OBR News-o-rama

Posted: 27 Dec 2007 06:42 PM CST

The world you once knew is gone.

We woke up today to a world gone indisputably insane, where our notions of right, wrong, fact and fiction have been turned upside-down. It is up to each of us to determine how to protect ourselves and our families in this new and completely-bonkers world.

You may ask yourself how one can survive in a world where our immutable physical laws no longer apply, and I honestly can't tell you. Fiction is now truth. Truth is now fiction.

I have to assume that fire no longer burns and that gravity is likely to be switched off any minute.

You see, when I woke up today, I noticed that a number of mainstream media types now apparently take Pro Football Talk seriously. They report on their stories with a straight face, as if PFT posts were something other than the deranged fever dreams of some guy in West Virginia.

You may remember Pro Football Talk from earlier this year, when they and Tony Rizzo insisted that Kellen Winslow would not play at all in 2007. Or, you may remember them from 2005, when they spent a year telling us that Randy Lerner was ready to sell the Browns. Or when they told us of fractures and problems with Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel's relationship. Or when they said Terry Bradshaw died in a car crash. Or, perhaps, when they said Ebenezer Ekuban was damaged goods right before he played a nice long season for the Cleveland Browns.

Yep. Those guys.

Earlier in the week, we got to see WKNR's Tony Rizzo, who is sort of PFT's local outlet, tell visitors that Bill Parcells - who hadn't even started his job on the Dolphins - was all a-twitter over the prospect of landing Derek Anderson. Now, PFT itself is saying that Parcells is in love with Romeo Crennel and has him at the top of his head coaching candidate list.

Parcells is apparently so in love with RAC, in fact, that one might think that the very top selection in the 2008 draft may be the Browns for the taking.

If Parcells is seriously interested in this, Phil Savage should knock both Anderson and Crennel unconscious (try a a light blow to their heads or chloroform), stuff them in the trunk of his car, and dump them on Parcells doorstep in the next 24 hours.

Work out the details later. Just dump them on Parcells door, take the first draft pick, and get out of there before Tuna sobers up.

Then again, of course, there's always the possibility that this is as accurate as the K2 story (which the OBR took the lead in nuking). I don't think the Dolphins know what to order for food after their game with the Bengals on Sunday, much less that they're going to do in two months.

Honestly, I'm not sure where this stuff comes from. My guess is that it's speculation that somehow mutated into fact in the murky world of unnamed sources and unverified assertions. But I don't regard it as credible. Call me back when there's a byline on it like "Grossi", "Schudel", "Greetham", "Adkins", or "Taylor".

Frankly, I don't blame PFT or Rizzo for running this stuff. It undoubtedly helps ratings and generates a lot of page views on the ol' web site. And they'll never get called on it.

MSM seeming to take PFT seriously (chuckle)
Plain Dealer Morning Journal Yahoo! Canton Rep Tribune-Chronicle

The Colts will play backups quite a bit. Deal.
News-Herald ABJ

Will Brady Quinn play? Well, uh, maybe, or maybe not.
Plain Dealer Dispatch ABJ Chronicle-Telegram Tribune-Chronicle DDN

FUN WITH THE NATIONAL MEDIA: It's always a fascinating exercise to see what guys sitting in Bristol, LA, or whatever think of the Cleveland Browns. Here's the latest keen insight:

Here's the first "Derek Anderson might be overrated" story to appear in the national media. Cool! They're only three months behind some of the fans in the Watercooler. (Fox Sports)

Greg Garber reaches the conclusion that Derek Anderson exceeded expectations this season. You just can't buy that type of analysis. Oh wait... yes, you can. My bad. (ESPN)

CBS Sports looks at all the offensive rookies this year, and concludes that Joe Thomas just doesn't rate. Browns fans look at CBS Sports and conclude... (CBS Sports)

ROSTER MOVES: As Fred Greetham reported yesterday, the Browns promoted Melila Purcell from the practice squad, snagged Bobby Hamilton to help give them more old guys on the defensive line, and filled the gap in the practice squad with an ex-Patriot named Zach West. They also signed third quarterback and pseudo-coach Ken Dorsey to a three-year contract extension.

Of course, you probably know all that by now, so I look at this as simply a way to tell you that we've updated the roster page, practice squad page, and depth chart. We've also uploaded the Media Notes for the Browns-Niners game if you're interested in those.

OUT OF THE BLOGOSPHERE

This 'N That - John Taylor

So Who Should Be in the Next Hall of Fame Class? - Kid Cleveland

December 26, 2007 Show - Moohead Radio (podcast)

8 Things that Won't Happen in 2008 - Webdork

Titans at Colts Preview - Mistake by the Lake

The Q&A About DA - First and 10 Inches

Jensen Lewis Loves 'A Christmas Story' Too - Cleveland Sports Authority (Indians)

Cavs Have to Do Something - Cleveland Sports Perspective (Cavs)

Overstepping their bounds. - Sports Media Watch (Greed-Off 2007)