Cleveland and Detroit are very similar types of cities, especially when it comes to the NFL.

They are two old-time, hard-line, rust-belt, shot-and-beer towns that are trying to re-create and rebuild themselves so as to return to their former glory.

The same goes for their football teams. The Browns haven’t won an NFL title since 1964, while the Lions’ last championship was in 1957 – over the Browns.

The Lions announced the other day that they are adding cheerleaders next season for the first time in the modern era. They had been one of six NFL franchises without cheerleaders. Among the five teams still without cheerleaders are the Browns.
With that having been said, then, should the Browns join the Lions – and 26 other clubs – and implement cheerleaders to their gameday entertainment package?

Perhaps.

And perhaps not.

Here are three reasons why the Browns should add cheerleaders:

*From re-doing their uniforms to renovating FirstEnergy Stadium, the Browns have done a lot to modernize themselves in recent years so as to be more appealing for younger fans. This would be another step in that direction.

*When done right, and tastefully, cheerleaders can be a good addition for a heavily-male audience.

*It would give a bunch of local women opportunities to showcase their performing talents.

Now here are three reasons why the Browns should steer clear of cheerleaders:

*These new Browns don’t exactly have the Midas touch. They have done a lot of things wrong in the expansion era. They don’t need to add another faux pas to the list.

*No matter how tastefully it’s done, there will be some women’s rights groups protesting it. Another public relations fiasco? The Browns can certainly do without that.

*And finally, the Browns need to focus on putting a winning team on the field. Until that happens, they shouldn’t use any time or effort for other purposes, no matter what they are.