Fans of the Detroit Lions are realizing what Browns fans learned nearly 40 years ago, and it is that it is hard to watch the team that beat your team in the conference championship game play in the Super Bowl.

It is especially the case when you are convinced that your team didn’t get beaten as much as it gave away the game.

The Lions led the San Francisco 49ers 24–7 at halftime in the NFC Championship Game two weeks ago and let it slip away en route to a 34–31 loss.

Now those Lions fans would rather watch a TV special about tungsten on The Learning Channel than watch the Super Bowl. It is just too, too painful.

From 1986 through 1989, the Browns played the Denver Broncos three times in four seasons in the AFC Championhip Game. The Browns, of course, lost every time, including on the first two occasions when I am still convinced — and many of you who saw the games are still convinced — that they had the better team. Yet, they did not win.

So, then, it was painful for Browns fans to watch the Broncos in the Super Bowl. They felt like their team should be there instead.

It was like watching your best friend take to the big dance the girl you thought was going to go with you.

Browns fans feel you, Lions fans. You just better hope it doesn’t happen to you three times in four years, or you might be watching that tungsten special on The Learning Channel on a loop.

Steve King