There really wasn't much of an email to Scott yesterday as I was driving to Pittsburgh to see Mansions play at The Smiling Moose. So, here's the rundown. Scott and I talked about the Browns and what their season means in terms of what they are and accountability.
We talked about Scott going to see a play with Jeff Goldblum, who he is interviewing for Esquire. We talked the continuing infighting that seems to be occurring with Cleveland sports fans.
Denny's nearing the pregnancy finish line and we talked about that, international travel, swimming and plenty of other stuff.
The pregnancy “go bag”
The difference in animals when your wife is pregnant
Babies breaking ribs in their mom
International travel and whether or not you want to do it
Denny talks about Paris and this series from The Atlantic
Travel vs. setting up shop
Kids flying for the first time
What do you actually remember vs. what’s made up via stories that you’ve heard
Underwater headphones and listening to music while working out
Swimming vs. biking and whether Denny can ever do a triathlon
The contents of the go bag
Scott and I had another good chat this week running down all the Cleveland sports stories worth talking about. As usual, here's the email I sent to Scott on Sunday night...
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Hope you had a nice weekend.
Some thoughts this fine Sunday evening...
The Browns should know conclusively that Jason Campbell is a nice backup and nothing more. Probably better than Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme, so not a candidate to be the long-term starter. Maybe they really did know this all along as he was consistently their last choice all year until they mercifully concluded that Weeden couldn't play either.
Edwin Baker ran hard and it didn't leave me impressed with him as much as I'm shocked that the Browns haven't been able to find guys to run the ball with that level of energy all the time. Even Brandon Jackson seemed to run with more urgency than Willis and Fozzy. Seems like it should be easy to find, although maybe it's confidence. Confidence is something rarer.
I loved Mike Brown getting himself run from the game while standing up for his guys against MIA. NBA reffing is whatever, of course, but it was symbolic for him as head coach. The Cavs are currently playing like they might not despise each other. That's a step up for these Cavaliers.
Do you remember a good CLE sports team that did well and seemingly despised each other? Albert Belle's time with the Tribe might be the closest thing I can think of in my lifetime, but I don't know that Belle's teammates disliked him.
The longer we go in the offseason, the more I think there's a chance Ubaldo will be back. Do you want him back, and if so how much?
Lastly non-sports... I'm currently reading the first fantasy book that I've read in a long long time. The Lies of Locke Lamorra by Scott Lynch is the first book in the Gentlemen Bastard series. I'm trying but it might not be for me. It takes place on a fictional planet and I get so bogged down in fake city, race and country names that I think I ruin it for myself.
Can you do fantasy / sci fi? Is there a specific kind of fiction that you seek out more than others when looking to read?
Talk to you tomorrow.
Denny and I talked about a variety of topics today including old people listening to metal music, cooking devices like stainless steel pots, getting Christmas gifts in older age, traffic cameras, Internet friends, EZ Pass and a whole lot more! Hope you enjoy!
Talking to Brian Spaeth is almost always a good time. I thought maybe this one would be depressing because he's such a big Paul Walker fan. Still, this felt more like a celebration of Walker than a funeral. We talked about Cavs basketball and other stuff too.
It was a nice chat with Scott Raab today. As I expected, he refused to entertain any "loser talk" about referees and bad calls. He's right of course, but I tried to drag the conversation that way anyway! We also talked about the Indians rotation and whether they'll sign someone. We talked about the Cavs and their growing chemistry. We also talked about how he doesn't feel much of anything for the Buckeyes and how my generation does.
As usual, here is the email I sent Scott ahead of the podcast...
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I will have to formulate my thoughts about the Browns game over the evening. I hate to spend a lot of time talking about referees, I just don't think it can be avoided this week. Sometimes when a ref makes a meaningful call at a meaningful point in the game and blows it against the visiting team at the end of a game... It just can't be avoided.
My only criticism for Chud today is that he didn't fire on all cylinders in post-game comments about the referees. He's got these guys still playing and he's obviously inspiring them. I think he's done a hell of a job as a rookie head coach and probably for any head coach. Still, I'd have loved him to earn his first NFL fines this week.
We've never really talked about the Buckeyes, but whenever the Buckeyes and Browns lose in the same weekend it's tough. I'd kind of forgotten that the Buckeyes could lose, which is a testament to their last two years of play. Ohio State headed to the Orange Bowl to face Clemson.
This little tidbit from 11Warriors had me thinking...
"The game will be played nearly 35 years to the day from when former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes punched Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman in the Gator Bowl, leading to Hayes' dismissal at Ohio State. That game, won by Clemson 17-15, is the only meeting between the two schools."
I'd be interested in your thoughts on that if you have any to share. That's before my time, but I obviously was told the story and have seen it referenced numerous times over the years.
