After Browns Trade, Faine Gets a Fresh Start

TallySaint · 09-08-2006, 09:23 AM

From The Cleveland Plains-Dealer....

After Browns trade, Saints center gets fresh start

Friday, September 08, 2006
Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter

It seems that everything runs through center for the Browns this year.

Center LeCharles Bentley was their prize free-agent signing and resulted in a trade of center Jeff Faine to New Orleans.

Now as the Browns prepare to open their season against the Saints, Faine is being hailed as the leader of a rebuilt offensive line in New Orleans and the Browns are scrambling to fill his shoes. Unbelievable.

Coach Romeo Crennel still won't say whether the starting center for Sunday's game will be Lennie Friedman or Hank Fraley - Nos. 5 and 6, respectively, who have held the position since Bentley suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon.

Faine must be loving the irony. He did not foresee losing his job here and wanted no part of a backup role once Bentley was signed.

"I expect to see a fired-up player who is going to play his best because he did when he was here," Crennel said. "He always gave a good effort and played the entire game most of the time. He's a smart guy, and that's what I expect to see."

Faine has declined to give interviews to Cleveland media this week. In New Orleans, he told reporters that coach Sean Payton's training camp was "a wake-up" because previous Browns camps were "laid back."

"I think it's kind of like being a rookie again," Faine said of his new environment. "It's a fresh start. I was excited about it. It was well documented that I wanted out of Cleveland, and I was excited to get a new start, get into a new system, new team, new coaches, new city."

Payton, a first-year head coach, said of Faine: "He's done a good job. He's provided the leadership we were looking for. He's sharp and he's learned the system."

Faine vs. Ted Washington on Sunday should be an interesting matchup.

Story continues...
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/plai...l=2&thispage=2

TallySaint · 09-08-2006, 09:51 AM

Comments from Browns fans....

"I have to say, though, that until Bush shows me anything (besides one big run against a somewhat undisciplined-looking Titans defense) I will continue to be much more concerned with Deuce McAllister than Reggie Bush. If anything, we're lucky to catch Deuce while he's still a bit rusty from his injury."

"We'll get 'em. The Saints are in much more disarray than we are right now. The one thing, like everyone else, I am worried about is the O Line."

"I think it goes both ways. We're lucky to get them early before their oline gets together and before Reggie gets used to the pro level (we hope), and theyre lucky in the sense that our offense could end up being pretty explosive."

"I'd rather have our OL go against a lesser D like the Saints than go against a D like Chicago for the first game. The mistakes made by the OL won't be as detrimental."

"Control the line. By controlling the line, i mostly mean the Saints' D Ends. Will Smith and the other guy are very good, and most of the pressure on Charlie Frye this preseason has come off the edge. If we can keep the DEnds off of Charlie, we'll be ok. "

"IMHO, the biggest problem with Reggie is when he splits out as a WR. Who covers him? I really can't see Ralph Brown doing it, or Stewart, or McGinest successfully. The bottom line is neither of those guys have the speed to. It'll be interesting to see who does pick him up. Possibly Wimbley? or Thompson? Honestly, i'm not sure myself."

"the key to the game is stoppin mcalister. if we stop him we stop the run ur butt over style football that he can do, and we can focus more on the finess things like passes and that panzee reggie. let willie, andra, kamerion rock him with a good shot and then we gonna see him shaking his head sayin I hate cleveland!"

"After listening to the official site's press conferences with New Orleans coach Sean Payton and new quarterback, Drew Brees, I'm beginning to think we got a break in scheduling by "catching" them early.

Payton, especially, pointed out two key things:

1) A number of the Saints offensive linemen are either playing their present position with the club for the first time or are playing with their unit cohorts for the first time (including former Brown Jeff Faine). That is, their offensive line is likely just to get better as the year goes on and they get experience with each other and with their new place on the line. Presumably, they will play less well early, in particular, this Sunday.

2) Along the same lines, Reggie Bush will probably get fewer touches this Sunday simply because he has not learned much of the Saints offense to date. Payton said Bush would be used more as the year goes along and he becomes more familiar with the system. So, again, we're fortunate to be facing Bush when we'll see less of him than Saint opponents in November and December (assuming he stays healthy). Even though this didn't come up in the "pressers," the same might hold true for Brees, who will, as well, be starting his first game for his team.

Just as Miami is catching a break in getting the Steelers without Roethlisberger today, we're getting a break in facing an opposing offensive line that is new to each other and "the" star player of the Saints before he gets into high gear.

