Support for Braylon (in response to the "Braylon traded to Jets" thread)
I was reading through this thread (http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/braylon-traded-jets) and was surprised to see some of the comments about Braylon from actual Michigan fans:
"Cleveland hated him. I don't know why they would even draft an outspoken Michigan WR."
"But let's not pretend that Braylon's problem was Cleveland; he obviously didn't make his best effort to fit in there."
"Shhh... don't you know? Braylon is perfect... he donates money to charity...so he clearly can't be anything other than a great human being and a great wide receiver!"
"I really hope his dad or even Lloyd Carr explains to him that he needs to take advantage of his second chance."
"I think Browns fans were more pissed off at the massive number of drops, not the fact that he went to Michigan."
"It's good he is getting a new start, but let's not pretend he didn't bring a lot of these problems on himself."
"As a browns fan, I can honestly say that he had been on the shit list for a while."
Now this only represents about half of the story, as many comments are positive and wishing him well without any digging. But, why take digs at all? Excluding his rookie season and so far this year, he averaged 1,015 yards and 8.3 TDs per year for the Browns. Those are pro bowl numbers.
Unless you know Braylon personally don't let the media / Browns (aka the Poops) organization spin him into something he is not. He will do well with the Jets and Rex Ryan and EVERY Michigan fan should be wishing him well instead of taking any sort of jab at him.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:08 PM ^
So in other words:
60% of the time he's a Pro Bowl-caliber player every time.
To not take "digs" is to be ignorant of reality. I'm not saying he's a horrible person or player. All we're saying is that just because he's a Michigan player, that doesn't necessarily mean he should get a free pass from us as far as his behavior and performance go.
Personally, I think it's good that some Michigan fans point out his negatives - it shows that we're not all just going to fellate every Michigan player who stepped on the field, including the stars.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:32 PM ^
"Personally, I think it's good that some Michigan fans point out his negatives - it shows that we're not all just going to fellate every Michigan player who stepped on the field, including the stars."
Yeah because we all want to hang out on the forums and read pompous jackasses taking drive-by shots at our favorite players. We all come here to watch people like you piss on anyone that tries to say something positive about said players.
"ignorant of reality"?
Nah, it's just that not everyone wants to be a Negative Nancy, Magnus. My idea of a waste of time is to read "Michigan fans" chiding other Michigan fans for not wanting to talk about how Braylon dropped balls or is unhappy in Cleveland.
If you've got a beef with Braylon for whatever reason, this wasn't really the thread for it, was it? You just had to post here to be insult the OP and anyone else with your "fellate every Michigan player" BS.
More Michigan, less LeBrowns on these boards.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:55 PM ^
way to act like your profile pic
October 8th, 2009 at 1:47 AM ^
can we dial down the intensity just a notch, I linked over here because I thought there'd be some Braylon love going around. I for one am crazed excited that my favorite NFL team now has my favorite player from when I was in college. Don't ruin this for me, Aequitas and Magnus! I hate it when Mommy and Daddy fight.
Now, does anyone have any idea what number B. Edwards is gonna be wearing for Gang Green? Because if it's his #1, I need it immediately.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:44 PM ^
I think you are completely wrong.
You think it is good for M fans to point out his negatives? That is like saying you like going to family gatherings and having them point out YOUR negatives.
Braylon was one of the best players we've ever had at Michigan. I'm not saying "slob on his knob" all the time because of his drops in the NFL, or his inability to connect with Cleveland fans (who could?). I'm just saying don't bag on him in this forum.
If you can't get that through your thick headed skull (aka captain argument), I don't know if anything can.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:10 PM ^
If you throw out his monster 2007 year he's been no better than an average pro-receiver.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EdwaBr00.htm
I don't understand why people think that we can't criticize former Michigan players in the pro's and still appreciate all that they did for Michigan.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:50 PM ^
The "yeah well take out his one season and uhh..." argument works if that one season wasn't so great.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Top-Single-Season-NFL-Receivers
This is the top 10 single season yardage records since 1960. Braylon's 2007 year doesn't crack that list (~1300 yards for him, ~1600 yards for 10th place), but only ONE receiver on that list (Randy Moss) was able to put up more than Braylon's 16 TDs (2007) in a single season.
Bottom line - he had a phenomenal year in 2007 - that is what he is capable of. And since he's had Derek "The Ravens cut me when they had no one" Anderson and Brady "Does my sister still date AJ Hawk?" Quinn, you're ready to write him off?
October 7th, 2009 at 12:59 PM ^
I agree that he was an absolute beast in 2007. The only reason I said that was because you decided to remove his rookie year in your original post.
