“It was 20 years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play” – The Beatles

Thursday marked the 20th anniversary one of the most memorable games in American sports history. The national media called it "The Drive." I call it "The day I realized what being a Cleveland sports fan meant."

The problem with anniversaries is that they are reminders, but little more than that. Often connections are lost, or not clear to us. But in this case, I can see how that game altered history. It moved jobs, changed paths, made a superstar, and crushed a dream.

As I write this, I wonder if the previous sentence is a bit too dramatic. As I read it over a second time, I am certain of that.

But when John Elway marched the Denver Broncos 98 yards for a tying touchdown on Jan. 11, 1987, it set in motion a chain of events that no one could have foreseen. The Broncos beat the Browns that day, 23-20, on an overtime field goal by Broncos kicker Rich Karlis. As I cried to my father after the game (I was 6), he assured me there was next year, and a number of years to come.

But looking back now, I have decided that Jan. 11, 1987 was the Browns’ best chance at a Super Bowl, and subsequently a championship, since thir last title in 1964

The Browns had good teams after that, and more heartbreaking losses. The next season, Earnest Byner’s fumble became football lore. But that was in Denver. The 1987 contest was in Cleveland, and the Browns led by seven with less than six minutes left in the game. The Broncos had the ball on their own 2 yard line.

It was Cleveland’s best chance.

Of course, John Elway ruined it with a 15-play drive that concluded when he found a sliding Mark Jackson over the middle in the end zone. Elway’s legend was born, while the Browns were left in Cleveland, wondering what went wrong.

I mentioned all the dramatic stuff earlier. The reason for all of that was it’s my belief that had Elway not completed his comeback, Marty Schottenheimer would not have been fired after the 1988 season for not being able to get to the Super Bowl.

He would not have been replaced by Bud Carson, who would not have been replaced by Jim Shofner, who would not have been replaced by Bill Belichick.