Picture this: a 5’11″, 21 year-old man sitting courtside at a Cavs game in a full basketball uniform and a painted on beard.
Great visual, huh? Do you picture that man as the “ultimate” Cavs fan? Well, right now, he could be considered that.
Haden posted this picture on his Twitter page on March 29th
That “ultimate” fan is Cleveland Browns’ cornerback Joe Haden. Was Haden born here you ask? No, he is from Maryland. Did he go to college here you ask? No, he went to Florida. If he has no Cleveland ties other than playing here, why does he do it?
In an interview with Waiting For Next Year on March 14 Haden said:
“I want to make sure that I can get my face out there as much as possible and show the fans that I appreciate them. We have amazing fans that come out. And just for them to show the support, the least I can do is give autographs or hold events for the fans who watch Cleveland sports. As much as I can give back, I try.”
Haden talks to his fans on Twitter, he visits local establishments, he goes to Monsters and Gladiators games and he’s even having his 22nd birthday party at Barley House in Cleveland. He has totally committed himself to this city and I love it.
Haden’s crazy antics have made him one of the most likable Cleveland athletes. (Ranked right up there with Josh Cribbs!) I mean, how can you not like someone jumping around in a full basketball uniform cheering on the Cavs? 
Even Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) took notice of Haden in a Tweet on March 23:” @joehaden23 Thanks 4 your big time support Joe(& all Cavs fans).Sorry we didn’t deliver 2Nite.This pain will continue 2 be our motivation…”
Don’t get me wrong, just because you’re a professional athlete in Cleveland doesn’t mean you have to be a Cleveland fan. Browns player Eric Wright (@ithinkurwright) is a well-known LA Lakers fan, but he gives the Cavs credit when credit is due. You can’t be mad at that.
It’s great to see such a promising athlete give back to the city that’s embraced him. I think Haden has it all figured out. There’s a new #23 in Cleveland! Come Browns season, Haden Nation will be in full swing!
Credits L to R: Chuck Crow/Plain Dealer, Jared Wickerham/Getty Images, Tony Dejak/Plain Dealer, Joe Haden/Twitter
Good to see you blogging again. I missed it. Also, great to see a new player so invovled in the local sports scene.
Good piece on Joe. He has by far become one of the fan favorites and I think it’s only a matter of time until he passes Cribbs. Sure Josh played at Kent but he’s starting to disapear. Haden makes sure you can find him whether it’s dressing up at a Cavs game or tailgating at a Monsters game. I agree also with your statement about Wrightous. He doesn’t have to root or even say anything about other teams but he does give credit when it’s due. It’s a shame fans can’t handle a person rooting for another city where they are from.