Don't worry, the next update will discuss in depth the remaining picks. And with 18 picks (including six in the third round) the Browns are going to get some gems...even though nearly half of their picks will end up being busts.
THE DAWG POUND DYNASTY: AN ALTERNATE HISTORY OF THE NFL
- Thread starter Pellegrino
- Start date
Don't worry, the next update will discuss in depth the remaining picks. And with 18 picks (including six in the third round) the Browns are going to get some gems...even though nearly half of their picks will end up being busts.
I'm a Chargers fan, and I expect San Diego to be stuck with Ryan Leaf before being able to get LaDanian Tomlinson.
To be honest, in the short term the Steelers will be the big loser in a Cleveland dominated AFC Central. Both the Ravens and Titans were very strong in 1999-2000, so look for the Steelers to struggle in the short term. But by the middle of the decade, expect for the Steelers to bounce back as the Titans start to fall off
LOL, you must be hating the Couch pick!
But in all seriousness, I always felt Couch could have been a solid NFL QB had he been picked by another team. I really feel Couch and Joey Harrington were two NFL busts who would have done well had then ended up somewhere else. Now we can see Couch doesn't emerge as a star (Gruden called him a bad pick) but expect him to be a lot better in this TL than in OTL. A solid pro, but clearly not the next Elway. Still, he won't be on top of anyone's list of worst NFL draft picks of all time like OTL
How would these Browns be able to stop Ray Lewis?
What would butterfly the barrage of beer bottles vs. Jacksonville?
Who would the Browns have to part with in the 2002 expansion draft?
A TL where the Browns replace the Dallas Cowboys (or more recently the Patriots) as the NFL team everyone loves to hate?
This is gonna be gooooooooood...
This is gonna be gooooooooood...
One of the reasons I picked the Browns is because I'm a Lions fan, and that would allow me to remain somewhat detached. I do like the Browns, but my heart is always with the Lions and if I wrote Lions dynasty TL it would just feel like a fan wishing on the computer. Here I can set up the picks in a way that makes sense (Tyrone Wheatley, a bust in 1998, emerged as a star running back for the Raiders in 1999 OTL, here we have his ex-college coach as head coach of the Browns, which makes his emergence a lot more realistic).
Besides, after Zhirinovsky's Russian Empire I wanted to do a timeline that didn't have any death and torture. There is no way I can write an AH about the Lions without having Matt Millen get killed by an exploding piano full of scorpions.
A TL where the Browns replace the Dallas Cowboys (or more recently the Patriots) as the NFL team everyone loves to hate?
This is gonna be gooooooooood...
Nice GIF!
I wanna see the Browns haunt Belichick at some point.
Well, remember, Baltimore wasn't dominate in 1999 (they were 8-8) and they were still something of an underdog in 2000 when they finished in second place at 12-4. All we need is a game or two flipping and Baltimore may end up with a much tougher road to the Super Bowl...
And I haven't decided about who the Browns would give up in 2002. But we don't yet know just how good they are from 1999-2001 yet. We know they end up a dynasty, but we don't know when that dynasty starts (although from what we can tell they become a contender early on).
Remember when Fontes says he called nine people before he called former Michigan head coach Gary Moeller?
Trust me, the Browns are very much going to haunt Belichick.
A TL where the Browns replace the Dallas Cowboys (or more recently the Patriots) as the NFL team everyone loves to hate?
This is gonna be gooooooooood...
Haha, that is awesome!
