Wait, Hillis suddenly 100% & playing vs Cinci?

[YtownBacker]

Glad to see most aren't buying into all the media hype on Hillis. I'm in the group that says, "let things play out and see where we are when the season ends".

The media writes to sell papers and loves to speculate and spin. They don't write to tell us fans "the facts".

[DawgFan]

I have a feeling Hillis is going to be a man on a mission for the next six weeks. I would absolutely HATE to be a DB that got in his way.... one word... PAIN!!!

When he was healthy last year he was a bull in a china shop...and now he gets to be healthy and well rested for the bulk of the AFC North.

Go Hillis.

I just hope OBI gets a few shots too. I like that kid.

[OzDawg]

rested Hillis with an attitude, gotta smiler at that.. obi and Hardesty as change ups... please let this work!

[hammertime]

100% ?????

i doubt it, he either gets hurt again or runs scared. alot things riding on this season for hillis.

[BernietheKid]

Terry Pluto's Talkin' ... about the Browns' runners, Grady Sizemore's return and Akron men's basketball

Published: Saturday, November 26, 2011, 11:57 PM Updated: Saturday, November 26, 2011, 11:57 PM

By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With a long holiday weekend, there's plenty to be talkin' about:

About the Browns ...

1. The starting running back in 2012 will be ... who? It was always a possibility that Peyton Hillis could leave via free agency, but the Browns seemed to have plenty of depth with Montario Hardesty and Brandon Jackson. With all that in mind, the team's best running back this season has been -- Chris Ogbonnaya? Yep!

2. The surprise is Hillis began to practice near the end of the week. His status changed from definitely out to a definite maybe for Sunday, where the Bengals rank No. 3 in the NFL defending the run. Who knows well or even if Hillis will play?

3. Hillis has real incentive to play and produce because each week that he sits out, his value on the free-agent market declines as he's viewed as injury-prone. Those who think he is sitting out because he's mad about his contract or some other issue fail to realize that he needs to play to be paid.

4. Hillis has played a grand total of 3 1/2 games this season (211 yards rushing, 3.6 per carry). The Hillis of 2011 who was bullish on the ground (1,177 yards, 4.4 average) and athletic enough to catch 61 passes is exactly what this team needs. Is he still capable of that production? Was that just a good year, or an indication of what he can do at the age of 25 if healthy and motivated? The last six games could begin to answer those questions.

5. It's possible the Browns have already written off Hillis for 2012. There are no contract talks scheduled. That can change after the season. It also makes no sense to pay big for Hillis, given this is the second time he's had a significant hamstring injury. He tore his other hamstring in 2008.

6. But Hardesty can't stay healthy. He's been with the Browns for two years, and has 75 carries for 244 yards. There was knee surgery last season, a torn calf muscle this season. He is supposed to be healthy for Sunday's game. Durability is huge issue.

7. If Hardesty can stay on the field for the final six games and be productive, perhaps the Browns will decide they can come back with Hardesty, Jackson (whose foot injury should be healed) and Ogbonnaya in 2012. What this season has demonstrated once again is that running backs get hurt.

8. Think about how Colt McCoy has played with three different backs -- and none starting for even a month. Is it a coincidence that McCoy has been at his best in the last two games -- when Ogbonnaya has run for 90 and 115 yards, averaging 5.2 per carry? Probably not. He played with Ogbonnaya at Texas and you can sense a comfort level between them. He also had that with Hillis in 2011, when they played together each week. Hardesty hasn't been on the field long enough to know how he'll fit.

9. Maybe the progress in the last two games is the result of playing St. Louis and Jacksonville, two teams with a combined 5-15 record. It certainly helps that the pass blocking has been better in these games. But a real factor is the Browns finally have had a running attack -- and they still rank 29th in rushing.

10. Coach Pat Shurmur said Shawn Lauvao had his "best game of the season" in the victory over Jacksonville. Profootballfocus.com agreed: "Lauvao gave up a sack and a penalty but had his best game as a pro by some distance as he got the best of Tyson Alualu."

11. With five of the final six games against three teams in the AFC North ranked in the top six against the run, it will be time to see how much progress has been made by the two young guards -- Jason Pinkston and Lauvao. Their blocking has been a key to the improved running game the last two weeks.

