September 10, 1978 ~ Browns vs Bengals
I was 12 and just started watching football the previous year. Going to a game seemed like a really big deal to me. I was with my soon-to-be step-dad... besides a couple of fishing trips, this was one of our first "bonding" experiences.
The game was pretty boring, because the Browns couldn't score. But still, the sights and sounds were awesome to a young kid.
"The Waterbug" (Greg Pruitt) was having a pretty big day; but we stayed in self-destruct mode and were down 10-0 late in the third. First a Cockroft FG going into the 4th. Then... Sipe to Rucker with a couple minutes left in the fourth.
I remember, after our TD, some fool marching up the aisle "I'll bet anybody $10 we lose... Anybody? 10 bucks... we're gonna blow it like we always do... anybody? anybody?" as he glared up and down each aisle. By this time I was blown away by the whole scene. People were getting pretty drunk and crazy. At the beginning of the 3rd some Hell's Angels showed up. There were three that I could see; walking up and down three aisles in a row scanning the crowd -- obviously looking for someone. I was scared lol. I had heard about them in the past; but now I was watching them stare people down, and everyone afraid to look back at them as they walked the aisles.
The game goes to OT and it all seemed rather easy, if not predestined. We win the toss and march straight down the field for a Cockroft FG to win. I remember being very excited that my first game went to OT. Couldn't wait to tell my friends I was there.
When we scored our TD, and then the FG in OT, and the old Muni erupted -- that was the moment I became a Browns fan for life. The passion and exuberance, people turning around with high fives... and how that flowed all the way out through the hollow walkways and parking lot. Excitement still echoing in my ears as we walked out of the stadium and saw the party atmosphere outside. Everybody that followed from our general vicinity was still making fun of the dude that had the nerve to think we would lose lol. "I'll bet you ten bucks we don't see that chump out here".
I'll never forget that day and that game... I'll also never forget walking into the bathroom as a 12 year old and seeing everyone pissing in a trough and some drunk guy pissing in a sink lmao.
That was game 2. We started the season 3-0 before losing to the Steelers 15-9 in OT. I had high hopes. We finished 8-8 (again) and I was well on my way to learning the pain and anguish of being a Browns fan.