Just Another Day in the Life of a Browns Fan..

I am sick of hearing it. I refuse to listen to it. If one more person tries to tell me about their cities “bad luck” or “agony” when it comes to sports, I will lose it. I spent Sunday at a bar (the only place I can go to watch my Browns play) with friends from around the country who, because their teams were not playing at the time, sat and watched the Browns unimaginable loss to the 1-7 Rams with me. So, before I get to the game, these were our conversations:

Friend from San Diego: San Diego has the worst sports luck, but nobody cares because we have the best weather. Response I wanted to reply with: Oh really? I am sorry you have teams that make it to the AFC Championship games multiple years, and I am really, really sorry that you have the best weather. Please save it!

Friend from Minnesota: Minnesota has had some pretty bad luck, I mean, look at the Twins, Vikings, and Timberwolves. Response I wanted to reply with: Please! You were a play away from going to the Super Bowl two years ago; the Twins won a world series in the 1990s, and let us not forget the Minnesota Lynx won the WNBA Championship this year! (Ok, ok, I know, yes I did reference a WNBA team, but seriously they won a championship, that is more than anything a Cleveland team has won in six decades!)

As the game unfolded, I proceeded to tell my friends about all things that have gone wrong in Cleveland sports, and to save myself, and Cleveland friends from an intense spike in blood pressure, I will not go into any details (if you want to know more, Google it or something). Here we go, for the Browns you have the Drive, the Fumble, Red Right 88, and that meltdown against the Steelers the only time we have made the playoffs since we returned. The Indians, probably had one of the best teams in baseball history in the mid 1990s, managed to blow a 2 out lead in the last inning of the 1997 world series, and lost in Game 7 in extra innings, and managed to blow a 3-1 lead in the 2007 ALCS to the Red Sox, who then went on to sweep the Rockies in the World Series. The Cavs have the “shot” by MJ to sink the higher seeded Cavs in the first round of 1989 playoffs, and I need not go any further into the recent memory of Cavs fans.

With all of that said, I sat and watched the Browns play, maybe, one of their most complete games of the season, and yet, they still managed to not find the end zone. The coaches pulled out the trick plays, wide receivers made plays, Colt McCoy was accurate, and still the Browns could not score a touch-down. Thankfully, Phil Dawson, the team MVP (yes I know, he is our kicker), was spot on from four different points kicking field goals in a windy Cleveland Browns Stadium from 44,32,29, and 43 yards, respectively.
And then, when it looked like the Browns had positioned themselves perfectly to have Dawson kick his fifth field goal of the day, and take the lead late in the fourth quarter, it happened. I have said it before, and I am sure I will say it again; it was one of those “only in Cleveland moments.”

It would have been Dawson’s shortest field goal of the day, two yards longer than an extra point attempt. A chip shot, as they like to call it. I sat there at the bar, with my temporary Browns fans friends, about to watch the Browns get a nice win, and all I could do was watch in disbelief, as the snap rolled and bounced to the holder, who somehow managed to control it and hold it, and then as Dawson managed to get the kick off, only for it to be deflected wide left with two minutes to go in the game.
Now, it is not entirely absurd that a snap is bad, it could happen to any team in the NFL. But then you realize that the Browns long snapper is a Pro-Bowler, one of the best in the NFL, and you watch the slow motion replay you see that somehow, some way, the Browns left guard, who should probably try out for Dancing With The Stars because he has to have the quickest feet in America, managed to deflect the snap with his leg, you realize how absurd this actually was. Bad snaps are one thing, but I have never seen a lineman deflect a snap with his leg on a field goal attempt.

I could not even be mad. I mean, sure, I was mad, but then I remember, “It’s the Browns, and I’m a Cleveland fan.” I have become so engrained with stuff like this, that I almost expect it to happen. The Cleveland Browns are clearly the poster child for Murphy’s Law.

So I do not want to hear it anymore, from anyone other than Cleveland fans. Please spare me from your, “it has been a couple of years since we won a championship” talk, or, “man my teams have really bad luck.” I do not, no, I cannot take it anymore, and if you don’t believe me, come join me this Sunday at the bar, and watch a Browns game with me (yes, I will be there, just like all the other weeks, in my jersey rooting on my team). I guarantee you will leave saying, “Man my team ain’t so bad after all.”

That's Life....as a Browns Fan

Every season on Cleveland’s gridiron usually starts in the dumps. Whether it be lousy front office, or player injuries in preseason camps, and not to mention the fact we have to look up at the Steelers and Ravens all year. Ugh...

But this season seemed to have a little bit of momentum behind it. For one, we were all football starved for the length of the summer, so there was just general excitement to get the players back out on the field. Add in the fact that the Browns, until the last 5 games of the season, have a considerably light schedule, and a new coach who scores points is now manning the sidelines. The 2011 season seemed like a chance for the Brownies to make some noise from day 1.

We got to open up at home against a Cincinnati team starting a rookie QB and a rookie WR, and then catch an Indianapolis team that will bewithout the best quarterback in the NFL in week 2. I was getting giddy at the thought of my Brownies being 2-0 to start the team. For the first time in a long time the Browns were favored in their week 1 matchup, and not just favored because they were the home team, they were 7 point favorites over the Bengals.

