The Cleveland Curse Continues
The Curse of the Bambino was limited strictly to the Red Sox. Boston fans had years and years of Celtics glory during the ‘curse’. I think even the Bruins won a cup or two in the early 70s.
The Cleveland Curse is more like a spreading plague. The Indians, the Cavs, and my beloved Browns. No titles of any sort since 1964. The Browns have had to suffer through the Drive, the Fumble, the Abandonment and flight to Baltimore, and the Return which has produced a pretty disgusting brand of football since 1999. One Pro Bowl player in that time, OLB Jamir Miller, who subsequently tore his Achilles the next preseason and had to retire.
Today the tradition continued. LeCharles Bentley, one of the biggest acquisitions in the off season by any team was carted off the field this morning on the FIRST play of full contact drills of training camp. Here’s the AP blurb:
Pro Bowl center LeCharles Bentley sustained an injury to his left knee during the Browns’ first 11-on-11 drill of training camp on Thursday.
Bentley got tangled in a pile of players as he was blocking on a running play for Reuben Droughns.
Bentley screamed, “No,” before remaining on his knees as the Browns moved their scrimmage up the field so trainers could attend to the 6-foot-2, 309-pound player.
He stayed on the ground in a seated position for several minutes before Cleveland’s medical staff immobilized his left knee and carted him to the locker room.
Bentley covered his face with a towel on the short drive to the field house as Browns players and fans looked on in shock.
The extent of Bentley’s injury is not yet known.
Well that sure sounds encouraging, doesn’t it?
Pittsburgh’s QB does a swan dive from a motorcycle without a helmet, loses some teeth and then says he almost died…but will not miss a beat in terms of playing time, and the Browns All Pro center goes down on the first play without being touched and is carted off the field with what sounds like a serious knee injury. I swear I think Cleveland was founded on some Indian burial ground or something.
July 27th, 2006 at 10:58 am
Bill
Manchester City FC do not, as yet, boast any non-football twinnings (they are twinned with a variety of other lovable-loser type soccer teams, such as Torino AS and 1860 Munchen), but you are making a strong case for a Cleveland hook-up…the fan demographic seems similar as well (’will turn up in droves to watch any old sh*te, win or lose’).
Strong connection through the mystical powers as well - MCFC’s old stadium was rumoured to be cursed by gypsies while it was being built.
It was certainly cursed long and hard by those who paid good money to see what was presented as acceptable soccer over the course of its 80 year history.
Speaking as an armchair Bengal, however, I can only say ’shame’.
July 27th, 2006 at 11:14 am
Initial reports (rumors, really) is that it’s an injury to the Patella Tendon. If it’s torn, he’s IR bound.
July 27th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
It’s simple. Ben R is just tougher than the Brownies who have been injured.
Seriously, I wish Bentley well and hope it’s nothing serious. Good player and you really hate to see this happen to anyone. Even if he does play for the “rival” to my Steelers.
July 27th, 2006 at 7:44 pm
Yep…looks like a tear..they dont know if its partial or not, though..
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2531239
Sorry, man..youd like to say “everything happens for a reason”, but i dont know how…
July 27th, 2006 at 9:28 pm
Yep. Pretty fuckin’ amazing. The Northern Illinois game cannot get here fast enough.