DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns players turned away

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Cleveland Browns players are not allowed to work out at team facility, asked to be patient
By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer



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BEREA, Ohio -- The NFL lockout has been temporarily lifted, but Cleveland Browns players who showed up at the team's training facility here left disappointed.

Tight end Ben Watson, punter Reggie Hodges and wide receiver Josh Cribbs all arrived about 10 a.m., but departed after 45 minutes.

The players had hoped to be able to work out today, but were told they could not.

Senior Vice President Lew Merletti met the players and handed them a letter telling them they would not be allowed to work out today and asking for their patience while things are being worked out.

The Browns have not been reached for comment yet.

The players did not meet with the coaches or any other members of the Browns front office. They also did not receive playbooks.

They expressed disappointment as they left.

While inside, the players visited the locker room and the weight room, but both were deserted.

Watson had been the first player to arrive, just before 10 a.m. Hodges was riding with Watson.

Within about five minutes, Josh Cribbs also arrived.

"We're back, " Watson said to reporters when he arrived. "We're ready to go to work."

While Watson was talking, Browns President Mike Holmgren drove past on his way in.

Watson said then that he had talked with several teammates by telephone and thought as many as 10 players might try to make it to the facility today.

"Everybody's not here in Cleveland," Watson said. "Guys have kind of dispersed. I've been in and out (of town). I'm expecting anywhere from 10-12 guys. It kind of depends. Guys are all over the place."

Before entering the facility, Watson had also said the players expect to receive their off-season workout bonuses. "This is how we support our families.''

Linebacker Scott Fujita, speaking by phone from California before the players arrived in Berea, said he expected no confrontations.

"I expect things to be handled very civilly," Fujita said. "I don't see why we can't come in, meet the coaches, shake their hands and go to work."

Fujita said that he expects NFL business, such as trades and free agency, to resume soon. And he hoped the Browns would move quickly on those fronts.

"I would hope that we'd be one of those teams to make a quick splash right off the bat," he said. "I mean, we were 5-11 last year."

When asked if there was a state of chaos surrounding the end of the lockout, Fujita said no.

"It may appear that way, but I'm sure the NFL has a Plan B and a Plan C and will do it in an orderly fashion. They're very smart people."

"We've missed a lot of time," Watson said before he went in. "We'd like to work out. We know that legally we're in right standing to be able to come back, so today we just want to get back with the guys who are here, kind of reconvene and try to get working toward next season.

"We hope they will (meet with players)," he said. "we know the league has told them different things. And whatever the organization wants to do that's up to them, but from a players' standpoint, we started back and we're looking at it that way.

"If they give me (a playbook), I would gladly take one. It's been a long, whatever, 40 days and we're just happy to be working again. If they would like to give us a playbook, we'll all take one."

Plain Dealer reporter Mary Kay Cabot contributed to this report.

© 2011 cleveland.com. All rights reserved.

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Browns' Mike Holmgren says he's 'happy' about judge ordering end to lockout
By Chuck Yarborough, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer


Westlake, Ohio -- "I'm happy,'' said Browns President Mike Holmgren as he sped through the lobby of the LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility in Westlake Monday night.

Part of the reason was that Holmgren had just been received the inaugural Distinguished American Award from the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the National Football Foundation during the group's awards banquet.

But the real reason is that during the course of the festivities, the federal judge in Minnesota ordered the injunction behind the NFL lockout lifted. Though NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tweeted that the league had no plans to start the league year until having an opportunity to seek a stay, Holmgren said he was ready to get back to work.

Asked if the Browns facilities in Berea would be open Tuesday, the coach quickly said, "We're always open." But he couldn't say whether any players would be at work.

The lifting of the lockout added a second element to what was already expected to be an evening more newsworthy than the typical rubber chicken sports banquet. And not the least of which was the filet mignon (cooked to medium rare perfection) supplanting the chicken.

Ohio State Jim Tressel showed up as scheduled to present the award named for his father, Lee Tressel, even though the NCAA earlier Monday leveled charges of rules violations that could cost the Buckeyes coach his job. One report noted that 13 coaches in various sports have been accused of 10.1 violations, of the same severity as those facing Tressel for withholding information that essentially led to allowing athletes who would be ineligible to play in games last season.

"This is one of those special banquets you wouldn't miss for anything,'' Tressel told the packed ballroom of high school and college athletes and their families, friends and coaches.

Not even the threat of further NCAA sanctions, apparently.

Tressel, looking grim in a tailored suit, didn't speak to reporters, and indeed slipped out a side door during the speeches, thus avoiding the phalanx of reporters that followed him wherever he moved. However, he did spend several private moments with Holmgren in a lobby outside the banquet hall before the festivities began, and he spoke animatedly with Holmgren and Boardman native (and longtime friend) Bernie Kosar, who received the Dino Lucarelli Lifetime Achievement Award, on the dais.