Chapter Two: Off Season, 1999
1999 NFL Draft, First Round:
1. Philadelphia (from Cleveland) Donovan McNabb, QB, Syracuse
2. Cincinnati (from Cleveland) Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky
3. New Orleans (from Cleveland) Ricky Williams, RB, Texas
4. Indianapolis Edgerrin James, RB, Miami
5. Washington (from Carolina) Champ Bailey, CB, Georgia
6. St. Louis Tory Holt, WR, North Carolina State
7. Washington Chris Claiborne, LB, USC
8. Arizona (from San Diego) David Boston, WR, Ohio State
9. Detroit Akili Smith, QB, Oregon
10. Baltimore Chris McAlister, CB, Arizona
11. Minnesota (from Washington) Daunte Culpepper, QB, Central Florida
12. Cleveland (from New Orleans) Jevon Kearse, DE, Florida
13. Pittsburgh Troy Edwards, WR, LSU
14. Kansas City John Tait, OT, BYU
15. Tampa Bay Anthony McFarland, DT, LSU
16. Tennessee Ebenezer Ekuban, DE, North Carolina
17. New England (from Seattle) Damien Woody, C, Boston College
18. Oakland Matt Stinchcomb, OT, Georgia
19. New York Giants Luke Petitgout, OT, Notre Dame
20. Dallas (from New England) Kevin Johnson, WR, Syracuse
21. Arizona L.J. Shelton, OT, Eastern Michigan
22. Seattle (from Dallas) Lamar King, DE, Saginaw Valley State
23. Buffalo Antoine Winfield, CB, Ohio State
24. San Francisco (from Miami) Reggie McGrew, DT, Florida
25. Green Bay Antuan Edwards, S, Clemson
26. Jacksonville Fernando Bryant, CB, Alabama
27. Detroit (from San Francisco) Aaron Gibson, OT, Wisconsin
28. New England (from Jets) Andy Katzenmoyer, LB, Ohio State
29. Minnesota Dimitrius Underwood, DE, Michigan State
30. Atlanta Patrick Kerney, DE, Virginia
31. Denver Broncos Al Wilson, LB, Tennessee
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Sportscenter
Courtesy of ESPN
Aired April 18, 1999
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT.
DAVID LLOYD (ANCHOR): Chris, it sounds like the big loser at the end of the day was Cleveland. I am not sure if Doug Fluite is more than a stop gap at quarterback, and the Browns failed to draft a single quarterback, despite having nineteen picks. I can see the benefit of having Flutie mentor a young quarterback under his wing, but the Browns don’t have that, unless you count Moses Moreno, who has one year of experience under his belt and who the Browns picked up in the off season. And it is clear that their failure to pick up Ricky Williams or Edgerrin James was an disaster of epic proportions, made all the more pronounced by the fact that their failed to pick up any of the high profile running backs in the draft.
CHRIS BERMAN: Well, it was clear that the Browns were always a few picks late in regards to getting the running back they were looking for. After trading Williams to New Orleans, they seemed to believe that they still had a shot at getting James with the twelfth pick.
DAVID LLOYD: That clearly was wishful thinking to say the least.
CHRIS BERMAN: Well, it was pretty clear that Indianapolis was going to grab James with the fourth pick, so yes, it was a bit unrealistic. But they also assumed they would still be in the running for Ohio State running back Joe Montgomery in the second round.
DAVID LLOYD: But they still gambled and lost, even in the second round. They picked up Michigan tackle Jon Jansen with the first pick in the second round, and gambled that Montgomery would still be available when they picked again in the middle of the second round.
CHRIS BERMAN: Well, hindsight is 20/20. I am sure Wayne Fontes is regretting passing on Montgomery with the 32nd pick, and in his defense, everyone, including myself, assumed Montgomery would still be available when the Browns picked again with the 45th overall pick.
DAVID LLOYD: Which they used to pick up a wide receiver.
CHRIS BERMAN: Peerless Price was one of the hottest wide receivers in the country, and you can’t fault them for drafting him. To be honest, I was surprised he fell so low in the draft. I had him projected to go late in the first round.
DAVID LLOYD: But it wasn’t until late in the third round that the Browns even made their first move at picking up a running back. I don’t see how you can justify drafting linebacker Joey Porter with the 62nd pick when you have Tyrone Wheatley as your running back!
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Cincinnati, Detroit score big in draft as Cleveland and Philadelphia fans are left scratching their heads
Sports Illustrated
April 20, 1999
(Sports Illustrated) – In what promises to be one of the most controversial drafts in NFL history, the expansion Cleveland Browns ended up with a record 19 draft picks, and failed to use a single one of them to address the two greatest needs on the team: passing and rushing.
“We can’t be happier with how the draft went for us,” Browns President Wayne Fontes said, “we are building the foundation of a great football team, and we’ve filled some very important pieces of the puzzle here.”
The sentiment was not shared by many in the NFL, or in Cleveland.
“Overall I would grade Cleveland’s draft as a B-minus,” former Oakland coach John Madden said on Monday Night Football last night, “and that is mostly due to the fact that they had so many picks. They picked up some very good players, but they failed to address any of their major deficiencies.”
Arguably the biggest winners were Detroit and Cincinnati, who both picked up top ranked quarterbacks in the first round. Cincinnati drafted Tim Couch with the second overall pick after trading up with Cleveland.
“We are confident that Tim is going to be a superstar in the NFL,” Bengals head coach Bruce Coslet said after the draft, “and we couldn’t be happier to have him in Cincinnati.”
Perhaps the biggest winner was Detroit, who picked up Oregon quarterback Akili Smith with the ninth overall pick. Smith was projected to be a top five pick.
