It all began with Art Modell’s death on September 6, 2012,
just days before the NFL season’s first Sunday. The death inevitably brought
back a lot of memories for Browns fans. As a fan, I couldn’t help but think of
the final game where fans ripped out seats from Cleveland Municipal Stadium,
the site of so many legendary moments not just in Browns history but in the
history of the NFL. I thought about what it meant to be a Browns fan. But, of
course, it still all came back to Modell, and like all Browns fans, I couldn’t
avoid my frustration or hatred or feelings of what could have been knowing how
the future unfolded for the Ravens, Bill Belichick, and a glowing staff (best
depicted in the recent NFL Network documentary, Cleveland ‘95) from the 1995
Browns that have shaped the success of both the NFL and college football since
the move to Baltimore.
But, from my perspective, what hate was left for Art Modell?
It had been 17 years. He had already snagged a Super Bowl trophy in Super Bowl
XXXV, which was still fresh enough after the move for Browns fans to be
disgusted (it only got worse the next year when the era of dominating Bill
Belichick-run Patriots teams began). In financial peril, he sold the team in
2003 to minority owner Steve Bisciotti. He led a life out of the limelight in
his final years, not discussing the move or speaking in any negative manner
towards Cleveland. He can be looked back as the worst individual in Cleveland
sports history. But, how much more of Art Modell can someone take so
personally?
In the week following Modell’s death, reflecting on the move
was just sad. As a fan, I looked for more answers. I was only 11 at the time
the Browns moved, so there wasn’t much to really go by and remember other than
I felt sad and the city felt sad. Surprisingly, 17 years later with Modell’s
death, it wasn’t much different. Desperate to find more answers to the
circumstances behind the move, I read, Fumble:The Browns, Modell, & The Move. Published in 1997, it’s the only book I could find that specifically
discusses “The Move” and comes from a source in Michael G. Poplar, who worked
as treasurer for Cleveland Stadium Corp. When you read about the circumstances
behind the move, it’s simply sad all around, and it’s hard to determine whether
you can blame the financial errors of an owner or the political decision-making
of a city’s elected representatives. Either way, many people failed Browns
fans, and forever changed how we interact with our football team. (Note: The
only downfall of the book is its age. Over 16 years, a lot has happened to all
the individuals involved, the cities, and the teams that the book isn’t able to
express. Most humorously is the author’s statement of the Browns organization
as “everyone knowing Bill Belichick was not going to be the next Vince
Lombardi.”)
I also have to factor in to my perspective the absolute
opposite paths that the Ravens and Browns have taken since 1999. While the
Browns have been mired in poor drafting and one playoff appearance in 13
seasons of existence, the Ravens have consistently been the cream of the crop
in the AFC and finding playoff appearances left and right until finally
hoisting the Lombardi Trophy again this year. As a Browns fan, it’s hard for me
to sit around and hold a lot of hate for a team that consistently beats us, who
every year has less and less of a connection to Cleveland, and whose main source
of hatred in Modell left ownership of the organization years earlier.
The Browns fans' nightmare
The Cleveland ‘95 documentary highlights another main point. As Modell died, the Browns moved on to a new owner in Jimmy Haslam. Both pages were turned. Now, there was truly no clear connection anymore between the Ravens and the Browns with the death of Modell and the departure of Randy Lerner. For Browns fans, it’s truly time to move on. The villain that you hated for so long has left this world. A new chapter and administration has emerged in Cleveland. Though Browns fans have heard that constantly every couple years, the coaching staff already seems more skilled and intriguing than any in the past.
As a result, it was kind of odd to find myself cheering for
the Ravens. I don’t like any of these players. I respect their ability. After
their impressive win in Denver, to me, it was clear they had the ability to be
on the path to the Super Bowl. The gambling lines opposed and disrespected
them. They looked like the team that was most focused to win and make a run in
the same manner that we’ve seen Wild Card Round teams do in the NFL playoffs
for the past few years. As a football fan, it was hard to not rally around and
put your money on the quality football that the Ravens were producing.
Simply put, I’ve moved on. I dislike the Ravens, but I like
good football. Rather than dwell on depression and disgust, it’s finally time
for Browns fans to move their focus to seeing their team be a winner. The Art
Modell death, the change in administration, and strangely enough the Ravens
Super Bowl victory are the type of elements to get that going.
Of course, I have every expectation that I am in the
minority.
So does this mean you have no hatred (sports hatred of course, not real hatred) for the Steelers and/or Bengals? 17 years might be enough to get over the move since the guy that made the move is now dead and Matt Stover is no longer kicking for them, but they're still a division rival. And, obviously, they're still the team that could have been the Browns. Also, Ray Lewis was on that team, and he's kind of an assclown.
ReplyDeleteHey Kyle, I still have sports hatred deep down for all of these teams. For me, what it comes down to is that it's on the Browns organization as to why I lost some of the hatred. We've put terrible teams on the field over 13 years and haven't been competitive against our rivals. It's hard to hate these teams when they're just consistently beating you, making your team a joke, and playing football the way that you wish your team was. Thanks for reading!
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