Railroaders place to shoot the shit.

In Cleveland, misery has plenty of company

By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist

Published on Monday, Dec 22, 2008

CLEVELAND: A fan stood up in the club seats during the third quarter of Sunday's game at Cleveland Browns Stadium and fell.

Tumbled, really. Down two rows, and the beer in his hand went flying and spilled all over some poor woman sitting there minding her own business.

The rest of the game, she sat with frozen beer coating her back and hood.

The scene summed up this miserable Browns game and miserable season and miserable decade. Because the Browns have been leaving their fans soaked, frozen and disappointed since 1999.

The Browns were shut out by the miserable Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Chicago Bears reject Cedric Benson had a career-high 171 yards rushing. And the Browns' offense went the last three home games without a touchdown for those counting, that's five games without an offensive touchdown.

It was as pitiful as it sounds on this frigid day on the lake.

By game's end, Bruce Gradkowski was in at quarterback and there were perhaps 8,000 fans left in the stands.

One of them wandered the club seats with a sign that said ''Cowher 09.''

Holmgren '09 perhaps?

Billick '09?

Nobody knows, but what is clear is that it will be a new name in '09.

After the game, the guy who has the coach's job sat at a small table in front of some microphones, talking quietly as he rubbed his left index finger and thumb together.

''Tough loss,'' Romeo Crennel said.

''Disappointing'' to finish 1-7 at home after going 7-1 a year ago, he added.

''Really disappointing'' way to end the season at home, he said, losing in the most embarrassing of ways to the lowly Bengals.

His voice was without expression, his face blank, as if he understands his future with this team will be one more week.

The Browns were overpowered by Benson, and underpowered on offense.

They now prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers with Ken Dorsey hurt (ribs and head), and Gradkowski and perhaps Richard Bartel preparing to play quarterback.

Good luck.

Sunday's game highlights included a de-cleater of a block by Braylon Edwards and a return block on Edwards by Chinedum Ndukwe.

But this day more brought to mind the sickening finish to the 2000 season than anything. Those were the days of Spergon Wynn and Travis Prentice. These are the days that make a fan sick to his or her stomach.

It showed, as fans made a steady path to the exits in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Andra Davis said he'd never seen such a small crowd in the stadium. By game's end, the empty orange seats spoke louder than anything possible.

If a change is coming after the season, it might make sense to do it now.

Crennel has given his all and done his best. At this point, he's playing with a deck that has 49 cards, but it's just not working.

The Browns are too handicapped at quarterback to beat good teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans, but you'd have thought (or hoped) they'd compete against the Bengals, who started the day with two wins.

It was never a game, and certainly part of that rests with the fact that Dorsey is not a viable quarterback. But there are other facets to the game, and the Browns did not come through.

The Bengals won a game when their quarterback went 5-for-9 for 55 yards. Bengals receivers had one more catch (five) than their defenders (four).

And a running back who has never done a thing in his four years ran for 171 yards.

Crennel has been coach for four years, and he's not won. He understands the nature of things, and he'll understand when the decision comes.

Waiting until after the Steelers game prolongs the agony, but does show respect to a decent man.

The when is up to Randy Lerner. But it seems a certainty that it will happen.

When it does, make it a full housecleaning. Crennel and General Manager Phil Savage are a team; if one goes, both go.

Crennel didn't win.

But neither did Savage. If Crennel goes, both should go. Clean house. Start fresh, challenging as that can be. The two have been a team since they arrived. One loses, all lose.

The Browns have some talent, but they lack a lot. A back who was rejected by his original team does not top 170 yards rushing without problems on defense.

The offense's highly paid second receiver does not even have 20 catches this season.

The Browns have let a bad start turn into a mess. They lost seven of eight at home. They've disintegrated, and now they can't beat a team that is 3-11-1.

Sunday ended with the guy dressed as Santa Claus walking to the exit with 2:58 left.

It ended with Gradkowski scrambling on a fourth-down play with no receiver within 30 yards of him.

It ended with the woman with the beer on her back leaving with her family.

Ten years into a rebirth and all these fans have received is cold beer dumped on them on terribly cold days.

Ten years of sitting and being miserable.

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