Written by Cris Sykes

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A trade market for Derek Anderson? Derrick Ward as a free agent the Browns wil target? These were two of the biggest topics of conversation in our message forums this week. Also getting some run was the Indians designating Andy Marte for assignment, the quiet passing of the NBA trade deadline, and March Madness ... which is all of the sudden just a little over three weeks away. Cris Sykes recaps it all in The Feel of the Fan.

Happy Birthday Traci!

Yes, that's correct.  I was unable to come up with a catchy little headline for the Browns section, so I just completely copped out and wished my wife a happy birthday.

Hooray!  There may be a taker for DA!  With the NFL Scouting Combine this week, the decision makers for each of the 32 NFL franchises are out in Indianapolis this week.  Which means most of the agents are also there.  So we must understand that "reports of possible interest" are possible on any NFL player this week.  Even a deer in the headlights quarterback that throws underneath routes with all the finesse of Jack Bauer interrogating Adolf Hitler.

You may ask, what is the best news about threads like this?  It brings out the best in some of my favorite posters.  Including these three absolute gems: 

Steve Buffum - "Maybe I'm jaded, but anyone who would offer a 2nd-round pick for Derek Freaking Anderson is Matt Millen. My gut reaction, after the full-throated belly laugh, is that some Cleveland fans are GROSSLY overestimating the value of our bad backup QB.  I could be wrong. I'm no NFL personnel guru. I didn't even stay at a Holiday Inn Express. But I have seen Derek Anderson play, and ... guys ... he's Derek Freaking Anderson." 

Lead Pipe - "Exactly.  Just because a team has an interest and a need doesn't necessarily make them irrational and stupid." 

JB - "Our best weapon here is the perception league-wide of the Browns as inept.  Someone will be convinced that it isn't DA, it was The Browns, and the track record suggests they might be right" 

I am going to go way out on a limb here, but I do not think 4thquarterglory is all that enamored with the current free agent crop.  Must not have had the right pH balance.  Or Michael Phelps harvested early.   

While not disagreeing that the list is on the weak side, Ziner offers this very solid point:

"We need to quit overpaying for FA's. Draft well and properly. Get the most out of your current players and you will be ok. A few FA's here and there for the right price is the way to go." 

Newbie, js2310 gives us his list of targets.  Welcome to the boards.  Anyone who can rile up Crash Davis on day 1 is OK in my book.

"Derrick Ward- Only if we cut or restructure Jamal Lewis's contract. 
  Bryant Johnson- Eh probably be cheap. Probably better options though. Not bad     third receiver but identical to JJ. 
Eric Barton- Only if we are sure we can't draft Curry and Maualuga isn't worth the #5 pick. 
Bart Scott- Is a great linebacker but what makes him so great isn't Ray Lewis, it is that defensive line and Rex Ryan. Ray Lewis helps but you can't give him all the credit. 
Jim Leonhard- Perfect replacement for Sean Jones. Should be cheaper and can return punts. 
Chris Mcalister- Only if we comes cheap. I hope we wants to face Baltimore twice a year." 

Now, one free agent deserved a thread of his own.  He mentioned us.  In turn we have mentioned him.  I do not know that running back is all that imperative to being upgraded, but if it is, than there are a whole lot of worse options than Darrick Ward. 

Rebelwithoutaclue likes the sounds of a three headed monster, besides the one in the Dawg Pound that is:

"I like him too, sort of out of the Chester Taylor mode and coming from the same situation where there was a timeshare before the move. I'd be happy with a 3-headed monster of Ward (as the feature), Lewis, and Harrison in an Ahmad Bradshaw type role, minus the jail time."

Hydra Melee would like to keep out hopes, um, realistic:

"Decent player, three suitors, reasonable asking price... y'all know where this is going, and it's not in the $4M a year ballpark." 

BuddyCowley breaks him down a little bit for us:

"1. He doesn't have a lot of "mileage" on his legs, so the age issue isn't quite as big of a deal.  
2. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, so he's useful in the new offense that is being brought in. 
3. It wouldn't be a cap-changing type of deal. 4mil+ for him over three years? Tough to complain about that. 
4. He'd act as a solid complement to Jerome Harrison, and Jamal Lewis if he's still around as well." 

