Which 2009 NFL franchise is shaping up as the worst? Oakland, Cleveland, or...

[Auggie]

For me it comes to down to Oakland or Cleveland. Jeff Garcia weighed in on the Oakland Raiders, reported 10-3-09 (from espn.com)

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Free agent Jeff Garcia felt the need to get away from the Oakland Raiders. After a short stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, it's more than apparent why.

I have no problem going into a situation and helping a young guy out and really trying to help the team out overall more so than anything," Garcia said Friday during an appearance on Fox Sports Radio, referring to Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell. "I just feel like it's an unfortunate situation when the entire work ethic and the entire goal of the team is really put upon one guy's shoulder."

Garcia, 39, who was cut last month by the Eagles only weeks after his release from the Raiders, with whom he signed in April, said despite Russell's talent, he "really isn't maybe ready for that situation or ready to take on that sort of responsibility. When you put him on the field in a one-on-one workout session he'll make every throw for you," Garcia said during the radio show. "But when it comes down to making things happen in the heat of the battle and rallying the troops around you and making a case for the team, that's where maybe things aren't where they need to be."

But Garcia said the scope of the Raiders' problems spans beyond the quarterback position. "It was to a point where I felt like guys who walked through those doors that just were there to collect a check and not really interested in putting everything that they had within themselves on to the football field," he said. "And that was the frustrating thing for me to see.

MORE: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4528142
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Add the banning incident of CBS commentator Rick Gannon from the locker room (since reversed), the still being investigated broken jaw assault by Tom Cable of an assistant, and a general partner/owner living 40 years in the past, you have a franchise that sounds like it's dangerously out-of-control.

Meanwhile, the Browns have scored one offensive touchdown since November 17th, 2008. This year they've looked lost playing both offense and defense. And Mangini may be losing control. From the A.P., 9-22-09

• Mangini had a squabble with Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers that was later attributed to a miscommunication. He also drew some negative press for making Cleveland's rookies take a 10-hour bus ride to attend his football camp in Connecticut.

• During training camp, where he blared music during practices to sharpen his team's focus and made players run laps when they made a mistake, it was learned that he had threatened to fine players for offenses like failing to park in their assigned spots and other conduct he felt was "detrimental" to the team.

• There was also his drawn-out quarterback competition between Quinn and Anderson, which concluded with Mangini keeping the winner a secret until an hour before kickoff of the season opener.

Last week, former NFL quarterback and CBS analyst Boomer Esiason criticized Mangini's secretive ways. "Eric Mangini can take the fun out of a 10-year-old's birthday party with Big Bird there," Esiason said. "That's how miserable this guy is becoming."

SOURCE: http://www.thenews-messenger.com/article/20090922/HSSPORTS/909220320/-1/newsfront2

From the Akron Beacon Journal:

(Defensive coach Rex) Ryan said he's spent the week looking to ''clean up'' the team's sloppy play on defense. ''Last week with three walk-in runs (I assume TDs), that's unacceptable,'' Ryan said. ''Those runs were the result of a lack of communication. "

SOURCE: http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/63337427.html
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Cleveland or Oakland? Tough call. I'll give the edge to Cleveland. Oakland has a victory.

Any other nominations?

[flvegan]

1. Tampa Bay.

Simply horrible. Absolutely horrible. They can play rotating quarterback all they want and they're still going to suck in stupendous fashion.

[Auggie]

2. What's the state of the front office and coaching staff?

IMO, there's losing and then there's losing control of the entire operation -- coaching staff, players, possibility, hope, etc.

[flvegan]

3. Brand new coach this year who I believe

used to be a defensive coordinator for a college team (Kansas, I think) and has been defensive coordinator back and forth for the Bucs. He's dreadful, totally clueless. He'd be great staying as defensive coord, but he can't coach the whole team and looks totally lost. Released most of our veterans before camp, dumped our star kicker during camp (Matt Bryant), fired (IIRC) our defensive coordinator a week before the first game.

Malcolm Glazer owns the team, but his three sons run the front office now. His three sons, I might add, wouldn't know a football if it hit them in the face. Malcolm seems to only care about his other team, Manchester United.

This will be an interesting next game, as our "star" quarterback has been benched and our second played *okay* for part of the game last week. Our future messiah QB "isn't ready" :eyes: and may never be.

[KamaAina]

4. Ahem.. Oakland has a win.

The Clowns and Yucs do not.

edit: they would have had TWO wins but for a dumbass call in their opener: literally, the receiver's ass was on the ground with possession. :grr: