OBR News-o-rama

Posted: 04 Dec 2007 09:36 PM CST

BROWNS NEWS

There ain't none. Really. JT even had to link a story from Chud.com to make sure that the OBR Newswire didn't shut down due to idle time. Page down a couple times to see why. You think this is fun, wait until late May.

DOWNLOADABLE FUN FOR EVERYONE!

We've uploaded the media notes for the upcoming Browns-Jets game to the not-quite world-famous Muni Lot. It's in the incredibly awesome PDF format that Adobe gave to the world out of the goodness of their hearts (and lust for world domination). To download the Media Packet for the game: Click here

We also have the play-by-play gamebook from the NFL for the Browns-Cardinals game uploaded into the Lot. Also lovingly rendered in PDF. Click here.

SUBSCRIBER NOTE: We also have yesterday's transcripts from Eric "I used to be a Berea intern" Mangini and Romeo Crennel beautifully posted in the Ask the Insiders forum by the one and only Adam Caplan. ATI is our top-secret subscriber forum, so consider this a pre-warning that you'll get a screen pimping at you to become a subscriber if you click on those and aren't a subbie.

NON-SUBSCRIBER NOTE: Since you read the note above even though it was clearly labeled, you should be aware that "Subbie" is our heartwarming term for our incredibly cool and awesome subscribers. We love our subscribers and they ~~occasionally tolerate~~ love us. Click here if you ever wish to join their illustrious ranks*.

INFESTING THE ENTIRE PLANET, ONE BROWNS FAN AT A TIME

We had a global audience for the Live Blog of the Browns-Cardinals game on Sunday, including visitors from Moscow, Japan, Thailand, and Singapore. We even had a chowderhead:

"The Live Blog is the best thing yet that you've done for the east coast" - Brian from Massachusetts.

AP JOINS THE TIN FOIL HAT BRIGADE

The ripple effects of last night's oddly-officiated game in Baltimore continue apace. Apparently, the suggestion that the NFL would be inspired to tilt the odds in favor of the Patriots in order to increase the marketability it's own NFL Network has left the confines of AM talk radio and made the print media.

I don't know who the Associated Press thinks it is, tugging on Superman's cape like that.

Meanwhile, BuckFigBen posted this new Ravens logo on the Watercooler:

If you don't already have enough conspiracy theories to make your day complete, check out the newest line of thinking about why ESPN loves the BCS so much.

OUT OF THE BLOGOSPHERE

Nothing Browns-related here, either, since this morning. The Muni Lot has this morning's News-o_rama and Ace Davis' thoughts on how to deal with "Cribbs Cowardice" if you didn't hit them this morning.

The Hanson Brothers Invade Cleveland - Kid Cleveland (Monsters)

Quote of the day - Sports Media Watch (Ravens abuse)

Referees Love Brady, Belichick and the 12-0 Patriots - The Big Lead (Ravens abuse)

Your Move, Shapiro - Cleveland Sports Animal (Tribe)

Sideshow Bob ready to resurface - Red Right 88 (Cavs)

Varejao Signs with Bobcats - Random Thoughts (Cavs)

Cancel all the bowls - J-Beanie Sports (NCAA)

ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB

Watch out, Minnesota. As soon as Wilf says he will "never move the franchise", crank up a garage sale and see if you can ditch all your Vikings gear.

The Steelers are happy the Patriots beat the Ravens because they want them all for themselves.

Microsoft has wisely pulled back it's software Santa who would chatter about oral sex. I learned as a young coder that folks would eventually find anything that you put into the code

Bloggers will now go after Stephen A. Smith with either pitchfork in hand or tongue in cheek, but he's got a point that worth considering. I see real sports journalism being crushed in a pincer that has league and team-owned media on one side and bloggers on another. Of course, it would help if the real journalists got their stories right before tossing them onto the airwaves.

Has Facebook already jumped the shark? And, if so, why hasn't the phrase "Jump the Shark" jumped the shark?

After reading about the Ravens meltdown on Monday Night Football, I think today's word of the day should be "Schadenfreude".

* Webdork gotta eat

OBR News-o-Rama: 12/04 AM

Posted: 04 Dec 2007 09:00 AM CST

Did you miss last night's (10:30PM) News-o-Rama? CLICK HERE

BROWNS NEWS

Between travel-fatigued folks and a minimal amount of new information coming out of Berea yesterday, Browns fans find themselves without a lot of new reading material this morning. Unless, of course, you want to pick at the carnage of last night's Ravens-Patriots poutfest.

