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May 15, 2012From Introvert to Accolades, the Kyrie Irving Story Adds Another Chapter
May 15, 2012I don’t know if it is unique to Cleveland that Armond Smith could be such a big topic of conversation, but it sure feels that way. Smith was cut in favor of Adonis Thomas yesterday after apparently getting beat out in rookie camp with shorts on. This morning on Kiley and Booms I heard Bud Shaw once again mention that at least we wouldn’t see Pat Shurmur running Armond Smith on 4th and 1 again. It goes to show that the more I mature, just how far I still have to go because it made me angry. I know Bud was just going for an easy punchline, but let’s not re-write history here.
First of all, I need to talk about a comedy rule of three that I have been obsessed with lately. I heard Aziz Ansari talk about it and I think he was paraphrasing Joe Rogan. Or maybe he was paraphrasing Louis C.K.’s appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast? Anyway, I am continuing the game of telephone and paraphrasing the paraphraser. The idea in writing jokes is that you have to go three levels for truly good and original comedy. When a topic comes up, the first thought you have is the joke that everyone comes up with. The second joke is better than the first, but it is still probably a bit facile. The third joke will be truly original. It isn’t a hard, fast rule, but that’s the idea. References aren’t jokes and are rarely good punchlines. Using Armond Smith’s run on 4th and 1 is quite simply the first crack available and as I think I proved it is nothing more than just second-guessing the coach because it happened not to work.
So let’s get back to that play one final time as we bid farewell to a 4th string running back that won’t even be a footnote in Cleveland Browns history.
I’ll spare you all the pictures because you can go back and look at them on the original post, but let’s remember that the Browns ran Hillis up the middle on 3rd and 1. They used the identical set with Hillis and Armond Smith lined up parallel in the backfield for two straight plays. On 3rd and 1 with at least eight Titans playing up to stop the run, Hillis and his offensive line got blown up and didn’t convert.
This is what gets me so crazy when people say, “How do you run Armond Smith on 4th and 1 when you have Hillis on the team??!?!??” The implication is that Pat Shurmur for all his head coaching rookie-ness was clearly too stupid to use his big back in short yardage situations. It is silly. He did use his big bruising back and basically lined up his guys and gave them the opportunity to just beat the Titans at the line of scrimmage. It didn’t work. They didn’t get it done.
Then, Shurmur decides to go for it on 4th and 1. He lines up Hillis and Smith the same way and the Titans are lined up almost the exact same way they were on the previous play. McCoy fakes to Hillis and pitches out to Armond Smith. Smith had Joe Thomas and Alex Smith blocking as a safety was closing in the open field. Armond Smith just had to beat one safety. The 5’9″ 25-year-old with almost mesmerizing amounts of speed and elusiveness had to beat one player – safety Michael Griffin – in the open field and Griffin trips him up around the ankles.
There’s nothing funny about that for anyone. Armond Smith had three regular-season attempts for the Cleveland Browns. That was his lone attempt in that game. He never got another chance after that. Given the opportunity, it’s hard to question Shurmur burying him after that. Armond Smith was apparently just not good enough. Given a chance in the open field with one man to beat and at least 20 yards available thereafter, Smith let a safety stop him with a soft tackle on 4th and 1 as the Browns trailed the Titans 14-6. The Browns would go into halftime down 21-6 on the way to a 31-13 defeat that wasn’t even as close as the scoreboard.
And so we end an era exactly as it started… with far too many words. That’s just the way it goes for Browns fans who wait for a team to win enough that the cutting of a fourth string running back becomes a real topic of conversation.
Here’s hoping we never really have to talk about Adonis Thomas unless he actually does something great in the NFL. A little bit of winning will all but guarantee that comes to pass.
(Photo from SomeEcards.com)
69 Comments
You called him Adonis Smith in the opening paragraph, I think you mean Adonis Thomas.
This is very true though, it’s sad how big of a storyline it is that we cut a guy who had 3 carries
Craig…sometimes I really wonder.
Imagine you are the Titans’ defense. The Browns just had 3rd down and 1 to go, and they gave it to Hillis. It didn’t work.
