Against the Clippers tonight. And how does one spell “schnide”? There’s a strange definition of it here, although it doesn’t seem to be the same schnide as the sports schnide. Whatever schnide the Cavs are on, they need to get the hell off of it. They’re going to the west coast for three games starting Friday, you do NOT want to be on a 3-game losing streak going west.

Mark Shapiro is already laying the groundwork for another Tribe off-season of low rent free-agent signings.

Shapiro was keeping his plans quiet, but he left no doubt about what the signings of B.J. Ryan and Billy Wagner did to the closer’s market. “It elevates it,” said Shapiro. “It’s hard to be poetic about it. Anytime the market escalates, it makes it harder for us to do business.”

Why does this surprise anyone in Tribe management? What the hell is so surprising about the “market escalating”? Doesn’t it escalate every single year? How is this “poetic”?

You know what’s poetic? I’ll tell you what’s poetic. We are also now talking about Nomar Garciaparra, who 2 years ago would have been a blockbuster addition to the Tribe, but now just seems like another budget rack blue light special. Pure poetry. Ryan didn’t get signed, Howry is gone, it’s starting to feel like Millwood’s gonna be gone, and who knows what the hell is gonna happen with Elarton and Bob Wickman.

Roger Brown hits this nail on the head.

More than one insider suggests Browns head coach Romeo Crennel could send a real message to the team – and especially eye-rolling, grumbling receivers Braylon Edwards and Dennis Northcutt – by giving more playing time to Frisman Jackson. The veteran works hard and doesn’t complain – and actually might drop fewer passes than either Edwards or Northcutt.

Not a bad idea at all, except that you might then see Braylon run outside to a bank of microphones complaining even louder.

He made the ballot.

Belle led the AL in RBI three times and finished a .295 batting average, 381 homers and 1,239 RBI. Clark had a .303 career average, 284 homers and 1,205 RBI.

Does that get him in? Even if the numbers are good enough, he was mean to reporters. Reporters remember when people are mean to them. They’re funny that way. You could be Ray Lewis and beat a murder rap and get hailed as a second coming, but you look at a reporter the wrong way one time, forget about the HOF.

Apparently the Browns are underachieving.

Edwards said it would be different if the Browns were a bad team. “But that’s not the case. We’re a good team although our record doesn’t show it and our play doesn’t show it,” he said.

Really? I hadn’t noticed.

It’s a bit like paying attention to who was sneezing during politburo meetings, isn’t it?

Crennel said he went with a gut feeling when he removed Frye. “The week before, I gave him another series after the interception,” said Crennel. “This week, he didn’t get another series.” Crennel said he considered a number of factors, including the score. Against the Dolphins, the Browns were up, 22-0, when Frye threw his pick, which came off a bobbled Edwards pass. Sunday, the Browns were trailing, 24-6, after Minnesota converted the interception and the Vikings’ defense, which dominated the line all day, had their ears pinned back.

Who’s planning the funeral? Who’s in charge of the seating arrangements at state dinners?

Buckeyes stay at #6. Can they resist an OSU-Notre Dame matchup?

Gotta agree with Bud Shaw.

But now the amnesia was working on Carthon, who did not call for Droughns to run the ball but put the rookie in an empty backfield on his first play from scrimmage. Frye and Edwards had a miscommunication. Sharper caught that pass, too. What Crennel is doing with his quarterbacks is mystifying. He said he was looking to get Frye a series against the Vikings. But then when the competitive part of the game was over, with 3:06 remaining and trailing by 18, Dilfer limped out to the huddle again.

Yes. Mystifying. That play where Frye threw the pick easily could have ended with a broken Charlie Frye, he got hit so hard. I never understand why this team gives up on the run so quickly. Droughns was just ripping off chunks, almost at will. This whole “gut feeling” QB rotation is starting to look bizarre. I originally thought it was a good idea, but if its implementation continues to look as odd as this, my gut’s gonna need some medication.

Maybe he should call Drew Rosenhaus.

He expressed frustration after being left out of a red-zone package in the third quarter and then miscommunicated with Charlie Frye on Frye’s fourth-quarter interception.

So Braylon is responsible for both of Charlie Frye’s picks.

FINAL – Vikings 24, Browns 12. TIM’s TAKE? An ugly game. Looked like the Browns of the last 5 years. Browns commit 5 turnovers, tipped balls, fumbles off of sacks. Charlie Frye comes in for one play, throws a pick. What a disastrous game. Meanwhile, the big question…How hurt is Dilfer? He was able to play out the game and throw a TD in garbage time. Browns defense looked totally fooled on every play, at times making Brad Johnson look like Joe Montana. Terrible game. Browns sit at 4-7, and have a very hard schedule ahead. Click on the comments for the full, depressing liveblog.