After eeking out a 1-15 campaign last year and a record-tying 0-16 record this year, the Cleveland Browns continue to test the patience of even their most die-hard fans. The team’s woes are such that one fan’s final sendoff offered some pointed last words against the disappointing franchise, playfully accusing them of leading to his death after a “brief illness.”
Paul Stark’s noteworthy obituary ran in the Sandusky Register, essentially blaming (in playful fashion) the Browns for ending his life.
The exact words?
Paul Stark passed away on December 27, 2017 of complications from a brief illness exacerbated by the hopeless condition of the Cleveland Browns, at Stein Hospice, Sandusky.
Stark’s obituary ran on December 28, just days before the Browns would fully embrace their status as the league’s bottom dwellers, losing their 16th game against Pittsburgh to go winless for the 2017 season.
Despite the playful fingerpointing at the hapless franchise, the obituary ended on a note of hope and optimism.
“Paul passed just before the Browns were prepared to turn the corner, but had many well-earned blessings. Paul believed in paying it forward, and the goodwill he leaves behind will endure long after he’s gone.”
Of course, being “prepared to turn the corner” is an awfully vague timeline, but Browns fans have demonstrated patience and loyalty their entire lives — so no doubt they share Stark’s hope for the team’s future.
