I have a guy at work that calls me and asks "do I want the good news or the bad news first" and I always say bad news because I know the catch is there is no good news, otherwise he wouldn't be calling me. Anyway...
Joe, you've been a sports fan all your life. You know that a team that's playing well has to respect the mojo. You know why? Because the mojo is fickle and doesn't come around very often. So if the team is playing well because the kicker is wearing women's underwear or the coach is breathing through his eyelids or Baker is making Progressive commercials or their #1 fan is blogging about Stefanki's pressers............then THEY ARE. And you should know that! Don't jinx 'em Joe.
Before judging Baker too harshly, let's remember how many different coaches, coordinators, and systems he's played through in a very short time let alone who and how good they were. Fortunately, I think these current guys are going to be around for a while. Consistency matters
So many people said the Browns had to be perfect to beat the Mahomes-led football team… but I say, two turnovers instead of three (calling the fumbled punt snap a turnover) and the Browns win. Joe is the Chubb of writers, sports or otherwise.
Please continue with the fake pressers. Those are pivotal towards where we need to go as a fan base, how we are all working together towards a common goal…zzzzzz
PLEASE do the Stefanski press conferences bit at least some of the time! I always loved reading those. I'm not much of a football fan, let alone Browns fan, but I really enjoy your Browns Diary (and I believe as a result of your Browns Diary, as well as "Let's check in on the Cleveland Browns... how are they dooooing?", influenced my decision in 2019 to go watch a game at the inexplicably-extant Browns-themed bar in downtown Minneapolis's theater district. There are Packers-friendly bars here, too, but they make sense to me. A Browns bar?? Why not a Jaguars bar next?).
To answer the question posed below, when the Browns got the ball back late in the 4th I said they were going to win. That offense was terrific yesterday. I never thought for a moment that Baker would throw the pick. I wouldn't be surprised if Cleveland goes back to Arrowhead again this season. This time with an even bigger chip - and the defense to help them get over the top. Lastly, why go we have the Guardians and the KC has the Chiefs that play at Arrowhead?
That's a very good question and had to be on the minds of many Cleveland fans as the KC fans did their war chant. "They made a deal with local native Americans" just isn't good enough. Guardians? Please, if they had to change it, they had to be able to do better than that with at least a year to think about it.
I didn't realize that Joe left The Athletic until today. I was waiting for the article to drop and it never came. Checked out the roster of writers on the Athletic and sadly no more Joe. $59 for the Athletic? $60 for Joe? Might have to not renew The Athletic...
Good piece at your former home at The Athletic today that talked about how Baker performs in the clutch--or fails to. Yes, this can't all be pinned on him, but this is the last and biggest hurdle he has to overcome to get to that next level. To paraphrase a portion of the article, Baker has been involved in 12 games where the Browns trailed by a TD or less in the last 4 minutes. They've won only 3 of those 12, with one being the Jets in his first game as a starter, and another being the Bengals last year (who were terrible). In that time in those situations, he has had a 66.8 QB rating. Mahomes's rating in those scenarios? 117.2. Josh Allen? 92.8. Even Lamar is at 101.4 in those situations. He was unbelievable for 3 quarters, but he was utterly believable at the end.
I think it's a fair criticism for sure. I don't worry about for a couple reasons: first, I think Mayfield's history of being doubted and overcoming those doubts through his play gives him huge confidence in himself. This is a hallmark of all good closers in sport. Two, the chaos surrounding his first two years was real. Mahomes, Allen, and Lamar? Staples of consistency in the organizations that developed them. I think we'll be all pleasantly surprised by year end. I think it's odds on we've got a winner AND a closer in Mayfield.
I have a guy at work that calls me and asks "do I want the good news or the bad news first" and I always say bad news because I know the catch is there is no good news, otherwise he wouldn't be calling me. Anyway...
Joe, you've been a sports fan all your life. You know that a team that's playing well has to respect the mojo. You know why? Because the mojo is fickle and doesn't come around very often. So if the team is playing well because the kicker is wearing women's underwear or the coach is breathing through his eyelids or Baker is making Progressive commercials or their #1 fan is blogging about Stefanki's pressers............then THEY ARE. And you should know that! Don't jinx 'em Joe.
