It used to be, for decades, that the baseball season in Cleveland ended in late July when the Browns opened training camp.

The then Indians struggled year after year, and had long since been out of contention by the time camp started, while the Browns were competing for championships. Their appearance on the practice field signaled the start of football season, with little attention paid to the Indians for the rest of the summer.

Now, all these years later, the baseball season has finally ended, on Oct. 2, no less, with the Guardians on Thursday losing the deciding Game 3 to the Detroit Tigers in the American League Wild-Card Playoff Series. It came after the Guardians, in incredibly exciting fashion, stormed back to win the Central Division title for the second straight season, the third time in four years and the sixth time in a decade.

But the Browns aren’t there — not even close — to pick up the slack and carry the baton for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. They’ve made the playoffs just twice since 2003 and likely will miss the postseason again this year as they are just 1-3 with a horribly challenged offense headed into Sunday morning’s game against the Minnesota Vikings in London.

Yes, the Browns and Guardians have definitely switched places.

Just like it was when the Indians promoted a top farmhand, the only newsworthy thing for the Browns right now is that rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel will make his first start on Sunday.

So, if local fans are looking to
follow a team that has a chance to win a title, then they’ll have to focus on the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes or the Cavaliers when they open their season soon.

Again, do the Browns movers and shakers realize all that, and if so, then do they care — at least a little bit?

Who knows?!

Steve King