And please show me where I am writing him off. Hopefully he does awesome on the Jets.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:17 PM ^
I am just glad that I don't have to root for a team in Ohio in any way, shape, or form now. I think we can all agree that Braylon had his problems with concentration his first two years at Michigan, but in the right setting, he can be downright dominant (MSU OT game anyone?). Here's to hoping NYC is that place for him and his NFL career takes off.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:19 PM ^
Browns' fans' frustrations with him is making a dig, or the fact that he has had some troubles hanging onto balls. Several of those comments were directed at the idea that Browns' fans didn't like him because he went to UofM. When you lead the league in drops, it gets noticed. He could have gone to OSU and I think Cleveland fans would still have been frustrated with him.
He's a talented guy, who if you look objectively at his career to date, has been a little disappointing. Clearly he has good numbers, but I think the expectations given his draft slot and his physical tools are very high, fairly or unfairly.
In the end, this is probably a good move both for the Browns and B.E. Time will tell, but Braylon strikes me as a big media market guy/personality.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:49 PM ^
You're angry, aren't you? Thanks for calling me a name, though. That's very classy.
I'm not a "Negative Nancy." I'm the one who never gets too down when everyone else is depressed (see: The Horror, The Horror II, and the 2007 Northwestern game for evidence) and the one who never gets too excited when everyone else is jumping for joy and saying this Michigan team is going to win the Big Ten. I'm a realist.
However, your quotes around "Michigan fans" is ridiculous. I'm on here every day and I write a blog about Michigan football. Yet you're questioning my fanhood . . . because I pointed out that Braylon has a case of the dropsies and kind of paved his own way out of Cleveland by punching a dude at a nightclub?
My "fellate" comment wasn't directed at the OP - it was directed at the people who ignore all the bad stuff that Michigan players do; the ones who accuse OSU players of being thugs but ignore the histories of Kevin Grady, Adrian Arrington, Carson Butler, etc.; the ones who start threads on a Michigan message board about how MSU fans are obsessed with Michigan.
Anyway, I'm sorry you're having a bad day. I had one, too, the other day. It sucked. I hope tomorrow is better.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:21 PM ^
"it shows that we're not all just going to fellate every Michigan player who stepped on the field, including the stars."
Get off your high horse. You basically made a disgusting analogy targetting anyone who doesn't agree with you. Nothing classy or "real" about that statement.
I see no reason to rehearse Braylons faults and then defend the act like you're somehow better than fans that don't want to hear it every single time the player comes up as a topic. That's what we have the Freep, AA.com and State fans for. You and those that are negging, are trying to say that we SHOULD want to spend our time rehashing negative shit? Don't you get tired of it?
I do. I come to this blog for a respite. I actually came on today to get more info about Bray going to NY. What I didn't expect was to see a parade of "realists" insulting other "fans" that could do without all the negative crap. It's not like any of the non-opinion stuff is news anyway. So what's the point if it's not to trash Braylon?
Blogging doesn't equal fanhood, man. Neither does time spent on this forum. Damn, you're really an arrogant person.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:53 PM ^
If we can't talk about the negative things Braylon (and others) does/did, then where should we talk about it? Should we pretend everything is sunshine and roses all the time?
Brian has mentioned the St. Valentine's Day Nerd Massacre a thousand times. Should he find a new forum if he wants to rag on Carson Butler?
All I said originally was that Braylon had a case of the dropsies (statistics will back me up) and punching a guy probably wasn't smart (common sense will back me up). I even wished the guy well and said that I hoped he would mature in New York. I don't see what the big deal is.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:59 PM ^
The difference is that Carson is nobodies favorite player (except you, Dex) and so nobody gets all butthurt on the implication that he might not be perfect. I fail to see why it's totally okay to call out current Michigan players when they do something wrong (hey, that's the point of the UFR!) but HORRIBLE to comment on the play of a former Michigan star.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:00 PM ^
I get your point.
What I don't get is why you felt the need to take the "drops, probably guilty of punching someone, bad citizen, not all to due with being in Cleveland, etc." route.
Kind of a low blow to Braylon in my opinion when you didn't need to take one.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:04 PM ^
Why is honesty a "low blow"? Braylon is not perfect as a football player or as a person, this is abundantly clear. I love him for what he did here, but I'm not going to pretend he's God's gift because of it. If there is a thread to discuss him, why should opinions other than "Browns and Cleveland are evil, Braylon is the shining beacon of good" be suppressed?
October 7th, 2009 at 1:13 PM ^
Honesty is not a low blow - but whenever you choose to only point out a person's bad side - THAT is a low blow. Especially when part of it (the "LeBron punch") hasn't been confirmed by anything outside of ESPN media (Les Miles to Michigan, what?).
October 7th, 2009 at 2:02 PM ^
If ESPN reported that Ted Ginn punched a guy and Dwayne Wade called him out, would you take it with the same grain of salt?
