I cried Wednesday night.
I didn’t cry for Trent Richardson, I cried for myself, I cried for my family and I cried for all Cleveland Browns fans that year after year believe someday everything will get better.
Trent Richardson embodied the characteristics of a Browns running back: blue-collar, hard-hitting, and a humble guy that loved the fans. To sum up the type of guy he is, Richardson said sorry to the season ticket holders following a pathetic loss to the Washington Redskins in the 2012 home finale.
But he had his flaws.
Sometimes, Richardson would stutter-step and dance too much, rather than bulldoze through the hole and make space for his short but stocky frame.
Throughout his time in Cleveland, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft never had a breakthrough run, just minor bursts that would get maybe a dozen yards at most.
My point is that this trade isn’t so much about Richardson as what it says about the franchise.
On the same day that the Browns announced their third-string quarterback will be their stand-in starter and placed the team’s second-best receiver on the bench, Cleveland traded its best player and realistically, its only offensive weapon.
The Browns have given up on the 2013 season and they’ve only played two games.
It’s ironic to think that a team with arguably the most passionate fans can give up and start from scratch so easily, promising progress and leaving fans with a bitter taste in their mouths.
These are the fans that fought to keep their team in Cleveland. And once again, they’re treated like the laughingstock of the NFL — the butt of any jaded sports joke.
The Browns organization is holding its season ticketholders hostage, taking their money in exchange for a disgraceful on-field product. The damage is done, though; fans already bought their tickets.
Last season, some genius in the Browns’ PR department thought it would be a good idea to hand out white flags to wave against the Pittsburgh Steelers. As expected, the idea was scrapped for obvious reasons.
Now I’m wondering if they saved the flags for the fans to wave when they walk into FirstEnergy Stadium next Sunday. We all know they’ve already surrendered this year.
Charlie Hatch is a Cleveland Browns season ticket holder and is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Did the Browns also disappoint you? Email him at gh181212@ohiou.edu or tweet him at @charliehatch_!
