CLEVELAND: All of the usual suspects were there: Pumpkinhead, the Bone Lady, Captain Cleveland, Macho Fan, Brownsformer, Jimmy Haslam.
So, too, was the most noted alumnus in Browns history, hall of famer Jim Brown.
The Browns turned their uniform reveal into a massive fan party for about 3,000 Tuesday night at the Cleveland Convention Center. Costumes were preferred, although I’m not sure the man wearing the No. 82 jersey that read “Chef” with brown and orange flannel pants was really in costume.
A gathering of the aforementioned super fans on the orange carpet before the event looked like a YMCA video, Cleveland Browns style.
“Tonight is all about you, Dawg Pound,” proclaimed emcee Nathan Zegura, co-host of the Cleveland Browns Daily radio show, doing his best impersonation of Ryan Seacrest. “I know we’ve got the super fans in the house.”
Karlos Dansby, Joe Thomas, Donte Whitner, Chris Kirksey, Brian Hartline, Armonty Bryant, Taylor Gabriel, Dwayne Bowe and Barkevious Mingo represented the current Browns, while Kevin Mack, Greg Pruitt, Jamel White, Hanford Dixon, John Thierry, Dan Fike, Bob Golic and Felix Wright joined Brown in the group of former players.
The event was a huge diversion from the fact that the Browns have had only two winning seasons and have been to the playoffs only once since 1999, despite an improvement to 7-9 last season. I’d rather everyone involved in planning Tuesday’s fest would have been holed up in Berea trying to find ways to put more talent on the field.
At its heart, with new uniforms, the Browns will suck more money out of a fan base that has been paying for an inferior product for decades. Now they’re paying more for season tickets as well, although the Browns held off on a price increase longer than I would have imagined after owner Haslam took over on Oct. 25, 2012. After all, there are two offseasons of FirstEnergy Stadium renovations to fund, along with logos around the city and stadium that must be redone with the brighter orange.
After the league’s owners profited off sales of Johnny Manziel jerseys in 2014, they will tap into the devotion of Browns fans around the world again.
Two men behind me after the reveal debated which color jersey — orange, brown or white — they were going to buy, while a woman next to them noted that this was the only fashion discussion they would ever have. Neither sounded as if he could afford two.
While I don’t consider new uniforms as much a priority as finding a No. 1 receiver, I will admit they were antiquated. And in the redesign, there are touches that are extremely heartfelt.
The first is Cleveland emblazoned across the chests. The Browns will be the only one of the league’s 32 teams that will have its city on the front.
“I like it. It’s unique. I think the fans will identify with it,” Thomas, the Browns Pro Bowl left tackle, said. “There’s a passion and a connection between these fans and this team and this city more than probably any other team in the NFL. Maybe Green Bay’s about the only one — they own the team.”
Strong safety Whitner, who attended Cleveland’s Glenville High School, said that was one of his favorite parts of the redesign.
“I think it’s beautiful to have it,” Whitner said.
The other most notable design feature in terms of meaning is that the inside of the jersey collars say Dawg Pound. President Alec Scheiner credited that idea to Kevin Griffin, vice president of fan experience and marketing, who pointed out that the Seattle Seahawks have 12th Man (in reference to the home fans) in the same spot. Nate Retzlaff, design director of football apparel for Nike, said the placing of the words was so the Browns would “know the Dawg Pound has their back.”
That thoughtful touch will never be seen by those it represents.
The audience was antsy to see the fruits of the two-year process that began shortly after Haslam took over. When a video on what went into the design was shown, one said, “Oh, come on.” There were no screams, only oohs and aahs when the nine current Browns took off their orange hooded capes and showed what was underneath.
But even some of the super fans realized what matters most. And it is not the fact that Browns runs down the legs of the pants or that orange on orange, which Whitner preferred but Thomas joked that he would look like a traffic cone in, will show up great on television on Sundays.
Asked which of the nine uniform combinations he liked most, Brownsformer, aka Mike Vara, 35, of Willowick, said, “The uniform they wear when they win.”
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the her blog at www.ohio.com/marla. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/abj.sports.