October 8th, 2009 at 2:11 AM ^
I don't see how it's a low blow when, in the same post, I said that I hope he lives up to his potential in New York. I'm rooting for the guy. There just seems to be a mentality that "Braylon was too good for Cleveland, anyway" when, in fact, maybe he hadn't lived up to expectations and there's a recent allegation of him punching a dude at a club. How is it a low blow to mention a hot-off-the-presses story?
Anyway, I'm not trying to bash Braylon. I loved watching him pluck Chad Henne passes out of the sky in '04. My comment was geared toward the mentality of Michigan fans more than it was geared toward Braylon, anyway.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:59 PM ^
The quarterback doesn't matter if Braylon is dropping the ball. That means the ball is getting there and he's not making the play. Obviously, the QB is going to affect his yardage, TDs, etc., but the annoying thing about Braylon was his drops, not really his lack of yardage.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:09 PM ^
1) I think QB play does matter - it is easier to catch an accurate ball than an errant one.
2) How many times do you see a good year out of a WR with a bad QB? How the hell are WRs of JaMarcus Russell, the Browns two-headed QB, Jake Delhomme, Shaun Hill, Seneca Wallace, Any TB QB, any Washington QB, any Rams QB, etc. going to put up solid stats? You can't have a great year as a WR with a bad QB, drops or not.
3) Braylon either had 0 or 1 drops thus far in the NFL season. The league leader has 5 (which happens to be Super Bowl MVP, Santonio Holmes - I don't hear the Steelers fans calling for his head yet).
October 7th, 2009 at 1:26 PM ^
A bad QB (read: anything the Browns have fielded lately) doesn't excuse every drop, but I dare you to find a WR that agrees with you.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:00 PM ^
I should start a Jim Harbaugh thread. Beavis will not enjoy most of the comments. Book It!
That said, i remain a huge fan of him and I can flat guarantee I am in the minorty there
October 7th, 2009 at 1:09 PM ^
If I ever see this guy make a negative comment about Cissoko or Stevie Brown or Floyd or whomever I am going to unleash holy hell on it
October 7th, 2009 at 1:14 PM ^
FYI I don't like to bag on players beyond the "holy crap XYZ player just blew that coverage and gave up that TD, damnit".
But to compare Braylon to those three is a fucking joke.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:30 PM ^
Are you stalking Braylon?
October 7th, 2009 at 1:27 PM ^
He was playing for Cleveland. He was bound to be cursed one way or another.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:38 PM ^
...about his dad or Lloyd Carr intervening was not a "dig;" it is a heartfelt hope that Braylon gets some role-modelling and mentoring before he blows a chance at a nice career.
I love what Braylon did at UM as much as anyone else here, but it doesn't give him a free pass to act like TO, especially without nearly as many catches or TD's on his resume. Braylon needs to grow up and realize what he has before he loses it, and his dad and his ex-coach are probably the two best people to intervene for him.
How is that a "dig?"
October 7th, 2009 at 2:02 PM ^
By saying that he needs Lloyd or his dad to help him realize this is a second chance is like saying Braylon isn't competent enough to realize that on his own. That is a dig.
It's sort of like saying "Braylon needs Lloyd or his dad like Vick needed Tony Dungy".
October 7th, 2009 at 1:39 PM ^
Just because he's part of the Michigan family doesn't mean we can't criticize him. If my brother punches some kid on the street, I'll still love him but just think he's a dumbass for doing it. (Not saying Braylon=brother, but he is my second favorite player in the past 10 years).
"Unless you know Braylon personally don't let the media / Browns (aka the Poops) organization spin him into something he is not."
May I add that he PUNCHED some dude. Obviously all the details arent there, but think of all the jokes we'd make if Santonio Holmes or Ted Ginn were in this situation.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:15 PM ^
Who gives a shit about the Browns or the city of Cleveland? Braylon has been a pro bowler on a team that has had AIDS ever since Jim Brown retired and is being criticized by the fans? The only time I pay attention to anything in Cleveland is when they are on every channel because they had to call the fire department to put out the river.
Braylon will shine in New York with a great team and a superstar-in-the-making QB (as opposed to those two clowns he's had throwing him the ball in Cleveland). Michigan fans should be excited for him and supportive, not whining that he hasn't caught every single pass thrown his way while stuck playing for the worst franchise in pro sports (except for maybe the Clippers). Also, if some douchebag "club promoter" kept running his mouth at you because he thought his Lebron friendship bracelet made him invincible, you'd probably think about socking him in the face too. Comparing Braylon's alleged actions (long before all the facts are out) to Carson Butler assaulting random bystanders who can't defend themselves is ridiculous.
Go Blue!
October 7th, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
I didn't say anyone who disagrees with me is fellating Braylon Edwards. I used an analogy that is used quite frequently on here, but I didn't call anyone a "bitch." Those are two different things.
