A Game in Which there is no one to root for
I said to a friend once, “I hate your football team so much that if your guys were playing the Al-Qaeda All-Stars, I would root for the Al-Qaeda All-Stars.”
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
READ NEXT: The Best Cleveland Browns Jerseys for Fans in 2025: Top Picks You Can Order Today
I was just joking — partly so anyway, right?
When he told me my comments were “pretty harsh,” I replied, “OK, what if I just root for the teams to tie and play an infinite number of overtimes, with no winner declared?”
He still was not impressed. He did not see it as a kinder, gentler attitude.
“Sorry, man, but that’s the best I can do,” I admitted.
I think about all that when I consider that the Pittsburgh Steelers are hosting the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football in the regular-season finale in a winner-take-all for the AFC North championship.
Ugh! It makes my skin crawl.
It should be a compelling game because the teams are evenly-matched. The 9-7 Steelers are 5-3 at home and have outscored their opponents by the grand total of eight points, and the 8-8 Ravens are 5-2 on the road and have outscored their foes by 28 points. Both are 3-2 in the division. The Steelers edged the Ravens 27-22 a month ago at Baltimore in the teams’ first meeting.
Both clubs have greatly underachieved. The Steelers did not hand over the franchise to quarterback Aaron Rodgers so they would be playing for their lives at this point, and the Ravens lost five of their first six games, including four in a row, after dropping just nine games in the previous two seasons combined. It’s the end of the season and neither team has an offensive identity.
And did we mention that even though the two head coaches — Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and Baltimore’s John Harbaugh — have been with their teams since Romeo Crennel was head coach of the Browns nearly two decades ago, there is so much heat on them that Sunday’s loser may not keep his job.
It doesn’t shape up as a game that will be an instant classic.
Anyway, here’s what I may do, and possibly you may want to do it as well: Instead of sitting through the game and being miserable, I think I am going to tune into The Learning Channel and see if there’s a special on tungsten. I can then root for peace of mind.
Steve King
Cleveland Browns Apparel (Fast Shipping Fan Favorites)
You can never go wrong with wearable Browns gear.
Top Picks:
- Cleveland Browns T-shirts (men’s & women’s)
- Hoodies and sweatshirts for cold Sundays
- Beanies and knit hats for winter games
These items are widely available with Prime shipping, making them ideal last-minute gifts that still feel thoughtful.
