Wunkle's World
Sep 16, 2008
Author: Bill Wunkle

It was Sunday evening, and many Cleveland Browns fans across America and around the world were saying the same things while they were watching the Pittsburgh game:

“What the @#$%!! was that?”
“How can you let him get so open?”
“Where’s the pass rush?”
“Just fall on the football!”
“How can you drop that pass?”
“Why is he even on the roster, let alone on the field?”
“Do you know what CLOCK MANAGEMENT means?”
“Why does this guy still have a job?”

I don’t know about any of you, but I’ve had it with this imposter of an NFL head coach take the field on Sundays and rip our hearts out. This is a management team that’s in its fourth NFL season, and they (both individually and collectively) seem to have no clue as to what it means to beat the Stoolers, or how to go about doing it. I’m sick and tired of this team being unprepared, out-hustled, out-disciplined, out-desired, out-manned and out-coached by any other team – let alone THE divisional rival. I was so disgusted with last night’s game, I wanted so desperately to hear the fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium break out the “FIRE THE FAT ONE” chant just see if head coach Romeo Crennel would get the message.

And another thing; if Senior Vice President and General Manager in charge of wetting the bed, Opie Taylor doesn’t soon sever the umbilical cord that has him attached to his head coach, his head could be on the chopping block too – because he can’t be left blameless for this fiasco that’s supposed to be an NFL franchise. While his draft picks haven’t been nearly as bad as those of Dwight Clark and Carmen Policy, there’s no excuse for a man with his resume to have burned so many draft picks that either can’t get on the field (Travis Wilson, Antonio Perkins, David McMillan, Isaac Sowells, Nick Speegle and Jonathan Dunn), languish on the practice squad after burning a pick next year to draft him (Paul Hubbard) or under-perform once they do get on the field (Charlie Frye, Babatunde Oshinowo and Kamerion “all I have is one pass rushing move” Wimbley).

Message to Opie Taylor – Get some players in here that are athletic enough to consistently play football at the highest level, smart enough to understand what’s expected of them, and that know how to cover receivers and tackle through the ball carrier.

On a side note, the notable wide receiver selected by this regime with the third overall pick dropped twenty passes last season, and is currently on pace to shatter that by dropping at least thirty two this season. Very impressive, Braylon . . . very impressive indeed. And you want to be considered an elite NFL receiver? I’m sure that you’re quite proud of yourself.

Now I’ve often said that if you’re going to fire a head coach, you need to name a replacement and not just fire a coach for the sake of firing a coach. And since I’m now officially on the “FIRE THE FAT ONE” bandwagon, my nomination to replace Romeo Crennel as Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns is current San Francisco Forty-Niners Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator, Mike Singletary. Why Singletary? I’m glad you asked. He’s a multiple time Pro-Bowl selection and leader in the defensive huddle as a player, tremendous teacher as a coach – as well as an accomplished author and motivational speaker. When Mike Singletary talks, everyone listens.

Granted, it’s pretty apparent that no coaching changes are going to take place during the first half of the season – but that doesn’t mean that the wheels of change have not been set into motion. Romeo Crennel is in a position where he’s fighting to keep his job in spite of his recent contract extension. I would also like to say for the record that I have nothing against Romeo as a man. He’s a very good man and probably a great next-door neighbor, but I’m thoroughly convinced that he’s neither the right man to lead this team – nor any other NFL team for that matter.

E-mail: billwunkle@dawgbones.net

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