It’s not easy being Orange

Nov 24, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns fans cheer against the Pittsburgh Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Being a fan of the Cleveland Browns is not an easy undertaking, especially over the past 20 years.

From the continual losing, to the never-ending coaching and front office changes that perpetuate that losing, to almost daily rumors from people pushing their own agenda about dysfunction within the team, to a young quarterback who can’t play (but maybe should) to an old quarterback who can play (but maybe shouldn’t), to former players selling miracle cures, it takes a lot of work to be a fan of the Browns, even though they are Cleveland’s unquestioned No. 1 team.

Related: Browns fans can’t escape team’s losing ways

While we accept the fact that most Sunday’s (and the occasional Thursday night) are going to be filled with frustration and disappointment, we never realized that following a team that has lost more than it wins for the better part of two decades meant that we were not allowed to have an opinion on what else is going on in the NFL.

Until this past Sunday, that is.

While watching the end of the game between the Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers, we were taken a bit aback by the offensive output from the Steelers, as Pittsburgh put up the a yardage total that you rarely see outside of the Big 12.

That led us to send out what we believed to be a mostly benign Tweet.

Well, apparently if the team you follow is struggling, basic statistical observations are off-limits.

And, of course, our favorite response:

We actually were a little disappointed by that last one, as we thought Steeler fans were the only ones who believe the NFL didn’t exist before their team was good.

That realization made us sad, so we’re here today to offer a few indisputable facts about the Browns to help bring fans of other teams up to speed:

  • As bad as the Browns have been on defense – especially against the run – since the start of the 2014 season, they have not given up 597 yards of total offense in a game.
  • Since the Raiders last made the playoffs in 2002, the Browns have won 65 games to Oakland’s 60.
  • Since 2003, the Browns have more winning seasons than the Raiders.
  • Since the subject of championships came up, the Raiders have won three titles. The Browns have won eight – four in the NFL and four in the All-American Football Conference. It is irrelevant that the title game was not called the Super Bowl until the late 1960s, those titles still count. (And if the Chicago Staleys and Frankford Yellow Jackets get to claim titles from the 1920s, then we get to count the titles the Browns won in the AAFC.)
  • And speaking of the postseason, the Browns have more playoff wins since 1991 than the Cincinnati Bengals. (We felt obligated to throw this one in after last week’s debacle against the Bengals.)

Does any of this change the immediate fortunes of the Browns? No. The team still doesn’t have a quarterback, still can’t stop the run on defense, still can’t win with any regularity in the AFC North, and still have too many people within the organization pulling in their own direction.

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But it does point out that, despite what many will have Browns fans believe, there are other franchises out there than have their own issues.

It also provides hope that a better day, if not right around the corner, is possible.

The Bengals spent the majority of the 1990s being the Browns and now they are 8-0 and have locked up their fifth consecutive playoff appearance. (And they may actually win a playoff game this time!)

The Raiders have been just as bad, or worse, than the Browns for the past dozen years, but may have now solved their quarterback problem and look to possibly be a team on the rise. If they can do it, why not the Browns?

Sure, it’s not easy being Orange.

But in a town where “nothing is given, everything is earned,” why would anyone expect it to be any other way?

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