“Players like Akili Smith only come along once in a lifetime,” Lions coach Bobby Ross said after drafting Smith, “we are very, very lucky to have been able to pick him up.”
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You know, history has sort of created this myth regarding the 1999 Browns draft. Many call it the greatest NFL draft for any team in the history of professional football. But when you break down the numbers, it really wasn’t so much of it being a tremendous draft, but just an overwhelming one. The Browns ended up with five players who would go on to play in the Pro Bowl in one draft, but lets not forget that six of their picks failed to even make it through camp before they were cut, and none of those guys ever played a single NFL game. Two of their picks were out of the league within a year. Right there you have eight picks that were busts! But when you have 19 picks overall you can compensate for your mistakes. At the end of the day the Browns had a very good draft, but the biggest reason why was because they had enough of a cushion to compensate for the natural mistakes that every team makes in the draft.
Jon Gruden on ESPN Radio (July 11, 2012)
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Browns backup quarterback feared to be out for the season after car accident in Denver
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
April 21, 1999
Moreno played for the Bearns last season
(DENVER, COLORADO) – If 1999 wasn’t already looking like it was going to be a rough season for the Browns, head coach Gary Moeller confirmed yesterday that backup quarterback Moses Moreno may be out for the season after a car accident in Denver Monday morning.
“We understand that Moses may have a broken wrist,” Moeller said, unable to hide his disappointment, “needless to say, we are disappointed, but right now our main concern is in regards to Moses, and his well being.”
Moreno, a Colorado State alumni, had flown to Denver to visit with Rams head coach Jim McElwain and to attend a banquet in Fort Collins, about an hour north of Denver on Saturday. However, Moreno decided to spend the weekend in Denver to watch the draft, and was on his way to Denver International Airport at the time of the accident. Moreno’s rented Cadillac Escalade rear-ended a vehicle driven by two high school children on their way to school, giving Moreno (and the Browns) some unwanted negative publicity.
“We understand both boys were uninjured,” Moeller said, “and we have already contacted the Harris and Klebold families in Littleton to offer our support and to invite both Eric and Dylan to opening day, courtesy of the Cleveland Browns.”
Police have yet to release either of the minor children, citing unspecified security concerns. Moreno was cited for careless driving and following too closely.
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Excerpts from the book “Maize and Blue and Brown all over: A coaching odyssey” by Gary Moeller
Published by Random House © 2013
Chapter Six: The nightmare draft
“Damn,” I mumbled under my breath, “what else could go wrong.”
“Well, it looks like Moses should be back by week eight,” Wayne Fontes replied, “but that still doesn’t address the first half of the season. I don’t need to remind you that Doug isn’t a particularly big guy. If he gets hurt we don’t have a quarterback.”
“Any free agents look promising?” I asked.
“The only guy that’s viable is Neil O’Donnell,” Fontes said with a sigh, “Cincinnati just released him to make room for Tim Couch, but he’s negotiating with Tennessee. He is not interested in coming to Cleveland to be a backup. He won’t even talk to me unless I promise him the number one slot.”
I realized what a tremendous boss Wayne was going to be at that moment. He was not going to second guess me or over rule my coaching decisions. Although Flutie was Wayne’s first pick, I had decided that the last thing we needed on the team was a quarterback controversy going into the opening day. Doug Flutie was our quarterback, and it would be up to him to lose that job, not Neil O’Donnell.
“A few teams have called me and made some offers,” Fontes added. “Unfortunately the best offer I’ve been given is to trade away a seventh round pick next year.”
“What would we get in return?” I asked. I was intrigued. A seventh round pick for a viable backup quarterback was more than fair.
“It’s from Baltimore,” Wayne said sadly, “they are offering to give us Scott Mitchell.”
I am sure Wayne could see the disappointment in my face at the revelation. Mitchell, the former Lions quarterback, was possibly the only player in the league who was untouchable for Wayne Fontes. If he traded for him the criticism would be even more intense then it was now.
“Well, is there anyone else?
“Well, Washington is offering Jeff George, but the price tag…it’s just not reasonable,” Fontes replied, “but interestingly enough, Kansas City has offered to trade their backup for a sixth round pick.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the revelation. I knew the Chiefs backup well. Todd Collins was another former Wolverine that I coached back at Michigan, another player who I knew was much better than the scouting reports. He struggled in Buffalo as a starter, but I couldn’t help but think that he could shine in Cleveland if given the chance.
