Mindset of Browns Fans

**lloyd christmas** · 07-03-2008, 01:06 PM

I don't know many Browns fans on a personal level, but whenever I do find myself engrossed in conversation with them the same topic inevitably arises: The Baltimore Browns.

Baltimore fans, of all people in the sports world, can relate with the good people of Cleveland. After all, who better to sympathize with them than the city who had a beloved franchise ripped from them by a greedy, souless owner. But in my experience, most Browns fans don't seem to get this. They act as though their situation is a unique one, that they were first city to lose a sports franchise. While I will always be a Ravens fan (too young to have been a Colts fan) and love having them in Baltimore, it pains me to know obtaining a new team had to come at the expense of Cleveland. Browns fans should know we aren't proud of the fact that we had to convert the old Browns into our new team, but we had to make the best of the shi**y hand dealt to us.

I suppose my main point is this: Baltimore football fans have had it way worse than Cleveland. Our team was stolen from us in the middle of the night and the entire franchise went to Indy, including the logo, records, history, etc. As much as I would hate Modell if I were a Browns fan, at least he announced his move publicly and left a plan in place for Cleveland to obtain a new team! The history books show barely a blip on the radar in Cleveland for what happened to them. In Baltimore, the entire landscape has changed since the early 80's.

I wish Cleveland fans would keep these thoughts in mind because we certainly understand.

**psuasskicker** · 07-03-2008, 02:05 PM

I just had a violent flashback to 1997.

And 1998.

And 1999.

...

- C -

**lloyd christmas** · 07-03-2008, 02:57 PM

Sorry, wasn't trying to bring up old demons, but Browns fans are still stuck on this so blame them.

**RavenScallywag** · 07-03-2008, 03:27 PM

Cleveland fans also didn'thave to wait over a decade, the NFL came to their rescue right away. Baltimore was continually hung out to dry by the NFL...

that said, I do appreciate how tough it is for Browns fans. Yeah, Modell publicized what he was doing and gave them a path to get a new team, but he still took a team away from a city that was supporting it. Baltimore had it's loyal supporters, but many in the city abandoned the Colts when they didn't play so hot. Then again, Irsay broke his end of the settlement by not supporting a Baltimore NFL franchise.

Two bad situations for two division rivals. I actually did have a good conversation with a Browns fan at Microsoft Tech Ed a couple weeks back, lots of respect paid on both sides, no real negative feelings.

**Drkraven** · 07-03-2008, 10:36 PM

I know 1 sane Browns fan-the rest are just plain bitter, mean and crazy.

**highwater** · 07-04-2008, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by psuasskicker

I just had a violent flashback to 1997.

No kidding -- why start a thread about this? For what it's worth, I know Browns fans that have gotten over it, as they should. I think Modell selling the team helped, and getting their own team back relatively quickly helped too. The notion that all Browns fans are still stuck on this is not right.

**festivus** · 07-04-2008, 02:21 PM

Convinced that the pages with the most links to them from other highly relevant Web pages must be the most relevant pages associated with the search, Page and Brin tested their thesis as part of their studies, and laid the foundation for their search engine. Originally the search engine used the Stanford website with the domain google.stanford.edu. The domain google.com was registered on September 15, 1997. They formally incorporated their company, Google Inc., on September 7, 1998 at a friend's garage in Menlo Park, California.

How time flies. . .

**camdenyard** · 07-05-2008, 08:50 AM

**Greg** · 07-05-2008, 10:17 AM

The next time a Browns fan starts on this crap simply point out where the Colts play and ask him where the Browns currently play.

**PurplePill** · 07-05-2008, 05:19 PM

If anyone should be upset it's us. We're the ones who have to watch the damn Colts in another city for 20+ years still wearing our helmets, still wearing our jerseys, etc.

The Clowns went three years without football, kept their colors, kept their history, and got a brand spanking new stadium out of the deal. It amazes me that any of their fans still care about the move at this point. :insane:

**Khaine** · 07-07-2008, 12:30 PM

As someone living in So Cal (right near where they would probably build a new stadium) and remembering watching the Raiders play in the coliseum and the Rams taking off. The people of LA are too fickle to keep a team. Once they are below .500 it won't be cool to go to games... that's just the way they are out here

I have had the 'differences' conversation with many a football fan about how the Colts left and how the Browns left. Huge, huge difference - at least to me. I have convinced a few of that from time to time. Usually the people that don;t see the difference have the disorder of being clowns or squeelers fans or an extra chromosome (often they go hand in hand).