I was brimming with excitement at my opportunity to see the Browns start the year off with a win for just the second time in thirteen years. And as the game continued on and the Browns clung to a 3 point lead, the defense had been making plays, Joe Haden looked every bit the part of a first round draft pick out there swatting balls, and our two rookie defensive lineman were holding their own. And then, in the fourth quarter, it happened…

Nothing new in the life of a Browns fan. Just another one of those, “that can only happen in Cleveland” type plays that you rarely see in football. The Bengals had broken the huddle early and rushed up to the line of scrimmage and somehow manage to snap the ball before the Browns could even get out of their defensive huddle. It resulted in the Bengals rookie wide receiver walking untouched into the end zone for the go ahead score. And just like that the game had slipped away. Bye- bye lead, good bye optimism, hello same old song and dance.

I still watch every game and root for the team to win, that will never change. The sad part is this team is actually a decent group, and they have a chance to win games this year. But Sunday the entire team, coaches, and players, were not prepared. You cannot win games committing 11 penalties, and you certainly cannot win games when your players are confused about the play call. The Bengals may have been sneaky about it, but you get a week to prepare for different personnel looks.

Oh well, there’s always next year, right?

No Average Joe

Ok I will admit it, I am a homer. I am for all things Browns, Indians, and Cavaliers. I root for them, and I hold grudges. So I have to admit, while watching the 2010 NFL Draft, I was not all that enthralled with the Browns' selection of Florida cornerback Joe Haden with the #7 overall pick. Never mind all the "experts" analysis: "he's not fast enough, too short, not physical enough...blah blah blah," he went to FLORIDA! The university that whooped up on my Buckeyes in football and twice in basketball. I still do not drink Gatorade to this day because of that football game! And now I have to root for him?

He's only played for the Browns for a year, and only started a little over half of the games, but that is enough for me, I am sold. I am a Joe Haden fan! No matter what school he went to. The man get's it! He understand what it is that we Clevelanders crave! And because of that I can only hope the Browns find 21 more guys just like him.

I am sure you all think that I am going to go straight to his stats and wax poetically about him being a stud corner (even though I could, six picks as a rookie in a division stacked with wide receiver talent is no short feat) but it goes beyond that. Way beyond that. He doesn't just do it on the field, he does it off the field too! He has found a way to become a fan favorite after only a year, and it wasn't because he ran his mouth, nope, just his tweets!

***
It was April Fools Day this year when a 12-year old little league team found out their team sponsor was not going to sponsor the team any longer, and the season was in jeopardy. So the coach did what any reasonable person, who was coaching a bunch of 12-year old boys, would do, he tweeted! Actually, he sent a tweet to @JoeHaden23 on a whim asking to sponsor his kids' team. Now, even the coach admitted he thought nothing would come of it. That was, until, Haden tweeted him back! Haden ended up getting in touch with the coach, handed the coach cash to pay the league fees, and supply uniforms, and in the process made a bunch of 12-year old's year!

Haden is quoted in the article by Zac Jackson, that I linked above, saying, "I'm really fortunate to have grown up watching my father help people when he could. And now that I'm in the position to do the same, I'm always looking to do the same." I think I just heard the collective, "ahhhhhhh," as in, breath of fresh air? In today's "look at me, look at me" celebrity world, here's a kid (Haden is only 22) who get's it!

But this story goes a little further than, "Oh here ya go, here's your league fees, have a good season." No, Haden went above and beyond that. The first doubleheader of the year for the team, now named Haden Nation, Haden catches a flight, drives an hour, and makes to the kids game, sits in the dugout with the kids, and watches them win. Seriously?! Is this guy for real? YES! This wasn't scripted, that actually happened. The guy could have easily said, "Man, I just flew in, I'll catch another game." But no, he said he would be there, no matter how long of a drive it was, and he showed up!

Whether or not you are a Brown's fan, or a Haden fan, you should appreciate that, and have a new found respect for this man. But wait, there is more. And here is why he is a Cleveland fan favorite...

 ***
It was probably just a regular Tuesday early afternoon, June 21st, most people at work are looking for a way to kill 30 minutes of their day, and hop on their twitter to find a tweet from @JoeHaden23: #sushirock beachwood at 415! Lunch on me just come over and say you follow me on twitter and ill take your bill! #letgo.

I'm sure you're thinking, funny joke! Well 55 fans fell for the joke, and ended up with a free lunch! 
***

But there is more, during a Cavaliers home game, Haden showed up court-side dressed in full uniform with fan favorite Anderson Varejao wig. And was spotted at Progressive Field in an Indians uniform, pants and all!

He is exactly what the fans of Cleveland yearn for, and nothing like the "king" was. I would bet every cent to my name you would never see Haden at an Indians playoff game with a Yankees hat on...hmmmm you'd have to air a one hour special about yourself to do something like that, oh wait...


He is exactly what Cleveland has wanted, exactly what the Browns needed on the field, and the perfect example for all athletes on how to act off of it. But maybe most importantly, he is the perfect way for Cleveland fans to forget about the wounds left by the "lyin king." Here's hoping this Joe keeps his talents in Cleveland for years to come!