Not Again! Rebuilding the Cleveland Browns (M10)

[clevelandbrownie26]

Hello everyone, ClevelandBrowine26 here to attempt to make my first franchise. I’ll be using Madden 10 with the last online roster update for it (accurate as of February 2010-ish). The reason for this is because in Madden 10 the season starts with the 2009-2010 season, not the current one. So, I will be starting from the beginning of last year to try to make this team elite.

SETTINGS

• For the franchise I will be using the latest Madden 10 online rosters as I stated earlier.
  
• Unlike most franchise, I DO NOT play regular season games. They all are simmed, week-by-week. I DO play every post-season game, however. This franchise is based on coaching move s and decisions and I feel that playing regular season games eventually gets boring and I lose interest. Another reason for this is that I feel the stats are very inaccurate while playing 6 minute quarters.
  
• I will sim the whole 2009-2010 season and start making moves in the offseason.
  
• I will try to make this as realistic as possible. No trades for star players (89+ overall) unless offered a first round draft pick and another player of 89+ overall of equal or more value. Also, trades are more geared toward CPU positions of need. Ex: CPU needs WR, WRs are valued higher in trades.
  
• Playoff settings: When I do play the games, its the post-season. Settings are: 7 minute quarters, no accelerated clock. Sliders are based off of versuz2, but I changed them a tad so the scoring isn’t as high.

[clevelandbrownie26]

2009-2010 SEASON RECAP

Like I said before, the 2009-2010 season will be simmed entirely. The Browns finished with the same record they did in real life, coincidentally. The team went 5-11, last in the AFC North. The Browns beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh, however in overtime 37-31, the highlight of the season. The Browns finished 27th overall in the NFL. The Bucs and Lions tied for worst record with 3-13. Cleveland will be expected to pick sixth in the upcoming draft.

2009-2010 Stats

Cleveland Browns Stats - 2009
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Brady Quinn	228/435	2236				14	15	63.5
Derek Anderson	76/142	836				8	8	66.5
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Jerome Harrison	223	910	4.0			3
Chris Jennings	113	281	2.4			2
Lawrence Vickers (FB)	48	228	4.7			1
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	20+	YDS/G	YAC
Mohamed Massaquoi	68	649	9.5	9
Steve Heiden (TE)*	61	551	9.0	2
Chansi Stuckey	37	501	13.5	4
Brian Robiskie	28	261	9.3	1
Josh Cribbs	26	372	14.3	1
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
D'Qwell Jackson (LB)			108	0.0	11		3
Kamerion Wimbley (LB)			96	5.0	6		0
Matt Roth (LB)			87	3.0	9		0
Eric Wright (CB)			44	0.0	4		6
Shaun Rogers (DT)			59	10.0	7		0
	Kickoffs					Punts
Returning	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD	RET	AVG	TD
Josh Cribbs	23	639		94	1	18		1

2009-2010 standings

NFL Standings - Updated: Jan 1, 2010
NFC WILD CARD RACE	W	L	T	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV
Z - Minnesota Vikings	14	2
Y - Atlanta Falcons	11	5
Y - Philadelphia Eagles	11	5
X - Green Bay Packers	11	5
Y - San Francisco 49ers	9	7
X - Seattle Seahawks	9	7
New Orleans Saints	9	7
Dallas Cowboys	8	8
New York Giants	8	8
Washington Redskins	7	9
AFC WILD CARD RACE	W	L	T	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV
Z - New England Patriots	14	2
Y - San Diego Chargers	12	4
X - New York Jets	12	4
Y - Tennessee Titans	11	5
Y - Pittsburgh Steelers	11	5
X - Indianapolis Colts	9	7
Denver Broncos	9	7
Baltimore Ravens	8	8
Jacksonville Jaguars	8	8
Cincinnati Bengals	7	9
(13th - Cleveland Browns)	5	11

The Browns biggest needs statistically are QB and #1 WR. Head Coach Eric Mangini has been on the hot seat for the whole year, and new team president Mike Holmgren has made it clear that this organization needs a turn-around. President Holmgren will announce his decision live on ESPN 7 PM EST. (what a coincidence )

P.S. Don't worry, this isn't what every post will look like. I'll get more in-depth during the offseason and later years. And I'll include pictures, etc in later posts. This is just the intro to the franchise.

[clevelandbrownie26]

Browns coach Eric Mangini did improve the team to a 5-11 record from a 4-12 record last year. However, the team has many unanswered questions concerning who the true QB is and which WR will step up to be a #1 threat. Newly signed team president Mike Holmgren is ready to announce his decision live on ESPN. We go now to a live feed with Holmgren and ESPN analyst Chris Berman standing by.

