2013 NFL Draft Drinking Game!!

Well, it's that time of year again, Browns fans. Here's our annual 2013 NFL draft drinking game. I'm posting it a few weeks early so we can open it up to suggestions from common drinking men like yourselves. So, check it out and comment or tweet at us @ClevelandsRocks to give your input. If it's good, we'll include it in our updated rules.

NFL Draft Drinking Game

Please Drink Responsibly

Things you will need: 

1. Plenty of team gear.

2. Plenty of beer to have a great time.

3. Plenty of liquor if your team's draft blows. 

Personal Team:

• Personal power hour when your team is on the clock.  1 Drink per Minute
• If you’re upset about your teams pick.   Drink until your not

Socials:

• Roger Goodell makes a pick announcement.   Social
• Any pick is traded.   Social

General Phrases:

• Any mention of the Scouting Combine i.e.  40-yard dash times, bench press, vertical leap 1 Drink
• If a player is described as a "project", or "sleeper"  1 Drink
• "Physical specimen."   1 Drink
• "Intangibles."   1 Drink
• “Drafting for need”   1 Drink
• "Best athlete available."   1 Drink
• “Tremendous upside”   1 Drink
• "Raw" 1 Drink
• "Tweener" (via @KSThomas8) 1 Drink

Situations:

• Any analyst disagrees with the pick made.   1 Drink
• Fans boo their first-round pick.   1 Drink
• Whenever ESPN cuts to a team's “War Room”   1 Drink
• Camera shot of draftee at home with family.   1 Drink 
• Camera shot of draftee at home with inexplicable amount of gorgeous girls in the background. 1 Drink per girl 
• Draftee at podium is wearing an obnoxiously colored suit (green, purple, yellow, sharkskin), a derby hat or hopelessly gaudy jewelry.   1 Drink
• A player from a college you've never heard of is picked.   1 Drink
• Draftee slips because of "personal problems”.   1 Drink (Will likely turn to 3 drinks. See Below)
• Cincinnati drafts a player that's been arrested before.   2 Drinks
• The highlight footage of a first-round pick makes him look like the single greatest player to put on a helmet and play the game of football.   1 Drink
• Every time someone mentions that Tom Brady was drafted in the 6^th round.   1 Drink
• Last player in green room after 20 picks.  2 Drinks per pick until he is drafted, then give him a standing ovation.
• Every time someone compares a QB who's slipping in the draft to this year's Russell Wilson. 1 Drink
• Any time Ryan Leaf is mentioned: 5-10 Drinks depending on good behavior

Personal Phrases/Situations:

Mel Kiper:

·       Calls a pick a "steal" because he had him listed higher on his draft board 2 Drinks

·       Someone makes a comment of his hair. 3 Drinks

Chris Berman:

·       Anytime he interrupts someone.   1 Drink

·       Anytime he says “Raydas,” "G-Men," "Super Chargers," or anyother terrible nickname for a franchise.  5 Drinks

Tom Jackson

·       Let’s slip one of those high-pitched giggles that sounds funny coming from a former middle linebacker.   2 Drinks

Browns Related Scenarios: Anytime the following are mentioned:

·       We get it, we drafted Tim Couch 1 Drink

·       We get it, we drafted Courtney Brown 1 Drink

·       We get it, we drafted Gerard Warren 1 Drink

·       We get it, we drafted William Green 1 Drink
     We get it, our 2nd round pick went with the selection of Josh Gordon
     We get it, Mike Lombardi comes from the Belechik school of drafting
     We get it, we traded down & missed out on Julio Jones (2011) & didn't move up for RGIII (2012)

Top 5 Phil Dawson Moments of All-Time

I'm not going to go into the love-fest that's been Phil Dawson since his inevitable departure this afternoon. People who follow our blog and follow us on Twitter know how much we loved Captain Clutch, and while I hate to see him leave, I'm glad to see him find an opportunity with a Super Bowl contender in San Francisco. If anyone in the NFL deserves that, it's Phil.

Now, here are my top 5 Phil Dawson Moments of All-Time.

5. August 9, 1999: Browns VS. Cowboys (Fawcett Stadium)

Phil beats the Cowboys as Cleveland football finally returns in the 1999 Hall of Fame Game. I love the announcers talking in this video about how Phil barely made a 23 yarder earlier in the game. Little did we know that this kid from Texas would become the most steady Browns presence for 14 years.


4. December 16, 2007: Bills AT Browns 

Phil boots a 48 yard knuckleball into the 40 mph blizzard gusts on the shores of Lake Erie. I remember being at that game and thinking it was the most impressive kick I've ever seen considering the conditions. (Kick is at the 1:52 mark).


3. November 18, 2007: Browns AT Ravens

Phil hammers home a miracle 51 yarder to send the Browns to overtime as regulation expires.

2. October 10, 1999: Bengals AT Browns

Couldn't find a video or even a picture, but seriously, Phil Dawson scored the first rushing touchdown of the "new" Browns in 1999.

1. November 14, 1999: Browns AT Steelers

Phil knocks home a game winning field goal as time expires as the 1-8 expansion Browns defeat the 5-3 Pittsburgh Steelers for the first time since their return.

