ESPN Cleveland radio host goes off on low expectations for Browns

Success for the Cleveland Browns has been limited over the past few decades. Since 1990, the Browns have advanced to the postseason three times. The last won a division title in ‘89 in the old AFC Central. Needless to say, there aren’t too many Browns believers outside city limits. That’s what has ESPN Cleveland radio host Tony Rizzo upset about the lack of faith in his beloved Browns doing more than just “making the playoffs.”

“I don’t care!” Rizzo yelled. “I don’t care! Be the best team! You guys act like it’s impossible to win the Division. The ... Bengals won it the last two years. If I had told you three years ago, The Bengals are gonna win the Division, you’d have laughed me off the frigging air.”

“Win it! Go win it!” he shouted. “Enough! With this setting for, ‘Oh, if they make the playoffs…’ No, no, no. Not good enough. Make a run, man. Make a run. Be the Eagles, be the Rams, be the Bengals, make a run. It’s our time, dammit. It’s our frigging time!”

Rizzo is one of the midday hosts on ESPN 850 AM in Cleveland and certainly isn’t afraid to waive his homer flag. The man wants a division title. It’s approaching 35 years since the last one, and he’s obviously grown tired of the pessimistic nature of some fans, and broadcasters. Homer radio was in full effect as Rizzo went off on his tirade, which sparked up the segment. It’s not just smaller markets like Cleveland either. Big cities like San Francisco get the same type of radio shenanigans where everyone pats the team on the back and rarely says a critical word. Listen to 95.7 The Game in SF sometime and you’ll understand.

This rant by Rizzo is a prime example of what local radio has become in many markets nationwide. While it can sometimes be entertaining, it’s mostly a couple of dudes sitting around measuring their fandom against each other, and callers. Rizzo’s impromptu “pep talk” for Browns fans was passionate, and hopefully, it sparks something inside locals, and the team that leads to a magical season. Otherwise, he just did all that yelling to hear himself talk.