Cleveland Browns fans have thick skin.
It is a tumultuous ride being a Browns fan, and they have been through so many things other cities’ fanbases cannot imagine.
After all, the Browns’ former owner Art Modell moved the team to a different city in the same division.
They continue to believe and hope better days are ahead and had some glimpses of success most recently in 2020.
Since March 18, the fans have been torn by the team’s decision to trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson has not been found guilty of any criminal conduct but to date, 24 civil suits are pending against him with more suits expected to be filed in the coming days.
Though we do not yet know how this will all turn out, fans have some ideas if things continue to sour.
They suggest that the Haslams sell the Browns.
What Fans Are Saying
One fan wrote an editorial for Cleveland.com.
Jim Ack is a lifelong Browns fan who is 62 years old.
He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Here is what he said about the Haslams’ recent decision to trade for Watson.
“You have made the biggest economic and future-crushing blunder in the history of professional sports, and contributed to the degradation of countless women. Not only was the Deshaun Watson trade the worst business decision in sports history, but it also alienated sports fans globally, and disrespected half the entire population.”
“You’ve made Art Modell look good by comparison. You’ve made the Browns a pariah. It’s time for you to sell the team, to salvage whatever remote chance there may be for it to be respected once again.”
Jason Lisko echoes Ack’s sentiment about the Haslams selling on Twitter.
If this all blows up in the Browns face, and the Watson acquisition is a disaster, do/should the Haslams sell the team? This is gotta be it for them. Succeed or move on 🤷🏻♂️
— Jason Lisko (@jplisko5) June 7, 2022
Tanner Stiller and Aaron said the same thing.
If the Browns end up voiding Deshauns contract this whole thing should force the Haslams to sell the team
— Tanner Stiller (@t_stiller) June 8, 2022
The only thing that could salvage this debacle is if the @NFL forced the Haslams to sell the @Browns
— … (@PeppaPike) June 7, 2022
Brian Davis believes more prominent community leaders and other media people should be speaking out as Ack has.
Finally, a good letter to the editor in the PD. Wishing that community leaders were saying this as well as the editorial and sports' commentators for media outlets locally. #NewOhioBengalsFan https://t.co/Ij1r8k1kWX
— Brian Davis 🇺🇦 (@clevjustice) June 13, 2022
Other Fans Disagree
It is important to note this is just one segment of the fanbase that shares this strong opinion.
There are other fans who either do not have a problem with Watson being on the team or believe that the legal process should play out before anyone jumps to what could be false conclusions.
“Innocent until proven guilty” is what Bryce 94 wrote on Twitter.
This guy said the Browns trading for Watson and disregarding the situation is worse than Art Modell lol. 😂 He's assuming all the allegations are true, but he forgot the first rule of law- innocent until proven guilty.https://t.co/PFcOgwJkJk
— Bryce (@superhamrick94) June 14, 2022
Conclusion
Perhaps one thing fans can agree about is that one way or another, this situation needs to be resolved so that the team can focus on the 2022 season.
Mandatory minicamp opens on June 14, and training camp will start in late July.
The other 31 teams are focusing on their 2022 rosters and how to get better between now and September.
The Browns are living in this cloud of uncertainty not knowing if they will even have their QB1 on Week 1.
One player’s off-the-field issues are overshadowing what appears to be a very talented and competitive roster.
At some point, the team needs resolution and to focus purely on football.
NEXT: Browns Nation News And Notes (6/14/22)
This whole Watson saga is dirty. Imagine this, the browns finally go all the way with Watson and win the super bowl, the national media will have a field day talking the dirty. We waited all these years for the title and this is the way we will have to celebrate? Sorry,its not worth it!
Agreed. Tired of hearing how ‘he hasn’t been convicted’ so he is innocent. The whole process is far from over. Plus if you think Watson is innocent then does that mean you would have been fine with leaving your kids with Michael Jackson? He was never convicted either.
Pal, if that happened, nobody would care. Winning deodorizes everything. That’s just the way it is and always will be.
I agree 100%. We’ve been waiting for YEARS, THEN THE OWNER/MANAGEMENT screws the team, the team members, the fans, the city, Damn right, it’s dirty. Extremely dirty. And it is 100% Haslem’s fault. No one but Haslem can make a decision like that trade. No one. Yeah, can’t wait to win a super bowl and be dragged out in every single paper nationally. We already are the laughingstock of the NFL. WHY would that not get worse after we have a super bowl? Well, don’t worry. THAT ain’t gonna happen, fans. Not. It is not worth hearing the laughter and ridicule. Sell the team, Haslem. SELL THE TEAM. And leave town with your heads between your legs. Maybe Watson can show you how that’s done.
24 women never agree about anything.
Karma is going to smack the browns really hard over this insane attraction.
If you are black and one of the greatest QB’s in the world, don’t ever ask to be traded, you’ll pay!
Huh? Umm…no. Modell didn’t “move the team to a different city in the same division.” Modell didn’t know which division they’d be in. The NFL decided to keep Baltimore in the same division as the old Browns only because the AFC East already had five teams, they decided to keep Indianapolis in the East after the move from Baltimore in 1984.
I thought you were innocent until proven guilty but I guess not. How can
the NFL make a fair decision until the civil suits go to trial. The lawyer is
trying to use public opinion to win his case without all facts being laid out
so a jury can make a decision. How is this lawyer being paid? I’m sure it
based on a percentage of what he can get from Watson, the Texans, and
the NFL.