Browns fans: Just relax and enjoy

Chris Crowell

In life, things are complicated. The big, tough issues of the day are not clear-cut; there are no definite answers and no consensus good and evil choices. Immigration reform is complicated. Poverty is complicated. And of course, maybe the biggest problem in our society, the Cleveland Browns’ ineptitude is complicated.

A feature of a complicated problem, like poverty or the Browns, is that no one wants to realize how complicated it is. Everyone has an unwavering opinion. Everyone has the answers. Even crazy Uncle Pickleshoes at the end of the block thinks his two cents will cure monkey pox, fight off global warming and get the Browns to the AFL Championship.

With the NFL Draft taking place this weekend, I ask all Browns fans to understand that fact. You may really want Brady Quinn because you don’t trust Charlie Frye. You may pine for the rushing attack of Adrian Peterson. You may be like Terry Pluto and will take a bullet for Joe Thomas. You may be praying to the ghosts of Webster Slaughter for Calvin Johnson to slip to us.

Or you may realize that no one guy will change this losing culture and think we should trade down for a bunch of picks, grab a lot of dirt and fill a lot of holes.

Whatever your predilection – let it go. Please. You may have the most well-reasoned argument planned out for your decision. You may have it laminated, color-coated and sitting atop your mantle, but please, take it down and chuck it into the fireplace.

None of us know. Not a one. Any of the above scenarios make sense and could radically help our team. The thing is, no one will know the best route until three years down the road. There are plenty of examples of top five busts and six round pro-bowlers. The draft is an inexact science, especially when a team is lacking at virtually every position.

I look at it like this: We sit through terrible football every year. The team doesn’t stop the run. The team doesn’t protect the quarterback. The team doesn’t have a quarterback.

The draft is the one time the year we can sit back, relax and dream of better times. We can actually hope.

So if Phil Savage ends up taking Quinn, no matter how much you are against this idea, just be happy. For one, you don’t know for sure that this pick is the wrong choice. Any pick has merit. But mostly, why get frustrated? It’s the NFL Draft. Just sit on your couch for 18 hours (like I will), watch the picks, read about them, realize that any one guy has a chance to improve this team – and believe in it. Just save the frustration.

Contact sports columnist Chris Crowell at [email protected].