Cleveland Indians: The annual fandom debate when football returns

The Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Browns both have big games today. This should bring back the annual debate about fandom in the city.

The Cleveland Indians suffered yet another brutal loss in a season full of them. Saturday night featured a bullpen breakdown combined with another lackluster showing on offense.

Some people even got angry at Yasiel Puig for not running to first on a groundout to the pitcher. I didn’t mind, but so it goes.

Yet there are optimistic vibes in the city of Cleveland today. They just have nothing to do with the Indians.

The Browns are back and Super Bowl fever is in the air. You know what else is in the air? Arguments about which team to root for.

I never understood this. It is 2019 so it is easy as ever to watch both the Browns and the Indians at the same time. It is also acceptable for an Indians fan to watch the Browns game in its entirety and still like the Indians.

A quick dive into Cleveland sports Twitter will reveal people on both ends of the spectrum. Some will say “the Indians suck, go Browns!” while others will chastise anyone for even mentioning the football team at a time when the baseball team is fighting for a playoff spot.

My main takeaway from all this is just to watch what you like. Why all the hate toward teams in the same city?

Some fans try to make it clear just how much they love the Indians to a point that it is annoying and just mean. I think true love is not having to say how much you love something. Or someone, if you want to get sentimental with me here.

It is like in Game of Thrones when Joffrey is told how a true king doesn’t need to say he is the king.

I will personally be at the Browns game today and I am excited about it. There is this wild invention called DVR that will also allow me to watch the Indians game!

Let people like what they like. Go Indians. Go Browns. Go Cleveland. Let’s all win!