Most Memorable Browns Game Ever???

I was pretty young when the Browns left Cleveland, so most of my memories are from the new era unfortunately. I would say the most memorable good games for me are as follows:
1. Last game of 2002 regular season when William Green ran all over the Falcs, and we stopped the Vick on a last series goal line stand to clinch playoffs
2. The most recent Giants game on MNF was one of the most satisfying football games I have ever experience

Bad memorable games:
1. Playoff loss to Pittsburgh in 2002
2. Arizona game last year when Winslow caught (in my opinion) the winning TD and was forced out, a win that would have put us in the playoffs in retrospect

Red Right 88

The Drive

The Fumble

Good memories:

1. “Run, Willie, Run,” just like Roger Dorn. That was a great moment.
2. Seeing Ernest Byner break past Karl Mecklenburg and into the end zone.
3. The first win in 99. I could never joing the Couch-bashing just because of that moment.

Bad memories:

1. Realizing that Ernest Byner was in the end zone but the ball was not.
2. Dennis Northcutt’s drop against Pittshburgh.
3. The Drive.

Man there have been so so many memorable games since the late 70s … but for me, my most memorable game might have to be the Browns Double OT win over the Jets in Jan 87 (the week before The Drive).

Bernie had an awesome game that day, 33 for 64 for 489 yards, including 10 different receivers. The defense also had 9 sacks that day.

The blizzard game last year with Buffalo. My brother and I were there for that one and the conditions there were crazy. I think the wind was 40+ mph, we had a hard time just getting in the stadium. We were in the endzone opposite the pound, and when Buffalo’s punter kicked the ball into the stands we were so close, if I had dropped my beer and dove I might have had a chance at that ball!!

I was very young, but some of my first memories was the Drive and the Fumble. Not so much remembering what happened in the game (although my dad has both on tape and we refuse to get rid of them) but vividly remembering my dad’s reaction and intensity during those games:

In 1988, he smoked cigarettes. My brothers were 2 years old and not alowed to be in the same room as him as he smoked. I, at 5 sneaked downstairs to the basement, and watched the Browns-Denver game with him. My dad is 6’4". When the Browns scored a touchdown in the 2nd half he jumped up with his arm in the air and accidentally punched the ceiling. When the Browns lost in the last minutes of the game, he just walked up the stairs so dejected. That dent in the ceiling was there until we moved out of that house. I’ll never forget that.

I remember a game that Eric Metcalf returned 2 punts for TDs.

I remember another game when I was little. We were at my grandma’s house. He wouldn’t come out and play catch with the football with me… until the Browns game was done. I was mad, I said, “who are the Browns playing?” My dad said the Raiders. I said, “fine, Go Raiders.” I think it was my first experience with spite.

I remember the first game in Cleveland after it came out that Modell was moving the team. My dad took me to that game. He had to tell me to ignore the signs that said “F*** Modell”, and “Eat SH** Modell, you traitor”, etc. I specifically remember a sign with a burnt hot dog that looked like a giant turd with an arrow pointing to it saying, “Modell is a piece of…” I was 12.

I remember getting killed against Pittsburgh in the first game in 1999. I remember the Jacksonville/bottle throwing game. I remember the Dwayne Rudd-throwing-his-helmet game (I was there with my dad and brothers). I remember every big game since 1999. Where I was, what I was doing. The terrible Bears game in 2001. The great Falcons game to send us to the playoffs. The playoff game. Etc., etc., etc.,

GO BROWNS. Forever.

We got the exact same FanPost over at Baltimore Beatdown and I also checked Behind The Steel Curtain and it’s there as well. Great idea for discussion purposes, but I thought when I saw it on our site that it was from a Ravens fan. Now I know it not, nor is it a Browns’ fan, much less a Steelers. Just curious what his thoughts are for posting this all over the SB Nation. Perhaps he’s getting ready to write a book and we’ll all helping. Can you say residuals!?

Born in ’80, so the real memories began with Bernie Kosar. As a kid, I remember going to a Christmas Eve mass late because the Browns were putting the finishing touches on a playoff win (over the Oilers I believe? too lazy to look it up). My parents, the devout, weekly-church going couple they were, were completely okay with showing up late.

I remember the drive, and the field goal, which other than Jordan’s shot over Ehlo, are the two times in my life I cried in sadness over sports…. not even as a kid in my own little league games.

I remember watching the Browns fall behind in the following year’s rematch with Denver in the playoffs, my dad giving up on them and going downstairs to do some handywork. I remember him coming up right before the fumble, completely surprised they were in it and then to shake his head after Byner lost the handle.

I remember going to my first, and only, game at Municipal stadium during their last year against the Packers. They lost. But it was fun.

I remember watching their return to football with Ty Detmer at the helm in Campus South apartments at the University of Dayton with about 20 other Browns fans. We drank a ton.

I remember going downtown to the Atlanta Falcons game in 2002 without a ticket. My buddy and I crossed paths with a guy who sold us an extra pair, at face value, on the 30-yard line, upper deck north side of the stadium, about halfway up. I remember tailgating in the Muni lot, and on the way up right outside of the Rock Hall, one of my buddies (a large kid who played football at Fordham) asked the police officer if he could borrow his megaphone, to which for whatever reason, the officer agreed. And my buddy started a “F*#k the Falcons” chant that could have been heard across Lake Erie.

I remember hugging the shit out of my buddy when Green hadn’t even crossed midfield. And then hugging the shit out of complete strangers. I had probably hugged 5 people before Green even hit the end zone.

I remember Dennis Northcutt one week later.

I remember waking up on my couch around 7:30 on Sunday of Week 1, 2003. I had a couple of pops that day in the Pit and then in the stadium… so much that I was surprised the Browns scored 20 points, let alone won.

I really didn’t have to thing hard about any of these. The team has given me so many memorable moments that while I consider myself a slightly bigger Indians fan than Browns, a Super Bowl for this team and city might taste a little sweeter.

Here are my top games:

Games won:

1. 2006 Cleveland vs. Kansas City
2. 2008 Cleveland vs. New York
3. 2007 Cleveland at Baltimore

Games lost:

1. 2007 Cleveland at Pittsburgh
2. 2006 Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh
3. 2007 Cleveland at Arizona

No one is mentioning the Beer Bottle Game?

I grew up watching the Browns kick the crap out of everybody in the late 50’s and early 60’s. Jim Brown used to carry the team and I remember watching all these amazing, long TD runs on the “QB Club” with Ken Coleman ( Casey Colemans father). Everybody loved the Browns! We kicked the tar out of Pittsburgh and their team was a joke. Damn….how far we have fallen……The biggest arguements in pick-up games was who was going to be Jim Brown, or Bobbi Mitchell, followed by Paul Warfield later on.

My Grandfather had a coronary and passed away while watching the Browns play on Christmas Day in 1952. My Mom said he loved the Browns and that was our heritage. Since I was three, I only remember the funeral but all my kids love the Browns just like he did. Sometimes, I wonder if that’s my destiny. If so, they better win a damn Super Bowl before I go!

Best game that I remember was the 1964 Title game against the Colts. It was blacked -out and we had to listen on the radio and half the neigborhood was in our kitchen yelling and screaming on every score. Could’nt get a ticket but it’s a great memory because most people expected the Browns would be stomped by the Colts. That 27-0 whitewash was sweet! Gary Collins was sick……3 TDs!

Things went south for the Browns……… Modell ran the best organization in the NFL into the ground. The guy had no clue. He fired Paul Brown, traded Paul Warfield and eventually sold us out for a few more bucks.

I am sorry most of you guys were not around to enjoy those days. Yeah, there have been a few thrills since then but never have the Browns dominated teams like they did back then. But I’ll have a shot of Jack Daniels tonite after work and toast that we soon do! Sunday’s coming and I’ll be chasing the dream.

All the caveats about the spam post aside…

The first football game I honestly remember watching and getting excited about was the “Eric Metcalf” game in 1993. I was still pretty young, but watching this game sticks in my memory.

I only became a huge Browns fan once they came back into the league and the Hail Mary against New Orleans was a huge moment. I was just so happy that we finally had won a game that our record, our players, nothing else mattered. “Run Willie Run” also ranks highly.