"Earn your stripes" is back, still terrible

The Cleveland Browns have announced their training camp scheduled and are rolling with the same terrible mantra as last year. "Earn your stripes" is back, still means nothing and the team deserves better, especially when they have better options in house available.

The Cleveland Browns are once again going with the "Earn your stripes" mantra for training camp and preseason and I hate it. I hate it for the same reasons I hated it last year. It's sophomoric and makes no sense for the NFL.

It's trying to drum up some romantic notion with young players chasing their dreams, making a team in the NFL. But in reality, it's a 29-year old veteran trying to get his knee healthy enough to compete to make a team because he's trying to pay his mortgage and take care of his family.

So much of the Browns final 53 is already determined, so they aren't earning anything, even if they don't do a thing between now and the start of the season. And even for the players that are legitimately in flux, they may be there the entire time earning their stripe and then get cut for someone who was never here.

DeVaroe Lawrence was acquired in a trade on September 1st, Carl Davis was claimed on September 2nd when the first game of the season was September 8th. Jermaine Whitehead was claimed off of waivers in November and played seven games for the Browns, could be a factor for the team this year.

It's also just lazy. It's the obvious bad dad joke of brands. And part of what makes it so galling is the same franchise has such a great brand sitting there in "Building the Browns", their own production that has deservedly received awards. People know it and like it.

Why not make training camp and the preseason an extension of that, since that is what they are actually doing?

Go with something that plays off the fact the Browns are no longer terrible and have something to play for.

Or go with a more organic brand like the one originated by Chris Kirksey this year with "Dawg Check". That seems to be something the players have already adopted themselves, fans are already buying into and will only continue to do so. It builds itself.

"Earn your stripes" belongs on a team that goes 1-31. The Browns now are a team that warrants respect and expects to go places. It's time to leave the amateur hour branding behind with it.