Browns ain't what they used to be, but it doesn't matter ...

Why can't the Cleveland Browns field a consistently good team like they used to in the 1980s?

That is the question that springs to mind every time the Browns lose another sloppily-played football game - which seems to be becoming a pattern every Sunday.

During the Browns' heyday from 1979-1989, their record was 92-75-1 (.551 winning pct.).

Since their return to the NFL from 1999-2009, their record is 54-108 (.333 winning pct.).

In the Browns' recent 10-year span they have played 162 games and won 54 times. Major League Baseball's season is also 162 games, and the last time the Indians held a .333 winning percentage over a single season was ... well, never.

The worst Indians season on record was 1991, when the Tribe won just 57 of 162, finishing with a winning pct. of .352.

So its safe to say that the over the last 10 seasons, the Browns have been worse than the worst Cleveland Indians team of all-time. Ouch! It hurts just typing it. That 1991 Indians lineup consisted of:

C - Joel Skinner (.243-1-24)

1B - Brook Jacoby (.234-4-24)

2B - Mark Lewis (.264-0-30)

SS - Felix Fermin (.262-0-31)

3B - Carlos Baerga (.288-11-69)

LF - Albert Belle (.282-28-95)

CF - Alex Cole (.295-0-21)

RF - Mark Whiten (.256-7-26)

DH - Chris James (.238-5-41)

SP - Greg Swindell (9-16, 3.48)

SP - Charles Nagy (10-15, 4.13)

SP - Eric King (6-11, 4.60)

SP - Rod Nichols (2-11, 3.54)

SP - Tom Candiotti (7-6, 2.24)

SP - Dave Otto (2-8, 4.23)

CL - Steve Olin (3-6, 3.36, 17 saves)

Horrible team. Of course, a few of those players went on to have great careers for the Tribe (Baerga, Belle and Nagy).

But the Browns have failed to have all but two players become even decent. And those two players who have had a decent careers as Browns are Joshua Cribbs and Phil Dawson. Sad thing is, their accomplishments in orange and brown have been as special teams players. And having one or two marquee special teams player just doesn't cut it. You can have the best kick/punt returner and field goal kicker in NFL history, and if the rest of your team is in shambles, then your entire team - overall - will still suck. Special teams make a difference, for sure. But special teams don't make your team.

The only other guy you could have put into that category of even coming close to approaching a decent career as a Brown was Kellen Winslow Jr., who is now playing with Tampa Bay. The other players who have come close have been very inconsistent. No need to mention names, but take away the one statistical spike that was 2007 and ... well, you know what I mean.

As the games go by, 2007 is looking more and more like the fluke season we all thought it was. The Browns went 10-6 that year and shocked the league. The reason it was a shocker was because the team went 4-12, 6-10, 4-12 and 5-11 in its previous four seasons.

We had one of the easiest schedules in the NFL in 2007, the one year where the Browns looked like they were actually primed to turn things around and return to the glory days of fielding a winning and competitive team for perhaps the next decade. Cleveland was chocked full of what looked to be young talent, and it only had a few problem areas to address - those being the offensive line, defensive line and secondary.

Well, the offensive and defensive lines were addressed, but the secondary is still flailing. And during the 2007 and 2008 offseasons, addressing and focusing the concerns of 2007's roster holes only opened up new and different concerns for the team. Too much attention was being focused on the problem areas, and the other positions I believe suffered.

Now we look bleak at wide receiver, tight end and linebacker. Also, aside from the couple bright spots on the offensive line, there are other major issues there. And the secondary never really got fixed. AND our quarterback and running back situations are also questionable. Nobody really knows if Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson should be the starter. Nobody really knows if Jamal Lewis still has some gas left in the tank, or if the Browns should shift to the younger and more promising Jerome Harrison, who averaged 7.2 yards per carry in 2008 and showed that he can be a decent pass-catcher out of the backfield.

So many holes, so many questions. The one thing the Browns front office won't have to worry much about is the fans. The fans will always be there because Browns fans are arguably the most rabid and loyal fans in the NFL.

If the Browns win - good. Fans will obviously be there. But it almost feels like the front office has the mantra of "if we lose - so what - the fans will still be there." Well you can't just take the fans for granted. See Jacksonville, Detroit. How many years of losing can a city that's already down on its luck take?

What Browns fans want now, more than ever, is a team like that of the 1986 squad that went 12-4 (5-1 against the division), including 27-24 and 37-31 wins over Pittsburgh. Our scoring offense was 5th in the league. Our defense was 11th. Our turnover differential 4th best. I'll even go so far as to say that there are probably some unemployed Browns fans throughout Northeast Ohio that will take a winning Browns team over a job. That's how much we love this team. It also further emphasizes how painful it is for us to watch this team lose so badly.

We all remember the '86 roster. Every player was a household name. We painted "#1 Dawgs" on our faces. We ate football-shaped Browns cookies from the local bakery. The chile tasted better on Sundays.

You can picture them running up the stairs of the dugout at old Municipal Stadium, and onto the field. Fans barking in the Dawg Pound! Biscuits flying onto the field!

The roster was classic! I never knew how good we had it until 2009.

Quarterback

- #19 Bernie Kosar

Quarterback

- #10 Mike Pagel

Left Tackle

- #77 Rickey Bolden

Left Guard

- #74 Paul Farren

Center

- #61 Mike Baab

Right Guard

- #69 Dan Fike

Right Tackle

- #63 Cody Risien

Running Back

- #44 Earnest Byner

Running Back

- #28 Herman Fontenot

Fullback

- #34 Kevin Mack

Wide Receiver

- #84 Webster Slaughter

Wide Receiver

- #88 Reggie Langhorne

Wide Receiver

- #86 Brian Brennan

Wide Receiver

- #89 Gerald "Ice Cube" McNeil

Wide Receiver

- #85 Clarence Weathers

Tight End

- #82 Ozzie Newsome

Tight End

- #81 Harry Holt

Left Defensive End

- #96 Reggie Camp

Nose Tackle

- #79 Bob Golic

Nose Tackle

- #72 Dave Puzzuoli

Right Defensive End

- #78 Carl "Big Daddy" Hairston

Defensive End

- #96 Reggie Camp

Defensive End

- #91 Sam Clancy

Left Outside Linebacker

- #56 Chip Banks

Left Inside Linebacker

- #51 Eddie Johnson

Right Inside Linebacker

- #53 Anthony Griggs

Right Outside Linebacker

- #57 Clay Matthews

Linebacker

- #59 Mike Johnson

Linebacker

- #58 Scott Nicolas

Left Cornerback

- #31 Frank Minnifield

Right Cornerback

- #29 Hanford Dixon

Strong Safety

- #24 Ray Ellis

Strong Safety

- #22 Felix Wright

Free Safety

- #37 Chris Rockins

Kicker

- #9 Matt Bahr

Punter

- #7 Jeff Gossett

Punt and Kick Returner

- #89 Gerald "Ice Cube" McNeil

What I wouldn't give for a roster like that one today? What I wouldn't give for a meaningful drive to the local bakery for Browns cookies while the chile slow-cooked on the stove early Sunday morning? So while you are pulling your Browns jersey over your shoulders on Sunday mornings, just remember how great it can be in Cleveland. Be rabid and continue rooting for the Dawgs! The 53-orange helmets that make up our team need us now more than ever.