Another year and another highly anticipated week one in the NFL. Browns fans are either convinced this is the year or convinced it’ll be a disaster. There’s never any middle ground. Right now, throughout the world, Browns Backer clubs are gearing up for game one. Presidents and their board members are anticipating their club’s biggest crowd, until late in the season if the team gets on a run to the playoffs. It’s an exciting time to be a Browns fan and a busy time to be a club president.
It was my honor to serve as president of the Middle Tennessee Browns Backers for fifteen years. The hardest part of the job was finding an establishment to show the games. First, I had to convince the owner or manager that yes there are Browns fans in Nashville, TN. and they would gladly show up every game day to watch, eat, drink and spend their hard-earned money in their establishment. Next, I had to negotiate the signs, posters and flags that the club would put on the walls. Could we keep them up all season? If not, could we store them in the establishment? Some places agreed to the first, some agreed to the second, one agreed to neither and we had to take them down and put them back up before and after every game. Whatever made the owner or manager happy. You had to have the mentality of an arbitrator.
The club really got lucky when we could use the same establishment for consecutive years. In the off-season my wife and I would always frequent the place to show our support. Prior to the first game, the club would have a pregame tailgate party either outside or inside the establishment. The only stipulation was you had to be a dues paying member or an out-of-town guest to eat and drink. It was always a good time. I’m glad to see the Middle Tennessee Browns Backers continues this tradition.
This Sunday, my wife and I will head to The Nashville Palace and join our fellow Browns Backers for the pregame tailgate party and see friends we haven’t seen since last year. The current president Ernie Nagy, his wife Janet and their entire family do a great job in running the club. I thank every year and Ernie will ask me if want to be president again. Sorry, I did my time. If you haven’t visited your local Backers club, I encourage you to do so. There’s nothing like watching a Browns game with like-minded individuals. Stay safe and Go Browns.