DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Muni Lot = Baghdad

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Cleveland - A Columbus man took his wife to their first NFL game this past Sunday, but before they ever entered Cleveland Browns Stadium, they were greeted by an angry mob at Cleveland's Municipal Parking Lot.

"I don't think there are words to describe what we went through," says Beth Osbourne. "They were banging on our truck, shouting to tell me to take my top off, then someone knocked the mirror off the outside of our truck."

"There were 15-20 people, people of all ages, just shouting at us," Steve Osbourne told Channel 3.

The veteran of the Iraq war said that at one point he had flashbacks to his time in Baghdad.

"In Iraq, you never know what they're gonna do, but you have ways to defend yourself. Being there Sunday, I felt that I didn't have a way to defend us. We're just sitting in a truck thats easily damaged. I felt ashamed that there was nothing i could really do to keep my wife safe."

One person has been charged by the City of Cleveland Prosecutors office on charges of Criminal Damaging and Endangering.

The Osbourne's don't want any restitution, other than the city promise to better police the muni-lot on game days to prevent this kind of incident from happening again.
© 2010 WKYC-TV

Wonder why those people were harrassed? not that it's an excuse, but are they Ravens fans sporting ravens gear?

I've thought for a while that things get TOO crazy in Muni. Too crazy in a bad way. Have fun etc., but damaging other people's property (regardless of team affiliation), threatening, getting into fights with people - well, those people will ruin it for everyone.

Come on people, You're supposed to be adults, ACT LIKE IT!

I know the drunken idiots around me have ruined the gameday experience to a certain point for me.

And I know that probably 95% of the people in the stands don't do anything wrong.

But, it's going to get to the point that the 5% are SO rowdy, the organization is going to start cracking down hardcore.

I expect things to be REALLY ugly this Sunday.

This doesn't have to do with the Muni-Lot, but I would start going back to the games if there was a big crackdown on drunken idiots. Wouldn't happen, but just a thought. My couch is very comfortable and i don't have to listen to slurring idiots dissing refs for calls that were correct and for punting on 4th and 2 in our own end lol

I've told the story often on here, but if the girl who sat behind me a few games last year continued coming to the games this year, I would have really considered giving up my season tickets.

Every single decision and every single play call was the wrong one.

If we ran the ball and it only gained 2, she'd start screaming for Mangini's head. "Let DA throw it!"

If DA threw the next down and threw an INT, she'd start screaming "Run the ball! Put in Quinn!"

If Quinn came in and threw an INT, she'd start screaming "Why'd you take out DA?"

At first I thought she was kidding, but it just went on and on and on.

I remember here complaining mightily about how Mangini was calling terrible plays on offense. At one point, I said loud enough for her to hear "well, there is an offensive coordinator", and she seemed totally taken aback, like she had no clue that Mangini wasn't calling every single play.

It was just an isolated fan, but it represented everything that is wrong with fans in my mind.

More than likely, this couple had Ravens gear on their car and/or person.

Now, I'm not saying it's ok to harass the opposing teams fans when they're in your area......but it's the way it is. And that happens to some extent in every city for every professional team.

This couple could have gone to the game without a look from anyone....but they chose to wear Ravens gear. And when you do, you're taking that risk. Again, I'm not saying it's right but it happens.

I was recently talking to a dude who grew up in England as a Liverpool fan (EPL Soccer). He said you seriously risked getting your butt beat if you went to an away game with your gear on, plain and simple. They take their soccer more serious than we Americans take out football. Anyone ever watch Green Street Hooligans?

Love that movie, and yeah, if they wore Raven's gear in Muni Lot, they should be sued for not having any common sense. Not because they are Raven's fans, but because they are old enough to realize you don't wear red to a bull fight.

I tailgate in Muni and its a joke. Amateur hour at its finest. People go there and drink because its what everyone else is doing, they don't care about the game, they just want to get as drunk as they possibly can, there are no rules there.

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I've never seen someone harassed and their car damaged just for driving through the lot.

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I've seen this happen way too often, saw a guy punch a couples windshield because they were driving through. They were Browns fans too and it wasn't at noon.

I'm glad they are okay.

An example of de-evolution. Utterly, absolutely pathetic. There's just no other way to express reaction to absurdity.

I wholeheartedly agree with all said. Such instances are criminally stupid.