You attacked my fanhood, but I'm arrogant for pointing out evidence to the contrary? That's a strange way to look at it.
Anyway, I won't be responding to you any further on this topic. You've clearly got some anger issue that has more to do with other websites and you're just taking it out on me, so I'm over it.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:42 PM ^
1) A truly errant ball wouldn't be counted as a drop. If a WR can get his hands on a ball, it should be caught, whether I'm throwing it or whether Peyton Manning is. That's the nice thing about the statistic.
2) Lots of good WRs have good seasons with bad QBs. Who was Braylon Edwards' QB in Cleveland when he had a good season? How has __________ Johnson (the guy in Houston, I'm blanking on his name off the top of my head) had such a great career? Steve Smith has had good years with Delhomme at QB. Etc. Obviously it's easier to be successful when you have a good QB, but a bad QB doesn't prevent good seasons.
3) Santonio Holmes just won Pittsburgh a Super Bowl. There's probably a good reason Pittsburgh fans aren't calling for his head.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:57 PM ^
Braylon has less than two drops this season, so he doesn't even register on this list of top droppers in the AFC. And Braylon has made the pro bowl with the same shitty quarterbacks in Cleveland. Seems like a pretty good career he's having to me. Find another reason to bag on the guy besides, "Oh, I wish the Browns didn't suck at football."
http://stats.washingtonpost.com/fb/leaders.asp?range=AFC&type=Receiving…
October 8th, 2009 at 2:17 AM ^
Wait a minute...when did I say "Oh, I wish the Browns didn't suck at football"? I never said that. I don't care about the Browns. In fact, I avoid watching the Browns. I'm a Lions fan. I can only be a fan of one shitty NFL team at a time.
A stat passed across the ESPN ticker last night:
Braylon Edwards has 30 drops since 2007. So while he may only have 1 this season, he's had 29 more in the past couple.
October 7th, 2009 at 3:20 PM ^
You're thinking of Andre Johnson in Houston. And he has Matt Schaub - arguably one of the top 10 QBs in the NFL (fantasy wise he is for sure - the only knock on him has been durability. So I think using him as an example has been debunked.
Steve Smith is the new Eric Moulds - one huge year, one terrible year. Look at his stats one season from the next. "Base years": 1225 yards, 9 TDs average. "The Following Years": 880 yards, 4 TDs. So he too has swings in his game.
Can you seriously name a WR who is consistently in the top 10 NFL WRs who doesn't have a good QB? I don't think you can.
October 8th, 2009 at 2:23 AM ^
Andre Johnson's former quarterbacks: David Carr and Sage Rosenfels.
EDIT: Schaub arrived in 2007. Prior to that, Johnson's quarterback was David Carr. Johnson had two 1,100 yard seasons prior to Schaub and had 976 yards as a rookie. (He had 688 yards in an injury-shortened 2005.)
October 7th, 2009 at 3:07 PM ^
To all the Braylon bashers:
Are you the same people who thought Randy Moss was washed up while he played for the Raiders?
October 7th, 2009 at 3:11 PM ^
Randy Moss thought Randy Moss was washed up when he played for the Raiders.
October 7th, 2009 at 3:23 PM ^
Quote please?
Look the Browns are one of the four worst teams in the NFL (Raiders, Rams, Browns, Chiefs in no particular order). Only one WR (Dwayne Bowe) has a chance of having a decent season among those teams. Bad teams just don't produce good WRs because typically they lack an offensive line that allows a QB time to throw as well as a QB that knows what he is doing (this is common among all of the four teams I mentioned).
Let's see what Braylon can do in NYJ, stop the shit talking, and if he ends up like Roy Williams in Dallas, then hey - I was wrong. But until then let's just shelve this conversation.
October 8th, 2009 at 1:15 AM ^
to have forgotten the lions. Just sayin'.
I think the move was good for both sides. The Browns are a cellar dweller team with QBs that can't stretch the field, which Braylon is pretty good at doing. They are also void of any talent anywhere else to help Braylon out. It also seemed like they didn't try to get Braylon involved enough, whether that be because they thought that he would drop it or not.
Braylon seemed to be disinterested in playing for said bad team/qbs. We all know that he likes to party and hasn't been the most mature person ever. Drops certainly killed him last year.
I think Braylon will do just fine with the Jets.
October 8th, 2009 at 2:25 AM ^
I haven't seen anyone say that Braylon was washed up. How is this relevant?
October 7th, 2009 at 3:35 PM ^
I’m glad he’s out of Cleveland because it was hard for me to hate the brown and root for Braylon
October 7th, 2009 at 3:54 PM ^
Within a couple years he should be a Pro Bowl receiver again if he can get his act together and stop dropping everything in his vicinity. He was as dominant as anyone in 2007, no way to say it was a fluke. With a promising young QB on a good team he should return to greatness.