Donte' Stallworth Fears Nothing, Relies on Oracle Bill Belichick for Strength to Carry on

This is oddly encouraging: even though Donte' Stallworth, signed to a seven-year, $35 million deal this spring, is currently recovering from a hamstring injury and has yet to participate in team drills at training camp, he's not worried. At all. So, Rob Chudzinski, Romeo Crennel and Derek Anderson, you guys got nothing to worry about.

Actually, there's sure to be some concern, if for no other reason than the Browns are facing expectations to make it to the playoffs this season. Stallworth will be a part of that, but Kellen Winslow, Braylon Edwards, Jamal Lewis and one of the league's most underrated offensive lines (not to mention Anderson) will also have a lot to do with how this thing plays out.

Whatever, Stallworth is at peace, thanks to the sage-like advice of his former coach and chronic cheater, Bill Belichick:

''I will always forever use what Belichick said last year, 'If you put a two-by-four on the ground and you walk across it, there's no pressure. But if you put it 300 feet in the air, you're going to be afraid. It just depends on what you think about it,' '' Stallworth said. ''I've never been one to worry about pressure. That word's not in my vocabulary.''

Pretty high-level philosophical stuff there. But, hey, whatever it takes to convince grown men to run full-speed into other, fatter grown men all in the name of football. And while the offense will be better with Stallworth healthy and participating, it'll be the defense that ultimately determine how far the Browns go in 2008.

Maybe Stallworth should give them the speech about the two-by-four.