Of course we can touch on the Cavs as well. The Indians are basically idle.
That's what I've got so far.
It's a Joncast. What else is there to say?
Do the Cleveland Browns losses actually happen everywhere?
The great screw job of 2013
The referee already had the flag out
Should Chud have gone for two?
What is a catch in the NFL and how do you decide what is or isn’t?
Should the Browns have challenged Rob Gronkowski’s catch?
NFL referees are more capable than they’ve ever been
The rules themselves are really suffering
Losing hurts more than it helps make a draft better
What would Pierre Garcon have become if he played with the Browns?
What does today’s game say about Rob Chudzinski
The moneyball part of football with coaches
The Eric Wedge Seattle Mariner storyline (http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2022420240_mariners08xml.html)
The first time firing the people you hired
The savior complex amongst sports fans
Relying on faith as a sports fan vs. looking for tangible results
The 2012 first round NFL draft and how far it will set the team back
Carlos Carrasco and how he belongs in the bullpen
Carlos Carrasco’s personality for closer
Can a fan base ever get to know Cody Allen?
It isn’t brave to be the Yankees. It is brave to spend like the Yankees in Cleveland.
Hate tweeting and hate watching The Sound of Music Live
Suffering through “How I met Your Mother”
This week's casual Friday Podcast with Denny was a lot of talk about Cleveland and it's development. We talked about the land bridge from at the Horseshoe casino and also the city's deal with the stadium.
Hanging out in downtown Indianapolis for Thanksgiving
Not traveling with a pregnant wife
Spatchcocking a turkey
How big a turkey fan are you?
Denny’s slashed tire
Denny painting with a stencil
The Long Winters
When a record label holds together with like bands
The Cleveland music scene
The development of Cleveland as a city
How do you pronounce Oregon?
Landbridges, casinos and Cleveland
Regionalism and where Cleveland needs to start
Taxes, stadiums and Jeff Saturday
The Washington Nationals stadium
D.C. United playing at RFK
Today after writing a post striking back at someone who I thought attacked me, so I decided to go after one of the pre-eminent Cleveland trolls, Boney. He and I have had our ups and downs and I wanted to talk over his trolling comments on Twitter and what he looks to accomplish. And as a Detroit fan, I also wanted to pick his brain on what Detroit is doing this off-season and how it might end up for them and for the Indians as they continue to chase the Tigers in the Central. (Also, Brian Spaeth there was intermittent mention of you during this podcast, so you'll want to listen.)
What's the point of trolling
What reaction do you hope to get?
Trolling Jason Kipnis
Trolling Scott from WFNY
Talking Tigers baseball
Prince Fielder trade
Doug Fister trade
Shin-Soo Choo to Detroit?
The Cleveland Indians' moves
Jason Kipnis and how good he can be
Lonnie Chisenhall and his upside
It was a somber sports day on Sunday and this is what resulted.
The real highlights of this podcast for me are:
1. Talking about the Artie Lange book "Crash and Burn" that I'm reading
2. Talking about a Cleveland sports fan who lives in Colorado and has a really great rock band called Instant Empire. I closed today's podcast with his band's song, "Keep Up!" and hope everyone enjoys it half as much as I did.
Here's the email I sent Scott yesterday
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After traveling to Indianapolis this weekend I don't have a long email in me.
I did catch the Browns game on my phone on the way home via slingbox.
The future is a pretty amazing place to be, really.
I've had it with smug Browns fans who act like winning now isn't important with the offseason lined up with draft picks. Had it! It's nice and all to have hope via picks but you can't count on anything until they prove they can win. This team shouldn't be favored in any game the rest of the year. That's a disgrace no matter who is injured.
We can talk about the Cavs too. We seem to know more about the Waiters / Thompson screaming match.
I'm reading Artie Lange's book which is the most graphic addiction story that I think I've personally read. I'm unsure if there's any discussion there, but I thought I'd mention it on the chance.
That's what I have for now. Talk to you tomorrow.
Hate week and what chances Michigan has this year
What’s happening at Michigan?
Is Michigan engaged in a process or is it off the rails?
Al Borges and the Michigan offense
Comparing Devin Gardner to Brandon Weeden
Losing the four overtime game to Penn State
Michigan’s struggles against Akron and Connecticut
But Michigan couldn’t mount a game against the Ohio State defense?
Ohio State and who they are compared to who they will be down the road
Ohio State and how they compare to the national schedule
Cleveland Browns vs. Steelers debacle
Are you OK with it if they’re going to do it right?
Trent Richardson trade and what it signaled to fans
Brandon Weeden getting booed
The culture of booing and if it’s allowed or if it’s ever allowed