Browns vs. Steelers, LAN parties, Sports Talk Radio commercials – WFNY Podcast – 2014-10-16
October 16, 2014Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ career in one terrific statistic
October 17, 2014Trying to get used to the Browns as a road favorite…
The Cleveland Browns aren’t supposed to be a favorite, let alone a road favorite. At least not in my mind having followed the team closely like the rest of you. I mean, I went through the numbers this week and it makes sense and I know it to be true, but I’m having a difficult time getting used to it. Even as it’s something new and different for Cleveland fans, it’s nothing new around the country.
I lived in Boston before Belichick became the head coach there. I started Boston U in the fall of 1997 and he didn’t get there until 2000. Tom Brady didn’t show up until the 2000 draft in the sixth round. Those football fans were a little bit schizophrenic by the time I got there. They were just finishing up a run with Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells who gave way to Pete Carroll. Pete Carroll was run out of town in three short years, Bill Belichick replaced him and started winning Super Bowls his second season, but their history was as a Super Bowl loser.
I don’t know if everyone else remembered as much as they did, but the Pats were demolished by the Bears in 1985. That loss on the big stage defined that team for a very long time, and then Bill Parcells came to town, but ended up giving Brett Favre and the Packers a Super Bowl. Despite the run of success and two trips to the Super Bowl, the fanbase felt didn’t seem to appreciate just getting close.
For us Browns fans, it seems like it might be nice to just get there. And I think a lot of us would admit today that we are happy the Indians made it to the World Series even though they lost in both of them. Even admitting that we like that though, we know the Indians are defined as losers of two World Series to the world at-large. We talk out of both sides of our mouths in that regard.
It was the same thing in Boston with the Pats. They had a sense of pride at times, but it was a real self-deprecating group of football fans, much the way we Browns fans are today. It was a tough transition for them to finally believe in Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. At least half the fanbase thought the franchise was completely stupid to go with Tom Brady instead of Drew Bledsoe. You’d be hard-pressed to find one of those fans today, but trust me, they were plentiful.
It’s with that history in mind that I’m trying to understand exactly who the Browns are today and who I think they can become. I’m trying to understand if they’re a finished enough product to help erase the stigma of the past or if they’ll stare at being a road favorite and falter under the pressure of expectation. Obviously we’ll find out soon enough, but I’m really nervous with the wait. I want to know how this story is going to end and how much I will enjoy the ride or not.
Is that weird?
You couldn’t write a script this good…
I came across this at the top of the sports page at Reddit and I absolutely love it.
Gary Taylor-Fletcher is a soccer player, by the way, but it doesn’t matter. The quote is absolutely priceless in an age where the Bob Costas model of broadcasting has been canned and shipped to every journalism school in the country. They’ve taken superlatives too far in the sports world, which is pretty ironic all by itself.
A short five song fall playlist…
I spent the week taking in music. I saw Appleseed Cast and J Mascis at the Grog Shop on two different nights and I think I’ve finally made the transition to Fall music. Both of those bands have songs that I pretty specifically align with this time of year, so they have two songs on the list. In addition to those, I’ve included one that Andrew turned me onto this summer by the band Dikembe and a couple of old staples for me. Heaven by The Fire Theft and Time Bomb by The Dismemberment Plan. Enjoy.
Your weekly moment of soccer zen…
Loved this Vine of an amazing volley finish.
Thanks so much for reading everything this week guys. Make sure if you use Uber this weekend you use our special code… 🙂
46 Comments
I don’t mean to jack this thread with non-sports/nerd-TV related talk, but it’s Friday, and I don’t have anyone else to talk to about this (I am NOT going fanboy blogging!). And I’m pretty sure I remember being involved in a short discussion in a comment section here about it a month ago, so here goes…
Anyone else severely disappointed with the new season of Supernatural so far?
The Browns?
A road favorite?
https://media.giphy.com/media/ANbD1CCdA3iI8/giphy.gif
http://static02.mediaite.com/themarysue/uploads/2014/09/its-a-trap.gif
Road favorite, or…….
http://media.giphy.com/media/sfnwnXtqQ8pO/giphy.gif
You know when you see a word too many times it starts looking weird? I’m starting to feel like David Spade in Tommy Boy… RO-AD
Right! Silly little bleeder. One jaguar stew comin’ right up!
http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/123/1/5/killer_rabbit_gif_by_renjikuchiki1-d3fjdsm.gif
Jacksonville always scares me. The Jags cursed Art Modell, but somehow the curse stuck with the Browns. Let’s revisit:
(1) 1994 – Art Modell blocks expansion team to Baltimore, they settle for Jacksonville, which has been a terrible home for the NFL.
(2) 1995 – Browns lose to Jacksonville in their expansion year. Twice. Including the last game ever for the Paul Brown started Browns.
(3) 1999 – Browns come back as an expansion franchise. Referee Jeff Tripplette permanently injures one of our few good players by throwing a flag in his eye (Orlando “Zeus” Brown).
(4) 2000 – Chris Palmer is fired after only 2 seasons, starting a trend of reshuffling FO & HC regularly that has continued to this day. Al Lerner reportedly had decided to fire Palmer after watching the Browns lose 48-0 to the Jaguars.
(5) 2001 – Referees reverse time itself to review a play after the Browns had lined up and spiked the ball, against NFL rules. The fans revolt peppering the field with bottles and the referees call the game. Commish Tags had to step in and force the refs and teams to finish the game and the curse is seemingly broken (10pts in the 4th give the Browns the win).
(6) 2002 – Tim Couch to Quincy Morgan on “Hail Morgan” to demonstrate the curse has been lifted.
other games of note:
2009 – it was the final game win versus Jacksonville that sealed the fate for Mangini to get 1 more bad-fitting year from Holmgren.
