Note: Written for Saturday 12/4/21
By STEVE KING
For the first time since way back sometime in early August when the preseason began — that’s four full months ago — the Browns — and you, their fans — have the weekend off.
The Browns don’t play. There is no game — no Sunday afternoon game, no Sunday night game and no Monday night game. We have reached the bye week — granted, a lot later than normal, but it is the bye week nonetheless.
So, what are you going to do?
Please don’t say that you are going to just sit around and watch football all weekend. Perhaps watch a little, if you must, but don’t waste the whole weekend — or even just a decent-sized portion of it — in front of the TV breaking down the dime defense of the Los Angeles Chargers, the play of the guards of the Minnesota Vikings or the third-down tendencies of the Indianapolis Colts. Please, please, please, don’t say that, don’t do that and, for goodness sake, don’t even think that. Indeed, don’t let that thought cross through your brain, because thoughts lead to actions.
Instead, get out and do something else — anything else, really.
Get re-acquainted with your family, or even yourself.
Take a walk. It will clear your head of old, tired thoughts and inspire new, fresh ones. Walks always do that, which is why you — we — should take a walk every day.
Get your Christmas shopping done, or at least start it.
Read a book. Reading is great. Every time you read — even a comic book, really — you get smarter, for you will come across something new.
Clean up around the house. Yeah, that can be therapeutic, and highly productive, too.
Or, be really provocative and just get up and dance — perhaps even with your significant other, whose name may escape you right now.
We can get back to the Browns, and the rest of the NFL, later on. It will still all be there. It isn’t going anywhere.
You should step away — away from the screen, away from your phone, away from that chair.
Get up, move around and live a little bit.
Remember, you’re going to take this journey only once.
