Greg Cielec's Blog, page 10

View from the Dawg Pound Browns at Bengals November 6, 2014

As both a fan and an old coach, there are so many things to like about the Browns win over the Bengals Thursday night in Cincinnati. As a fan I like the divisional win, a big win on national TV, and a win over an obvious rival. It has been a very long time since the Browns had a winning record this far into the season.But it’s the things that I saw through my coaching eyes that really make me feel good about the win and the future of the team. I saw a defense completely dominate their opponent. I saw guys off the bench coming in and making big plays. I saw a running game the Bengals could not stop. And I saw another week of a short passing/play action attack that keeps getting better and better.Even with all the rule changes over the years that favor the offense, defense still wins games. The Browns defense took it to the Bengals. They completely shut down not only a pretty good quarterback, but also one of the premier receivers in the league. A.J. Green was held to three catches for 23 yards. Mohammed Sanu, who is another solid receiver, was held to two catches and 20 yards. Quarterback Andy Dalton had his worst game ever, held to 86 passing yards on 10 for 33.The defense was lead by the usual suspects, including Joe Haden, Tashaun Gipson, Craig Robertson and Paul Kruger. But it was some other guys that stepped up too. Buster Skrine had two picks; Desmond Bryant had six tackles including two sacks on two consecutive plays; rookie K’Waun Williams had some big plays; and Jim Leonhard played more than usual and had four tackles.On offense with both Alex Hawkins and Jordan Cameron out, Miles Austin stepped up with five catches, and Gary Barnidge had two, including a key catch in coverage that was all over him.  The offensive line keeps improving in the post Alex Mack era, and it was Terrance west’s turn to lead the rushing with 94 yards.The Browns are good enough to challenge for a playoff spot. As I have said before, it is amazing to see the talent that has been accumulated under all the different front office and coaching changes over the last five years or so. General Manager Ray Farmer did a great job with the draft this spring, and also with signing undrafted players and free agents. Another off-season like the last one and the team could be challenging for a championship, not just a playoff spot.With the success with Brian Hoyer at quarterback the Browns are left with a major decision at that position. There are many variables. Do they sign Hoyer for the long term? What do you do with Johnny Manziel? Are they completed sold on either player being a championship level quarterback? Next spring’s draft could be filled with many talented quarterbacks. Johnny Manziel’s reputation could be a thing in the past if the Browns wait too long to move him or to play him. Does Hoyer warrant big money or a long-term commitment? Is Manzel in the team’s long-term plans? I doubt vey much the team wants to have both quarterbacks in camp when summer practices begin next year. Where should we go from here? Fans and the team should be on the same plan for the long weekend and enjoy the time off. Get healthy and clear your heads, the rest of the season could be a heck of a ride.

View from the Dawg Pound Tampa Bay at Cleveland 2 November 2014

             On what turned out to be a good afternoon for football in November, sunny with temps in the 40’s, the Cleveland Browns raised their record at the halfway point of the season to 5-3 as they defeated the Tampa Bay Bucs 22-17.
Why is it so hard for many fans to be happy with a 5-3 record at the mid-point of the season? Most Browns fans back in August would have been very happy with that. What was it with this week’s victory over Tampa Bay that left you unsettled?Whatever it is it needs to be ignored because reality is soon coming and we will finally know how good this Browns team really is.  Cincinnati on the road this Thursday, then ten days later Houston at home. The next two games are against talented, solid teams. We know what the Bengals got, and the Texans are bouncing back from last year’s disaster. The Cincinnati game will be the first time the Browns will be out-talented this season, but not by much. My notes from the first half are filled with scribbles about field goals instead of touchdowns. For the second game in a row I thought that was going to sink the Browns. It did let the Bucs, just like the Raiders last week, hang around. How this is going to play as the competition gets better and the games get more important we will have to see. We have yet to see this team play a complete game. Deep down in our hearts we keep waiting for too many field goals and not enough touchdowns to come back and haunt us.On the talk shows after the game I heard a lot of criticism of the Browns’ clock management before half, so I won’t rehash that. They did a better job in the second half, but these moments of indecision have to be eliminated if the Browns want to get to where they want to go.            There were a lot of positives for the Browns in the win over the Bucs. Once again the Browns’ undersized receivers came through. Taylor Gabriel, Travis Benjamin, and Andrew Hawkins all come up with big plays at important times.  Craig Robertson, the linebacker many had not making the team in August, made another big play by blocking a fourth quarter punt that lead to the winning touchdown. Joe Haden made a tip play to Dante Whitner that will be highlight reels for years. Paul Kruger and Justin Gilbert again had good games. And, oh yes, Tashaun Gipson had another interception.             Brian Hoyer had another up and down game, but got things done when it mattered. For the Browns to be productive this Thursday against the Bengals he is going to have to play more consistent.            Mike Evans had a great game for Tampa Bay. The rookie from Texas A&M, who was a big part of Johnny Manziel’s success there, caught 7 passes for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns. How good would a big outside receiver like him look in a Browns uniform?             The Browns coaches know they received a gift from the Bucs in the fourth quarter.  Deep in the fourth quarter the Browns were clinging to a 22-17 lead, the Bucs made a few plays and had a second and one at the Cleveland 36. Three times the Bucs went from a shotgun formation and were unsuccessful making a yard for the first down. If they would have put the quarterback under center, and went to a two back set, they would have had a good chance of getting the first down. Quarterback Mike Glennon is as tall as they come, he could have leaned over and gotten it by himself. Not smart coaching by the Bucs.             Things were subdued for most of the game in the Dawg Pound, as fans were waiting for bad things to happen as the Browns let the Bucs hang around. But most fans stayed to the end to celebrate the victory, and left the stadium with a sense of optimism.            One last comment to elaborate on something I said last week about uniforms…How ugly were the Bucs uniforms? Different shades of orange and red and gray, a design that looked like it was put together by first graders. I hope the Browns don’t look like that in the future. Who knows what Nike has planned?(Greg Cielec is a former college football coach, a freelance writer, and a veteran of over 25 years in the Dawg Pound as a season ticket. Contact him at cielec@hotmail.com).