I hope the Browns can take sufficient advantage of our early meeting with New Orleans. Of course, to balance that off somewhat, practically our entire cornerbacking corps is injured. It's always something. "

"Well, I say they are lucky to catch us early"

8)

TallySaint · 09-08-2006, 09:55 AM

Dang. That was supposed to be a seperate topic. I'm 'puter stoopid.

biloxi-indian · 09-08-2006, 10:33 AM

I bet you won't see this posted on the Browns site! LOLOLOLOLOL

"I think the Browns are going to be in the running for the Brady Quinn sweepstakes after this season," Boomer Esiason said Thursday during a CBS NFL conference call. "That's all I've got to say about the Browns this year." Quinn, the star quarterback at Notre Dame, might be the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. The NFL's worst team is awarded the No. 1 pick. So, no, Esiason's pithy comment on the 2006 Browns wasn't a compliment.

http://www.benmaller.com/

gandhi1007 · 09-08-2006, 11:06 AM

One thing they forgot to mention about Reggie is that he'll be returning punts. It's hard to box a guy like Reggie Bush in, when he's in the open field to begin with. We're going to when this one, boys!!!!

gale44hawkins · 09-08-2006, 11:15 AM

Great move from Payton and staff aquirring Faine. Move down a few spots and pick up a Solid Starter. Hope to see more great moves like this ,during draft day, in the future.

LKelley67 · 09-08-2006, 11:28 AM

welcome aboard g44h

xan · 09-08-2006, 11:30 AM

I really don't think our defense is all that bad. It has made improvements and upgrades at just about every position that was weak last season and it is, for the first time in a while, pretty healthy. I would be very worried if I were Frye. He's going to get a pretty consistent turf massage if he holds on to the ball.

Faine will wind up being huge, and he's got a lot of motivation/reconnaisance being that he practiced across from their D all last year. The o-line may surprise this game.

09-08-2006, 09:23 AM	#1
TallySaint 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,367	After Browns Trade, Faine Gets a Fresh Start From The Cleveland Plains-Dealer.... After Browns trade, Saints center gets fresh start Friday, September 08, 2006 Tony Grossi Plain Dealer Reporter It seems that everything runs through center for the Browns this year. Center LeCharles Bentley was their prize free-agent signing and resulted in a trade of center Jeff Faine to New Orleans. Now as the Browns prepare to open their season against the Saints, Faine is being hailed as the leader of a rebuilt offensive line in New Orleans and the Browns are scrambling to fill his shoes. Unbelievable. Coach Romeo Crennel still won't say whether the starting center for Sunday's game will be Lennie Friedman or Hank Fraley - Nos. 5 and 6, respectively, who have held the position since Bentley suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon. Faine must be loving the irony. He did not foresee losing his job here and wanted no part of a backup role once Bentley was signed. "I expect to see a fired-up player who is going to play his best because he did when he was here," Crennel said. "He always gave a good effort and played the entire game most of the time. He's a smart guy, and that's what I expect to see." Faine has declined to give interviews to Cleveland media this week. In New Orleans, he told reporters that coach Sean Payton's training camp was "a wake-up" because previous Browns camps were "laid back." "I think it's kind of like being a rookie again," Faine said of his new environment. "It's a fresh start. I was excited about it. It was well documented that I wanted out of Cleveland, and I was excited to get a new start, get into a new system, new team, new coaches, new city." Payton, a first-year head coach, said of Faine: "He's done a good job. He's provided the leadership we were looking for. He's sharp and he's learned the system." Faine vs. Ted Washington on Sunday should be an interesting matchup. Story continues... http://www.cleveland.com/browns/plai...l=2&thispage=2
	My Guardian Angel wears a hard hat.

