Monday, August 11, 2014

The Screaming You Hear is your Logic

One article I read on Fanatix.com (by Ian O'Brien) cited five reasons why Manziel should start over Hoyer in game one vs. the insideously diabolical Dick LeBeau in Pittsburgh.

5 was higher upside.  Check.

4: Hoyer starts with a small sample size.  Technically true, except that Manziel starts with a non-existant sample size.  Ian is one of those who thinks Jim Miller, Rich Gannon and I are wrong about five seasons of scout-team reps against starting defenses being valuable experience, along with all the preseason reps.

Ian makes it worse by pointing out that Hoyer threw three interceptions in one of his three starts.  To Ian and those like him, it's irrelevant that one of the picks was a deflection, and the rest came early in his first start, and he was perfect after that.

3: Leadership.  Ok this one is just plain funny.  Hoyer comes in and suddenly the whole offense, which was putrid before and after him, comes alive and they win.  In the first game--with the three interceptions--he took the team on his shoulders and came back for two quick scores to salvage the game.

Johnny Manziel is unquestionably a leader.  But so is Hoyer.  There's another one that Ian shouldn't even have brought up.

2: Chip on his shoulder.  Sure enough, but what about Hoyer?  Reading articles like this one, that dismiss him?  Being called a "career backup" as if nothing he did last year means a damn thing?  Having just about all the national media treating him like furniture?  If I'm Hoyer, I'm real, real angry.

1: The Browns sell more tickets.  Well, the Browns can only sell so many, and sell out every game as it is.  And it's pretty cool that Brian Hoyer played right here, for St. Ignatius.

So if I'm editing this article, I'm telling Ian to re-title this ONE Reason why Manziel Should start, and to delete one through four.

Pat McManamon guesstimates the Browns opening day roster, and for the most part made sense.  Except here:

Wide receivers (5) 

We’ll assume that Josh Gordon is suspended. If he’s not, add him and remove Johnson. Willie Snead made 

strides in practice, but didn't in the game. He needs to do better. 



I really doubt that Johnson is the one on the bubble.  As I explained in my 

last blog,  he did well vs. Detroit, has astronomical upside, and would 

never make it to the Practice Squad.


In fact, this is obvious.  Height check.  Speed check.  Hands check.  All 

Chuck has to do now is keep it up.  Unless he screws up, he's a lock.





No comments: