Former QB Derek Anderson Hates Browns Fans
The Browns have released quarterback Derek Anderson, while making a trade with the Seattle Seahawks for QB Seneca Wallace for a late-round, or possibly conditional, draft pick. Anderson was due a $2 million roster bonus on March 19th and was going to earn $7.45 million as his base salary in 2010. It was essentially a foregone conclusion that he would be released, even if it still seems a little late.
What could not have been expected was Anderson’s reaction to Browns fans after learning of his release from the team. Saying the fans are “ruthless” and “don’t deserve a winner” was harsh, but he goes even further to infuriate fans by saying, “I hope and pray I’m playing when my team comes to town and [we] roll them.” Strong words from a mediocre quarterback, though he did reference the time the crowd cheered for him being injured back in 2008.
While I do agree that it was wrong of the fans to cheer Anderson’s injury, this wasn’t the classiest thing he could do, and he has most certainly enraged this “ruthless” fan base. Browns fans, in general, are simply a passionate bunch and to throw them all under the bus – those same fans that helped him earn his millions – was wrong. Doesn’t he realize that this is a perpetually-down-on-its-luck city just hoping for something, anything, good to happen? He probably should have considered that the cheering was simply all the pent-up frustration being let loose in a season that had such high expectations and not something personal, though he still has a point. Oh, and the fact that Anderson was playing like the worst quarterback in the league at the time of his injury did not help much, either. The good thing to come out of this is that it is much easier to say good riddance to a guy who had one good season with the Browns. Peyton Manning, he is not. He might think he got a raw deal here in Cleveland, but after 2007, he was nothing special; in fact, he was, at times, the lowest-rated quarterback in the league and seemingly threw as many interceptions as completed passes.
Wallace, the newcomer to the Browns, believes that he will be fighting for a starting spot with Brady Quinn, so if you thought quarterback competitions were over now that Derek Anderson is gone, think again! Hopefully, this will never happen and the Browns will do one of two things: 1) trade for an established quarterback who will be the clear-cut starter or 2) make the announcement quickly in training camp as to who will be the team’s starter. It would be wise to do this, as another competition would not sit well with just about anyone, especially since Wallace doesn’t exactly stir up the hopes of Browns fans.
We hope you find a new team, Derek, but something tells me you won’t be on the field when that team comes to play in Cleveland.