For anyone who read my WTS: 2024 NFL Edition Part 4 wrap-up on Medium, I'm taking my final pound of flesh from the Cleveland Football franchise today.
I hate this feeling of vindication. So let me say it once and get it out of my system.
*Deep inhale*
I WAS ******* RIGHT ABOUT DESHAUN! WATSON!!
And to Mason Lawlor, Cleveland should have kept Baker Mayfield.
No, Brandon. My shot here at Mason stays in because this relates to a certain Nov. 2022 column I wrote that you edited.
I could almost copy and paste a majority of what I wrote almost three years ago. I could take the easy way out, but do you know why I can't take the easy way out?
One word: Myles Garrett. The No. 1 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft and future Hall of Fame edge rusher finally requested a trade from Cleveland after going through hell for eight seasons.
See my Twitter (sorry, Elon!) post here, and it'll be clear why.
I'm wondering how many folks who were born prior to 2010 are feeling as shattered and resigned as I have been for a while?
Yes, that's the cutoff. If you're at least 14-to-15 years old, you've experienced two playoff berths that you can actually remember in your early lives, and therefore; you are spoiled.
Why? I was an adult of drinking age when the Browns made the playoffs, and I could distinctly remember it. From memory alone, 2007 was the only season the Browns won 10 games.
The next best year they had prior to my 18th birthday was a 7-9 campaign in 2014… which combusted because Ray Farmer drafted Johnny Manziel.
They went against their own study and analysis that indicated Teddy Bridgewater was the guy (the one I wanted), and Manziel was cut following the 2015 campaign.
I threw on an Indianapolis Colts Andrew Luck jersey when Johnny was drafted because my “gut punch” went off right away. My dad scolded me for pouting, but I had every right to.
In the end, I was right.
Back on topic: I listened to Jerod Cherry and Chris Oldach (subbing in for Emmett Golden) on Cleveland’s ESPN 850 WKNR during the first segment of the “The Next Level” – on Feb. 4.
In a poll posted Feb. 3 (and as Cherry mentioned, an unscientific one at that), people were asked if fans blamed Myles Garrett for requesting a trade.
More than 1,400 votes were cast. The result was jaw dropping.
I never could have fathomed that at least 1,250 respondents sided with Garrett.
I'm in the camp of letting Myles go elsewhere. Why? It circles back to what I said three years ago in that column I hyperlinked at the start of the column:
“For all of you who defended Watson’s ALLEGED actions before even knowing him and all that’s happened, this is your moment of reckoning as much as it is the same for the Browns.
Next Sunday in Houston, he’ll step onto the field at NRG Stadium in Houston and take his first regular season snaps as a member of the Brown and Orange.
Assuming a loss to Tampa Bay occurs, the team is out of the playoff race and is wasting the primes of Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb and others.
Was the price truly worth a miserable season that has divided the fanbase?
You tell me.”
This is supposed to be a “Browns Town”, but the team's good will has run out – as has any sympathy for Berry.
Browns fans, now that The Athletic's Jason Lloyd let the genie out of the bottle, I can confirm Berry was one of the guys who pushed hardest for Watson, and Jimmy Haslam was NOT the biggest meddler in all of this.
From my Twitter:
“My point is this: Garrett has earned the right to request a trade. It doesn't mean it'll be honored, but I won't hate Myles for this decision.
Blame Andrew Berry.”
Note: Kevin Stefanski's hands were tied. From my perspective, he's absolved in this case.
Let the Haslams move into their Brook Park dome. I'm done giving them my time and energy after going through two, soul-sucking decades between the Haslam and Lerner families.
I don't know if I'll keep rooting for the Browns. More and more people who are either older than me (including personal mentors), folks around my age and some slightly younger people have ended up becoming another lost generation to losing.
If my anger is of any note, it's a common refrain from my “Where Things Stand” Series. Don't waste my time!
That's why I didn't record an addendum to my podcast episode that went live on Feb. 7 with the news drop.
You've wasted over 20 years of loyalty (and longer for some). I am nearly desensitized to this bulls*** to the point it's comical.
You're not getting any more of my attention unless you can actually show me and the disenchanted fans of the franchise you're worth a damn.
Perhaps a written apology in braille and $500 to any fan that's attended a game since the reboot of the franchise is a good start.
Ah, who am I kidding? If you can't treat your season ticket holders right, then I'll only believe the Browns are a legitimate franchise once they make the Super Bowl.
I'm doubtful they'll even get there in my lifetime, let alone my dad's as well.
