Do you have a memorable Browns encounter?

Do you have a memorable Browns player encounter or story? If so, post it here in the comments to share with other Cleveland Browns fans. Did you or do you currently play for the Cleveland Browns? Drop us a line or post a comment if you would like to be included in our forthcoming book.

River Rats Browns Backers Celebrity Weekend

Sorry to regular readers about not posting in the last month. I took a personal break after the tournament to catch my breath. The tournament went off with very few quarks. The celebrities and golfers all had a great time and vowed to be back next year. With the help we had and the sponsors we had, we made just under $5000 to divide between the 7th and 8th grade Marietta Football Teams and the Boys and Girls Club of Washington County. After our last meeting the Club decided to use the Boys and Girls Club as a regular Charity to donate money to each year. I would like to say thank you to every individual that helped in any way to help us raise the money this year. Next year the tournament has already been set up for June 13th and hope that anyone that reads this will consider coming to Marietta to help the River Rats Browns Backers to become the best Club we can be. Oh yes, by the way, through the efforts of the River Rats, the Browns Backers Worldwide was chosen to be the Club of the month for July 2008. You can read the article at clevelandbrowns.com.

Bentley

Can anybody tell me the reality behind the Bentley move?

River Rats Browns Backers Celebrity Golf Tournament

This year the River Rats Browns Backers Celebrity Golf Tournament will be on June 14th. Today all of the celebrities have confirmed their participation for that day. Joe "Turkey" Jones will travel here from Texas as he did last year, hopefully with a better return trip than he did last year. Others Browns making the trip to Marietta are Greg Pruitt, Anthony Griggs, Juston Flint, Don Cockroft, John Buddenburg, Bo Scott, Jiim Houston, Ross Fichtner, Jamie Caleb, and Stacy Hairston. Browns personnel making the trip down I77 are World Wide Browns Backers Coordinator, Bridget Huzicka; and Anthony Dick, Cleveland Browns Assistant Alumni Relations Director. Bridget will be hitting the links as a Celebrity this year and has informed me that she tool a couple of lessons to improve her game. We will be also get to meet and play golf with Jeb Schubert. His name is not a football hallmark but his grandfather was Pro Football Hall of Famer Lou "The Toe" Groza. This by no means finishes the line-up. Lance Mehl of the New York Jets, Carl Lee of the Minnesota Vikings, Scott Barrows of Marietta and the Detroit Lions, Tom Brown of the 1942 Pittsbubrgh Steelers, Derrick Ransom with Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona, and Jacksonville, Gary Jeter of the New York Giants. Also attending this years tournament is Brad Sellers of basketball fame ( I got to hear some great Michael Jordan stories), Larry Faulkner who was a professional boxer that was undefeated until injuries kept him from fighting, and Marietta College Baseball Coach Brian Brewer. There could be others attending and have been invited but have not confirmed. If you have any questions or comments about this tournament please feel free to leave a message here of send me an email at taylorl21@yahoo.com.

"The Assassin"

I have had the pleasure to be a part of two fund raisers for Eddie "The Assassin" Johnson. The first was at Whiskey Island and the other was his Memorial Tournament held in 2007 by Reggie Langhorne. I brought Joe "Turkey" Jones to the tournament and Reggie needed someone to watch the Hole-In-One Hole and I volunteered. I got the opportunity to meet several different players from other NFL teams and lots of fine people to help praise and make money in Eddie's honor. I also had the great pleasure to meet Eddie's wife. She was a very pleasant and outgoing person that was there for every persons whim and request. I am very thankful for every ones courtesy there and am looking forward to be there again this year if it is possible. Thanks Reggie.

Walt Michaels

At the Cleveland Browns Legends Induction of 2006, I had the pleasure of meeting an ex-Brown, an ex-Coach and a true gentleman in Walt Michaels. The River Rats had invited Lance Mehl to the Jets game and the induction ceremony because Coach Michaels was Lance's coach in New York. Lance had several people from New York radio stations that wanted to do interviews with him as an alumni in Cleveland for the game. Marty Lyons contacted Lance and the next thing I knew I was on the field and greeting my friends in the stands from the field. I had been on the field once before when John Morris was trying to kick a field goal for a new Avalanche. This was different, I didn't have an escort that guided my every move. I was free to move around. I got to meet several of Lance's friends that played when he did. I was there to meet Walt Michaels and he had just walked out of the tunnel. Several people crowded around him as Lance walked toward him. A security guard stopped me and said that I wasn't allowed in the end zone. The guard then made a mistake, he turned his back. I took several pictures as Lance and Walt shook hands with a great respect for each other. I bid my time and waited for Lance to introduce me and shared a hearty handshake with the 1951 Green Bay rookie. I made arrangements to call Walt and conduct the interview with him. I have spent over 3 hours with the football mastermind and each conversation is better than the next. He even called me to tell me a story that he had remembered after our conversation. Walt has many coaches still call him on Monday mornings to analyze their play or next weeks opponent.

