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Wed Mar 10 06:18am PST

Derek Anderson to Browns fans: No, YOU stink

By MJD

For some NFL players who get released, it's difficult to leave a team, because they've grown to love the organization, fans and city.

But that is not the case with Derek Anderson(notes). After being cut in the wake of the Cleveland Browns acquiring Seneca Wallace(notes), Anderson is leaving Cleveland with anger, resentment and vengeance flowing from his fingertips.

Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald in Ohio e-mailed Anderson to ask for his thoughts on being released. Anderson sent the following back:

"The fans are ruthless and don't deserve a winner. I will never forget getting cheered when I was injured.

"I know at times I wasn't great. I hope and pray I'm playing when my team comes to town and [we] roll them."

Goodness. The fans of Cleveland, perhaps the North American city that has experienced the most sports suffering in history, don't even deserve a winner? That's some anger.

Anderson has since kinda/sorta apologized, saying Wednesday in a statement: "I said some things [to Schudel] earlier that I regret. … I wasn't taken out of context, but I was speaking out of my frustration after my career with the Browns came to a close."

The incident Anderson is so bitter about is this: In late 2008, Anderson went down with a knee injury in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Colts. The fans cheered as he squirmed on the turf in pain. Evidently, he hasn't gotten over it.

It's hard to blame the guy for it. Someone else cheering your misery is cruel, ridiculous and absolutely senseless. And all Browns fans got out of their cold-heartedness was to see Ken Dorsey(notes) and Bruce Gradkowski(notes) go 0-4 over the last quarter of the season, losing those games by a combined score of 102-19. So, yeah, everything was Derek Anderson's fault.

Anyway, being still young and physically gifted, Anderson will get another chance somewhere else. As for getting a chance to stick it to the Browns, well ... let's worry about getting that career quarterback rating above 70 first.

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903 Comments

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  1. Mark
    1. Posted by Mark Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:47 am EST

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    His comments show he was a disgruntled employee who was a cancer to the team and had to go.
    We didnt cheer his injury, we cheered BQ getting a chance to play.
    What an ego to think its all about him. Good Riddance!
  2. Coach Isiah Thompson
    2. Posted by Coach Isiah Thompson Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:48 am EST

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    It's not fair to blame Derek Anderson for all of the Cleveland Browns' woes. He's my teammate. He's my quarterback. If you pin all of the blame on him, it's truly unfair.
  3. CAREY F
    3. Posted by CAREY F Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:51 am EST

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    Its only a game...get over it...really!
  4. Perplexio
    4. Posted by Perplexio Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:53 am EST

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    The same thing happened when Tim Couch got injured a few years back. It wasn't that Couch was being cheered for his injury it's more that the fans were cheering Kelly Holcomb's opportunity to play.
    The sad thing is, in hindsight, Kelly Holcomb was/is probably the best QB the expansion Browns have ever had. The Browns should have held on to him long enough to find a young QB in the draft to groom into a starter role. He wasn't great but he was far more consistent for the Browns than Tim Couch, Jeff Garcia, Trent Dilfer, Brady Quinn, or Derek Anderson. He had 2 games with the Browns where he threw for over 400 yards... But because the Browns D leaked like a sieve they Browns were still able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in both of those games.
  5. qadasd a
    5. Posted by qadasd a Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:57 am EST

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    The cheering when he was hurt, that is a very understandable thing to be sour about. But to bring it up AFTER you get released for being historically bad shows the immaturity and lack of leadership that is needed to be an NFL quarterback. I think all Cleveland fans wish him well in the future unless he goes to the steelers lol
  6. Brian T
    6. Posted by Brian T Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:02 am EST

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    cool, DA, now we can cheer that you got fired too. Jerk.
  7. GMoney
    7. Posted by GMoney Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:04 am EST

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    A clueless and classless hillbilly until the end. Good riddance, you puke.
  8. ballhairs24
    8. Posted by ballhairs24 Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:05 am EST