Thanks for a great run, Phil.

*Wipes away tear*

Free Agency Primer 2013

So as of now we have about six hours until free agency begins. That means I have six hours to write up this blog, which is comforting....I just stumbled upon some news regarding Paul Kruger, so I'll make this short and sweet.

Favorite Potential Free Agent Signing:

Jared Cook Jr., TE, Tenn.

I harped on Mary Kay Cabot all day yesterday for her describing Cook as "premier." The fact of the matter is, 1,700 yards and 8 TDs in four years is far from "premier." However, Cook has the skill set to more than flourish in Chud's offense. He's big, he's fast as hell (4.49 40 at the Combine in 2009), and he has good hands. I wouldn't be in favor of offering him Fort Knox, but if anyone has through-the-roof potential coming to the Browns' system it's him.



Least Favorite Potential Free Agent Signing:

Paul Kruger, OLB, Balt. 

Thanks for the help, bro!

Apparently my efforts are too little, too late here, since the Browns are rumored to be close to a deal with Kruger. I hate Chris Fedor as much as the next guy, but he had a great point about Kruger being overrated this morning. In six games without Terrell Suggs playing across from him, Kruger totaled 1.5 sacks. It wasn't until Suggs came back into the lineup and Kruger went on his tear and finished with 13.5 sacks. If this isn't a red flag that Kruger isn't a product (at least somewhat) of a tremendous supporting cast, I don't know what is.

Josh Cribbs: Attention Whore or Realist?

Josh Cribbs has been getting a lot of attention the past few days as free agency approaches and he makes rounds on the radio and other media outlets. For some reason, a lot of Browns fans cannot show him the door fast enough. The thinking is that his production has declined, he gave up after getting a new contract a few years ago, Travis Benjamin is a better returner at this point, and Cribbs is a diva. All ridiculous points if you take five minutes and look at the arguments that you are trying to make.

Since these people obviously won't do it on their own, I'll map out why Browns fans should be hoping that the new front office isn't in too big of a hurry to show Josh the door.

Point #1: Joshua Cribbs' production has declined

My incredibly elementary line chart refutes this. Check out these stats, and keep in mind that 2009 was the year that EVERYONE advocated paying Josh whatever he wanted.

So, when people say that Josh Cribbs isn't good at special teams anymore, that he's "lost a step," they must not be looking at the statistics that he put up last year. Sure, the touchdowns weren't there like they have been in the past. But I think most Cleveland fans got unbelievably spoiled by the

scores Josh had in the past. The fact of the matter is, he's still elite at what he does best. Cribbs' stats in 2012 matched or bested those he put up in 2009, aside from the TDs. If anything, one could even argue that the lack of TDs keep his return average numbers from being skewed by a few long-yardage plays.

Point #2: Travis Benjamin is a better returner at this point.

This is a crazy thing to say. I'm not saying it won't be true in the near future, but to say that after watching all SIX of Benjamin's returns this year he's the elite special teamer that Cribbs isn't (in the minds of these Benjamin advocates), is crazy. Yes, I'll admit he is fast as hell and showed a lot of potential last year. But six touches isn't enough for me to root for cutting ties with one of the best special teamer's ever, who is coming off of one of the best years of his career.

Point #3: Josh Cribbs is a diva with a "me first, team second" attitude.

For all the things Cribbs has said over the years, how many are all that untrue? The man speaks his mind, and is passionate. I have no problem with that if his words are justified. How can someone hold his unhappiness against him this year when he complained about his offensive role after being the second leading receiver last year? After putting up over 40 receptions and tied for the team lead with 4 TDs, people really think he can't be an effective receiver.  Look, I'm not saying the man is Calvin Johnson, but to say he can't be used effectively on offense is outrageous. And following that season, he takes a back seat to Benjamin (18 receptions), Jordan Norwood (13 receptions), and Mo Mass (17 receptions). Is his unhappiness really all that unwarranted? If you put up better numbers than all three of those players EVER have, and then all of a sudden get benched for those same players, would you be upset? If you really think Josh is a "me first, team second" player, why didn't he complain about offensive playing time in 2007? It's because he knew he wasn't as good as Braylon and Joe J. Say what you want about Josh coming out and griping in public, but he has a point. He's better, statistically better, than the wideouts who played in front of him this year.

In summation, I'm not saying the Browns need to break the bank in order to keep Josh around--every player has a cutoff. But to think he deserves to be kicked to the curb is crazy. The man is passionate about the team, the community, and most of all, he's damn good.

Two final notes:

1) Just to show how much value Cribbs has, look at how more effective the coverage units were with him in the lineup. It's an underrated facet of the game until you start giving up big plays, which the Browns did without Josh in there. He made a huge difference.

2) He said on KNR that he wants an opportunity. If he wants an incentive-laden contract when it comes to his offensive role, what's the harm in giving it to him? It's a win-win.

Say what you want about Josh Cribbs, but the man has earned everything he's gotten in Cleveland. At the very least, he's earned the fans' respect for him as well as his game.