Zombo said:

Don't be a dick.

The guy wore the colors, let's hope he turns a corner and has a great life.

Zombo

Well said, what kind of person wants to take bets on another's death - you should boot that idiot off the board.

@the-gipper said:

Excellent news. Look forward to seeing you. Keep the Northmen at bay there in Mercia.

(err, are you in Mercia...or in Wessex?)

Ha! we are old Mercia here!

Looking forward to it, hit CLE with G Man and KMac19 in 198 days, not that we're counting. Last year was a very bitter omission to our 100% year on year attendance but both me and GMan's family have told the Big C to take a bus so we'll be there!! Ready to Crush "America's team".

@miktoxic said:

showing up to breakfast still bagged up and wearing mis-matched shoes?

Breakfast is usually a shot and and a beerbong and yeah, you got the scenario right but it's the details that are funny. Look forward to seeing you in 71 days.

I've never been keen on an NFL team in London - never will, or anywhere in the UK. The NFL should pump some money into the game so that it can be played here, at school / college level, not just reap the cash on the back of what is an American passion. That said, it's pretty likely the browns will play in the UK in the next few years and, as I understand the terms between FES and Cleveland City, they won't be home games as all home games have to be played in CLE. So It won't deprive Browns of a home game which I think would be tragic. I'd also love to spend a weekend in London with my Browns Board pals. Wait til they get the victoria line to Seven Sisters and t do the Walk. N17 isn't really on the tourist map.

Zombo said:

Just bring yourself, that would be the coolest thing. The gang will all be there for the home opener angainst the Tits 9/20.

Zombo

I can feel the epicness of the tailgate already. the shirts look great - Looking forward to adding to the collection, thanks Miktoxic. I was going to suggest a t shirt design with two unmatching tennis shoes and the BB logo - that in joke will be explained if you make the Titans tailgate

LondonBrown - I'm a Spurs fan also - but have only been to WHL about 5 timse sin last 10 years since moving out of London in 2003. It's really all about the Browns for me. In fcat I have been to Cleveland several more times than WHL in that time.

Well, if teams are going to play here, might as well be under our magnificent history. Just like the Browns, we pick a club that needs to look back to the 60s for the last league achievement.

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!

@mark-o said:

I'm not useless or a shepherd..... I just don't know where the fuck I'm going in downtown Cleveland. We were never actually "lost"...we just didn't know which direction we were going.

yeah, well, we had fun taking the wrong routes everywhere and I certainly needed the extra exercise to sober up before I fell asleep in my burger.

@pavo-joe said:

Thanks, HowieDawg. Who again ?????At least I can stumble from point A to point B without getting lost..

No problem Pavo Joe.

It's going to be more epic than ever I'm sure. And yes, i hope we don't take the scenic route this year after the game. perhaps if I had not consumed quite so many shots, beers and stadium beers I would have realized I was being lead by a useless shepherd.

Looking forward to seeing the whole crew assembled again

H

Not to mention Pavo Joe

Can't wait, looking forward to seeing you all again.

Both his concussions and shoulder injury made him a pale imitation of the breakout cameron in '13. let him go - we won't see '13 cameron ever again - shame way it worked out but he's done in Cleveland.

@ballpeen said:

I get the back to back deal....that works for our Brit friends as well. As someone said, it's really great when the Tribe is in town as well. A Saturday Indians game and a Sunday Browns games is a perfect sports weekend. Browns/Cavs isn't bad either.

Now that sounds like a plan - I'll pray to the scheduling gods to give us sunday / thursday combo in early October. Last year felt pretty slim pickings after the epic two game winning week in 2013. if we don't get lucky with a two game trip for the browns wouldn't mind a tribe game pinned on the end if it works out.

Wow, that's real classy. Whilst i have respect for the BIlls fans especially during the time we lost our team, the ones in front and behind us last year at the TNF game were massive assholes. Looks like this guy is finding the next massive asshole.

He's dreaming. Dude couldn't find the end zone with a GPS. one of my fav comments from that article.

The fact that he thinks we still love him in Cleveland is astonishing. Love him in a fall over laughing "wow we got out of jail with that pick" kind of way maybe.....

@kosar_for_president said:

I bruise my liver every week with this team

A* - I know the feeling.

I hope Austin is OK - that guy has been there on big 3rd down plays all season.

Any word on Gary Barnidge? That was a lousy cheap shot when he got his ribs speared by whoever that thug was torpedoing into the pile.

We are banged right up .

I didn't post this in that "I hate Hoyer" thread - instead consume these facts about where the Browns are Vs History. I'd say we have reason to be behind this team NO MATTER WHAT. Facts courtesy of Cleveland.com.

When a QB has a terrible game and holds it together to drive 66 yards in 5 plays (especially after a terrible first down throw) I say he's done well - again , no matter what.

@darubes said:

As for Sheard, he will replaced by former first-round pick Barkevious Mingo on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Cleveland could use some of Mingo's untapped potential in an important road matchup.

A case of the jitters and the three headed back situation will be what holds us back at Atlanta - although Gordon breaking one loose early should switch that momentum back to us - if he does / can. But when you consider that yesterday we had 58 yards in 24 carries - one of those runs went for 35 yards by Crowell so my maths says we managed 23 yards on 23 carries outside of that big play - there is the problem right there. Fix that, hell lets go crazy and aim for 3 yards average, and we open doors for the type of plays that should make Gordon a hero on Sunday. AFC North - no place for pussies.

Hoyer had a bad game - no doubt. I think it shows that he needs all aspects of the supporting cast to be functioning at least well, not stellar, to make plays. However, we got man handled big time on the line of scrimmage yesterday and our OL guys got pushed back instantly all day long, enough for Hoyer to have have foot stamped on within a split second of the snap, twice. Whilst he only got sacked twice, that flatters the OL performance from yesterday - they got owned and it is a concern.