Sometimes Change And/Or Considering It, Is Good In Sports

Earlier this week, the Cleveland Browns made news when coach Kevin Stefanski announced he let go three members of his offensive coaching staff: Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, running backs coach Stump Mitchell, and TE coach T.C. McCartney.

Browns’ fans, being among the most rational people on earth, had plenty to say, mostly because it is how things have been in Berea for most of the expansion era, they felt it was a sign of disarray in the hierarchy.

And of course, some blamed Paul DePodesta, because since he rarely appears or speaks to the media, he has because something like the Wizard of Oz.

First, we would think if Stefanski and the organization let these coaches go, they probably have a pretty good idea of who they are going after to replace them. We have always said, anyone is replaceable if you go and get someone better.

Second, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing to keep bringing different voices into a group, coaching staff, or a sports organization. Diverse opinions should not only be tolerated but embraced. Of course, within reason.

Like if someone keeps telling you Yu Chang is a potential Hall of Fame baseball player, you might want to check credentials.

All three coaches have been here since Stefanski was named head coach four years ago, and coaches are no different than anyone else, they get stuck in their ways, not completely open to new ideas. We are sure everyone works with people like that.

And the Browns didn’t win the Super Bowl, so there is definitely room for improvement in all aspects of the team. We think Stefanski had to be encouraged to make some changes to his staff last season, when he let go of Joe Woods and Mike Priefer. Perhaps he saw how that worked out and these changes might have the same benefit.

Among the other teams in town, we would love for the Guardians to have some different ideas in their organization. At times, they have weird attachments to players, and maybe having a new manager solves some of that.

We think Terry Francona was a great manager, but often said his weakness was the fine line between patience and stubbornness.

We would love to be in an organizational meeting for the Guards, just to hear if anyone says, “Myles Straw is one of the worst hitters in baseball” or “Yes, Gabriel Arias hits the ball hard, but he rarely hits it”.

For the Cavs, we would like to know the reasoning for ignoring height in a sport where most of the great players in the game had size advantages (think LeBron: if you are as quick, you aren’t as big, and vice-versa), or what everyone sees in Dean Wade.

We think the worst thing that can occur is when everyone is on the same page, and no one thinks outside the box. And again, that doesn’t mean arguing about something everyday. Just being able to see things from a different “perspective”.

That might be exactly what happened in Berea this week. This isn’t the same dysfunctional organization that we came to know from 1999 to when the complete rebuild started about 10 years ago.

It’s just a sign that they want to take the next step in their goal of winning a title.

Another Frustration Rant About The Browns

The nightmarish season for the Cleveland Browns just keeps getting worse and worse.

Sunday, it appeared the Buffalo Bills wanted to throw and throw and throw some more early on, until they remembered the Browns’ defense can’t stop the run, and they proceeded to go with the ground game, rushing for 171 yards in a 31-23 defeat of Cleveland.

It’s the fifth time in the last seven games the Browns defense has allowed 160 or more yards on the ground. By the way, the average NFL team runs for a little over 120 yards, so Joe Woods’ defense is simply getting gashed in the running game.

We are saying this for the umpteenth time. If you cannot stop the run in the NFL, you are not going to win. It’s really that simple.

It feels like the entire organization has decided to exercise the Deshaun Watson trade and suspension as a built-in excuse for this season. The talk all year feels like “if we can just be competitive until Deshaun comes back”, as if their record would be erased when Watson steps on the field in Houston on December 4th.

Other teams around the league have put together decent records despite quarterback play worse than Cleveland has received from Jacoby Brissett this season.

We have seen some bloggers suggest that it is really about the 2023 season, which is pretty cavalier of the ownership and front office since they’ve never been to a Super Bowl and haven’t won an NFL Championship since 1964.

So, nothing has changed from the days where the Browns were like the sign in the bar: “Free beer tomorrow”.

It struck me after the game about Buffalo QB Josh Allen’s comment about being the Buffalo Bills, and that’s why they had to toughen up. There is no identity here, and right now, it feels like just one excuse after another.

