The Life and Times and Headaches of a Cleveland Browns Fan
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by user I am a cpcp
As I get closer and closer to my 25th birthday, I realize more and more that this could turn out to be a pivotal point in my life. I'll be making decisions that will resonate throughout the rest of my existence.
One of these such decisions will happen on or the days after my quarter-century birthday during one of America's most sacred events, the NFL Draft.
I've decided it's time to reevaluate my fanship in the Cleveland Browns.
Some may recall how I off-handedly mentioned that if the Browns draft Brady Quinn, I would forfeit my position as a Browns' fan. I wasn't kidding. However, this deep reflection into my NFL loyalties goes deeper than and overrated quarterback from an overrated school.
My Browns fandom started on a tumultuous note. Growing up as a cardholder of the Fairweather club, I decided to pledge my allegience to the hometown Browns going into the 1995 season. For you quick with pigskin trivia, you know that this was the year that Art Modell (aka Satan) announced that he was moving the team. So my devotion was put on hold for a few years and I decided to go back to my previous team (Dallas) and a brand spankin' new team (Jacksonville) until the Orange and Brown returned to Lake Erie.
Since the Browns return, I (along with many others) have been left unimpressed by a lackluster attempt to build a solid franchise. Several coaches, a dozen QBs and 7,000 underqualified and injury-prone offensive linemen later, the team is still trying to rebuild (you know, since they've been doing since before the NFL existed).
This year, as always, it seemed like things could be different. With the 3rd pick the Browns had a chance to get Adrian Peterson, a young stud would could bring energy and talent to the backfield and challenge seasoned veteran Reuben Droughns who was the first Browns RB to rush for over 1,000 yards since 1985.
Instead, they signed Jamal Lewis, a (mostly) washed-up ex-con.
"Ok," Browns fans thought. "Now we have two veteran running backs and we can trade down for the best receiver prospect in years." No, no, silly Browns fans. The Browns then traded Droughns for never-really-was receiver Tim Carter.
(As an aside, let me mention that I've bought two Browns jerseys in my life. The first was a Chris Spielman jersey, he retired a few weeks after I bought the jersey and never played a down for Cleveland. The other jersey I bought last week, it was a Droughns jersey. I'd taken off the tags by the time Lewis was signed, it had been washed by the time Droughns was traded. At least it was 80% off.)
So the two outstanding prospects the Browns could have drafted would be stepping into positions that have already been filled by players who shouldn't have been brought in. That means they can draft the position they always need to draft but always ignore (OL) or they'll draft Brady Quinn.
Either way, I'm really fed up with this team. I'm really sick and tired of all the broken promises, bad personnel decisions and all the general heartache. I've put almost half my life into this team (if you count the years I was a stand-by fan following the expansion team plans) and I feel like I've gotten no where.
It's fourth and long. The Browns have one last chance to show me I should stay on their side. Until the draft hits, I'm going to start narrowing down the NFL teams I may have an interest into converting to should the draft be (another) disaster. Feel free to make pitches for your favorite team, I have a short list in mind, but I'm open to every team (except the Lions, Steelers, Ravens and Bungles/Felons).
We'll see what kind of present Phil Savage can muster up for this fan's 25th birthday.