Then out trots this no-name guy, Armond Smith. You’ve never seen him before. As you said, he has barely carried the ball all year. He stands out like a sore thumb.
It is 4th down. The Browns are going for it and on-field is someone you haven’t seen yet in the game. If you know anything about him, you know he is a “speed” guy. If you don’t know that, you do know that he is the one variable that doesn’t make sense on the field. He doesn’t fit as a decoy, because who the hell would consider him seriously? I wonder…will the play involve this guy? Will they give it to him in some way?
Of course they will. Any defensive coordinator/team captain would instantly zero in on this guy. Add to that, their big, bruising back didn’t get it done, so you figured they would likely try something new, something different.
It was transparently stupid. It’s like when they bring Cribbs in to QB. 99 times out of 100, it’s a draw or QB-keeper.
How you didn’t get from that play to this conclusion is startling. How you rather focused on the intricacies of making a joke shows me (and I’m sure some others) how much maturing you may still have to do.
But wait, I thought Craig said that Armond Smith *was* in on 3rd and 1. So it’s not as if Smith came in *just* for 4th down.
Oh, alright…he was in for two plays. Yeesh.
I don’t see a reason to get excited over a fourth string RB being cut by a bad football team. Especially a bad football team with a questionable coaching staff and an iffy front office. That being said I like the parallels of the article and how Craig basically demonstrated these facts. He also hit on something. I know alot of people who visit this site are down on Tony Grossi but if you ask me Bud Shaw is annoying. I could do without alot of his attempts at humor or maybe it’s just the repeated attempts that bug me. I guess it’s just personal preference.
Best article of the year!
Both backs were out on 3rd down too. Therefore, no one noticed Armond trot out on 4th down. He was already there. The Titans aparently didn’t notice Armond on 3rd down because they shut down Hillis. Shame on the idiot D-Coordinator for the Titans for not noticing Armond the play before, he really could have been burned on 3rd and 1, right? Guess he just got lucky.
MINE HINDSIGHTS IS SO GOOD. SHURMURS IS SO STOOPID. GROODEN WOULD HAVE CALLED A TD PLAY. FIRE HECKERT.
Be serious for a second: explain the hand off to Alex Smith. Explain the pass to AJ Green. Explain the fact that he didn’t know Hillis was on the field at certain points. Explain his “play-calling.” Explain his not knowing that his punter had a slipped disc. Explain how no other team had him on the radar as a possible head coach.
If you come to any other conclusion than “Shurmur was not ready to be a head coach,” then we should talk.
I COULD COACH EVERY CLEVELAND TEAM BETTER THAN ANYONE AND OUTSMART EVERY GM AND SPEND MORE MONEY THAN ANY OWNER AND WOULD NEVER LOSE A SINGLE GAME DUE TO MY SUPERIORITY.
Explain why every play that did work, when it logically shouldn’t have, in every game played last year, by every team that played last year, worked the way that it did. Then, explain why birds poop white. I’m dying to know.
Shurmur “not ready to be a head coach” is far cry from “Shurmur’s a stupid idiot.” I’ll accept the former, and give him a chance with a year’s experience. I’ll forever reject the latter, because it’s just inflammatory nonsense, borne, I assume, of hurt feelings. Life and history are full of instances where “someone” not ready to be “something” eventually did pretty well at the “something.”
Your caps are annoying me! 😉
As a Browns fan I have come to the conclusion that we just simply don’t have enough talent yet. I was trying so hard to make excuses, but we just have a roster filled with mediocre players. There are some good players. We are upgrading a little bit, but honestly…I feel like Joe Thomas and Trent Richardson will be the biggest bright spots on this team. We needed to do more in FA. It’s not about regime changes or coaching changes. We have just had terrible drafting for years. We also have never spent big money in FA. Randy Lerner needs to sell the team. He claims he cares, but it’s obvious more now than ever that he doesn’t.
Bud Shaw going for an easy punchline? I’m shocked.
“It’s like when they bring Cribbs in to QB”
well, that was Mangini. I don’t think I saw Cribbs at QB once last year. his 7 carries I believe were all either end-arounds or dives from the HB slot, no?