Great job, as always. I agree the press conference shtick has run it's course. Maybe one for Nato Coles, then let it die a peaceful death.
Before judging Baker too harshly, let's remember how many different coaches, coordinators, and systems he's played through in a very short time let alone who and how good they were. Fortunately, I think these current guys are going to be around for a while. Consistency matters
So many people said the Browns had to be perfect to beat the Mahomes-led football team… but I say, two turnovers instead of three (calling the fumbled punt snap a turnover) and the Browns win. Joe is the Chubb of writers, sports or otherwise.
Donovan Peoples-Jones is a near perfect name. On a related note, I hope the Name of the Year Tournament comes back in 2022.
Please continue with the fake pressers. Those are pivotal towards where we need to go as a fan base, how we are all working together towards a common goal…zzzzzz
Stefanski presser notes? Oh, yes please!
PLEASE do the Stefanski press conferences bit at least some of the time! I always loved reading those. I'm not much of a football fan, let alone Browns fan, but I really enjoy your Browns Diary (and I believe as a result of your Browns Diary, as well as "Let's check in on the Cleveland Browns... how are they dooooing?", influenced my decision in 2019 to go watch a game at the inexplicably-extant Browns-themed bar in downtown Minneapolis's theater district. There are Packers-friendly bars here, too, but they make sense to me. A Browns bar?? Why not a Jaguars bar next?).
At least the Indians play at "Progressive" Field
To answer the question posed below, when the Browns got the ball back late in the 4th I said they were going to win. That offense was terrific yesterday. I never thought for a moment that Baker would throw the pick. I wouldn't be surprised if Cleveland goes back to Arrowhead again this season. This time with an even bigger chip - and the defense to help them get over the top. Lastly, why go we have the Guardians and the KC has the Chiefs that play at Arrowhead?
Even though it was gone at that point, the enmity for the Indians came from the caricature mascot.
That's a very good question and had to be on the minds of many Cleveland fans as the KC fans did their war chant. "They made a deal with local native Americans" just isn't good enough. Guardians? Please, if they had to change it, they had to be able to do better than that with at least a year to think about it.
I didn't realize that Joe left The Athletic until today. I was waiting for the article to drop and it never came. Checked out the roster of writers on the Athletic and sadly no more Joe. $59 for the Athletic? $60 for Joe? Might have to not renew The Athletic...
"Happiness level (scale of 1-to-10): 4. The Browns could have won and maybe even should have won. But there was also a lot to be excited about."
This should have said: Happiness level (scale of 1-to-10): 4. The Browns could have won and maybe even should have won. But, you know, the Browns.
Stefanski pressers are a blog content rqmt.
Good piece at your former home at The Athletic today that talked about how Baker performs in the clutch--or fails to. Yes, this can't all be pinned on him, but this is the last and biggest hurdle he has to overcome to get to that next level. To paraphrase a portion of the article, Baker has been involved in 12 games where the Browns trailed by a TD or less in the last 4 minutes. They've won only 3 of those 12, with one being the Jets in his first game as a starter, and another being the Bengals last year (who were terrible). In that time in those situations, he has had a 66.8 QB rating. Mahomes's rating in those scenarios? 117.2. Josh Allen? 92.8. Even Lamar is at 101.4 in those situations. He was unbelievable for 3 quarters, but he was utterly believable at the end.
I think it's a fair criticism for sure. I don't worry about for a couple reasons: first, I think Mayfield's history of being doubted and overcoming those doubts through his play gives him huge confidence in himself. This is a hallmark of all good closers in sport. Two, the chaos surrounding his first two years was real. Mahomes, Allen, and Lamar? Staples of consistency in the organizations that developed them. I think we'll be all pleasantly surprised by year end. I think it's odds on we've got a winner AND a closer in Mayfield.
Joe, we miss you in KC! Come back! You're an amazing talent and among the best writers on earth!