ColumbusSports.com

As a lifelong serious football fan, I can't wait for the AFC and NFC Championship games on Sunday, especially the colossal collision (sorry) on the frozen mud pit that is Heinz Field where Pittsburgh and Baltimore will continue to try to rip each other's heads off in front of millions of witnesses.

As a Browns fan, however, watching these two most hated teams play each other in another game of such importance while Cleveland's season has been over since October, only serves to rub more salt into the deep wounds that go as far back as the days of Terry Bradshaw and Jack Lambert imposing their will to keep the Browns down.

With Baltimore, the Art Modell inflicted wounds don't go as far back, but perhaps cut even deeper. Watching the Ravens mostly succeed over the past 10 years has been even more difficult in some ways, as no one deserved the success less than Modell.

Still, as difficult as it may be, my particular kind of "fandom" requires that I choose one of those teams I'd prefer to see come out on top when the bloodletting stops Sunday night. There's not a list of particular reasons I can give one way or the other, it's too painful to try to actually feel like I'm pulling for one team too hard.

 Art Modell while owner of the Cleveland Browns

So without getting into the psychoanalysis of my decision making process, for whatever reason my gut of guts tells me to hope that when they've carried all the players off the field on stretchers, and all the Steeler fan's asses are hopelessly frozen to their seats with an empty cup of Iron City beer stuck to their lips, the last player standing will be wearing that ugly purple Ravens uniform, defiantly sticking up a sole bloody middle finger, just before passing out and falling on his face onto the frozen mud.

Somewhere, Art Modell squirms and asks his male nurse to bring him a new diaper.

Go Cardinals/Eagles, beat Steelers/Ravens.

Tags: art modell, baltimore ravens, cleveland browns, jack lambert, pittsburgh steelers, terry bradshaw