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When you don’t live in Cleveland or the surrounding area, it’s tough going to Browns games or even watching them play on television. If you’re lucky like me you live in a city with another NFL team. When the Browns came back in 1999, they were in the old Central division and would play the Oilers/Titans here in Nashville once a year and the games in Cleveland would be on local TV. Back then I was still president of the Middle Tennessee Browns Backers, so I saw every game, good and bad. More often bad, real bad. But after surviving the three years without Browns football (the undefeated years) I gladly watched. Nothing like watching the Browns in a bar with like minded individuals. However, in my opinion, the next best thing are road trips.

Prior to the move, my wife and I along with a few fellow Browns Backers went to a couple games at the old stadium. The 1991 Denver Bronco game and the 1992 Houston game. Of course we sat in the dawg pound, or should I say stood in the dawg pound. At the Houston game, myself and a friend were witnesses for a couple who got married in the pound during the game. Unfortunately the Browns lost, hopefully their marriage had a better out come.

As I previously said, when the Browns came back in 1999, there was some really bad football. but there were some special games and I got to witness some of them in person. Back then the Cleveland Browns offered special weekends for Browns Backers for two games, one at home and one away. That years away game was New Orleans and it was Halloween weekend. My wife Karen and I went down with another couple, Brad and Lisa. We booked our rooms on the same day hoping to get on the same floor. When we checked in, they could find Brad’s reservation, but not mine. After forty five minutes of frantic searching and me growling, they finally found it and after apologizing for five minutes put us in adjoining rooms on a floor that had its own elevator. Scan your room key and boom straight to our floor. Also provided, free breakfast in the morning and free drinks in the evening in a lounge down the hall. Bourbon street was great, we saw 6 guys dressed as Wonder Woman marching down the street. Got lucky and got into Paul Prudhomme’s restaurant. Lisa and Karen asked if they could go in and use the rest room and asked if it would be okay for Brad and I to wait at the bar. As we waited the Maître d came over and asked if we needed a table. “Why of course we do” we said. Of course the game was great. With 4 seconds left, as we are getting heckled by the stadium staff, hail mary to win it, Mike Ditka laying face down on the turf, first victory of the new Browns. Massive partying on Bourbon street.

In 2002 the Browns offered New Orleans as the away game for a Browns Backer weekend again and off we went. When we got to the airport, we found out Nashville was the layover for flights from Cleveland to New Orleans. There’s nothing like a plane full of Browns fans after draining an airport bar. The Friday night party was Harrah’s with former players, Herman Fontenot, Reggie Langhorne, Brian Brennan and Steve Everitt. The main conversion of the night was where we were all going to meet to watch the Ohio State/Michigan game the next day. National championship game on the line for the buckeyes. Someone alerted the convention manager and he offered the same room. The next day, TV’s everywhere, cash bars everywhere, packed room, buckeye’s win. I also got to meet my all time favorite Brown, Dick Ambrose and later that night Charles Nagy. As for the game, I got the pleasure to meet the president of the London Browns Backers. Every time the Browns made a great play, which was often, he would say “good show.” Even taught him how to high five. He kept putting his hand in front of his face.

Went to Cincinnati twice, the second one Butch Davis had his panic attack. Atlanta was a great trip. A bus load of Middle Tennessee Browns Backers, great food prepared for us by a great chef and a ton of beer. The Georgia Dome was a dump and the fans were the worst. The guy in front of us yelled at another members 9 year old daughter. When my wife informed him he was lucky her father had gone to the rest room, he started mouthing off again. Her father is a big man and could easily snap this guy in two. When he got back, the Atlanta fan took one look at him and never said another word.

The games here in Nashville were fun. The Middle Tennessee Browns Backers always threw one hell of a tail gate and still do. The 1999 game was special just because it was good seeing those orange helmets on the field again. The 2001 game was a couple games after “bottle-gate” so security was heavy. Tied game at the half, 24 – 24. At the start of the forth quarter it was 38 – 24 Titans. With less than a minute to go Phil Dawson hits the game winner and the final was 41- 38 Browns. Great come from behind victory. The 2002 game was another come from behind game. Titans leading 21 – 7 at the half, but with less than two minutes in the third quarter Dennis Northcutt returns a 74 yard punt return and the lead is cut to seven. With a little more than five minutes in the game the Titans score and the lead is back to fourteen. About this time my wife asks if I want to go back to the tailgate. I said no, lets see what happens. By this time the Titans fans had learned how to heckle opposing fans. During the game I got up to get a beer, and as reached the isle, a lady said to me welcome to Nashville. At that point her team was winning and she could afford to be nice. I said thank you, but I live here. To which she replied, F__k you. I immediately inquired if she kissed her kids with that mouth? With less than three minutes left the Browns scored, then preceded to execute the prefect onside kick. Dawson to Northcutt along the sideline. God I miss good special team play. After the review, Browns ball and with 18 seconds left tied game, Couch to Northcutt. A Phil Dawson FG ends it in overtime, 31-28.