Just an idea, but perhaps some self policing is in order. That already has to be happening, but a more organized effort, perhaps in conjunction with the Cleveland Police Department could help clean things up. Maybe this is already in effect?

For whatever reason I have never been a fan of the "nanny" cell phone number (or text?) displayed at CBS, but I guess I didn't realize how much it is needed. It sure seems like it is necessary.

Some good food, comradery and alcohol is what tailgating is all about (with exception to alcohol for some) and it's just a damn shame a few use pre-game as an excuse for drunken, juvenile and thuggish behavior.

ColumbusDawg was gracious to invite me and my son to their tailgate in the yellow lot for last year's Steeler game. He, Saint, CapitalGG and all others in attendance epitomized the aforementioned definition of tailgating. The ribs were awesome and everyone was nice enough to put up with my preaching that the match up with Pittsburgh was a "character" game (and a "character" win!!). It was the first Browns game that my son had attended and it couldn't have turned out any better. The opportunity to party with some wonderful Browns fans, see us beat the Steelers and walk out of the Pound with everyone chanting, "Here we go Brownies, here we go .. Woof! Woof" will always be a pleasant, memorable experience.

One of my daughters, a Browns fan, is coming up for the game this week with her fiancée, a Steelers fan, and I do worry about something happening to them. He is a good kid with exception to his loyalty to the Steelers (nobody's perfect - I'm still working on helping him see the light ). They do not plan to tailgate which likely is a good thing. I hope that it is uneventful for them other than our Brownies kicking Pitts arse.

I used to bring some buddies of mine who are Bengals fans to the Browns/Bengals games. They'd get some ribbing, but it was usually in good fun. A-hole chants, etc. But, my buddies took it in stride, didn't get PO'd about it, and everyone just kind of let it drop. Maybe it helped that they were walking with a Browns fan, too.

This game will be a first for my daughter. Her fiancée is pretty laid back so I expect him to take what's thrown at him verbally, indeed he expects it. He will likely just smile and walk on .... he's cool that way.

I had nice seats for a Browns - Bengals game years ago at Riverfront. The Bengal fans were great. One guy accidently knocked my hat off while razing me during the game and apologized profusely. I knew he didn't mean any harm and told him not to worry - it's all good.

I have been to games, shell out good money to do so and I almost always get a seat next to some rube who thinks that he/she has a "right" to boo and be obnoxious because they bought a ticket--and are entitled to it.


I really have no interest to go to another game--I'd much rather watch it at home. I want to go watch a game not pay hundreds of dollars to get in a confrontation with some drunken a-hole.

It will take a mob of good and decent citizens at the game to stare down the angry mob. What I mean is, as long as the good folks stay silent the unruly will continue to be so.

My season tickets are where a lot of single game tickets are sold, so we get a lot of opposing team fans (there are good ones and bad ones), but also a lot of single game Browns fans (there are good ones and bad ones).

Luckily, for the most part, the seats right around us have good fans in them, even from opposing teams. We've been lucky in that regard this year.

These are people that arrive in the Muni Lot at 11:00 looking for a place to park. As you know with the Korn Hole Games and fans strolling it is impossible to drive. Ummm if your arriving 1 hour before game find a place downtown to park.

You are right, there are two sides to the story . . . but while on the discussion . . .



Cincinnati Bengals Sued By Woman Over Drunk Fans Who Injured Her

The woman and her husband are suing the Bengals, the beer vendor and the county-owned football stadium for negligence, alleging they continued to serve alcohol to "noticeably intoxicated" fans at a 2009 NFL game.

Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan said Tuesday the team wouldn't comment on pending litigation. Neither would the stadium vendor, Philadelphia-based Aramark Corp., company spokeswoman Dave Freireich said. Hamilton County officials didn't immediately return an after-hours phone call Tuesday seeking comment.

Rebecca Dunn and husband Curtis Dunn of Owensboro, Ky., say the two men sitting behind them were served several drinks at Paul Brown Stadium before they fell on her, breaking and gashing her nose, breaking her finger, and causing bruises, sprains and other injuries. Their lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages for past and future pain and suffering and medical treatment that they say has cost $20,000 so far.

The couple also are suing the fans, identified only as John Doe and John Doe II. The lawsuit accuses them of battery.

