What Made You a Browns Fan?
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I moved to NE Ohio right before the Browns came back. I actually (thought I) hated watching the Browns when I lived there as I was accustomed to watching the Cowboys in their heyday and the Packers with peak Farve. We moved three years later and by about the second week of the season I realized I missed watching the Brownies. I've been hooked, probably to my detriment, ever since.
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I became a browns fan in 1988. My first trip to the US was when I was about 13 in 1981. I was so excited about being in America - I had always wanted to go, the first night we got to the hotel in Orlando i put the TV on and this game I had heard about was being played on TV. The big crowds, the pads, helmets, razmataz and bone crushing hits grabbed me instantly. What I couldn't work out but loved, was that you were allowed to flatten opponents who WEREN'T CARRYING THE BALL! I played Rugby at school and that certainly wasn't allowed. I was hooked.
I flirted with becoming a Tampa Bay Bucs fan as this was the first place I set foot on in the US, but a waiter at the hotel told me that they were awful and I should think hard about that before I committed!!
So the next 7 years saw me becoming an overall NFL fan, a fan of the game but with no family in the US, no real connection, I didn't have a team. Then one night I met a guy called Jamie Berger. Jamie was from Cuyahogha Falls Ohio. he was the friend of a friend working in London and over a discussion he realised that I loved football. He asked me what team I followed and I told him none - he told me straight out that i was now a Browns Fan. He did not give me a choice. He went into great detail telling me that they were the best team i the history of the game, practically invented the modern game. He told me about Paul brown, the Municipal stadium, no logo, no cheerleaders, blue collar, hall of fame inductees, the fans, the dawgpound and thorwing dog biscuits at the opposition whilst stripped half naked barking like rabid wolves in something called the Dawgpound. How could I say no to that.
I was a Browns fan and proud. Then the NFL announced a series of exhibition games that were to be played in pre-season in Wembley Stadium in England. Guess what, Kosar's Browns would face Cunnigham's Eagles in August 1989 in London. Jamie's parents bundled up a parcel with hats, shirts and banners and shipped it all to us in the UK. I was actually going to see the Browns play! I remember that day so clearly - we tailgated at Jamie's house and then hopped on the train to Wembley.
I got to see the team that went on to beat the Steelers 51-0 in the opening game that season. I saw Webster Slaughter haul in a one hander right in front of me. I saw Bernie's ducking and diving, foot back stance under center, Clay Matthews hit people really hard and a young rookie called Eric Metcalf takes some reps for his new team. We lost, but hey it was pre-season and, little did I know then, I would get used to losing.
So that's how it all started for me. I followed the browns via newspapers until the internet came about. Cried into my beer like you all did when modell made his decision and got excited when we came back. But what turbo charged my addiction to the Browns was actually coming to Cleveland. I live in a small village in England, population of about 200. we have a pub. I met this guy there in 2003 called Gareth, G-Man o this board. We had known each other for about 3 years before I mentioned to him my love of Amercian football. Bizarrely, he was also a Browns fan. It's hard enough to find anyone over here who likes the NFL never mind has a team, never mind lives in your tiny village never mind a damned Browns fan!!!!
We decided to go to Cleveland together and later that year it's exactly what we did. Browns beat the Seahawks in overtime in 2007 via the sweet boot of Phil Dawson. What a first game. Seriously one of the best moments of my life. Well, this september we make it back "home" to Cleveland to see our gang of close close friends and the Browns for our 10th home game on 9 trips. record so far is 3-6. But what the hell - we love the Browns, Cleveland, Ohio and the amazing people we know and are yet to make friends with.
Go Bloody Browns!
Tailgate loving, Steelers hating, Trans-Atlantic Browns fan. Annually disappointed since '88. Annually optimistic since '88. GO BROWNS! -
"and a young rookie called Eric Metcalf takes some reps for his new team." - now that alone was worth the price of the ticket, the only U. Of Texas player I ever liked watching even against us.
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I became a browns fan in 1988. My first trip to the US was when I was about 13 in 1981. I was so excited about being in America - I had always wanted to go, the first night we got to the hotel in Orlando i put the TV on and this game I had heard about was being played on TV. The big crowds, the pads, helmets, razmataz and bone crushing hits grabbed me instantly. What I couldn't work out but loved, was that you were allowed to flatten opponents who WEREN'T CARRYING THE BALL! I played Rugby at school and that certainly wasn't allowed. I was hooked.
