Ovie @ the ESPYs

Last week former Ravens FB Ovie Mughelli and I spent the day on the red carpet at the ESPYs, along with 8,054 of ESPN's closest media friends. Ovie is a good dude and a great fullback. Le'Ron McLain just ain't the same. Below is my recap interview with Ovie (aka Black Knight pt. 2 aka Chocolate Thunder pt. 2 aka Nigerian Nightmare pt. 3).

Visit the Yard to watch Ovie's interviews with Matt Leinart, Braylon Edwards, Bob Sanders, Kellen Winslow, Vernon Davis, P.J. Brown from the Boston Celtics, and the USA women's Olympic volleyball players.

AFC North: Each team's biggest weakness

Baltimore Ravens: I'd like to be snooty and say Ozzie Newsome, mostly because he again mortgaged the future of the franchise on a QB with a strong arm and a questionable track record. But I won't. Mostly because I've grown accustomed to terrible QB play from the Ravens. It's not even a weakness anymore. It's just the way it is. So instead I'll say it's the defensive backfield. Obviously Ed Reed and Chris McAlister are money, but Samari Rolle is old and last year suffered from seizures. Not a good combination for a position that doesn't afford you much margin of error. Also, Fabian Washington is a question mark. Last week I sat down with his former roommate, Raiders CB Stanford Routt, who told me that he thinks Fabian will be great in Baltimore. But they're boys, so he has no choice but to say nice things. Still, I trust him; however, until I see it on the field, and until there's a bit more depth back there, it's still our biggest weakness. Yeah, I said our; I don't care what you think about me not suiting up.

Cincinnati Bengals: Leadership. First-round draft pick Keith Rivers is an unlikely candidate for arrest, but everyone else on that roster is fair game.



Cleveland Browns: This one was easy. Cornerback. This morning Phil Savage said on Sirius NFL Radio that the team will try to upgrade at corner, but it will not target a big-time name like Ty Law or Lito Sheppard. Cleveland doesn't have the budget. Instead, he hopes the Browns will be able to do a player-for-player trade, or perhaps give up a late-round selection to improve its defensive backfield, which is w-e-a-k. For once, the team finally has enough depth at other positions, and the team could execute a trade without making one area strong at the expense of another.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Although Pittsburgh upgraded itself in the middle by signing seven-year veteran and former Carolina Panthers center Justin Hartwig, the team is hurting in the trenches. The Steelers lost G Alan Faneca to free agency after he signed a deal with the New York Jets, making Faneca the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Good for him, and also good for the rest of the AFC North, which is happy to see him go. The Steelers waited until the fourth round to draft an O-lineman, selecting Tony Hills out of Texas. Hills used to play tight end, and he also has a history with injuries. You can't really blame the team for not going O-line in the first round, though. With Rashard Mendenhall still on the board, it was a no-brainer for the Steelers to pick up some insurance for Willie Parker.

Dawg Pound

The Dawg Pound whimpers.

The Browns came so close to making the playoffs. So very close. But Jim Sorgi ain't no Peyton Manning. With the Titans victory last night over the Colts, who had nothing to gain from a win except momentum, Jeff Fisher, Vince Young and the Titans go on the road to face San Diego in the first round of the playoffs.

So instead of getting a free vacation to San Diego, the Browns get to go back to Cleveland. Ouch.

Maybe next year, Clowns fans.

NFL predictions: Is Malty a genius?

Apparently my buddy Malty can predict the future. From a pre-season email:

Patriots: "My honest feeling is that the Patriots are going to win 19 or 20 games (whatever a complete undefeated season through the Super Bowl would be). I just don't see them losing... And I wouldn't worry about Moss."

Bears: "I think last year the Bears just got lucky with other teams injuries and happened to squeak through."

Lions: "If the Lions have a defense, they'll be a playoff team."

Browns: "The Browns are f'ing stupid for drafting Brady Quinn without giving Derek Anderson a chance (speaking of which -- he has the potential to be the next Drew Brees)."

He also called the Ravens a "fukkin SOLID team," so maybe there's hope for Baltimore yet.

Stock photo of Malty

Browns fan: "What's up with Billick and play calls?"

