Kaluka Maiava: The Cleveland Browns Diamond in the Rough

The place was Wailuku, Maui Hawaii. It was about six years ago. I was attending a high school football game for Baldwin High School. I teach there and was at the game with a co-teacher. Before the game, he told me I had to check out this kid in my math class. I asked, “what’s his name?” He replied, “Kaluka Maiava.”

Then when the game started, this kid was just dominating on the defensive side of the ball. At middle linebacker he was just all over the ball. For two seasons, he led the team in tackles. Both of those years he was the leader and the team was a game away from a state title.

Over those two years, Maiava was getting scholarship offers from everywhere. He could have started as a freshman at UCLA and some other schools. Instead he chose USC, where no starting jobs are handed to you. He knew he would have to work for it.

His first three years, he was primarily used on special teams. He made a huge impact there. He was the special teams player of the year at least once.

With guys like Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, and Clay Matthews, it was hard for Maiava to crack the starting lineup. However, Pete Carroll made some adjustments for his senior year. He felt that he could no longer keep him off the starting defense. He moved Clay Matthews to defensive end. That way all four linebackers would be on the field at once.

Teams thought that they could attack Maiava because they didn’t want to attack the other three. Well Maiava answered the call, and was a great compliment to Rey and Cush at linebacker. The end result was one of the best college defenses I have ever seen.

Looking back at his time at USC, one would ask “do you wish you had gone somewhere else so you would be more recognizable?” The reality is that with most other Pac 10 schools, he would have been the star. However, Maiava would tell you that he wouldn’t change anything. The hard work only made him a better player and better person.

Now what can the Cleveland Browns expect from him this year? He will probably return to the all important role of special teams star. That is a role that is often overlooked but is very important.

Maybe he will be a defensive starter eventually but he will have to work for it. But then again, he has been there before.

Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson: Browns Fans Should Embrace Both QBs

They say nothing divides a team like a quarterback controversy. Half of the team supports one guy, and the other half supports the other. The funny thing about Cleveland is, the players don’t seem divided by it at all. I think they support both guys and will let the better one win.

When it comes to the fans however, this competition seems to be dividing the whole city. The comments I see fans saying to each other are crazy. You would think that they root for opposing teams. The reality is, they are all Browns fans.

I am partial to Brady Quinn because I am a Notre Dame fan. I have adopted the Cleveland Browns not only because of Brady Quinn, but also Braylon Edwards and the two Hawaiians they just drafted. I remember watching Kaluka Maiava in high school. The point is, I have reason to root for Brady Quinn because I am not a true Browns fan.

Looking at Notre Dame, they have Jimmy Clausen heading into his third year, but they are also high on Dayne Crist. I do want Clausen to be the guy because I think he is the better choice at this point. However, if Crist beats him out, I am okay with that. It is still Notre Dame.

The point is, it’s definitely okay to like one guy over the other, but at the end of the day they are both Browns. So, support both of them. Most fans do support Quinn, but there is still a fairly big contingent of fans who like Derek Anderson. Anderson supporters say the worst things about Quinn, and some Quinn fans do the same.

My question to these fans is, what happens if the guy you bash wins the job? Do you not support him? If Anderson wins, I will hope the Browns lose every game until they start Quinn, but again, I am not a true Browns fan. What about you?

The reality is, any team is only as good as the backup quarterback. Without a good backup, you are one play away from being a bad team. Therefore, both Anderson and Quinn will be vitally important players for the Browns. Odds are both will be needed at some point.

Also please spare me the Bret Ratliff comment. Supporters of both guys think Ratliff can be the No. 2. When you’re No. 2, you are one play away from being No. 1. Ratliff did have a great game against the Browns, but he has to do a little more than light it up against third stringers and guys who don’t even make the team.

It is true that Mangini wanted Ratliff in the trade, and he was a key ingredient to it. That could be because last year Ratliff was his No. 3 in New York. The No. 3 is usually the guy who runs the scout team in practice. Maybe Ratliff is a great scout team quarterback.

It is possible that Ratliff can be a starter, but it is down the road. Don’t forget he was an undrafted free agent. That means he is not even close to being ready to play.

That is why Quinn and Anderson are getting most of the reps. To be honest, I think Mangini plans on going with Quinn. His recent comments about what he wants indicate that. However, he knows that he may need Anderson at some point, so he makes a competition and gives reps to both guys.

The point is, the Browns need both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. Therefore, Browns fans should embrace both of them.

