I mean are these the best 4 words ever oyt together?  Once you click on this, you will don exactly what we did.  You will put these on this Sundays Browns game food list, or on your Superbowl food list. We did both.

These are just ridiculous!!

Garlic Butter Steak Bites!

  The Browns had the weekend off after a big win against the AFC Champs, the Bengals.  It was a very good win, one where RB Nick Chubb played a very big part in.  He seems to play a big part in all Browns games till the coach forgets he's on the team and we start chucking the ball all over the yard like we are running off the Thanksgiving turkey with uncle Mike in the backyard.  But last week, they stuck with their best player and many good things happened.  Did they learn the lesson we all have known as fans since Stefanski got here?  We will find out Sunday in Miami.

But let's look out a much larger window. The NFL is a passing league, at least that's what they all say.  No one cares about running the ball anymore or running backs for that matter.  And yes, the NFL passes a lot for many reasons. It's more exciting, it's faster, we're more impatient as people and as fans, it's better on TV, and better for highlight shows on ESPN.   The league also wants it that way, as they continue to make rule changes making it easier to pass and favor the QB and the offense.

QB's become legends, and zillionairs, and running the ball is so  -  1975.  This goes back to the AFL before the merger.  The AFL  (Now known as the AFC) was actually invented as a wide open passing league that was essentially a made for television league, and was to compete -  and pass the boring run, run, pass NFL which was slow and not at all TV friendly. The AFL had a newer idea and it worked.  They eventually merged into one league of course, and over the decades the NFL has "become" the AFL, we just call it the NFL. 

But no matter who you are in this league there comes a time when you have to run the ball to be successful. When you can, you control the clock, you keep great QB's on the bench, you wear teams down, you shorten the game, and frustrate your opposition.  If you want to win a title, there will come a big game, or a time in a big game you need to run the ball well to win.  The real irony is, if you can run the ball well in any game, you'll be able to pass it at will as it opens everything up -  that's football 101.

Analytics has taken over the NFL.  Stefanski is among many young coaches that I feel is almost "embarrassed" to run the ball, and he's not near alone. Analytics "hates" the run, and running on first down too.  Numbers are great tools, but not the rules.  The teams that use them to dictate in game decisions are crazy I feel.  If the Browns would have stuck to simple good common sense football knowledge and instinct, this season would be very different right now. Stefanski used the running game a ton last week and it worked and they won.  If he's anywhere near smart, that's the formula going forward with this team. If not, it will be his demise, after the demise of this season.  Keeping the next three opposing QB's on the bench watching Chubb run would be a great plan.

So, who needs Nick Chubb?  Every team needs Nick Chubb, he is the best running back in the NFL and we have him. There is not one single team in either conference that wouldn't love to have him.  He would make any team instantly better, and good teams contenders, and we need to remember he is on our team, and is the absolute key to this season and any season he wears a Browns uniform.  Make no mistake, you are watching Jim Brown here. Times are different, era's are different, and he's different from Brown.  But some things are the same, and Chubb is as valuable to this team as Brown was to his.

The mold has been cast.  But if the Browns, the computer and Stefanski choose to put the game in the hands of a backup QB, third string tight-ends, and the geeks in the Berea office crunching numbers, last Monday will be just a fun memory.  It isn't often you have the best player at his position in the entire league on your team.  Quit being jealous of Mahomes, Rogers, and Herbert, we have Nick Chubb, and all three guys I just mentioned would love to have him.

GO BROWNS!!

Box Office Results - Black Adam - (28 Million)

New This Week - Armageddon Time

New NEXT Week - Black Panther Wakanda Forever

You – Can now stream all Hallmark movies on Peacock service - if you are a subscriber  (Story) 

Christmas Story - Trailer released - It's the 1970's Releases November 17  (HBO Max)

Avatar - The Way Of Water (new trailer) is out this week  (December Release)

WOW - The actual, original, for real E.T. model could be yours, if you have $2-3M  (Story) 

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane   (link)   Shania!~

  We've been waiting for these Browns to show up, they did and got a big win on national TV Monday night.  Beating the Bengals is always a good thing, division game, instate rival and a game you had to have for countless reasons 32-13.

So as nice as this is, I ask, where has THIS team been all year?  Isn't it funny when you finally get it through your head what you do very well -  is actually called for executed - you do well. The Browns left little doubt on that night, they wanted it more and outplayed Cincy in every aspect of the game.  Being honest, there was a lot on the line for many.  A big blowout loss at home on national TV against the Bengals featuring more boned-headed game management may have been too much for the equally bone-headed brass to handle.  There may have been some changes.

