Every year fans flock in droves to Berea, Ohio thinking this year is "The Year". Their beloved Cleveland Browns are about to turn the corner, they are about to bring these starving fans a championship and then it happens. Like so sick, cruel joke the fans are reminded that this team, in this city is cursed.

In one of the first plays of the 2006 Cleveland Browns training camp the team lost it's biggest free agent acquisition of the off-season to injury for the year. All-Pro center LeCharles Bentley went to the ground screaming "no" and clutching his knee. Several moments later the medical cart was called for and Bentley was carted off the practice field, never to se the field again in 2006. What is the prognosis? A torn patellar tendon in his left knee meant this year was not to be magical for Bentley, the Browns or the fans.

The ironic thing about the injury is that it appeared that Bentley might have gotten tangled with another new Browns free agent signing this off-season, Ted Washington. The video shows Washington going low and inadvertently taking out the knee of Bentley. It was like any other play on any other day, Washington doing what he is paid to do and Bentley doing the same, but this day was to be like no other.

Many Browns fans are distraught today, carrying the badge of woe as they have for many, many years.

"Losing Bentley is going to hurt Charlie Frye the most. The Browns just lost both games to the Steelers this year."

"It's Cleveland, what else would you expect?"

"Anyone want to bet who's next?"



There are some though that are taking a different view on the injury and what it means.

"Sure it's a bad deal that he was hurt, but they aren't going to stop the season because Bentley isn't playing."

"Bob Hallen is a veteran backup and will be able to step in and help the Browns win."

General Manager Phil Savage perhaps said it best of all. "He was the face of our free-agent class. We feel terrible for LeCharles, but life goes on."

Indeed it does, but that doesn't take the sting away from this burn. This is another loss to those fans that have already lost a lot. These fans have seen players like Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, Kellen Winslow II and Braylon Edwards lost for some or all of the season due to injuries.

With Bentley going down, the return of Kellen Winslow II to the practice field isn't such a big story; today nothing is a very big story outside of Bentley's injury. Browns fans will do what they always do though. They will feel bad for a while, pick themselves up and embrace the new starting center, Bob Hallen, and continue their loyal support for their Cleveland Browns. That's what Browns fans do, that's who they are.

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