Josh Cribbs had a few nice things to say about two Baltimore Ravens assistants. he should have. Cribbs, Cleveland Browns return specialist and wide receiver, owes plenty to Ravens assistant coaches Jerry Rosburg and Dean Pees. Baltimore Sun reporter Ed Lee writes how In 2005, Cribbs signed with the Browns as an undrafted rookie, with the help from then Browns special teams...
Joe Haden (left) bats the football away from intended receiver Joshua Cribbs during a Browns scrimmage over the summer.
Josh Cribbs had a few nice things to say about two Baltimore Ravens assistants. he should have. Cribbs, Cleveland Browns return specialist and wide receiver, owes plenty to Ravens assistant coaches Jerry Rosburg and Dean Pees.
Baltimore Sun reporter Ed Lee writes how In 2005, Cribbs signed with the Browns as an undrafted rookie, with the help from then Browns special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg.
“He started my career,” Cribbs said of Rosburg. “He gave me my drive and he set me off on a path. He’s the one who told me I could be a great player, that I can be one of the greats. He watched me in college and he gave me a name. He told me, ‘Brian Mitchell.’ And he knew I was from Washington, D.C., and I grew up watching Brian Mitchell. He said Brian Mitchell played quarterback and came in and made a career out of returning kickoffs and when he got on offense, he made plays. That’s who I’m trying to emulate my career after and try to surpass. I want to do better than him and make a name for myself in the process. We still live by [Rosburg’s] coaching in the way we play.”
At Kent State, Cribbs played for current Ravens linebackers coach Dean Pees.
“He was like a second father to me,” Cribbs said. “So I know he’s not going to hurt me too bad."
Laying down the law
Cleveland Browns tight end Evan Moore suffered a hit last Sunday against Kansas City that he didn't believe at the time was a big deal.
He found out later that it was.
Ohio.com reporter Stephanie Storm writes:
''When it first happened, I felt fine,'' Moore said Thursday. ''I went back out on the field two plays later. [But] when I hit full speed; I definitely had a real bad dizzy spell.''
But Storm wonders with all the attention paid these days to concussions in the NFL, including reminders plastered on the walls of all its locker rooms, it's a wonder Moore was allowed to return to the game.
Moore did not seem troubled that the doctors allowed him to return at first.
''Honestly, no one is going to protect this head more than I am,'' Moore said on the same day that Congress was presented with the risks of permanent brain damage to athletes who aren't properly protected from head trauma. ''I don't need the coaches to tell me. Even if they said go back in, I wouldn't go back in. . . . I love football, but I'm not going to do it. When you start talking about putting your head at risk, it's not happening."
Moore knows there's life after football, and Moore will make sure he takes care of himself now, so he can take care of himself later.
''I'll probably go to law school. I don't know how long I'm gonna play, but I hope I play for a long time so I can put myself through law school.''
Poor approval rating
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 2-0 and ESPN's James Walker writes how Mike Tomlin has the highest approval rating (73 percent) among coaches in the AFC North, and coach Eric Mangini has the lowest (21 percent).
Skinny: Living in Cleveland, I can tell you there is a lot of unhappiness with the Browns' execution in the first two weeks. Although this team doesn't have much talent, the coaching, particularly in the second half, isn't helping. An upset win Sunday over the Ravens would definitely increase Mangini's popularity.
Davis misses friend
Cleveland Browns running back James Davis was friends with Kenny McKinley, the Denver Broncos receiver who committed suicide earlier this week.
They became friends in high school and stayed close while in college, Davis at Clemson and McKinley at South Carolina.
CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk writes how it sobers Davis to think that the last time he will see McKinley will be in a casket, if the Browns allow him to attend the funeral on Monday.
McKinley was found dead in his home this week, having taken his life with a gun, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s office in Colorado.
Davis says he was stunned when he heard the sad news. He has no idea what happened, and could only speak for himself about the difficulties of trying to fight his way up in the NFL.