I’ve gotten used to the fact that Wheelie Winslow won’t be playing football any time soon, but I’m still baffled at the silent treatment he’s been giving the fans.

I understand he has a legal right to medical privacy regarding non-football injuries. But continuing to invoke it serves no apparent purpose except to antagonize fans.

While there is no “official” confirmation, the news of his torn ACL has been leaked through the most credible of news sources, including the league-owned NFL Network and the teams’ radio announcer, Jim Donovan. It seems like somebody very well-placed within the Browns organization is none too happy with the Winslow wall of silence.

This is the opposite of PR damage control. It allows a variety of rumors to buzz around and pollenate various news outlets, message boards, and who-knows-how-many sports bar discussions. Even worse, it makes the 21-year-old Wheelie come across as not only foolishly reckless but also (mix and match from below):

• too embarrassed to get out in front of the story and come clean about his injury status
• too juvenile to speak for himself, as it is his “family” that is most often reported to be insisting on silence
• too inconsiderate of his fans to keep them apprised of the situation, let alone apologize for depriving them of his services
• just defensive enough to deserve whatever legal charges, contract takebacks, and public scorn may be headed his way.

Again, I wish the young man a complete and speedy recovery. But my feelings on this matter are crystallizing by the minute: my love for Browns football continues not because of folks like the Winslows, but in spite of them.