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Akron man interrupts armed burglar
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Letters to the editor - July 29
Blogs:
The330:
Akron Zoo’s $500,000 Conservation Carousel opens to public Saturday
Akron Docs in Haiti:
Orphans in Fondwa
First Bell - On Education:
Busing, sports fees and class size on table if Copley-Fairlawn schools levy fails
Pets:
Paws & Pitches at Canal Park
The Heldenfiles:
"So You Think You Can Dance" Notes
Akron Zips:
Poll: What season are you anticipating most?
Tribe Matters:
Thursday’s Indians lineup
Cleveland Browns:
Links to Browns coverage: July 30, 2010
Kent State Sports:
Key MAC Games Of 2010 Season
Cleveland Cavaliers:
LeBron still has at least one fan in Cleveland
Buckeye Blogging:
10 Hurdles Standing Between Ohio State and Another National Championship
Varsity Letters:
Important Dates for Upcoming High School Football Season
All Da King's Men:
Arizona Immigration Law Blocked, Drug Cartels Rejoice
Blog of Mass Destruction:
"Muslims Hate Jews, Christians &…Dogs"
Akron Law Café:
Is BP Cornering the Market on Oil Spill Research?
Car Chase:
Sunday – or Anyday Drives
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Brangelina to Buy in Santorini?
Sound Check:
Ohio alt-rock stars weigh in on Lebron….John Mayer too..
HRLite House:
From the White House – New Federal Approach to Hiring
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
POSTED: 10:56 p.m. EDT, Mar 25, 2009
DANA POINT, CALIF.: Mike Tomlin gets it.
Tomlin understands what it means to coach in Pittsburgh, to coach against the Browns, and to coach in a rivalry.
''I'm not looking for any friends in Cleveland, Ohio,'' Tomlin said this week at the NFL's annual meetings.
The statement came when Tomlin was asked to explain a comment the day after the Steelers won the Super Bowl. When a reporter from Cleveland introduced himself to ask a question, Tomlin chuckled and said: ''Cleveland?''
Then he laughed again.
Tomlin said he was playing off the reporter's tone, though the reporter (Tony Grossi of the Plain Dealer) said he merely introduced himself.
Tomlin probably doesn't care.
He understands there is a rivalry with the Browns, and he's not afraid to be the enemy. In the past few years, some Browns players and coaches have shunned talk of a rivalry, calling it a game like any other.
''History speaks for itself,'' Tomlin said. ''The proximity of the two cities, the desire for greatness, the unbridled fan support in both spots — it makes for a great rivalry.
''When you sit in the position that I'm in, it's something that you anticipate and embrace, the fact that you're not going to be a celebrated guy in that city.
''I think the same bodes for coach [Eric] Mangini in Pittsburgh. It's part of it.
''It's something you embrace, and you might as well embrace it as opposed to fight it.''
The Steelers have dominated the games recently, but that does not matter to Tomlin.
''It will always be a rivalry regardless of the recent history,'' he said. ''Our rear view is very small, our windshield is very big.''
The continuity with the Steelers is something that has helped the rivalry. Guys like Hines Ward and James Farrior have been Steelers for years. They understand the game.
The Browns continue to turn over their roster, and now look to 2009 with 10 new free agents and several new draft picks — few of whom have been around the rivalry.
But one thing that might help is that Browns coach Eric Mangini understands the game.
''It's a special game,'' Mangini said. ''Everybody's aware of that. I'm aware of that. There's no way you can't not be aware of it, that you don't appreciate the tradition, the uniqueness of it.''
Clearly the elements are back in place to revive the rivalry — if the Browns and Mangini can find a way to win one of the stinking games.
Adding players
The Browns added 10 players in free agency; seven will be in their 30s when the season starts.
None are big-money players.
''It was a modest approach, which I'm comfortable in saying,'' Browns General Manager George Kokinis said.
Two words seem to be key in the additions: Veteran and leadership.
''I think there's value in veteran leadership,'' Mangini said. ''Those guys help a lot of younger guys become pros. And I've seen it every place I've been.''
Of course, Mangini said he liked the signees as players, but Mangini and Kokinis added they wanted to have at least one veteran in every position meeting room who would and could influence young players.
Four of the free-agent signees are ex-New York Jets.
''I was excited they wanted to play for the head coach that they had played for before,'' Kokinis said. ''I think that showed something about Eric.''
Said Mangini, ''I think it's always a positive to have guys who are familiar with the way you operate and the system that you run.''
The question is whether buttressing the roster this way makes the Browns better, or whether it fills in a team that needed depth.
The scuttlebutt on the players signed is that none are huge impact players, and some are role players more than starters.
Catching up
Mangini touched on some specific players:
• Nose tackle Shaun Rogers reported for offseason workouts Tuesday. Mangini hinted that the contractual obligations Rogers would fulfill related to his workout bonus — which a source said is $100,000.
''Each guy has different things in his contract in terms of if he completes a certain amount of workouts, there could be bonuses tied to it,'' Mangini said.
• Defensive end C.J. Mosley is able to play both ends, part of Mangini's push toward flexibility on the defensive front.
''Really what you'd like to do with all those interior positions is that each guy is able to play all three spots,'' Mangini said. ''Sometimes the end is just too tall to play nose, but you want that flexibility. Then you can create matchups against an opponent. You may want Shaun at end, just because you like the matchup against that tackle.''
