I’m back from two weeks of studying the flight patterns of bob-white quail in the sage fields of South Dakota and, damn!!, how things have changed in Cleveland sports since I wrote the last Wrap. The Browns suddenly suck, Mike Holmgren is suddenly an arrogant tool, the Tribe hasn’t landed a notable free agent or swung a deal for a big bat and the Cavaliers are young and rebuilding.

When did all this happen and how did it all go so terribly wrong?

Okay, first things first: “studying the flight patterns of bob-white quail in the sage fields of South Dakota” might be a euphemism for “eating 'Saloon Hot' wings and drinking oneself to near death in dives like Quigley’s Square-Rigger Saloon” but the point is that when the story stays the same it gets harder and harder for me to write it and for you to read it. Mostly because there’s not a single thing different right now than there was a year ago.

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This column will be a reader-driven Q&A, where you email me questions and I answer them the best I can. I will answer questions on any and all topics: Cleveland sports as the root (since that is what this site is all about), but also non-Cleveland sports topics, pop culture, health and fitness, food and wine, relationships, career advice... you name it, I'll try to tackle it. You can ask me for advice, my informed opinion, or whatever lies in between.

So who the hell am I? I'm just some derelict Swerb found on the blogosphere, having published material on at least three different sites. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and now I'm here. 

Is there any hope for the Browns? –Tom C.

No, there is no hope for the Browns. Not now, not ever. The “Factory of Sadness” should have a sign that says “Abandon all hope ye who enter here” on the home locker room.

Overly pessimistic? Maybe. We do have some nice players in Joe Thomas, Josh Cribbs, Joe Haden, Ahtyba Rubin, Phil Taylor, Jabaal Sheard, Alex Mack, and Chris Gocong. Yes, I omitted D'Qwell Jackson, who despite a remarkable and inspiring comeback from his injuries is more a Wali “gets a lot of tackles because they run at him a lot” Ranier type than an impact player who can give us a credible run defense. I also omitted Ward, who clearly improves our run D but I think has issues in coverage. Anyway, Tom Heckert seems to draft well, and with Mike Holmgren committing to a stability of coaching and system, you’d think that given enough time we’d be able to build a contender around this solid nucleus.

And you’d be wrong.

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As if things couldn’t get worse for the hapless Blue Jackets, the injury bug has reared its ugly head yet again. James Wisniewski, the prized free agent acquisition who already missed eight games due to suspension, will be out the next six weeks with a broken ankle. Prior to the injury, Wisniewski ranked 13^th in the NHL in average time on ice with 24:55 per game.

The Blue Jackets were already a boat full of holes but the Wisniewski hole will be too big for the team to plug. With Wisniewski out to start the season, the Jackets began the year 0-7-1 and showed how dependent they were on his presence. The sad reality was that Wisniewski had not even played a game yet and his absence was clearly visible.

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USA Hockey continues to be competitive on the international stage, with a good showing at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Ufa, Russia. The team went 2-2 in pool play, losing one-goal decisions to host Russia and Canada and winning in blowout fashion over Germany and Slovakia. Team USA will play the Czech Republic in a quarterfinal match on Wednesday.

Watching these international tournaments makes me reflect on my involvement with USA Hockey. I was a member of USA Hockey as a player in high school and now continue to be a part of the organization through being a USA Hockey Official. By my count, there are 143 teams in the Cleveland Suburban Hockey League, which includes teams from as far south as Columbus, as far west as Fremont and as far east as Canfield. With a very rough estimate of about 10 players per team, that means there are close to 1500 kids in the Cleveland area playing hockey.

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