A Mountain of a Man

Peter King's MMQB has a recap of the Browns' trials and tribulations at the center position. Nothing we didn't already know, and I think it even glosses over how big the blow was in losing Bentley -- I mean, the guy was our number one reason why we might improve against the Steelers. But I don't read King for news. I read him as a gauge on where NFL convential wisdom lies. Since I don't have the standard national media outlets (namely, ESPN), I gotta get the conventional wisdom where I can. Not that I give it much creedence, but its interesting to me.

Last week I was out of town for work. At home I don't have cable (yeah, I'm cheap, so what?), so I was watching my hotel's cable a little bit just to see what I'm missing. And after watching ESPN's non-stop coverage of the T.O. injury drama, I am SOOOOO glad that I don't have cable. The coverage worked something like this:
> Headline: TO missing day XX of training camp. Will he be ready for Preseason game 2?
> Clip: Parcell's saying "We're unsure of his status"
> Clip: TO on stationary bike
> Announcer: Where is TO?
> Clip: TO saying he's working hard to get back.
> Announcer: But even if he gets back soon, will he have enough practice to have an impact in this week's [preseason!?!] game? And is he trying as hard as he should to get back?
> Clip: Parcell's saying "This is old. I don't have any news? Why don't you guys give it a rest?"
> Announcer laughs off Parcell's comment
> Talking Heads: Start spouting about how TOs lack of professionalism from not working to make it to this game is sending the Cowboy's season into a death spiral.

Now, I don't have much of an opinion on TO. And I just don't care. Its absurd that these talking heads put so much effort into such a non-story. Its even more annoying than all the celebrity baby talk. In fact, it was very telling that when I flipped from ESPN to CNN and there Jonbenet Ramsey coverage, I was relieved to see how much more responsible the journalism was.

So, Droughns got his court case delayed. I assume that nothing will really come of it. But its still disappointing that he has proven to be such a creep. I was willing to look past the DWI, but I can't look past this.

But, on better news, I enjoyed the PD's write up of Ted Washington. He's exactly what the Brown's need: a Professional. He's the anti-Gerard Warren: Where Warren talked, Washington is humble. Where Warren was just talk, Washington produces.