Yahoo! Sports Continues it's Terrible Job of Covering Sports by Not Mentioning Cleveland in the Most Miserable Sports Cities

Actually this list was put together by Forbes. But, Yahoo! Sports is still terrible. This was posted on Yahoo! and they ranked Seattle, Atlanta, Phoenix, Buffalo, and San Diego as the top 5 most tortured sports cities.

1. Seattle: Really? The city that has a seemingly perennial NFC West Champion Seahawks who made the Superbowl only a few years ago? Granted, the Sonics were ripped from the city and planted in OKC a few years ago, but Cleveland's been there, done that.

2. Atlanta: One of the best young teams in the NFL. World Series Champs less than 15 years ago. Give me a break. World Championships don't come around ever 5 years. Talk to us when it's been 46 years.

3. Phoenix: Superbowl appearance two years ago! Two years! World Series Champions less than 9 years ago! Again, it's been 46 years here in Cleveland, and we don't have things like nice weather to make up for it.

4. Buffalo: Ok Buffalo's legit. The Bills got rocked in like a dozen Superbowls in the 90's and their baseball and basketball teams haven't won in forever. Not like Buffalo cares about not having those two sports anyways, but the Sabres have never won a Stanley Cup.

5. San Diego: It's San Diego, no one really cares about San Diego sports lets be honest. A huge number of the population isn't even originially from SD and they root for their hometown team. Besides, any team that employs AJ Smith as GM gets no pity in my book.

Cleveland is by far the most miserable sports city in the US. Think about it. Sports is all we have to look forward to. We got Lake Erie. Gross. But it's home. We got the Move, Red Right 88, Jose Mesa, the Curse of Rocky Colavato, Willie Mays' Catch, LeBitch, the Shot, the Drive, the Fumble, I'm going to stop before I kill myself. We're stronger for all of it. It takes balls to root for Cleveland dammit.

Top 10 Players You Should Be/Should Have Been Keeping an Eye on in the Combine

Yeah, I know, the combine has already begun. This post is a few days late but there are a ton of intriguing prospects the Browns surely have been watching/will be watching in the upcoming days. Here are my top 10 (really 11) candidates to be picked by the Browns, eight of whom are candidates for the 6th pick, two others to keep an eye on in the second round.

10. Justin Houston OLB/DE, Georgia

Houston, a converted DE to OLB, should be on the Browns radar in round 2. Projected as a mid/late first round pick/early second round pick he would be a great addition to the new 4-3 defense Dick Jauron is putting in. He has been mentioned with Von Miller as one of the best pass rushers in the draft, especially as a 3-4 OLB. He racked up 10 sacks from the outside this season at UGA but could be a hot commodity after the combine and pro days. If by chance he is around in round 2, look for the Browns to show some interest.

9. Jonathan Baldwin/Titus Young WR, Pitt/Boise St.

Ok I cheated on this one, grouping two prospects together. The fact of the matter is that while the Browns don't have enough defensive linemen to put on the field if the season started today, wideout is the second most pressing need. Baldwin is a player who has unbelievable potential if someone could keep him motivated and put it into use on the field. At 6'4" 228, with 4.45 speed and a 42" vertical, we'd all better hope Heckert is paying attention. Young, on the other hand, has been referred to a poor man's DeSean Jackson. As you might remember, Heckert drafted Jackson while he was in Philly. Young would be a great fit in the WCO if he is anything like Jackson in the pros. The point is I expect at least one of these two to be on the board when the Browns pick in round 2. If they don't go receiver at #6, look for them to address it on day 2.

8. Von Miller OLB, Texas A&M

Let me say that I absolutely love Von Miller. He's the best pass rusher in the draft by some accounts and has been skyrocketing up teams' boards in the past few weeks. At least that's what the experts say. The reason I have him back at 8 is that the Browns front office seems very content with the three starters they have at the LB position (Fujita, Gocong, Jackson). Assuming Jackson can stay healthy and Marcus Benard can still be effective as a situational pass-rusher, Miller doesn't seem to be the fit at pick 6. However, a talent this good, especially considering Jackson's injury history, would be hard to pass up if he's on the board.

