OPINION —
I DON’T PUT A whole lot of stock in preseason football results, so I’m going to take a somewhat conservative stance when I make the following prediction:
The Cleveland Browns will go undefeated this year and win the Super Bowl!
OK, just kidding. But after the Browns dismantled Green Bay the other night, there certainly is a bit of hope for long-suffering Cleveland fans.
While the only real important part of the preseason games is when the starters go against each other, Cleveland looked pretty good. Rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden showed marked improvement and Montario Hardesty ran pretty well.
And the defense did nice job shutting down a powerful offense led by Aaron Rodgers.
The Browns aren’t ready for a Super Bowl run just yet, but they should be competitive in a very tough division against the Ravens, Steelers and Bengals.
The Steelers are in action tonight against Indianapolis so I’m looking forward to seeing top draft pick Andrew Luck going against the Steelers. With a new offensive coordinator, the jury is still out on how Big Ben will adapt.
Unfortunately, Steelers offensive lineman Mike Adams, a Farrell native, is out for a couple of weeks with a knee injury and won’t play.
After tuning in on a few preseason games thus far, I’ll say one thing: Get those regular NFL refs back on the field.
With the real refs on the sidelines during the contract negotiations with the league, the substitute refs are filling in. The subs are doing a fair job, but a few bad calls and missed calls were pretty evident.
You can’t afford to have bad calls in regular season that might make the difference in a win or a loss. There’s too much at stake in a season of only 16 games. And even worse, they might get somebody hurt.
For example: In the Browns win over Green Bay a defensive players lowered his head and caught quarterback Weeden square in the chest with his helmet. That should have been a personal foul. Yet nothing was called. If players can get away with that kind of thing, they will be carting quarterbacks off the field.
Luckily, Weeden wasn’t hurt too badly, but it took a few plays for him to recover.
ä Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings had a hit song called “Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys.” Who knew they were talking about the football team?
With the increased studies on concussions suffered by football players, every mama should be very concerned about letting their kids play that sport. Repeated head injuries lead to early deaths and even depression and suicides amonst NFL players.
Obviously, the sport has great allure. But if you really want to help stop head blows, especially for the young, nobody should play tackle football before high school. Midget and middle school teams should play flag football only.
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Lynn Saternow is sports editor of The Herald Herald
SPORTVIEW: Browns looking better, but not Super just yet
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Hickory softball ousted by Warren; Reynolds, Sharpsville games postponed
Three District 10 semifinal playoff softball games were on the schedule Thursday, but only one was played due to the scattered storms that passed through western Pa.
Hickory suffered a 10-0, 6-inning loss to Warren in a D-10 Class AAA game at Allegheny College in Meadville. That game had a rain delay, but was able to be completed. The Reynolds vs. Saegertown game at Allegheny College and the Sharpsville vs. Iroquois game at Penn State-Behrend in Erie were postponed. -
Playoffs: GC, Hounds win; Reynolds, Sharpsville softball advance
The District 10 playoffs kicked off on Tuesday for 4 area baseball teams and 5 softball squads.
In Class A softball, Reynolds edged West Middlesex, 5-4, in an 8-inning thriller while Sharpsville ousted Rocky Grove, 5-0. In Class AA, Northwestern beat Wilmington, 9-5, and Harbor Creek defeated Mercer, 4-3. -
Hickory boys edge WM for D-10 Class AA Track team title
HARBORCREEK — Hickory High co-head coach Mark Slezak referenced the term “exponential” in explaining the four-fold heart-felt feeling of having a relay team qualify for the PIAA Championships.
That sentiment seemed to summarize Mercer County’s performance during Saturday’s annual District 10 Class AA Track & Field Championships. -
5 area teams qualify for D-10 baseball playoffs
Five area baseball teams have qualified for the District 10 playoffs — Grove City, Kennedy Catholic, Sharpsville, West Middlesex and Wilmington.
In the Class A semifinals, Kennedy Catholic faces Cochranton at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Northwestern High School. Rocky Grove faces Eisenhower in the other semifinal game. -
Hickory, WM boys to collide at D-10 AA Track & Field Championships
For the 2nd time this week, a District 10 track & field team title could be decided by a pair of Mercer County contingents.
Just as Hickory and Grove City girls contested the Class AAA crown Wednesday night, so, too, are the Hickory and West Middlesex boys anticipating vying for Saturday’s AA title. -
Roundup: Reynolds baseball tops GC; Sharpsville, Wilmington softball teams win
ä Reynolds 4, Grove City 1 — At Transfer, Neal Engstrom fired a complete-game 3-hitter with 8 strikeouts and 3 walks in lifting the Raiders (9-8) past the Eagles (14-6).
Ryan Grace was tagged with the loss for Grove City. He struck out 6 batters, issued no walks and gave up 7 hits in going the distance. -
GC girls 3-peat at District 10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships
HARBORCREEK— Some athletes seeded 1st in four events would feel pressure. For Grove City High senior Daniel Jaskowak, it’s an opportunity for name recognition.
“I kind’ve like it. It’s cool, because people know who you are,” related Jaskowak, who won 3 events during Wednesday’s District 10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships. -
Hickory, GC girls collide at D-10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships
If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Cliché though that is, it will be borne out today at the annual District 10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships.
Hickory High girls — the defending PIAA Class AA titlists — will test the best from the biggest. And the Lady Hornets hope to give as good as they get from the 6-county competition. -
Local tune up for districts at Mercer County Invite
There’s a difference between a warm-up and a warning.
If Saturday’s annual track & field invitational is any indication, Mercer County’s contingent issued a warning for the remainder of District 10: This could be a big year in area annals. -
Roundup: Grace, GC beat Sharon, 4-0, in 5 innings
With an impending storm blowing in above Johnny Pepe Field time was limited, so Ryan Grace greedily gobbled up putouts.
Grove City High’s Grace gave up only 3 base hits, and the visiting Eagles eased to an abbreviated 4-0, 5-inning win over Sharon Friday afternoon. - More Sports Headlines
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Hickory softball ousted by Warren; Reynolds, Sharpsville games postponed
