Not to nitpick,but I was a fan of the New York Football Yankees and played a little football. Paul Brown called plays by rotating his guards. By the way, while Brown was inventing the game we see today, the Yankees were runnig a single wing offense. Thank you for the trip down memory lane.
Find footage of Joe “Turkey” Jones trying to corkscrew Terry Bradshaw into the Earth’s core and you’ll have some idea.
Sipe at 4 was a surprise. I always thought Frank Ryan’s passing stats were an artifact of how much defenses feared Jim Brown. (He averaged 6 yards/carry one season! Everyone knew he was coming and he STILL got 6 yards per carry! ) I thought Bernie v Brian was a tossup, although some of that could have been how much of a relief it was to have a QB in Sipe who actually understood the position as it was played in the NFL after a succession of QBs (Phipps, McDonald) who simply stared at their primary receiver from the snap until the throw.
It was a last minute change. Ryan was heavily influenced by both Brown and Brown but ... Sipe had an MVP year and a lot of high-bulk passing years with a ton of INTs even for the era. I did not want to lean too heavily on the "system product" trope for a guy who won a championship 65 years ago!
For a Browns fan, Sipe was a revelation: a QB (and an offense) that wasn’t “run first” and was happy to throw a six yard pass on first down. In a franchise built on running backs (Motley, Brown, Kelly, Mitchell, and almost Ernie Davis) having a QB who would say “I don’t care about establishing the running game, I care about establishing first downs” (as he did in one post-game interview) was astonishing. On one of his first drop backs after coming in for the injured Phipps he looked the safety off and threw to the other side and we oohed over it, so accustomed we had become to bad QB play. So I’m biased. I suspect that even Mike Phipps would have been serviceable with Jim Brown in the backfield behind him. Brown was a TD threat on every play and the defense knew it.
I was swayed while reading about Ryan calling plays; I thought Collier called the plays back then. And we don't hammer Bart Starr or Bob Griese for their supporting casts. I would never rank Ryan up there with those Hall of Famers, but I had to place him ahead of someone who had a 2.5 year peak and threw a TON of INTs.
I am no doubt influenced by having seen those 2.5 years. The Ryan years were harder to watch and I was a little too young to really appreciate what was happening. Back then the team was about Jim Brown, until The Dirty Dozen came along.
I doubt very man teams have as depressing list as the browns though. *sigh*. I love how you can put the older players in a modern context! I can easily imagine Frank Ryan as a 1960s style Brock Purdy. Or Bernie Kosar as Matt Ryan-esque respected veteran. You have a great way of making football feel timeless.
Fun thought experiment: compare and contrast Bernie Kosar and Eli Manning. They strike me as pretty similar: tall, gawky QBs with high football IQs, decent arms and very little athleticism. Manning played for more complete teams and therefore did better.
I was wondering where Tim Couch would end up. I honestly have no idea how to assess his career; was he a straight bust or a victim of circumstances? If he wanted to keep playing, could he have found another job as a starter, or had the league given up on him? I feel like he's a "what if?" that doesn't get thought about as much as he should.
I think Couch would be much better in today's league, which is friendlier to Air Raid concepts Couch ran at Kentucky under Hal Mumme. I also think he was on the way before he broke his leg and then Butch Davis fell in love with Kelly Holcomb based on one playoff game (that they lost anyway!) Couch's failure was quiet enough that it doesn't get thought of as a cautionary tale. For what it's worth he ended up still being the third best of that 1999 class, well behind McNabb and Culpepper, but well ahead of Akili Smith and Cade "What Do You Mean I Can't Park There" McNown.
As you guys said, Couch got hurt and was sacked a million times, and the Miami guys were at war with the 49ers guys in their front office from nearly launch, which continues the issues which last to this day. Like Kit says, Couch may have had more success today, though he may also have been a victim of whatever team possessed the number 1 pick
That’s the irony of being the number one pick: you work crazy hard to earn that, and your prize is to go to the worst team in football (absent a trade that changed the order). It is almost guaranteed that you’re going to a team that can’t protect you.
Bonus points awarded for finding an era-appropriate article from an NFL writer for Sports Illustrated whose last name started with "Z", but was not a doctor.
Dear Mike: Thank you for giving Graham his due. My Dad became a big Browns fan (we lived in Wilmington, Del.) after he won a bundle on that 1950 game. After he retired, Graham became a Sylvania spokesperson and my father took me to one of his personal appearances at the local appliance/electronics store (one and the same back then). I got an autographed white football with black strikes. Too bad I was only five plus. It didn't make it to my sixth birthday. Would be worth a bundle today,
I think my monthly bill hit yesterday or today. I would never have dreamed that I could enjoy 32 articles about top QBs as much as I am. Today's was a standout. And I already know Mike's in-season stuff is to be treasured. Only thing I'd add is that the wagering stuff is also interesting reading - not as a tip sheet, but as a fun read when the reasoning is shared. Maybe some early wagers when the schedule drops would be fun? This substack is a bargoon!
Not to nitpick,but I was a fan of the New York Football Yankees and played a little football. Paul Brown called plays by rotating his guards. By the way, while Brown was inventing the game we see today, the Yankees were runnig a single wing offense. Thank you for the trip down memory lane.
Thanks! Yes, the guard rotation was famous, but he also tinkered with a headst.
I'd love to know roughing the passer looked like in 1979. Did Klecko hit him with a steel chair?