The team and those who followed them yesterday engaged in a bit of post-messy-loss navel-gazing, which comprises most of this morning's OBR Newswire. JT continues to pound relentlessly away at the interweb's only 24-hour-a-day hand-crafted Browns linkfest.

Speaking of navel-gazing, here's a lot of lint in there. And, what's this? A old chicken wing? It's probably still good. You check out today's stories - I'm going to keep digging and see if there's a sammich in there somewhere.

Egads, We Made a Bunch of Bonehead Moves

Passan: Not Quite Yet - The OBR

Berea Report: Mistakes Doomed Browns - The OBR

Crennel breaks down breakdowns - Lake County News-Herald

Loss is a wake-up call for Browns - ABJ

Crennel says mistakes are his fault - Plain Dealer

Sloppy Browns show youth in mistake-riddled loss - Associated Press

Crennel wants fewer mistakes - Elyria Chronicle-Telegram

"Playoffs"? We know not of these "Playoffs"

Team not thinking playoffs - Lake County News-Herald

Team looking for lost focus - Columbus Dispatch

Time for Cleveland Browns to get real - Cleveland Plain Dealer

Despite loss, team still in line for wild-card berth - Elyria Chronicle-Telegram

Browns in wild-card battle - Canton Repository

Stories Which Don't Fit Today's News-o-Rama Categories

Secondary does its job - Canton Repository

Win gets Cards extra day to relax - Arizona Republic

Best Available Free Agents: Defense - The OBR

SLOPPIER THAN CONDIMENT PARK IN A RAINSTORM

The final quarter of the Ravens-Patriots game devolved into a finger-pointing disaster as the Ravens complained and pouted themselves into what should be a record number of fines over the next week, and maybe even a lawsuit or two.

How Brian Billick could survive as head coach after this mess is mind-boggling. Not only has any reputation he once had as an offensive genius been sacrificed to eight years of laughable offensive futility and broken quarterbacks, but the Ravens are the most undisciplined professional team I've ever laid eyes on.

A veteran linebacker picking up a flag and heaving it into the stands? Nice job.

Orlando Brown says "Hi", by the way.

Next time you want to make your point, just pick up the first down marker and throw it at fans like a javelin. Sheer genius.

Not only was the team and league embarrassed by the out-of-control pouting, the game raised those annoying "separation of church and state" issues again.

By 8AM this morning, I had already heard one radio commentator postulate that the NFL could have been gaming the officiating because the Patriots final game of the season (where they might be going for historic 16-0 record) has been swiped by the NFL Network.

The hypocrisy here is that the NFL is paranoid about the "purity of the game" where sports betting is involved, avoiding even the appearance of impropriety. Those type of concerns go by the wayside when media profits might be involved, however. This is another reason that I think league-owned TV networks and web sites are the worst ideas, ever.

Owning both the game and the media coverage of it worked out for Vince McMahon, though. So you never know.

I originally thought NFL-controlled media would only be bad for fans-rights issues, but they might help bring down the sports themselves as well. Having a little more coverage in an already media-saturated sport isn't worth threatening the integrity of the sport itself.

OUT OF THE BLOGOSPHERE

The best of Cleveland sports blogs, provided free-of-charge to anyone willing to explore the evil dwelling within "alternative" media.

Not to get into overt pimping of a friend's blog, but Ace Davis has been on fire this season. We're proud to have Ace participate in the Muni Lot, as well as the Orange and Brown Report Magazine. Today, Ace looks at what the Browns can to do counter the "cowardly" avoidance of Joshua Cribbs by opposing kickers.

Threw in a Tribe and Cavs related blog entries because it's sort of a light day.

Cribbs counter-cowardice - Ace Davis

Red Right 88: Ravens choke! - Red Right 88

OBR News-o-Rama: 12/03 PM - OBR News-o-Rama

Roasting Mike and Mike - Cursed Cleveland

A slice of humble pie - Papa Cass

Could the Indians add a Bay to the Reservation? - Kid Cleveland

Myth: Lebron James tapped for Mr. Blackwell's Best Dressed List - Sports Myth Busters