The success of the Indians, who on Monday night completed a Division Series sweep of the Boston Red Sox and now move on to the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, is obviously a great thing for a lot of reasons, one of which is what it does to the Browns.
It put even more pressure on them to win, just like the Indians are doing, and just like the Cavaliers did last June 19 when they broke Cleveland’s 52-year major pro sports championship drought by capturing the NBA title. It holds the Browns’ feet to the fire. It lets them know that we are watching, and waiting, and monitoring their progress very, very, very carefully.
Just like the Browns are now, the Indians and Cavs were both dreadful not that long ago. They operate in the same city as the Browns. And they turned it around, so why can’t the Browns? Indeed, why shouldn’t we expect the Browns to do it?
Certainly, it’s going to take some time. It did for both the Cavs and Indians. This is not going to happen overnight. And Browns fans are savvy enough to realize that, and give the team that time.
However, this is not an open-ended situation in that the Browns have forever and a day to get themselves back on track. Three years from now, if not before, the Browns need to be serious contenders for a postseason berth. If that doesn’t happen, then there’s a problem – a real problem.
The Browns need to keep in mind that the fans have been waiting since the beginning of the expansion era in 1999. So their patience is worn thin. They have a right to receive a return on their investment in faith in a reasonable amount of time.
And three years is a reasonable amount of time.
Are y’all listening out there in Berea?
Well, are you?
