1/7/2011

Fire is defined as "a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other materials is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat and flame." Another definition is "burning passion; excitement or enthusiasm; ardor."

I believe we would all agree that our Cleveland Browns lacked - among other things - fire for a greater part of this season.
Yes, they lacked a whole lot of other things but the knack and drive for winning - for leaving it all on the field and giving the best of your efforts 110% of the time - is fire.
Burning passion.
Excitement.
Enthusiasm.
Ardor.

As we all know from the physics of fire --- or at least from the movie Castaway -- fire requires oxygen. Sparks and embers aren't enough. Without oxygen, you have smoke - often times a lot of it - and more than anything, smoke stinks up the place, chokes you, and makes your eyes water... not unlike multiple aspects of this past football season here in Cleveland, right?

Oh, we saw embers. We even saw a couple sparks.
There were definitely sparks when Peyton Hillis defied the laws of gravity and displayed his ability to leap over or simply bulldoze through players to gain a first down and then some. But then he leaped and bulldozed once too often and became subject to losing the ball - a problem from which we often choked as a result. There was more cheering when we watched Colt McCoy finally get the nod to scoot into the drivers seat and lead the team with poise and determination. But then we saw him get hurt and later, throw interceptions - and our eyes watered. We watched David "Greybeard" Bowens celebrate some amazing defensive picks and take-downs.
We watched freshman Defensive Back Joe Haden rise and shine in his place on the field. We saw Cleveland's own Brian Robiskie come into his own and begin to make a showing on the team. There was cheering as our Cleveland boys defeated the defending Super Bowl Champions... on the road, no less! And there was cheering when those same boys handily brought down the mighty Tom Brady and in turn, sent his Droopy Dog coach to the locker room in shame.

So yes, there were embers.
But without oxygen, those embers do little more than give us cause to oooo and ahhhh for a short while until they turn to ash and blow away with the slightest shift in wind current.

And now the question becomes: where does a team in the NFL find oxygen? I'll tell you. A winning NFL team finds oxygen in their coaching staff... in a coaching staff that not only draws up impressive and successful offensive plays but at the same time effectively manages the clock, the time outs and the decisions required to adjust and change a game plan when things simply aren't working. A winning NFL team needs a coaching staff that knows when to play conservative and when to take risks - i.e. - when to go for it on 4th and goal in the last humiliating game of yet another abysmal season.
A successful, effective, WINNING NFL team finds oxygen in a coaching staff that has more passion than what it requires to stand on the sidelines looking pouty. There is no oxygen in a 41-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. There is no oxygen in a 5-11 season record.
There is no oxygen in the Cleveland Browns.

Dare we begin to list our hopes for next season?
Well now that Mr. Holmgren has announced Mr. Mangini's departure - perhaps at this point, we simply take some time to lick our wounds, await word from Berea on who our new coach is and perhaps - above all else - we just hope that the negotiations between the players union and the owners end soon and end well so we actually HAVE a season for which to hold out hope.