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The Browns replace Bernie Kosar as color commentator with Solomon Wilcots

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cat Stevens sang "the first cut is the deepest." Bernie Kosar can offer colorful commentary that the second cut can be just as deep as the first.

Just when it looked like the clowns were leaving the center ring for the lions to come out, the Browns and WKYC replaced one of the best Browns in history, and one of the best NFL color analysts, with a third rate ex-Bengal and NFL analyst, Solomon Wilcots.

Doug Dieken need not worry about being replaced by John Elway, he has good gig already. But former Bengal Anthony Munoz or former Steeler Jack Lambert could be getting a call from the Browns and WKYC any time now. At this point I won't be surprised if the new uniforms the Browns are set to reveal in 2015 turn out to be yellow and black, along with Raven blue throwback uniforms.

Leave it to the Browns front office to blow the preseason schedule before the first game is even played. How many times can this organization shoot itself in the foot before the new team doctor has to amputate? If the Feds down in Tennessee show up with a surgical hacksaw, everyone in Browns town might be slurring their speech before the season is over.

In his request to be reinstated, Kosar said he believes that the decision stems from his speech impairment. Kosar had been told by friends that the Browns and WKYC were concerned about his slurred speech.

Kosar's speech may be slurred, but his football genius on display in breaking down plays never has been. The only aspect of listening to Kosar that ever bothered me was how his astute and educational analysis always made me think of how that football IQ was wasted with him never becoming a Browns coach, G.M. or President.

Solomon Wilcots has a better delivery than Kosar, but the problem is, he has never said much worth listening to. His commentary is like preseason games themselves, forgettable.

Kosar's analysis made the games watchable and was spoken in the authentic voice of a native who rigged the draft to come to the Browns and lead them to three AFC Championship games. Bengal Wilcots can't even fill the cleat holes of Kosar's shoes. His replacing Kosar would be like Kosar being benched in the AFC Championship games in favor of Brandon Weeden, because Weeden has a better looking throwing motion.

WKYC President, GM, and Browns ball boy, Brooke Spectorsky, said Kosar's speech and performance were not a factor. " It's about our wish after careful discussion with the Browns, about changing the production and building a different team so there's a new perspective in looking at the Browns. We feel it's a very good decision for our viewers and our production," said Spectorsky

Ostriches are known for sticking their heads in the sand. Maybe WKYC should adopt one as their logo instead of the Peacock. Based on the Cleveland.com poll and what's being said on comment boards, it appears many of WKYC's soon to be former viewers do not feel it was " a very good decision" for them.

The slurred thinking behind the Browns and WKYC's decision is more bothersome than Kosar's slurred speech. The Cleveland newcomers running the Browns talk a good game about how they understand the city's Browns culture and psyche. But their actions, like cutting Kosar a second time, show that they're too often still clueless.