"We have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL and it seems like the game plan was to dink and dunk the ball. Even at 24-3 you're in the game. What's up with Billick and play calls?"

Good question.

Billick has been hesitant to run the ball, despite the fact that McNair has been hobbled with injuries, and despite the fact that the team dropped draft picks and a wad of cash on Willis McGahee.

I don't care if George Bush calls for an air attack; the way to beat the Browns, the way to beat anyone if you're the Baltimore Ravens, is to run the football.


Now the Ravens are a quarter of the way through the season, winless in the division and without a single convincing victory. And the worst part is, the team and coaching staff wants to pretend that nothing is wrong.

But with two wins, two losses and too many unanswered questions, there is plenty wrong. And like I wrote yesterday, it starts with the coach: Fire Brian Billick.

Or Billick could start running the football.

That would save everyone a lot of trouble, you know, with Billick having to line up a new job and the Ravens having to interview the hordes of assistants who would drool over the opportunity to coach what I hope is still the NFL's best defense.

Brian Billick should be fired

Billick's poor play calling
By the time Willis McGahee got his third carry during today's 27-13 loss to the Browns, Cleveland had already scored two touchdowns. Brian Billick refused again to call McGahee's number early and often, instead relying on an injured Steve McNair and a suspect air attack.

Billick has never been good with clock management, and ever since he found Willis McGahee in his offseason stocking, he has lost his ability to call a good game, too. The Ravens need to run the ball and play defense.

Today, McNair had 53 pass attempts. Fifty-three!

Billick couldn't even challenge a play without screwing up. The Ravens kept Jamal out of the end zone but unfortunately Billick kept the red flag in his pocket too long. Touchdown, Jamal.

McNair or Boller?
Some say Kyle Boller should be the full-time starter, and I'm not sure I would disagree. I definitely think he should have played today. McNair looked uncomfortable. But for Billick to put Boller in the lineup at halftime or later would be to admit that he was wrong, something that Billick is not capable of doing.

Yeah, McNair engineered a nice touchdown drive midway through the fourth quarter, but you can't wait until the end of the game to make things happen, especially when you're down by three touchdowns. Even if it is the Browns.

Short-term issues
As suspected, the Ravens' secondary today was Swiss cheese. Fortunately, the problems with the secondary will be alleviated with the return of Trevor Pryce, who will strengthen the pass rush and take some pressure off the defensive backs.

Long-term issues
The bad news is, though, that the Ravens' biggest problem almost certainly won't be addressed until the off-season, and even then there is no guarantee. I'm talking about Brian Billick, who has an ego that wouldn't fit inside of an NFL helmet (or "hat" if you're a sucker for this year's trendy network language).

Not everything is Billick's fault -- the defense is aging; injuries, blah blah blah -- but Billick runs the ship, and he is running it into the ground.

Billick takes too many chances when he shouldn't (throwing the ball early and often) and not enough when he should (4th and short in the red zone). As a result, the Baltimore Ravens are 2-2 after what should have been the team's easiest four-game stretch.

All of which brings me to my point...

Fire Brian Billick
It has been a great nine years, but the time has come for Billick to go.

Give defensive coordinator Rex Ryan the job instead of letting another talented assistant walk (Marvin Lewis, Jack Del Rio, Mike Nolan, Mike Singletary).

Might I be overacting? Sure. Am I in denial about Baltimore's aging defense? Probably. Should I sleep on it before calling for Billick's head? Maybe.

But that's the beauty of the blogosphere: Half of you will agree and the other half will disagree, but three weeks from now 90 percent of you will forget.

Ravens-Browns preview and prediction

I watched The Departed for the third time last night, and it gets better each time you watch it. Anyway, today is my last day of vacation, and what better way to spend it than watching the Ravens square off against the Cleveland Clowns. Tomorrow it is back to California.

Jamal Lewis said that he knows and will exploit the weaknesses in Baltimore's defense. Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis have invited him to bring it on, be my guest, we have no weaknesses, yada yada yada.

Both sides are wrong.

Jamal: You won't be able to exploit Baltimore's weaknesses. The Ravens are nasty against the run, and you know this. Baltimore's run D is the best in the biz. That won't change today.

