THE TIME TO LOOK FORWARD, NOT BACKWARD, IS HERE

By STEVE KING

It’s here.

Finally.

Thank goodness.

I’m talking about, of course, the start of Browns training camp on Thursday.

You’ve heard about the term, “Christmas in July,” haven’t you? Well, that’s exactly what it is – and on the 25th of the month, to boot. How cool, huh? How appropriate, don’t ya think?

Yeah, it is – very, very cool and very, very appropriate.

The pain of the expansion era, especially the 2016 and ’17 seasons when the Browns won exactly once – once!! – in 32 tries, is gone. It’s nothing but a bad memory now – a nightmare, if you will, that is, thankfully and mercifully, no longer recurring.

Baker Mayfield is here now, replacing the nameless, faceless many.

Myles Garrett is here now, replacing the likes of Brian Schaefering.

Odell Beckham Jr. is here now, replacing the list of luminaries such as Mohamed Massaquoi.

Denzel Ward is here now, replacing such unforgettables as Brandon McDonald.

Olivier Vernon and Sheldon Richardson are here now, replacing future Cleveland Browns Legends like Jayme Mitchell and Kenyon Coleman.

And speaking of guys whose name is Coleman, what would a trip down memory lane be without recalling Corey Coleman, last seen when a pass to set up a game-winning field goal at Pittsburgh, was bouncing off his helmet?

But I digress.

Freddie Kitchens is here now, replacing geniuses like Eric Mangini, Mike Pettine, Pat Shurmur, “Hapless” Hue Jackson and … well, Eric Mangini, whose ineptitude was such that he deserves to be mentioned twice. Mentioning Hue more than once? No, thank you, very much.

And, most importantly, John Dorsey is here now presiding over it all, replacing the immortal Sashi Brown and “Rambling” Ray Farmer, last seen using a beach towel to wipe the sweat pouring off his forehead as it were being drizzled onto the top of his bald cranium with a garden hose.

So, enjoy the start of camp fully and completely and forget all those other knuckleheads. They no longer matter, nor should they.