I flirted with becoming a Tampa Bay Bucs fan as this was the first place I set foot on in the US, but a waiter at the hotel told me that they were awful and I should think hard about that before I committed!!
So the next 7 years saw me becoming an overall NFL fan, a fan of the game but with no family in the US, no real connection, I didn't have a team. Then one night I met a guy called Jamie Berger. Jamie was from Cuyahogha Falls Ohio. he was the friend of a friend working in London and over a discussion he realised that I loved football. He asked me what team I followed and I told him none - he told me straight out that i was now a Browns Fan. He did not give me a choice. He went into great detail telling me that they were the best team i the history of the game, practically invented the modern game. He told me about Paul brown, the Municipal stadium, no logo, no cheerleaders, blue collar, hall of fame inductees, the fans, the dawgpound and thorwing dog biscuits at the opposition whilst stripped half naked barking like rabid wolves in something called the Dawgpound. How could I say no to that.
I was a Browns fan and proud. Then the NFL announced a series of exhibition games that were to be played in pre-season in Wembley Stadium in England. Guess what, Kosar's Browns would face Cunnigham's Eagles in August 1989 in London. Jamie's parents bundled up a parcel with hats, shirts and banners and shipped it all to us in the UK. I was actually going to see the Browns play! I remember that day so clearly - we tailgated at Jamie's house and then hopped on the train to Wembley.
I got to see the team that went on to beat the Steelers 51-0 in the opening game that season. I saw Webster Slaughter haul in a one hander right in front of me. I saw Bernie's ducking and diving, foot back stance under center, Clay Matthews hit people really hard and a young rookie called Eric Metcalf takes some reps for his new team. We lost, but hey it was pre-season and, little did I know then, I would get used to losing.
So that's how it all started for me. I followed the browns via newspapers until the internet came about. Cried into my beer like you all did when modell made his decision and got excited when we came back. But what turbo charged my addiction to the Browns was actually coming to Cleveland. I live in a small village in England, population of about 200. we have a pub. I met this guy there in 2003 called Gareth, G-Man o this board. We had known each other for about 3 years before I mentioned to him my love of Amercian football. Bizarrely, he was also a Browns fan. It's hard enough to find anyone over here who likes the NFL never mind has a team, never mind lives in your tiny village never mind a damned Browns fan!!!!
We decided to go to Cleveland together and later that year it's exactly what we did. Browns beat the Seahawks in overtime in 2007 via the sweet boot of Phil Dawson. What a first game. Seriously one of the best moments of my life. Well, this september we make it back "home" to Cleveland to see our gang of close close friends and the Browns for our 10th home game on 9 trips. record so far is 3-6. But what the hell - we love the Browns, Cleveland, Ohio and the amazing people we know and are yet to make friends with.
Go Bloody Browns!
Go Bloody Browns!
That was a great read HowieDawg.....Interesting to see so many Browns fans posting here from across the pond.....
As a twist of fate, I have a brother who lived in the UK for a number of years and now he(and his son) are soccer fanatics who cant enough.....first time I visited him, I was ready to hit the road and start seeing the sights, but had to sit & wait the whole day till their games were over......ha!
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Go Bloody Browns!
That was a great read HowieDawg.....Interesting to see so many Browns fans posting here from across the pond.....
As a twist of fate, I have a brother who lived in the UK for a number of years and now he(and his son) are soccer fanatics who cant enough.....first time I visited him, I was ready to hit the road and start seeing the sights, but had to sit & wait the whole day till their games were over......ha!
That was a great read HowieDawg.....Interesting to see so many Browns fans posting here from across the pond.....
As a twist of fate, I have a brother who lived in the UK for a number of years and now he(and his son) are soccer fanatics who cant enough.....first time I visited him, I was ready to hit the road and start seeing the sights, but had to sit & wait the whole day till their games were over......ha!
To be fair, that way round the games are less than 2 hours, unlike if he had to wait for a browns game to finish
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I became a browns fan in 1988. My first trip to the US was when I was about 13 in 1981. I was so excited about being in America - I had always wanted to go, the first night we got to the hotel in Orlando i put the TV on and this game I had heard about was being played on TV. The big crowds, the pads, helmets, razmataz and bone crushing hits grabbed me instantly. What I couldn't work out but loved, was that you were allowed to flatten opponents who WEREN'T CARRYING THE BALL! I played Rugby at school and that certainly wasn't allowed. I was hooked.
