We all love French Onion Soup, but who makes it?  I have at home and I love it. But I will admit, it has been a while!

But let's all try this one, because it looks delicious!

FRENCH ONION SOUP AT HOME

With no Browns game over the weekend we can now look forward to Sunday, and thanks to our new pals the Steelers and the Chargers, this game means something.  Even with the help, this game is the entire season right here.

Some would say that the Browns have to win out, or 4 of 5 to get in the playoffs. In the long run, that may be true. But the way I see it, they must win A game - this one. This has been a problem with this team all year. Worrying about the season, or who we are playing in the Superbowl, what seed we will be and not being ready for the next game.  If they can beat the Ravens at home Sunday, then the season is still viable. So Sunday, is all that matters.

Can we please stop with all the local and national media asking about if Baker Mayfield is healthy or not? Of course he's not.  Where have you been? He's not going to "get better" this season. He'll need shoulder surgery, and time off to heal up at seasons end. And enough with his contract stuff too. It will or will not work itself out. Let's worry about how we get this done this Sunday. That's all that matters right now.

I think this game is resting squarely on the shoulders of Kevin Stefanski.  Right now, the Browns are rested from the bye.  The defense has played quite well the past month or so.  And the performance last week in Baltimore lead me to believe they can play with the Ravens. I hope Stefanski watched the Steelers/Ravens game Sunday. The Steelers played the Ravens like the professional team they are, and got it done.  They stuck to the running game, remembered their identity and had faith they were going to be successful being who and what they are. And in the second half, they were and won a big game saving their season. Love them or hate them, they are a great franchise, and have played Steeler football just like that for 50 years.

And just last night, the Patriots won the Monday Night Game by throwing 3 passes all night!  The conditions were very bad and Bill Belichick was not going to ask a young QB to do things he was incapable of doing.  So they ran the ball for 230 yards on the night.  BTW - they are 9-4 and #1 seed in the AFC. And who are their running backs?  Yeah, me either....

This game is completely in the hands of Stefanski.  I feel the players will execute to the best of their ability what they will be asked to do, and they can hang with the favored Ravens.  But does Stefanski want to win this important game, or does he want to be "right" or "the cerebral guy?"  Will he kick field goals if they are there?  Will he stop the beyond ill-advised "trick" plays at important moments?  Will he have his team focused not have a bunch of needless penalties?  Will he properly manage timeouts and the clock? And most of all, will he let Chubb, Hunt, his tight ends and the O line decide this game?  Because if he asks a physically compromised Baker to throw the ball all day long, and abandons the running game identity again, the season will be over Sunday at 4PM.  In short, will he understand how important this game really is?

So in the end the simple question is this.  Do you want your team, fans and your players to be victorious?  Or do you want to show us all, how you say we could, or should be victorious?  Maybe we have we stockpiled enough senseless, silly losses already to do things differently this week. The Ravens are going to be who they are, maybe we should too. Let's lace 'em up, pull the chin straps tight and let's see who wins.

This game is in his hands.

GO BROWNS!

$42, 186  (So Far - Thank YOU!)

A GREAT day for NEOPAT and All of us!!!

Box Office Results - Encanto (40 Million)   (Gucci 3^rd)

New This Week - Wimpy Kid (Disney Plus) National Champions

National Champions

Next Week - West Side Story / Being The Ricardos / Nightmare Alley

New Spiderman – Expected to bring in $135 to $185 million in North America during its opening weekend. (December 17)

Yes - There will be a Magic Mike Three   (Story)

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

The Browns have a big task ahead of them. They must win at least 4 of 5 to finish the season to possibly make the playoffs.  I know, we all know how to fix the Browns, reading social media you understand that. We all are frustrated that this season has come to this. Do I have the total fix?  No, but I have a starting point. I also know what is true historically and what I see presently.  I am not really an X and O guy, I feel that solutions to most problems in sports and life are far deeper than that.  Tend to the roots, things tend to grow.

The game has changed over the decades for sure, but a few things have not.  In my view the best thing an NFL head coach can ever give his team is to be a leader and motivator of men.  Head coaches have all kinds of people around them to run this and that in many different areas.  Head coaches motivate, make final decisions, game decisions, roster moves,and keep players on edge, focused, and confident all at the same time, it's an art.  In MOST cases not all, they don't spend the game calling offensive plays. Some do, most don't, although it is a growing trend.

The Browns offense right now is a mess. Some of it is injuries, some is it's a year after a great year that we snuck up on people, and some is just ineptness and ridiculous play calling.  Game management is poor too right now. Penalties, mistakes, blowing timeouts, too many or not enough men on the field, the list goes on and on. I would love to see it all get better.  Maybe it's time to have fresh eyes on the offense, and head coaching eyes on the entire football team.  Because, what's happening right now is not working at all. And those who can't see that, are not really paying any attention at all or too much attention to themselves.  Again, the roots, not the leaves.

