Wow. It's 2 days into 2008 already. "2007 sure went by fast, huh"? I hear that way more than I want to, yet, it rings true for sports fans either from or living in northeast Ohio. Who would have thought that we would have 3 of our professional teams overachieve the way they did? 2 out of 3 made the playoffs, 1 out of 3 made it to the finals. The team who didn't make the playoffs was 4 Derek Anderson picks and a Jim Sorgi away from making it to the January professional football show. Our major college team, The Ohio State Buckeyes, had 2 of their sports teams in National Championship games in the beginning of the year, and at the end of the year, we know that at least the football team will be in the Big Show again this year. Yeah, we love to pride ourselves with being able to accept heartbreak in the NEO. Years of cardiac muscle cracking will do that to ya. And we did have our share of heartbreak this year. But, hey, despite none of our favorite teams bringing home the championship trophy, we did get quite a show this year from all of them. The theme of 2007 from our teams was "Overachieve". Most if not all of them were expected to be mediocre or worse; some were even picked to be in the basement of their respective leagues.
Here is a month by month breakdown of what we saw this year:
January:
Arguably one of the hardest months of the 2007 to be a NEO sports fan. The Browns were in the tank. Charlie Frye was the leader of a team who seemed to have no fire. They finished the season 4-12. They did win the draft "tie-breaker" coin flip though. Toledo Native and young up-and-coming Chargers TE coach Rob Chudzinski was hired to be the new offensive coordinator and Ted Daisher was hired to coach ST. The favored Buckeyes lost in the BCS Championship game to Florida; they were coached by a guy from Ashtabula, OH. The Cavs were doing well, and LeBron James was the top vote-getter for the NBA All-Star game. The Tribe signed OF Trot Nixon and SP Keith Foulke.
February:
The Browns hired Wes Chandler to be their WR coach. We found out that Gene Hickerson is in the "sweet 16" of the finalists for this year's Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee list. We're told that LeChuck Bentley is most likely out for the 2007 season. Draft and free agency questions are swirling in the breeze blowing around the lake effect snow. Greg Oden's wrist looks all but healed as he leads a group of young Buckeye cagers to a top 10 National ranking. The Cavs continue their strong play; lead by LeBron, it appears they are making a push for the playoffs. Keith Foulke, who just signed with the Tribe a few weeks prior, announced his retirement from baseball, citing "lingering injuries". Position players report to camp for the Indians.
March:
The Browns sign their most important free agent signing of the offseason, guard Eric Steinbach, to a 7 year contract. C Hank Fraley re-ups, further solidifying the Browns OL. Antwan Peek, OLB, is signed as a free agent. RB Jamal Lewis leaves the smelly confines of Maryland and comes to the shores of Lake Erie through free agency. Browns' DB Daylon McClutcheon is realeased. RB Rueben Droughns is traded to the G-Men for journeyman WR Tim Carter. There were other decent free agent signings including Seth McKinney(G), Shaun Smith (DL), and Robaire Smith (DL). The young Buckeyes hoopsters charge into March madness and the NCAA Tourney. The Cavs continue to overachieve, and LeBron is name player of the month for March. They appear to be a lock for the playoffs. The Tribe is finishing up spring training; C.C. Sabathia is named the starter for opening day. Speaking of C.C., he gets nailed by a line drive in a spring training game, but comes back in his next spring training game to throw 52 pitches in relief - which solidifies his readiness for starting on opening day for the Indians.
April:
The Browns sign one of their last FAs, safety Mike Adams, to a 2 year contract. The 2007 NFL schedules are released. A few new rules were introduced by the NFL; the most talked about being instant replay limited to a 60-second time limit and a ball being spiked becoming a 5-yard penalty if the spike doesn't come after a TD. Newly acquired guard Eric Steinbach undergoes minor surgery but is expected to be ready to go for camp. The NFL draft comes and goes. The Browns grade highly in the draft, selecting Joe Thomas, LT, and Brady Quinn, QB in the first round. The Browns traded next year's 1st round pick for the #22 pick in this year's draft in order to pick Quinn. Eric Wright, CB, is selected 3rd by the Browns to finish up day 1. Day 2 sees the Browns select Brandon McDonald, CB; Melila Purcell, DL; Chase Pittman, DL: and Syndric Steptoe, WR. The Buckeyes Basketball team makes it to the NCAA Tournament Finals, and loses to a strong Florida team. Buckeye nation gets disappointed by another Florida team. The Cavs make it to the playoffs - and advance to the second round. The Tribe opens it's season with a 12-5 victory over the divisional rival ChiSox. The home opener against Seattle is postponed due to weather; snowy weather, with one more strike needed for the game to be official. The 3 game series against the Halos gets moved north to Milwaukee due to more April (snow) showers.
May:
The Browns terminate the contract of guard Joe Andruzzi. OTAs start in Berea. It appears that Brady Quinn might holdout. All is quiet on the Ohio State front. The Cavs make it to the Eastern Conference finals, where they meet their arch-nemesis Detroit Pistons. LeBron and company have shown great defense and offensive rebounding skills all year, and it has carried them through the playoffs so far. The Tribe sends Fausto Carmona to AAA Buffalo. They come into May 1st place in the AL Central. Grady Sizemore graces the cover of Sports Illustrated. C.C. Sabathia didn't lose his 1st game of the season until the 21st. It was the 1st game he had lost since Sept. 21, 2006. With Jake Wetbrook on the DL, Fausto Carmona comes back and begins his domination of the league.
June:
Former Browns guard Joe Andruzzi announces that he has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Charlie Frye seems to have a leg up on the QB competition over Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. Defensive Coordinator, Todd Grantham, gets extended through the 2009 season. Antonio Perkins gets cut. The Browns announce the creation of the "Family Zone" at Browns' Stadium. LeChuck Bentley announces he will try to come back sometime during the 2007 season. Ohio State football is deep in practice mode in preps for the 2007 season. The Cavaliers, led by miracle worker LeBron James and the surprisingly great shooting rookie Boobie Gibson, beat the Defending Eastern Conference Champion Pistons to make it to the NBA finals, were they were swept by a superior San Antonio Spurs team. The Cavs' upset train had to stop sometime; unfortunately, it was in San Antonio. Indians' pitcher Cliff Lee starts to struggle badly. Casey Blake had a 26-game hitting streak. C.C Sabathia became one of the first pitchers in MLB to reach the 10 win mark.
July:
NFL Europa is discontinued. Gene Hickerson, one of the players most overdue for induction to the Hall of Fame, finally gets his nod. He will be introduced by former Browns teammate Bobby Franklin. A Browns' tailgate and Family Night at Browns' Stadium is canceled due to plumbing problems. The Browns announced that LeChuck Bentley will start the season on the PUP list. The indecision with respect to who will be the starting QB is growing. Bill Walsh passes away. All players, coaches, and fans of football mourn his loss. Ohio State C Greg Oden and G Mike Conley will both be entering the NBA draft. Oden is expected to be a top 2 choice. The Cavs announce their summer league roster. C.C. Sabathia, Victor Martinez, and Grady Sizemore represent the Indians in the MLB All-Star Game. The Indians go into the break atop the AL Central. The Tribe sign Pronk to a 4 year extension, locking him up until 2011. Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez get into a tiff in the dugout that leads to a players-only meeting in the clubhouse. Kenny Lofton makes his return to Cleveland in a trade for a single-A ball player.
Expect part II (Aug. - Dec.) to come tomorrow. It (of course) will include the Tribe's return to the ALCS and the Browns' unpredictable and surprising season.
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