Braylon: Why a 'personal war'?

Jets receiver Braylon Edwards told the New York media Wednesday that his return to Cleveland for Sunday's game against the Browns was ''a personal war.''

He said when he learned last Oct. 7 that he'd been traded to the Jets, ''I couldn't get out of Berea fast enough. I couldn't show how excited I was at the time. I thought it would be unprofessional to do a dance."

As is usually the case with Edwards, those two comments are a contradiction.

If Edwards was so thrilled to go to New York, why does he care what people in Cleveland think about him? Why is he still claiming fans didn't like him because he went to Michigan?

Does a professional really make one game a personal war? Shouldn't every game be a personal war? Does a professional threaten to air his grievances about the media in a book? And who's going to buy such a book outside of Michigan?

Browns media members almost burst out laughing when Jets coach Rex Ryan called Edwards ''selfless'' Wednesday and praised him for his blocking skills. Yes, Edwards can block when he wants to. Ryan did acknowledge Edwards' ''one incident'' this season, a DUI, which is not exactly a ''selfless'' offense.

Edwards still seems obsessed with wanting everyone to like him. He still seems to believe he has more status than he really has. Asked Wednesday by Browns writers if he was ever happy in Cleveland, he said, ''I went to the Pro Bowl in 2007. It's not too sad going to the Pro Bowl.''

But with the physical gifts Edwards has been blessed with, he should be far from satisfied with one Pro Bowl in five years.

I will agree with Edwards on one point he made Wednesday. He said he believed in training camp in 2008 he and quarterback Derek Anderson were clicking just like they had in 2007. Then he pointed out his ankle injury -- when Donte Stallworth jumped on Edwards while he was jogging in socks -- which required surgery. He mentioned Anderson suffering a concussion and running back Jamal Lewis getting hurt in a preseason game against the Giants and Robaire Smith tearing his Achilles in game 2 against Pittsburgh.

I still remember Edwards from that training camp, leaping for balls, pulling in spectacular one-handers from Anderson in the end zone. For a few days, he and Anderson looked like they were going to be better than ever. The Giants game dealt the Browns a costly blow.

OK, Braylon, I'll give you that one. But if you were so happy to be traded, why can't you let Cleveland go?