I flirted with becoming a Tampa Bay Bucs fan as this was the first place I set foot on in the US, but a waiter at the hotel told me that they were awful and I should think hard about that before I committed!!
So the next 7 years saw me becoming an overall NFL fan, a fan of the game but with no family in the US, no real connection, I didn't have a team. Then one night I met a guy called Jamie Berger. Jamie was from Cuyahogha Falls Ohio. he was the friend of a friend working in London and over a discussion he realised that I loved football. He asked me what team I followed and I told him none - he told me straight out that i was now a Browns Fan. He did not give me a choice. He went into great detail telling me that they were the best team i the history of the game, practically invented the modern game. He told me about Paul brown, the Municipal stadium, no logo, no cheerleaders, blue collar, hall of fame inductees, the fans, the dawgpound and thorwing dog biscuits at the opposition whilst stripped half naked barking like rabid wolves in something called the Dawgpound. How could I say no to that.
I was a Browns fan and proud. Then the NFL announced a series of exhibition games that were to be played in pre-season in Wembley Stadium in England. Guess what, Kosar's Browns would face Cunnigham's Eagles in August 1989 in London. Jamie's parents bundled up a parcel with hats, shirts and banners and shipped it all to us in the UK. I was actually going to see the Browns play! I remember that day so clearly - we tailgated at Jamie's house and then hopped on the train to Wembley.
I got to see the team that went on to beat the Steelers 51-0 in the opening game that season. I saw Webster Slaughter haul in a one hander right in front of me. I saw Bernie's ducking and diving, foot back stance under center, Clay Matthews hit people really hard and a young rookie called Eric Metcalf takes some reps for his new team. We lost, but hey it was pre-season and, little did I know then, I would get used to losing.
So that's how it all started for me. I followed the browns via newspapers until the internet came about. Cried into my beer like you all did when modell made his decision and got excited when we came back. But what turbo charged my addiction to the Browns was actually coming to Cleveland. I live in a small village in England, population of about 200. we have a pub. I met this guy there in 2003 called Gareth, G-Man o this board. We had known each other for about 3 years before I mentioned to him my love of Amercian football. Bizarrely, he was also a Browns fan. It's hard enough to find anyone over here who likes the NFL never mind has a team, never mind lives in your tiny village never mind a damned Browns fan!!!!
We decided to go to Cleveland together and later that year it's exactly what we did. Browns beat the Seahawks in overtime in 2007 via the sweet boot of Phil Dawson. What a first game. Seriously one of the best moments of my life. Well, this september we make it back "home" to Cleveland to see our gang of close close friends and the Browns for our 10th home game on 9 trips. record so far is 3-6. But what the hell - we love the Browns, Cleveland, Ohio and the amazing people we know and are yet to make friends with.
Go Bloody Browns!
Go Bloody Browns!
Great Tale Howie Dawg.
Whatever happened to your friend, Jamie Berger? Cuyahoga Falls isn't far from me.
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I became a browns fan in 1988. My first trip to the US was when I was about 13 in 1981. I was so excited about being in America - I had always wanted to go, the first night we got to the hotel in Orlando i put the TV on and this game I had heard about was being played on TV. The big crowds, the pads, helmets, razmataz and bone crushing hits grabbed me instantly. What I couldn't work out but loved, was that you were allowed to flatten opponents who WEREN'T CARRYING THE BALL! I played Rugby at school and that certainly wasn't allowed. I was hooked.
I flirted with becoming a Tampa Bay Bucs fan as this was the first place I set foot on in the US, but a waiter at the hotel told me that they were awful and I should think hard about that before I committed!!
So the next 7 years saw me becoming an overall NFL fan, a fan of the game but with no family in the US, no real connection, I didn't have a team. Then one night I met a guy called Jamie Berger. Jamie was from Cuyahogha Falls Ohio. he was the friend of a friend working in London and over a discussion he realised that I loved football. He asked me what team I followed and I told him none - he told me straight out that i was now a Browns Fan. He did not give me a choice. He went into great detail telling me that they were the best team i the history of the game, practically invented the modern game. He told me about Paul brown, the Municipal stadium, no logo, no cheerleaders, blue collar, hall of fame inductees, the fans, the dawgpound and thorwing dog biscuits at the opposition whilst stripped half naked barking like rabid wolves in something called the Dawgpound. How could I say no to that.
