The Dawg Pound

Fair warning... if you're not privy to football this may come across like a bunch of jibber jabber.

At times, it doesn't get more pessimistic than being a fan of the CLEVELAND BROWNS. The NFL team is rich in tradition and history, but none of that has translated to the team upon it's re-integration to the NFL in 1999 (after the team originally moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens). Now it's still a few months before the NFL hysteria kicks in to high gear, but my football team is something I'm feeling truly good about for the first time in a while.

Now, one might ask "Why the Browns?" and I guess you could say I'm drawn toward teams that are the 'underdog' and that's one of the reasons why I picked The Browns. It doesn't get much more underdog than the Dawg Pound. Being a Canadian, our brand of football (otherwise called the "CFL") is unique. It has 3-downs, no fair catch, and you're allowed to celebrate after a touchdown. Add to that formula the fact that there is only 8 teams and it's reasonable to see why the drama only extends so far. I chose the Browns as they were a team I was always kind of 'drawn toward' and their re-introduction into the NFL was a prime opportunity for me to pick a team to stick with. I don't regret it even though it's been a long decade since their return.

I have legitimate hope for the Browns in 2010. Here's why:

It's been rough, through flashes of success in the early years being lead on the field by quarterback Tim Couch (our first ever #1 pick in the draft) to to bouncing between highs and lows throughout the 2000's. 2009 was a very tough year for the Browns and their fans. With fingers being pointed at the Head Coach for his dictator-like tactics and playing a juggling act with the starting quarterbacks, to fingers being pointed at those quarterbacks for their less than amicable play and a young, struggling offense and a defense that lacked the talent to help the team keep up. The 1-11 start to the season was the WORST start the Browns have had since re-entering the NFL and that's a bitter pill to swallow.

Although 2009 had many headaches for Browns fans, things started to turn around late in the season starting with a huge victory over division rival the Pittsburgh Steelers, (the first victory over them since Ben Roethlisburger became their QB) which followed with 3 more victiories. The Browns finished the season strong, and with the announcement of hiring Mike Holmgren as the new team President, there came with that legitimate cause for the Browns fans to be excited for the first time in at least a few years.

Holgmren coached the Green Bay Packers to some Superbowl victories and coached the Seattle Seahawks to the Superbowl  (which they lost to the Steelers). He brings a mind-set of change to an organization that as a whole has lacked an identity upon re-entering the NFL. After the Browns have suffered through countless regime changes and personnel adjustments. Different head coaches with different ideologies wielding the same unlikely results, not to mention a revolving door of quarterbacks since we effectively ruined the career of Tim Couch by failing to build a proper team around him. Holmgren has come in, he has worked to change the mind-set of the team, the coach and the players with the result of a wholly more positive outlook.

As Holmgren came in, he made some personnel adjustments to the team's front office. Bringing in a new General Manager, and he decided to keep the team's Head Coach, Eric Mangini as well. He spoke of change and he spoke with respect to that rich history of the Cleveland Browns. He spoke of wanting to change things in Cleveland and turn the team into a winner. How could any fan not get excited about that. One thing that stood out was that he spoke with a realm of realism. He spoke about how it was not going to be an instantaneous process and how it would take time. This was key because that's how change works and it was important for Holmgren to establish realistic expectations right off the start.

Holmgren showed faith in keeping around head coach Eric Mangini. A coach I wanted nothing to do with when we signed him to join the team for the 2009 season. Holmgren joked during his initial press conference that Mangini needed to smile more, though he was joking there were serious undertones to this statement. Mangini caught a lot of heat for his rather cold coaching tactics and similar approach to team press conferences. Since Holmgren has joined the team, Mangini has come across as much more genial and approachable, and certifiably more likable. That is nothing but a good thing as the team continues to move forward.

The team began to get rid of much of the dead weight. Players that were not contributing or players that did not have a future on the team, players that weren't going to live up to expectations. We got rid of Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, both our starting quarterbacks (they shared time in 2009) and brought in aging veteran Jake Delhomme who is bouncing off an AWFUL 2009 season and yet I consider him an upgrade to both Quinn and Anderson. We have improved the team in key areas of weakness, and established an attitude on this team that was necessary for turning the ship around as it were. There is a genuine wave of optimism that makes things feel different.

Our team has a core of young players who could grow to become the foundation for a good team for years to come. There is hope that Delhomme can lead the team on the field which ranked near the bottom of most of the NFL's offensive categories. We have added players on defense to give us depth in positions where we had none last year, again, improving areas of our team that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in defensive categories as well. I believe with players buying into the new attitude that the coaches and front office are trying to build, that growth should come naturally.

Many of the draft picks we brought in as well add to the optimistic outlook. First round pick Joe Haden looks to be the future at a position where the Browns have been routinely weak, with the "top-ten" label, fans will be looking for Haden to be making an instant contribution. He's the kind of player who puts in a lot of effort and I think he will be a great player.

Third round pick Colt McCoy was a somewhat debated pick for the team, and the team has put their faith in him growing enough during his rookie season to possibly become the future franchise QB for the Browns. After his first day of training camp, he spoke of his responsibilities. Talking of how he and the coaches expect him to get better with every snap he takes and how he's just working hard, studying tape of great QB's like Brees, Brady and Manning. He never once said he was 'trying' to do anything. He flat out said he was going to get better. That's the kind of confidence I want to see from someone who could possibly be the QB for many years to come.

Its too early to truly bank on any rookies just as it's too early to really worry about how good the team could become. The bottom line is that many Browns fans, myself included, look toward 2010 as a year of growth and a year of improvement. We're all hoping the team will show signs of heading in the right direction as opposed to this merri-go-round of mediocrity that we witnessed from years 1999 to 2009.