Don't let the door hit you in the...

You know, I had every intention of making each topic a birthday tribute to my wife.  You have to believe me, or at least be willing to put me up for a couple of days if she doesn't believe me, but the Indians header is not intended for her.  I swear! 

It is however, intended for you, Andy Marte.  In a textbook 'TCF' thread we discover Andy Marte either stinks because he stinks, or because Eric Wedge has used his magical powers to destroy any ability Marte once had.  Of course, at the end of the day this all means one thing.  Andy Marte stinks. 

Unless you are Slegend.  For him, well, just go ahead and read what he has to say:

"I think it was expected that Marte would be get the infamous DFA and play for another organization. Wedge & company do not know how to develop talent into legit MLB production. Andy Marte, like many before him, will get to the MLB level and become a solid player with a franchise that does not attempt to force him to become something different. All we did in Cleveland was say his swing sucks and attempt to make him a different hitter. But, that is what you get with a staff of friends and not a staff of instruction gurus." 

With all of that love, Slegend  goes on to announce Andy Marte will be a full time third baseman in 2010 and hit .250 with 15 home runs and 59 runs batted in.  Which begs the question, is that good?   

Or as Lead Pipe asks, "So let's say he does hit .259, 15 & 60.....This would be a guy it be worth gettin' your shorts in a bunch cause you lost him." 

Or as TitoFrancona states, "If that's what he gives us, then I guess they did the right thing." 

And finally as Consig lands the giant elbow smash off the top rope, "So, in other words, he becomes a poor man's Casey Blake. You know, the guy you absolutely despised and made it a point to let us all know it too." 

There is also a fun little thread going on, Best ballpark you have ever been to.  If you have had the chance to get around like J-Lo and experience multiple locations to see ballgames, stop in and give your thoughts. 
 
Come and Gone

Without even a wimper.  The NBA Trade deadline passed on Thursday.  No team was rumored to be more active than the Cavs, but come three o'clock Thursday afternoon we were left stuck with a team that had only won 30 more games than it had lost and the best player in the association at the center of it.  All in all, the deadline fit into the All Star Weekend plotline.  Lots of excitement going in, then a big fat DUD.  Orlando landed an And1 Hall of Famer and them a bunch of bad contracts and bad players switched locations. 

Want a recap of the highs and lows of the week of the trade deadline?  We have you covered: 

Cavs trade talk/rumors 

Now its Ben and Sasha for Shaq 

Stoudamire to the Cavs 

It is also time for another one of our competitors to to feel the injury bug as Kevin Garnett is expected to miss a couple of weeks.  Of course, this brings a wide range of opinions from the forum. 

Drewd is the first to feel no pity:

"Hopefully he tore something, or at lest a severe High Ankle sprain...Their a 5th seed with out him the rest of the season....Remember Pierce can't carry this team.... they won 16 games that year!" 

You have to forgive Drewd for lack of compassion.  This was shortly after he also realized the NBA Trade Machine is moot for a few months.  Always a sad day in his world. 

JoJo White feel real bad for the Celtics:

      "A single tear runs down my cheek." 

Diplomat MacPhisto adds:

"I can't root for this to be a bad injury, no matter how much it might help the Cavs. Would definitely hope he didn't rupture his Achilles Tendon. That's bad business." 

Waborat puts the whole week into perspective:

      "Garnett Hurt > Making A Trade" 

When some suggested we may be heading for the oven down south after death for wishing bad things on KG, Juannieboy sums it all up:

"Hell?....Might be worth an NBA Championship to most here. I'll settle for him being out long enough for them to lose 9 out of the next 10. Maybe I'll just get Purgatory or something." 

Dancing Shoes  

The countdown has begun.  NCAA March Madness is creeping into our brains with all the tact of a Patriot Missile.  Someone remind me on Monday to request my vacation days for March 19-20.  Would have to need to catch the flu to check out the action.  Again. 

