Last div. title, 1989

[Icecube]

So what were things like back then? 

 

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1989.html

Over 30 years ago? How is that even possible? Those team, then and a few years before,  had Bernie, Mack, Byner, Brennen, Slaughter, Metcalf, Dixon, Minnified, Mathews, Michael Dean Perry, Mike Johnson, Al Baker. Who here is too young to even remember those guys?  Those teams were pretty close to being at the top. Just one tier below. 

Can this team contend like those guys? 

[The Gipper]

Well, I certainly do not fit your criteria.  I was 37 years old in 1989.    Can this team contend?  I would think and hope so.  

A key area to this team is if  Baker can match up to Kosar's capabilities....to pass accurately and to lead.  That remains to be seen  

 RBs.     Hunt/Chubb  ......believe it or not.....Byner was NOT on the Browns in 1989....and Kevin Mack  played in only  4 games, starting just one (injuries)...the primary backfield then was   Metcalf/Manoa. 

WRs:    It is highly possible/probable that this team could have a better WR corps:    Landry/OBJ/ and now the re-signed  Higgins    vis a vis   Slaughter/Langhorne/Brennan.

TE:   Ozzie Newsome was HOF.    But I am hopeful that this group will produce collectively as well as Ozzie did, even if none of them have the individual talent as Ozzie.

Offensive Line?   That was a veteran OL  that had worked together for some time.   (it was the breakup of that OL that was a root cause of the downturn the Browns suffered in the next few years.)   I think that THIS  OL has more innate talent....and the potential to be better,  but with likely  3 new starters...that chemistry that the '89 team had has to be developed.

DL:  THAT DL  did not have a Myles Garrett.   THIS DL  does not have a Michael Dean Perry.  Somewhat of a wash at this point....though I do expect a much more staunch pass rush from the current group.

LBs.:   THAT LB corps had Mike Johnson and Clay Matthews.  THIS LB corps has no one that has been proven close as good as either of them.  Maybe these guys:  Wilson/TakiTaki/Phillips  can develop though. 

DBs:  Again, THAT DB  had proven  guys:  Dixon/Minniefield/Felix Wright.    This group is clearly completely unproven comparatively.  Only Ward seems perhaps to match up at this point to that group.  Again, remains to be seen. 

STs:   That team had some proven guys....Bahr  K,  Wagner P.   I think our current group there is comparable.     ST returns:  this team doesn't come close to  the combination of Gerald McNeil and Eric Metcalf.    Few NFL teams ever  probably had a comparable pair. 

Perhaps a better comparison would be this team to the 1985 Browns...where the stars to be were young and unproven.  Let's hope that this team becomes like that one....and competes for Super Bowl appearances for the next  half decade....at minimum. 

[Tour2ma]

OMG...

 

 

 

 

Are we trading our last Division Title now?

 

 

 

 

 

[Icecube]

53 minutes ago, The Gipper said:

Well, I certainly do not fit your criteria.  I was 37 years old in 1989.    Can this team contend?  I would think and hope so.  

A key area to this team is if  Baker can match up to Kosar's capabilities....to pass accurately and to lead.  That remains to be seen  

 RBs.     Hunt/Chubb  ......believe it or not.....Byner was NOT on the Browns in 1989....and Kevin Mack  played in only  4 games, starting just one (injuries)...the primary backfield then was   Metcalf/Manoa. 

WRs:    It is highly possible/probable that this team could have a better WR corps:    Landry/OBJ/ ????   vis a vis   Slaughter/Langhorne/Brennan.

TE:   Ozzie Newsome was HOF.    But I am hopeful that this group will produce collectively as well as Ozzie did, even if none of them have the individual talent as Ozzie.

Offensive Line?   That was a veteran OL  that had worked together for some time.   (it was the breakup of that OL that was a root cause of the downturn the Browns suffered in the next few years.)   I think that THIS  OL has more innate talent....and the potential to be better,  but with likely  3 new starters...that chemistry that the '89 team had has to be developed.

DL:  THAT DL  did not have a Myles Garrett.   THIS DL  does not have a Michael Dean Perry.  Somewhat of a wash at this point....though I do expect a much more staunch pass rush from the current group.

LBs.:   THAT LB corps had Mike Johnson and Clay Matthews.  THIS LB corps has no one that has been proven close as good as either of them.  Maybe these guys:  Wilson/TakiTaki/Phillips  can develop though. 

DBs:  Again, THAT DB  had proven  guys:  Dixon/Minniefield/Felix Wright.    This group is clearly completely unproven comparatively.  Only Ward seems perhaps to match up at this point to that group.  Again, remains to be seen. 

STs:   That team had some proven guys....Bahr  K,  Wagner P.   I think our current group there is comparable.     ST returns:  this team doesn't come close to  the combination of Gerald McNeil and Eric Metcalf.    Few NFL teams ever  probably had a comparable pair. 

Perhaps a better comparison would be this team to the 1985 Browns...where the stars to be were young and unproven.  Let's hope that this team becomes like that one....and competes for Super Bowl appearances for the next  half decade....at minimum. 

