Steelers, Browns to Renew NFL's Greatest Rivalry

Well…hate is a pretty strong word, so I’m just going to say that I despise the brownies with my heart and soul. Every year I try to get tickets to a Steelers game and the only game I want to see is Steelers vs brownies. The football season isn’t complete for me without the bi-annual brownie stomp. Although last year when we lost to them I was so infuriated that anytime I saw that disgusting color combo of brown and orange it made me want to punch a baby! Lol just kidding.

That guy still pisses me off. Maybe I need help? Nah…

First off… good post (Nicely Written).

I remember when Cleveland was good. I remember Brian Sipe killin’ us even though he couldn’t see over his own offensive line. I remember Bernie Kosar doing just enough to beat us, even though he looked goofy doing it.

One of my favorite T-Shirts of all time is this one:

Which you might not be able to read there, but says: “Pittsburgh Girls -Making Cleveland Girls Look Ugly Since 1974”

So… yeah, I’m with you on that… but I can’t call this a Rivalry anymore. First off, these aren’t even the same Cleveland Browns. That team traces its lineage to Baltimore. It wasn’t just that it was the Browns in those days, it was Art Modell against Art Rooney — and that team is wearing Purple these days.

These Browns have sucked ever since they were returned to the league in 1999. Although I agree that Cleveland deserves a team — as much as I hate them, I think there is a special level of Hell reserved for Modell for what he did to those people — you have to wonder if anyone deserves this team?

Yes, you are right… they will show up and play hard against the Steelers. If they go 2-14, but the 2 victories are against the Steelers, most of the fans will consider it a perfect season… But this is a bad team. It has been a bad team for a long while. I think the Steelers were lulled into some complacency by the Browns pervasive suckiness… something that would never happen with Baltimore…

But it is hard to consider Cleveland a rival anymore… a Rival implies “in competition with” and if we ever start measuring ourselves by how we compare to Cleveland, I will be truly, truly worried. I was deeply depressed after last year’s game more for the lack of unleashed hell, and the fact that it showed how bad we really were, than the fact that Cleveland was rejoicing in the streets. Yes, that hurt… but I could have shrugged it off if we made the playoffs.

I have to say it: Losing last week in the last 30 seconds of the game hurt worse for me — as a game. As a harbinger of how our season is going… yeah, losing to Cleveland tells you that you suck more than losing to Baltimore does…

But it’s hard to consider Cleveland a rival right now…

not being from the Pittsburgh area I never really experienced the rivalry to the same extent.

I do know that many of my local team’s fans hate the nearest team to us but I never did. I hated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats whom we always seemed to being playing in the Grey Cup (indeed I hated all the eastern teams because I was from the west and I felt we needed to stand united against the east).

which is about an hour and 45 minutes north of Pittsburgh (just go north till you hit water,) 1:30 from Cleveland and 1:30 from Buffalo and I have been a fan since the 70s.

 Before Jim Kelly it was hard to find a Bills fan, but Steelers and Browns fans were everywhere. Most of these fans were born into their fandom, their fathers preaching at the alters of the television (and radio before tv) just as their grandfathers did in their time. In the 70s and 80s, I saw many a bar fight simply because one participant wore shit brown and orange or black and gold (aka canary yellow to the Browns fans.)

I am hesitant to park my car in Cleveland during the season because I don’t know if it will run when I get back to it. I’ve had people throw things at it because of the PA plates. I could never root for the Cleveland Brownies under any circumstances.

What I don’t understand is how the past records and history stayed in Cleveland when the Browns left town and moved to Baltimore. When the Raiders moved to LA and back the records and history went with the team. The Cardinals have their history from before their move so do the Colts. The Titans claim the history and records from the Oilers. I can continue but I think you get the point. To me the Ravens are the purple Browns and the Cleveland Browns are an expansion team just like the Texans. Don’t get me wrong, I despise the Browns but the history and past records are now in Baltimore.

Their coach disgusts me.
Their stadium disgusts me.
Just hearing their name disgusts me.

If the Ravens Browns or Bengals get to the Super Bowl, I would root for the AFC North. If the Russians came into Cleveland Cincinatti to play the Browns Bengals, I would buy one of those winter hats with the ear-flaps, put on my red underwear, crack open a bottle of Stolichnaya, throw some Chicken Kiev on the grill and root like hell for the road team.

