WHY I'M WATCHING THIS GLORIFIED PRACTICE: Saturday is a busy day. The weekend provides an opportunity to catch up on all the tasks that need attention after a busy work week. It's a chance to get out in the sun, cut the yard, or have fun. Or, if you are my dog Cookie, to yap continuously at my neighbors outside.
So, why watch what everyone knows is a glorified practice, as there are so many other things competing for attention? Well, because if you're on the OBR reading this, chances are that you're a bit of an out-of-control Browns fan to start with, so you need no rationale. But, if you're on the fence, I think there are some good reasons to spend three hours watching talented players battle for roster spots.
You only need to think back to last Friday night and Shedeur Sanders' performance against the Carolina Panthers for the most attention-getting reason. This quarterback battle is must-watch TV. There's a chance that it will be a bit of a fizzle if Dillon Gabriel isn't able to go today, and we'll get three hours of Snoop Huntley, who won't make the Browns' final 53-man roster. In the more likely case that Gabriel plays, Browns fans will get to see why the Browns picked Gabriel higher than anyone thought likely. They've been impressed with his grasp of the game and his ability to operate the offense. Will that show up against the former Super Bowl champions? I don't know, but I want to watch to find out.
Dillon Gabriel
Dillon Gabriel warms up in Training Camp (Photo: Getty)
Elsewhere, under the surface, there are several roster battles playing out. There's fierce competition at wide receiver, where Jamari Thrash has to prove his worth, and Gage Larvadian and Kaden Davis are competing for roles. This will also impact special teams, as the team needs to closely examine whether DeAndre Carter, as a WR/KR, is a luxury on a team seeking young talent at receiver.
There are several battles taking place on the lines as well. On the offensive line, keep an eye on Teven Jenkins and Lorenzo Thompson, as the latter has impressed and the former struggled last week. On the defensive line, there's a banger of a roster competition at edge rusher opposite Myles Garrett as this DL looks ferocious so far this Summer. That competition may have ripple effects within the defensive interior, as Jim Schwartz often rotates some of his defensive ends inside to maximize the pass rush. Players like Cameron Thomas and Adin Huntington are making it hard to leave them off the ultimate 53-man roster. This competition appears to be making everyone better, and the Eagles felt they were outplayed by the Browns' defensive front in practices.
I'm not on the fence on this one. I think it will be fascinating on many levels.
BERNIE AWAITS GOOD FORTUNE: News came out yesterday that Bernie Kosar is waiting on a liver transplant as he tries to battle back against health issues. The beloved quarterback who represents the Browns' last successful years is fighting for his life.
I was privileged last year to be able to spend some time with Bernie and Lane having lunch at a small diner. We discussed everything from football to the challenges of managing anxiety and what Lane and I could learn from Bernie's journey. I'll remember it forever.
Bernie has taken his health issues as a chance to improve his diet and work steadily on his health. He's also making the most of things, appearing everywhere and mixing it up with fans and fellow athletes every chance he gets.
The thing I remember the most from that conversation is how Bernie refused to give up hope. He turned his challenges into an opportunity to take charge of his health in his way. His optimism and good humor, even under difficult conditions, really impacted me. As someone who has a tendency to dwell on the negative, I was inspired by Bernie's outlook. It makes me appreciate every day that I can do this Browns website thing all that much more. I'm going to strive to emulate Bernie's approach to self-care and positivity.
AI IS CHANGING EVERYTHING: If you've done a Google search recently - old habits continue - you've already seen the AI Summaries that appear at the top of the search results, cleverly placed above the links to the news articles that AI scavenges to produce that summary.
This is self-destructive for Google, as it, like a particularly aggressive boa constrictor, squeezes the life out of the news industry that produces the very content it needs to steal and feed its AI.
The media is reacting by, among other things, placing more content behind paywalls, making it harder for AI to access it. And fans as well, unless they pony up. AI joins clickbait aggregators as a pressure that is choking the life out of the very business they rely on to produce storylines and data.
Original content producers need to be compensated by AI scrapers and their billion-dollar valuations in a manner commensurate with the income they previously generated, or the entire ecosystem will collapse. The public needs to avoid the allure of clickbait headlines ripped off from original content creators to ensure that original content continues to flow.
While I await my check from Google, OpenAI, Meta, and the rest (it's somehow not appearing in my mailbox), I'm going to try to attack the challenge by not only informing my readers about it, but in attempting to maintain the same positivity and good humor in a life-or-death business battle that Bernie employs in his health battle.
Thanks for all you've done, Bernie. For this City. And for me.
Have a good one! GO BROWNS!
Newswire Bloviation Archive
OBR STUFF
VIDEOS
YouTube Debut: Inside the Browns Beat - (youtube.com)
2026 NFL Draft Summer Scouting - Top 10 Quarterback Rankings - (youtube.com)
ARTICLES
Cleveland Browns Running Back Quinshon Judkins Gets Legal Update - Joe
Cleveland Browns Daily News Ticker 8/15 - Barry
Cleveland Browns News and Rumors 8/15: Taking Chances - Barry
Cleveland Browns Linebacker Trade & Free Agent Targets - Jack
FORUMS
LiveWire Thread for 815 - Twitter, Video, Articles
About the ODOT mess... (VIP
Latest Highlights from ATI (VIP
JudkinsAnd Bonds (VIP)
Bond Suspension? (VIP)
Isaiah Bond (VIP)
Shedeur game status (VIP)
Bond Practice Squad? (VIP)
Is the Transfer signing a contract anytime soon (VIP)
Judkins debut? (VIP)
DLOL video content coming? (VIP)
Judkins punishmentsuspension? (VIP)
Fred on WTAM previewing Eagles game
Watching Inside the Browns Beat
Newlywed Travis Hunter getting divorce? Plus advice from Prime
Preseason Week 2
Bernie Awaiting Liver Transplant
Re starting QB Saturday
Not Browns Related but OSU and the Michigan Scandal
Your Browns WR room after Bond signing
ESPN Roster and Positional Group Rankings for 2025
Browns Stadium hits snag with state air officials
Cleveland Browns Running Back Quinshon Judkins Gets Legal Update
THE LIFT
Positive news from the world of sports and beyond...
The newest way to help veterans? Bring in the 'wolfdogs' - (goodgoodgood.co)
Stroke of Luck as GoFundMe Raises $100k for Baby's Brain Surgery and Family Wins Appeal for Insurance to Cover - (goodnewsnetwork.org)
Chemical Process Produces Critical Battery Metals from This Unloved Mineral with No Waste - (goodnewsnetwork.org)
This baby star's big explosion fired back: 'Nature is far more complex than humans think' - (space.com)
Lots of good (or interesting) news to share today, but the one that made me the most inspired is the first one on this list, which unites hybrid "wolfdogs" with veterans dealing with PTSD, a condition that has impacted the life of close friends of this site and some participants in our forums. The notion of these two groups united, the wolf/dog hybrid who needs room to roam, and the veterans who have seen the worst of humanity, helping each other is inspiring.
WRAPPING UP
*When not trying to be a happy warrior, 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. *
CONTACT Barry to sponsor the OBR. We have plans for nearly any budget!
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