In typical Cleveland tradition, fans and media alike want Kevin Stefanski replaced as head coach and another house cleaning to ensue. As we have stated, we think this would be the wrong move, but we understand the sentiment.

It would be great if Stefanski took some sort of action. We can’t see how letting Joe Woods and/or Mike Priefer remain at their coordinator jobs is a good idea. You can’t fire people after one bad game, and we get there are people out there who think that way.

However, it would signal to everyone that mediocrity or being unwilling to change will not be tolerated. And as someone pointed out to us, changing defensive coordinators would at least show if the problem were the scheme or the talent.

We have suggested that he give up play calling and join Woods in setting up the defense. That would show he is using leadership and taking accountability for the losing.

Right now, Stefanski appears stubborn, unwilling to admit there is a problem. Players see this as well, and that’s where the coach loses credibility with them. And once that happens, you have a problem in the locker room.

Remember, there are still seven games remaining. If things continue to go over the next seven like they have over the previous seven (1-6), no one will blame the ownership if they reviewed everything going on in Berea.

And despite what some think, another housecleaning would not be a good thing for the Cleveland Browns.

Blowing Things Up Again? Hope Browns Don’t Do It.

When you’ve had 12 coaches since 1999, we are sure it becomes the knee-jerk reaction of fans and media alike to fire the current coach when things aren’t going well. Sometimes, it’s not the right decision.

That’s why we are not in favor of the Cleveland Browns firing Kevin Stefanski either during this season or after the season ends.

Stefanski currently has a 21-19 record as head coach, mostly built off the 11-5 playoff season in 2020, but even last season, which everyone was disappointed with, produced an 8-9 mark, which is the fourth best season since Cleveland returned to the NFL in 1999.

Sad, but true.

This isn’t to say Stefanski is blameless. He forgets sometimes that Nick Chubb is the Browns’ best offensive player. He sometimes puts too much of the team’s success on Jacoby Brissett, who we all have to remember is really the backup quarterback.

We understand he’s the head coach, responsible for the entire product on the field. Hopefully, internally he is putting pressure on defensive coordinator Joe Woods and special teams’ coach Mike Priefer, because most weeks their units aren’t doing much to help the Browns win.

It seems to be solely on the offense to outscore the opponents.

We know fans and media don’t like Stefanski’s press conference either. We would remind you this is a new era, and it is rare coaches will stand up in front of the media and be negative about individual players and different facets of the team.

If we had to guess, when Stefanski took over as coach, he told players he would not call them out in public, that he had their back. If you notice, Terry Francona and J.B. Bickerstaff both do the same. It seems though, in football, fans want to see the coach point out who is not doing the job.

We do believe there has to be more accountability for players. Our feeling is the front office and coaches are “married” to some of these guys because this regime brought them in, either via the draft or free agency.

But if they aren’t doing the job, it’s a next man up league. There are players who aren’t drafted that make Pro Bowl teams every year, so it is likely the front office can find someone who will do a better job.

For example, last week there was a penalty on a kickoff return, and the call was on a player who alternates between the practice squad and the active roster.

In watching the game, we immediately thought, we would release that player. That sounds cruel, but sometimes you have to make the point that mistakes will not be tolerated. That gets players’ attention.

Still, we wouldn’t fire the coach. He has done a good job with the offense. He’s scripting of the first plays usually results in a score for the Browns. We also think the team is organized for the most part.

But the last and real reason is simply this: The madness has to stop. Look at the Steelers and Ravens. They are the models of success in the AFC North and their coaches have been around for 16 and 15 years, respectively.

Even Zac Taylor in Cincinnati had seasons of 2-14 and 4-11-1 before leading Cincinnati to the Super Bowl.

Remember, it was just two years ago that Kevin Stefanski was the AFC Coach of the Year. And he deserves the opportunity to be the head coach when Deshaun Watson, the Browns’ franchise QB plays a full season.

Look, he’s not the movie version of a football coach that everyone wants, a guy who gets in players’ faces and grabs their facemasks with spit flying out of his mouth.

Just let him have an opportunity with different defensive and special teams’ coaches. We think he deserves that chance.