OF A GREAT GUY, A GREAT CHANCE, GREAT RATINGS AND GREAT ANNOUNCERS
By STEVE KING
A little bit of this and a little bit of that as the Browns play their first postseason game in 18 years when they square off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC first-rounder on Sunday night at Heinz Field:
*This game — and the College Football Playoff national championship contest between Ohio State and Alabama on Monday night — are for a lot of people, really, including now Ron Tedeshi. The longtime Akron native and businessman, who dearly loved both the Browns and Buckeyes and was heavily involved from the very start with the Akron Browns Backers over 40 years ago, died recently after a short battle with cancer. He was 68. He will be sorely missed.
*I am fascinated to see just how well the very short-handed Browns play against Pittsburgh, especially on the road in a really tough venue. Don’t summarily dismiss the Browns’ chances. It will be an uphill battle, certainly, but they absolutely, positively have a real shot to pull off an upset that would stun everyone but them. They don’t think they can lose. They have played their best season when their backs were to the wall. Just when you thought they had no chance to win, such as against the Tennessee Titans on the road, they have somehow found a way to get the job done. This is a great opportunity for a number of Browns players and coaches to build a name for themselves, and they know it. Plus the Steelers have their weaknesses — glaring ones — and have not played consistently well for some time. If the Steelers think they can just show up and win, particu;arly since they almost won last Sunday’s game at FirstEnergy Stadium despite resting a number of their starters, including future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, then they will be in for a rude awakening.
*I wonder what the TV ratings-will be in Northeast Ohio for the telecasts of both the Browns-Pittsburgh and Ohio State-Alabama games. They should be through the roof. This is when even casual fans of both Ohio teams will tune in. This is also an opportunity for the Browns to win back a lot of fans who drifted away through this nightmarish expansion era, if they haven’t been won back already because of the team earning that long-awaited playoffs berth.
*And as I always advocate for Browns and Buckeyes fans, turn down the sound on the TV and listen to the teams’ radio announcers, Jim Donovan-Doug Dieken and Paul Keels-Jim Lachey, respectively, call the games. Win or lose, you’ll enjoy the contests much more.
*And finally, what’s the key for the Browns? That’s simple. The veteran-laden, postseason-savvy Steelers right away will come out and hit the young, postseason-neophyte Browns in the mouth, trying to shake their confidence and deliver an early knockout punch. If the Browns can absorb it and stay on their feet, even if they wobble a little bit, it will greatly build their confidence and really shake that of the Steelers.
