Written by Cris Sykes

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I'm excited to debut a new weekly column today, one we call "The Feel of the Fan". In it, Cris Sykes (Pup on our message boards) will take a weekly foray through our highly trafficked fan message forums, summarizing what the hot topics of the week have been amongst the thousands of people who talk sports here on the site. This week the topics include the hiring of Eric Mangini, Randy Lerner's ownership style, Carl Pavano, the Cavs pasting of the Celtics, and another disappointing ending to a Buckeye football season. Enjoy! Welcome to edition one of the newest weekly column here at The Cleveland Fan.  I will be trying to take a look at what is the big news of the week; the hot topics over the last seven days; who is pimping with their takes, and who is getting pimp slapped for theirs in the highly trafficked sports talk message forums here on the site.  In time, we'll be rolling out a weekly "Post of the Week", and also featuring some of the classic battles between some of our message board heavyweights.

Well, enough of the introductions.  Let's get to the niddy.

Enter ... The Mangenius

Even though it was hardly the most active thread, it is the biggest news of the week that was.  Upon hearing the hiring of Eric Mangini to be the HMFIC of the Cleveland Browns, the overall reaction on the boards could be summed up like this: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. 

Not the seven footer with the ankle issues and smooth stroke Z.  Nope, it is the ZZZZZ of a sleeping, disinterested fan base that is sick and tired of the Browns being run like Mike Tyson's finances fa.  Now, part of it could have been the fact that the new coach had been debated in one thread or another for a good part of the week.  It could be the fact that he is about the most vanilla hire since, well, Romeo Crennel. 

Mangini does not provide enough negatives to rile up the fingers on the keyboards.  So I am taking the lack of posts as a positive.  Again.  My column.  You disagree with that take?  Bring it!

Most of the usual hemming and hawing over the Browns these days has been reserved for the owner, Mr. Randy "Jammies" Lerner.  You know him.  The guy who decided it would be easier to just dump his dad's lifelong work into the hands of someone else to worry about, while he gets to sit back and collect the dinero for it.  See ya MBNA. 

As far as the Randy and the Browns are concerned, most of our posters are, ummm, upset with Mr. Lerner.  Not for hiring a qualified coach, but for the process that he took.  Conventional wisdom says a man lacking NFL expertise (Randy) should go ahead, interview and hire a solid football guy with legitimate NFL Front Office experience and allow that man to hire his head coach.  Obviously, this is not what happened.  And you would have a hard time selling our message board contributors on the notion that it is not the conventional or non-conventional route Randy took, it would be the using the word wisdom to describe Randy's Plan.

Is Carl Pavano Kevin Millwood or Jason Johnson?

Now we actually get to the hot topic of the week.  As most know, or hopefully find out as they venture over to the boards, there are a lot of Tribe posters.  As much as Cleveland is a Browns Town, TCF message boards have Indian Fever. 

So what kind of news did the Tribe make this week and how much discussion was there on it?  Try signing Carl Pavano.  Yes.  That is more discussable that the Browns hiring a new Head Coach.  We are still trying to sort it out, but Carl Pavano is either Kevin Millwood (fantastic) or Jason Johnson (fungus).  There is no in between.  See for yourself. 

The Millwood Clan points to things like how good Pavano was the last time he was healthy and in a contract year with a low salary.  The Johnson Gang is quick to point out that was a half of a decade ago.  Pavano Clan retorts with the fact that most of the Tribe rotation this year is lacking in the experience column, so Shapiro needed to do something.  The Johnson Clan says it is time to sink or swim with the kids.  It is a good thing pitchers and catchers report in about a month, so we can get back to seven page threads on the ability of Jhonny Peralta to sacrifice bunt and Eric Wedge to call for Jhonny Peralta to bunt.  Those are the really great threads.

The Mark DeRosa trade also brought the Tribesters out of the woodwork in this thread.  While the deal was rumored, it was a bad trade because we were giving up too much (yes, rumored, as in not knowing what we were giving up), then it became official, we did not give up what had been rumored, so the deal looks like a no brainer.  Ha!  It quickly became a bad trade because the Indians look to be planning on leaving Asdrubal and Jhonny in the middle and play DeRosa at third base.  There is nothing like a 30 something grinder playing third base in Cleveland to get the forum fired up.  Mark "Casey Blake" DeRosa has his work cut out for him, but with a few strikeouts while the bases are loaded in Goodyear, I think he can catch up to Casey in the eyes of the boards. 

The Pasting Of The Celtics

We also found out this week that you cannot lose an NBA Title in January, but you sure can win one.  The Cavalier pasting of the Mighty Mighty Bostons at the Q Friday night has some pre-ordering Finals tickets.  It also has some quoting "The Cleveland Experience".   Damn, I love these boards.  Please, take a moment to enjoy the ups and downs through the eyes of a nearly three week, 260 post, nearly 2000 views, "game thread".

Buckeye Heartbreak, Beanie, & Bob Stoops

Another season of Buckeye Football ended this week.  Shittily I might add.   Like I said above, misery loves company.  So bad news equals high post totals. 

Here is what I learned about college football this week, on these boards.  Jim Tressel is a terrible football coach.  But better than Bob Stoops.  Chris Wells is an elite NFL prospect.  Size.  Speed.  Strength.  Prototype physical abilities.  Cannot miss talent.  Too bad he is more fragile than that stupid crystal football you get for winning the BcS, at least according to some...which sums up the boards to a tee.  Did he help himself in the Fiesta Bowl?   Be sure to check out the sister threads, about Beanie's Legacy and his decision to turn pro.

Until next week, I'm gonzo like Jeff Jagodzinski.