Events Calendar
In This Section
Trades send Quinn, Wimbley packing
Hard to see deals making Browns better
Annual banquet to honor Rutigliano, Kardiac Kids
Tight end Benjamin Watson joining Browns
Browns report: Delhomme, two others talk jobs, depart unsigned
Delhomme plans to visit Browns Thursday
Anderson lets anger get best of him
Most Read Stories
Hard to see deals making Browns better
Victim's daughter fights killer's parole
Police: Man hit children at Walmart for thrill
Woman accused of killing 6 of her newborns
City's workers being warned to go scentsless
Trades send Quinn, Wimbley packing
Marine from Revere High critically wounded
Blogs:
Akron Docs in Haiti:
Almost home
First Bell - On Education:
Celebrate Pi Day on March 14
Pets:
PAWS Pet of the Week: Meet Thumper!
The Heldenfiles:
"Marcus Welby" on DVD
Akron Zips:
Akron accepts CBI bid, will host game Wednesday
Tribe Matters:
Minor deal in the works?
Cleveland Browns:
Browns management explains the thinking behind recent moves
Balanced Ledger:
How times have changed?
Kent State Sports:
Kent State to host Tulsa in NIT
Cleveland Cavaliers:
LeBron Makes NBA’s Top 10 Plays Twice
Buckeye Blogging:
Bucks High Seed – Turner High Praise
Varsity Letters:
Akron offers Brewton
All Da King's Men:
Social Security Scam Falling Apart
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Yeah, But…Matt Taibbi Uses Curse Words
Akron Law Café:
Can Corporations Be Shamed?
Car Chase:
2010 CONCOURS SEASON IS UPON US
Let's Talk Real Estate:
The Academy Awards!!!
Sound Check:
Pearl Jam coming to Cleveland in May
See Jane Style:
Who Wore What – The Oscars
HRLite House:
Central IPMA Scholarship
Akron Gamer:
'Uncharted 2' nabs 5 trophies at video game awards
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 09:18 p.m. EST, Nov 20, 2009
BEREA: Josh Cribbs zipped around during Friday's practice as if nothing had happened earlier in the week. He was imobilized and carried off the field on a stretcher late Monday night in the Browns' 16-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Come Sunday against the Detroit Lions, Browns coach Eric Mangini said the Browns' kick returner/receiver is expected to play in each of his various roles as usual.
''The doctors haven't given me the word yet, but I think [I'm playing],'' Cribbs said after the team's practice Friday.
That doesn't mean Cribbs is 100 percent healthy, however. Although a concussion was ruled out earlier in the week, Cribbs said Friday he is still experiencing stiffness and pain after suffering a sprained neck on a vicious hit on the last play of the game.
''[I'm having] stiffness, soreness, stuff like that,'' Cribbs said. ''But I've been working through it. There's pain, but there would be more pain for me not to play.''
So as long as word comes from his doctors that he is cleared to play, Cribbs will do so in his usual reckless-abandon style.
''It's going to take a lot to keep me out of the game,'' Cribbs said. ''I love it too much. They would have to literally take my gear away from me for me not to play. . . . When I was younger, my parents used to ground me from football as a punishment. I love the game that much.''
Cribbs is listed as questionable on the team's injury report.
Although Edwards was not penalized in the game for the hit, he was fined $5,000 by the league — a fine Cribbs felt was unnecessary.
''I don't think [the hit] was intentional,'' Cribbs said. ''[So] I don't think he should have been fined for it.''
New captains needed
With both of the Browns' defensive captains on injured reserve — Eric Barton, (bulging disc in his neck) and linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (pectoral surgery) — veteran linebacker David Bowens was voted as the team's replacement defensive captain.
''[They] pretty strongly endorsed David Bowens. . . . and I personally feel it's a really good choice,'' Mangini said. ''He's played multiple positions and he's played them all well.
''He's always been someone that whatever you ask him to do, he is going to do it [and] he is going to do it to the best of his ability.''
In addition to what Bowens does for the Browns on the field, he has also emerged as a leader in the locker room.
''Another strength of his is the mentoring of younger players,'' Mangini said. ''He's going to try to make those around him better. The last couple games with him playing inside, the level of communication. . . . Going from an outside linebacker to an inside linebacker, being responsible for the huddle, being responsible for making all of the checks with the front seven, that's not easy.''
Gruden just loves game
In discussing the multiyear contract extension he signed earlier this week with ESPN (a deal that theoretically eliminated him as a 2010 coaching candidate), football analyst Jon Gruden addressed Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports about the perception that he shies away from ripping teams and players in his new role.
''I'll be honest with you, I've been criticized by some for being too positive, for loving everybody because I'm trying to get this job or that job,'' Gruden told Silver on Thursday. ''That's a crock. I love the game, OK? And I'm enthusiastic because of it. There are positives about everybody, and I try to find them.
''There's a lot of negativity out there and I am truly sorry for not adding to the negativity and for seeing the bright side of the world here. Because, you know, I think negativity is what the world needs. They need some more guys to sit up there and ridicule the Cleveland Browns for four hours.''
Brownies
A film crew from CBS shot the media portion of practice Friday in preparation for James Brown's interview with Mangini that will air before Sunday's game against the Lions in Detroit. . . . The NFL office confirmed the fines from Monday night's game, hitting Browns quarterback Brady Quinn with a $10,000 amount for his low block on the Baltimore Ravens' Terrell Suggs and fining defensive end Dwan Edwards $5,000 for unnecessary roughness on his hit on Cribbs. In an e-mail from the league, Edwards' hit was deemed rough and he ''unnecessarily struck the opponent in the head area.'' . . . Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan took full blame for the Browns not having enough men on the field on Ray Rice's 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Stephanie Storm can be reached
at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
BEREA: Josh Cribbs zipped around during Friday's practice as if nothing had happened earlier in the week. He was imobilized and carried off the field on a stretcher late Monday night in the Browns' 16-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Come Sunday against the Detroit Lions, Browns coach Eric Mangini said the Browns' kick returner/receiver is expected to play in each of his various roles as usual.
