Cavs reportedly offer J.R. Smith less than his declined player option
August 17, 2015Report: Cavaliers sign former Duke guard Quinn Cook
August 17, 2015As we ready ourselves for another Cleveland Browns football season, it was interesting to see a picture that Darren Rovell of ESPN posted to Twitter. Rovell incorrectly states that it was 30 years ago “today” that Bernie Kosar started for the Browns, but it’s close enough for rock ‘n roll, as they say. Bernie started his first game for the Browns on October 13, 1985. The Browns won against the Houston Oilers 21-6. Bernie was 8/19 passing for 208 yards with a TD and an interception. That one TD was a 68-yard bomb to Clarence Weathers. Fittingly, Bernie rushed the ball twice for negative-two yards.
Here’s the picture that Rovell posted, followed by some interesting anecdotes from the Browns’ beat crew.
30 Years Ago Today: Bernie Kosar makes 1st pro start. Here he is with the press after the game pic.twitter.com/SNr93v1QYh
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 17, 2015
@darrenrovell Post-game interviews done in a trailer inside Cleveland Stadium concourse.
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) August 17, 2015
@darrenrovell @DawgsByNature Recognizing Dan Coughlin, Bill Lilley in Bernie's-30-years-ago-start scene. pic.twitter.com/hjWZvmH2N4
— Steve Doerschuk (@sdoerschukREP) August 17, 2015
It’s interesting for fans of the 2015 Browns as well because Bernie Kosar – despite our current-day hero worship and fond memories – was pretty pedestrian in the game. The real stars were on the Browns’ offensive line and working behind Bernie as ball carriers. Kevin Mack carried the ball 20 times for 91 yards and a TD while Earnest Byner went for 54 yards on 14 carries and a TD.
Michael A. Lutz from the AP had the account that I found via Google. It’s really fun to read the old quotes from the game write-up.
Of the 68-yard bomb, here’s what Bernie had to say.
“I felt the touchdown pass took the pressure off the whole team and gave us all a lift,” Kosar said. “Once they knew we could go deep, they couldn’t stop our running game.”
Weathers was his favorite target, catching three passes for 146 yards.
“He was so wide open, I just didn’t want to overthrow him,” Kosar said. “They line up in a blitz, but got out of it into a zone. I gave Clarence the signal and we executed the play.”
Bernie hit Weathers for 57 yards later in the game to set up Byner’s 5-yard TD run.
The thing is that there’s no way I actually remember this game or any others from that time period with any specificity. Still, even through the hazy memory of a 6-year-old’s account, I remember how great it was to root for Bernie Kosar-led Browns teams.
Ahh the memories of Bernie that I barely actually even have…
12 Comments
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Fun trivia game: How many seasons did Bernie Kosar win 2 playoff games or more?
Oh, that’s not very fun. That’s mean. Why did anyone ask that question?
yeah a moderator should ban you
hard to believe it hasn’t happened yet, probably shouldn’t have made the button the same as (and next to) the coffee button.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PsG8U6Fr1A
Pagel and Don Strock, those were interesting back to back against the Oilers, too bad we needed to win both, and that terrible lateral call, which was ruled a lateral and Clay Matthews recovered, ran in the end zone, and the TD was waved off, but Matthews was still awarded the fumble recovery. Even Jerry Glanville on the sideline for Houston was expecting it a TD. If we only had a healthy Bernie that year…
His NFL baptism the week before (against New England, I think) was even less auspicious. Gary Danielson hurt his shoulder, Bernie trots in to wild cheers and … fumbles his first snap, falling on it like a baby giraffe. I had crappy seats, a few rows above the baseball dugout, but a great vantage point for that play. He calmed down as the game went on but man, he looked like he couldn’t breathe as they broke that first huddle.
” . . . Bernie Kosar – despite our current-day hero worship and fond memories – was pretty pedestrian in the game.”
Craig, I think you’re great, but that phrase makes no sense.
You really have trouble with the concept behind the word “despite.” As in [and I’m paraphrasing], “despite the fact that the Browns didn’t get Chip Kelly, the team went ahead and scheduled a training camp anyway.”
I point this out only because of my respect for you. So stop it. It’s annoying.
Hugs and cordiality always,
Mr. C (whose air conditioning died this afternoon despite the fact that it was working yesterday, so cut me some slack)
Despite his blue collar Ohio roots, Bernie quickly went “Hollywood,” landing one big endorsement after another.
Harv, I am so glad you mentioned this. I was at the game as well – it was my first. I often tell the story of how Bernie was standing on one side of Schottenheimer and McDonald on the other. My creative memory recalls a hush as we all waited to see who was going in. The second Bernie stepped on the field, everyone went nuts. Then he fumbled the snap.
wow, forgot Paul MacDonald was still on the roster when Bernie arrived. In my memory there was a clean wipe of the slate at the QB position that year.
You had me doubting my memory (which is a smart thing to do, according to wifey), so I checked my magic information box. He was on the roster. I actually thought he started that year, until I read your first post and remembered it was indeed Danielson.