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    hey dick we are not a [profane] hole i've been a fan of cleveland through all of it and not a fair weather fan like most detroit has no chance we beat mich. we beat the pistons we are going to beat the lions so eat it we are the best fans in the land GO CLEVELAND !!!!!!!! derek anderson is a chump anyway ,let brady quinn play don't keep taking him out let him play. tim couch didn't have a o line and with that said DETROIT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!
  9. Dawgy
    9. Posted by Dawgy Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:07 am EST

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    I find it hard to believe that Anderson actually thinks some other team will even give him a chance. He has proven to be a worthless Quarter back and comments like this will not help him get a job anywhere... He is a bitter individual who stunk up the field everywhere he played. GOOD RIDDANCE!
  10. joe p
    10. Posted by joe p Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:14 am EST

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    Oops, booed him and cheered his injury****
  11. Kwazimoto
    11. Posted by Kwazimoto Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:14 am EST

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    DA is right to not be happy when some fans (jerks) cheer at his being injured. The truth of the matter is he was given every opportunity to succeed and Cleveland has been a miserable team for the most part for a decade now, with a few exceptions, including except for one year, with DA. DA will go on to another club and make millions. Don't blame a few classless fans for your own failures or collectively, the teams. Doesn't say much about his character. Cleveland has had to suffer too many years as a doormat. It's time to shapke things up and move on from people who can't pass consistently to bring that winner here. Too bad Derek. You'll find classless fans everywhere and a lot who want you to succeed.
  12. Jealous Ones Still Envy
    12. Posted by Jealous Ones Still Envy Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:16 am EST

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    Derek Anderson is a bum, always has been and always will be. I'm a die hard Browns fan. But not me and I don't think anyone else cheered when he got hurt, And if anyone cheered because he got injured, then they're RA-TARDS. He had 1 good season and that was because the receivers were making ridiculous catches. If he was the towell man for a boxer that was getting destroyed, he couldn't hit the ring with the damn towell...
  13. Hyphen
    13. Posted by Hyphen Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:16 am EST

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    Yes Derek Anderson had no weapons on a miserable team. But he completed 2 passes in an entire game. TWO! Most QBs could complete more than two passes to an armless midget in a game. And what is even more baffling is that that wasn't his worst statistical game of the year. Sure it was cold-hearted for the fans to boo him when he was hurt, but the guy has been miserable the last two seasons.
  14. maverik7137
    14. Posted by maverik7137 Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:17 am EST

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    I am a Browns fan, but I find it interesting how the other Browns fans spin this one. "We weren't cheering because he was hurt, we were cheering because we got to see the other lousy QB and DA is classless". I'm afraid that is pot calling the kettle black. Players are not emotionless robots and that incident kicked a guy when he was down. And the people doing the kicking were the very people who shoud have been on his side. After seeing his comments, it is clear that the Browns fans that cheered his injury and DA truely deserved each other.
  15. Robert C
    15. Posted by Robert C Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:23 am EST

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    Guess he took it personally. I probably would have too...but I understand the Brown's fans were most likely cheering that they get the opportunity to see the other guy..which might give them a better chance. I think they could have waited until DA was on the sidelines before cheering new QB.
  16. Hitman
    16. Posted by Hitman Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:27 am EST

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    Obviously most, if not all aforementioned comments, are from Brown's fans. The years of long suffering have caused you fans to feel it is correct to share your misery and dispense your hate toward the players of the pathetic organization known as the Cleveland Browns. The players are guilty to a fault, but the real problem with the Browns is the ownership/organization. There is and has been NO quarterback who ever played in the NFL who could have done well behind the sieve the Browns call an offensive line. Offensive is the correct word to define the collection of players who have never done the job of providing a quarterback with quality protection. Browns fans will continue to blame the quarterbacks for the pathetic on-field results, when in reality the offensive linemen are actually at fault. Rebut as you may, it does not change the facts that Cleveland is in for more of the same pathetic results until the offensive line is upgraded. And any fan who would cheer one of their players being injured does deserve any and all comments the injured player may say.
  17. Me
    17. Posted by Me Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:33 am EST

