Cleveland Browns vs. Buffalo Bills December 18, 2016

ESPN nationally syndicated radio host Dan Le Batard wants Cleveland Browns fans to have a parade if the team finishes 0-16.

(Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The people attempting to organize a parade to mark what looks like will be an 0-16 Browns season have more than doubled their fundraising goal, and they have one guy to thank:

Tony Rizzo.

Not that it was Rizzo's intent. Rizzo, who hosts a radio show at WKNR AM/850, really, really hates the idea of the Browns Perfect Season parade, so much so that he went on a rant last week challenging its planners to a fight.

"If you're one of the people out there that is planning a parade for 0-16, I will fight you," Rizzo said. "Come down and see me right now. ... You're going to celebrate my misery for four months? That is the loserest of all loser moves I have ever heard in my life. How dumb is that? Who thinks that's a good idea? ... I don't want you on my team. I want winners and I want people that want to win. I don't want people who celebrate losing.

"If you're one of them people that are planning this parade, you better stay the hell away from me, my show and my family, because I will fight you!"

Rizzo also claimed he would work to sabotage efforts to organize the parade.

"It ain't gonna happen on my watch, folks. I promise you that." (Rizzo's segment can be heard here.)

On Friday, Rizzo's rant drew the attention of Dan Le Batard, a host for ESPN Radio out of Miami whose show is syndicated nationally on more than 400 stations. Le Batard, to put it mildly, thought Rizzo was a bit over the top, calling him a "pretty indignant, ridiculous, strident loser."

So on Monday morning, Le Batard decided to take up the cause to raise funds for the parade.

He asked listeners to go to the parade's GoFundMe page and donate. When he started, about $500 had been donated toward the $1,999 goal after four days. About 10 minutes later, the goal had been surpassed. Le Batard told listeners to stop donating, but it topped $4,000 before slowing down. (That segment can be heard here.)

As of early Tuesday morning, the GoFundMe page had $4,930. Parade organizers say all money above the $1,999 goal will be donated to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

Le Batard's effort was not lost on the parade planners, who thanked him on the event's Facebook page. According to the page, more than 5,000 people are interested in attending the parade planned for 1 p.m. on Jan. 7 beginning at FirstEnergy Stadium.

This is not the first time Le Batard has turned his focus toward Cleveland sports fans. In August 2014, after LeBron James returned to the Cavaliers, Le Batard was suspended by ESPN after he put up billboards in Akron showing two NBA championship rings and reading, "You're welcome, LeBron: Love, Miami."

Le Batard tried to buy a full-page ad with the same theme in The Plain Dealer, but the ad was rejected.