CLEVELAND, OHIO (TheOBR.com) - Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans! Thursday of bye week is here, and the weekend looks clear of any gridiron-related mental issues. Enjoy the stress-free weekend. Here's some causal bloviating to start your day.
THE DAILY BLOVIATION
Yesterday, the always-fun comments left on this bloviation included a photo of the Madden12 video game cover, featuring one-year-wonder Peyton Hillis as the subject. That's a constant reminder of how dedicated Browns fans are, that they could vote in such numbers as to get a good running back on the cover of Madden. Cleveland's passion for the Browns should never be underestimated, even in these trying times.
Speaking of video games, a post left last night by Jordan Schultz interviewed Quinshon Judkins about his ridiculous superpowered spin move in College Football 25. Quinshon Judkins, like so many NFL athletes, is a human cheat code. Amazingly, the rest of the Browns' offense struggles so much that he's been limited in what he can do. However, the talent is clearly there if his circumstances change.
In turn, the Browns' running struggles make me think about the gigantic leap from college to the pros that athletes like Judkins have to navigate. He's a superhuman athlete - but then again, so are many of the defenders lined up against him, most of them game wreckers at every level before they went pro.
The early part of Tuesday's Pete and Joe show discussed this with respect to the quarterback position, and how good Drake Maye happens to be for the Patriots. Not only does he process quickly, but he's a great athlete who is mobile, has size, possesses a great arm, and, well, seems to be a prototypical NFL quarterback. Still, there was skepticism about him in some Patriots circles last year.
Which, I guess, is the fault in my thoughts on Dillon Gabriel, influenced as they are by watching him in college, where he was very effective and a great leader for a top-flight Oregon program. What he lacks are some of Maye's physical gifts, and that, combined with weaknesses around him, are enough to take him from a superior college quarterback to, well, however you categorize him at this moment at the NFL level. The level of play required at the quarterback position in the NFL is so high that it seems like any chink in a player's armor will be exploited. A franchise NFL quarterback has to be the very definition of "extraordinary".
The Elyria Chronicle-Telegram's Jim Ingraham hammers Browns ownership this morning, laying out what he claims is a disappearing act by Browns ownership when things get tough. Haslam undoubtedly doesn't see it this way, as he's deeply involved in a major project in Brook Park and has invested in the Columbus Crew, etc. He probably thinks he is doing a lot for Cleveland. However, the absence of Haslam and Browns GM Andrew Berry, for whatever reason, is not a good look, given the expectations of media availability at this juncture. The lack of an Andrew Berry press conference gets mutated into hyperbole to a degree. It's not the end of the world. Still, I'm not sure we've heard a good reason why the Browns are silent during the bye week.
The Patriots are down a running back, so old friend D'Ernest Johnson has been signed to their practice squad. I don't blame him for refusing to give up on his dream. I'm doing the same thing every morning when I wake up early and start writing. I guess, if I had the talent to be a professional football player, you would have to drag me from the sidelines to visit a retirement specialist. That's what someone's going to have to do to get me to stop doing the OBR.
The good news for content creators is that it's really easy to go into business and start charging people money. The bad news for content creators is that it's really easy for competitors in their respective niches to do the same. Worse still, if you've migrated to Substack, they already have problems moderating their content providers, and the lure of money and vitality is causing the service itself to get away from its core mission. Some see content creation as a "dream profession," but the mechanics of making it work are complex. If you're looking to get into content creation for a living, it always helps to talk to someone with experience before plunging in. I've relied on the expertise of folks like SCORE Cleveland to help me through. They're wonderful.
It's incredible how fast specific ideas can take hold and then vanish. Take, for example, the "Browns should trade Myles Garrett" concept, which was handily kiboshed by Jack Duffin yesterday. From the initial skeptical reaction of sites like OBR and others, the "Trading Myles is a Dumb Idea" is not rippling out to everyone under the Sun, pretty much squashed within a day. Say what you want about the internet's insanity, the Browns media sphere at least recognizes a bad idea when they see one. Or, at least, enough people read Jack Duffin's thoughts to have an impact.
The NFL has issues, but popularity isn't one of them. CBS had 19 million+ viewers watching a typical game in October, which is just mind-boggling. Roger Goodell is either doing a good job or he has the world's easiest job milking money out of this sport. I'm not sure which.
Quinshon Judkins
Quinshon Judkins (Photo: Getty)
Have a good one! GO BROWNS!
Newswire Bloviation Archive
OBR BROWNS GOODIES
OBR VIDEOS
Garage Beers Live - Episode 287 - with Special Guest Bryant Browning! - (youtube.com)
Pete and Joe on Dillon Gabriel - (youtube.com)
Browns 3D- Bye Week Thoughts, TRADING GARRETT is beyond dumb - (youtube.com)
Off The Leash: Episode 15: GoodBYE to the first half - (cleveland19.com)
Garage Beers Live - Episode 287 - Browns, Buckeyes, World Series, and MORE! - (youtube.com)
OBR ARTICLES
Cleveland Browns 2026 Cornerback Prediction - Jack
Cleveland Browns Film Room: Isaiah Bond is Still Creating Big Play Opportunities - Sam
Cleveland Browns News and Rumors 10/29: Trade Speculation, Arbitron Points, and Resignation - Barry
Cleveland Browns Film Room Myles Garrett's Record-Breaking Performance - Sam
OBR MESSAGE BOARD POSTS
ASK THE INSIDERS (VIP)
Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders - Do they get study videos?
Sought to be competitive
Berry press conference at by week
Trade thoughts
Season expectations
Patriots example
Any chance of Cousins
Follow up biggest fear ….
What is the insiders biggest fear ?
Any veteran qbs avaible in 26?
Hope in 26 follow up 2.
Hope in 26 follow up.
Hope in 26?
Jack: Myles?
Berry press conference
Historic Boondogle
Bills need defensive tackle help
Are Berry and Stefanski drifting apart?
The Browns don't get enough credit
INSIDER DISCUSSION (VIP)
6th year and not competitive?
THE WATERCOOLER
Just Thinking - Bye week progress, next NY Jets game
56-99-1
2026 mock draft
OT: Fans from Colorado - Looking for a PEME
David Njoku for Evan Neal???
LiveWire Thread for 1029 - Twitter, Article, Videos
Wishful Thinking - New FO and Head Coach
OT: Foo Fighters at Cleveland Browns Stadium
THE LIFT
Positive news from the world of sports and beyond...
Philadelphia hockey players skate blindfolded to raise funds for blind youth hockey team - (goodgoodgood.co)
I can't imagine this at all. I can't ice skate with my eyes fully functional, needing to lean against a wall to brace myself. The idea of skating without being able to see and relying only on sound to avoid collisions is beyond me. Props not only to those wearing blindfolds but to those young people who won't let their challenges stop them from having fun on the ice.
WRAPPING UP
When not avoiding ice skating rinks., Barry McBride is the Publisher and Founder of the OBR and bloviates this nonsense every morning. You can follow him on Twitter @barrymcbride or write him at barry@theobr.com if you are so compelled.
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