It's a Match! Cleveland Sucks and So Does Brady

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1176453315134110.xml&coll=2&thispage=2


I agree that Brady Quinn and the Cleveland Browns are a perfect match, but it's not a match made in heaven, and there's no happily ever after.

The Browns had made it their job to draft terrible, terrible players in the first round since the reincarnation in 1999. I don't need to run down the list for you. Jeff Faine is still in the league. That's nice. Kellen Winslow was a bad pick - not because of his attitude or accident - these are young rich men, who knows what they will do - but because the browns spent another pick to move up one spot and take him from a team that either A) didn't want him to begin with or B) would have allowed an equal or better offensive player (roy williams) to pass to the browns. Mr. Williams was certainly an equal player to Mr. Winslow at the time. Today Mr Williams value is clearly higher. On that draft day though, all things being equal, the browns made a terrible decision by giving more to get equal (or less - AND pay more to do it).

Things changed under Savage.
I give Savage a pass on Braylon Edwards, because who can tell if he's going to make it or not. Jerry Rice was a ball-dropping moron his first year in the league (as was mike williams, so we'll see.)
Kamerion Wimbley was a great pick - pulling the two-step on Baltimore was a nice reversal from the Winslow move. Now I am terrified that this Quinn nonsense is going to ruin what has been a good management run in the draft.

I realize you aren't advocating in your piece, that you are relaying what Weis says about Quinn and his desire, but frankly, if Quinn doesn't go to the Browns, he is at LEAST falling to Minnesota, and perhaps further (a la Aaron Rodgers). Weis needs his guy to go early - for the sake of his player and for the sake of his program.

Coach Weiss points out that Quinn has been watching game tape of Tom Brady for four years. Great, but why didn't this pay off during his senior year? Why didn't it pay off playing with a late first round wide receiver? Why couldn't Notre Dame win any big games with their Tom Brady-film-watching-alleged-#3 pick?

Coach Weiss points out that Quinn brought the team back against UCLA, Michigan State, and Georgia Tech. Also great, however:

Michigan State was one of the worst teams in the country last year. Notre Dame NEVER should have been behind such a team - and it was actually late game miscue's by Michigan State that gave Notre Dame an inappropriate window to squeak one from behind. Notre Dame was 1-11 on third down conversions in that game. ONE FOR ELEVEN! Michigan State was terrible! Notre Dame won on an interception return. That is not QB leadership.

The Georgia Tech game was the first game of the season. Quinn Threw for 240 yards. Calling this game a win because of Quinn shows tremendous disrespect to Notre Dame's defense. Quinn saved the game with a stolid five yard run for the winning touchdown. I love heart as much as the next guy, but there is no way Quinn pulls off such a run in the NFL. Ask Tony Romo. Notre Dame's defense shut down the best receiver in the draft, and held tech to Ten points. Tech scored over 24 points nine times last year. On seven of those occasions, they were over 30. Notre Dame won 14-10. Quinns victory?

The UCLA game was Quinn's best last year. He had thrown for 250 yards with four minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Samardzija juked his way to a 45 yard touchdown. On the "must score" drive before the game winner Notre Dame stalled after consecutive incomplete passes and a push into the line by Quinn. That was actually the pressure drive of the game. UCLA had the game with one first down. UCLA choked and then Samardzija's effort scored the touchdown. I fail to see how this is a ringing endorsement for Quinn.

These "Big Win" Opponents went on to these final results:
In their "bowl" game, UCLA was crushed by a terrible florida state team in San Francisco. They ended up 7-6

Georgia Tech also lost their bowl -essentially a home game in the gator bowl and gave up 38 points to West Virginia. Tech still scored 35 points. They scored ten against Notre Dame, but for some reason, that's Quinns victory

Michigan State went 1-7 in conference and 4-8 overall. They beat Idaho, Eastern Michigan, Northwestern and Pittsburgh. They were 2 minutes away from beating Quinn and Notre Dame when they threw that unbelievable interception. The only upside associated with being in a group with Idaho, Eastern Michigan, Northwestern and Pittsburgh in the college football sense is that at least you can laugh at Dave Wannstedt's mustache.

These are the reasons Weiss offers for Quinn to be perfect for the Browns. I agree. Quinn is perfect along the lines of Couch, Brown, Warren, Green, and two-for-one winslow.

Some combination of Jamarcus Russel, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Calvin Johnson and Brady Quinn will be available to the Browns at three. It seems clear this is a four-player top, and it would seem perfect for the browns at #3 to go out of the top 4 and take a really big fan.