Lying: a Cardinal sin

Well, I gave them a fair shot to correct the record, but they either chose not to or their staff bungled it not unlike their team did in overtime yesterday.

I speak of the Arizona Cardinals, current employer of a certain Maurice Carthon. Yes, the former Browns offensive coordinator, having embodied the Peter Principle, is now the running backs coach there.

His published bio, as I explained to them a few months back, is a sloppy piece of hogwash. Actually, my language was nicer then, but who likes being ignored? Not me. I am an Important Blogger and not to be trifled with.

Biographical Claim:

“Carthon spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns”


Painful Truth:
Carthon resigned his position on or about October 23, 2006, after just six of the Browns’ 16 games. That’s not even halfway through the second season, so rounding is not the type of error committed here.

Bitter Editorializing: We all know that Mo would’ve been belly-bounced out of Berea involuntarily had he not hightailed it out of town pronto.

Biographical Claim:

“Carthon helped tutor … tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. Winslow finished the 2006 season with 89 receptions to lead all NFL tight ends and finish 9th overall in the league.”


Painful Truth:
To cite Winslow’s complete 2006 statistics as reflecting credit on Carthon, who wasn’t even around most of that season, makes the misleading impression of his length of service all the more flagrant.

Bitter Editorializing: Carthon had as much to do with Winslow’s 2006 success as he did with the motorcycle accident that cost him 2005. Which is to say, Wheelie did it in spite of him, not because of him.

Biographical Claim:

“Carthon joined the Browns in 2005 and led an offensive unit that finished the season ranked 8th in the NFL with 1,601 yards from scrimmage (1,232 rushing and 369 receiving). “


Painful Truth:
Carthon’s 2005 Browns’ offense finished dead last in points scored and 26th out of 32 teams in yardage.

Bitter Editorializing: The writer seemed to do what Carthon himself did in ’05: considered Reuben Droughns the entire offense. Those are Droughns’ individual stats. It was obvious then and now that Droughns was overused that year to the longer-term detriment of the team and the player himself. What kind of stats did Mo “tutor” him to in ’06?

Perhaps they’ll add a notch on his belt by noting how well he mentored Todd Haley. You know, the position coach in Dallas when Mo was Parcells’ OC there. The guy who now coordinates the Cardinals’ offense while underlings like Carthon prepare to take credit for giving Edge his edge. Haley’s unit is ranked 14th, though their rushing average of 3.5 is close to the league’s worst. We Browns watchers are not surprised.