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and, if we run Hillis up the middle again and he gets stuffed, then you call out Shurmur for doing the same thing again.
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finally, that was the 1 game I had the privilige of attending. I remember that play vividly. Griffin flew up the gap and didn’t keep containment at all. All Armond had to do was cut to the sideline and he would have gotten past Griffin easily and gotten the first down, break the tackle and get the first down, or keep his balance for a couple steps after getting tripped up and get the first down. instead, he got taken down way too easily.
that play worked well, Armond failed. End of story.
Couldn’t have said it better. There are 2 distinct aspects of the Football game, the play design and the execution. On most NFL teams when your coach gets your fastest, most elusive player in a 1×1 situation with a safety, you just broke open a huge play. On the Browns you get stopped for a loss.
Blame the execution by the players, not the play design. This play is as telling as any of how little Shurmur’s offense had to work with – on a decently talented roster, 1 vs 1 on the football field should be a win for the offense pretty much every time.
Craig, this is a superb article. Your comments on bad jokes and second-guessing are right on the mark.
Give yourself a helmet sticker.
Cleveland is awesome b/c Browns fans get upset over 4th string RB’s, long snappers, and full backs!
Agree.
While we are on the topic of the mechanics of comedy there is another maxim that often comes to mind when I watch my Browns:
“Tragedy today. Comedy tomorrow.”
Not sure who to attribute it to. I’ve heard it mentioned in and episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and in the produceers commentary of a an episode of The Simpsons.
I’ve also heard it go the other way: “Comedy today. Tragedy tomorrow.”
Either way works for the Browns sometimes.
Chris Ogbonnya is going to snap if one more person calls Armond Smith the 4th string RB!!!
I think it’s just the frustration of another questionable and disappointing decision by Holmgrem. I really thought he would be able to bring in an established coach, not someone who has to cut his teeth on the job. For all the reasons you pointed out, I’m willing to give Shurmur another chance. But to Oribiasi’s point, Shurmur made an astounding number of blunders that made me long for the days of Mangini and Crennel. I also think you can argue that our former starting QB had a better year than the head coach.
Thanks. Fixed…
Exactly… identical look from the Browns on two straight plays.
I like Bud Shaw and appreciate his insight a lot of times. If I didn’t like him I wouldn’t bother writing a critique at all if that makes sense.
The idea that because I can make perfect sense of this play with Armond Smith that I have to make sense of the Alex Smith hand-off is a non-starter.
I have no problem with that. I was a huge Mangini fan, and was very disappointed that they let him go – but I can’t deny that Mangini also made some astounding blunders. What I have a problem with is this notion that, because he struggled in his first year as a head coach for a supremely untalented team that lacked any benefit of an off-season to prepare for his debut season, that he is somehow a moron or idiot.
He was what he was: a first year head coach for a supremely untalented team that lacked any benefit of an off-season to prepare for his debut season. Now, he is what he is: a second year head coach for a marginally better-talented team that has the benefit of a full off-season to prepare. We’ll see how he does.
I hope he does well. Hopefully the addition of Childress will lessen the load. For the Browns to take a step to respectability, we need dramatic improvement from the HC.
I think the guy who has some maturing to do might be the guy making personal attacks on a sports blog. Maybe focus more on talking about the Browns and less time on Craig?
Food for thought.
I think it will help a great deal. I read yesterday (can’t remember where, but I’m sure it was linked here) that the impact of having Childress is already being felt.
My concern is the brutal schedule, which I think can mask a lot of the strides that the Browns (and Shurmur) will take this year. But as they say, the games still have to played. Who knows?
I’m on record before the draft as being opposed to drafting Richardson, but I’m really looking forward to the impact that he’ll bring. It could be huge. I’m also “all-in” on Weeden. Let’s see what happens.
MY NAME IS MIKE E AND I WILL, LIKE A SHEEP, FOLLOW EVERY TEAM WITHOUT QUESTION NO MATTER HOW MUCH EVIDENCE THERE IS THAT WOULD, TO MOST RATIONAL HUMANS, INDICATE THAT THE OWNERSHIP AND COACH, ESPECIALLY, IS INEPT.
