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Baker Mayfield walks past LeBron Cleveland, confident that he is next. There is something in his walk. At the stop, Mayfield looks like an average guy, short for a quarterback at 6 feet-1 and a bit thick. In motion, however, he attracts attention with his straight posture and a gait worthy of a theme music.
He has a pleasing charisma with his physical characteristics of all time, combining his talent of choice and his fanfaron. What do you need that it is? Underdog or prodigy? In this town of Rust Belt, Mayfield is a former winner of the Heisman Trophy, who now dares to achieve two impossible feats: 1. Restore the importance to Cleveland Brown. 2. Fill in the superstar void left by LeBron James, the local icon who left for Los Angeles this summer.
Apart from that, he may simply have a scary career.
"It comes with the territory," said Mayfield. "That's what I subscribed to, I live my dream and I would not do it otherwise, without pressure, I do not think it would be very fun without everyone watching and finding joy in this sport." I like this game. Without the competitive nature, I would not appreciate it. "
On Sunday, the rookie quarterback makes his first start in the NFL, but this is just a formality. He became the Browns' official savior during his Week 3 "Thursday Night Football" performance, replacing injured Tyrod Taylor at the end of the second quarter and giving the team its first victory in 635 days .
In a 21-17 victory over the New York Jets, Mayfield completed 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards and at the end of the match, football no longer seemed a tragedy in northeast Ohio . And while it was only a good match of a franchise that had beaten 1-31 the previous two seasons, the impact seemed greater. It was an exciting way to introduce new hope.
Long after the match was over, 71-year-old super fan Denny Kochever – Dawg Face of the famous Dawg Pound – came to the FirstEnergy Stadium to applause. He looked around and noticed something different. He thought that about 10,000 people were shouting with him.
"Whoa, what a feeling is," Kochever said. "You get goose bumps, people stay in the stadium like they say," Yeah, that's it. That's what we expected. We are back. & # 39; Baker Mayfield will pack this stadium. He will electrify. It will make some mistakes, but as good as it is, you can ignore it.
"This city is looking for a good football team.Thursday night was the starting point for an hour.It's not too early to know that the Browns are definitely on a track with Baker Mayfield. "
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Last Monday was media day in most cities in the NBA. James greeted the Lakers fans and the Cavaliers began the difficult process of moving without him. But in Cleveland, there was more news: Browns coach Hue Jackson made the only logical decision after Mayfield 's remarkable debut and said the starting quarterback of the Browns. His first start comes Sunday in Oakland.
"Mayfield, if you draw a line under this name, he is the man," said Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden, during a conference call with reporters. from Cleveland. "It's the story that, in my opinion, will become more and more important in Cleveland this year."
Unless he turns all his talent as a banger into the next Brett Favre, it is unlikely that Mayfield can replace James, let alone surpass him. James is one of the most phenomenal athletes in the sporting world – not just basketball – and is from Akron. Mayfield is a bold Texan. There is a distinct difference in size, athleticism and even magnetism despite Mayfield's appeal. Mayfield is an alpha male; James is the alpha of alphas.
Despite all that James has done to lift Cleveland on the field and off of it, one has to consider one factor if Mayfield becomes a winning quarterback: the Browns are the heart of this sporting city. For a long time, you could only tell them, "Bless your heart!" But if the Browns have the right quarterback and continue to recruit top talent, like defenseman Myles Garrett and cornerback Denzel Ward, Mayfield could then own this city differently.
"I did not come here just to win a game and I did not come here just to start the next one," said Mayfield, whose new team took part in the playoffs in 2002. "We're building a franchise here and we're shooting all around. "
Before Mayfield took over last Thursday, the Browns had won a match in two seasons. This victory took place on December 24, 2016, the last week of the season. Jackson was 1-32-1 as head coach at last week's triumph. It was the worst team of American professional sports. And now, with a 1-1-1 record this season that could easily be 3-0, there is a new life. Mayfield's development is poised to dominate local interest, though the Indians will soon make their fourth playoff appearance in the last six seasons.
When James left Cleveland for Miami eight years ago, he enraged most fans, some of whom sadly burned replica jerseys. Then he returned in 2014 for four seasons, ended the city's 52-year drought for title, and strengthened his connection with the region through philanthropic efforts. Resentment turned to appreciation. When James announced his decision to play for the Lakers in July, the reaction was disappointing, but most people understood.
James did not save the city by bringing home a championship. Her ascent to greatness coincided with the Cleveland Revival, which included a more vibrant downtown and an influx of young professionals settling in the city. It was a perfectly fitting partnership for the city and the superstar.
"I think this city is physically, emotionally and mentally different from its first start," said David Gilbert, President and CEO of Destination Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. "It's amazing what eight years can do." Cleveland's hopes and dreams are unrelated to LeBron's contribution to the championship was more like a megaphone that told the story of all huge changes happening here. "
In this sense, the Browns are lagging behind. The city is waiting for their catch-up.
"It's hard for me to imagine another city celebrating a win early in the season, as we did," Gilbert said. "Maybe people from outside would be cynical, but I think it shows how resilient fans are, and after years of losing, that's how passionate they are.
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Cleveland's grand catcher, Jarvis Landry, uses the diction of a Migos rap song to praise Mayfield.
"One thing I know about him: he walks like he's talking," Landry said. "It's something I appreciate and respect, and he continued to do it."
There seems to be an impressive amount of substance behind the Mayfield swagger. In Oklahoma, you saw him dancing and planting flags and making obscene gestures to opponents. He does not always manage his competitive shot properly. But he's already winning the Browns locker room with his work ethic, communication skills and natural sense of leadership.
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As much as Cleveland evolves, it remains a city of blue-collar and Midwest. He will respect the style of Mayfield as long as he respects his sensitivity.
"Football is rooted in Ohio," said goalkeeper Kevin Zeitler. "Everyone here loves the sport, the better we are, it only increases the love." Baker is an excellent choice because he is confident that he can advance the things and that he wants to be great.He is a unique character and he can play.
"No matter where he comes from, he is leading the team and doing what he is capable of, no matter who here would accept it as one of theirs. . "
A football half and Bakermania is one thing. His No. 6 jersey beat the top 10 sales over the past week, according to Dick's Sporting Goods. Bryce Harper, the Washington Nationals star player, who is also quite reckless, wore Mayfield's jersey. Mayfield has to muster a lot of consistent performances before being anointed a legitimate NFL player, and if that's the case, you already see the potential. He has an undeniable star quality. He is fascinating. It makes people dream.
"I'd like him to close the empty holes that have always shot down the Cleveland Browns," said Kochever. "It's been so long, I'm not a fussy fan, I know what it's like to have a bad day, I know what it's like to feel football when your heart is tearing you apart But I'm telling you, The stadium has not been electrified since maybe our last playoff game, or maybe our first game in Cleveland, and I can finally see excitement for many years.
"Baker Mayfield gave me shivers, and I'm the guy who wears shorts for games, no matter the weather."
In the post-LeBron Cleveland area, the city no longer assumes the worst. The Cavs put an end to the curse. The Indians, who participated in the World Series in 2016, form a perpetual playoff team. This is again to let the imagination wander.
So that's Bakermania.
"I know a lot of people have already taken the bust for Canton," joked Todd Haley, coordinator of the offensive for Cleveland.
Well, for a young quarter who specializes in throwing with anticipation, it may be prudent to prepare.
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