7. Da'Quan Bowers DE, Clemson

How can you not include so many people's favorite prospect on the list of players to watch? I have to issues with Bowers: 1) there's no way he falls to 6, in my opinion. I see Carolina scooping him up first overall. 2) I dont want Bowers. At all. Yes he had a monster season last year. Did you also know that he was the number 1 recruit coming out of high school? Did you also know that this #1 overall prospect had a grand total of 4 sacks in his college career before this year? Beware of one-year-wonders. My statistical analysis aside, it seems as if scouts and GMs love Bowers, and they surely know more than I do. If Bowers is there, it seems as if the Browns would be ecstatic.

6. Patrick Peterson CB, LSU

Peterson is an unbelievable prospect. I hate the term "safe pick" or anything along those lines because I've seen too many players bust but that's what they say about Peterson. He's big. He's fast. He's a hell of a special-teamer. I would love the idea of Haden and Peterson in the secondary next season, but with last year's first two picks invested on DB's I'll believe it when I see it.

5. Robert Quinn DE, UNC

Quinn has been touted as a top-5 talent had he not gotten suspended for the entire 2010 season. Had he performed up to his 2009 standards he very well could have been in the discussion for the #1 overall pick this year. Nevertheless he has dropped but I could see the Browns pulling the trigger depending on how he measures up in the combine, looks in drills, and addresses his suspension during interviews.

4. Cameron Jordan DE, Cal

Jordan's name has been flying under the radar the last few weeks but I seem to keep seeing it pop up more and more around the internet. Kind of reminds me how Jared Odrick's stock soared seemingly out of nowhere before last years draft, and he ended up going to Miami in the first round. Looking up Jordan all I see and hear is disruptive. This is a sleeper candidate to surely watch for in the coming weeks.

3. A.J. Green WR, Georgia

I've heard people rave about A.J. Green. I've heard Browns fans cry out in desperation for A.J. Green. I've also seen the play of Browns wideouts last season. That being said, Shurmur is an offensive minded guy and surely will want some talent to go along with Peyton Hillis and a developing Colt McCoy. But beware, usually a team picking in the top 10 has multiple holes to fill. Ask Calvin Johnson or Andre Johnson, two of the best receivers in the game how their playoff careers have been thus far. Passing the football is key in the NFL as is developing a young QB, however, so don't be surprised to see the Browns run up their ticket with Green's name on it if he's still on the board.

2. Nick Fairley DT, Auburn

Fairley caught the SEC by storm this year. However, he showed up to the combine a little lighter than teams would have liked, according to reports, so it will be interesting to see if his stock slips at all. He's been in the discussion as a candidate for the #1 overall pick, but in SI's Peter King's Monday Morning QB today he said he's almost positive the Panther will go in a different direction. That's coming from a guy who's been around a long time and knows things. The Browns are desperate for defensive line help and if Fairley is still available, he would be a very tempting pick.

1. Marcell Dareus DL, Alabama 

Darius is my #1 prospect to keep an eye on because if he's there, I believe he's a lock to be a Cleveland Brown. Dareus has the size, strength, and athleticism to excel in any defense, and pairing him with the refrigerator that is Atyba Rubin on the inside, the Browns would have a very formidable young duo in their newly installed 4-3 defense. Dareus has been compared to Warren Sapp and with his experience playing defensive end in Alabama's 3-4 defense, you know that he would have an opportunity to showcase his play making ability in the more glamorous position of 4-3 tackle.

DB Two Years In A Row?

Yesterday we talked about the possibility of the Browns drafting a QB. Today we will look at the Defensive Back prospects. The previous year the Browns went one two with defensive backs taking Joe Haden in the first round and TJ Ward in the second. Now, because of the fact that we did select back to back DB's, it may be a long shot taking another in the 1st round. However, our secondary could still use some work. Both Haden and Ward played very well as a rookie, but with the talent out there, it may be hard to pass up a solid corner. Lets look at some options.

Patrick Peterson: CB LSU: Peterson is a rare player. He is currently ranked #3 on ESPN's big board and has been in the top 5 throughout this year. Extremely strong and fast, just about every expert says there is almost nothing wrong and is a guarantee pick. There are not many players where you can almost be positive that they will preform at the next level. Peterson is one. Coming into the combine, the only real 'concern' was that he was too big to play cornerback. Peterson weighed in today at the combine at 219 lbs and said he feels fluid at that weight. He also added that he recently ran a 4.29 40-yard dash and plans on running a 4.2 40 in the combine. If Peterson falls to six, can the Browns really pass up on a sure corner like this? Imagine a secondary with Peterson and Haden for the next five-plus years.

