This Is Getting Awkward: Cleveland Browns Update…Again

So as we near the NFL Draft, it’s time once again to round up the news on the Cleveland Browns!

Yesterday, I discussed the Rob Housler signing, so let’s turn our attention to the next MOST important thing that has happened to for the Browns recently in the off season — NEW UNIFORMS!  Hurray!

The Emperors New Clothes – Now with More…Brown

I know that everyone is “excited” about these new Cleveland Browns uniforms, primarily because it’s the only thing you can count on showing up on the field each and every game (i.e. whether the Browns offense or defense will show up is likely to be a little bit of crap shoot).  I have to say, though, that although I think the entire “new uniform” thing was a bit overblown, I did really enjoy all the cloak and dagger regarding the “leaked” uniforms:

So if you didn’t watch it live online (which actually consisted of about 6 local commercials followed by the choppiest video stream I’ve ever seen in my life), there were several players there to show off the new uniforms including left tackle Joe Thomas, safety Donte Whitner, defensive end Armonty Bryant, linebackers Karlos Dansby, Barkevious Mingo and Chris Kirksey; and receivers Dwayne Bowe, Brian Hartline and Taylor Gabriel.  If nothing else, they sure looked excited modeling the new uniforms:

Hartline showing off Uniform - Cleveland Browns

Of course, that could be because it might be the last time that any fans actually cheer for them.  Honestly, they don’t look bad, but it’s amazing that this is the result of two years of work between the Browns, the NFL and Nike.  I would have loved to be on that team.  I bet most of their days must have been filled like this:

  • 7:00 AM – Get up.
  • 7:01 AM – Realize that there’s not much to do today.
  • 7:02 AM – Go back to sleep.
  • 10:00 AM – Get up because of a bad nightmare that someone figured out that we were all on project that was funded for two years but essentially took 10 seconds and the input of a 5 year old to complete.
  • 10:01 AM – Laugh it off.
  • 10:02 AM – Think about adding striping to the helmet to justify employment.

  •  10:03 AM – Mission complete.
  • 10:04 AM – Eat chocolate cake for breakfast because you can.

And as I’ve mentioned before, I’m sure that players on opposing teams will really appreciate the awesome new striping on the helmet as they continuously sack Josh McCown.  Or Thad Lewis.  Or Johnny Manziel.  It really doesn’t make much of a difference at this point, does it?

Just so it’s clear, I think the uniforms actually do look good.  But one thing I know is that looking “good” can be situation dependent.  And it’s really hard to look “good”, no matter how snazzy your uniforms are, if you go 4-12.

The Return of Johnny Football

We’ve spoken numerous times now about Johnny Manziel checking himself into rehab.  And aside from all the things one does at rehab (and judging from watching an episode of “Gossip Girl” and every show that contains the words “The Real __ of __”, this largely consists of yoga, counseling, sleeping with your counselor or other random people at the rehab clinic, sneaking in drugs and alcohol, and eventually paying the staff enough money so you can leave), it looks like for Manziel, at least one additional thing he did was visit one young patient in the hospital:

I’ll say this, as much as I’m not a Johnny Football fan, it’s always a class act to use your fame for good.  Not too long thereafter, Manziel was released from rehab:

And went on to enjoy a Texas Rangers game:

If this was just a publicity stunt, it definitely worked on me.  And of course, he made this statement as well:

Manziel Statement

Hopefully it was more than a publicity stunt and he can turn it around in the NFL.  That’s not to say that Manziel should never go out and party again.  However, as we’ve mentioned on this site before, perhaps he should take a lesson from Matt Stafford on how to stay out of the media.

When asked by Mary Kay Cabot how this sequence of events effected left tackle Joe Thomas’s perception of Manziel, Thomas noted that even though he thought checking into rehab was a great step, he still had concerns:

“I don’t know if I said he lost my trust, but I think it will be important for him when he comes back to prove to the team, to everybody in the organization that football is the most important thing in his life and he is willing to commit to it and make it the most important thing in his life.  To be a successful NFL quarterback, that’s what you have to do. There was some doubt based on what he did last year if football was the most important thing.”

Safety Donte Whitner was also impressed with Manziel’s first steps, and sounded more receptive to his return:

“To be so young and take that initiative and do what he did, it can only help him as a person, first and foremost, and then, as a football player…. He’ll have to compete for his job, but I believe he’ll be up for that challenge. We’ll welcome him back with open arms.”

Even linebacker Karlos Dansby, who was previously critical of Manziel’s commitment to football, seemed to think that Manziel was taking the right steps:

“Whatever he was dealing with was suppressing him. So him being able to check himself in and try to get that relief, I think it was huge.”

With Josh McCown signed for almost $5 million in the off season, and Thad Lewis also waiting to compete, it’ll be interesting to see if this newfound goodwill makes a difference in Manziel’s ability to obtain another opportunity to start for the Browns.

It Was Joe Haden’s Birthday

I thought we should go ahead wish Joe Haden a belated birthday as well.  Heck, he’s awesome, and if all it takes to keep him happy is this crummy graphic created by some NFL intern’s iPhone on an app called something like “Really Cheap Birthday Graphics for People You Don’t Want to Buy Gifts For”, then we’re more than happy to oblige!

——

That’s it for now.  Stick with us all off season and through the draft as we update you on what those crazy Cleveland Browns are doing.  Or not doing.  Like not acquiring good free agents.  Except for Tramon Williams.  And MAYBE Dwayne Bowe.

And by the way, we like “Chomps” better than “Swagger”.  We got your back, Chomps.

Chomps - Cleveland Browns

Chomps is awesome.

By Ha Kung Wong

Twitter: @FBGarbageTime

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