Ray Ray and Sizzles: Sorry, guys, but the defense does have weaknesses. It's called the secondary. And without Trevor Pryce there to provide a pass rush -- Dwan Edwards in relief ain't going to cut it -- the shaky secondary is further exposed.

Also, Samari Rolle is out with an undisclosed illness but I'm not sure whether that's a good or bad thing. Rolle's play has been spotty over the past two seasons, and Corey Ivy has played well in his absence.

The Internets are ablaze with rumors as to what Rolle's illness is (STD? vertigo?) but does it really matter? The only thing that matters is that he's not going to play. Get well soon, Samari.

So will Baltimore pull off the road win today?

To quote Mark Wahlberg's character in The Departed: "maybe, maybe no, maybe f*ck yourself." Cleveland is a tough place to play, and the Browns always play the Ravens close.

Baltimore's defense may once again bend, but Cleveland should be easier to break. Willis McGahee gets at least 125 yards on the ground.

Baltimore 31, Cleveland 16

Jamal and the Browns: Congrats (and thank you)

When Jamal Lewis left Baltimore this offseason, most Ravens fans were happy to see him go. Not necessarily because they didn't like the guy, though many by that point didn't, but because they knew it was time for a change.

He was always my favorite Raven not named Ray, so even though I thought it was a good move for the franchise, I was disappointed to watch Jamal pack his bags, and I didn't particularly enjoy the anti-Jamal vitriol coming out of Charm City.

Fans called Jamal twinkle-toes for his tendency to stutter-step at the line. Some called him a lot worse. He was taken to task for smoking cigarettes (Newport), which may or may not be true. All former allegiances crumbled when Jamal, after joining Cleveland, criticized the front office and coaching staff in Baltimore.

I was mad for a few hours when I read his words, but eventually decided that Jamal's speaking out was his way of earning goodwill with new fans in a new city. He almost certainly was sincere in his criticism, but an off-the-cuff interview does not erase an otherwise great run in Baltimore.

He helped bring a Lombardi Trophy to Baltimore following the 2000 season. In 2003 he set the single-game rushing record of 295 yards, and he racked up more than 2,000 on the year.

Despite no longer playing in Baltimore, he continues to contribute.

Yeah, it's only been two games, but Jamal Lewis has been Baltimore's most valuable running back this year. Without Jamal, the Browns don't beat the Bengals yesterday. And without the Browns beating the Bengals, Cincinnati is sitting pretty at 2-0. But as it stands, Cincinnati, like Baltimore, is 1-1.

Thanks, Jamal, for yesterday and the years before. I'll be cheering for you 14 games a year.

Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn will not start

Despite having missed nearly two weeks of practice due to a contract holdout, Cleveland Browns QB Brady Quinn has had a strong preseason.

But according to Browns GM Phil Savage, either Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson will start the season under center, not Brady Quinn.

Cleveland Browns: Jamal Lewis trashes Baltimore

Former Ravens RB Jamal Lewis has long been one of my favorite players. Even after he spent four months in federal prison after getting convicted to conspiring to distribute narcotics, I supported him. As did the team.

At the time, as a joke, I printed out a picture of Jamal in a suit, being led somewhere by the arm. Whether it was to or from court, or to or from prison, I don't remember. On the picture I wrote in big, black letters: Free Jamal. The picture still hangs there today, with one addition: Freed! 6/2/2005.

But after today I might have to take the picture down. In this USA Today article, Jamal trashes the Ravens.

On skipping town: "I was ready to go. I didn't want to be there no more. I think they were making excuses, more than anything else, as far as the running game."

On head coach Brian Billick: "It was just a bad deal, man. I didn't get along with Coach Billick. He didn't get along with me. There was just a lot of turmoil going on. I needed to go."

On the front office: "What did they do to make the running game better? Did they bring in new offensive linemen? No, they brought in a new quarterback, but got rid of Darnell Dinkins, a blocking tight end."

Cleveland Browns: Ryan Tucker suspended

After receiving a four-game suspension from the NFL, Ceveland Browns RT Ryan Tucker admitted to taking a banned substance (Associated Press article).

Here's what he had to say: "I didn't intend to compromise the integrity of the NFL, my team. I want to apologize to the fans, my family. It's been a long road in which I was pretty down and out last year. In my attempt to come back I took a banned substance. I'm going to fulfill this punishment and get it behind me."

