Josh Cribbs Getting a Pass?

     I have felt for awhile that Josh Cribbs has considerably underachieved and his entitlement and ego have dominated his persona and play on the field. Although, he isn't making bank off of Cleveland, I still believe he's being overpaid for what he brings to the table. I also have a real hard time overlooking all the tough talk and insults he threw around while playing a victim after the 2009 season. The way he acted after that season could best be described as a spoiled child. If you don't remember all that went on ill gladly remind you, he went much further than the 'I'm not making enough money athlete", he threw others under the bus.
     "I'd like to think that some of my play over those last four games helped those guys keep their jobs, including my two kickoff returns for touchdowns against Kansas City," Cribbs said, "I wonder how many jobs would've been lost if I hadn't laid it on the line for them every single week?" That is what Josh said, presumably about Mangini, who was able to retain his job after a four game win streak to finish 5-11. Cribbs completely neglects the fact that Jerome Harrison was head and shoulders more impressive than him while breaking records during that four game win streak. The defense also deserves a lot of credit during that span, but according to Cribbs and his contract bargaining, he was responsible for the coaches jobs.
     In Josh's world he is a receiver, in reality he has been a quarterback and has made a living and a name on being a return man. "I'm not just insulted by the number, but by the fact they consider me just a kick returner." Cribbs said, "I'm so much more than that." Cribbs  undoubtedly was a great return man, key word being WAS, and should be paid like a return man, an now average return man. He has never been and never will be anything more. Fortunately the Browns didn't give in an reward Cribbs with the 4 year, $40 Million contract he was looking for. He still got overcompensated with a restructuring of the last three years of his current contract. In the last three years, in which he has completed two year son, he made a guarantee $7 Million and a possible $18.5 Million. In the four game span where Cribbs claimed to be responsible for saving the job of his coaches he had 23 carries or 163 yards and a TD and only 2 catches for 12 yards. While the rushing stats may seem impressive for a receiver, a receiver who has 4 yards a game and 40 yards rushing is far from a $10 Million receiver, and much further from being someone who saves his coaches jobs.
     It seems to me that Cribbs is incredibly selfish. In his two years since his restructuring he has only one return touchdown, after having 10 in his first five years. Altough he is coming of of his best receiver year as a pro, in 7 years he has 1,089 yards and 7 TD's. His biggest asset to the team is not longer relevant, considering the Wildcat is all but dead under Shurmur. When passing out of the wildcat he is 4 for 12 with no TD's and one INT. Before he restructured he averaged over 6 yards a carry while running out of the Wildcat, since, he is barely over 3 with no TD's and only 81 yards in two years on 27 carries. Furthermore in the last two years he only has 15 special teams tackles, before he got more cash he had 79 in five years. It's very clear that Josh Cribbs isn't anything more than a returner and isn't even a valuable one anymore. After this draft when the Browns will without a doubt draft a receiver in the first 2 rounds, he will then be almost obsolete in the Browns offense. It is also pretty obvious Cribbs has let up since he got more money and as a Cleveland fan I am insulted by that, I am no longer willing to give him a pass! Cribbs once said he felt betrayed and stabbed in the back by the Browns offer for a new contract, the only people who should feel betrayed are the fans and organization who trusted Cribbs and gave him more money for severely less results.
     The fans have to take blame for this as well, they have given Cribbs a pass like no other under performing athlete in Cleveland history. Starting with the fact that he's from Kent State, people loved him off the bat, that feeling grew and grew the better he did. Then came the summer of 2010. Cleveland was starving for a new prince after being betrayed by LeBron, and since Cribbs was on fire through the 2009 season he was the popular choice. At the time it didn't seem like a bad choice, but since then it has been nothing but harmful. We allow Cribbs to do whatever he wants, act however he wants, expect nothing out of him and he has taken that an used it to his full advantage. The guy has done nothing on the field to validate our admiration. He hasn't lived up to expectations, hasn't even came close, yet he is untouchable in Cleveland. I know I'm going to probably hear from some Cribbs lovers and I'm not real worried about it, I choose to tell things how they are.