Whatever, the organization that continually strives for mediocrity continues to fall woefully short. Which is why we've decided to distract ourselves from the putridity by creating a roster of non-football-playing professional athletes who would immediately make the Browns better. That's not hyperbole.
Aside from the fact that they're both a) human beings, b) American international soccer players of African descent and c) from the greater Washington, D.C. area, there aren't too many similarities between Freddy Adu and Oguchi Onyewu, saying nothing of the pair's nearly one-foot height and seven-year age discrepancy.
Adu, as we all recall, entered MLS in 2004 with fanfare worthy of a Michael Bay special effects blockbuster and was supposed to set the league afire with his amazing skill and footwork -- all at 14 years of age. Since his arrival the pint-sized midfielder has played for two MLS clubs, made a much ballyhooed transfer to Portuguese giants Benfica and now at 20 years old finds himself loaned out for the second time in three years.
Meanwhile the same year Adu attempted to burst onto the MLS scene, Onyewu quietly moved from French club Metz to Belgian power Standard Liege, where he blossomed into a hulking central defender with a pair of Jupiler League crowns under his belt. Most American fans probably didn't even know of the alliterative defender's existence until his famous stare-down of Mexican forward Jared Borgetti in the U.S.'s 2-0 win over El Tri in Columbus, Ohio, which booked a place in the 2006 World Cup.
For what seems like the entire summer, Freddy Adu's Twitter account has been buzzing with transfer speculation. The one-time U.S. wunderkind had fallen out of favor at Portuguese super club Benfica and Adu openly pined for a move to Dutch team Eredivisie in July after he returned to Portugal to train after two games with the U.S. National Team during the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Anyway, score one for traditional journalists as the Washington Post's Steven Goff beat Adu to the punch, announcing his loan to Belenenses about 45 minutes before the 20-year-old American midfielder could break the news to his followers.
Almost two years ago to this day, one-time U.S. teenage sensation Freddy Adu swapped his Real Salt Lake colors for a high-profile transfer to Portuguese giants Benfica. In the summer of 2007, the move seemed like a perfect spot for the much ballyhooed midfielder, who made his MLS debut with much media fanfare at 14 years old for D.C. United.
Little did most observers at the time realize this marriage was probably doomed from the start. Monday it appears its only a formality before divorce papers are filed, with Goal.com reporting that Adu was told by Benfica coach Jorge Jesus he isn't needed at the club. In response, Adu says he wants to make a move to a club in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Freddy Adu was carrying a limp as he made his way through the tunnel beneath RFK Stadium Wednesday night. The 20-year-old midfielder had played 64 indifferent minutes for the U.S. national team in its CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Honduras. It was his replacement, Charlie Davies, who was part of the combination that ultimately unlocked the visitors' defense and helped the Americans to a 2-0 win.
It smelled like a lost opportunity, and in fact, it turned out that Adu's Gold Cup was over. U.S. coach Bob Bradley announced, and Adu confirmed, that he is on his way back to Portugal to join Benfica for its preseason. After a quiet year with the Portuguese power and an anonymous one-year loan with Monaco, one is left to wonder when the former prodigy, now a pro for five years, is going to make an impact.
Tonight, the U.S. national team returns to the scene of the crime. On Sept. 1, 2001, a confident and athletic Honduras side defeated the Americans, 3-2, in a back-and-forth World Cup qualifier played before a raucous, pro-Honduran crowd at RFK Stadium in Washington.
That was the low point. The U.S. went on to qualify and advance all the way to the quarterfinals the following summer in South Korea, while los Catrachos stayed home. And the Nats haven't lost on U.S. soil to a CONCACAF opponent since then, compiling an amazing 44-0-10 record. Even though defender Steve Cherundolo is the only American who played in that 2001 game who's on the current CONCACAF Gold Cup roster, a victory over Honduras tonight at RFK would be pretty sweet, and would put the U.S. in position to win Group B and avoid Mexico in the upcoming quarters and semis.
SEATTLE (AP) -- Playing without its top stars, there was some concern that the United States would struggle to generate offense during the heading CONCACAF Gold Cup. That doesn't look like a problem anymore.
The Americans, fresh off a stunning runner-up finish at the FIFA Confederations Cup, thoroughly dominated Grenada, 4-0 on Saturday night, as they began their quest for a third straight Gold Cup title.
When the U.S. Soccer Federation announced the roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup in the midst of the U.S.'s surprising run to the Confederations Cup final, the general consensus was that the lineup was thoroughly a "B" team. After all, the supposed "A" team had done enough work in upsetting then-FIFA No. 1 Spain, and giving newly minted top dog Brazil a run for its money, before losing 3-2 last week.
On Wednesday, CONCACAF said it would allow the U.S. to add seven players to the already 23-man roster for the Gold Cup due to playing in back-to-back competitions barely separated by a week and, more importantly, over 10,000 miles. Thursday the USSF announced those seven players -- all members of the Confederations Cup roster -- upgrading the roster to a solid "B+."
The work, apparently, is never over for the U.S. National Team. Fresh off takings its bows after a stunning 2-0 upset over No. 1-ranked Spain at the Confederations Cup Wednesday, the U.S. was back to work Thursday.
In this case, it was naming a 23-man roster for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which begins on July 4 in Seattle with a match against Grenada. Of note, only six players on the Gold Cup roster have over 10 caps. On top of that, just Michael Parkhurst and Brian Ching were on the 2007 competition roster, which the U.S. won, punching their ticket to the 2009 Confederations Cup in the process.
Things are starting to go well in Portugal for Freddy Adu, who scored this game-winner on Sunday:
Adu scored in the 87th minute to help Benfica beat Maritimo 2-1. Adu hadn't played much since leaving Real Salt Lake in July, but that was his second goal in eight days, and the win moved Benfica into second place in the Portuguese league.
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Aside from the fact that they're both a) human beings, b) American international soccer players of African descent and c) from the greater Washington, D.C. area, there aren't too many similarities between 
For what seems like the entire summer, .jpg)
Almost two years ago to this day, one-time U.S. teenage sensation 
SEATTLE (AP) -- Playing without its top stars, there was some concern that the United States would struggle to generate offense during the heading CONCACAF Gold Cup. That doesn't look like a problem anymore..jpg)
When the U.S. Soccer Federation announced the roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup in the midst of the U.S.'s surprising run to the Confederations Cup final, the general consensus was that the lineup was thoroughly a "B" team. After all, the supposed "A" team had done enough work in upsetting then-FIFA No. 1 Spain, and giving newly minted top dog Brazil a run for its money, before losing 3-2 last week. .jpg)
The work, apparently, is never over for the U.S. National Team. Fresh off takings its bows after a stunning 2-0 upset over No. 1-ranked Spain at the Confederations Cup Wednesday, the U.S. was back to work Thursday. 
