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CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns fans are no strangers to booing their own team, and, quite frankly, the Browns are no strangers to deserving it. Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the team’s consistent underperformance has often led to a chorus of boos that, while perhaps tacky, are far from irrational.
We’ve booed quarterbacks like Charlie Frye, Derrick Anderson, and Deshone Kizer. Those boos were well-earned, and I stand by them. Even Tim Couch, who didn’t necessarily deserve the negativity, was met with boos driven more by frustration over the team’s overall plight and the departure of our once-competent squad, stolen by Art Modell and the NFL.
Yet, the boos we heard yesterday felt different. They seemed to reflect a deeper discontent, directed not just at the team but at ourselves.
As Browns fans, we’ve grown accustomed to supporting an underperforming team. There was a certain purity to that support; we were the lovable losers who deserved better but couldn’t catch a break.
However, the situation changed when the team made the controversial decision to acquire Deshaun Watson despite numerous assault allegations. This move, while driven by the hope of future success, also forced us to confront uncomfortable truths about our own values.
The fanbase’s reaction was mixed. Some fans were unfazed and remained loyal, while others couldn’t reconcile their support with the ethical implications of the deal and chose to leave. Many, like myself, were troubled but continued to support the team, believing that the NFL is full of problematic figures and that no team is composed entirely of saints.
We convinced ourselves that, despite the moral compromise, the acquisition of a three-time Pro Bowler would eventually lead to success that would justify our difficult choice. But now, the anticipated payoff seems elusive.
This situation reminds me of Robert Johnson, the legendary Delta blues musician who, according to folklore, made a Faustian bargain at a crossroads, trading his soul for guitar mastery. The concept of a Faustian bargain—where one trades something of profound value for worldly gain—typically results in tragedy because what is surrendered is often worth far more than the material benefit received.
In this case, the tragedy for Browns fans is not just that we made a Faustian bargain, but that the Devil has failed to hold up his end of the deal. We aren’t merely booing because the team performed poorly; we’re booing because, unlike Johnson, we haven’t even seen the promised reward for our moral compromise.
So as Browns fans, where is our reward? Until we see the promised success, it seems likely that the boos will continue, both in the stadium and in our minds.
But hey, it’s just one game. After yesterday’s performance, things can’t get much worse. Stay hopeful, Browns fans, and keep rooting for our team. Go Browns.
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