But, that has been delayed for a few more weeks it seems.  The Browns now enjoy a week off before entering a brutal stretch of games that includes the Bills, Dolphins, Bucs and 4 of the next five games on the road as they have already played 5 home games of their first eight going 2-3 which is unacceptable as well.   We will learn a lot about the Browns during this stretch.  The biggest thing we will learn is  - did  THEY learn anything from the good fortune of Monday night?  Does Stefanski have the self discipline to stick to what we do well?  Has he finally learned that he doesn't have Pat Mahomes at QB?  Has he learned that not being his own worst enemy is a good thing?  Did someone after 3 seasons finally introduce him to Nick Chubb and the amazing offensive line?  Seems so!

Many times pride and arrogance finally, and gladly take a back seat when you feel that your job and those around you may be on the line, and that's exactly what happened Monday night.   The possibility of a humiliating home loss for the country to see may have provided some much needed football common sense, and the long overdue shutting down of the many times ridiculous analytics computer.   Now we can get back to two weeks of double talk saying nothing at press conferences while we prepare for a trip to Miami.  Well, as easy as it is to poke fun, you have to hand it to them in a big way Monday night as they easily played their best game of the year soundly and beat the AFC Champs leaving no doubt.

Sadly, unless something drastic happens, it's just a win and nothing more as the Browns have dug a very deep hole by blowing games, and losing other very winnable games early this season.  The schedule is tough ahead and that's going to be hard to negotiate, but it never hurts to try to win the division as that is the only real way the Browns can back into the playoffs.  They are 2-1 in the division now, with three division games to go, Cincy (there) Baltimore (here) and Pittsburgh (there). But hey, that's why you play the games.

For me, the next two games will decide if they are going to make a fight of this or not.  Beat Miami and Buffalo on the road?  Tough. If you do you are 5-5 and very confident.  If you lose both, you are 3-7 and spring training for the new QB begins.  Split it and you're still in rough shape.  You see, it's tough when you have to win three straight games in the NFL, to get back to simply being mediocre, but that's what the Browns did collectively.

Enjoy the week off and GO BROWNS!

It's November and now I think we can officially call it Comfort Food Season!  After all Thanksgiving is this month, and there is nothing food wise that's more comforting than that.  But until then, how about some baked Ziti?

OMG this looks amazing, I can't wait for Football Sunday Afternoon!

YUMMM - Baked Ziti!

With today being Halloween, things can be pretty scary or course. But most of what we see in the movies and TV isn't real, and most of us would make different decisions than the bozos in those shows.  But sometimes truth is far scarier and certainly more real.

At the South Pole there is a town that in order to live there, you have to have your appendix  taken out.  The nearest hospital is 625 miles away.   This article is very cool (no pun intended) to learn about a life so incredibly different than any of us can imagine.  I know it all sounds like some kind of bad Final Destination type of movie, but it's the truth!~

Take Out Your Appendix To Live Here - Tough Town!

Box Office Results - Black Adam -  (67 million)   Largest opening for a "Rock" movie ever

Ticket To Paradise -  (16.7 million)  Did far better than predicted   (Story) 

New This Week - Till / Prey For The Devil

New November 11 - Black Panther:Wakanda Forever

Netflix - Has stated they will end password sharing in 2023  (Story) 

Henry Cavill - Returning as Superman  (Story)

More - Ant Man and the Wasp - Trailer out this week!

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane   (link)   (Diamond Rio)

Marcy asked if I could feature her favorite, Diamond Rio and the answers is yes!  They were already on the future schedule.  DR was on the charts for a good long while with a very interesting back story.  And after all the success, they always seemed to do it the hard way.  But they did it, sold a bunch of albums and made some history along the way. They were exceptionally popular during their run and their fan base loved them.

Debut Songs Get No Bigger Than This!

Their story goes back to the early 1980's when they were formed at Opryland USA Park and known as Grizzly River Boys, then the Tennessee River Boys.  The original three included Ty Herndon who you may remember went on a solo career and had a few hits in the mid 1990's. The group went through a whole bunch of personnel changes over a number of years, but in 1989 the group settled on 6 permanent members and the name was changed to Diamond Rio, with Marty Roe as their lead vocalist, which was a great move.  They also considered Kilroy and T-Town Mavericks as their new name, but chose DR just like the heavy semi tractor truck maker.

More Early Success

When DR hit the charts in 1991 with their self titled first album, the single, Meet In The Middle was a gigantic hit, as it went number one, and they became the first group to ever have a debut single go number one in country music history.  They would go on to chart great songs over the next 15 years or so, and have huge success, but they will always be known for that incredible feel good anthem that seemingly everyone loved and still does.  Country songs don't get much more popular than that song.