Quarterbacks facing a make or break year

In the NFL, the quarterback is the first guy looked at. Often times he gets too much credit or too much blame. The nature of the position is one that implicates leadership. He is the guy leading the huddle. He has to know not only his job but everybody else’s as well.

To be an effective quarterback, you have to have the respect of your teammates and coaches. There is no doubt that it is a difficult job to be an NFL quarterback. It is so tough that the failure rate is 70%.

With that in mind, there are many quarterbacks who are facing make or break years for their careers. This will be the year to determine whether they continue as starters or end up being backups.

While the guy in the picture (Matt Cassel) is not on the hot seat just yet, let’s take a look at some who are.

It’s Michigan Vs. Ohio State; Cleveland Browns Style

Can you imagine Brian Robiskie singing “Hail to the Victors” to the team before the Browns practice? How about Braylon Edwards having to wear a Buckeye jersey for a week in practice?

Does it sound crazy? Yes, but something crazy like this is bound to happen. Edwards is the number one receiver and Brian Robiskie could start on the other side. I can see a friendship developing between these two. Edwards already said it is exciting to have him as a teammate because he was a ball boy when Edwards first arrived.

Although they will likely be friends there is one thing that will come up this Thanksgiving weekend. Braylon Edwards played for Michigan and Brian Robiskie played for Ohio State. On that day they will be bitter enemies. That is unavoidable.

It is also unavoidable that trash talk will start a couple of weeks before the big game. Of course some wagers will be placed by each guy. The bet will never be for money. They don’t need money. Public humiliation is always a better consequence.

What would be more humiliating for Edwards than to have to hang a Jim Tressel picture on the front of his locker for all his teammates to see? How about Robiskie wearing a maize and blue helmet to practice? His teammates would never let him live that down.

These two guys can be a dynamc duo at receiver. The even more ironic thing is that a lot of their success will likely depend on a Notre Dame quarterback. As great as they will be together, the Michigan-Ohio State thing is unavoidable and will make for some good stories. 

My 11 Favorite People in Football

This slideshow is a response to this one by Matt King, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/191559-the-nfl-all-prison-team#page/1

While it is true that many football stars are not exactly the best role models, there are some that I look at and say that is how I want my kid to be. I put Joe Paterno’s picture up because he is my favorite coach of all time. He is one of the few coaches who still does it the right way.

There are still some players out there who do things the right way. Unfortunately not all these guys are big names and may never be. Still yet, it doesn’t change my opinion of them.

By doing things the right way, I basically mean staying out of trouble, working hard at practice, saying the right things to the media and not share dirty laundry, and being a leader and a team player.

These are the guys that are easy to root for. Nobody who calls themself a football fan should root against any of these guys.

To Vince Young, If You Want Your Job Back Go Take It Back

So Vince Young wants his starting job back. I can’t fault him for that. Nobody should be happy being a back-up. Anybody who is doesn’t belong in Pro Sports.

What I have a problem with is his attitude about it. He says “I am ready to play again and they may not be ready for me to play again.” Therefore, he gives the ultimatum of playing him or he wants out. Where does his sense of entitlement come from? It was he not the Titans who messed up.

Kerry Collins stepped in and had a great year. He led them deep into the playoffs. Does Young expect the Titans to just give the job back to him? Wow! That is out there.

Now to be fair, I am not sure that it is fair to just give the job to Kerry Collins either though. Although he was good last year his career has been a roller coaster ride. I think the two of them should battle it out in camp.

The second part of Young’s comments were about asking for a trade. Looking around the league I don’t think teams will exactly be lining up. Washington seems to look for any reason to unload Campbell. San Francisco may be an option. Other than that, I can’t think of one other team that improves at quarterback by acquiring Young.

Instead of sounding like another crybaby prima donna, this is what Young should have said in a bold and tough voice:

I SCREWED UP! I HAD THE STARTING JOB AND I LOST IT. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING  KERRY DID LAST YEAR, BUT NOW I AM BACK. I WANT IT BACK AND I WILL TAKE IT BACK. I LIKE KERRY HE IS MY FRIEND, BUT WHEN WE GET TO CAMP I WILL KICK HIS BUTT FROM ONE END OF NASHVILLE TO THE OTHER.

That is the kind of fire a quarterback needs to be a leader of men.

After a Poor Practice, Derek Anderson Shows His Lack of Leadership

Apparently last Thursday both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson had poor practices—they both threw multiple interceptions. This is according to Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.

My first reaction when I read this was “why is this news?” The question I wanted to ask Mr. Doerschuk was “have you ever played organized football before?” If he did, he would know that this happens in mini-camp and training camp at any level.

