Cleveland just moved to the top of my list

[cincy90]

Up until this past weekend, I would have to say that the team I hated most in the NFL was Pittsburgh in a landslide. Not anymore after this past weekend.

Myself and several of my friends went to the game in Cleveland this past weekend, and I've never seen a larger gathering of a$$holes before in my life. We didn't initiate any confrontations, but there was someone from nearly every group of people that got in our face and cussed us out before and after the game. We also had a wide range of things thrown at us before and after the game. I've never been so ready to fight in all my life, but we all knew that if we went after someone beer bottles would rain down on us and nobody would help us out, seeing as that the number of decent people surrounding us was at a minimum.

It would have been amazing to pull of the win on that final drive, but we probably would have gotten jumped outside of the stadium.

I've got the next Cleveland game circled on my calendar and, even though I'm usually cool with visiting fans, I'm tempted to return the favor to those a$$holes that will be coming to PBS.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Up until this past weekend, I would have to say that the team I hated most in the NFL was Pittsburgh in a landslide. Not anymore after this past weekend.

Myself and several of my friends went to the game in Cleveland this past weekend, and I've never seen a larger gathering of a$$holes before in my life. We didn't initiate any confrontations, but there was someone from nearly every group of people that got in our face and cussed us out before and after the game. We also had a wide range of things thrown at us before and after the game. I've never been so ready to fight in all my life, but we all knew that if we went after someone beer bottles would rain down on us and nobody would help us out, seeing as that the number of decent people surrounding us was at a minimum.

It would have been amazing to pull of the win on that final drive, but we probably would have gotten jumped outside of the stadium.

I've got the next Cleveland game circled on my calendar and, even though I'm usually cool with visiting fans, I'm tempted to return the favor to those a$$holes that will be coming to PBS.

Recall the wise words of Prophet Wyche. You don't live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati. Don't return the favor or you *become* the a$$hole.

Besides, don't be angry with them. They're just frustrated because they have to live in Cleveland.

[Bobcat Bengal]

yeah, the fans at the bar I went to were like f**k Cincinnati, f**k Palmer, f**k Chad Johnson, this and that.......just kinda wack.

Some dude kept cursing at the announcers, literally screaming "shut the f**k up"

ugh....woulda been nice to pull that win out in hostile territory....

[duus]

And now you have tasted what it is like to actually LIVE in Pissburgh. Imagine that level of nonsense on a daily basis. You walk away, time after time ... and when you sleep at night you do so knowing that you are the better man ... heck, just by the fact that you do not call yourself a person from Cleveland or Pissburgh at least allows you to call yourself a 'man', let alone 'better man'. Enjoy being above the bar that those two cities have set oh so low. Take the high road ... it's the better path.

[Stripes]

I still hate the Ravens most.

[rishipatel]

Yeah, I unfortunately live in Cleveland right now, and I went to the game also. It wasn't too bad for me in the nosebleeds. One really annoying guy behind me would scream in my ear every time the browns did something good. And someone threw something at me but I didn't see what it was, and my friends said it left nothing on my Chad jersey.

I think it was the Chad Johnson jersey more than anything though that drew their attention, with Chad's plan to jump into the dawg pound.

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of bengals fans I saw though. And ironically every hot girl I saw was wearing a bengals jersey. Not one hot girl in a browns jersey.

You have to cut them some slack. A little hope can make them go nuts. Just remember what it was like for us in the late 90's. You had to cling to every positive just to keep the faith.

[cincyhokie]

Oh yeah, I can imagine. 6 of my friends and I went to the 30-0 beating last year in Cleveburg. We walked maybe 20 feet onto the tailgating lot and people were throwing ice at us, cussing at us, yelling, calling Palmer a "faggot" because I was wearing a Palmer jersey. I simply said "Well, it must suck to have your ass kicked by a faggot then!" I know there are alot of a-holes at the Cincy games and tailgating etc but it seems to always be a little more on the kidding side (except for when Palmer went down)

Think about this: The Browns have not won back to back games in 4 years! They have alot of frustrated fans.

[EndlessDennis]

Being a Cleveland Brown fan, I'm sorry you had to experience that. I've been to two games there in Cincy, and one of the times I had a few bad encounters, but for the most part you guys were respectful to me. It's a shame you wasn't anywhere near me during that game because I think we could've had a pretty big laugh about how serious some fans act.