We’ve lost 2 of the last 3 games versus the Jaguars including last year when we had the game all but wrapped up after Weeden’s 95yd TD pass to Gordon with 4 minute left (and a 3pt lead). Of course, we let Chad Henne effortlessly march down the field and eventually hit Shorts for the winning TD while eating up all the clock.
http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view4/3741129/tommy-boy-pet-o.gif
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3avcqYSJt1qgzqnco6_r1_250.gif
http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/suspicious-nod-yes.gif
I’m right there with you. Terrified of this game. The Jaguars are hungry for that first win.
http://i2.wp.com/www.helloloser.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/friday.gif
Tried to talk the wife into going to the game, but she has to work.
And we have yardwork to do.
I’m kind of glad… :/
And we still may not be very good.
http://sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i/keep-calm-and-be-afraid-be-very-afraid-5.png
TGIGifF, people!
(Thank God It’s gif Friday!)
Yes! Agreed. I’m willing to give them some time with it though. I mean, it’s hard to keep up the drama when you’re basically having heavenly battles every week. After basically fighting (new) God, anything is going to be a let down. But it does seem overly slow and meandering. Seems like the last few years have been non-stop iterations of Sam hates Dean, Dean hates Sam so the whole thing seems played out to me.
Completely agreed. I’ll give it time too, but I need a sense of direction and some answers soon. I don’t know where they’re going with Castiel (I honestly can’t even remember why he and Hannah are driving around), and Dean…so many unanswered questions: Why is he ok with being a demon all of a sudden? Why is he ok working with Crowley? And why didn’t Sam just stab Crowley with the First Blade instead of just handing it over? Hopefully some of these get answered during the course of the season, although I’m not holding my breath.
And yeah, hard to follow up a boss battle where the boss is God. I know the writers think they can keep the show going for a couple more seasons, but they may have run out of factions of baddies…or at least already played their ace. And I don’t necessarily need a new set of baddies for them to chase throughout the season, I wouldn’t mind if it was Sam vs. Deanmon (or Sam and Cas vs. Dean and Crowley) for the whole season, but just make it make sense.
http://giphy.com/gifs/reactiongifs-WRdmOfjRmRRjW
Great MLB playoffs I planned on watching very little and wound up watching a very lot. The two lowest teams in their respective leagues for homeruns face off. I’ve been pulling for the Royals but I think that’s coming to an end the Giants just have that even year voodoo working again. Hopefully it’s a good series. My pick: Giants in six!
I support non-controversial pop culture thread hijacking in my weekly WWW.
I almost didn’t uptick since you used Perriwinkle & Black there.
Giants have had enough recent success. I’m all-in on KC.
http://media.giphy.com/media/lNJrTdJfLKtBS/giphy.gif
http://img.pandawhale.com/39186-David-Hasselhoff-nonsense-flyi-pe2T.gif
At this point I feel like you only get a handful of truly good episodes every season. I’ll keep watching, but I don’t get invested.
I thought you need the Mark of Cain to be able to use the First Blade.
Totally agree on Castiel. I couldn’t tell you what’s going on with him.
I’m also sort of worried that this new setup will move them away from the weekly, less serial episodes where they just go to town X to fight monster Y. I tend to enjoy those more. The show really reminds me of X-Files, where the over arching storyline sort of ended up being more of a chore than anything else. Just be Sam and Dean and kill some demons.
http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/youre-awesome.gif
What about an Indians attendance debate?
Shamstradamus sticking with his choice besides if the Royals win Indians fans might think they have a chance.
#BoSoxIn2015
Chief Wahoo?
i.imgur.com/VONhN.gif
Is that Carl Sagan?!
http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfv4bcDkfQ1qa91nwo1_400.gif
Not severely. Not just yet. Because I’m hopeful for the premise of Dean as demon, given a) his talent for earthly sinning, and b) the “talents” Alistair and others claim he demonstrated while in hell. Could make for both entertaining and intense things to come. But yes, far too much wandering so far–lets get to the good stuff.
I’m all for a return to more frequent town x, monster y formula, so long as a Ghostfacers reunion isn’t part of it.
Couch vs. Holcomb
http://i.imgur.com/cnnuf7g.gif
http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view5/4640736/fat-guy-in-a-little-coat-o.gif
http://media.tumblr.com/429dab38f9300eedf00e6a1d262eba67/tumblr_inline_naw35yzxRH1r702nz.gif
Florida’s “FanGate”?
http://lovelace-media.imgix.net/uploads/295/5af70760-3790-0132-40f9-0ebc4eccb42f.png?w=780&h=550&fit=max&q=70
Yeah I remembered that you needed the Mark of Cain when I went back and reread my comment, but didn’t feel like editing it. Good call.
I’m with you and B-bo re: the X/Y formula.
I think that’s true of any show – you can’t expect 15-20 spectacular episodes, maybe 3-4 great ones and hope that the rest (the filler episodes) are decent enough. But these first two episodes weren’t even “decent enough.”
Despite my wondering why Dean would let himself become/stay a demon, I certainly love the possibilities of it. But usually season premiere give a little taste of what’s to come and leave you wanting more – definitely not the case with this premier.
there are no Jorts nor popped short sleeve collar shirts in that picture. it cannot be Florida
Browns lost the game in 2001 where bottles were thrown on the field (I refuse to add -gate to it for meaning).
you are absolutely correct. man, I’m an idiot. I thought that was the case, but then pulled up the schedule and just saw the 1st game, neglecting the fact that Jacksonville was in our division that year and we played them twice.
Thank you for the correction. So, the curse was in full effect until the “Hail Morgan” play the next year.
Rick Scott’s director of social media was out on a coffee run
http://www.celebitchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/FFN_Dornan_Jamie_FFUK_exc_041714_51386219.jpg