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Myles Garrett recalls Jerry West's message to Browns during Los Angeles trip last year
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- Myles Garrett recalls Jerry West's message to Browns during Los Angeles trip last year
BEREA — There was a lot about the trip to Los Angeles the Browns went on last season that resonated with those who were on it. One of the lasting moments came during in the middle of the week, in a team meeting while at UCLA.
Basketball legend Jerry West came into the meeting room and spoke to the team. The Basketball Hall of Famer as both the player who became The Logo for the NBA and the executive who built the "Showtime" Lakers didn't speak long, but his message resonated loudly to the players.
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One of the ones it hit the most was All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett, who was asked about it Wednesday, the same day West died at the age of 86 .
"I loved his message and definitely still had a lot of energy, still had a lot of life to give and wisdom," Garrett said. "So my condolences are with the West family. I know he meant a lot. I know he meant a lot to that community out there, and it's a sad day for the NBA and the NBA family, and prayers out for them."
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett pauses on the red carpet before NFL Honors where he was announced as the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Feb. 8, 2024, in Las Vegas.
Garrett's love for basketball and the NBA has been well-documented. He purchased a minority share of the Cavaliers last year, is routinely seen courtside at games and, once, went through warmups with their Summer League team in Las Vegas.
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West, meanwhile, was a self-proclaimed Browns fan. During a portion of his speech shared at the time by the team on social media, he spoke of how much he admired the players, saying, "Something good is going to happen to you guys with the effort and your coaches who have gotten involved to lead you."
However, it was another comment West made — specifically when he said, "You have to believe in yourself and the guy right beside you and thank God with playing with somebody who really cares as much as you" — that still stuck with Garrett.
"I mean, he talked about the grit and the team bonding that it takes to really get there," Garrett recalled. "How much you really have to stick together and how much resilience it takes to weather an entire season and really make it to the end. Every team is talented, but how much are you willing to take to get to where you want? We talked a little bit about being paid more and about ownership, but we'll skip that part."
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Amari Cooper continues to be absent from Cleveland Browns minicamp
Wide receiver Amari Cooper was absent from minicamp for the second consecutive day Wednesday. The absences remain unexcused, meaning he faces fines as part of the collective bargaining agreement.
The maximum fine for missing Tuesday was $16,953. The daily fine went up to $33,908 for Wednesday, and increases to $50,855 if he misses Thursday.
Neither Cooper, his agent Chafie Fields nor the Browns have stated publicly the reason for the absence. It's believed to be related to his desires to get a contract extension as he goes into the final year of his current deal.
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Browns cornerback Denzel Ward a strong proponent for OTA participation
Attendance at the minicamp, which concludes Thursday, was mandatory. However, the rest of the Browns' offseason program was entirely voluntary, including the 10 on-field OTA practices.
Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) comes off the field after practice during minicamp Wednesday in Berea.
There were many of the Browns' key players, including Garrett, Cooper and tight end David Njoku, who were not present for at least some of the OTAs. Cornerback Denzel Ward was present, and spoke of why he believed it was important to be at the voluntary events.
"Because I think the Browns, they drafted me to be on this team — they drafted me to be a leader on this team and that's a way that I show my leadership coming into OTAs," Ward said. "Regardless if I'm here, I'm a rookie or if I'm a veteran in the league, I just try to come in and help show the guys what it's supposed to look like and how it's supposed to go and if they got questions.
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"But I'm still out here working on my game as well. And what better way than to come out here and do that with your guys and your coaches and everything? So just out here learning out here trying to get better, but just trying to set a great example."
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Myles Garrett remembers late Jerry West's speech to Browns last year
