This little cutie has been associated with the Cleveland Browns since the founding of the team, and though he was notably pushed aside for a long period of time, he has seen a resurgence of late. Some of my fellow fans disapprove, saying the emblem is "silly," "wimpy," or "kid stuff." Know your mythology, boys. Brownies hold powerful magic and are known as the guardians of dragons. But that aside, even if you don't buy into the myth, any respectable sports fan should be slightly superstitious, and the long misery of the Cleveland Browns can be tied directly to the departure of the Brownie Elf. It's just like what Crash said: "If you believe you're playing well because you're getting laid, or because you're not getting laid, or because you wear women's underwear [or have an Elf logo], then you ARE! And you should know that!"
Making the Case for the Brownie Elf
The Browns were lovingly called The Brownies by fans almost from the beginning of the franchise in 1946. The Browns played in 10 consecutive league championship games in their first 10 years of existence, winning seven of those games. All the while, the little Brownie Elf was a popular logo.
Art "The Shart" Modell purchased the team in 1961. Though he fired Paul Brown in 1963, the Browns managed to win their eighth AND LAST league championship in 1964 under the guidance of Brown's longtime assistant coach Blanton Collier.
It was about this time that Modell eliminated the Brownie Elf from Cleveland iconography.
Since the elimination of the Brownie Elf, the Browns have won the Division only 10 times in 44 years and have made the playoffs only 14 times in that same period. Worse, the number of winning seasons versus losing seasons in that time period is 14-30.
It was not until 2004 that the Brownie Elf reappeared as a recognized team logo. Three seasons later, the Browns go 10-6, and this year, the Browns are poised for a playoff run and a Division Title.
COINCIDENCE? You make the call.
3 comments:
It's not the elf. It's the lack of talent on most of the post-1964 Browns teams. After Paul Brown was fired, the talent he drafted and molded slowly faded away. By the end of the 1960's, every Paul Brown player was long gone. Lack of quality scouting and poor drafting is what turned the Browns into a losing organization. It wasn't the loss of Brownie. It was the loss of Brown.
I disagree.It's the Brownie
elfs re for the circus
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