Bentley's Knee Explodes

Day two of training camp...

First practice in pads...

A city (Cleveland) and organization (Browns) seemingly cursed...

What did you expect would happen to the team's most expensive free-agent acquisition?

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Browns center LeCharles Bentley has torn the patellar tendon in his left knee and will miss the entire 2006 season.

The team's biggest free agent signing and only "Pro Bowl" player sidelined for the season on the first play of contact drills.

TIME OUT!

Before I entrap myself into regurgitating the rantings that you're undoubtedly hearing everywhere else, I'm going to stop myself.

I'll leave all the whining and crying to the sports talk show hosts.

I'll leave all the speculation about a curse or jinx to the columnists.

I'm here to tell you to step back from the ledge.

Don't go head first off the Valley View bridge just yet.

While losing Bentley is definitely a significant loss for the Browns, it isn't the end of the world.

More than anything, the loss of Bentley is a hit to the unbridled optimism and sense of euphoria that has surrounded Phil Savage's off-season acquisitions and the upcoming 2006 Browns season.

The transition began when the last of the Browns' popular whipping boys, team president John Collins and quarterback Trent Dilfer, exited the organization. Collins resigned following his power struggle with Phil Savage in January while Dilfer was traded to the 49ers after failing to come to grips with his role on the team.

After this "organizational cleansing," the orange and brown faithful slowly began reverting to the never-ending homerism that surrounded the Browns teams led by Bernie Kosar.

Add the word "starting" before hometown boy Charlie Frye's position of "quarterback" and the fans began to experience goosebumps.

Following the signings of "hometown boys" Bentley, Dave Zastudil, Bob Hallen and Joe Jurevicius the train had left the station...

Dawgs from all over couldn't prevent themselves from thinking the same thing:

"After three years without football and seven years of football hell, the Browns are BACK!"

Yeah, ok.

The orange and brown faithful need to learn to keep their heads. The 2006 Browns weren't awarded an automatic playoff spot because they made a couple solid off-season acquisitions. At the same time, the season isn't over simply due to the loss of LeCharles.

Had the Browns simply not signed Bentley, I strongly doubt this season would've been doomed from the start.

As poor as Jeff Faine performed at times, Reuben Droughns still managed to run for over 1,000 yards behind him last season.

I fail to understand how Bentley was going to assist in preventing the Steelers from scoring 41 points.

Not to diminish the value LeCharles Bentley would've brought to the 2006 Browns...

But the biggest hit today was to the psyche of a fanbase that has been battered and bruised for the last decade, not to the product that will take the field at Cleveland Browns Stadium in September.

Phil Savage said it best when he took the reigns of the organization in January of 2005.

"We need to get rid of the 'woe is me' and 'run-for-the-hills' attitude."

That doesn't change now.