Unfortunately, Baker has been "coached up" on how to handle the media, so his responses were "muted".
I will translate:
Cowherd says the Browns organization is dysfunctional:
"No it's not. I've never even met Ray Farmer or Sashi Brown. John Dorsey seems to know what he's doing...is John Dorsey dysfunctional, Colon? Hue and Gregg have been here for two years, and Todd Haley...is Todd Haley dysfuntional, Colon? Do you know what year this is, Colon?"
Colon is the guy who, prior to the draft, figured that the Browns were just pretending to like Baker Mayfield to...err...I guess get the Jets or somebody to trade up for him...?
But the implication was the one clear thing in this black helicopter mishmash: No way the Browns would ever really consider drafting
And you KNOW Mayfield heard that show (it's still near the top under "Browns News" on two search engines).
In his article, Doug published a Cowherd re-tweet. Some idiot declared Mayfield would never be a first pick (and went overboard, generally all but calling him a loser and a bumb). This is what Cowherd re-tweets? He can't say it himself so he finds sock-puppets to say it for him? What a racket!
Baker's reply was tepid: "Well it happened".
But check that out: The biggest real concern about Mayfield was his Type A personality and blunt honesty. I was among those who feared "Twitter wars" when people started bashing him.
I do wish he would have challenged Cowherd more directly on his Memorex Moron assertions about the 2018 Browns, but am relieved that he's kept his cool since being drafted.
Mike Freeman (Bleacher Report) wrote a really good article on how Tyrod Taylor is just what the 2018 Browns need in 2018.
Mike is unusually smart, insightful, and objective, but you can see how, in the article itself, he feels obliged to pander to the cretins and idiots who bash him for not being a Browns-basher.
"If the Browns are 0-8" ---"I'll deserve it".
No you won't, Mike. You looked at the facts and based your analysis on those facts. It was brilliant (obviously: I agreed with everything).
The people who bash you for being insufficiently pessimistic, negative, or vindictive should be sterilized so they can't further foul the gene pool, and I think your carreer can stand it if they stop reading your articles.
And anyway, why are you allowing for 0-8? ...ok I get it it's the Browns. Even evolved beings can't quite ignore the last 15 years. Or the referees. Or injuries, or a tough schedule...
Nevermind you're really good, Mike. Skip the qualifiers.
Mitch Zaloty asks if Hue Jackson is the worst Head Coach in the NFL, and acts as prosecutor and defense attorney in-turn to present the pros and cons:
I could have done much better on the Prosecutor side, as Mitch doesn't seem to be an exes and os guy, and didn't mention how he refused to zone-block, started a raw rookie quarterback, did to him what Palmer did to Couch, rarely used Njoku and DeValve together even when the wide receivers all sucked, etc.
He also overstates the lack of talent on the roster, and slants it negatively. Seth DeValve would start for some teams, Duke has been here all along, along with Kindred, Thomas, Bitonio, Crowell (yes him too), Shelton, Ogbah, Boddy-Calhoun... then Garrett, those THREE defensive tackles, those two stud veteran offensive linemen, McCourty, Schobert, Collins...those were inexperienced rosters, but "among the least talented in the NFL"? Bullcrap.
For all the big moves John Dorsey just made, the bulk of Sashi Brown's players (and some predating him) remain the core of the 2018 team:
The jury is out on the Colemans, but at least 60% of the starting offensive line, 2 out of 3 tight ends, Duke, 100% of the starting defensive line, probably two of three linebackers, the nickel back and strong safety.
But I do agree with Mike's "verdict" on Hue Jackson: He's not the worst Head Coach, but he's "up there".
"Hot seat"? Well yeah: Jimmy Haslam couldn't fire yet another Head Coach after 2 years (even at 1-31; isn't that insane?) because he'd be pillaried for it and catch all this "dysfunctional" crap all over again!
"But...he was 1-31"
"Irrelevant! You fired him after only two seasons, ergo you are a spazz!"
