Photo Credit: The Cleveland Browns
I bet you are wondering how this transplanted New Yorker could be a Cleveland Browns fan. Well, doesn’t it all go back to our dads.
My late father was from Akron, Ohio, now known as the town LeBron James is from and left for warmer pastures in Miami. Akron used to be vibrant city due to the rubber factories that made tires for the big three automakers. My grandfather like many African-American men of this generation moved from the south to work in the rubber factories. And like the men of the town, they rooted for the Cleveland Browns because it was the closet football city and my father, growing up a football player loved the Browns as well.
And my father instilled his love of the Browns in his three kids. Many girls are not sports fans which I am not sure why. My father like most men of any generation are not talkers or express your feelings kind of guys. They talk about sports, politics and business. So as the eldestdaughter, what better way to be close to your father as you get older but sports. And so I have spent many a fall weekend watching football with my dad.
My father loved the Browns and like my dad, that team has broken my heart over the years. New York fans have no idea what I am talking about because every sports team in town has won a major championship game. I remember most times that the team has crushed me. The know infamous “The Fumble” by Gerald Byner in 1987 within reach of the end zone that would have beat the Denver Broncos for the AFC Championship. Then the day that the entire city of Cleveland will never forget. Art Modell, the then Browns leaves town in the middle of the night and moves to Baltimore. It is the only tme in football history where the city keeps the name of the team. He had to rename the team the Baltimore Ravens. And we know how Ravens story ends. Seriously, the Browns are only one of four teams that have never been to the Super Bowl.
Over the years, I have not paid attention to football except at Super Bowl time, I guess I am just not vested in the sport since my father died. But since my brother moved in, I have taken a renewed interest in the game for the simple fact that my brother is your typical guy who likes sports and hey, we have to have something to talk about.
Yesterday, my brother went to watch the Browns play the Jets and low and behold in overtime, the Browns lose the game at the last minute. I used to live in ignorant bliss not worrying about the Browns games but know I do. Damn you, Cleveland Browns.
Ove
