It's hard to embrace the Browns' trade of a playmaker, even a disgruntled one, on a team that has so few, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.
Mike Bell was a productive runner for the Super Bowl Saints a year ago, but has been anything but for the Eagles prior to Wednesday's trade to Cleveland. Bud Shaw says that entitles Browns fans to wonder exactly what the benefit was in letting Jerome Harrison out of Eric Mangini's dog house all the way to Philadelphia.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Giving Pittsburgh one less reason to worry...
New Browns' running back Mike Bell averaged 5.6 yards rushing this season in Philly.
Per game, not carry.
It's difficult to embrace the trade of a playmaker, even a disgruntled one, from a team that has so few, especially when the return on Jerome Harrison is a journeyman back like Bell.
To be fair, Bell played pretty well for New Orleans last year. But there has to be a good reason beyond Harrison's drop in production, right? Well, the deal that sent Harrison to Philly for Bell smacks of concern that Peyton Hillis' quad injury won't allow him to stay on the field.Hillis barely made it through against Atlanta. If Hillis can't break tackles against Pittsburgh, Eric Mangini decided he'd better find someone who can. There's been no recent evidence Harrison is that guy.
Mangini's dog house became an appropriate spot for Harrison, who rolled over and all but played dead Sunday. Harrison didn't act as if he had effort left to give the Browns, let alone the kind of star performances of last December.
Harrison's frustration was understandable after his finish to the 2009 season seemed to make absolutely no difference to Mangini. Or Tom Heckert, for that matter.
As good as Harrison was in those final four games, it's easy to see the attraction of Montario Hardesty's size and speed and Hillis' power and determination. But Bell? Much less so.
Now with Hillis hobbled, Mangini obviously didn't feel good about turning to Harrison, who rushed for six yards on six carries Sunday. Mangini, by the way, has denied Harrison was in his dog house.
Right.
Whatever you want to call it, Jerome Harrison is gone five weeks into a season that's becoming more of an uphill climb by the day.
"Lost in Translation," starring Shin-Soo Choo?
The Korean press (and Shin-Soo Choo, for that matter) can swing away all they want about wanting a "transfer," but there's absolutely no reason for the Indians to take this week's story about their right fielder particularly seriously, says Bud Shaw.A report in a Korean newspaper says Choo, the Indians' best player, hopes to "transfer" to a winning team.
Meanwhile, I would prefer if women routinely mistook me for a Calvin Klein model, as opposed to, you know, only occasionally. My chances are at least as good as Choo moving elsewhere anytime soon.
The quotes attributed to Choo are so tortured they seem suspect. Beyond that, the Indians control Choo for three more seasons.
"If I could move to a better team, I could generate a better record and improve more," Choo said in the report.
Huh?
(I once saw a hungry American reporter in Moscow try to ask a Soviet where he could get something to eat. He did so by pointing to his mouth. The man led him to a room and motioned for him to sit down. It was few minutes before the reporter realized he was sitting in a dentist's office.)
I'm not saying there was that much lost in translation. Choo is no doubt frustrated with losing. But he's in for more root canal before he can think about leaving here.
Choo is eligible for arbitration. The Indians would like to sign him to a long-term deal.
They are not in any danger of losing him. Unless he wants out of Cleveland so badly he transfers to a job in the Demilitarized Zone, there's no immediate reason to worry about him going anywhere.
What has Santonio Holmes done to make people question his judgment and character, except lots?
Plenty of athletes have supported agent Josh Luchs' claims about prospective pro talents receiving cash from Luchs and other agents while they were in college. Santonio Holmes is disputing the claims -- and there's no reason to disbelieve the former Buckeye, is there?Former Ohio State wide receiver Holmes denies the claim of former sports agent Josh Luchs, who says he offered Holmes money in 2005 but that Holmes told him he'd already been taking money from another agent for a couple of years.
Some players contacted by the magazine confirm Luchs claims about his dealings with them. As for Holmes, he's quoted in the story telling Luchs, "Listen, I want to save you the time. We don't need to meet. I've been taking money from [an agent] the last couple years, and he's been taking care of my family, too."
Holmes' history of legal issues don't make him guilty in this case. But if a suspended agent comes across more believable than you, you need an image consultant.
Now, if he can only remember which calf to put the protective sleeve on...
According to a published account, Miami Heat fans "gasped" when LeBron James grabbed his leg and left the court with a cramp Tuesday.
Where have these people been? Sean Penn didn't turn in as convincing an acting performance in "Dead Man Walking" as the Drama King did here for the last seven years.
SPINOFFS
The Chilean miners emerged from two months underground and issued a joint statement saying they felt "blessed" to have been rescued in time to take the Steelers and give the points this week...
Brett Favre hawking "real comfortable jeans" for Wrangler? Suddenly, that's a real uncomfortable commercial...
The headline said the Browns might have to go with "caveman football" against Pittsburgh. Like they were playing Jedi football against Atlanta?...
Give credit where it's due. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox showed great restraint in not getting ejected from his farewell ceremony...
YOU SAID IT
(The Expanded Mid-week Edition)"Bud:
"I'm just curious. Have you ever seen Eric Mangini and Eric Wedge in the same room together?" -- Martin M
Other than on stage at Hilarities, no.
"Bud:
"If you duff a shot in golf, follow up with a superb recovery shot, then make par, would you call it a 'Shaw's Shank Redemption'?" -- Big Al
I've only been golfing for 20 years and am unfamiliar with this term "par" you use.
"Hey Bud:
"Who stole Mangini's red flag? I bet it was that damn LeBron." -- Ed DiFiore
Give him a break. He needed it to wrap his elbow.
"Bud:
"Making the Browns as a fourth-string quarterback can't be too hard. What do you think?" -- Tom Hoffner
All you need is a cell phone and a little luck, like Brett Favre not sending you pictures when the Browns call.
"Bud:
"Do people in other NFL cities know that Cleveland has the best football fans?" -- Jason B
They would first have to know that Cleveland has football.
"Bud:
"Instead of a 'separated at birth,' how about a 'would you rather' for this week? Would you rather ... watch a replay of the 1999 Browns opener vs. Pittsburgh or watch the Browns game this week?" -- Tom, Parma
Is this meant for me or Colt McCoy?
"Bud:
"I saw an article that the Indians gave promotions to their front office personnel even though the team lost 90 games for the second year in a row. I must have missed the article about Frank Russo buying the team." -- Edward
First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.
Repeat winners receive a T-shirt from the FBI collection.