A STORIED RIVALRY

Photo by: Geoffrey Hauschild

Photo

FRIENDLY RIVALRY: Joe Rupert, left, and Mason Shadduck, best friends and members of the Alpha Phi Delta fraternity, stand side-by-side in front of their house. The two are fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, respectively, and are anticipating the game between the teams Sunday.

Fraternity brothers would do anything for the other – except on Sundays.

By Jon Moffett

YOUNGSTOWN — It’s a literal tale of two cities and the football teams that call them home.

It’s the best of times for one, coming off an NFL-record sixth Super Bowl championship. And it’s the worst of times for another, struggling to regain respectability since returning to the league a decade ago.

But despite differences with their respective teams, fans of the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers still hold sacred the rivalry between the two divisional foes. The rivalry continues Sunday when the Browns (1-4) travel to Pittsburgh (3-2) for an AFC North showdown.

Nestled on Indiana Avenue on the city’s North side is the Alpha Phi Delta house. Though the Youngstown State University fraternity’s colors are purple and white, some of the brothers bleed either orange and brown or black and gold.

Mason Shadduck and Joe Rupert are both 22, seniors at YSU, best friends and fraternity brothers. Each said they’d do pretty much anything for the other – except on Sundays.

Shadduck, president of the fraternity, is a Browns fan. Rupert, the vice president, is a Steelers fan. And the two have no love lost when it comes to their favorite team.

“You have two Ohio guys winning those rings for the Steelers,” Shadduck said in disgust, referencing quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who played college football at the University of Miami in Ohio, and wide receiver Santonio Holmes, Super Bowl MVP and former Ohio State Buckeye, who capped the game-winning drive as the Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 in February.

Rupert calmly said, “It seems like every year we’re winning the Super Bowl.”

Shadduck said he’ll watch Sunday’s game alone, locked in his room so no one can disturb him — a tradition he’s followed for a few years. Rupert will travel to his hometown – Columbiana – to watch the game with his family.

Pittsburgh and Cleveland are about 150 miles apart, but a strong football history brings the teams together. They have faced off in 112 regular season games since the first meeting in December 1950.

“I look forward to it every year,” Shadduck said. “I don’t care if the Browns are 0-14 in their other games, if they win one of those two against the Steelers it would make my year.”

Rupert said, “When that day comes up, records are basically thrown out. ... It’s always a pretty close game. These past couple years have been pretty one-sided, but for the most part it’s always close.”

Pick a decade and one team has dominated the other. The Steelers own a slight advantage with an all-time record of 59-55. The Steelers also have a 2-0 advantage over the Browns in the playoffs.

“I think that’s what makes it a rivalry,” Shadduck said. “ ... I think that adds to the whole aura of it. It hasn’t been straight domination like all the Steelers fans like to portray it. ... The Browns have put their share of whoopings on the Steelers.”

Rupert reminded Shadduck of the recent history between the teams – the Steelers are 18-3 against the Browns since the team returned to Cleveland in 1999, including 11 straight.

But despite the Browns’ lackluster tenure since returning, Rupert said he has no sympathy for Cleveland fans.

“I really don’t feel bad for Browns fans,” he said. “Being a Steeler fan, we are the best fans in the NFL. It’s hard to feel bad for anybody else when you’re on top all the time.”

There is some contention between Shadduck and Rupert on categorizing the fans of their respective team. Both were asked to sum up fans of the other team in one word.

Rupert chose “desperate.” Shadduck picked “ignorant.”

Rupert cited a game in December 2001 when Browns fans famously threw beer bottles onto the field following a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The barrage came after officials overturned a call in the waning seconds of the game, which was delayed about a half-hour until order was restored.

“That’s just an act of desperation in my point of view,” Rupert said.

Shadduck said Steeler fans are arrogant and cannot accept any negative comments toward the team, even when they’re deserved.

“They’re somewhat ignorant in the fact that every game they think their team is the best team to ever walk on the field any given week,” Shadduck said. “If you try to argue with them on why the Steelers could lose a game, you’re not going to get anywhere.”

But despite all the hatred and emotion in the rivalry, both Shadduck and Rupert admit they have respect for their rivals.

“I love the type of football they play,” Shadduck said of the Steelers. “They pull out the stops somehow in some way every game. They beat you up and make you wish you didn’t play. It’s some of the best football I see every week.”

Rupert said, “The Browns do have talent, and it is respectable talent. They just need something to play for. ... When they get that attitude and motivation, their talent really shows in that game.”

Both Shadduck and Rupert agreed on one thing: At least they’re not fans of the Cincinnati Bengals.

The similarities stopped with respect, especially when asked to predict the outcome of Sunday’s game.

Shadduck wouldn’t put a score on the record, but said, “The can do it easily ... I think maybe the Browns pull it out.”

A more confident Rupert said, “Absolutely not. There is no way the Browns are going to win in Pittsburgh. Steelers win 35-7.”

jmoffett@vindy.com

Sept. 12, 1999: Steelers win 43-0 in the first game at the new Cleveland Browns Stadium

Nov. 14, 1999: Browns win 16-15

Sept. 17, 2000: Browns win 23-20

Oct. 22, 2000: Steelers win 22-0

Nov. 11, 2001: Steelers win 15-12 in overtime Jan. 6, 2002: Steelers win 28-7

Sept. 29, 2002: Steelers win 16-13 in overtime

Nov. 3, 2002: Steelers win 23-20

Dec. 29, 2002: Steelers win 36-33 in wildcard playoff game

Oct. 5, 2003: Browns win 33-13

Nov. 23, 2003: Steelers win 13-6

Oct. 10, 2004: Steelers win 34-23

Nov. 14, 2004: Steelers win 24-10

Nov. 13, 2005: Steelers win 34-21

Dec. 24, 2005: Steelers win 41-0

Nov. 19, 2006: Steelers win 24-20

Dec. 7, 2006: Steelers win 27-7

Sept. 9, 2007: Steelers win 34-7

Nov. 11, 2007: Steelers win 31-28

Sept. 4, 2008: Steelers win 10-6

Dec. 28, 2008: Steelers win 31-0

Source: Profootballreference.com