that Pat Shurmur got outcoached.

Talk like that comes with the territory here in Cleveland.

No matter how well versed in football or how well organized and professional a rookie coach is, there are some things he can’t learn until he’s in charge on a hectic sideline during a pressure-packed regular-season game.

And there are some responsibilities he should be willing to delegate.

That’s even more applicable in Shurmur’s case, because he’s calling his own plays, a subject he might want to discuss with Marty Schottenheimer.

Ridenour continues:

Shurmur’s staff should also help him realize that everything need not fall on him. He hired two former NFL coaches, Dick Jauron and Ray Rhodes, to serve as defensive coordinator and senior defensive assistant, respectively. Four of his assistants, the aforementioned two, defensive line coach Dwaine Board and linebackers coach Bill Davis, have been in the NFL for at least 20 years.

 More Browns

Terry Pluto writes on Cleveland.com how everything is great again in Brownsville because the Browns defeated the Colts on Sunday.

Coach Pat Shurmur's fears were eased after Colt McCoy regrouped from a huge sack, writes Marla Ridenour of Ohio.com.

Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald writes his column on the sights and sounds of the Browns vs. Colts on Sunday.

How about a batch of fresh brownies? Steve Doerschuk of CantonRep.com writes about Peyton Hillis, Colt McCoy and others in this notes column.

The Browns put it all together to get their first victory of the season, writes Scott Petrak in The Chronicle-Telegram.

The Browns started off stuck in the mud, but that all changed once they arrived in Indianapolis.


Talk Browns with Tony Grossi today at noon

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How important was it for this team to bounce back on the road? Is the balance on offense on Sunday something we should expect every week? Join us for a live Browns chat today at noon with The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi.

Tony Grossi new headshot use this oneView full sizeChat live with Tony Grossi every Monday at noon.

Join us for a live Browns chat today at noon with The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi.

How important was it for this team to bounce back on the road? Is the balance on offense on Sunday something we should expect every week?

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Tony's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in mp3 format.

Note: To turn off audio alerts, click on round button on bottom left of chat room and click on preferences.

Ohio State Buckeyes A.M. Links: The current players and staff can't take all of the blame; Ohio State falls out of ranking; no passing game; how did the former Buckeyes do?

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Blame last Saturday's loss on Terrelle Pryor and Jim Tresssel.

luke-fickell.jpgLuke Fickell

Rob Oller of The Columbus Dispatch writes how you can't blame last Saturday's loss to Miami all on the current staff and players.

There's actually reasons why former coach Jim Tressel, Terrelle Pryor and the other Buckeyes suspended for their part in trading autographs for tattoos are also to blame.

What played out in Miami simply is a ripple effect finally reaching OSU’s shore, writes Oller. Tressel lied and left. Pryor soon followed. The tidal wave finally is being felt.

Reason vs. reasons.

Reasons are plentiful. Ohio State’s defense allowed two quick touchdowns that put the Buckeyes’ broken wagon wheel of an offense in an early rut. The wobbly passing game could not dig out, burdened by quarterback play that appeared stuck in a blizzard.

That is no exaggeration. In the famous 1950 Snow Bowl between OSU and Michigan, the Buckeyes completed 3 of 18 passes for 25 yards. The numbers were only slightly improved in the Snow Birds Bowl against Miami, with Ohio State completing just 4 of 18 passes for 35 yards.

Around the Horse Shoe

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg ranks the teams in The Big Ten and guess which team is not number one?

Unfortunately, Toledo Blade reporter Matt Markey recaps how the Buckeyes didn't have a passing game against Miami.

Look at how some former Buckeyes did on Sunday in the NFL.

Quarterback play, or lack of QB play, raises plenty of questions for the Buckeyes.

Cribbs' critics awfully quiet - Browns Comment of the Day

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"Where are all of the haters who said Cribbs was done once he got paid? Never doubt for a minute that Cribbs isn't the real deal and believe that he always gives us his all." - conversedogrodo

josh-cribbs.JPGView full sizeJosh Cribbs is flashing some of the playmaking form he's shown in years past.

In response to the story 'Thirsty' Josh Cribbs quenches his thirst with big plays vs. Colts: Browns Insider, cleveland.com reader conversedogrodo is happy to see Cribbs doing well. This reader writes,

"Where are all of the haters who said Cribbs was done once he got paid? Never doubt for a minute that Cribbs isn't the real deal and believe that he always gives us his all."

To respond to conversedogrodo's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Cleveland Indians A.M. Links: A streak will end tonight; game stories

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A streak will end today when the Mariners visit the Tribe.

David HuffCleveland Indians starting pitcher David Huff.

A losing streak will end this evening when the Mariners face the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. It's a make up for their postponed game on May 15.

Seattle lefty Charlie Furbush will start and take his five-game losing streak tonight against David Huff, who has dropped three straight starts.

On MLB.com:

With the losses piling up that way, starting a winning streak -- or at least getting out of the loss column with a no-decision -- is a worthwhile goal for both lefties.

That fatigue could benefit Huff, coming off a rough four-inning outing against the Rangers. He allowed eight runs (three earned) on eight hits, a walk and two home runs, while striking out only one batter on Wednesday.

"I left too many pitches over the middle," Huff said after that outing.

 

 

 

Around the horn

Paul Hoynes writes how the Tribe rallied in the sixth to beat the Twins and complete the sweep.

Ohio.com reporter Sheldon Ocker writes about the Indians' rally in Minnesota.

Tribe take advantage of Twins' bullpen woes.

Hopeful for the Tribe in 2012 - Indians Comment of the Day

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"Just having fewer injuries and more experience for the youngsters will help improve this ball club next year. I think it's reasonable to expect Choo, Sizemore, Hafner and others to do better next year. Personally I do think they will pick up a few pieces this winter, namely a bat and possibly a starter." - dwain

acta.jpgView full sizeManny Acta's Indians have battled through plenty of injuries in 2011.

In response to the story Whether batters are left or right, Joe Smith has had the answers in 2011: Indians Insider, cleveland.com reader dwain thinks things are setting up nicely for the Tribe in 2012. This reader writes,

"Just having fewer injuries and more experience for the youngsters will help improve this ball club next year. I think it's reasonable to expect Choo, Sizemore, Hafner and others to do better next year. Personally I do think they will pick up a few pieces this winter, namely a bat and possibly a starter."

To respond to dwain's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

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