When I watch the Browns right now I see two teams, and I want to see one. I want to see one singular, united team that is 14,000 pounds of muscle with a one track mind.  A GREAT head coach can do that, a GREAT head coach DOES do that. True, we have the Coach Of The Year and he is a very good coach, but your role evolves as a head coach and now it's time to be the head coach of the entire team and not just the offense.  There's people for that.

It's time to lead all men, not just the 11 on one side of the ball. It's time to hold players and coaches accountable, and it's time to get to know all players and see what you can get out of them that they didn't know was even in themselves.  I know, Andy Reid has won a Superbowl calling his own plays (took 30 years and Patrick Mahomes), Sean Peyton won one too (had HOF QB Drew Breese for 15 years).  And quite frankly, I don't have that kind of time, and neither should you.  The list of coaches who don't or didn't who won championships is far, far longer and far better. 

Let a new mind and fresh eyes call the plays.  You -  then manage the players, the game, the clock, your assistants, get this thing back on the rails.  In short, it's time to be the head coach - not just a coach.

GO BROWNS!!

Tina asked if we could look back to her fav, Lee Ann Womack.  I feel Lee Ann Womack is one of the most angelic country voices we've had in the last 30 years.  She had a good, but short run of really great songs with some nice success. I very proudly played all her country hits on great radio stations across the country.

Her First Hit Song - Great Debut

From Texas, LAW entered the charts at a very competitive time in country music, 1997.  She was a throwback who seemed to be right on time, and she and her music were so amazingly real.  Like many others from that incredible decade, she poses an interesting question. In another era, would things have been different for them?  We will never officially know, but I always felt with her it was a little easier to speculate.  She was, and is a very good traditional country singer, and I always felt her sound and style was timeless.  (More on that point later). 

I Loved This Song - Did Well For Her

I fell in love with her singing right from the get go with her first single and album.  The self-titled album, and the first single, Never Again, Again was a fantastic song, sung incredibly, arranged magnificently, and perfectly written.  It didn't perform on the charts like you would have wanted, but the next few singles did, The Fool and You've Got To Talk To Me were both top five songs.  She had some big names associated with her, like songs from Ricky Skaggs, and Mark Chesnutt, and Jason Sellers who was a great musician and songwriter she married.  

The Fool - Helped Her Break Through

The next album, Some Things I Know was a big success as well with hit songs, and great sales.  Her debut album sold a million and this one went gold with successful singles and a ton of airplay. With her amazing voice, talent and terrific image it would have appeared she was in store for a long run of big songs.  She was winning awards from many organizations including the ACM, CMA, AMA, and industry magazines and groups.  This was 1998 and 1999, and really big things were happening for her, and about to really happen for her.

Loved This Song - Top 5 Hit

2000, the I Hope You Dance album came out and things were shoved into a higher gear. The song, you know and love was about as big of a hit as you can have.  It won every award it could win, and was a true smash as it sold millions, 3 times platinum.  I loved the next single too, Ashes By Now, and there were two more singles making the album a prolific success.  The lead single was a pop smash too, and topped the AC charts, nad is a song that will be played and loved forever.  It also led to a sudden career stall.  That song, and this album was the best  -  and worst thing to happen to her in the long run - in country.

Buckaroo - A Real Listener Fav

The next album in 2002 attempted to cash in on the new crossover success, Something Worth Leaving Behind. It was leaning far more pop than the style of country she was known for, and the move was on to make her a country and pop sensation, that was a trend then.  I remember I winced when I saw the album and listened to it the first time. The project overall was not who she was at her core as an artist, I knew it, and fans knew it.  As far as critical reception was concerned, it was legit to a very few, and trashed by most others.  It was a flop in every regard. From my seat, it was an error that has been made too many times. Faith Hill had the same problem with country fans over the Cry album about the same time. Faith rebounded later with a strong country return with Fireflies in 2005. Country fans don't want to feel like they are not good enough anymore, they feel abandoned after supporting you.  And you can't use Country as a musical safety net because fans see right through that.

Songs Get No Bigger Than This One

I think in LAW's case, country fans absolutley loved WHO she was musically and her image, and this new album was not that in their view.  Also in fairness, sometimes HUGE hits and albums like I Hope You Dance are really tough to follow up as the bar is now very, very high.  It was the perfect storm for a disaster.  Many people, including me, always felt that was a key to the 30 plus year run of fellow Texan George Strait. He never had that HUGE, HUGE album he had to follow up. They were all just really good  -   and true to himself.

