We all love our city for a multitude of reasons. However, there are things that are just unique to Cleveland, which are totally normal here but elsewhere would seem very strange. Here are some of those things. Don’t judge us.
Tailgating
The Browns may be 0-12, with no chance for the playoffs for the whatever number year in a row, and it may be 20 degrees at the beginning of December, but that won’t stop the Muni Lot from being filled for tailgating before a Browns game. If you thought this happened at every NFL stadium, go to a road game (except in Buffalo, they go hard.)
Photo via Scene ArchivesStadium Mustard
If you have a strong opinion on Stadium Mustard vs. Ballpark Mustard, well, you’re a Clevelander.
Photo via Wikimedia CommonsRelying on Public Transportation
Yes, other cities actually do take public transportation to get places, reliably.
Photo by Sam AllardOur River Used to Catch on Fire
Yes, we’re sick of all the stupid fire jokes too. Here’s the thing though – these jokes are usually terrible, and wrong. The jokes usually start off wrong by saying that the lake caught on fire. Real Clevelanders know it was the Cuyahoga River. Also, it happened multiple times. And, the 1952 fire helped create the Clean Water Act, so take that.
Photo via Scene ArchivesOur Basketball Team Used to Play In The Middle of Nowhere
Tell someone not from here that the Cavaliers used to play at an arena 30+ minutes from downtown in the middle of cow fields and they’ll look at you like you have two heads. But that was really where the professional NBA team from Cleveland played their home games from 1974 to 1994. As you can see in the picture, it was really in the middle of farmland.
Photo via Wikimedia CommonsPutting French Fries on Sandwiches
Whether it’s Polish Boys or panini’s, we throw fries on our sandwiches. So what?
Photo via Wikimedia CommonsMaking a Bagel Into Pizza
Cleveland’s Frickaccio’s was one of the earliest purveyors of the pizza bagel, tempting none other than President Obama, who stocked up on the bagels before heading back to the White House.
Photo via The Pizza Bagel Lady/FacebookEveryone Knows Our Iconic Local Commercials
‘Garfield 1-2-3-2-3, Garfield 1-2-3-2-3’, ‘Universalllll Winnndoows Direct’, ‘I’m Bob Serpentini, Serpentini Chevrolet’, ‘The Ganley Man Cannn’, ‘Discount Drug Mart saves you the run-around’, ‘I-X-Indoor-Amusement-Park.’ We know you sang or said all of those. Don’t forget Tim Misny and Elk and Elk. And every Clevelanders’ favorite, ‘Liberty’s in Solon, Maple Heights, Brunswick, Parma Heights, Vermillion, hummmmmmmmmmm.’
Photo via Scene ArchivesEating Paczki
It’s a deep-fried, jam-filled, doughnut-like Polish pastry. We’re the ones who know what we’re doing by eating these.
Photo via Scene ArchivesHaving Green Space Everywhere
No, not every city has a sprawling citywide parks system like the Metroparks. Enjoy them.
Photo via Instagram/@CleveMetroParksStill Calling Our Stadiums the Names From 10+ Years Ago
Where the Indians play baseball hasn’t been called Jacobs Field since 2004, but that doesn’t stop Clevelanders from still calling it ‘The Jake’. And now we’ll still call the Cavaliers’ arena ‘The Q’ for the next 20 years, even though it has a new name.
Photo by Brett ZelmanFriday Night Means High School Football
Ignatius-Eds. Brunswick-Strongsville. Chagrin Falls-Aurora. Say those words to any Clevelander and they’ll know you’re referring to the cult following that is Northeast Ohio high school football.
Photo via Erik Drost/FlickrVociferously Debating Which Side of Town Is Best
We’re all Clevelanders, it doesn’t really matter which side is the best. (We know, it’s whatever side you’re from.)
Photo via Wikimedia CommonsNot Having To Worry About Finding A Good Doctor
We’re in Cleveland. With the Clinic and UH, if you can’t find a doctor for whatever ails you, that’s on you. Because they’re here.
Photo via Scene ArchivesClambake Season
Yes, fall is football season in Northeast Ohio. But it’s also clambake season. And if you don’t take part, well, you’re not from here.
Photo via Scene ArchivesHaving a Quarterback For Multiple Seasons
Wait, other cities NFL teams have had the same QB start for multiple seasons in a row? You can do that? (This one MAY finally be changing!)
Photo via Scene ArchivesThrowing Bottles at Officials
In December of the 2001 NFL season, the Browns were sitting at 6-6 with a puncher’s chance at still making the playoffs and facing the Jacksonville Jaguars in Cleveland. With 1:08 left, the Browns had the ball at the Jaguars’ 12-yard line, trailing 15-10. Quarterback Tim Couch threw to receiver Quincy Morgan for a first down. The Browns’ then ran the next play and then the officials decided to review Morgan’s catch even though that isn’t allowed after the next play has happened. The officials overturned the catch, giving the Jaguars’ the ball and for all intents and purposes, eliminated the Browns from playoff contention. Fans didn’t take kindly to the overturned call and threw bottles and other debris onto the field. We’re not sure what the bigger crime was, the terrible call or the debris thrown. The legacy of the game is that most arenas around the country don’t give you caps for drinks purchased at events since the incident.
Photo via Scene ArchivesThe 1990’s Indians were overrated.
From 1995-1999, the Indians set a Major League Baseball record with 455 consecutive sellouts, and although the team fell short of a World Series, those teams are always remembered very fondly and any slander will not be tolerated.
Photo via @Hack1012/Instagram