"As a direct and proximate result of their intoxication, (the two men) lost control and fell" on (Rebecca Dunn), causing "catastrophic injuries" that required nose surgery and continuing orthopedic and other medical treatment, the lawsuit says. The incident also broke her $700 Oakley sunglasses and caused the couple to incur other expenses – they had to spend the night in a downtown hotel because the stadium garage closed after the game before they could retrieve their car, the lawsuit states.

The Dunns also are seeking punitive damages. A court hearing on the lawsuit, filed Nov. 29, is scheduled for next month.

The Bengals and other NFL teams have tried to control unruly fans through such efforts as the Bengals "Jerk" line, which fans can call during the game to report bad behavior.

A lawsuit is pending in New York state court against the Mets baseball team and other defendants, filed by a woman who was hospitalized with spinal injuries after a fan her attorney says was drunk landed on her in 2007.

The attorney, Joshua D. Kelner, said Tuesday that while the lawsuits will be decided under respective state law, teams generally have an obligation to provide crowd control and that alcohol providers may be held partially responsible for the actions of intoxicated people.

The Bengals scored a 23-20 comeback victory over the Steelers in the Sept. 27, 2009, game.

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I read this earlier.

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The incident also broke her $700 Oakley sunglasses

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I've owned plenty of pairs of very nice Oakley's, Ray Bans, and Revo's - even some prescription when I was wearing glasses instead of contacts. I think she is exaggerating a little here.

Also, 20k in medical bills for what sounds like a few scrapes and a broken finger? And suing the Bengals? What did they have to do with it - oh yeah, they are the ones with the money

I was at that game and met your friend. They couldn't have done it to a nicer guy. There is no way he did anything to provoke that kind of treatment.

Speaking of him, anyone seen him lately?

Sent this story via emial to my friend who was down there last Sunday...her response (names protected):

dude i think ___ and i were there for that, but couldnt tell if it was raven fans in the truck. long story short we were by the guys who play music and have the dance floor at the muni lot. they starting playing some crazy song and the dj guy started dancing in front of their truck and at first it was all laughs and fun, but then people did start jumping on the side of their truck shaking it from side to side and throwing beer on it. i thought at first it was funny but when beer started getting thrown at them it was a little out of control. i think after they finally passed i said to ___ it is people like that (the ones throwing the beer) that is going to get this lot shut down.

Can't believe that some here would excuse or minimize thuggish, inexcusable behavior by Browns' fans based on a.) the clothes that someone is wearing while attending a game, or b.) what time they arrive at the freaking parking lot. That is BS. Drunken mob behavior should be condemned whenever and wherever it happens, regardless of circumstances.

Takes two to tangle. Read the guy ran over some corn hole boards...

When Shep took me a couple years ago I didn't have any problems at all. I just got booed some. And there was the one drunk guy in front of us who kept on turning around and calling me a bitch.

I was pleasantly surprised.

When I wore my Ohio State hoodie to a Pittsburgh-Browns game in Pittsburgh, the ribbing was pretty lame. I wasn't going to wear a Browns jersey and risk something serious happening (sorry if that offends ppl lol) but I figured I'd wear Ohio State and still represent Ohio. Most people were like "Hey! Hows that loss in the championship game to Florida feel? ... well, it felt pretty good to have a team in the championship game, thank you lol

You'd be surprised at how much OSU gear is worn around the Pittsburgh area. Shep wears his all the time and never gets any remarks.

This was a couple of years ago ... maybe our recent success and the Pitt Panthers failures have changed things over there? When i used to live there, i remember running into a lot of Penn State fans

It isn't so. He started yelling at him and eventually so did everyone else...then the drunk guy (who was by himself) started threatening to kick everyone's ass in that entire section. He was eventually escorted out.

When I went to the Browns-Steelers game this year we stayed at the Springhill Suites - there was a bar across the street (2 or 3 stories tall) that had a party for the OSU/Wisconsin game. There must have been 400 Buckeye fans in there - I was shocked! They even had a tailgate before the game started in a parking lot next door.

And yes, I did wear my Browns colors to the game and actually got some compliments from Steeler fans for having the guts to do so. Had several "plain clothed" Browns fans stop by and say I was nuts but I didn't run into any problems. Now, if we would have won I was prepared to remove my jersey while walking out of the stadium