Sorry I have not done entries

Sorry I have not sent entries to the Blog but I have been very busy working on the Book and the River Rats Celebrity Weekend being played at Lakeside Golf Course in Beverly , Ohio on June 14th. The first five chapters after the Publishers request for a new format. "If You Wore the Uniform: You're a Brown!", will no longer be be a "Playboy Style" interview. I have a writer working very hard to get the book back in form. The Publisher has me slated for a Dec. 2009 release date. I will tell you more as the information is fed back to me by David Gray.
Back to the golf tournament, we have several players coming back and some new first timers also. If anyone is interested in participating or just wanting to come for autographs please feel free to contact me. Have a great week and please feel free to come back often as I need to get off my butt and keep this Blog interesting.
The picture to the left is a cover from a 50's program of a game between the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Greg Pruitt

While I was watching tv the other day, I saw that Greg Pruitt was on an old program of American Gladiators. We talked about it a little bit and got some great information about his appearance. He told me the story about how he won a lot of the events and how Charles White won. Due to what I understand are plagerism problems with my publisher I can not tell the story here but it is a funny one. Greg did set a record for points in Atmosphere. I could not find if the record still stands or not. Greg like myself wonder why there are not more events like this with NFL players anymore. By the way, Gregs son is recovering well and has started working out and wants to go back to playing football. Greg is planning on attending the River Rats Celebrity Weekend on June 14th. Good luck Pruitts!!!

Jerry Rhome

My friend and Browns player I interviewed for the book sent me this picture for use in the book. He signed it and personalised it with "Good Luck with the book". Upon closer look at the picture, it got more interesting. Jerry and the Browns are playing against the Minnesota Vikings and Hall of Famer Gene Hickerson is impeding the pass rush of fellow Hall of Famer Alan Page. Alan was in his second year as a Viking and Gene had 4 more years as a Brown. The other rusher is Paul Dickson out of Baylor. His blocker almost has to be Fred Hoaglin. I also had a great interview with Fred. Both Browns blockers did a great job of protecting Jerry on this play, maybe that's why he sent this particular photograph to me!!! Please look at Jerry's website @ jerryrhome.com

I hope I have people looking at the posts on this blog. Feel free to comment on any post. Go Browns!!

What do Gene Hickerson and Elvis Presley have in common?

They were childhood friends. Gene and Elvis went to Grade School and played back yard football together. They were great friendsand Gene was on several excursions where Elvis bousgh a car and several minutes later gave it away. Bobby Franklin was also a friend of Elvis and the Pro Football Hall of Famer Gene Hickerson. As most of you know, Gene is in a nursing home and has pneumonia. Gene was a pleasure to interview. His pleasures in life were the birds on his property that he enjoyed watching, mowing his grass and his memories of the Browns.

Browns Free Agency Aquisitions

Michael Silver, one of the top NFL Columnists, said in a Yahoo interview, that he believes the Browns are on the right track and doing as great job in building a winning team. So far the Browns have signed:

Donte Stallworth a wide receiver from New England

Rex Hadnot an offensive lineman from Miami

Shantee Orr a linebacker from Houston

Shaun Rogers a defensive lineman from Detroit

Corey Williams a defensive lineman from Green Bay

These players have the equivalence of 31 years playing time. The knowledge they bring to the Browns will be a valuable commodity to increase wins in the future. Gentlemen, welcome to Cleveland!!!

"If You Wore (Wear) the Uniform: You're a Brown"

Simon Fraser

Simon Fraser signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons a couple weeks ago and it looks like the Cleveland Browns are not going to match the offer. It will be hard to watch our Upper Arlington and Ohio State University graduate playing on another roster. I watched Simon at a practice in training camp and there was no one more enthusiastic about being on the field than number 75. He was the first one in line on station changes, he ran from station to station and even ran to the sidelines to sign autographs after practice. He showed the same hustle for the Browns that he showed in college. Fraser was a three-time OSU Scholar-Athlete selection and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference honoree, as well as a co-captain as a senior. As a Brown, Simon had 54 tackles (28 solo), 4.5 sacks, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 48 games. This three time Ohio native will be missed by the Browns and all his fans. Good luck Simon.

Cleveland Football Heroes

As most of you know, I am in the process of writing a book about the Cleveland Browns. It should be ready by next Christmas. The publisher wants to delay it so I have time to "trim the fat" from the interviews and change the format from question and answer to just player input. One good thing is I have had time to talk to individuals like David Krikorian. He holds the rights to Hero Decks. He has granted me the rights to publish these caricature images of players I have interviewed. We still have details to work out with him and the publisher, but It looks like it will be a great addition to the pictures and images I already have obtained for the book, "If You Wore the Uniform: You're a Brown". Thanks David!! Here is the link for the cards.
http://www.herodecks.com/football/cleveland.php

Day One

Welcome Browns and football fans alike. With the help of a very special person, I am going to attemp to enlighten and entertain visitors of this blog with the adventures I experience in the football world. I am a member of the River Rats Browns Backers n Marietta, Ohio. I would rather watch and talk about Cleveland Browns football than most anything elso I do. I help run a Celebrity Golf Tournament that is held on June 14th at Lakeside Golf Course in Beverly, Ohio. You will hear more about that and other things that happen to me in the near future. Please email me or leave comments here on more of what you would like to see and what you might disagree with. Not everything that happens in this world is positive. Thanks for visiting and come back often.

Barry Taylor

taylorl21@yahoo.com