These thoughts have been going through my tortured mind since the end of week 1, when the Browns looked like a Division I-AA team, losing at home yet again on Opening Day, this time to the Dolphins.
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| Well done, Brokaw. That was fast. |
Week two had my hopes still a bit inflated, as I was thinking that Weeden's rare flashes were going to be put together sooner or later. By week two, it was apparent. Not only was the Indians season more relevant at this point than the Browns, but the Tribe also outscored the men in orange-and-brown on Sunday. Absolutely pitiful.
And yet this is what a new generation of Browns "fans" is growing up with. A sad team who has run through enough quarterbacks to field an entire offense plus kicking team in only fourteen years (as immortalized by the fantastic Brokaw jersey) is about to start yet another one this Sunday, this time hometown boy Brian Hoyer from St. Ignatius. Purportedly this is because Brandon Weeden hurt his thumb week 2 against the Ravens. But evidence tells us otherwise.
Before this season, I honestly thought the Brownies could finish anywhere between 4-12 and 11-5. And they still might. But there is a greater chance now that they might not even make their normal 4 wins this year. This was all cemented on Wednesday night, when my phone started blowing up with tweets and texts mocking me with the news that the Browns had traded Trent Richardson.
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| Fairwell, Trent, it was nice knowing you. |
Yes--traded the best player on the team. (Although Trent is disappointing in his own ways, I think he averages about 1.8 yards on 90% of his runs.) For what apparently is a single first round pick next year from the Indianapolis Colts, Browns head Joe Banner has decided to blow up the season. And Brandon Weeden better just keep a bag packed, just in case. Not that there will be much of a market for a 30 year old QB with no bona fides, but that might not stop Banner and the Browns' staff.
I'm a bit in shock about the Richardson move. Was there an attitude problem? Was Trent not on board with the direction the Browns were headed? (Like anyone is?) Was it just facing reality that this 2013 season is a total waste of time, and the Browns need to rebuild (yet again) during the draft, with two picks in the first, third, and fourth round next year?
Uggh. I feel sick. On the other hand, maybe I can learn Mandarin on Sundays for the rest of the fall.
PS. I didn't even know trades were allowed during the NFL season. Or off-season for that matter--the last trade I remember was Herschel Walker for like 87 Vikings players and picks.