Break the rules; pay the price. At least Tucker owned up to his mistake, unlike most of the athletes who get caught breaking the rules, who then deny, deny, deny.

Former Browns and Patriots guard diagnosed with non-Hodgins lymphoma

Getting released by the Cleveland Browns was bad enough. Now former G Joe Andruzzi, who won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, has been diagnosed with a form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Fortunately it is treatable. "He's upbeat, he's optimistic, and he's looking forward to his recovery and to the future," his agent said.

There were teams reportedly interested in his services -- who doesn't need a veteran offensive lineman? -- but you've got to figure those plans are on hold. Andruzzi also played a couple of seasons for the Green Bay Packers and even one with the Scottish Claymores, now defunct.

Cleveland Browns: O-line breakdown

Usually when a team loses its two starting guards in the offseason, that's a bad thing. Not so for the Browns. Cosey Coleman's contract is up, and the Browns are letting him walk. Joe Andruzzi, who like coach Romeo Crennel came to Cleveland from the Patriots, was released today. And three Super Bowl rings leave Cleveland.

The Browns signed former Bengals G Eric Steinbach to play left guard. The Steinbach pick sounds great in theory, but Steinbach thrived on a team that was loaded with talent. Whether or not that talent travels well remains to be seen. Right guard is up for grabs. There's a chance they could move former LT Kevin Shaffer, who lost his job when the Browns took "franchise tackle" Joe Thomas, to guard, but Shaffer wants a trade instead. Can't say I blame the guy.

If the Browns are lucky, they'll convince Shaffer to stay. Or better yet, just not trade him. They could use a bit of consistency on the line, especially this year, because if they can't create holes for Jamal Lewis, defenses will eat him alive. He doesn't create his own holes like he used to. The rest of the team is going to have to do it for him.

Cleveland Browns: Kevin Shaffer wants trade

Now that the Browns have Wisconsin T Joe Thomas, apparently Browns T Kevin Shaffer is yesterday's news, and his feelings must be hurt. He wants a trade. His agent said this to members of the Cleveland media (all three of them): "I think Kevin, in our dialogue, would welcome an opportunity to go somewhere else."

Good for him, unless he gets traded to the Lions, of course.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (round 7)

The Browns end their draft with Arizona WR Syndric Steptoe, the second "toe" player taken by an AFC North team on day two, the first obviously being Cincinnati's Matt Toeaina. It has been a long day -- a long two days -- and most Browns fans probably didn't care who their team drafted at this point.

Throughout the past two days, the Browns got for themselves the draft's best tackle and a highly rated quarterback in Draft Day Baby Quinn, who like him or not, at least has the potential to turn around the franchise. I don't think he will, but the possibility exists. He'll face a lot of pressure, though, and he'll be on the hot seat as soon as next year's draft, when Browns fans are faced with the reality of having given up their first-round selection for a guy who may or may not pan out. It happened to Ravens fans with Kyle Boller, and it will happen with Draft Day Baby Quinn.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (round 7)

LSU DE Chase Pittman is the pick. Pittman originally played at Texas and he put up decent numbers at each school, which means he isn't the product of a system. That usually results in a higher draft grade, but Pittman didn't even get an invite to the NFL Combine. The only reason he gets picked here is because he looked good at the Senior Bowl. He's a below-average pass rusher.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (round 6)

Hawaii DE Melila Purcell was a three-year starter in college, but he's an average pass rusher. He's also the 200th pick in the draft.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (round 5)

Memphis CB Brandon McDonald is a cousin of Eagles RB Correll Buckhalter, which means Browns fans should expect McDonald's knee to crumple by the third week of training camp, and that he'll continue to disappoint year after year.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (round 4)

No picks for the Browns this round.

2007 NFL Draft: Brady Quinn: day-two interview

Just now, on ESPN: Brady Quinn said that there's little doubt in his mind that Wisconsin T Joe Thomas will be a Hall of Famer. What is he supposed to say, that Joe Thomas will be the next Robert Gallery? Thomas is a great prospect, and not only is he a better prospect than Quinn, he's more down to earth, too. Quinn spent yesterday sweating it out in the green room. Thomas spent his day fishing with his dad.