The Dawg Pound
Cleveland BrownsImpounded in the end zone of the Cleveland Browns’ stadium, these fans’ bark is worse than their bite (but tetanus shots are nonetheless advised). The Dawg Pound is a spinoff of Cleveland’s 1985 defense, whom cornerbacks Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield called “dawgs” to describe their tenaciously aggressive play and esprit de corps (players would bark after a sack). This rabid style seeped into the stands, where fans began to bark along in unison. One memorable game even involved sneaking a keg of beer into their thirsty den. Taking up all sorts of canine accoutrements, from dog bones to dog noses, this rowdy section of the stadium became doggone crazy, reaching new heights of pack-inspired debauchery by raining Milk-Bone dog treats down on visiting teams.
The halcyon days of chaos have since ratcheted down and the Dawg Pound has been stadium-broken by a nervous NFL, but one thing that will forever remain is the intense loyalty of Cleveland’s best friends.