@d-bone said:

We proved this year we can compete with all the teams in our division. All the teams in the division are facing next year's tougher schedule too. But I am a positive guy anyway ...being negative gets you nowhere.

@oldbrownsfan said:

Objectively speaking, with the current state of the roster - hell the entire franchise - coupled with next year's schedule, that is some positive thinking right there.

@tour2ma said:

That is the word I was searching for.

I don't know of any business that succeeded and got to the top by being negative all the time, whining and complaining, finger pointing. or being divisive and not working together. I read where Haslam felt he was sucker punched with the recent criticism for him bringing nothing but misery and instability to the Browns. I didn't like that assessment myself. He is a new owner who might have made some mistakes but he was wise enough to hire Pettine as HC. I give Haslam credit for sticking by his GM over the texting. I saw where he put millions of his own money into stadium improvements. That is not a requirement of an owner. I look at last season as year one of the Haslam, Farmer and Pettine team. They did better than expected. I want to see where they take us after another couple seasons. The bottom line are the results. It would be a big disappointment if they aren't competing for the division title next season. They gave it a nice run this year.

@oldbrownsfan said:

+1 on that....

I know of NO successful people in life who would elect to have a whiner, second guesser or cry baby on their team....

Finger pointers and second guessers offer zero that we dont already know.....they thrive on pointing out the obvious, whilst rarely offering an answer or positive solution......they really are only good at pointing other peoples failings

while positive-forward thinking people are the ones who can set aside the past....think about the present.....and offer ideas, solutions and positive energy moving toward.....

@frenchie said:

I don't see where being negative ever helps anything. The people I knew in business who were always negative ended up with failed businesses. I believe in positive criticism but not the negativism that just tears down.

Shit, did I just 'pile on'?

@oldbrownsfan said:

The only thing that will stop the negativity and "piling on" is winning. When the Browns were 7-4 at one point in the season I don't remember all the negative stories at that time?

While that may be true, the repeated negativity in the press was/is rediculous, unjustified, and frankly, unprofessional. The negativity should have been about Shanny and the players being suspended/going into rehab. Not about the Browns who improved their record and took a step forward in 2014 - in a division where 3 out of 4 teams male the playoffs! And without 2 1st round draft choices, many key injuries, and a below average QB.

But hey, someone saw this post, because I loved Terry Pluto's article on the Browns today. And if I were with the Browns, I would be promoting the positives aggressively and basically say, we're building a winning organization in Cleveland. It's going to take time, it's going to be hard work, and it's not going to always be linear. And my tone would be: For all you nay-Sayers out there, f-off and don't come looking for interviews when we start winning because we will remember how you expressed your opinion when we needed your support the most.

@ballpeen said:

I think we will. People complain about Farmer and possible bust picks in round one, but the way i see it is Farmer is very good at building the bottom of the roster. As good as I have seen in a long time, be it a limited time.

So that tells me he knows what he is looking for and is good at it. If Manziel and Gilbert totally flame out, I don't think many would have predicted that, especially Gilbert. I don't think either Gilbert or Manziel would have lasted more than a couple of picks further then when we took them, so sometimes it is simply luck of the draw. Some things can't be predicted.

I agree. Gilbert is an awesome athlete with the second fastest 40 time of any Browns player. With his height and ability, nobody could gave predicted the year he's had. Personally, I would have gone WR because we had Skrine and many draft picks. But I can't fault the Gilbert pick with the Buffalo trade. Manziel was a total high risk / high return pick, and sometimes you have to take those risks. Nonetheless, the Browns should have learned that selecting a "falling" QB in the draft is bad news. There is a reason why other teams are avoiding the pick, and they're probably right.

So that tells me he knows what he is looking for and is good at it. If Manziel and Gilbert totally flame out, I don't think many would have predicted that, especially Gilbert. I don't think either Gilbert or Manziel would have lasted more than a couple of picks further then when we took them, so sometimes it is simply luck of the draw. Some things can't be predicted.

@oldbrownsfan said:

Then I think you will be disappointed. I think we might sign 2-3-, maybe 4 players tops.

It's hard to say how we go after free agency. I think we will add a few players. Hard to say who or what positions. Once the free agents are actually free, then we might get a better idea.

