Monday through Friday, I listen to a Cleveland radio station while I work. During tax season, it helps to keep my computer awake so I can access my tax program quickly and it also helps me receive braking news out of Cleveland. Win, win right? The downside is sometimes the show hosts argue and yell at each other over the dumbest topics. If I want to hear yelling and arguing, I’d call my ex-wife. All in all, it’s usually entertaining. However yesterday I had to stop what I was doing to turn up the sound and listen intently. The host started to describe a training camp video of quarterback Deshaun Watson throwing his last pass of the day. Apparently, it went straight into the ground, which resulted in Watson immediately stopping and removing his shoulder pads and exiting the field. The inference of the radio host was to imply Watson was hurt again and the season was over.
This caught me by complete surprise. I’m very knowledgeable about the internet, since I’ve surfed the net since 1992. I watch as many training camp videos as possible, listen to as many interviews as possible, and read as many of my favorite beat writer’s reports as possible. I was shocked. This should be big news. My phone should’ve been going crazy with alerts. What the hell was going on? The host announced head coach Kevin Stefanski would be addressing the media around mid-morning, so I made sure I was going to listen. The first reporter would have to ask about Watson’s setback, right? Nothing. Finally Tony Grossi asked if Watson would be throwing that day, and the coach said he would. Wait just a damn minute, I was told Watson’s arm had fallen off. Shouldn’t he be in a hospital? Of course not, false alarm. Cleveland media panic, over analyzing a nonevent. What a surprise. Shocking.
Look, I understand the health of Deshaun Watson is important to the success of the Cleveland Browns in 2024, but the team just came off a season where they won eleven games with five different starting quarterbacks. None of these guys where the second coming of Bernie Kosar. Watson had a great second half against the Ravens going fourteen for fourteen in that half with a broken bone in his shoulder. They won a game at home against the Steelers with a fifth-round rookie who had one great series, luckily it was the last one. They beat the eventual NFC representative in the Super Bowl with a guy named P.J. Walker and if you knew who he was before the Browns signed him, you must be related. Miraculously won games with a quarterback as old as me (I wish) who kept throwing touchdown passes to the other team. In last game, a throw away game, I don’t even remember the guy’s name who started. Last year the Browns scored 39 touchdowns and were tenth in the league in scoring. I have faith in this coaching staff and in backup QB Jameis Winston and yes, he’s better than Flacco. The Browns can run the new offense with Winston and win.
The big story of training camp should be that Watson is throwing everyday with the number one offense. He’s throwing against air with no pressure, so his stats don’t matter, no quarterbacks’ stats should matter in training camp unless all the passes are incomplete. Then you have a problem. To instantly panic over a brief snippet of a cell phone video is classic Cleveland media. This is the main reason I started The Cleveland Browns Dawgpound South Podcast, to give Browns fans unfiltered, non-agenda, realist news and opinions on what’s going on with our favorite team. I hope you’ll listen and watch. Stay safe and Go Browns.