No, I think you mean it is not something you’d like to address because it runs contrary to the status quo of “give him more time, it’s just his first season, here let me explain something in the season away so you will take your attention off the glaring mistakes I’d prefer not to cover too much.”
I liked the tactic of answering a question with a question when I was 7 but I guess some of us never grew out of that stage.
Life and history are also full of instances where people who were supposed to be the “smartest guys in the room” were foiled to the point of absurdity…and many suffered.
Wow, already with “the brutal schedule, which I think can mask a lot of the strides that the Browns (and Shurmur) will take this year” excuses…in May?
This will be a long season.
Hey, thanks for true-to-form ad hominem. Knew you had it in you.
Sorry. Didn’t know it was on “Oribiasi’s List of Things That Aren’t Allowed to be Said, Regardless of How Appropriate or Accurate They Might Be.”
not as long as it feels like reading your endless negativity.
I will follow these teams, regardless of record. I hate the losing, but I refuse to be negative just to be negative. Whining on a blog isn’t going to make the Browns win more games.
and Carolina has claimed him
is their a worse team for a fringe RB to get picked up by?
not only does he have DeAngelo and J.Stewart ahead of him, but if he does actually make the team and see the field (longshots), then his QB is more likely to get the call to carry than he is.
you down with OGB?
Now I’m confused. Is it the actual following of the teams or the following without question that makes one a sheep? If its the former then you bleating in a mirror. If its the latter what possible difference does it make whether you “question” them or not? If you pay for tickets buy merch, watch the games on TV, contribute to ad revenue of sites by posting on message boards does it really matter if you “question them” or not? The Browns are a business just like a car company. If I “question” the quality of Ford cars that I continue to buy am I more of an owner than someone who sheepishly just replaces their constantly breaking parts without complaint? Am I smarter for doing so? If my money still ends up in their pockets aren’t I more nonsensical for investing my money in a system that I openly mock? Can you please explain what you are doing?
Who said I buy tickets? Who said I support this team, monetarily, when they mess up?
Also, let’s not forget that season ticket bills are due well before the season begins.
Also, weren’t you one of the posters here who criticized Indians fans for not going to games in order to possibly “send a message” to the Dolans about trading away not 1 Cy Young winner, but two Cy Young winners, in as many years?
Can you explain any of that?
I think if you buy a Ford Escort and it explodes in the parking lot when a shopping cart hits it due to a faulty something or other, then it behooves you not to buy another Ford Escort.
My point is that many Browns fans (if you substitute Browns for Ford Escorts) would willingly buy another because they don’t see a problem for what it is and rather foolishly believe that “this time” it will be different.
Well, blind allegiance hasn’t worked well since they came back in ’99 so perhaps its time to try something different.
Thanks for not responding in any meaningful way.
How do you still have hope for these idiots? I’d think it sweet and commendable in your nature if it wasn’t so obviously misguided.
I can say this: if you were on my side, I’d love to be in a fox-hole with you.
Thanks for not responding in any meaningful way.
How do you still have hope for these idiots? I’d think it sweet and commendable in your nature if it wasn’t so obviously misguided.
I can say this: if you were on my side, I’d love to be in a fox-hole with you.
Oh come on, you know its an excuse train. That it is happening 3+ months before the season even starts is like startling.
Oh come on, you know its an excuse train. That it is happening 3+ months before the season even starts is like startling.
Talk about people obsessing about a single, unimportant player, heck, look at how they obsess over a single, inconsequential play, like the Smith hand off, which ultimately had no effect on the outcome of the game. Not to mention that if Smith was the backup fullback then he should be able to handle a hand off. Instead its get out the Shurmur pitchforks.
Funny how this works. If we agree with Ori, we’re enlightened. If we disagree, we’re excuse-makers.
What do you know about foxholes?
Not sure what kind of change your looking for, but nothing I do is going to change the Cleveland Browns. Soooooooooooooooo, I am going to continue to enjoy what I can, and let the rest unfold. Awesome!