Another crap shoot for the tourney has been gaining some steam.  Waborat has some concerns with the Buckeyes invite getting lost in the mail:

"Ohio State can't seem to defend the 3 as NW outshoots them last night...last week they looked like a lock for the tourney, but after the last 2 losses they are probably no better than a bubble team now? They better get it together with IL, PSU & PUR all coming up next week...ugh" 

Noted Purdue homer Triple-S checks in:

"Been fun watching Purdue this season. Great part about this, is this team is still fairly young and Painter is starting to get some what of a grip on Indiana recruiting wise thanks to IU's going down much like Michigan football.  I see them making the Sweet 16 this year with a bit of luck."

Yes, jabs at Michigan will always help in making The Feel of the Fan. 

HoodooMan provides his insight:

"Anyone's season can self destruct, but I have a hard time seeing anyone outside of the current Top 4 securing a #1 seed.  Maybe if OU loses two out of their three upcoming games against TEX, KAN, and MO; maybe then Memphis has a case, but I'd still give OU the nod. Besides their win over the overrated Gonzaga Bulldogs, what's Memphis' best win this season? UC? TEN?  Regarding the original point that no one's going to beat PITT, I'm surprised anyone would see it that way. For me, the top 4 teams are really, really close to one another (as well as a significant step above everyone else), and I think it's going to come down to who has the tougher road. Though, I do still see a few teams like LOU, UCLA, and MSU as having the ability to get hot and compete with those Top 4." 

JoJoWhite likes to follow recruiting.  And I like Twinkies.  And Jim Tressel likes linebackers.  These are three things that are not in question.  So it comes as no surprise that JoJo found some information about an intriguing recruiting battle already going on over a linebacker that Jim Tressel likes.  What does this have to do with me an Twinkies?  Nothing.  So? 

One of my favorite things in the world is logging in and seeing Furls has given some insight into a recruit.  Which he does for us:

"Hicks is probably the best HS player to come out of Ohio since Beanie. As far as video, I would say that it is about as impessive as Dorian Bell (5* OSU 2009 commit). The two have very different styles, Bell is far more explosive Hicks is more powerful, but both are exceptional prospects. Now that said, getting Jordan Hicks would give OSU a ridiculous 2011 LB corps of Sabino, Hicks, and Bell. That is theoretically the most ridiculous set of LBs as I have ever seen on the field in college football.  Now that said, if there was one position that the Buckeyes could miss out on a kid like that, it is LB. The Buckeyes depth chart at LB really is an embarassment of riches with Sabino, Sweat (remember Sweat and Sabino were the #1 & #2 ILBs in the country last year), Rolle, Hines, Bell, Klein, and Whiting. The Buckeyes really need to land some inside help on the D-Line. Coming in second for Corey Adams was significant." 

Lubber certainly enjoyed the video:

"He looks like LT in Techmo Bowl where the QB would only have 1 second to get rid of the ball, or LT would just chase him down even if QB started running other way on snap. He seems very disciplined as well. That is something very rare on somebody so talented. He seems to play excellent pass defense staying in his zone and then exploding through the ball carrier." 

Post of the Week: 

Hopefully you bums do not make this a regular occurrence.  I don't like using our front-page writers to find a Post of the Week.  However, after re-reading the last week of posts, this is the best of the bunch, so it is representing.   

JB's take on possibly adding Ray Lewis: 

"While I concur that Rayelnthal is still better than anyone we've had since 1994 and would be now even at 34, I can't see him coming here from a pride standpoint as such an obvious moeny grab with a loser that had been the rival / pimp slapped team. Sort of like Cowher. Too much pride. 
 
That said, I am done with the Speilman's , Kirkland's and McGinnests. Enough. We are not one player away. 
 
Then again, how "Browns" would it be to get Rayenthal,and B-more drafts Rey and he kicks our tails for a decade?" 

Looking to spice this up.  Upping the ante a little bit.  Trying to motivate the masses.  I will now be handing out a post of the month.  You will get something from the Swerb vault.  None of the staff is eligible.  Starting in March, the 4 weekly winners each month will be eligible for Post of the Month.  And a prize.  Now get to work.