I recall Tony claiming he thinks minicamps are one of the reasons there are so many injuries in training camps anymore. His theory is that guys used to come to camp to get into football shape and get toughened up, but since they go almost year round the coaches hold back in camp and the players get soft. He really thinks this is the reason behind the Browns' crappy tackling lately, in camp they just aren't doing it enough and not used to contact. They may work out at minicamps but they aren't hitting. I kind of think he's right, the pampering RAC 'n ROLLS did in camp definitely led to even more injuries and soft play. Make them hit, if they get hurt they get hurt. Guys like Clay Mathews used to come to camp (late) and play themselves into shape and start smacking guys around.

@dencyguy said:To borrow a line from Allen Iverson, we talkin' about a speeding ticket. Is it irresponsible? If one takes the speed limit as a pre-existing condition (that is, everyone knows that 65 mph is the safest speed to travel on the highway), maybe. Otherwise, it's a guy driving over the limit, knowing he could get ticketed, knowingly taking the risk, and paying the price when he got caught. Please, please don't try to conflate this with the Stallworth situation; that logic demeans us all. What's the indication that he was driving like, well, a jerk? Was he tailgating? Weaving? Editing a porno while driving? Otherwise, again, we talkin' about a speeding ticket. Dennis I hit 90 the other day on a dry patch of highway with no cars around. Will I have to buy my own ticket to the Hague, or will the ICC pay for my airfare? I though 80 was the residential speed limit in Tn I've driven on I-95 at around 100 in a rental car and had a constant stream of traffic passing me. In ohio, the road nazis, otherwise known as Ohio Highway Patrol have quota's to make. On a dry road, especially interstate driving, in today's cars, with modern brakes and tires 80 mph is idling, especially considering that Interstates were designed in the 50's and 60's for the safe traffic of Packards, nail head Buicks and Hudson Hornets at 90 mph. Other than being above the speed limit, 80 is no big deal. When you're above 120 or 130, then were talking a little excessive.

@ballpeen said:We are playing all the realistic angles and bluffs....exactly what we hope they would do. I agree with you. Speaking of angles, I wonder what the odds are that the "Eric and George Show" might actually be willing to trade the Browns completely out of the the first and second rounds in exchange for the resulting pocketful of picks they would have in the 3rd,4th,5th and 6th rounds. Remember how many people have been saying how deep in talent this draft is. I wonder if they fancy themselves to be so sharp that they could handpick the reasonable $$/high value players in the later rounds. If they do that it would probably be driven by them wanting to plug as many holes as they could as fast as possible. This won't result in any splashy headlines for Cleveland in the first day of the draft. These two have shown us they couldn't care less about such things.

where did you see this? Its not on OBR or anywhere else that I can see for that matter.

oldcow1945 said:In the end you can almost look at as though they traded Vrabel and Cassel for Peppers....is that such a great deal? A guy heading into his 8th year for an old LB and a Qb that could end up being a great one? I guess time will tell. But this is one that historians could look back on and say the Patriots really screwed themselves. Try and think about it for a second. Say Matt Cassel is and has been a Brown. He had quarterbacked the Browns last year with really good results....Just as he did in New England.... Would you then send him and Vrabel to Carolina for Peppers? first, this deal isn't done. it's not on ESPN, not on rotoworld, not on PFT. it might happen, but it's not yet a done deal. if it does happen, vrabel and cassel for peppers is a great deal. while cassel might turn out to be good, he's only had success while in a QB-oriented offense with two great receivers to throw to plus a supporting cast that's easily better than average. he had the prime, ideal situation for success, and he performed adequately. however, while cassel played well, they pats still have tom brady, one of the top 3 QBs in the game today, which makes cassel completely expendable regardless of his age. the pats effectively used a bargaining chip at a position of depth to massively upgrade a position of need with a great player. the wild card will be peppers learning an entirely new position and scheme, but he's got the athletic ability to do it. the mental side (trusting the scheme and his instincts) will be what really determines whether he has success. this is what we should have done with derek anderson had the FO had any real confidence in quinn.

Maybe he only had 5 players like him from there?

Lol i would be delighted if that were the case...hehehehe Maclin is a great looking prospect for sure...nice speed and strenth combo but will likely drop because he is 6'1 and 200 lb with good hands instead of 7 ft tall with a 12' vertical with no hands or speed kinda like BE...lol