Hey there, and welcome to the After Gambling Podcast. My name is still Jamie. I’m still a compulsive gambler, and the last time I gambled was still July 15th of 2010.
Now, as I said in the opener, this is a victory edition. And if you’re listening live, you’ll notice that this is not the typical Friday release. This is a second release on the same day. And it’s all because last night, we finally got a victory. As you know, I’m from Northeast Ohio, from the Cleveland area. And last night, my Cleveland Browns finally won a football game.
Yes, I’m doing a special edition on this because I think it also ties into sports gambling, and there’s a definite connection here. So hang with me for a little bit. Let me enjoy my victory while also explaining the takeaway for all of us gamblers.
A Little Context:
First of all, let me give you some context because I know we have people listening from all around the world. The Cleveland Browns, if you haven’t heard of them, are an American football team. They play in the NFL. Unfortunately, my team has been terrible. In fact, we’ve been so bad that we’ve become the laughingstock of the league. Every late-night show, every comedian cracks jokes about the Browns. And it’s been well-earned. We’ve had pretty much only one or two successful years in the last 20 years since our franchise came back.
We used to have a very proud franchise, but then our owner moved it to another city, so we didn’t even have a franchise for three or four years. Ever since it’s come back, it’s just been misery. We find the most epic ways to lose games. So even if you have no idea what American football is, just imagine whatever sport you know, being right at the end, your team looks like they’re going to win, and then the most idiotic chain of events happens, and you lose. Now imagine that this happens almost every week.
I’m recording this on September 21st, 2018, and our last win—our last victory—was Christmas Eve, December 24th of 2016. It’s been nearly two years since our team won a game. That year, we won just one game. So, we went a whole other year without winning. Basically, we’ve won two games in the span of about three years. It’s been very difficult to be a Browns fan.
The Big Victory:
Last night, our team was playing in the spotlight game, Thursday Night Football, which is the only NFL game on Thursday nights. So, everybody was watching, and everyone was just waiting for the Browns to lose again so we could become the butt of the next round of jokes. But we won. Our new star player—Baker Mayfield—came in, and he did great. He’s the quarterback, which is the most important position in American football. He hadn’t been playing, but due to an injury, he was brought in as a rookie, and he did amazing. He brought our team back from losing in the first half to a big win at the end.
The whole town went crazy. To give you an idea, Bud Light, the beer company, actually had a promotion where they put beer coolers around town with chains on them. The whole premise was that when the Browns won, Clevelanders would get a free beer because we’ve suffered so much. And it’s not just been the Browns. The Cavs—our basketball team—has been really good in recent years, and we won an NBA championship in 2016. But that’s the only championship our city has had in 50 or 60 years.
It’s been such a rough road for Cleveland sports, and it felt good to finally get that monkey off our back and to have a new sense of hope. We have this new player, a new coaching staff—sort of. There’s finally hope for our team, and it was good to get that win on a national stage.
Why This Game Matters:
Why is this game so special? Why did I want to do a podcast all about this game? Well, it’s a mix of things. This game was really special because so many things came together.
First of all, we were playing the New York Jets. For anyone who follows Gary Vaynerchuk, you know that Gary is a huge Jets fan. Gary has been very influential in my life, especially in starting this podcast, and I really appreciate everything he does. He puts out a lot of great stuff. If you haven’t followed him, go check him out. His content is really good. He’s kind of a brash New Jersey guy, but as you dig in, you realize he’s one of the most caring people out there. He goes above and beyond to help others, and he just has this “help others first” mentality.
So, we were playing his team, which made this a little bittersweet. Gary has been the reason I’ve renewed my interest in the Browns. Growing up, I was a big fan when they were good, but during my teenage years, the team left. And ever since they came back, they’ve been terrible. So, I followed them from a distance. I think, as the losing piled up, it was easier to separate myself from the team. There was this shame of rooting for a team that was always losing and the butt of jokes.
Renewed Fandom and Connections:
Gary had an interview once where he talked to a guy who said he was a big fan of LeBron James, and Gary asked, “Where are you from?” The guy said Houston, and Gary just called him out: “Why don’t you like your hometown team? You’ve got to root for your team. You’re a front-runner.” And Gary’s point wasn’t really about basketball; it was about loving the struggle. You have to love the day-in, day-out grind to get that payoff at the end.
And, again, what’s the day-in, day-out grind for us as compulsive gamblers in recovery? It’s fighting for recovery. You have to love that struggle to really appreciate the victories you get. So, after listening to Gary say that, I felt kind of guilty. He guilted me back into being a true Browns fan—not just standing on the sidelines. I went out and bought a sweatshirt with the team’s logo on it, got my son a jersey, and started following them more closely.
The Joy of Sports and Recovery:
I think we need that escapism in our lives. Before, I used to do it through gambling, but now it’s through sports. Sports are a great form of entertainment, especially when we’re connected. Last night, while watching the game, I was texting my dad, and I kept thinking about how excited my son would be to hear that Baker played and the Browns won. My son woke up this morning, and the replay was on TV. We snuggled and watched part of the game together.
Sports shine as a way to bring us together, and that connection is so important in recovery. It felt rewarding to see my team win, and it reminded me that sports aren’t about placing a bet. I had a rush of adrenaline and excitement just from my team winning—not because I had money on it. When we place bets, we create situations where we’re isolated. We’re not enjoying the game for what it truly is—an opportunity to connect with others.
Enjoying Sports for the Right Reasons:
When we bet on games, we end up enjoying them for the wrong reasons. We put ourselves in a position where the outcome is tied to our financial situation. We can win a bet and have our team lose, and it’s not really what sport is about. Sports are about bringing people together, about connecting.
So, if you’re a sports bettor, I hope this helps you see that there’s value in loving the game for the connection it brings. If you can, try to enjoy sports without the gambling aspect. And if it’s a trigger for you, maybe find ways to enjoy it with friends and family who know about your gambling and can support you. Create those connections—whether through sports or another activity. Sports are just one way, but they’re a powerful one.
Conclusion:
To wrap this one up, I just want to say a huge thank you to Gary for guilt-tripping me back into being a Browns fan. I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. Even when we tied and lost games, it was a great feeling to be all-in with it, feeling part of something bigger.
We need experiences that make us feel alive again, and sports can do that. The last twelve hours or so have felt like a rush of adrenaline—like when I used to gamble—but in a pure way that brought me closer to the people around me. That connection is what I think we should be looking for in sports, not winning bets.
Thanks for letting me share this victory. Hopefully, there’s something here you can apply to your own life to get back to enjoying things you loved before gambling, things that connect you to others and help you lead a better life in recovery. And that will do it for this episode of the After Gambling Podcast. Thanks for listening, and I will see you in the next episode.