I was a Browns fan and proud. Then the NFL announced a series of exhibition games that were to be played in pre-season in Wembley Stadium in England. Guess what, Kosar's Browns would face Cunnigham's Eagles in August 1989 in London. Jamie's parents bundled up a parcel with hats, shirts and banners and shipped it all to us in the UK. I was actually going to see the Browns play! I remember that day so clearly - we tailgated at Jamie's house and then hopped on the train to Wembley.
I got to see the team that went on to beat the Steelers 51-0 in the opening game that season. I saw Webster Slaughter haul in a one hander right in front of me. I saw Bernie's ducking and diving, foot back stance under center, Clay Matthews hit people really hard and a young rookie called Eric Metcalf takes some reps for his new team. We lost, but hey it was pre-season and, little did I know then, I would get used to losing.
So that's how it all started for me. I followed the browns via newspapers until the internet came about. Cried into my beer like you all did when modell made his decision and got excited when we came back. But what turbo charged my addiction to the Browns was actually coming to Cleveland. I live in a small village in England, population of about 200. we have a pub. I met this guy there in 2003 called Gareth, G-Man o this board. We had known each other for about 3 years before I mentioned to him my love of Amercian football. Bizarrely, he was also a Browns fan. It's hard enough to find anyone over here who likes the NFL never mind has a team, never mind lives in your tiny village never mind a damned Browns fan!!!!
We decided to go to Cleveland together and later that year it's exactly what we did. Browns beat the Seahawks in overtime in 2007 via the sweet boot of Phil Dawson. What a first game. Seriously one of the best moments of my life. Well, this september we make it back "home" to Cleveland to see our gang of close close friends and the Browns for our 10th home game on 9 trips. record so far is 3-6. But what the hell - we love the Browns, Cleveland, Ohio and the amazing people we know and are yet to make friends with.
Go Bloody Browns!
Go Bloody Browns!
"Right, (quite right) you're bloody well right
You know you got a right to say
Right, you're bloody well right
You know you got a right to say"
"When you have a shared vision it is a lot easier to make unpopular decisions." - Paul DePodesta "When you win, say nothing. When you lose, say less." - Paul Brown Complete 2017 Browns Board Mock: http://thebrownsboard.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=46196 -
I think I told this forum already once about how I became a Browns fan, but I think it's worth telling it once more.
I'm Italian and Italy is definitely not an American Football country (we have a local league but the number of supporters is quite limited and the level of the game quite low). We started getting some NFL games on TV in 1981 and the first game I watched was 1982 Superbowl between 49ers and Bengals. I got hooked on football since that game, but I could not quite grow any particular relationship to any NFL team until...until January 1988. In January 1987 we got an NFL playoff game live on TV for the first time ever. That game was Denver Broncos at Cleveland Browns. I did enjoy the game and admired the drive that John Elway put together to tie the game and then win it in OT. I felt somehow sorry for the home team fans for that game they almost won, but I could not know that one exact year later I was actually going to become one of them.
January 1988: sitting on my couch I watched the replay of the Cahmpionship of the year before, this time at Denver. I saw that team in orange and brown, that I remembered losing the crazy game the year before, coming back to almost win the Championship until a crazy goal line fumble ended the game.
There was the spark and I had found the team to root for. Since January 1988 I've been a true Cleveland Browns fan.
Before the internet era it was extremely difficult to follow my Browns from Torino, Italy. Imagine the difficulty in following what happened in 1995 and the years after... But the Browns came back in 1999, and internet made it easier to keep track of the news and games.
Today with NFL Game Pass I spend my Sunday nights watching the Browns games (and many others) and sometimes I get in the tavern and have some Browns talk with other fellow supporters from Cleveland.
I think we all deserve a great season from the Browns: is this the year?
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Great stories guys
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This is a nice thread you started Flugel. I have liked reading these stories on how we all came to be Brown's fans.
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Being brought up on W. 47th St. between Dennison Ave. and Storer Ave. Father used to take me and older brother to games on a CTS bus for a dime a piece.
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The '64 championship game was my introduction to the Browns. We moved here from the Eastern Shore of Maryland in '63 and football wasn't a big thing. Started paying attention in '65, and I'd have to give Gib Shanley and Jim Graner a lot of the credit. Loved listening to the games on the radio. Leroy Kelly and Gene Hickerson were my favorites and still are to this day.
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I killed several people in a previous life.
It's true what the Hindus say, Karma is a bitch. -
I killed several people in a previous life.