12. I will be speaking about the Browns and other topics at the Solon Library at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Call 440-248-8777 to register for this free program. Joe Tait will be signing copies of his book at Barnes & Noble Woodmere at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Terry Pluto's Talkin' ... about the Browns' runners, Grady Sizemore's return and Akron men's basketball | cleveland.com

[next2nothing]

Eyes on Berea: Thursday - Week 13

Dec 01, 2011 -- 8:10pm
Cleveland Browns beat reporter Will Burge takes you inside the facility in Berea each day with quotes and observations.
PAT SHURMUR QUOTES FROM HIS PRESSER:
INJURIES:
“Quinton Spears and TJ Ward will be the only two players who will be out. The rest of the guys will either practice fully or be limited in some fashion.”
“Montario (Hardesty) will, of course, do more than he did yesterday since he was out. We will just see how much he can do as we get ready.”

ON CRIBBS’ COMMENTS:
“I talk to him quite frequently. I don’t have a problem with guys feeling that way. From what I’ve heard…he was basically just talking about how he feels. That he wants to win and that’s ok.”
“I have an open door. I expect if they have an issue they come see me man-to-man about it and that’s the way we handle things here.”
“You have guys that want to contribute to winning. His role is heavy on special teams and…I think he had the second most reps of the receivers. He’s got more catches and more yards at this point of the season than he had all last year.”
“I don’t think the answer he gave yesterday…was that he was unhappy with his role.”
AP reporter Tom Withers replied: “he wouldn’t answer the question.”
“That’s his choice. His answer or what he talked about it sounded to me was he just wants to win.”

OBSERVATIONS FROM VIEWABLE PORTION OF PRACTICE (Practice was inside the field house):
Mike Adams (shoulder) and Montario Hardesty (calf) both returned to practice today but were both limited.
Adams looked good in individual drills and even had to reach to some awkward positions to get balls that were thrown his way.
Hardesty went through drills and seemed to move well. He even had to do some blocking that put stress on the leg and did not even flinch.
Josh Cribbs was targeted quite a bit in the viewable portion of practice. It almost seemed as though the team was making a statement to the media.
Pat Shurmur went out in coverage on the receivers during their drills. He played the role of the over-the-top safety forcing the wide outs into an underneath corner route. Pat can move a little bit and actually has a pretty good back peddle!

INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM:
JOSH CRIBBS:
“I didn’t answer the question (asked yesterday about him being unhappy with his role on offense) personal wise because it’s not about me. It’s about the team. My frustration lies with the team not winning.”
“Whatever (media outlet) it may be, they are assuming and just putting words in my mouth. It’s just about winning.”
“I think everyone is sick and tired of losing. It would be a problem if everybody didn’t feel like that. Everybody wont express themselves like I did but it would be a problem if everybody wasn’t sick and tired. It doesn’t mean I want to leave.”

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS:
-Peyton Hillis did his weekly press conference with the media with a statement this week. He wore a “Ron Paul for President” sticker on his hat and shirt. Even after Browns’ PR begged him to take it off he still ignored and continued with the press conference, much to the delight of Tony Pashos (a huge Paul supporter), Ben Watson, and Evan Moore.
Hillis was also getting the microphone attached to his shirt before the press conference when this little exchange happened:
Browns staff: “You mind if I pin this on your shirt?” (Referring to the lapel microphone)
Hillis: “Sure, you’ve pinned everything else on me.”
Was that an attempt at humor or something else? I have to admit, I thought it was funny.
-I also talked to two former players (that wished to remain anonymous) who were involved in the Browns’ offense at one point this year and they had some interesting things to say about Pat Shurmur.
One said that he and Shurmur had “discussions” but would not go as far as to say they were “disagreements”. Even with that, he said that you can tell the team is buying into Shurmur’s scheme by how the offense has progressed over the past few weeks.
The other player told me that Pat Shurmur has some learning to do but shows the signs of being a good head coach in the future. He also said the players had his back as far as he could tell.

http://espncleveland.com/common/more...=5&post_id=205


I don't know how good of a reporter Will Burge is, this is the first I've personally ever heard of him, but the bolded part kind of raises eyebrows a little bit eh?