The award bearing Lee Tressel's name normally is given to the college coach of the year. This year, it went to an entire football, the Miami Redhawks, who finished their season undefeated, and with a national championship.

Don Treadwell, the Redhawks head coach, was a wide receiver there under Tressel, who was quarterbacks and receivers coach at the school. At the time, though, the now bald-pated Treadwell sported a trendy Afro. Pointing that out was Tressel's sole attempt at humor on the evening.

"There's something sacred about the cradle of coaches,'' Tressel said, apparently fighting emotions that had to be running high on the heels of the day's events.

Funny guy: Mike Holmgren had the line of the night. One of the postgraduate scholarship winners was Andrew Ford, a College of Wooster defensive back who is pursuing a doctorate in chemistry. Holmgren's line: "I heard someone here was getting a PhD in chemistry. I went to USC. I don't even know if they offered that course.''

Inspiration Award winner: Matt Galland, one of 20 graduating high school seniors honored at the banquet, launched an organization called Rush for a Cause that's aimed at helping athletes who suffer catastrophic injuries. It was inspired by the travails endured by Kory Wiita, a Medina Highland player who was paralyzed in the final game of the 2009 season. Galland received the Inspiration Award for his efforts, and used his time at the lectern to call on Tressel to take the push to the collegiate level and Holmgren to do the same nationally. Tressel left without responding but Holmgren told Galland, "I'm here to tell you, Matt, that the Cleveland Browns are the first team on your Christmas list.''

Bernie on Colt: Bernie Kosar, noting that quarterbacks and offensive coordinators "are the victims and beneficiaries'' of the guys around you, said he expects the Browns' draft to bolster the weapons in quarterback Colt McCoy's arsenal. He also said that the biggest leap in a quarterback's career comes between the rookie and sophomore season. He knows the team, he knows the huddle, he knows what's expected of him, he knows the offense. Well, because of the lockout, McCoy may not know the offense as well as he'd like, but Kosar said he did expect that having Pat Shurmur as his coach, and running a West Coast style offense will help the young quarterback.


© 2011 cleveland.com. All rights reserved.

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It's lifting of the lockout has been appealed.

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Not allowing the players to work out is likely a liability issue. Guy comes in and srops a weight on his foot or blows out a knee or something. Holmgren likely has no say in that, it could be mandated league-wide. I would be surprised if any team is allowing workouts on site right now.

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I don't think it's up to Holmgren. Pretty sure the owners are going to be lock-step in anything they do.

Could be that he's happy the lockout was ended because he knows it will force real negotiations to begin again soon?

anyway, nothing matters until they decide on a new deal, which likely won't be until August/Sept.

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MINNEAPOLIS -- One day after a federal judge ended a 45-day lockout, small groups of players showed up at team facilities Tuesday -- let inside but told they would not be allowed to work out. Most left in a matter of minutes on a strange day with more questions than answers and the judge said she will take at least another day to consider whether she should put her order on hold.

The league issued a statement that called for players to be "treated with courtesy and respect" if they show up. But the NFL said it needs "a few days to sort this out" before "football activities" can take place.

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big meanie doody-heads

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Oh man,, for whatever reason, that had me laughing out loud...LOL

Anyway, The rethinking thing was only as it relates to if other teams let them work out. But a story on NFL.com is saying all teams are basically allowing guys to come in the building, treating them respectfully but not letting anyone work out yet.

So it's really no biggie.

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Just saw on ESPN that Pittsburgh is letting players in.......

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Stiller players had to get in to get their steroids.

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Just saw on ESPN that Pittsburgh is letting players in.......

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Stiller players had to get in to get their steroids.

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Steelers safety Ryan Clark arrived at his team's facilities Tuesday morning only to find the doors locked, which he found "hilarious," he said during an appearance on "ESPN First Take."

He said he had a talk with coach Mike Tomlin once he was in the building, but the conversation wasn't about football. He also was not allowed to work out.

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I'm tellin' ya' right now...

The players are getting PO'd off this stuff...

They're gonna start makin' some noise...Aimed at the Players Assoc...

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Someone is always going to get PO'd at everything

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You think theyd let em in to play pinball or fooseball or something!

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Then there is this:

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Browns' Mike Holmgren says he's 'happy' about judge ordering end to lockout
By Chuck Yarborough, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer


Westlake, Ohio -- "I'm happy,'' said Browns President Mike Holmgren as he sped through the lobby of the LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility in Westlake Monday night.

Part of the reason was that Holmgren had just been received the inaugural Distinguished American Award from the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the National Football Foundation during the group's awards banquet.

But the real reason is that during the course of the festivities, the federal judge in Minnesota ordered the injunction behind the NFL lockout lifted. Though NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tweeted that the league had no plans to start the league year until having an opportunity to seek a stay, Holmgren said he was ready to get back to work.

Asked if the Browns facilities in Berea would be open Tuesday, the coach quickly said, "We're always open." But he couldn't say whether any players would be at work.