It's true what the Hindus say, Karma is a bitch.I killed several people in a previous life.
It's true what the Hindus say, Karma is a bitch.
LOL!!!!!
:lol: -
I became a browns fan in 1988. My first trip to the US was when I was about 13 in 1981. I was so excited about being in America - I had always wanted to go, the first night we got to the hotel in Orlando i put the TV on and this game I had heard about was being played on TV. The big crowds, the pads, helmets, razmataz and bone crushing hits grabbed me instantly. What I couldn't work out but loved, was that you were allowed to flatten opponents who WEREN'T CARRYING THE BALL! I played Rugby at school and that certainly wasn't allowed. I was hooked.
I flirted with becoming a Tampa Bay Bucs fan as this was the first place I set foot on in the US, but a waiter at the hotel told me that they were awful and I should think hard about that before I committed!!
So the next 7 years saw me becoming an overall NFL fan, a fan of the game but with no family in the US, no real connection, I didn't have a team. Then one night I met a guy called Jamie Berger. Jamie was from Cuyahogha Falls Ohio. he was the friend of a friend working in London and over a discussion he realised that I loved football. He asked me what team I followed and I told him none - he told me straight out that i was now a Browns Fan. He did not give me a choice. He went into great detail telling me that they were the best team i the history of the game, practically invented the modern game. He told me about Paul brown, the Municipal stadium, no logo, no cheerleaders, blue collar, hall of fame inductees, the fans, the dawgpound and thorwing dog biscuits at the opposition whilst stripped half naked barking like rabid wolves in something called the Dawgpound. How could I say no to that.
I was a Browns fan and proud. Then the NFL announced a series of exhibition games that were to be played in pre-season in Wembley Stadium in England. Guess what, Kosar's Browns would face Cunnigham's Eagles in August 1989 in London. Jamie's parents bundled up a parcel with hats, shirts and banners and shipped it all to us in the UK. I was actually going to see the Browns play! I remember that day so clearly - we tailgated at Jamie's house and then hopped on the train to Wembley.
I got to see the team that went on to beat the Steelers 51-0 in the opening game that season. I saw Webster Slaughter haul in a one hander right in front of me. I saw Bernie's ducking and diving, foot back stance under center, Clay Matthews hit people really hard and a young rookie called Eric Metcalf takes some reps for his new team. We lost, but hey it was pre-season and, little did I know then, I would get used to losing.
So that's how it all started for me. I followed the browns via newspapers until the internet came about. Cried into my beer like you all did when modell made his decision and got excited when we came back. But what turbo charged my addiction to the Browns was actually coming to Cleveland. I live in a small village in England, population of about 200. we have a pub. I met this guy there in 2003 called Gareth, G-Man o this board. We had known each other for about 3 years before I mentioned to him my love of Amercian football. Bizarrely, he was also a Browns fan. It's hard enough to find anyone over here who likes the NFL never mind has a team, never mind lives in your tiny village never mind a damned Browns fan!!!!
We decided to go to Cleveland together and later that year it's exactly what we did. Browns beat the Seahawks in overtime in 2007 via the sweet boot of Phil Dawson. What a first game. Seriously one of the best moments of my life. Well, this september we make it back "home" to Cleveland to see our gang of close close friends and the Browns for our 10th home game on 9 trips. record so far is 3-6. But what the hell - we love the Browns, Cleveland, Ohio and the amazing people we know and are yet to make friends with.
Go Bloody Browns!
Go Bloody Browns!
Awesome stuff Howie. I am also back this year for my second trip in a row and bringing my two best friends over, one of whom has already become a Browns fan because of my chatter, the other will hopefully follow.
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Go Bloody Browns!
Awesome stuff Howie. I am also back this year for my second trip in a row and bringing my two best friends over, one of whom has already become a Browns fan because of my chatter, the other will hopefully follow.
Awesome stuff Howie. I am also back this year for my second trip in a row and bringing my two best friends over, one of whom has already become a Browns fan because of my chatter, the other will hopefully follow.
Take Adebayor, he might be useful.
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Awesome stuff Howie. I am also back this year for my second trip in a row and bringing my two best friends over, one of whom has already become a Browns fan because of my chatter, the other will hopefully follow.
Take Adebayor, he might be useful.
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The Municipal Stadium, Bernie and the Pumpkin Head crash hats!
.jpg.a1a2b9a0c33008fdaf4097d8fe2cfd64.jpg "Riffer X"){kind=avatar}
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