BROWN'S TOWN
Just throwing it out there: Frye's arm?Friday, July 22, 2005
Roger Brown
Plain Dealer Columnist
Among the hotter questions begging for answers as the Browns prepare to roll into training camp:
Is rookie quarterback Charlie Frye, who hasn't wowed everyone so far, simply still adjusting to the pro game? Or are the early murmurs about Frye's arm strength simply going to keep growing?
A former University of Akron star, Frye was the Browns' third-round pick in April.
We caught a preview of the Browns' one-hour "Training Camp Preview" — which airs Saturday night at 8 on Channel 43 — and it's very well done. Among the features: a profile of John Lott, the Browns' new, intense strength and conditioning coach, who already has team players wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase, "Get Your Mind Right."
Indians manager Eric Wedge, on the team's recent problems — and how to recover from them: "We need each guy to just focus on each at-bat, each pitch, each inning and each out, and not get swept up in everything else. That, and to keep pulling for each other." (Maybe the Indians are beginning to catch on to Wedge's advice: they whipped K.C., 10-1, Thursday.)
We've criticized Indians lefty pitcher C.C. Sabathia for his underachieving production. But give Sabathia major credit for being a stand-up person after his latest loss Wednesday against K.C.
During a lengthy postgame media session, Sabathia didn't shy away from a single tough question — and admitted, in a calm, humble fashion, that his overall performance has been disappointing.
One longtime team insider ranks Sabathia's postgame session among the most impressive examples he's seen of an Indians player taking accountability for his struggles.
Channel 8 has averaged a solid 5.8 rating and 15 share for Saturday afternoon Indians telecasts shown by its parent network, Fox. The station also is scheduled to show Saturday's Indians-Seattle game at 3:15 p.m.
No, we don'thave any complaints about the Cavs' signing of free-agent shooter Donyell Marshall: By adding the former Toronto forward, a 3-point specialist, the team is filling a clear need — and, more importantly, in a logical way.
Denver Nuggets forward Nene arrives in town shortly for his annual off-season workouts with area trainers Eric Lichter and Tim Robertson — and he'll also head down to Akron for pick-up games with Cavs star Le- Bron James. Nene is represented by Michael Coyne, a Cleveland-based agent.
Native Clevelander Mike Golic, now an ESPN Radio morning host and network football analyst, has landed a nice overseas gig: On Aug. 6, he'll do color on ESPN's Atlanta- Indianapolis NFL preseason telecast in Tokyo.
Miami (Ohio) University is one of "Five Non-BCS Teams Who Could Surprise" this season, according to Phil Steele's 2005 College Football Preview magazine. Miami is in the Mid-American Conference, which is based in Cleveland, and opens the season at Ohio State on Sept. 3.
Former John Carroll receiver Ken O'Keefe, the longtime offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Iowa, has helped numerous Hawkeyes get drafted by NFL teams. But, this fall, O'Keefe may have his best shot yet at coaching a Heisman Trophy winner: Hawkeyes QB Drew Tate is among the contenders for the award, given to college football's best player. Iowa plays Ohio State Sept. 24 in Columbus.
The North American SuperMoto organization won't debut its Grand Prix of Cleveland event until Aug. 6, but the expected popularity of the two-day competition already has led it to be moved to a larger site — the downtown Muny Lot near Browns Stadium. SuperMoto combines traditional motorcycle road-racing with dirt-track motocross.
Former Twinsburg High football star Kelly Herndon is now a Seattle Seahawks defensive back. We had the wrong team in a recent item.
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