But the best game here in Nashville was the 2014 game. Largest come back by a road team in NFL history. The Browns were losing 28-10 a the half, I remember they kept running the ball. Ben Tate ended up with 124 yards rushing and it seemed to wear down the Titans. The fourth quarter included a blocked punt for a touchdown and the Brian Hoyer/Travis Benjamin show. With a little less than two minutes left the Browns had the lead, 29-28. What happened next, I have never experienced. With the Titans moving the ball, on a 4th and one, the home team had to call a time out because the opposing fans where to loud. That stadium was rocking. Of course the Browns stop the play, after a review, Browns ball and then the victory formation.

Thanks for indulging me on my blog about road games, but when you live away from The Land, road trips are special. There’s nothing like seeing the Browns play in person along side fellow Browns fans and the Browns win. As we slowly inch to the start of training camp, in my next blog, I’ll be looking at the up coming opponents and the schedule. Go Browns and Dawgcheck.

When I first read about the OBJ trade on twitter, my first reaction was the above statement. Followed by a lot of fist pumping and trying to explain to my wife how big of deal this was. And her reaction was the same as it always is during the off season, “right, let me know when the season starts.” Other fans had various degrees of reactions. Like this guy https://www.facebook.com/ESPN/videos/fan-reacts…obj…browns/1488518564616793/ or is guy https://www.facebook.com/SportsCenter/videos/300342070655000/

Now being the normal Browns fan, the first thing I did was try and verify if it was true on twitter. I waited for the national guys like Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) or Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) to report the trade. The next thing I thought of was “what are we giving up?” We always think of the cost, draft picks are worth more than gold to a Browns fan. Finally, I tried to think of the last time I was this pumped about an off season move. Sure there were drafts that put visions of the playoffs in my head (the Joe Thomas/Brady Quinn draft) , as well as free agent signings (too many to list). But the first thing that popped in my head was how Browns GM Ernie Accorsi And QB Bernie Kosar manipulated the 1985 supplemental draft.

Back then you got your sports news from ESPN on cable television. No internet, no twitter, no Facebook. And if you were like me, at the time living in Tampa, FL. any Browns news that was aired I stopped what I was doing and watched. On March 14 1985 Kosar announced at a news conference he was forgoing his last two years of college eligibility to enter the NFL draft and he was going to keep his options open. Options open? What does that mean? Prior to that I had no idea Kosar was from Boardman Ohio and was a huge Browns fan. All I knew of Kosar was the January 2, 1984 Orange Bowl victory over number one Nebraska, the Hail Mary game against Doug Flute on November 23, 1984 and the Tampa Tribune sports page.

Kosar, at the time of his news conference was on tract to graduate after three years with a double major in finance and economics. He also said he wanted to play for his hometown team the Cleveland Browns. Again fist pumping for several minutes, then reality set in, how can the Browns draft Kosar? Buffalo owned the first pick and were going to use it on DE Bruce Smith. Houston owed the second pick and the Browns had the seventh pick. Then on April 9 1985 Minnesota traded two picks to Houston for the second pick. Cleveland also tried to trade with Houston, but no way were the Oilers going to let Kosar go to Central Division rival Cleveland. So what does Accorsi do? Well that same day he trades Cleveland’s 1985 1st(#7), 1985 3rd(#63) and their 6th round pick in 1986 to Buffalo for their 1986 first round pick. Mass confusion and arguments ensue.

Buffalo had the worst record in 1984 and had the first pick in both the regular draft and the supplemental draft in 1985. If a team picks a player in the supplemental draft they lose that corresponding pick in the next years draft. Thus, use the 1st pick in the 1985 supplemental lose the 1st pick in the 1986 regular draft. And just like that Accorsi outmaneuvered the Vikings to get Kosar. Until the Vikings raised a stink. They said Kosar announced his intention to play professional football and declared for the 1985 regular draft. They also claimed that because Kosar hired an agent he was no longer eligible for college football and his agent helped plot this maneuver to avoid the regular draft. Then Houston threatened to sue and Kosar’s agent threatened to sue. Sounds like one hell of a soap opera doesn’t it?