Mini-camp and/or Spring practice is the first chance for the coaches to work with the players. There are always new and returning players. This is their first opportunity to get to work with each other. Then when you add a new coach to the equation, it is really like starting fresh from square one.

One thing that usually never looks good right away is quarterback and receiver. They have to get their timing down. When you add rookie receivers to the equation, it will take a little longer to get it down.

It also happens that some days the offense dominates and other days the defense does. D’Qwell Jackson said after the practice that the offense had been lighting them up but today the defense got after them. That tells me that the defensive coaches or a team captain lit a fire on the defense. That happens in camp.

Therefore, both QBs probably did well the day before. I would be willing to bet that they were learning new plays as well. That makes timing even more difficult.

Based on all that, nobody in Cleveland should at all be concerned over a bad practice. So there is no reason for haters of either guy to get excited.

So my initial reaction was that “this is ridiculous to even report this,” but then at the bottom, I noticed something that totally got my attention. Apparently, Anderson and an unidentified receiver had a miscommunication. The receiver ran one way and Anderson threw another way. The result was an interception.

After the play, Anderson ran off the field and yelled “He doesn’t know what he’s (expletive) doing!” While I am not concerned about a bad practice, I am very concerned about this. This really shows a lack of leadership.

My guess is that the receiver was either a rookie or one of their new free agents. Point the finger at your receiver. That will really get them to respect you. You are competing for the starting quarterback job. You can’t show frustration like that.

It reminds me of a quote from Any Given Sunday.The coach was lecturing Willie Beamon about being a leader. He said, “You are not a flash in the pan receiver, you’re a godd**n quarterback! You are the first guy they look at everyday!”

If Anderson will behave like that, then there is no way he will get respect as a leader by his new teammates.

Quinn, on the other hand, was assessed a penalty lap for not getting a play in on time. My bet that he wasn’t the only guy on the offense who was at fault. However, Quinn didn’t complain and ran out his lap hard.

Quinn was already given the edge because he was better in the offseason program. It is still early, but if this kind of thing continues when training camp opens, Manigini’s decision will be very easy. That is, if it isn’t already.

Cleveland Browns: More Excess Baggage

This article is a continuation of this article; http://bleacherreport.com/articles/186602-what-do-the-browns-do-with-their-excess-baggage

Along with Derek Anderson and Donte’ Stallworth, there is one more notable player that doesn’t seem to fit into the grand scheme of things in Cleveland. That player is Hank Fraley.

Fraley had to suspect that his days as a Brown were numbered the moment they drafted Alex Mack with their first selection. With the offensive line under a lot of scrutiny last year, Fraley was most known for criticizing the decision to take Derek Anderson out of the starting lineup.

As center and quarterback, Fraley and Anderson had a close relationship. The reality is that if both are still on the team when the regular season starts, they will be spending a lot of time next to each other on the bench.

An organization doesn’t take a lineman with its first overall pick to sit him on the bench. I don’t see Mack replacing either Eric Steinbach or newly acquired Floyd Womack. That does leave Fraley as the odd man out.

The Browns may want to keep Fraley as a backup center. However, with Rex Hadnot on the depth chart, keeping Fraley around really doesn’t make a lot of sense.

The good news is that unlike Anderson and Stallworth, other teams will be interested in acquiring Fraley. One team that immediately comes to mind is the Detroit Lions. After going 0-16, they need all the help they can get on that offensive line.

Why Do Derek Anderson Fans Have Selective Memories?

Mini camps have been happening all over the NFL this week. In Cleveland the talk is about the new regime that consists of the front office, coaches, and many new players.

The other talk is about the much publicized quarterback battle between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson.

Throughout the week Quinn has been the guy practicing with the first team. The reps have been equal but Quinn has gone in first. Contrary to reports that Manigini doesn’t like Quinn, he has said that Quinn has been “outstanding” this offseason. He said that it isn’t as though Anderson has been bad, just Quinn has been outstanding.

So it appears as though Quinn has the early edge. Most Browns fans will be happy about that. However, there are still many fans who believe that Anderson would be a better choice.

I have some questions for those who support Anderson. The same guys often have plenty of criticism of Quinn too.

Something I always hear is that Quinn didn’t light the world on fire in his first three starts, the same way Anderson did in his first start against the Bengals in 2007.

Do you forget that that wasn’t his first start?

He started a handful of games in 2006. He threw five TDs and eight INTs. His rating was 63.1. That is not exactly lighting the world on fire.

