Confidence. It’s been a long time since sports fans in Cleveland have had it. Not winning in 44 years does that to a city. I thought about this as I watched the Browns game on Sunday. Our football team has to start playing better if this season will amount to anything, and I thought about whether or not I have any confidence that it will happen based on the current leadership. Here are my thoughts on the three major league teams in Cleveland and the people who run them.
BROWNS
This is the fourth season of GM Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel’s regime. Since Savage has been in charge, it has been an up and down ride: 6-10, 4-12, and 10-6. This year, it appears the team will not reach or exceed the ten wins from last season. However, Savage has been adding talent year by year to the organization. When he arrived, you could argue the only impact players on the team were Kellen Winslow and Sean Jones. In Savage’s tenure, he has brought in Braylon Edwards, Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, and Shaun Rogers. There are others who look like they could develop, such as Eric Wright, Brandon Mc Donald, Kamerion Wimbley, Corey Williams, and Alex Hall. I have confidence that Savage can continue to bring in good football players.
I don’t share the same feeling for Crennel. He doesn’t seem to have a feel for the quarterback position, which is the most important spot on the team. He flipped a coin to start Charlie Frye last season, and this year was unable to make a definitive decision to make a change going into the Bengal game. He was raised coaching a 3-4 defense, but even though his linebacking corps is shaky, he sticks with the scheme. He also seems to focus more on what a player cannot do, than what he can do. Jerome Harrison doesn’t pick up the blitz, in his rookie year; he didn’t play Edwards because of blocking issues. A coach’s job is to maximize the strengths and minimize the weakness of players. I’m not sure Crennel does that. I’m also not sure he is a coach who can lead this team to a Super Bowl.
CAVALIERS
This is the fourth season of the Danny Ferry/Mike Brown regime. The three seasons have resulted in two trips to the Eastern Conference semi-finals (2006 and 2008) and one Conference title in 2007. Ferry is not afraid to take risks, perhaps buoyed by the fact that having LeBron James means you won’t be a terrible team. He brought in Flip Murray to stabilize the team when Larry Hughes got hurt in 2005-06, and rebuilt the team on the fly last season, making an 11 player deal at the deadline, and then trading for Mo Williams this summer. The Cavaliers appear poised to make a run at a Central Division title, and another conference championship and a return trip to the NBA Finals. Ferry has proven he will not sit idly by and watch the season slip away.
As for Brown, there is no question his defensive philosophy has made the wine and gold an elite team. How much the offense improves will determine how good the Cavs will be in the regular season. In the playoffs, Brown has demonstrated he can negate an opponents’ strength and make them pursue other options to defeat his squad. He is a much better coach in the post-season, but he needs to do better in the regular season to help the Cavs get home court advantage. Brown also seems to have a partnership with his superstar, an important factor for any NBA coach. I can definitely see Brown coaching the Cavaliers to an NBA title.
INDIANS
Mark Shapiro has been the Tribe’s GM since 2002 and has made the post-season once (2007). To be fair, Shapiro took the job with an aging team, which needed to be rebuilt, and he had the Indians back in contention late in the season in both 2004 and 2005, however 2006 and 2008 must be considered disappointments. His strength has been evaluating talent in other teams’ farm systems, acquiring players such as Grady Sizemore, Shin-Soo Choo, and Asdrubal Cabrera in trades. He has also done well signing pitchers from the amateur level. His weakness is holding on to prospects too long, and being reluctant to include them in deals for proven talent.
I have had confidence in Shapiro, but it is starting to wane. He has made only one trade for an established major league starter since dealing for Matt Lawton prior to the 2002 season, the deal for Josh Barfield. Neither worked out very well, although Lawton did make an All-Star team in 2004. He has signed platoon players and picked up Kenny Lofton for the stretch drive in 2007, but he has been hesitant to fill a hole with a trade involving prospects.
As for Eric Wedge, he got the Indians to within one game of the World Series last year, so it is difficult to say he can’t get it done. However, he is slow to change, especially his use of relief pitchers, and making mistakes in that area costs the ballclub games. He also doesn’t make use of his entire roster, which limits himself in making moves. I do like his day-to-day approach. The players can’t do anything about yesterday’s game, nor should they worry about tomorrow’s contest. You also have to give him credit for not allowing the team to quit when they were 16 games under .500. On the other hand, you would like more than one post-season appearance in six seasons.
It’s another reason that it is a huge off-season for the Cleveland Indians this winter.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 
First of all, very good post. It is straightforward and accurate as well. "Good Stuff!!!"
As for the Browns: Phil Savage is safe right now unless Mr. Lerner decides to clean house for a lofty guest, such as Bill Cowher or maybe even Jimmy Johnson, both who will demand all the power. There is no question Romeo Crennel is out of place as a head coach–he’s like a defensive back trying to be a wide receiver–In other words he lacks the versatility needed to be effective as a head coach. What that means is "ROMEO MUST GO!!!!" for this team to reach respectable status.
As for the Cavs: They are slowly developing into a dynasty with Lebron James being the biggest piece of the puzzle. Even though Danny Ferry has blown so much money, he has really come a long way with his ability to negotiate contracts as we saw with Varejao, Pavlovic and West. And he has also showed an ability to work good trades–so his job is safe for now. Coach Mike Brown is one of the hardest working coaches around, but the lack of versatility as a coach is what hinders this basketball team from reaching elite status. At some point before the season starts I am hoping and expecting him to add an experienced offensive mind to his staff. If not, he will most certainly be brought up in the same conversation as Romeo Crennel. Overall, the roster that they have right now around Lebron should be enough to keep them in contention until the trade deadline comes around when an upgrade will be necessary. If they get that big trade at the deadline then a championship run will be possible just as it was with the Lakers last season.
As for the Tribe: Injuries are not the only excuse for this team. Before Travis Hafner went down with injury his swing was M.I.A., Victor could not hit the ball to the warning track and the rest of the lineup forgot about the importance of being consistent. Outside of Grady, Victor, Cliff, Fausto and Jake this team is very amateur and lack luster. And in my opinion the coaching staff is to blame for that to an extent, the rest of the blame goes to Mark Shapiro for spending money on washed up players like Dave Dellucci instead of calling up the prospects sooner and allowing an inexperienced manager the space to work through mistake after mistake. Eric Wedge is alright–there is room for him to improve, but he has made no changes to his staff which in my opinion is one of the worst in league, things have stayed the course for long enough, it is time for him to upgrade his supporting cast with guys who have actually played and coached at a high level in the MLB. If not, this team will continue to accept inadequacy just like amateurs do.
Demetrius: Thanks for the comment and reading the blog. I totally agree on Mike Brown. It’s amazing he has risen to be an NBA head coach without any clue on offense.
MW