From: jjn@cbjjn.cb.att.com (Jeff Nappi)
Subject: Re: Browns News - July 20th
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 15:31:23 GMT

In article <1992Jul20.143209.8518@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com>, mocnik@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com writes:
|> Browns News - July 20, 1992
|> 
|> Here are a few notes about the camp.
|> 

Great job Don, I look forward to your Postings about Browns Camp. Living
in Columbus I have to endure the Columbus Dogpatch articles written by
Mary Ridenour(sp). This women definitly has it out for Belicheck and the 
Browns.

There was a very funny article in the Plain Dealer about Belicheck actually
smiling in camp, most reports I have read say that Belicheck is much more
relaxed this year and seems to have opened up more to the media, any truth
to this?

I feel the Browns will be 8-8 this year, maybe better. They definitly have
a favorable schedule this year and could have a good shot at a wild card 
spot, although Sports Illustrated is picking the Browns to win the division!
Not sure I agree with Sports Illustrated, Houston still is the team to beat
in the Central. The Bengals and Steelers are going through entire new coaching
staffs and this is going to cause them to be slow out of the gates. The
Bengals are already bitching and moaning and many didn't even show up for
a non-required mini-camp that Shula put on, not a good sign in my opinion. 
I am afraid this team is going to have to clear house of some of there cry 
babies before they become a better team.

With all the injuries last year to the defense and the fact that the
Browns were in 90% of there games and had a good chance to win them late
in the games I don't doubt that the Browns defense will keep them in every
game this year. Belicheck has proven he is a master at defensive planning.
The biggest problem is going to be the offense. Its obvious the Browns
are going to a ground control type game, they certainly have one of the
fastest group of receivers in camp in a long long time but they are all
green players so the Browns are going to need the offensive line to
improve vastly in run blocking from last year. I hate to say it but the 
whole season is going to depend on how well the offensive line improves 
from last year, Bernie got killed, he was sacked a record 41 times and at 
times the Browns line couldn't move anyone off the line. The defense will 
keep the games close but whether or not the Browns can score enough points 
will remain to be seen.

As far as Bernie being upset with the offense plans, I think the Browns are
making the right choice to develope a solid running game first. It has
been proven over and over in the Super Bowl that a team with a good defense
and solid running game wins every time. The Browns just don't have the
talent to go to a wide open attack yet.

As far as some of the holdouts go, the biggest joke is Tillman, this
guy should be doing everything in his power to get into camp, hell, he
is lucky the Browns are not asking for some money back! He was a second
round pick and got a good salary for essentially doing nothing. I have
heard that Art Modell is very upset with him and this holdout thing, I
don't blame Art on this one. 

As far as other holdouts:

Metcalf -   Get rid of the bum, he doesn't participate at all with the
            off season program and is a selfish player. If the Browns
            can get anything half-way decent in the way of a trade I
            go for it. The year the Browns drafted Metcalf and Tillman
            is looking more and more like one huge flop, although at the
            time I thought they were great picks.

Slaughter - Although I feel Slaughter has some legitimate gripes with
            the Browns I feel he maybe slipping into Belichecks doghouse
            and we all know once youare there you won't be a member of the
            Browns much longer.

            If there is one player the Browns need to sign it is Slaughter,
            without him teams are going to be able to play the Browns
            receivers one on one and leave more players to stop the Browns
            running attack.
      
On Belicheck, I like this guy alot, no he doesn't have the greatest personality
but I feel for the first time the Browns have a coach who can lead them to
the Super Bowl and WIN the Super Bowl he just needs time to mold the team.
And for the first time I think the spector of Linde Infante is finally leaving
this team, yes those were great years when he was with the Browns but they
still didn't reach the Super Bowl. Belicheck is turning the Browns into a
hard nose smash mouth football team. Time will tell if he succeeds with this
type of team, I for one hope so.

GO BROWNS!!! Looking forward to traveling up to camp this year...

-- 
Jeff Nappi
Columbus Bell Labs
jjn@cbjjn.att.com