Loyalty in NE Ohio?

I'm probably going to get torched for this post and that's okay but I want to get some thoughts from real Steelers fans. It's probably the most taboo thing a NFL fan could ever write but I'm at my wits end.

I'm 26 years old, I've lived in NE Ohio my entire life, growing up (early years) there was no team in Cleveland. I played football my entire life even up into college and when I was a child I was a diehard Steelers fan.. I had birthday cakes, clothes, merch you name it. Around age 12 or so the Browns came back, as you can imagine in NE Ohio it's very split, Youngstown is almost 80% Steelers fans and up toward Cleveland it gets muddier. With all the excitement and some of my family members including my grandfather telling me about the great Browns legends etc I decided to give it a go, before I knew it I was thrust into a constant factory of sadness and misery.

Now if I was your average sunday drunk or armchair quarterback this wouldn't be a problem, but I probably listen to 20-30 hours a week of Cleveland radio, take off work for Drafts and spend my nights scouring over any information I can about rumors, etc for the Browns. But each year it gets harder. I have family members who are Steelers fans and I know I was supposed to hate them but finally today after a press conference where my GM told me 'Size means nothing in the NFL' among other idiotic comments I just snapped. I seriously think I'm going from a very informed diehard to free agent cold turkey.

Now a close relative of mine is trying really hard to convince me that I was raised a Steelers fan and that switching to the Steelers is okay, because of the area, my history and the fact that I don't have to support a constant failure of an organization but I feel torn. His first text was ' Steelers nation would welcome one of our lost boys home, you know you should.' I love the NFL, I love football FOOTBALL. I see an organization a stones throw away who does get it right, have consistency and strong ownership that I have ties to but I'm not sure if I could ever feel accepted trying to be a Steelers fan.

So what do you guys think, am I stuck backing off and just watching NFL games to watch them, or should I consider switching game colors. I can't continue to suffer through regime after regime and Colt McCoys and Phil Savages, etc any longer.

 

Once a Steelers fan, always a Steelers fan!

 

Welcome home Crown, I grew up in Girard. Born in New Kennsington Pa. Never a question for me. Family has great season tix. Most Steeler fans say how they missed the browns and still miss the rivalry. Not me, I was in heaven with no browns.

 

I cant imagine ever switching teams, especially to a division rival, but I have never been a Browns fan so I cant imagine how hard it is to watch the nonsense that goes on with that team year after year.

 

I've never changed allegiance to a team, so can't give any advice. Seems like you're searching through an inventory of teams and trying to pick one. Think it needs to be more natural than that. It may be more entertaining remaining a Brown fan and just b%^# about their GM, coach, etc on their MB?

if you decide to cross over, welcome...it may take a brief switch to see if that was the right move.

 

Not an inventory
I was a Steelers fan til age 12/13. I live in NE Ohio a heavily Browns/Steelers territory,
Steelers games are on my local TV AKA no special tv packages, etc. My family is a mixture of Browns Steelers fan, hell my GF is a Steelers fan but YES it is very strange for me to consider, but a close family member of mine really keeps stating being a fan is also part of supporting the organization and the Browns organization has been garbage, I mean we paid Holmgren like 30+ mill to eat lunch in Cleveland for a couple years.

 

This sums it up, I feel like I'm crazy. I'm known as the 'Diehard Browns' guy to most of my friends, but I love football enough that I can't stand by this organization anymore it's such a joke, then I sit back and look at where I live, who I grew up rooting for originally and what I want in a team and it makes sense, but it's definately taboo and hard for me to decide.

 

I remember reading an article about how the Rooney's were a huge driving factor in the Browns keeping their name/colors/returning, I always respected that.

 

Well, if it makes you feel better, the idea for the name "Steelers" actually came from the city of Cleveland after Art Rooney sold the original football team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, to Philly. When they were looking for a name, the suggestion for Steelers came from Cleveland (learned this little tidbit on my "Complete History of the Pittsburgh Steelers" DVD awhile back).

My whole family are Browns fans, but I was introduced to football by some friends before my dad got me into it. They were Steelers fans and I've never looked back.

So, you don't have to worry about being accepted by Steeler fans. Steeler Nation is huge and of course all are welcome.

 

Come on in, the water's fine. Just bring your own beer.






Spartacus

 

man idk I dont think I could ever change from the team I love to some other team

but i know i dam thing for sure if i ever did no way in hell would it be the ravens browns or bengals

 

Switch and don't look back! Growing up in San Diego, I saw the handwriting on the wall regarding the Chargers in 1972 and realized the same thing that Archie Manning did. The Chargers have no commitment to winning, so I switched loyalties to the Steelers! Never a regret.

 

AND
APPARENTLY
FLIP FLOPS TOO

 

You either go all in and you are a Steelers fan and don't care about any other team or stay with the Browns. No room for Bandwagoners. Choose wisely.

 

Whats in your heart? Black & Gold or Brown & White? "I probably listen to 20-30 hours a week of Cleveland radio, take off work for Drafts and spend my nights scouring over any information I can about rumors, etc for the Browns".....Sounds like Brown & White.

The Browns left Cleveland in 96. You were about 8. They came back in 99. You were about 11. You couldnt bring yourself to cheer for the new Rats (dont blame you!!) So you became a STEELER fan. (Cant blame you) Than your city got their team back in 99. You became a Browns fan again.(Dont blame you). You my friend are a Browns fan. Make the most of it. Stay true to your team.

 

If you want be a Steeler fan be fan and don't worry about what some yahoo thinks.

 

Can we at least agree that we hate the Rats?

 

What the OP is asking strummer is.....Should I abandon a lifetime affiliation (not counting the years the city of Cleveland had no team) to the Browns because they suck. Well they have always sucked. Being a lifelong fan Im sure crown knows that. However they did show promise this year. Johnny Money aint their guy. Hoyer may not be either.They need a few people in the front office who can get the most out of their draft picks. Coaches on the sidelines who know who to play and who to sit. And more players on the field like Thomas and NOT like Gordon.If that happens crown the Browns may be relevant in the NFL again.

 

As someone else said, go with your heart.
You are much too young to remember the Browns glory days/Hell any Cleveland teams. Do you like to watch good football majority of the time? This will answer your question

 

Go Steelers!

 

Question is, have you ever rooted against the Steelers? I for one never understood the concept of switching teams. And for someone to do that makes me question their loyalty.

 

But he also said he was a die hard Steelers fan when he was younger (until around age 12), so it isn't a big stretch to transition back to that.

Either way, Crown, the best advice I can give is to not worry about what anyone thinks or says and just go with your heart. If that means the Browns, good for you, but if that means returning to the team of your childhood, welcome to Steeler Nation.

 

Try growing up here! It was very obvious to this 15 year old in '72 that San Diego was nothing but a farm team for the NFL and ownership was only in it for the money THEY could make. Now, they're only angling for a new stadium, One that will sit downtown with no traffic scheme in or out and won't seat nearly enough to host a SB, at taxpayer expense. I'm supposed to support a team like this that's never won a championship? Might as well root for the Browns. After all, they've won a title in a defunct league since the Chargers have.

 

whats the decision? I'm from ohio and there IS only one team, they wear black and gold. the browns have splintered off into 3 different teams in our division to try and beat the greatest team on the face of the earth and still can't do it. whats the decision? only one team has the terrible towel flying.