''The doctors haven't given me the word yet, but I think [I'm playing],'' Cribbs said after the team's practice Friday.
That doesn't mean Cribbs is 100 percent healthy, however. Although a concussion was ruled out earlier in the week, Cribbs said Friday he is still experiencing stiffness and pain after suffering a sprained neck on a vicious hit on the last play of the game.
''[I'm having] stiffness, soreness, stuff like that,'' Cribbs said. ''But I've been working through it. There's pain, but there would be more pain for me not to play.''
So as long as word comes from his doctors that he is cleared to play, Cribbs will do so in his usual reckless-abandon style.
''It's going to take a lot to keep me out of the game,'' Cribbs said. ''I love it too much. They would have to literally take my gear away from me for me not to play. . . . When I was younger, my parents used to ground me from football as a punishment. I love the game that much.''
Cribbs is listed as questionable on the team's injury report.
Although Edwards was not penalized in the game for the hit, he was fined $5,000 by the league — a fine Cribbs felt was unnecessary.
''I don't think [the hit] was intentional,'' Cribbs said. ''[So] I don't think he should have been fined for it.''
New captains needed
With both of the Browns' defensive captains on injured reserve — Eric Barton, (bulging disc in his neck) and linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (pectoral surgery) — veteran linebacker David Bowens was voted as the team's replacement defensive captain.
''[They] pretty strongly endorsed David Bowens. . . . and I personally feel it's a really good choice,'' Mangini said. ''He's played multiple positions and he's played them all well.
''He's always been someone that whatever you ask him to do, he is going to do it [and] he is going to do it to the best of his ability.''
In addition to what Bowens does for the Browns on the field, he has also emerged as a leader in the locker room.
''Another strength of his is the mentoring of younger players,'' Mangini said. ''He's going to try to make those around him better. The last couple games with him playing inside, the level of communication. . . . Going from an outside linebacker to an inside linebacker, being responsible for the huddle, being responsible for making all of the checks with the front seven, that's not easy.''
Gruden just loves game
In discussing the multiyear contract extension he signed earlier this week with ESPN (a deal that theoretically eliminated him as a 2010 coaching candidate), football analyst Jon Gruden addressed Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports about the perception that he shies away from ripping teams and players in his new role.
''I'll be honest with you, I've been criticized by some for being too positive, for loving everybody because I'm trying to get this job or that job,'' Gruden told Silver on Thursday. ''That's a crock. I love the game, OK? And I'm enthusiastic because of it. There are positives about everybody, and I try to find them.
''There's a lot of negativity out there and I am truly sorry for not adding to the negativity and for seeing the bright side of the world here. Because, you know, I think negativity is what the world needs. They need some more guys to sit up there and ridicule the Cleveland Browns for four hours.''
Brownies
A film crew from CBS shot the media portion of practice Friday in preparation for James Brown's interview with Mangini that will air before Sunday's game against the Lions in Detroit. . . . The NFL office confirmed the fines from Monday night's game, hitting Browns quarterback Brady Quinn with a $10,000 amount for his low block on the Baltimore Ravens' Terrell Suggs and fining defensive end Dwan Edwards $5,000 for unnecessary roughness on his hit on Cribbs. In an e-mail from the league, Edwards' hit was deemed rough and he ''unnecessarily struck the opponent in the head area.'' . . . Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan took full blame for the Browns not having enough men on the field on Ray Rice's 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Stephanie Storm can be reached
at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Akron, OH
Posted 09:32 PM, 11/20/2009
That Cribbs guy is a straight shooter, isn't he. I suppose that his teammates are also . . . . . but there apparently a lack of talent there someplace. 1-8 against 1-8; who wants to watch that game?
rmk/akron
Kent, Oh
Posted 09:44 PM, 11/20/2009
I think that Jon Gruden is one of the best coaches in the NFL and I'd like to see him get back into coaching. I have a newfound respect for him as an analyst. It doesn't matter if the Indians are in the World Series or the Browns are in the playoffs, it seemed like every announcer constantly bashes Ohio teams. The Bengals are doing a great job this year and they still get no respect from Shannon Sharpe, Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason and even Dan Marino. I'm sick and tired of listening to these guys. Lee Roy Kelly was Jon Gruden's favorite player when he was a kid. Every Browns fan over 40 years old remembers Leroy Kelly.
Kent, Oh
Posted 09:47 PM, 11/20/2009
May be Gruden will be the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns. He's excited over the game and we need someone like that to bring back a winner to the Browns and bring back some excitement for the fans.
everywhere, oh
Posted 08:04 AM, 11/21/2009
Jim Brown interviews mangina, if there was ever anyone deserving a punch from him.........
Hey Jim, punch him like you married him!
Port Saint Lucie, Fl
Posted 09:38 AM, 11/21/2009
h
cleveland, oh
Posted 09:54 AM, 11/21/2009
i guess mr. lerner dont want me to take over oh well ?
North Canton, OH
Posted 07:36 PM, 11/21/2009
This game is very important to the Browns! Mangini is in a must-lose situation here to truly ensure he gets the #1 draft pick in 2010!! C'mon Browns, lose to those Lions!
