How Browns' fans celebrate the Christmas season

Last Sunday, my friend Rick and I went downtown for a tailgate party before the Cleveland Browns game. As you can see, it was a beautiful day in Cleveland, down by the lake, with the wind chill of negative 25. Someone brought a Christmas tree, so we decorated it with empty beer cans. The beer was freezing in the cans as soon as we popped the top, so we had to drink fast...like the guy in the picture is demonstrating. I taught him everything he knows...btw.

Deneen had asked Rick and I to judge the annual chili cook-off held by a group of her Browns' fans friends (BFF's?). Deneen is the pretty one in the middle. Rick and I are the troll-like bookends. In the background is the USS Cod submarine.


Here's another shot of the USS Cod. Man, is that a tiny boat!

Let the chili tasting begin! There were half a dozen or so entries. This was the first contestant. His chili was very sweet. Not what I was expecting at all, but I really liked it. His came in second place for me. My first place pick was the most traditional American chili, which was spicy, with plenty of ground beef, lots of beans, and with a strong tomato background taste.. My third place choice was a traditional Mexican chili, made with ground beef, some pulled pork, and several different types of beans, but very little tomato. Two types had turkey rather than beef (good, but I'm a traditionalist), one entry left a pleasant hotness lingering after it was gone. This was Rick's first choice. Rick's third choice was a venison based chili. It was also good, but not the best.

Since Rick and I had different 1st and 3rd winners, but agreed on 2nd place, we chose him as the winner. Here the lovely Deneen is awarding the coveted trophy, which will no doubt sit in a box of Browns paraphernalia until next year's contest.