Derek Anderson and Tim Couch Have Both Had Fans Cheer When They Were Injured

Text Size A A A

(photos courtesy of Getty Images)

The last time Browns fans cheered their starting quarterback going down with an injury the team went to the playoffs. It was 2002, and then-face of the franchise Tim Couch was in the process of getting "Wally Pipped" by Kelly Holcomb. History repeated itself on Sunday, except this time, there will be no postseason. Just a bunch of guys limping through the final month of the season.

Yesterday, some fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium happily voiced their pleasure after Derek Anderson crumpled to the turf and suffered what looks like a season-ending knee injury. Predictably, neither Anderson nor his teammates were impressed.

"They were cheering the fact that I was hurt," said Anderson after the 10-6 loss to the Colts. "They don't like me. That's well known." ...

"We care about each other and that was very disappointing," said receiver Josh Cribbs ... "We love our fans, but that just wasn't needed. Hopefully Derek isn't hurt too bad and he'll get back and they can cheer for him the next game."

To Anderson's credit, he didn't cry, something Couch couldn't say back in October 2002:

"I went to dive on the ball and got hit in the back of the head, and the next thing I remember, the fans are cheering when I'm lying on the field hurt, and I think it's (nonsense), to be honest with you," Couch said quietly but firmly sitting in front of his locker, struggling to maintain his composure. "But they've got their own opinion, so if they don't like me, then, well, that's all I'm going to say about it." ...

"I've been here going on four years now," he said, "and I've laid it on the line for this team and this city, and for them to turn on me and boo me in my home stadium is a joke - a joke. I've worked my (butt) off here and ..."

Tears filled Couch's eyes before he continued, haltingly. "It's hard to take, man," he said.

Thanks, Cleveland. Jerks.

While I know there's not much joy in being a Browns fan right now, it's probably worth trotting out the ol' "be careful what you ask for" cliche. Because with Brady Quinn and Anderson on the shelf, it's Ken Dorsey Time.

Of course, anybody half-paying attention could point out that things couldn't get any worse with Dorsey, which, frankly, is hard to dispute. And now that I think about it, Cribbs, who played quarterback in college, will serve as Dorsey's backup, and I'd be interested in seeing him run the offense. Maybe he's the Browns Quarterback of the Future.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-01-2008 @ 11:43AM

Marie said...

I have lived in Cleveland all my life, and while our sports teams have been disappointing, you'd have to be a big jerk to cheer when a player on your team is injured. No wonder none of our stars (Lebron, Manny) want to stay here longer than they have to.

12-01-2008 @ 5:46PM

Mike said...

I am just sick Browns fans cheered DA getting hurt. This poor kid stepped in last year on a team no one thought was worth the dirt they were standing on after the Steelers beat them down in game 1. He went on to throw 29 tds and gave us a shot at the playoffs. He mad so many great plays last year and this is how we pay him back. Cheer him when he takes a potentially carreer threatening injury. I have been a Browns fan my whole life and this kind of crap makes me want to become a fan for someone else. At least Steelers fans stand by there players!!! DA has tried his best and has not got a lot of help this year from anyone else. Im going to laugh when LBJ skips town and slaps Cleveland fans in the face. Its apparant some of them need to have some class slapped into them because this last display was a JOKE!!!

12-02-2008 @ 12:21AM

Brad said...

I was 14 when the Browns beat the Colts in 64. I have never waivered in my support for the Browns for over 40 years. I didn't watch more than three games on tv during the lost years the after Browns bolted.. The Browns need to quit caving to the wishes of the idiots who would boo a class act like Anderson. Fans can't be allowed to run the team and neither can ESPN. Classless fans can make great fans ashamed to follow a tean much quicker than a won-lost record. Don't the dolts realize how classless the booing made Cleveland look and now it's all over the news.

12-02-2008 @ 6:38PM

OTISRM said...

MARIE+MIKE, I AGREE, ANYONE THAT CHEERS A PLAYER BEING HURT, IS A LOW LIFE, IVE RIDDEN THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF MY BELOVED BROWNS FOR OVER FORTY YEARS, AND NEVER CHEERED WHEN A CHANGE WAS NEEDED, AT THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER PLAYERS INJURY! ALL I CAN SAY IS, I HOPE THAT IS THE MINORITY, NOT THE MAJORITY OF BROWNS FANS!

12-02-2008 @ 9:43PM

J.P. said...

Anderson needs to go to a team that can put some talent around him
& get out of Cleveland.Let them have Brady Quinn they deserve him.
If Anderson goes to a contender he will re-emerge as one of the top
young QB's in the game.

12-04-2008 @ 5:21PM

kinkboy1121 said...

I doubt any fan was cheering him getting hurt.... perhaps they were cheering that they didn't have to see his awful play anymore. The guy blows and continues to make the same stupid mistakes game after game.... He single handedly killed our playoff chances last year and then got a big contract for sub par work. You ever think fans have just had enough of players that collect million dollar payoffs and give no effort. Derek has given interview after interview where he didn't seem to care that he is the worst player that starts in the league at QB.... and to his defense, I will say the drops don't help his confidence either..... Can anyone argue this guy would start for any other franchise other then Crennel's Browns, who let him completely destroy our season before Brady got a fair shake..... clean house ..... the economy sucks.... but yet these lazy football players collect millions for lack luster performances.... unemployment is at a record high..... half this team needs a pink slip..... ie: Anderson, Stallworth, Andre Davis, Cory Williams, every linebacker... we always see them do enough in the off season to get a job.... then never show up to play for a real game..... i bet half the roster would get cut by a real coach.

12-05-2008 @ 11:21AM

Darryl Taylor said...

Dorsey is the best you could come up with?...looks like the brownies are trying to lose the last four games on purpose to get a higher draft pick....not like they wouldn't lose them anyway...this just makes it obvious...he can't run or throw,but he's a nice guy.

12-06-2008 @ 10:47PM

BL said...

Booing DA when he got hurt without saying was classless. The booing should have started the monent he walked on the field. The fans weren't happy he was hurt they were happy he was off the field. The fans also know Dorsey isn't as talented as DA but Dorsey wasn't handed the team when it mattered like DA. The fans are frustrated when they see the tremendous talent DA has but he won't assert himself as leader, hasn't put enough work in to throw a touch pass or won't look off receivers, presents himself as a scared rabbit when he drops back in the pocket. I wish DA would send all of us fans a Savage like profanity laced e-mail and then go out and perform. The fact that he questions why the fans booed him tells his whole sorry attitude. Instead of crying put in the work, call out people like BE, take command of the huddle, and realize he is paid well to perform. Has anyone ever seen a great QB that wasn't a leader?

12-11-2008 @ 7:32PM

Jeff said...

Being marries to a cleveland fan and being a somewhat underdog fan of cleveland myself, i cannot understand the way cleveland treats their sports teams..if any of the morom=ns in the stands think they can do a better job then they need to try and walkon to the team next year..my advice is to put up or shut up you morons..its not DA who drops 75% of the passes he throws and over 85% (according to ESPN) of the passes he has thrown this year have been catchable..you idiots cannot even boo the right player!! maybe thats why the ravens left you high and dry..you dont deserve any sports teams!! Tim couch was right..classless!