Always Loved This Song

They went on and charted a ton of hits over the years and pretty much every album was certified platinum or gold.  They were a staple on the charts and radio.  They had a new, fresh and young look that was basically mandatory then as country was discovering a younger and energized fan base as never before.  Younger fans loved them for every reason there was.  They had a new sound, traditionally based with a thump, and really slick harmonies.  They were very accoustic for the time, and I think that served them very well. They stood out.

This Song Was Huge #1 - Makes You Happy

Meet In The Middle was one of those songs we could have played every 15 minutes and no one would have minded. It was one of those rare songs that made everyone happy and took us all back to a simpler time, and it was arranged wonderfully.  The singles that followed, many of them had the same feel to a degree, and fans loved them for that.  Then they kind of hit the mid season rough spot. From about 1993 to 1995 they were still there, but the chart success was not as strong.  I was concerned at the time they may have lost the edge to a degree. 

Great Little Song #2

But when the IV album came out, they shoved it back into high gear.  A slew of big songs came off that album and the albums that followed, along with a greatest hits package.  What is interesting about this is, many times once the slip begins for an artist or in this case a band, it can be tough to turn it back around. But they did it, and then some -  enjoying some of their biggest success later on.  Going against the grain and doing it the hard way.

This #1 Spoke To A Whole Lot Of People

They were also groundbreaking in the fact that when recording albums, they insisted on doing all their own playing, which is rare in Nashville. There are studio musicians that play for  - and on most artists albums, but Diamond Rio played their own.  Clint Black's band did the same thing if I remember correctly, and I respect that.  DR has sensational harmonies and are gifted players, so why not?  Again, against the grain, but it worked wonderfully.  I think it's one of the reasons they sounded different, which was smart at the time with a TON of bands out there.

Beautiful Mess - #1

Diamond Rio charted songs till about 2003 or so, and scored a bunch of big hits, including 5 number ones and many top tens.  They were Grammy and Country award winners a few times and were nominated every year for pretty much all of the 1990's.  They were loved, in an era where there were many very popular country bands going, they cut through and were a big part of country's big decade of the 1990's.

One thing is for sure, you certainly knew when a Diamond Rio song was on the radio. They had a sound, a style and great success!~

I love stuff like this, especially this time of the year. The Beautiful Windy makes things like this all the time in the fall and winter, and this just looks great. We each like soups, and this seems like a big win with the weekend a few days away!

Mexican Street Corn Soup!

The Browns dropped another game, now 4 in a row for a record of 2-5.  But you know that. 


Now the season is in real jeopardy of being a flop far worse than we could have imagined 3 months ago.  But this loss to the Ravens was not one of epic mistakes, insanely bad game management, thinking field goals are stupid, or horrible in game 4th down decisions.  This loss was simply a team that is what they are - not very good for many reasons.

At the top of the list is a head coach that only knows one way to win a game, and that is a huge issue. His QB is average at best, (not his fault) and actually overall playing fairly well, but that won't get it done on Sundays in the NFL.  Stefanski continues to think he has Pat Mahomes at QB, and puts the game on his backup QB's shoulders, and that is a critical and fatal error.  The Browns have a GREAT running attack that he abandons week after week and it has us all perplexed.  The two touchdown drives the Browns had Sunday, were both anchored by the running game. The rest - well, were not.

Nick Chubb is what the entire offense runs through. When we/he can run the ball well, we can do many more good things.  Problem is, he's on the bench at critical times in the game and that's perplexing too.  As hard as this will be to hear, at 2-5, the time has come to trade Kareem Hunt.  You can't re-sign him for next year, and the trading deadline is coming.  It also forces Stefanski to put Chubb on the field more. And it woud be good for Kareem and his own career, who Stefanski has never figured out how to use well.  Trading Hunt now helps us recoup some draft capital since we traded almost all meaningful draft picks for the next few years for Watson.   It has ZERO to do with Hunts ability and talent.

Overall, the Browns played a pretty fair game Sunday taking into account who they are.  THIS is who they are. They have been exposed as inept on the sidelines with their mediocre front office and coaching staff, including the head coach, who would be better simply as a good offensive coordinator.   The talent on defense is way overrated, far too small, weak, and constructed improperly and the league knows it.  The defense puts zero fear into other teams, as there are no game changers there, and can be shoved around almost at will thanks to film from Atlanta, LA, and New England. The special teams are anything but special, and the offense has played well when the head coach decides to get the ball to his play makers, and have his best players on the field when it matters.

The season is on the verge of becoming embarrassing on many levels. Cincy in town this week, then a bye.  Then in Miami, at Buffalo, then the Bucs at home. Could get uglier than we ever really thought

Time for a pride check. They are who they are, but do they have the heart to overcome that?

GO BROWNS!