Welcome to the Dawg Pound

Oct 12, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; FirstEnergy Stadium before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports

Hello, fellow Browns fans! My name is Joe Zevchek, and I have just been hired as the newest blogger for Dawg Pound Daily. First, I want to give a huge thank you to Jared Mueller for bringing me on and giving me this opportunity. Browns football is by far my favorite pastime and hobby and I’m excited to be able to share that passion with all of you.

A little about myself: I was born, raised and still reside in the Cleveland area. My family has always been Cleveland sports fans, and football was the most popular sport in the house, and Browns games were and still are weekly ritual. However, it was only 7 years ago that I feel my hard-core fandom began. While the Browns were always my favorite sports team while growing up, I wouldn’t exactly say that my friends and family were jocks. I never had anyone that I could truly talk X’s and O’s with. But I met a co-worker who was a huge Browns fan. Combined with a surprising, exciting Browns season in which they would go onto win 10 games, I found that my own fandom received a spark. Since then, I’ve been a Browns and NFL news junkie. Even through the recent (and frequent) hard times that come with being a Browns fan I care as much as ever.

So what kind of writing can you expect from me? Since Jimmy Haslam bought the team, I’ve found that the majority of my personal thoughts and musings have revolved around what it will take to turn the Browns into a long-term contender, and all the factors that go into it. I like to discuss a lot of the intangibles that go into this process (sorry, I shudder at that word with memories of Eric Mangini and Pat Shurmer too, but there is truth to it), both in the big picture and through each game week to week.

I’ll certainly discuss game previews, strategies and reviews; however, I don’t like getting caught up in stats. While they can be a useful tool when talking about football, they don’t always mean much to the bottom line. Remember a couple of years ago when the Browns had one of the best pass defenses in the NFL? All it meant was that they struggled to score and stop the run, and all it led to was another 5 win season.

At the end of the day, sports are a source of entertainment. This is why, win or lose, we don’t quit on being fans. Despite the frustration that can come with it, it’s supposed to be fun, and the excitement that comes with winning is the reward we get for our patience. The time that we spend with each other sharing our common interest and the memories that come with it are what matters most. I look forward to interacting with all of you and sharing in what will hopefully be a very exciting time for all of us Browns fans.

Follow me on Twitter @JZevchek.

Go Browns!