Cleveland's unique NFL Draft Day perspective

Draft day in Cleveland.

Is it me, or is it nothing short of ludicrous how it happens that year after year, massive failure after massive failure, Browns faithful nonetheless religiously plant their posteriors around the tube to witness the NFL draft? I have to assume it's the never-ending hope – indelibly etched into the collective psyches of all Browns fans – that the odds will be with us this year because of the against-all-odds run of drafting failures. Sort of like "even the blind squirrel finding an acorn on occasion" mentality. (The same way I approach the possibility of writing a good column).

I mean, with the ghosts of William Greene, Courtney Brown, Kam Wimbley, Braylon Edwards, Trent Richardson, Brandon Weeden, and everyone's favorite, Johnny Football (thanks, Jimmy H.) still fresh in our minds, how does one not get excited about our chances in another draft?

But, I have to admit, it's difficult for a lifelong Browns fan to divest oneself from the draft. However, in spite of all the red flags – in particular, Cleveland's NFL draft "track record" – I've tried to divest myself of the agony, without success as of yet. I mean, think of the worst movie or TV show you've ever seen, and then picture yourself watching it over and over, and over, again. Time to call the guys in the white coats, right?

Not if you're a Browns fan. Play it again, Sam.

A friend of mine called me the other night after the first round of the draft, wanting to know what I thought of the Browns' first selection, Corey Coleman. While spending some time trying to formulate an intelligent answer, it finally dawned on me: There IS no intelligent answer. Most experts will tell you it takes several years to evaluate a draft (although it doesn't take that long to evaluate all the misses the Browns have drafted over the years, as they are invariably out of football within a season or two). The point being, however, that getting all excited over a draft pick in April is ridiculous – along the lines of Jimmy Haslam's annual promise to "get it right" this time.

Maybe Jimmy Haslam subscribes to the "blind squirrel" theory, too. Unfortunately, the blind squirrel doesn't work in the Browns' front office. Even more likely – based upon previous drafts – the blind squirrel would have been a significant intellectual upgrade.