“Well Wayne,” I said with a smile, “I am sure this won’t come as a surprise to you, but I think we should take that offer.”
“I figured you would,” Fontes said as he stood up, “I can’t say I’m sold on either Wheatley or Collins. But I do feel that you can bring the best out of these guys.”
He walked over to a chalkboard, where we had our projected starters written down. Numerous question marks appeared next to the names, most of whom were rookies who had yet to even prove they were NFL material. But both Wayne and I were very happy with the picks. We picked up two linebackers in the third round, and we were anticipating both would start against Pittsburgh.
“I have to admit,” Fontes said as he rubbed his chin, “I am not sure if I should be awed by this lineup, or terrified of it.”
“Well, I think we have no choice at this point,” I replied. “We bet the farm on these kids. If we are right, we look like geniuses, and if we are wrong, well you might as well put Ricky Williams, Tim Couch and the word “passed” on our obituaries, because that will be what defines us.
Fontes said nothing as he stared at the chalk board for several seconds.
“Hell, Gary,” Fontes said with a chuckle, “they can put those two names next to Scott Mitchell on my tombstone.”
Fontes then picked up the eraser and began wiping away the question marks next to the names of the rookies.
I’ve already been fired once,” he said with a chuckle, “let’s just go for broke. This is our starting team, and it’s up to them to lose their jobs in the pre season.”
I smiled as I watched Fontes erase the last question mark from the board. We were picking a starting team of rookies without even seeing them in camp, and yet I couldn’t have been happier. We were making a statement. Everyone else in the leauge saw us as a team in turmoil, a team groping around like a blind man searching for his cane. But we were telling them otherwise. We don’t care what you think: this is our team and we are ready to take on the NFL!
“It’s settled then,” Fontes said as he turned around, “the rookies are starting.”
On the chalkboard behind him were the names of our starting rookies: at defensive end our first round pick, Jevon Kearse. At left tackle our second round pick Jon Jansen. At wide receiver another second round pick, Peerless Price. At center another seventh round pick, Todd McClure. And at linebacker, two third round picks: Dat Nguyen and Joey Porter.
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Cleveland Browns 1999 Draft Picks:
First Round:
Jevon Kearse (12th overall) DE Florida
Second Round:
Jon Jansen (32nd overall) OT Michigan
Peerless Price (45th overall) WR Tennessee
Third Round:
Joey Porter (62nd overall) LB Colorado State
Dat Nguyen (64th overall) LB Texas A&M
Olandis Gary (65th overall) RB Georgia
Forth Round:
Brad Ware (106th overall) S Auburn
Edwin Mulitalo (124th overall) G Arizona
Fifth Round:
Terry Jackson (144th overall) FB Florida
Paris Johnson (148th overall) S Miami (OH)
Sixth Round:
Marcuss Spriggs (172nd overall) G Troy
Desmond Clark (174th overall) TE Wake Forest
Emarlos Leroy (179th overall) DT Georgia
Lamar Glenn (187th overall) RB Florida State
Dee Miller (191st overall) WR Ohio State
Seventh Round:
Donald Driver (207th overall) WR Alcorn State
Todd McClure (218th overall) C LSU
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MarshalBraginsky
Banned
Although I don't know much about the NFL other than the Seahawks, this is good. Kinda reminds me of a what if scenario for the NHL though.
Speaking of which, do you also watch hockey? Because I was gonna post up a question on what if Cam Neely never got traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Boston Bruins.
Speaking of which, do you also watch hockey? Because I was gonna post up a question on what if Cam Neely never got traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Boston Bruins.
Of the three receivers drafted, I think Driver will pan out better then the other two.
I use to be a huge NHL fan but have sort cooled to the sport since moving to Tge southwest. But I for one would love to see a nhl alt history!
Sports alternate histories interest me more than the flood of war and political threads here.
I myself have been thinking about doing a thread of the USFL surviving and expanding to include teams who were part of the WLAF and other spring leagues IOTL. Might be something that could go into the ASB forum.
Good updates.
Keep it up and take it to the present day!!!
Let me guess: the Browns do take Tom Brady ITTL?
Edit: Just reading...saw you took Dat Nguyen. This will hurt America's team (aka the Dallas Cowboys) in the long run on defense. But anything to hurt ole Mr. Jones is fine by me.
Keep it up and take it to the present day!!!
Let me guess: the Browns do take Tom Brady ITTL?
Edit: Just reading...saw you took Dat Nguyen. This will hurt America's team (aka the Dallas Cowboys) in the long run on defense. But anything to hurt ole Mr. Jones is fine by me.
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