Dawg Pound Daily
FanSided

Cleveland Browns: Explaining everything about ‘Bottlegate’

By Joel W. Cade

Cleveland Browns quarterback Tim Couch (L) listens as Browns head coach Butch Davis (C) argues with officials after a first-down catch by the Browns was reversed and the ball given to the Jacksonville Jaguars with 48 seconds left in the game. The call prompted fans to flood the field with beer bottles and debris until officials called the game, but later brought both teams back to play the remaining 48 seconds on 16 December, 2001, at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, OH. Jacksonville defeated Cleveland 15-10. AFP PHOTO/David MAXWELLAFP (Photo by DAVID MAXWELL / AFP) (Photo by DAVID MAXWELL/AFP via Getty Images)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Tim Couch (L) listens as Browns head coach Butch Davis (C) argues with officials after a first-down catch by the Browns was reversed and the ball given to the Jacksonville Jaguars with 48 seconds left in the game. The call prompted fans to flood the field with beer bottles and debris until officials called the game, but later brought both teams back to play the remaining 48 seconds on 16 December, 2001, at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, OH. Jacksonville defeated Cleveland 15-10. AFP PHOTO/David MAXWELLAFP (Photo by DAVID MAXWELL / AFP) (Photo by DAVID MAXWELL/AFP via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
Nov 22, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; A general view of a beer bottle thrown on the field during overtime of the Thanksgiving day game between the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Houston Texans defeated the Detroit Lions 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 22, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; A general view of a beer bottle thrown on the field during overtime of the Thanksgiving day game between the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Houston Texans defeated the Detroit Lions 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /

Flying Bottles

Browns fans were clearly upset. The wound of losing the team to Baltimore in the name of greed, the wound of being set up to fail by greedy owners, these wounds were fresh and raw. Now the team was starting to show real promise, then this happens.

Fans became angry. With the wounds of injustice piling on, the fans decided to fight back. They began throwing beer bottles onto the field.

In 1998, Miller Brewing Co. incorporated looked to change the market in beer sales. They had invented the plastic bottle. Their bottle was a success initially leading NFL venues to adopt plastic bottles over the traditional glass bottles. But that success met with a swift airy end in Cleveland.

Browns fans found the bottles to be light and aerodynamic enough to hurl at the field with great success. Fans were throwing empty bottles and full bottles of beer. Players began gathering in mid-field hoping the bottles would not fly that far. Never underestimate the devotion of a Browns fan.

At that time McAulay made the second blunder of the day, he decided the situation on the field warranted calling the game. Thus, with 48 seconds left in the game, McAulay announced to the crowd that the game was over.

Home/Browns News