Published: September 06, 2008 10:56 pm            

MARK MAYNARD: Browns are back as contenders again

For the long-suffering Cleveland Browns fans, not unlike most franchises, opening day is always one filled with great expectations.

But there are great expectations and great expectations.

Color this one the latter.

And it’s not just the Browns’ fans who are expecting greatness — after all, it’s a given for them every year or at least until that first loss. The NFL

schedule-makers must have seen this coming, too. The Browns are on “Monday Night Football” a mind-blowing three times (they haven’t played on Monday in five years) and have two other Sunday prime-time showdowns and a Thursday night special. That’s six night games in all.

Why, even opening day has more glitter than normal. The Dallas Cowboys are in town today to get the 2008 season started and it’s a Fox national broadcast game.

What in the name of Jim Brown is happening in Cleveland?

Mr. Positive says: The Browns are a team on the rise and the schedule reflects it. Look out, world, here we come. Bring it on.

Mr. Negative says: The Browns better be good because the schedule, while visibly attractive with all the must-see television, is much tougher than last season when the Browns played four games against teams with winning records and won one. This season, they play eight games against teams that finished 2007 with winning records, eight against playoff teams and seven against teams that won 10 or more.

So, as you see, it’s not going to be easy.

But the Browns look ready, an amazing transformation in a short period of time.

It’s possible the Browns could lose more than ’07 but still be better. A 9-7 record — Cleveland went 10-6 last year and remarkably missed the playoffs — could be good enough to win the AFC North and that’s possible, if not probable, for Cleveland. That said, Game 2 (vs. the Steelers) will be the most important game of the season until Game 16 (vs. the Steelers). Those games will determine the destiny of the AFC North.

Of course, Browns’ fans have been down this great expectation road before with disastrous results.

Remember the playoff loss to the Raiders with Brian Sipe as quarterback?

How about The Drive?

And The Fumble?

Bad memories all for anyone who follows the Cleveland Browns.

About the only thing worse than those three was the darkest day in Cleveland sports history when the Browns were taken to Baltimore to become the Ravens in 1996. Owner Art Model made the move because of the inadequacy of Cleveland Stadium and the lack of a sufficient replacement, not to mention his heavy debt.

Browns fans were naturally devastated and will hate Model forever for the action. But the NFL reached an agreement that stipulated that the Browns' name, colors and history of the franchise would remain in Cleveland, including past records and the attribution of its Pro Football Hall of Fame players. A reactivated Cleveland Browns team would then begin play in 1999, which it did per that agreement.

Now it’s 2008 and the Browns are back and a contender again.

Huddle up around the television and let the games begin.

MARK MAYNARD

can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.

com or (606) 326-2648.

        

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