The football season is mercifully over for the Cleveland Browns, as well as their long, suffering fans. The team finished the 2010 season with a record of 5 wins and 11 losses. Some time during the mid season, the team actually started to win. At one point, they won two games in a row. Like most fans, I thought this would be a turning point. It looked like everyone was on the same page of the playbook; the general manager, the scouts, the coaches, the starting "rookie" quarterback, Colt McCoy, the defense, the offense, and their big, breakout running back, Peyton Hillis.
But after that 5th win, everything started to sour. The quarterback of the future was injured, the big running back was injured, and everything and everyone else was in some form of disarray. It was only a matter of time before the season would be over.
For the loyal fans, they continued to watch, not a promising football team but a complete wreck happening. Something we are used to since the return of the Browns in 1999. The fans are frustrated. They love their team ferociously. They are loyal. They bleed brown and orange, the team colors. They deserve better.
After reading a book called The Curse of Rocky Colavito by Terry Pluto, I believe now that all the Cleveland sports teams have had a curse thrown on them. How could two great franchises like the Cleveland Indians baseball team, and the Cleveland Browns football team catch fire and then end in burnt out embers?
What about the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team? They were always a good, hard working team. They've won their fair share of games. Then they signed a fantastic phenomenon, LeBron James, right out of high school. Afterwards they soared. The team came close but never quite won that coveted basketball championship title and ring. Then LeBron left and the 2010-2011 Cavs have fallen apart miserably. They are at the bottom of their division with their 8 wins; and probably the worst team in the NBA.
One only has to read The Curse of Rocky Colavito and it all seems to fall into place. If you read the book you will understand why a dark cloud has descended and hung above all the teams like a bad case of toxic smog, since the early 60s. Maybe the Indians baseball manager, Frank "Trader" Lane, could explain why? Unfortunately, he is dead. Whatever would make him trade away the most beloved baseball player and fan favorite, Rocky Colavito? Of course Lane's nickname "Trader" should answer all your questions. This is a man who made around 400 player trades in his career. He even traded a manager, and once tried to trade his entire baseball team until the baseball commissioner stopped him!
My idea to straighten out these teams is to get a good old-fashioned Catholic exorcism going. No matter what the outcome, I will still continue to be a loyal Cleveland Browns fan looking hopefully to the football season in August and probably will finish the season with brown and orange tears trailing down my cheeks. Or maybe like the old cliche...hope springs eternally. I certainly hope so. I think the fans are ripe for a miracle.
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