Vick Flies Like an Eagle

OK, so normally I try to strictly keep it all Browns, all the time in the Blawg Pound, but I cannot let this Michael Vick thing pass.

ESPN reports that the Philadelphia Eagles have signed Michael Vick.

This is news, because, finally a team has stepped forward and said, “Hey, we don’t care if the whole world turns against us. We’ve completely forgotten that Michael Vick is an average, at best, quarterback who can’t stay in the pocket and play quarterback. We’ll sign him! It’ll be a great challenge for our public relations department.”

So, maybe they didn’t say that. My point is: Michael Vick was NOT a great quarterback before he went to prison. He talent was blown out of proportion by the media (especially you, Joe Theismann and Paul Maguire) — the same media who turned against him when it was discovered he was a psychopath who enjoys torturing and killing dogs.

He was NOT a great quarterback. He never won anything. He was nothing special — just another cocky kid who thinks because he can run fast, he should play quarterback. A quarterback needs to be able to do more things than just run fast, and torturing and killing dogs isn’t one of them.

I know many people are outraged that Michael Vick is back in the NFL. Personally, dog-killing aside, I don’t see why it’s such a big deal that a mediocre quarterback who hasn’t played in a couple of years was such a high-profile signing.

Hey, Michael Vick, you suck! Go Browns!

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No Crying for Cribbs

Josh Cribbs did not show up to yesterday's voluntary minicamp in Berea — because he feels he deserves more money — Wahh!

I thought Cribbs was supposed to be a leader on this team. I thought Cribbs was supposed to be a team-player. I thought Cribbs was someone who was above all the pettiness and greed you see from many professional athletes.

I guess I was wrong.

Here's a little history: After his rookie season, Phil Savage offered Cribbs a six-year, $12 million contract with $2 million guaranteed. So elated was he to be making more money than he'd ever had in his life, Cribbs signed the deal and spoke in gushing terms about paying the Browns back for the loyalty they showed.

Now, three years later, he's gotten greedy. He saw fellow special teams star Devon Hester of the Bears ink a five-year $40 million contract with $15 million guaranteed and he became jealous.

According to Cribbs' agent, if the Browns don't show they're willing to tear up Cribbs' current contract, which runs through 2012, the Browns' special teams star might take the bold step of demanding to be traded.

Umm, excuse me, Josh Cribbs. Where do you get off?

The Browns were terrible last season. The Browns are projected to be terrible again this season (Peter King ranks them No. 32). With so many areas that need to be addressed on this team, why should the Browns give more money to a special teams player who is STILL UNDER CONTRACT?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all undervaluing the importance of special teams in the NFL.

In real life, you get paid to do a job, and you're expected to do it well. if you don't, you get fired. If you keep doing a good job, you may get a promotion.

Maybe if Cribbs could read defenses he could have stepped up to play wide receiver more often instead of just as a utility receiver, thus earning a chance to play a bigger role on the team and warrant more money — call it a promotion.

What I'm saying is, Cribbs played well last year and that's what he's paid to do. I'm willing to bet if Cribbs played horribly last season he wouldn't feel guilty about collecting his paycheck and offer to give some of it back.

You signed a contract. Now, get to the minicamp and be a team player. Be a leader. Practice with your team. Try thinking of your team instead of your wallet. Rise above the pettiness and greed and make an effort to help this team be better than No. 32.

What Do You Think?

That's the question everyone is asking this week, right? I mean, the Browns have been pathetic up until this past Monday night and all hope was just about lost. Then, they come out and smack the defending Super Bowl Champions upside the head and hand them their first loss of the season — and they made it look easy.

So, after the initial excitement wears off, us Browns fans scratch our heads and wonder what it all means. Then, we turn to each other and ask, "What do you think?"

Truth is, we don't know what to really think; that's why we ask everyone we talk to — why else would you be reading this blog if you didn't want to know what I thought?

You know what I think, but what about other Browns bloggers? Here's what Browns fans from around the blogosphere are saying about the win over the Giants, as well as this Sunday's game against the Redskins:

• It certainly was nice to win a big one — on national television, nonetheless.
• But, are Browns fans ready to forgive all sins after one big win?
• Well, not all of them. We can feel satisfaction, not vindication.
• The Browns may have won, but why isn't anyone talking about the penalties?
• Winslow is back at practice, but what was wrong with him?
• Romeo seems pretty happy to have Sean Jones back this week too.
• What can we expect from our Browns against Washington?
• Because getting past the Redskins isn't going to be easy.

Browns fans are opinionated, that's for sure. As a friend of mine once told me, "That's the great thing about sports ... who really understands the problems with the economy, or what's going on with Iraq or North Korea? No one. But, we can all tell you exactly what's wrong with the Browns immediately after each game."