[DesperateDerelict]

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of bengals fans I saw though. And ironically every hot girl I saw was wearing a bengals jersey. Not one hot girl in a browns jersey.

Anecdote from the Derelict - I was moving my daughter into a freshman dorm at OSU, and saw dozens of attractive young ladies (including my girl) wearing Bengals regalia - the guys who weren't wearing scarlet & gray were either wearing Turd Brown or Pissburg Urine.

Please - NO analogies about what one team does to another - you're talking about my baby :angel: , and I know where you all live !!!

[jjakq27]

And now you have tasted what it is like to actually LIVE in Pissburgh. Imagine that level of nonsense on a daily basis. You walk away, time after time ... and when you sleep at night you do so knowing that you are the better man ... heck, just by the fact that you do not call yourself a person from Cleveland or Pissburgh at least allows you to call yourself a 'man', let alone 'better man'. Enjoy being above the bar that those two cities have set oh so low. Take the high road ... it's the better path.

When are you moving back? Soon I hope.

[duus]

Being a Cleveland Brown fan, I'm sorry you had to experience that. I've been to two games there in Cincy, and one of the times I had a few bad encounters, but for the most part you guys were respectful to me. It's a shame you wasn't anywhere near me during that game because I think we could've had a pretty big laugh about how serious some fans act.

I would like to take a moment and thank you for this reply. You could have simply rolled your eyes, or made some excuse, and even gone on about how those are probably just "a few bad apples", etc. No, but you identified yourself as a Browns fan, clearly apologized, and then transitioned to your experiences (mostly positive, apparently) in Cincinnati. That sequence is all I have looked for from a SINGLE Steeler fan. Even those who I call my friends, when I share with them the experiences of behavior (both verbal and physical), jump right into excuses and denial, and NEVER actually apologize for their fanbase in ANY way. In fact, I am betting that those Steeler fans who are not restricted to the troll status will read this and completely refuse to apologize in such a direct manner without some type of excuse. You, sir, did the right thing. You should be applauded. In fact, my bet is that you have great parents who taught you how to 'stand up'. In response, I would like to thank you for your levelheadedness.

[jjakq27]

Up until this past weekend, I would have to say that the team I hated most in the NFL was Pittsburgh in a landslide. Not anymore after this past weekend.

You've got to understand that all of these folks bought their Charlie Frye outfits and now they can't use them anymore. Maybe for Halloween....as a joke...I don't know.

[BengalByTheBay]

Oh yeah, I can imagine. 6 of my friends and I went to the 30-0 beating last year in Cleveburg. We walked maybe 20 feet onto the tailgating lot and people were throwing ice at us, cussing at us, yelling, calling Palmer a "faggot" because I was wearing a Palmer jersey. I simply said "Well, it must suck to have your ass kicked by a faggot then!" I know there are alot of a-holes at the Cincy games and tailgating etc but it seems to always be a little more on the kidding side (except for when Palmer went down)

Think about this: The Browns have not won back to back games in 4 years! They have alot of frustrated fans.

I'm probably just feeling my age, but is anybody else disturbed by the level of this crap in the last few years. I've been going to Bengals games since the 80's -- several of them vs. the Raiders, both in LA and Oakland -- and it seems to me that this BS is getting way worse lately. It always used to be of a good natured sort, but now it's totally slanted to "I'm gonna kick your ass" or "_____ is a fag", etc. Now that my kids are getting old enough to go to games, it makes me think twice about taking them. Alright, whiney rant over....carry on.

[duus]

I'm probably just feeling my age, but is anybody else disturbed by the level of this crap in the last few years. I've been going to Bengals games since the 80's -- several of them vs. the Raiders, both in LA and Oakland -- and it seems to me that this BS is getting way worse lately. It always used to be of a good natured sort, but now it's totally slanted to "I'm gonna kick your ass" or "_____ is a fag", etc. Now that my kids are getting old enough to go to games, it makes me think twice about taking them. Alright, whiney rant over....carry on.

I'm with you. I have often said that my first few years in Pittsburgh were in no way similar to the last 10 or so. There are some serious punks that have entered the fanbase. I am sure it is not only with the Steelers, but they have more than their share. It's like 'their team' has become all that is important to them, as if there is nothing else to talk about, think about, or work toward. When that happens, it becomes almost like a religion, and then you add to this that the people are not the smartest in the world (uh, yeah), and a little dash of pre-game drinking and the next thing you have is a bunch of complete idiots that think all people wearing 'the other colors' are the enemy and need to be removed from the earth. That's sounds extreme ... but we are there. I too must be showing my age I suppose.

