Life away from the Raiders has not been too kind to Rob Ryan. His current Browns’ team is 1-6 on the season and his defense is giving up over 25 points a game. It is being reported that Browns fans are planning an organized protest. A move that Ryan is asking fans not to follow through on. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand where they are coming from.
“I look at myself in the mirror, and I hate me,” Ryan said Friday.
A long time Browns fans is organizing the protest of the Browns upcoming Monday Night Football game against the Baltimore Ravens. He believes Browns fans need to send a message to ownership that changes need to happen within the organization — that winning, stadium environment and tradition are important — and giving the stadium an empty appearance for the start of a nationally broadcast game finally will hit home.
Ryan’s response to this public outcry was in a similar vein to the type of firey talk we in the Raider Nation had grown accustomed to from him.
“This is a town that’s tough and loves football,” Ryan said. “Nobody’s happy. I hate me, too. So, they hate me. That doesn’t mean you turn your back. I’ve got a kid who flunked a class one time. I don’t turn my back on him, I go get him a tutor and help him. Now he’s a straight-A student, as far as you know.
“Bottom line is, my God, a little adversity happens, you don’t turn your back. You fight, you rub your hands together and you fight harder. That’s what we’re going to do on defense. It starts with Chicago, not after the open week. We’re not saving anything for the open week. We’re going to get after it this week.”
“This is Cleveland, They’re going to show up and back this damn team. They’re a bunch of football people who love the game, that love our sport. So, it doesn’t look like we’ve got Jim Brown back there right now. Well, it’s not easy. But we’re going to keep fighting to get better.
“Our fans are great fans, and they deserve better, and we’re going to give ’em better. I keep telling you that, but shoot, I believe it.”
“I’m gonna fight harder,” he said. “I know that’s the reaction of competitors: Go fight harder. That’s the same thing I’m talking about with Cleveland people. That’s Cleveland. They fight. Heck, the team was taken away at one time. You might hate us right now. But I know that damn Dawg Pound is gonna be out there. That’s the strength of our team.”
This is an idea that Raider fans have been tossing about for a long time and the voices have gotten louder in recent weeks. So it seems that as a Brown or as a Raider, Rob Ryan would literally be in a no-win situation. But in this case, he may have actually gone from bad to worse.
Although, I’m sure most Raider fans can’t foresee the Raiders being any worse.
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