The Follow Up To A Smash  - Written By Rodney Crowell

It seems that LAW would also rebound in 2005 as Faith did in 2005 as There's More Where That Came From was released and it was a strict return to traditional country. It won awards, was critically acclaimed, and was just darn good.  It was on vinyl and CD and the entire project had a strong throwback vibe. It was a big success by any measure.  But the truth was, that her big time charting days in country were behind her. That has no bearing on her talent.  She just never really never recovered and reclaimed her place on our charts.  It may have been country itself changing directions, or a whole lot of competition.  Or maybe the swerve towards real pop for a time was too damaging - that never really seems to go over well in our format, unless it is a clean break and you move on Ala Taylor Swift.

Great Song - Fantastic Album

But LAW is a talent for sure. She still sings, and I'd still love to hear her sing. She has had success in the Americana format, and is widely respected as one of the great singers we've had in many years.  She's easy to listen to, and easy to like.  She has sold 7 million albums, is a 17 time major award winner and been nominated for about 50 more. I was a big fan during her country run and so were a whole lot of others.

A Great Country Song

She also is a great example of a very hard truth about the music biz in general. Here is LAW, loaded with talent, an incredible voice, a terrific image, beautiful, with a strong record deal making really good music. Seems like the perfect mix. But the truth is, not everyone gets a 10, 20 or 30 year run in country or any format. True, it does happen, but it's more rare than real.  Sometimes decisions and circumstances just happen.  I'm glad we had her for the time we did. She was a lot of great things about country when it was tough to break through - and she did.

Bravo, Lee Ann Womack.  Bravo!

The Browns are in deep trouble. Frankly, the ridiculous loss Sunday night is another example of games that not only should have been won, but in many phases were won, only not to be. 

The Browns defense played an historic game on the road against a very good team on national TV and against the games most electrifying QB.  We only allowed 16 points, had 4 interceptions and many defenders had very good nights against an incredible player.  And yet, we lose a big game we needed to win and it's tough to take. The Browns have returned to new and exciting ways to lose games.

Can't score, can't win, plain and simple.  First, my heart broke for Jack Conklin seeing him try to walk off the field proudly after a knee injury.  Baker Mayfield is gaming out there in pain, hurt, and is less than he usually is. Jarvis Landry is clearly hot healthy as well, and all of that is alright, it's football.  Good to see Kareem Hunt back, too bad no one really told the coaches he was, seven carries, Nick Chubb 8 carries, it baffles the mind. And a QB that has a ton of injuries was asked to pass about 40 times while the two best players essentially watched.

And here we go again, more beer league ball at a very important moment and it blew up big. Browns down 6-0 and we hit a long play and are down about the 30 of the Ravens. THEN, a razzle dazzle thing deal where they snap the ball to WR Jarvis Landry, and he's supposed to throw it I think back to Mayfield, but it goes wrong and then he runs, and jukes and fumbles and we lose the ball I think on first down.  Absolutely embarrassing, ludicrous and amateurish at that moment of that game. 

Think about it for one minute. Important moment. So we snap the ball to a wounded receiver who really can't run well right now, who then is supposed to throw it back to a very injured QB who really can't run right now, and what is he supposed to do with it? We will never know. All being done against a really good defense in a big game on the road. We turn it over, it's a terrible decision.  And Chubb and Hunt watched it all, and I am positive internally shook their heads.

It was a big moment and we blew it  - again. And I am SURE the Ravens coaches in the Press Box had a very big laugh over that moment.  They should send thank you cards, because that moment could possibly have swung the game for the moment our way with just a tiny bit of common sense.  And how is it that it takes us 5 minutes, a TV time out, one of our own timeouts, a penalty and we still can't get the right amount of players on the field to receive a punt?  That we didn't get.  Just shameful.  Keystone Cops again. These issues are NOT the players faults, I think they played really hard  - yet again.

Please remind the people in charge we have the two best running backs in the league. Please remind them that THEY decided to make a commitment two years ago to run first, pass second. Please remind them this is the NUMBER ONE rushing team in the NFL.  Please remind them this team has an identity, that they built!  They are more concerned about racking up stats, than wins, and it's a shame.  Sometimes you must go directly through a great opponent and not over the top of them.  As a coach, you must find a way to reach your players deep within to "out physical" the enemy. That's what Chubb and Hunt are for, along with the best offensive line in the NFL.  And can we please make the field goals we are supposed to make? That is what playoff teams do!

But fairly, put this in the same column as the Chiefs and Chargers, of games the Browns should have won and didn't. Again on the road, and that to me shows real player heart.  The offense was terrible, but the defense was more than incredible, game balls all the way around to them.  To play that well, on that field, against that team, in our division, and that QB?  You've GOT to win that game. But when you steal your own identity, you won't, and don't.

Because no other team is going into that stadium this year and do what your defense just did, you must find a way to win that game.

GO BROWNS!

OK, so we ate ourselves into a food coma this weekend and their may be some leftovers lurking around at your house. So, how long can you hag on to these without the worry of growing gills or getting sick?