On April 23 NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle announced it was up to Kosar to decide. Bernie didn’t file his paperwork by the April 15 deadline to enter the regular draft and on May 10 declared for the supplemental draft. On June 25 Kosar passed his exams and graduated and on July 3 was selected by the Browns in the supplemental draft and signed to a 5 year contract. And even more fist pumping. The Browns got their franchise quarterback.

In other happenings :Since my last blog, my alma mater Vanderbilt came back to beat the team up north in games 2 & 3 of the college world series and are National Champs again. It’s a double winner, winner chicken dinner for me.

This week I’m going to list my go to websites and twitter follows for fellow out of town Browns fans. Like I said last week, my favorite website is the Brown and Orange report which is part of 247sports. Their twitter handle is @TheOBR. I also follow their insiders: Jared Mueller @JaredKMueller, Fred Greetham @FredGreetham, Barry McBride @BarryMcBride, Brent Sobleski @brentsobleski and Lane Adkins @TheRealLA_. Pro Football Focus is a must @PFF and so is the Cleveland addition @PFF_Browns.

Local Cleveland sports writers: Scott Petrak @ScottPetrak, Jeff Schudel @jsproinsider, Nate Ulrich @ByNateUlrich and Pat McManamon @PatMcManamon.

Other Blogs & podcasts: Dawgs By Nature @DawgsByNature, Everything is Earned @CLESportsPod, The Browns Wire @TheBrownsWire, Browns Zone @TheBrownsZone and Dawg Pound Nation @DawgPoundNation.

Finally the Kareem Hunt situation……Nothing to see here…..move along.

This blog comes from the perspective of a Browns fan living outside of Cleveland. As matter of fact in another NFL city, Nashville, TN. I’m not an expert, I have no insider sources, don’t know any limo drivers, any realtors in Strongsville or any homeless guys in Cleveland. Like other displaced Browns fans, I crave any news I get from the internet & Twitter. My favorite website is the Orange & Brown Report. I’ve been a member since the move and pay for the premium service. Great insider info. My Twitter follows are people who know a lot more about the league and its inner workings than I will ever know. So Mike Silver won’t be found. I do know I love the Cleveland Browns.

In the span of a little over a year Browns fans went from “long suffering” to “insufferable” in the eyes of other NFL fans. I really don’t care. Last year became fun again. As in Kardiac Kids fun or Bernie fun. Yes we a have a QB and probably the most talented Browns team since the expansion. But it all started with the hiring of a football guy as GM and the owner finally getting out of his way. My only concerns are the OL and the LB’s. We all know the importance of protection for Baker Mayfield and last year they did a good job in that task. But were they really that good or did Mayfield and Freddie’s play calling make them look better then what they are? I like the signing of Eric Kush, but still wonder about Austin Corbett. As for the linebackers, when they cover an opposing tight end, I’ll be happy. It seems like opposing tight ends would have career days vs. the Browns. Also I’m curious to see if Genard Avery can take the place of Jamie Collins. Collins wasn’t worth the money they were paying him, but he was pretty good. I can’t wait to see how draft picks Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki fit.

In future blogs I’ll explore more about living outside of Cleveland and especially Nashville seeing how the Browns first opponent are the Titans. We’ll dive into the Browns off season for better or worse. And I’ll talk about my love of the draft and for once I’m more excited about the actual season instead of the off season. But first some tidbits about other teams I follow.

The Indians: Anyone else notice they’re playing better and the Twins are starting to look over their shoulders. Bieber, Civale, Mercado, Bradley and Plesac, just to name a few, have done the farm system proud. Are they buyers at the trading deadline?

The Cavs: Great draft. Garland & Windler I’m very familiar with. Garland only played 5 games at my alma mater Vanderbilt, but you could tell this kid is special. And I love Windler’s game and he played here in Nashville at Belmont for one the best coaches in the game Rick Byrd. Then you get Kevin Porker as well. Wow.

THE Ohio State: When Justin Fields was a 5 star QB recruit committed to Georgia he was the heir apparent at a football power house. Now he’s the staring QB at a football power house and we’re not sure he can handle the situation. When the QB position at THE Ohio State is in flux, they win. Look at the history.

Vanderbilt Baseball: Yes Vandy, it’s my alma mater and right now they are playing for the NCAA Baseball Championship. As of this writing they are down 0-1 in a best of three series to that team up north, but they have their ace freshman Kumar Rocker ( son of Tracy Rocker) pitching tonight and I like their chances.

Last but not least, I want and welcome your opinions of my first post. I’m from Cleveland so I can take anything. Just remember opinions are like relatives who are Steeler fans, we all have one.