I would think an owner like Haslam who immediately gave Pettine a vote of confidence after the last game and now his standing behind Farmer over the textgate incident will only make these guys more motivated in their jobs. JMO.

@ballpeen said:

He didn't say that. He said we probably won't be as active and make as big a splash. Last year we were pretty active.

Start reading and comprehending what was written rather than read what you want to read in to it..

Any comments about future strategy (i.e. Draft, Mariota, trades, FA signing, etc.) mean absolutely nothing and are usually more smoke screen than anything else. The Browns need a great draft and FA and perhaps one or two UDFA's to field a team that can consistently win. Call it a drip or call it a splash, we need some quality players and I expect them to be active in FA. Maybe it's not Suh-level dollars but as a body of work, I'll be disappointed in we don't get 6 FA players including a QB and two WR's.

@darren15 said:

He didn't say that. He said we probably won't be as active and make as big a splash. Last year we were pretty active.

Start reading and comprehending what was written rather than read what you want to read in to it..

The difference between the Browns and say the Patriots, is that they have (and have had) Tom Brady and we don't.

Yes....that means I don't think their owner Bob Kraft is any better of an owner than we have had in Lerner and Haslam. I think BB would have been a decent DC, but as a HC his success is fairly well much built on Brady. I don't think their scouting departments/GMs have been any better really than the Browns.

So, that's it.

Example of A BIG SPLASH.....burning the whole wad on a Dez Bryant.....or.....Suh type of player....which would cause many to dance in the street....

Where I think Farmer(and the Browns) would more likely sign 3-4 journeyman players(for the same money) and fill several needs.

This would get me dancing.....

@frenchie said:

I'm glad Haslam stepped up on Wednesday, handled the press, and supported his guys. He also presented optimism and set the record straight on dysfunction.

Still catching up on all that was said, but good take on what Jimmy at least tried to do. Similar to what Kraft did prior to the Super Bowl.

@darren15 said:

Our owner has said there will be no big splash in free agency .........

Which means he thinks top players would be out of their minds to even want to come to such a dysfunctional team..... saying we wont spend is a nice way of saying we suck

Obviously your glass is nowhere near half-full...

I read "no big splash" and think, "we've conducted our review and do not see any stars coming available that will be worth the salary they will command to us".

Which means he thinks top players would be out of their minds to even want to come to such a dysfunctional team..... saying we wont spend is a nice way of saying we suck

@ballpeen said:

I haven't written off Gilbert either. Nobody could have predicted he would not live up to expectations when we drafted him. He has promised to do better next season so hopefully his actions will match what he is saying. I can overlook things if I see someone giving 100 percent and my anger with Manziel was he was paid to give us his best effort and he didn't do it. Some of that may have been his substance abuse problems and I am glad to see him going to rehab and I look forward to seeing him try again with his head in the game giving us his best effort. That is all we can ask out of someone. This club is real close to being a very good team. I keep going back to the Browns $100,000 study. it just doesn't make sense to do a study like that and not follow the recommendation.

@oldbrownsfan said:

I agree and at this point am not convinced we really made mistakes. I haven't written off Gilbert by any means and Manziel is a toss up. I may have written him off but his checking in to rehab shows me the kid knows he has to get things straightened out. If he can get his mind right, I think he has the skill set to be a very good NFL QB, assuming we use him to his strengths and not force him in to a system that isn't his style.

I look at the draft a bit differently. My feeling is if you pull out 2-3 solid players in a draft cycle...that includes UDFA players, you have done a good job. Once the player is on the team, draft position IMO goes out the window, so if your first rounder flops but your 2nd rounder studs, it's all a wash. You can take that down to a guy like Crowell who wasn't drafted. He is a solid player. He makes up for someone else.

Teams have to get 2-3 solid players a draft. Where they come from doesn't really matter.

@frenchie said:

Look at the 2014 Texans. New coaches, (one of them being former Browns HC Romeo Crennel) basically the same personnel and the 2-14 2013 team went 9-7 of course they had a J.J.Watt to whom they gave 100 mil and he earned every penny of it. 5 TD's no less. We are so much better off without Shanahan.