State of Cleveland Sports: Bleak

Missouri has two winless NFL teams, but an undefeated college team. Ohio has two winless NFL teams and a once-defeated college team that appears primed for at least one more defeat this season. Also, Jesus lived in Missouri or something once so Ohio clinches the nod as "Worst Football State- 2008"

With all due respect to the badness of the Cincinnati Bengals and relative disappointment of tOSU thus far, Cleveland is far and away the capital of suck.

Standing at 0-3 this morning, after a disasterous second half collapse led to a 28-10 loss to division rival Baltimore, the Browns have questions at nearly every position, especially quarterback. Derek Anderson, whose weaknesses as a passer were exposed in the final three games last season and whose lack of mobility has never been in question, again turned the ball over with the aplomb of Jokey Smurf giving wrapped packages to his mushroommates. Unfortunately for Cleveland fans, Anderson's gifts always implode on himself.

The very stark reality is that this week's game at Cincinnati is the Browns' last reasonable expectation of victory until a Novebmer 2 home game against Balitmore. With a loss this Sunday against a Bengals team that, despite a loss, looked much more competitive yesterday on the road against the defending Super Bowl Champion Giants, the Browns will likely be 0-7 when the Ravens come to town, following games against the afore mentioned Giants and at the Redskins and Jaguars. A second loss to Baltimore could drop them to 0-8 going into games primtime television games against Denver and at Buffalo (0-10). There only reasonable chances to expect victory after that are home games against Houston and Cincinnati, as they play at Tennessee, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh down the stretch and at home versus Indianapolis.

4-12 is probably the best case scenario for the Browns right now, unless things really turn around quickly. I'll tell you what though, if they continue to lose defensive players to injury, and if Derek Anderson remains the starting quarterback and underachiever that he's been thus far, and if Romeo Crennel continues with his business-as-usual approach to a season that's already off the tracks and keeps up his horrific game management, 0-16 is in play this year for a team whose fans began the season with chants of, "Super Bowl," on the first day of training camp.

Speaking of unfulfilled expectations, all this comes on the same day that the Indians open play above .500 for the first time since May 17. In what is as much Cleveland tradition as refrains of wait 'til next year, a strong finish by the Tribe gives us all that false sense of optimism for the ever elusive next year. And of couse, we'll be waiting for it.

When do the Cavs play?

-The Godfather