DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Grill Brats, Wear Mittens: The RustBeltRandy Experience

Hey there, Dawg Pound faithful!

RustBeltRandy here, your new best buddy in all things Browns, coming at you from the industrial utopia of Boardman, Ohio! I've been bleeding orange and brown since 1970, back when football was pure, helmets were optional, and a touchdown felt like winning the lottery!

Boardman, where the steel mills roared and so did our cheers for the Browns. My childhood was a mix of steel, grit, and unfiltered Browns fandom. My old man, RustBeltRalph, used to say, "Son, Browns football is like life – full of ups, downs, and the occasional facepalm." And boy, was he right!

The first game I attended, we huddled in the freezing cold, sharing a thermos of somethin' my grandpappy gave us and shouting at the top of our lungs. We lost, of course, but the camaraderie, the thrill of the game, and the hope that "next year" would be our year kept us coming back.

The quarterbacks were like weather in Ohio – constantly changing and rarely pleasant. We didn't need fancy analytics or fancy stadiums. We had heart, a black-and-white TV with rabbit ears, and a relentless, often irrational, hope that this season would be different.

Boardman has changed over the years, but my Browns mania has not. Tailgating in blizzards, grilling bratwursts with mittens on, and wearing our losses like badges of honor is just how we roll. The smell of victory chili, the taste of cold, hard reality – it’s all part of the ride.

So, here I am, RustBeltRandy, ready to bring my special brand of Boardman-born Browns insanity to this message board. Buckle up, folks, because this is going to be one wild ride! Here’s to another season of hope, heartbreak, and maybe, just maybe, a miracle. Go Browns!

Anyone know where I can find a fresh can of Schlitz!?

I don't know where you can find a can of Schlitz but I heard a woman from Boardman got arrested for putting salt in her Schlitz in a public place.

Welcome.

I have season tickets and live in Tennessee. Been to many tailgates in driving snow and cold. Been doing it for 16 years now. I grew up in the Cleveland area if you were wondering.

I am not getting any younger and have reached the point I don't hit the lot's all that much anymore. I usually head to the Barley House or some similar place for an hour or so before heading in to the Lake Club at 11 or so to chill out there. I figure I pay for it, might as well use it.

Big ol’ shoutout to ya for holdin’ onto those season tickets all the way from Tennessee! That’s some down-home dedication that’d make even Chomps wag his tail and howl with pride. I totally get the tailgating vibes – ain’t nothin’ like those icy mornings, flippin’ brats with frost on your beard, and prayin’ the grill don’t freeze shut before the game!

Time keeps marchin’ on, and those knees sure don’t get any younger. The Barley House? Top-notch choice – great chow, lively folks, and the perfect spot to kick off your game day hootenanny. And if you’ve got a golden ticket to the Lake Club, then heck yeah, live it up! You’ve earned the right to sip your coffee in style while the rest of us thaw out our frozen fingers and toes in the parkin’ lot.

I’ve been a Browns devotee since 1970, and let me tell ya, whether you’re bravin’ the elements in the lot or kickin’ back in the Lake Club, it’s all about that undyin’ love for our team. We’ve all got our yarns to spin – the triumphs, the heartbreaks, and the downright hilarious. Like that time I put on every piece of Browns gear I owned to keep warm and ended up lookin’ like a giant orange snowman.

It might not be coffee I am sipping. LOL

As for lot living, I usually got to the Muni around 6:30am where it was eating omelet's or sharing a big bag of sausage egg biscuits with the early birds before cooking any brats, or shrimp, or gumbo or anything else that seemed to fit the theme of the day. I still don't remember any coffee around.

I do remember beers that turned to slush in about 5-10 minutes.