I remember the issue of Sports Illustrated - as well as the article inside - the week after "The Drive." I kept that issue next to my toilet for over a year, and looked at it constantly. It was an exciting time, in that the Browns were truly and finally a contender, and it was a heartbreaking time, in that they didn't win the AFC championship game when they seemingly had it. Dixon and Minnifield were so good. Marty Schottenheimer did a great job (except in post season).

 

[The Gipper]

1 minute ago, Icecube said:

I remember the issue of Sports Illustrated - as well as the article inside - the week after "The Drive." I kept that issue next to my toilet for over a year, and looked at it constantly. It was an exciting time, in that the Browns were truly and finally a contender, and it was a heartbreaking time, in that they didn't win the AFC championship game when they seemingly had it. Dixon and Minnifield were so good. Marty Schottenheimer did a great job (except in post season).

 

Remember though that Marty was not here in 1989.  Bud Carson's first year  (only real year) as HC. 

[Icecube]

5 minutes ago, The Gipper said:

Remember though that Marty was not here in 1989.  Bud Carson's first year  (only real year) as HC. 

Oh yes. Bud. Did Marty get fired for losing the 2nd Denver playoff game? 

[Bob806]

10 minutes ago, Icecube said:

Oh yes. Bud. Did Marty get fired for losing the 2nd Denver playoff game? 

He got fired because he wanted to call the offensive plays, and he wanted to keep his brother on the staff. 1988 was kind of a weird year, as the Browns ended up using 4 starting QBs due to injuries.

It was weird how Marty, a defensive coordinator turned head coach, got stubborn about the offense. 

 Lindy Infante left the Browns for Green Bay, the offense sputtered. 

 

[The Gipper]

1 hour ago, Icecube said:

Oh yes. Bud. Did Marty get fired for losing the 2nd Denver playoff game? 

 

1 hour ago, Bob806 said:

He got fired because he wanted to call the offensive plays, and he wanted to keep his brother on the staff. 1988 was kind of a weird year, as the Browns ended up using 4 starting QBs due to injuries.

It was weird how Marty, a defensive coordinator turned head coach, got stubborn about the offense. 

 Lindy Infante left the Browns for Green Bay, the offense sputtered. 

 

Actually, he did not get fired at all.  He resigned.  But yes, it was because Modell wanted him to fire his brother.    I don't think Marty was stubborn about the offense.....you are probably thinking of Bill Belichick....who was stubborn about it.  He was stubborn, but not stubborn about that.  He was stubborn about Modell's attitude toward his brother.   Now, maybe it was true that  the Browns needed someone other than  Kurt Schottenheimer at the controls of the offense, but Marty didn't really like being dictated to in that manner by Modell.  He may have respected it if it came from GM  Ernie Accorsi, but apparently it came direct from Modell....who I suspect Marty did not really respect...and least he did not respect his football knowledge. 

[Dutch Oven]

I turned 14 during the season, was in 8th grade. We didn't know it at the time, but the '89 Browns were on fumes. A lot of the players were getting older, and former strengths like the OLine and Matt Bahr were starting to break down. In fact, Bahr had a midseason funk, and the Browns actually won a game vs Minnesota when they ran a trick play instead of letting Bahr kick the game winning field goal. 

In 1990, the team completely collapsed. 

[The Gipper]

Just now, Dutch Oven said:

We didn't know it at the time, but the '89 Browns were on fumes. A lot of the players were getting older, and former strengths like the OLine and Matt Bahr were starting to break down. In fact, Bahr had a midseason funk, and the Browns actually won a game vs Minnesota when they ran a trick play instead of letting Bahr kick the game winning field goal. 

In 1990, the team completely collapsed. 

Cody Risien retiring was a big blow.  That got the snowball rolling downhill.  

[Icecube]

2 hours ago, The Gipper said:

 

Actually, he did not get fired at all.  He resigned.  But yes, it was because Modell wanted him to fire his brother.    I don't think Marty was stubborn about the offense.....you are probably thinking of Bill Belichick....who was stubborn about it.  He was stubborn, but not stubborn about that.  He was stubborn about Modell's attitude toward his brother.   Now, maybe it was true that  the Browns needed someone other than  Kurt Schottenheimer at the controls of the offense, but Marty didn't really like being dictated to in that manner by Modell.  He may have respected it if it came from GM  Ernie Accorsi, but apparently it came direct from Modell....who I suspect Marty did not really respect...and least he did not respect his football knowledge. 

I know as the years went on, Marty got the reputation of being too conservative on O, especially in the postseason. But during his years in Cleveland, I do remember Bernie taking shots down the field at times. I dunno. Bu I thought in one of Marty's best seasons, he kept things open in the playoffs when he was HC of SD. But he still got canned. 

[TexasAg1969]

3 hours ago, Canton Mike said:

Forget the past.....ONWARD & UPWARD!

Mike

Mike has a twin sister.🙄😂