Let's See Here!

Box Office Results - Ghostbusters   -  44 million

New This Week - Gucci (Wednesday) / Encanto / Resident Evil 

 Encanto (Disney)

Bond – No Time To Die is now the biggest grossing movie of the year passing F9  (Rent now too)

Netflix – Is making a 10 episode comedy that will be set inside the last Blockbuster store  (Store)

Hallmark Movies - Full Holiday Movie Schedule (Link)

HBO Max - Has announced its most magical “retrospective special” yet: Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts. (Story) 

New Jerry Garcia – Movie will star Jonah Hill as Garcia  (Story) 

Mel Gibson - Is in talks to direct the upcoming Lethal Weapon 5.  (Story)

BTW – West Side Story comes out December 10

Sunday nights game in Baltimore is more than likely the season for our beloved Browns. That sadly is a hard cold reality of this season.  With that said the media, local and national, want to talk about is how mad Baker Mayfield is this week.  If I was him, I'd be mad too.  BUT I would be mad for very different reasons than he seems to be. You don't pick verbal fights with fans, and he's dead wrong for that and for the lack of sportsmanship post game. Both were exceedingly childish and not professional.

I have a very different take than many on this whole deal.  TRUE  - he played very poorly Sunday, but we did win. And clearly he is physically hurt, but he still plays with passion, albeit not great right now.  But there is a line of thinking he has not done his job this season.  The Browns are 6-5 right now, and that's not where we thought we would be.  But let's just be VERY honest here, and let's get this right, for right sake.

In the Chiefs game week 1, if our punter simply catches a perfect snap in the fourth quarter when it matters - we win that game, plain and simple. How absolutely basic is that?  Mayfield's offense scored 29 points against the 2-time AFC Champs on the road.  That would make us 7-4 now and it was right there to take, you saw it.  That loss had ZERO to do with Baker.  The Chargers game, on the coast, we scored a Baker led 42 POINTS in California.  For some reason our defense gives up 26 points in the 4th quarter, and we get beat inexcusably.  That loss had ZERO to do with Baker.  It had to do with some players, and coaches having their heads all the way up their own behinds.  That would make us 8-3 right now and we would all be giddy and thinking a deep playoff run. These games were there for the taking, both on the road against good teams.

Even getting drilled by the Cardinals (who were unbeaten then), then laying that terrible egg against the Steelers, and the total spanking by the Patriots we would still be atop the AFC. The way I see it, and actually the way it is, Baker Mayfield has done his job.  It hasn't been beautiful, but it's been good enough, even being hurt since week two trying to make a tackle after his own interception.  But I can't fault him for trying to make a tackle when it mattered. Might be nice if we had more of that out there.  Then the whole OBJ disaster?  So the media keeps asking, "Why is he playing? He's hurt."   - He's playing because he's the starting QB of this team, and its possible future for years to come. 

The Browns are at the place where they have to pony up some big bucks to keep him with a new contract, or not, which is fair, and this is his litmus test. He's hurt, we are up against it, and they are giving him every single chance to make this season a success.  I would want to know exactly what I had too before I thought about possibly paying a guy 35-40 million per year for multiple years.  And it starts in Baltimore Sunday.  

If Baker somehow gets his Browns into the playoffs with a great stretch run, the Browns may have found their long term guy.  You're not going to find that out playing Case Kenum who will not be here next year.  No offense to Case, this is not his team, it's Bakers. If and when Baker can't go anymore, then it's Kenum's team for a few weeks and the Browns can start making Florida and Arizona tee times.  The lessons of Kelly Holcomb and Johnny Manziel reminds us that when the most popular guy on the team for any moment is the backup QB, you have a BIG, BIG problem.  I don't want that again.

Booing Mayfield I feel is uneducated, and Sunday, I don't think they were booing him. I think they were booing out of frustration with play calling, mistakes, penalties, and the overall struggling on both sides of the ball with the winless Lions. I feel at the professional level it was justified, and I think it was a wake up call to Stefanski, as fans finally spoke up and demanded smart, efficient football at crunch time.  And that's how the game ended, and it's about time.

I am not a gigantic Mayfield fan, but I know what is fair, what I see, and what is true. He's hurt and not his best by any means right now, but he's not why we are 6-5.  In my view, he has done his job to the tune of 8-3.  This team, has consistently been let down by bozoic defensive non-plays, penalties, errors and schemes, plus Junior High School mistakes by members of this team that have nothing to do with Baker Mayfield.

Can this be done on the road Sunday? Probably not.  But it's Bakers chance to do what he has done his entire football life, prove others wrong. And after weeks of team errors, bad officiating, Covid, injuries, and at times even his own coach letting this team down with silly play calling and decision making, I feel he deserves this chance. 

After all, this year Baker is  8-3.

GO BROWNS!!