Another thing I always here is that Quinn’s success was against bad defenses. Well last I checked Chicago had a pretty good defense. They wanted to end the preseason with a solid feeling so they started all their regulars including Brian Urlacher. Yet Quinn moved them right down the field for two scores in two drives.

I am not sure Buffalo had that bad of defense. If they did then the Browns line was sleeping because they were in Quinn’s face all night. Because of that he didn’t put up great passing stats but he managed the game well enough to manufacture 29 points and a victory.

Also do they forget that Anderson’s success in 2007 came against a very weak schedule?

According to Anderson Supporters, Quinn choked in every big game he played in at Notre Dame. I don’t consider beating Michigan on the road choking. The comeback on the road against Michigan State was amazing.

Some of the other games they lost because the other team was better. He had a great game against USC and set a school record for passing yards against Ohio State. So the Irish didn’t lose because of Brady Quinn.

While we are on the subject of choking in big games, what did Anderson do in 2007 against the Patriots and Steelers?

More importantly what did he do in week 16 against the Bengals?

That was the game in which the Browns could have clinched a playoff spot and he threw four INTs.

Based on all that how can anybody prefer Anderson at this point?

Maybe Quinn is the guy and maybe he isn’t. So let’s find out, because as far as I am concerned Anderson ship has already sailed.

The picture above is symbolic of that. 

Lions and Jets Should Learn from the Browns’ Mistake

All eyes will be on Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez at their respective training camps when they open. They will both excite the crowds during the preseason when they enter the game for the first time. In all likelihood, they perform well against the other team’s third-stringers.

Then once the regular season starts, neither of these guys figures to play. The Jets will likely go with Kellen Clemens and the Lions will go with Daunte Culpepper, although part of me thinks they should go with Drew Stanton. Here is why: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/179101-stafford-or-culpeper-what-about-drew-stanton

These guys will likely play very well. The reason is that they know that the guy behind him is the guy the franchise is committed to, so they will play like they are auditioning for other teams. It would be great for the Lions and Jets if these guys played great and then they get a damn good trade for them. It is a win-win for everybody.

Now it is important for the Lions and Jets not to lose sight of their plan. Their ultimate plan is to have Stafford and Sanchez be the quarterbacks of the future. Don’t let that change. If Stanton/Culpepper or Clemons have a Pro Bowl year, GREAT! That makes their trade value even higher.

Let’s look at another team. Two years ago, the Browns drafted Brady Quinn to be their quarterback of the future. Sure enough, the fans went crazy when he entered his first preseason game. They continued to go crazy as he came out throwing strikes. After a solid preseason, the city embraced him as the quarterback of the future.

That was until Derek Anderson came in and had a great regular season. That was good for Quinn because he wasn’t forced into action too early. Anderson made the Pro Bowl in spite of not taking his team to the playoffs. That was when Cleveland got distracted from their plan.

Anderson was a restricted free agent. They could have let him sign somewhere else and received compensation. Another option would have been to re-sign him then trade him when other teams wanted him. Instead, they signed him to a three-year deal worth more than $20 million.

Now they have two QBs with big contracts. Quinn was to spend another year developing; then they would trade him after Anderson established himself as the franchise QB. Well, we all know how it worked out.

Anderson was nowhere near the performer the next year. Sure, some things went against him, like dropped passes and poor protection. However, he has always been inconsistent, even in college.

Quinn replaced him in Week Eight as the starter. He had a couple of pretty good games against Denver and Buffalo, but his development was cut short with a broken finger that he tried to play through, but couldn’t.

Then I am thinking this could be a blessing in disguise. If Anderson does well these last few weeks, they can get a good trade out of him. Instead he was even worse in the game and a half than he was before being benched.

Now the Browns have a mess for the new regime. They still have two huge contracts at quarterback. They have said that they are open to trading either. The only problem is that the fans don’t want Quinn traded and Randy Lerner knows that.

Eric Mangini and George Kokinis have received offers for Quinn. Some have included first-round draft picks. While they may be open to these trades, it seems as though Randy Lerner won’t let it happen. It is understandable why Lerner wouldn’t want to—it would upset the whole city.

While the Browns have refused offers for Quinn, it seems as though they can’t give Anderson away. Nobody wants to acquire that contract for what is perceived to be a likely career backup. A year ago, the same guy was considered a Pro Bowl quarterback. They could have gotten a damn good deal. Now they will be lucky to get a sixth round pick.

So the Lions and Jets should learn from the Browns’ mistake. Let your future franchise quarterback learn by carrying a clipboard. At the same time, hope your current QB plays great. But at the end of the day, don’t lose sight of your plan. 

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010