The lifting of the lockout added a second element to what was already expected to be an evening more newsworthy than the typical rubber chicken sports banquet. And not the least of which was the filet mignon (cooked to medium rare perfection) supplanting the chicken.

Ohio State Jim Tressel showed up as scheduled to present the award named for his father, Lee Tressel, even though the NCAA earlier Monday leveled charges of rules violations that could cost the Buckeyes coach his job. One report noted that 13 coaches in various sports have been accused of 10.1 violations, of the same severity as those facing Tressel for withholding information that essentially led to allowing athletes who would be ineligible to play in games last season.

"This is one of those special banquets you wouldn't miss for anything,'' Tressel told the packed ballroom of high school and college athletes and their families, friends and coaches.

Not even the threat of further NCAA sanctions, apparently.

Tressel, looking grim in a tailored suit, didn't speak to reporters, and indeed slipped out a side door during the speeches, thus avoiding the phalanx of reporters that followed him wherever he moved. However, he did spend several private moments with Holmgren in a lobby outside the banquet hall before the festivities began, and he spoke animatedly with Holmgren and Boardman native (and longtime friend) Bernie Kosar, who received the Dino Lucarelli Lifetime Achievement Award, on the dais.

The award bearing Lee Tressel's name normally is given to the college coach of the year. This year, it went to an entire football, the Miami Redhawks, who finished their season undefeated, and with a national championship.

Don Treadwell, the Redhawks head coach, was a wide receiver there under Tressel, who was quarterbacks and receivers coach at the school. At the time, though, the now bald-pated Treadwell sported a trendy Afro. Pointing that out was Tressel's sole attempt at humor on the evening.

"There's something sacred about the cradle of coaches,'' Tressel said, apparently fighting emotions that had to be running high on the heels of the day's events.

Funny guy: Mike Holmgren had the line of the night. One of the postgraduate scholarship winners was Andrew Ford, a College of Wooster defensive back who is pursuing a doctorate in chemistry. Holmgren's line: "I heard someone here was getting a PhD in chemistry. I went to USC. I don't even know if they offered that course.''

Inspiration Award winner: Matt Galland, one of 20 graduating high school seniors honored at the banquet, launched an organization called Rush for a Cause that's aimed at helping athletes who suffer catastrophic injuries. It was inspired by the travails endured by Kory Wiita, a Medina Highland player who was paralyzed in the final game of the 2009 season. Galland received the Inspiration Award for his efforts, and used his time at the lectern to call on Tressel to take the push to the collegiate level and Holmgren to do the same nationally. Tressel left without responding but Holmgren told Galland, "I'm here to tell you, Matt, that the Cleveland Browns are the first team on your Christmas list.''

Bernie on Colt: Bernie Kosar, noting that quarterbacks and offensive coordinators "are the victims and beneficiaries'' of the guys around you, said he expects the Browns' draft to bolster the weapons in quarterback Colt McCoy's arsenal. He also said that the biggest leap in a quarterback's career comes between the rookie and sophomore season. He knows the team, he knows the huddle, he knows what's expected of him, he knows the offense. Well, because of the lockout, McCoy may not know the offense as well as he'd like, but Kosar said he did expect that having Pat Shurmur as his coach, and running a West Coast style offense will help the young quarterback.


© 2011 cleveland.com. All rights reserved.

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So Holmgren is happy about the lockout being lifted but still, they don't allow the players in to work out?

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NFL teams are turning players away from team facilities this morning. But they won’t do that tomorrow, barring an appeals court giving the league an immediate stay of Judge Susan Nelson’s order ending the lockout.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said on today’s PFT Live that, unless something happens with the appeals court this afternoon, players should be allowed into team facilities tomorrow.

“We — just moments ago — notified our clubs that we think it’s appropriate under the circumstances to take additional steps in response to the injunction,” Aiello said. “So the facilities will open tomorrow at 8 a.m. Eastern time. In the meantime, clubs are free immediately to start contacting players and let them know when the facilities will be open for use.”

Aiello said players can also go to team headquarters for medical exams and meetings with coaches, and that all 32 clubs can start setting up schedules for organized team activities.

That doesn’t mean, however, that the league year has begun: Transactions like trades and free agent signings can’t start just yet.

“Judge Nelson said it was up to us to determine how to proceed, and we think in light of the fact that the first round of the draft is tonight, clubs are fully focused on that,” Aiello said. “The best way to proceed is for the veterans to start working out at facilities tomorrow, and then we’ll set up the process of starting the league year, which would include player trades and player signings. . . . No player transactions until we start the league year.”

So there will be no trades of players under contract today, although it’s at least theoretically possible that the league year could start tomorrow and players under contract could be traded tomorrow and the next day, during Rounds 2-7 of the draft.

Of course, all of this is moot if the appeals court ruling goes the way the NFL is hoping.

“If they issue that stay, these arrangements would change, obviously,” Aiello said.

So stay tuned.

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