Literary Event on November 20 at Sokolowski's University Inn

Literary Event November 20 at Sokolowski’s University Inn
A book signing for the Brown Jug CookbookFeaturing Ed Wolf and Bill Stroud, longtime Jug owners, as well as former semi-famous Jug employees such as Reno Oradini, Joe Blaha, and Steve Hollis
Thursday, November 20, 7:00-9:00
Sokolowski’s University Inn in Historic Tremont
Free munchies, cash bar, music by Cats on Holiday
Co-Sponsored by Pink Flamingo Press and Creative Endeavors and the Cleveland Chapter of the Ohio Wesleyan Alumni Association
$1.00 will be donated to the Cleveland Food Bank for each copy of the cookbook purchased at the event
We’ve had some great events tied in to the publishing/writing projects over the years we have been involved in.  We had a couple of good events at the Harp, and the one at Brothers Lounge for the poetry book was fun. We recently did two down in Delaware at Roops Bar, complete with our friend John Schwab performing. It’s time for another one for our latest writing/publishing project the Brown Jug Cookbook.If you know me well, sooner or later you have heard me tell stories about the best job I ever had, waiting on tables and bartending at the Brown Jug Restaurant in Delaware, Ohio, during my college years at Ohio Wesleyan University. Two bucks an hour and all the beer you could drink, working with and hanging around a group of characters I will never forget. It was big fun.The Jug changed a lot after I graduated, as its crowd got older and the drinking age changed. It went from a pizza and pitchers of beer joint, to the first place in Delaware County to serve chicken wings, to the best independent steak house in the state. The place closed several years ago and my old bosses Ed Wolf and Bill Stroud retired from the business. Recently we got together with Ed and Bill and published the Brown Jug Cookbook, filled with recipes, pictures, stories, and the history of the establishment. Ed and Bill made many friends in their thirty-one years owning and running the Jug.  Many of them live in Northern Ohio. There is a group of us who worked at the Jug, as well as a lot of old college friends who hung out there. Plus many friends and family members who liked to visit the Jug when they came and visited.We thought it was a no brainer to have some sort of event in Cleveland about the cookbook. The Ohio Wesleyan Alumni Association thought it was a good idea too, and have agreed to co-sponsor an the event.So come join us at Sokolowski’s University Inn on November 20 and help us celebrate the Brown Jug Cookbook. Even if you have never been to Delaware, Ohio, or never set foot in the Brown Jug, please come anyway. There will be a lot of good people, a munchies buffet that will include the Inn’s famous perogies, a cash bar, and live music from the guys in Cats on Holiday.We will have copies of the cookbook to purchase, and Ed and Bill will be on hand and glad to sign them. A dollar will be donated to the Cleveland Food Bank for each cookbook purchased at the event. We will also have copies available of our other recent publishing project, the 2015 Cleveland Little Italy Calendar. It is a beauty, featuring over 60 photos from the Murray Hill neighborhood.Hopefully see you on November 20. Call or email me if you have any questions. Please pass this information to anyone you think would be interested.Greg 216.496.8286cielec@hotmail.com


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