[HairOnFire]

I'm not sure things have changed.

In my lifetime I've attended only one game in Cleveland and it was decades ago. Memories fade but I remember sitting in really bad seats while wearing a Bengal jersey. It's probably no coincidence that the back of my head was pelted with popcorn, peanuts shells, and insults for an entire first half.

It didn't bug me a bit. The Bengals were winning.

However, at halftime when I was returning to my seat I was loudly threatened by a guy sitting a few rows behind me. Before sitting I offered to kick his butt, and the butts of his friends, if they'd fight me one at a time. A few angry looks were exchanged, and there was plenty of posturing, but that's how it ended.

Until much much later, when without any warning there was an explosion of beer coming from a seat nearly 6 feet to my left. I looked in that direction and witnessed the odd sight of a woman sporting the oddest looking swirly I've ever seen. Half of her head was still dry. Half of it was soaked with beer. But my lasting impression was how she appeared to have a weird fluid dripping horn coming out of the left side of her head. I also remember that she was frozen in that pose that all people assume when hit by a shower of unexpected water or poop. Arms out. Mouth open. Eyes wide. Frozen.

When I looked behind me I was rewarded with the sight of security already removing the fan. I still can't believe how quickly they reacted....or how badly the fans aim was. He couldn't have been more than 6 or 7 rows behind me, right? His friends left with him even though security said they could stay. And the lady sporting the new swirly was escorted to a restroom where she could dry off. She never returned.

For the rest of the game I was showered with we're sorries and we're not like thats. One guy even offered to buy me a beer. I declined, and a short time later our driver suggested we all leave early.

For whatever it might be worth I don't think fans in Cleveland are any different than anywhere else, and I've seen far worse things in other stadiums. In fact, I once watched a real knock down drag out fight at a Raider game in Los Angeles that left one fan hospitalized for weeks. The victim, a middle aged fat man, had worn a Steeler jersey to a Bengal/Raider game and made the mistake of exchanging insults with a Raider fan who was also a starting LB for a local high school football team. Long story short, one went to the hospital...the other went to prison for more than a year.

[BengalszoneBilly]

I'm not sure things have changed.

In my lifetime I've attended only one game in Cleveland and it was decades ago. Memories fade but I remember sitting in really bad seats while wearing a Bengal jersey. It's probably no coincidence that the back of my head was pelted with popcorn, peanuts shells, and insults for an entire first half.

It didn't bug me a bit. The Bengals were winning.

However, at halftime when I was returning to my seat I was loudly threatened by a guy sitting a few rows behind me. Before sitting I offered to kick his butt, and the butts of his friends, if they'd fight me one at a time. A few angry looks were exchanged, and there was plenty of posturing, but that's how it ended.

Until much much later, when without any warning there was an explosion of beer coming from a seat nearly 6 feet to my left. I looked in that direction and witnessed the odd sight of a woman sporting the oddest looking swirly I've ever seen. Half of her head was still dry. Half of it was soaked with beer. But my lasting impression was how she appeared to have a weird fluid dripping horn coming out of the left side of her head. I also remember that she was frozen in that pose that all people assume when hit by a shower of unexpected water or poop. Arms out. Mouth open. Eyes wide. Frozen.

When I looked behind me I was rewarded with the sight of security already removing the fan. I still can't believe how quickly they reacted....or how badly the fans aim was. He couldn't have been more than 6 or 7 rows behind me, right? His friends left with him even though security said they could stay. And the lady sporting the new swirly was escorted to a restroom where she could dry off. She never returned.

For the rest of the game I was showered with we're sorries and we're not like thats. One guy even offered to buy me a beer. I declined, and a short time later our driver suggested we all leave early.

For whatever it might be worth I don't think fans in Cleveland are any different than anywhere else, and I've seen far worse things in other stadiums. In fact, I once watched a real knock down drag out fight at a Raider game in Los Angeles that left one fan hospitalized for weeks. The victim, a middle aged fat man, had worn a Steeler jersey to a Bengal/Raider game and made the mistake of exchanging insults with a Raider fan who was also a starting LB for a local high school football team. Long story short, one went to the hospital...the other went to prison for more than a year.

I just love happy endings.