Cleveland Browns Gutless display of tackling

In 1964 NFL football was blocking and tackling. Vince Lombardi football's most overated coach was correct when he said "Football is still blocking and tackling."

Don't worry Browns fans the gutless display of tackling by the Browns during the last half of the season was only partly a display of lack of desire and football fundamentals it was also a balancing act of preservation of physical assets by doing just enough to be able back up to the pay window to collect their agent and entourage's pay check. They are really better than they looked and when they play to win next season they can make the play-offs. They beat the Ravens and played like winners the opening game of the season. I did happen to see that game because it was the reunion weekend for the 1964 Browns World Championship team. I was impressed with the 2004 team that day especially the defense and Jeff Garcia played very well. They beat a first rate team and set the Lewis boys on their butts, you can't fake that.

In 1964 we played to win. We expected to win, our management expected us to win, our fans expected us to win. We won with an intense desire that manifested into ferocious blocking and tackling, while our skill players made plays often enough so we would finally get an edge on our courageous tough opponents. Every play was an opportunity to hit each other again to give your opponent all he could handle. Every lick, every blow, every forearm shot was the best we could give. The game was eleven personal confrontations, mano o mano within each play. And nobody wasted our energy helping the opponent up after you just put his ass on the ground. And nobody ran across the field to shake hands with your opponent before or after the game. Our games were filled with adreniline, anger, and hatered. A winning chemistry. The impacts even sounded different, helmet to helmet, forearm to helmet was the order of the day not a sin.

Products of the new rules era of the NFL of protecting the QB's and receivers, the Vikings smart mouth Randy Moss and Eagles Terrill Owens would have gotten their diamond studded heads clothes-lined off in my era. Their selfish displays of self agrandisment in a team game deserve retaliation from all the football players who play the game for their team and team backers. They both deserve a few licks like Jacksonville's Donivan Darious put on Green Bay's Ferguson, which in 1964 would not have been a penalty. Darious's lick wasn't even a real clothesline. Chuck Bednarick fist thrust into the air standing over Frank Gifford lying on the ground where Chuck put him, is the symbol of man to man football as it was meant to be played. Bednark and thousands of other NFL veterans of the 50', 60's and 70's would love to have had a shot at the likes of Owens and Moss.

The Browns fans are the greatest fans in all of sports. They deserve a hell of a lot better than they got last season from both the coaches and the players. Now the Browns have an owner who is worth winning for too. I do think the quality of the 2004 Browns players is higher than their coaches allowed them to display in 2004. Browns safety Griffith got and award for making more tackles than any other Brown. Congratulations.

The Browns new GM from the Ravens doesn't need to rebuild the whole house all he needs is a head coach like the underpaid Marty Shotenhiemer or a undieing 1964 spirit like Paul Wiggin, John Wooten, Paul Warfield, or Monte Clark and why not Jim Brown or several of them. As Lombardi said "Football is still blocking and tackling." Of course it would help to add a couple of key line men to protect the passer, some hard tackling cornerbacks and a linebacker, and another receiver (a big physical one). The QB's Garcia and Holcome can win. Garcia was a case of hiring a Star fighter pilot and asking him to drive a tank. The Running backs are OK. The Browns should draft Roscoe Parrish from Miami he is a big play player although he isn't big physically but he has a great name.