Written by Jason Askew

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I mostly stay in my lane here on TCF and stick to talking about real football stuff but every once in a while something touches me to the point where I just need to get it off of my chest before I can move on.

Yesterday, hearing Mike Holmgren spewing some sob story about not pulling the trade off to move up in this year’s draft, triggered one of those moments and I need vent so I can get past it.

Before I get into the gripe, and because I won’t preview Robert Griffin III in my draft series because there isn’t a realistic chance the Browns can pick him, I want to let you know what I feel about the talent RG3 has.

I have spent much more time than just the last two months studying RG3 as a player and I have the opinion that most have about him. He has immense talent and could potentially dominate the league once he figures out how to fit that talent inside of a NFL offense.

He has a cannon for an arm, is just beginning to show a tremendous understanding of trajectory, and he combines that with incredible athletic ability. He is as smart and likeable as they get and he is politician who is smooth with his words. He will no doubt be a fabulous ambassador to the Redskins organization and the face of the franchise for the next 15 years.

All of that is honest and I feel like the Browns felt the same way as I do or they wouldn’t have made their interest or scorn so public. Anytime a GM like Tom Heckert is willing to give up so many picks it is easy to see how much they think of a prospect.

With all that being said, I want to get into my rant about the public pity party that was on display yesterday by the face (and body) of the organization.

First of all, if you have followed the “Feeling a Draft” series this year or last you already know I understand and respect the dynamics of relationships in the NFL. In the very first article I ever wrote for TCF titled GMs and Scouts I talked about the importance of relationships and the development of those relationships in the “Draft Scenario” section of the article.

I am very aware that relationships play a big part in deals getting done in the league and Mike Holmgren and everybody else in the NFL is very aware of that also. That is why I was shocked when Holmgren made a point to make sure everyone knew that Jeff Fisher and Mike Shanahan have a close relationship. He didn’t even come right out and say it. Instead he used one of those slimy tactics where you tell someone you aren’t going to tell them the story and basically tell them the story anyway.

He said there was “more to it” and “nothing we offered would have been good enough”. Now, as a fan I already understand that he is in full damage control after a fan base is devastated that the stud QB they have been waiting for isn’t coming to town. So why not keep it simple and honest without crying and looking for sympathy?

Honestly,  we heard the reports, we all understand that we were in the conversation and either didn’t offer enough or were late upping the offer. Either way the end result is the same. We had the fire power to move up, we didn’t want to leave ourselves without any chips, so we slow played and we lost.

No matter how aggressive they say we were it wasn’t aggressive enough, or maybe Holmgren is right and no matter what we did it would not have been enough. The end result is the same.

As an organization they should have said “we tried, we offered a deal that we thought was fair and aggressive and it didn’t work”……Period, end of sentence. There is no such thing as “fair” in the business world and getting things done is usually about relationships or money and this situation isn’t about the money.

Have some dignity, keep your head high, say you tried and move on. Nothing is going to change what happened, there is no “fair” police coming to the rescue. The NFL just got done fining two teams who clearly played within the salary cap rules in the un-capped year and that is actually pretty cut and dry…..do you think anyone cares that Cleveland lost out on a trade because the other team “liked” team B better…..Hell No!

Mike Holmgren and his “Big Show” stays behind the curtain and it seems like every time he pops out to say a little something he just ends up saying a lot of nothing. Not only is he always pointing a finger (Concussion Gate), he seems to think we should be hanging on his every word and should just swallow whatever he sticks down our throats.

This fan base doesn’t need a pacifier in its mouth to sooth our souls, we need a better football team that we can be proud about, so just let us know that you tried,…. it didn’t work…. but there is more than one way to improve the team and that is our goal.

Then you focus on that goal and continue to improve the team. That is all the therapy we need. Win some games, gain some respect and challenge for a playoff spot.

When we actually start winning games there will probably still be some chirping in the background about decisions but there is background noise in every fan base. Some fans are glass half empty people and some are the glass half full type. Just start getting it in the glass.

The thing that is eating at me the most about hearing Holmgren crying ‘foul’ is the underlying sympathy theme that seems to permeate Cleveland sports lately.

I may be in the minority on this but personally I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for Cleveland sports anymore. I don’t care when the last time the city has won a championship or how many Lebron James’s leave town. I don’t need any one’s sympathy. This is sports. You have your team….they tie their laces up and go out and compete….. let the chips fall where they fall.

Just because the steel industry and other hard-nosed jobs have left town doesn’t mean our blue collar mentality has completely gone with it.

Sure it is frustrating to lose. I hate losing more than most but I don’t need sympathy for the Indians losing in ‘95 or ‘97, I don’t need it because King James left the building, I understand “The Drive”, “The Fumble”, the team did leave town…..but guess what?

Every time something like that happens, I pout, mourn, and eventually move on…. I like sports… will always like sports…. I am a sports guy plain and simple so I understand one risk of competing is losing.

Sure, I was stunned at first to here the Redskins pulled off what I thought the Browns would do. Brian McPeek and I sat “stuck on stupid” in my living room for a few minutes…I didn’t sleep well that night but guess how we responded?....We were right back at it on our blog exploring other options in the draft at the QB position the very next day.

Some may take longer than others but after they get over their disappointment they eventually “get back on the horse” again…..that is what people who like sports and follow certain teams do, they eventually get over it. If they didn’t there would not be teams left to cheer for because there is one, and only will be one, champion, but we all know that from the start.

I am sick and tired of people thinking we need sympathy as Cleveland sports fans. We don’t need sympathy at all. We follow our teams with an undying passion and come to compete just like fans in every other city and we understand there can only be one winner.

Whew……….I think I am all ranted out and I can go back to preparing the position previews for my draft series but in closing I just want to make sure Mike Holmgren understands that as a fan, I am not looking for an explanation for every move…and I damn sure ain’t looking for anybody’s sympathy, so stop telling anyone who will listen about how we got screwed and focus on what you are going to do next to get better.

I am just as disappointed as the next guy we didn’t land a talent like RG3 but I am even more disappointed (as well as simply disgusted) that the voice of our organization has us standing on the corner with a walking stick and a spare change cup when there is more than enough work to feed the family and live a “good” life.

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