Being a fan of a sports team has always been different from being a player or head coach.
Fans may live and die by the weekly results, but it isn’t their livelihood. Whereas the players and coaches know their continued employment relies on how they perform when it matters.
Fans are also invested more heavily in the rivalries and the history of their favorite teams, as they have lived through it. While players and coaches may understand the importance of a game, such as a divisional game or a playoff
game, it remains just the next game on the schedule.
That does not mean they care less; of course, it is just that they are focused on one thing, while the fans are often focused on something else.
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken illustrated that during his media appearance on Wednesday. Monken and the Browns are preparing for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which has the added importance of the Browns having the opportunity to sweep the season series from the Steelers.
There is also the not-so-small matter of the Browns not having won a regular-season game in Pittsburgh since 2003.
But to Monken, and likely the players, the history takes a back seat to achieving the goal of simply winning another divisional game:
“This year, whether it’s where we’re at record-wise, comparing the past or the history against the Steelers, it’s a divisional game. So, as I always say, what matters is what we do today, how we practice today, how we prepare today for any opponent.
“It’s bigger because it’s obviously a divisional opponent. The fastest way to get in the playoffs is to win your division. That’s the fastest way to get in the playoffs. I mean, you’re guaranteed (a spot) in the tournament, and we’re a long way away from that. That’s not what I’m saying. That’s why the game is what it is, and rivalries are made up of good teams playing each other, and we’re fighting like hell to be a really good team.”
Monken is also preaching to the players the importance of staying focused on the task in front of them, rather than the history between the two teams:
“I know it’s a divisional game and I know it’s next, and they’re all important, and that’s why I try to not get too much into that, because it’s one of 17. It happens to be one-plus, because it’s a divisional game, but they’re all going to be important, right? The last one was critically important to get us to five. This one’s critically important to try and get us to six. And then you go from there.
“But I try not to put too much emphasis on what-ifs, if this, if that, whether it’s win or lose. I don’t control that part of it. Me personally, what do I control? The messaging to the team, to our coaches, the game plan we put together, and getting our guys to have a practice today that’s worthy of the preparation we’re going to need to go play them Sunday.”
It is an interesting way to approach each week, and probably a good one given that this team is mostly young and has not experienced much (if any) success at the NFL level. In the past we’ve seen Cleveland teams win a couple of games, start believing the headlines, and then fall flat.
But if the Browns can win on Sunday, they will continue to change the narrative around the team, and exorcise one of the biggest demons haunting the franchise.
And if that happens, despite Monken downplaying the history a bit, there is no doubt he will reference it in some way in the post-game press conference. And then turn his focus to the next critical game, in what could be turning into a special season in Cleveland.
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