09-08-2006, 09:51 AM	#2
TallySaint 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,367	Browns Talk.... Comments from Browns fans.... "I have to say, though, that until Bush shows me anything (besides one big run against a somewhat undisciplined-looking Titans defense) I will continue to be much more concerned with Deuce McAllister than Reggie Bush. If anything, we're lucky to catch Deuce while he's still a bit rusty from his injury." "We'll get 'em. The Saints are in much more disarray than we are right now. The one thing, like everyone else, I am worried about is the O Line." "I think it goes both ways. We're lucky to get them early before their oline gets together and before Reggie gets used to the pro level (we hope), and theyre lucky in the sense that our offense could end up being pretty explosive." "I'd rather have our OL go against a lesser D like the Saints than go against a D like Chicago for the first game. The mistakes made by the OL won't be as detrimental." "Control the line. By controlling the line, i mostly mean the Saints' D Ends. Will Smith and the other guy are very good, and most of the pressure on Charlie Frye this preseason has come off the edge. If we can keep the DEnds off of Charlie, we'll be ok. " "IMHO, the biggest problem with Reggie is when he splits out as a WR. Who covers him? I really can't see Ralph Brown doing it, or Stewart, or McGinest successfully. The bottom line is neither of those guys have the speed to. It'll be interesting to see who does pick him up. Possibly Wimbley? or Thompson? Honestly, i'm not sure myself." "the key to the game is stoppin mcalister. if we stop him we stop the run ur butt over style football that he can do, and we can focus more on the finess things like passes and that panzee reggie. let willie, andra, kamerion rock him with a good shot and then we gonna see him shaking his head sayin I hate cleveland!" "After listening to the official site's press conferences with New Orleans coach Sean Payton and new quarterback, Drew Brees, I'm beginning to think we got a break in scheduling by "catching" them early. Payton, especially, pointed out two key things: 1) A number of the Saints offensive linemen are either playing their present position with the club for the first time or are playing with their unit cohorts for the first time (including former Brown Jeff Faine). That is, their offensive line is likely just to get better as the year goes on and they get experience with each other and with their new place on the line. Presumably, they will play less well early, in particular, this Sunday. 2) Along the same lines, Reggie Bush will probably get fewer touches this Sunday simply because he has not learned much of the Saints offense to date. Payton said Bush would be used more as the year goes along and he becomes more familiar with the system. So, again, we're fortunate to be facing Bush when we'll see less of him than Saint opponents in November and December (assuming he stays healthy). Even though this didn't come up in the "pressers," the same might hold true for Brees, who will, as well, be starting his first game for his team. Just as Miami is catching a break in getting the Steelers without Roethlisberger today, we're getting a break in facing an opposing offensive line that is new to each other and "the" star player of the Saints before he gets into high gear. I hope the Browns can take sufficient advantage of our early meeting with New Orleans. Of course, to balance that off somewhat, practically our entire cornerbacking corps is injured. It's always something. " "Well, I say they are lucky to catch us early" 8)
	My Guardian Angel wears a hard hat.

09-08-2006, 10:33 AM	#4
biloxi-indian Site Donor Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Southlake, TX Posts: 1,706	I bet you won't see this posted on the Browns site! LOLOLOLOLOL "I think the Browns are going to be in the running for the Brady Quinn sweepstakes after this season," Boomer Esiason said Thursday during a CBS NFL conference call. "That's all I've got to say about the Browns this year." Quinn, the star quarterback at Notre Dame, might be the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. The NFL's worst team is awarded the No. 1 pick. So, no, Esiason's pithy comment on the 2006 Browns wasn't a compliment. http://www.benmaller.com/
	Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over, over, and over again...and expecting a different outcome!

09-08-2006, 11:15 AM	#6
gale44hawkins Rookie Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 12	Great move from Payton and staff aquirring Faine. Move down a few spots and pick up a Solid Starter. Hope to see more great moves like this ,during draft day, in the future.
gale44hawkins Rookie Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 12

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09-08-2006, 09:55 AM	#3
TallySaint 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,367	Dang. That was supposed to be a seperate topic. I'm 'puter stoopid.

09-08-2006, 11:06 AM	#5
gandhi1007 Part Time Pimp Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,967	One thing they forgot to mention about Reggie is that he'll be returning punts. It's hard to box a guy like Reggie Bush in, when he's in the open field to begin with. We're going to when this one, boys!!!!

09-08-2006, 11:28 AM	#7
LKelley67 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: baton rouge Posts: 2,540	welcome aboard g44h

09-08-2006, 11:30 AM	#8
xan Professor Crab and Site Donor 2014 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Princeton Posts: 3,371 Blog Entries: 34	I really don't think our defense is all that bad. It has made improvements and upgrades at just about every position that was weak last season and it is, for the first time in a while, pretty healthy. I would be very worried if I were Frye. He's going to get a pretty consistent turf massage if he holds on to the ball. Faine will wind up being huge, and he's got a lot of motivation/reconnaisance being that he practiced across from their D all last year. The o-line may surprise this game.