Prince Amukamara: CB Nebraska: Prince, was originally projected to be picked by the Browns with the 6th pick of the draft in Mel Kiper's first mock draft. However, with more teams looking for a QB, Peterson fell to where the Browns would have a chance. One concern is top speed with his 40 projected in the 4.5 range. However, if we remember, Haden ran a 4.55 40 and proved that doesn't always matter on the field. He has the intangibles to be a top ten pick but I personally think that if Peterson is gone, the Browns should look to a different position.

Overall, I still think the Browns will look to address the D-line only because they took two DB's in the first two rounds last year. But if Peterson is still there at six, it would be very hard to not think about him based on the "best player available" method. He will no doubt be able to add an immediate help to the defense.

Holmgren Wants a QB: Lets Go Over the Options

Earlier this week Cleveland's own Czar Holmgren I came out and said that he fully expects to draft a quarterback in the 2011 Draft. Lets go over the possibilities of this assuming that the Czarlrus (see what I did there?) isn't planning on investing a first, second, or even third round pick on a quarterback. Here we go:

Pat Delvin, Delaware: The UD passer has great size (6'4" 222) for an NFL passer and the success of former Blue Hen signal caller Joe Flacco is sure to appeal to some teams. While level of competition is a concern in some people's eyes, I never tend to make a big deal out of it. What's the problem if a player dominates inferior competition? That's what's expected of him. The problem for the Browns is that in a weak quarterback class, Delvin may be gone by the time the Brownies are willing to invest in a quarterback.

Andy Dalton, TCU: The ginger signalcaller is a prospect who I surely wouldn't mind the Browns looking into come draft time. No, he may not have a soul but he's been a consistent winner in college and throws a very accurate ball. The problem with Dalton is that he does everything pretty well but nothing outstanding. Coming from a winning program and a solid performance against Wisconsin in his Rose Bowl victory should only make Dalton a more appealing prospect. He seems to have everyone's favorite trait: intangibles.

Ricky Stanzi, Iowa: Let me be the first to say I might be the biggest fan of bringing hometown boys back to their roots. With that being said, Stanzi has the potential to be a solid quaterback in the NFL, in my opinion. However, his decision making is atrocious at times. He had a terrible habit of dropping his team down early but finding a way to bring them back in the end (see entire 2009 season). This could give Stanzi the "opportunity" to fall into the Browns' lap however, and is an intriguing prospect considering his physical skill set and immense sense of patriotism.

Colin Kaepernick, Nevada: Athletic? Check. Size? Eh, he could put on a few pounds. Strong arm? Check. Accurate? Mediocre in that regard. Kaepernick's appeal is his athleticism, no doubt. But he was very successful in his college career and with a few years as a backup who knows what he could develop into. I'm not saying he's the next Steve Young, but potentially a less successful, less homosexual Jeff Garcia.

Here are a few more names to keep an eye on in the later rounds when the Browns are on the clock:

Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech
T.J. Yates, North Carolina
Nathan Enderle, Idaho
Greg McElroy, Alabama (God please don't let this happen)

Captain Clutch Is Now Mr. Franchise

The Cleveland Browns announced today that they will place the franchise gag on kicker Phil Dawson. Dawson, a 12-year veteran with the team led the Browns in points last year with 97, converting on 23 of 28 field goals and all 28 extra points. With an 83.2 career percentage (ninth all time in the NFL), Dawson is the Browns all time leader in field goals and third in all time points.

The franchise tag for kickers this year is projected to be about $3.25 million.

Many experts though the Browns were going to pass on placing a franchise tag on a player this year. With the deadline of doing so coming up on Thursday, the Browns and the Bengals each still had their tag. However, placing it on Dawson will assure he will be around for at least another year while a contract is worked on.

Ever since the Browns returned in 1999, the Browns organization has been in constant chaos. Dawson has survived five coaches and is the only player on the Browns to have played in all 183 games since the return. Dawson is a familiar face that us Browns fans can turn to and count on not only to be there, but preform on an elite level.