• Josh Cribbs has been spending time learning the offense and the defense. Mangini left open the possibility that Cribbs could play 10-to-15 plays at safety.
''He's an outstanding tackler, he's got good instincts, he moves through traffic well,'' Mangini said. ''Those are all positives at safety.''
• New offensive line signees John St. Clair and Floyd Womack will line up on the right side of the line along with holdover Ryan Tucker and compete to see who starts.
And finally . . .
How far are the Browns from (gulp) winning?
Mangini addressed that very question.
''The great thing I think about the league is you don't start where you finish,'' he said. ''The way that we work in this offseason, the things we're able to collectively do, the choices we make every day, ultimately define how successful we are.
''And it's not a function of anything else besides that.
''It happens every year. Teams move up and teams move down based on what you collectively do.''
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/
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DANA POINT, CALIF.: Mike Tomlin gets it.
Tomlin understands what it means to coach in Pittsburgh, to coach against the Browns, and to coach in a rivalry.
''I'm not looking for any friends in Cleveland, Ohio,'' Tomlin said this week at the NFL's annual meetings.
The statement came when Tomlin was asked to explain a comment the day after the Steelers won the Super Bowl. When a reporter from Cleveland introduced himself to ask a question, Tomlin chuckled and said: ''Cleveland?''
Then he laughed again.
Tomlin said he was playing off the reporter's tone, though the reporter (Tony Grossi of the Plain Dealer) said he merely introduced himself.
Tomlin probably doesn't care.
He understands there is a rivalry with the Browns, and he's not afraid to be the enemy. In the past few years, some Browns players and coaches have shunned talk of a rivalry, calling it a game like any other.
''History speaks for itself,'' Tomlin said. ''The proximity of the two cities, the desire for greatness, the unbridled fan support in both spots — it makes for a great rivalry.
''When you sit in the position that I'm in, it's something that you anticipate and embrace, the fact that you're not going to be a celebrated guy in that city.
''I think the same bodes for coach [Eric] Mangini in Pittsburgh. It's part of it.
''It's something you embrace, and you might as well embrace it as opposed to fight it.''
The Steelers have dominated the games recently, but that does not matter to Tomlin.
''It will always be a rivalry regardless of the recent history,'' he said. ''Our rear view is very small, our windshield is very big.''
The continuity with the Steelers is something that has helped the rivalry. Guys like Hines Ward and James Farrior have been Steelers for years. They understand the game.
The Browns continue to turn over their roster, and now look to 2009 with 10 new free agents and several new draft picks — few of whom have been around the rivalry.
But one thing that might help is that Browns coach Eric Mangini understands the game.
''It's a special game,'' Mangini said. ''Everybody's aware of that. I'm aware of that. There's no way you can't not be aware of it, that you don't appreciate the tradition, the uniqueness of it.''
Clearly the elements are back in place to revive the rivalry — if the Browns and Mangini can find a way to win one of the stinking games.
Adding players
The Browns added 10 players in free agency; seven will be in their 30s when the season starts.
None are big-money players.
''It was a modest approach, which I'm comfortable in saying,'' Browns General Manager George Kokinis said.
Two words seem to be key in the additions: Veteran and leadership.
''I think there's value in veteran leadership,'' Mangini said. ''Those guys help a lot of younger guys become pros. And I've seen it every place I've been.''
Of course, Mangini said he liked the signees as players, but Mangini and Kokinis added they wanted to have at least one veteran in every position meeting room who would and could influence young players.
Four of the free-agent signees are ex-New York Jets.
''I was excited they wanted to play for the head coach that they had played for before,'' Kokinis said. ''I think that showed something about Eric.''
Said Mangini, ''I think it's always a positive to have guys who are familiar with the way you operate and the system that you run.''
The question is whether buttressing the roster this way makes the Browns better, or whether it fills in a team that needed depth.
The scuttlebutt on the players signed is that none are huge impact players, and some are role players more than starters.
Catching up
Mangini touched on some specific players:
• Nose tackle Shaun Rogers reported for offseason workouts Tuesday. Mangini hinted that the contractual obligations Rogers would fulfill related to his workout bonus — which a source said is $100,000.
''Each guy has different things in his contract in terms of if he completes a certain amount of workouts, there could be bonuses tied to it,'' Mangini said.
• Defensive end C.J. Mosley is able to play both ends, part of Mangini's push toward flexibility on the defensive front.
''Really what you'd like to do with all those interior positions is that each guy is able to play all three spots,'' Mangini said. ''Sometimes the end is just too tall to play nose, but you want that flexibility. Then you can create matchups against an opponent. You may want Shaun at end, just because you like the matchup against that tackle.''
• Josh Cribbs has been spending time learning the offense and the defense. Mangini left open the possibility that Cribbs could play 10-to-15 plays at safety.
''He's an outstanding tackler, he's got good instincts, he moves through traffic well,'' Mangini said. ''Those are all positives at safety.''
• New offensive line signees John St. Clair and Floyd Womack will line up on the right side of the line along with holdover Ryan Tucker and compete to see who starts.
And finally . . .
How far are the Browns from (gulp) winning?
Mangini addressed that very question.
''The great thing I think about the league is you don't start where you finish,'' he said. ''The way that we work in this offseason, the things we're able to collectively do, the choices we make every day, ultimately define how successful we are.
''And it's not a function of anything else besides that.
''It happens every year. Teams move up and teams move down based on what you collectively do.''
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/
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