Those would be my corrections. I guess to older fans the Browns rivalry is a bit more intense, but to me, the Bengals rivalry is more important. I guess because the Ravens fans and team will show some respect for us and other teams, while the Bengals team and fans constantly talk crap about us, when they have no history of winning any kind of streaks against us. Plus, the Browns are so sorry it’s almost hard to hate them. Kind of like having to put down a harmless geriatric dog every time we play them. You feel bad, but it needs to be done.

to the Mike Tomlin press conference and now I’m ready for some football (Peter Griffin voice)

I don’t like them or hate them. To me they are just a speed bump on our road to the superbowl.

I will not be satisfied unless our margin of victory is three times higher than their unemployment rate.

Back when they were truly the Browns. I don’t really know who the heck these guys are now and, as a result, can’t get too exercised about them.

as is most of her family, so it is a great day when the Browns get spanked by the Steelers. I always make plans to wear my Ward Jersey when my I visit my family.

Because Cleveland’s been irrelevant for so long now, they aren’t as much a rival to Steeler’s players, as the other way around. I think Browns players look at Steelers games as a measuring stick. With the exitement of B-Ben’s return, and the really tough schedule coming up after this game, I’m a bit worried that this could be a “trap game” ! Tomlin had better earn his salary this week getting the team prepared.

Not being from Pittsburgh I don’t share the same animosity towards Cleveland as the locals might. But I know the history, I get it, and in football terms beating Cleveland is always a highlight of the season.

I agree with what others have said here, the Ravens are the real Cleveland Browns. I don’t see the Ravens rivalry falling off in the future, both the Steelers and the Ravens are well run franchises. Cleveland on the other hand, is Cleveland. They could be building something there right now, maybe even a playoff club. But let’s face it, whatever they are building, they are buidling it in Cleveland and everything in Cleveland runs downhill eventually.

Hate is indeed a strong word and I frown on it’s use in my household. If there were a team I really hated it wouldn’t be Cleveland or the Ravens. Cleveland just isn’t all that important to me and I have too much respect for The Ravens. I probably despise the Bengals worse than either of our other division rivals ( I think it’s the endless whining), which is funny because I am a lifelong Reds fan, weird huh?

But the team I loathe more than any other, passionately, boardering on the obsesssive sociopathic type of angst that you might see in militant cultists or muslim extremists, is without a doubt the Dallas Cowboys. I don’t just dislike the team but every fan I have ever met, their owner, their city, everything. Every time I see that star I want to whip it out and pee on it.

So, football heaven to me involves a bit of reorginization. The Bengals and Cowboys swap conferences/divisions. The two divisional contests each year are increased to four. The four remaining games are played against the Eagles, Titans, Raiders and the Seahawks. The Seahawks game is always at Heinz, this way every year they have that long flight home to think of how we have always been and will always be the real champions, no matter how much crying they might do.

December 10, 2009:
‘’It means everything,’’ Browns do-it-all wide receiver Josh Cribbs said. ‘’There are a lot of Steelers fans around the city so I hope people go to work and kick those Steelers fans.’’

Cribbs rushed for 87 yards out of the wildcat formation, had 104 return yards and caught one pass for 9 yards. He picked up a big first down on a 14-yard run in the fourth quarter when the Browns were trying to milk the clock.

Afterward, Cribbs soaked in his biggest win since turning pro. He knew the Steelers’ 2 1/2-hour bus trip to Pennsylvania would not be pleasant.

’’They’re going to hear that bus’ engine all the way back,‘’ Cribbs said. ’’That’s a lonely ride. I’ve ridden that ride for five years now. It’s time for them to hear that engine all the way home while they look at the stat sheet.’’

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/gameflash/2009/12/10/3399_recap.html#ixzz12C5oHiVD

I want this son of a bitch to pay. I didn’t forget this quote and it was easy to find again today. I’ve heard a lot more from the browns and their fans since then. I want retribution.

As of right now they are our biggest rival. I’m real nervous about this game. I’ve seen the Steelers defense devour rookie QBs. I’ve also watched no-name bums carve us up. And who knows what kind of Ben will show up? This is a huge game.

My dean called a student out cuz he was a Browns fan and the dean was a Steeler fan.(This was the season after the Browns playoff collapse) Now whenever the Steelers lose, he’ll post something on Facebook that the Steelers lost, blah blah blah. But last year after the mistake by the toilet lake, he wouldnt shut up. Importance of Rivalry for me is the Ravens 1a and Browns 1b. Too many Ravens fans already declaring the Super Bowl and I hate that. And the Browns just… STANK!!!