"Mmbut...but--"
"Case closed!"
But now, Hue is the designated fall guy, so it worked out fine. Haley and Williams will run the team and Hue will do the interviews.
If you blame Hue Jackson for a loss, or credit him for a win in 2018, you don't get it.
Todd Haley was a Head Coach before. If the Browns do badly in 2018, Jimmy will regretfully fire Hue and name Haley the interim Head Coach. Haley will then have a built-in "mulligan" for 2018, and...nevermind, but in retrospect, Haslam's retention of Hue Palmer looks really smart now.
Browns Running Backs Coach Freddie Kitchens says he'll play the "hot hand" at running back game-by-game, and that's music to my ears.
Opposing defenses will need to prepare for each of the "big three", because they know that if they can stifle one early, they'll get another one, then (if neccessary) another one after that.
It's also beautiful because it tells Chubb, Duke, and Hyde that they will be fighting for snaps all season long, and competition is good.
It's not quite as simple as that, of course, because Duke is a Swiss Army Knife, so Haley will find ways to get him on the field no matter what.
Hyde is an excellent pass-blocker. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Todd Haley is certain to run at least a few "two-back" personnel groups (with Duke as one of the alleged backs).
Hyde and Chubb are similar, except different. Nick Chubb is a better athlete. He is quicker, faster, and stronger. He will quickly prove himself a more reliable receiver (probably from the slot too), and he should become a nice pass-blocker too.
Maybe Hyde and him can lead-block on runs?
I remember Mack/Byner under Marty Schottenheimer. Kevin Mack was a big freaky-fast pile of muscles who ran people over and outran them too. Byner was comparatively a shrimp and a slow-poke.
But Byner was just mind-over-matter, ya know? He ran up the gut, and just somehow wriggled and twisted for two more yards after you thought he was stopped. He was devastating catching dumpoff passes in the flats.
But check this out: Earnest Byner was often the lead-blocker for Kevin Mack! He decked guys that outweighed him by 30 lbs.
I never forgot that. And ever since, I never stopped wondering why running backs are never asked to lead-block.
I call Marty Schottemheimer a "blockhead", but now, looking back, he was pretty damn innovative.
Is Haley as smart as Marty and me? Might he actually send two-back personnel to the huddle, and actually have both backs deploy in the backfield? And then hand off to one, with the other lead-blocking for him?
Nah! No--that's too obvious! You gotta send Duke to the slot and line up Hyde or Chubb in the I or offset they'll never see that coming right?
Modern defenses are really nickel-based, and will deploy nickel personnel every time they see Duke and any other running back going into the huddle.
They know that Duke will line up in the slot or wide, okay? In most cases, the fifth defensive back is a cover corner, because Duke is literally almost like Landry, and if you put a safety on him, that's bad.
Well, the NFL is an arms race, see? Check out Lord Insideous in New England. He's run every kind of offense there is, depending on his people and the "trends".
If you think Tom Brady props him up, you are mentally impaired. Lord Insideous uses the force: When everybody else is using spread offenses or two tight ends (and defenses are adapting to those), he goes the other way.
He gets "out of style" players cheap, and thrives by being different...
Which is hysterical to watch: I mean, everybody copies Bill Belichick! He's not just adapting to trends; he's setting them! He's literally dictating the market!
Pederson and the Eagles beat him in the last Superbowl, but he had more overall talent, plus he isn't a copycat either...long story nevermind:
The point is, when everybody is geared up to stop Y, do X.
Haley should do some "Martyball" in 2018.
To clarify: A "two-back" with a blocking fullback is not what I'm talking about here. Haley will certainly use DeValve as a fullback sometimes, but nobody expects him to take a handoff, and the whole defense will "key" him as a lead blocker to predict where the ball is going (yawn).
Marty's two-back was unpredictable...
This is complicated. Maybe I'll break it down later okbye
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