Members of the Cleveland Browns were not happy that fans of the team held a parade to “celebrate” the team’s winless season. Emmanuel Ogbah and Christian Kirksey both voiced displeasure, with the latter comparing the team to Jesus.
However, on Sunday the organization issued a statement commiserating with the fans.
“We greatly appreciate the passion of all our fans and we apologize to them for not making 2017 an enjoyable season,” the statement said, per Lindsay Buckingham, Fox8.com. “We certainly hear them and understand their frustration. Obviously, we want the same thing as our fans; winning results. We are committed to doing everything we can to improve and build them the type of team they most certainly deserve.”
Well, that’s a nice attitude to take. The fans spend a lot of time and money on the team. Criticizing them for voicing out when things don’t go well seems a bit out of line.
With that said, while the offseason is still in its infancy stages, the Browns have done enough (or not enough) to think that these words are rather meaningless. Not only was Hue Jackson retained after going 0-16 in 2017 and 1-31 over the previous two seasons, but both Jackson and owner Jimmy Haslam seemed borderline cocky after the season’s final game.
The Browns issued a solid statement here. Now, they have to go out and prove that they’re really committed.