Taco Tuesdays Demonstrate Just How Screwed The Browns Are
The biggest NFL news this week, by far, is the fact that the Eagles got rid of Taco Tuesday. Now, I have long been a Taco Tuesday proponent, but working at a law firm is a bit different than working for a professional football team. So I suppose this is a step forward for the Eagles.
But the episode also illustrates just how fucked up the Browns are. When Chuck Klosterman visited the Browns campus after former Eagles president Joe Banner took over he noted that the food options were vastly improved from the previous regime's. Here's the money quote:
When CEO Banner came to the Browns from Philadelphia, he hired the same caterers the Eagles employed, a company called Flik. I must admit: The food is borderline delicious. On the day of the draft, they serve prime rib for lunch and crab legs for dinner. It seems curious that the concept of nutrition had never occurred to the Browns until 2013, but maybe that explains a lot about what was broken here.
So not only was the Browns' previous caterer terrible, but the Browns replaced them with a company that was serving the Eagles unhealthy food. Now, Flik may still be serving the Eagles and simply offering healthier fare but Joe Banner was still the mastermind behind the Fast Food Friday regime.
Oh, and Klosterman's piece also revealed that the Browns are basically on DEFCON 1 because of the looming criminal case against Jimmy Haslam. When I first heard about the criminal investigation against Haslam I read what someone told me was his indictment and thought that the prosecutors had a lot of circumstantial evidence but no smoking gun. Then I found out that what I was reading was actually the affidavit to get a search warrant for Haslam's effects and realized that they would probably find the smoking gun soon enough. Unless Haslam's e-mails show that he hasn't left the golf course in five years (he's a CEO so it's possible) he's going to have to sell the team.
Oh, and the roster is still a mess.
Titus Young Is In The Wrong Business For Someone With A Mental Illness
Titus Young has not been diagnosed but he certainly has not evinced behavior of a person acting rationally and everyone else in his life seems to think he's suffering from a mental illness. Now, dealing with a mental illness is difficult no matter what your job is. But imagine you had to do it in front of 80,000 screaming drunks. And get criticized by idiots like Mike Florio who have no inclination to consider the effect of playing professional sports on one's mental health. It seems impossible.
Which makes me respect Brandon Marshall even more. He thrives as a wide receiver in spite of suffering from borderline personality disorder, and he shows that you can play professional sports with a mental illness. Hopefully Titus Young can find a treatment that works for him too.
Concussion Doctor Was A Quack
Patrick Hruby blew the lid off of the team doctor who told the Jets that they could play through concussions even though he was a rheumatologist with a medical degree from Guadalajara. Elliot Pellman is a quack, but he's not the only quack out there. When the NFL first stonewalled on concussions they hid behind one Dr. Ira Casson, who unlike Pellman is an actual neurologist. I asked Hruby if he'd heard anything about Casson and he said no, but that there were rumblings that he still worked with the Jets.
Ira Casson needs to answer for what he's done. He might have even lied to Congress. So let's put out an APB for the good doctor and see if he stands by everything that he said.
Geno Smith Isn't Starstruck
This is a terrific sign for the Jets -- Geno Smith doesn't get starstruck. When you live in New York you see celebrities all the time. I used to live on the same block as Andy Samberg so I'd see him walking around, and Gossip Girl used to film near me so I saw Leighton Meester all the time (she was totally stalking me). And I would be a terrible quarterback because I'd curl into a fetal ball any time I heard defensive end footsteps.
But Geno Smith is too damn focused. Anyone who saw West Virginia play knows this -- if he had a fault he seemed TOO locked in at times -- so I remain hopeful for the Geno Smith era in New York. Once he gets some decent receivers, of course.
More from SB Nation:
• Geno Smith: 'I play smart. I play above my neck'
• Charles Woodson to visit Raiders
• Coming: A reality TV show featuring Packers fans
• Titus Young's mugshot is Hall of Fame-worthy | #Lookit