I was in college in Canton Ohio when the Browns came back. That 43-0 game was phenomenal. My room mate who was also a huge Steeler fan put a photo copy of the PPG cover on our door. It got kicked in and he got a pretty good beating for his team. I got pushed out of the way and banged my head pretty nastily on the frame of my loft.

My two favorite moments from my years just south of the Cleve:

I think it was 2001, but I was trying to get back to school in time for a group project, coming from Pittsburgh. I was confident the Steelers game would end before WDVE got too far away, but alas, the game went into OT and with me riding the line on failing a class if I was any later I switched to the Cleveland station to hear whether the drive the game fizzled out on was successful. The Cleveland station hits the post game call in show for the Browns, and no lie the show starts with the host saying, “Now I know Tim Couch struggled today, and that Corey Dillon had a great game, but I don’t want any calls about trading Tim Couch for Corey Dillon, it’s ridiculous.”

I remember him using the word ridiculous clearly. The first three callers? All trade Couch for Dillon calls. I was laughing so hard I forgot I was listening to hear the Steelers score. We won, it was a great time.

Second was an interview with “Big Dog” of the dog pound, he was asked his most memorable times in Cleveland stadium, being as how he had been there for so many years. His top 2? John Elway beating the Browns with the Drive, and Jones slamming Bradshaw. Speaks to both the sheer lack of a single positive moment for Browns fans, and the lack of class and sheer hatred of the Steelers they suffer from.

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I would love for the Browns to be relevant again. It ticks me off when we walk through the division. I want good football, win or lose, cause those wins are much sweeter. If we just get six easy wins every year, you might as well call us the Patriots. I can’t stand Holmgren (still believe his poor clock management gave us SB 40) but was glad to see him come to Cleveland. Hopefully, he can make something of this team.

Real funny piece on Dawg Daily for you to check out: http://dawgpounddaily.com/2010/10/12/colt-mccoy-v-ben-roethlisberger-proof-that-god-doesnt-really-care-about-the-nfl/

On Modell, I was at the induction when Rod suggested the HOF vote in Modell. Some oldere lady next me started booing with the rest of the crown and yelling, “Never! That bastard!” Gotta love a good zealot!

Last time I invited him over for the game was 2007. The Steelers were losing when he arrived and he was talking trash. He kept smiling and barking. Then he’d apologize and do it all over again. So at halftime with the Browns up 21-9, I went to my shows saved on my DVR and found the end of the 2003 playoff game and started it up. He watched as Maddox started the comeback. The images were bringing back memories. He starts to fidget and even let out a nervous chuckle as he recounts how Bruce Arians’ offense suddenly couldn’t make first downs. Just as Fu takes it up the middle for 6 and the lead, it’s time to go back to the current game. As the Steelers begin to take the Browns apart in the second half, I watch my cousin begin to sink in his chair. Finally Roethlisberger hits Heath Miller for the lead and he gets up. He looks at me and says you’re not right. Shakes his head and leaves not saying another word.

I have many stories of Browns/Steelers games I’ve watched with my family and friends, but I have no idea why I chose this one. hmmm maybe because I’m about to set him up this weekend.

I hate the Ravens because of their players, I hate the Browns because of their fans. And that’s why the rivalry will never go away. As long as the people keep it going, it will always be here.

The fact that the overall record between the two is pretty close despite the Steelers owning them in the 70’s and the mid-nineties on, tells you all you need to know about the first two decades of this rivalry.

And when I was a kid in the mid-to-late 80’s, the Browns were the devil and would beat up on Pittsburgh every year, including the 51-0 loss in 1989.

And the great thing about a rivalry like this one is how one team can be having a poor season and still salvage something with a upset win that totally wrecks the other teams season. Like last year’s 13-6 loss to the Browns in Cleveland with still a chance to go to the playoffs.

Can’t wait for Sunday. Much like last year’s game in Cleveland, I’m already putting this one in the W column, but since it’s Pittsburgh/Cleveland, I wouldn’t be totally stunned with a loss.

Growing up in NE Ohio as a steelers fan i love nothing more then making the ignorant browns fans in this area suffer through another tough season. I live in alliance ohio which is about an hour from cleveland and an hour and half from pittsburgh. There are so so so many more steelers fans in this area and its just interesting to walk in a bar and look at the 75% steeers fans and 25% browns fans on gameday. I was at the game in cleveland last year and am still sick to my stumach about it. Ill be at the game on sunday for my first browns game in pittsburgh and god i hope im not bad luck as i was last year. If anyone would like to get together let me know