Find footage of Joe “Turkey” Jones trying to corkscrew Terry Bradshaw into the Earth’s core and you’ll have some idea.
Sipe at 4 was a surprise. I always thought Frank Ryan’s passing stats were an artifact of how much defenses feared Jim Brown. (He averaged 6 yards/carry one season! Everyone knew he was coming and he STILL got 6 yards per carry! ) I thought Bernie v Brian was a tossup, although some of that could have been how much of a relief it was to have a QB in Sipe who actually understood the position as it was played in the NFL after a succession of QBs (Phipps, McDonald) who simply stared at their primary receiver from the snap until the throw.
It was a last minute change. Ryan was heavily influenced by both Brown and Brown but ... Sipe had an MVP year and a lot of high-bulk passing years with a ton of INTs even for the era. I did not want to lean too heavily on the "system product" trope for a guy who won a championship 65 years ago!
For a Browns fan, Sipe was a revelation: a QB (and an offense) that wasn’t “run first” and was happy to throw a six yard pass on first down. In a franchise built on running backs (Motley, Brown, Kelly, Mitchell, and almost Ernie Davis) having a QB who would say “I don’t care about establishing the running game, I care about establishing first downs” (as he did in one post-game interview) was astonishing. On one of his first drop backs after coming in for the injured Phipps he looked the safety off and threw to the other side and we oohed over it, so accustomed we had become to bad QB play. So I’m biased. I suspect that even Mike Phipps would have been serviceable with Jim Brown in the backfield behind him. Brown was a TD threat on every play and the defense knew it.
I was swayed while reading about Ryan calling plays; I thought Collier called the plays back then. And we don't hammer Bart Starr or Bob Griese for their supporting casts. I would never rank Ryan up there with those Hall of Famers, but I had to place him ahead of someone who had a 2.5 year peak and threw a TON of INTs.
I am no doubt influenced by having seen those 2.5 years. The Ryan years were harder to watch and I was a little too young to really appreciate what was happening. Back then the team was about Jim Brown, until The Dirty Dozen came along.
"[Sipe is] the Browns’ all-time passing yardage leader..."
That cannot be true.
(Scurries to PFR)
Holy crap.
Great article!
I doubt very man teams have as depressing list as the browns though. *sigh*. I love how you can put the older players in a modern context! I can easily imagine Frank Ryan as a 1960s style Brock Purdy. Or Bernie Kosar as Matt Ryan-esque respected veteran. You have a great way of making football feel timeless.
I think the Bears list will have a lot of people gripping the bottle of clear liquor of their choice
Yeah, that is gonna stink.
Fun thought experiment: compare and contrast Bernie Kosar and Eli Manning. They strike me as pretty similar: tall, gawky QBs with high football IQs, decent arms and very little athleticism. Manning played for more complete teams and therefore did better.
I was wondering where Tim Couch would end up. I honestly have no idea how to assess his career; was he a straight bust or a victim of circumstances? If he wanted to keep playing, could he have found another job as a starter, or had the league given up on him? I feel like he's a "what if?" that doesn't get thought about as much as he should.
I think Couch would be much better in today's league, which is friendlier to Air Raid concepts Couch ran at Kentucky under Hal Mumme. I also think he was on the way before he broke his leg and then Butch Davis fell in love with Kelly Holcomb based on one playoff game (that they lost anyway!) Couch's failure was quiet enough that it doesn't get thought of as a cautionary tale. For what it's worth he ended up still being the third best of that 1999 class, well behind McNabb and Culpepper, but well ahead of Akili Smith and Cade "What Do You Mean I Can't Park There" McNown.
As you guys said, Couch got hurt and was sacked a million times, and the Miami guys were at war with the 49ers guys in their front office from nearly launch, which continues the issues which last to this day. Like Kit says, Couch may have had more success today, though he may also have been a victim of whatever team possessed the number 1 pick
That’s the irony of being the number one pick: you work crazy hard to earn that, and your prize is to go to the worst team in football (absent a trade that changed the order). It is almost guaranteed that you’re going to a team that can’t protect you.
Insert Bryce Young here
Bonus points awarded for finding an era-appropriate article from an NFL writer for Sports Illustrated whose last name started with "Z", but was not a doctor.
Dear Mike: Thank you for giving Graham his due. My Dad became a big Browns fan (we lived in Wilmington, Del.) after he won a bundle on that 1950 game. After he retired, Graham became a Sylvania spokesperson and my father took me to one of his personal appearances at the local appliance/electronics store (one and the same back then). I got an autographed white football with black strikes. Too bad I was only five plus. It didn't make it to my sixth birthday. Would be worth a bundle today,
I hope you at least got to throw it around a little.
lol@ "Fight me"
And my Parents are from Drexel Hill
Thanks for the thoughtful recap. It is tough for browns fans to think clearly. Your Substack is worth the money.
Great stuff.
I think my monthly bill hit yesterday or today. I would never have dreamed that I could enjoy 32 articles about top QBs as much as I am. Today's was a standout. And I already know Mike's in-season stuff is to be treasured. Only thing I'd add is that the wagering stuff is also interesting reading - not as a tip sheet, but as a fun read when the reasoning is shared. Maybe some early wagers when the schedule drops would be fun? This substack is a bargoon!
Thanks! I may add some wagering thoughts as we get closer to the season. I was not sure how much of that readers would want.
I think we all need to give DeShaun a hand as he pulls his way to the top of this weak list during the upcoming seasons