Berman: Thanks. We’re here now with president Holmgren, the newly acquired president of the Cleveland Browns.
Holmgren: Thanks, Chris. Glad to be here.
CB: Well Mike, we’ve heard you wanted to go back to football for some time now. How’s it feel to be back?
MH: Feels like I never left, Chris. I can’t wait to get back to running a team and now I can focus more on the team instead of all the players.
CB: Well that team, we know, is the Cleveland Browns. A team that hasn’t sniffed the playoffs since 2002 and a city that hasn’t been in a professional championship since 1964. Is there any pressure to immediately bring this team back to glory so that they could-go-all-the-way to the superbowl?
MH: Well, there is obviously some pressure from the media and the fans who all want their team to be successful, but realistically our goal of the superbowl or even playoffs won’t be achieved for maybe two seasons at least. We’re trying to build the foundation as of now.
CB: And part, well a big part of that foundation is the coaches. And a big part of this segment is about your decision whether to keep or let go of coach Eric Mangini in his first year.
MH: That is why I’m here, Chris.
CB: Well, is there anything you’d like to say before announcing your decision?
MH: Yes, I’d like to say that it was a hard process that kept me up at nights. I swung daily back and forth between whether to keep him or not, but in the end I figured that this decision was best for everyone.
CB: Well, uh, without further ado, what is that decision, Mike?
MH: My decision is to let go of coach Mangini so that he can take his talents somewhere else. I hear the Dolphins in South Beach may need his talents on the defensive perspective.
CB: Shocking, Mike! Do you have any idea on who the next coach will be?
MH: Well, Chris, I have thought about it. And I think after interviewed every candidate, I found I was really impressed and shared many ideas about how the organization should be run with someone whom is new to coaching. Now this might be a shocker to everyone, but I have decided to sign former D3 college football coach Kyle Dansby.
CB: Kyle Dansby? What made you shy away from big name coaches like Mike Shanahan?
MH: Well, I felt that Coach Dansby and I saw eye to eye and I feel that with no one knowing his style, coaches won’t know how to plan against him.
CB: Any information you can give about him to the viewers?
MH: Well, he’s young and intelligent. He’s actually a distant cousin of Karlos Dansby of the Miami Dolphins. He coached a D3 college football team to two championship games and I feel he will be the guy to take this team back to contenders.
CB: Well, Mike, Browns fans and the world will be watching and waiting to see if you’re right or wrong on this guy. Back to studios. Thanks for watching.

[clevelandbrownie26]

(click to enlarge it)

[gomets97]

Interesting knowing that how well you're team does is solely on how well you're management is since you don't play regular season games. I'll be following.

[clevelandbrownie26]

*Note* I simmed the post-season and forgot to write down the results leading to the Super Bowl. Sorry!

2010 Superbowl Report

     Two teams survive, one is left a winner. This season it came down to two teams who never faced each other in a superbowl. One team, the AFC East superbowl winning powerhouse, 14-2 New England Patriots made this their 2010 destiny. The other team, absent from the big game for eleven years is the NFC South division winner, the 11-5 Atlanta Falcons, coming off a huge win over the heavy favorite Favre-led Minnesota Vikings. However, int he end, experience proved to be the advantage. The Patriots had the lead for the entire game and closed out what would be a 21-10 victory over the Falcons. The Patriots dominated the 2000s and start off on the right foot with the 2010s. Time will tell if the dynasty will eventually fall apart.

[clevelandbrownie26]

@gomets97: Thanks! It's always nice to know someone out there is following this, haha.

[clevelandbrownie26]

      The Browns announced today the re-singing of only four players out of the twenty-something free-agents this year. Among them was fullback Lawrence Vickers, running back Jerome Harrison, linebacker Jason Truisnik, and running back Chris Jennings. No details were released as of yet. However, coach Dansby did comment on why he released so many players this offseason: “I know I’m going to take a lot of heat for this, but you know, I just didn’t feel like the chemistry was there with this team. It was hard to let all these players go, but it had to be done.” Among the players released are former starters Matt Roth, Abram Elam, and Brodney Pool.

Trey Wingo: Hello everyone and welcome to a special free-agent NFL Live update. I’m here as always with Trent Dilfer and Merril Hoge. Well guys, big news in free agency this year. We’ll start out in Cleveland where the Browns released twenty-three players this season.

Hoge: Wow, that’s unbelievable. Clearly this organization wants to quickly forget Eric Mangini and his team. This makes me question even more if new head coach Dansby is really ready to lead this organization.

Dilfer: Well, I played for this team way back when and you have to remember that this organization is a very fickle bunch. A player does bad one year, they aren’t there the next. Very hard to keep playing in Cleveland. They’re so desperate for a championship.

Wingo: Dansby has his hands full this year trying to fill his roster with only seven picks as it stands now, but he’ll have even more trouble with the lack of talent in this year’s free-agency. We see many teams this year signing their veteran stars to keep them where they are. Hardly any big names this year.

Hoge: Yeah, I agree. The best free-agent this year has to be tight end Ben Watson from New England. He might still have some left in the tank and will help out a team that needs a tight end. Players like Kevin Mawae may get overlooked because of their age.

Dilfer: When I look at this year’s free agent pool I see opportunity. Teams need to gamble to hit the jackpot. Someone will gamble on players like Matt Moore and give them a new team to work with. I can see Cleveland or even Buffalo making a push for Moore to try to lead their teams.

Wingo: It’ll be an interesting year as always. We’ll be back Tuesdays at 12 EST for all the updates from the week.