Mo Egger

Mo Egger

Mo Egger delivers his unique take on sports on Cincinnati's ESPN 1530!Full Bio

 

Three Things: Someone Didn't Want This Deal To Get Done.

Every day there are three things, here are those three things.

I'm late on time, and short on time. Not a good combo.

I've got a ton of thoughts on the AJ McCarron trade that didn't get done.  Most will be shared, and elaborated on, this afternoon on ESPN1530. But for now...

1) Someone didn't want this trade to get done. It's fun to point and laugh at the Browns and how their ineptitude spreads to their administrative assistant. It's fun to point and laugh at a team being so desperate that it'd be willing to part with two second day picks (which could've given the Bengals potentially six picks in the first round of next spring's draft!) in exchange for a guy who never plays.

Let's face it, as miserable as the Bengals can make us, it's just always fun to point and laugh the Browns.

But this wasn't ineptitude. Someone with the Browns didn't want this deal done.

If you want something done badly enough, you make sure it gets done.  You check, then double-check, and exhaust yourself - and others - in making sure what you want done is done until completion.

The Browns - or someone with the Browns - didn't want this done.

Now, there's lots of ways of looking at this through the lens of the Browns almost intentionally not completing the trade - from what it says about the Bengals' faith in Andy Dalton, to if they'll ever be able to deal McCarron for such a sweet return, to what it says about the Bengals willingness to make a rare in-season deal, to how AJ McCarron should feel about being spared moving to Cleveland while being denied a chance to be a starting NFL QB (we will do all of that today on ESPN1530), but I don't think this was merely a failure to execute a trade on Cleveland's behalf.

It was an unwillingness to execute it.

2)  Deadline done. Now what? The deadline has come and gone. AJ McCarron is still a Bengal. Andy Dalton's place as the team's starting quarterback is as solid as ever. And the flawed roster and poor offensive line that's stumbled to a 3-4 record are both intact.

Granted, the Bengals weren't likely to make significant upgrades to their team, but yesterday represented their best chance to improve.

A chance they either didn't take, or weren't presented with.

There are exceptions, but bad teams that don't make improvements usually remain bad teams.

3) Best two consecutive words in sports. Cincinnati. Bellarmine.

I kid, although I do wish I could see UC's exhibition opener.

Tonight, it's Game Seven of the World Series.  Chances are you know this. Chances are, you're watching tonight and have been paying at least a little attention this this year's Fall Classic.

The drama this October has been more compelling than anything being offered in sports, proof that for its flaws, baseball is still a fantastic f***ing sport, and evidence that for as much as off-field developments may fatigue us and dampen our enthusiasm, entertaining games, likable teams, compelling storylines, and a good, fun product will bring us back every time.

The NFL should take notice.

Radio Show: McCarron angles, including a chat with a former NFL VP on how trades work, reaction from Cleveland, McCarron, Andy Dalton, and Marvin Lewis. Today at 3:05 on ESPN1530.

Recommended Link Of The Day: You Are Looking Live at Brent Musburger in the Casino

Follow me on Twitter @MoEgger1530.

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Email me: mo@espn1530.com


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