Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
NFL star Chris Spielman's wife loses cancer battle
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …
Akron Zips:
Hitchens leads Zips in second-half comeback
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Holmgren expresses interest in Browns position
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Right guard Hadnot suffers strained knee in preseason loss
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Friday, Aug 29, 2008
CLEVELAND: The injury bug continued to bite the Browns in crucial areas. The latest victim: right guard Rex Hadnot, who went down during the first quarter of Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears.
Hadnot had been filling in for starting right guard Ryan Tucker, who underwent hip surgery this past May. It looks as if the Browns have some depth at the position, but the seriousness of Hadnot's injury will likely determine what moves the team makes. Coach Romeo Crennel said after the game that Hadnot had a strained knee.
Tucker might have been a candidate for the physically unable to perform list (PUP),which would have required him to miss the first six weeks of the season. Crennel called it an important week for Tucker, because he took a significant step up in his rehabilitation.
The Browns tapped backup Seth McKinney to replace Hadnot after the injury. McKinney started the first eight games of last year before suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery.
Aging like fine wine
Browns kicker Phil Dawson stands alone.
He's the lone player left from that 1999 season in which the Browns returned to the NFL. A 10-year veteran, Dawson is also coming off his best season. He scored 120 points and made 26-of-30 field goals for 87 percent and he's looking as if he's ready to pick up right where he left off. Dawson has made 4-of-4 field goals during the preseason. Of those, two traveled more than 50 yards. Dawson credits a change in his offseason habits for his success thus far.
''I think that's probably part of becoming a veteran,'' Dawson said. ''That's what benefits you the most, learning how to take care of your body. I'm about 10 pounds lighter than I was last year. I really worked on that this offseason.
''My wife has me eating healthy; that only helps you. When you're a young guy, you don't really understand how that affects your performance.''
More important for the Browns, however, is that Dawson has evolved into a clutch kicker. Fans will remember the game-tying kick that bounced off the crossbar support in Baltimore last season and Cleveland's version of the Snow Bowl as a whipping Lake Erie wind turned a game last season against the Buffalo Bills into an occasional whiteout. Dawson delivered in that instance, too, making two kicks, including a 49-yarder in an 8-0 victory.
''[I'm] pretty proud of it. I'd like to think that's the culmination of practicing a long time in bad conditions. To finally have one in a game that matters and under those circumstances means a great deal,'' he said. ''I wish I could say that would probably be the last one I had to try like that. But if I stick around long enough there will probably be another one coming, so I've got to be ready for that one, too.''
Although he might be considered a senior citizen in the NFL, he sees no reason to think about retiring any time soon.
''I don't feel like I'm slowing down at all. I'm enjoying it. I want to be here when we win. The guys kid me, they call me the Moses of the Browns,'' he said. ''I don't want to stick around to lead everybody to the Promised Land and then be gone. I want to get to experience winning and I think we're on the right track for that.''
Wilson drought ends
After the New York Jets game, wide receiver Travis Wilson looked like a shoo-in to lock up the third wide receiver spot. Then came the New York Giants and next the Detroit Lions. Wilson had no receptions in either of those games. Perhaps sensing that his NFL career could be at stake, Wilson grabbed six balls for 57 yards in the first half of Thursday's game against the Bears to improve his chances to make the roster. Wilson, in his third year with the Browns, also dropped a deep pass from quarterback Ken Dorsey that hit him in the hands.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/sportsblitz/.
CLEVELAND: The injury bug continued to bite the Browns in crucial areas. The latest victim: right guard Rex Hadnot, who went down during the first quarter of Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