[golfer704u]

some things in this story drive me nuts as typical low end reporting.

"-I also talked to two former players (that wished to remain anonymous) who were involved in the Browns’ offense at one point this year and they had some interesting things to say about Pat Shurmur.
One said that he and Shurmur had “discussions” but would not go as far as to say they were “disagreements”. Even with that, he said that you can tell the team is buying into Shurmur’s scheme by how the offense has progressed over the past few weeks.
The other player told me that Pat Shurmur has some learning to do but shows the signs of being a good head coach in the future. He also said the players had his back as far as he could tell.
"

It's not hard to figure out who he's talking about so why not just name the source? Robiskie is probably one. The other is Pontibrand maybe? I mean who else have they gotten rid of THIS year who were on offense.

And I sure hope it's not Robiskie saying Shurmur has some learning to do. DUDE you haven't been in the league long enough to tell anyone what they need to learn.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Originally Posted by golfer704u

And I sure hope it's not Robiskie saying Shurmur has some learning to do. DUDE you haven't been in the league long enough to tell anyone what they need to learn.

Agreed, but I could see it go something like this:

Robiskie: Coach, please man you have to allow me more than one option on my routes, the routes you are designing along with the 1 option you are giving me, isn't working out there!


Shurmur: Sorry Robo, the only guy we trust to have more than one option on a route is Jordan Norwood, that's why he's sitting on the bench.

[Masters]

Originally Posted by golfer704u

some things in this story drive me nuts as typical low end reporting.

"-I also talked to two former players (that wished to remain anonymous) who were involved in the Browns’ offense at one point this year and they had some interesting things to say about Pat Shurmur.
One said that he and Shurmur had “discussions” but would not go as far as to say they were “disagreements”. Even with that, he said that you can tell the team is buying into Shurmur’s scheme by how the offense has progressed over the past few weeks.
The other player told me that Pat Shurmur has some learning to do but shows the signs of being a good head coach in the future. He also said the players had his back as far as he could tell.
"

It's not hard to figure out who he's talking about so why not just name the source? Robiskie is probably one. The other is Pontibrand maybe? I mean who else have they gotten rid of THIS year who were on offense.

And I sure hope it's not Robiskie saying Shurmur has some learning to do. DUDE you haven't been in the league long enough to tell anyone what they need to learn.

Far be it from me to defend the terrible reporting in CLE, but this seems hardly low end reporting. Guys make a comment not wanting to be named and the reporting putting it as such is far from low end. Low end would be saying who it was who wanted to be anonymous (that's how you get no player/staff to ever talk to you again and write your way out of a job). If anything this type of thing drives me nuts, in that I hate when guys say something to the press, good or bad, and don't have the stones to put their name to it.

[golfer704u]

Originally Posted by Masters

Far be it from me to defend the terrible reporting in CLE, but this seems hardly low end reporting. Guys make a comment not wanting to be named and the reporting putting it as such is far from low end. Low end would be saying who it was who wanted to be anonymous (that's how you get no player/staff to ever talk to you again and write your way out of a job). If anything this type of thing drives me nuts, in that I hate when guys say something to the press, good or bad, and don't have the stones to put their name to it.

To me it's low end reporting to use unamed sources at all. Sure everyone does it now adays because they want to be "first" to have the scandal. But it's still bad reporting.

[King of Kings]

Originally Posted by golfer704u

To me it's low end reporting to use unamed sources at all. Sure everyone does it now adays because they want to be "first" to have the scandal. But it's still bad reporting.

Maybe it is just me I don't know but i'm trying to figure out why these supposed players would want to remain anonymous. Wtf would they care if people know they said "yeah the players got Shurm's back, he's improving and he's a good coach." THAT is edgy enough you have to say it anonymously?

I took it as the person made up the quotes and can't attribute them to anyone hence "anonymous sources." Players compliment former coaches and teams all the time and I just can't find where those quotes would be something an ex player is afraid to publicly state..... Unless of course they were taken out of a larger context and the reporter is trying to spin them into pro Shurmur when these players actually dogged his ass.