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    Wow! That kind of anger over a cheer or a boo? It's no wonder that after that game he kept throwing the ball to the opposing team's line-backers and d-backs - he did it on purpose.
    I liked Derek, i liked him when Charlie was still here and thought he got a raw deal when Quinn came to town. I think he will be better than Brady over the long haul. But wow, after a comment like this, I don't know. It seems his emotions control him more than his intellect - that's a BAD trait for a professional athlete.
  18. Jeff C
    18. Posted by Jeff C Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:40 am EST

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    The fans were probably cheering because management had no clue as to how horrible of a quarterback you were and that was the only way a first round draft pick would get a shot. Cleveland has always went crazy since they came back with extensions to players and coaches who have had one good year. We are still paying head coaches who are long gone. If it wasn't for the receiving corps in 2007, DA would have been gone and BQ would have had a real shot as qb before the injury bug. It's about time they gave more money to Joshua Cribbs. He has been the only bright spot on this team for the last few years. I hope Holmgren can turn it around, but I know he has his work cut out for him.
  19. Phil M
    19. Posted by Phil M Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:46 am EST

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    Its ridiculous to cheer a player being injured for any reason. Its ridiculous to whine about it a year and a half later...
  20. randy
    20. Posted by randy Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:48 am EST

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    in 2007 , Anderson had the second best season in Browns QB history , but rather than develop confidence and chemistry the front office brings in Brady Quinn , who sells jersies to wet prepubescent girls , trades away his weapons and tells him he sucks . Management sucks and nurtures ways to loose games , and alienate the fans
  21. Boomhauer
    21. Posted by Boomhauer Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:06 am EST

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    Randy, the Browns already had Quinn when Anderson had his big season in 2007. They didn't give Quinn a shot until Anderson fell apart in 2008.
  22. 63rdstreetwarriors
    22. Posted by 63rdstreetwarriors Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:15 am EST

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    To quote the always innovative Sam Wyche: "You don't live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati." Cleveland and their fans are the anal wart of America.
    Go Steelers!!!!!
  23. adam_toro76
    23. Posted by adam_toro76 Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:20 am EST

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    I cheered when he got hurt...f*ck him. I cheer every time something bad happens to Queefland. Your city sucks, your football team sucks and the best thing that ever happened to you (LeBron arriving) will eventually be the worst thing to happen to you (LeBron's departure). But there is always a silver lining....you guys can still lay claim to Drew Carey...bwah hahahahahaha!
    What a crappy place to live. Queefland...hahahahaha. Can't wait to see the Cavs get rolled in the finals by LA and then watch LePunk storm off the court in anger. I bet he heads straight to his agent's home without even showering. HAHAHAHA!
  24. hillbillyGUY
    24. Posted by hillbillyGUY Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:22 am EST

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    The Browns ruined this guy...NOT the other way around. The Cowboys should pick him up, let him sit while Romo kicks ass, and in a couple of years, make him the back-up to Romo. Kitna can't last very much longer, and i doubt that ANY team can piss away the talent that DA has the way Cleveland did. Remember it was Dallas that started the downfall after DA's best season. That opening game of the year, everyone said Dallas was in trouble going into the dogpound with DA having just had his best season and looking to improve on it. The place was packed, and DA delivered...not enough to beat Da Boys, but a damn good game by the Q.B. Soooo good that the Cleveland brass started talking about Quinn. What a joke of a franchise. Don't be angry DA, be glad they let you go. ANY team will be more appreciative of what you bring to the table...like First year starting, 10 wins. Some teams can make good players look bad.
  25. Higo
    25. Posted by Higo Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:23 am EST

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    Im not a browns fan and i dont watch many of their games, but i did see this one wear Anderson got hurt. Anyone saying they were cheering because brady quinn was getting a chance to play is fooling themselves. All those browns fans were cheering well before Quinn stepped onto the field. As Anderson laid on the ground wrenching in pain i saw just about every fan standing up and applauding this, its an absolute disgrace and Anderson deserves better than that as well as any other players or person in the league.

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Shutdown Corner is an NFL blog edited by Matthew J. Darnell. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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